.>y«<»y> "iiiiiwMiiijIJ: n ,Wi' :y '^^ftJ/^^ ■?A-i> .- OF THE Theological Seminary, PRINCETON, N. J. Case ZT^C'^*— ** Division Shelf ^ jJ-f^Ojj ?i^.^'°'' • Book, '^®:.: A DONATION ^ce-^ Becciued CONTEMPLATIONS MORAL AND DIVINE In Two Parts. ^ By Sir MATTHEW H A L E , /ft. Late Chief Jujiice of the King's-Bench. IMPRIMATUR, Antonius Saunders^ Reverendiflimo D"°- Domino Gilberto Archiepifc. Cant. Ex i5!dibus a Sacris Domefticis. Lamhetbanis Martii 13. 16% LONDON: Printed for 2). Brown , y. Walthoe J. Sprinty M. JVotton^ G. Confers and 2). Midwinter. M DCC XI.' mammMtmttmmmmm^tik PR EF A C E." 'tfE Author of thefe Writings is a Terfon of great ^ Learning , great Judgment , and Wifdom , and of great Virtue and Piety. He bath written divers learn^ edand compleat fVorks upon ctber Suhjetls ; but for thefe Wri- tings here puhliftjed^ they were Written^ as were alfo many o- thers of the like nature, extempore^ and upon this occafion^ * 7; hath been his cuflomfor many years , every Lord's- day in * the Afternoon^ after Evening Sermon (between that and Sup^ * per time) to employ his Thoughts upon fever al SuhjeSh of Di- ^ vine Contemplations : And as things came into hisThoughts, fo '^ he put them into Writing : Which he did for thefe two Reafons, * I. That he might the more fix his Thoughts, and keep them * from diver/Ion and wandring. 2, That they might remain, * and not be loft by forgetfulnefs or other interventions. And as this was the occafton and manner of his writing them^ fo this, doubtlefs, was all that be intended in them.unlefs more- over to communicate them to his Children or jome particular Friends in private uponoccafion : but for publifhing them, cer^ tainly he had not the leafi thoughts of any fuch thing; much lefs hath he revifed them for that purpofe'; nor fo much as read over fome of them (ince he wrote them ,♦ nor indeed jo much asfinified fome of them. Nay, fi far was he from any thoughts ofpublijh- ing them, that when he was importuned but to give^kis confent to the Publication of them, be could not be prevailed with to da it. And therefore that tbey are now fuhlifliedy the Reader fnn^ know that tbey are published not only in their native andprimoge^ fiialfimplicity.but without fo much as the Authors privity to it. And thus much I thought my f elf obliged, even injufiice td the Author, to acquaint the Reader with, and ingenuoufly to ac^ knowledge, and take upon my [elf the Faulty if any thing lefs perfeB and compleat, or any Wife liable to exception, Jhall ap^ pear in thefe Tapers, feeing they were neither written with any intention to be publijhed, nor revifed by the Author, nor aire pub^ lijhed with bis Knowledge, . But this again on the other fide Gbligeth me to render jonie ac- count of my doing herein. / confefs, I approve not the tbhg u The P R E F A C E, ingeneraly that is, the VMication of another s Writings wUhont his confent or frivity i but yet I know very well^that tbofe things 'ivhich in the general are for the moft part unlawful ^may yet be fo circumftantiated in a particular cafe^ as that they may become not only lawful^ but "very commendable to be done in that eafe : ^nd fuch afpecial Cafe I take this to be. And though I think tny [elf accountable to the Author chiefly ^ if not to him alone, for what I ha'ue done in this cafe , yet fome account thereof T (hall give to the Reader, fo far at leafl as concerneth thefe Writings, or is neceffary for him to he acquainted with. When Ifirft met with fome of thefe Writings, and obtained the Ferufal of them J thought them weU worth my falnstotran* fcribe : which I did, partly for my own ufe ', and partly, feeing them written in loofe and fcattered Papers , to preferve them from^ that danger ofperijlnng, from which I conceived the Au- thor s larger and more compleatWorks to be more fafe and fecure. And having colIe5led a pretty confederable fiock of them ^ 1 eom^ wunicated fome of them^ as 1 faw occafion,to fome Friends y fome of them Verfons of good Judgment and Learning , who very Tffuch commended the fame : And fcarce any that faw them, but (aid' twas great pity hut theyfiould be printed. Butbefides the Ap- probation of them by all to whom I did communicate them J per ^ ceived that they had a real effeB to the good and benefit ofjome ovho perufed them : And this experience of the good effeB s which they produced by my Communication of them to a few Friends in private ydid fart her confirm my own opinion of them, that they mufi certainly do much good ifpublijhed: And being made com" ^nsonfhave the fame good influences upon many which I found they had upon fome of tbofe few to whom they were communicated in private : But for the Manufcript Copies which 1 had,they were vot fufficient for all thofe fair opportunities of doing good with them which I faw even among my own Friends andAcquaintance. Whereupon I folicited the Author to publijli them, or at lea(i to give his confent to the Publication of them, but could not pre- 'vail with him for either, alt ho' [ know that no Motive or Ar* gument is more prevalent with him than that of Doing good.But 'ivhen I perceived, as 1 thought y that the chief Reaf on s why he ovould neither publijh them himfelf, nor give his Confent to the Publication of them, were^fuch as would be fif no force again ft the The PREFACE. iii the Publication of them without his Privity or Knowledge^ I began to confider of doing that. But before I refoived upon ity Ifent two of the largefi of them to a Perfon , wbofe Judgment I know the Author doth Tfiuch tfteent, to have his Opinion ofthemynot letting him know either Ti^howas the Author, or who jevt them to him ,• and having re^ ceived his Opinion and Commendation of them , and that be judged them like to do much good, and fucb as would he very. feafonable to he publijhed, I began farther to confider whether ^wJ how they might be publifhed without either Wrong or Injury on the one fide ^or Offence on the other ^to the Author* And for the former y I reckoned that his Concern in it was ei- ther in rcfpcd of the Difpofal of the Copy , wherein would be no great difficulty \ or more efpecially in refpeB of the Wri- tings to be publifhed , if either there Jhould occur any thing therein not ft to be made publick \ or if they were not fo well pO" lijhedand perfe^ed as might be for his Credit and Reputation, And although this might feem to be provided for infome fort hy concealing h\s^2im^(which truly Ifljould much rather have made known, hut that I knew Imufi then venture doubly to in- cur his Difpleafure) yet I looked upon this as but a weak and infufficient Vrovifionyin as much as it is not unufualfor learn- ed Men, even from the very Style and genius of Writings, to difcover the Writers ', an Experiment whereof I had feen in a • Terfon of Learning and Tarts, to whom, upon occafion, I once Jhewed one ■of the Writings of this Author, but purpofely con- cealed who the Author was, whom notwithftanding hefoon difco- vered from the Writing itfelf, telling me he knew no Man that did think at that rate, but fuch a V erf en, who 7Pas the Author indeed^ And the truth is, thefe Writings do not ohjcurely fpeak their Author, ^eiftg a moft lively Reprefentation of him, that iSf of his Mind and Soul, and of that Learning, Wifdomy Fiety and Virtue, whi^h is very eminent and confpicuous in him, par- ticularly that of the Great Audit, whi^h I itfe to look upon as his very PiBure, wherein reprefenting the Good Steward pafilng his Account, it was impoffible for him not to give a lively Re- frefentation of himfelf^ as every CharaBerof a truly wife and vertuous Perfon muji needs agree with him who is really fuch ; ^nd they who are eminently fuch, can hardly be unknown :and A 3 there' XV The P R E F A C E. therefore it is not impojjlble that fome^ even from the confihra" tion of the Work^ may difcover the Workman^ hefides many ether occaflons of Difcovery "which may happen. But as I thought this too "weak and infufficient, fo J could not hut think it altogether needlefs and unworthy both the excel- lent Author ^ and thefe his pious and excellent Meditations y to he madeufe of to that end j andjljouU much rather have ahftained from fuhlifhing them at all, than have relied upon fuch a fljifty if I had thought that they had flood in any need thereof But as it was only their real Worthy and Excellence, and JJfefulnef% ^hich moved me to defire their Puhlicationjfo I was verily per- fyjaded, and well a]]ured as I could be in any JVritings of my cwn^and that not upon my own Opinion only^but upon thefudg' ment of others alfo,that nothing liable to exception doth oc- cur in thsmjor any thing confiderable that is cjuefiionable , which bath not approved Authors who fay the fame : And the truth isy the Subjeti^ of them is fuch as is not like to afford much matter of that nature ; thefe being moral and praBical things, whereas they are for the moB part matters of Speculation^ and of curious (I had almofi [aid prefumptuous) and unneaffary, if not unde- ' terminable Speculation, which make the great Stirs , and are the matter and occafions of great eft Controverfy^ efpecially ^7 fnong them of the Reformed Religion. And though thefe Writings never underwent the lafi Hand or Fencil of the yudicious Author, and therefore, in refpeB of that perfe^ion which he could have given them , are not alto- gether fo compleat as otherwife they might have been, yet if w^ confdtr them in themfelves,or with rejpecl to theV/ritings which are daily publifbed, even of learned Men, and publijhed by th^ Authors themf elves , thefe will be found to be fuch as may not only veryweU pafs in the Crowd, but fuch as are of no vulgar or common Strain. The Subjects of them indeed are common Themes , but yet fuch as are of moft weight and moment in the Life of Man, and of great eft Concernment, as in Nature thofe things which are of greateji Ufe and Concernment , a->e moft: common^ But the matter of his Meditations upon thefe Sub- jects is not common : For as he is a manjhat thinks clojely and deeply of things, not after a common rate, fo his IVritings , his moft t^. tempore Writings^ have a certain Genius and Energy ■ ' '\ ' ' • in The PRE EiA C li: Yr in them, wuth ahove the cGwrnonR^te of Writers. 4^ tho.. tbefe are v/ritten ex tempore, and in fucb a manner as hath been [aid before j yet the Matter of thenf is.for the mofifart.. fuch, as he bad befire 'well digefied, av4y ^s-.a. Scribe inshu^^ edto the Kingdom of Heaven, had treafardup in bis Heart, and ; out cf this good Treafure of bjs Heart^md the Abundance ^ ofi^' hefroducetb t he fe good Things; Things whidb he loohdupon ^, of-greatefi Concern, and mnft worth his ferlcus C on/id er at ion j, and had accordingly weighed and confiderd. And for the Style, it is fuitable to the Matter, fignificant, perfpicuous and^ Manly; his Words are Spirit and Life , and carr)/ Evidence apd Demonfiraticn with them, moral and experimental Demonjlra-^ tion: Vox non ex ore, fed ex pedpre emifla. And if we: take thefe Writings altogether, and weigh them duly and can^ didly. without. any vain Humour of QHtjcalandpedan^tickCen^^ forioufnefs, we may therein no lefs obftrm^-the IVofth ai^ Ei{^^ ceHence of their Author, efpeciqlly confideringinwhatmanyi^n they were written , than in his rnore. Elaborate Works ^ : An^ being written and publified in this 9^anmr, -they do moreev^n dently demonstrate the Reality of his hon^efi, virtuous,- and fi^. ous Principles, than iad they been defigned.ioh publijh^dy^^d been by himfelf ; which perhaps may render them m^ lefrac* ceptable to fome Readers, not of the leipir Rank. .-; r ^ ., ^'5 So that confidering the Writings themfelpes^ J cquldnot'think that there was any thing therein, wbetht^f-'Matterorfprm^^ which could render the Publication ofihemipjmoHsorprtjUdk cialtothe Author in the leajt.in any of tht. r.efp0^5 aformenpiony ed, Tet notwithfianding, for the greater Security, I thptight it might befit, and but jufi, to give this trutand ingenuous Ac- count, both of the Occafion and Manner of hii Writing, a^d ef the Publication of them without his Privity and KnowUdg^. And this I conceived might be a.jujl and fufficient means to f^ cure the Author againft aH Exceptions y ^ ^l that which wodi^ • wholly acijuit him in the Judgment of all reafonable Men, and transfer the Blame, if any jheuld be, to my felf ; which yel was no more than what I muH have refolved td have undergone, had they been my own Writings which I had publijlisd. Iff emained therefore only to conftder how this might be done, as without Injury in other RefpeBs, fo without Offence to the A 4 worthy vi The P R E F A C E. worthy Author, And for this, two Things did not a little enccu^ rage we, i. The Honefty of my Dejtgn, and Sincerity of my In-- tentions in it : And l. The Candor andGoodnefs of the Author. His Candor I knew to be fuch, that I doubted not of a fair and favourable ConflruElionof my Defign and Intentions, And I knew his Goodnefsy yijfeBion^ and Readinefs to do good, to be fUch, that he could not but appro've my Defign, that is, to do good ; the doing whereof I hiew to he a thing of greater weight :with him than aU his Reafons againfl the'Fublication: And that pjuch Good may be done by the Publication of thefe Writings, I could afjure him upon my own Experience of the EfftBs I had feen already produced by them in Manufcript, All which, when he jhould con(ider, I was perfuaded , tho perhaps he might at firfi be a little furpriz,ed with the unexpeBed Publication of them, yet he could not be much offended at it. And then, if I (ouldfubli[h them without either Injury or Offence to him , I Reckoned it aU one in effeB as if I had his Covfent before to it. And hereupon I refolded at laji upon it^ and upon thefe Confide-^ rations have made thus bold with this Excellent Perfon^ and my very good Friend, for the Good of others^ which I jhould not have Jofte for any private Advantage to my felf wbatfoever. I doubt not but the Reader will be very defirous to knowwho the Author of thefe Excellent Meditations u : And truly I was no lefs defirotis that he jhould know it ; and that for no inconfide- table Reafons, I. As it hath always been one of the moji ufual and confiant Means and Methods which Almighty God hath, in all Ages and Nations, u fed for the Promotion of the Good of Ji^ankind, to raife up eminent Examples of Virtue ^ fo hath he heen f leafed to make this Author one of them in this Age and X^atfon : And becaufe the Efficacy of the Examples of virtuous Anions, doth no lefs depend upon the Principles from^whence they froceed,than doth the intrinjick Virtue andGoodnefs of the ABions themfelves ; the Publication of thefe Writings, which fo plainly rnanifeft his Principles, could not but be of great XJfe to render its e:(eeUent Example the more effectual, and fo become fubfer- vient to the Gracious Dejigns of the Divine Brovidence, 2. In like manner, on the other Jide^ the known Worthy and Virtue ^ and Learpini ^^d Prudence of the Author , would certainly ^avt made thefe his Writings ^ how excille?!t foever of them^ ftlves. The PRE F A C E. vH ftlvesy yet more prevalent -with many, ^, And hecaufe he is ^eH known to be a Terfon of extraordinary and admirable Sa^ gacityy Dexterity^ and Impartiality in the Search and the Dif^ covery of the Truth of Matters in ^e(lion ; and hath (tho* that be not fo generally known) with much Care and Diligence, confiderd and examind the Reafans and Evidence, both nattL ral and moral, of Religion : Thefe Writings, which fo -plainly manifefiy tho upcn another Occafton, his Senfe and Judgment of the Chri/^ian Religion ^ might be of good Ufe to eafe many of the Ooubts and Scruples of fome Perfins, and to check the vain and inconfiderate Prefumption of others, about Religion, And his Judgment in the Cafe is the more confider able , as in refpeB of his great Ability, and the Care and Diligence which he hath ufed in theExamination of it ; fo in refpecl of his Freedom from all thofe things, whether of natural Conflitution, or ofProfejfi-. on, or of worldly Intereft, which may be by fome fufpeBed to prejudice or byafs the Judgment of others. And therefore I doubt not but fome, who have a great RefpeB to hisPerfon,and may perhaps not have the fame Thoughts of Religion which he hath^ when they fljould fee his Judgment in the tafe, might tiy the Authority thereof be moved to a further and better Con fide- ration of it, 'lis true, the Life of Religion is very vifible in his Ufe and Atlions, which are all the genuine ProduB of a found aud well-grounded Perfuafiun of the Truth of that Faith which overcometh the iPorld, and hath indeed fet him much above it ; yee becaufe common Prudence may move a fober and ccnfderate Man to an external Conformity to fo reafonable a Religion, and to the PraBice of thofe excellent Virtues which it reejuires • thefe IVritin^s may pojfibly give more SatisfaBion to fome concerning his Judgment^ in the Cafe , than his Life and AElions : And in that rtfpeti they may pojfibly come forth with fome Advan- tage, being written and publi(hed in. this manner ; for here we may read his mofi intimate and retired Thoughts, And for thefe Reafons I much defired to have prefixed his Name , or at leaH to have let the Reader know who be is • but I know that that would certainly have been dlfphafivg to him • and therefore having made fo bold with him in the Pub^ lication of theje his Writings, I would not prefume farther to difccver who bs is ^ though for fo jufi and hone ft Ends -, but have viii The P R E F A C E. have purpofelf left out fome Tajjages which would too flainly have made him known. Being far ^tft ant from the Trefs, there may pfjihly hefomz /eir Typographical Errata'i , more than otherwife there (kould have heeH : But I hope that Care hath bun taken y that they are not mariy , nor very confidtrahle ^ but that the Senfc will enable the Redder to amend them. \Jt Nox longa quibus mentitur arnica, Diefque Longa videtur opus debeiitibus, ut piger Annus Pupilis quos dura premit cuftodia matrum : Sic mihi tarda fluunt ingrataque tempora, qu^ fpem Confiliumque morantur agendi gnaviter id quod y^Eque pauperibus prodeft, locupletibus aeque, j^que negleAum pueris, fenibufque nocebit. O F lu^/ - , ■': ■■ : , \ ' ; - '. ■^.i-r.). 4 -'. ( ■ S i ?.!■; ;• ' • \ '<;.;0 10 ^L : ' '■ \ . »■- . ! Of the Confideratioti of our LATTER END, And the BENEFITS of it. ■ai i'K-! kUitj Deut. XXII. 9. O that they were wife , that they miderficod this , that they would confider their Latter End I T may be probably thought, that the principal In- tention of this Wifh of Mojes was, That the Peaple of Ifrael had a dut Confid^rarion of their jiml Re- jeBion ; the ten Tribes for their Idolarry, and the two Tribes for their Crucifying of the M'JJiis ,• and^not only of that State of Rejedion, but of the Cauftis of it j namely. Idolatry, and' Rejei^^ion of the Mtjjias : Which Confideration would have made them wife and-prudenr, to avoid thofe great Apoftacies which fhould occafion id terrible a Defertion and Rejedion by God. '•' ^ '• ' ' But certainly the Words contain an evident T^^^h3 with relation to every particular Perfon, and to that 43^ ter End chat is common to all Mankind ; namely, their latter End by Death^ and Separation of the Soul and Body- ; The due Confid'eration whereof is a great part of Wif- dom^ and a great Means to attain and improve k * and very' many of the Sins and Follies of Mankind, a^ they do in a great meafure proceed from the want of an at- tentive and ferious Confideration of it , fo would they be in a great meafure cured by it. >i It is the mojl certain , known , experienced Truth in t\\t World, that aU Men mufi die ; that the Time of that Death is uncertain ; that yetmoft certainly it will come,- and that within the Compafs of no long time : Tho' theTime of X (if the ConJlJeration of our Life might be protraded to its longeft Period, yet it isTenThoufand to one that it exceeds fourfcoreYears • where one Man attains to that Age, Ten Thoufand die before it : And this Ledure is read unto us by the many Cafualties and Difeafes that put a Period to the Lives of many in our own Experience and Obfervation ; by the many Warnings and Monitions of Mortality that every Man finds in himfelf, either by the Occurrences of Dif- eafes and Weakneffes, and efpecially by the Declinations that are apparent in us, if we attain to any confiderable Age : And the Weekly Bills of Mortality in this great Ci- ty J- where weekly there are taken away ordinarily Three hundred Perfons : The Monuments and Graves in eve- ry Church and Churchyard,do not only evince theTruth of it, whereof no Man of Underftanding doubts, but do inceffantly inculcate the Remembrance of it. And yet it is ftrange to fee that this great Truth, whereof in the Theory no Man doubts , is little conJldeYed or thought upon by the moft of Mankind ; But notwith- Handing all thefe Monitions and Remembrances of Mor- tality, the Living lay it not to Heart, and look upon it as a Bufinefs that little concerns them ; as if they were not concerned in this common Condition of Mankind -^ and as if the Condition of Mortality only concerned them that actually die, or are under the immediate Har- bingers of it, fome defperate or acute Difeafes ; but con- cerned not them that are at prefent in Health, or not un- der the Stroke of a mortal Sicknefs. The Reafons of this Jnconfideratenefs feem principally thefe : 1. That Men are not willing to entertain this unwel- come Thought of their own latter End ; the Thought whereof is fo unwelcome and troublefome a Gueft, that it feems to blaft and difparage all thofe prefent Enjoy- ments of Scnfe that this Life affords : Whereby it comes to pafs, that as Death it felf is unwelcome when it draws near , fo the Thoughts and Preapprehenfions of it be- come as unwelcome as the thing it felf. 2. A vainfoolifli Conceit that the Confideration of our Lattcj: End is a kind of Prefage and Invitation of it ^ and upon of our Latter End. 3 upon this account I have known many fuperflhiouGy and fooliflily to forbear the making of their Wills, becaufe it feemed to them ominous,and a prefageof Death ,• where- as this Confideration, tho' it fits and prepares a Man for Death; it doth no way haften of prefage it. 5. A great difficulty that ordinarily attends our human Condition, to think otherwife concerning our Condition than what at prefent we feel and find. We are now in Health, and we can hardly bring our felves to think that a time muft and will come, wherein we fliall be fick : We are now in Life , and therefore we can hardly caft our Thoughts into fuch a mould, to think we fhall die ; and hence it is true, as the common Proverb is , That there is no Man fo oU, but be thinks bejhall live a year longer. It is true, this is the way of Mankind to put from us the evil Day, and the Thoughts of it ,• but this our way is our foUy, and one of the greateft occafions of thofe other Follies that commonly attend our Lives : And therefore the great means to cure this Folly, and to make us wife, is wifely to confider our Latter End. This Wifdom appears in thok excellent EffeBs it produceth, which are generally thefe two : i. Ic teacheth us to live Ti^elL 2, Itteacheth us to die eafily. L For the former of thefe, the Confideration of our Latter End doth in no fort make our Lives the fliorter, but it is a great Means to make our Lives the better. 1. It is a great Monition and warning of us to avoid Sln^ and a great means to prevent it. When I ftiall confider that certainly I muft die,and I know not how foon, why fliould I commit thofe things, that if they haften not my Latter End, yet they will make it more uneafy and trou- blefomeby the refle<5tion upon what I have doneamifs ? I may die to-morrow^ why fliould I then commit that evil that will then be gall and bitternefsunto me ^ Would I 60 it if I were to die to-morrow ? why fliould I then do it to day ? Perchance it may be the laft A(5t of my Life, and however let me not conclude foill,* for, for ought I know, it may be my concluding A<^ in this Scene of my Life. 2. It is a great motive and means to put us upon the beft 4 Of. the ^onfideration ifceft and moft profitable improvement of our Time, There be certain civil and natural Adtions of our Lives that God Almighty hath indulged and allowed to us, and indeed commanded us with moderation to ufe : as, the competent Supplies of our own Natures with moderation and fobri- ety • the Provirions for our Families, Relations, and De- pendances, without Covetoufnefs or Anxiety ^ the diligenc and faithful walking in our Callings, and difcharge there- * of: But there are alfo other bufinefles of greater Impor- tadce,which are yet attainable without injuring our felves in thofe common Concerns of our Lives ; namely, our Knowledge of God, and of his Will ,• of the Dodrine of our Redemption byChrift; our Repentance of Sinspaft; making and keeping our Peace with God ; acquainting ' our felves with him ; living to his Glory ; walking as in his Prefence ; Praying to him • learning to depend upon him ; Rejoycing in him i walking Thankful unto him. Thefe, and fuch like as thefe, are the great Bufmefs and End oifourLiveSjfor which we enjoy them in thisWorld ; and thefe fit and prepare us for that which is to come : And the confideration that our Lives are fhort and uncer- tain, and that Death will fooner or later come, puts us upon this Refoiution and Pra(5tice to do this our great Work while it is called to day • that we loicer not away our day, and negled our Task and Work while we have time and opportunity, left the Night overtake us, when we cannot Work ,• to gain Oyl in our Lamps before the Door be (hut : And if Men would wifely confider their Latter Ends, they might do this great Bufinefs, this One Thing neceffaryjwith eafe and quietnefs ,- yea, and with- out any negled of what is necelTary to be done in order to the common Necefliries of our Lives and Callings. It is not thefe that difableus and rob usof our time: But the Thieves that rob us of our Time, and our one thing ne- celTary are Negligence, excefs of Pleafures, immoderate and exceffive Cares and Sollicitoufnefs for Wealth, and Honour and Grandeur ; exceffive Eating and Drinking^ -Curiofity. Idlenefs ; Thefe are the great Confumptives ' that do not only exhauft that Time that would be, with infinites cf our latter Eni. f infinite Advantage fpent in our Attainment, and perfe^- ing , and finifhing the great Work and Bufinefs of our Lives : And then when Sicknefs and Death comes, and God Almighty calls upon us to give up the Account of our Stewardship, we are all inConfufion, our Bufinefs is not half done, it maybe not begun ; and yet our Lamp is out,' our Day is fpent; Night hath overtaken us; and what we do is with muchTrouble,Perplexity, and Vexation; and poffibly our Soul takes its flight before we can finifh it. And all this would have been prevented and remedied by a due Confideration of our latter End ; and that would have put us upon making ufe of the prcfent Time, and prefent Opportunity to do our greatWork while it is called to-day, becaufe the Night cometh when no man can work. 3. Moft certainly, the wife Confideration of our Latter End,and the Employment of our felves upon that Account upon that One thing necelTary, renders the Life the mofi con* tenting and comfortahleLiio. in this World. For as a Man,thaC is a Man aforehand in the World, hath a much more quiet Life, in order to Externals, than he that is behind- hand ; fo fuch a Man that takes his Opportunity to gain a Stock of Grace andFavourwith God, that hath made his Peace with his Maker through Chrift Jefus, hath done a great part of the chief Bufinefs of his Life , and is ready upon all Occafions, for all Conditions, whereunto the Divine Providence fhall aflign him; whether of Life orDeath,of Health or Sicknefs, of Poverty or Riches : He is as it were afore-hand in the Bufinefs and Concern of his everla(!ing, and of his prefent State alfo. If God lend him longer Life in this World, he carries on his great Bufinefs to greater Degrees of Perfedion, with Eafe, and without Difficul- ty, Trouble or Perturbation : But if Almighty God cut iiim fhorter, and call him to give an Account of his Stewardfhip, he is ready, and his Accounts are fair, and his Bufinefs is not now to be gone about : Ble£idis that Servant y whom hisMafter when be comes Jhall find fo doing, II. As thus this Confideration makes Life better, fo it makes Death eafy. I. By frequent Coafideration of Death and Diffolution, he '6 Of the Qonfideration . he is taught not to fear it ,• he hy as it were, acquainted with it afore- hand, by. often preparation for it. The fear of Death is more terrible than Death it felf ; and by fre- quent confideration thereof, a Man hath learned not to fear it. Even Children by being alccuftomed to what was at firft terrible to them, learn not to fear. 2. By frequentconfideration of bur Latter End, Death becomes to be no furprize unto uS. The great Terror of Death is when it furprizeth a Man unawares^ but Antici- pation and Preparation for it, takes aiway all poffibility of Surprize upon him that is prepared to receive it. Bllney the Martyr was ufed, before his Martyrdom, to put his Finger in the Candle, thatfo the Flamed might be no no- velty unto himjnor furprize him by reafon of unacquaint- cdnefs with it; and he that often confidershis Latter End feems to experiment Death before it comes, whereby he is neither furprized nor affrighted with it, when it comes, 2. The greateft fting and terror of Death, are the paff and unrepented Sins of the paft Life,- the Refiedion upon thefe is that which is the Strength, the Elixir,the Yehom of Death it felf. He therefore that wifely confiders his Latter End, takes care to make his Peace with God in his life-time \ and by true Faith and Repentance to get hi^ Pardon fealed ; to enter into Covenant with his God , and to keep it ; to husband his time in the fear of God j to obferve his Will, and keep his Laws f to have his Con- fcience clean and clear \ and being thus prepared, the malignity of Death is cured, and the bitternefs of it heal- ed,and the fear of it removed : And when a Man can en- tertain it with fuch an Appeal to Almighty God,as once the good King Hez^ekiah made,in that Sicknefs which was of it felf mortal, lla. 38 3. Remember vow, I hefeech thee, O Lordyhow I have Walked before thee with a prfeB heart ,8^0. It makes as well the Thought,as the approach of Deaths no terrible Bufinefs. ^ t r r f_ But chat which, above all, makes Death eafy to luch a confidcring Man, is this: That by the helpof thisCon- fideration, and the due Improvement of it, as is before Ihewn, Death to fuch a Man becomes nothing elfe but a ■ Gate of our Latter End, 7 Gate unto a better Life : Not fo much a Diflblution of his prefentLife, as a Change of it for a fat more glorious hap- py and immortal Life. So that tho' the Body dies, the Man dies not ; for the Soul, which is indeed the Man, makes but aTranfition from her Life in the Body, to a Life in Heaven: No Moment intervenes between the put- ting off the one, to the putting on the other. And this is the great Privilege that the Son of God hath given us, that by his Death hath faniStified it unto us, and by his Life hath conquerM it, not only in himfelf, but for us ; I Cor. If. 57. 'Thanh he unto God, who hath given us the Vi^oryy thro Jefifs Chrlfi our Lord, And our ViBory, that is thus given us, is this : i. That the Sting of Death is ta- ken away .-And, 2. That this very Death it felf is ren- dred to us a Gate and Paflage to Life Eternal ; and up- on this Account, it can neither hurt,' nor may Juftly af- fright us. It is reported of the Adder, thac when (he is old, flie glides thro' fome ftrait Paflage , and leaves her old Skin in the Paflage , and thereby renews her Vigor and her Life. It is true, this Paflage thro' Death is fome- what ftrait, and uneafy to the Body ; which, like the de- cay'd Skin of the Adder , is left by the way , and not without fome Pain and Difficulty to it : But the Soul pafleththro' without any Harm^and without anyExpence of Time^ and in the next moment acquires her Eftate of immortality and Happinefs. And this is the Victory o- yer Death, that all thofe have, that by true Repentance and Faith are Partakers of Chrift , and the Benefits of his Death and Refurre<5i:ion, who hath brought Life and Immortality to Light by the Gofpel. And now , having gone through the Benefits of this wife Confideration of our latter Ends , I (hall now add fome Cautions that are neceflary to be annexed to this Confideration. We are to know, that although Death be thus fubdued , and rendred rather a Benefit than a Terror to Good Men , yet, I. Death is not to he ivifioed or dejired • tho' it be ah Ob- jed not to be feared , it is a thing not to be coveted i For certainly Life is the greateft Temporal Bleffing in this B World; 8 Of ihe tlbnfideration World/ it was the F^ffion, not the Virtue, of that ex- cellent Prophet Elijah ^ that defired to die , becaufe he thought himfelf only left of the true Worfhjppers of God, I Kings. \<^, 4. We are all placed in this World by Al-^ mighty God, and a Talent of Life is delivered to us, and.* we are commanded to irnprove it : A. Task is fet every one of us in this Life, by the great Matter of the Fami-. ly of Heaven and Earth ; and we are required with Pa- ^ dence, and Obedience, and Faithfulnefs , to perform our Task, and not to be weary of our Work, nor wifli; our Day at an end before its time. When our Lord calls us, it h our Duty , with Courage and Cheerfulnefs to obey his Call ,• but unni Jie call$, ic is our Duty with Pa- tience,^nd Contentednefs to perform. our Task, to be doing pf our Work. vJVnd indeed in this Life, oar Lord has delij^er'd us feveralT^/v^ of grest Importance to do ; As namely, i. To improve our Graces'and Virtues, our Knovv^iedge and Faith, and thofg^^^prks of Piety and GoocJnefs that he requires. The better and. ciofer we fol- low .that Bufinefs he''i:e,,:ihe greater will be our Reward and IrppVovementof Glory hereafter. And therefore, as we muft with all Readinefs give aver our Work when our Mafter calls us ,• fo we muft with all Diligence and Per- feverance, continue our Employment out till he calls us; and, with all Thankfulnefs unto God, entertain and re- joice in that Portion of Life he lends lisi becaufe we have thereby an Opportunity of doing our Mafter the more Service, and of improving the Degrees of our own Glory and Happinefs. 2. And befides the former, he hath alfo fet us anqth^pTask ; n?mely, To ferve ouf Generation^ to give an Exampleof Virtue and Goodnefs,- to encourage others in the Ways of Virtue and Goodnefs ,• to provide for our Families and Relations ^ to do all good Offices , of Juftice, Righteoufnefs, Liberality, Charity to others j cheerfully and induftriouQy to follow our Cal- lings and Emplayments ; and infinite more, as well Na- tural, Civil, Moral Employments \ which, tho' of a low- er Importance in refped: of our felves, yet are of great- er \JiQ and Moment in refped: of others ; and are as well of our Latter End. p well as the former required of us, and part of the Task that our great Lord requires of us ,• and for the fake of which he alfo beftows magy Talents upon us, to be thus improved in this Life > and for which we muft alfo ac the End of our Day give our Lord an Account : And therefore, for the fake of this alfo we are tg be. thank- ful for our Life , and not be defir.ous to leave our Pofl", our Station, our Bufinefs, our Life, till our Lord call us to himfelf in the ordinary w^y of his Providence ^ for he is the only Lord of our Lives, and we are not the Lords of our own Lives. 2. A Second Caution is this : That as the Bufinefs and Employments , and Concerns of our Life muft not e- ftrange us from Thoughts of Death^ fo again "we muft be careful that the over- much Thought of Death do not fo much poffefs our Minds, as to make us forget the Con- terns of our Life, nor negledt the Bufinefs which that Por- tion of Time is allowed us for : As, the Bufinefs of fit* ting our Souls for Heaven ; the Bufineffes of our Cal- iingSj Relations, Places, Stations: Nay, the comforta- ble, thankful, fober Enjoyments of thofe honeft lawful Comforts of our Life that God tends us ,♦ fo as it be done with great Sobriety and Moderation, as in the Prefence of God, and with much Thankfulnefs to him ; for this is part of that very Duty we owe to God, for thofe ve- ry external Comforts and Bleflings we enjoy. Deup, 28. 47. A wife and idue Confideration of our Latter Ends, is neither to render us a fad, melancholy, difconfolate Peo- ple, nor to render us unfit for the Bufineffes and Offices of our Life ,• but to make us more watchful, vigilant, in- duftrious, foberly chearful and thankful to that God, thac hath been pleafed thus to make our felves ferviceable to him, comfortable to our felves, profitable to others • and after all this , to take away the Bitcernefs and Sting of Death, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord. B z id Of WifJom and Of Wifdom, and the Fear of God That that is True Wifdom. Job xxvii. 28. And to Man he [aid, Behold, the Fear cf the Lord that is Wifdom ^ and to depart from Evil is Un^ dirfianding. TH E great Treeminence tfiat Man hath over Beafls, is his Reafon ^ atid the great Preeminence that one Man hath over another is Wifdom : Tho' all Men have or- dinarily the Privilege of Reafon ; yet all Men have not the Habit of Wifdom. The greateft Commendation th^t we can ordinarily give a Man, is, that he is a wife Man f and the greateft Reproach that can be to a Man, and that which is vvorft refented y is to be called or efteemed a Fool : And yet as much as the Reputation of Wifdom is valued, and the Reputation of Folly is refented, the Ge- nerality of Mankind are in truth very Fools, and make it the great part of their Bufmefs to be fo i and many that pretend to feek afterWifdom, do either miftake the thing, or mifta1?e^he way to attain it. Commonly thofe that are the gxQ^iQ&^etejiders to Wifdom y and the Search after it, place it in fome little narrow Concern,but place it not in its true Latitude commenfuratetotheNatureof Mankind : And hence it is that one efteems it the only Wifdom to be a wife Politician or Statefman ; another, to be a wife and knowing Naturalift ; another, to be a wife Acquirer of Wealth, and the like : And all thefe are Wifdoms in their kind ,• and the World perchance would be much better than it is, if thefe kinds of Wifdom were more in Fafliion than they are : But yet thefe are but partial Wif- doms J the Wifdom that is moft worth the feeking and finding, is that which renders a Man a Wife Man, This excellent Man Johy after a diligent Search ( in the Speech of this Chapter ) after Wifdom, what it is, where to be found, doth at length make thefe two Con- ehfions ^ viz,, i. That the true Root of Wifdom , and that the Fear of QocL 1 1 that tKef.efor.e bed knew where it was to be found, and how to be attain'd, is certainly none other but Almighty God, 'Z/. 25. Goil urjderHandeth the 7i^ ay thereof , and know- eth the Place thereof: And, 2. As he alone beft knew it, fo he beft knew how to prefcribe unto Mankind the Means and Method to attain it. To Adan he f^id^ To fear God that is Wifdon> i that is, it is the proper and adequate Wifdom fuitable to Human Nature, and to the Condition of Man- kind. And we need not doubt but it isfo , becaiife he that beft knew what was the beft Rule of Wifdom, prefcribed it to Man, his beft of vifible Creatures, whom we have juft Reafon to believe he would not deceive with a falfeor deficient Rule of Wifdom ;• fince as Wifdom is the Beau- ty and Glory of Man, fo Wifdom in Man fers forth the Glory, and Excellency, and Goodnefs of God. And, confonant to this, Daijid a wife King , and Solomon the wifeft of Men, affirm the fame Truth ; Pfai.iii. 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wifdom ^ a good under^ flan ding have they that do hi: Commandments.. Prov. I. 7, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge ,• but Fools defpife Wifdom and InftruBion. And 9- 10. The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wifdom , . and the knowledge of the Holy is Under ft anding. And when the Wife Man had run all his long Travel of Experiments, to attain that which might be that Good for the Children of Men ,• in the end of his tedious Chace and Purfuit, he clofeth up all with this very fame Conclufion, Ecclef 12. 13. Let us hear the Cotichfion of the Whole matter , Fear God and keep his Com^ mandmentSy for this is the whole Duty of Man : And he gives a (hort, but efFedual Reafon of it ; For God jhall bring eve^ ry Work into Judgment ^ with every fecret thing , whether it he good ^ or whether it be eviL And hence it is that this wife Man, who had the greateft Meafure of Wifdom of any- mere Man fmce the Creation of Adam ;- that had as great Experience and Knowledge of all Things and Per- fons j that made it hisBufinefs to feardi and enquire, not only into Wifdom, but into Madnefs and Folly ^ that had the greateft Opportunity of Wealth and Power, to make the exadeft Enquiry therein : This wife, and iaquifitive, B 3 and 3t^ Of WifJom an J and experienced Man, in all his Writings ffiles the Man fearing God , and obeying him , the only Wife Man ; and the Perfon that negleds this Duty , the only Foci and Madman. And yet it is ftrange to fee how little this is thought of or ielie'uedinthe World: Nay, for the moft part he is thought the wifeft Man who hath the leaft of this Principle of Wif- dom appearing in him^ that fiiakes off the Fear of God, or the Senfe of his Prefence, or the Obedience to his Will, and the Difcipline of Confcience, and by Craft, or Sub^ tilty, or Power, or Oppreffion, or by whatfoever Me- thod may be moft conducible, purfues his Ends of Profit, or Power^ or Pleafure.or what elfe hisownvainThoughts and the miftaken Eftimate of the Generality of Men ren- der defirable in this World : And on the other fide, he that governs himfelf, his Life, his Thoughts, Words, Actions, Ends and Purpofes , with the Fear of Almighty God, with a Senfe and Awe of his Prefence, according to his Word , that drives at a nobler End than ordinarily the World thinks of; namely, Peace with Almighty God, and with his own Heart and Confcience^ the Hope and Ex- pectation of Eternity ; fuch a Man is counted a fhailow, empty, inconfiderate, foolifli Man ; one that carries no . Stroke in the World ; a Man laden with ?. melancholy De- lufion, fetting a great Rate upon a World he fees not,and negleding the Opportunities of the World he fees. . But upon a found and true ExamiH^on of this Bufi- nefs , we fliall find that the Man that feareth God is the wifeftMan, and he that upon that Account departs from Evil, is the Man of greateft Underftanding. I fhall (hew therefore thefe Two Things : i. What it is to fear God. 2. That this Fear of God is moft demonftratively the beft Wifdom of Mankind , and makes a Man truly and really, a Wife Man. I. Touching the firft of thefe, Fear is an AfFedion of the Soul, that is as much diverffied as any one Afredioa^ whatfoever ; which Diverfification of the Affedion ari- feth from the Diverfification of thofe Objects, by which this AfFedion is moved. I fliall mention thefe Four : • - ,1. Fear the Fear of God. ij" • I. Fear of Deffondency or Defperation ; which afifeth from the Fear of feme great and important Danger that is unavoidable, or at lead fo apprehended ; and this is oot the Fear that. is here commended to Mankind. 2. Fear of Terror or AiFrightment ; which is upon the Senfe of fome great important Danger; that tho' pofli- bly it may be avoided, yet it carries with it a great Pro- bability and immediate Impendjgncy : As the Fear of Ma- riners in a Storm ; or a Fear that befals a Man in fome Time or Place of great Confufion^ ,or vilibie Calamity. And this kind of Fear of Almighty God is fometimes ef- fedual and ufeful to bring Men to Repentance after fome great Difpleafure of Almighty God by Sin or ApoiVacy ; but this is not that Fear that is here, at leafl: primarily and principally meant, but thefe Two that follow. 5. A Fear of Reverence or Awfuinefs : And this Fear is raifed principally upon the Senfe of fome Obje6t, fiill of Glory^ xMajeily, Greatnefs ; tho' pofiibly there is no Caufe of expeding any Hcrt from the Perfon or Thing thus feared. Thus a Subjed bears a Reverential Fear to his Prince, from the Senfe of his Majefty and Grandeur : And thus, much more the Majefty and Greatnefs of Al- mighty God excites Reverence and Awfuinefs , though there were no other Ingredient in that Fear. Jer, 5*. 21. V/iil ye not fear me , faith the Lord ? Will ye not tremhle at my F re fence ? &c. Jer. iq. 7, Who 'would not fear thee, O King of Nations^^ 4. A Fear of Caution or Watchfulnefs. This is that which the Wife Man commends, Vrcv. 28, 14. BleJ/ed is the Man that feareth always. And this Fear of Caution is a due Care and Vigilancy not to difpieafe that Perfon from whom we enjoy or hope for Good ,• the Fear of a Benefactor, or of that Perfon from whom we may, up- on fome juft Caufe or Demerit , exped an Evil, as the Fear of a juft and righteous Judge. And thefe Two latter kinds of Fear, namely, the Fear of Reverence, and the Fear of Caution, are thofe that arc the principal Ingre- • dients conftituting this Fear of God, that thefe excellent . Men commend to us as true Wi(ciom. B 4 Now i4 Of Wifdom and Now, this Fear of God arifeth from thofe right and true Apprehenfions concerning Almighty God, that do with a kind of Connaturality and Suitablenefs excite both thefe Two kinds of Fear ^ and thofe feem to be principally thefe Three. 1. A true and deep Senfe of the Being of God : Name- ly ,^ That there is a moft Excellent and Petkci Being, which we call God^ the only true God, the Maker of all Things, But this is not enough to conftitute this Fear ,♦ for Epicunts and Luchm did believe that there was a God, yet were without the Fear of him. 2. A true and deep Senfe, Knowledge, and Confide- ration of the Attributes of God, And altho' all the Attri- butes of God are but fo many Expreflions and Declara- tions of his Perfed:ion and Excellency and therefore all contribute to advance and improve this Fear, efpecially of Reverence ; yet there are fome Attributes that feem in a more fpecial manner to excite and raife this AfFedion of Fear, as well the Fear of Reverence, as that of Cau- tion and Vigilance. As namely, i. The Majefly and Glo- ry of God, at which the very Angels of Heaven, that are conftrmed in an unchangeable Eitate of Ha ppinefs, carry an inward, and exprefs an outward Reverence. 2. But Majefty and Glory without Power is not perfect ; there- fore the Senfe and Knowledge of the Almighty Power of Gody is a great Objed: of our Fear : He doth whatfoe- ver he pleafeth ; all Things had their-i^ing from him, and have their Dependance on him. 3. The deep Knowledge of the Goodnefs of God, and that Goodnefs not only Immanent in himfelf, but Ema-. nent and Communicative : And from this DifFufive and Communicative Goodnefs of God, all Things had their adual Being, and from him they do enjoy it. And both thefe Goodneifes of God, the Immanent and Emanent GoodneiTes, are the nobleft Exciters of the nobleft Fear ; a Fear fpringing from Love, and that Love fixing upon the Immanent Goodnefs of God , which is altoge- ther loVQly and perfecft ; and fo upon the Emanenc and Communicative Goodnefs of Cod , as he is our . Bene-. the Fear of Go J. tfz Benefa£lor ; and where-ever there is Love, there is the Fear both of Reverence and Caution. We cannot chufe but honour and reverence, and be careful to obferve and pleafe whatfoever we thus love j the intrinfick Nature of that which we love for its own Worth and Perfe6^ion, binds us by a kind of natural Bond or Refult to Reverence and Honour; and the extrinHck Emanation of thatGood- nefs to us^binds us to Reverence andEfteem^and Honour it as our Benefactor, by a double Bond, 'viz,, firft , of Gratitude or Benevolence to him that communicates this Good ,• fecondly, by a Bond of Prudence and Self- pre* fervation, not to difoblige him from whom we have our Good, and upon whom we have our Dependance, left a Difobligation fhould occafion his fubftradion or abatement of that Good from us. Wherefoever there is Dependance, as there mud be natural Love to that upon which is our Dependance, fo there muft be neceffarily a Fear both of Reverence and Caution, even upon Principles of Self- love, if there were nothing elfe to command it. 4. A deep Senfe, Knowledge, and Confideration of the Di- vine Orrjnifcience. If there were all the other Motives of Fear imaginable, yet if this were wanting, the Fear of God would be in a great meafure abated ; for what availeth Reverence orCaution ,if he to whom it is intended do not know it ? And what Damage can be fuftained by a neglect: or omifEon of that Fear, if God Almighty knew it not ? The want of thisg'onfideration hath made even thofe A- theifts that yet acknowledged a God ; fuch were Epicttms, Diagorai, Lucretius, Lucian, and others among the Philofo- phers,- and fuch was ElipLiz, his Oppreffor, Joh 22. i^. Hgw dot Jo God know ? and can he judge through the thick Cloud ? or David's Fool, Tfal. 94. 7. The Lord fh.^/l not fee, neither (l)all the God (?/Jacob regard. But the All- know- ing God fearcheth the very Thoughts , and knows the Heart,and all theAdions of our Lives ; Not a Word in our Tongue but he heareth It, and knows our Thoughts afar off, $*. A deep fenfe of the HoVmefs and Vurity of God, which muft needs caufe in him an avcrfenefs unco, and abhor- xcnce of whacfover is finfwl or impure, Laftly, The fenfe I (J V OfWifdom and *erife of the Jufilce of God, not only an inherent Juftice, which is the reditude of his Nature ,• but tranfient or diftributive Juftice , that will moft certainly diftribute Rewards to Obedience, Obfervance, and the fear of his Name, but Punifhments to the Difobedient , and thofe that have no fear of him before their Eyes. The deep con&deration and fenfe of thefe Attributes of the Divine Perfedions.muft needs excite both the Fear of Reverence and the Fear of Caution, or Fear of offending either by Commiffion of what may difpleafe God, or of omitting of what is pleafing to him, ' 3. But altho' this Knowledge of Almighty God and his Attributes,may juftly excite a Fear both of Reverence and Caution ,• yet without the Knowledge of fomething elfe, that Fear will be extravagant and diforderly , and fometimes begets Superftition or ftrange Exorbitancy in this Fear, or in the Expreffions of it, and a want of regu- larity of duty or obedience ^ ifa Man know that Almighty God is juft, and will reward Obedience and punifh Difo^ bedience,' yet if he knows not what he will have done or omitted, he will indeed fear to difpleafe him, but he will not know how to pleafeor to obey him : therefore befides the former, there muft be a Knowledge of the Will or Lav^ ef God in things to be done or omitted.'This Law of God hath a double Infcription. I. In Nature j and that is again twofold I firft , The natural Rudiments or Morality and Piety written in the heart : Secondly,fuiih as are deducible by the exercife of natural Reafon and Light ; for even from the Notion of God there do refult certain Confe- quences of natural Piety and Religion, as, that he is to be prayed unto, to be praifed,that he is to be imitated as far forth as is poffible by us ^ therefore as he his holy,bene- ficent, good, and merciful. To muft we be. 2. But we have a more excellent Tranfcript of the Divine Will , namely, the Holy Serif lures ; which therefore a Man that fears God will ftudy,obrerve, and pradice, as being the beft Rule hov/ to obey him. And the very fear of God ariling upon the Senfe of his Being and Attributes will make that Man very folicitous to know the Will of God, and the Fear of &M. ' 1 7 and how he will be worfl^pped and ferved^ and what he would have to be done^ or not to be done : And there- fore fince the Glorious God hath fo far condefcended, as by his Providence to fend us a Tranferipc of his Mind, Will, and Law, he will be very thankful for it, very f^u- dious of it, much delighted in it, very curious to obferve it, becaufe it is the Rule and Diredion how he may obey, and coiifequently pleafe that great God whom he fears ; this Word he believes and prizes as his great Charter ; and in this Word he finds much to excite, and regulate, and dired his Fear of God ; he fees Examples of th€ Di- vine Juftice againfc the Offenders of his Law, of the Di- vine Bounty in rewarding the Obedience to it: Threat- nings on one hand, Promifes on the other. Greater Ma- nifeftations of the divine Goodneis in the Redemption of Mankind by Chrifl: Jefus, and therefore greater Ob- ligations as well to fear as to love fuch a Benefa(5^or. IL And thus far of the Kinds of the Fear of Gody and of the Caufes or Objeds exciting it : Nov/ let us fee how it doth appear that this fearing'Man is the WifeMan/and ho^ the Fear of God difcovers it felf to be the truSyand hefty and only Wlfdom ,• which will appear in thefe particular Confiderations following. I. Many learned Men confidering th^t great fimilirudo and image of Ratiocination, in fome Brutes efpecially, have therefore declined to define a Man by hisiic.^/i»^be- caufe of that analogical Ratiocination which they find in Brutes \ but define a Man by his Religion, Homo e(t annnal religiofum'y becaufe in this they find no communication or fimilitude of Natures and Operations between Man and brute Beails: for Man is the only vifible Creature thatexr preffeth any inclination toReligionor the fenfe of a Deicy^ or any exercife of it. I do not ftand to juitify this Opi- nion in all particulars, only thefe things are moft certain j I. That only the Human Nature feems to haveany fenfe' or impreffion of any regular Religion upon it. 2. That the fenfe of a Deity and Religion refulting from it, is the great ennobiing,and advance, and perfection of the Ku- man Nature, 5. That take away the Fear of God, all 1-g of Wifdom and fenfe and ufe of Religion falls to the ground. So that the Fear of Godisthegreat foundation of Religion, and con- fequently the great ennobling and advance of Human Nature j that feems almoft as great a prelation of a Man truly religious above an irreligious Man, as to operation and ufe, as there is between an irreligious Man and a Brute. As Religion advanceth , fo Irreligion embafeth the Human Nature. 2. Jufiice is of tvjo kinds ,♦ Dijirlbutive, which is theju- ftice of a Magiftrate or Judge, diftributing Rewards and Punifliments^Favour and Difpleafure^and due Retribution to every Man according to the merits of his Caufe. 2. Commutauve, which is in all civil Contrads and Dealings between Perfons, as dealing honeftly, keeping Promifes, and ufing Plainnefs, Sincerity , and Truth in all a Man faith or doth: And both thefe kinds of Juftice are efFeds of excellent Wifdom ^ without thefe^States and Societies and Perfons, fall into Diforder, Confufion, and Diflblu- don : and therefore thofe very Men that have not this Ju- ftice and Righteoufnefs, yet honour and value thofe that have it, and ufe it. And the Fear of Almighty God is that wluch begetteth and improveth both thefe kinds of Juftice. Hence it was that Mofes^in his Choice of Judges, diredts that they fhould be Men fearing God , and hating Co- 'vetoufnefs : 7ei6o/fe^/>to,in his Charge to hisJudges,thought this the beft Expedient to contain them within the bounds of Juftice, to put them in remembrance before vv'hom, and for whom, they are to judge. And the very Heathens themfelveswere fome of themufed to fet an empty Chair in the place of Judicature,as an Emblem of the Prefence of God, the invifible, and yet all- feeing God, as prefent in the Courts of Juftice,obferving all the Judges do ^ and this they efteemed an excellent means to keep Judges to their Duty , by reprefeniing to them the Glorious God beholding them. And as thus in DiHrihutive Juftice,the Fear of God is a great means to keep and improve it ; fo in Commiitati'm Juftice, the Fear of God gives a fecret and powerful Law to a Man to keep and obferve it. And Lsnce it is, that Jofefh could give nogreaterafliirance to hi$ the Fear of Go J. 19 Ills Brethren of hiV juft dealing with them than this, Gen^ 42. 18. This doy for I fear God : And OH the Other fide, Abraham could have no greater Caufe of fufpicion of ill and unjuft dealing from the People with whom he con- verfcd, than this^that they wanted the Fear of God fitn. 20. ir. Becattfe I thought the Fear of God 'was not in this place, &c. Thefenfeof theGreatnefs, and Majefty, and Power, and Juftice^and all- feeing PrefenceandGommand of Almighty God.lays a greater Obligation and Engage- ment upon a Heart fearing God, to deal Juftly and ho- heftly, than all the Terrors of Death k felf can do. And if any one fay,How came it to pafs that theHea- then that knew not , and therefore feared not the tru^ God, were yet great Afferters, Maintainers,and Pradifers of all civil Juftice and Righteoufnefs between Man and Man ? I fay, though they knew not the true God, they knew there was a God, whom (though ignorantly) they feared : And this imperfed and broken Fear of God was the true Caufe of that Juftice and Righteoufnefs that was fmcerely,and not for oftentation, pradifed among them j and though they miftook the true God, yet in this they were not miftaken.that there was a God ,• and this Truth had that great prevalence upon them, to do juftiy : And if that imperfea: Fear of God in them did Co much prevaii as to make them fo juft , how much more muft the true Knowledge and the Fear of the true God prevail to ad- vance Righteoufnefs and Juftice in them that have that Fear of God in their Hearts ? 3. It is a great part of Wifdom that concerns a Perfon in theexercife of the Duties of his Relations ; and indeed it is a great part of Juftice and Righteoufnefs. Now the Fear of AlmightyGod hath thefe two great Advantages therein: i. The Will of God inftrufts exadly all Relati- ons in their Duties of thofe reciprocal Relations ; and this Will of God is revealed in his Word, which contains ex- cellent Precepts of all kinds fuicable to every feveralRela- tion. 2. The Fear of God fets thefe Diredions elofe upon the Heart, and is a fevere and conftant Obligation toob- ferve them. And fothis Fear of God doth effe^ually fit^ ha« ^9 Of WifJm and habituate, guide, and otjiige a Man to the Duties of his feveral Relations : It makes a good Magiftrate, a good Subjed, a good Husband, a good Wife, a good Father, a-good Child, a good Mailer, a good Servant ,• in all thoft feveral kinds of Goodnefs that are peculiar and pro- per to the feveral relations wherein ^ Man ftands. • 4. Sincerity y Ufrigbtnefs, Integrity^ and Henefty, are cer- tainly, true and real Wifdom. Let any Man obferve it where he will, an Hypocrite, or DifTpmbler, or double- heareed Man,though he may fhuftle it out for a while, y ec ar theiong run heis -difcoveredand difappointed, and be- trays ver^ tnuch Folly at the latter end i when a plain, finQenfi,jh5)nefl: Man holds it out to the very laft ^ io that thePfov»erb is moft true, that Honefty is the heft Volley. l^2.the great Privilege of th3 Fear of God is , that it maikes the Heart fihc^re and upright, and that will cer- tain?! y make the Words and Adions fo; For heis under the fenfe of the infpe<^ion and animadverfion of that God that fearches the Heart ; and therefore he dares not lye, nor diffemble, nor fiatrer, nor prevaricate ^ becaufe he knows the pure, all- feeing righteous God, that lovesTruth and Integrity, and hates lying and diffimulation, beholds, and fees, and obferves him, and knows his Thoughts, Words, and A<5i:ions. It is true,that Vain-glory,and Often- tation,and Rcputation,and Dellgns,and Ends, may many times render the outward Actions fpecious and fair, when the Heart runs quite another way,and accordingly would frame the Adions, if thofe Ends and Defigns, and Vain- glory and Oftentation, were not in the way ; but the Fear of God begins with the Heart, and purifies and re« difies it \ and from the Heart thus rectified grows a Ccri- formity in the Life, the Words and Adions. f. The great occafion and Reafon of the foUy cf Mankind are, i. The unrulinefs and want of Government of the fetjfud Appetite or Lufis : Hence grows Intemperance and excefsin Eating and Drinking, unlawful and exorbitant Lufts ; and thefe exhauft the Eftate, wafte and confums the Health, embafe and impoverifh the Mind,deltroy the Reputation, and render Men unfit for Indufiry and Bu- finefs. the Fear of God. zl: linef?. 2. The exorbitancy, and unrullnefs, and irregulari-^ ty of the Paffions ,* as,exc€fEve4ove of things that areei* ther not lovely, or not defervingfp much love ,• excefs ot Anger^which oftentimes degenerates into Malice ^ndRe^ venge ,• excefs of Joy, in light,trivial5inconfiderablemat<^ ters ,• excefs of Fear, where eitherno caufe or fear, ornol caufe of fo much fear is : And thefe exorbitances of :PaiIi-: ons betray the fuccoursof Reafon,brcak out into veryfbo^ lifh,vain,imprudent A(5bions, and fill the World with maich of that folly and diforder that is everywhere obfervabfe'^ 3. Thofe difcafes and diftempers of the Mind, as Pride,- vain-glory. Ambition of Honour, and Place andPovsrefy Infolency,Arrogancy ,Envy, Covetoufnefs, and the liiie j thefe, I fay , ar-e fo many Sickneffes and Cankers, -and rotten Ulcers in the Mind ;; and as they, like the Furies that were let loofe out of Tam^ofas Box,- do raife moft'of tliofe Storms and Tempefts that are abroad in theWopId^ fo they difcafe and diforder,and befet the Mind. v^hereiri they are^and make their Lives a Torment 00 themfeives * and put them upon very foolifli^jVain^and frantick Adions and Deportments, and render Men perfed Fools,'Mad^ men, and vt^ithout Underftanding. < srn d the i-r Folly is fd much the greater and the moreinciirable^ that like feme kind of frantick Men, they think very goodly of them-^ felves, think themfelves paffing-wife Men, and applaud themfelves ,• though it is moft apparent to any indifferent By^ftander, that there are not afi^rt of vainer foolifhPer-i fons under Heaven. Now as we are truly told that the ^tH degree and flep of Wifdom is to put off Folly^ ' ' ^ SapicTlitia prima ef^^ - Stultitia caruiJJs ^ fo it is the Method of the Fear of God, the beginning of all true Wifdom, to disburthen a Man of thefe Originals and Foundations of Folly. It gives a Law to the Senfitive Appetite, brings it inSubjedion, keeps it within the limits and bounds of Reafon, and of thofe Jnftruc^ions and Di- redions that the wife God hath prefcribed : It keeps it under difcipline and rule : It direds the Paffions to their proper Obje(5ts , and keeps them within their due Mea- fursji li of Wifdom and fiires, and within the due lines and limics of Moderation^; and as becomes a Man that lives in the fight and obferva- tion of the God of Glory, Majefty, and Holinefs : It cures thofe difeafes and diftempers of the Mind by the prefence of this great Prefervative and Cathartick , the Fear of God. If Vride or Vain-glory begin to bud in the- Soul, he confiders that the God he fears refifts the Proud. This Fear puts a Man in remembrance of the glorious, Majefty of the moft glorious God ^ and what is a poon Worm, that he fhould be proud or vain-glorious in the prefence and fight of that mighty God ? If Ambition or Covetoufnefs begin to appear, this Fear of God prelently remembers a Man that the mighty God hath prohibited them; that he hath prefented unto us things of greater moment for our defires than worldly Wealth^or Honour; that we are all of his Houfhold, and muft content our felves with that portion he allots us, without preffing be- yond the meafure of fobrietyjOr dependanceupon,orfub~ miffion to him : If i^e'z/ew^e ftirs in our hearts, this Fear of God checks, tells a man that he ufurps God's Prero-? gative,who hath referved Vengeance to hiinfelf as part of his own Sovereignty : If that Vermin En^y begins to live and crawl in our Hearts, this Fear of God crufteth it by rcmembring us that the mighty God prohibits it, that he is the Sovereign Lord and Difpenfer of all things ,• if he hath given me little I ought to be contented ^ if he hath given another more, yet why (hould my Eye be evil be- caufe his Eye is good ? Thus the Fear of the Lord walks thorough the Soul , and pulls up thofe weeds and roots of bitternefs and folly that infed, difquiet, diforder and befool it. 6. Another great caufe of Folly in the World is Inad* 'vertenccy Inconfideratenefs, Vrecipitancyy and over-haftinefs in fpeeches or anions. If Men had but the patience many times to paufebut fo long in anions and fpeeches of mo- ment as might ferve to repeat but the Creed or Lord'$ Prayer, many follies in the World would be avoided that do very much mifchief, both to the Parties themfelves and others : And therefore inadvertence, and precipitancy ill the Fear of God. 2J in things of great moment, .and that require much delibe- ration, mufl needs be very great folly, becaufe the confe- quence of mifcarriage in them is of great moment. Now the Fear of the Lord of Heaven and Earth, being actually prefent upon the Soul, and exerting it felf, is the greateft motive and obligation in the world to Confideration and Attention touching things to be done or faid. When a Man is to do any thing^orfpeakin the prefenceof a great earthly Prince, the very awe and fear of that Prince will give any iMan very much confideration touching what he faith or doth, efpecially to fee that it be conformable to thofe Laws and Edicts that this Prince hath m.ade. Now the Great God of Heaven and Earth hath, in his Holy Word, given us Laws and Rules touching our Words and Adions ^and what we are to fay or do, is to be faid or done in no lefs a prefence than the prefence of the Ever- glorious God, who ftric^ly eyes and obferves every Man in the World, with the very fame advertence, as if there were nothing elfe for him to obferve: And certainly there can- not be imagined a greater engagement to advertence, and attention, and connderation^ than this : And therefore if the Action or Speech be of any moment, a tMan thatfear> God will confider, i. Is this lawful to be done or not? if it be not,how fhall I do this great Evil and lia againfl God ? 2. But if it be lawful, yet is it fit ? is it convenient ? is it feafonable ? if not, then I will not do it, for it becomes not that Prefence before whom I live. 3. Again, if the thing be lawful and fit, yet I will confider how it is to be done, what are the moll fuitable circumftances to the Ho- nour and Good pleafure of that Great God before whom 1 Hand. And this advertence and confideration doth not only qualifiemy adionsand words with Wifdom and Pru- dence, in contemplation of the Duty I owe to God, but it gives an excellent opportunity very many times by giv- ing paufe and deliberation in reference to my Duty to God, to difcover many human ingredients of Wifdom and Pru- dence requifite to the choice of Anions and Words, and the manner of doing them : So that befides the greater advantage of confideration and advertence in relation to Almighty God, it doth fuperadd this advantage alfo C . for 24 Of JVjfilofH and for opportunity thereby of human prudential Confldera- tions, which otherwife by hafteand precipitance in Ani- ons or Words would be loft •, and it habituates the Mind toa temper, of Caution, Advertence^ and Confideration in matters as well of fmaller as of greater moment^ and fo make a wife, attentive,, and confiderate Man. 7. It mightily advanceth and imfroveth the worth and excellency ofmoB human anions in the World, and makes them a nobler kind of a thing than otherwife without it they would be. Take a Man that is employed as a States- man or Politician, tho' he have much Wifdom and Pru- dence^ it commonly degenerates into Craft and Cunning, and pitiful Shuffling, without the Fear of God : But min- gle the Fear of Almighty God with that kind of Wifdom, it renders it noble, and generous, and ftaid, and honeft, and ftable. Again, a Man that is much acquainted with the fubtiler kind of Learning, as Philofophy for Inftance, without the Fear of God upon his Hearty, it will carry him overtoPride, Arrogance, Self conceit, Curiolity, Prefum- ption : But mingle it with the Fear of God^it will ennoble that Knowledge, carry it up to the Honour and Glory of that God that is the Author of Nature, to the Admiration of his Power, Wifdom, andGoodnefs; it will keep him humble, modeft, fober, and yet rather with an Advance than Detriment to his Knowledge. Take a Man indu- ftrious in his Calling, without the Fear of God with it, he becomes a Drudge to worldly Ends, vexed when difap- pointed,overjoyed in fuccefs: mingle but the Fear of God with it, it will not abate his Induflry but fweecen it •, if he profper he is thankful to God that gives him power to get Wealth ; if he mifcarry, he is patient under the Will andDifpenfationoftheGodhefearsj it turns the very Em- ployment of his Calling to a kind of religiousDuty and Ex- ercifeof his Religion,without Damage or Detriment to it. 8. The Fear of God is certainly the greateft Wifdom, becanfe it renders the Mind full of tranquility, and evennefin all (hates and conditions ; for he looks up ro the Great Lord of the, Heavens and Earth, confiders what he commands and requires,rememberschat heobferves and eyes all men ^ knows that his Providence governs all thing*, and this keeps^ the Feaf* of God. 2$ keeps him ftill even and fqiiare without any confiderable Alteration, whatever his Condition is. Is he Ricli, Profpe- rous. Great ? yet he continues fafe, becaufe he continues humble^ watchful, advertent, left he fhould be deceived and tranfported ^ and he is careful to be the more thank- ful, and the more watchful, becaufe the Command of his God^ and the Nature of his Condition requires it : Js he poor, negleded, unfuccefsful ? yet he remains ftill patient humble, contented, thankful, dependent upon the God he fears. And furely every Man muft needs agree, thac fuch a Man is a wifer Man than he who is ever changed and tranfported with his Condition ; that if he be rich or powerful^ there is nothing more vain, proud, infolent than he 5 andagain_, let his Condition become poor, low, defpifed^ there is nothing under Heaven more defpondenr^ difpiritedj heartlefs, difcontented and tortured than fuch a Man ; and all for the want of the Fear of Almighty God^ which being once put into the Heart, like the Tree puc by Mofes into the Waters, cures the Diforder and Un- eafinefs of all Conditions. 9. In as much as the true Fear of God is always min- gled with the Knowledge of the Will of God, and that Will is contained moft fully in his written Word, it muft needs be that a Man that truly fears the Lord, and infiruBei in the Word ofGod^iht Precepts thereof muft needs be deep- ly digefted into his Mind. Now as this Word is theWord of the Ever- wife God, and therefore certainly muft be full of moft wife Diredions : So let any Man but impartially and deeply confider the Precepts contained in the Tf^ord of Gody he (hall aflurcdly find the beft Diredtions in the World for all kind of Moral and Divine Wifdom: And I do confidently fay, that in all other Books of Morality there are not fo found, deep, certain, evident Inftru6Hoa of Wifdom (yet moft ftridly joyned with Innocence and Goodnefs) as there are in this one Book, as would be ea- fily demonftrable even to a reafonable Judgment j but this is too large a Theme for this Place. 10. Butbefides all this, there isyet a fecret, but a moft certainTruth, that highly improveth that Wifdom, which C % th© 36 Of WifJom and the Fear of the Lord bringeth, and that is this, That thofe that truly Fear God have a fecret Guidance from a higher Wifdom than what is barely human ^ namely, by the Spi- rit of Truth and Wifdom, that doth really and truly_, but fe- cretly prevent and dired them. And let no Man think- that this is a piece of Fanaticifm. Any Man that fincerely and trulyfears Almighty God, reliesupon him, callsupon him for his Guidance and Direction, hath it as really as the Son hath the Counfel and Diredion of his Father : And though the Voice be not audible, nor the Diredtion always perceptible to Senre,yet is equally as real as if aMan heard the Voice faying, This is the ivay^ walk in it : And this fecret Diredion of Almighty God is principally feen in matters relating to the good of the Soul ; but it may alfo be found in the great and momentous Concerns of this Life, xvhich a good Man, that fears God and begs his Diredtion, Ihall very often,ifnotatall times find. ^. BefidesthisDire- dion, a good Man, fearingGod, Ihall find his BkJJing upon him. It is true that the Portion of Men fearing God is not in this Life ; oftentimes he meets v/ith Croffes, Afflidions and Troubles in it, his Portion is ofa higher and more ex- cellent State and Condition than this Life \ yet a Man that fears God hath alfo his Bleffing in this Life,even in relation to his very temporal Condition : For either his honeft and juft Intentions and Endeavours are blefled with fuccefs and comfort i or if they be not, yet even his Croifesand Dif- appointments are turned into a Blelfing *, for they make him more humble and lefs efteeming this prefent World, andfetting his Heart upon a better, Ro;^. 8. 28. For it is an everlafting Truth, That all things (hall work together for the beft to them that love and fear Almighty God, and therefore certainly fuch a Man is the wifeft Man. II. But yet farther • Certainly it is one of the greateft evidences of Wifdom to provide for the future y and to pro- vide for thofe things for the future that are of greateft mo- ment, importance and ufe. Upon this account the Wife Man, Trov. 30. 25. admires the wifdom of the Ant, thas little Creature, that yet provides his Meat in Summer ; and we efteem it the Folly of Children and Prodigals in this, the Fear of God. 27 this, that they have no profped for the future how they fhall fubfift hereafter. Now the Wifdom of the Man that feareth God difcovereth it felf in this, that it provides and lays up a good and fafe Store for the future, and that in refped of thefe three kinds of Futurities, i. For the fu- ture part of his Life : 2. For the future evil Days : 3. For the future Life that is to take place after this prefent, ihort^ uncertain, and tranficory Life. I. In refpecf of the future time of his Life It is true our Lives in this World are but fhort at beI^, and together with that (hortnefs, they are very uncertain. But yet the Man fearing God makes a due and fafe provifion for that future Portion of his Life, how (hort or how long foever it be. I, By a conftant walking in the Fear of God, he tranfmits to the future part of his LX^^^^cjuiet^ferene^ ani fair Cow/c/>wcf. and avoids thofe evil Fruits and Gonfequen- ces whicha finful Life produceth^ even in the after-time of Man's Life. The Bruifes and Hurts we receive in Youth, are many times more painful inAge than when we firlt re- ceived them. Our Lives are like Husbandmen's Seed- time •, if we fow evil Seeds in the time of our Youth, it may be they may live five, ten, or more Years before they come up to a full Crop^ and pofTibiy then we tafle the Fruit of thofe evil Ways, in an unquiet Mind or Confci- ence, or fome other four efteds of that evil Seed. AH thisinconveniency a Man fearing God prevents, and in- ftead thereof reaps a pleaiing and comfortable Fruit of his walking in the Fear of God ; namely a quiet Confcience, and an even, fettled^ peaceable Soul. 2. But befides this, by this means he keeps his Inter eft in and Peace vnth Al- mighty God-, and makes fure of the bed Friend in the World for the after- time of his Life, to whom he is fure - to have accefs at all times and upon all occafions with comfort and acceptance , for it is an infallible Tvuih^That Cod Almighty never for fakes a^ry Man that forfakes not himfrft. The iecond Futurity is the future evil Day^ which will mofi: certainly overtake every Man, either the Day of fee- ble and decrepid Age, or the Day of Sicknefs, or the Day of Death •, and againft all thofe the trueFea^ of God m.akes ,C 3 ^ sS OfWifclom and a fafe and excellent Provifion : So that although he may not avoid them, he may have a comfortable Paflage through them 5 and in the midfl of all thefe black Clouds, the wit- refsof a good Conference fearing God^and the Evidence of the Divine Favour wiH fhineinto the Soul like a bright Sun wich Comfort, when a Man (hall be able with Hez^ekiah^ Ifa. 38. ; to appeal to Almighty God, Remember now, O Lordy 1 hefeech thee^ how I ha^ue walked before thee in truth and in uprigbtnejS of Hearty and ha^ue done *that which was good in thy fight : This will be a Cordial under the Faintnefs of old Age, a Relief under the Pains of Sicknefs, and Cure of the Fear of Death it felf, which to fuch a Soul will be only a Gate and Paflage to a Life that will be free from all Pains and Infirmities^ a Life of Glory and Immortality. 3. The Third Futurity is the Life and State after Death Mod certain it is, that fuch a State there will be, and that it is but of two kinds, a State of everlafting Happinefs, or a State of everlafting Mifery ; and that all Men in the World do moft certainly belong to one of thefe two States or Conditions : And as it is moft juft and equal, fo it is inoft true, that they that truly fear God, and obey him through Jefus Chrift, ftiall be Partakers of that everlafting State of BlefTednefs and immortal Happinefs : And on the other (ide, they that rejed the Fear of God, contemn and difobey his Will, fhall, without true Repentance, be fub- jeft to a State of everlafting Mifery. Now herein the trueft and greateftWifdom of a Man appears, that he duly pro- vides againft the latter^and to obtain the former , all other Wifdom of Men, either to get Human Learning, Wealth, Honour, Power, all Wifdom of Scatefmcn and Politicians, in comparifon of this Wifdom, is but vain and triviaL And this is the Wifdom that the Fear of God teacheth and bringeth with it into the Soul: i. It provides againfl: ^he the greateft of Evils, the everlafting State of Mifery and Infelicity, and eternal Death : 2. It provides for, and attains an everlafting Eftate of BlefTednefs and Happinefs, of Reft and Peace, of Glory and Immortality, and eter- nal Life •, a State of that Happinefs and Glory that exceeds fxprelfion and Apprehenfion, iov Eye hath not Jeen^ nor the Fear of God. 29 Ear heardy neither have entered into the Heart of Man^ the the things that God hath laid up for them that lo've him^ I Cor. 2. and they only truly love God, that truly fear him, ikf^/. 3. 13. And they (namely, that fear God) JJjalUe mine, faith the Lord^ in that Day when I make up my jewels. And now for the Conclufion of this whole matter, let us now make a fhort Comparifin between the the Perfons that fear not Gbdy andthofe that truly fear him ; and then let any Man judge who is the Fool, and who is the Wife Man. A Man hath but a very Ihort uncertain time in this Life,which in comparifon of Eternity, is lefs than a Moment. The Great God of Heaven in his Word, alTures us, that there is an Eftate of Immortality after this Life, and that that im- mortal Eftate is but of two kinds,an Eftate of neyer dying Mifery, or an Eftate of endlefs Glory •, and tells them, ' If ' you fear me, and obey thofeeafie Commands that a4'e ^ contained in the Book of the Holy Scriptures, which [ ^ have giv.en you^ you fhall infallibly attain everlafting * Life and Happinefs, and^ even in this prefent Life, ftiall ^ have the Influence and Prefence of my Favour^ to fup^ ^ port,. to diredand blefs you : On the other fide^ if yon ^ refufe my Fear, and rejed my Commands^ and prefer the ' unlawful and vain Delufions of this prefeat Life, before ^ the Obedience of my Will^ and perfift impeniteotly in ^ it^ your Portion fhall be everlafting Mifery. And now everlafting Life and everlafting Death being fet before the Children ofMen, there are a fort of Men thatrarher chufe to difobey the Command of God^ reject his Fear, and all this^ thatthey may enjoy the Plealu res of Sinfora feafon, thofe Pleafures that are fading and dying, that leave be- hind them a Stingy that render their very Enjoyment bit- ter, and that make even that very little Life they enjoy^ but a Life of difcomfort and unhappinefs, in fpice of all their Pleafures •, or be they as fmcere as their own Hearts can promife them, yet they are but for a Seafon, a Seafon that in itslongeft Period isbutftiort^but is uncertain alfo ; a little inconliderable Accident, the Breach of a Vein^ an illAir^ a little ill digefted Portion of that Excefs wherein they delight^ may put a Period to all thofe Pleafures, and C4. ^^ 3o Of the Knowledge to that Life, in a Year, in a Week, in a Day, in an Hour, in anunthought Moment, before a Man hath opportuni- ty to confider, to bethink himfelf, or to repent ^ and then the Door of Life and Happinefs is fiiut. Again, there are a fort of Men that confider this great Propofal,and chufe the Fear of Almighty God, and with it eternal Life, and are content to deny themfelves in things unlawful, to o- bey Almighty God, to keep his Favour, to walk humbly with him, to accept of the Tender of Life and Salvatioa upon the Terms propounded by Almighty God : And in the pradice of this Fear they enjoy his Favour, and Pre- fence, and Love ; and after this Life fpent, whether it be long or fhort, and whether their Death be lingring or fudden, are fure the next moment after Death to enjoy an immortal Life of Glory and Happinefs. Judge then which of thefe is the truly wife Man, whether this be not a Truth beyond difpute : The Fear of God that is Wifdom^ and to depart from Evil is Under fianding. # Of the Knowledge ofChrift Crucified. I Cor. ii. 2. For I determined not to know any thing among you^ five Jeftfs Chrisfy and him Crucified, S the Underftanding is the highefl Faculty of the reafonable Creature, becaufe upon it depends the Regularity of the Motions or A'^ings of the Will and Af- tedions : So K?iowledge is the propereft and nobleft kdi or Habit of that Faculty, and without which it is without its proper End and Employment, and the whole Man without a due Guidance and Diredion j Hof. 4 6. il^ Teojle perijl) for want of Knowledge. And as Knowledge is the proper Bufinefs of that great Faculty, fo the Value of th^t Knowledge^ or Employment pf thellnderftanding, is diverfified according to the Sub- " about which it is exercifed ; For though all Know- ' [6 of Chrijl Crucified. g I ledge of the mod: differing Siibjedts agree in this one com^ mon Excellence y ^iz, the right Reprefentation of the thing, as it is, unto the llnderftanding, or the Conformity of the Image created in the Underftanding, unto the thing objedly united to it, which is Truth in the Underftan- ding : Yet it miift needs be, that according to the zfarlous values and degrees of the things to be known, there arifeth a diverfity of the value or worth of that Knowledge j that which is of a thing more noble, ufeful, precious, muft needs be a more noble, ufeful, precious Knowledge^ and accordingly, more to be defired. There have been doubtlefs many excellent Underftan- dings that have been converfant about an exad difquili- tion of fome particular Truth, which though as Truths they agree in a common value with all others, yet in re- fped of their nature_, ufe, and value, are of no great mo- ment, whether known or not '^ as concerning the precifc time of this or that paflage in fuch a profane Hiftory ^ the Criticifm of this or that Latin word or the like; which though by accident, and by way of committance, they may be of confiderableufe, when mixed with, or relating to fome other matter of moment , yet in themfelves have little Value, becaufe little Ufe. Others have fpent their Thoughts in acquiring of Knowledge in fome fpecial piece of Nature, the Fabrick of the Eye; the progreflion of Generation in an Egg •, the relation and proportion of Numbers, Weights, Lines ; the Generation of iVletals : And |:hefe, as they have a relative confideracion to diC- cover and fet forth the Wifdom of the great Creator, or to publick Ufe, have great worth in them ^ but in them- felves, though they have this Excellence of Truth in 'em, and confequently in their kind feed and give light to the Underftanding, which is a Power that is naturally ordai- ned unto, and greedy of, and delighted in Truth,though of a low and Inferiour Conftitution ^ yet they are not of that Eminence and Worth, as Truths of fome other, ei- ther higher, or more ufeful, or durable Nature. As once our Saviour, in relation of things to be done, proaounc'd one thing only neceflary,' Luke i o. ^2, So the 32 Of the Knoivledo^e the Apofl:le,amongthe many things that are to be known, iixeth in the fame One thing necelfary to be known, Chrift Jefus, and him Crucified. There are three Steps ; I. Nbf to know any thing. Not as if all other Knojvledge were condemned .- Mofeis Learning was not charged up- on him as a Sin^ PapiPs fecular Learning was not condem- ned, but ufeful to him ; to be knowing in our Calling, in the Qualities and Difpofitions of Perfons, in the Laws un- der which we live^ in the modeft: and fober inquiries of Nature and Arts, are not only not condemned, but com- mended and ufeful, and fuch as tend to the fetting forth the Glory of the God of Wifdom. Even the difcretion of the Husbandmen God owns as his, Ifa. 28. 26. For his God doth infirtiB him to difcretion^ and doth teach him. But we mull determine to know nothing in comfarifon of that other knowledge of Chrifl Jefus, as the Apollle counted what things were gain^ yet to be lofs for Chrifl, Thil. 4. 7. fo we are to efteem that knowledge of other things, otherwife excellent, ufeful, admirable, yet to be but folly, and vile in comparifon of the knowledge of Chrift. And this requires^ I. A true and right Eflimate of the Value of the know- iedge of Chrifi Jefm above other knowledge^ and confequent- ly an infinite preferring thereof before all other know- ledge in our Judgments, Defire,and Delight : And the Pre- ponderation of the knowledge of Chrifl above other know- ledges excells mofl knowledge in all the cnfuing jarticu- lars^ buL excells all knowledge in fome, and thofe of mofl concernment. I . In the certainty of it. Mofl other knowledges are ei- ther fuch as we take in by om Senfe and Experience ; and therein, though it is true that the grofs part of our know- ledge, that is nearefl to our fenfe, hath fomewhat of cer- tainty in it, yet when we come to fublimate and colled, and infer that Knowledge into univerfal or general Con- cluiions, or to make Dedudions, Ratiocinations, and De- terminations from them, then we fail ; and hence grew the difTereucc between many Philofophers. Again, the kaowledge of Chrijl Crucified. 53 knowledge that we elicit from fenfe, is but very narrow, if it ftand there •, for the forms of things^ the matter or fubftance, which is the fubjed of Nature, are not eafily perceptible by Senfe •, we fee the Colour and the Figure, and the Variations of that, but we do from thence only make Conjectures concerning the Fornns^ Subftances^ and Matter ; Or they are fuch as we receive by Tradition^ whether Hifiorical or Do^rinal-^and the former depends up- on the credit of the Relator, which moil an end depends upon anotners credit^ and fo vaniflieth into much uncer- tainty, unlefs the Authors be very authentick and eye-wit- nelTes : And as to Ivlatters DoBrinal^ ftill that depends upon the Opinion of a Man^ it may be, deduced upon weak Convidions^ crofFed by peribns of as great Judgment, and fo breeds uncertainty, dillradion, and dillkisfadion in the Knowledge. But in the knoivledge ofChrifi^ we have greater certainty that can be found in any of all chefe other Knowledges i. A conftant Tradition and Reception by Millions, before he came, that the MeJJias was to come j and fince he came, that in truth he is come. 2. The Apo- ftlesj Evangelifts, and Difciples, that were purpofely chofen to be Witnefles of Chrift's Miracles, Docirine, Suffering^ and Refuiredion. 3. The Miracles he did, that are witnefFed to us, by a greater confent of Tellimony than any one part of any Hifl-ory of that Antiquicyl 4.ThePurity,Sandityj and jultnefs of his Dodrine, which was never attained unto in the teaching of the Philoib-^ phers, nor ever any could, in the leaft meafnre, impeach or blame. 5. The Prophecies filled moll juif ly by the A- poUle a more certain Evidence than the very Vifion of his Transfiguration^ and a Voice from Heaven, aP^f. 1.19. And fo in truth is a more undeniable Argument chan any is ; for it is not capable of any Fraud or Impofime 6, The wonderful prevailing that the Knowledge of Chrift had upon the World, and this not only de faBo^ but backed with a Prophecy that it Ihould be fo. 7. The admirable Concordance and Symmetry, that this Myflery of Chrifl makes in the whole method of the proceeding of God in the World, as will be eafily obfervable upon the collatiom ' "' ^ ' . y- of 34 ^f ^^^iin, he muft become a curfe for Man. And doubtlefs this great Myftery of the Perfon that fuffered, cannot chufe but be a very high and excellent fubjed of Know- ledge ; fo full of Wonder and Aftonifhment, that the Angels gaze into it: i Vet. i. iz. And as it is aftrange and wonderful thing in it felf, fo doubtlefs it was ordai- ned to high and wonderful Ends, bearing a fuitablenefs unto the greatnefs of the Inftrument. This therefore is the firfl: Confideration that advanceth the Excellency of this Knowledge ; the Perfon that was crucified. II. What he fuffered. Chrift Jefus, and him crucified • though all the courfe of his Life was a continual fuffering, and the preamble or walk unto his Death, which was the end of his Life^ yet this was the compleatingof all the reft-, and the Tide and Waves of his Sufferings did flill rife higher and higher, till it arriv'd in this ; and the feveral fteps and afcents unto the Crofs> though they began from bis Birth, yet thofe that were more immediate began with the preparation to the Paffover. The Council held by the chief Priefts and Scribes, for the Crucifying of our Savi- our, was fat upon two days before the Paflbver^ Matth. 26. X, Mark 14. i. And this was thefirft Hep to Mount Cahary : And doubtlefs it was no fmall addition to our Sa- viour's Pafiion, that it was hatch'd in the Council of the i?:hi€f Priefts and Scribes, the then external vifible Churchy ' » the of Chrijl Cruet fed. 47 the Husbandmen of the Vineyard: Matth, 21. 55. But this in not all ; as the vifible Church of the Jews is the Conclave where this Council is formed ^ fo Judas^ a Mem- ber of the vifible Church of Chrift, one of the Twelve, is the Tnflrument to effed it ; Matth. 26. 14. He con- tracts with them for Thirty Pieces of Silver, to betray his Mafter unto them : And furely this could not choofe but be a great grief to our Saviour, that one of his feled Apoftles fhould turn Apollate, and thereby bring a Ble- mifh upon the reft. Upon the day of Eating the PalTover^ called the firfl day of the Feaft of unleavened Bread, our Saviour and his Difciples kept the Paflbver together in Jerufakm ; and there the tv/o Memorials of our Saviour's Paflion meet; that of the Paffover inftituted by God, and the IfraeUtcs going out of Egypt \ and the Bread and Wine after Sup- per, inftituted by our Saviour, to fucceed in the place of the former, and each did queftionlefs make a deep imprefli- on upon our Saviour^ in which he anticipated his PafTi- on, and lively reprefented to him that breaking and pouring out his Blood and Soul, which he was fuddenly to fuffer : And doubtlefs here began a great meafure of our Saviour's Paffion, in the apprehenfion which he had of that imminent Storm^ that he muft fpeedily undergo. From the Supper they go together to the Mount of Oli'ves, and there he acquaints his Difciples of a fpeedy and for- rowful parting they muft: have^ the Shepherd is to be fmitten that Night, and the Sheep to be fcattered ; and as he forefaw Judas's Treachery, fo he forefees Veters Infir- mity; the Storm fhould be fo violent, that Vet^r himfelf, the refoluteft Apoftle, ftiall deny his Mafter that Night.and deny him thrice : And furely the forefight of the Diftra- 6tion that fhould befall his poor Difciples, could not choofe but add much to their tender Matter's Aftlidion, Matth, 26. g I . All ye Jhall he offended hecaufe of me this night. And now let us follow our Blefled Lord from the Mount of Olives in the Garden, called by the Apoftles Gethfemancy with the Affedions of Love and Wonder, la fome meafure becoming fuch an Entertainment of our Thoughts* 4^ (^f ^^^ KnowJedi^e Thoughts. The time that he chofe for his Retirement, was the dead time of the Night ; a Seafon that might the more contribute to the Strength of that Sadnefs, which the pre-appreheniion of this imminent Paflion mufl needs occafion. The place that he chofe, a folitary retired Gar- den, where nothing might or could interrupt, or divert the Jntenfivenefs of his Sorrow and Fear ; And to make both the Time and Place the more opportune for his Ago- ny, he leaves the reft of his Difciples, and takes with him only Tetevy and the two Sons of Zebedee^ Matth, 26 37. And to thefe he imparts the beginning of his Sorrow, that they might be Witnefles of it, MattL 116. 37. My Soul is exceeding forrowful^ even unto death -^ but yet commands their diftance^ verfe 38. Tarry ye here and TPatch Tvith me^ and he went a little further. Watch with me : The Confufion of his Soul was fo great, that the on^ ly Son of God difturbs his own [humanj Ability to bear it; and yet his fubmiflion to his terrible Conflid [was] fo willing, that he leaves them that he had appointed to watch with him. He went a little further. The three Difciples had doubtlefs a Sympathy with their Matter's Sorrow, and yet the Will of God fo orders it, that their Excefs of Love and Grief muft not keep their Eyes wa- king, notwithftanding it was the laft Requeft of their for- rowful Mafter. The Difcifesjlepty Matth. 26. 40. And thus every Circumftance of Time, Place, and Perfons_, contribute to a fad and folitary Opportunity for this moft terrible and black Confiidt. And now in this Garden the mighty God puts his Son to Grief, lades him with our Sorrows^ Ifa, fg. 4. withdraws and hides from him the light of his Favour and Countenance ; interpofeth a thick and black Cloud between the Divinity and the Human Nature, darts into his Soul the fad and (harp Manifeftati- ons of his Wrath ^ overwhelms his Soul with one Wave after another ; fends into him the moft exquifite pre-ap- prehenfions of thofe fad and fevere Sufferings he was the next Day to undergo^ begins to make his Soul an Offering for Sin, and heightens his Sorrow, Confufion, and A- ftoni(hment unto the uttermoft. In fum, the mighty God, the God of the Spirits of all Flefli, who knows th^ way of Chrijl CntcifecL 49 way into the Soul, and how to fill it with the moft fad and black Aftoniftiment and Sorrow, was pleafed at this time to eflrange and eclipfe the Manifeftation of his Light and Love to his only Son, as far as was poflibly confident with his fecret and eternal Love unto him ; to throw in- to him as fad and amazing Apprehenfions oi his Wrath as was pofTible to be confiftent with the human Nature to bear ; to fortify and ftrengthen his Senfe of it, and Sor- row for, and under it^ unto the uttermoft ; that fo his Grief, and Sorrow, and Confufion of Soul might be brim-ful, and as much as the exadeft Conftitution of a human Nature could poflfibly bear. And thus now at this time the Arm of the mighty God was bruifing the Soul of his only Son : Ifa.$^. 16. And certainly the extremi- ty of this Agony within, mull needs be very great, if we confider the ftrange Effeds it had without : i. That pathetical Defcription thereof that our Saviour himfelf makes of it^ My Soul is exceeding forrowful, even unto deaths Matth. 26. ^7 fo forrowful, exceeding forrowful, forrowful unto Death ; and the ExprefTions of the Evan- gelifts, Matth. 26. 37. He began to he forrowful^ and very heavy. Mark 14. ^3. He began to before awaz>edy and to he very heavy. It was fuch a Sorrow as brought with it an Amazement, an Aftonifliment. 2. Again, that ftrange Requeft to his Difciples, Tarry ye and watch with me \ as if he feared the Sorrow would overwhelm him. 2. A- gains his Prayer, and the manner of it, evidence a mofc wonderful Perturbation within, Matth, 26. 39, He fell on his Face and prayed , and what was the thing he prayed ? Father^ if it be foffihle^ let this Cup fafs from me ; or dS Mark 14. 3'^. Abba Father ^ all things are foffihle unto thee^ take away this Cuf from me^ &c. Although that this was the very end for which he came into the World : The Cup which in former Times he reached after, and was fcrainted till it was fulfilled , yet fiich a ReprefentatioA there is thereof to his Soul, that although in the Will of his Obedience, he fubmits ; Not my tVilly hut thine he done: Yet his Nature (brinks and ftarts at it, and heengageth Almighty God, as much, and upon a^ great Arguments ^s was poffible^to decline the feverity of that Wrath which ^ he 5o Of the Knowledge he vfas now to grapple with : i. Upon the account of his Omnipoteney ; All things are fojjihle to thee : 2. Upon the account of his Relation ; Abba Father : ' It is not a * Stranger that importunes thee ^ it-is thy Son; that Son * in whom thou didft proclaim thy felf well-pleafed ; that * Son whom thou heareft always; it is he that begs of * thee ; and begs of thee a Difpenfation from that which * he moft declines, becaufe he moll loves thee, the terri- * ble, infupportable hiding thy Face from me. And this was not one fingle Requefl:^ but thrice repeated, reitera- ted, and that with more earneftnefs, Mark\/\., '3^<^.And a- gain he went away and frayed^ and ffake the fame words : L.uke 22. 44. And being in an agony ^ he frayed more earnefily. Certainly, that Impreflion upon his Soulj that caufed him to deprecate that for which he was born,to deprecate itfo often, fo earnefily, mufl needs be a Sorrow and Appre- heniion of a very terrible and exceeding Extremity. 4. Such was the weight of his Sorrow and Confufion of his Soul, that it even exceeding the Strength of his [human] Nature to bear it, it was ready to diflblve the Union between his Body and Soul; infomuch, that to add farther Strength to him, and Capacity to undergo the meafureof it, an Angel from Heaven is fent, not [meer^ ly] to comfort, but to ftrengthen him; to add a farther degree of Strength to his human Nature, to bear the weight of that Wrath, which had in good earnefl made his Soul forrowful unto Death, had it not been flrength- ned by the Miniflration of an Angel, Luke 22. 43. And this AfTiftance of the Angel, as it did not allay the Sor- row of his Soul, fo neither did it intermit his Impor- tunity to be delivered from the thing he felt and feared ; but did only fupport and ftrengthen him to bear a greater Burthen of it; and as the meafure of his Strength was in- creafed ; fo was the Burthen which he muft undergo, in- creafed, for after this he prayed again more earneftly the third time, Luke 22. 45. The fupply of his Strength was fucceeded with an Addition of Sorrow, and the increafeof his Sorrow was followed with the greater Importunity ; He frayed more earnefily y Heb, j. 7. With firong crying and of Chr'ijl Crucified. 51 tears, Luke 23. 44. And being in an Agony ^ he payed mort earnefhly^ and his Sweat was as it were great Drop of Blood falling down to the Grownd. This ^diS>\iis third Addrefe to his father, Matth. 26. 44. And here was the highefl pitch of our Saviour's Paifion in the Garden. His Soul was m an Agony, in the greateft Concuflion, Confufiony and Extremity of Sorrow, Fear^ Anguilh, and Aftonifhment, that was poflible to be inflided by the mighty Hand of God, on the Soul of Chrift, that could be confiilent with the Purity of the Nature of our Saviour, and the In- feparable Union that it had with the Divine Nature : Info- much, that the Confufion and Diftradion of his Soul ua- der it, and the ftruggling and grappling of his Soul with it, did make fuch an Impreflion upon his Body, that the like was never before or (ince. The Seafon of the Year was cold^ for fo it appears^ John 1 8. 1 8. The Servants and Officers had made a Fire of Coals, for it was cold 5 and the Seafon of the Time was cold- it was, as near as we could guefs, about mid-night, when the Sun was at his greateft diftance^ and obftruded in his Influence by the Interpofition of the Earth ; for it appears they came with Lanthorns and Torches when they apprehended him, John 18. 9 . And he was brought to the High Prieft's Hall, a little before Gockcrowing, after feme time had been fpent in his Examination, Matth. 26. 69. And yet for all this^ fuch is the Agony and Perturbation of our Sa- viour's Scul, that in this cold Seafon it puts his Body in a Sweat, a Sweat of Blood, great Drops of Blood, Drops of Blood falling down to the Ground ^ and certainly it was no light Conflid within, that caufed fuch a ftrange and unheard of fymptom without. Certainly the Storm in the Soulof Chrift muft needs be very terrible, that .his Blood, the Seat of his vital Spirits, could no longer abide the Senfe of it, but ftarted out in a Sweat of Blood, and fuch a Sweat, than v/as more than confiftent with the ordina- ry conftitution of human Nature. And during this time, even from the eating of the FafTover until this third Addrefs to his Father was over, the fuffering of our Saviour lay principally, if not only in his Soul. Al- mighty 52 Of the Knowledge mighty God was wounding of his Spirit, and making his Soul an OfFering for Sin : And tho' the diftind and clear manner of this hrulfing of our Sa. 57. and would have gathered as a Hen ga- thereth her Chickens under her wings, is now that brood that feeks the deltrudlion of him, that came to fave them; and JO Of the Knoivledc:-e and in that vile competition offered to them between their Redeemer and Murderer, chofe rather to fave a Malefador, Matth, 27. 20. and to deliver their Innocent and Merciful Saviour : And thefe were they that, beyond the examples even of common humanity, purfued their Kinfman, their Bcnefador, their Redeemer^ with fuch exaft Bitternefs, and Malice, and Scorn^aad Cruelty, that as it feemed barbarous to the Heathen Judge, fo it hath out- gone the practice of the Heathenifh Tyrants : P/^55. 12. It was not an enemy that reproached me^then would I havt horn itj hut it was thou^ mine acquaintance. ^ IV. Let us confider How hefuffered ali thefe things ^ and this doth infinitely advance the Excellence and Value of his Suffering, i . He fuffered Innocently ; Ifa. f 3. 9- He had done no 'violence^ neither was any deceit in his mouth '^yet it flea- fed the Lord to hruife him^ 2 Cor. 521. He made him to he fin for m.who knew no fin. The Companions of his fuffering juftifie \{\m^Luke x^. 41. We indeed jufily^ hut this man hath done nothing amifi; his Perfecutors jultifie him; and yet their Malice refted not, but fought out falfe witneifes a- gainit him; Matth. 16. 60. And when they themielves, were convincd of their own injiiftice, in profecution of an Innocent, yet what they could not avouch upon the account of juftice, they do upon the point of Expedience^ John 18. 14. Caiafhas gives them counfel, that it was ex- pedient that one fbould die for the people : Judaf that be- trayed him^ juftificd him-, Matth. 24. 4 I ha'ue finned fm that I have hetrayed the Innocent hlood: His Judge acquits him, and in a fignal Teftimony of his judgment. Matt, I'-j ^4. He took 7vater^ and wajlied his hands heforethe multitude., fay- ing^ I am innocent of the hlood of this jufi ferfon : And yet though, in teftimony of the fatisfadion of his judgment, he wafheth his hands in water before them, yet he con- demns the perfon that he acquits, and ftains thofe hands in the blood of our Lord, whom yet he pronounceth In- nocent. And this Innocence of our Saviour was not only a Negative Innocence, an abfence of guilt, but a Pofitive Innocence ; he fuffered that had not only done no ill, but that had done nothing but good : he healed their fick, he cured of Chrijl Crucified. 7 1 cured their lame, their blind, their deaf, their lepers,ca{t out their Devils, and which was more than all this, fhew- ed them the way to Eternal Life, to the faving of the Souls of many, and the convincing of the Confciences of all that heard him, John 7. 46. Never man [fake like thh man : And well might he ask, as once he did^upon another occafion, For ivhkh of all my good works do ye fione met John 10. ;2. do ye Crucifle me ? *^ Blefled Lord^ they Cru- ^ cifie thee for all thy good works : If thou hadft been Guil- « ty, poflibly thou mighteft have been fpared in the ftead ^ oiBarabhas ; nay, if thou hadfl: been only innocent, it is * pofTible thy '. erfecutors might not have been altogether *- fo violent againft thee: but thoufuffereft for the very * good thou didft : It was not only an aft of Injuftice that ' fpared not thy Innocence, but an improvement of Envy ' that did malign thy very Goodnefs, Mat.iq. i^. For he ^ knew for envy they had delivered him up. 2. Hefuffered all Patiently^ Ifa. 55.7. He was ofpreJJeJy and he was ajfliBedy yet he opened not his mouth ; he is brought as a lamb to the /laughter ^ and as a jljeep before her jljearers is dumb, fo he opened mt his mouth: Betrayed by his Dilciples, hurried away by the black guard that apprehended him,re. preached and vilified by the High Priefts and Elders, for- faken and denied by his followers, ftricken,fpit upon, and bafely injured by the abjeds in the High Prieft's Hall, de- rided by H€roi,infultedupon by Vilate^ Knowefithounot that I have power to condemn thee ? whipt,cloathed in fcorn with purple, and crowned with a crown of thorns, and in that difguife faluted in fcorn with HailKingofthe Jews : forced to bear his burdenfom Crofs, which mult afterwards bear him *, and then as one of the bafeft of Men, and vilelt of Malefadors, nailed to the Crofs with moft exquifite tor- ment, and then, by one of his Companions in Death, by the general rabble that were about him,by the fuperftitiotis Scribes and Elders^reproached as a Blafphemer.as an Impo- ftor : and yet in the midft of all this ufage, fcarce a word fpoken, and thofe that he fpake, not favouring of any Im- patience or Complaint againft his Perfccutors, but full of Mildneft, Genikftcfs, Sweetnefs, Goodnefs, and whilft F his 72 Of the Knowledge His Perfecutors are bufie in revilings and tormentings, he is as induftrious to pray for them, Luke i?. 44. Father^ forgive themy they know not what they do. ^5. Which is yec a higher flep,he fuffered all this Willing' ly and Cheerfully^ John 10. 18. No man taketh my Lifefom me, hut Hay it down ofmyfelf^ Luke ii. 50. I have a Bap- tifm to hehaptiz/dwithy and how am 1 firaitned till it be ful^ filled^ And thiswillingnefs ofour Lords lufferings appears in thefe particulars: i. In that when he had power to pre- vent it, and to refcue himfelf from the infolence of his Per- fecutors^ yet he ufeth it not : one Angel armed by Com- mifTion from Godwin one night deftroyed a vaft Army of tht Ajjyrians \ and upon the defire ofour Lord, no lefs than twelve Legions were ready for his Guard ; But yet this mufl not be *, How thenfljall the Scriptures he fulfilled ? Mat. ^7- S?:> 54- ^^^^ ^^^ Company that were fentto appre- hend him^ heard thofe words^I^wa he^ih^y went backward and fell to the ground, John 18. 6. The fame power by which they fell, could have fo bound them never to have rifen again • but our Lord,though he manifefted this Pow- er to evidence his Divinity, yet he ufeth it not fo far as to impede his Paffion ^ and as it were^ refumes and calls back that manifeftation of his Deity, left it might be a means to interrupt the fervice which he was about to perform for inankindf He asked them again^ whomfeekye? 2. In that he corrc'ils and checks all things that might be either an impediment of his Paflion, or that might, in the leaftde- gree.betray an unwillingnefs for him to undergo it.Doubt- lefs there was an adequate reprefentation unto him of the dreadfulnefs of that conflid he was to undergo with the wrath of God, and yet upon all occafionshe corredsthat fear and thofe fad apprehenlions which caufed his human nature to flirink at it ; John 12.27. Father^/ ave me from this hour^ hut for this caufe came I to this hour, Matth. 26.59. Fa' therjfit he pojjihle Jet this Cuppafifomme : never thelefi not as I willy hut as- thou wilt : That even whileft the infirmity of his humane nature ftarted at the apprehenfion of what he was to fuffer, and prayed againft it, yet the freenefs and purity of hisObedience carried him on to it^and piade him as ofChriJi Crucified, 72 as it were^unpray what he had before prayed: And though his Soul ftartled at the difcovery of that difinal Vale that he was now to pafs through, yet his Love to mankind and his Refolution of Obedience to his Father's Will carried him on with Willingnefs tofuffer that which he was trou- bled to fee. Again, how doth he check all his impedi- ments to his fuftering ? he forefeeth Shame and Pain ^ he arms himfelf againft both, Hth. 12.2. with Patience a- gainft the latter_, he endured the Crofsj with Refolutioa againft theformer,he defpifed the Shame. Again,when Ve- ffr began to play the Politician in ad vifing our Lord to de- cline his fuffering,how feverely doth he take him up ? Mat. 1 5. 2^. John 18. II. Get thee behind me ; the Cup which my Father hath given me to drmk^ {hall I not drink it ? Again, when the forward Zeal of the Difciple drew his Sword, and cut off a Servant of the High Friefl's Ear, our Lord checks the aflailant, and cures the wound ; left any thing fhould retard the Execution ofthat thing for which hecame into the world, or import the leafh Argument of backward- neis in him to undergo it, Mat, 16. 5' 2. John 18. 1 1 It is very obfervable to fee how Tilate was ready to fiufkuate upon every occalion, and fhifted from place to place, and from point to point, to decline the condemnation of our Lord : When heanfwered him nothing, he marvelled, and was at a ftand upon his filence^ Mat. 26. 17. When he heard his accufation to be^becaufe he made himfelf the Son of God, he was the more afraid^ John 19, 8. he had fecret checks from his own Confcience, and weighty advertife- mentsfrom his Wife,thatdoubtlefs did put him to a great perplexity of mind,which was fcarcely conquerable by the importunity g{ ihtjews: And, if in the midft of this ui> refolvednefs and helitancy of mind, our Saviour fhould in any one anfwcr of his, have fent forth that Majefty and ftrength of Convidion, that he could eafily, and upon former occafions had done^ certainly the Jews muft have expeded the coming of another Deputy to have been the Executioner of this purpofe. But our Lord was fo far from declining this great work of our Redemption by his Blood, that he feems purpofely tg decline that Majefty of F % fpeech 74 Of the KnorrUJg& fpeech, wherewith he could have confounded his Judge; and either anfwered him with filence,or with fuch expref- fions as might not too much affright him from the pro- ceeding in that fad imployment , John 19. 11. Thou couldfi- ha've no power at all againfl me^ unlej^ it -were gi'ven thee of God, 1 hough he blamed the malice of his Accufers, he admits and aflerts the Authority ot his Judge. V. Let us confider, For whom he fuffered all this, l. T7:>e TerfonsioT whom he fuffered deferred it not : The expreffi- ons of the Scripture are full in this^Rom.^.j^S.Feradventtfre for a good manfome would even dare to dye\hut God commend- eth his Love towards us in that^ while we were yet finners Chrifi died for us\ the objeifis which he looked upon in his fufferings weredarknefs, Efh, 5. 8. Children ofWrath^ Eph. 2.3. Aliens from the Commonwealth of Ifrael^f jlr angers from ihe Covenant of Fromifc^ having no hofe^ and without God in the World, Eph. 2. 12. See but what Monfters the beft of lis were in our natural condition, when every power of our Soul and Body was quite corrupted from the ufe and end, for which they were made,]?^;^.;. 9,io,c^c. 2. Asit was for thofe that deferved it not^nor any deliverance by it, fo it was for a Company of Creatures that were no wayfoli* eitoHs for,nor fought after Redemption ; fuch as were igno- rant of their own Mifery, and no way endeavouring after Mercy. Thus He was found of them that fought him not^ and furely little feeking could be found of fuch as were in fuch a condition^ Eph, 2. i. Dead in Trejpajfes and Sins. 3. Not only for thofe that neither defer v'd,nor fought after delive- rance^ but his fufferings were for thofe that were Enemies i Rom 5. 10. If when we were Enemies , we, were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son j Col. i. 21. And you that were fometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked work f^ yet now hath he reconciled: And the Enmity was fo perfedt, that it corrupted the bell habits of our minds, and turned them into an abftrafted kind of Enmity • the very wifdom of the fiefh, earthly, fenfual, and devililh, jF^?«. 5. ij. So that there was not only in our nature an abfence; of any good that might move God to do any thing for us^and an abfence of that life that might be folicitous for itfelf^ but " ^ . there of Ch'rijl Crucified. 7 5 there was a pofitive malignity in our Nature againl> that God^ that fhould pardon ; againfl that Chrift that fhould fatisfie ; againfl that Grace and Spirit thatlhould apply : We were aduated with thofe vile affedionsand lufts,that looked upon a Saviour with no lefs averfionand fpite,than thofe Devils did/hat cryed cut of the poflefled man, Art thou come to torment us before our thne ? And yet for thefe, and fuch as thefe, our Saviour died ; nay, fomeof thefe who had adually their hands in his blood/ound the effica- cy of that very blood which they fhed, Hth. 12.24. not crying for revenge againfl them^but for mercy for them, and healing thofe who had cruelly fpilt it *, the efficacy of that bleffed Prayer of his ,• Father^ fcrgi've them^ they know not what they do^mihm fome few months afcer his death did firfl wound their hearts with a fenfe ot their guiic,and then healed them with the infufion of his Blood, A^s 2 z^^^j. VT. From the confideratioa of the former particulars,it will eafily appear what was the Motive of this great work^ We have feen in the creature nothing but Sin and Enmi- ty againfl God,aad confequently a jail obligation to ever- lafling wrath and mifery : So there we can find nothing that might upon any account of merit or defertdraw out fuch mercy as this. We mufl feek for the Motive in the Author of it : and in him there was vo Necejfity at all to bind him to it: It was his own free will that at firfl gave Man a Beingj and a blefled Being ^ and when he had finned a- gainft the Law and Conditions of his Creation, there was aNeceffity of Juftice for his Eternal Punifliment, but no neceffity at all foi: his Rellitution. God made all things for his Glory, not becaufe he flood in need of it ; for he had inhimfelf an infinite Self-fufficiency and Happinefs, that flood not in need of the glory of his Creation^nor was capable of an acceffion by it : And if it had, yet the great God could have enjoyed the Glory of his Juflipe, in the everlafling punifhment of unthankful Man, and yet had glorious Creatures enough, the bleffed Angels, to have been the everlafling partakers and admirers of his Good- jiefs : And it there had been yet an abfolute neceflity of vifible intelle&ual Creatures, to be the participants of his GoQtdaefs^ and the adtive Inflruments of his Glory •, the T6 Of the Knowledge fame power that created Men at firft, could have created a new generation of Man that might have fupplied the dc- feiStion of our firft parents and their defcendants. What then is the orig,inalof all his Goodnefs to poorfinful Man? to piirchafefuch a worthlefs creature atfnch an Invaluable price as the blood of the Son of God ? Nothing but Love ; free undeferved Love *, Love that loved before it was fought ; ^^at loved when it was rejected \ Deut. 7.7. Xhe Lord did not fet his lo've upon you, nor chooje jou^hecaufeye -ivere more '^ hut hecaufe the Lord loved you : he loved you be- caufe he loved you: as Almighty God could not define himfelf by any thing but himfelf, I am that I amj Exod. 3. 14. fo hecanrefolve his Love into no other motive than his Love ; he loved you becaufe he loved you -. And here is the fpring, ihe fountain of this ftrange and unheard of Goodnefs ot God iil Chrifl \ nothing but the free Love of God ; yohn 3.16, So God loved the ivorld^ that he gave his only begotten Sony ^C. i John 4. 10. Here is Lovc^ not that 'ive loved God^ hut that he loved us^ and fent his Son to he a propitiation for our fins , and that very fame individual Love that was in the Father to fend, was in the Son to come, and 10 die for us. It was he that loved and wafiied us with his own Blood ; wafhed us becaufehe loved us. When we lay like Ez^ekitVs wretched Infant, Ez,ek, 16.5,^. polluted in our Blood, vvben no eye pitied us, then this Love of God palled by us, and faid unto us, Live\ yea faidunto us, when we were in our Blood, hive^ And vyhen that Life was not acquirable for us, but by the Death of the Eternal Son of God, then to purchafc that life for us, he fold his own \ and to wafh us from the-pollutions of our bloody freely fpent andfhed his own. Thiswas^^e love of Chrijt^ yvhich fajjcth knowledge^ Eph. 3.19. VII. Now let us conliderf/:?e£w^^wi5rope of this admi- rable Love of Chrift : And as it looks upwards towards God, fo it looks downwards towards Us j as he was the Mediator between both, fo the End of his Mediatorihip h:id a refpeft to Both: 1. In reference to God^ and fo the Ends of our Lord's Suffering were principally, I. To reftore unto Almighty God the adlve Service and Glory of Chriji Crucified. 77 Glory of his Creature. Almighty God did at the firll cre- ate Man in fuch a Conftitution, that he might, not only paflively and objedively, bring unto him the Glory of his Power and Wifdom in the framing of fuch a Creature to glorifie him, as the Heavens,the Stars and other Creatures below an intelleaual Nature do •, but to be a beholder of himfelf and his works, to be an obferver of his Will, and to elorifie his Maker in the admiration oF his Power^Wif- dom and Goodriefs. and in the Obedience and Obfervance of his Law and Will, and to his own Glory had by an e- ternal Bond annexed his Creature's Perfedion and Blefled- nefs Man rebelled, and therefore as he became unfervicea- ble to the End of his Creation, fo he loH the Bleflednefs of his Condition : Chrift came, and by his qwmj Blood purchafed as unto Man, his BleOednefs, fo unto God the Glory and Service of his Creature ; This was old Zachary s Collection, Luke 2. 74, 75- T^^^ wheing delivered out of the hands of our Enemies, might fer^e him without fear, in holmefi and righteoufnef. Titus 2. 14- ^Vhoga-o-e hi mj elf for 7is that he mizht redeem us fom all iniquity, and fur if e unto hmjelfa peculiar people zealous of good works. And this was the chief part of that Account that our Lord giveth unto bis Father, in that bleffed Prayer that he made a little before his Paflion, John 17. 4. I ha've glorified thee on Earth, ^^^j^^fi^ plLdtheworkwhichthouga'vefirmetodo. As it he ihould have faid,'Thou haft fent me into the world about a great ' and weighty Bufinefs, the Reftitucion of thy fain Crea. f tures • and that therein as thy Creature may partakeof ' thy Goodnefs,fo thou mayeft reap the Glory of thy Crea- ' ture's Service: And now behold according to thit com- * mand of thine 1 here return unto thee thy Creature heaPd ' and reftor^d, that it may be as well a monument, as a ' proclaimer of thy Goodnefs and Glory,untQ all Eternity, ^ To manifea unto iVlen and Angels the Glory and in- finite Perfedion and Excellence of all his bleiTed Attn- })utes: The Glory of his Wifdom incontnving, and ot hi$ •Power in effeaing fuch a deliverance for the Children ot Men by a way that exceeded the difquifition ot Men and Angels : the Glory of his Mercy, that coyld not have beea 78 Of the Knowledge polTibly fo confpicuous to mankind, if Man had never fain. In the Creation of Man he manifefled the Glory of his Goodnefs, that communicated a Being to him, tnat fo he might communicate his Goodnefs to him : But in the Redemption of Man, he manifefled his mercy in for- giving and healing^ rebellious and miferable Creature : The Glory of his Juftice, that would not pardon the Sin till he had a Satisfaftion for the Sin ^ that would not fpare the Son, whom he chofe to be the Surety for the Sinner. 2 In refere?jce to Man : And fo the Ends of our Lord's Suffering were principally thefe : 1. To abfolve and deliver him from Guilt, the confe- quence of Sin, and Mifery the Fruit of Guilt : Eph. 1.7. 7» •ivhom we hanje redemption through hif Blood, the forgivenejS of fins. And fureiy^ had the Fruit of Chrift^s Death retted here, it had been a great degree of Mercy; if we rightly weighed the heavinefs of the burthen of Guilt, the feve- rity of the Wrath of God, and the extremity of that Mi- fery that doth and mufl attend it. If a Man under the Guilt and Horror of fome hideous Treafon, under the fevere and inexorable Sentence of the Laws againft him, under the imminent lnf[i(f^ion of nioft exquifiteand conti- nuing Torments, fhould but hear of a Pardon and Dif- charge from this •, how welcom would it be, though the refidueof his Life were to be fpent in Exile? But our Lord's Purchafe refts not here. 2. To reconcile God to his Creature : So that it doth not only remove the Effects of the Anger of God, which is Punifhment, which may be removed, and yet the Anger continuing . Nor doth it only remove the Anger of God^ and leave a man in a kind of ftate of Indifferency, as it is between perfons that never were acquainted one with a- nothcr : But it is a flate of Reconcil:ation,Ep^.2. 16. That he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Crof^ having Jlain the enmity thereby \ 2 Cor. 5?. 19. God was in Chrifi- rC" conciling the JVorldunto himfelf not imputing their trejpajfes un- to, them. And certainly this is a great Addition unto the former ; thatGod in Chrift Ihould not only pafs by our Sins, but Ihoaldnp longer look upon us as StrangcrSjbu't as Per- fons ofChrifiCritcified. 79 fons reconciled unto him : And furely a Soul fenfible of the unhappy Condition of being ellranged from God, how highly would he prize a flate of Reconciliation^ though it were in the meanefl: and loweft Relation ? Lukei'y. 1 9. I am no more worthy to he called thy Sorty make me as one of thy hired Servants: So that I may not be eftranged from thee, reconcile me unto thy felf, though in the Condition of thy meaneil Servant. But neither doth the happy Fruit of our Lord's Suffering reft: here. 3. To rellore unto us that near and bleflcd Relation of being Sons of God : Gal. 4. 5:. That we might receive the adoption of Sons ^ i John. 5. z. Behold now we are the Sons of God^ and it doth not yet appear what we fliall he. This was that dear expreflion of our Lord, after his Refurredion, John 20. 17. Goto my hrethren^ and tell them I afcend unto My Father and your Father j to my God and your God : He feems to interefs them in this BlelTed Relation in a kind of equality with himfelf ^ My Brethren, my Father and Your Father, and the fweet and comfortable confequents of this are incomparable. Is he my Father ? Then 1 know he can pity me as a Father pitieth his Children, P/!io^ i ;. He can pardon and fpare me as a Father fpareth his Son that ferveshim, Af^/ ^. 17. Is he my Father? then whither fhould I go but to him for protection in all my dangers? for diredions in all my difficulties ? for fa'tisfadion in all my doubts ? for fupply in all my wants? This I can with con- fidence exped from a poor earthly Father, according to the compafs of his abilities : If ye then heingevil know how to give good things unto Your Children, how much more JJjall Tour Father^ who is in Heaven^ give good things to them that ask him? Matth. 7. 11. Mercy, and Compaffion, and Love, is a Vertue in a man, in an earthly Father, a piece of that Image of God which at firft he imprinted in Man ; and yet paffion and human infirmity, as it hath much weakned the! habit thereof in us, fo it may fufpend the exercife thereof to a near Relation: But in Almighty God thefe Vertues are in their Perfection, and nothing at all in him that can re- mit it, Mercy and Tendernefs are Attributes which he de- lights in y Mercy pleafeth him j it was the great Attribute he 8o Of the Knozvleclge he proclaimed liis Name by, Exod, ;4. 6. and fb diffuflve is his Mercy that it extends to all^ He is good to all, and his tender Mercies are over alibis ivorks^ Pfal. 145*. 9. and not on- ly to the Juft and Good, but even to the Unkind^ caufing his Sun to fliine upon the Evil and the Good : And furely he that hath Mercy and Goodnefs for an Enemy, cannot deny it unto a Child. Can a Mother forget her fucking Child ^ &c.. Tea foe may forget ^ yet vjHI I not forget thee^ faith the Lord. ira.49. 15. To reftore to us a moR: fure, everlafting and bleflcd In- heritance in Heaven. Gal 4. 7. If a Son^ then an Heir of God through Christ: and here is the complement of all ; not only abfnlved trom the guilt of fin, reconciled to God, put into the relation of a Child of God •, but after all this, to be everlaflingly and unchangeably flated in a blefled con- dition unto all Eternity : and all this from the condition of a moft vile, finful loll Creature, and by fuch a price as the Blood of Chrift. More need not, cannot be faid. VIIL And by what hath been faid, it is eafie to fee what the Fruits and EffeBs ot all this are. God will not be difap- pointed in the end of fo great a Work, and therefore we cannot be difappointed in the fruit of it ; and thofe are ei- ther fuch as are enjoyed in this Life, or principally appro- priated to that which is to come, i, Thofe Benefits that naturally arife from Chrift Crucified, and are enjoyed in this Life., are thefe : 1. Jufiification and Acceptation in the fight of God ; he looks upon us as thofe that have fatisfied his Juftice when his SonTuffered •, and as thofe that performed his Will, when his Son performed it : So that as our Lord imputed our fins to our Redeemer, fo he imputes his Righteoufnefs unto us ; and as he was well pleafed with him, fo he was well pleafed in him, with as many as are received into this Covenant. 2. Peace with God. This is the natural confequence of the former. Rom. 5'. i. Being juftifiedhy Faith ^ we have Teace with God through cur Lord Jefv. Chrifi The only caufe of breach between God and his Creature is removed, and^ Peace and Love reftorcd between them. 3. Free Accefs unto God: For we ar^ reftored unto Pe^ce ^ . with of Chrijl Crimfied. 8i with him, and confequently accefs unto him ; and indeed it is a part of that duty which he exped? from us : Our accefs to him, is not only our privilege, as the accefs of a Subjeft to his Prince^ or a Child to his Father ; but it is ourduty, as a thing enjoyned unto us in teftimony of our dependance and love unto him. 4. Confequently_, Teaceivith our fel^es^ and our own Con^ fcience, and that upon a double ground, i. Becaufe our Confcience is fprinkled by the Blood ofChrifi-_, which de- faceth and obliterateth all thofe black Jrewj,thatotherwife would be continually calling upon us. z. Becaufe Con- fcience ever fideth with God, whofe Vicegerent fhe is iri the Soul, and hath the very fame afpe61:,for the moflpart, that Heaven hath ; and therefore if it be clear above.it is ordinarily quiet within; and if God fpeaks Peace, the Confcience^ unlefs diftempered, doth not fpeak trouble. 5. An Affurance of a continual /^pj/;' of fufficient Grace^ to lead us through this vale of trouble, without a final A- pfiacy or falling from him. Were our Salvation in our own hands, or managed by our own ftrength, we fhould utterly lofe it every moment; but the Power, and Truths and the Love of God is engaged in a Covenant of the higheft Solemnity that ever was, fealed in the Blood of the Son of God, for our Prefervation • and it fhal] be as impoflible for us to fall from that condition as for the Al- mighty God to be difappointed : No, his Council and Truth, the conftant fupply of the BleOed Spirit of Chrifl, (hall keep alive that Seed of Life, that he hath thrown in- to his Soul, I yohn 3.9. For his Seed remaineth in him ^ and he cannot Sin^ hecaufe he is horn of God. ' 6. Sufficient Grace to prefer ve us from,or fupport us in or deliver us out of Temptations, We Hand more in need of Grace, than we do of our Bread; becaufe the confe- quence of the want of the former, is of more danger than the latter, by fo much as the Soul js more valuable than the Body, if our Father is pleafed to furnilh us with our daily bread,how (hall he then deny us our daily and hourly fup- plies of his Grace ? Rom, 8. v. 1 5. Efpecially linceour inte- reft therein is founded upon the Covenant made l^ the blood of $2 Of the Knowledge of Chrifb^, 2 C^r. 12. 9. My Grace is fufficient for thee. 7. A favourable Acceptation of our duties ^ fince they are the performances of Children; and therefore not meafu* red according to their own worth, but according to the relation andaffedion from whence they proceed. 8. A gentle and merciM pardom?fg of our failings ^QV en as a Father pitieth and pardoneth the infirmities ofa Child,and though he does notdifpenfe with prefumptuous offences ; yet he either obferves not,or forgives their many Infirmi- ties. And it is a privilege of high concernment to us, that as in our firftconverlion^the Blood ofChriftwafiiethaway a whole life of fins at once,fo after our converi]on,the fame Fountain (lands open j whereunto we may and muftrefortj^ to cleanfe our daily Failings. Chrift received by Faith in the heart, is a continual Sacrifice, which I may prefent un- to the Father, for my (ins committed after my converfion, 9. A comfortable Reftitution of a juft IntereH in the Creatures. When Man forfook the Allegiance he owed to his Maker, the Intereft he had in the Creature, did, as it were, efcheat to the Lord : And though his Good- nefs after permitted him the ufe of them, yet it was (till, as it were, upon account : And as the Sons of Men have a great account to give unto God for their fms, fo they have for his Creatures. Chrifl: hath reftored unto us a better propriety in that, which civil right hath made ours, than what we had before. I o. A Comfortable and SanBified Ufe of all Conditions : In Profperity, Moderation ; in Adverfity, Content ednefs ; in all, Sobriety. For as our Lord hath purchafed for us Grace, to ufe all things aright ; fo he bath obtained for ps an inheritance that renders the beft the World can give us, unworthy to be valued, and the worfl- it can give us, unworthy to be feared, in refpeft of the BlelTed- nefs which he hath fetled upon us. 11. Confequently CoT^tempt of the World, becaufe higher matters are in my eye, fuch as the beft the World can yield, cannot equal ; nor the worft it can inflift, cannot take away. All this upon 1 2. A Li^lyHope : A hope that maketb not alhamed ; of Chrift Crucified, go even of that Glory which my Saviour came down from Heaven to purchafeby his Blood ^ and theaflurance where- of he hath fealed with his Blood : John 2. 7^.1 go to frepare a face for you, and if I go ^ and fref are a f lace for you, I 'will come again ^ and receive you unto my felf that where I am ye may he alfo : A hope of a blefled Kefurredtion after death • a hope of that blefled appearance of our Lord and Savi- our Jefus Chrift •, a hope of that Glorious Sentence in the prefence of Men and Angels, Come^ ye hie fed • and aa hope of an Everlafting Eflate of Bleflednefs and' Glory in the prefence of the great God, and glorified Saints and Angels, unto all Eternity. And the eiHcacy of this hope dipt in the blood of Chrift, brings us Vidory. 1. ViBory over Sin, Sin Jhall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law^ hut under Grace, Rom. 6. 14. He that hath this hope purifieth him f elf even as he is pure. I John. 3.3. 2. Vidory over the World^ in the heft it can afford us - its flatteries and favours: thefe are too fmall and inconi fiderablewhen compar'd with this hope ; they (hine like a Candle in the Sun , and are ineffci^ual to win over a Soul that is fixed upon this Hope, and Viftory over the worft the World can infiid : Our Lord hath conquered the World in this refped for us : Be not afraid, I have 0- vercome the World, John \6, ;;. and conquered it in us • This is the FiBory that overcometh the Worlds even your Faith I John 5. 4. 3. Vidory ov^x Death -^ which now, by means of this blefled hope is ftript, as well of her terror as her power : Thus thanks he unto Gody 7vho giveth us the Vi5lory through' our Lord Jefus Chrijty i Cor. 17. gy. And now though the Nature of this Argument hath carried my Meditations to a great height, yet to avoid miftakes, fome things Imuft- fubjoin. I. That when I thus aggravate the fufferings of our Lord under the imputed guilt of the fins of Mankind ; yet we muft not think that his fufferings were the fame with the Damned in duration, fo neither in kind, nor in degree J for this could neither, conflft with the purity of his 84 The ViEiory of Faith his Nature, nor Innocence, nor Dignity of his Perfon,nor the hypoftatical Union of both Natures in him : but he fuffered as much as was confident with thefe confiderati- ons ; and, as confidering the dignity of his Perfon, was equivalent to the fin and demerits of all Mankind. 2. That his Righteoufnefs imputed co us, doth not ex- empt us from acquiring a Righteoufnefs inherent in us •, This were to difappoint the end of his Suffering, which was to redeem us from our vain converfation^ and make us a peculiar People zealous of good works. 3. That this purchafe of Salvation by Chrift for Be- lievers, is not to render them idle, or fecure, or pre- fumptuotts 5 where there is fuch a difpofition of Soul, it is an evident Indication, that it is not yet truly United unto Chrift by true Faith and Love •, his Grace^ is fuffi- cient to preferve us, and always ready to do it, if we do not wilfully negled or rejed it. The Viftory of Faith over the World. I lohn V. 4. For whofoever is horn of God ^ overcotneth the JVorld ; and this is the Victory that overcometh the Worlds even your Faith, THefe things are herein confiderable : T.The^^^ which is here declared^ ViEiory^ or Overcoming. ^ . . ^ 2 The Verfon that exercifeth this Aft, or concerning whom this is affirmed, defcribed by this defcrlption, a Perfon that is horn of God. :;. The Thing upon which this Aft 01 Viaory is exerci- fed.i/i2i. The World. 4. The Inftrument or Means, by which this Adt is exer- cifed, 1;/!?:,. Faith, , ^ r u 1.^ y. The Method or Order, or formal Reafon, whereby Faith overcometh this World. „ u r Some few Obfervations 1 (hall deliver touching all theie in the order propofed. ^ I- Vittory over the V/orld, 85 I. ViEtory or overcoming is a fubjugation or bringing under an oppofing Party to the Power and Will of ano- ther. And thisVidory is of two kinds ^ compleac and per- fed^ or incompleat or imperfedt. i. The Notion of a com pleat Vidory is^ when either the oppofing Party is totally deflroyed, or at leaft when defpoiled of any pofll- bility of future Refiftance : Thus the Son of God, the Captainof our Salvation^ overcame the World. John 16^ SS, Be of good cbear^ I ha've overcome the World, And thus when we are delivered from this body of death, we fliall overcome the World. This compleat Vidory will be the portion of the Church and Chriftian triumphant. A-i gain, 2 . There is a Vidory, but inpompleat, fuch as the Vidory of the Children of Ifrael was over the Cana- amtesj which though they were fubdued^ as to any pof- libility of a total re-acquiring of a ftiperiority or equali- ty of Power^ yet they were not fubduedfrom a poffibility of annoying, difquieting and rebelling ^ they remained ftill thorns to vex and diflurb, though not to fubdue their Conquerors; there was flill an over- balance of Power in the Victors, though not wholly to extirpate them: And this is the condition of theChriflian Militant in this World . He keeps the World in fubjedion, and every day gets ground upon it; but he cannot exped to obtain a Perfed, Compleat and Univerfal Conqueft of it, till he can truly fay with our Blefled Lord, John 14. 30. The Prince of this World hath nothing in me. Which can- not be till our Change comes ; for till then we carry a- bout with us our Lults, and Pafllons, and Corruptions: Which, though with all Vigilancy and Severity, kept un- der, and daily impaired in their Power and Malignity, will hold a Correfpondcnce with the World and Prince thereof, and be ready to deceive and betray' us, though never to regain their Empire and Sovereignty ^ and the Reafon is fignificantly given by the fame Apoille, i John g . 9. For his Seed abideth in him^ and he cannot (in, Lecaufe he is born of God. Indeed he may, and ihail have Sin as long as he hath Flefh about him. i John i. 8. If we fay •we have nofin^ wf deceive our felves^ and the truth is not in us. Bui 86 TheVi8ory of Faith But although we have Sin ftill abiding us, and like the Byafs in a Bowl, warping us to the World, yet that Vi- tal Seminal Principle of the Grace of God, in Chrift, al- ways keeps its Ground^ its Life, and Tendency towards Heaven, and wears out, wafts, and gradually fubdues the contrary Tendency of Sin and Corruption. ir. The Verfon exercifing this ad ot Vidory and Con- quefl, is he that is Bom of God. All Men, by Nature, may be faid, in fome fenfe to be born of God ; tiie Apoftle tells the Athenians y Ai^s 17. 28. We are all his off-Jpring, But in this place,this Heavenly Birth is a fecond,a lupervenient Birth from God ; and hence it is called Regeneration^ the New Birth, Birth of the Water and the Spirit, Birth of the Spirit, the Formation of Chrift in the Soul • and the Creature fo new born, lliled the New Creature, the New Man, a partaker of the Divine Nature, born not of the Will of Man, nor of the Will of the Flefli, buB born of the Will of God. And all thefe, and the like ExprefTions are Figurative, and feem to carry in them a double analogy : Firft, to the firfl: Creation of Mankind ; and fecondly, to the ordinary Generation of Mankind lincc their firft Creation : i. As to the former Analogy, We know by the holy Word, that the firft Man was the root of all Mankind, ftamped with the Signature of the Image of Almighty God, principally conGfting in Know- ledge,Righteoufners and Holinefs, and ftood or fell as the common Reprefentative of all Mankind : This Image of God was in great meafure loft and defaced by the Fall of Man, and more everyday fpoiled by the A(9:ual Sins and acquired Corruptions of his defcendants .- Chrift the fe- cond Adam hath inftamped upon him a new infcription of the Glorious God, came to be a common Head, Root, and Parent of as many as are united unto him by Faith, Love and Imitation, and to inftamp a-new upon them^ that loft and decay'd Image of God 5 who thereby put on the New Man, Which after God is created in Righteouf- nef^ and true Holinefy Ephef. 4. 14, and fo becoming a New Creature, -l Cor. 5:. 17. Galat. 5. 6. renewed la Kaowledge, after the Image of him that creat^ed him, Cohf* over the World. g^ Colof, 5. 10. they receive a new Stamp and Impreffion from this great Exemplar Ghrill Jefus the true Image of the Invifible God. 2. The fecond Analogy is to the Or- dinary Generation of Mankind ; wherein as a little, but powerful^ vital principle, which we call the Soul, forms and moulds the foetus according to the fpecial Nature of Man in all his Lineaments and Proportions,and never gives over its Operation till it hath compleated that bodily Mafs into its full Complement of Parts, and afterwards gradually augments and perfeds it in his Organs and Fa- culties : So by a Vital Principle derived from God, thro* Chrift into the Soul, the fame is moulded, fafhioned, for- med, increafed and perfeded according to this new prin- ciple of Life which is ufually called Grace : Whereby ic comes to pafs (that) as the Soul is the Vital and confor- ming Principle of the Body, fo this Grace is the very Life, and vital and conforming Principle of the Soul : And hence this formative Principle is called the Life of the Soul, the Qpickning Spirit ; and the Conformation of the Soul unto the Will of God thereby is called the forming of Chrift in them, the Life of Chrifl-^ the in-dwelling of Chrift: in the Heart by Faith. And this new Principle ex^ ercifeth in the Soul all the Ads analogical to that natu- ral vital Principle in the Body^ giving to it, as it were, the Image, Lineaments^ Proportion, Increafe conforma- ble to the Image of God in Chrift, as true Wifdom, Righteoufnefs, juftice, Holinefs^ Integrity, Love of God, Submiffion to his Will, Dependance upon him, and tran- llates them into all the communicable Relations that ChriH: himfelf had, and invefts them in his communicable privileges : If he be a Son of God by Nature,fo are they by Interpretation, B^ adoption and Participation of the Divine Nature^ 2 Vet, 1,4. is he an Heir of Heaven ? fo are they Co-heirs with him : Is he acceptable of God? fo are they ? Is he an Heir of Glory ? fo are they. And as this Confor- mation of the Body by this vital Principle is performed by a feminal principle (at leaft as the Inftrument of its Adivity) derived from the Parent, fo the Analogy holds here : We find a douhk feminal Trincipk in this Conforma- G tion, 88 The ViBoiy of Faith tion, and both derived from Chrift onr Head^ viz., one External, another Internal, i. The Exf^r^^^/feminal Prin- ciple is the Word and Meilage of the Divine Dodrine, Exemplary and Holy Life, lingular Love of Chrift and of God through him to Mankind, whereby we underfland what he would have us do, the danger if we do other- wife; the blefled Reward of Obedience^ the great engage- ments of the Love of God, in fending his Son to die for ns^ the plain, familiar^eafie way of attaining of Happinefs-, and becaufe we often learn better by Example than by Precept, the fame Word exhibits to us a lively Pidure of his holy Converfation, his Humility, Meeknefs, Obedi- ence^ Love^ Patience, Goodnefs : And this the External Means is in it felf a great Moral Means to conform our Wills and Lives thereunto : And therefore it is called the Incorruptible Seed of the Word of God whereby we are born again^ i Vet. 1.23. 2. The Internal Seed is that Spirit of Grace, fent out from Chrift^ which doth drive a Quickning lively Power to the Word and to the Soul, whereby it makes it effedual to its end, and therefore cal- led a Spirit of Life and Power, a Quickning Spirit : and this, not by transfufing a new Subftanceor fubftantial Na- ture, which before it had not, but by its lively, yet fecret operations, changing and moulding it fuitable to the Image of him whofe Spirit it is, and adding energy and efficacy of that other Seed of the Word, as the Sun doth to the Seminal Principles of Vegetables and Animals., III. Touching the Thing upon which this Vidory is ob- tained and Conquefl: made^ it hthe World: which com- prehends in its latitude a double World ^ the World within us and the World without us. * The World within tts^ which may therefore be fo called principally in this refped, that a greater part of its relati- on and tendency is toward the World, which is for the mofl part the objed upon which it fixeth^ the fubjed after which it reachethj and the budnefs upon which it faftneth and exercifeth. And hence it is, that the Apoftle St. John divides the World without us with relation to the World within us^ v\u ths hfi of the FleJIj, tbs lufi of th Eyes, over the World. ^cj mi the Pride of Life ^ i John 2. 16. The World that is within us taketh in the nvo great Faculties or Towers, ^'iz. I. The Paffions of the Soul ; and 2. The fenfual Appetite; Both thefe are in their own Nature good, placed in us by the Wife God of Nature, for moft excellent ends and ufes. Our bufinefs therefore is to keep in order and fub- jeftion, and to extirpate and root them out ; for they are radicated in our Nature by the God of Nature. But of this more particularly. I. Our Vajfions : Such as are Love, Hatred, Anger,Hope, Fear^ Joy, Sorrow; thefe and the like PafTions of the Hu- man Soul, are not fimply in themfelves evil ; nay being rightly placed, and duly ordered and regulated, they be- come ferviceable to excellent ends and ufes : and therefore fimply in themfelves they are not the fubje(^ of Chriftians Vidory: But then they become fuch, when they become theWorld in the Text,and that is principally in thefe cafes. I. When they are mlj^laced-^ as when we love the things we fhould hate^hope tor the things we fhould fear, rejoyce in that we fhould grieve,d^c. or e converfo,!. when they are immoderate or exceffi-ve about their proper objeds ; which comes to pafs, when in thofe things about which we may exercife our Paflions lawfully, we exceed that m>eafure or proportion that is due to them. For indance, I may law- fully love a competency of worldly fubfiftence, but I ex- ceed in this,That I love it too much and beyond the worth that is truly in it : I may lawfully be angry with him that injures m.e, but I exceed in the meafure, or degree, or time, or duration, and become implacable. :;. When my Affedions or PalTions are notaBed to that height thej ought to he: All finite objeds of our Paffions require a proportio- nate degree of our Paflions *, but where the objed is infi- nite^my afledions may err in heif7g too remi/^ but not in the excefs: I cannot love God too much^ for 1 am to love him with all my might ; but I may love him toolittle.and then iriy affedion errs : 1 cannot hate fin too m.uch, becaufe I cannot love God too much, but I may hate it too little, 4. When my Affedions or Paflions are aded unfeafona- blv, either in refped of the competition between objeds G % of ^o The ViEtory of Faith of fevetal values : 1 may, nay I mull love my Father, but if I love my Father more than my Saviour, my Saviour hath pronounced me unworthy of him. 5. When my Paffions degenerate into Vices and Corruptions, and fo become not fo much Powers or Faculties, as Difeafesand Sickaefles , of the Soul : As when Anger degenerates into Malice, Revenge ^ when Self-love degenerates into Envy ; when defire of, or delight in, the profits or ho- nours of the World degenerates into Covetoufnefs or Am- bition, and the like. 6. When my Paffions are not un- der the Management, Guidance or Conduft of my fupe- rior Faculties, my Reafon and Judgment \ but either go before they are fent,or go beyond for what they are fent, or return not and fubfide when recalled : And then they breed infinite perturbation in the Soul, invert the order of Nature, and become furies and tempefts, and imprifon and captivate the Mind and Underftanding, and become a worfe part of the World than that which is without us. Under thefe conditions our Paffions and AfFedions are part of that World, which is the Obje(fl of a Chriftian's Warfare and Vidory. 2. The other part of this World within us, are the Mo- tions and Tendencies of our Senfml Appetite. This Sen- fual Appetite is in it felf good, placed m us by the God of Nature for excellent ends, viz. For the prefervation of the Individual Nature, as Eating and Drinking, and thofe invitations of Senfe, fubfervient thereunto ; or for the prefervation of the Species, as the defires of Sexes. But they then become a finful part of this Inferior World. I. When they become inordinate. 2. Or exceffive. g. Or unfeafonable,or improper. 4. When they are not fub^ ordinate in their adings to the Government of Reafon , cnlightned by Moral or Religious Light. A Chriftian hath no fuch Enemies without him, as unruly and undifciplind Lufts and Paffions within him; and it is a vain thing to think of overcoming the World without us, until this World within us be brought into fubjedion^ for without the Corruptions and Lufts within, the World and the evil Men of the World, and the evil One of the World, could not hurt us. '^ Non over the World, 9 1 ' ' 'Isfon vulnus adaBis Debetur gladiiSy fercujfum eft feBoreferrum* The Wedge of Gold was an innoceiiE thing, bun Achanl's covetous heart within gave it ftrength to do harm. We come into the World, as into a great Shop full of all va- riety of Wares, accommodated to ourSenfes, Lufts and Affedions ; and were it not for thefe, thofe Wares would. lie long enough upon the hands of the Prince of the World, before they could get within us or corrupt us. '^,^^ 2. The World without us is of three Kinds ; i. The ^a.- turalWorldy which is the work of Almighty God^ is moft certainly in it felf good \ and only evil accidentally, by. Man's abufe of himfelf or it. It doth contain a general , fupply of objects anfwerable to the defires of our vege- table and fenfible nature, and the exigencies and conveni-^ encesof it; it is a great Shop full of all forts of Wares an- fwerable to our wants or conditions ; there is wealth and places and delights for the Senfes, and it becomes an Ene- my to us by rcafon only of the diforder and irregularity of thofe LuHs and Paflions that are within us, and by reafon of the over-value that we are apt to put upon them ; they are indeed temptations but they are ouly paflive^ as the Wedge of Gold did pafliveiy tempt Achan^ but it was his ^ own Luft and Covetoufcefs that did him the harm : the Rock doth not flrike the Ship^but the Ship ftrikes the Reck and breaks it felf. This World, as it is not evil in it felf, fo moft certainly it is full of goodnefs and benevolence to US: it fupplies our wants, is accommodated to the exigen- ces and conveniences of our Nature • furnifheth us with ; various' objeds and inftances of the Divine Goodnefs, Lir^ berality, Bounty ; of his Power and Majelly, and Glory.^ . of his Wifdom, Providence and Government :. which are , fo many inftrudion^ to teach us toknow^ and admireand m,4g;n>fie him ^ to ^valk thankfully, dutifully and obedi^ e^t^ unto him; to.te«ch,^s.Re^JgnaLion, Contentedn^fs^ ., SubmiflTipn, and Depefidance upon him. A good hearty will be ipade better by it j and it therjebe evil in it,ic i^ [ fucli as our own corrupt natures occafionsor brings upon it, or upon oi^r ftlves by ft : and h is a great part of our , oiij' ' G % '^ ^ Chriftiaa 91 The Vi^ory of Faith Chriftian warfare and difcipline to teach us to ufe it as it ought to be ufed, and to fubdue thofe Lufts and Corrup- tions that abufe it, and our felves by it. Again fecondly^ there is another World without us, the malignant and e^uil World y the World of evil Angels, and of evil Men ; Mundus if} maligna fofitus : And the great miichiefs of this World are of two kinds \ viz,, i. Incentives and temptations from it^ that are apt to bring the reft of mankind into the evil of fin and ofience againft God ; fuch as are evil examples, evil commands^evil counfel, evil perfwafion, and follicita- tions. 2. The Troubles, and Injuries, and VexatibnSy and Perfecutions, and OpprefTions, and Calumnies, and* Reproaches, and Difgraces, that are inflicf^ed by them : And the evil that arifeth from thefe are of two kinds,'u£2s. fuch as they immediately caufe^ which is great llneafinefs and Griefs^ and Sorrow : And again, fuch as confequently arife from thefe namely, the evil of Sin, as Impatience, Difcontent, Unquietnefs of Mind^ Murmuring againfb the Divine Providence, Doubtings of it, letting go our Confidence in God, Diftruft, Unbelief^ and putting forth oor hands to iniquity to deliver our felves from thefe in- conveniences, either by unlawful or forbidden means;, by finful compliances with thefinful World,by falling in with them to deliver our felves from their oppreffions, perfe-^ cutions or wrongs, by railing commotions, engaging in parties, and infinite more unhappy confequcnces. Afld thirdly, there is a third kind of World which is in a great meafure without us, namely, the Accidental, or more truly the Frovide?nial World in relation tO Man and his con- dition in this World, and is commonly of /?2;o kindsj vit, profperous or adverfe. External or worldly Vrojperity confifts in an accommodate condition • of Man -in thii World ; as health of Body, comfort of Friends and Rela- tions ; affluence^ or at leaft competency of Wealth, Pow*- cr^ Honour, Applaufe, good Repct^t^ and the like. ;V T^ie* dangers that fteal upon Mankind in 'this conditioni, are Pride, Haughtinefs of mind^ Arrogance, Vain-glory, ^n- folence, Oppreffidn, Security, Contempt of others, -Love^ of the World, Fear of Death^ and dcfirea of di verfi6hfrora the over the World, c?5 the thoughts of it, Luxury^ Intemperance, Ambition, Covetoufnefs,Negle6tand Forge tfulnefs^ and a low Efteem of God, our Life to come, and our Duty. 2. Ai'verfity^ as Sicknefs and Difeafes, Poverty^ lofs of Friends and E- ftate publick or private Dillurbances or Calamities, and, the like : And though oftentimes thefe are occafioned by the evil or malignant World, yet many times they feem to come accidentally, and are apt to breed Impatience, Difcontent, Unquietnefs of mind, dillrull: of Providence, Murmuring, Envy at the external felicity of others, and that common difcompofure which we ordinarily find ia our felves and others upon like occ^fions. IV. The fourth Confideration is, what is this FaltJj which thus overcometh the World, v;hich is nothing elfe but a deep, real, full, found perfuafion of and aflent unto thofe great truths revealed in the Scriptures of God upon the account that they are truly the Word and Will of the Eternal God, who is Truth it felf, and can neither de- ceive, nor be deceived ^ and herein thefe tw^o matters are confiderable, firll, W^hat are thofe Divine Truths which being really and foundly believed^ doth inable the Vidory over the World, or the fpecial Objeds of that vidorious Faith j fecondly, What is that Ad of Faith or Belief of excellent Objeds, which thus overcometh the World. I. For the former of thefe, although the whole Body of Divine Truths is the adequate ohjecl of Faith \ yet there feem to be certain fpecial Heads cr Parts of Divine Truths, that have the greatefl: influence into this Vidory over the World, I ihall mention fome of them ^ namely, i- That there is one mod Powerful, Wife, Gracious, Bountiful^ Juft, and All-feeing God, the Author of all Being, that is prefent in all places, knows our thoughts, our wants, our fms, our defires, and is ready to fupply us with all things that are good and fit for u?,beyond all we can ask or think-, hath incomprehenfible Wildom, and irreliitible Power to effed what he pleafeth ; that leaves not any of his works, efpecially mankind, without his fpecial care and fLipcria- tendence over them ^ without whofe Will or deiigned Permiffioa nothing befals us. 2. That this molt Wile G 4 ^ad 94 The Viiiory of F^itb and Jufl: and Powerful God hath appointed a Law or Rule according to which his will is, that the children of Men fhould conform themfelves ; and according to the upright endeavours of the children of Men to conform thereunto, he will moft certainly give Rewards ; and according to the wilful tranfgreflions thereof, he will infiid punifh- ments, and that he is a moft ftridt and infallible obferver of all the w^ays of the Children of Men, whether of obe- dience or difobedience thereunto. 5. That this Law and Willof his,he hath communicated and revealed unto the children of Men in his holy Word ; efpecially by the mif- fion of his Son Jefus Chrift, who brought into the World a full and compleat colledion of thofe Holy Laws of God, whereuntohe would have us conform. 4. That he hath given unto Mankind, in and through Chrift Jefus, a full manifeftation of a future life after this, of Rewards and Punilhments; and according to that Law of his thus snanifefted by his Son, hewill^ by the fame Jefus Chrift, difpenfe and execute the fentences of Rewards and Pu- nilhments, and judge every man according to his works: 5;. And that the Reward of Faith and Obedience^, in that orher life to come, ftiall be an Eternal, Blefled, Happy Eftate of Soul and Body in the glorious Heavens, and in the prefenceand fruition of the ever Glorious and Eternal God. 6. And that the Puniftiment of the Rebellious and Difobedient unto his Will and Law of God thus manifef- ted by his Son, fhall be an Eternal Separation of Soul and Body from the prefence of God^ and the conclufion of them under Chains of Darknefs and everlifting Torments in Hell-fire. And that the Son of God hath given us the greateft aflurance imaginable of the truth of this Will of God^ of this Happinefs and Mifery, by taking upon him our Nature, by his Miracles, by his Death and Re- furredion and Afcenfioninto Glory^ and by his mifTion of the Spirit of Wifdom and Revelation into his Apoftles and Difciples, both to inftrui^ the World in his Truth, jand to evidence the Truth of their miflion from him. 8. That Almighty God, though full of Juftice and Severity a- gainft obftinate and rebellious j yet is full of Tendernefs, Love, over the Worhh 95 Love, and Companion towards all thofethat fincerely de- Hre to obey his Will, and to accept of terms of Peace and Reconciliation with him, and is ready upon Repen- tance and Amendment to Pardon whatfoever is amifs^ and hath accordingly promifed it ; and that he hath the Care^ and Love, and Tendernefs of a Father to- wards us: That in our fincere endeavour of Obedience to him, we fhall be fure of his Love, Favour, and Pro- tedion ^ that in all our afflidions and troubles he ftands by us, and will not leave us : That he will moft certainly make good every promife that by Chrifl: he hath fent unto us, for the Life that is prefent, and that which is to come • That the Law he hath fent us by Chrifl: to fubmit unto, is an eafie and good Law^ fuch as will perfeft our Nature, and fit it to be partaker of his Glory : And that all his thoughts towards us in our faithful endeavour to obey him, are thoughts of Love, Favour, Peace, Bounty and . Goodnefs. And of this he hath given the greatefl: Aflu- rance that is pofTible for mankind to expecl: or de(ire_, even the fending of his Eternal Son into the World, to take upon him our Nature^to acquaint us with his Father's Will and Love, to live a life of want and mifery, and to die a death full of fhame and horror, to rife again to difpatch Meffengers into all the World, to publifh the good Will of God to mankind, to afcend up into Glory, and there to make interceflion for us poor worms at the Right Hand of God; giving us alfo hereby aflurance of our Refurredion, and of his coming again to judge the World, and to re- ceive his obedient Servants into Eternal Glory. Thefe be fome of thofe principal Objedts of that Faith that over- cometh the World, being foundly received, believed and digefl:ed. 2. As touching the AEi: it felf ^ it is no other than a found, real and firm belief of thofe Sacred Truths: And therefore it feems that they that perplex the notion of Faith with other intricate and abfl:rufe definitions or de- fcriptions, either render it very difficult or fcarce intel- ligible, or elfe take into the definition or defcription, thofe things that ^re byt the Confequeace a^id Effe^s of ^6 TheViBory of Faith of it. He that hath this firm perfuafion, will mofl: cer- tainly repent of his fins pall, will moll certainly endea- vour Obedience to the Will of God^ which is thus belie- ved by him to be Holy^ Jufl, and Good, and upon the obedience or difobedience whereof depends his eternal happinefs or mifery^ will mofl certainly depend upon the promifes of God for this life and that to come ^ for thofe are as natural effedts of fuch a firm perfuafion^ as it is for the belief of a danger to put a man upon means to avoid it, or for the belief of a benefit to put a man upon means to attain it. Some things are of fuch a nature that the belief or knowledge of them goes no further^ but it refls in it lelf ; as the belief of bare fpeculative Truths : But fome things are of fuch a Nature as being once truly and firmly believed or known, carry a man out to Adion : And fuch are efpecially the knowledge or belief of fuch things as are the Objefts of our Fears or of our Hopes ; the belief of fuch Objeds do naturally, and with a kind of IVIoral neceiTity carry a Man out to A61:ion ; to the avoid. ing of fuch Fears, and the attaining of fuch Hopes : And therefore Faith and Belief in reference thereunto comes often in the Scripture under the Names of Hope and Fear, as being the proper effeds of it. Inllances we have of both J 2 Cor. J. lo, II. For we muft all appear before the Judgment-Seat ofChriB, that every one may receive the things done in his hody^ according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the Terror of the Lord 7i^eper'' fuade ment i John ;. 2, 3. But we know that when wep)all appear^ we piall be like him, for we jl) all fee him as he is'y and every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himjelfeven as he is pure. Therefore we need not be fo follicitous touching the Nature of Faith, what kind of Faith it is that m.ufl fave us: Certainly if it be a true and real aflent of the mind to thefe great truths of God^ it mull be operative, ac- cording to the Nature of the things believed which are in order to working • and therefore if it have not that effed-, it is not Faith nor Aifent; if it have it but weak and im- perfectly, it is evident that the Aflent is weak arid fludu- ating. o'Ber the World. 97 ating 5 if it have that effed at fome times but not at others, it is evident that the Afleiit is fufpended^ or in- termitted, and not adually exercifed at thefe intermifli- 6ns : If any man were really and fully perfuaded that if he took fuch a Journey to morrow, he fhoiild ceri^ainly break his Leg, he would as certainly not go; Or if he were im- . der a certain perfuafion^ that if he cook fuch a Drink, he fhould certainly recover his loft Health, it were as certain he would Drink it : And if a man were aftuaiiy and fully perfuaded that if he ufed fuch a means, he fhould attain everlafting Happinefs ^ or, if he fhould commit fuch a fin^ he fhould certainly lofe it, it were fcarce Morally pofFible, that a reafonable Man in his wits would omit the one or commit the other. And to fay^ this is but an hlfiorical Faith ^ and that the Devils have as much, they believe and tremble, and they do as fully alTent to Divine Truths as any can do, yet it avails them not\, concludes nothing ; the reafon is evident, becaufe the Salvation to be attained, the Faith which is the Inltrument to attain it, concerns them not^ neither ^re they in, a ftate to be advantaged by it; but it is other- wife with Men. If I fhould acquaint a Stranger, that if my Son doth fuch a thing, I will give my Son five pound^ thoughth^' Stranger believes it as really true as any thing in the W(!>rrd, yet it puts him not upon the A^ftion, be« caufe as he is not concerned in the Reward, fo he is not concerned in the Means: But according to the belief that my Son hath, it will or v/ii! not put him upon the adlion : If he believe me not, he will not do it at all; if he believe ?t faintly arid doubtingly, he will perform the Aclion accor^ dingly • bntif b^ believe it truly, and fully^ and fet any va- luenpon the Reward, he will perform it cheerfully^ for he is concerned in the Reward^ and in the means to attain it, - FiSfi^^ therefore is a firni afFent to the facred Truths Whether the Truths relate to things paft, as thatGod made the World, that Chrift the Meffiah is come in the Flefh, d^c. or ta things, prefent, as that Almighty God beholds all I do, ^iid knows all I think, or that he isa Reconciled Father unto me in Chrift Jefus j or things to come whicb prin- 98 TheViBory of Faith principally excite thofe two great movers" of the Soul, Hope and Fear, in Relation to the future Life of Rewards and Punifhments. V. I come to the fifth thing, viz.. How Faith overcometh the JVorldf which takes in thefe two confederations. I. How that is, in what degree. 2. How that is, by what Method or Means. Touching the former of thefe, touching the de- gree of the Victory that Faith gives, it is a Vidory, but not a Viftory to utter extermination. The Captain of our Salvation indeed overcame the World, totally^ per-f feftly, John 16. 55. Our Vidory is not compleat, nor perfed on this fide Death ; but it is fuch a Vidory as leaves ftill an Adverfary to conteft with' us, though not to fubdue and conquer us. It is a Vidory, but not with- out a continued warfare. x. Touching the Method whereby our Faith overcometh the World, I fhall fay fomething in general, fomething more particularly with relation to the World under the former acceptations. In general therefore, the great method whereby Faith overcometh the World, is by redifying our- Judgments, and removing thofe miftakea that arc in us concerning the World and our own Condition, i. Some things there are in the World, which we fet an Eft^em, and Value, and Love upon, which deferve rather our Hatredi or Deteflation: As our Sins, the Irregularities of ouij Lulls and Pafiions, and thofe degenerate Plants that arife. from them^ as Pride, Ambition, Revenge, Intempe- rance, &c. Thefe we account our Right Hands, and oun Right Eyes, in our ftate of natural Daiknefs. Faith redifies this miftake of our Judgment, by fliewing us the Law and Will of God revealed by Chrift, whereby we find that thefe are our Difeafes, Dillempers and Sick^ nefles, repugnant to the Will, Image, and Command of God ; that they are our Lofs and our Danger, and our/ Ruine \ and therefore not to be entertained, but mortified and crucified. 2. Some things that are in the World, that we may allow fomewhat of our Affedions unto, but we, over- value them. We reckon WeaUh> and Honours, au^i Ppwers, over the World. ' 99 Powers, the greateft Happinefs imaginable, and there- fore intenfly defire them j Sicknefles and Afflidions, and Injuries and LofTes, the greateft Mifery imaginable, ai^d therefore we fear them exceflively^ we are intolerably dif- contented under them. Faith redifies our miftakes herein, gives us a jutt Value of thefe things, ihews us the Law of God, checking and forbidding immoderate Affediqns or Paflions to be exercifed about them, affures us that we are, as well under the View and Obfervation^, as under the Care and Regiment of the Great Lord of Heaven and Earthy and therefore expeds our great moderation in re- lation to externals. ;. And principally, for the moft part the Children of Men efleem this Life the utmoft term or limit of their Happinefs or Mifery,* and there- fore make it their whole bulinefs, by all means pofTible, to make their lives here as fplendid and glorious^ as de- lightful and pleafant as ic is poffiblej and ufe all means whe- ther honeft or di{honeft,fic or unfit, to fecure themfelves in the good they have, and to avoid any thing that is grievous or|troublefome : And if they cannot compafs it, they fink, and defpond, and murmur, and die under it as the only Hell imaginable ^ or if they have any thoughts of a future eftate after Death •, yet they are but languid^ faint, and Icarce believed in any tolerable degree, and fufpedted ra- ther as the Impoftures of Politicians, or Fables of Poets, than having any real truth in them. Faith redifies this miftake, and allures us there is a Judgment to come, a ftate of Rewards and Punifhments of a far higher nature than this World can afford, or indeed apprehend ^ that the happinefs of that life outbids all the greateft and moft glo- rious entertainments that this World can afford, and will infinitely exceed the greateft lolfes or crofies that this World can yield. And on the other fide_, the punilhments of that Life will infinitely over- balance all the pleafures and contentments that this life here can yield, and the me- mory of them will butinhance the rate and degree of thofe torments : And that accordingly as men fpend their lives in this fhort tranfitory Life, either in obedience or difo- bedience unto theDivineWill^ accordingly to the retribu- tion of everlafting Rewards and Punifliraents will be there given. lOO Tloe VtBory of Faith given. This View of the future ftate prefented by Faith to the Soul, will have thefe two great Effe^Sy in order to the fubduing and conquering of the World without us by rendering it poor, inconfiderable, contemptible in com- parifon of thofe everlafting joys and happinefs of the next Life , and the World within us, by chaining up our exorbitant Lulls and Paflions under the fear of the Judg- ment to come, and by ordering, compofing and regula- ting them in contemplation of the great Reward annexed to our dutiful Obedience unto God in this Life. But I Ihall come to particulars, and follow that trad that is before given, in the diftribution of the World, as well within as without us • and confider the particular method of Faith in fubduing and conquering them. i. Therefore in reference to the World ivithinus-^ namely, I. Our Paflions. 2. Our Lufts. L As for our Tajjions: i. Faith dircifls their due pla- cing upon their Objeds, by difcovering what are the true and proper Objeds of them, out of that large and com- prehenlive Law of God which prefcnts them as fuch to the Soul, and to be obferved under the pain of the difpleafure of the Glorious and Almighty God. 2. Upon the fame account it teacheth our Paflions and Affedions moderati- on in their Excrcife, even about their proper Objeds, and due fubordination to the fupream Love a Man owes to the fupream Good, God Almighty. 3. Upon the fame Account it teacheth us^ under our obligation of Duty to God, to cut off, crucifie and mortifie the difeafes and corruptions of Pafljons, as Malice^ Envy, Revenge, Pride, Vain-glory, Ofl:entation. X. In reference to our Defires; i. Natural; it teacheth \]s great moderation, temperance, fobriety ; it tells us thefe very natural propenfions are apt to grow unruly and confequently hurtful^ and therefore that we are to keep them in Subjedion and under Difcipline both to Religion and to Reafon : And this it doth^ by afliiring us that fuch is the Will and Law of our Creator • by afliiring us that the fame Almighty God is the confl:ant obferver of all our moft intimate Deportments ; it aflures us that the Son of God died to redeem us from the captivity of our Lufls ; that over the World. i o i that if we be kept ftill in fervitude under them, we make an ungrateful return to his love,and,what it in us lieSjdif- appoint him of the end of his fufferings: It fhews us the great falfenefs, deceit and treachery of thefe Lufts^ than they are ready upon every Occafion to rebel againft God and his Law placed in our Souls *, that they are upon every Occafion ready to betray us to our worll Enemy, and if they once get loofe from Difcipline and Subjedion, they are hard to be reclaimed ^ and therefore muflbe kept under a careful^ vigilant and auilere Difcipline^ that if we do fo order them we are fafe in a great meafure from the Temptations of the World and the Devil, who could not hurt us without the compliance, inordinatenefs, treachery^ and correfpondence of thefe clofe Enemies within us. 2. As touching thofe degenerate and corrupt Lulls, as Covetoufnefs^ Malice, Envy ; Faith doth firft of all in general fhew us, that they are prohibited by the great Lord and Law- giver of Heaven and Earth, and that under fevere penalties ; again fecondly, it fhews us that they are the great Depravers and Embafers of our Na- ture, the Dillurbers of the Peace, Security, and Tran- quility of our Minds ; again thirdly, it Ihews us_, that they are vain, impertinent, and unnecefTary perturbati- ons, fuch as can never do us any real good, but feed our vain Imaginations with Deceits inflead of Realities. But particular inflances in relation to thefe feveral Lulls will render thefe truths more evident, i. Therefore for Covet oufnefs or immoderate defire of wealth ; Amhit'mt^ the immoderate defires of Honour or Power, we (hall fee how Faith or true Aflent to the Truths of God revealed in his Word doth corred and crucifie this Lull, and that principally by thefe enfuing Confideraticns; i. Faith difcovers to us that the great Lord of Heaven and Earth, to whom we owe a moil univerfal and indifpenfible Obedience,hath forbidden this Lull, hath told us we mull not be over-follicitous for the .things of this Life, and we have no reafon to fufped his Wifdom in fuch prohibitions, for he is infinitely Wife, and knows belt what is fittefl for us to do or not to do • neither have we caufe to fufped his Love to us, or to think he envies us in his Commands^ ei- ther I02 The ViEiory of Faith ther to enjoyn what may be hurtful for us^ or to forbid what might be beneficial to us, for it was his free and im- menfe Love that gave us at firlt our Being, and therefore certainly can never envy us any thing that might be good or convenient for that Being, which heat firft freely gave, and ftill freely continues to us. 2. Faith fhews us the Vanity and lownefs of fuch Defires, reminds us that when death comes, all thefe Objeds will be utterly infignificant, that they are tranfient, uncertain Objeds, fuch as are not only fitted barely for the meridian of this life, but fuch as often- times take w ings and fly away from us before we leave them , fuch as their very enjoyment fatisfie not, but inftead of fa- tisfaftion are oftentimes vexations and thorns to afflid us. 5. Faith prefents us with better things, more fafe to be defired, more eafily to be obtained, more fecurely to be kept •, namely, our peace with God, and the firm and found aflurance of everlafling happinefs. 4. Faith pre- fents us with an aflurance of the Divine particular Provi- dence which gives and takes away, and grants or denies the things upon which our defires are thus fixed.and there- fore renders our immoderate cares and thoughtfulnefs for the bufinefs of this Life, either needlefs or vain. Tour Heavenly Father kno7veth that you have need of allthefe things y commands us to cafi: cur care upon him, for he careth for us that knows what is fittefl; for us , if abundance, he is able to fupply us, without torturing our felves with care or follicitoufnefs j if the contrary, either we covet in vain, and our endeavours fhall be difappointed, or at leafl they (hall be given, but a curfe and vexation with them, given us in anger, given us to our hurt; and the fame may be faid in all points, in relation to ambition and defire of Ho- nours or Powers. 2. Again, in relation to Malice or Envy againfl; the profperity of others, Faith fliews us how vain and foolifti a thing it is, and the rather, becaufe the wife and great God is the difpenfer of all things, hath the abfolute and unlimited propriety in them, difpofeth them according to his own good pleafure. What reafon hath any Man to envy that difpofal which the God of Heaven makes? Again, [5. For Revenge ^ the great Lord . of the World hath referved that as a^branch of his own Supream over the Work/. 103 Supream Prerogative, Vengeance is mine\ faith the Lord. What have you or I to do to invade his Prerogative ? It is his own righn, and he beft knows when^ and where, and in what degree to exercife it. 1. I come to the confideration of the World without m^ as that which poJTibly is here principally intended, and the Vidory of the Chriflian by his Faith over it; and firit in relation to the Natural World. This World, as hath been obferved, is in it felf very good, and the evil that arifeth from it is only occafional : Which is thus ; It is a goodly Palace fitted with all grately Objeds to our Senfes, full of variety and pleafantnefs, and the Soul faftening upon them, is ready with Teter in the Mount to conclude, that it is good to be here, and therefore grows carelefs of the thoughts of another State after death, or to think of the paflage to it, or making provifionfor it , but to fet up its hope and happinefs, and reft in it, and in thefe delights and accommodations that it yields our fenfes. Faith over- cometh this part of the World, by afluring the Soul, that this lowerWorld is only the place of our probation, not of our happinefs ; our Inn, not our home, it prefents to the Mind a ftate of happinefs, to be attained after deatb^ infinitely furpafllng all the contents and conveniences that this World can yield ; and that one great means to at- tain it, is by fetting onr hearts upon it, and not upon the World3 but ufmg this prefeni World not as the end of our hopes, but as our paflage to it j and to carry a watchful hand over our defires and delights towards it, or in ic :, that it fleal not away our heart from our everlaftingXrea- fure ; to carry a fober and temperate mind towordsit, and ufe of it, as in the light of that God that lends it us, to ex- cite our thankfulnefs and try our obedience,' not to rob him of the Love, and Service, and Duty we owe unto him. In fliort, the methods whereby Faith overcometh this part of the World, are thefe : i. By giving us a true eftimate of it, to prevent us from over valuing it. 2. By frequent re« minding of us, that it is fitted only to the Me- ridian of this Life^ which is fhort and tranfitory, and paf^ feth away. :;. By prefenting unto us a ftate of future hap- H pinefs 1 04 The ViElory of Faith pinefs, that infmitely furpafleth it* 4. By difcoveringout* Duty in our walk through it, namely, of great moderati- on and vigilancy. 5. By prefenting unto us the example of the Captain of our Salvation, his deportment in it, and towards it. 6, By afiuring us that we are but Stewards nnto the great Lord of the Family of Heaven and Earth for fo much as we have of it^ and that to him we muft give an account of our Stewardfhip. 7. By alluring us, that our great Lord and Mailer is a conllant obferver of all our deportment in it. 8. And that he will moll certain- ly give a reward proportionable to the management of our Trufl and Stewardfhip, qjiz.. If done fincerely, faithful- ly, and obediently to our great Lord and Mailer, a re- ward of everlafting Happinefsand Glory \ but if done fal- fly, finfuily, and difobediently, then a reward of everlaft- ing Lofs and Mifery. 2. As to the fecond kind of World, the Malignant World of evil Men and evil Angels; and therein firft in relation to the evil Counfels^ and evil Examples^ that folicit or tempt us to the breach of our Duty to God. The Methods whereby Faith overcometh this part of the Malignant World, are thefe. i. It prefents unto us our Duty that we owe to God, and which we are bound indifpenfibly to obferve under the great penalty of lofs of our Happi- nefs. 1. It prefents us with the great advantage that we have in obeying God, above whatfoever advantage we can have in obeying or following the finful exam- ples, counfels, or commands of this World, and the great excefs of our difadvantage in obeying or following the evil examples, or counfels of the World. And this makes him at a point with thefe Solicitations, peremptorily to con- clude it is better to obey God than Man ; and with Jo- fephf How can I do this great wickednefs ^ and fin againji God ? 3. It prefents Almighty God ftridly obferving our car- riage in relation to thefe temptations. 4. It prefents us with the difpleafure and indignation of the fame God, in cafe we defert him^ and follow the finful examples, or counfels of Men ; and with the great favour, love, appro- bation^ and reward of Almighty God^ if we keep our Fi- delity overtheV/orlJ. 1 05 delity and Duty to him. 5. It prefents us with the noble example of our blefled Saviour. 6. It prefents us with the tranfcendcnt love of God in Chrift Jefus, who to redeem and refcue us from the mifery of our natural condition, and from the dominion of fin, and to make us a peculiar people zealous of good Works^ chofe to become a curfc and die for us, the greateft obligation of love and gratitude and duty imaginable : And then it leaves the Soul imfarti- »lly to judge which is better of the two, and whether this malignanc World can propound any thing that can be an equivalent motive to follow their commands or examples, or that can equal the love of our Saviour, the reward of eternal life, and the favour of the ever-glorious God ; all which muft be denied and loft by a fmful compliance with evil counfels, commands, or examples of an evil World. It is true the World can perchance reward my compliance herein^with honour, and applaufe, and favour, and riches, or they can punilh my neglecfls with reproach, and fcorn, and lofs, and^poverty^ and it may be with death : But what proportion do thefe bear to the favour and love of God, and eternal recompence of glory and endlefs happinefs ? The terms therefore of my Obedience to the loving and gracious God (to whom I owe my utmoft duty and obe- dience, though there were no reward attending it) do in- finitely out-bid^ and out- weigh whatfoever a finful World can either give or infli6i:. And fecondly, as to the other Part or Scene of this malignant World, Perfecutionsy Re- proaches^ Scorns^ yea Death it felf. Faith prefents the Soul not only with the foregoing confiderations^and that glori- ous promife, Be faithful unto Deaths and I -will give thee a Cro'wn oflife^ but fome other confiderations that are pecu- liarly proper to this condition, viz,, i. That it is this Itate, that our blefled Saviour hath not only foretold, buc hath annexed a fpecial promife of bleflednefs unto, Blejfed are they that are ferfecuted for Righteoufnefs fake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, 2. That there have gone before us a noble Cloud of Examples in all Ages, yea the Captain of our Salvation was thus madeperfed by fufFering. g.Thac though ifi is troublefome^ it is but Ihort, and ends with Hi death. Jo6 The Victory of Faith deathj which witl be the paflageinto a ftate of incorrup- tible ■•-^ppinefs : And this was that that made the three ChiidriT icry out, at a point when the greateft Monarch in the World was ready to inflid the feverefl death upon them ; Our God yvhom weferve is ahle to deliz^er us, &c. hut if not ^ know J O Kmg^ that we will not ji^orfhip thy gratjen 7- wage which thou haf Jet up. And theretore our BlefledLord redoubles the injun^lon of our fear toward Him that can deflroy both Body and Soul in Hell, but forbids any fear of fuch Perfecutors, who can only deflroy the Body^ and then can do no more. And certainly that Man that hath full alTurance of an efteem with the great God of Heaven and Earih^of an incorruptible Weight and Crown of Glory the nexc moment after death, mufl needs have a low e/leem of the reproaches and fcorns and perfecutions of Men for righteoufnefs fake ; and Co much the rather, be- caufe that very favour with God, and that very Crown of liappinefs that he expe9:s, is enhanc'd by thefe very fcorns and thofe very afflidions. For. Our light affliBions ^hich are here for a moment^ work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 3. Concerning the third kind of World, namely the Fro'uidential World, confiding in external difpenfations of adverfit^ or profperity. And firfl concerning the dark part of the World^ namely^ Adverfltyy as Cafualties, Iflues of Wealth or Friends^ Sicknefles, the comm.on effeds whereof are impatience, miftruft, murmuring, and un- quietnefs : Faith conquers this part of the World, and prevents thefe evil confequences, which either temptati- ons from without, or corruptions from within, are apt to raife. i. Faith prefents the Soul with thisafliirance^ that all external occurrences come from the wile difpenfation or permiflion of the moft glorious God^ they come not by chance. 2. That the glorious God may, even upon the account of his own Sovereignty, and pro imperio, in- fiid what he pleafeth upon any of his Creatures inthislife. 3. That yet whatfoever he doth in this kind, is not only an cffed of his Power and Sovereignty, but of his Wif- dom, yea and of his Goodnefs and Bounty, No afflidion can over the World. I c 7 can befal any Man, but it mult be nfeful for bis inflruftioa or prevention. 4. That the heft: of Men deferve far worfc at the hands of God^ than the word: afflidions that ever did or ever can befal any Man in this life. 5*. That there have been examples of greater afflidion, that have befal- len better Men in this life : Witnefs 7 infolent, intemperate, luxu- rious, fecure, trulling in uncertain riches^ forgetful of God and of Religion ; But by the means before mentioned. Faith conquers iheVVorid herein, difappoints the corrupti- on of the heart, che fubtiky of the Devil, the temptations of evil Men, and brings the Man into a low elleem of his own external happinefs ; keeps him in a high and juft valu- ation of Heaven ; keeps him temperate, faber3 watchful, humble, faithful, jull: • makes him mindful of his account, and lludious and indallrious for the attaining and fecuring ofaneverlafting flate of happinefs, and that when Death fhall render all his wealth, and honour, and applaufe, and fuccefles, and glory, to be poor, empty, infipid things, yet he may have and enjoy a fixed, permanent, everlalliag ftate of bleflednefs and glory with the Ever-glorious God, the blelfed Redeemer, the holy Angels, and the Spi- rits of iuft Men made perfed. H 4 Of [no] Of H U M I L I T Y : Its oppofite Vices, Benefits, and Means to acquire it. Prov. iii. 54. Jam. iv. 6. i Pet. v. 5. God refefietb the Troud^ and gi^ueth grace to the Humble s PRide and Humility are two oppofite habits or difpofi- tions of the Mind : and therefore the difcufTion and examination of the latter, will of it felf give us a difco- very of the former ^ and the difcovery of the benefits and advantage of the Vertue of Humility, will give us alfo an account of the mifchiefs and inconveniences of Pride, that is its oppofite Vice. In the examination of the true nature of Humility^ we muft take notice that there are f^/^oE^cfre^wj, and between thefe the Vertue of Humility is placed. The two Extreams are in the Excels, which is Pride, and in the Defed, Bafcnefs of Mind. Vride arifeth from an over- valuation of a Man's feif, or a want of a due fenfe of his dependency upon Almighty God. And, though all Pride be an extream foolifh Di- ftemper of the Mind, yet fome kind of Pride is far more unreafonable and vain than other ; namely, that kind of Pride, that arifeth from fuch Objeds^ that are lefs valuable in themfelves^ or lefs his own that grows proud of them . It is a fooliih thing for a Man to be proud of the Endow- Tnmts of ■ his Mind: As Wit, Memory, Judgment, Prudence, Policy, Learning^ nay, of a Man's Goodnefs, Vertue, Jullice, Temperance^ Integrity : For though thefe be mofl a Man's own^ yet he hath them by the bounty and goodnefi of that God^ to whom he owes his being j What hasf thou 'ivhich thou hafi not receiz'ed? Thefe are Mat- ters indeed to ftir up the gratitude to the Giver of them^ but not fufficient grounds to make thee proud. Again, though the things themfelves be excellent, and more thine own than any other outward thing, yet thou art but a temporary owner of them , a violent Fever, *or a fit of Of Humility. ill of a Palfie, or Apoplexy, may rob thee of all thefe en- dowments, and thou mayfb poflibly over-live thy Wic, thy PartSj thy Learning; and if thou efcapeft thefe Con- cuflionSj yet if thou live to old age (a thing that naturally all Men defirej that will abate, if not wholly antiquate, thy Wit, Learning, Parts ; and it is a foolifh thing for a Man to be proud of that which he is not fure to keep while he lives, and mult lofe at laft in a great meafure when he dies, even by reafon of that very Pride which accompanies them here. Again, that very Pride, which accompanies thofe excellent parts and habits, is the very thing that either j^oi/j, or very much debafeth, and dif- parageth them boch in the fight of God and Man ; it is like the dead Flic in the Confedion, the Worm at the bottom of the Gourd, that taints and withers thefe Excel- lencies, and renders them either contemptible, or atleaft much lefs valuable. The more a Man values himfelf for thofe things, the lefs he is valued by others^ and it is a thoufand to one that this foolifh vain humour of Pride mingles fome odd, fanciful, ridiculous, or unfavorv in- gredient in the adions or deportments of fnch Men, though of eminent parts and abilities ; fo that they re- ceive more reproach or cenfure by their Pride, than they receive applaufe by their Parts : For as God reHils the Proud, fo doth mankind alfo, and their very Pride gives their adverfaries advantage. And as Pride of Parts, and Habits of the Mind, is a foolifh thing ^ fo Pride of Bodily Endvivments is yet more foolifh and vain; becaufe it is raife^ upon a thing of a bafer allay than the former; fuch as are Beauty, Stature, Strength, Agility ; for though thefe are a Man's own,yet they are things that are, not only fubject to -more cafnal- ties than the former, but they are buc of an inferiour nature. Again, yet more vain and foolifli is that Pride that is raifed upon things that are, either purely Ad^'cntltlom or Foreign^ or in the meer power of other Men ; as Pride of Wealth, of Honour, of Applaufe, ofSuccelles in Adions, of Titles, gay Gloaths, many Attendants, great Equipage, Fre= 112 Of Humility. Precedency, and fuch little Acceflions : And yet it is ad- mirable to obferve the Vanity of the generality of Man- kind in this refped; there is fcarce a Man to be found a- broad in the World , who hath not fome elation of Mind upon the account of thefe and the like petty, vain, incon- Jiderable advantages ; in all ProfefTions, as well Ecclefia- ftical as Secular^ in all ranks and degrees of Men, from the Courtier to the Page and the Foot-boyj in all Ages, as well old as young, almoft every perfon hath fome Hob- by-horfe or other wherein he prides himfelf. And this humour of Pride doth rarely contain it felf within the breaft of that Perfon wherein it lodgeth, Cthough it went no farther it is foolifh enough) but fpreads it felf into numerous Branches ; fuch as are Contempt and Scorn of others ; Contention and Animofity againft thofe that in any degree crofs them ; Ambition, Envy againft any that are above them 5 Vain Glory and Often- tation, hunting after Applaufe ; defire and delight in Flattery and Adulation of them; Impatience of controul, or contradidion, or difappointment of what they effed j Detradion from the worth or value of others. And befides the difturbancethat it makes abroad, it is an intolerable Bifeafe in the Soul that is poflefled there- with, renders his life miferable, and puts him in the pow- er of every Man to be his Tormentor : If a poor Man, a Mordecai, deny but his Cap or his Knee, it makes Haman ftark fick and half mad, Efih 5. 1 3. All his Honour and Glory and Favour went for nothing , fo long as Morde- cat fat in the Gate, and did him no reverence. Any fmall negled or affront, any crofs in expectation, any little inconfiderable difappointment in what he fees his mind upon, diforders him even to diftradion. The other extream is, BafcneJS and SordidneJS of Mind, which though it carries the fhadow of Humility, yet it is indeed quite another thing. And though fometimes, as in Pride, fo in this of bafenefs of Mind, the complexion and temperament may have an influence, yet it is moll commonly upon another account ^ namely, when a Man is forlornly given over to the love of Wealth or Honour, or Of Humility. 115 or of bodily pleafures or Infts, this doth make him pro- ftitute himfelf 10 any bafe fordid means or compliances, to compafs and attain thofe ends : There is nothing fo bafe or unworthy, that fucha man will not undertake, or do, to the attainment of what he thus deligns ; fiich are the bafe flattery of Men in Power, ugly compliance with their humours, though mofl naufeous and unfavoury ; creeping and cringing, even almolt to adoration of them ; making pitiful addreJTes to their meaneft dependents^ e- ven as low as Pages and Foot-boys^ performing the mofl unwarrantable offices for them; and many times an exter- nal difguife^ a fhape of lowlinefs and humility in gefture, fhape, habits^ and deportment, till they can attain their ends *, like the Monk, that Was always looking upon the earth in a fhape of Humility, till he was chofen Abbot, and then changed his figure, and being queflioned for his fudden change by one of his Covent, anfwered, In his former pofture he was only looking for the Keys of the Abby, but now he had found them he needed not the former pofture. And this bafenefs of mind is many times alfo the ef- fed of the Fear of Men, which many times works ^o much upon the mind, that it carries Men to bafe and unworthy Compliances. But true Humility is a vertue and temper of Mind of another nature, and arilmg from better Principles. It is a lowly frame and habit of Spirit ariling from the due fenfe of the Glorious Excellency of the Almighty God, and our own frailty and infirmities^ and of our infinite depen- dence upon his Bounty^ Goodnefs, Mercy, whereby we are under a conftant, firm and found conviaion, that all that is in us, or that is enjoyed, or can be expeded by us, is from the free undeferved liberality of that Glorious God. So that although, pofTibly, the help of complexion,and conftitution, and education, may be contributary to the more eafieacqueft and exercife of this vertue- yet it is in it felf the effedt of a mind truly and foundly principled, 2 ^«?. I. 7, ^be ffirif of 0 found mind, And this hnrai.. 114 Of Hitmilitj. iity of the mind is not barely in the external habit or counterfeited deportment ^ many times a Cynical, into- krable Pride is clothed with the Mantle of Humility : But principally it is rooted in the very mind it id^^ and for the molt part evidenceth its being there^ by thefe enfuing particulars. 1. A rnqfl: awful and fincere Reverence of the Great and Glorious God ^ a habitual proflration of our Souls always before him, as the great and glorious Sovereign of Hea- ven and Earth, in whofe prefence we always are, and to whom we owe an infinite fubjedion and dependence. 2. A moft high and conftant Gratitude and Thankful- nep of Heart and Soul to him, for all the good we have in us, or that is or can be enjoyed by us^ recognizing him^ as the Giver of our Beings of our Faculties, our Abilities, and Strength of IVlind and Body, our Wealth, our Ho- nour, ourComfortSj our Hopes and Expedations 5 that he is not only the Giver of them, but the Sovereign LQr4 of them and may refume them when he pleafeth. 3. K?A confequently upon this, that we owe to that great and Sovereign Lord a due Employment ofall^ that he hath thus given us, to his Glory and Service \ and that we muft therefore be accountable for them, to him who is our great Lord, Proprietor and Mailer. 4. A confcant Vigilancy and Attention of mind upon all our thoughts, words and adions- but efpecially, left we forget that habitude of mind that we thus owe to Almighty God, and left pride, arrogancy, vanity, or vain-glory ileal in upon us, checking and plucking up the firll ebul- litions and rifmgs, the firft buds and motions thereof. 5. Which is but the confequence of the former, a So- her Of inion concerning our f elves, and all v/e do, and fay , not thinking of our felves above what we ought to think : and lince felf-love fo naturally adheres tons, to be very jealous of our felves ^efpecially in thofe actions that are good, or that meet with fome applaufe in the World 5 left we either value them too high, or over- value our felves by reafon of them ^ or left we are fhort in giving to Almighty God that Honoqr that is due to him:, ^J^d ^? ^1^1 only for them. y'^ ' 6. A OfBiifmlity^ 1 15 6. A diligent, and impartial, and frequent Confideratlon^ and Examination, and Animad^erpon of, and upon our defeBs and failings j for thefe^ and thefe only are truly and properly our own. There are a fort of artificial Pidures,, that if a man look upon them one way, they reprefent fome beautiful comely perfon ; but if we look upon them another way^ they reprefent fome deformed or milhapcri Monfter j our own partiality to our felves prompts us to look upon the pidure of our lives and anions, in that po- fition or pofture that renders nothing but beautiful and vertuous ; and we have feldom the Patience to lookupon it in that pofition that may render our Deformities and vices ; and thereupon we give our felve's the denomina- tion accordingly of Good and Vertuous^ and either do not obferve, or do not confider our own failings and de- feds. If we did as well confider our fins which we com- mit as the duties which we perform : and if in the con- fideration of our duties, we did but confider how much more of duties we omit than we perform, and in the duties we perform, if we did confider how much dead- nefs, formality, hypocrifie, vain-glory, felf-feeking, and other unhandfome ingredients were mingled with them; and ihould lay our fins, our omiflions, our defeds in one fcale, and that which were really and truly duty and good, and worthy, in another fcale, thebeft of mankind would foon find that which was truly good, in the whole courfe of his life, were a pitiful, [lender fcantlet, and w^ould be infinitely out- weighed by his fins, omiffions and defeds..; and the due comparifon and profped of this, would quickly give him a Ledure of Humility ; the good we do, would indeed make us thankful, but the^ good we om'it, the evil we commit, and the deficiencies of our duties, would make us humble. 7. Charitable Opinions of the perfons of others, as far as poffibly may be. It is true, that neither Religion, nor Charity commands, or allows^ any *Man to fay or thiuk that that which isinfelf afin, is not fo; as that Drun- kennefs, or Whoredom, or Pride, or Vain-glory are not fins ' the Law of God^ andth^ Law of Nature tell us ^ they ii6 Of Humility . they are fms : But an hunible Man, fenflble of his own fins and failings, wiilnoc i^refently be over.cenforious of Perfons, or pronounce them Reprobates^ or Men wholly dellitute of the hope of Salvation • but will pity their failings and backflidings ; but yet not extirminate them from Heaven : And therein there mnfl be duly confider- cd the difference between a private per/on and apuhlick perfon whether Minifter or Magiflrate ^ the former, namely a private perfon, humility muft teach him compaflion, cha- ritablencfs, gentlenefs ^ but the latter, being intruded in a publick Miniflration or Office, doth alterius vices a^ gere-, his perfonal humility^ as a private perfon^ muft teach him to be charitable, but yet not to be remifs or unfaithful in the exercife of his Office. The farther confideration of the Principles and Compa- nions of humility will appear in the confideration of the Fruits and Advantages^ and Benefits of true Humility » And thefe I fhall reduce to thefe three Relations-^ i. In relation to Almighty God ^ 2. In relation to the humble Perfon himfelf; g. In relation to others. It is true that all Vertues,if they be true and real, have a connexion one with another ; they are never fingle ; for the fame Prin- ciple that begetteth one, begetteth all the red, and habi- tuates, and influenceth the Soul in all its motions • but efpecially this vertue of Humility, when it is genuine and true, is ever accompanied with all thofe excellent Ha- bits and Graces, that perfe(fl the Soul ; as the Fear and Love of God ^ Obedience, to him ; Dependence on him ; Beneficence and Charity to mankind, and the like. But yet in the purfuit of the fruits and advantage of Humility, I fhall apply my felf to fuch as do moft naturally, and with a kind of fpecial Reafon and Appropriation, belong to, or flow from this Vertue as fuch, and as do efpecially belong to its nature in a kind ofabftrad confideration. I. Therefore, in relation to Almighty God, the humble Man hath in a fpecial manner thefe two great advantages. I. He receives Grace, or Favour, or Honour from God. 2.He receives Diredion, Guidance and Gounfel from God. Both which are fmgularly promifed, and by a kind of fuitable- Of Humility, j j - fuitablenefs and congruity, conferred by Almighty God upon an humble Soul. Firft, Favour^ Honour^ and Grace from God is a Ipecial portion of the humble Man. The Wife Man tells us here. He gi'ues Grace to the humble. And although Grace is a comprehenfive Word, and includes in it felf^ not only Favour and Acceptance with God ^ but alfo thofe other accellions of the gifts of his Bounty and Goodnefs, which come from this Great Giver of every perfeft Gift as Wifdom, Peace, Righteoufnefs^ Purity of Heart, and\he like, which are all alfo the portion of a truly humble Man • yet I think the former is that which is fpecially intended here ; namely, Favour, Honour and Acceptance with God, fo often exprefled in the Old and New Teitament, by the phrafe of finding Grace in the fight of God. Gen. 19. 18. Behold vow I have found Grace tnthyjight, Luke 14.9, 10, II. He that had thee y jliall fay unto thee y Friend y come thou up hither^ then thou jJialt haz>e worjJiip or grace in the prefence of them that ft at meat with thee ; for he that exaltetb himfelffjall he ahafed, and he that ahafeth himfelf fliall he exalted, So that by Grace is principally intended. Fa- vour^ Acceptance, Honour and EHeem, with the Great and Glorious God of Heaven and Earth. And cer- tainly were there no other reward of Humility, than Acceptance and Favour with the great Sovereign of the Worlds it were reward enough. We fee daily what pains and charge^ and expence, and fervitude Men undergo to attain the favour of a Prince or great Man, though he be but a poor mortal Worm ? And how Men pleafe themfelves, when they have attained fome little unpro- fitable refpeft from a great Man. But what is that in comparifon of being in Grace and Favour with the King of Kings^ the Lord of Heaven ? efpecialJy, when we confider that the Favour or Acceptance of the glorious God is not a bare unprofitable Eilcem or Grace, fuch as many times the great Favourites of Princes obtain from them : But the Favour and Acceptance of God is always accompanied with Bounty and Beneficence • as he is the Sovereign Ocean of all good, fo we may be fure^ he will be Ii8 Of Humility » be communicative and liberal of it, to fuch a&he favours. He, whofe beaignicy is hourly extended to the meanefh of his Creatures, nay, to the very worft of men, cannoc be parcimonious or ftrait handed to thofe whom he accepts, and efteems, and honours. So that the humble man finds Grace in the fight of the glorious God, and, as an effed of that Grace, the bountiful communication of all necef- fary good from the Munificence, Bounty and Liberality of him, that thus favours him : and this is reward enough for the moft profound Humility. The Reafon -why Almighty God accepts thus an Humble Perfon, is the very fame that makes him refill the Proud, which is this j the great God made all things in the World for two Ends: njiz.. i. Thereby to communicate his own diffufive Goodnefs and Beneficence, and principally for the Glory of hi? own Greatnefs.Wifdom, Power, and Ma- jefty • and although he receives no addition of Happinefs by the return of Glory from his Creatures, yet it is a thing he values, his Glory he will not give to another ^ and it is unbecoming the Excellency of his Majefty to be difap- pointed in his End. Glory is out of its place, when it is not returned to the God of Glory, or in order to him. It is the natural, as well as the reafonable Tribute oF all his Crea- turesj and a kind of proper Refiedion of the Bounty and Splendour of all his work unto the God that made them. Now the proud Man ufurps that Glory which is due to his Maker, and takes it to himfelf ^ intercepts that due and natural return and refieftion due unto the Creator of all things, takes that tribute that is due to God^and applies it to himielfj puts Glory out of its place and natural courfe, which it fhould hold towards the glorious God, as the Rivers do to the Sea: And this ufurpation, as it is a kind of Rebellion againft God, fo it inverts and diforders the true and juft natural courfe of things ; and therefore as the proud man herein walks contrary to God, fo God walks contrary to him. They that honour me, J iviU honour^ they that defpfe me jliall he lightly efitemed, i Sani. 2. 30. And as this is a moft reafonable ad. of Divine Juftice, fo there feem two things that even upon an account'of natu- " ral Of Tiumility, 119 ral corigruity mufl needs make the condition of a proud man uneafie and unhappy, in relation to Almighty God : I. Every thing is beautiful and ufeful, and convenient \a its proper place • but when it is out otits place^it becomes troublefom and diforderly, like a Bone out of joynt, in caufeth difcompofure. \Vhen therefore the proud maa arrogates tohimfelf Glory^and intercepts its free return to the Godot Glory to whom it belongs, Glory is out of its place, and diforders and difcompofetb the ufurper of it/o that he grows fick of it, fometimes tomadnefs, but always to diftemper and difcompofure. 2. The proud man is fo full of himfelf, and of the Honour and Glory^ which he ufurps and attracts to himfelf, that he is uncapable of aa accefTion of Grace or Favour from God ; for he thinks he hath enough of his own, and this obflru£i:s the acceffes and irradiation of the Divine Favour, Grace and Benedi- dlion. Jntm Exlfiens frohihet alknum. It is the empty Soul, empty I mean of Pride,Self.conceit. and Vain-glory, that is capable of fatisfadion with the Divine Goodnefs. But on the contrary, The Humble Man hath thefe two oppofite advantages, i. He carries Glory and Honour to him, to whom it belongs, to its proper Center and Country, namely to the ever-glorious God,and that ocean of Goodnefs and Perfedion that refides in him : And this gives the Man eafe,and quietnefs,and compofure of mind, for he doth not intercept the Tribute that is due to his Maker, but pays it over to the right owner. If he doth any good, noble, or becoming aiflion, he checks the firft motion of Pride and Oftentation in himfelf, and receives not the applaufe of others, but direds all the praife and glory of it, to that God that hath done it by him, or ia him J or for him : 'Not unto us^ hut to thy Name give the Glo- ry. And this gives him fm^ular quietnefs, ferenity and e- vennefs of Mind becaufe he is not furcharged with that which belongs not to him, nor under thofe tortures and boilings of Mind, which this Tribute due to his Maker rai- feth, when ufurped by Man to whom it belongs not. A- gain. 2. By this Humility and Lowlinefs of Mind the Soul is empty, not of what it fhouldhave, but of whatit fhould not have ^ and by that means becomes receptive and ca- 1 pable 120 Of Humility. pable of Bleflingfrom the God of Heaven^ IVhofiUeth the hungry vJith good things, hut fends the rich empty away. And this feems to bold congruity to the very nature of every Intelle(ftual Agent,that ads with Undcrftanding and Will. We find, even in the regulated motions of our own Na- ture, afecret averfenefs to gratifie a proud and haughty Man; for he either fcorns or rejeds a kindnefs^ as be- neath him *, or arrogates and owns it as his own due_, and not a bounty : But a perfon truly humble, fenfible of a be- nefit, thanicful for it, gets within «s, invites beneficence: And furely though the Blefled God be not at all under the impotency of human Paffions -^ yet he is a God of infi- nite Wifdom, and placeth his befl benefits, where they will be belt received and ufed. %. It feems to hold con- gruity and proportion with the very courfe and nature of things natural : The Divine benignity is much more dif- fufive than the Light, the Air, the mofb communicable Element in the World, and filleth every thing according to its meafure and capacity of reception -, is that which communicateth it felf to Vegetables in Life and Vegeta- tion, but not in Senfe, becaufe not receptive of it ; to Animals in Life and Senfe, but not in Reafon or Under- flanding, becaufe not receptive of it, to Men in Life, Senfe and Underftanding, that is common to the whole Species ; and if they have but room in them for it, and do notwitfully thruft it from them, in Grace alfo_, and Favour, and Acceptation in the bettering and improving of their- Souls in the influences of his Love, Diredion and Guidance: And fuch a Veffelis the humble Soul, empty of Pride, Self-attribution, Vain-glory j one that is gkd of fuch GueflSj as the Grace and Favour and Acceptance of God, hath room for them in his heart, and fo becomes a fit Tabernacle for the influence of that God, that re- vives the Spirit of the Humble, Ifa. ^j. 15. And here by the Benignity and Favour of God, I do not mean the heaping of Temporal Honours, or Wealth upon Men^thefe are but fmall inconfiderable things-,fuch as are common to the proud, andmajiy times denied to the humble. But they have a better exchange, namdy. Peace with God, inward teftimonies of his favour, fecret indi- cations Of Hiimtlity, I2l cations of his Love, directions and inftruelions by thefc- cret whifpers and intimations of his Spirit, quietnefs and tranquility of Mind, and pledges of Immortality and Hap- pinels, thofe ' Antmi hona-f fanBofejUe recejjus Mentis^ &" incocium generofo feBus honefi-o. And thefe are things of a far greater value than external Wealth and Honour; and as far before them, as the Mind and Soul it felfis. But of this more in the next. 2. The fecond great advantage of the humble Soul is. That he fhall be fure of DlreBkn and Guidance^ and Conn- fel from the bell of Counfellors, the glorious God of VVifdom, Pf, 2$' 9- The meek luill he guide injudgmejit , thz meek will he teach his way. Meekneis and Humility are but the fame thing under different names. And this guidance and diredion of Almighty God is of two kinds, in relation to a double End. i. Guidance and direction in relation to his Everlafting End^ the Sal- vation and Happinefs of the Soul; namely, what he is to believe, and know, and do, in order to that greateft and moft important End. And therefore it is obfervable, that although the Myftery of the Gofpel of Chrift Jefus^ the common Inflrument of the Salvation of Mankind, is the molt wife and profound Defign and Mvftery, and of the greateft importance that ever the World was acquainted with ; yet the moft Wife and moft Glorious God did veil and drefs that great and glorious Myftery quite contrary to the Wifdom and Grandeur of the World ; infomixh, that to the moft knowing People of the World, and that were full of their own Knowledge, the Jejvs, it became a ftumbling Block ^ and to the Greeh, the moft Learned «nd Wife People in the World, and that were full of the fenfe of their own Wifdom and Learning, it was account- ed fooliflinefs, i. Cor. i. 21. After that^ hy wifdom the world knew not God^ it flea fed him hy the fooUjlmefs off reaching ^ namely^of the things preached, Chrift- Crucified, tofave them that believe. And accordingly, in the Primitive times it fucceeded accordingly • the Wife Rabbles of the Jews and the Learned Philofophers of the Gentiles^ for the moft: I % part, i2^ Of Hwnility. part, derided or reje(fled it. Not many Wife, not many 'Mighty entertain'd it ; for the Wifdom of God ordered the Wifdom and Myftery of the Gofpel, quite counter to that Wifdom that was in vogue in the World. And we now fee the reafon why it was fitly and wifely fo defign- ed, for it was defignedto thwart and crofs and confound that corrupt Wifdom of the World^ which had before corrupted it ; the World by Wifdom knew not God. But on the contrary, the meek and humble and lowly minds, and fuch were fome learned^as wellasunlearned,thefe re- ceived the Gofpel : The foor recei'ved the Goffel ; the poor in fpirit, lowly, meek : Mark lo. 15. He that receiveth not the Kingdom of God as a little Child ^ poall in no ivife enter into it. It was fitted, and ordered, and modelled in fuch a drefs, and fuch a ihethod, that it was fuitable to the recep- tion of fuch Souls; and none but fuch were receptive ot it. Again, 2., Humility difpofeth the glorious God to give, and the humble mind to receive diredion and guidance in all the walk and concern of this Life. A proud heart or- dinarily difdainethandundervalueth all other Wifdom but his own, and all other Counfel but fuch as fuits with his own Wifdom : And therefore the glorious God molt com- monly crofleth or difappointeth him, or leaves him to the headinefs and mifery of his own counfels, and to eat the bitter frnit of his own rafhnefs and folly. For^ whatever the blind men of the World think, the a^lionsof men and their fuccelfes are under the Regiment of the Divine Will and Providence, and it is no wonder if he, that invifibly governs the Eventsof the World,take the wifein their own craftinefs^ and mingles giddinefs and difappointment in their counfels, and breaks the thread of all their contrivan- ces •, for he hath a thoufand ways with eafeand facility to do it. We may every day fee what fmall intervention quite ihatters, and diforders, and over-turns the mofl politick, fubtile, fecret, and well laid defigns in the World; fo that in one moment a pitiful fmall, unexpeded, occurrence wholly breaks in pieces a defign of Men laid together with long deliberation andforecaft; with huge profpefl: and precaution of difficulties j with great referves and prepa- rations Of Humility. 123 rations againfl: all imaginable obflacles; with all the ad- vantages of fecrefie^ power, combination of parties, con- nexion and condguation of fubfidiary aids •, and yet one poor unthought of accident cracks in funder, and breaks all to (hivers the whole elaborate Machine-^ fo that in a moment the fhivers thereof lie all broken and disjcynceci like a potfherd dafht againfl: a Wall •, or the whole con- trivance difappears like the fabulous enchanted Caftles. But on the other fide, an humble man leans not to his own underfl:anding ^ he is fenfible of the deficiency of his own Power and Wifdom, and trufl:s not in it • he is alfo fenfible of the All-fufficient Power, Wifdom and Good- nefs of Almighty God, and commits himfelf to him for Counfel, Guidance, Direction and Strength. It is natu- ral for any man or thing, that is fenfible of his own defici- ency, to feek out after that which may be a fupport and ftrength to him, and as Almighty God is eflentially Good and Perfed, fo he is ( if 1 may ufe the expreflion ) mofb naturally Communicative of it^ to any that feek unto him for it in humility and fincerity : Jhe Air doth not more naturally yield to our attra6tion in re- fpiration, or to infinuate it k\( into ^- Artonin./i^. 8. thofe fpaces that are receptive of it.than {f }/,^,l:"/ J^"^ the Divme Allifl:ance, Guidance and drcumfufae{f,^om-. Beneficence doth to the Defire and Exi. »rqui trahere potefl fs gences and Wants of an humble Soul, i^g^rlt, quam com- fenfibleofits own emotinefs and defi- f""^ ^'' ^'r '^'^^ , . , . '■ , ^. ^. fpirare volenti, ciency, and implormg the Diredion, Guidance and Blefiing of the moll Wife and Bountiful God. I can call mj own Experience to witnefs, that even in the external a6tions, occurrences, and incidences of my whole life, I was never difappointed of the beft Guidance andDired:ion,when in Humility andfenfe of my own defi. ciency,and diffidence of my own ability to dired my felf^or to grapple with the difficulties of my LifeJ have with Hu- miiity and Sincerity implored the fecret Direction andGui- dance of the Divine Wifdom and Providence: And I dare therein appeal to the vigilant and firict obfervation of any Man's Experience^ whether he hath not found the fame I 2 Ixperiencfj 124 Of Humility. Experience, in relation to himfelf, and his own aflions and fuccefles, and whether thofe Counfels and Purpofes which have been taken up after an humble invocation of the divine Diredion_, have not been always moft fuccefsful in the end. II. And thus as Humility is of admirable ufe, in relati- on to the glorious God and the Effluxes of his Bleding and Diredion; fd it is of fingular advantage, in relation to the humble Man himfelfy as may appear in thefe enfuing Confiderations. I. Humility keeps the Soul in great Eww»?/S' and 7rdf«- ejuility : The truth is^ that th,e ftorms and tempefls and diforders of the Soul do not fo mrch, (if at all) arife from the things without us, as from the paflions and diitempers of the Soul it felf efpecially that of Pride and Haughtinefs, v/hich as the Wife Man fays, Frov. xiii.i o. is the mother of Contention, and that within the very Soul it felf, as with- out it is that which blows up the pafTions of Anger, and Revenge, and Envy, and Hatred, and Impatience, and Ambition, and Vain-glory ; and from hence it is, that the paflions do rage, and fweU, and roul one upon another like the Sea troubled with a Storm. What is it, that upon any difgrace, or difrepute, or affront put upon a Man, makes him vex himfelf, even to death, that he hath not leifure fcarce for one quiet or compofed thought? What is it that makes him jealous of another Mans advancement^ that makes him hate and envy another that hath attained greater dignity than himfelf j that makes his thoughts and endeavours reftlefs, till he get to be greateror richer than Others; and yet when he hath attained, not relling in it, but Hill afpiring higher, that fills him with fears, and tor- turing cares, left he fhould either mifs what he aims at,or lofe what he hath attained •, that fills him with revenge againft all that oppofe him, or fiandin his way, withim- patit'iice under any crofs or difappoincment, many times almoft to the extremity of madnefs and frenzy; that makes him unquiet and difcontented with hisprefent con* dition, and rajfeth a thoufand fuch diforders and difcom- pofures in the minds of Men ? All thefe are moft plainly refioivable Of Htimtlitj. 125 refolvable into this curfed diftemper of Pride and Hangh- tinefs of Mind^ as might moft evidently be made out to any that will but trace back thefe diforders unco their root and original; and certainly therefore, the ftate of fuch a Man s mind mull needs be marvellous diforderly, and unhappy. But humility cures this direafe,this Feaver of the Mind ; keeps the Paffions cool and calm, and quiet^ and low, and keeps 'em under hourly difcipline^throws cold water upon them. Have [received anaffront, a difgrace with great Men, contemptfrom my equal or inferiour, reproach and fcandal, difappointment in my expectation of fome ex- ternal advantage ? Am I like to be turned out of Office, to be made poor, or the like ? I have two confiderations that keep me Ml in an equal temper, and chst filence all thofe Paffions which prefently in a proud Man would be all on fire, and in a burly burly. 1. 1 know that thofe things come not -without the Divine CommiJJlon^ or at leafi Permijjlon; andjhall I not quietly fubmit to the Will of my great Sovereign Lord^ to whom I owe my felf and whofe Will I fray daily may hedone? It was an admirable inllance of this Humility in David y when, to add to his prefent fad condition, Shimei curfed him fo bitterly, and although he had power and opportunity left him to revenge it, yet he forbad it, for it may be the Lord hath bid Shimei to cutf'^ David^ 2 Sam, vi. 10. Again, 1. IVhat am I^ that I miifinot he cojfcd^ or reproached) or contemned or difappointed ? yllas^ a poor weak Jinfui Man, I cannot be made lower in the cfteem of the World ^ than I am in my own . If the World reproach me^ fpoil me of Tvhat I have^ if I am poor or f comedy it is but vjh.it I deferve^ and lej^ than I deferve for my Sins at the hand of God: Though perchance 1 amflandered^ or falfly accujedby them, yetlkiww ill enough of my felf to make me bear patiently even a falfe ac- cufation^ and they cannot make me more Iqvj and vile^ in t-:e efleem of others ^ than I am in iny own. And thus Humility breaks and quenches the Paflions, and keeps the iMind fedate and undifturb'd under all external Occurrences. But to defcend to particulars moredifLinftiv. 2, Humility gives Contentation in any Coniltktkor Station. I 4, Aad 126 Of Humility, And the reafon is, becaufe an humble Mind is never a- bove that Station or Condition of Life that the Divine Providence orders^ but rather under or below it^or at the moft holds pace with it. When the Mind runs beyond the condition of a Man^ it islike a fpendthrift, that lives beyond his eftate \ and therefore becomes neceOarily poor, and never enjoys what he hath3 becaufe it bufies it felf evermore in an anxious purfuit of what it hath not : And that mind, that in relation to the things of the World^ runs beyond its ftation^ can never be contented nor quiet ^and though he attain this year, what he anxi- oufly purfued the laft year, yet ftill his Mind will be run- ning farther flill, and keep before his acquells, as the fore wheel of the Coach will flill run before the hinder Whetl : But an humble JMan is ever contented with what the Divine Providence^and honeltlnduftry allots,him and enj -ys it comfortably and thankfully, and can fit down with a narrow Fortune, with this contenting contempla- tion. That vhkh I ha^ve is gi'uen hy the Bountiful God of Li- heralitj^ not of Debt -^ iflhadlefi, it were more than I could defewe : For I can with Jacob fayy Out of the fenfe of my own unworthi?jefs^ I am lejj than the leaB of all hjs Mercies ^ Blejjed therefore be his Name. 5. Humility gives always V at ience under all Ad^erfity, of what kind foever it be ; and this is always an effed and companion of true Humility upon thefe enfuing Confide- rations. i. The greateft caufe of impatience, is not fo much from the preflure and force of any external crofs or calamity, as from the great diflurbaijce and reluctance of the mind of him that fuffers it , and this is it that raifeth up the Waves and Billows within: the crofs or calamity, it may be is rough^ and beyond the power of him that fuf- fers, it to extricate or controul ; and on the other fide, when it meets with a mind as tumultuous and contumaci- ous as the calamity or crofs^ it raifeth a ftorm^ as when the Wind and Tide are contrary, or like the ftate of Pauls Voyage in the Adriatick Sea, where two Seas met, ABs xxvii. which oftentimes endangers the Veflel. He that yiqlently and impetuoufly contends againft a calamity, • is Of Himnlity. 127 is like one bound with a ftrong yoak or bond, his flrug- ling like a wild Bull in a Net, galls him more than the yoak it felf otherwife would do ^ and a proud and haughty Spirit, commonly mifcalled Courage, contributes more to his own unealinefs than this crofs doth: But an humble, lowly mind is naturally more able to bear his crofs with more Patience, becaufe it is evident that the foftnefs, hu^ inilify^ and quietnefs, and calmnefs of his Mind breaks the force of the Calamity, and renders it more eafie by fubmiflion to it. ^. Again, every truly humble Man looks upon the woril condition that he is under, to be lefs than he deferves. As long as a Man lives in the World, there is no condition fo troublefome, and painful^ and uneafie, but it may be worfe ^ and an humble Man always thinks that that condition or circumflance of his life, which may be worfe, is not the worft that he deferves. it may be I am poor, but yet 1 am well efleemed^ I deferve boch po, verty and difefteem ^ it may be i am poor, and under % Cloud alfo of ignominy and reproach, yet I have my health of body, and compofednefs and fteadinefs of mind, and this is more than I deferve: It may be I am, with Joh^ under a confluence and complication of Calamities, lofs of Eftate, of Children and Relations, cenfiued by my very Friends as an Hypocrite, and one under the dif- pleafure of Almighty God, my body macerated with Difeafes, yet I have life, and where there is life there is hope ^ Wherefore doth the living Man comflalny a Man for the Tunijhment of his Sins ^ Lam. iii. 59. The living Man hath no caule to complain, becaufe although he fjffer the lofs of all other things, yet his Life is fpared and given bim for a Prey. The humble Man is patient therefore under his fufferings of any kind, becaufe he carries with him the due fenfe of his own unworthinefs and demerit, and upon a judicious account looks upon his meaneft^ low- efl"j worft^ condition, as better than he deferves at the hand of God. g. The humble Man is patient under all conditions,becaufe he always bears a mind entirely fubje whom he knovrS to be the Sovereigu Lord 128 Of Humility. Lord of all his Creatures ; to be the great Difpenfer or Permitter and Redor of all the Events in the World ; to be the moft wife, juft, and gracious God ; and therefore he doth not only fubmit to his Will, as an ad of Necef- iity which he cannot controul^ or as an aft of Duty in obedience to his Sovereign, but as an ad of Choice, and Prudence, becaufe the Will of his Maker is wifer than his own, and more eligible than his own ; and therefore he makes the Will of his Maker his own Choice, and upon the account of true judgment concludes that w^hatfoever the moft Powerful and Irrefiftible, the moft Wife and Pru- dent, the moft Juft and Merciful Will of God appoints for him, is not only fit for him to fubmit unto, but alfo to choofe, as well cheerfully and thankfully, as patiently and quietly to follow and eled ; and therefore fince he well knows that all the fuccelTes of his Life are under the Regiment, Government and Providence of the moft Glo- rious, Sovereign, Wife and Merciful God, even thofe that feem in themfelves moft troublefome, uneafie, and grievous, he patiently and cheerfully comports with the Divine Will in the toleration of them, and waits upon his All-fufficiency and Goodnefs in his due time^ either to re- move them, or to fupport him under them. 4. Humility gives great Moderation and Sobriety and Vi- gilancy in the fulleft enjoyments of Temporal Felicity of any kind whatfoever. There is a ftraiige Witchcraft in frofferity to rob a Man of Innocence; How many in the World have I in my time feen, that under the greateft Preflures of CrofTes and Calamities, of Poverty and Re- proach, have kept their Confciences fair and clean, their Innocence, Integrity, Piety and Goodnefs within them, and about them, that yet by the warm beams and funfhine of external Profperity have caft off their Innocence, as the Traveller did his Cloak in the Fable, made Shipwreck of their Confciences, and became as great OpprefTors, as diforderly and debauched Livers, as Proud and Infolent, and perfedl Worldlings, as if they had never heard of a Heaven or Hell, of a God or a Redeemer, or of a Judg- ment to come ? True Humility is a great Guard upon the S9u^ Of Humility. I2p Soul of a Man againft thefe Rocks and Har.ards. Aq humble Man looks upon all his Plenty and Profperitv not as his own, or the reward of his defert, but as the depofi* turn of the Great Mailer of the Family of Heaven and Earth, Talents entrufled to him as a Steward and an Ac- comptant, to employ for his Mailer's ufe, fervice, and ho- nour, not for his own grandeur or pleafure ,- he conli- ders, the more he hath, the greater is his Accompt, and the greater his Charge, and in it finds no matter to ad- vance his Thoughts concerning himfcif, or to make him proud J but to make him the more careful how he em- ploys it. And his Humility is not diminiOied by his plen- ty, but rather increafed ; and this keeps him fober and moderate in the ufe of what he hath; for he looks upon all he hath, as none of his own, but his Mailers, to whom he is accountable ; and as it makes him fober and mode- rate in the ufe of what he hath \ fo it makes him ftudious to employ it to the honour of his Mafler^ and faithful in that employment. Again, as be looks upon the things of this World, as depofited in his hands for the account of his Lord, fo he looks upon them as dangerous Tempta- tions to deceive him of his Innocence and Integrity ; and both thefe make him ever more flridly vigilant over him- felf, left the prefent gaynefs and glory, and opportuni- ties of Profperity get ground upon his Mind, or his Ver- tue, cfpecially upon his Humility : For worldly Grandeur, fecretly fteals away that Vertue, orimpairs it, fooner than any other. Pride is a kind of fhadow, or rather a Devil, that ordinarily haunts and waits npon worldly grearnefs and profperity ; and therefore he keeps a ftrid guard o- ver his heart, and watches narrowly the firft blooming or bioflbming of Worldly-mindednefs, Self-dependence, truft- ing in uncertain Riches, making them his Hope or his Confidence, but efpecially upon fwellings of Vain-glory, Pride, Self-applaufe^ and thofe other Vermin that com- monly breed in the Soul^ by the warm Influences of Pro- fperity ^ and he never fuffers thefe unclean Birds to roofl or reft in his Soul; checks and rejeds the very fir ft mori« oas of them^ and crulhes thefe. viperous Eggs in the very •""' * '^ ' ^ ' ^' ■ firft 1 5 6 Of Htmiltty. firft appearance : And to prevent the very firft opportuni-- ties of their produdion, he watcheth himfelf upon all oc- cafions •, ferioiifly refleds upon the danger he is in : care- fully tries every emergent Thought, Word, and Adion, whether it hath any fecret tindure of Pride or Vanity; and if he find the leaft riling of them, he fupprelleth and ftifles them. ^. Humility is an excellent Remedy againil the PafTion of Fear^ even of the worft of Evils, Death it felf, and much more againft the Fear of Reproaches^ Lofles, and all external Calamities whatfoever , gives patience under an incumbent Evil, doth naturally, and by a kind of ne- ceflary confequence, arm a. Man againfl the Fear of an imminent or impendent Evil , and upon the very fame Grounds and Reafons, and therefore they need not be a- gain repeated. Commonly Surprize and Unexpedexl' nefs of any evil, renders the Fear more terrible^ becaufe it takes a Man upon the fudden, and before he can com- pofehimfelfjOr rally thofe Succours of Hope and Reafon to fupport him againft it ^ it is like a fudden Difeafe^ that furprifeth the Body that laboureth under ill humours be- fore it can allay or moderate them by preparative Helps or Catharticks, whereby a fudden combuftion arifeth^and many times more danger arifeth from the difcompofure of the Humours, than from the malignity of the difeafe it felf But Humility keeps the mind in a fober well pre- pared temper j keeps the Pafiions under difcipline, and is always in areadinefsto receive the (hock of a danger, or evil imminent or impendent, without any great diforder or aftonifhment : An humble Man hath no fuch great value for himfelf, as to think he is to be exempt from Ca- lamities \ and therefore is not much ftartled at the ap- proaching of them : He reckons he hath portion enough in this World, if he can keep his Innocencey the Peace of his Confcience, and Quietnefs within \ as for Matters of the World, as he makes not their enjoyment the ob- jed of his hope, fo he makes not their lofs any great mo- tive of his fear ; God s Will be done, is the Language of his Soul in relation to them. Is he thrcatued with the ' lofs Of Humility* 131 idfs of his Eftate, of his Friends and Relations, of his Ho- nour and Efteem ; a^id hath he the News of his Death, either from without, by Violences or Perfecution, or from within^by theforerunnersof it,Sicknersorold Age? yet he is by no means tormented with fear by thefe Meflengers. I. The evennefs of his own Mind furnifheth him with the opportunity and ufe of his Reafon to check his fear, as a vain, foolifh, and unferviceable Paflion, that may tor- ment h'im, and by prefent anticipation make his prefent condition worfe, and more troublefome, but not cure the danger. z. The fenfeof his fubordination to the divine Power and Pleafure, quiets his mind with this thought : My Ma- ker wants not fower to refcue me from the danger^ if he pleafe^ hut if he he not pleafed, it is my ivifdom and my duty to fuhmit to his good pleafure ^ it is the Lord that doth infli^ or permit ^ his Will be done, 3. Upon the approach of fnch dangers or evils he re- tires into himfelf _, What am I, that I [hould think to he ex- empt from thefe imminent e'vils : U^hat Title ha've I to any the. leali good I enjoy ? Is it not the meer bounty of my Maker ? If the dangers I forefee ha've me any things if they ha've me life J they leave me more than I defer^e j if thty be fuch as menace the lofs of that alfo, yet they cannot take away my in- nocence, my integrity ^ my peace with God and with my felf'-y and it is *an admirable bounty that the God of Heaven hath preferved that to mc^ and accepts this little poor fmaH good that he finds ^ or rather makes in me^ fo as to reward it with hisfa-;^ vour and acceptation^ and peace with him. Good God ! 71'hen I look upon that which I call my Innocence^ what a fpotted piece is it^ that I am even a^liamed to call it In- nocence ? when I look upon my Integrity^ what a deal of fecret hypocrify ha?igs about it, that it deferves not the name of Ih* tegrity^ and yet that little fmall particle of what I call In- nocence and Integrity^ which is truly fuch, it is his gift to me •that is pleafed to own and reward it as mine, with peace and favourable acceptance ; and as long as he is pleafed thus to con- tinue to me what indeed is his, and thus to accept it as if it 'were my own^ what reafon have I to fear the lofs of all things 1^2 Of Humility. elfe^ even life H felf? fince fiill I enjoy much more than I d& fer've^ and 'which no Man or Devil-, no Calamity or Danger^ no not Death it [elf can deprive me ofi And thus far of the Advantages of Humility in relation to a Mans felf 111. The advantage of Humility in relation to others is of two kinds- i. The advantage the humble Man doth to others. 2. The advantage which the humble Man re- ceives from others upon the account of his Humility. I. As to the former of thefe, we may eafily judge what Good an Humble Man brings to Mankind, by conddering the Evil that Pride or a proud Man bringeth thereunto. If a Man duly confiders moll of the mifchiefs that hap- pen to mankind, and follow them to their Original, he Ihall find, that the moft of them owe their Original to this Root. Let a Man but look abroad m the World^ he Ihall find a fort of evil Spirits or Furies in it, that fill it with infinite diforders and mifery ; For inftance, A- theifm. Hatred, Strife, Contention, Wars, difparaging powers, Herefies^ Envy, Ambition, Sedition, Oppref- fion, Profecution, Detradion^ Slandering, Cruelty, Con- tempt^ Uncharitablenefs, Cenforioufiiefs, and a thou- fand more fuch devililh Furies, that fill the World with Blood, and Confufion, and Diforder. And now let us but trace thofe, or any of thofe, to their Original, we fliall find that for the moll part Pride is that P^wior^'s Box, out of which they fpring and iflue. Let us take an efti- mate of fome of them : Atheifm^ that cuts in funder all the bonds of Religion, Go vernmentj and Society, whence comes it ? but by the Pride of Mens hearts, that cannot endure to have a Sovereign Lord above them, but that they raay be felf- dependent ; or the Pride of Mens Wits that out of fcorn oi any thing they think vulgar, and to magnifie themfelves,dare attack the moft Sovereign truth in the World, the Being or Providence of God. So for Contention, Strife, Difohedience to Parents ^ Rebellion a- gainflGovernours, they all fpring moil ordinarily from the fame root of Pride : By Pride cometh Conte^ttion, Prov. 13. 10. Men that cannot endure to be controuled, ei- ther by Laws or Governours, by Parents or Superiours, . but Of Humility. 122 but think their own Will and Lufts mufl: be the uncon- troulable rule of all their adtions. So again for TVars^ there is rarely any War between Princes or States, but either of both fides, or at leaft of one fide, Pride and defirc of Domination is the true root and caufe of it, though it be gilded over oftentimes with other Pretences. Again^ for the moft part^ the Difputes among perfons of Learning, or pretending to it, arife from the Lufl of Pride, con- tending for a Sovereignty in Wit, or Learning, impatient of contradidion, eager and implacable, contefting for Reputation, Viftory, and the maintaining of what they have once aflerted^ and fcorning the leafl retra^ion. So that many times, upon petty, inconfiderable, unufeful, inevident trifles^ Men are as hotly engaged, as if Heaven were at flake upon it: And from hence many times come Herefies^ when Men pretending to greatnefs of Wit and Learning, but in truth of haughty and ungovernable Spi- rits, either upon the fcore of vain-glory and reputation, or upon fome conceived affront or negled from the Or- thodox^ fet up for themfclves^ draw Parties to them, and begin a Scheme of Religion of their own devifing. From the fame Root comes Envy^ Amhltlony Detra^ion- from others, becaufe they think all preferment due to their own worth, and that any good that happens to others_, is a kind of derogation from themfelves-, afpiring thoughts and parties endeavouring to crufh and ruin all that Hand in their way to that mark of grandeur that they aim at. And the like inflances might be given almofl of all rhofe turbulent Lufls and Paflions amongft Men, that break out to the common difturbance of Mankind and all hur man Societies. And therefore certainly, whatever Vertue^ or Temper, or Habit (or whatfoever elfe v/e Ihall call it) there is, that cures this mad, and unruly, and exorbitant lufl of Pride amongft Men, mufl needs be one of the m.oft benevolent, and ufeful, and advantageous things to Mankind and Hu- man Society^ and this is that excellent Vertue of Humi- lity and Lowlinefs of Mind. If this Vertue did obtain among all Men, it were not poffible 154 Of Humility. poflible, that thofe bfuftring Storms, that difquiet and diforder Mankind, would be found in the World ; but inftead thereof Peace and Love, mutual Offices of Kind- nefs and Charity, Sweetnefs of Converfation, every one giving preference to another^ rather than invading him, his reputation or intereft, beneficent to all. But it is true^ that there is little hope that all mankind will arrive to fuch a temper ^ and this indeed is that which makes the only confiderable Objedion againll it, which may be thus improved : Ton commend Humility^ as the great and fo'uereign Antidote againfi Pride ^ the common difiurber of mankind -^ and certainly ^ vjhat you fay ts demonftrati'vdy true, if all the World could be prfuadedto it ; but this never was^ nor never can be expeBed'^ as there are Wolves and Lyons ^ and Bears ^ and Foxes among Brutes^ as well as Sheef and other innocent Brutes •, and as there are Kites, Fultures, and Ha7vh among Birds ^ as well as Doves ^ and other innocent Birds \ fo among Men there [ ever have been, and~\ ever 'will be Men of Pride and Haughtinefs^ of Am' hit ion and Vain^^lory^ of favage^ and cruel, and domii^eering Spirits: and therefore unlefs all could be perfwadedto be Meek and Humble^ it were as good and better that none fhould be fuch upon thefe two accounts : Viz. Firft, That as long as the moft of Man- kind are guilty of this PaJJlon of Pride ^ nay^ if it were but an equal, nay^ a lefs number in proportion to thofe that are hum* hie and meek, the World would fill be as tumultuous as ever, A violent Wind coming out of one Coafi, would make the Sea as troublefome, as if it came out of many* Again^ Secondly, Thofe that were Meek and Humble jvould be expofed as a com- mon prey to all the refty and their condition 7Vould befo much the "worfe in the World by their Humility and Meeknefs, Their cafe in the World would be like a fair Gamefter that plays fairly^ meeting with a foul or a cheati?ig Gamefier, he were Jure to go by the lofs. Therefore fince Pride, the Mother of Violence, will he ufed in the World byfome, and it may he the greatest part of Mankind, it is better to be of the fame make, to deal with them at their own Weapon, to be as proud, and conje^uently as violent ^ as the refl of Mankind, (for it ts a part of the Game of the World) and then a Man may have fomewhat ; otherwije his hu- mility makes his cafe worfe. Vetereai ferendo injuriam invitas Of Himilitj. 125 invitas novam. Pfhere the Country is' full of Wolves and Ty* gersj it is better to he a Wolf or a Tyger as well as they^ than he a Sheep y and expofed to their 'violence. I anfwer to this Objection. I. As to the former part, that the' it be true^ that it can never beexpeded that all the World fhould be perfua- ded to be humble, no more than it can be expefted that all Ihould be perfuaded to be Vertuous, Juft^ or Honefl ; but yet if there were fome, though the leiler part of Man- kind, truly Humble and Lowly, it would make very much to the abating of thofe Evils that arife by the Pride and Haughtinefs of Men. i. Becaufe the more Humble Mea there are in the World, it neceflarily follows there are the fewer Proud Men^ and confequently fewer commoa Dillurbers of the Peace and Welfare of Mankind and hu- mane Society. 2. When the Gontefl: comes by the Proud Man againft the Proud Man • indeed there is the fame tu- mult between them, as if there were none humble ; but when the Contell is by the Proud Man againft the Humble Man, the Strife is quickly at an end. It is a true Proverb, It is the fecond blow makes the fray. The Humble Man gives way to the Wrath and Infoience of the Proud Man, and thereby ends the Quarrel , for Tielding'pacifieth Wrath^ faith the Wife Man, Ecclef. 10. 4. And 1 have very often ob- ferved, that the (iuietnefs of Spirit and Humility of a Man attacked by a Proud Man hath fubdued and conquer- ed his Pride and Animofity to a wonder, and made him tame^ that by oppofition would have been furious and implacable. Vrov. 25-, 15". Afoft Tongue hreakeththe Bj?7e. Soft words break the Bones, and a Sword is fooncr bro- ken by a blow upon a Cufhion or Pillow that yieldeth, than upon a Bar of Iron that refifts. But if it Ihould fall out, that the proud Man's Violence is not broken by the Gentlenefs and Facility of the Humble Man, whereby he fuffers in his own particular ^ yet there be two ad van- tages that hereby happen to the Publick : viz, i. That the Contention is foon at an end j the Proud Man hath got the day, and the Parties are quiet. 2. It gains a fe- cret Companion from the beholders to the injured Hum- K ble 13^ OfHiiwilitj. ble Man, and a genetal Refentment and Deteflation of the injury committed to the Humble Man, that receives the injury with fo much Humilicyj and be^rs it with fo much Patience ; and thereby Pride and Oppreflion be- come the common objeds of the general deteftation : And the generality of Mankind thereupon look, upon them as Eeafts of Prey^ with hatred and abhorrence, and endeavour means to fecure themfelves againft it. ^. A third advantage is this^ That though oftentimes humble and good Men are expofed to the injuries of the Proud, Violent, and Infolent, yet they are a kind of ferment or leven in the places where they live, and by the fecret in- fluence of their Vertues, the commendablenefs of their Converfation, and the fecret Intereft that Vertue hath in the Soul, not only of good^ but even of the worfl: of Men, it doth work upon Mankind, aflimilates them in fome mea- fure to it felf^ and makes others good and humble^ by a kind of fecret Magnetifm that that Vertue hath upon the Minds of Men ; and the more fuch are in number in the Worldj the more effedual and operative their Example and Influence will be upon thofe with whom they converfe. X. As to the fecond, namely, the Damage and Detri- liient that the Humble Man receives in the World, upon the very account of his Humility. I anfwer^ Firfi^ That Detriment is abundantly recompenfed with the quiet and tranquility, and evennefs and compofednefs of his own Mind : As a Man poflefleth his own Soul by Patience, fo he doth by Humility_, namely the compofednefs, right temper, and due ftate of his own mind, which no proud, or violent, or impatient Man doth or can. Bui feconJly, It is moft certain, that tho' an Humble Man may upon the very fcofe of his Humility and Meeknefs receive a brufh in the Worlds yet at the long run he gains advantage there- by, even in this prefent life. When I firft read the faying of our Saviour_, MattL ^. Bkjjed are the meek^ for they fi a II inker h the Earth. I looked upon it as a meer Paradox, if applied to the Comforts of this life • and therefore thought it muft be meerly, and only intended of that New Hea-^ V€n and New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteoufnefs^ 2 Vet. 3- U^ Of Humility. 157 ^.15. But upon deeper confideration I found it, in a great meafure, true alfo of the former. For, i. It is moft certain, that no Proud Man is truly loved by any but him- felf i but fo far as relates to his Pride, every Man hates him. One proud Man perfedly hates another, and look^ upon him as his Enemy ; and thofe very Adibns of Pride that his own felf- love makes him approve, or at leaft, al- low in himfelf, he fcorns, derides, and abhors in another. And though an Humble Man hath a common love to e- very Man, though proud, or otherwife vicious, as being one of Mankind ^ yet in relation to his Pride he loves him not, nor approves him. That very Confideration therefore, that renders a Proud Man hated, or not loved, renders art Humble Man loved or approved: yea, and by the very Proud Man himfelf- for he looks upon him as no obftacleor impediment to the attaining of his ends, as one that is in- jurious to none, beneficent to all, gentle^and one that Hands not in his way, giving all due refpea, honour, and de- ference fuitable to his place and dignity ; -he wiiheth all theWorld were fuch as he, except himfelf, and therefore he refpeds and tenders him ^ yea, and wc Ihall by daily expe- rience fee in the World^ That if one Proud Man injure or opprefs an humble Man, it is a thoufand to one^ another undertakes his Patronage, Defence and Vindication, and very ofcen is a means of his Protea:ion and Deliverance. 2. But farther. It is a certain and experienced Truth, That Vertue and Goodnefs, efpecially that of Humility, hath a fecret party and intereft even in the word of Men • and Men fecretly love, or at leaft, approve it in another, though they pradife it not themfelves; for Vertue, Good- nefs, and Humility hatha fecret congruity to the true and genuine frame of the Human Nature ^ and though Mens Lulls and Paflions may in a great meafure, obfcure the confonancy to it, they can never extinguilh it, but the Mind and Gonfcience will give a fecret fuffrage to it, where-cver it finds ic. %, It is a thing obfervable, that tho* the generality of Mankind abound with Pride^ Intempe-. ranee, Injuftice, and al moft all kinds of vicious Difpofiti. bns ^ yea^ though the beft of Men are not without the ir- 158 Of HimiUty. rnptions of fome of thefe diftempers ; and though it mufl needs be, that where there is the greateft number, there is the greateft external force, either to make fuch Laws as they pleafe^ or to make fuch Governours as may be fuita- ble to their difpofition ; yet it is rare, and a very prodigy to find any Nation to make Laws in favour of Pride, Am- bition, Intemperance^ Luxury, Opprefllon, Violence^ In- juflice^ &c. Or to chufe fuch MagiHrates or Gover- nours (where it is in their choice) as are apparently in- clinable to thofe Vices; but in their choice of Laws they chufe fuch, as may rather fupprefs thofe Vices and main- tain and incourage Sobriety, Humility, Meeknefs, Benefi- cence, as things moil convenient to Humane Society \ and in their choice of Governours, they rather commit the truft of themfelves^ and their EUates and Properties, to thofe hands that they find Sober, Temperate, Humble, Juft, than thofe that areLoofe, Intemperate^ Proud^ Am- bitious, High-minded, Infolent, &c. which is not only an Indication, but even a Demonftration, that although mens Paffions and Lulls may tranfport themfelves into thofe Vices, yet their Judgments and Principles are againfl them : And by this means it comes commonly to pafs, that though an humble or a vertuous Man may meet with juftles and rubs from the proud and infolent ^ yet at the long run he comes off with advantage, becaufe he hath the greatefl proteftion and countenance^ not only from the great Soveraign of Heaven and Earth, but alfo of Hu- mane Laws and Governours, which, next under God, is the greatefl protection that can be imagined in this World, which very commonly makes good, even ad Uteram, the faying of our Saviour, The meek jhallinherk the Earth ; and the faying of the Wife man^ Prov. 18. 12. Before honour is humility 5* and Prov, 16. 19. Better is it to he of a humble ffirit 7i^ith the loivlyy than to divide the fboil with the froud, Prov. 22. 4. By Humility and the Fear of the Lor d^ are Riches and Honour^ and Life. Thefe and the like fentences, as they proceeded from the wifeft of meer Men ; fb they ivere not fpoken at a venture, but upon found deliberati- on, judgment and experience, and from the true Nature and Circumftances of things. And Of Humility . 159 And now the true confideration and digeftion of what hath beenfaid, as it affords excellent and z^zdiml Motives to the followingof this Vertue of Humility ,fo they contain excellent Mea7n to attain it ; becaufe they may put Men upon due confideration, and defcending into thenifelves ; the want of which is the only principal caufe of Pride : For fo much of Pride as any Man hath, fo much of Fol- ly^ Inadvertence, and Inconfideratenefs he hath • and true humility on the other fide, is a kind of neceflary refult of wife and deliberate and attentive Confideration. Yet fome things 1 (hall add,as Means naturally and im- mediately conducing to the ingent rating and improving this Vertue in the Mind of Men. 1 . Confider, That jvhatfoever good thou hafi^ which may cccafion elation of Mind, ts hut what thouhafi recivedfrom the fne bounty and goodnefs of thy Maker. What haft thou^ which thou haft not received} 2. Confider, That the good that thou haft fo received^ thou haft not received as an ahfolute Troftetor^ but only as a Steward to improve to the Lord's ufe ^ and the more thou ha fi- ef any fuch goody the greater is thy account ; Whether it be of Wity ofWifdom, of Learning, of Honour, ofPow^r, of Wealth. If thou arc a Receiver, a Treafurer^ a Bailiff, a Steward of another Man, and perchance upon that Account haft a great Treafureof Wealth or Money in thy Hands, thoii haft indeed great occafion of Care and Vigilance, and Fidelity, and Circumfpeaion, to husband Well and Faith- fully, and to keep thy Accounts fair and even ; but no caufe to make thee Proud. It is indeed thy Burden rather than Benefit or Advantage ; to whom much is given,^ of him much ^allhereoimred. Be humble therefore, thou wilt per- form thy truft the better ^ for thou art but an Accomp- tant, a Steward, the Depofiteeof what thou haft received. 3. Confider, What It is thou frideft thy felfm^ andexamin well the nature of the things themfehes-, how little and inconfi^ derable they are, or, at leaft^ how uncertain a7td unftabk they are. Every Age, every Completion, every Condition and Circumftance of Ufe commonly afford to inconfiderate Souls fome little temptation to Pride and Vanity j which 1 40 Of Himilitj, yetj if Men did well weigh and confider, they would apr: pear to be but little bubbles, that would quickly break and vanifh. Thou had fine gay Cloaths^ and this makes Children and young Men and Women proud, even to admiration : But thou art not half fo fine and gay as the Peacock^ Oftridge^ or Parrot \ nor is thy bravery fo much thine own^as theirs is ; but it is borrowed from the Silk- worm, the Golden Mines, the induftry of the Embroiderer, Weaver, Taylor, and it is no part of thy felf. And haft thou the patience to fuffer thy felf to be abufed into this childifh^ pitiful, foolifh pride ? Thou haft, it may be^ Wealthy ftore of Money, but how much of it is of ufe to thee? That which thou fpendeft, is gone ', that which thou keepeft is as infignificant as fo much dirt or clay ; only thy care about it makes thy life the moreuneafie: Befides, the more thou haft, the more thou art the mark of other Mens Rapine, Envy, and Spoil. It is a thoufand to one thou carrieft not thy Wealth to thy Grave ^ or if thou do'ft, thou canft not carry it farther, but leave it, it may be^ to a Fool or a Prodigal. And why art thou proud c^f that which is of no great ufe to thee while thou haft it; and commonly the fafter thou thinkeft to hold it, the fooner it is loft, like him that gripes Callak Sand in his Fift. Thou haft Honour^ Efieem; thou art deceived, thou haft it not^ he hath it that gives it thee, and which he may de- tain from thee at pleafure. The refpe^:, and Honour, and Efteem thou haft, depends upon the pleafure of him that gives it. Again, how brittle and feeble a thing is Honour, Efteem, and Reputation ? A falfe calumny well and con- fidently broached, is able many times to give it an irre- coverable (hock. The difpleaflire of the Prince, or a grea- ter Man than thy felf makes, thy Sunfet in a Cloud ; and a popular jealoufie, imputation, or mifreprefentation, ia a moment daftieth the Applaufe, Glory, Honour, and E- fteem, that a Man hath been building up twenty or thirty Years. And how vain a thing is it, to be proud of the breath, either of a Prince or People, which is theirs to re- cal every moment ? But fuppofe it were as fixed and ftable a reputatiofl OfHiwiility. 141 reputation and honour, as a Rock of Marble or Adamant, and that it were the beft kind of Honour imaginable, namely, the refulc of tTiy Vertue and Merit; yet IHll it is but a fhadow, a refieftion of that Vertue or Worth, which if thou art proud of, thou embafefl and degraded into va- nity and oftentation •, and canft thou think it reafonabie to be proud of the fhadovv, where thou oughtefl not to be proud of that worth that caufeth it ? Again, Thou bafi Power, art in great Place and Autho- rity I but thou art miftaken in this, the Power thou haft is not inherent in thy feif : One or the meanelt of thofe, whom it may be thou oppreiTeft, is inherently as power- ful as thee, and could, it may be, over-match thee in Strength,Wit or Policy • but the Power thou haft is f next under the Difpeniation of the Divine Providence) from thofe Men, that either by their Promifes, Faith, or Vo- luntary Afliftance have invefted thee with this Power. This Power is nothing inherent in thee- but it depends upon the Fidelity or AlTiftance of others, which if they either by Ferfidioufnefs to Thee, or Refiftance againft Thee, or withdrawing their AfTiftance to Thee, (hall call again home to themfelvesjthou art like Sampfon having loft his Locks, Jtidg. 16 ■ 17. Thy firength Ti^iU go fro?n theCy and thou wilt become weak^ and be like another man. And how have the Hiftories of all Ages, and our own experience, fhewn us by very frequent examples, Men unexpectedly, and upon many Moments and Occurences feemingly moft fmall and inconliderable, been tumbled \xi a moment from the moft eminent and high degree of Power, into a moft defpifed and defpicable condition? Power hath very often- times, like jfo?2jj his Gourd, been externally fair and fiou- rifiiing, when at the fame time there lies a Vv^orm at the Root of it unfeen *, buc in a moment gnaws afundcr the Roots and Fibres of it, and it withers, and for the moft part, the more extenlive and immenfe human Power grows, thefooner it falls to pieces, not only by the Di- vine Providence checking and dejeding it, but by a kind of natural refuk from its own exorbitance andexcefs ; for the greater it is^th^more difficult it is to manage • it grows K 4 top- 142 Of Humility. top-heavy, and the Bajts grows too narrow and weak for its own Burden. Belldes^ it is the common mark of Eavy and Difcontent, which watcheth feduoufly all occafions to unhorfe it, and oftentimes prevails. When power proves too grievous and ovei burdenfonie, it lofeth the end for which it is conferr'd^ and makes people defperate and impatient, Entia nolunt male guhernari. If it be managed with Prudence and Moderation, it is the greateft Benefit to humane Society: But it is the Burden of him that hath it if it be managed tyranni- cally and exorbitantly • it fills the Matter full of fears^ the People full of rage, and feldom proves long liv'd. And what reafon haft thou to be Proud of what is moft certainly thy burden^or thy danger, or both? Again, Thou haft Strength^ or Beauty^ or Agility of Body. Indeed this thou haft more reafon to call thy own, than any of the former : But yet thou haft jio caufe to Pride thy felf in it; thou canft not hold it long at beft,for Age will decay that Strength and wither that Beauty, and Death will certainly put a period to it ; but yet probably thif Srrength or Beauty is not fo long'd liv'd as thy felf, no nor as thy Youth *, a difeafe, it may be, is this very moment grovv'ingnpon thee, that will fuddenly pulldown thy Strength and rafe thy Beauty, and turn them both into rottennefs and loathfomenefs : Nay, let any obferve it that will, that Strength, and that Beauty that raifeth Pride in the Heart, is of all other ftiorteft liv^d, even upon the Account of that very Pride : For the oftentation and vain-glory of Strength puts it forth into defperate and dangerous undertakings, to the ruin of the owners and the Pride of Beauty renders the owner thereof fond of the Praife of it, and to expofe it to the view of others j whereby it becomes a temptation to Luft and Intempe- rance, both to the owner of it, and others, and in a little while becomes at once its own ruin^ and fhame. But it may be thou haft JVit Sind Judgment ^ a quick and ready Underftanding, and haft improved them by great Study and Obfervation, in great and profound Learning. This, I confefs, is much more thy own, than any of the former endowments j but moft certainly ^ if thou art proud Of Humility , 145 proud of any of thefe,thou art not yet arrived to the high- eft improvement of llnderftanding, namely, Wifdom. Folly and Madnefs may be confiftent with a witty, nay, a Learned Man, but not with a truly wife Man. And this thy Pride of thefe Endowments or Acquefts, Hill pro- nounceth and proclaimeth thee a Fool for all thy Wit, and all thy Learning. For confider with thy felf, i. That thy Wit and Learning are but pitiful narrow things,inre- fped of the amplitude of the things that are to be known. Maxima far s eorum ejuafcimus, eft minima pars eorum e]Uie nefcimuf. Take the moft Learned Obfervant Philofopher that ever was in the World^he never yet was fully acquain- ted with the nature of thofe things that are obvious to or- dinary obfervation^and near to him^never was the Man yet in the World, that could give an accurate account of the nature of a Fly, or a Worm^ in its full comprehenlion, no not of a Spire of Grafs ; much lefs ot himfelf and his no- bler Faculties ^ much lefs yet of thofe glorious Bodies that every day and night object themfelves out to our view. What a deal of Uncertainty^Inevidence^afid Contradidion do we find in the Determination of the choiceft Wits and Men of greateft Learning, even in things that are obvious and objeded in their out- fide to all their Senfes? So that the greateft knowledge that Men attain to in the things of Nature, is little elfe but a fpecious piece of Ig- norance drefled up with fine words, formal methods, precarious fuppofitions, and competent confidence. Con- fider, 2. How brittle and unliable a thing thy Wits, thy Parts, thy Learning is. Though old Age may retain fome broken moments of thy Wit and Learning thou once hadit, yet the floridncfs and vigor of it muft then decay and gradually wither, till very old Age make thee a Child again, if thou live to it : But befides that, a Fever or a Palfie or an Apoplexy may greatly impair, if not wholly deface and obliterate thy Learning, or deprive thee of of thy Memory, of thy Wit and llnderftanding: Never be proudoffuch a privilege or endowment,whichis underthe mercy of aDifeafe, nay of a Diflemper in thy Bloody an aduft humour, an hypocondriacal vapor^a cafual fume of 1^4 Of Himility, a Mineral, or a Fall, whether thou (halt hold it or lofe it. %. But yet farther, mark it while thou wilt, fand it may be thou wilt fooner perceive it in another than in thy felf) Wit and Learning in any Man, never in any cafe re- ceives more foils, more difadvancage, more blemifhes, more impairs, than by Pride: He that is proud of his own knowledge, is commonly at his mn ultra^ and rarely acquires more, fcorns inftruftion, and flops the farther advance of his faculties, knowledge or learning, and un- dervalues, and therefore neglefts what he might learn from others. Again, Pride cafts Unfeemlinefs, Unde- cency, and many times even a Ridiculoufnefs upon the greateft parts and learning : It is like the dead Fly in the Apothecaries Confedion, that makes the whole unfavou- ry : How common and rife is this unhappy cenfure, that attends the commendation offuch a Mans Wit and Learning; ' Indeed he is a pretty Man, a good Scholar, ^ of fine parts, good underflanding, but he knows it too * well ; his Pride, Self^conceitednefs, Oflentation, Vain- glory, fpoils it all, and renders the Man under the juft re- pute of a Fool, and ridiculous, notwichftanding all his Clerkfhip and Learning. But yet farther, Pride by a kind of phyfical and natural confequence, very oftentimes robs Men even of that Wit and Learning, wherein they pride themfelves, by carrying up into the brain thofe exalted, hot, cholerick humours and fumes, that break the ftaple and right temper and texture of the brain. More learned Men grow mad and brain- (ick with the pride of that Lear- ning they think they have attained, than in the purfuit and acqueft of it. Therefore beware of pride of thy Wit, Learning, or Knowledge, if thou intend to keep it, or to keep the juft efteem or reputation of it. On the other fide, humility and low linefs of Mind is the, beft temper to improve thy Faculties, to add a grace to thy Learning, and to keep thee mafterofit: it cools and qualifies thy fpirits, blood and humours, and renders thee fit to retain what thou haft attained, and to acquire more. 4. In all thy reflexion upon thy felf, and what thou haft, nc'usr compare thj felf with thofe that are belpji/, thee in Tvhat Of Humility. 145: what is worthy or eminent ^ hut with thofe that are above thy felf. For inltaace, in point of Learning or Knowledge^; thy partiality and indulgence to thy felf will be apt to puE thee upon comparing thy felf with thofe that are ignorant or not more learned" than thy felf, as we fee ordinarily idiots or Fools, or men of weak intelleduals, delight to converfe with thofe they find or think more foolifh than themfelvesj and not with thofe that are wifer, that they may pleafe themfelves with a thought that they are the wifeft in the company: but compare thy felf with thofe that are more learned, or wife than thy felf, and then thou wilt fee matter to keep thee humble. If thou think'fl: thou art a pretty proficient in Philofophy, compare thy felf with Ari^otle^ with Tlato^ Averroes, Themifiim^ or A- kxander Afhrodifam, or any great Luminaries in Philofo- phy : If thou think'it thou art a pretty proficient in School- Learning, compare thy felf with Aquinas ^ Scotus^ Suarezj : If thou think'fl: thou excellefl: in the Mathematicks, com- pare thy felf with E«(;/ii;>4r(;y&^w?iifj»7}Ty&o, &c. and then thou wilt find thy felf to be like a little Candle to a Star. The moft of the Learning that this Age glories of, is but an Extrad or Colledion of what we find in thofe men of greater parts *, only we think we have done great mat- ters if wedigeft it into fome other method^ and prick in here and there a fmall pittance of our own, or quarrel at fomething that the Ancients delivered in fome odd par- ticulars. And yet, even in this Eflay, Self love plays fuch a part, that unlefs there be a great excefs and admirable advantage of others that are above us in any learning or knowledge^ we are ready to exalt our felves above our Standard, andfeem in our own Fyes to be at lead equal to thofe that exceed us, or by Envy and Detradion to bringdown others below our felves ^ efpecially if we hit upon fome little Caprichib that we think they faw nor. 5. Andlaftly, Confider the great Examfkof our Lord and Mailer, Jefus Chrift, who was the only Son of the Glorious God, full of Wifdom, Knowledge, Power, Ko- linefs, Goodnefs and Truth, and notwithftanding all this, humbled himfelf, and became of no reputation, and too^ upon him theformota Servant,eraptied himfelfjand hum- bled 14^ Of Hiifnility. bled himrelf,and became obedient to death,even the death of the Crofs^ Thil i. f , <^, 7, 8. Chrift Jefus brought with him from Heaven the Do(^rine of Holinefs and Righteoufnefs, and in all his Sermons there is not any one Vertue that he commendeth and commandeth more than Humility and Lowlinefs of Mind, nor any one Vice that he fets himfelf more againft than Pride and Haughtinefs of Mind. In his Beatitudes, Matt, ;. 35. Poverty of Spirit hath the firft Promife, and Meeknefs or Humility the third, JMatt.z^. 6,7, He checks and difparageth the Pride of the Tharifees, commands his Difciples to run quite counter to their method ; He that will be great among yott Jhall he your Servant, Ag^in^ Matt. iS. !• Luke 9, Mark 9-? 4. When the bubble of Ambition rofe amongft the Dif- ciples, who fhould be greateft, he checks their Pride and Ambition with the pattern and commendation of a little Child: And as he thus taught, he lived. One of the great Ends of the miflion of Chrift into the Wprld, was, that he fiiould not only be a Preacher of Vertue, Goodnefs, and Piety y but alfo an Example of it : And if we look through the whole life of Chrift, there is not one Vertue that he did more fignally exercife^or by his Example more ^xprefly commend to the imitation ot Chriftians,than Hu- mility. I do not remember that he faith in any place^ Learn of me to do Miracles, for I am mighty in power ; no, nor yet learn of me, for I am Holy, for I am Obedi- ent to the Law of God, for 1 am Liberal ; though in all thefe he was exhibited as an excellent Example of Holi- nefs, Obedience, and Charity, and muft be the pattern of our imitation : But as if Humility and Lowlinefs oi Mind were the great Mafter-piece of his Example, he calls out, even when he was in one of the higheft Extafies of Spirit, that we find until his Paffion, Matth 11. 25,29. Learn of me^ for I am meek and lowly in hearty and ye jhall fnd reft unto your Souls : And in that fignal advice given by the Apoftle, ThiL %. 5. Let the fame mind he inyou^ which was alfo in Chrifi Jefus y who heing in the form of God^ thought it no rohhery to he equal with God : But made himfelf pfno reputation^ and took ufon him the form of a Servant y andc Of Humility. 147 and was made in the likenefs of man ; and being found in the fapion of a many he humbled himfelf^ and became obedient to death y even the death of the Crofs. But blefled Saviour ! was there nothing elfe for us to learn of thee, but thy Meeknefsand Humility ? Was there not fomething elfe wherein we were to bear in Mind thy Image, and write after thy excellent Copy? Was there not thy Holinefs, Puritf , Obedience^ Patience, Trufl: in God, and all that Conftellation ofVertues that appear- ed in thy Dodrine and Life? Surely yes, he was exhibited both as a Prophet to teach, and an Example to be imitated in all thefe alfo^ but in his Humility, if we may fay it with Reverence, before all. 1. Becaufe the inflance and example of his Humility was the moft (ignal and wonderful of all the relt of his admirable Vertues *, that the Eternal Son of the Eternal God fhould condefcend fo low, as to become a Man born of a Woman, and live upon Earth fuch a defpifed Life, and die fueh an accurfed Death^ is an inflance of Humility, not only beyond all ex^iple, but an inflance that is impoflible in Nature to be parallelled. 2. Becaufe Pride and Vain-glory is fo unhappily rivet- ted in the corrupt Nature of Man^ and it isfo hard a thing to bring him to be humble and lowly notwithllanding all the benefits and advantages ofit,tbat it didnotonlyfland in need of the mo/1 explicite Dodrine of Chrifl to teach and commend it^ the moft unparallelled example of Chrill to win Men over to ic,butalfo the mofl plain and dired, and explicite Application of that example by that remar- kable and fpecial Invitation of our Lord to it, Learn of me, for I am tneek and lowly: And again by his Apoflle, Let the fame mind be in ym which was in Chrifi Jeftis^ &:c. 3. Becaufe, without Humility to prepare and mellow the hearts of Men, it could not be morally pofiible for them to receive the Faith of Ghvift. It was Pride that made the Dodrine of Chrifl only to be to the Je^vs a flumbling blockj to the Greeks fooli/hnefs, but to them that are called viz.. That obey that call of Chrift^ Mat. 11.28. Coml mto me all ye that labour and are heavy kden^ &c. Learn of me^ i 4-8 . Th^ Mode fly and Reafonablenefs mCy for lam meek and lowly in hearty it is ChriBj the Tov)ef of God ^ andtheWifdom of God, i Cor. i. 23^ 24. 4. Becaufe, without Humility, all the reft of thofe ex- cellent VertueSj that were taught in the Dodrine, and exhibited in the Example of Chrift, had been but unaccep- table. A vifible Holinefs, yet accompanied with Pride and Oftentation^ is but adifguife of.Holinefs, and that accur- fed Hypocrifie, that our Saviour condemned in the Phari- fees and others. Mat, 6. 16. Obedience to the Law of God, Good Works, Falling, Prayer, yet if done with Pride, Oflentation and Vain-glory, are dead and unaccep- table. Mat. 2;. 5. Charity, Alms, and Beneficence, if done with Pride and Oflentation, and to receive Glory of Men, lofeth its worth and reward. Mat. 6. 12. So that Humility and Lowlinefs of M\nd is the fuhftr at u?^ and Ground-work, the neceffary ingredient in all ac- ceptable Duties towards God or Men. Jacob's Vow. Or the Modefty and Reafonablenefs oijACO Ss Defire. Gen. xxviii. 30. And Jacob ^oived a vow^ f^P^St ^f God will he with me^ and will keep me in the way that I go J and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to "put on ^ fo that I come again to my Fathers houfe in feace^ thenjhall the Lord be my God^ &c. TH E only thing that I intend to confider upon in this Place of Holy Scripture, is the Modefi and Reafon- ahlenefi of Jacob's Defire. He doth not defire Greatnefs of Wealth, or Honour, or Power, or Splendor, or great Equipage in this World ; but all that hedefires in reference to this World, is, 1. That the comfortable Prefence and the fenfe of the Favour and Love of God (hould be with him: If Cod will bevAth me, 2. That the Proteaion of the Divine^ Providence may be continually over him ^ and^ will of Jacob's Deftre. 149 ii;illkeep me In the way that I go. 3. That he would fupply him, not with Curio fities or Delicates, but with necefla- ries ; and ^vill give me bread to eat ^ and raiment to fut on. And the truth is, this fhould be the rule andmeafureof every good man^ in reference to this life^ and the enjoy- ments of it^ and the defires of them, until he come to his Father's houfe in Peace ; that houfe wherein there are many Manfions^ that the great Father, of whom all the Family in Heaven and Earth is named^ hath provided for fuchas Fear, and Love, and Obey him. Indeed the two former oilhtfc, though they be no liiore than what the bountifulGod freely affords to all that truly love him, and depend upon him, are of a ftrange and vaft extent. FirH:, the comfortable Prefence of God fupplies abundantly all that can be defired by us, and abundantly countervails wbatfocver clfe we feem to want; itis bet- ter than life it Mf: And when the Antients would exprefs all that Teemed beneficial or profperousin this Life, they had no fuller and comprehenHve exprefllon of it, than that God was with him: as of Jofeph^ Gen, 5. 39. And when his mafler faw that the Lord was with things and that the Lord made all that he did to frofper: i Sam. 1 8. 14, 2.S. a Sam. 5.10. The Wifdom and courage and fuccefs of Di. vid is refolv'ed into this one thing, The Lord was with him, ^ Butcertainly.though the divine Prefence ftiould not ma- nifeft it felf in external fuccefles and advantages,the vefy Senfe of the Favour and comfortable Prefence of God carries with it an abundant fupply of all other deficiencies, Pfal. 4. ^, 7. Tlx: Light of the countenance of Almighty God is the mod Supcreminent Good, and cccafions more true joy and contentment, than the redundance of all ex- ternal advantages. Secondly, the Divine Protection and Providence is the mofl fure and fafe Protedion, and fup- plies the want of all other. The munition of Rocks is thy defence •, and all other defences and refuges withouc this, are weak, impotent, and falling defences. E.xTf^rr^^ Lord Watch the City^ the I'Vatchman uWcheth hut in vain! That therefore which I fhall fix upon is, the laft of his three d^fires : If he (ihill give me bread to eat^ 'and rdim^nt to pt on. The 150 The Modejly and Reafo7iahle7iefs The defires of a good Man, in relation to the things of this Life, ought not to be lavifh and extravagant j not Eo be of things of Grandeur, or Delicacy, or Excefs : but to be terminated in things of neceflity for his prefent fubfi- ftance, convenient food and raiment. If Almighty God give more than this, it is matter of the greater gratitude, as it was to Jacob ^ Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the leafi of all thy mercies y ^cfor -with myfiaff^ IpaJJed over this Jordan^ and now I am become two bands: But if he gives no more, we have enough for our contentation. Almighty God who is never worfe than his Word, but mofl commonly better, hath not given us any Promife of more, neither hath he gi- ven us Commiflion to exped or ask for more. If he gives more thanneceflary, he exalts his Bounty and Beneficence ; And yet, if he gives no more, it is Bounty that he gives fo much; and ismatter bothof our contentation &" gratitude. This the wife man Agur made his requeft, Trov. 50. 8. Give me neither poverty nor riches ^ feed me with food conveni- ent for me. This our Lord teacheth us to ask, in his ex- cellent form of Prayer, Give us this day our daily bread: and this is that which the Apollle prefcribes, for the Rule of our Contentation, i Tim. 6. 8. And having food and rai- ment y let us be therewith content. And truly, if it pleafeth God to allow us a Sufficiency, and Competency, for the neceflity of our nature, we have very great Reafon to be contented with it, not only as it is a duty enjoyned unto us, but upon moft evident conviction of found Reaibn, both in regard unto Almigh- ty God, in regard of our felves and in regard of others. I jhall mingle thefe Reafons together. I. It becomes us to be contended, becaufe whatfoever we have^ we have from the free allowance ^ and goodnefs of God : He owes us nothing ^ but what we have, we have from free Gift and Bounty. If a Man demands a debt of another, we think it juft he (hould be paid what he de- mands; but if a Man receives an Alms from another, wc think it reafonable that he fhould be content with what the other gives, without prefcribing to the meafure of his Bounty. But the cafe is far ftronger here ^ we are under an of Jacob's Defire. 151 an obligation of duty to be charitable to others wants by- virtue of a Divine Command ; but Almighty God is un- der no other Law of conferring Benefits, but of his own Bounty, Goodnefs and Will. 2. It becomes us to be content^ becaufe our measure and dole is given unto us, as by him that is abfolate Lord of his own bounty, fo hj him that is the 'wifefi Difpenfer of his own benefits : He knows, far better than we our felves, what proportion is fitteft for us : He hath given us enough for our neceflity, and we are defirous to have fomewhat more; the Wife God knows, it may be, that more would do us harm, would undo us ^ would make us Luxurious, Proud, Infolent, Domineering, Forgetful of God : The great Lord and Mailer of the great Family of the World, knows who are, and who are not able to bear redundancy : And therefore if 1 have food convenient for me, I have reafon to be content, becaufe ! have reafon to believe the Great and Wife God knows what proportion bell fits me; it may be, if I had more, I were ruin'd. ;. We mufl know that we are but Stewards of the very external blefllngof this Life^ and at the great Audit, we mtll give an Account of our Stewardfhip ; and thofe Ac- counts will be flridly perufed by the great Lord of all the Family in Heaven and Earth. Now if our external Be- nefits be but proportionable to our neceflicies and necef- ary ufe, our account is eafily and fafely made : ImpriwASy I have receiv'd fo much of thy external blefiings as were neceiTary for my food and cloathing, and for the feeding and cloathing of my Family : But on the other fide, where there is a fuperfluity and redundance given over and above our neceflary fupport, our account is more difficult. Where much is given^ much will he required. There will be an account required^ how the redundantoverplus wasem- ploy'd *, how much in Charity_, how much in other good Works i and God knows that too too often very pitiful accounts are made of that furplufage and redundancy of a liberal ellate , which will be fo far from abating the account, as it will enhance it : Item^ fo much in excefs, debauchery and riot ; fo much in coflly apparel, L fo 1$2 The Modejly and Reafonnblenefs fo much in magnificence and vain fhews, and the like. 4 Our natures may be well enough fupplied with lit- tle j natttra faucis contenta : and whatfoever is redundant, molt commonly turns to the damage and detriment of our Nature, unlefs it meets with a very wife Propietor : For the excefs in the abufe of fuperfiuities in eating and drink- ing, and gratifying our appetites, or the excefs of Care and Pains in getting, or keeping, or difpofing fuperfiuities and redundance, commonly doth more harm, even to our natural Completions and Conftitution^than a mediocrity proportionate to the neceflities of Nature. 5-. Whatfoe'uer is more than enough for our natural fup- port, and the neceffary fupply ot our Families, and fo employed, u in truth ^vain, ufelefs^-unferviceahle \ and flich a Man is rich but in fancy and notion, and not in truth and reality : For the ufe of externals is to fupply our natural neceflities ^ if 1 have a million of Money, and yet a hun- dred Pounds is fufficient, and as much as I ftiall ufe to bring me to my Grave •, the reft is vain and needlefs to me, and doth me no good : it is indeed my burthen, and my care, and my trouble; but it is of no more ufe to me in my Cheft, than if it were in the Center of the Earth. It is true^ I have thereby a happy opportunity if I have a large and a wife Heart to difpofe of it for the Glory and Service, of God, and the good of Mankind_, in works of Piety, Charity and Humanity : but if 1 keep it in my Cheft, it is an impertinent trouble^ neither ufeful for my felf, becaufe I need it not, 1 have enough without it ^ nor as 1 order it, is it ufeful for others, no more than if it were an hundred fathoms under ground. 6. y4y?^fg3. J. ' 6. He hath given us the greateft: pledge of his Love and Goodnefs, that the moft doubting or craving Heart in the World could ever deiire^ h;s Son to be our Sacrifice ; and how ftiall he not with him give us all things needful, ufe- ful and beneficial ? i^/??». 8- 32. M This i68 Of Contentation. This Son of his he made the Captain of our Salvation, and yet he made him a Man of forrows, and acquainted with grief, Ifa, 53. 5. and made perfed by fufferings, He^. ±. 9, 10. And this the Son of Gcd did bear, not only with Patience^ but with Refignation and Contentation of Mind : Matt» z6. 39- Not as I 'wiU^ hut as thou wilt : Luke 12 5 O I have a baftifm to he haftiz^ed withal^ and how am I fir aimed till it he accomflijhed ? and when all was done, Je- fm, that was made a little lower than the Angels, for the fuffering of death, was crowned with Glory and Honour • That he hj the grace of God jhould tafte Death for e'very Man^ For it became him y for 71'hom are all things ^ and hy whom are all things yin bringing many Sons to Glory y to make the Captain of their Salvation per fcB through fufferings, Heb. 2. 9. and this was done, (beiides that Expiatory Sacrifice thereby fliade for us) tor thefe admirable Ends. i. That we mighc fte before us, the ordinary method of the Divine Difpen- iation, his own Eternal Son, that knew no Sin, yet was made a Man of forrows : and then, why fhould we, poor finful Men, exped to be exempted and privileged more than the Eternal Son, in whom God from Heaven Pro- claimed himfelf well pleafed ? i. That we might have an examiple before us : He, that is made the Captain of our Salvation, was likewife to be the common pattern and Image whereunto all his Difeiplesand Followers are to be conformed, both paffively andadively : He was exhibited as the Firlt-born among many Brethren j the common image, according to which all his Difciples and followers fiiould be conformed, Rom, 8. 29. As he was made per- fect by fufTerings, fo mult we^ and as he through a vale of Suffermgs palled into Glory, fo muft we^ thatif wefuffer with him, we may be glorified with him : He was exhi- bited, as the common Standard and Pattern of a Chrifti- an's Condition, in the loweft eftate that can befal him in this Life : and furely we have reafon to be contented to be conformed, andfubjed to the condition of the Captain of our Salvation. 3. That as he was thus exhibited as a paflTive example of our conformity, fo he became an adive example for our imitation j full of quietnefs, compofed- .nefs. Of Contentation, 1 6^ nefs, fubmiffion, patience, and contentation^ to give us an Example, i Tet,^, xi. and to imprint upon us the fame temper and frame of Mind, Vhil. ^. 6. that whiles we behold his example, we may, by a fecret fympathy, be transformed^ as it were, into the fame mould and i- mage. 4. That we might have this great pledge and affu- rance, that he who once liv'd in the World, and had ex- perience of the difficulties and troubles of it, and is now traiiflated to the right hand of the glorious Majefty of God, and hath the profped of all our wants and needs, and forrows, and troubles, and fufferings, and of the de- grees of Itrength, we have to bear it, and hath the pleni- tude of power to fupport,- to ftrengthen and deliver us * I fay, that we may be aflured, that he is a merciful and faithful High Prieft, fenfible, and compaffionate of our condition j Heh, 2. 18. For in that he himfelf hath fuffend being tempted^ he is able to fuccour them that are tempted. Thus it hath pleafed the goodnefs of Almighty God, (who knows our Frame, and confiders that we are buc duft) to ufe as much indulgence and compliance, as is poflTible for a moil tender Father to his weak and froward Children ; That fince he knows, Afflidion and Crofles are as necefTary for us as the very beft of all our Bleflings^ yet he gives us all the helps and fupplies that are imagina- able, with the greateft fuitablenefs to our nature,to make them eafie, fupportable, and profitable ; and to bear us up to bear them, with the greateft patience and.contentation^ We cannot be without them, for then we are very apt to grow proud and recure,felf- conceited, inlblent, to fet up our reft, and be building of Tabernacles here,to dread and fear death beyond all meafure and order, and to be utter- ly unprovided for it, to bedefirous to take our portion in this life, and to make our Heaven on this fide death : as the two Tribes defir'd their lot on this fide Jordanyhtcmi& they found it convenient, (Numb. 2:^.) And though we cannot well be without them, yet we Hand in need of daily helps to bear them patiently, contentedly and profi- tably; and we are accordingly, by the Divine Goodnefs, furnllh d with helpsfuitable to our condition and frame. M z As 17^ 0/ Content ation. As all the Afflictions, Crolles, and Troubles in this life, are managed by the Wife Providence and Government of the moft Wife and Merciful God, and have their voice, errand, and mefTage from him to us, {Hear the Rod, and blm that hath appointed it : ) So, he hath given us theinedi- mable Jewel of his JVord^ to expound and unriddle what he means by them, and to inflruft us how to carry our felves under them ; how to improve them all for*our fpiritual and everkfting good -^ how with patience and cheerfulnefs to undergo them 5 how to be drawn the nearer to God by them. ^ And to this end he hath given us moft Divine and Wife Counfeh touching them ; great aflurance of his love, goodnefsj and the light of his countenance, to carry and condud us with comfort and dependance upon him in them ; and hath given us ^^m\xd\At Examples^ which are fo many Commentaries and Expofitions upon them, and to fhew us what he means and intends in them and by them : As the Examples of the Jewi^ Church and People ; the Examples of his beft Saints and Servants, and their fufferings and the reafons of them, and their deportment under them^ and wherein they failed, and wherein they benefited by them ; as Abrahamy Job, Mofes^ David, He- zekiahy Jofiah^ and all the Apoftles-and Primitive Chrifti. ans : in whom we may with great clearnefs and fatisfadion obferve how muqh advantage they got by their afflidions*, vvhat lofles they were at by their peeviflinefs, frowardnefs and difcontent with their afflicted conditions ; what com- fort, fatisfa(^ion, and benefit they attained by their pati- ence, quietnefs, equality ofmind, voluntary fubmiflion to the Divine Providence^ and Contentation with their E- Ilatesj though never fo troublefome and uneafie. But above all the bountiful God hath brought Life and Jmmortality to light through the Gofpel : He hath given us the cleareft convidion imaginable, that this World, and our Life in it, is not our principal End and Scope^ but the Place of our Pilgrimage^at beft our Inn,not our Home ; our place of trial and preparation for a better State : He jhath fhewcd us that it is but our paflage^ and fuch a pafTage as muft land ihall be accompanied with afflidious, and ic may Of Contentation. 171 may be with perfecution by evil Men, evil Angels, evil Occurrences : that it is the place of our warfare •, a trou- blefome and tumultuous ftormy Sea, through which we muft pafs before wecome to our Haven: that our Country, our Home, our place of reft and happinefs, lies on the o- ther fide of death, whf re there (hall be no forrow, nor trouble, nor fears, nor dangers, nor alllidions, nor tears, but a place of eternal and unchangeable comfort^ fulnefs of moft puie and uninterrupted pieafures, and that for evermore-, that through many tribulations and afflidions we muft enter into that Kingdom, as his ancient People entred into their Canaan through a Red Sea, a tirefom and barren WildernefSj fiery Serpents, v^ants, enemies, and uninterrupted dangers and difficulties: that our light affHSii- onSy which are here hut for a moment^ imrkfor us afar more exceeding and Eternal tv eight of Glory, 2 Cor. 4. 17. Our afflidions and inconveniencies in this World, i. Are light in comparifon of that exceeding, far more exceeding weight of Glory : 2. As they are but light, fo being compared with that eternal weight of glory, they are but for a moment : The longed Life we here live is not ordi- narily above threefcore and ten years^ and though the more troublefome and uneafie that life is, the longer ic feems; yet compared with the infinite AbyTs of Eternity, it is but a moment, yea lefs than a moment, it lefs can be ; yet fuch is the longefl flay in this Life^ if compared with Eternity. And the gracious God hath prefented this greateft, and moft important' truth to us, with the ^x^d^it^ Eijidence and Ajjurance that the moft derpondingandfufpicious Soul can defire. 1. He hath given his own Word of Truth to alTure us of it. 2. He hath given his own Son to feal it un- to us, by the moft powerful and convincing evidence imaginalbe ; by his MifFion from Heaven on purpofe to tell us it ', by his Miracles • by atteftationsfrom Heaven; by the laying down his own Life in wirnefs of it^ by his Refurredion and Afcenfion *, by the miraculous Miflion of his Holy Spirit vifibly and audibly. Again, 3. He hath confirmed it to us, by the Doctrine and Miracles of his M ^. Apoftl?S| 172 Of Contentation. Apoftles; by their Death and Martyrdom, as a Witnefs, of the Truth they taught ; by the numerous Converts, and Primitive Chriftians, and Godly Martyrs, who all liv'd and dy'd in thisFaith^ and for it ; who made it their choice rather to fuffer afflidions with the People of God, than to enjoy the pkafures of Sin for a fearon_, declaring plainly that they fought a better City and Gountrey, that is, a Heavenly, Ueh, 11. 15^525. and this Country, and this City they had in their Eye, even while they lived in this troublefome World : And this profped:, this hopej, and expectation, rendred this lower World of no great va- lue to them, the pkafures thereof they efteemed but low and little, and the -troubles and uneafinefs thereof they did undergo patiently, cheerfully, and contentedly ^ for they looked beyond them, and placed their hopes, their treafure, their comfort above them. And even whiles they were in this Life, yet they did,by their faith and hope anticipate their own happinefs, and enjoy'd it by faith, even before thay adually poflefs'd it by fruition ;for Faith is the fuhfiance of things ho fed for, Heb. 11. and makes thofe things preient by the firmnefs of a found perfwalion which are in themfelves future and to come. And this is that, which will have the fame effeft with us, if we live and believe as they did j and be but firmly and foundly perfwaded of the truth oftheGofpel, thus admirably confirmed unto us. Thts jsthe ^iBory that o^er- Cometh the world ^ e^uen our faith ^V{th. 10. 38. The jufi Jhall live by faith ^ 1 Cor. ^. 7. IVe ll-ve by Faith ^ and not by Sight • and excellent is that paflage to this purpofe, x Cor. 4. J 5, 17, 18. For Tvhich caufe we faint noty hut though our outward man ferifh, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction^ juhich is hut for a monent^ worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory. While we look not at the things 71^ hie h are feen^ but at the things which are not jeen ; for the things which are feen^ are temporal^ hi' the 'things which are notfeen, are eternal. And therefore, if we do but ferioufly believe the truth of the Gofpel, the truth of the life to come, the beft ex- ternal things of this World will feem but of fraall moment to Of Content ation. 173 to take up the choiceft of our defires or hopes, and the worft things this World can inflia: will appear too light to provoke us to impatience or difcontcnt. He that hath but Heaven and everlaftinjg Glory in profped, and a firm expedation, will have a Mind fall of Contentation in the midft of the lowefl and darkeit condition here on Earth. Impatience and Difcontent never can ftay long with us^if we awake our Minds, and fumraon up our Faith and Hope in that life and happinefs to come. Sudden paf- fions of impatience and difcontent, may, like Cloud s^arife and trouble us for a while, but this Faith, and this Hope rooted in the heart, if flirred up, will, like the Sun fcat- terand difpel them, and caufe the light of Patience, Con- tentation and Comfort to fhine through them. And as we have the hope of Immortality and Blefled,. nefs fet before us^ fo i\\q Means and Way to attain it is eafie and of en to all ; no Perfon is excluded from it, that wilful* ly excludes not himfelf, Ifa^ 5-1. i. To every one thatthirfi" eth^ came ye to the waters^ and he that hath no money ^ com$ ye^ buy and eatTvithout money and without frice. Rev. 22. 17* Whofoever willy let him take of the watersof life freely. Mat. 1 1. 28^ Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden^ and I will give you refi. The way to everlafting happinefs, and confequently to Contentation, here is laid open to all. It was the great reafon why God made Mankind, to com- municate everlafting happinefs to them ; and when they wilfully threw away that happinefs, it was the end why be fent his Son into the World to reftore Mankind unto it. And as the way is open to all, fo it is eafie to all; his Yoak is eafie and his Burden light. The terms of attain^ ing happinefs, if (incerely endeavoured, are eafie to be performed^ by virtue of that Grace, that Almighty Go4 affords to all Men, that do not wilfully reject it j namely, to believe the truth of the Gofpelj fo admirably confirmr ed ; and fincerely to endeavour to obey the Precepts thereof, which are both jufc and reafonable, highly con-, ducing to our Contentation in this life, and confumma- ting our happinefs in the life to come : And tor our en. couragement in ^his obedience, we are fure to have^^ if we ♦ ' ' ' M 4 deiire 174 Of Contentatlon. dedre it, the fpecial Grace and blefled Spirit to afTifl us, and a merciful Father to accept of our (incerity, and a gracious Saviour to pardon our failings and deficiencies. So that the way to attain Contentation in this life^and hap- pinefs in the life to come, *4s it is plain and certain, fo it is open and free, none is excluded from it, but it is free and open to allthat are but willing to ufe this means to attain it. And I fiiall wind up all this long Difcourfe touching C Contentation with this plain and ordinary Inftance. Ihave before iaid^ that our Home, our Country is Heaven and everlafting Happinefs, where there are no forrows, nor fears^nor troubles: that this World is the place of our tra- vel^ and pilgrimage, and at the befb our Inn: Now when I am in my journey^ I meet with feveral inconveniencies \ it may be the way is bad and foul^the weather tempeftuous and ftormy ; it may be I meet with fome rough Com- panions, that either turn me cut of my way, or all dafli and dirt me in it ^ yet I content my felf, for all will be inended when I come home : But if I chance to lodge at iny Inn, there it may be I meet with bad entertainment,, the Inn is full of Gueits, and I am thruft into an incon- venient Lodging^ or ill Diet, yet I content my felf, and confider it is no other than what 1 have reafon to expe6i:, it is but according to the common condition of things in that place; neither am I folicicous to furnifh my Lodgings with better accommodations, for I muft not exped to make long flay there, ir is but my Inn, my place of re- pofe for a night, and not my home ; and therefore I con- tent my felf with it as I find it, all will be amended when 1 come home. In the fame manner it is with this World ; perchance I me.et with an ill and uncomfortable paflage through it, I have a fickly Body^ a narrow Eftate, meet with affronts and difgraces, lofe my Friends, Companions and Relations; my beft entertainment init is but troubl.e- fome and uneafie : But yet 1 do content my felf; I, con- fider it is but my Pilgrimage, my Paflage, my Inn ; it is not my Country^ nor the place of my Reft : This kind of nfage or condition is but according to the Law and Cuftom ^f the place, it will be amended when \ come home, for • in 0/ Gojitentatian . 1 7 « in my Father's Houfe there are Manfioiis; many Manfions inftead ot my Inn, and my Saviour himfelf hath not dif* dained to be my Harbinger ; he is gone thither before me, and gone to prepare a place for me; 1 will therefore quiet and content my felf with the inconvenienciesofmy fhort journey, for my accommodations will be admirable when I come to my home, that heavenly Jerufakm, which is the place of my Reft and Happineis. But yet we muft withal remember, that though Hea- ven is pur home_, the place of our Reft and Happinefsjet this World is a place for our Duty and employment, and we mufl ufe all lioneft and lawful means to preferve our lives and our coqifprts, by our honeft care and diligence. As it is our Duty to wait the time till our Lord and Mafter callsjfo it is part of our task in this World,given us by the great Mafter of the Family of Heaven and Earth, to be employ'd for the temporal Good of our felves and others. It is indeed our principal buHnefs to fit our felves for our everlafting home, and to think of it ^ but it is a part of our Duty and ad of Obedience, while we are here, to employ our felves with honefty anddiligence in our tem- poral employments: Though we are not to fet our hearts upon the conveniencies of ihis life, yet we are not to re- jeft them, but ufe them thankfully and foberly ; for they are blefFed that deferve our Gratitude, though they ought not entirely to take up our hearts. Again, though CroiFes and Afflidions muft be the exercife of our Patience, we muft not wilfully choofe them^ nor run into them. Let God be ftill the Mafter of his own Difpeniation, for he is wife^and knows what is fit for us, w^hen we know, not what is fo fit for our felves. When he Fends them, or permits them, our Duty is Patience and Contentation, but commonly our own choice is headftrong and foolifh. It was the Error ofr^iany new Converts toChriilianity, that they thought, that when Heaven and Heavenly- mindedneFs was prefled, that preFently they muft caft off all care of the World, defert their Callings,and bufily and unnecelFarily thruft themfelves into dangers, that Fo they mght be quit of all worldly care and bufineFs, and of life It 176 Of Contentation^ it felf. This the Apoftles frequently reprove, and fhew the Error of it, and that juftly : For the truth of it is, our continuance in this life,- and in our honeft Employments and Callings^ our thankful ufe of external bleflings here, and our honeft endeavours for them ; the endeavour to do good in our places^ fo long as we continue in them ; our prudent prevention of external evils, are part of that obedience we owe to our Maker^ and part of that Exer- cife or Task that is given us by him to perform in this life, and our cheerful^ faithful, diligent converfation herein, is fo far from being incompatible to Chriftianity, that it is part of our Chriftian Duty, and of that Service we owe to our Maker \ and it is indeed the exercife of our Patience^, and the evidence of a contented Mind : For whofoever grows fo weary of the World, that prefently, with fro- Vizxdijonah^ he wifheth to die, or throws off all, it is a (ign ot want of that Contentation that is here commended, becaufe true Contentation confifts in a cheerfnl and ready compliance with the Will of God, and not in a froward preference of our own Will or Choice. It was part of our Saviour's excellent Prayer for his Difciples, John 17. i^. l^ray not that thou jhouUefi take them out of the World^ hut that thou fhouldefi keep them from evil. The bulinefs therefore of thefe Papers is to let you feCj^ iBvhat are the helps to attain Patience and Contentation in this World, that our pafling through it may be fafe and comfortable, and agreeable to the Will of God, and to remedy that impatience and difcontent which is ordinari- ly found among Men : To teach Men how to amend their lives, inftead of being weary of them • and to make the worfl conditions in the World ealie and comfortable, by making the Mind quiet, patient, and thankful. For 'tis the difcontented and impatient Mind that truly makes the World much more uneafie than it is in it fel£ OF LU7l Of AFFLICTIONS. The beft Pre. paration for them, and Improvement of them^and of our Delivery out of them. Job 5. 6, 7. Although AffliBion cometh not forth of the dufi^ neither doth trouble ffring out of the ground. Tet Man is horn unto trouble-^ as the ff arks fly ufward. Job's Friends, though in the particular Cafeof 7^A they were miftaken, yet they were certainly very wife, godly and obferving Men ^ and many of their Sen- • tences were full of excellent and ufeful Truths^ and par- ticularly this Speech of Eliphaz., which importeth thefe two Profofitions, I. ThU the general flate of Man in this World, is a fiatQ of Trouble and AffliBion ; and it is fo common to him, fo incident to all degrees and conditions of Mankind, tha't it feems almoft as llniverial, as that natural Propenfion in the fparks to fly upward : No Perfon of whatfoever Age Sex, Condition, Degree, Quality^ ProfefTion, but hath a part in this common ftate of Mankind: And although. fome feem to have a greater portion of it than others fome feem to have greater and longer vicillitudes and in- termiflions and allays thereof than others ^ yet none are totally exempt from it : yea, it is rare to find any Man, that hath had the ordinary extent of the Age of Man, bui; his Troubles, Crofles, Calamities^ Afflidions, have over- weighed and exceeded the meafure of his Comforts and Contentments in this life. 2. That yet r^(?/ey^ji?/^i£?«j- and troubles do neither grow lip by a certain regular and conftant courfe of Nature, as Plants and Vegetables do out of the ground • neither are they meer accidental and cafual-, but they are fent Jiff ofed, MreBed^ and managed by the condud and guidance of the" wojft wife Providence of Almighty €i>d: And this heprov- eth 1 78 Of AffiiBimis. eth in the fcquclof this Chapter. And as in all things in I^ature, the moft wife God doth nothing at random, or at a venture, fo in this part of his Providential Difpenfation towards Mankind, he doth exercife the fame, with excel- lent Wifdom, and for excellent Ends; even for the very good and advantage of Mankind in general, and particu- larly of thofe very Perfons that feem molt to fufFer and be afBifted by them •, fome times to punifti, fometiraes to tcorred, fpmetimes to prevent, fometimes to heal, fome- times to prepare, fometimes to humble, always to inftrudt, and teach, and better the children of Men. And indeed, if there were no other end but thefe that fpllow, This feeming pjarp Providence of Almighty God would be highly jufiified. Namely, firft to keep Men humble and . difciplinable ; Man is a proud, vain Creature, and were that humour conftantly fed with Profperity and fuccefs, it would ftrangely puff up this vain humour: Afflidions and Troubles are the excellent and neceflary corredives of it, and prick this fwelling Impofthumation of pride and haughtinefs, which would otherwife render Men intole- rable in themfelves and one to another. Secondly,To bring Mankind to recognize Almighty God, to feek unto him, to depend upon him : This is the moft natural and fpecial effed of Affli6tionSj Hof y. 15. In their AffliBions they -will feek me early. Jonah i. The rough and ftubbom Mari- ners in a ftorm, will cry every one to his God. Thirdly, To Tutor and Difcipline the Children of Men in this great Leflbn, That their Happinefs lies not in this World, but in a better ; and by this means, even by the Crcfies and Vexations and Troubles of this World, and by thefe plain and fenfible Documents to carry Mankind up to the End of their Beings. God knows thofe few and little Comforts of this life, notwithflanding all the Trou- bles and Crolfes with which they are interlarded, are apt to keep the hearts even of good Men, in too great love of this World. What would become of us, if our whole lives herefhould be altogether profperous and contenting, without the intermixture ofCroflesand Aftlidions 1 But of thefe things more hereiafter. . Now Of AffiiBions. 17^ Now fince the ftate of Mankind in this World is for the mod part thus cloudy and flormy^ and that ordinarily we can expe6: it to be no otherwife, there are thefe Con- fiderations which become every wife and good Mind to acquaint himfelf with. 1. What Preparation is fit to be made by every Man be- fore they come. 2. How they are to be received, and entertained, and improved, when they come, and while they are. ioni cumbent. *^' '-' 5. What is the beft and fafefl temper of Mind when any of them are removed. I. Touching the firfl of thefe, namely^ Pr^'/jjr/^/io^ be- fore they come ; and the beft Preparatives feem to be -thefe : I.- A right and found Conviction, and Confideration of this mofl certain experimental Truth ; namely^ That m Af^« whatfoever, how Good, Jufl, Pious, Wife foe ver, can by any means expea to be exenifthom them, but mull be more or lefs fubjed to Affliaions, of one kind or 6- ther, at one time or another^ in one meaf ire or another •[ for Man is certainly born to trouble, as the fparks fly tip"-; ward. And this certain Truth will be evident, if we coil-' fider r^f/ewr^/^/W/ of Affliclion that are common t(>' Mankind : And herein I (hail forbear the Indances which' concern our Childhood and Youth, as fuch, which yet notwithflaading are fubjed to Affliaions^ that though' they feem not fuch to^ Men of riper years, yet are as real' and pungent, and deeply and fenfibly grievous to them, as thbfe that feem of greater moment: to Men of riper years': But I fnall apply my felf tothofe InHances which are more evident, and of which thofe that have the ex- ercifc of their reafon may be more capable. Afflpdions feem to be oftvjokwds ; i. Such as arc com-' mo'^, Calamities,befallingaNation,City,or Society of Men:' 2. or more Perfonal, that concern a Man in his particular, I. Touching the former of thefe, mmd)\cf;?Kwon Ca^^ lamtiu;^mh. as Wars, Devaftations, Famines, Peftilences, fpreading Contagions, Epidemical Difcafes, great Con-: fiagrations : i8o Of Afflimons. flagrations : Experience tells us, and daily lets us fee, that they involve m their extent the generality of Men, good Btid badj juft and unjufl^ pious and prophane; And al- though the gracious God is fometimes pleafed, for ends beft known to himfelf, ftrangely to preferve and refcue as it were, fome out of a common Calamity, yet it is that which I do not know how any Man can promife himfelf, though other wife never fo pious and juft, becaufe I find not that any where under the Evangelical Difpenfation^' God Almighty hath promifed to any Perfon any fuch im- munity ; and common Experience fhews us, that good and bad are often- times involved in the efTeds and extre- mities of the fame common Calamity : And indeed it would be little lefs than a Miracle, and fomewhat above the ordinary courfe of the Almighty's Regiment of things^ to give particular exception in fuch cafes. If a Man re- ceive any fuch Bleffing from God, he is bound eminently to acknowledge it as a fignal, if not miraculous interven- tion of the Divine Mercy ^ but it is not that which a Man can reafonably expedi becaufe, although upon great and momentous occafions, Almighty God is pleafed not only to give out Miracles, but even to promife them alfo,asia the juflifying of the truth of the Gofpel,in the firft Pub- lication thereof ; yet it is not equal for any particular Perfon to fuppofe^that for the Prefervation of a particular Interefl: or Concernment, God Almighty fhould be, as it were, engaged to put forth a Miracle, or little lefs than a Miracle ; and the Reafons hereof are, I. Becaufe under the Evangelical Diffenfation^ the Re- ward of goodnefs, piety, and obedience are of another kind^ and of greater moment, namely. Eternal happinefs^ and not exemption from Temporal Calamities; if Al- mighty God grant fuch an exemption, it is of bounty and abundance, not of promife. It is true, under The Old Co^ 'uenant with the people of Ifrael, their Promifes were in great meafure of temporal benefits, and the Adminiftrati- on of that Church, as it was in a great meafure Typical, fo the Divine Adminiftration over them was ufually Mi- raculous^both in their bleflings, prefervations aad exemp- tions; Of AfiiBions. jgj tions : And there was a fpecial reafon for it ; for they were to be a Monument to all Mankind^ and alfo to fu. ture Ages, of a fpecial and fignal Regiment ; and confe-- quently the obedient might upon the Account of the Du vine Promife exped Blefllngs and Deliverances, even in publick Calamities that might befall the People in general: But we have no warrant to carry over thofe Promlfes of Temporal BenefitsandExemptions to the obedience under the Gofpel,whichas it is founded upon another Covenant fo it is furnifh'd with better Promifes. ' 1. ^tc^w^QthebefiofMen in this life, have fins aud fail lings enow, to jullifie thejuflice of Almighty God, in ex- pofmg them to temporal Calamities 3 and yet his Mercy Goodnefs and Bounty, is abundantly magnified in refer- ving a reward in Heaven far beyond the merit of their beft obedience and dutifulnefs: So that tho' they are expofed to temporal Calamities, Almighty God iHll remains not only a True and a Faithful, but a Liberal aud Bountiful Lord unto them in their everlafling rewards, 20^^.4. ly.Rom 8. 18. What are light Afflidions, and but for a Moment* in comparifon to an eternal weight of Glory? And the latter is the reward of their Obedience under the GofpeJ wbile the former may be poiTibly the punifhment, qv^!^ leaft corredion for their Sins. And therefore.although at theinterceflionof^^r^^^^^j^/ the Lord waspleafed to grant a relaxation of the deilruaif on of Sodom, for the fake of ten Righteous, it was an aft* Qt his bounty r and fo it was when he delivered Lot and hh Family ; Yet he had not been unjuft if he had fwept them away m that common temporal Calamity, becaufe poffi- bly the fins of Lot himfelf might have been fuch, as might have acquitted the jultice of God in fo doing: For the higheft temporal Calamity is not difproportionatetoanv oneSin : And although he were pleafed in Mercy to fpare Lot and his two Daughters, yet neither was he wholly ex- empted from that great Calamity : for hisHoufe, Goods and the reft of his family, perilhed in that terrible Con-' flagration. And I8i Of AffliBmu. And upon this Conllderation, we have juil caufe to hUf^e t-wo forts of ferfons ; namiely, i. The rafh cenfure of fome inconfiderate perfons^ that are too ready to cenfure ^11 fuch as fall under a common calamity, whether of Fire, Sword, or Peftilence ; as if fo be they were therefore greater (inners than thofe that efcape : the error reproved by our Saviour in the inftance of the Galileans^ and thofe upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell. Luke i :;. i/. i,/Ian in his Eftate. It is very true that fome are more af-^ Aided in this kind than others. The more Wealth any Man hath, the more obnoxious to lolTes ; and the more any Man lovesWealch, the deeper the AfBidions of this Nature wound him : And this is generally true in all worldly Matters whatfover^ the more a Man's Heart is fee upon it, the deeper and the more bitter the Crofs or Af- flidion is therein. But though Afiiidicn in this kind,pineh fome clofer than others, yet there are very few that to- tally efcape in this kind. The poor Man reckons it his AfBidion that he wants Wealth ; and the rich Man is hot without his Aiiiidion either in lofs of it, or the fear of fuch Loffes, which create as real a trouble as the Lofs it felf: Fire and Ship- wrack, Envy and Oppreffion, falfe Accufacions, Robbers, a Prodigal Heir, or a falfe Friend, Thoufands of fuch like Avenues there are to rich Mens Treafure ; and either they do adually attach it, and then they caufe Sorrow ; or they do continually menace it, and fo they caufe Fear. Nay fometimes a rich Man hath as great an Afflidion in his not knowing where or how to difpofe of his Wealth, as he that wants k. 3. Totiching Affiidion in the Name: Moffe certainly of all Things in the World^ a good Name is moft cafily ex- pofed to the Injury of any Perfon i a falfe Accufation or falfe Report, an A6tion or Word mifinterpreted. A Man hath no fecurity of his Wealth j^gainltlnvafions of others ^ 184 Of Affli^iofts, but he hath much lefs Security touching his Name, be- caufe it is in keeping of others more than of the Man himfelf: And it is viiible to every Man's Experience, that he that hath the greateft Name is moft expofed to^ the Envy, and therefore to the Detraction and Calum- nies of others ; and he that values his Name and Repu- tation moft, is eafieft blafted and deeper wounded by a Calumny, tho' really falfe, than he that hath little Re- putation, or he that efteems it lightly. 4. Touching Friends : There are Two Things that in- duce the Lofs of Friends : i. That which feems cafual, yet very common, whereby either Friends become Ene- mies, or at leaft grow into negled: ; which is fometimes done by Mifreprefentations/alfe Reports, by Prevalency of Factions, by Difference in Matters of Intereft , by the Declination of a Man's Condition. 2. That which is cer- tain ,• Death takes away a Man s Friends and Relations from him , or him from them : The more Friends and Relations any Man hath, the more LoiTes of them or in them he fliall neceflarily have upon this account ; becaufe every one of them is fubjed to all thofe Cafualties that a- ny of them is fubjed to, v^hethcr in Eftate.Name, Body, or Death ,• and confequentiy, the more Friends and Rela- tions,the more Croflesand Calamities ; for all the Croffes and LofTes that befal any of my Friends, are communi- cated to me , and in a manner made mine : And the greater my Number of Friends and Relations are.the more LoiTes of them and in them I am fubjed to ; for every one of them is fubjed: to the fame Calamities with my felf, which become in efFed mine by Participation. So that the more Friends and Relations I have, and the dearer and nearer they are, the more CrolTes I havc.by participating theirs : And every bitter Arrow that wounds any of them, glanceth upon me, and makes my Wounds the more, by how much the more Friends and Relations I have ; and makes them the deeper, by how much the nearer and dear- er thofe Friends or Relations are to me. It is true, that in a Multitude of good and dear Friends and Relations there is a Communication of more Comforts; but lince general- ly the Scene of every Man's Life is fuller of Crolles than Comforts, Of Affliaionf. l8j Comforts, Troubles and Afflidions of many Friends or kelations, out-balance and over- weigh thofe Comforts. And thef^ Crofles and Afflidons in Body, Eftate, Name, and Friends, tho' poffibly they may not all come together, or in their Perfec5tion, at one time, upon any one Man ; yet, as no Man is exempt from any of them at any time by any fpecial Privilege, fo fometimes they have fallen in together in their Perfedion , even upon fom.e of the beft Men that we read of: Witnefsthat great yand fjgnal Example Job , who at one time fuffer'd the Lofs of all his Children, of all his Servants, of all his Goods., of his Great and Honourable Efteem among Men, of his Health ; and befides all this, lay under fe- vere Afiiidions in his Mind , and under the Imputation of an Hypocrite with his beft and judicious Friends. Upon all this that hath been faid , a Man may , and upon evident Reafon and Experience,ought to conclude. That even the jnofi finccre Vlety ^iid Integrity of Heart ^nd Life cannot give any Man any Exemj>tio?i cr Privilege from Af fliBions of IbmCj or indeed of any kind. And this Ccrifideration alone isfuffjcient, I. To filence and quiet that Murmuring and UnC[uiec,and proud Diflemper that often arifeth in the Minds of good iVien themlelves; that are ready to think themfelves muchinjur'd if they fall under the Calamities incident to A/Iankind : Whereas the Juft and Wife God never gave any Promife, or Privilege, or Exemption from external Calamities and Troubles, to thofe whom yet he owns as his Children. 2. This Conft- deration is fufficienc to quiet the Minds of Perfonsthusaf- tlided, againil the common Temptation which is apt to arife upon this Occafion, as if they were hated or foriaken of God, becaufe forely afHided : Whereas moft certainly the Favour or Love of God is not to be meafured fimply by Externals* but rather the Gofpel teacheth us a quite con- trary LeiTon, namely,ThatGod is pleafed to chaften thofe whom he loveth beft ,* Hel^. 12. ;. This Confideration is fufficient to check the cenforious Humour, that is in many » who like ihcBfirhariimsy prefently conclude that Perfonor Place to be more fmful than others , becanfc they fuffer N z more 1 8^ Of Affli^ions. more, it may be, than others. ABs 28. 4. This was the uncharitable, and indeed unreafonable Error of Job's Friends of Old, and of many at this time in reference both to publick and perfonal Vifitations. 2, The fecond good Preparative againft Affli6tion is a frequent practical Sufpofition, wherewith we are to enter- tain our felves, even in the time of our greateft Profpericy, That the Cafe may^ and p'dbubly wiU be ^Jtered with us ; and fo caft our felves as it were into the Mould of an Afflided Condition. For inllance, I am now in Health ; what if I were now to enter into theValley of theShadow of Death, into ibme acute, or painful,or defperate Difeafe^ how am I fitted with Patience, refignarion of my felf intotheHand of God j and Contempt of the World ? For fuch an Eltate as this i muft come to fooner or later • how (hall I bear dr carry my felf in it, or under it^ were it now upon me ? I hcive now a plentiful Eftate^external Affluence ; what.if at this Moment, I were bereft of all, either by Fire or De- predation, how were my Mind fitted with Humility and Patience to fubmit to a poor, ftrair, wanting Condition? I have now a good Husband, Wife, Children, many Friends that efteem m.e, and are faithful to me ,• what if God fhould in a Moment deprive me of all thefe ? What if my deareft Friends (hould become my bictereft Enemies, how ftiould I bear my felf under thefe Changes .'^ I have a great Name and Efteem in the World ,• what if in a Mo- ment, a Black Cloud of Infamy and Scorn and Reproach was drawn over it, and that I fhould become a Scorn and Reproach, with fob 50. 8. among Children of Fools ? yea, Children of bafe Men viler than the Earth. How were I fitted with Humility and evennefs of Mind to com- port with fuch a Condition, till it pldafed God by his Pro- vidence and Manifeftation of my Innocence, if he think fit, to fcatter this Black Cloud of Calumny and Reproach, or if not, yet quietly under it to enjoy the Teftimony of a good Confcience and my own Integrity ? Thefe and the like Anticipations of troubled and afflided Conditions, would habituate and fit our Minds to bear them, furnifh us with fuitable Tempers for them \ render them eafie to us whea Of Afflinions. 187 when they come ; and keep our Souls in a due ftate of Moderation and Watchfulnefs before they come ; As the good Martyr B'llney^ before his Martyrdom, by often put- ting his Finger into the Candle, made the Flames, which he was after to endure, more familiar and tolerable. 5. The third Preparative againft Afflidion and calami- tous Seafons, is to reafon our j elves iff from oz;er-much Love and Valuation of the JVorld, and the befl; Things it affords. Fhilofofhy hath made fome fhort Effay in this Bufinefs,- but the Dodrine of the Gofpel harh given us far more noble and effedual Topicks and Arguments, than any Philofophy ever did or can: i. By giving us a plain and clear Eflimate andValuacion of this World, and all that feems moft valu- able in it. But this is not all ^ but,2.By fhewing usplainly- and clearly a more valuable, certain and durableEftate af- ter Death, and a way of atcaining it, with much more Eafeand Contentation, than we can attain the moft fplen- didTemporalsof thisWorld. Certain it is, thattheWeighc and Strefs of Afflictions andCrolTes lie not fo much in the Things themfelves, which wefafferin themorbythem,as in that Over-valuation that we put upon thofe Convenien- ces which AfHi:tions or Croffes deprive us of. When News was brought to that Noble Roman of the Death of his Soe,it was a great pitch of Patience that even the mo- ral Consideration wrought in him, ISovi me genuijji morta- km\ tho' perchance it was not without a mixtureof Sto- ical Vain-glory. We fet too great a Value upon ourHealth, our Wealth, our Reputation ,• and that makes us unable to b^ar, with that Evennefs and Contentednefs of Mind, theLofsof them, by Sicknefs, Poverty, or Reproach. We fet too great a Rate upon our Temporal Life here , be- caufe we fet too great a Rate upon this World , to the Enjoyment whereof this Life here is accommodated and proportioned ; and that makes us fear Death, not only as the Ruin of Nature, but as that which puts a Period to all our Comforts : Whereas, had we but Faith enough to be- lieve the EvangelicalTruths, touching our future Happi- neis, it would make us not defire Death , becaufe we niight in the Time of this Life fecure unto our feives that ^ % great x88 Of Affliaions. great and one thing neceffary ; and it would make us not to fear Death, becaufe we fee a greater Fruition to be enjoyed after it , than all the Gioiy of this prefenc World can yield. 4. The next Preparative againft Afflidions, is to keep Thtyy Imioce?ue, and a GooJ Confcience before it comes. As Sin is the Sting of Death, fo it is the Sting of Affliaion ; and that which indeed gives the greateft Bitternefs and Strength untoAfflidion : And theReafon is this -becaufe it weakens and difables that Part in Man, which muft bear and fupport it. This is that which the Wife Man ob- ferves, ?ro^. 18. 14. The Sprit of a man willfuliain his In- firmities ; hut a 'Wounded Spirit who can hear ? Which is no more than this : It is the Mind and Spirit of Man rightly principled, that doth bear and carry a Man thro' thofb Difficulties, and Afflidions and Infirmities, under which he is ,• but if that Spirit or Mind, which fhould carry and bear thofe Evils, be hurt or wounded, or faint or infirm, what is there left in a Man to bear that which indeed fhould be our Support ? Innocence and a good Confci- ence keeps the Mind and Spirit of a Man in Courage and Confidence. And indeed it hath anlnfluenceand Suffrage, and Atteftation and Support from the God of Heaven, to whocn a good Confcience can withanhumbleConfidence appeal, as Hez^ekiah did under a great Afiiidion ; Ifa. 38. And thisAccefs to Almighty God doth give newSuppIies, Succours andStrength to the Soul^to bear ic up under very- great and preffing Afliidions. But on the other fide, Sin doth difable the Soul to bearAfflidion, til! it be throughly repented of i. Becaufe it doth in a great meafure emal- culate and weaken the Spirit of a Man , makes it poor, cowardly, and unable to bear it felf up under the Preffure of Afflictions. 2. It doth in a great meafure obftrud theln- tercourfe between God and the Soul, and that Influence that might, and would otherwife be derived to the Spirit or Mind of a Man, by the God of the Spirits of all Flefh. Therefore the befl: Preparative againft Affliction is, To' have the Soul as clear as may he from the Guilt of Sin : i. By an innocent and 7i;atchful Life in the time of our Profjperity, before / Of 4ffl^^^^^^' 189 before Affli(5J:ion attack us. 2. Or at leaft. By a fpeedy ncerey and hearty Repentance for Sin commicted ^ and this 'Repentance to be fpeedy, before Affli(5lion come: For al- though it is true that many times AfBi6lion is theMeffen- ger of God to awaken a Sinner to Repentance^ and that Repentance is accepted by the Merciful God^ yet that Re- pentance is moft kindly and eafy, and renders Afflieli- ons lefs difficult and troublefome, which prevents Afflidi- ons,and performs one great End and ufe of Afflicftion before it comes. He that hath a Soul cleanfed by Faith and Re- pentance from the guilt of Sin, before the Severity of Af- fliction comes upon him, hath but one Work to do/ name- ly, to fit himfelf with Patience to undergo the fhock of Affliction : But he that defers his Repentance, till driven /CO it by Affli(9:ion, his work is more difficulty becaufe it is double, namely to begin his Repentance, and to bear his Affli(5tion. Aqd becaufe in many things we offend all, and the beft have their Failings and Sins of daily Incurfions, a daily rcuifing and examining of our own Failings^ and renewing o,f our Repentance for our daily Faults^is of finguiar ufe to render Afflidions eafie, becaufe Repentance cleanfeth the Soul, and renders a Man in God's Acceptation as if he had not offended. 5-, The next Preparative againft AfHidion is to gain an Humble Mind. When Affiic5tion meets with a proud Heart, full of Opinion of its own Worth and Goodnefs, there ari- feth more Trouble, and Tumult, and Diforder, and Dif- compofure in the Conteft of fuch a Heart againft the Af- liiiftion, than poffibiy can arife from the Affliction it felf ; «nd the ftruggling of thatDifiemper of Pride with the Af- fliction galls and entangles the Mind more than the fevereit Affliction, and renders a Man very unfit for it and unable to bear it. Jfa. 15-. 20. The Prophet defcribes it, her Sons at the Head of every Street were like a wild Bull in a Net. But on the other fide, an humble, lowly mind, is calm and patient, and falls with Eafe upon an Affli<5ted Conditi- on ; for the Truth is. the great Evil of Suffering is not fo much in the thing a Man fuffers, as in the Mind and Tem- N 4 ps 190 Of Affli^ions. per of Spirit of the Man that meets with it : An humbl? Mind, is a Mind rightly prepared ^ith the greateft Faci- lity to receive the Shock of any AffliAion ; for fuch a Mind is already as low as Afflidion can ordinarily fet it. And certainly, if any Man confider aright, he hath ma- ny imfortatit Caujes to keep his Mind ahuays humble : 1, ]n refped of Almighty God, the great and glorious King of Heaven and Earth, whom if a Man contemplate, he will put his Mouth in the duft, acknowledge himfelf to be but a poor Worm, and therefore unworthy to difpute the Di- vine Difpenfations, Providences, or Perrnifiions. 2. In refped of himfelf. He. that considers aright himfelf, his Sins, and Failings, and Corruptions, will haveCaufe enough to humble himfelf, and reckon that he is juftly obnoxious to the fevereft CrolTes and Afflictions, PFhj doth the Having Man complain ? a Man for the puni^iment of Lisfnsi Lam. 3. 39. 'Tis Mercy enough the Afflidion ex- tends not yet fo far as his Life : A living Man to coni- plain, carries a Reprehenficn in it felf of the Complaint. 6. Another moft fingular Preparation againftAfHidion, is a fteady refolved Refignation of a Mans felf to the Will and good Fleafure of Almighty God ^ and that upon grounds of the greateft Reafon imaginable. For i. It is a moft Sove- reign Will ;for his Will muft be done whether we will or not: Therefore it is the higheft piece of Folly imaginable to conteft with him, that will not, cannot, may not be con- trouled. It is true we have Commiilion to pray to him, to deliver us from Evil, but when we have fodone, we muft withal defire that his Will may be done ; this pattern the Son of God hath given us, Matth, 26. 39. Father ^ if it be foffible, let this Cup pa fs from me y yet not my JVill hut thy Will be done. Willingly therefore fubmit to that Will which whether thou wilt or no, thou muft, thou (halt endure ; for his Will is the moft Sovereign Will, the Will of the ab- folute Monarch of Heaven and Earth. 3. As it is the moft Sovereign Will, fo it is themoft Wife Will • what he wills he wills not fimply pro imperio, but his Will is founded upon and direded by a moft Infinite Wifdom, and fmce thou canft not, upon any tolerable 'Account, judge thy Of AffliBion£. igi VVill wifer than his, it becomes thee to refole thy poor, narrow, inconfiderate Will, in the Will of the mofi: wife God. 5. As it is a moft Wife Will, fo the Will of God is moft certainly the mpft Beneficent and Beft Will. What reafon haft thou to fu^fped: the Beneficence of his Will, whofe Will alone gave thee thyBeing,that he might com- rnanicate his Goodnefs to that Being of thine, which he freely gave thee ? It is true, it may be thou doft not fee the reafon, the end, the ufe of his Difpenfation$, yet be content with an Implicit Submiffion to refign thy felf up to his difpofal , and reft alTured it fnall be beft for thee, tho' thou yet canft not underftand what it means. If he hath given thee a heart to refign up thy Will unto his, be confident he will never millead thee, nor give thee caufe to repent of trufting him. It was a noble pitch of a Heathen's Mind, namely , Epicfetus , Enchirid. cap. 78. In quov'is incepto h^c optanda funt^ Due me^ O Jupiter^ (j^ tu fatum, eo cjuo fum a ?johis depinaitis ,• feqttar enim alacriter : cjmd fi nolueroy d^ improbus ero d^ fee^tiar nibllominus. Which may be thus better englifncd : In every cnterprlz^ethis Gu^ht to he cur Vriijer ; Guide me, O God^ a^jd thou Divine Provi^ dcfjce according to thine own /Appointment * I will 7vith chear- fulnefs follow : which, if I (Ij a II decline to do, I jJjall he an itn- dutiful Man^ and yet ^mll neverthehfs follow thy appointment whether I will or not. But Chriftians have learned a Rea- fon of a nobler defcent, namely, That all things Jliall work together for good, to thofe that love God, Rom. 8. 28. And certainly there can be no greater evidence [ of thy love to him] than to make the Will of God the guide, rule, and meafure of thine own. 7. 1 (liall conclude with that great Preparative, which is indeed the completion of all that is before faid, and in a few words includes all , Labour to get thy Feace with God, through Jefus Chrift our Lord : When this is once attained, thou art fet above the love of the World , and the fear of Afflictions, becaufe thou haft the affurance of a greater Treafure than this World can give, or take a- way j a Kingdom that cannot he moved ; Heh. 12. 28. a hope and moltalTured expetflarion that is above the region o ipx Of Affli^lions, of Afflidions, and that renders the greateft zn6 foreft Af- flictions, as they are, namely light and momentany ; And yetbecaufe thou art^notwithftanding this glorious expeda- tion, yet in this lower Region^and fubjed to paflions and perturbations, and fears^ the merciful God hath engaged his prornife to fupport thee here under them , to better and improve thee by them ; to carry thee through them by his ^11 fufficient Grace and Mercy ,• The ftrokes thou receiveft are either managed and direded, or at leaft go- verned and ordered by him that is thy Father, and that in very love and faithfulnefs doth corred thee, VfaL 109, 75-. that hath a heart of compaffion and love to thee,even when he feems in his Providences, to frown upon thee, that while thou art under them, will make them work to- gether for thy good, and that will never take from thee chofe everlafting Mercies which are thy portion • that hath all thy Afflidions, Croffes , Troubles, whatever they are or may be,under the infallible condud of his own Wifdom and Power ,- And that as on the one fide he will never fuffer chee to be afflided beyond what he gives thee Grace to bear and improve, i Cor. 10. 15. fo on the other hand will he fo manage,order and govern thy light Afflidions, which are here but for a moment, that in the end, they fliall be a means to bring thee a far more ex- ceeding and eternal weight of Glory. 2 Cor. 4. 17. If therefore thou wouldeft be foundly armed againft Af- flidions, and prepared with eafe and comfort to bear t^em , this one thing neceffary is fufficient to render thee fuch, and to fit thee alfo with all thofe advantage- bus helps before-mentioned , which will neceffarily fol* l^pw upon this attainment. •' II. Secondly, I come to the fecond general, namely ^ How JfjilBions incumbent upon us are to he recei'ued, enter- ■tained and improved ; and this will be in a great mea- sure fupplied by what hath been before faid ,* for a mind fo prepared and habitu3ted,will be fufficiently qua- hfied to receive and entertain them as becomes a good Man and a good Chriftian. Neverthelefs fomething I fiiall fubjoyn in order to the bearing and improving of Afflidions Of AffliLiions. 19 j Afflictions while they arc incumbent upon us • snd they lare thefe : 1. It becomes a Man underAffli(9:ions in thefirft Place to have a very diiigenc/requent, attentive and right confix deration cancerning Almighty Gody that he is a God of Infi- nice Wifdom, Power, Juftice, Mercy and Goodnefs : That he hates not any thing that he hath made, but hath a great love and benelicence to all his Creatures ,• that he defigns their good and benefit^evenin thofedifpenfations that feem molt fharp and fevere ; that if he had not a good will to his Creatures.he would never have done fo much for them as he hath done ; That whilft he exercifeth difcipline to the children of Men, it is evident they are under his care • that oftentimes there is a greater feverity of the Divine difpleafure, in his leaving Mankind to them- felves, than in exercifing them with Afflictions : and that he equally difcovers the love and care of a Father in hisCor- redions, as well as in his more pleafing adminiftrations. 2. And hnhQv^that fjjliclicns rife not outof thedufl: but are fent and managed by the wife difpofuion and regiment of Almighty God ; it is his Providence that fends rhem^that meafures out their kind, weight, continuance ; and that they are always, as commiffionared by him, fo under the condud of his Power, Wifdom and Goodnefs, and ne- ver exceed the line and limits of his Power , Wifdom and Goodnefs ,• if he bids them go, they go ; if he bids them return, they return ,• if he commands the moft tu- multuous Itorms of AfBidions , Peace , be flill, there v^ill be a calm. As Mankind is never out of the reach of his Power to afflid and corred, fo it is never out of the reach of his power to relieve and recover. J. That as no man hath an exemption from Afflidions^ fo it is moil evident that even the heft of Men are 'vifitei TVith them J and it is but need thejfljo-ald ; for where one man is the worfe by Affiidions, a thoufand are the worfe for wane of them, and as many the better by them ; and the wife and gracious God that knows our frame, better than we our felves, doth for the moft part in very faithfulnefs afflid us. The egreiles ©f the Divine Counfels have ever in "^94 Of 4fflt5lions, in them a complication of excellent endsj even in AM&\- ons themfelves ; They are Ads of Jultice oftentimes to punifh, and of Mercy to prevent Diftempers and to heal them; and this is that lot which our Bleffed Lord bequea- thed unto his own People, In the World ye fl)aJl haue tribu- lation^ John 1 6. ;;. So that a good Man may have as great Caufe to fulpecfi his own integrity in the abfence of them, as in the fufFering under them. 4. That all the Divine Difpenfations of Comforts, or Croffes are fo far beneficial or hurtful as they a:re receizfed and ufed 'j Comforts, if they make us thankful, fober, faithful they become bleffings ,* if they make us proud; infolent, fecure^ forgetful^ they become Judgments : Afflidions, if they are received with Humility, Patience, Repentance and turning to God, they are Bleffings ; if they are re- ceived with murmuring,impatience,incorrigibIenefs,they become judgments, and a fore-runner of greater feverity, 5*. The confequences of all thefe Confiderations do evidently lead us unto thefe Duties, whenever we are un- der the prcffure of Jffiiclion. 1. To receive it with 2\\ Humility^ as reached out unto us from the Hand, or Permiffion at leaft of Almighty- God. There were a fort of Philofophers that thought it a vertue to put on arefolved contempt of all Croffes and Afflictions ; not to be moved at all with them, but to bear them with a rtout afathy : This is not the temper that becomes a Chridian ; it is all one, as if a Child fliould refolve to receive the corrections [of his Father] Vv^ith a ftubborn refolution not to care for them, or to be affecfied with them • fuch a ftubbornefs under Affliction renders it unufeful to. its end, and commonly provokes the great Lord and Father of Spirits totally to reject fuch a Mind, or to matter it with fliarper and feverer and multiplied Affliftions, till it yield, and till that uncircumcifed Heart be humbled, and accept of the punifhment of its iniqui- ty, Lev. 26. 41. 2. To receive it with Patience and fubje(5tion of Mind ; and without either contefting with Almighty God, char- ging his Providence with error or injuftice,or (welling and ftorming Of Affli^tons, i^j; ftofming againft the Affli(5lion/or the Divine Difpenfation that fends it: This hath two ilngular Benefits ; firfl: it renders the Afflidlion it felf more eafy and tolerable ; fecondly.it is one of the readieft ways to fhorten or abate ic; For as yielding and humble fubmiffion to the Hand of God, fo pacience and fubmiffion of Will to the Divine Difpenfation^ are two of the great ends and bufineffes of Affliction, which when attained by it, it hath performed a great part of its errand for which it was fenc. :;. To rfrurn unto God that Afflidleth or perrnitteth ic : Afliic5lion milTeth its end and ufe when k drives a Man from his God^ either to evil or unlawful means , or to fhifc and hide himfelf, or keep at diftance from him ; and as it lofech its end, fo ic is contrary to its natural efFed:^ at leaft where ic meets with a nature of any underflanding or ingenuity. In their Jjflitiicn they will feek me early yHoL 5*. 15-. God Almighty fends AfflicJ:>ions like meffengers to call home wandring Souls ,- and if a man will fhifc away, get farther off, and eftrange himfelf more from him that Itrikes him, he will either fend more importunate mef- fengers, Afflid:ions of a greater magnitude^ to call and fetch him, as wane and famine did the young Prodigal in the Gofpel ; or^ which is far worfe, let him go without farther feeking him : Whereas the Man that by Afflidi- on, as ic were at the ftrft call, comes home to God, or gets nearer to him, for the molt pare prevents feverer Monitors, and renders his fuffering more fhort, or ac leaft more eafy, by drawing near to God the Fountain of Peace and Deliverance. And if the Affliction befalls fuch a Man that hath not eftranged himfelf from Almighty God • nor departed from him in any greater offences or backflidings, yet Af- fliction is not without its end or ufe,even to fuch a Man.- Thou haft walked clofely in the Duties towardsGod,haft depencTed upon him, approved thy felf in his fight, yet is ic not poffible that thy Faith, lnd"^uftry, Obedience, de- pendance may be more, more conftant, more firm ^ If it may be, as fure ic may be,then though Afflidion folicic not rhy return to him from whom thou haft not departed, yec ic folicits thy improvement, 4. To 196 Of 40^ ions. , 4. To Vraymto God i And this is the moft natural eife^ of AfHiAion, efpecially if it be fevere and eminenr. In the Storm the Sailors call every one upon his God ^ and the reafon is becaufe in fuch a feafon^a Man's own fhifts^the help and advice and afflltance of friends^and other human confidence appeartoo weak and inefF^dual^and therefore the Man is driven to that which indeed is the unum mai- f2U7n J namely, Invocation of Almighty God, for help, fupport, and comfort. It is therefore a fign of a defperate mind that will not come unto God in Prayer , at leaft when AfHictions grind him. And although a Man be noc of the number of thofe that reftrain Prayer before God, yet Afflictions naturally will make the Prayer of fuch a Man more earneft, fervent, conltant • ic fets an edge, and adds life to the Prayers of a praying Man. 5*. To Depend andTruft upon Godjhoth for fupport under., and feafonable deliverance from,AfHi6tions. Keep thy .recumbence upon his Goodnefs and Mercy, even under the blacked night of AfBidlions : Tbo he kill me , yet -will I trufi in him : Job 15.15". and w'lthD avid(Pfal.z'^.^ )even in theValley of the (hadow of death to reft upon his Rod and his Staff : And though it becomes the bell; of Men to have a yielding and a fofc Spirit under the afBiding hand of God, yet be careful to bear up thy felf under the Power and Goodnefs of God from fainting and defpondence. 6. To be thankful unto God under AfBi(f^ion , and that upon very great and important Motives, i. Thankful that they are no worfe or greater : Thou haft loftcs, but yet haft thou loft all at once ? Jch did ^ or if thou haft loft all externals , yet haft thou not lomething thou valueft more than all, namely, innocence , peace wich' God and thy own Confcience.'* 2. Thankful that GodAl- mighty rather chufeth to afHi(5l thee,than to forfake thee. As long as Almighty God is pleafedto afflidl thee it is plain' thou art under his difcipline, his care^ noMan's conditioii is defperate folong as thePhyfician continues his admini- ftration; nor is any Man wholly forfaken of God, nor paft care, fo long as he is under affliction : for it is a medicine that without thy own default will either recover or better thee. Of Affliilions. ioy thee. %. Thankful that God hath been pleafed to difcover fo much of bis mind^ and defign and afFedions towards mankind in his Word, as to affure us that the meafure of his Love towards, or Difpleafure againft the Children of Men , is not to be taken by external Profperity or Ad- verfity ; but on. the contrary, to bear up our Souls under the preiTures of Afflictions, afTures us that they ate the efFeds for the moft part of his fatherly Love and Care rather than of heavy Difpleafure ,- that they may in- deed fometimes be Symptoms of his Anger , but not of his Hatred j they may be for Corre6iions, but not for Confufion : He may corred thofe,whom yet he accounts his Children and refolves to fave. ^ 7. To put us upon a due fearch and Examination of our Hearts an^ Ways. Certainly there is not the beft Man li- ving, but upon a ftri(5l and impartial fearch of himfelf may find fuel for AfRicftion^ demerit enough to defervet it ,- famewhat amifs, that requires Amendment j fome Corruptions growing into exorbitancy •" Some errors that Hand in need of Phyfick to cleanfe them ; fome budding diforders, that ftand in need of a Medicine to prevent theni. It is the great bufinefs of Affli(5Tion,the great mef- fage that it brings from God to Man, is to fearch out and fee what is amifs, what is defee<^of theGoodnefs,Mer- cy, and Juftice of God, v^hp, though with moft unblame- ablejuftice, yet with fingular Mercy, isveryhkelytofend AfBidion to awaken him and amend him, and to recal him from that tendency ^0 Apoftacy, that Security is apt to bring upon him. Secondly, in refped of the Malice and Vigilancy of the great Enemy of Mankind • who, as he never wants Malice, fo he often gets a Permiffion to worry a Man whom he hath under this difadvantage of Unpreparednefs and Security. O I ^ Be ao4 Of Afflt^ions. s,\ Be carefal to keep, as great AfRiclions, fo alfo great t)Q\iVQ}i^ncQS in Memory. Moft Men upon the frefii re- ceipt of Mercy and Deliverance have a quick and lively apprehenfion of it ; and accordingly their affections of Thankfulnefs, and Praifes and purpofes of Obedience are lively and diligent ; but in procefs of time^ and as the Man is further diftant from his deliverance, fo the memo- ry of it doth gradually, and poffibly fuddenly, vanifli and decay : And as the remembrance of the deliverance de- cays and grows weaker and weaker, fo do the(e affedions or difpofitions of the Soul that are before-mentioned; The Thankfulnefs grows faint, and fo doth the Obedience, and fo doth the Humility, and fo doth theWatchfulnefs : And as the water that hath been heated, being removed from the fire, grows by degrees colder and colder, till at laft it comes to its old coldnefs that it firft had ; fo in a little time the Affiliation is forgot,and the Deliverance is forgot, and the Man is grown into the very fame ftate, as if he never had felt either,and poffibly worfe. Therefore keep Deliverances and Afflictions too,frefh in the memory • call thy felf frequently to account for them , ufe feme Expe- dient that may frequently remind thee of them with all their Circumftances : Set them down in writing , menti- on them often; recoiled them often; and recoiled what Thoughts, Purpofes, Temper of Mind and Spiiit was then upon thee, when thy Afflidions were upon thee, or thy Deliverances frefhly given to thee. Caft with thy felf how if thefe were now as frefii to thee as they were then, with what motions or difpofitions of Soul thou fliouldefl: receive them; and reafon thy felf into the fame temper and habitude of thankfulnefs, as then thou hadft. By this keeping the Memory of thefe Afflidions and thefe Deliverances frefh under all its Circumftances, thou wilt with them, and in the fame degree as thy remem- brance is of them, revive and excite , and preferve and keep alive, and quick and adive, the fame Gratitude, the fame Humility, the fame Obedience, the fame Vigi- lance that thefe Afflidions or thefe Deliverances wrought in thee, when they were fr 1.1 ^ fperfions of Idlenefs in our lives. Thofe Men that have moft employment and ofthemoftconftanc nature, cannot chufe but have certain InterfiitiahQtwQQn the varieties of bufinefs, ivhich may be fitted with Employments fuicable to their length or qualities ; and it becomes a good Husband of his time, to have fome defignations and deftinations of Bufineffes that may be fiiitable to the Nature, Quality, Sea- fons, and wor^ of thofe vacant Tnterftitia, An Induftrious Husbandman, Tradefman, Scholar, will never want Bufi- nefs fitted for occafional vacancies and hor^ ftihfici'Uie. GelU^ tis his NoBes Attica have left us an experiment of it : And a ChrilHan, even as fuch, hath ready employment for occa- fional Jnterftices,Reading,Praying ; theCrumbs andFrag- ments of time would befurnifhed with their fuitable employ- ments,'tis precious, and therefore let none of it be loft. 4. Much time might be faved and redeemed inretrenching theunneceJJaryExfencesthtxtoVin our ordinary fleep, attiring & drefling our felves,6^ the lengthof ourMeals asBreakfafts^ Dinners, Suppers • which efpecially in this latter Age, and among People of the better fort, are protraded to an im- moderate and exceflive length: There is little iefs than tea Or twelve hours every day fpent in thefe refedionsand their appendances,which might be fairly reduced to much lefsi. 5*. Take heed of entertaining Vain ThoughtSy which ar6 a very great Confumption of Time, and is very incident to Melancholy and Fanciful Perfons, whom I have known to fit the greateft part of feveral days in projeding what they would do if they had fuch Eftates, Honours or Pla- ces, and fuch kind of unprofitable and vain Medi- tations ^ which humour is much improved in them that lie long in Bed in a Morning. 6. Beware of too much Recreation, Some Bodily Exercife is neceifary, for fedentaryMen efpecially ; but let it not be too frequent, nor too long. Gaming, Taverns and Plays, as they are pernicious, and corrupt Youth ^ fo if they had i\o other fault, yet they are juftly to be declined m refpecfi: of their exceflive expence of time and habituatingMen tol- dlenefs andvainThoughts,and difturbingPallionsandSymp- toms^ when they are paft, as well as while they are ufcd. tet no Recreations of any long continuance be ufed in the P Mornijag*^ 2. 1 6 Redeem the Time* Morning, for they hazard the lofs or difcompofurc of th^ whole Day after. - 7. Vifits made or received, are for the moft part an into- lerable Confumption of Time, unlefs prudently ordered j and they are for the moft part fpent in vain and impertinent Difcourfes. i. Let them not be ufed in the Morning. 2. Let the Vilits made to, or by Perfons of Impertinence, let them be fliort, and at fuch times as may be beft fpared from what is more ufefulorneceirary,'z;i2s. at Meals, or prefent- ly after. 3. But if the Perfons to be vifited, are Men of Wifdom, Learning or Eminence of Parts, the Vifits may be longer ; but yec fo as the time maybe profitably fpent in ufeful Difcourfe, which carries with it as well Profit and Advantage as Civility and Refped. \ 8. Be obftinately conftant to your Demotions at certain fet / Times, and be fure to fpend the Lord's Day entirely in thofc ReligiousDuties proper forit ^ and let nothing but an inevi- ta.bleNeceffity divert you from it. For, i. It is the beftand moft profitable fpent time ^ it is in order to the great end of your being in this World. 2. It is in order toyoureverlaft- , ingHappinefs ^ in comparifon ofwhich, all other bufineffes of thisLife are idle and vainj it is that which will give you the greateft Comfort inyourLife,in your Sicknefs, in your Death • and he is aFool that provides not for that which v/ili moft certainly come. ^.It is the moft reafonable tribute ima- ginable unto thatGod,that lends you your time,and you are bound to pay it under all the obligations of Duty,andGrati- tude : And 4. It is that which will fandify and profper all the reft of your time, and your fecular Employments. I am not apt to be fuperfticious, but this I have certainly and in- fallibly found true, that by my deporcmentin my duty ta^ wards God in the times devoted to his,Service,efpecially on the Lord's Day, I could make a certain conjedure of my fuccefsinmy fecular occafions the reft of the week after; If I were Icofe and negligent in the former, the latter never fucceeded well ^ If ftrid:, and confcientious, and watchful in the forrner, I was fuccefsful and profperous in the latter. ^ 9. Belnduftrious and Faithful inyourC^///»^.The mer- cifulGod hath not only indulged unto us a far greater porti- on of time for our ordinary occafions^than he hath referved to Redeem the Time. 217 to himfelfj butalfo enjoyns and requires ourlnduftry and Diligence in it. And' remember that you obferve thatln- daftry and Diligence, not only as civil Means to acquire a Competency for your felf and your Family^ but alfo as sin ad of Obedience to his Command and Ordinance ; by means whereof, you make it not only an acSl of civil Converfation,but of Obedience to Almighty God,and fo it becomes in a manner fpiritualized into an A61 of Religion. 10. Whatever you do,be very careful to retain in your heart a, habit of Religion, that may be always about you, and keep your heart,and yourLife always as in his prefence,and ten- ding towards him. This will be continually with you, and put it felf into ads,even although you are not in a folemn po- fture of Religious Worfhip, and will lend you multitudes of ReligiousApplications to Almighty God, upon all occafions and interventions, which will not atallhinder you inany meafure inyour fecular occafions,but better and further you : It will makeyouFaithfulinyourCalling,evenupontheac- count of an adual refledion of your mind upon the prefence and command of the God you fear and love ; It will make you ai5i:ually Thankful for fucceffes and fupplies,* Tempe- rate and Sober in all your natural Adions ,* Juft and Faithful in all your dealings,* Patient and Contented inallyourDif- appointmentsandCroffes^and actually con fider and intend hisHonour in ail you do , and will give a tindture of Religi- on &Devotion upon all your fecular employments,and turn thofe very adions, which are materially civil or natural,in- to the very true and formal nature of Religion, and make your whole life to be an unintermitted life of Religion and Duty to God. For this habit of Piety in your Soul, will nof only not lie fleeping and unadive, but almofl: in every hour of the day will put forth adual exertings of it felf in applica- tions of fliort Occafional Vrayers, Thankfgi'ving^ Def^ndence ; refortunto that God that is always near you, and lodgethin a manner in your heart by his fear and love, and habitual Religion towards him. And by this means you do effe(^ual- ]y, and in thebeft and readieit manner imaginable doubly redeem your Time. i. In the lawful exercife of thofe natural and civil concerns which are not on^ly permitted, but in a great meafure injoyned by Almighty God. 2. Ac the fame P ^ tima ii8 Redeem the Time, ' ^ime exercifing ac^s of ReligiousDuties^Obfervance &Ver- r^eration unto AlmightyGod^by perpetuated, oratleaft fre- there is annex'd a retribu- tion of Punifhment ; and this moft naturally and meritori- oufly,for the Law of commonjuftice and Reafon doth moft: iuftly fubjedt the Creature, that depends in his Being upon his Creator, to the Law and Will of the Creator j and therefore, having receiv'd a Talent from his Lord, and, to- gether with his Being^an ability to employ it according to the The Great Audit, z%^ theWill of hisLord, a non- employ ment^or mif-einplGyment thereof, doth moft juftly oblige him to Guilt and Punifli- ment, as the natural and juft confequent of his demerit. Ohhe Terfons that do receive chefeTalents^/cwt' ^o employ them well, tho' in various degrees^ fometomore advantage, jfpme to lefs ; and altho' the belt Husbands come ihort of what they fiiould do, and at heft are in this refpec^i unpro* fitable Servants ; yet if there be a Faithful^ Confcientious and SincereEndeavour to im'ploy that Talent to their Ma- fters honour,they are accounte-d^(?oi S teTi^ards, Sind the Me- rijts of Chrift fupply by Faith that v.'herein they come fliort. ' ,On the other fide, fome Perfons are Unfiithful Stewards of their Talents, and thefe OivQpf thrse kinds : i. Such as wholly mif-eraplpy their Talents, turning them to the dif- honour and differvice of their Lord, which they fho;ild have employ 'd to his Service,- and thefe have a double ac- count to make^ -uiss. of their Talents, and of their mif-im- ployment. 2. Such as do not at all employ their Talent, tSiit as they do no harm, fo they do no good with it ; thefe ^v^Jeecy^,where- ^ by to communicate your Minds one to another, and to ^ inftru(^ and advantage one another by the help thereof. ' Item. I have given you Time of Life in this WorW^ to fome longer, to fome fhorter, to all a Time of Life., a Seafon wherein you might exercife thofe other Talents I have intruded you withal. ^ Item, I have deliver 'd over unto you the Rule andDa- minion over myCreatures,^\\owing you the ufe of thenvfor your Food, Raiment, and other Conveniencies. 'Item. Befides thefe commonTalents I have intrufled you withal, I have delivered over to you, and to you, &c. di- V&xs [fecial and eminentTalents above oihtTS^viz^of thtMind or fuch as concern you as intelledual Creatures. 1. 'GreatL^^rwiw^ andKnowledge in theWorks of Nature Arts and Sciences ; great Frudence and Wifdom in the Coc- dud of Affairs, [ElocHtiony] excellent Education, 2. ' of the Body ^ a firm and Healthy Conftitution^ Strength, Beauty , and Come line fs. 3. ^ Oi Externals, GrQSLtAf^UQUCQ of PFealth and Riches, Eminence of Place, and Power and Honour, great Reputati&n and Efteem in the World ^ gXQ2LxSuccefs inEnterprize? and Undertakings, publickandprivatejRelationsoeccnomicak 4. ^Of things ofmixtNature. Chriftian liberal Education; Counfel and Advice of faithful and judiciousFr;^«^j-good La7ifs in thePlace andCountry where you live, the written ^r^o/G(j^ acquainting you with myWiil,andthe way to Eternal Life; the Word preached by able and powerful Minifters thereof, ih^ Sacraments, both for ^OMX Imitation. undConfirmation^ fpecial and pow crfulMoticnsandlmpulfes of my Spirit upon yourConfciences,diffuading frombin^& encouraging in and to Holinefs ; Special Providences ab- ftrading and diverting you from the commiffionof things contrary to myWiil,ciiilionourable to my]S[ame,andhurt- ful to your felves ; Chaftifement andCorrdiions eminently and plainly inflided for fin committed by your felves & others, fo that the Guile was legible in the Punilhment ,* Eminent Bleffings upon the ways of holinefs and virtue,even to the view of the World -, Eminent Reftitutions andD^//- verances upon Repentance andAmendment of Life^moft ^ clear iiS The Account of ^ clear and fenfible Experiences of my Love^ Favour, and * Liftening to your Prayers, to encourage you to a De- ^ pendance upon me ; fingular Opportunities put into ^ your Hands ^ of intruding the Ignorant, delivering * the Opprefled, promoting my Honour. * Thefe are fome of the many Talents which I have * committed to you_, tho' in differing degrees : Give up * your Accounts, you Children of Men, how you have * employed them. The Account of the Good Steward. LOrd, before I enter into Account with thy Majefty, Imuftconfeft, that if thou fhould'ft enter intojudg- ment with me,and demand that Account which injuflice thou may'ft require of me, I fliould be found thy Debtor, I confefs I have not improved my Talents according to that meafure of Ability that thou haft lent me : 1 there- fore moft humbly offer unto thee the redundant Merit of thy own Son to fupply my Defeds, and to make good what is wanting in my Accompt ,• yet according to thy Command,! do humbly render myDlfcharge of the Truft thou haft committed to me, as followeth : I. In General, As to all the Blefings and Talents wherewith thou haft intrufted me ,• I have looked up to thee with a Thankful Heart,as th^ only Author and Giver of them. I have looked upon my felf as Unworthy of them. I have looked upon them as committed to myTruftand Stewarx3(hip,to manage them for the Ends that they were given, the Honour of my Lord and Mafter. I have therefore been watchful and fober in the Ufe and Exercife of them, left I fliould be unfaithful in them. If I have at any time, thro' Weaknefs, or Inadvertence^ or Temptation, mifemploy'd any of them, I have been reftlefs, till I have in fome liieafure redify'd my Mifcar- riagc by Repentance and Amendment. Zn M the Good Stei^ard. zz^ ■ ^ ' . 2. 7» V articular, .Concerning my Senfes, and the Ufe of them : I have made a Covenant with mine £;^j,that they fhould not rov£ afcerVanityjOr forbidden Objeds ^ I have employ- ed them in beholding thy Works of Wonder and Wifdom. I have bufied them in Reading thofe Books and Wri- tings , that may inftrud me in the great Concernments of Eternal Life. I have ftopt my Ears againft finful and unprofitable Difcourfe ^ and againft Slandering , and Lying , and Flattering Tongues. I have exercifed them in liftening to thofe things that might increafe my Faith, Knowledge and Piety. I have kept them open to the Cry of the Poor and Op- preffed, to relieve them. The reft' of the Employments of thefe and my other Senfes, have been for my necelTa- ry Prefervation , and the honeft Exercife of an honeft Calling and Converfation. 3. ^//or^eReafonand UndQT^^ndingtboubafiginjenme. I have been careful ta govern mySenfes and fenfual Appe- tite by my Reafon, and to govern my Reafon by thy Word, I have endeavoured to ufe and employ it, but not lean or depend upon it : I make it my Affiftant, but not my Idol ^Ihave been careful to wind up my ReafonandUnderftand- ing to the higheft key in the fearching out of Truths, but efpecially thofe that are of the greateftconGernmentinmat-' tersof Faith. I have made myUnderftanding to be labori- ous and induftrious, but ftill kept under Yoke and Rule of thy Word, left it fhould grow extravagant and petulant. I have looked upon my Underftanding and Reafon, as a Ray of Divine Light,- and therefore I have ufeditforthee, and have counted it a moft highSacrilegeJngratitude and Rebelhon,to employ it againft thee.thy Honour orService. I have endeavoured principally to furnifti it with that Knowledge which will be of ufe in the other World : This hath been my Bufmefs. Other StudIes,orAcquefts of other Knowledge, have been either for the neceffary ufe of this Life or harmlefsDivertifements,orRecreations. In theEx- ercife of myReafon ; as on the one fide.I have avoided Idle- UQis, Supmenefs, or Negled , fo on the other fide, I have not x36 The Account of not employed it in vain, curious^ unprofitable, forbidderi Enquiries ,• I have ftudied to ufe it with Sobriety^ Mode- ration, Humility and Thankfulnefs : And as I have been careful not to employ it, fo I have been as careful not to mifemploy ic. I fooked upon it as thy Talent, and there- fore give unto thee the Glory, the \JiQ and Service of it. 4. As to the Memory thou haji lent me. On the Contemplation of that ftrangc and wonderful fa~ culty,thacd!flin<5lly,¬with{landing the intervention of choufandsof objedSjretainstheirlmages&Reprefentationsy with all their Circumftances& Confequents ^Ihave admi-- red the wonderfulWifdom^Power &Perfedion of theLord. I have endeavour'd principally to treafure up in it thofe things that may be moft of ufe for theLife to come,&moH: conducible to the attaining of it; thyMercies,Commands^ Directions, Promifes ; my ownVows, Refolutions, Expe- riences, Failings ; to keep me conftant in my Duty, de-^' pendant upon thy Goodnefs, humble and penitent. Some Things I have ftudied to forget ; Injuries, vain and hurtful Difcourfes , and fuch things as either would make me the worfe by remembring them, or take up tod much room in my Memory, which might be employed and ftored with better Furniture. The reft of the Employment of my Memory hath been to alTift me in the ordinary and neceflary Conver- fation with others ,* the ways of my Calling, the perform- ing of my Promifes and Undertakings, the Prefervation of good and lawful Learning ,* that thereby I might do Service to thy Name, ferve my Generation, and improve my (elf in Knowledge, Wifdom and Underftanding. 5. Ai touching my Conference, and the Light thou hafi given me in it, I. It hath been my Care to improve that Natural Light, and to furnifii it with the beft Principles I could : Before I had the Knowledge of thy Word, I got as much Furniture as I could from the Writings of the beftMora- lifts, and the Examples of the beft Men : After \ had the Light of thy Word, I furniftied it with thofe moft pure and unerring Principles that I found in it. 2. 1 have been very diligent to keep my Confcience clean; to the Goo^ Stevi^arcl. aji to encourage it in the Vicegerency that thoii haft given it over my Soul and Agings,! have kept it id the throne, and greateft reverence and authority in my heart. ;. In adions to be done or omitted : 1 have alvi^ays advifed with it\, and taken its advice, I have neither fti- fitd, nor forced, nor bribed it ; but gave it a free liberty to advife and fpeak out, and a free fubjedion of my Will/ Purpofes, and Actions to it. !;v ,.: 4. If, through inadvertency of mind, or importinilty 6f t^mptations,or precipitancy of ocC3rion,or neceffity of the times,Ihave at any time done amifs.I have not taken her up fltort,or ftopped her mouth, or myovt^n attention to her chi- ding and reproof,- but I have,with much fubmiffion of mind, hornherChaflifement, and improved it to an humbling of my felf before thee for my failings : for I looked upon her as aaing by thy Authority, for thy Service,and to thyGIory; ?!nd I durftnot difcourage, difcountenance, or difobey her. i,^^. When fhe was pleafed, and gave me good words, I X^as glad ,• for I efteemcd her as a glafs that reprefented to my Soul the favour or difpleafure of God himfelf, and how he flood aiFeded towards me. ^ 6. I have ntore trembled under the fear of a feared or difcoiiraged Confcience, than under the fear of a fliarp ^;^f (^9^^P^^^"^ Confcience, hecaufe I always counted the """latter, though more troublefome, yet more fafe. , 'V7. 1 'have been very jealoCis either of wounding, of grie- ving, or difcouf aging, ordeading my Confcience. I have ilierefdre chofen rather to forbear that which feemed but in- difF^rerit,left there fhould be fomewhat in it that might be unlawful; and would rather gfatihe my Confcience, with being too fcrupulous, than difpieafe, difquiet, or flat it by. being too venturous : I have ftill chofen rather to forbear what might be probably lawfiil, than to do that which might be poffibly ufnlawful ^ becaufe I could not err in the former,! might in the latter. If things were difpucable whe- ther they might be done, I rather chofe to forbear,becaufe the lawfulnefs of my forbearance was unqueftionable. < 8. As I have been careful to advife impartially with my Confcience, before my Aaions,fo left either thro' inadver- tence, precipitancy, incogitnacy, or fudden emergencies Q, Ihaa 13 % *the Account of I had committed any thing amifs, either in the Nature or manner of the Adlion,! commonly, every Night, brought my Adions of the day paft, before the Judicatory of my Confcience, and left her to a free and impartial cenfure of them \ and what fiie fentenced well done, I with Humility returned the Praife thereof to thy Name; what ftie fen- tenced done amifs, I did humbly fue unto thee for Par- don, and for Grace to prevent me from the like mifcar- riages. By this means I kept my Confcience adive, re^ newed, and preferved my Peace with thee, and learned Vigilance and Caution for the time to come. 6. As touching thy great Works of Creation and Providence. I.I have not looked upon thy Works inconfiderately and commonlyjandpaiTed them over as common and ordinary things^as Men ufually do upon things of common and ordi- nary occurrence ; but 1 have fearched into them as things of great Eminence and Wonder, and haveefteemed it a great part of my Duty,that the wifeGod of Nature requires of the Children of Men, who therefore expofed thefe his Great Works to our view, and gave us Eyes to behold, and Rea- fon in fome meafure to obferve and underftand them \ and therefore I have ftridly obferved the Frame of theWorld, the Motion,OrderjandDivineOeconomy of them f I have fearched into their Qualities,Caufes, and Operations, and have difcovered as great, if not greater, matter of admira- tion therein, than in the external beauty and profped:, that at the firft view they prefented to my fenfe. 2. And this difquifition and obfervation, did not reft on- ly in the bare perufal of the Works themfelves, or their im- mediate natural Caufes, upon which they depended : but I traced theirBeing,Dependance andGovernment unto thee, the Firft Caufe,and by this profecution and tracing of things to theirOriginal, I was led up to a moft demonftrative con- vidion. That there is a God that is the Ftrft Caufe of their Being, and Motion : And in the contemplation of the admi- rable Vaftnefs oftheWorks,mineEyes behold their fmgular Beauty and Order, the ad mirableUfefulnefs,Convenience, and Adaptation of one thing to another ; the Conftancy, Regularity, and Order of the Motion of the Heavens and' Heavenly Bodies j, the Mutual Subferviency of one thing to .another^ the Goo J Steward. 233 i^riother, the Order andUfefuIPofitionof theElements,the Fertility of the Earth^theVariety of Beauty, and Ufefulneft of the Creatures^ their admirable Invtinds, the wonderful Fabrick of the Body of Man, the admirablenefs andUfefuJ- nefs of his Faculties Animal, and the fingular Adaptation of theOrgans to thofe Faculties, the ftrong Powers of the Rea- fonable Soul. In the Contemplation of thefe, and fuch as thefe Varieties, T did to the everlafting fllencing of theAthe- ifni that my o wnCorruptions were apt to nourilhjConclude, That there is but One God, that he is moft Powerful^ molt Wife,Knowingall things, Governing all things,Supporting all things. Uponthefe Convictions, I wasllrengthened in theBeliefofthy Holy Word, which hadfogreata congrui- ty withthefe Truths, that the ftrid: and due contemplation of thy Creatures did fo demonflratively evince. ^. And upon thefe Convictions, I did learn the more to Honour, Reverence, and Admire Thee, and to VVorfhip, Serve and Obey Thee, to depend and reft upon Thee, to walkHumbly and Sincerely, and Awefully before Thee, as being prefent with me, and beholding me,* to Love and A- doreThee as the Fountain of all Being and Good. When I looked upon the Glory and Ufefulnefsof theSun, I admi- red the God that made ic,chalked out his motions for it, pla- ced it in that due diftance from the Earth, for its ufe and conveniency. When I looked upon the Stars, thofe hyge and wonderful balls oflight placed in that immenfediflance from the InferiorBodies, arid one from another, theirMul- titude and Motion, 1 admired the Wifdom and Power of that God, whofe Hand fpans the Heavens, and hath fixed every thing in its place. Nay,when Hooked upon thepoor little Herbs that arife out of the Earth, the lo weft of Vege- tables and confidered the fecret fpark of life thatisin it,that Attracts, Increafeth Growth, Seminateth^PreferVes it felf, and in its kinds ,• the various virtues that are in them for the Food, Medicine, and delightof more perfect Creatures, mjr Mind was carried up tothe Admiration and Adoration, and PraifeofthatGod, whofe Wifdom, Power, and Influence^ and Government, isfeen in thefe little fmall Foot- fteps, of his Goodnefs ,• fo that take all the wifeft, ableft, moft pow^ ferfdlandknowingMen underHeaven they cannotcquai that Q 2 Powes 2.34 .77;^ Account of Power and Wifdom of thine , that is feert in a blade of grafs ; nor fo much as trace out, or clearly or diftindly decypher the great Varieties in the produdtion, growth, and procefs of its fiiort^ yet wonderful continuance • in- fomuch that there is fcarce any thing that we converfe withal, but yield me Infcripcions of the Power and Wif- dom of .their M^ikeru^ritfen upon them. ^ . -4. In the Contemplation of thy greatWorks of theHea- ,veas, thofe goodly, beautiful, and numerous Bodies fo full jof Giory and Light, I ever refleded upon my felf with •Diivlil^ Meditation-, Lord -what is Man that thou art mind- fyl of hliTiy cr the Son tf Man, that thou rcgardefi him 1 It is true,- Man in himfelf confider'd, is a Creature full of Wonder,' but compared with thefe goodly Creatures, he is but an inconliderable thing. I learnt by thy Creatures to be humble , and adore thy Condefcenfion , that art pleafed from Heaven, the Dwelling place of thy A^Iajefty and Glory, to take .care of fuch a Worm as Manjinful Man. 5". In the Contemplation of thy Power and Wifdom in Creating and GovernibgPhe World, I have learned Sub- miffion to thy Wiil,as beiti^^.theWill of the fame moft wife God, that by his Wifdom H^th Created and Governs all things, and therefore his Will, a moft wife, perfect Will. I have learned to depend upon thy Providence, who tho'I am but aWorm,in qomparifon of thy Heavenly Works, yet I am an Excellentand eminent Creature, incomparifon of the.Ravens and the-Grafs of the Fields ; yet thofe he feeds, and thefe he cloaths ,• andfhall he not much more cloath & ittd me ? Thus I have in fomemeafure improved the Ta» -lentsof thy Works,thereby to find fctrace outthy Majefty, thy Power, Wifdom, and Greatnefs, and ray own Duty. .-. 7. Touch'njg thy more Special Providences toward the Children of Men. r. As by the Works of Nature! have learned wh'at thou art, &fome thing of my Duty thereupon to thee ,• foby thy •providence towards the Children of Men, I have in fome niaafurg learned the f^me,and a farther Leflbn ; ;ample to others, of improve- ment of Grace unto my feif j ufmg in ic Diligence without Anxiety ; Dependancc upon thee without Prefumption ; Content^-idnefs, t^atjence, Thankfulnefs, Honefty,Jullice, Uprightnefs, Plain-dealing. Liberality ; and by. this means tranfl^ited my Secular Employment into an.exercife of Chriftian Duty, ferving Thee whilft I lerved my felf, and converting that very Employment, and the time Tpent therein, to the IJky Honour, and Advantage of my Lori'*^ and Mailer, the good Example of others, and the Increafe of my Spiritual advantage, as well as my Temporal. 6. By Religioufly obferving thofeTiwej that have been fet apart to Religions Duties ^ efpegially the Lord's Day, not mingling the Good StemarJ. ^39 mingling with it fecular Thoughts or Employments, ba^ with much attention, itridnefs andcare.laying hold upon thofe times and opportunities^and carefully applying them fingly to the proper bufinefs of the times. 7. By dedicacing and letting apart fome portion of my t^me to Prayer arid Re.^Jing of thy Word, which I have con- ftantly and peremptorily obferved, whatever occafions in- terpofed^ or importunity perfwaded the contrary, . -8, By making the ma^mim cportet^ the Great and One thing neceffarv^ the choice and principal bufinefs of my Life, and the great defign of it ; and efteeming that time fpent moft naturally, profitably, and fuitably, that was fpent in order 10 it j obferving thy great Works of Wifdom and Power; contemplating upon thy Goodnefs and Excellency ; hearing and reading thy Word ; calling upon thy Name ; crucifying my Corruptions ; exercifing thy Graces ; hum- bling my felf for my Sins ; returning thanks for thy Mer- cies ; ftudying the myftery of God manifeft in the Fiefh; ftriving to bring my felf conformable to my Pattern^and to have him formed in my Heartland his life in mine ,• Cruci- fying my felf to the World, and the World to me; fitting my felf for Death, Judgment and Eternity. Thefe,and the like Employments,! elieemed the flower, the glory, the belt of my fpent time, becaufe they will be carried over with ad- vantage into the life to come; and therefore this I reckon'd ipy bufinefs,and accordingly I made it : other matters, that only ferved for the Meridian of this Life,I ufed either bare- ly for neceffity of my prefent fubfiftence, or as a diver- tifemenr, and.fparinglv, or in prder to thofe great Ends. Thofe were the bufinefs, thefe only the pirerga of my life. 10. Touching thy Creatures, and theUje of theWj and the Dominion o'uer them, I have efteemed them as thine in Propriety : thou haffc committed unto me the ufe, and a fubordinate Dominion over then^ ; yet I ever efteemed my felf an Accountant to Thee for them, and therefore I have received them with Thankfulnefs unto Thee, the great Lord both of them and me : When the jSarth yielded me a good Crop of Corn or o- ther Fruits ^ when Flocks increafed; when my hpneft La- .,J)ours brought niein a plentiful or convenient fupply,! look- ed ■%^o The Account of ed up ro thee as the Giver, to thy Providence and BleflJngs, as the Original of all my Increafe j I did not Sacrifice to my own Nee, or Induftry, or Prudence, but I received all, as the gracious and bountiful Returns of thy Liberal Hand : I look'd upon every Grain of Corn that I fowed, as buried and loft, unlefs thy Power quickned and revived it ,* I e- fteemed the beft Production would have been but Stalk and Straw, unlefs thou had ft increafed ir ,• I efteemed my own Hand and Induftry but impotent, unlefs thou hadft bleffed it ; for it is thy Bleffing that maketh Rich, and it is Thou that giveft Power to get Wealth, Vrov. 10.22. Deat.S. 18. 2. I efteemed it my Duty to make a Return of this my acknowledgment, by giving the tribute of my increafe in the maintenance of thy Minifters, and the relief of the Poor^ ^ and I efteemed the Practice enjoyned to thy an- cient People of giving the Tenth of their Increafe, a fuf- ficient not only Warrant, but Inftrudion to me under the Gofpel, to do the like, - ? j: I have not only looked upon thy BlefSngs and Boun- ty, in lending me thy own Creatures for my ufe ; but I have fought unto Thee for a Bleffing upon them in my life of them. I did very well obferve, that there is by my frn aCurfein the very Creatures that I receive, unlefs thy Bleffing fetch it out; an emptinefs in them, unlefs thy jGoodnefs fill them : tho* thou ftiouldeft give me Quails ■and Manna fromHeaVen; yet without thy Bleffing upon them, they would become rottennefs, and putrefacftion to me ; and therefore I ever begg'd thy Bleffing upon thy 3lcffings, as well as>the Bleffings themfelves, and attri- buted the Good I found,' or was to exped in them, to the fame hand that gave them. 4. 1 received and ufed thy Creatures as committed to me under a Truft,and as a Steward and Accomptant for them ,- and therefore I was always careful to bfe them according to thofe limits, and in order for thofe ends, for which thou didft commit them to me : i. With Temperance and Mo- deration,- I did not ufe thy Creatures to Luxury and Excefs, to make Provifion for my Lufts^with vain Glory or Often- tation,but for the convenient fupport of theExegencies of my the Govd Steward. 2,41 my Nature and Condition ; and if at any time thy Good* nefs did indulge me an ufe of them for delight, as weli as neceflity, I did it but rarely and watchfully. I locked not upon the Wine, when it gave its Colour in the Cup, nor gave mv felf over, either to excefs or curiofity in Meats or Drinks ; I checked my felf therein^ as being in thy Pre- fence,and IHII remembr ed I had thy Creatures under an Ac- compt,- and was ever careful to avoid excefs or intempe- rance,becaufe every excefTive Cup or Meal was in danger to , leave me fomewhat in fufer and arrear to my Lord. 2 With Mercy and Compaffion to the Creatures themfelves,which thou haft put under my power and difpofal, when'l con- /idered the admirable Powers of Life and Senfc, which I faw in the Birds and Beafis, and that all the Men in the World could not give the like Being to any thing, nor re- itore that Life and Senfe which is once taken from them • when I conllder'd how innocently and harmJefly the Fowls* and the Fifli, and the Sheep and Oxen take their Food, thac thou the Lord of all haft given them, 1 have been apt to think that furely thou 6id^. intend a more innocent kind of Food to Man, than fuch as muft be taken with fuch detri- ment to thofe living parts of thy Creation; and altho' thy wonderful Goodnefs hath fo much indulged to Mankind, as" to give apthe lives of thefe Creatures for the Food of Man by thy exprefs Commiffion, yet I ftillodo, and ever did think that there was a Jufike due from Man, even to theje fevfibk Creatures^ that he fbould cake them fparingly, for neceflity and not for delight; or if for delight, yet not for Luxury, f have been apt to think,thatif there were any more Liberal ufe of Creatures for Delight or Variety, it fliould be of Fruits, or fuch other Delicacies,as might be had without the lofs of Life ,• but however it be,this very confideracion hath made me very fparing & careful, not vainly or fuperfiuouf- ly, or unneceftarily, or prodigally to take away the Life of thy Creatures for Feafting and Excefs. And the very fame confideration hath always gone along with me, in reference to the Labours of his Creatures. I have ever thought that there was a certain degree of Juftice due from Man to the Crea- tures^as from Man to Man; and that an cxceffive, immode, ' ra te. %^% The Account of rate^unfeafonable ufe of the Creatures Iabour,is an Injuflice for which he maft Account \ to deny Donieftick Creatures their convenient Food ,- to expert that labour from them that they are not able to perform ; to ufe extremity or cru- elty towards them, is a breach of that Truft under which the Dominion of the Creatures was committed to us^ and a breachof that Juftice that is due from Men to them: And therefore I have always efteemed it, as part of my Duty, and it bath been always my Practice to be merciful to "Beafts, Vrov. 12. 10. And upon the fame account I have ever efteemed it a breach of Truft, and have accordingly declined any Cruelty to any thy Creatures, and as much as I might, prevented it in others, asaTyranny,inconfifl;enc with the Truft and Stewardfhip that thou haft committed to me. I have abhorred thofe Sports that confift in the torturing of the Creatures : and if either noxious Crea- tures muft be deftroy'd, or Creatures for Food muft be ta- jken, it hath been my Practice to do it in that manner, that may be with the leaft Torture or Cruelty to the Creature, and I have ftill thought it an unlawful thing to deftroy thofe Creatures for Recreation fake, that either were not liurtful v/hen they lived, or are not profitable when they are kiU'd \ ever remembring, that thou haft given us a Dominion over thy Creatures ^ yet it is under a Law of iuftice^ Prudence an^d Moderation, otherwife we fliould become Tyrants, not Lords, over thy Creatures : And therefore thofe things of this nature, that others have pradifed as Kecreations, I have avoided as Sins. ^s to thofe Habits of Mind and Knowledge that 1 have had or acquired 'y and namely y II. My Learning of 'Natural Caufes and EffeBs^ and af Arts and Sciences. I have not efteemed them the chiefeft or beft Furniture ©f my Mindjbut have accounted them but drofs in compa- rifon of the Knowledge of thee and thy Chrift, and him crucified. In the acquiring of them, J have always ob- ferv'd this care: i.That I might not too prodigally beftow my Time upon them, to the prejudice of that Time and Pains for the actjuiring of niore excellent Knowledge;and the the Good Steward, 245 the greater concernments of my Everlaftlng Happitiefs,' . 2. I carried along with me in all my Studies of this Na- ture, this great defign of improving them, and theKnow^ ledge acquired by them, to the Honour of thy Name,and the greater difcovery of thy Wifdom, Power and Truth; and lb tranOated my Secular Learning into an Improve- ment of Divine Knowledge ; and had I not had^ and pradifed that Defign in my acquefts of Human Learning, I had concluded my Time mifpent ^ becaufe I ever thought it unworthy of a Man that had an Everlafling Soul, to furnifli it only with fuch Learning, as either would die with his Body, and fo become unufeful for his Everlafting State, or that in the next moment after Death, would be attained without labour or toil in thisLife^ yet this advan- tage I made &; found in my Application to Secular Studies. 1. It enlarged and habituated my Mind for more ufe- ful Enquiries. 2. It carri-ed me up,in a great meafure,to the found and grounded Knowledge of thee.the firft Caufe of all things* 5. It kept me from Idlenefs and Ruft. -^'/hd 4. It kept my Thoughts, and Life oftentimes, frotii Temptations to worfe Employments. My Learning and Knowledge did not heighten my Opinion of my felf, Parts, or Abilities ^ but the more I knew,, the more hu^mble 1 V7as. :'s^:ri-n--' 1. I found it was thy Strength and Blefling that ena- bled me to it • that gave me Underdanding and enlarged it. I did look upon it as a Talent lent me, not truly ac- quired by me. 2. The more I knew, the more I knew my own Ignorance. I found my felf convinc'd, that there was an Ignorance in what I thought i knew^ my Knowledge was but imperfect, and defective ^ and I found an infinite Latitude of Things which I knew not^ the farther I waded intoKnowledge, the deeper iiill I found it, and it was with me, jufl: as it is with a Child, that thinks jthat if he could but come to fuch a Field, he fiiould be able to touch the Hemifphere of the Heavens; but when he comes thither,he finds it as far off ^ it was before. Thus while my Mind purfued Know- ledge, 2,44 '^^^^ Account of ledge, I found the Object: ftill as far before me as it was, if not much farther, and could no more attain the full and ex^^di Knowledge of any one Subject, than the hinder Wheel of a Chariot can overtake the former; tho' I knew much of what others were ignorant, yet ftill I found there was much more, whereof I was ignorant, than what I knew, even in the compafs of a moft confined and in- confiderable Subje;^. And as my very Knowledge taught me Humility in the Senfe of my own Ignorance,foittaughc me that my Underftanding was of finite & limited Power, that .takes in things by. little and little, and gradually. 2. That thy Wifdom is unfearchable and paft finding out, 3. That thy Works, which are but finite in themfelves, and necelTarily fhortof that infiniteWifdom by which they are contrived, are yet fo wonderful, that as the Wife Man, faith , No Man can find out the TVork that thou makefi from the Beginning to the End, Ecclef.5. r i. If a Man would fpend his whole Life in the Study of a poor Fly, there would be fucha confluence of fo many wonderful and difficult Ex- hibits in it, that it would ftill leave much more undifco- Vered than the liioft fingnlar Wit ever yet attained. 3. It taught me alfo with the Wife Man, to write Vanity ind Vexation upon all my fecular Knowledge and Learn- ing, Ecclef 1.14.. That little that I know, was not attained without much Labour, nor yet free from much Uncer- tainty ; and the great rejtdmm which I knew not, rendred that I knew poor and inconfiderable ; and therefore, 4. I did moft evidently conclude,that the Happinefs ajid Perfedion of my Intelle(5tual Power, was not to be found in this kind of Knowledge; in a Knowledge thus fenfibly mingled with Ignorance in the things it feems to know ; mingled with a DilTatisfadlion in refpee particular Subjed, the Quadrature of the Circle, Conical, Oval, and Spiral Lines ; and yet if it could be attained in the Per- fedion of it, yet thefe three Unhappineffes attend it. I. That it is but of little \Jk ^ it is only known that ic may be known : That which is of ordinary ufe, either in Archit^dure^meafiiringof Bodies,and Superficies, Mecha« nicks. 'X^S The Account of nicks, bufinefs of Accounts, and the like, is foon attained, and by ordinary Capacities ; the reft are but curious Im- j3crtinents, in refped: of Ufe and Application. 2. That they ferve only for the Meridian of this Life, and of c6fporal Converfe,; a feparated Soul, or a fpiritua- liz'd Bod'y, will not be concerned rn the ufe and employ- iftent of them. 5. Bat admit they fhould, yet dbiibtlefs a greater niea- fure of fuch Knowledge will be attained in one hour after our Diffolution, thaii the toilfomd eipetice of an Age \xi this Life Wotild produce.. And the like may be faid foi" AjlrononncalDifqmjttions. "What a deal of do there is touch- ing the Motion or ConfiftenCy of the Sun or Earth ; the' Quality and Habitablen^fs of the Moon ,• the Matter, Quantity, and Diftance of the Stars ,• the feveral Pofitionsy Continuity, Contiguity, and Motions of the Heavens, the various Influences of the Heavenly Bodie's in theirOppofi- tions^ Conjundions, Afpeds.^ When orrce the immortal Soul hath flown through the Stories 6f the Heavens, in one moment all thefe will be known diftindly;' clearly, and evidently, which here are nothing but Conjedures and Opinions, gained by long reading or obfervation. Upon all thefe Confiderations, I concluded that my In- telledual Pov/er, and the exercife of it in this Life, was given xtit for a more fure and certain, ufeful,advantag^ousiit^ fuitable and becoming Objied, even to kncv^ thee ^ the. otily true God, anci Jefus Chrifi, 'ivhotn thou haft fent, Jo. 17. ^V"- A;^;g. Knowledge that is ufeful for the acquiring of Happinefs here and hereafter ; a Knowledge of a fubjeca, tho' infi- nitely cqmprehenfive,yet but one^ a Knowledge,thatth6' it ilill move farther, yet itfatisfies in what is acquired,and doth not difquiet in attaining more ; a Knowledge that is of fuch Ufe in the W^orld that is to come, as it is here ,- a Knowledge, that the more it is improved in this Life, the more it is improved in that which is to come,- every grain of it here is enlarged to a vaft proportion hereafter ,• a Knowledge that is acquired, even with a confent, a defire to know, becaufe thy Goodnefs pleafeth to fill fuch a de- fire, to inftrud from thyfdf, and there is nonQ. teachedi like Thee. .12. Con' the Good SteVi^ard. 247 12. Concerning Human "Prudence , andXJnderfTancllngm affairs, and Dexterity in the managing of them. I have been always careful to mingle Juftice and Ho- nefty with my Prudence ; and have always efleemed Prudence, a^ed by Injuftice and Falfity , the arranteil and moil devilifh Pradice in the VVorld ^ becaufe it pro- ilitutes thy Gift to the Service of Hell , and mingles a Beam of thy Divine Excellence with an extrac5lion, of the Devil's furnifhing, making a Man fo much the worfe by how much he is wifer than others. I always thought that Wifdom , which in a Tradefman and in a Politician was mingled with Deceit 5 Falfity and Injuftice, defer- ved the fame Name : Only the latter is fo much the worfe, becaufe it was of the more publick and general Concernment ; yet, becaufe I have often obferved great Employments , efpecially in Publick Affairs, are fome- tjmes under great Temptations of mingling too much Craft with Prudence ^ and then to mifcal it , Policy^ I have,as much as may be,avoided fuch Temptations: And if I have met with them, I have refolvedly reje6i:ed them; I have always obferved, that Honefty and Plain-deal- ing in Tranfadions, as well publick as private, is the belt and foundeffc Prudence and Policy , and commonly at the long-run over-mateheth Craft and Subtilty ,• Joh 12.16. for the Deceived and Deceiver are thine, and thou art privy to thQ Subtilty of the one, and the Sim- plicity of the other ,• and as thou , the great Moderator and Obferver of Men, doft difpenfe Succefs and Difap- pointments accordingly. As Human Prudence is abufed if mingled with Falfity and Deceit, though tll^^End be never (o good ; fo it is much more imbafed, if di reded to a bad End, to the Diihonour of thy Name, the Oppreffion of thy People, the Corrupting of thy Worfhip or Truth, or to execute any Injuftice towards any Perlbn. It hath been my care, as not to err in the maniiefy J^^^eicher in the end of the ^xercifing of thy Providence, i have ever efteemed thy . R- Pfu- 248 The Account of Prudence then beft employed, when it was exercifed in the Prefervation and Support of thy Truth , in the up- holding of rhy faithful Minifters, in countermining, difcovering, and difa.ppointing the Defigns of evil and treacherous Men, in delivering the Oppreffed, in right- ing the Injur'd, in prevention of Wars and Difcords , in preferving the publick Peace and Tranquility of the Peo- ple where I live^ in faithful advifing of my Prince \ and in all thofe Offices incumbent upon me by thy Provi- dence under every relation. When my End was moft unqueftionably good, I ever then took molt heed that the Means were fuitable and jufltifiable. i. Becaufe the better the End was, the more eafily we are cozened into the ufe of ill Means to eifed: it ; we are too apt to difpenfe with our felvcs in the pra- d:ice of what is amifs, in order to the accomplifiiing of an End that is good ,* we are apt, while with great In- tention of Mind we gaze upon the End, not to care what courfe we take, foas we attain it ; and are apt to think that God will difpenfe with , or at leaft over-look the Mifcarriage in our Attempts, if the End be good. 2. Be- caufe many times, if not moft times, thy Name and Honour do morefuffer by attempting a good End by bad Means, than by attempting both a bad End, and alfo by bad Means ; for bad Ends are fuitable to bad Means ; they are alike ^ and it doth not immediately, as fuch, concern thy Honour ; but every thing that is good,hath fomewhat of thee in it ; thy Name, and thy Nature, and thy Honour is written upon it ^ and the blemifh that is caft upon it, is in fome meafure caft upon thee j and the Evil and Scandal, and Infamy , and Uglinefs that is in the Means, is caft upon the End, and doth difparage and Blemifh it, and confequently it Difhonours thee. To rob for Burnt- offerings, and to lye for God, is a greater DifTervice to thy Majefty, than to rob for Rapine, or to lye for Advantage. Whenfoever my Prudence was fuccefsful,duly to attain a good End, I ever gave tfiy Name the Glory, and that in Sincerity. I have known fome Men { and if a Man ^ will the Good Steward. 149 will obferve his own Heart, he will find it there alfc, un- lefs it be ftridly denied^ that will give God the Glory of the Succefs of a good Enterprize, but yet with a kind of fecret Invitation of fomewhat of Praife for themfelvcs, their Prudence, Conduc5t, and Wifdom ,- and will be glad to hear of it, and fecrecly angry and difcontented if they mifs it j and many times give God the Glory , with a kind of Oftentation and Vain- glory in doing fo : But I have given thee the Glory of it upon the account of my very Judgment, that it is due, and due only to thee. I do know that that Prudence that I have , comes fronvthee 5 and I do know that it is thy providential ordering ofOc- currences that makes prudential Deliberations fuccefsful, and more is due unto thy ordering, difpofmg, fitting, timing, dire(5i:ing of all in feeming Cafuakies, than there is to that human Counfel by which it is acted, or feeilis to be aded ; the leaft whereof, if not marfliall'd by thy hand, would have fhatcer*d and broken the Counfel to a thoufand Pieces : Thou giveft the Advice by thy Wif- dom, and fecondeft it by thy Providence ; thou dcaleft by us as we do by our Children, when we fet them to lift up a heavy Staff, or a Weight, and we lift with them; and we again are too like thofe Children that think we move the Weight, when we move not a grain of it, 13. Concerning the Gift of Elocution. I.I have ever ufed thatGift 'withHumility • not thereby feeking Applaufe to my feif,or owning it j becaufe Pride and Oftentation in this gift would be fecret Idolatry to rriy felf, and Sacrilege to thee, robbing thee of thy Glo- ry, and therefore fignally vindicated in the Example of Herod, Ads 12. 2. With Truth ^ I never ufed the Advantage of my Klo" nHtion, cither to maintain a Falfhood, or to abufe Credu- lity into a fooliOi Opinion or Perfwafron. 3. With Integrity ; 1 never ufed the Advantage of £/o« ^uence or Rhetorick to deceive People, or to cosen them into a thing. My Heart always went along with my R 2 I^.Toiigue • xjo T'he Accomt of Tongue ^ and if I ufed intention of Speech upon any oe- caficn^ it was upon an intention of conviction in my felf, of the Truth, Necefficy, Ufefulnefs^ and Fitnefs of what I was fo perfuaded: If my Judgment was doubtful or un- certain, fo was my Speech. I never ufed Elocution or fpectous Arguments to invite any to that , which in my own Judgment I doubted, or doubted whether it were fit or feafonable, all Circumltances confidered. I never ufed my Elocution to give credit to an ill caufe^. to juftify that which deferv'd blame i to juflify the Wicked, or to con- demn the Righteous ^ to make any thing appear more fpecious or Enormous than it deferv'd. I never thought my Prcfeffion fhould either neceffitate a Man to ufe his Eloquence, by extenuations or aggravations to make any thing worfe or better than it deferves , or could juftify a Man in it : To proftitute my Elocution or Rhetorick in fuch a vv'ay^ I ever held to be moft bafely mercenary, and that it was below the worth of a Man, much more of a Chriftian, fo to do. When the cafe was good, and fully fo appeared to me, I thought then was that Seafon, that the ufe of that Ability was my Duty^and that it was given me for fuch a time as that, and I (pared not the belt of my Ability in fuch a Seafon ^ and indeed Elocution or Rhetorick is a dead and infipid Piece,unlefs it come from, and with a heart full of the fenfe and convicflion of what the Tongue expreffeth, and then, and not till then. Elo- cution hath its Life and Energy. I efteemed thefe Cafes beft deferving my Elocution , and in thefe I was warm and earneft ^ the fetting forth of thy Glory • the affert- ingofthy Truth,* the detedion and convidion of Er- rors ,• the clearing of the Innocent ; the aggravating of Sins, Oppreflions and Deceits : And though I was care- ful that I did not exceed the bounds of Truth, or due Moderation, yet I ever thought that thefe were the Sea- fons for which that Talent was given me, and according- ly lempbyed^it. 14, Touch' the Good Steward, • 25'! 14. Touching my Bo'dy and Bodily .Endowments of Healthy Strength y a'^d Beauty, 1. In general : I looked upon my Body but as the In- flrument, the Vehiculum Animce^ and not fo much given for its own iake^, as to be an Engine for the exercife of my Soul, and a Cottage, wherein it migiu inhabit and perfetii it felf ,• and upon that Reafon [ was very careful to keep it ufefui for chat End ; and that as on the one fide, by over- much Severity or Tyranny over it, 1 might not tire it ; fo on the other fide, by over-much pampering or pleafmg it, might not make it unruly or maflerlefs, though 1 held the latcer far more dangerous ; For, 2. I confidered and found that my Body was the Harbour of the moft dangerous Temptations and the Receptacle of the moft dangerous Enemies to my Soul. The greateft, and mod intimate, and moft affiduous Temptations, for the moft part made their Applications to my Body, and held Correfpondence with the Lufts and Inclinations of my Fleffi and Blood ,- the Wine, when it gave ics Colour in the Cup, and the pleafantnefs of it, Variety and Curiofity of Meats, beautiful and flefhly Allurements, coftly and exceflive Apparel, Prece- dence and Honour, Wealth and Power, the Purveyor of all Provifions convenient for the fufficing of fieftily Defires, opportunities of Revenging, Senfe of Injuries, Eafe, Idlenefs and Delicacy \ thefe, and a thoufand more made their Applications and Addreffes to my Senfual and Corporal Appetite,- the Motions of my Blood, the Con- ftitution or Complexion of my Body, the Luft and De- fires of my Flefh, or rather this Luft reached and hunted after them, whereby my Body, which was given to be inftrumental and fubfervienc unto my Soul, was ready ftill to caft off the Yoak, and {ti up for it felf, and pro- fticute that noble Part to be a Servant, a Bawd unt© it, and bring her to that Servitude and^Vaffalage, that all her Wit, Skill, A<5tivity, and Power, wasvvholly taken up R 3 la xjx "The Account of in contriving and making Provifions for the Flefh, I found that the Senfual and Beaftly Part, was ready ftill to thruft the Heavenly and Intellecftual Part out of her Throne, and to ufarp it, and to invert the very Order of Nature it fslf; fo that boch the Parts of my Compofi- tion were difordered; and out of their i^lace, and loft ^ their Ufe. My Body, which was given to ferve and obey, became the Emprcfs, and commanded and cor- rupted my Soul, embafed and enflaved it to Luft and Diforder^ and my Soul which was given to rule, became but the Minifter and Slave of my Body, and was tainted and emafculated by the Empire and Dominion of my Body, and the Lulls and Steams of Concupifcence that did arife from it ; and I confidered that if the Bufmefs was thus carried, my Happinefs was only in this Life. When Sicknefs or Difeafes. or Death fhould feize upon my Body, \ had an Immortal Soul, that had loft her Time wholly in this World ; and not only fo, hut was imbafed and putrified by thefe noifome Lufts ; and that the very Contagion of my Body was incorporated and difFufed through my Soul, and could carry nothing with her but Immortality and Difappointment, and Defile- ment, and confequently could expecf^, to all Eternity, nothing but Vexation and DilTatisfadion, and everlafting Confufion. Upon all thefe Confiderations, I refolved and pradlifed Severity over this unruly Beaft, brought my Body into Subjedion, refufed to gratifie her intem- perate Defires, denied them, kept them in awe and under Difcipline ,• and becaufe I found that my flefhiy Lufts, grew petulant, imperious and unruly by Variety, Cu- riofity and plenty of Meats, Drinks, and by Eafe and Idlenefs, I fubdued them by moderate Diet and Tempe- rance, by hard Labour and Diligence, till I had reduced my Body to that State and Order that became it, that it might be in Subjection, and not in Dominion, might ferve and not rule. I denied Satisfaction to an intem- perate Appetite, a wanton Eye, a vain VVifh, a worldly Defire. My Table was fparing to my felf, my Cloaths plain, my Retinue and Attendance but neceflary. I chafed the Good Steward. 2 5'3 chafed away my Luft, with the Contemplations of the Prefence of God, the' end of Child's Sufferings the certainty, yet uncertainty of Death, the State after Death ,• and mingled all my Enjoyments and Defires with thefe ferious and cieanfing Confiderations ,• and I peremptorily refufed togratifie the cravings of an impor- tunate, inordinate, fenfual Appecite ; and did refolutely let them know, they fhould not, might not exped any better Dealing from me, and my Practice was accor- dingly, 5. I found by evident Experience, that it is the great- eft difficulty that can be, for a Man in a good condition to give himfelf leave to think it may be otherwife. There is a vanity that accompanies Health, that we can fcarce perfwade our felves that vjq ftall ever be Sick or Die : We cannot put another eftimare of our Condition than we do at prefent enjoy, efpecially if it be pleafing and delightful. To wean my felf from this impotency of mind, although it hath pleafed thee to give me a ftrong and healthy Conflitution, yet I often put my felf into the imagination and fuppofition of Sicknefs, thoughts of my Mortality, abftraded my felf from my prefent Con- dition of Life and Health, and pre-appreheaded Sick- nefs, Difeafes, old Age, Infirmity and Death ; and by this means broke and Scattered my Confidence of long Life, continued Health, and took up Thoughts becom- ing a Sick, Infirm, or Dying Man ; confidered how my Accounts ftood, if God fhould pleafe to call me away, how I could alienate my mind from the World ; what pa- tience I had to bear Pain and Weaknefs and Sicknefs. In my moft entire and firmeft Health,, it was my care fo to order my Life and Adions, as if the next hour might defpoil me of my Life and Health too ,- 1 did not. durft not allow my felf in any confiderate Pradice of a ny known fm, in procraftination of my Repentance, in a Toleration of Paffions, upon a fuppofition of a conti- nuance of Life, or of an unfhaken Health ; but ftill calt with my feif, Would I do thus, vvere the firmnefs of my R 4 Health, 2,54 - ^^^ Account of Health, or the thread of my Life to be broken cfT the next hour • My firm and fcrong Conllitution made rr.e neither Proud nor Prefamputous^ but the frequent inter- pofitions of the Thoughts of my change kept me humble and watchful. 4. In reference to my HtJthy I always avoided thefe two Extreams. i. I never made it my Idol, I declined not the due Employment of my Body in the Wor«ks of Charity or Necefiity, or my ordinary Calling, out of a vain fear of injuring my Health .: for I reckoned my Health given me in order. to thefe Employments j and as he is over- curious that will nor put on his Cloaths for fear of wearing them out, or ufe his Ax in his proper Employment, for fear of hurting it ; fo he gives but an ill account of a healthy Body, that dares not employ it, in an Employment proper for hlm^ for fear of huriing his Health. 2. 1 never was vainly prodigal of it, but careful in a due manner to prefer ve it j I would de- cline places of Infection, if I had no neceffary Calling that brought me to them; and unneceflary Journeys, ex- poiing my Body gratis to unneceilary dangers, efpecial- ly Intemperance in Eating and Drinking. 5". I efteemed St-nngth^ and Beauty , and Comelinefs of Body thy Bleffing, an Invitation to Thankfulnefs ; I efteemed it to carry with it a fecret Admonition to bear a proportionable Mind and Life, to a comely or beauti- ful Body ; and I looked upon a beautiful Countenance, as a jutt reprehenfion of a deformed or ugly Life or Dif- pofition ; but I never found in it matter cf Pride or Vain- Glory, i. Becaufe it is thy Gift, and not my own Acquifition. 2. Becaufe a fmall matter quitefpoils it ; a Fall, or a Difeafe, fpoils the greateft Strength ; a Hu- mour in the Face, a Rheum in the Eye, a Palfie, or the Small- Pox, ruin the greateft Beauty j or if none of thefe happen, yet either old Age, or Death turns all in- to Weaknefs, Deforhiity or Rottennefs. I learn there- fore in the Enjoyments of thefe Bleffingsr to enjoy them with the Good Steward, %^% \A/ith Humility and Thankfulnefs ; in the lofs of them, to lofe them with Patience and Contentednefs ,• for I acknowledge thy Hand both in the Gift and in the Lofs^ I looked upon them as Flowers of the Spring, pleafing to the Eye, but of fhort continuance ; the cafualty of an unruly Wind, and unfeafonable Frpft, a Worm or Fly, might intercept their natural courfe of continuance; buc they that efcaped beft, an Autumn or Winter^ will infal- libly overtake and defiroy "them. 15*. Concern'wg mj Wealth an^ ttmpral Suhfifietice,, I. I efteemed thefe Acquifidons rather the Effects of thy Providence and Blefling, than of my Power or In- duftry ,• for if inftrumentaliy my induflry acquired them, yet that very Induftry is thy Gift ,• it is thou thatgiveft me Power to get Wealth. Again, 2. Though my Indu- ftry and Dexterity to get Wealth, were never fo great, yec a fmall Interpofition,either of thy Providence or Per- miffion might foon difappoint and fruftrate all that De3^- teriry or Induflry ^ a Thief, or a Storm, or a Fire, or a Leak, or the Difcom.pofure of the Times, or a prodigal Wife or Son, or unfaithful Servant, or a long Sicknefs, or a Misfortune in others whom I truft , or a Flaw in a Title •, or a Word mif-interpreted , or a thoufand other emergencies may in a little fpace ruin the produa of ma- ny Years Labour aud Care. When 1 have looked upon a Spider, framing his Web with a great deal of Curiofity and Care, and after his Indufiry of many Days, the Maid with the Broom, at one brufli, fpoils all ,- or when I havefeen a Republick of Pifm.ires with great circum- fpedlion chufing the Seat of their Refidence, and every- one carrying his Egg and Provifici:.s to their common Store-houfe, and the Boy with a Stick f^irring it all A- broad, or a Hen or Partridge fcattering it all afunder, fo that in a little Moment, all the Labour of thofe poor in- nocent Creatures is difappointed ,• it hath often put me in mind, how eafily and fuddenly the Colleaion of ma- ny Years may be diffipated j and the Experience of thefe latter 24 S The Account of latter times, gives fad and plentiful inftancfis of it. I. But if none of all thefe vifible emergencies happen, yet it is moft plain, that without thy fecret Bleffing up- on honeit and commendable Induftry, it proves unfuc* cefsful to that end. 1 have known in my own Obfer- vations oftentimes two Men equally Induftrious, Sober, Watchful of Opportunities, Sparing j yet one gets up in the World, the other goes backwards \ and neither they, nor I could poflibiy attribute it to any other Caufe but this. Thou didfl: blefs the Labour of the one, and blow upon the Labour of the other. And upon all thefe Confiderations, I learned in the midft of all my Afflu- ence, not to facrifice to my own Net, nor to fay in my Heart , My Might, and the Power of my Hands have gotten me this Wealth ; but I did remember the Lord my God, for it is He that gave me Power to get Wealth, J>eut. 8. 17. 2. I did not meafure thy Favour 10 me, or the Good- nefs or Safety of my ov/n condition by my Wealth and Plenty; for I found that thofe Externals were either in- differently difpenfed to the Good and Bad,- or if there were any odds, the advantage of Externals feemed to be to thofe, whofe portion we might probably conjedure was only in this Life. My Wealth and Plenty therefore rather made me the more jealous of my condition than fecure in it : It made me fearch and examine my condi- tion the more ftridly and carefully, and when upon the xefult, I found my Sincerity and Uprightnefs of Heart, eho' I with all Thankfulnefs acknowledge thy Goodnefs in giving me Externals, yet I often begg'd of Thee that my portion might not be in this Life only ; that as thou gaveft me Wealth, fo thou wouldft give and inoreafe thy Grace in my Heart ^ that tho' I could wifli the conti- nuance of any external Advantages, as an opportunity !to do the more good, yet if it were inconfiftent with my Everlafting Intereft, my great Expectation in the Life to Come, I fliould chufe to be without the former, rather than lofe the latter : and I made it my choice rather to be the Qood Stervarcf. 24^ be poor here, and rich in the Life to come, than to be rich here, and loft in' the Life to come. 5. And upon the fame confideration, I judged my felt never the better Man, nor the better Chriftian, for having much of thefe Worldly Advantages. I looked upon them as external and adventitious Advantages^ that had no ingredience at all into my Soul, unlcfs pofTibly for the vvorfe. I found a Man might be Rich or Ho- nourable, in refped of his Birth or Place, and yet a Fool, a Glutton, Luxurious, Vain, Imperious, Covetous^ Proud, and in all probability the more obnoxious to thefe Diftempers by his Wealth or Greatnefs : On the other fide, a Man might be Poor, and Wife, and Learned, Sober, Humble ; and poflibly his Poverty might, in re- ference to thefe Vertuous Habits, be an advantage. My Riches and Honour therefore never made me fet one grain of value the more upco my felf, than if I had h&tn. without them. I efteemed it as an Inftrument, that being put into a Wife, Prudent, Faithful, and Li- beral Hand, might be of ufe ; but gave no more value to that inherent Worth of the Man, than the Ax or the Saw gives Skill to the Carpenter. 4. I efteemed all the Wealth and Honour that I had, but intrufted to me by the Great Mafter of the World I a Talent which thou committed'ft to me as thy Steward*^ and upon account • and this Confideration caufed me to judge and efteem of my Wealth, and difpenfe the fame quite in another way, than is ordinarily done. I. I did not efteem my felf the Richer at all for my Multitude of Riches • I efteemed no more given me tnan what was in a reafonable manner proportionable to niy Neceffities, to my Charge and Dependance, and to the Station I had in the World • all the reft I looked upon as none of mine, but my Mafter's ; it was rather my Burthen than my PolTeffion ; the more I had, the fnore was my Care, and the greater the Charge that I had 2,5:0 The Account of had under my Hands, and the more was my Solicitude to be a Faithful Steward of it, to the Honour and Ufe of my Mafter ; but my part was the leaft that was in it; Indeed [ rejoyced in this, that my Mailer efteemed me Wife and Faithful , committing the Difpenfation thereof to my Truit ; but 1 thought it no more mine, than the Lord's Bailiff,, or tae Merchant's Caih>keeper thinks his Matter's Rents or Money his. 2. And therefore thought it would be a breach of my Truft to confume or imbezle that Wealth in Excef- live Superfluities of Meat, Drink, or Apparel, or in ad- vancing my felf, or my Poftcrity, to a maffie or huge Acqueil. 3. But I employed that over-plus in fupport of the Miniftry, iw Relief of the Poor, in Redemption of Captives, in placing Children to School and Apprentice, in fetting the Poor on work ^ and with fubmiffion to thy Wifdom, I thought that this latter was an equal, if not a greater Charity than the encouragement of idle cr difTolute Perfons by liberal Supplies : becaufe it kept them in their way that Wifdom and Providence hath de- ilgned for the Children of Men. 4. And in fhofe Employments of Men in their La- bours I ftill h^ld this courfe : i. To allow them compe- tent Wages. 2. That the greateft Expence fhould be rather in the Labour than in the Materials. 3. That the Nature of the Work (hould be fuch as might bring me in a return of Profit, cather than of Curiofity : Becaufe the Proceed might be a Stock for farther Charity or Publick Advantage. But rather than the Poor fliould want Employment and Subfiflence, I thought it allow- able to employ them in fuch Labours as might yield them a Lawful Profit , tho' it yielded me only a Lawful Contentment ^ as in Building, Planting, and the like Honeft, tho' not altogether Profitable Employments ; in all which my principal Defign was the Support of others, and the Good Steward. ^fi and my own Contentation was only a Concomitant of it ,• and I thought fuch an unprofitable Contentment law^ fully acquired , when it was attained by the honeft La- bour and convenient Profit of thofe that I employed, f. And by this Confideration , I kept my Heart from ma- king my Wealth, either my Confidence or myTreafures - I kept a loofe AfFedion towards it : If I had ic,Iefteem-' ed it as thy Defofitum , an Increafe of my Account and Care ; if I loft it without my own Folly or Fault, I look- ed upon that Lofs as a Difcharge of fo much of my Ac- counts and Charge, I had the lefs to anfwer for. 5". I efteemed my Wealth : i. As uncertain to contmue with me- for it hath its Wings, and mighc take its flight, when I little thought of it. 2. As that which I muft leave when I die.' 3. As not ufeful after Death for any purpofe whatfoever unto me. 4. As that which makes me obnoxious to Envy and Rapine, while I live. 5-. As Unufefui at all, but when it is go- ing away ,• 'viz., in the Expence of it. 6. As a great Temptation to Pride , Vanity , Infolence and Luxury. And upon all thefe , and many more Confiderations, I ever thought it too low to fet my Heart upon it , and too weak to place my Confidence in it. When I had It therefore , I received ic Thankfully, ufed it Soberly and Faithfully • when I loft it , I loft it patiently and contentedly. ~ 2, In as much as my Wealth in fpecie muft be left when I die, and I could not poffibly carry that Lueeage mto the other Wofld ,• and if I could it would not ba ot ule there, I endeavour'd fo to order and husband it^ that I might receive it, though not in kind, yet by way of exchange after Death ; and becaufe I -found in thy Word, Luk. 12. 33. Matth. 6. 20. i Tim. 6. 18, 19. that he that gtveth to the Poor , ien^eth to the Lord, Prov. 19. 17. And he that^ glveth to a Prophet but a cup of cold Tvatcr in the name of a Prophet , ^wuld receive a Prophet's: Reward, Matth. 10. 41. J have taken that Courfe, fo to 2, 5* 2. 'The Account of to difpofe this unrighteous Mammon here^ chat I might make the God of Heaven my Debtor, not by Merit, but by Promife ,• and fo I have made over chat great Wealth that thou didfl fend me, unto the other World \ And blelTed be thy Condcfcenfion to thy Creatures, that when thou makcft us thy Debtors and Accomptants in this World, by thy Talent of all kinds that thou delive- reft us , thou art pleafedupon the Performance of our Duty in that Truft , to make thy felf a Debtor to thy Creature, by a Promife of an Everlafting Reward. 1 6. Tcuchlng my Eminence of Place or Power in this IVcrldy this is my AccompiJ-'' ' ' %. I never fought or defired it ^ and that upon thefe Reafons. i. Becaufe I eafily faw that it was rather a Burthen than a Privilege ; it made my Charge, and my Accompts the greater , rny Contentment and Reft the lefs: I found enough in it to make "me decline it in re- fpe6l: of my felf, but not any thing that could invite me to feek or defire it. 2. That External Glory and Splen- dor that attended it, I efteemed as vain and frivolous in it felf, a Bait to allure vain and inconfiderate Perfons to affed and delight, not valuable enough to invite a con- fiderate Judgment to defire or undertake it. I efteemed them as the Gilt that covers a bitter Pill ^ and I looked thro' this Drefs and Outfide , and eafily faw that it co- vered a State obnoxious to Danger , Solicitude , Care, Trouble, Envy, Difcontent, Unquietnefs, Temptation and Vexation. I efteemed ( it ) a Condition, which if there were any Diftemper abroad, tney would infallibly be hunting and pufhing at it ; and if it found any Cor- ruptions within, either of Pride, Vain-Glory, Infolehce, Vihdi(ftivenefs , or the like , it would be fure to draw them out, and fet them to work ^ which if they prevail- ed, it made my Power and Greatnefs not only my Bur- then, but my Sin ,• if they prevailed not, yet it required a moft watchful, affiduous , and fevere vigilant Labour and Induftry to fupprefs them* 2\ When the Good Steward 255 2. When I Undertook any Place of Power or Emi- nence, firft I looked to my Call thereunto, to be fuch as i might difcern to be thy Call , not my own AmbitioiL 2. That the Place were fuch as might be anfwercd by fuitable Abilities in fome meafure to perform. 5. Thac my End in it might not be the Satisfadion of any Pride, Ambition, or Vanity in my felf ,• but to ferve thy Pro- vidence and my Generation honeftly and faithfully. In all which,my Undertaking was not an Ac^t of myChoicc, but of my Duty. 5. In the Holding or Exercifing of thefe Places, i. I kept my Heart humble ^ I valued not my felf one Ruft the more for it. i. Becaufe I eafiiy found that that bafeAf- fe(5lion of Pride, which commonly is the Fly that haunts fuch Employments , would render me difiionourable to thy Majefty, and differviceable in the Employment. 2. Becaufe I eafily faw Great Places were flippery Places, the Mark of Envy. It was therefore always my Care fo to behave my felf in it , as I might be in a Capacity to leave , and fo to leave it, as that when I had left it, I might have no Scars and Blemifhes flick upon me. I carried therefore the fame Evennefs of Temper in hold- ing it^ as might become me if I were without it. 5. f. found enough in great Employment^ to make me fenfi- ble of the Danger, Troubles, and Cares of it ; enough to make me Humble, but not enough to make rne Proud and Haughty. 4. 1 never made ufe of my Power or Greatnefs to ferve my own Turns, either to heap up Riches, or to opprefs my Neighbour, or to revenge Injuries, or to uphold or bolfter out Injuftice ,♦ for tho' others thought me Great, I knew my felf to be fiill the fame, and in all things, be- sides the due Execution of m,y Piace^ my Deportment was juft the fame, as if I had been no fuch Man. For firft, I knew that I was but thy Ste\Vard and Minifter,and placed there to ferve thee and thofe Ends which thou propofedft in my Preferment ^ and not to ferve my felf, much lefs my X5'4 ^^^ Account of my Pa (lions or Corruptions. And further, I very well and pradically knew, that Place, and Honour, and Pre- ferment are Things extrinfecal, and have nolngredience into the Man : HisValue and Eftimate before, and under, and after his Greatnefs, is ftill the fame in it felf, as the Counter that now (lands for a Penny, anon for Six pence, anon for Twelve-pence, is flill the fame Counter, tho* its Price and extrinfecai Denomination be changed. y. I improved the Opportunity of my Place, Emi- nence, and Greatnefs to ferve Thee ^nd my Country in it, with all Vigilance, Diligence, and Fidelity ,• protect- ed, countenanced, and encouraged thy Worftiip, Name, Day, People : I did faithfully execute Juftice according to chat Station I had ,• I refcued the Opprefled from the Cruelty, Malice, and Infolence of their Oppreflbrs • I cleared the Innocent from unjuft Calumnies and. Re- proaches ,- I was inilrumental to place thofe in Offices, Places , and Employments of Truft and Confequence, that were honefb and faithful ,* I removed thofe that were difhoneft, irreligious, falfe, or unjuft : I did difcounte- liance , and as they juftly fell within the Verge of the Law, I punifhed p'rophane, turbulent, atheiftical, licenti- ous Peribns. My Greatnefs was a Shelter to A^irtue and Goodnefs, and a Terror to Vice and Irreligion . I inter- pofed to cool the Ferocity and Violence of others againft good Men , upon Miftake,. or flight and inconfiderable Differences : In fum , I fo ufed my Place and Great- nefs^ and fo carried my felf in all things , as if all the while I had feen thee, the great Mafter of all the Fami- lies in Heaven and Earth ftanding by me. 1 often com- fulted my Inftrudions by thy written Word, and theim-* partial Anfwers of my Confcience ; and Iftri^^Iy purfued it ; and when I found my felf at any time at a Lofs, by reafon of the difficulty and perplexity of Emergencies, 1 did in an efpecial manner apply my felf unto thee for Advice and Diredion. the Good Steward, ^cc 27. Touching my Reputation and Credit. ; I. I never afFeded the Reputation of being Rich, Great, Crafty, Politick ,• but I efteemed much a defer- yed Reputation of Juftice, Honefty, Integrity, Virtue and Piety. ' 2. 1 never thought that Reputation was the thing pri- marily to be looked after in the etercife of Virtue • for that were to afFed the Subftance for the fake of the ShadoWj which had been a kind of levity and impo- tence of Mind ,v but Hooked at Virtue, and the Worth of it, as that which was the firil deilrable, and Reputa- tion as a handfome and ufeful Acceffion to it. 3. The Reputation of Juftice and Honefty I was a!- ^ dnng Thy Pleafure on my Holy Day, and call the Sabbath a delight ; the Roly of the Lord, honourable ^ and jh alt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleafure, nor fpeaking thine own words ; then fl^alt thou delight thy felf in the Lord, and I will caufe thee to ride upon the high places of the Earth, and feed thee with the Heritage of Jacob thy Father j for the mouth of_ the Lord hathfpoken ir» S 5 And z6S Poems upon Chnjlmas-Day. And thus I have written to you of the Obfervation of the Lord's Day ; wherein, tho' I have omitted ma- ny things that might have been fit to be inferted , yet you muft confider that I had but a fmall Portion of Time allow'd me to write, while I lay at an Inn, and upon that Day wherein I have perform'd thofe Duties^ which I now enjoin you. Let the Original be laid up fafely for your Brother R. and every of you take Copies of it, that you may thereby remember the Counfels of OBoher 20. Tour Loving Father, 1662. Poems upon Chriftmas-Day. L Chrift. m Lryilghty God, when he had rais'd the Frmfje "1"-^^^' £\ Of Heaven and Earth, and furnifhed the fame 10s I' With Works of equal wonder, framed then A Piece of greater Excellence^ call'd Man ; Gave him a Comprehenjtve Soul, that Joar a Above the Creatures, and beheld his Lord ; Infer ib'd him with his Image, and did fill The Ccmpafs of his InteHeB and Will With Truth and Good ', ^ave him the Cufiody Of. his own Blifs and Immortality. And ju fly now his Sovereign might demand Suhje^iion and Obedience at his Hand ^ Were only Being given, 'twere but right His Debt of Duty f)ould be infinite : But here was n)cre, a fuper- added Drejs Of Life, PerfeBion, aiod Haffmefs. Tet this Great King, for an Experiment Of Man's deferv'd Allegiance, is content To ufe an eafy Precept, fuch as food Both with his Creatures Duty and his Gcod : Forbids Poems upon Chrijimas-Day] x69 Forhids one Fruit on pain of Death, and gives Freely the reji^ which he might eat and li've. But Man rebels, and for one Tafie doth chufe - His Life, his God, his Innocence to Irfe. And now death-ftricken like a wounded Deer^ Str icily purfud by Guilt, and Shame and Fear, He feeks to lofe himfelf • from God he flies, And takes a Wildernefs of Miferies ,• A Land of new Tranfgreflons, where his Curfe Is clofer hound, his Nature growing worfe. And whilfi in this Condition MaJikind lay, A Manfiould think his injur d God (l)ould fay, There lies Accurfed Man, and let him lie Entangled in that Web of Mifery Which his own Sin bath fpun : I muft be True And^ Jujl ; Unthankful Man, thou hafi thy Due, But 'twas not fo. Though Man the Ma fiery With his Creator s Tower and Will dares try, And being over- matched with Vovjer, difdains To feek a Pardon from his Sovereign * The Great and Glorious God, the Mighty Kin 2 Of Heaven and Earth, de/pi/d by juch a thing As Man, a Worm of his own makings breaks^ The Rules of Greatnefs, and his Creature feeks. His froward Creature ; not in fuch a way As once he did in the Cool of that Day Wherein Manfinnd, and hid \ fuch Majefty Had been too great for Mans Necejfity. But the Eternal Son of God^ the Word, By which all things were made, the Mighty Lord^ AlTumes oar Flefh, and under that belays. And hides his Greatnefs, and thofe Glorious Rays Of MajeBy, 7vhich had been over bright. And too refplendent for poor Mortals Sight : And under this Difguize, the King of Kings The Mejfage of his Fathers Mercy brings ; Sollicits Mans Return ; and pays the Frke Of bis Tranfgrejfion by the Sacrifice S 4 . Of ^^P Poems upon Chrifimas-Day. Of his oTvit Soul I and undertakes to cure Their Sitty their Feace and Pardon to procure | To conquer Death for hint ; and more than this, Jo fettle him in Everlafting Blifs. And now, O Man, could this Excefs of Love, Thy Thankfulnefs to fuch a Height impro've. That it could f re thy Soul into one Flame PfLove, to only him that bought the fame At fuch a Kate 5 yet ft ill it -were too fmaU To recompence thy Saviours Love withal : Once did he give, thee Being from the Du/i, And for that only Being 'twere hut juft To pay thy utmoft [elf : But when once more Thy Being and thy Blifs he did reBore ' By fuch a Means as this, it doth bereave Thy Seul of Hopes of Recompence, and leave Thy Soul infolvent. Twice to him this Day Thou ow'[i thy f elf yet but One f elf can ft pay, II. Without The Prince of Darknefs^ /^i^'^ 'ii'ith Vi^ory Date. In our fir ft Parents fir [I Ap oft acy, XJfurp d a Lawle/s Sovereignty on Man, Revolted thus from his fir (t Sovereign : And iho by that Apoftacy he found. Under the Chains of Death his Vafial hound ^ Yet to fecure his Empire, he oreffreaU The World with Darknefs, and thereby did lead His Captives as he f leafed : Thus he bears His Rule ufurped near Four Thoufand Tears ^ Except fomef mall confind Plantation, Within a Family or Nation, But now to put a Period to this Reign Of this Ufurper, and reduce again Man to his juft SubjeBion ; 'tis decreed T^hat Man from this SubjeBion jhall be Free'd ; And this not by the abfolute Command Of an immediate Power, norfiallthe Bands . Of Poems upon Chrlfimas-Day. zji Of Angels Glorious Hofis engaged be To refcue man from this Caftizfitjr : Bat God an unfufpe(3:ed Means intends. And yet mofi fuitahle unto this End. Sin fiaind our Nature y and ths Serpents 'wiU Did Man of Innocence and Life beguile * By Man his head is crujh'd ; the Lawful Lord Xffito his Creature J Man to his Life reftord ^ A Virgin's Son is Born : This Rijing Sun, 7 he Worlds inthr ailing darknefs overruns • A Child to us is Born^ whofe Innocence^ Our Natures fpot and ftain doth purge and cleanfe ^ His Wounds , our Cure ; his Bonds , our Liberty y flis Death becomes our Life, our ViBory, And this is he whofe Birth we celebrate^ And from this Day our Happinefs do date^ 111. Reader y behold and wonder. There was ope ^""|J|- Obliged to his Vrince^ and him alone 16^6. In all the Bonds 7vhich Duty, Gratitude^ Or Love could f aft en * fuch as might exclude All thoughts of a DefeBion * yet this Man Breaks all ,• rebels againfl his Sovereign ; He flies ^ is apprehended ,• fentencd* caH ^ And die he mufi ; the final Sentence pa/i Knows no reverfal. Lo ! in that very Now, Wherein the Offender waits his fatal blow ; The injur'd Lord doth fubftitute his own. His only Son, into the Trifmersroom, Who takes the blow due to the Traitor, dies. The Traitor s punifhment to fatisfy. The Cafe is Mine and Thine, By all the Bands Of Nature y Love and Covenant, we Hand Engaged to Almighty God ; we fell From that Allegiance when we did rebel Againfl his Law in Adam : By that Law We were condemn d to die ,* no help we faw, Or '%%% Poems upon ChnJImas-cfay. Or hope of refcue : Then did his Majefty- Unveil the admirable My fiery Of our Redemption : The Eternal Son Of the Eternal God defcends ; becomes ^ Man for our fake^ and in our siead doth ft and ^ And lilt erceptexh from his Father s handy Ihat firoke that was our due^ becomes the Price Of cur Redemption^ and our Sacrifice, IV. ^a'^^Da ^^^^^ Jbeginfadly to think upon j^52. ^^^ Bleffed Saviour s Incarnation, How he, that was before the World began. In time affurnd our Flejh, became a Man ; And in one Perfon, owe Immanuel, God in his Creature did together divell ; I . That fir ange defcent, when he was pleased to take His Creature s Nature for his Creature's fake. And tread thofe Heps of Birth and Infancy ^ Which Mortals walk^ and after all to die^ And fuch a death I the wonder doth a'maz^e My Thoughts, whilfi on this Myflery they ga-xj:. Bleffad Creator I what had it been to Thee, If Man had never been, or if that he. Once faU'n and loft, had lain Eternally Under his jufl deferved Mifery ? But if thou wilt thy Creature have reflord, Can no lefs ratefuffice ? Mufl the great Lord Of Heaven and Earth, to compafs fuch an end. So uiidefervd beneath himfelf defend ? And if he mufl, yet why fo low ? the Son Of the immortal God, Man to become ? Had it not been defcent enough for him To take the Nature of a Seraphin ? Or if no other Frame or Nature can Serve our Redeemer s work, but that of Man j Tet wherefore mufi our Blejjcd Lord be led Through all thofe weary fieps^ which Mortals tread. Of . -J- Poems upon Chriftmas-Day] 2,73 Of Infancy and Youth ^ and j^ge, the path T^hat Nature Jince the Fall obtained hath ? Or rather had gone hy thofe ftep of Nature y And had afurnd that ripenefs and that fiature That Adam had at firfi^ and fo faji hjy And mlft thefe Natural Infirmities ? Or if that might not he, yet why begins Our Lord his Infant- days thus in an Inn ^ A Stable, and a Manger ? To fi from thencs To Egypt for his fafeguard and defence ? His Education mean ,• and as his Tears Increafe, fo do his Sorrows and his Tears y Unt ill it 7V as full Tide, that hitter day, Wherein the Servant did his Lord betray ? Why was he not as foon as born, Vroclaim'd EartFs Mighty Monarch ? and then entertain d With all the outward Glory and Renown, That could attend on an Imperial Crown I Why did not all the Emperors and Kings, Their Sceptres, and their Tribute hither bring To make him Great ? Silence thy ^eft, and knoWy The greatefl Worldly Glory was below The Glory of the Kingdom he deflgnd, A Kingdom feated in the Soul and Mind : A Heavenly and Eternal Kingdom, fucb As doth excel all Earthly Pomp as much As light excelleth darknefs *, nor is this All that in this difcent inclofed is : Our Saviour s free and great abafement proves And magnifies that great excefs of Love He bare to Man, when for his only fakcy So poor, fo low an Ec^uipage he takes • Obliging Man by fweet, yet powerful chains ■ Of Love and Gratitude to htm again, V. The Word was Gody and yet made Flejh, a firange ^as-Da Myferious change, and yet without a change : 1667. ^^' Two Joh. 1. 14* n 1^74 Poems upon Chrijimas-Day. Two Natures y God and Man, mofiftriBlyjoind Into one Verfon, yet dljiinEi remain d. But -why this great ConjunBion } or what end Could counters ailit ? what did it fort end Of equal moment ? or what great event Requirdfuch means for its accomplifioment ? Was it to fave foor fallen Man ? Alas I A Wormy a (inful Worm ; one that Hill was A Rebel to his Maker, How could he For Love or Fity hope ? much lefs to he Redeem' d at fuch a Rate ? But if he Jhould Hope for a Tardon, yet his Sovereign could On eafier terms , Life and a Vardon give ; ^6 ^^^ ^"^^ 'u^ord could bid and make him Live, Teace hufy thought Sy this depth is too profound For you to fathom I Angels cannot found This Ocean ; But yet, if needs you will Be roving after it, and fe arching fiill. Let this compofe you : God's defign /&fre/«. Next to his own dear Glory, was to brin? Man to enjoy his Maker, the chief Goody Wherein alone his Bleff Condition flood , Which once he had, and loft ; andfince no way We have our God again to re- enjoy. But him to know and love ; each circumflance In this defign are fitted to advance Thofe two important Means ; and yet becaufe The Wife Creator feldom breaks thofe Laws Himfelf hath fet, he chufeth to improve, And to advance that Knowledge and that Love In this great Work, by Means of fuch a rate As mighp he powerful, yet accommodate And proper to our Nature *, fuch as take Andjuit beft with his Creatures frame and make. Should God in his bright MajeHy appear Know- To teach us him to know, we could not bear Itdge. j-j^^ brightnefs of his Glory ', that pure Light Would diffifate our Nature y or fiffrighty Injlead Poems upon Chriflfnas-Dayl' x/j Inflead of teaching us : Again, jhould we Learn only from a Mortal Many 'twould he Too weak and impotent. God therefore chofe A middle w ay y namely to interpofe A Veil of flejh before that Majefiy^ Which if a Mortal Jhould hut fee^ he dies. * This Veil the Glorious Son of God doth take^ Exodus And under it with Men converfe he makes, a 3. 20, Shews them his Father s Will. And none fo fit To teach us what to know of God^ for it Lay hefi within his Knowledge. This he fpeaks Not in the "voice of Thunder , neither breaks Into Seraphick Raptures , but complies With human Methods ^ cloaths great My^eries In plain Di/courfes ; ufeth Arguments That are mofl forcible to gain ajfent From human deafen ; gently fioops to Senfe In miracles y the greatefl evidence Of Truth our Nature knows, and in this ft ill And gentle Voice ^ his Hearers Souls he fills llaian4.2. With profitable Truths ; yet to evince That God was in that Voice, and evidence His Mifiion and his Do^rine both Divine^ i Kings He lets fo much of's native Glorj Jhine, ^9' '2-. Re framed through this cloud of flejh , fuch light As fweetly might convince, but not affright. And fine e our Maker knows, nothing incites Our Love with p;reater fervour, nor invites Our human Nature more, than when we fee Surpajfmg undeserved Love to be FirBJhown to us, he chufeth to exprefs His Love fo highly to us, and to drefs The whole Oeconomy of Mans Redemption With fo much tendernefs, fuch cojjdefcenfiony Such matchlefs infiances that did excel Example, never had a paralleL "Poor wretched Man ! Thou waft a loft, undone, "DijirejJ'ed, wortblefs, fallen Creature, one That ^7^ Poems upon Chrlflm as-day. That had'fi rebelled again ft thy God, and though Under the Chains of Death thou did/i net kjiov Nor feel thy bondage^ that did'fi rather [corn Then feek a Fardon ; yea in this forlorn Efiate of thine ^ thy injur d Maker fends His Son to feek and fave thee : He defcends To fa'ue his Rebel ; though he did not need, He feeks thy Love, becomes a Man to bleed And die for thee, an Enemy that never So much as asked help, and to deli'uer Thy Soul from endlefs Death, and with bis o'ivn Abafement to procure for thee a Crown, And tell me now, if ever any thing Could be contriv'd by lefs than Heaven to bring Alan to retur7j and love his God, that fits So n^ell our frame, or that jo kindly hits Our hefl- aff'eBions Jirings. Sure none but he^ Who knew, becaufe he made our hearts, could fee. What might endear it moji, exaBly knew All the approaches, every avenue That gives accefs to it, could only frame A means fo fuit able to win the jame. Met h inks in this defign I cannot tell. Whether the Wifdom or the Love excel ; Both wonderful, and both may jufly move. And raifs our Admiration and our Love. And he that thinks but of it, and yet can Deny his dear-bought Love, hath put off Man, VI. ChriiN ^ jj^^ ^^^ ^y Righteoufnefs when he arofe 166^, ■^^ ^^^^ Horizon here, did not difclcfe Himf elf with fplendor : There's no Court pre par J, Nor Jlately Edifice, orStru^ure reard For his Reception : This great Potentate, And Frince of Heaven and Earth afumes no Staii When he affumes cur Nature, but conceals His Oriental Lujire under Veils ,An4 , Poems upon Chrijlmas-Daj. ^77 And Clouds of Lowlinefi ; Fir[i he takes J<}ot the Afigelick Nature, hut he makes Our Flejl] his Mantle, where he doth infold That Light ivhich Seraphims cannot behold Without amaZjCment ; and this he ajfumes Not from fowe Trincefs decked with Plumes Of Honour and of Wealth ; hut from a low And "poor, though nohle Virgin j and if now We think his Birth in fome great Court to find. We are decei'vd, foor Bethle'm /> defignd For his fir fi breath ; and in that Town an Inn-, And in that Jmi a Stable ; there begins This blefi Epiphany • the World affords No better room to entertain her Lord. And now, if only on the Hiftory i We gaz.e, we look too JJjort ; the Myftery L fruitful : Chrifi began to Teach And Be at once, and ere hefpake to Vreacb. It doth command thy Faith_, when thou do si fez EffeBs of great eft weight produced to be From things without all human Grandeur, then Thou mu[i fubfcribe, the power is not of Men, But God. Great confequents do then fpeak beff^ Almighty God, when Man they do fpeak lea[^. Again, it gi^jes thee a true eftimate 0/ Worldly Pomp, bids thee not over-rate That Vageantry : The Lord who can beH try. And value what is heft, did-pafs it by. Again, thy Saviours InfcWt-Pattern tells What his Difciple's Duty is, how well Humility becometh thee, whe7J he The Prince of Life and Glory, chofe to he ■ Thus bumble ', 7vhtn he put on FlejJj, it chides And checks, and jhamts poor fooliflo Mortal's Pride. Laftly, this miracle of Love fJwuld fire Thy Heart ipith Love again, and with defres • Of fuitable returns ; and yet if Hill It doth exceed thy power as fure it will; Tet ajS Poems upon Chriflmas-Dayl Yet fuch a Heart becomes a Sacrifice Accepedy and thy Dther wants fupplies^ VII. Chrift- When the great Lamp of Heaven yt he GloriousSunj mas-Day, fiad touched his Southern Feriod^ and begun i66i. jjj leave the Winter Tropicky and to climb The Zodiack's afcending Signs y that time Jhe brighter Son of Righteoufnefs then chofe His beams of Light and Glory to difclofe To our dark lover World j and by thofe Rays To chafe theDarknefsy and to Tfiake it Day. And leH the Glorious and Refplendent Light Of his Eternal Beams y might be too bright For Mortals eyes to gaze upon ^ he Jhrowds And cloaths his fiery Fillar ivith the Cloud Of Human Flejhy that in that drefs he may Converfe with Men, acquaint them with the way To Life and Glory y Jhew bis Father's Mind Concerning them, how Bountiful and Kind His Thoughts were to them j what they might expcB From himy in the Obfervance or Negle6l Of what he did require j a7%d then he Sealed With his deaf Bloody the Truth he had revealed, VIII. Chrlft- When tbe Almighty doth his firfl-born bring mas-Day , j^^^ ^^^ World, behold how every thing ■^ ^'* Doth firive to bear him Witnefsy and proclaim Heb. 12. j'^^f fjji^ ^as He on whofe mo ft healing Namey y^ Mans Reftitution lay ; the Woman s Seed 'Promised in Eden ^ thus it was Decree' d : To print an Eminence upon that Day, Within whofe Womb fo great concernment lay, Andfirfl thofe Prophecies that feem'd to lie - In a long fie epy the Day-fpringfrom on high ''* '■ Summons them up y to Bethrm they are Jenty And there they read their own accQmplifiimentV . Her4 Poems upon Chrijlmas-Day. 2,79 IJere Abraham yj;;^j his Fromls'd Seedy in 'whom Gen.iaJ* The Nations Blifs was wrap ; David his Sony pf^'/^* ^* And yet his Lord ; Jacob' j dim aged eye Gen. 49. Beholds his willed '^YiWo ^ Jeremy, 10. The Lord our Righteoufnefs ^ Ezekiel, Jf''- ^3* ^» His Kingly Shepherd ; Efay, Immanuel, ff/'^"^*^^' The Virgin s Son ^ wife Daniel, 7vhile hefeeks, Dang 25! He finds within the compafs of his Weeks Meffiah'j Birth ^ where Micah'j Prophecy Mic. $, 2. Before Trecifely fixt it, Malachy, Mai. 3, i. The lafi of all the ancient VrophetSy here Of the New Covenant finds the Mejfenger^ Thefe^ and an Army more of Prophecies y Like Stars of feveral Magnitudes arife From federal Periods , and then fix their Station^ Conjoin d in one great Conftellationy Juft over Bethle'm with that Eafiern Star, And jointly fing. We here fulfilled are. Hither comes alfo Mofes with a Train Of Ty^ts and Sacrifices y which contain Hcb.io.i. Shadows of that great Prophet he foretold ; Dent. 18. This Day unveils their Face and his^ unfolds *^' Their Myfleries ^ and here with one confent They puhlijh all ; Lo ! this was he we meant, j ^ The Bleffed Angels /rcw the Heavens dejcend, ,^ ^'^' The Prince of Heaven s Birth-Day to attend • And cloath'd with Light and Glory y they became The Heralds thofe glad Tidings to proclaim Unto the watchful Shepherds : Forthwith they i^ukci 15 To Bethle'm, as direfled, hafie awajy i5. * And find as they were toldy and every wherCy What they had feen and heard they do declare. And that the Heavens y as well as Angels y may Contribute fomewh at to this folemn Day, A Star is horny that neer before appear d, IVhofe fourfe fo wifely through the Air is fleer d ^*"^' *' To Bethle'm, that by it, as by a thread. The Eaftern Wife-men thither juft are hd ^ Numki^, * And 17. ^oo Poems upon ChriftmasJay. And there it makes a halt j and fo do theyy Luk ' -^ To Jacob's Star^ while they their Homage fay » CoJ/i.'ic.^^^^" ^P^^ Mary to the Temple wenty Her, and her Maker s Fir fi- born to prefent. Thither by fecret Providence are brought Simeon and Anna, that of lon^ had [ought For Ifrael'/ Confolnticn ; there the}' fee The Hope they fought y and witncfs this is He, Thus did our Lord no fooner land among TJs Mortals, hut immediately a Throng Of jlrange and wonderful Conjunclures fwarm To this Divine AttraclivCy and alarm The unexpecting World ; that he for whom The World was made, into the U^orld is come, A thing exceeding Wonder, therefore ft That Wonders Jljould attefi and publipj it. IX. Pate. Reader, The Title of this SoleTnn Day, And what it doth import, doth bid thee Hay, And read, and ironder. 'Tts that My fiery. That Angels gaz^e upon ! Divinity Affuming Human Flejl) I TU Eternal Son Of the Eternal God is Man become. But 7vhy this jlrange Afj'umption ? Or what End ^ Equivalent could ?nake him to defend So far beneath himfelf, and equalize The Miracle of fuch an Enterprise ? Tet Hay aiid wcndtr I Undeferved Love To Man, to finful Man, did only move Ihis Stoop from Heaven to Earth ,* and aU to w'n- ^ And refcue loH and fallen Man from Sin, And Guilt, and Deaths and Hell ; and re-inHal Him in that HaVpinejs lofi by his Fall ; And greater, everlafiingly to dwell In Blefj'ednefs : So that thou canfi net tell Which of the two the greater Wonder proves. Thy Saviour s Incarnation, or his Love, Rut Poems upon Qhriflmas-Day. %%i Eiit hoth conclude thou dcfi not gi've^ hut pay A Dehty in the Ohfervance of this Day. X. When GrtTit'E'^ Qr\ts occur y or only fucb Without As do concern our fel'veSy we think not much Date. iCo print their Memories upon that Day Tearly, "wherein th-y happen^ that it may Become a Living Hiftoryj and tell To After-ages "what long fince hefel : But this Great Day'j Infcription doth out-vicy And filenceth all other Hlflory ; It bears the Memory of that Great Day, Wherein, when all Mankind enclofed lay Under the Curfe of God, tb" Eternal Word Did here ajjume our Plejh^ and Nature's Lord Subfcrih^d to Natures Laws ^ is Born, and Dies^ To refcue us, that were his Enemies, Immanuerj Birth, the Day-fpringfrom on hi - • Their fearch into the Things they meant y whereby Together with the Signs, the Memory And Evidence of Things of Note might rMch To after-times, and Frove as well as Teach, Thefe great Examples feem to juftif;^ Such unforbidden Signs y to teftify T 4 Our iZ6 Poems upon Chnjf mas-Day. Our Faith and Jcy. But yet this is not all This Feaft JGfigm ; hut it "doth chiefly . 3 50 Of Moderation of the Affedions, p. 351 Of Worldly Hope and Expectation, p-}^^ Upon Heh. XIII. 14. We have here no continu- ing City, /- 366 Of Contentednefs and Patience, /^- 3 72. Of Moderation of Anger, p, 3 74 A Preparative againft AfHidions, /^- 377 Of Prayer, and Thankfgiving , on Pfalm CXVI. 12. 7^-4^? Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. />. 419 A Paraphrafe upon the Lord^s Prayer, p, 541 AK 295* A N ENQ_uiRy touching Ha ppiN ESS. /jl I. j4 NY Man that compares the Perfe<51:ion of the Huma7t Nature with that of the Animal Nature, willeafily find a hx greaterExceJIence in the for- mer than in the latter: For, i.The Faculties of the former are more Sublime and Noble. 2. The very External Fabrick of the former much mere Beautiful and fuller of Majefty than the latter. 5. The latter feems to be in a very great meafure ordained in Subferviency to the former : Some for his Food, fome for Clothing, feme for \Jit and Service, feme for Delight. 4. All the in- ferior Animals feem to be plac'd under the Difcipline, Regiment, and Order of Mankind : So that he brings them all, or the mod of them, under his Order and Subjedion. 2. It is therefore Jaft and Reafonable for us to think^ that if the inferior Animals have a kind of Felicity or Happinefs ^ttcndVn^ their Being, and fuitable to it, that much more Man,the nobler Being. fhould not be deftitute of any Happinefs attending his Being, and fuitable to ir* 3. But rather confequently, that Man, being the no- bler Creature,{hould not only have an Happinefs as well as Inferior Animals', but he fliould have it placed in fome more Noble and ExceilentRank andKind than that Wherein the Brutes have their Happinefs placed* 4. It is plain that thsi Inferior Anl?r,als have a Happinefs br Felicity frop ^rtionateto their Nature and Fabrick ^ which as they exceedingly defireXothey doin a great meafure Enjoy : Namely, a fenfible Good, anfwering their fenfi- ble Appetite. Every thing hath Organs and Inftruments anfwering to the \Jk and Convenience of their Facul- ties ji Organs for their. Senfe and Local xVlotion,and for *' U iheif ^^6 Art Enquiry touching Happinefs. their Feeding, for their generation of their kind j Every thing hath its peculiar InfiiriBs and Connatural Artifices and Energies for the Exercifes of their Organs and Facul- tieSjfor their Prefervationand Nourifliment: Every thing hath a fupply of External ObjeEls anfwering thofe Facul- ties, Defires, and Inftindls; Meats proper for their Nou- riQiment ,• Places proper for their Repofe ; Difference of Sexes in their feveral kinds anfwering their Procreative Appetite : And moft commonly fuch a proportion of Health and Integrity of Nature, as goes along to that period of time alloted for their duration ^ and in default thereof they are for the moft part furnifhed with Medi- cines naturally provided for them, which they naturally know and ufe, fo that they feem to want nothing that is neceffary to the Complement of a Senfible Felicity. It is true, they are in a great meafure Suhje^ed to the Dominion of Mankind, which is fometimes over feverely exercifed^ but then they have the Benefitof Supplies from them, Protedion under them, and, if they meet not with Mafters more unreafonable than themfelves . they find Moderation from Them, They are alfo expofed to the Rapine one from another, thQ weaker Bea(ts,Birds andFifhes, being commonly the prey of the greater: V. Laftant. ^^ but yet they are commonly endued with opific.Dei.c.2. isjii-nblenefs, Artifices or Shifts to avoid their Adverfaries. But be thefe what Abatements of their Senfible Happinefs may be, yet they have certain Nega- tive Advantages that conduce very much to their Happi- nefs, or at leaft remove very much of what might abate it, and thereby render their fruition more free and per- fea and uninterrupted ; for inftance, they feem to have no Anticipations or Fear of Death as a common Evil in- cident to their nature : They have no Anticipations of Dangers till they immediately prefent themfelves unto^ them : They / have no great fenfe or apprehenfions of any thing better than what at prefent they enjoy .- They are not under the Obligation of any Law , or under the Senfe of any fuch thing, and confequently the Sin- cerenefs of what they enjoy , not interrupted by the ftrokes Ah Enquiry touching Happinefs. x^y ftrokes of Confcience under a fenfe of Deviation from Duty, or Guilt. 5. It is therefore plain, that if the Human Body have no greater or better Happinefs than what is accommoda- ted only to a Senfible Nature, they have no greater Hap- pinefs than the Beafts have, which is not reafonably to be fuppofed for a Nature fo far exceeding them. 6. Farther yet • if Human Nature were not under a capacity of a greater Happinefs than what is terminated in Senfe, Mankind were much more Unhappy than the bafeft Animal ; And the more Excellent the Human Na- ture is above the Beafts, nay, the more excellent any one individual of the Human kind were above another; the more miferable he were, and the more uncapable ofbe- ing in any meafure Happy : For the more Wife and Sa- gacious any man were, the more he muft needs be /^«- fible of Death y which fenfe would fowre all the Happi- nefs of a fenfible Good ; the more fenfible he muft needs be, not only of the fhortnefs and uncertainty of fenfible Enjoyments, but alfo of their Poornefs, Emptinefs, In- fufficiency , Diffatisfadorinefs. It is evident, that a Fool fets a greater rate upon a Senfible Good, than a Man truly Wife, and confequently the Fool could be the Only Man capable of Happinefs : For it is molt certain^ that ac- cording to the meafure of the eftcem that any Man hath of any good he enjoys, fuch is the meafiire of his Happi- nefs in that Enjoyment, fmce the Happinefs is fomewhat that is intrinfecal to the Senfe or Mind that enjoys it. A thing really Good can never make that Man Happy, who is under a Senfe of Evil or Inconvenience by that Enjoyment^ fo long as he is under that Senfe. Since therefore it is prepoilerous and unreafonable to fuppofe, that Man, the beft of Terreftrial C'eatures, and Wife Aien, the beft of Men, fhould be ExCiUded from at leaft an equaldegreeof Happinefs with the Beads rhat perift; and lince it muft needs be^that a bare Senfible Good can never communicate to a Man an Equal degree of Happi- nefs with a Beaft^ not to a Wife Man an Equal degree of Happinefs with a Fool j it remains, there muft needs in c U 2 common ^9^ ^^ Enquiry touching Ilappinefs, common reafon be fome orherSubjed wherein the Map- pinefs of a Man, of a Wife Man, mult confjll.thac ic is not barely Senllble Good. 7. All the good things of this Life, they are but Senfible Goods, and therefore they cannot be the true matter of that Happinefs which we may reafonab'y think belongs to the Reafonable Nature as fuch : the former will ap- pear by an Induction of Particulars'^which 1 fhall purfue in order, with the particular Indances of their Infuffici- encies to make up a true Happinefs to the Reafonable' Nature, as well as that General, that they arc but Sen- fible Goods^ and meeriy accommodated to a Senfible Life and Nature. ^ I. Lifeit felfis not fach a fufficient condituentof Flap- pinefs: And the Inftanceis evident,becaufe it is poliible that Life it felf may be miferable': There may be Life v/here there isSicknefs, Pain, Difgrace, Poverty, and all ^ thofe External Occurrences that may render Life Grievous and Burthenfome. Life may indeed be the Subjed of Happinefs, when it hath all thofe Contribu- tions that concur to make it fuch ; but Life alone, and as fuch, cannot be Happinefs, becaufe there may be a A4iferab!e Life. 2. Thofe Bona Corporis or Compojiti^ the Goods of the Body, are not fufficient to make up a fuitable Happinefs to the Reafonable Nature ,• as Heulth^ Strength ,• for the Beads themfelves enjoy this, and for the moll part, the Brutes enjoy a greater meafure of thefethan Mankind • and befides (till, there is that which is like the Worm ac the root of the Gourd, that fpoils the Happinefs that muft arife from it^ Viz,. Mortality and Death, which wiii cer- tainly pull down this Tabernacle j and Man hath an un- intermitted Pre-apprehenfion of ic, which f(5wers the very Enjoyment ic felt. And in this as hath been (aid , the Beafts that perifn have a Pre-eminence over Mankind ; for chough both are Mortal, yet the Bead is not under that Pre-apprehenfion of it that Man inceffantly hath, wliereby this Fruition of that Happinefs of Health is the more fmcere^and this Confideracionmuit run through ?i\[ thofe An Enq^uiry touching Happinefs. zpp thofe other Contributions of Senfible Goods^that here- after follow. And as for Beauty^ the Happinefs thereof as it is bur fading and empty, fo the Felicity that it gives, is not to the Party that hath it, but to others^ un» to whom perchance it may be a delightful and amiable Spectacle, but not to him that hath it, , ^. There are a fecondary fort of Bodily Goods^name- \y, Flea fires of the Senfes^as delightful Meats,Drinks,Sights, Mufick, pleafant Odors, and other Gratifications of the Senfitive Appetite ; or Luft, as the Luft of the Flefh, the Luit of Revenge, the Luft of Defire, &c. Thefe cannot make up a competent Happinefs to the Human Nature, I. They are but Ser^fible Goods.common to the Beafts as well as Men. 2. Though they may be competent to make up the Happinefs of the Senfible Nature,yet they are not fuch to Reafonable Nature ; becaufe they are ftill accom- panied with a prefent concurring Senfe of Mortality, which imbitters their very Enjoyments,and renders them infipid, if not bitter. 5. The wifer the Man is, the lefs he values them,and conlequently are at befl a Happinefs to Fools, and fuch as are degenerate from the Noblenefs of the Human Nature into the degree of Beafts, by fetting an Over-value upon theni. Again, 4. They aretranHent, and the Happinefs of them is only before thefe Enjoy- ments y when they are enjoyed to Satiety, they lofe their Ufe and Value. 5*. ThciQ place72t^fenf us, efpecially of the Senfual Appetite, are not for their own fakes,but in order to fomeching elfe, I'iz. To invite and excite the Appetite in order to the Prefervation of the Individual, or the Species ; and therefore cannot be in themfelves in Relation to a Reafonable Nature any Happinefs, fmce they terminate in fomething elfe. 4. Thofe Bona Fortune, as Wealth, Honour, Power, cannot at all pretend to make upaHappinefs for theRea- fonable Nature ; for though in truth we'do not find fo eminently, in the Animal Nature , any fuch thing as Wealth or Honour^ but only fomewhac Analogical to it, as in Ants and Bees ; yet thefe are of a far inferior Na- ture to the Bom Corporis^ whether Health or Pleafure ; U 3 for 300 An Enquiry touching Happinefs. for they are in their true Ufe only in order to them/ The primary Corporal Good is Health, and Converfati- on of the Individual in his Being ; next to that, and in- deed in order to it, are the Refrefliments and Supports by Eating and Drinking. Wealth again is Subfervient,and in order to that, 'viz,. to have a convenient Store and Provifion for the fupply of the Exigences of Naturejand preferving the individual : What is more than Neceflary for that, is Superfluous, Vain, and Unneceffary. Voiver again is only defirable to fecure thofe Provifions from Rapine and Invafion : So that in truth thefe are fo far from making up a Happinefs, that they are only Provifional, ai)d in Order to thofe Goods of the Body,which are be- fore ilievv-n. incompetent to that End ,• and without that Refpeffk they are vain and impertinent things. But be- iides this, th^:Q are certain Speciiical Defeds that ac- company thefe Goods,, that render them utterly uncapa- ble of making up a Happinefs to Mankind : i. It is im- poffibUt rhey can be as large as the Humane Nature ; becauleunlefs cherc were fcme^Poor,none could beRich ; iinleisfome V:/ereUnder,there could be none in Power ; if all \vere equal in Weaich and Power, there could be T\o fuch thing a:> Wealth or Power : And confequently the iiippnficion of Happinefs in thoffi who are Rich or Powerful, would exclude the greatefl part of Mankind from any fnare in that which muit make up their com- rnon Happiatfs. 2. in the fruition of all Wealth, Ho- nour and Power, befides tho, common fate of Morcaiicy, which imbittcrs their very Enjoyment, there is annexed a certain peculiar Infelicity that renders them uncapable of making up a Happinefs : For, i. They are the com- mon mark of Covetoufnefs,Envy, Ambition, and Necef- fity, which moll ordinarily render Rich andPowerfuI,and- Great Men, lefs fafe than, others, and ordinarily they ftand totterring dangeroufly,2nd fubject to fall. 2. There is always Care and Anxiety attending the Poileflbrs of Great Honour, Wealth, or Power, which imbicters the very Enjoyment, and puts it our of the capacity of being a Happinefs ; for it is impoflible thatgreatCares and great An Enquiry touching Happinefs, 301 Fears can confift with true Happinefs. And thus far of Senfibie Goods. 8. Befides thefe Senfibie Goods, there feem to be two forts of Goods that Mankind is peculiarly capable of, which are not common to the Beafts ; 'viz.. Firft, the Good of EHeem, Glory and Refutation, wherewith perchance the Beafts are not afFeded, though fome feem to have fome- thing analogal to it ^ but this cannot at all make up a Happinefs to the Human Nature : 1. Becaufe it is not accommodate to all Ufes and Exigents : Laudatur & aU get. 2. Becaufes it refides not in the Party, but in thofe who give it ; a Man may have a great Efteem with others, and a low Efteem of himfelf. ;. It is of all others the moft brittle and unftahle Poiieffion : Thofs that perchance defervedly give it, may undefervedly re- fume it : A Word or Action miftaken by others, a falfe Report, Envy, Emulation, want of Succefs in any one A6^ion ,• the mif interpretation of the Superior or the Vulgar, may quite overturn the greateft, and perchance moft deferved P^epuration, and render a Man more de- fpifed and contemptible than he was before Eminent or Efteemed : He that bottoms his Happinefs uponfuch an unftable Blaft, inherits the Wind. 9. But yet there fare) certain Bona Anima which are competible to Man, but not to Beafts, which are of two kinds, according to the two great Faculties in Man, his Underftanding and Will ,• 'vl'z.. Knowledge, and Moral Virtues j and although thefe are excellent Goods,yet(ex- clufively of true and found Religion) they cannot make up that Happinefsjwhich we may reafonably judge to be proper and fpecifical to the Human Nature: Firft,There- fore for Knowledge^ there are thefe Incompetences in it, in reference to our Happinefs : i. Our Knowledge^ is very little and narrow in refpcc^ of the Objed of it : What we know, is the leaftpart of what we know not : Though we daily converfe with Things Natural, even with the Frame of our own Bodies, we fcarce know the nature, or caufe, or motion of any one Nerve or Mufcle. 2. Even in thofe things we think we know, our Know- U 4 ledge 302. An Enquiry touching Happinefs. ^edge 15 vervDark andUncertain ^ and from thefe arifqth, 3 Thar our increafe in Knowledge is our increafe in Sorrow and Trouble : Trouble to attain that littleKnow- ledge we have, and Sorrow in that we acquire no more. 4. The whole Scheme of Knowledge we attain, for the moft part ferves only the Meridian of our (hort^unftable uncertain Life ; And what kind of Happinefs can that be, which while we are attaining^we cannot fecure to be of any long or certain continuance, and vaniflieth, or proves utterly unufeful when we die ? Of what ufe will then the Knowledge of Municipal Laws, of Hiftory, of Natural Philofophy, of Politicks, of Mathematicks, be in the next World, although our Souls furvive us ? , As to the 2. Namely, Af^r^/ Virtues -^it is trUQjJri/lotle, I. Ethicor. cap. 7. tells us that Happinefs, or Blelfednefs is the Exercile or Operation of the Reafonable Soul, ac- cording to the beft and mofl: perfect Virtue, in 'vita per- fetfdy in a perfed Life ; But he tells not what that ^ita perfecia is, not where to be found , and yet without ic there is no Happinefs. But even this exercife of Virtue (though much more nobi^ than the bare habit of Virtue, which is but in order to Action or Exercife ^ifconfidered fmgly and apart^and abilradively from theReward of it,is not enough to con- ftitute a H'^ppinefs fuirable to the Humane Nature. I. Tiie Actions of Virtue for the mod part refpect the Good and Ben^^fit of others more than of the Party th^t exercifeth them, as Juftice, Righteoufnefs, Charity, Li- berality,Forcitudejand principally (if not onlyJRchgion, Temperance, Patience, and C 'ntentation,are thole Vir^ tues that advanrage the Party himfeif ; the reft mofl: re- fpect the Good of others. 2. We find ic too often true, that moit good Men have the lead fnare of theComforts ■ and Conveniences of this Life , but are expofed (nvjny times even upon the account of their very Virtues ) to Poverty, Want, Reproach, Negled, fo that their very ::iues are occafionsofcencimes offuchCalamities which -:uri needs abate the Perfe/flion of Lifv% which is a ne- ^eiTary ingredient; into Happinefi. 5. But if chcir Life ■ .'....■ ' • • ' be An Enquiry touching Happtnefs. 303 benotrendred grievous upon the account of theirVirtues yet they are not thereby privileged from many Calami- ties^ which render their Lives unhappy, and oftentimes render them uncapable of the Exercife of thofe Virtues, which muft take up their Happinefs : Poverty difables them from Ads of Liberality ; Neglect and Scorn by great Men and Governors render them uncapable of Ads of diftributivejuftice; Sicknefs and tormenting bo- dily Difeafes many times attack them, and render their Lives miferable^and many times difables even their very Intelleduals ; and to thefe difafters they are at leafl: e- qually liable with others ; and if all thefeCalamities were abfenf,yet there are twoftatesof life,which they muft ne- ceffarily go through.if they live, that in a great meafure render themnecelTarily uncapable of thefe A dions ofVir- tue, namely, the Paflions and Perturbations of Youth, and the Decays and Infirmities of Old Age. 4. The higheft Good attainable by the exercife of Virtue in the Party himfelf, is Tranquility of Mind ; and indeed it is a noble and excellent Portion ; but as the cafe ftands with us in this Life, (without a farther Profped to a Life to come,)even fuch a Tranquility of Mind is not perfedly attainable by us, and hath certain appsndances to it,that abate that fincerenefs of Happinefs thatisrequirabkin it, to compleat the Happinefs of the Human Nature : And thefe are principally thefeTwo. i.Theneceflity that we are under fconfidering the weaknefs of our Nature) by our daily Failings, Errors and Sins, to turn afide from the PerfedRuIe ofViftue,- whereby we are under a kind ofMoralNeceffity of violating or abating thatTranquili- ty of Mind j fo that it feems in it felf morally impoffible either fully to attain of, or conftantly and uniformly to hold that Tranquility of Mind. 2. Still xMortality, Death, and the Grave terminate this Felicity, if it only refpeei thisLife,* and the fear and pre-apprehenfionoffuch a ter- rnination fdwres and allays even that Felicity , which Tranquility of Mind otherwife offers: This fear and an- ticipation of Deachfas the Apoftle fays, Heb. 2,) detains Men Captive all the days of their Life , and in a great meafure 304 Ah Enquiry touching Happinefs. meafure breaks that Traquility of Mind , which is the Conftituent of this Happinefs. A^ain^ though Virtue, and Virtuous Adions have had their Elogia by excellent Philofophers, Orators^ Poets 3* and we are told by them, that Si Virtus oculis cerneretur ^ it would appear the mod beautiful thing in the World; yet it hath had but few Fol- lowers in refpedi of the reft of the World ,• and poffibly would find a much colder Entertainment^ if the Recom- pence of Reward were not alfo propounded with it,and believed ^Therefore there is and mu ft be fome what elfe be- ildcs bare Platonick Notions of Virtue^ and naked Propo- fals of it, that muft give in a Conqueft over the Satifadi- on of our Lufts and Pleafures^ efpecially in theTime of ourYouth and Strength, and before Old Age overtake us. And hence it is, that in all Ages wife Rulers and Go- vernors have annexed fenfible Rewards and Honours, and fuch Things as have a lively and quick Relifh with them, unto the Exercife of Virtue. And hence it is, that the moft wife God himfelf hath not propounded Virtue and Goodnefs to the Children of Men, fingly, as its own and only Reward ; but hath alfo promifed, and really and efFe<5tually provided aRe- compence of Reward for it, that Happinefs which I have been all this while in queft after ,* and hath made Vir- tue and Goodnefs the Way , the Method to attain that Happinefs, which is in truth the End of it. Upon the whole matter I therefore conclude. That the Happinefs of Mankind is not to be found in this Life ,• but it is a Flower that grows in the Garden of Eternity, and to be expeded only in its full Complement and Frui- tion in that Life which is to fuccced after our bodily Dif- folution : That altho' Peace of Confcience, Tranquil- lity of Mind, and the Senfe of the Favour of God, that we enjoy in this Life^ like the Bunches of Grapes brought by the Spies from Canann^ are thePrelibations and Anti- cipations of our Happinefs, yet the Complement of our Happinefs conlifts in the Beatifical Vifion of the Ever- bleffed God to all Eternity j where there is a Vita ferftBa, a perfea Life, free from Pain, from Sorrow, from Cares, from Of the Chief End of Man. 30^ from Fears, 'vita perfeBa, a perfed Life of Glory and Immortality, out of the reach or danger of Death, or the lofs of that Happinefs, which we fliall then enjoy in the Prefence of the ever Glorious God , in whofe Prefence is Fulnefs of Joy, and at whofe Right Hand are Pleafures for evermore. Amen. Of the Chief End of Man, what it is : And the Means to attain it. THESIS I. T^he Chief End of Man^ is to Glorify God^ and ever- laflingly to Enjoy him. WHen we come to any reafonable meafure of under- Itanding.the nrftqueftion we propound concern- ing the A(3:ions of our felves or others,is to enquire con- cerning the End , why this or that is done : And the propounding of an End to what we do, is one thing that gives us Reafonable Creatures a privilege above the Beafts : And th^ wifer we grov,^ , the more we en- quire after, and propound to our felves more excellent Ends, and of the more Concernment. The End which moft concerns us to enquire after, is the End of our Being, Why or for What End we were made : For as that is the thing of the greateft Moment to us , fo the Ignorance or iMiftake therein is of the greateft Danger. Now touching this End of Man, we muft know. 1. That in all wife Workers that ad by Deliberation and Choice, the appointment of the End of any Wori^ belongs to him that makes it. 2. In as much therefore as Mankind is in its Original theWorkmanfhip of God, therefore it belongs to him to appoint the End of his ownWorkm^pfhip ; and of him it inuft be enquired. 3, That 30(5 Of the Chief End of Man. 3. That in as much as God is the wifeft Worker^and in as much as Mankind is a Piece of excellent Workman- fhip ; It becomes the Wifdom of God , as to appoint Man to an End of his own defigning, fo to appoint him to an End anfwerable to the Excellency of the Work ,• an End as much above other Creatures^ as Man exceeds them in Worth and Excellency. So that certainly Man is ordained by God to an End^ and to an excellent End , beyond the Condition of o ther Inferior Creatures ,* for we fee them all appointed for the Ufe and Service of Man , to feed and cloath, and heal and delight him. What therefore is common to the Beafts as well as Man^ cannot be the End of Man. The Beafts Eat^ and Drink;,and Live^ and Propagate their Kind with as much Delight, and much more Contentment than Man: They are free from Cares and from Fears, which Man is not ; and tho' they die, fo doth Man alfo ; Therefore, to live, and eat, and drink, and perpetuate their Kind,is too low an End for Man. And if fo, then much more is ic below him to make W^ealth, and Honour, and Power his End ,• for they are but in Order to his Temporal Life here , either to provide for it , or to fecure it. And befKiCs that, they cannot anfwer the Defires and Conti- nuance of an Immortal Soul^ which Man bears with him ; And hefice grows the Wearinefs , and Vexation , and Unquietnefs, and Reftlefnefs of Man^ in the midit of all Wealth, and Honours, and Pleafures : Therefore there is fome other End, to which Man was appointed. Which is^ I. In reference to God , To glorify him. 2. In refe- rence to Man i- An Everlafting Enjoyment of God. I. To Glorify God, two Things are confiderable. I. What it is for Man to Glorify God. I. There is a Glorifying of God, common to all the Works of God, in as much as they all bear in them the vifible Footfteps of the Power, Wifdom, and Goodnefs of God. Thus the Sun and Heavens glorify God, Ffd, 19. 2. There is a Glorifying of God properly belong- ing to lntelled]:ual Cfeatures, Angels, and Men. I. In Of the Chief End of Man. 307 1. In his Underftanding ; whereby he learns to know God in his Word, and in his Works, his Power, Good- nefs, Wifdom and Truth ; and with his Heart admires, and v^ith his Tongue praifeth him. 2. In his Will ; whereby he fubmits to him, Worfiiips, Fears him , and in the Courfe of his Life Obeys him ; whereby he acknowledgeth his Sovereignty, and fubmits to it, Vfal. 5'o. 25. He that cjferethVraife glorifieth him, and to him that ordereth his con'verfation aright , will I (hevj the fahation of God. Both thefe are imperfedly done here, but fliall be perfedly done in the Life to come. 2. Why the Glorifying of God is made the Chief End of Man. 1. It is the Chief End that God propofed in all his Works of Creation. Trcv, 16.4. He made all thirjgs fcr Himfelj ; that is, his own Glory ; In his Works of Pre- fervation and Providence, Ffal. 5*0. 15*, Cell uf on we in the day of trouble , I 7vill deli'ver thee, and thou fijalt glorify me. In his Works of Redemption , Ephef, i. 6. To the praife of the Glory of his Grace , "whereby he made us accept^ ed in the beloved. In his Work of Sandification, Matth, 5". 16. That men feeing your Good Works , in ay glorify your Father which is in Hea'uen. 2. It is but juft it fliould be the Chief End of Man to glorify God ,• becaufe it is a mofl: reafonable Tribute to pay to him , for all his Mercies and Goodnefs : From him we receive our Being, and all the Bleflings cf it , and it is but jUil of God to require, and for Man to perform, the due Acknowledgment of theGoodnefs oi thacGod from whom he receives rhsm^ which is his Glorifying of Gcd, 2. To enjoy God for e'uer, I. Two Things are to be explained, i. TVbat it is to enjoy God. 2. Why this is Part of the Chief End of Man ? I. To enjoy God, is either, 1. In this Life ; which is to have Peace with God, AiTurance of' Reconciliation with him : For then we hayePeave with our felves^Con- tentment and Q^uietnefs of Soul, Accefs to him ?s to cur Father for all w-"e want, and Hope and Ailurance of E- verlaflinR Life , which will make the Ccmforts of our Life 3o8 Of the Chief End of Man. Life fafe, and the Affli^ 1 3 a j • • largely confider'd. ^^ ^^^ ^'^^^ ^/ ^^^- And omutmg many others, we infift on thefe prin- cipally. 1. In the Writings of Men, efpecially when written by feveral Men at feveral Times , their Writings do fel- dom or never agree , but differ and crofs one another. And the Reafon is, becaufe they are writien by feveral Men , who are all guided by feveral Minds and Judg- ments. But the Scriptures, though written by feveral Men in feveral Ages, many unacquainted with one ano- thers Writings , yet they all covfent and fpeak the fame Truth ^ which is an Evidence that it was One and the fame Spirit that did didate them. 2. It is not poflible for any Man, without Revelation from God, to foretel Things to come. Now thefe holy Writings /i^rf/^o/^ things that mufi certainly come to pafs in their feveral Seafons , tho' many Generations after the Prophecy written ,• therefore they were written by In- fpiration from God. As forinltance, ih^Bahjlonian Cap- tivity, Of the Chief End of Man. 3 1 3 tivity , and the Deliverance from it, by Jeremy • the Terfian and Grecian Monarchy, by Daniel ,• the Birth and Death of Chrift^ the final Deftrudion of Jerufalem, and Difperfion of the Jews, the Converfion of the Gentiles, by Ifaiah^ and the refl; of the Prophets. 5. The Matter contained in thefe Holy Writings, is that of the greateft Importance ,• the Will of God con- cerning Man 5- the Difcovery of the Creation of the World by God , of Affurance of the Life to come • of the Means of Peace between God and Man. Thefe are Things of the higheft Concernment in the World, yet Things which cou'd never be dlfcover'd but by God him- felf 5* and fuch as never any Writings of Men only ever could difcover, or durft pretend unto ^ The Height, and Rarity, and Excellence^ and Weight of the Matter of thefe Books , do evidence that they wxre the Reve- lations of God to Man, and by his Providence com- mitted to Writing , and deliver'd over to Mankind, as the Rule to attain their Chief End. 3. As the Rule to attain our Chief End muftcome from God ^ and as the Scriptures of the Old and Ne-w Te^ Hamtnt are the Word of God ; fo we fay, That thefe Scri^ ftures are the Rule, and the only Rule to attain our Chief End. Good Books of other Men, good Education, good Sermons, the Determinations of the Church, are good Helps ^ but there is no other Rule but this. It is by this Rule we muft try other Mens Books and Sermons, yea, the very Church it felf Thus the Bereans tried the Do- iftrine of the Apoftles themfelves by the Scriptures which they then had, and are commended for it, JBs 17. 11. And Peter prefers the Evidence of the Scriptures before a Voice from Heaven, 2 Tet. i. 18, 19. And Chrift him- felf appeals to the Seriptures,to juftify himfelf and hisDo-^ drine, jGh.6. 59. And if the Scriptures be the only Rule, I. Then not a Natural Confcience, efpecially as the Cafe now ftands with Mankind ; for that is many times corrupted and falfe principled, puts Good for Evil, and Evil for Good : It is, and may be a great Help, Guide and Dire^ion, not a perfed Rule* X ^ 5e Then 3 14 Of the Chief End of Man. 2. Then not the Writings and Traditions of Men • God that appoints the End , and Means , mull be the Difcoverer of the Means of our Salvation. 3. Then not pretended Revelations : Thofe may be Mens Imaginations, or the Devil's Delufions ; to pre- vent and^ difcover which , God hath fet up this great and ftanding Revelation of his Scriptures. 4. Then not the Church : For that may err ; and it hath no way to evidence it felf , but by the Scriptures, which are its Foundation. The Bufinefs of Man's Salvation is of that Impor- tance, and the Wifdom of God fo great , that he will not commit fo weighty a Matter to fuch uncertain Rules as thefe, but hath provided one of his own ma- king, the Holy Scriptures. THESIS II. 7 he Principal SuhjeSf of the Scriptures is. What Man is to Belie've concerning God ^ and what Duty God requires of Man, It is the principal Subjed of the Scriptures, i. Be- caufe it is of the greateft Importance and Concernment. Ecclef. 12. 15. Let us hear the conclufion of the whole mat" tetyFear God and keep his Commandment s ^ for this is the whole Duty of Man. Fear God , which cannot be without the Knowledge of him ^ and keep his Commandments, which contains his Duty of Obedience to him. 2. Be- caufe all the other Matters of the Scriptures have a kind of Dependance upon, and Connexion v/ith this princi- pal Matter, or Subjec^h But though this be the Principal Matter or Subject of .theScriptures,yet they alfo contain very many other Mat- tersy that do very much concern us to know and believe ; as namely, What we are to underftand concerning our felves, the State of our Creation, the Fall of Man, the State wherein that Fall hath put ail Mankind, the Means of our Recovery, the Immortality of theSoul, the Refur- redion, the different Eltate of the Good and Bad after Death, Of the Chief End of Man. j 1 5* Death,the Hiftory of the Church and Houfhold of God* from the Creation of Man, till fome Thirty Years after the Refurre^ion of Chrift, and divers other and necef- fary Matters to be known^ both for our Direction, In- ftru^Uon, and Comfort. And as the Scriptures do principally teach the Know- ledge of God, and our Duty, as the principal Subject ^ fo they do principally teach it above other Teachings or Means. It is true, that the very Light of Nature doth teach us much of what is to be known concerning God, and our Duty to him : As namely. That there is a God, and that there is but one God ^ That this God is the firft Caufe^ and alfo the Preferver of all Things ; That he is Eternal, without Beginning or End ,• Infinite, Spiritual, without Mixture, moft Perfed:,* and therefore moft Free, moft Powerful, moft Holy, moft Wife, moft Juft, moft Bountiful and Merciful. And upon all thefe Grounds, the Light of Nature teacheth,that he is to be Honoured, to be Feared, to be Worftiipped, to be Obeyed. This the A poftle file ws us, kcw. 1.20. For the in^ifihk things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly Jeen^ being underwood by the things that an made^ e'ven his eternalVuw^ er and Godhead^ fo that they are without excufe. And this Light of Nature gives this Manifeftation of God, i. By the Works of Creation and Providence. 2. By the Working of the Confcience. 3 By a Traditional De- livery over of fome Truths from Man to Man ,• which by the Study and Pains of fome wife Men and Lawgi- vers, raifed up by the Providence of God , have been perfected and deliver'd over to others. But che Vreeminence of the Scriptures in their Tnftru<5lion of Mankind in the Knowledge of God, and his Duty to God, appears partly in thefe Confiderations. I. The Knowledge the Scriptures give in thefeThings is more eafy to be attained ,• becaufe it fcts down thefe Truths plainly, that the moft ordinary Capacity m-.y un- derftand : Whereas theKnowledge of thefe I hings by the Light of Nature, is more difficu!t,requires muchObferva - lion and Induftry, and Attention, deducing and drawing X 5 down 3i6 Of the Chief End of Man. down one thing from another, and fo arriving at their Knowledge by much Pains and Study. 2. The Knowledge of thefe Things delivered by the Scnpiureyismuchmore full a fid p erf eB than thatKnowledge which can be attained by theLight of Nature ,• as appears in thefeTwoRefpeds. i. ThofeThings concerningGod, that the Light of Nature doth in fome meafure difcover, are more fully, compleatly and clearly difcover*d by the Light of the Scriptures. 2. The Scriptures do difcover thofe Things concerning God, and his Works, and our felves, that were never difcover'd, nor indeed difcovera- ble by theLight of Nature^ which as they are of greateft Importance to be known , fo being difcover'd by the Scriptures, they do wonderfully clear and fatisfy the De- feds of the Light of Nature. As for inftance in both l^inds : TheLight of Nature difcovers that there is a God ; but the manner of his Subfiftence in Three Perfons, yet in Unity of ElTence, is only learned by the Scriptures. The Light of Nature difcovers, that he is the firft Caufe and Preferver of all Things ,• but the manner how all Things were produced, and when, is only learn'd by the Scriptures. The Light of Nature tells us, that this God is to be worfhipped and obey'd ; but in what manner he is to be worfhipped, and the Particulars of hisCommands wherein he is to be obey'd, it difcovers not, or, at leafl:, very darkly : The Scriptures only (hew us clearly the Manner of his Worfhip , and the certain Rule of our Obedience. The Light of Nature (hews us, that there is a great Defection and Diforder in our Natures ; but whence it did arife, or how it is to be help'd, the Scri- pture only teacheth. The Light of Nature fhews bs that 3II Sin is an Offence againft the Purity, Juftice, and Will • of God, and therefore deferves his Anger and Difplea- fure ; but how the Guilt of Sin may be done away, and the Favour of God again procured , is not within the Reach of the Light of Nature to difcover, but is only learn'd from the Scriptures. The Light of Nature teach- eth , that furely there is a Reward for the Righteous, and a Punifhment for the obltinate Sinner ; but how ic ftiall Of the Chief End of Man, jif fliall be inflicted, and when, and how Mankind fhall be put into a .Capacity of Receiving Rewards and Punifh- ments by Refurredion from the Dead, the Light of Na- ture difcovers not, or at bail but darkly and diffidently, and confufedly ; the Light of the Scriptures only dif- covers all plainly, clearly, and evidently. Thefe and divers other Truths are difcover'd in the Scriptures; which the Light of Nature, either not at all, or if at all, yet but darkly pointeth at. :;. The Light of Nature is very uncertain, and eafily corrupted, either by Lufts, or Weaknefs, or Variety of Imaginations. And from hence grew all the falfe Gods,' falfe Worfliips, and Idolatries, and Superftitions among the Heathen, that were only led by the Light of Nature, changing theTruth of God into a Lye, and changing the« Glory of the Incorruptible God into an Image made like to a corruptible Man, Rom. i. 23, 2^. But the Light of the Scriptures is an unchangeable , ftahle^ fixed Lights nota- dulterated, nor to be corrupted ; but tho' Mens Imagina- tions and Fancies be as unliable as the Waters , and thereby corrupt and pervert themfelves ,• yet the Light' of the Scriptures continue firm and liable, unchangeable in the Succeffions of Thoufands of Generations. Now the things that the Scriptures thus principally teach^ are Two , in order to the Two great Powers or Facul- ties of Man. I* In order to his Underllanding, what is to be believed, and to be believed principally touching God. 2. In order to his Will , or Pradical Faculty, What God requires to be done. As touching the former, What is to be believed ? Be- lieuingj and Knowledge^ and Gfinion^ differ in this : 1. Knowledge is that whereby we certainly know any thing to be, or not to be, by cur Senfes, or Reafon, ot Experience. 2. Opinion is a doubtful uncertain Perfuafion of Mind that any thing is, or is not ; yet not without a mixture of Doubting or Dillrull. ;. Belief is a certain Perfuafion of the Truth of any ■ thing, upon the Credit and Authority of another. Now X4 if 3 1 8 Of the Chief End of Man. if we be affured, that whatfoever God faith, is mod cer- tainly true , fas needs it muft be , becaufe Truth is an Effential Attribute of God ,•) and if we be perfuaded fure- ly, that thefe Scriptures are the Word of God^ then of nece/Iity we muft believe whatfoever Almighty God in the Scriptures reveals : And this is Belief. So that the very fame Truth that may be known by Reafon or Ob- fervation , may likewife be believed as revealed in the Word of God. Tho' many Things are to be believed, becaufe revealed in the Scriptures,which cannot be fully demonftrated by Reafon. Thus tho' it be partly evident to Reafon that God made the World, and fo is the Ob- jedi of our Knowledge ^ yet the fame Truth, as reveal- ed in the Scriptures, is to be believed, and fo is the Ob- jed of our Faith. Heb. ii. ;. Through Faith we underfland that the Worlds were framed by the word of God ,• that is. We do acknowledge and fubfcribe unto it as true ,• be- caufe God in the Scriptures, which are his Word, hath revealed and difcover'd it unto us. And as touching Things to be done, the Duty God requires of us, here is the difference between theVerformance of Duties, by a Man believing the Scriptures, and another Man. A Believer doth a Good Work, ( for example, a W;_ .k ^f Mercy) and a Heathen, or another Moral Man, do'li a.c fame Work ; and yet tho' the Work be , for the Matter, the fame, they very much differ in the Value : The Believer underftands by the Word of God, that it is a Duty enjoined him of God to be merciful , as our Fa- ther who is in Hea'ven is Merciful ; he believes it to be the Command of God, and he doth it in Obedience to that Command, and fo it is accepted of God j but another Man many times doth it , or may do it, not upon the fame account, but it may be meerly upon the Inclina- tion of his Natural Temper, or for Vain-Glory ,• and fo it IS not fo much an A61 of Obedience to God, as Love to himfelf. And therefore in the former, it is xh^Obedience of F\ath^ in the latter, an Adion of Nature. ECCLES. 319 ECCLES. XII. Rememher now thy Creator in the Jays of thy youthj ■while the evil days come not^ nor the years dravo nigh^ when thou (halt fay^ I have no pleafure in them. TWO Things are principally commended to us in this Text. I. A Duty enjoy ned , To Rememher our Creator. 2. The principal Seafon of that Duty, The days of our Touth. Which Seafon is recommended for this Duty by way of Preference above the Evil days ; not as if the Remembrifjg our Creator were unfeafonable at any time ^ but becaufe the time of our Youth is more feafon- able than that Evil Time, or thofe Evil Days, wherein we fhall fay, We have no fleafure in them, I. The Duty enjoyned,is to Rememher our Creator '^SNhich imports two things : i. To Know our Creator ^ for we cannot remember what we have not fome knowledge pf. 2. Remember him, often to call him to mind. I. The former part of this Duty is to know our Creator, Thisis that which AgedD^i;/*^ recommended to his young Son Solomon f i Chron. 28. 9. jind thou Solomon my Son, know thou the God of thy Father, And we have two excel- lent Books, wherein the Knowledge of God is difcovered to us • the Book (f his Works, the Works of his Creation and Providence ; and the Book of his Word, contained in the Scriptures of the 0/Jand New Teftament, wherein he is more fully, and explicitly ^and plainly difcovered unto us: Thefe Books we are often to read and confider.And this is the chief Reafon,whyUnderftanding and Reafon is given unto Mankind, and not unto the Beafts that fe- rijlj ', namely, that we might improve it to the attaining of the Knowledge of Almighty Godwin the dueconfide- ration of the Works and Word of God ,• and hereby we learn his Eternity,his Infinitenefs, hisWifdom,hisPower, his Goodnefs, his Juftice, his Mercy, his All-fufficicncy, his jia Upon Ecclef. XII. i" his Sovereignty, his Providence, his Will, his Purpofe concerning MankincJ, his Care of them, his Beneficence towards them. And the Nature of this Knowledge is not barely Speculative, but it is Knowledge that is Opera- tive ,* that perfects our Nature ,• that conforms it to the Image of that God \^e thus know ; that fets Mankind in its due State and Station ,• keeps it in its juft fubordina- tion unto the God we thus know, which is our greateft Perfe<5tion. This Knowledge muft neceflarily make us k)ve him, becaufe he is Good, Merciful^ Bountiful, Be- neficent ; and therefore the Wife Man chufeth to exprefs him by that T\i\toi Creator fiom whom we receive our very Being, and all the Good that can accompany it. This Knowledge teacheth us to be thankful unto him,as our greateft Benefador ,• to depend upon him, becaufe of. his Power and Goodnefs ; to fear him, becaufe of his Power and Juftice^ to obey him, becaufe of his Power, Juftice,and Sovereignty ; to walk before him inSincerity, becaufe of his Power, Juftice, and Wifdom. In fum, the feveral Attributes of Almighty God to ftrike upon the choiceft Parts, and Faculties, and AfFedions, and Ten- dencies of our Hearts and Souls, and to tune them into that Order and Harmony that is beft fuirable to the per- feding of our Nature,and the placing of them in a right and juft Pofture, both in relation to Almighty God, our felves, and others. 2. The fecond part of our Duty is. To Remember our Creator thus known ^ which is to have the Senfe and Ex- crcife of this Knowledge always about us ^ to fet Al- mighty God always before our eyes, frequently to think of him, to make our Application to him : For many there are that may have a knowledge of God, but yet the exercife of that Knowledge is fufpended jfometimes by Inadvertence and Inconfideratenefs, fometimes by a wilful Abdication of the exercife of that Knowledge. And thefe are fuch as forget God, that have not God in all their Thoughts , that fay to the Almighty, Depart from us^ we dejirc nQ$ the Knowledge of thy Ways. The upon Ecclef. XIL i^ 311 The Benefits oftbisRememhring ourCreator^^ve very great : I . It keeps the Soul and Life in a Conftant, andTrue, and Regular Frame. As the want of the Knowledge, fo the want of the Remembrance of God, is the caufe of that Diforder and Irregularity of our Minds and Lives. 2.And confequently, the beft Preventive of Sin, and Apoftacy, and Backfliding from God, and our Duty to him. 3. It keeps theMind and Soul full of conftantPeace andTran- quility, becaufe it maintains a conftanf,humbIe,and com- fortable Converfe of the Soul , with the Prefence and Favour of God. 4. It renders allConditionsof Life com- fortable, and full of Contentment, becaufe it keeps the Soul in the Prefence of God, and communicates unto it continuailnfluxes of Contentment andComfort ; for what can difturb him, who by the continual Remembrance of his Creator , hath the conftant Acquaintance with this Power, Goodnefs, and All-fufficiency ? j. Though no Man hath ground enough to promife to himfelf an Im- munity from Temporal Calamities, yet certainly there is no better expedient in the World to fecure a Man againft them, and preferve him from them than this : For the moft part of thofe fliarp Afflidicns that befal Men, are but to make them Bememher their Creator when they have forgotten him , that he may open their Ears to Difcipline, and awake them to Remember their Creator, Read Job 55. A Man that keeps about him the Remem- brance of his Creator , prevents in a great meafure the neceflity of that fevere Difcipline. 6. In fliort,this Re- membrance of our Creator, is an Antidote againfl: the Allurements of the World , the Temptation of Satan, the Deceitfulnefs of Sin. It renders the beft things the World can afford inconfiderable, in comparifon of him whom we remember ; it renders the worft the World can do, but little and contemptible ^ fo long as we Re^ member our Creator^ it makes our Lives happy, ourDeaths eafy, and carries us to an Everlafting Enjoyment of that Creator, whom we have here remembred. The Injundion of theDuty oi Remembring our Creator^ is the niore Importantly necejfary ; i. In regard of the great confe- ^zz upon Ecclef XII. r.^ onfequence of the Benefit we receive from it, as before. 2. In regard of the great Danger of omitting it. The truth is, the greateft part of the Mifcarriages ofourLives are occafioned by the want of the Remembrance of our Creator ,• then it is that we fail in our Duty when we forget him. %, In regard of the many Temptations this World affords to make us forget our Creator • the Plea- fures, and Profits, and Recreations, and Preferments, and Noife, and Bufinefs of this Life, yea, many of them which are in themfelves and in their Niture lawful, are apt to ingrofs our Thoughts, our Time, our Cares, and to leave too little room in our Memory for this great Duty that moftdeferves it, namely, The Remembrance of our Creator, Oar Memory is a noble Cabinet, and there cannot be a more excellent Jewel to lodge in fit) than our Great and Bountiful Creator; yet for the moft part we fill this noble Cabinet with Pebbles and Straws , if not with Dung and Filth ; with either finful.or, at leaft, with Unprofitable, Impertinent, Trifling Furniture. 2. The Seafon for this Duty , that is here principally commended, is. The Days of our Touth : And the Reafons that commend that Seafon for this Duty are principally thefe : 1. Becaufe this is the moft Accented Time, God Al- mighty was pleafed under the Old Laiv to intimate this, in (the) refervation to himfelf of the firft Fruits and the firft Born ,• and furely the firft Fruits of our Lives, when dedicated to his Remembrance, are beft accepted of him. 2. Becaufe this Seafon i? commonly our Turning Seafon to Good or Evil. And if in Youth we forget our Crea- tor, it is very great difl^culty to refume our Duty : Com- monly it requires either very extraordinary Grace , or very ftrong Afflidion, to reclaim a Man to his Duty, whofe Youth hath been feafoned with ill Principles,and the Forgetfulnefs of God. g. Becaufe the time of Youth is moft Obnoxious to for* get God ; there is great Inadvertency and Inconfiderate* nefs, Incogitancy, Unftablenefs, Vanicy, LoveofPlea- fures, Eafincfs to be corrupted, in Youth \ and therefore neceffary upon Ecclef. XII, i. 32^^ necelTary in this feJ^fon to lodge the Rememhrance of our Creator in our Youth, to be an Antidote againft thefe Defeats, to ellablifh and fix the entrance of our Lives with this great Prefervative, the Remembrance of our Creator. 4. When Almighty God lays hold of our Youth, by as timely Remembrance of himfelf, and thereby takes the firft Poffeffion of our Souls, commonly it keeps its Ground , and feafons the whole Courfe of our enfuing Lives; it prevents and anticipates theDevil and the World. It is true it may poffibly be, that Natural Corruption and Worldly Temptations may fufpend the Adings of this Principle, but it is rarely extinguifhed : It is like that abiding Seed remaining in him; fpoken of by Johriy I Joh. 5, 9. which will recover him again. <^. The laft Reafon is becaufe there arc E'vll Days that Tv'tli certainly come, which will render this VVoik of Re- membring our Creator difficult to be firft begun ,• and therefore it is the greateft Prudence imaginable to jgy in this Stock before they come, for it will certainly ftand us in great ftead when they come. It is the greateft Im- prudence in the World to defer that Bufinefs which is neceflary to be done,unto fuch a time wherein ir is very diflBcult to be done : And it is the greateft Prudence in the World to do that work which muft be done, in fuch a Seafon wherein it may be eafily and fafely done. He that lays in this Store of Remembrance of his Creator before the Evil Day come, will find it of the greateft ufe and fervice to him in that Evil Day. Now thofe Evil Days arc many, and all of them befal fome, butfome of them will certainly befalall Mankind. I. An Evil Day of Publick or Private C^/.-zwinV;. He that before-hand hath laid in thisStock of Remembring his Creator, will be eafily able to bear aiiy Calamity when it comes ; but a Msn, that hath not done this be- fore-hand, will find it a very unfeafonable time to begin to ^Qt about it, when Fear, and Anguifh, and Perplexity, and Storms , and Confufion are round about him, and take up all his Thoughts. 2. Th3 314 ^P^^ Ecclef. XIL i.' 2. The EvilDay of Skknefs is an unfeafonable Time^or at lead a very difficultTime.to begin fuch a Bufmefs. When Sicknefs, and Pain, and Diforder, and Uneafinefs, fhall render a Man impatient and full of Trouble , and his Thoughts full of Diforder , and Difcompofure , and Way wardnefs , then it will be found a difficult Bufinefs to begin the Remembrance of our Creator. It is true, no Time is utterly unacceptable of God for this Work, but furely it is beft to begin before this Evil day come ,• for then it will be a Comfort , and mitigate the Pains and Difcompofure of Sicknefs , when a Man can thus refled upon his Life paft, as Hez^ekiah did in his Sicknefs ; Remember y O Lord , that I have not failed to remember my Creator in the Days of my Health. ;. The Evil Day of Old avd Infirm Age , which is a Difeafe and Burthen of it felf , and yet is ever accom- pany'd with our Sickneffes, Pains and Difeafes, and a Natural Frowardnefs and Morofity , and Difcontented- nefs of Mind, and therefore not fo feafonable to begin the undertaking of this Work as the flourifhing Youth. And indeed, a Man cannot reafonably exped that the Great God, who invites the Remembring our Creator in the Days of our Youth , and hath been ungratefully- denied, fhould accept the Dregs of our Age for a Sacri- fice, when we have neglected the Thoughts of him in our ftrong and flourifhing Age. But on the other fide, that Man , that hath fpent the Time of his Youth and Strength in the Remembrance of his Creator, may with Comfort and Contentment , in his Old and feeble Age, refled upon his paft Life with Hez^ekiah, Remember^ O Lord^ I pray thee, that I have not failed to remember thee in the days of my Tenth and Strength j and 1 fray thee accept of the endeavours of my old decayed Age , to preferve that Re- membrance of thee which I fo early began, and have conftant- ly continued', and pardon the defers that the natural decays of wy Strength and Age have occafioned in that Duty, /\. The Evil Day f)/Z)^^r/:>; When my Soul fits hovering upon my Lips,and is ready to take its flight > when all the World cannot give my Life any certainTiucefor a Day, or UjponEcckC XU. i. ^^ or for an Hour, and I am under the cold Embraces of Death, then to begin to remember my Creator is a dif- ficult and unfeafonable time : But when I bave begun that Bufinefs early,and held on thp. Remembrance of my Creator, it will be a Cordial^ even againft Death it felf, and will carry my Soul into the Prefence of that God, which I have thus remembred in and from the days of my Youth, with Triumph and Rejoycing. Briefly therefore ; 1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Touth j be- caufe thou knoweft not whether thou flialt have any other Seafon to remember him : Death may overtake thee, and lay thee in the Land of Forgetfulnefs ; Thy Spring may be thy Autumn, and thy early Bud may bs the only Fruit that Mortality may afford thee. 2. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Touth • bc- caufe it is a time of Invitation: Negled not this Sea- fon, becaufe thou knoweft not whether ever thou fhak be again invited to it. ^. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Touth, that thy Creator may remember thee , in the days of thy Sicknefs, and Old Age, and in the Evil Day, 4. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Touth, left thy Creator negled thee in the Evil Day. Negleded Favours, efpecially from thy God, may juftly provoke him never to lend thee more. Becaufe I called, andye re- fufed, I alfo will laugh at your Calamity, and mock when your Fear comet h. i. 24, 26. 5". Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Touth, be- caufe it will heal the Evil of Evil days, when they come it will turn thofedays that are in themfelves evil, to be- come days of ^i\^ and Comfort ^ it will heal the Evil of the day of Afiiidion, of Sicknefs, of Old Age, and of Death it felf; and make it a PalTage into a better and more abiding Life. O F Ii6 Of the Uncleannefs of the Heart, and how it is Cleanfed. Pfal. 51. 10. Cor mundum crea in me^ Deus, THls Prayer imports^ or leads us into the Confideration of thefe things : i. What the Condition of every Man's Heart is by Nature : It is a foul and uncIeanHcart. 2. Wherein confilts this uncleannefs of Heart. 5. What is the Ground orCaufe of this Uncleannefs of the Heart. 4.\yhence it is that theCondition of theHeart is changed ; It is an Ad of Divine Omnipotence, y. What is the Condition of a Heart thus cleanfed, or wherein the Cleannefs of the Heart confifts. I. If the Heart muft be Created a-new before it can be a clean Heart , certainly before it is thus new for- med, it is an impure and unclean Heart, And this that is here implied, is frequently in the Scriptures diredly affirmed : Gen, 7. 5*. The imagination of the Thoughts of the Heart of Man is only E'vil continually. Jer. 17. 19. The Heart IS decitful above all things, and defperately wicked, -who can know it ? Mark 7.21. Out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts, Adulteries, Sic, And indeed all the Evils that are in the World, are but Evidences of the Impurity of the Heart that unclean Fountain and Original of them. II. Concerning the fecond ^ wherein tht Uncleannefs of the Heart confifts. The Heart is indeed the Crajis or Collection of all the Powers of the Soul in the full ex- tent of it ^ and therefore takes in not only the Will and AfFec^tions, but the Underftanding and Confcience, and accordingly hath its Denomination proper to thofe feve^ ral Faculties, as a Wife Heart, a Fcolifii Heart, a Belie- ving Heart, an Unbelieving Heart, an Hard Heart, a Soft Heart, and the like. But anfvverable to the propri- ety iand how it is Cleanfed. \i» tVj of the Epiibete Clean or Unclean, it principally con- cerns the Heart under theNotion of Will or Defire^ and the Confequents that are thereupon ,• and confe- quently according to the Propriety of Application, a Clean Heart is fuch a Heart as hath Clean Defires and AfFedions ; an Unclean Heart is that which hath unclean and impure Dcfires, a Heart full of evil Concu- pifcence. And becaufe the Cleannefs or Uncleannefs of the Defires are denominated from their Objects, and not from theAfFedions orDefircs themfelves,which are diver- fified according to their Objeds ; hence ic is that a Heart, that fixech its Defires upon pure and clean Objcds, is Sfaid in that Ad to he a CleanHeart,- and that which fixeth its Defires upon Unclean or Impure Objcds, is an Unclean Heart in thatAc^: Therefore,before we can de- termine what an Unclean Heart isjit is neceflary to know what are Unclean Objedls, the Tendency of the Defires of the Heart whereunto , doth denominate an Unclean Heart. Generally, whatfoever is a thing prohibited by the Command of God, carries in it an Immunditiesy ait Impurity and Uncleannefs in it : But that is not the Uncleannefs principally intended i ic is more Large and Spacious than the Intent of theText bears : But there are certain Lufts and Impure or Immoderate Propenfions in our Natures after certain Objeds, which come under the Name of Unclean Lufts I and thofe are of two kinds, the Lufts of the Mind, and the Lufts of the Flefh ,- for fo they are called and diftinguiflied by the Apoftle. The Lufts of the Mind are fuch as have their Activity princi- pally in the Mind , tho' they may have their Improve- ments by the Crajis and Conftitution of the Body : As the Luft of Envy, Revenge, Hatred, Pride, Vain-glory s Thefe are more Spiritual Lufts ,• and therefore, tho' they are more Devilifli , yet they are not properly fo Unclean , as thofe we after mention. The Luhs of the Fkjh are fuch Lufts as arife fom our Senfual Appetites, after Senfual Objeds ^ as the Lufts after Meats, Drinks*^ and Carnal Pleafures, And altho' thefe Objeds are not in themfelves fmful , nor confequently the Appetites Y of "5i8 Of tfjeUrtcleannefs of the Hearty of them unlawful^ ("for they are planted in our Natures by the Wife and Pure God of Nature to mod neceflary and excellent Ends ; for the Prefervation of our felves and our Kind) yet they do accidentally become Impuri- ties and Uncleannefs to us , when inordinately affeded or aded. And thefe are thofe Unckm Ohje^s, the De- fires whereof do denominate an Unckan Htart ,• but prin* cipally the Latter^the Luft of Carnal ConcupifcencejCal- led by the Scriptures in an eminent manner, theLufis of the Flejl}, I John 2. 16. FUjlAy Lufisy that fght againji the Soul, I Pet. 2. II. Walking after the Flejl) in the LuHs of Uncleannefs, 2 Pec. 2. 10. Perchance bearing fome Ana- logy to thofe Legal UncleannefTes in the Levitical Law, efpecially to thole of Ltuit. 15". Even the very natural Infirmities ; nay, thofe that are not only tolerated, but allowed, carry in them a kind of Impurity and Unclean- nefs. And hence grew thofe many Legal Impurities, which difabied the Je'^vs from coming into the Camp or Tabernacle till they were purified, as that of Leprofy, touching of Dead Bodies, unclean Iffues, Uncleannefs af- ter Child-birth, Uncleannefs of Natural Commixtions, ifi/.if.iS. Exodus 19. 15*, the Uncleannefs of Natural Suceffions, Deut. 25. 15,14. TheWaftiings of Aaron and his Sons, Exod, 30. 20. AH which are but Emblems of the Impurity of the Heart, and of the Great Care that is to be ufed in the keeping of it Clean : And the Reafon is Morally and Excellently given, Deut. 25. 14. For the Lord thy God ivalketh in the widji of the Camp, to deli'ver thee^ and to ^i've up thine Enemies before thee : therefore fljall thy Camp he Holy, that he fee no unclean thing in thee, and turn aivay from thee The Conclufion thereof is. That this Carnal Concupifcence, the Luft of the Flefh,predominatcs in the Heart,is that which principally and by way of Eminence, in refpecftof the Subjed Matter of it, denominates an Unclean Heart. But in as much as this Concupifcence hath fomewhat in it that is natural , and confequently is not fimply of it felf Sin and Uncleannefs, therefore it is requifite to give a Denomination of Uncleannefs and impurity to thofe Defires, that there be fome Formalities requi- and how it is Qteanfect. 519 f equifite to the Denomination of this to be Unclean and Sinful^ which is, when thofe Defires are not in Subje- dion CO Right Reafon j for it being a Proceed of the Inferior Faculties^ the Senfual Appetite ,- when the fame is not in Subordination to that Empire which God hath given the more Heavenly and Noble Powers of the Soul, it becomes Confafion, and Inverting of the Order of Nature : 'And this is principally DijcQ^ered when thefe Defires are ^ i. Immoderate. 2. Unfeaforable. 3, Without their proper End. 4. Irregular. 5 Unruly, and without the Bridle of Reafon. III. The Caufes of this Uncleannefs of the Heart, are principally thefe two : i. The Irnpetuoufnefs and conti- nual Sollicitations of the Senfual Appetite^ vv^hich conti- nually fends up its foul Exhalations and Steams into the Heart , and thereby taints and infeds it. The Soul of Man is like a kind of Fire, which if it be fed with clean and fweet Materials, it yields fweet and comfortable Fumes j but if it be fed with impure, unclean,and link- ing Oyl and Exhalations, it is tainted with them, and makes unfavoury Thoughts, which are a kind of Fume that rife from thisFire: And therefore if theDiiiemperof the Body, or Senfual Appetite, fend up Cholerick Steams in this Sacred Fire, it yields nothing bucThoughts of An- ^ ger and Indignation : If it fends up Melancholy and Earthly Fumes , it fills the Soul with black and difmal, and difcontented Thoughts : If it fends up, as moil or- dinarily it doth, fenfual and flefhly Steams , it fills the Heart with fenfual and wantonThoughts. 2.TheWeak- nefs and the Defed of the Imperial Part of the Soul, the Reafon and Underftanding : And this Defcd is com- monly upon thefe two Occafions. i. The Soul wants a clear Senfe and Judgment, that thefe Defires are not fit to be gratify'd, but to be deny'd, at leaft, when they be* comelmmoderate or Unfeafonable. It is ordinarily our Infirmity to judge of things as they are at prefent ^ and therefore if thePrefent prefents it felf pleafing or difplea- fmg, we accordingly entertain it, or refufe it,^ithout a- xij das Profpe^ to the Event or State of Things at a di- Y ^ ftance^ 3 JO Of the Uncleannefs of the Heart\ ftance^ either becaufe we Know it not, or Believe itnoti or Regard it not. If a Man, being folicited to unwar- rantable or unfeafonable Carnal Pleafures , hath not a Profped that the End thereof will be Bitternefs ,• or if he have fuch a Profped, yet he believes it not ,• or if he do, yet if his Judgment prefer the Satisfadion of a prefent Luft, before the avoiding of an endlefs Pain , it is no wonder if he fubmit to the Solicitation of his SenfualAp- petite. 2. But if the Judgment be right, yet if the Su- perior and more noble Part of the Soul have not Cou- rage and Refolution enough to give the Law to the In- ferior, but yields, and fubmits, and becomes bafe, the Senfual Appetite gets theThrone, and captivates Reafon, and rules as itpleafeth : And this is commonly the Condi- tion of the Soul after a Fall ^ for theSenfual Appetite once a Vidor, becomes imperious, and Emafculates and Cap- tivates the Superior Faculty to a continued Subjedion. And this is the Reafon why, when Lulls of any kind, efpecially that of the Flefh, having gotten the Maftery, makes a Man endued with Reafon and Underftanding, yet infinitely more intemperate and impure than the very Beafts themfelves, which have no fuch Check or Advan- tage of Reafon : For thofe noble Faculties of Phantafy, and Imagination, and Memory, and Reafon it felf, be- ing proftituted to Luft, dothbriiig in all the Advantages of its own Perfedion to that Service,and thereby Sins be- yond the Extent of a bare Senfual Creature ; the very Reafon it felf invents new and prodigious Lufts , and Provifions for them, and Fulftllings of them ,• thePhantafy improves them ^ the Heart and Thoughts feed upon them ; and fo by that very Perfedion of his Nature, which was placed in him to Command and Regulate thefe Lufts or Defires of the Senfual Appetite, becomes the moft exquifite and induftrious Advancer of them, and makes a Man infinitely worfe than a Beaft : For a Beaft hath no antecedent Speculations of his Luft^no Pro- vifions for them , but when the Opportunity, and his own natural Propenfions incline him to them ^ when he hath fulfilled his Luft, thinks no more of it ; But Man by an J how it is Cleanfed* j y j by the Advantage of his Reafon^ his Phantafy, his Me- mory J makes Provifions for his Lufts ,• yields up his Thoughts to Speculations of them ,• ftudies Stratagems and Contrivances to fatisfy them. So that by how much his Nature is the more perfed, his Scnfual Lufts are the more exquifite and unfatiable : And by this means his Heart becomes Unclean, a very Stew of Wantonnefs and Impurity, a Box full of nothing, but ftinking and unfavoury Vapours and Steams, the very Sink and Re- ceptacle of all the impure Defires of the Flefli, where they are cherifhed, and entertained, and fublimated in- to impurities more exquifite, and yet more filthy, than ever the Senfual Appetite could arrive unto ^ and this is an Unclean Heart, And upon thefe Confiderations, a Man may eafily fee how little ground there is for to think there ftiould be a Communion between Almighty God , or his moft Holy Spirit, with a Man thus qualify 'd : i. The Heart, as it is the Seat of the Defires, is the only fit Sacrifice to be of- fered up to God \ as it is the Chamber of our Thoughts, it is the only fit Room to entertain him in ,• as it is the Fountain of our Actions , the fitteft Part to be af- fifted with the Spirit of God ; it is the only fit thing that we can give to God \ and indeed the only thing in effed that he requires of us. 2. Again ,• That God is a moil Pure God, his Spirit a moft Pure and Delicate Spi- rit ,• and let any man then jiidge, whether fuch a nafty, impure, unclean Heart, is a fit Sacrifice to be ofFer'd to fuch a God,or a fit Receptacle for fuch a Spirit. It there- fore imports fuch a Man, that hopes to have Communi- on with God, to have his Heart in a better Temper. A- gain ^ it feems more than probable to me, that as a Body fed with poyfonous and unvvholfome Food, muft needs by fuch a Diet contraA Foulnefs and Putrefaction ^ fo the very Soul of Man, which hath fo ftricft a Conjuncti- on with an Union to the Body, by continual Converfa- tion wirh, and Subjection to fuch unclean and fiefhly Thoughts, receives a Tin:ture and an Imbafemenc by them, which if there were no other Hell, muft needs Y \ make 33^ 0/ the Uncleannefs'of the Hearty make it miferable in its Separation upon thefe two Re- fpe^ls : I. Upon the Confideration of that Uglinefs which it hath contra<5ted by thofe impure Converfations, and which it might have avoided, if it had in the Body exercifed its proper Empire over them. 2. By thatDifap- pointment whiehj it finds in the flate of Separation from the fulfilling and fatisfying thofe Senfaal Inclinations which it afFeded here , and now carrieth with it , but itands utterly difappointed of any Satisfaction of them, ^ ;I,V. We confider How it comes to pafs, that a Heart, thus naturally unclean, is Ckanfed ,* which in general is by a Reftitution of the Soul to its proper and native So- vereignty and Dominion over the Senfual Appetite ; aad thofe Lulls that arife from the Conftitution of the Body, and the Connexion of the Soul to it. And this Refti- tution is anfwerable to the Depravation or Impotence, whereby the Soul is fubjeded and captivated under fhofe Lufts ; which are principally thefe following. I. The firft Ground of the Impotency of the Soul in Subduing of the Senfual Appetite^is intheUnderfianding, which is fo far weakened or darken'd by natural Cor- ruption, that it is ready in point of Judgment to prefer the prefent pruitign of Corporal Pleafuies^ and theSatif- fadlion of the Senfual Appetite, before the denying of it ^ ■for it fees and finds a prefent Contentment in the former, but fees not the Danger and Inconvenience that will en- fue upon it, nor the Benefit and Advantage that will enfue upon a due Redraint and Moderation of them : It finds a prefent Contentment and Satisfadion in the one, but it^ hath not the Profped of the other ^ or if it have, yet the Convidion thereof is fo weak and imperfed, that/the PJeafuresof Sin for a Seafon do overcome and {ubdue it. For the Cure therefore of this Error and hn- fctency in the Judgment, there ought to be, i. AConvi- dion that there is a Danger and Inconvenience that v^ill certainly attend the Dominion of Luft over the Soul ; and a Benefit and Advantage that will attend the Vide- ry of the Soul over thefe Lufls. z. And becaufe there may be an It^convenience in the former. and how it is Qleanfed. 33}- former, and a Benefit in the latter, but yet not fueh as may with tonfiderable Advantage preponderate the Contentment of Luft, ( which is prefent and fenfible ] there ought to be a Convidion of fuch an Inconveni- ence in the former, and fuch a Benefit in the latter, as may mod evidently and dQSLrly preponderate theContent- ment and Advantage of the fatisfying of a Luft. 3. And becaufe ^ tho' thefe Inconveniences and Be- nefits be never io great, yet if there be but a faint, and weak, and imperfed Convidion of it, it will work but a weak Refiftance againft the Invafions or Rebellions of Luft • and a fenfible prefent Enjoyment of what de- lights, will eafily preponderate the weak, and faint, andc> imperfed Convidions, or Sufpicions rather, of what is Future : It is neceffary that fuch Gonvidions fliould be Sound, Deep, and Strot7g ; or oth^rwife they will be but SluggifhandLanguifiiingOpponents, againft theRheto- lick of Lufts, that yield a prefent Delight of Advantage. 4. And becaufe tho' the Conviaions are never fo ftrong, yet if they be not accompanied with Conftancy, Vigilancy, and fupplemental Excitations, as the Oppor- tunity requires, the conftant and perpetual Importunity of Luft may happen upon a time of Intermiffion . and gain an Advantage againft a Soul habitually thus Con- vinced ,• it is further neceflary that there be a Frequent Con(i ant Acting of that Con'viBicn upon the Soul, or other- wife it may be entangled by the Affiduous Importuni- ties of his Lufts. Thefe Things being thus premifed, it is neceffary to fee what kind of Means it muft be that muft work fuch a Conviaion of fuchWeight and Evidence, that may redi- fy the Judgment, in reference to this Conteft wuh the SenfualAopetite, and aduate fuch aConvidion toactaia its due effed. MordVhilojophy concains in it excellent Precepts and Reafonings to the fubjeiting of the renfual Appetite to theDii^atesof Reafon,and to a Moral Clean- fing of the Heart : But ic cannot attain ics^End ; for though it propounds Inconveniences on the one ijde, . and Conveniences on the other, yec they have great de- Y ^ ■ fedis 3H ^f ^^^ Uncleannefs of the Hearty hdis that make it inefFedual : The things which it pro- pofeth, are in themfelves of unequal Weight to the Plea- fure and Content of fatisfying the Senfual Appetite, 'u/xi. On the one fide Faroe and Glory, and Reputation and Serenity of Mind • on other fide, the Bafenefs of Luft in Comparifon of the Excellency of Reafon, that it is a thing common to us with the Beads ; and fuch like : And therefore, tho' thefe be fine Notions, and fuch as may be weighty with Old Men , whofe Lulls have left them ; yet to Young Men they import nothing. And therefore thePhilofopher well provides for it, by determi- tving,th2LtJuvenJs non efi idoneus auditor Morales P bilofopbia y and confequently, it is a kind of Phyfick, that may be good for them that need it not, but of no ufe for them that want it : For theTruth is, the Fame and the Infamy are net of Weight equivalent to counterpoife the Satisfa- d:ion of a Luft in thofe that are inclinable to them. 2. Another great Defed in the things propounded is this, that is alfo common to Human Laws,rhat tho'they may be of fome Efficacy to prevent the External Ad, when it meets with Infamy in theAdion, or Reputation in the Forbearing, yet it doth inevitably give a Difpen- fation to Sin, if committed with Secrecy ^ much lefs doth it at all Cleanfe the Heart from the Love of Luft, the Delight in it, the Contemplation of it. We are there- fore to fearch for a higher , or more and ad- mits it with lefs difficulty a fecond time , becaufe it is now become an Acquaintance. And laftly. Every Sin caufeth a withdrawing of Divine Affiftance from the Soul, and an eltranging of the Soul from it, a kind of fhamefulabfenting of the Soul from God ^ and fo as re lofeth irs ftrength, it lofeth its confidence of addrefs for 3t 'y which every Man's Experience will tell hinj. Se- condly, Oil the part of Luft, ic is made mor© b^W", and Z eor4hdenr>j. 344 0/ Self 'Denial, confident, and adventuring, than it was before it was entertained : It was then more modeft and bafhful, be- caufe it knew not how it fliould be entertained ^ but now it grows confident and imperious. 10. When Luft hath gotten the Victory in the Soul, it either makes the Soul, which is God's Vicegerent, his VafTal, or his Prifoner,- either the Soul becomes Servant and Vaflal to Sin, or at befl: it is led away Captive by it : And in both cafes, God is dethroned, the Soul imbafed, and Luft gets the Empire and Dominion ; and the Soul hath either broken his Truft with God,or not performed it as it fliould : The Province committed to his manage- ment loft, the Government abufed, the Sovereign inju- red, and the Vicegerent is either become a Rebel, or at beft a Prifoner, by his own default. 11. The Means of Prevejition of this Inverfion of the Order fetled by the great Sovereign, is ,* Firft, That the Deputy trike due Notice of his Infiruciions ,• for he is noc placed in that Province without hisRules of Government which his Sovereign hath delivered him. Secondly,That he be very Vigilant over the fecret Confederacies,Moti- ons, and Rifings of Luft againft thofe lnftrud:ions^ for Lull is bufy , troublefome and adive, and fludies and watcherh all opportunities of Defedion. Thirdly, That he keep his Authority with Refolution and Courage ^ for Luft, if it be worthy the n^me of a Sabjed, it is a pe- tulant and fawcy, but yet a {lavifl:i bafe minded Subjed ,• a little countenance will make it infoient , and a fevere hand over it will make it fervile,- and efpecially,that this feverity be held over thofe Lufls that have or pretend to the greateft intereft in the AgejComplexion^Difpofition, Quality, Station, or Condition of the Province ^ for as they have the greateft Opportunities lo do Mifchief, fo they will fooneft grow Infoient. 12. Though a flight and gentle fuperintendency over Luft will teach it to command, yet under a fevere and rigid Government the moft it will adventure upon, will be to ask admiftion : And upon fuch AddreiTes the Duty of this Deputy is to be fo far from giving admiffion to If. Of Self -Denial. 345- it, that it ought not to Compliment, or Treat, or hold Conference or Debate with it, hut flatly deny it : As a fevere Deportment of the Soul muft keep Luft from com- manding, fo it muft check and difcountenance it in ask- ing ,• the holding of conference and debate, and reafon- ing with any Luft, is but a preparatory to its admiffion, and gives but the more Confidence, Boldnefs, Importu- nity and hope of fuccefs to it. EWs reafoning with the Serpent was the firft breach of her Innocency : Luft muft: not be mannerly treated withal, but flatly denied. This is that great Dodrine of Self- Denial which the New Te- ftament fo folemnly enjoyns : For though in truth, our Lufts are not our felves, yet thofe that grow out of our natural Conftitution or Condition, are next to our felves, and by miftake we are apt to efteem them our Eyes, our Hands, our Selves. ^ I ^. This kind of dealing with Lufts and Temptations will in a little time dif-acquaint the Soul with them,and make the Soul and them ftraneers one to another. It is eafily feen that thofe things which a Man uieth himfelf unto, fo that they feem to become another nature, yet fome defuetude from them do evidence' to him, that they are not fo neceffary ^fperam nobis, & and unfeparable as he once thought infuan^^m'virtutum them : A Man that hath accuftomed ojitiomm confuetu^ himfelf to vain Swearing, fo that he eio,qua/iinpartcm can fcarce fpeak a Sentence without t^lteram transferal an Oath, and when he is told of it, ^«^»;«'^^"^^^«;//- r rr I t 11' 1 cut Scrivturadicit) profeiieth he cannot help it ; yet let scwitajufiitu h^ him refolvedly break the Cuftom of it, nis. S. Hier. Ep, he will not find that he milTcch that H* unhappy Rhetorick in his Lifcourfe ^ the like is eafily feen in Drinking, Gaming, Wantonnefs, and thofe other Sins that are precious and dear to a Man in his Cuftom and \J(q, of them ; by a little refolute difufeof them, he will foon find he doth not mifs them ; he can eafily fpare them, and be without them : Nay, he finds as great an inconvenience and burdenfomenefs to re-afiume them, as before to leave them. And befides the Reafons before ^ Z 2 given, 34^ Of Self -Denial. given, there is this more in it , that the Value and Contentment that is taken in them, is by the great Expectation and Contentment that the Mind feeks in the pre-apprehenfions and Image that the Mind makes^ to it (elf of them ; for the Contentment of the things themfelves barely confidered, and in them- feives , is but flat and empty ,• but the Imagination dr.eireth them up beyond themfelves , both in their pre-apprehenfion and fruition : And fo the Value and Contentment of them is due more to the Fancy and falfe Idea of the Mind , than to the things themfelves ; and therefore, if once the Mind can be eftranged from Converfing with the Thought and Imagination of them, they will foon lofe their Eftimate and Delight ,• becaufe they are feparated and kept afunder from that which gilds and dreffeth them into that delightful and amiable Shape which cozens and deceives Men into their adings of them. Now this feverehand againft them, denying theif accefs, refufing Converfe with them,doth prevent the Mind from faftiioning of Imaginations of them, and drefling up thofe Imaginations of them in pleafing and delightful Reprcfentation?,and then in a little while they ar« quite laid afide, and not miffed, nor thought of ^ and their own natural worth , without that fecret brooding of the Mind upon them, doth not with any ftrength, folicite or fubdue the Mind to the adings of them. We are in this kind like Children, who have gotten fome Toys into their Hands, that it may be, may be hurtful, and they mightily prize them, and fet a great rate upon them : But let them be taken away,in a little while they will not mifs them, but be as merry and contented, as when they had them. 14. The Succefs of this uncourteous dealing with our Lufts and Temptations, will much countervail the un- pleafmgnefs of the Duty. A Man is tempted to a Sin, he holds conference with it, and is enticed to treat with Xty and to think of it, and it pleafeth him ^ but it is a thoufand to one if it Hay there ,• but unlefs fome great diverfionby theGrace of 'God,or fome External Reftraint i' by Of Self'DemaL 347 by Shame or Punifliment, prevent him, he commits the Sm ^.and fo Luft, when it hath conceived, will bring forth Sin, and Sin, when finifted,will bring forth Shame and Death, or at the bed Shame and Sorrow. How will a Man reckon withhimfelf ,• What ^m I the better for that Contentment that I took in this Sin ? the Contentment is fafiy and that which it hath left me^ is nothing elfe but a mif gilding Confclencey afenfe of a difpleafedGod^ afhamed to bring my mind in his prefence, a pre-apprehenfn of Jome mifchief of inconvenience to follow me ^a defpondency of mind to draw near to God under it, and either a great deal of Sorrow and Vexa- tion^ or jiffliBlon under It, or, which is the ufual gratijieatlm of Satan after Sin commlttedyto put away the remembrance of a Sin pafty with the committing of another^tlR at lafi theGttlk grows to fuch a moles, that a Man is defperately given over to all kind of V^lllany ; and as his Sins increafe, his Gu-ilt and Shame Increafeth, On the other fide y I have denied my Lufly or my Temptation, and it is gone ; Firfl, 1 am as well without ity as if I had committed it *, for it may be the Sin had been pafiy and the contentment that I took in ity and' I had been as well without it j but, bejide all this, I have no Guilt cleaving to my Souly no fling In my Confclence, no defpondent nor Mtf- giving MlndyVO Interruption of my Peace with God or my felf^^ I enjoy my Innocence^ my Peace, my Accefs to God with Com-- fort i.Nay, more than all this, I have a fecret Atte^atlon pf the Spirit of God In my Confclence, that I have obeyed him, and have pleafed him , and have rejeHed thi Enemy of his Glory and my Happlnefs : / have a fecret advance of my In- terefi and Confidence In him, and Dependance upon him, and Favour with him, and Liberty and Accfs to him, which doth Infinitely more than countervail the fatisfacflgn of an impure y and unprofitable, and vexing Luf: , which haves no footfieps behind It, but Shame, and Sorrow, and Guilt, 15'. As Refoiution and Severity to a Man's felf is one of the beft remedies againft the flattery and deceit of Luft^ fo there are certain Expedients that 2tq fubfervlent to that Rejolutln ; as namely, Firfl, Avoiding of Id lenefs ; for the Soul in the Body is like a Flame, that as it were, feeds upon the oily lubftance of the Body, which accordinp- ^ ^ to 348 Of Self-DeniaL to the various qualifications or temper of the Body^giveis it a dn6liire fomewhat like it felf ,• and unlefs the Soul be kept in Action it will dwell too much upon that tin- cture that it receives from it, and be too intent and plea-. fed, or at leaft, too much tainted^ and tranfportcd, and delighted with thofe fuliginousfoul Vapours that arife from the Fle(h and natural Conftitution. Keep it therefore bufied about fomewhat that is fitted for ic^thatmay divert that Intention and Complacency in thofe fumes that the inferior part of the Soul is apt to take in them, and fo to betemptedjtranfportedjOr abufed by them. Secondly, A frequent and conjoint Covfideratlon of the F re fence of God _. , and his Holy Angels,^ who are Speculators of I Cor!!. 9/^' ^on^2incy to God and his Party, and de- lighted in it ; or of thy Apoftacy, Brutifli- nefs, and Bafenefs of Mind, and grieved at it. If a good M.^in were hut accfuainted with all my Anions and Motions of TKy mindy upon the Advance of Lufl and Temptations^ it would make me afhamed to offend in his fight : But much more if a pure and glorious An^^^el did in my view attend, obferve and behold me j but when the Eternal God doth behold me, who hath given me this Command to deny my Lujls, and hath ^cld me the danger of yielding to them, that they bring forth Sin..hd Deathj and Helly and offers his Grace to affifi me, prO' mifeth Reward to my Obedience and Confiancy ; how jhall I then dare to cfftnd with fo much prefumption } Thirdly, a frc" €fuent Confideration of Ch rift's batisfadion, Sufferings, and Interceffion. Theje Lufls that now follicit me to their cbfervancsy were thofe that Crucified my Saviour , it was the end of his Piffion to Redeem me, not anly from the Guilt,but from the Subjectioit to them. It is he that beholds me ;- how jhall I trample his Blood under foot ? If I proftitue my [elf unto them,' hew fljall I defpife, and as much as in me lies, difap" point him in the very ejul of his Incarnation ? How [Ij a II Ifljame his Gofpel before men, apd as much as in me lies, put him tr fljame in the prefence of the Fat her, and all the holy Angels, when they (Ijall be witneffes of my preferriitg a baje Lufi before him ? How can I cxpecl the Interceffion of my Saviour for me at the right ha?id of God^ who beholds me thus unworthily to Jerve a L4, Of Self Denial. 349 Lufl:^ though to my Da^nnatlon, rather than chey my Redeemer to my Salvation ? Fourthly .Freojuetit Confideration of Death and Judgment. A hafe Luft folUcits me to obey it : jljall I accept or deny it ? It may he this m.iy he thelafi atlion of my Life^ and fcjjibly Death y that might have been refpited, if I fljall deny my Lusi, may be my ne^t event if I oh?y it : And as Death leaves me/fo ivill Judgment find me, IVould I he con- tent that fuch an aci as this pould be the Amen of my Life^ and it may he^ feal me up in eternil rejeBion ? JVould I he con- tent that my Soulfijouid heprefently carried into the prefence of Gody under the lafi aB of my Life, to his difhonour ? Or, on the other fide, if I deny this bzfe importunate Mfcnger of Hell, and it (Iwuld pleafeGod to ffrijiems prefeJitl) afttr withSickufs or Death, would it not be a more co^r fort able entrance into that black Valley with a clear Cunfclence, and an Inn icent Hearty that could with Comfort fay, as once Hez-kilh did upon the likeoccaCion, Ifai. 38. 5." Remember, OLord, I befeech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfe6t Heart. Fifthly, A due Confederation of the Jpe ofthofefollicitationsofLuH. If affented unto, the end of it is Death ,• it will b^ bitternefs in the end ; it cannot with all its pleafures countervail that bitternefs that will moft certainly attend it ; nor can it give any fecurity againft it. Suppofe thou art foliiciced to a thought or ad of Injuftice, Impurity, or Intemperance, if thou wilt needs be talking with the Temptation, ask it j irhe- ther it be not a Sin again ff that God, in whofe hjnds thy Soul is ^ and if it be, whether his Anger and Dlfpleajure be not a mceffary confecjuence oj that Sin ? and fit be, may not he in- flicl the Ifues of th^t wrath of his, when, and in what mea- fure he pleafeth ? and if he may, what fecurity can this Temp- tation give againft it ? hath it an Arm of Omnipotence to fecure me again fi theTower of him that is Omnipotent t and if tt cannot , what Compenfation or amends can it make me , to countervail the Damage of his IVr^h , or the very Danger of it ^ Can the Plea fure or Contentment of the Sin do tt ^ alas . the Flea fure will'pafs aw-jy in, it ^n.iy he, a Life, a Day, a Moment \ but the Guilt and lormsnt continues to Eternity, Z4 Md Motives to Watchfulnefs , in refe-f fence to the Good and Ezil jingels. As we fee Vlants in a Nurftry^ when they come to a dpe growth,areTranfplanted into Orchards^ and thofe that are unufeful are pulled up and caft into the Fire ; or as we fee Boys in a Free-School, fuch as are un- difciplinable, are after feme years of probation fent away to Mechanical Employments ; and thofe that are Ingeni- ous and Diligent are Tranfpl«ited to the Univerficies : So among the Children of Men in this Life, thofe that are Vicious and Incorrigible, are by Death rooted out and caft into a fuitable Condition ,• and thofe that are VeiTels fit for Mailers ufCjTowardly Plants,areby DeathTranA planted into another Region, a Garden of Happinefs and Comfort. And pofEbly by conrinuance of time, they received Improvement and Perfedlion here : So in that other Region they add to their Degrees of Perfection, and are promoted to further Acceffions, and Degrees, and Stations of Happinefs and Glory, till they come to the State of Spirits of jufi men made perfeB. Could we fee the in'uifible Regiment of the World, by the fubordinate Government oi Good and Evil Angels, as once Elijhas Servant faw the Fiery Chariots and Horfemen in the Mount, it would give us another kind of reprefenta- tion of things, than now they appear to us. We have juft reafon to believe that there are /«/«/>f numbers of Spi- rits of both kinds, that have their paflings to and fro, and Negotiations, as well among themfelvcs, as among the Children of Men ; and as Ravens, Kites, and other kind of Unclean Birds, haunt Carrion, and as Vermine haunt after Putrefaction, and ^ebufy about it ; or as diforder- ly, debauched Companions and Ruffians, ever haunt out, and hang upon a diiTolute and fooliffi Heir,till they have fucked out all his Subftance and Wealth ,• So the Impure and Corrupted Angels haunt and flock about a Man given over fliothes to TVatchfulnefs. ^ ^ j over to Vice, till they kave wholly corrupted and putri- fy'd his Soul ; and thofe Good Men , whom they can- not win over to them , they purfue with as much Ma- lice and Envy as they can poffible ; and altho'they can- not come within them , yet as far as they can , they raife up External Mifchiefs againlt them, watch Oppor- tunities to enfnare or biemifh them ; tho' the Vigilancy of a better Guard , and their own Prudence and Cir- cumfpe<^ion, do for the moft part difappoint and pre- vent them. Befides the Difpleafure of the Great God there be fomc Conjiderationsy even in reference to the fa Good and Eu'il Angelsy to make Men 'very Watchful ^ that they fall not into prefumptuous^or foul Sins. 1. It cannot chufe but be Grief to the Good Angels y to be prefent^ and Spedators Luk. rj. lo. of the Enormities of thofe, for whofe Pre- Macth. iS. lo. fervation they are employed. 2. It muft in all probability work in them a Naufeouf- nefs, and Retiring themfelves from fuch Offenders, at leaft till they have renewed and wafhed themfelves by Repentance, and made their Peace with God in Chrift : For there is no greater Antipathy , than between thefe Pure and Chafle Spirits, and any Sin or Foulnefs. 3. It cannot chufe but be a moft grateful Spectacle to thefe Envious and Malignant EvH Sprits, who upon the Difcovery of fuch a Fail of a Good Man , call their Impure Company together , and make Faftime about fuch an Objed, as Boys do about a Drunken Man, and upbraid the Sacred and Pure Angels ; Look here is your Fious Man, your Vrofefjor : Come fee in "what a Condition he iSy and what he is about, J. It lays open fuch a Man to the Power and Malice of thofe Envious Spirits ,• they have gotten him within their Territories and Dominions ,• and unlefs God in great Mercy reftrain them, render a Good Man obnoxi- ous to their Mifchief : And as the Contagion and Noy- fomnefs of Sin drives away the Pure and Holy Spirits, fo it attrads and draws together thofe Impure and Ma.- lignant Spirits, as the Smell of Carrion doth Birds and Beafts jf£ Office Moderation of the Affections] Beaffs of Prey. It concerns us therefore, to be very vigilant againft all Sin^ and if thro* Inadvertence, In- firmity, or Temptation, we fall into it, to be diligent to make our Peace, and wafli our felves as foon as we can, in the Blood of Chrift, and Water of Repentance. O F T H E Moderation of the Affections. Phil. IV. s- Let your Moderation he known unto all Men. Moderation is that Grace of Virtue, whereby a Man governs his Senfual Appetite , his Paffions and AfFedions, his Words and A(9:ions, from all Excefs and Exorbitancy. -It refers^ I. To the Senfual Appetite : 2. To the Paffions of the Mind : 3. To Speech and Words : 4. To the Anions of our Life. I. Moderation in the Senfual Jppetlte : And this is properly Temperance, which is a Prudent Reftraint of our Appetite from all Excefs in Eating, Drinking, and thofe other Inclinations that gracify our Senfes. And certainly this becomes us, not only asChriftians, but as Reafonable Creatures : For the Senfual Appetite, and thofe Inclinations that tend to the Gratification of our External Senfes , are in a great meafure the fame in . Men and Brutes, and they are in the due Order and UCc good and convenient for both : We cannot live without them. But Almighty God hath given to Mankind a higher and a nobler Nature ; namely , Underftanding and Rcafon, which in the right Pofture and Conftitution of Of the Moderation of the Affe^ionsi 35'3 of the Human Nature is to Govern, Guide, Moderate, and Order that Inferior Faculty that is common to the Brutes, as well as to Man. And that Man that keeps not this Regiment and Superintendency of his Nobler Fa- culty, degrades himfelf into the Condition of a Brute, and indeed into fomewhat worfe • for even the Inftinds of Brutes do for the moft part regulate their Senfual Appetite from Excefs and Immoderation. But becaufe this belongs to that diftind Virtue of Temperance , I forbear further Inftances herein. 2. Moderation of OMvF^ftons arJAffeBions : And thefe are here principally intended ,• namely, Love, Hatred, or Anger, Joy, Grief, Hope, Fear, and other mixt or derivative Paflions, that arife in Man upon the Prefent- ment of their feveral Objeds. And although the VaJJiovs of the Mivd^ confidered fimply in themfelves, are a Van of our Nature^ and not Evil • but when duly regulated and order'd, are of excellent XJi^ to us^ yet if they become once unruly, mif- placed, or over-aded , they occafion the greateft- Trouble in the World, both to the Perfons J^"^ ^' '• themfelves in whom they are, and to others. We may eafily trace almoft all the Sins and Enormities, and Di- ftempers and Troubles, and Diforders, that we obferve in our felves, or others, to the Immoderation and Dif- order of the Paffions. And therefore the due Moderation of them is of great Confequence, both for the attaining of true Tranquility of Mind, of great Regularity in all we do or (ay, and to the Common Peace, Oder and Benefit of Mankind. The Moderation therefore of all our Pi^ffions, covfills principally in thefe Two Things : i. That they be not mif- plac'd,or fet upon wrong Objects ^ as, to Love that which we fhould not Love, but poflibly Hate ^ or, to Hate that which we fhould Love ; and fo for the reft. 2. That be- ing rightly placed in refped of their Chjeds, yet that they be not intended or aded beyond that degree that may be juftly allowed to thofeObjeds : And this is pro- perly Immoderation; the former is merely Mifprilion, Error, Enormity, Folly. And 3 ^4 ^f ^^^ Moderation of the Affe^ions] And therefore when we fpeak of Moderation of ourPaf- fions,it is intended in relation of thofe things,aboutor upon which our Paffions may be lawfully ufed or exercifed, fo that they be kept within their juft Bounds and Meafures. And fince all the Objeds of our Paffions are either fomething that is Good, or fo thought , as the Objeds of our Love, Joy, Hope ,• or fomething that is Evil, or fo efteemed, as the Objeds of our Hatred , or An- ger, Sorrow, Fear 5 the true Meajure of thefe Affections or Paffions , is to be made according to the true Mea- fure of that Good, or that Evil, that is the prefentOb- je6t of my Paffion. If the Good or Evil be great , it deferves a greater Intention of that Paffion or AfFedion that is employed about them ; if it be but little , the Meafure of my Paffion or AfFedion ought not to exceed it, if it doth, it becomes immoderate. And hence it is , that the fame Paffion or AfFedion may be , and indeed ought to be variouily aded or in- tended about Objeds of the fame Nature , yet under different Degrees of Good and Evil : I may at the fame time have different Objeds of my Love, different Sorts or Kinds of Good, and of difFerent Allays, fome more, fome lefs Good , and my Love may be extended to them all at the fame time ; but the Degrees of my Love are diverfify'd according to theDiverfity of the Degrees of Good that each Objed hath, all Circumftances, Ad- |unds and Confequences being confider'd. The like may be faid touching Evils that are the Objeds of my Hatred, Anger, Sorrow, or Fear. The Moderation therefore of AfFedions recjuires thefe Things principally : 1, A Right Judgment or Eftimate of Tbinffs Good or Evil, according to their true Natures or Deg1"ees ; for without this we fhall not only miitake in the Degrees of Good or Evil, but even in their very Na- tures : We fhall not only take theLelTer Good or Evil for the Greater, or the Greater for the Lefs ^ but we fhall be apt to miftake the Things themfelves, and call Evil Good, and Good Evil. Now it is certain, that according to the Judgment that we have touching Things Good or Evil, Of the Moderation of the Affe^ioni, 35-- Evil, and their Values and Degrees, accordingly are our Paffions, and their Extents andTranfports meafured out. If I judge or efteem that to be truly Good , which in- deed is not, I deliver oyer to it ray AfFecflion of Love, Joy or Hope : And if I judge that to be a Great and Im- portant Good, which is but a Small or Inconfiderable 5 yet according to the Meafure or Proportion of fuchEfti- mate, I meafure out the Degree of my Love, Joy, or De- light in fuch Good. A Child will fet as great a Rate,and confequently allow as great a Meafure of his Love or Delight to a Rattle , as a Boy doth to his Top and Scourge, or as a Man doth to a Diamond ^ all arifing from the Variety of their Judgment, or Eftimate of the Value of the Thing. And the like may be faid of Evils^ arid their feveral Degrees, with relation to the Faffions of Hatred, Sorrow, or Fear. 2. The Second Thing re- quired to Moderation, is aFruJent, Staid Deliheratkn^hQ^ fore the Paffion be put into Motion,that fo thejudgment be confulted touching the Nature of the Objed ^ firft, whether it be Good or Evil • and then, what Degree of Good or Evil it hath : For be the Judgment never fo good , yet if Paffion run before it, and be precipitate upon the nrft and fudden Apprehenfion of the thing pro- pofed, or objeded, and fo antevert the Ufe of Delibera- tion, and the Ripening of thejudgment, there muft ne- cefTarily, or at leaft ordinarily follow either Mifiake or Diforder^ or Immoderation in the Paffion, of what kind foever ,- and then the Mind is difturbed, and put into Diforder (uddenly : Tis difficult then to make a Right Judgment, or at leaft it comes too late, and many times afcer the Mifcnief is done by the hafty and precipitate Paffion , either without , or at leaft wifhin the Mind thus tranfpofted with Paffion of any kind. And therefore the Generd Rule for Moderation of all kind of Paffions, is, refolutely to prefcribe to aMan*s felf thisLaw, That before he any way gives leave to his Paf- fion, he will paufe and confider a while, touching 'the Obje:^ prefented , what it is, whether Good or Evil • and if either, then what Degree or Value it bears. And 0 when 35^ 0/ the Moderation of the Affe^ions. when once a Man hath thus peremptorily refolved to give himfelf this Law , and hath a little while inured himfelf to the Pradice of it , he will find it eafy and familiar. ^ This will better appear in the feveral Inftances of the federal Affeclio7u or Paffions of the Mind ; principally in thefe of Love and Hatred, or Anger, Joy and Sor- row, Hope and Fear. I. 7..V /iftffion of Love is the principal and Governing Af^" lion of the Mind, and the Root of all other Paf- {\ ns : For whatfoever I love, renders that hateful and diroleafing, which either prevents me from it,or deprives IV c of it ^ and fo occafions the Paffions of Hatred orAn- ger : Whatfoever I love, makes me jo>fiil or delighted in the Enjoyment of it, or Sorrowful irwthe Lofs or Depri- vation of it, and fo producech Joy and Sorrow : What- foever I love, I hope for, if abfent, or I fear the Lofs or Deprivation of it ; and fo producech Hope and Fear. The Objed of thisAffcdion is fomeching that is Good, or fo apprehended : The greater chat Good is, the great- er is the Love of ic : Therefore the Chiefeft Good draws out the Chiefeil: Love • and an Infinite Good, an Un- meafurable and Boundlefs Love : And fince Almighty God is the Chiefeft and Infinite Good , there cannot be any Immoderation orExcefs of Love to him : And therefore this Moderation of our Affection of Love, hath no place in relation to my Love of God, for I cannot love him too much. But this Moderation of this Affedion princi- pally refpeds the good things of this World ; as Wealth, Ho- nour, Power, Reputation, Relations, Friends, Health of Body,Pleafures,and External Contentments,Recreations, Good Cloachs, Equipage and State, and fuch like. Thefe Good Things of this Life, have in themfelves 'a juft Meafure of Good j and therefore according to that Meafare of Good that is in them , they deferve a proportionable Meafure of our Love j for External Bleflings are really Bleffings. And among the feveral Good Things of this World, there are feveral Ranks and Degrees of Good ; fome are , Good, Of the Moderation of the AffeBions. 3 5^7 Good, fome are Better ; and accordingly, the Propor- tion or Meafure of Love that I lend to them, is to foe moderated, and diftributed, and expreffed , according to the different Degrees and Ranks of Good that we find in them, or the Relation they bear to me. For m- ftance , 1 may Love my Wealth ,• but fince Wealth is but a ufeful Inftrument directed to other Ends, as to fup- port my Life, my Health, my Relations, I am to lo^'e it lefs than thefe ,* becaufe thefe are more valuable, and my Wealth is only defirable or good to thefe Ends, aiid fubordinate to thefe Ufes. Moderation of Affedion of Lo^ue^ in relation to Exur- nals, confifts therefore principally in thefe Things : I. That we have aju/^ Eflimate of the Good that is m the things that we fet our Love upon, and that we do not over- value them, or exped that Good to be in them that really is not ^ we muft look upon them as they are : It may be they are fuch as have not a perfed fincere Good in them, but Mixture of Evil ^ or fuch as have not a ftabk or permanent Good in them, but are mutable or mortal, or fuch as have a Good in tliem proportionate only to our prefent Condition ^ and when our Condition is al- ter'd, the Good chat is in them vanifheth : And if they be fuch, we muit eileem them as fuch, and love them as fuch ,• and fuch for the moft part are all Worldly things. Health, Wealth, Friends, Relations, nay our very Lives. 2. That we look upon all the Good that is in the World, as deri-vid from tbi Goodnefs of God, and infinitely below that Good that is in him : And therefore all our Love to them muR: be fubordinate to that Love that we owe to God, and muft be controuled by it, and in all Competi- tions muft give place unto it. Suppofe I have great Wealth , or many Relations, I may, nay, in Reafon I ought to bear fome Love to them ^ bur f muft remem- ber it is but a derivative and fubordinate Good , and therefore I muft Love them with this Referve and Quali- fication, that if God pleafe to call for them, I muft qui- etly part with them ^ for as 1 have them under that Con- dition, fo the Love I owe to God, the fupreme Good, engageth 3 f 8 Of the Moderation of the AffeUionL engageth me to fubmit to his Will, and to obey It ; for if I love him beft, I maft be pleafed with what his Will is pleafed ^ for I judge him the bed Good, and there* fore his Will the beft Will ,• and the Good Pleafure of his Will muft be the Rule of my Subjedion, otherwife his Love hath not the Preeminence. 2. That we make a right , a due Comparifon hefween Good Things of fever al kinds, and give that the Preference in our Love, which upon a due Judgment ought to be preferred; And this concerns^and principally difcovers it felf in the Competition of feveral good Things, and of onr AfFediion^^o-them. The Merchant loves his Goods well ; but in a Storm, to fave hisLife,is content to throw his Goods over-board. And the Exercife of Wifdom in thisJcind, principally confifts in the due weighing the fe^ veralValues of GoodThings of feveralNatures, and rang- ing of them in their feveral Ranks ; and alfo in the dili- gent Confideration of the feveral Circumftances that ac- company feveral things.,* for many times fome good things that are in themfelves preferable before others, receive an Abatement and Allay by Circumftances ; and others lefs preferable, receive an Advance by the Circum- ftances that attend them. i. Therefore touching xhtDijfe-^ rent Ranks of Things themfelves, in Matters of my own private Concernment, I am to prefer my Soul, and the Good thereof,beforeall my External Advantages ^ for what Jliall a man give in exchange for his foul ? I am to prefer the Good of my Health, before the Good of my Wealth. Again , in things relating to my felf and others, I am to prefer the fafety of the State wherein I live, before my Wealth, yea, and before my own fafety ; becaufe I am fure when the whole is in danger, I muft needs be in danger, ,and many more • I am to prefer a great Good that may accrue to many, before a fmaller Good ; nay, poffibly an Equal Good that may accrue to my felf \ nay, I am to prefer an apparent greater Good to any Perfon than a fmall and inconfiderable Good to my felf. But a- bove all, I am to prefer the Honour and Glory of God, before my own Honour, Reputation, Eftace^ Content- of the AffeBions. 3 5*9 inent, or Life it felf j* becaufe he is the Greatefl: Good> and moft to be Loved , and the Love to his Honour is but the Refult of my Love to him. Again, in things re- lating to others , I am to prefer a Greater Good tha^ may accrue to one , before a (mailer Good to another The Good of one Neighbour's Soul, before the Good of another's Eftate, where the one, but not both, are Juftly in my Power : I may prefer an Equal Good to a Re- lation , before an Equal Good to a Stranger , where the Concernment or Condition of both are Equal ; becaufe I have juft Reafon to love a Relation before a Stranger. Again , 2. As there are different Ranks of Good , fo different Circumftances make one Good prefera- ble before another • If I fee two Men in danger, and I can but relieve one of them, both being Equal to me, I am to prefer the Relief of him whofe Danger is greater^ and more eminent, before the Relief of him whofe Dan-^ ger is lefs, or more remote ,• and herein Prudence and In- tegrity of Heart muft be theDiredor of my Love, and of the Emanations of it ; always provided that nothing un* juft or dilhoneft be mingled with what I do. 4. That as among Goods of different Sizes , or De- grees, I am to prefer the Beft ; fo among Good things, that at leaft feem equal, I do prefer the moft hfting and durable ^ for Laftingnefs and Durablenefs is a fpecial part of the Goodnefs of any thing ,• nay , oftentimes a Good , that in its prefent Degree or Extent is greater,; yet if it be lefs durable , is not fo valuable as a lefs buC more lafting Good : As the greater Wealth, that muft be fpent in a Year , is truly lefs valuable than a fmallec Portion that lafts Two Years. ^.That we ohfer'vethat GemralRukhQ^ovQ given ; name- ly. That we never give our Affection of Love leave to run out alone, without Judgment andConfideration go- ing before it, and going along vt^ith it : That we fuffer not our Paflions to deal out their own Meafures, but our Judgment and Deliberation .• That we always keep this Affedion efpecially under Difcipline and Government, and fuffer it not to run away from us^ as an unruly A a BeafI 3rd ; IFealth, Hon^-ur, Tleafiires of all forts and kindsy and fuch Opportunities as none of you ever had, cr can expetl to make the like difco'very ; and I have denied jny felf nothing that this JVorld can afford to give me Content , and th' moft exquifte Tafte and Belijh of them ; and I have now arrived to the very Fafligium , the very highe ft point cf this Mountain of Vkafure and JVirldly Fruition ; and I find my felf wholly deceived in what I expecfed : I expeBed indeed as great Contentation as you do, but nQ7P I have tafted of every difl}, I find them all to he but Vanity and Vexation of Spirit, I have not been only difappninted in what J expeHed from them, but inftead thereof I have reaped nothing hut Sorrow, Anxie- ty, Vexation : I^ou do therefore deceive your felves in all the pains you take, while ye think from thefe fVorldly Enjoyments, yefhill acquire Happinefs, yea, or Contentation in them. Be wife therefore, and take warning by me, the greatefi Example that ever the JVorld knew of this kind, Giv^ over thefe labo- rious, hufy, and vain Pur fuits of yours ; and take cut but tcis concluding. Lefjon of mine , which I have learned by inf alible Experience, Fear God , and keep his Commandments ^ for this is the whole Duty of Man. A a 4 . Heb, 56(5 H E B. XIII. 14. "For here have ^we no continuing City ^ hut we Je^lz one to come. IHave in my courfe of Life had as fna7iy Stations and Places of Habitation as mod Men. I have been in almoft continual Motion ; and although of all Earthly things I have the moft defired Reft, Retirednefs, and a fixed private Station ,• yet the various Changes that I have feen and founds the Publick Employments , that without my feeking , and againft my Inclination have been put upon me , and many other Interventions , as well Private as Publick, have made the former part of this Text true to me in the Letter, that I have had no con- tinuing City, or place of Habitation. When I had defign- ed unto my felf a fettled Manfion in one place, and had fitted it to my convenience and reppfe, I have been pre- fentiy conftrained by my neceffary Employments to leave it and repair to another : And when again I had thoughts to find repofe there, and had again fitted it to my con- venience, yet fome other neceffary occurrences have di- verted me from it ^ and thus by feveral viciffitudes, my dwellings have been like fo many Inns to a Traveller ^ though of fome longer continuance,yet almoft of equal inftability and viciffitude. This unfettlednefs of Station, though troublefome, yet hath given me a good and fra- Bkal Moral ; namely , that I muft not exped my Reji in this lower World, but muft make it as the place of my Journey and Pilgrimage, not of my Repofe and Reft, but muft look further for that Happinefs. And truly when I confider that it hath been the Wifdom of God Almighty to exercife thofe Worthies, which he left as Patterns to the reft of Mankind, with this kind of iDilbipline in this World, I hayeReafon not to complain of it as a Difticuky, or an Inconvenience, but to be thankful to him for it as an Inftrudiion and Document, to put me in remembrance of a better Home , and to incite ms to make a due proyifion for it^ even thac Ever- Everlafling Reft which he hath provided for them that love him ; and by pouring me thus from Veffel to Vef- fel, to keep me from fixing my felf too much upon this World below. But the truth is^ did we confider this WorU as becomes us, even as wife Men, we may eafily find, without the help of any fuch particular Difcipline of this nature. That this World below, neither was in- tended, nor indeed can be a place of Reft, but only a kind of Laboratory to fit and prepare the Souls of the Children of Men for a better and more abiding State ^ a School to exercifeand train us up into habits of Patience and Obedience, till we are fitted to another Station ^ a little narrow Nurfery, wherein we may be dreffed and pruned, till tranfplanted into a better Paradife. The continual Troubles, and Difcompofures, and Sickneffes, and Weakneffes, and Calamities that attend our Lives, the fliortnefs, and continued Vexation occuring in them; and finally, the common examples of Death and Morta- lity of all Ages, Sexes, Conditions of Mankind, are a fufliicient Inftru6^ion to convince reafonable Men thac have the Serioufnefs and Patience to confider and ob- ferve,That we have no abiding City here. And on the other fide, if we will give our felves but the Leifure to confider and obferve the great Wifdom of Almighty God, that orders every thing in the World to ends fuitable and proportionable ^ the excellence of the Soul and Mind of Man ,• the great Advances and Improvements his Nature is capable of,* the admirable means the Merciful and Wife God hath afforded unto Mankind.by his Works of Nature and Providence, by his W^ord and Liftructions, to enable him for a nobler Life than this World below can yield ; will eafily confefs, that there is another State, another City to come, which becomes every Good, and Wife, and Confiderate Man to look after and fit himfelf for. And yet let a Man look upon the generality of Mankind with a due and fevere confideration, they will appear to be like a company of mad or diftempered People. The , generality of the World make it their whole bufinefs to provide for a Reft and Happiiiefs in this World; to make f thefe 368 Hel.Xm. 14; thefevain acquefts of Wealth, and Honour, and Prefer- ments* and Pieafares of this World, their great, if not only Bufinefs and Happinefs ; and,which is yet a higher degree of frenzy, to efteem this the only Wifdom, and to efteem the careful Provifion for Eternity,the Folly of 3 few weak,melancholy, fanciful Men : Whereas it is in truth, and in due time it will moft evidently appear, that thofe Men that are moft fedulous and follicitous touching the attaining of their Everlafting Reft, are the only true Wife Men, and fo fhall be acknowledged by thofe that now defpife them. JVifd, 5*. 4. TVe Fools ac^ counted his Life Madnefs, and his end to be without Honour, Hoiv is he numhred among the Children of God^ and his Lot is among the Saints I When I come to my Inn I have this Confideration pre- fently occurs to me : If my Lodging be Good and Fair, the Furniture fplendid, the Attendance great,the Provi- fions good and well ordered^ yet I ftraight conlider, this is not the place of my Reft, I muft leave it to Morrow, and therefore I fet not my Heart upon it. And again, if my Inn be but poor, my Entertainment mean , my Lodging decayed, I do not prefently fend for Painters, Carpenters, and Mafons, to repair or beautify it ; but I content my felf with it, and will bear with the Inconve- niences 5 becaufe I confider it will be but for a Night, and to-morrow 1 fhall be gone, and poffibly come to my Home, where I fhall be better convenienced. And al- though the truth is, that this World is little other than our Inn to entertain us in our Journey to another Life \ and our ftay in it is many times very fhort, yea, our longeft ftay here, in comparifon of Eternity,' is infinitely more (hart than aNights lodging at anlnn,in comparifon to the longeft'Life here ,• yet it is a wonderful thing to obferve how much we are taken up with the concerns of this our Inn \ what aftir we keep about ir • what pains and coft we employ in it ; how much of our time is laid out upon it, as if it were our only home. If our Lot caft .us upon a handfomeLodging(as it were)and icbe furniflied with Wealth, or Glory, or Honour^ how we piide our felves Hek XIIL 14: 369 fdves in it! how goodly we look upon our felves .' how happy we think our felves ! what care we have to make it more Rich, Glorious, and Splendid ! And on the o- ther fide, if our Lot caft us upon a lowerjmeaner Stati- on ^ if we are Poor, or Sickly, or Negleded, or under Hatches : what a deal of Impatience and Difcontent, and Unquietnefs appears I Nay, though our Lodging and Entertainment in this Inn of the World be pretty well, and will ferve till we take our Journey ,- yet if it be not jfo Fine, and Splendid, and Rich, and Comely as another's ; if our Meat be enough to fuffice Nature ^ if our Cloaths enough to proted us from Cold ,- if our Houfe good enough to keep off the Storms, and defend us from Injuries, yet if thefe be not fo good as fuch a Man's, or fuch a Neighbours, not fo good as my Ance- ftors or Relations ,* Lord .' What a deal of Unquietnefs, and Complaining, and Envy, and Impatience, and Tur- bulency of Mind there is in Men ! What Defigns, and Frauds, and Plots, andUnderminings,and undue Means, Men take to advance their own Condition, and to de- prefs others ! and all this while never confider that which would eafily cure theExtravagance,as well of one hand, as of the other ^ Namely, This is not n?y Home^t is hut my Inn • if it he Beautiful, S-plendid, Conz/enlent j if my Condition in it be Wealthy, Honourahlcy Vrofperous, J jvill not fet my Heart upon it^ nor think any better of my [elf for it, nor fet up my Refi in it : It is but my Inn, I musl league it, it may be tc-morrow. On the other fide, if it be but Voor, Weak, Infirm, Ignoble, Low, l7viU content my ftlf it is but mylnnjt may few e for my paffage, I fljali,it may b^Jen've it tomorrow, and then if T ha've taken that due care that becomes me in my provlfton for my "Eternal State, I am certain the caje 7vlll be mended with me j howe'ver my Inn be Poor, Mean, InconTje^ nlent, Troublefome, it is but for a night, my home will be bet- ter ^ I have learned, that I have here no abiding City , hut I feek one to come. The Benefits of the Conlideration of this Text are many ; I. It will teach a Man a very hw efieim of this prefnt World, and never to let the heart upoa ic. WJt th.ufet thy 370 Heh. XIII. 14. thy heart upon that which is not ? It is not an abiding City i Either like the old feigned inchanted Caftles, it will va- nifli and come to little while we think we have fall hold of it ;or elfe we mull leave it, we know not how foon. It is full of trouble and vexation when »ve enjoy it • and very unftable and uncertain is our ftay in it. 2. But let it be as good as it will, or can be, yet this Text tells of a City that is better worth our thoughts^an abiding City, a City that cannot be fhaken, where there are no Trou- bles, no Thorns, no Cares, no Fears ^ but Righteouf- nefs and Everlafting Peace and Reft. 2. Confequcntly it will teach us to feek that which is moft of 'Value firfi and mo^^ and make that our greaceftEn- deavour which is our greateft Concernment ^ namely, to feek that City that is to come , Peace with God in Chrift Jefus, and the Hope of Eternal Life. It is true, while we are in this City that continues not (this Infe- rior World ) God Almighty requires a due care for Ex- ternals, and Induftry in our Employments , and Dili- gence in our Callings : It is part of that fervice we owe to God, to our Families, to our Relations, to our Selves ; and being done in Contemplation of his Command, it is an ad of Obedience and Religious Duty to him: But this Confideration will add this Benefit even unto our Ordinary Employments in our Calling , it will be fure to bring a Bleffingupon it. Seekfirfp the Kingdom of God, and the Righteoufnefs thereof and all thefe things fliall he ad- ded unto you. It fliall be given in as an advantage and over-meafure. ' 2. It will add great Chearfulnefs to the Employments of your Calling, and to thofe worldly Em- ployments that are requifite for your fupport and fub- fiftence,when you fhall rellgn up your endeavours there- in to the good' Pleafure of Almighty God. 5. It will remove all vexatious Sollicitoufnefs and Anxiety from you, when you (hall have fuch Confiderations as thefe ; Almighty God (Jt is true) hath placed me in this IVorld, as in a psijjage to another y and requires of me an honefi Employment for my fupport and Juhfifience ; or elfe hath lent me a reaJo?;ahle liberal portion^ whereby I may comfortably jubfi[l without much pains Hel. Xm. 14: 371 fains or lahour\ I will ufe it Soberly y ChearfuUy^ ThanhfuUy : }f he blefs we with Increafe or greater Flenty, I will increafe my Humility^ Sobriety, and Tbankfulnefs • but if it be not his fleafure to blefs me with Vlenty and Increafe ^ his Will be done i I have enough in that Iha^ve ; there is another more abiding City, wherein I foaH have fupplies without Want, or Fears, or Cares, 3. This ConfKJeration will give abundance of Quiet- nefs. Patience, Tram^uility of Mind in all conditions. Am I in this World Poor, or Defpiled, or Difgraced, or in Sicknefs, or Pain ? yet this Text gives me two great fup- ports under it. i. It will be but fliort ^ this lower World, the Region of thefe Troubles and Storms, is no continuing, no abiding City : And confequently the Troubles and Storms of this Inferior City are not abi- ding or long. 2. After this flitting, perifhing City that thus paffeth away, this fowre life which is but theRegion of Death, there fucceeds another City that endureth for ever, a City not made with hands, Eternal in the Hea- vens, a State of Everlafting Bleffednefs, where are nei- ther Cares, nor Tears, nor Fears, nor Poverty, nor Sorrow, nor Want, nor Reproach : I will therefore with all Patience, Chearfulnefs, and Contentednefs, bear whatfoeverGod pleafeth to exercife me withal in this life ^ for I well know that my light Afflictions, which are but for a momentjftiall be attended with a far more exceed- ing and eternal weight of Glory. Thefe Confiderations will fecmbut dry and empty,to Men that do not deeply and confiderately weigh matters ; Ordinarily young heads think them, at leaft, unfeafona- ble for their youth ; but they muft know, that Sicknefs and Death will overtake the youngeft in time, and that will undeceive People, and render the beft appearances of this World, either Bitter, or at leaft innpid,and with- out any pleafant Relifh ^ and then the Hopes and Ex- pe ^ ations of this City to come, will be more of value to us th-an the beft Conveniences and Delights this lower World can aiFord. Let us therefore in our Health make it our bufinefs to fecure our Intereft in it, and it will be our Comfort and Benefit both in Life and Death. Of 372' Contentednefs and Tatience. COntentednefs and Patience differ in this. That the Obje(5l of the former is any Condition , whether it be Good, Bad^or Indifferent ; the Objed of the latter_, is any prefent or incumbent Evil. But though they differ in the Latitude or Extent of their Objed, yet they both arife from the fame Frinciple , which, if right- ly qualified, gives both. The Meafure and Original of all Paflions is Love ; afid the Objed of Love , is that which is really or ap- parently Good. If our Love be right it regulates all our Paflions : For Difcontent or Impatience arifeth from the abfence of fomewhat that we love and value ; and according to the meafure of our love to the thing we want, fuch is the meafure of our Difcontent or Impa- tience under the want of it. He that fets bis love upon that, "which the more he lovesythe more he enjoysjsfure to avoid the danger of Difcontent crim* patience ; becaufe he cannot want that which he loves : and though he love fomething elfe that may be loft, yet under that lofs he is not obnoxious to much Impatience or Difcontent, becaufe he is fure to retain that which he moft values and affeds , which will anfwer and fupply leifer Wants with a great Advantage : The greateft bent and portion of his Love is laid out in what he is fure to enjoy, and it is but a fmall portion of Love that is left for the thing he is deprived of, and confequently his Difcontent but little, and cured with the Fruition of a more valuable Good. He that fets his Love upon the Creature, or any refult from it, as Honour, Wealth, Reputation, Power, Wife, Children, Friends, cannot poflibly avoid Difcontent or Impatience ; for they are mutable , uncertain, unfatif- f3(5lory Goods, fubjed: to Cafualties ^ and according to the meafure of his Love to them, h the meafure of his Dif' Of Contentednefs andVatience. 37^ Difcontenc and Impatience in the lofs of them, or dif- appointment in them. He that fees his love uponGod,the more he loves him, the more he enjoys of him. In other things, the greatcft danger of difappointment, and confequently of impati- ence, is when he loves them beft ,• but the more love we bear to God, the more love he returns to us, and com- municates his Goodnefs the more freely to us. There- fore we are certain that we cannot be difappointed, nor confequently have any ground of Impatience or Dif- content in that which is our unum magnum^ the thing we chiefly value. He that fets his entireft love on God, yet hath a li- berty to iffue a fubordinate portion of love to other good Things, as Health, Peace, Opportunities to do good ; Wife, Children. Friends ; And in thefe he may be crof- fed and difappointed. But the predominant Love of God delivers the Soul from Difcontent and Impatiencey even un- der thefe Loffes. 1. Becaufe the sSoul is ftill aflured of what it mofl; va* lues, the love of God returned to the Soul, which compen- fates and drowns the other Lofs, and the Difcontent that may arife upon it. • 2. Becaufe the Heart is fatisfied that thefe Lcfles come from the hand of him whom he loves, of whofe Truth, Wifdcm, Love and Goodnefs, he hath affurance, and therefore will be delivered out in meafure,upon mofl: juii Grounds, and for moft excellent Ends. He fends anin- Itrudion along with his Rod ,• and the Soul reads love as well in the Rod of God, as his Staff! 5, Becaufe the Love of God, taking up the principal bent and ftrength of the Soul , leaves but a gentle and moderate Affection to the things it lofeth , and confe- quently a gentle and eafy parting with them, or being without them. The great Tumult and Diforder that is made in the Mind upon Loffes, Croffes, or Difcontents, is not fo much from the Intrinfical Value of the things themfelves, but from the Eftimation that is put upon them,- were the love to them no more than they defer ve, the ^74 ^f Moderation of Anger. the Difcontent and Impatience in the lofs would be very- little. Our chiefeft love, when it is placed upon God, 3s placed where it fhould be ; and the mind is then in its right frame and temper, and difpenfeth its love to other things regularly,and orderly,and proportionably to their worth ; and thereby the Difcontent or TroubJ-: that arifeth upon their Lofs or Difappointment, is weighed out according to their true value, agreeable to the juft meafure of Reafon and Prudence : But when our love is out of its place,it becomes Immoderate and Diforderly : and confequently the Difcontents thatarife upon Difap- pointments in the things we Immoderately love, become Immoderate, Exorbitant Difcontents, Impatience, and Perturbation of Mind. 4. Our Love to God brings us to a free Refignation of our Will to His : For we therefore love him, becaufe we conclude him moft Wife, moft Bountiful, moft Mer° ciful, moft Juft, moft Perfed:; and therefore muft of neceffity conclude that his Will is the beft Will, and fit to be the meafure and rule of ours, and not our? of his : And in as much as we conclude that no Lofs or Crofs befalls us without his Will, we do likewife conclude that it is moft fit t6 be born ,* and becaufe he never wills any thing, but upon moft Wife and Juft Reafons , v/e con- clude that furely there are fuch Reafons in this Difpen- fation \ and we ftudy, and fearch, and try whether we can fpell out thofe Reafons of his. Oj Moderation of Anger. THE Helps againft Immoderate Auger are of two kind^. I. Previous Confiderations before the occafion is offered, to habituate the Mind to gentlenefs and quiec- nefs. 2. Expedients that ferve to allay or divert Anger when the occafion is offered. Of the firft fort are thefe ; Ji Th# Of Moderation of Anger, ^yj i. The Confideration of our o-wn 'Failings ^ efpecially in reference to Almighty God^and our Duty to him,- which are much greater than any Demerits of others tow ards us I provoke my Creator daily, and yet I defii-e his Patience towards me, and find it. With what face can I exped: Gentienefs from my Creator, if every fmall Provocation from my Fellow-Creature put me into Paffion ? 2. The Confideration of the XJnreafonahUnefs ofthatDi^ fiemfer in reffcB of my [elf '. It puts me into a Perturbation, and makes me unufeful for my felf or others, while the Diftemper is upon me : It breaks and difcompofeth my Thoughts, and makes me unfit for Bufmefs ^ it diforders my Conftitution of Body, till the Storm be over ^ it dif- covers to others my Impotency of Mind,and ismorcper- ceiv'd and cbferv'd by others, than it can be by my felf: It gratifies my Adverfary, when by my Paffion I improve his Injury beyond the Value of it ; and injure, and tor- ment, and damnifie my felf more hy my own Perturba- tion, than he can by the Injury he doth : It evidenceth a Prevalence of my more Inferior and Senfual Part, common to me with the Beafts, above my Reafonable and more Noble Part. Sometimes indeed a Perfonated Anger, managed with Judgment, is of fingular ufe, efpe- cially in Perfons in Authority j but fuch an Anger is but a painted Fire , and without Perturbation : But a paffionate Anger upon Injuries received, or upon fud- den Conceptions of them, is always without any end at all of Good, either intended or effeded : Nay, it is ait Impediment to the attaining of any Good End ; be- caufe it blinds the Judgment, and tranfports Men into inconfiderate Geftures, Words and Adions. 5. Confideration In refpecl of others ; even of the very Perfons provoking. It may be they are Initruments^ permitted by God as hislnflrumenrs, either to corred^or try me. Peradventure God hath bidden Shiwei curfe David ; be not too violent againft the Infirument, left peradventure thou oppofe therein the principal Agent. Agam, many Men are of fuch a pitiful Conflitution, ih^x their Injuries arifs from very Impotence of Mind in B b them ,^ 37^ Of Moderation of Anger. them : Shall I be angry with them becaufe they want that Underftanding they fhould have? And yet it is very ftrange to fee the Weaknefs and Folly of our Nature in this Paffion, that it will break into a Perturbation even with Children, Drunken Men, Madmen, Beafts, yea, very dumb things : Wirnefs our Anger with Cards and Dice, when their Chances pleafe us not ^ which fhews the Unreafonablenefs and Frenzy of this Paffion. 2. There be feme Expedients againft it, even when the Occafion is ofFer'd. 1. Carry always a Jealoufy over thy Paffion, and a ftrid Watch upon it. Take up this peremptory Refolu- tion and Practice , I 'will iiot be angry ^ tho an Occafion he admlniiired. And let the Return upon thatRefolution be the firft Ad after the Provocation given : For if a Man can but bring himfelf to this Pafs, that he take not fire upon the firil: OiFer, the Paffion will cool ; A Man calls then his Reafon about him , and debates with himfelf : Is there caufe I flwuU be avgry ? Or, is there any good End at- tain able by it "^t Or if it be, 7i>hat is the jufl Medium , or Siz^e^ or Meajure of Anger frojortionable to that End ? And thefe Confidcrations will break the firftOnfet of Paffion, and then ic feldom prevails : For , it is the firft Wave that carries on the Perturbation to xho, End ; which if it be broken at the lirft. Serenity of Mind is preferved with much Contentation and Senfe of Advantage. 2. Take up this Refolution, Never to give thy felf leave to be angry, till thou feeft the j it f I Di77ur,fions of the Fro- "vocation. Firft, Learn whether there be any fuch thing done or no : For many times we ihall find that a falie Report , or a Mifconception in the Mind, fets up the Image of an Injury, and prefently the Paffion fwells up- on it ; when, it may be, upon a due Examination, there is no fuch thing at all. Secondly, Admit there be an Injury, yet learn what the Circumftances of it are ; For till that be known, tho' thou haft a mind to be angry, thou knoweft not what Proportion or Meafure of An- ger to allow , till thou knoweft the Meafure of the Injury done ,* it may be it is not fo great j or it A Preparative againfl Affli^zons. 377 It may be it was done by Miftake ,• it may be it was done upon fome Provocation given by thee^ or at leaft fo underftood ; and then it is not fo malicious ; and it may be the Man is coming to make thee amends, or to ask thee Pardon. This will give Leifure to thy Reafon, to thy Grace , to come in ; and will break the firft fliock which the Cholerick Blood gives to the Heart, which raifeth the Combuftion ; and then aThoufand to One it comes to nothing, and either dies prefently, or languifheth below the Name of a Paffion. 3. In cafe of Vrovocation to Anger by JVords^ eonfider this, that there is nothing io much gratifies an illTongue as when it finds an angry Hearer : Nor nothing fo much difappoints and vexeth it as Calmnefs and Unperturbed- nefs. It is the moft exquifite and innocent Revenge in the World, to return gentle Words, or none at afl, to ill Language. But on the other fide. Anger and Perturba- tion doth not only produce what thy Adverfary defires, but alfo puts a Difcompofednefs and Impotence upon thee, that thou becomeft unable to keep Silence, or to fpeak with that Reafon and Advantage thou fliouldeft. A Preparative againfl Affli^ions ; with Direulions for our Deportment under them^ and upon our Delivery out of them* I. TT is the great FdUy that ordinarily poffeffeth Men,' X efpecially in a profperousCondition,that theyc.ipeB that Difeafe and Tains vnll lay^ hold of me ; it may be a burning Fe^er, or a lar^gui^nng Omjumption^ or fome fuch Difeafe as may make the nights longy and the days trouble* fome, every face uneafy, all things I eat or drink infifid j every Limb or Vein, Bone or Sinew, contributing fome Tain or Weak- nefs, or Faintnefs, ir Anguifh to the common flock of that Dif- eafe which I muBfuffer, How am I furnifljed with Tatience to bear it} Can I amend in my felf that Frowardnefs, Unquut- nefsy Teevijhnefs, and Impatience that I behold in others in the like cafe ? Believe it, Sicknefs is not the fitteft time either to learn Virtue, or to make our Peace with God : It is a time of Diftemper and Difcompofednefs :Thofe muft be learn d and pradtis'd before Sicknefs comes, or it will be too late, or very difficult to do it after. Jgain, lam now abounding with Wealth ; but Riches many times make them- {elves Wings and fly away : A Thief, or a Robber, a Tltmder, or a Secjueftration, a faff Information, or a falfe Oath , the change of Tim.es, or Cafualties of Fire or Water, Opprejfion from thoje above,or Tumult from thofe beneath, f^^Chaldean or the Sabean ; a Worli or Aciion mifunderjiood, mifaffrehended, or mifinterpreted,and a thoufind Contingencies, may take away all my Wealth ; \o that I may Hand and fee my Servants deferting me, my Children utterly unprovided for, my jelf in Extremity and Want : So that I, that have relieved Thoufands, muft be fain to gain Bread for my f elf and my little Children, either by thefweat of my own brows, mfome 'low Employm.ent, or by the Charity of others. This mij, and may be fpeedily : Experience ofthefe times have made it vifibly poffible,whereinThoufands that neverdream'd of a Change. have unexpeBedly felt it Can I come down to fo low a Condition with .^uetnefs and Serenity of Mind,withoHt murmuring againHTrovidence^or curfvg, or flu- B b 4 ^PH 3 8 i A T reparative againjl Affii^ions. dying Revenge upon thelnfiruments of it ? ISfay^can I entertain this Change ivith Tatience ? nay^ with Cbearfulnefs ? nay^with Thankftilnefs to Goi^that he gives me my evil things in this life? Jf he he pleafed hut to hlefs my JffliBions to me, and to referve my Vortion of Happinefs for the Life to come ^ can I fiill depend upon God J live upon him^ and hlefs his Liberality ^ if he allow %rte and my poor Children a Tiece of Bread and a Cup of Water ? Can I look thro the Darknefs of my prefent Condition, and he^ hold that Hope of Eternity that is heyond it^ and gather more Comfort in that Hope, than all the prefent Difafters can give Difcomfort ? If J can do this^ my Lofs iifill he my Gain ; //' J cannot y it jhould he my Bufinefs in the time of my Profperity, to lay up fuch a (lock and treafure againft the evil day, which will he ahove the Malice ^ and Power, and Reach of Aden and Devils to deprive me ofi /igain, I am now in Honour and Efteeni in the World 3* my Place makes me eminent ,• and if it did not, yet m.y Reputation is fair, and clear, and great ', it may he I can , without Vanity or Ofientation, own as much efleem /r appeal Ifa» 58. 3. unto God : Remember new , O Lord^ I bejeech thee, how I have walked before thee in Truthy and with a perfe^ Heartland have done that which is good in thy fight. Ifay with reverence, keep God thy Friend in thy Profperity, and thou mayeft with confidence reforc to him J and rely upon him in Adverfity, ^, Bus A Preparative againfi AffliBions. 389 2. But alas ! when we have ufed all the Care and In- duftry, and Watchfulnefs we can, who can fay he hath made his ways clean before God ? Our Profperity, and ' the Temptations that await us from without, and the Corruptions that are within us, give us often falls that we know of, and many more that we know not of: If therefore the necefiity of our condition fubjed us to Af- fli6lions,and the prevalence of ourCorruptions fubjed us to Temptations, what hope can I have to have a comforta- ble AfBidion, v/hen I cannot hope to have an Innocent Ccnverfation ? Yet there is another expedient to eafe and lighten Afflidions : If thou canil not be Innocent, yet he fincere and t^ fright- hearted : An honeft and plain Heart that holds no Confederacy with any knov/n Sin, keeps a quiet Confcience even under Affli(5lion it felf. If thou haft not a perfeifl Life, yet be careful in thy Profpericy thou keep a perfe(5^ Heart. 3. But yet if thy Heart hath proved deceitful to thee, and thou haft fallen into any Sin, yet there remains one expedient to ftop and anticipate the malignity of it from mingling with thy Affliction : Before Afflidions come, be fure thou break off thy Sin by Refentance. Every Sin leaves a kind of Poifon in the Soul, and there it many times lies raking up till an evil day comes, and then it begins to work to fome purpofe : Sound and Serious Repentance to fetch out this Core, this neft of malignity, cleanfeth this Ulcer that Sin hath eathered. And left the malip-- nity of Sin fhould remain in thy Soul , when Aftlidion overtakes thee, be caretul, i. That thy repentance be freifuent and iter ftted ; and to that end let thy Ex,:i?ninatWfi5 of thy heart and life be jiri8i and daily, Pcfiibly thou may'ftiind a Sin upon thy review that thou didft not be- fore efpy^that may deferve a fpecial Repentance : but if . thou doit not, yet thy fins of daily Incurfion require a daily Repentance. 2. That thy Repentance, upon any known Sin committed^ be Sfeedy^ while thou art in thy Profperity ; let it not lie upon thee till to morrow • Who can tell whether fome bitter Affiidion may not overtake thee before thou haft repented j and then that Sin will reach '590 A Preparative agazfjji Affli^ions. reach out its Venom and Malignity into thy kMdiion] and make itworfe. Therefore intercept that accurfed in- fluence of Sin^ by a fpeedy Repentance. Thy Repent- tance will be the eafier, and thy Affliction the lighter, thy Heart the ftronger to bear it, thy Accefs unto Hea- ven for Deliverance the readier. When a Man lies under a Sin till Affii^tion come^he hath two great Suits to dif- patch in the Court of Heaven : Firft,To gain his Pardon. Secondly/iTo gain Deliverance from^ or ftrength under Afflic5lion. Be careful therefore to get the former di(- patched in thy Profperity: Thou haft the lefs to do under thy Affliction. When Guilt and Affiidion come upon a Man together, they add to each other weight and diffi- culty of removal : But Affliction meeting with a Confci- ence cleanfed by Faith and Repentance^is always tolera- ble, and for the moft part Comfortable j it lofeth its na- ture, and becomes another thing : It is a prevention of Sin, a Corrective of Corruptions , an Exercife of Grace, a Conformity to Chrift , an Affurance of God's Love,Preparative for Heaven,rather than anAffii- dion. 4. Above all things^^e 'very careful that thy j^ffliction he Tjct the julifroduBion of thy Sin or Folly : For in the one cafe thou fuffereft as an Evil Doer ; in the other thou fuffer- eft as a Fool • and in neither thou canft take any Com- fort. If thou fuffereft without thy fault, or for thy Vir- tue, Piety and Goodnefs, thou needeft not be troubled for the one, and thou may'ft moft juftly rejoyce in the other :But to fuffer as an Evil Doer^or as a Bufy-body in other Men's Matters, or for ill Language or paffionate Words, or difturbance of the Civil Power ,• ihefe take away both the Comfort and theGlory of thefeSufFerings. Nay , though the end intended in thefe Extravagances may pofiibly be good, and though the Punifiiment infli- cted exceed the due proportion^and fohave fomewhat of injuftice or extremity in the inflidion • yet fuch a kind ot fuiFering brings little honour to God, little Peace to a Man's felf, and little advantage to others ; bat rather the contrary. A Man that hath Sitis about him,hath iir Com- A Preparative agahft Afflt^ions. 39 i Companions, and fuch as bate the Comfort even of an Innocent Suffering ; but when a man fuffers for a Sin,or any unjuftifiable Action, his Sufferings lofe the name of Afflictions, and become formally and in their own Na- ture Puniihments : And in fuch a kind of Suffering?., though fometimes the Goodnefs and Wifdom of God brings Good out of it to the Party that fuffers ^ yet in fuch, a Man doth not only undergo Temporal Lofs,' Pain and Inconvenience, but hath the inevitable Pro- fped of his Fault and Offence in them, which makes the Suffering the more bitter and diitafteful. 5". Be careful to bring thy felf to a right efiimate of the Worldy and the Good or Evil of it. Our over-valuation of the World, is that which makes us exceed either in the Comfort we take in the Enjoyments, or in the Perturba- tion that we fuffer in the Loffes or Croffes of it : And commonly according to the Meafure of our Love unto, or Valuation of the things of this Life, fuch is the Mea- fure of our Grief, or Sorrow, or Defpondency, or An- ger, or Vexation, that we entertain in our Lofs or Dif- appointment in them : For indeed all other Paflions and Perturbations of the Mind, are but the Handmaids of the Paflions of Love, or Love a6led in^a different fliape or method. If I fet too high a value upon my Wealthy or my Health , or my Honour , or my Relations , or my Credit, then my lofs or difappointment of any of them will produce an excefs of Sorrow, or Vexation, or De- fpondency, or Anger, or Revenge- Therefore let it be thy bu/lnefs in the time of thy quiet and profperity, in the firft place to fettle thy Judgment aright, and confe- quencly thy Affedions aright, in reference to Externals. Confider, firfl: they are but Externals : They have no in- gredient at all in the Man ^ a Man may be a Fool, or a Vicious and Wicked Man, and yet enjoy thefe things in a great Meafure : And a man may be a Wife, a Juft, a Virtuous, a Pious Man^a Man in the favour of God,and yet be without them. 2. They are in their own nature tery uncertain things, they are fubje(5l to a thoufand contingencies j nay, if they Hand fecured unto me with G Q rher 392* A T reparative againji Affil^ioni. the greateft (lability that may be,yet my Body is fubje<51: to many Weaknefles and Diftempers, and a Difeafe in my Body will render all chefe things infipid and vain to me. What good or content will all my Wealth, my Honour, my fine Houfes, my great Retinue, my great Power do m.e, when I am in a burning Fever, in a pain- ful Confumption, nay, under a fit of the Head-ach, or Stone ? for fo fmall a Diftemper will m.ake me take no Contentment or Satisfa^ion at all in all or any of thefe Enjoyments ; the truth is, they are but Provifionsfor the Flefli,and in order to the Body ^ and vv^hen the Body is under a diftemper , they bscom.e infignificant, ufelefs things. He that is under a ftrong Pain or Difeafe, finds as little contentment, though he lie on a foft Bed rich- ly furnifhed, in a Chamber richly hanged, in it a Cub- board furnifhed with malTy Plate, as if he lay in a Cot- tage. 3. They are but for a time. Death vv^ill at lafl: overtake me ,• and as all my Riches, and Pleafures, and Honours, and Worldly Accommodations, cannot pre- vent or buy it off, fo neither will they^be of any com- fort or value to me in that hour. Indeed they may make Death more troublefome and unwelcome to me, but they cannot at all fecure m$ againft it. The plain truth is, Death doth undeceive and open the eyes of the Children of Men, it teacheth us to put the true value up- on every thing as it deferve?. My Riches and my Honour^ my VUafures and 7ny Trofts , my Gallantry and my Volicy , "ivhicb I made much reckcniv'g -'f in my life-time ^ ivhen Death coma I pjall percel've them to 1;e but Vanity at the hefiy and fct 7to Efieem ttpcn than : But 'Ehtj and Trayers^ and Charity ^afid Inter efi in Gody and in the Merits ofChrlfi, and the Tromlfes of the Gcfpel, th^t fncbance in my Life-time I efieemed as dry and ufelejs things ^ I flail thcnfe to be of great e/i vdue , and accordingly -prlz,^ them : Jhefe I fliall carry with tne into the juc- ceedlng World ; but all my IVorldly Co?nfortSy when I pafs through the firalt Gate of Death ^ Ifhall leave behind me^ as a ' Snake leaves behind his antlmiatedSkinwhen hi pafjeth through a brake ^ a^id ?iever make uje of them j or take Comfcrt in th.m more^ And when I come imto the cthtr Jide of this dead Lakey the A V reparative agatnfl Affli£lions, 393* the Fruitions of all my Life pafi 'ivlll hefrgotteny or at haft re^ membred as a Man remembers a Dream when he awakes ; on- ly the Good or Evil of my pa^ Life vjill ftick upon me unto all Eternity, fVhy then Jljould I fet my Heart upon that which is of fo fmall a "ualue^ fo little ufe, fo fliort and fo uncertain a con- tinuance ? they are things which I may lofe while I live, hut 1 am fure I cannot keep them when I die ; and if they take their far e7V ell fo oner ^ they do hut their kind^and at heft do hut little anticipate their lafi and necefj'ary "valediBicn, I refolve there* fore I will not fet my Heart upon them^ but carry a loofe and flaccid J ffeBion towards them: Jnd if I lofe them, I will not o'vermuch aftlB my Soulfr the lofs of that, which I had not much reafon to value while I had it. And thus as a Man fhould tutorhimfelf toa juft Efti- mate of the Good things of the World ,• fo a Man fhould bring himfelf to a juft and due Efteemof the Evil things of the World ,• fuch as Sicknefs, and Pain, and Impri- fonment, and Reproach, and Want, and the like. There are thefe two things-that do much allay the feverity of thofe evils. I* They are but Corporal, they reach no further than the Body, the Husk, the outward Man, the Cot- tage, they cannot at all get fo dQQp as the Soul. 2.They are but Temporal : It is m.oft certain that Death will cure and heal thefe Evils ,* and poflibly thefe Di^em- pers and Sufferings, the lefs fevere they are , the more tolerable ,• the more fevere, the more probability they will haften and advance the cure : As nothing that hath an end can makea man truly Happy ,-fo nothing chat hath an end can make man truly Miferable^ becaule he hath under his greatefl: Mifery the Lenitive of Hope^ and Expef^ation of a Deliverance. 6. But yet farther. Gain ajjurance of thy Peace with God in Chrift, ai^d confequently of thy future Happinefs ', and be frequent in the Contemplation and Improvement of it. This is the great Engine of a Chriftian , a Magiftery that was never attained by the mofL exquifite Philofo- pher, nor is attainable but in and by the knowledge of Chriit, who brought Life and Immortality to light : It is ths great expedient whereby a Man attains Vi^ory over 394 ^ T reparative againft AffliBions. the World ^ whereby he is able to enjoy Profperity with Moderation.and undergoAfBidion with Patience. This is the Viclory 'which o'uercometh the World , e'ven I Joh. f. 4. your Faith. When a Man under the fevereft Afflidions ftiall have this Affurance, and thefe Contemplations^ It is true, I am in as low a condition as the World can cafi me ,• my Eftate torn from me by the bafefi of Men^and I and my Children expofed to extreamW ant and Neceffity , fo that I am become little better than a Vagabond upon the Earth for the attaining of Bread ; or at heji am driven to the hardeft and mofi fordid employments that can be confifent -with honefiy, for my fupplies of NeceJJaries ; and if by chance my ownfiveat or others Charity fupply me to day ^ 1 cannot imagine what (Jjift to make for to mor- row '^ and if this were a condition to which I had been^borny or in which I had been bred, ufe mi^ht have made it eafy and familiar ; but it is not fo 3* / am fallen into this low condition from a plentiful and liberal condition y wherein I had my Table crowned with plenty ; and as I wanted not Charity to employ my Vlenty^ fo I wanted not Vltnly to fupply my Charity I Jgainy I was in the greatefi Reputation, and lE^^Qtm among Men, that may be, but now 1 am fallen under thefaddeB, the bafesi Scorn, and Obloquy, and Reproach, and Imputation that can be, and all this without any Caufe : My Enemies triumph over me with Scorns^ Derijions, and Exprobrations : My Former Friends beslo7i^ upon me a fcornful Fity, that ts more bitter than the upbraidings of my Enemies: The abjecls and dregs of the Feople make me their by-word:^ and the Calumnies under ^hlch I fufftr are of [uch a ijature^ that none dares be my ad- vocate, but the f lent Teflimony of my own Confcience and In^ nocence, J gain, under all thefe prefures it had been fome allay if I were hut a Citiz,sn of the World ^t hat I bad but the liberty to for Jake the place of my fujfering, and go to fome more aufpi* cious or tolerable corner of the World; but in that I am alfo pre- vented, my Liberty is taken from me^ and I am penned up in the^ narrow, darky loathfome, ftinking confines of a mofi odious Prifon^ without the benefit of Light , or Friends, or indeed of any other Company than fuch as make my Imprifonment the more intolerable^ Chains and Vermin^ and the moji accurfed Male" A Preparative a^ainfl Affli£lions. ^9S MalefaBors, Again, I jtijf^r not only under reftraint of a loath' Come Gaoli hut I am expofed to lingring Torments^ Backs, and Whips, and Yamjne^ and Nakednefs, and Cold, and continual Threats^ ^W^iExpedadons of worft to follow, if v'orfe there may he. Again, difmal, and painful, end tormenting Difeafes/^iz:,? up-n mj Body, jno part of my Body free from pain, fio place affords me eaje, no Cordial gives me comfort ; my Breath fliort and painful,and even kathfome unto my felf ; my eyes confumed and weary vithexpetlation of a Delivera^jce ^ my Heart faint, and not able to fupport its VJcak and languiflnng motion ', my Stomach gone, and not able to receive or digeji the mo ft pleafant meat ; my e:^haufied, confumed Body (landing in need offupply, and yet unable to receive it ,* my Intrails parcht and [core bt ii^ith burning heat, which is neverthelef the more increafed by that which [Joould allay it ; my Limbs, and Joints, and Arteries torn and racked with tnd Dutjy to keep you in a right frame and temper of Moderation ,• for Afflidion of any kind, when it hath lain a while upon a Man, will pro- bably bring him into Order • but at the firft Onfet the PafSons begin to fly our, and p'ay reaks, and diforder the Soul, and fill ic to Perturbation. Then Immoderate Anger, or Murmuring, or immoderate Sorro'w, or Fear, fly out, and Men thereby become lefs able to bear for the future , and many times fly out into that Immode-. ration and Diflemper at firft , either in Thoughts, or Words, and Anions, that they are forry for after ; and fo draw upon themfelves a double Trouble, Firft, To repent of their Folly and Immoderation ,• and then to fit themfelves for Sufl^erings : It throws more Grains of Sin into the Scale of Afflic^ions,and makes it heavier^and many times longer than otherwife it would be : And after fuch Perturbation and Exorbitancy of Paffion upon the firft Inroads of AfBiction, a Man hath much ado to bring himfelf into a right and due Temper. This was Joh\ Cafe 3* m the Beginning of his AfHidion he flies out into more Impatience and Diforder than all the reft of the Time ; Therefore beware, and fee thou keep thy Mind inTemper,nnd check Perturbation at the firft On- fet : Call together all thy Grace, and Refolutions, and Reafon, to keep thy Mind in due Temper at firft. Secondly, On the firft Onfet of any Afflidion, Lift up thjHeart to God, dejire his Affiance and Grace to enable thee to carry a due temper and frame of Heart. This is not only 400 A Preparative againfl Ajfliclions, only thy Duty, and expe(9:ed from thee by God • but It is a fingular Help to enable thee to avoid any prefent Di- ftemper : For it is a means to fupply thee with more ftrength from Heaven, to order thy felf aright. 2. Ic brings thy Soul into the Prefence of God, before whom it were a fhame to bring any Perturbation • the Paffions and Diftempers of our Minds are tinder an Awe in his Prefence. 3. It is a Diverfion of the prefent Buftle and Stir that Paffions are apt to make • and being diverted at firfl:, they do not fo fuddenly , nor fo eaHly fall into a Diforder. Commonly Paffions are moft diforderly and impetuous upon the firft Occafion^ and if rhey be then interrupted or diverted, the Succours even of common Reafon,much more of Grace, have Opportunity to rally themfelves, and prevent Immoderate Perturba^tion. Thirdly, Make as fpcedy an Inquificion as thou canft into thy o-wn State, and what the Caufe of this Afflidion may be : Let us fearch and try our ways , is the Voice of every Affliction ,* and commonly every Afflidion upon ^ny Perfon, that lies under any Sin unrepented of, and not forfaken , foon leads the Confcience to point out that Sin : And indeed moft Afflidions, in fuch a Cafe, carry upon them the very lufcription of the Sin , and bear fome Analogy or Proportion with it. Adonikz.ck's Cruelty, and David's Adultery, were, as it were, writ- ten in the Punifhm.ents they fufFer'd , and might eafily bring them to their Remembrance, If thou fufferefl: in thy Estate, confider whether either Immoderate World- linefs and Covetoufnefs , or Confidence and Glory in thy Wealth, went not before: If thou fufferefl in thy Name, confider whether thy Reputation hath not been thy Idol, or whether thou haft not born thy felf too high upon thy Reputation ^ and fo of other Croffes, Fourthly, If upon this Enquiry thod findeft Sin writ- ten upon thy Sufferings , or in the bottom of them, fpeedily Repent of that Sin ; Humble thy felf in the Sight of God for it , take up Refolution againft it. This is ithe Voice, the Injunction that this Rod gives thee, and Here thy fpscial Duty is Humillaticiu Fifthly, A V reparative agatnjl Affii^ions. 401 Fifthly Jf upon Search thou findeft thy Heart and Con- fcience clear, lock upon this Affli^ion as a Difpenfatioa fent from God^ and with all WxxvcvXxiy [uhmit to his Band ^ and know, that the moft Wife God fends it for mcft wife Ends, tho' thou feeft not any Enormity in thy felf that might deferve it. It may be it is to exercife thy Pati- ence, thy Eaith, thy Dependance upon him : Ic may be he difcerns that fome Temptation is like to meet with thee, or fome Corruption is grovving in thee, that thou doft not perceive , and he fends this MefTenger to divert the one, and to prevent the other : Study to im- prove this AfRidion to that end j and here thy fpecial Duty is Vc.t'ience and Vigilance. Sixthly^Butitmay be, upon this Search, thou doft find the true Caufe of thy Suffering is for Righteoufnefs fake, for keeping a good Confcience, for the Honour of thy Redeemer, for adhering to theTruth ,• and that this is the C aufe that ftirs up evil Angels and evil Men a- gainft thee ; And then indeed thy Suffering lofeth the Name and Nature of an Afflidion, and becomes an Ho- nour, a filling up of the Meafure of thy Saviour's Suf- ferings, a Suffering that hath not only a Bleiling in it, but it is a very Bleffing it felf; {oxBhjJ'darz je^ if Men perfecute ycu for Right couf nt f s Jlike. Matth. y. 10, Suffering for, or under a Sin committed, requires thy Repentance and Humiliation , for it is a Judgment : Suffering without any Sin before hand fjg- nally requiring it, requires thy Patience and Vigilance, it is an AfHiAion ; But Suffering for the Tefiimony of a Good Confcience, requires thy Rejoicirg, it is aPer-l fecution. But beware thy Heart deceive thee net, and make thee believe thou fuflFereft for a Good Confci- ence, when it may be it is for thy Folly, or Froward- nefs : In this Cafe , though they that inflid Punifh- ment, may want fomewhar of that Charity and Mo- deration that is fit , yet thou haft Reafon to repent for thy Folly, and not to glory in thy Suffering. We are wonderful apt to believe well of our fe!ves,and flatter our felves, many times, into the Title of Perfecution, when ic 40X A Preparative againft Affliaions. it isbut the fruit of our Folly and inconfiderateRafiinefs. Seventhly, Recei'ue and hear all thy JfjliBions with Humi- lity and Low lit? efs of Mind • for it is a MeiTage fent to thee from the moft Wife and Sovereign Lord of the World, tho' it may be by the Hands of a moft vile and unwor- thy Man. It was an excellent Temper in Dauid, that when his dilloyal Subjecf^ curfed him, reftrained the juft Indignation of his Followers : Let him alone, it may he the Lord hath commanded him to cwfe. It may be the In- flrument executes his own Malice and Spite ^ and it may be thou canft not find any fignal Caufe of this Afflidi- on even from the Hand of God ^ yet be not Vindica- tive againft the Inftrument ^ he doth God's Errand, tho* he vent his own Malice : Receive God's Meflage, and leave the Revenge to him that hath referved it to him- felf as his own Prerogative; and it may be, he will burn the Rod when he hath done v/ith it. Neither ftorm ac God's Difpenfation, it may be thou haft deferved it, tho* thou doft not fee it • or if thou haft not, give leave to thy great Sovereign to deal with his Creature as he pleafetli, and put thy Mouth in the Duft. Eighthly, Receive it thankfully , as well as humbly : Know, that it is fent from the moft Wife and Merciful God; what he doth,he doth upon moft excellent Grounds and Reafons. It may be it is preventing Phyfick againft a greater Mifchief : It may be it is for an Improvement of thy Grace : It may be it is intended as an Evidence, that thou art a Son, and not a Baftard : It may be it is to wean thee from the World : It may be it is to fit and qualify thee for a greater BIefling,and to give thee a Ca- pacity to receive and bear fuch a Benefit, which, with- out the Preparation of an Afflidion, would make thee proud : It may be it is to make thee an Example , a Screngthning to others: It may be it is becaufe thy Good Things are referved for the better World, and therefore thy Evil Things are difpenfed to thee here. If God be thy Father, truft his Wifdom, becaufe he is God ; and truft his Love, becaufe he is thy Fath«r ; and then thou canft not doubt that any thing that he fends deferves thy A T reparative againfl Affliilions. 403 ffey Thanks, tho' thou feeft not wherein th e Benefit of h lies : Be contented herein v/ith an implicit Faith, and be thankful to him at all Adventures. A Cup of Worm- wood would not be reached to thee from fo Wife and fo Good a Father, but that his Love and thy Benefit is mingled with the bitter Cup, tho' thou canft not at pre- fent tafte the one or the other. Ninthly, Bear it Patiently and ^ietly. i. If it come /or thy Sifis^ thou haft Reafon to bear it patiently,for it isbuc the Fruit of thine own Plant , the Crop of thine own Seed. rVby doth the Having Man comfiain ^ a Man for the Fmiifhment of hisSin ? Thou haft procur'd it to thy felfj be contented to bear the Iflue of thine own way. 2. Bear it patiently, for it might julily have been worje, and more fevere. Thou wanteft fomewhat that another enjoys ; but haft not thou fomewhat that another wants ^ Thouhafl: loft a confiderable Part of thy Eftate ; but haft thou not fomewhat left ? Or, if thou haft loft all. Haft thou not ftiil thy Health and thy Limbs, that may fupply thy Ne- ceffities by honeft Labours ? Thou haft loft thy Limbj;, or thy Health ,• but doft thou not enjoy thy Senfes, and thy Underftanding and Reafon? Thouhaftloft thy Reputati- on, Honour, and Efteem in the W^orld ,• but haft thou not thy Integrity and Uprightnefs, the Witnefs, and Se- renity, and Peace of thy own Confcience ^ Thou haft loft many of thy near Relations ; but haft thou notfome left ? Thou art vifited with Sicknefs and Pain , but haft thou not feen fome that have had more acute, and lefs Strength to bear them,and lefs Hopes to be deiiver'd from them, and lefs Means tofupportthem ? But fuppofe thou haft loft all thy Wealth, thy Reputation, thyHeakh, chy Friends ; yet haft thou not Peace with God, the Light of his Countenance, the Aflurance of his Favour, the Hope of Eternal Life ? And would ft thou exchange this Hope for the return of ail thy Temporal Comforts and Advantages ^ Believe it. That Man's Condition cannot be exquificely miferable , where there is any Hope, much lefs where there is fuch a Hope, a Hope that out- weighs whatfoever the World mn afford or anflidi ,* A Hope, 404 ^ Preparative agahfl AffliElions. Hope that is fo much the nearer to Fruition , by how much the greater thy external PrefTures are : When thou doll deferve the Lofs of all, thou haft Reafon to be Pati- ent if thou doft enjoy any thing. Thelnterrogation of the prophet is pathetical ; Why doth the living Man complain ? a Man for the Tumfiment of his Sin ? Where there is Life, there is Hope j and for a finful Man to complain while he is yet livingjCarries with it the Convidion of the Un- reafonablenefs of his Complaint,becaufe he enjoys fome- what that yet he deferved to lofe. 3. Bear it patiently, becaufe it is but jijort : Thq it be never fo fharp^ it may be that the fame God that inflided or permitted it, is at this Inftant refolving to turn thy Captivity, to give thee Beauty for Aflies : And what an unfeemiy thing will thy Impatience be ? How troublefome will the Remem- brance of it be to thy SouI,upon the Change of thy Con- dition ? How much wilt thou be afhamed at thy return, of the Undecency of thy Carriage under thy Afflidion ? I am perfuaded there was nothing more fower'd Joh's returning Profperity, than the Remembrance of his for- mer Murmuring and Impatience under the vifitingHand of God. But again, fuppofe thy Affliction wait upon thee till thy Diflblution, yet it is but a Night , but an Hour of Afflidion : This Night, and this Hour will end with thy Life ; and this Life of thine is but a Span, and then the Day will dawn, and the Sun will arife, and thy Afflidion v^ill vanifli and never return again. 4. Bear it patiently, Becaufe thy Patience VJtll fijortcn thy Affiiciion* The Tryal and Improvement of thy Patience is one of the chief Ends and Bufmefs of thy AfBidions: It is fentto teach thee that Lefron,and the fooner thoulearneft it^the fooner the Bufinefs is difpatched, and the Difcipline dif- mifs'd. Thy Impatience doth but protradt and lengthen out thy Difcipline. If thou would'ft be difcharged of this importunate and troublefome MefTenger , fpeedily difpatch his Bufmefs , and he is likely the fpeedier to leave thee. 5'. Bear it patiently, Becaufe thy Patience will Tnake thy Burthen the more er.fy and tolerable* When God fends Afflidions to tame a Man, and bring him to a right Temper A Preparative againfi AffliSions. 40 5- Temper, believe it, he will not be over- matched, he will bring thee down ; And if one Afflidion will not do it, he will add more , and make thy Bond ftronger , and can, and will yet vific thee fevenfold more, till he hath reduced thee to Patience and Humility : Struggle not Vv'ith him, for he will be too hard for thee : If thou bear the Yoke patiently, thou wilt bear it eafily ; but if thou fling and tofs, like a Wild Bull in a Net, thou may 'it ham- per thy felf worfe, and thy Yoke will gall thee the more j but it will neither break iht Net, nor the Yoke. Be con- tented therefore,Reiign up thy felf to his Will with Humi- lity,and receive the Chaftifementof thy Folly with Pati- ence 5 thou wilt have this double Advantage by it, Firft, The great God will then lay no more upon thee, for he hath artained his jbnd and Purpofe by what he hath al- ready infiided ^ but will either remove it from thee, or put his own Hand to help thee to bear it. Secondly, By the Quietnefs and .Compofure of thy Mind^ thou wilt be of greater ftrength to bear thy Burthen, and with more cafe under it : For it is a mofi certain Truth, That the Turbulency, and Storming, and Struggling of the Mind, is that which makesAffliclion more (harp and t. ouoieibrae than the Nature, or Quality, or Meafure of Af[ii6lion it felf: It is the Mind that gives the Value and Weight of external PfofperityorAdverfity. Take two Men, the one of a proud and great Spirit, as they call it, the other of a mild, humble, patient Spirit ,• we (liall ealily fee, that Difgrace or Lofs ftiall more afliid and torture the for- mer, than five times as much of either, or bothfhall trou- ble the latter. And this is the true Reafon why Afflifli- ons at the firft ar'; more troublefome and grievous than after, thr/ they continue the fame. At the firft , they meet with a Iviind unacquainted with it, and contefling againft ir, as a Heifer unaccuilomed to the Yoke j but .when by Time and Continuance the Mind is accuflom- ed to it, tho' the Yoke be the fame, yet it finds no fuch Severity and Importablenefs in it. A Patient Heart gains that Habit quickly , which Cuitom, Length of Time, and NecefScy doth 5 with more difficulty ^ produce in another 40 6 A Preparative againfl AfftiHtons, another Temper. 6. Bear it patiently, becaufe thou haft an Example of great Vatlence^ under a greater Crofs^ in a moft innocent Perfon : Thy Saviour hath left a Copy of his own Patience for thee to imitate ,- and thy Aflii- <5tion is fent thee^ to teach thee to write after his Copy, and to conform thee to the Captain of thy Salvation, who was made perfe<5l by Suffering. Confider the Difpa- rity of the Perfons : He moft innocent^ without any Sin to deferve it ^ thou a Perfon laden with Sin, that meri- torioufly deferves as much, if not more than thou haft a Capacity to bear : He, the Son of God, clothed with Innocent Flefli ; thou a Worm, clothed with Impurity and Sin. Confider the Difparity of the Sufferings ,• He a Man of Sorrows, under the Perfecution of thofe whom he came to fave,rubjeded to all the Scorns andTorments that the Wit of moft exquifite Malice could inflid ^ and above all thi? , under the Senfe even of the Wrath and feeming Defertion of his Father : Thou, it may be, haft loft fomeEftate, or Reputation, or art in Prifon, or Ba- nifliment, orSicknefs, or Pain ; but, under ail this^ doft, or may'ft enjoy that Peace, and Pardon, and Favour of God, that his Sufferings purchas'd for thee. The Ingre- dients of His Cup, nothing but Gall and Vinegar • but thy Cup, tho' never fo feemingly bitter, yet fandified and fweetned by his Sufferings : And yet under ail this. As a Sheep before his Shearers is dumb y fo he opened not his mouth : Tho* his moft Innocent Human Nature fhrunk at the Pre-apprehertfions of this bitter Potion, yet with Patience he refigned up his Will to his Father , l^ot my Willy but thine be done. In fum, as his Providence was me- ritorious and expiatory for thy Sin , fo it was left as % Pattern and Example for thy Pradice. 7. Bear it patient- ly, 'PoY it is reached unto thee from the hands cf God, tho' ic may be by the Hands of moft vile and accurfed Inftru- ments ; and this Confideration is enough to tutor thee to an invincible Patience, i. It is the Difpenfation of God, who is Infinite in Mercy and Goodnefs ; and therefore it is moft certain, it is a Meffage of Mercy ,• for He doth not nffli^ willlngljy nor griroe the Children of Men. But fure that^ A Prepardtii)^ againji Aj^itlioHs. ^by that. It coming from the Fountain of Goodnefs and Love, it hath a Blefling in it, thoagh thou canft not at the prefent fee it. i. It comes from the Hands of the mofi wife Gody chat doth all things for moft excellent ends, and even in thofe Difpenfations that are moft obfcure and rugged, that v/e cannot unriddle, yet there is al- ways a complication of moft Sovereign and ExcellentDe- figns which ihall not be difappointed. 3. It corned from the Hands of that God, that is under the relation of a moff tender FatheVy that hath the very fame Bowels of Mercy, Goodnefs, and Love to us, inhisCorrei^ionl, as in his Favours. A poor filly Child, when a Father either Correds him for a Fault, or takes that frofti hiin chat will hurt him, or keeps him hard to his Book, or otherEmploy mem, or denies him fome what that is noxioui to him, chinks his Father deals hardly with him, when in truth the very fame Tender and Fatherly Love, that difcoversitfelf inmore grateful Difpenfations, isthecaufe and companion of thefe. The fame is thy cafe and mine;' be patient therefore ; it is the Hand of a Father chat Af- files thee ,• and that may affure thee that ic is for thy Good, and it (hall be in Meafure. 4. Ic comes from that God, chac is thy ahjolute Lord, chac hath that unlimited Right over his Creature, that his only Will is a fufficient Rule of Juftice ; thou oweft an infinite Subjection to him, from whom thou haft received thy Being : His Sove- reignty over his Creature is even by the very right of Nature, Infinite and Bouridlefs. Be contented therefore to bearwhatfoever helnfiic^ts, without the leaft difputing of the Juftice or Injaftice of it. This was the excellent Contemplation of old £/i, under the moft fevere Denun- ciation of God's Judgment. It is the Lord, let him do what feemeth him Good, And it was that great LefTon, that Job\ Afflictions were fent to teach him, though he could not learn it, till God himfelf, as well for our Inftrudion, as His, caughthim out of the Whirlwind ; but when he learn- ed ic, and abhorred himfelf in Daft and Afhes for his former Igriorance and Frowardnefs. j. Yec further, bear it patiently, for that God chac fent this Meflengsr, :& d d<,tk 4o8 A Preparative agalnjl Affli^ions^ doth heboid and ohferve how thou entert^ineft it ; wherein we. may with all due Reverence/uppofe theLord of Heaven, thus refolving. Tonder isfuch a Man, that profejjeth to Kno7i^^ find Fear y and Love me^ and I fee him neverthelefs fond of his Wealth or Honour^ or fome other Blefing , 1 will give leave to Evil Meny cr Evil Angels (as once in the cafe of mj J erv ant] oh^ ' to fpoil him of Wealthy and to caft htm into Difgrace ; and 1 TviU ohferve his carriage and deportment under it j and though 1 know 7vhat it will bey yet I will make it now confficuous both to Himfelfy and Men, and Ajjgels : And if his deportment be not anfwerable to his Vrofeffiony if he fiorm againfi my Trovi- ^cncCy or ufe unworjhy Means to free himfelfy cr grew Impa^ tlent at^d Df orderly under ity I will make his Folly confpicuousy and fend more, andfiarper Vifitations unto him, till this fire of AffUHions hath brought him to his due temper of Tatience, Hu- mility y ' Submifjlon to my Willy Dependance upon my Fcwery SubjeBion tg my Sovereignty : But if o?2 the other fide I fee him humble himfelf under my hand. Submit to my Willy Juftifie me in Sufferings y.Fdtient under themy and Waiting my time to be delivered from them, 1 will exhibit him before Men and Angels as a Vattern cfFatiencey and l7viU make him as Signal in his^ Deliverance, as he is EmincfJt in his Tatience. Suppofe, thou couldeft hear fuch a Deliberation, and fee and be- hold fuch Spec5tators of thy Deportment, how wculdft thou endeavour to compofe thy felf v^^ith all Patience, and Contentednefs, and Quietnefs, and Refignation of thy felf under the moil fevere Afflidion ? And how lit- tle wouldtt thou dare in fuch a Prefence to difcover, oi? fo much as entertain any Murmuring or Impatient! Thought ? Affbre thy felf, tho' thou canft not with a bodily eye behold thisGreat Lord of the World beholding thee, v/hile thou art in this Scene of Affii6lion, yet he beholds and obferves thee, and the very motion of thy Soul I and the Glorious Angels, though they cannot" look into the fecret retirements of thy Thoughts, yet they behold thy externalDeportment, and are grieved, if it be unfeemly and unfuitable to the Honour of their and thy^ Lord, and are glad to behold a Deportment f icable to the^ Ends and Glory of their Lord ; And the Evil Angels^ which' A Preparative agalnfl AffliBions. - 409 which irritate and provoke thee to Impatience, are plea- fed and gratified if they efFed it, and afliamed and vex- ed if they are difappointed in it. Believe it, in a fignal and eminent degree of Profperity or Adverfity, thou art like a Man upon a Stage, a Spe<5tacle expofed to the view of God, Men, and Angels, and Devils ^ let thy carriage therefore be fuch, as if thou didft as vifibly behold thy Spedators, as they mofl certainly do fee thee. Tenthly, As thus thou art to bear thy Afflidion pati- ently, fo endeavour to ufe it frofitably • and befides thofe advices before mentioned, add to them thefe enfuing. I. Learn by them to have a juft ejlmate of the World, Afflidion pulls off thofe fine gayCloaths from theWorld^ by which in Profperity it deceives us, and renders it, as it is, a Vain, Empty, Vexing World. 2. From that found and juft Eftimate of the World, Difcipline thy Jf- feBions to a moderate and loofe application to it. It is true, Afficlions do ordinarily imbitter the World to us, and fo for the prefent our Afflictions may be dull towards it ; but this arifing meerly from Senfe, without a found pradical eftablifhed Judgment, it ordinarily lalts no longer than the Affiidions lafl: • and as they wear away, and world- ly Comforts begin to grow up and increafe, fo our love to the World comes on, and grows up again : But when a Man by the Advantage of Affiidions digefts this Prin^ ciple into his Judgment, commonly it abides, and mo*- derates the loveof the World, notwithftanding the return of the Comforts and Advantages of the W^orld. 3. Keep up thy heart in a dependance upon God's Fower and All-juffici'^ ency to deliver thee from AjflitVion^ or to fupport thee under it 5 and labour by Obfervation and Experience to rivet this Dependance into thy Judgment, and Choice. It is moft certain, that almofl: every Man, as long as he can have any thing to lay hold of befides, will make that his De- pendance : The Sick Man will depend upon his Phy fician ^ the Impoveriflied Man upon his Friendj, and the like ; but when there is nothing elfe to reft upon, then Men will to their Prayers, with the Mariners in the Stormy but this being bur an Ad of NecefBty, as it rifeth upon D d ? Necefficy, 410 A Preparative againjl Affli^ions. ' Neceffity, fo it vanifheth with it : When the Neceffity, is over, and crher Dependances come to hand, we are apt to throw off our Dependance upon God. Labour therefore for an Experimental and Judicious Dependance upon God : Sometimes in AfBiAions we begin to attain it ,' but the beft way is to begin to entertain fuch a De- pendance before we are driven to it, and then the Necef- fity of our Affiaions will faften and improve it, that it will flick with us after. 4. By thy ApBions learn to ^a- he and improve thy Hope and Ajfurance of E'verlaftivg Life : And indeed thy Neceffity now doth in a fpecial manner drive thee to it,- and it is a great End of God's lending AfBidions, that it may drive us off from the clafping of this prefent World, and thereby carry usover to the valua- don of our Eternal Condition. Thy Wealth is gone, and thy Honour and Reputation is funk and blafted, and thy Friends have forfaken thee, and thy Body is rocmldering to Duft and Rottennefs, and thy Soul fits hovering upon thy Lips ready to take her flight, and all thy hold of this prefent Life is broken and gone, fo that thou haft nothmg now to lodge and faften thy Hopes upon, but thePromi- fes of Everlafling Life, thy Interefl in Chrift, the Hope of Everlafling Life, and now, if ever, thefe Things will be welcome to thee. God hath fcattercd and broken all other Confidences ; improve this Unum Magnum^ this one thing necelTary, that alone doth fland by thee, when all things clfe forfake thee, and will accompany thee in and through Death it felf ,• and fix in thy Heart fuch a value upon this that hath been thy only Comfort, when all others forfake thee^ as not to let go the valuation of it, tho' thy Temporal Profperity fhouid return unto thee. Eleventhly, Wait God's kifure for thy Deliverance out of AfflitHon, and ufe no Unlawful Means to be delivered from it. Ufe no bafe or unworthy Compliances with the World, cither by Diflimulation,or Flattery ,or Violence,or Falfity, to extricate thy felf ,• for that will either intangle thee worfe,or at leaft add Guilt to thy Sufferings. And above all, avoid that accurfed Temptation of ridding thy felf from thy Troubles, by putting an end to thy own Life 5 for there- by A Preparative againjl Affiiiiions. 411 by thoudoft at once two great Evils,- anEvil of extream Folly and Madnefsy to exchange a Temporal Inconvenience by running the ha2:ard of an Eternal Mifery • for the very fame Impatience, and Perturbation, and Anxiety of Soul, that puts thee upon fuch an accurfed Refolution, goes with thee into the other World with a great Im- provement of it, and makes thy Soul in its Separation in- finitely more vexed and tormented than it was before in the Body ^ and an Evil of Rebellion againft God, who hath fent thee thefeAfHi(5bions,and hath made it thy Providence, and thy Task, and thy Service, that he enjoyns thee to bear with Patience, and to his Honour, till he deliver thee. Thou art juft like an hired Servant, who art fet on work by a moft Righteous Lord, and thy Labour fet out to thee, and thy Reward appointed in the end of the Day, and thou wilt run away before the Day be ended , whereby thou doft not only lofe thy Wages, but art juft- ly obnoxious to be purfued and caft into Prifon for thy Difobedience and Rebellion : Be contented, wait God's time with Prayers and Patience , and thou maycft be fure to find his Mercy in Moderating thy AfBi(3:ions, his Power to fupport thee under them, his Goodncfs in his Time, which is alwa>s the beftTime to deliver thee from them, and his Bounty to reward thee for thy Pa- tience, and obedient bearing of them. Twelfthly, Take this for a moft certain Expedient to be prevented from many AfHidion?, and to be delivered from them ; Meddle as little with the IVorld^ and the Honcnr, F laces y and Advantages of them y as you can ,• and extricate thy felf from them as much, and as foon as thou canft. Although the Divine Wifdom and Providence governs the World in a moft infallible and unerring Method, yet in the External Adminiftration of it, it feems to be full of Confufion and Uncertainty : When 1 have feen a Lottery with a goodly ihow of fine Plate, and a great many Per- fons parting with certain Money for an, uncertain Lot, and though poffibly one or two may gain a fair Prize, yet a Hundred for one drawing nothing but Blanks, and when they have opened their Papers, vexing and tor- 'D d I mencing 412' A Preparative againfl AffliBions. meriting themfelyes with their Lofs and Difappointment; Or, when I have feen at Chrifimas- timo a few Apples thrown among a Room full of Boys^ and one fcram- bling, and another catching, fome getting nothing but a fall, or bruife, or a broken Skin, or a broken Limb, and another getting it may be two or three, and thofe that mifs, falling upon him that hath gotten, fo the Company fall together by the Ears : Or, when I have feen a Match at Foot-ballj one while one getting the Ball, and then another kicking up his heels and getting it from him^ and then another doing the like by him. Thefe give me a kind of RefemhlajKc of the Worldj wherein though by the help of Civil Government, there are certain Rules put to the Game, yet they are not always kept ^ an(i when they are, yet it is not without a mixture of irreme- diable Deceit and Violence, tho' it be of a finer fort. If now my Child fliould run among this Company, and in the fcuffle fliould receive a knock, or a fall, or a bruife, or be tumbled in the dirt, and then fliould come running to m^y and complain of his Ufage, my Anfwer would be to him. What made you there ? What made you in fuch boifterous and unruly Company ? If you mingle with fuch Company, you muft be contented to ftiare in the prejudice, and to take your Lot ^ it is the Play j if you idiflike with your fuccefsj come no more among them. And indeed, this is in a great meafure the cafe of many of the true Children of God, they fee fine gay things in the World, as Wealth, and Honour, and Place, and External Advantages fcattered among the Children of Men, and gotten by fcrambling for them, and fome- times are apt to flatter themfelves into the purfuit of them, with a pretencethat if they could come by their fliare of them, they would dp more Good with then; than thofe do that get them ,• or, at leaft, they think ic as lawful, and as tit for them to have them as others -^ and thereupon jhrufl themfelves into the Crowd, and fcramble for j:hem, or are, at leall, cozened into afFeda- tion of them j and poflibly they are rolled and tumbled into the dirt in their undertakings, and, it may be, mifs of A Preparative agaznji Afflict on s, 41 j 6f them when they have all done : But fuppofe they gain them, then they think they may keep them , and yet keep their Confcience, and Integrity ^ and Religion too ; and many times in rhat endeavour chey lofe fome what of their Integrity, and then God vifits them with fome Lofs or Reproach ; or in cafe they ftand to their Integrity, and will noc part with it, but will make a fcruple of things that others down with, then conimor^ly they are expofed and pillagedj and lofe all that they have thus gotten, and the Evil one, and Evil Men tell them, AV, SlVy if you co?ne into our ground, if ycu ii'ill hold ihe Wcrldy fray he contented to hold it' upon our terms , and as we do , cy elfe leave-it ; it is fart of the game. And then the Man complains of his Afflidion, and his hVd Ufage in the World, and that he fufFers for keeping a Good Confci- ence, and if he would have done as the reft of theWorld do, it had been better with him. Buty Sir, 'what m^de you in that Comfany ? What made you to he tampering with great F laces and Trefermenis ? Do not you know, -that if yc'U will he dealing and traffick'tng with theje kind of matters, ym mull take them upon thofe conditions theWorld doth ujually afford thtm ? Do not you know th^t hy m.eddling with^ thejpy you lift your felf in a manner under the wcrld/s Command y fut your felf into that Corporation ? And therefore if you are minded to hold thefe Temporal Advantages , yaumufloh^ ferve the Orders cf your Comipander , and fo hazard y$ur Con^ fciencs and Feace with God, And.if yQU.w.'dl not (^hfsrve t^f Orders of your Commander ^you muft he contented tqhe fuhjeQ to the Difciplin'e, and Frowns, and Scorns y, and Rcje^ions. of the World, for you cannot ferve God and Mammon. There- fore if thou wouldeft prevent or avoid very many Affli- ctions, mingle as little a^s is poffible with the. concerns of the World, efpecially in great Places • and if through inadvertency or importunity thou art drawn into the fcaffle and intanglements of the World, get out as foon as thou canft fafely, and fairly, and honeftly ; For it is a Thoufand to One but firft or laft thou fhalc other- wife hazard thy.Confcience, .or receive fome fcratches 'and worldly preiudicsi, which are, in truth, rather the D d 4 Iffiies 4 14 ^ Preparative againji Affli^ions. Iffues of thy Folly, and Inconfiderate ^^yenture, than true AfRi<^ion. But for meddling withTlaces of Magi flracy ^Honour ^orVuh" lick Emykyment^ I would not have ic thought that it is my intention that Good Men, lawfully called, and duly qualified, (hould morofely or frowardly wholly reje<^ their due Call unto them. The World cannot be kept in order without Magiftracy : And Good Mcn,if other- wife fitted for it , and duly called unto it, are likely to Adminifter it beft for the Publick Good of Mankind ; and it were an unreafonable thing for them to exped the benefits of Magiftracy and Government from others, when under fuch circumnances they wilfully decline the communion of tjie like advantage to others : and there- fore the wifeft Kingdoms, States and Politicians, have impofed a neceffity upon Men of honefty and abilities to take upon them Publick Employments: Arifiot, 2, Toliticorum, although he condemns Ambition after Magi- ftracy, [that Men fliould be encouraged or permitted to ftand or folicit for places] Nemo enlm Mapnratum ^etet, nifi Honoris fis affeBator, atque fleraque eorum qua homines injujie faciunty per Ambitionem d^ A'uaritiam committttntur : yet tells USyOportet enim ^ 'VcUntem d^ non volentem adMa* ^'tftratum ^Jl'umerey (i dignus fit eo Magifi rata. That there- fore which I mean, is, i. That Men that love their own Peace and Tranquility fhould not feek great Em- ployments, z. That if they are offered, they do, as far as cpnfifts with modefty and duty to their Superiors and Country, decline and avoid them. ^. That if up- on fuch an account they are perfuaded to undertake them, yet they be fure that before they undertake them, they jbave fufficicnt abilities to perform them. 4. If by the Command of the Soveriegn Power they are required to undergo them, and are able and fit for the Employ- ment, they do not either frowardly or ungratefully refufe them : For , i. Herein they are but PafSve ,• it is an ad of their Submiflion and Duty, not of their Choice. ^. Being thus called to it, if they meet with any rubs in their way, they have no reafon to blame themfelves fo A Preparative agahjl Afflictions. 41 j fo long as they obferve their Duty in the exercife there- of ; The Prince that enjoyned them to this Province, is to be their fupport in it. y. Readily and Cheerfully to entertain a difmiflion from ic when it pleafeth the Prince to call them from it, or when by Reafon of diC. abling Occurrences they may fairly attain fuch difmip. fion, III. And thus I have done with fome of thofe Prin- qipal Confiderations touching our Deportment under Afflidions ^ now concerning the Frame and Temper of a Soul under our Deliverance from them, 1. Accept of thy Deliverance with all Tbankfulnefs to God, and Humility \n thy felf. Attribute it wholly to his Goodnefs and Mercy; Think not that thou art delivered becaufe of thy Worth or Defert ; for any one fin that ever thou committeft would detain thee everlaftingly under the fevereft Affli(5i:ion : Think not thy Afflidion hath expiated thy Demerit, «nd that thou oweft thy Deliverance to the fatisfadion that is made by thy fufFer* ing ,• for moft certainly the greateft Afflidion under Heaven cannot fatisfy for theleaftTranfgreffion; nothing; but the Blood of the Son of God can countervail the weight of the leafl Sin againft God : Think not that thy Deliverance is due to thy Wit, Friends, or Intereft ; for though God be plcafed to ufe the intervention of Means, yet he adminiftred that Means, and bleffed that Means, and made it efFedual,or otherwife it would have been but a flat and unprofitable Means. As God fends Afflidions to evidence his Power, and Wifdom, and So- vereignty, fo he fends Deliverance to raanifeft hisGood- nefs and Bounty : And the Tribute that he moft juftly expeds for the fame, is but eafy and reafonable ; Call up- on me in the day of trouble y and I will deliver thee, and thcu fljah glorify me, Pfal. JO. ij. 2. Forget not the time of thy Trouble, and the Promifes and Engagements that thou didff then make. We. obferved in the beginning of this Difcourfe, the difficulty of pre-appre^ henfion of Adverfity before ic comes ; and tru'y tt is al« molt as hard to think of Adverfity when- ic is paft ; we . pleafc / 4^6 A Preparative againji Affll^ions. pleafe our felves with what we enjoy, and never refled upon what is pail; unlefs it be to heighten and advance our prefent Enjoyments : And if we (Jo chance to think lipod the ferious Refolutions we then entertained, we look upon them as the weak refults of our Infirmity ,ufe-. ful indeed for that time,but now antiquated and grown unfeafonable. ?• Not^only call to mind thy Promifes, but call them to mind with a Refoltttton to obferve and t>erf,'rm them^ in fuch Expoftulations as thefe ; Alas ! the time was when I Oi/as under p-eat AffliBlons tt may he of a gainful and defpe^' r^e ficknefs^and then Irefolved,ifGod would refiore my healthy I would walk more ftriBly itfitb him ; I would pray more fre- ^'i-rntly^ and more conftantly ^ and more fer'vently than for-- nierly • J would he more diligent to make even my Accounts a^itb him, to make Jure my Calling and EUBion, for which % found the time of my Sicknefi was 'very unfeafonable \ 1 would redeem my precious Time, anfi value thofe Minutes of Life, tba God (hall lend me, at a dearer rate than formerly ,* I wou d negUB no offortunity of doing Good to others, or imfrovi?}g my Everlafiing Peace ^ how precious then was one hour of repofe, and quietnefsy and freedom from pain ? and how much fhould I fken have valued it ? and how indufiriou/ly jhould I then have improved it in the great concerns of my Everlafting Soul; God hath now heard my Tr dyers, reft or ed my Health, put that pre- vious Opportunity into my hands of performing my Vows and Vromifes, which I then made in the fadnefs of my Soul, and fliall I deal faljly in my Covenant , difappointing my God that huth delivered me ? No, I will up and he doing ; / will per- form all my Vows to him : Nay, the fenfe of the Mercy and Cnndefcenfion of God to my requefts jliall wcreaje my Engage^ ments before him ; As he hath added Mercy to me, fo 1 7vill add new Ohligations to my felf of better Obedience, and far- ther Duties than the fenfe of my Mifery could fuggefi unto rn^' or di^ aw from me, ■4, Be very watchful over thy f elf , and remember thy Saviour's Counfel^ Go away and Sin no more, lesi a worfe thing befall they knd in a fpecial manner recolIe<5t and Call CO mind thofe Sins that did mod trouble and dif- quiet A T reparative againjt Affli^ions, 41 £ qmet thee in the time of thy Adverfity ; renew thy Re* pentance for them, and take a fpecial care to avoid Kt^ lapfes into them ; Remember the mifchiefs they then did thee, and let them know they fliall do thee no more ; Be moft fevere and ftrid againft them. 5\ Make afrecjuent Vfe of thy DeliveroTJce as a Jingular Trefervative agaiv^ the Vcwer of thy Temftations and Cor- ruptions. Deliverance carries in the very apprehenfion of it thefe two things : i. A fuppofition of a former Mi- fery or Vifitation. 2. A prefent enjoyment of a freedom from that Mifery. Therefore if any Corruption . pr. Temptation unto Sin/ollicit thee, improve this confide^ ration to this, or the like effed: ; I -iv.as lately under ths Rachy under the Rod, under extrea^tJr . Wantyhnfrlfonminfi D'ijgrace^ Loffes, Sicknefs, Sorrows^ Fear s^ and an imminent expeclaticn of the worfi of Evils *; and though thefe were fore and [Ijarp Affliclions, yet thefe?fe of my former Sins, and the importunate refilefsnefs of that Guilt that, was contracled from them, were more hitter and tormenting than all the refi of my fi^fferingsj it was that which was the fting and 'uenom of all my Jffliclions ; and it hath plea fed Almighty God to accept of my Humiliation J and to remove my Ajfittions, and to give me beauty for ajhes, and JJjall I be fo very a fcol as by committing of a new Sin to run the haz^ard of a?20ther plunge, anothtr^ Jcourge ? which in all probability mu^ be much more fevere than the former, becaufe it would be the Ifj'ue not only of Sin, but of Frejumption ; a Sin committed again H the experience that I have had of the bitternefs of Sin ; and with what face or hope could I expect any poffibility of Deliverance from a fecond Relapfe into Mifery, occafioned by fo dtfperate a prefumptuous Relapfe into Sin t But fuppofe it were pofible, that 7J0tw it branding niy yielding to this Temptation, I might efcape the Vengeance, yet can I be Jo falfe, fo ungrateful to that God, that hatk delivered vn from my Sufferings and from my Fears, as to recompence his Love, and Mercy, and Gocdnefs, with a prefumptuous Apdfiacy from him ? fliall fthus requite his Mercy, and Gocdnefs, that heard me in my Anguifh and Sadnefs of Soul, in my .Extremity and Mifery, and fo heard me that he bath delivered me out of all my Troubles and Miferies ? Certainly if either common Pru- 41 8 A Preparative agatnjl Affltcltons, Prudence, or common Ingenuity be left in a Man, the Senfe of a former Calamity, and the Senfe of fo great a Mercy, will make a Man abhor the lead fubmiflion to that Temptation that may at once haaard the continu- ance of his prefent Comfort, and cannot be entertained without the Prefumptuous Rejecftion of him that thus mercifully feot Deliverance. 6, Let the remembrance of thy Mifery, and thy pre- fent Mercy, make thee moji jeakufty and fajjionately careful to keep thy Interefi , and ( it it be not too bold a word ) tby Friendlhip with God. Remember he was thy fupport , in thy Afflldion, and he was thy Deliverer out of thy Affliction ,• let Gratitude bind thee to it, as he was thy Benefador ; and let Prudence bind thee to it ; thou knoweft not how foon thou may'ft have the fame Ne- cejfity again, and where canft thou find fuch a Friend ? The truth is, when we are in Extremity, and have no whither elfe to fly, O then we run to God, and we pray unto him, and promife him fair : But when once our turn is ferved, and we have gotten our Ends, and think our felves out of Gunftiot, we are like Mariners after a Storm, and God hears no more of us : But this is, as ex- treme Ingratitude, fo , extreme Folly. Oh keep thy God thy Friend ! for moft certain it is, thou wilt have OGcafion to ufe him again, and thou knoweft not how foon : Keep thine intereft in him, and eftrange not thy felf from him in thy Recovery, whom thou canft not be without in thy Afflidions. 7 As I would have thee recoiled what were the things in thy Life paft, that moft troubled thee in thy Afflidion, that fo thou may 'ft avoid them ; fo think what things or FraBiceS) or Ex fence of time in thy life pafi was mo/lAccepta^ Me and Comfortable to thee in thy AfflitJion, that fo thou may'ttpradlfe them after thy reftitution.Confider, whether in thy Afflidion thou didft remember thy paft Recreati- ons,thy Merriment, thy Feaftings,thy Luft, thy Honours, thy Greatnefs, with any Comfort or Contentment ^ or whethertheRemembranceoftheHours thou haft formerly pent ia Prayer, Reading the Scriptures, Hearing Ser- mons, ^A f reparative agahfi Affliliioni. 4^^ mens , Relieving the Poor , Vifiting the Sick, Relic virig the Oppreffed , Harbouring the Perfecuted Mem- bers of Chrift , gave thee more Contentment. And I dare appeal to any Man's Experience under Heaven, that when the former fort of Tranfadions of our Lives were either extremely bitter , or at beft very in/ipid, to his Remembrance , yet the Remembrance of thefe of the latter fort were mod comfortable and contenting. Thou art now recovered , it is true ^ but as fure as thou fhaJt die , fo fure thou (halt pafs thro' new Affli(5iions , tho' it may be not of the fame kind, yet of fome kind : Let > it be thy Care , after God hath thus dcliver'd thee from thy former Afflidion, to lay up a Stock of Good Works againft another Evil Day,* fuch Cordials will lie warm at thy Heart, even when the cold Pangs of Death it felf fhall be ready to invade and feize upon it , and the Comfort of them (hall pafs into the other World with thee. 8. Tho* the Portion of thy Life, before thy Affli<9i. on, and under it, were very well fpent ,• yet remember that the Mercy of God, in thy Deliverance, doth call upon thee for a farther degree of Goodnefs and Terfe^ion than thou hadft before : It calls for more Humility, and more Thankfulnefs , and more Heavenly- Mindednefi and more Charity, and more Devotion, and more Self- denial, and more Sandity , and more Jealoufy for the Honour of God. For, i. On God's Part, Thou hadft more Engagements and Obligations put upon thee than before. Every Increafe of Mercy calls for an Increafe of Duty. 2. On thy own part , thy Experiences are greater i thou haft pafs'd thro* the School of Affliaions and that is a Seafon wherein God opens the Ear to Dit- cipline ,• the Rod hath a Voice, and a Leffon to teach • and thou haft p3fs'd thro' the Experience of God's Goodnefs , Tendernefs and Faichfulnefs in thy Delive- rance , and that tutors thee to more Dependance upon him , Thankfulnefs to him , and Love of him • and thefe AfFe(^tions carry out th« Heart co Duty atid^Qbe- dience. 9, Be* AzO Of Stdmijfwrt^ Prayer^ and thankfgivh^, 9. Beware that after Deliverance from Afflidions^ thoa he not fecure: Think not with ^gag, Surely the Bitternefs of T>eatb isfafi ; that now thou haft efcaped this brunt, all is Me, and the danger paft ^ ftill be Watchful, andltand upon thy Guard, i. Thou haft Sins and Corruptions wiihin thee, that if tHou art not watchful, may furprize thee, and raife^'-new tlorms. 2/ Thou haft watchful and vigilant Enemies without thee,Evil Men,and Evil Angels, that envy thee the more, becaufethou haft efcaped, 5. As long as thou liveft in the World, thy condition is uncer- tain, and unftable in' Externals • and, tho' one Wave be paft, another may follow : And, if there were nothing elfe to make thee Watchful, yet be fure the hour of Sicknefs, and the hoiir of Death will overtake thee, and that is an hour of Afflidion which thou muft always prepare for, . left it take thee unawares. *ll 11 » >// I • ■ - ■■ -■■■••- • ■ ■ ■ • *■ ■ H Vr"- ^- Of Submiffiofiy ^ray'my^md'Whmkj^w^^^ HE that freelf'fuimhs not to the ul'ulne T)tfpcjtti6h srid Providence, gains nothing by his Contumacy,* for lubmit he muft, whether he will or no. t 'But he gains- this Lofsand'Difadvantage thereby, that thofe Providences that are not according to his defire gall him more by theUnquietnefs and Impatience of his Mind under them. He that with an entire freenefs of Soul fuhmits to the Dizfine Frovidences^ gains thereby thefe Ad^/mtages i namely, i. That certainly, fuch a refolved willing Sub- miflion, never makes the Providences the more harfh, or fevere. 2. That commonly they are even in themfelves more gentle and eafie, becaufe the Man needs not a feverity to bring him to a right temper of Mind j name- ly, due Subjedtion to the Divine Will. But be the Pro- vidences never fo harfh and hard, they fic more eafie upon a quietj patient, refigning Soul Of Suhmijftonj Prayer^ andThankfgiving^ 411 A Man never lofeth by Vraytr.^ for, if the thing be grantedy it makes the BlefEng both the fwc€ter and th$ fafer, being the humble Victory and Acqueft of his Prayer : And it makes the Man the Better, the more Thankful ; for he looks upon it as a Gift, and iipt a Chance ; the more Dependant upon God, and the readier upon all occafions to call upon him, who honoured the Prayer of his Servant with a Conceffion. And if it be Denied^ yet he lofeth not ; for, it may be, the thing he Asketh, might have done him harm, an4 been his prejudice. Again, tho' he be not griH^ified. ia the thing he defired, a Thoufand to cme but heis gk^d- fied with what was fitter or better ; But, if not, yet the Man receives infalUbiy this Benefit by being Denied, that he is made theBefter^ the more Humble and Patient^ and to be content, that Almighty. God fhould be Mafter of his own Bounty, and not to be commanded by our Prayers. Or, at leaft, it difcovers unto him the Dift^rq- per of his Heart ; if he be not contented to be deJiied, his Heart was Proud, and his Prayers Hypocritical : He feemed to Pray, but indeed meant to Command., not to Pray for what he defired, which >iiakps,hini/th us, i^ftpa- tient of a denial. ■r"[''.T Senfe of Mifery^ Wanty or D anger ^ when we find no o the c means of Remedy, or Prevention, dotb carry us uTrayer^ and Invocation upon God. The Sailors did this ;ii>; the Storm. But commonly, tho' Deliverance follows even upon our very Prayers, ^y^r^r^/y, with that Seriomfnefs and Intention of Mind, return unto Gcd the Vraife and Acknow- ledgment of :his Goodnefs. Of the Ten Lepers that werecleanfed, we read only of One that returnedTh^nks for the Benefit ; and commonly we either forget the Be- nefit, and our Benefactor, wjien our turn is ferved ^ and are content to attribute our I)qiivprance to Chance, to Means, or to any thing, rather than to the Goodnefs of God. And the Reafons may be thefe, i. The Pride and Naughtinefs of our Hearts, that are unwilling to own our Dependancc upon God, when we think we ftand not in need oihioi. 2. Neccffity and Fear,^ and the incum- 4 IX Of SulmiffioHy Prayety and ThankfgMng. incumbent Senfe of Evil, are more preffing and urgent ,* and , by a kind of Force , oftentimes drive us to Pray, %vhen we cannot probably findHelpelfewhere: But when the Neceffity, and Fear, and Incumbence of Evil is re- moved , it is only a true Judgment , and the grateful Temper of our Hearts , that do engage us to render Thanks for the Mercy received ,• which is ordinarily more flat, and lefs adive, than Evils felt or feared. Natural Neceflity prompts a Man to Prayer oftentimes ,• but it is Sincerity, and a Right Temper of the Soul that prompts Man to Gratitude and Thankfulnefs. He that in his Neceflity prays for Help , and obtains ir, if his Prayers were the Fruit barely of his Exigence, is feldom Thankful \ and, if he be not Thankful, it is an Evidence , that his Prayers did not move from a Heart (incere, and truly principled with a Dependance upon God, and a Habit of Dutifulnefs to him. But if he be Thankful for the Mercy received,it is anEvidence, that not only his Gratitude , but his Prayers fprang frotn the fame Principle \ namely, a good and fmcere Heart, principled with the fame Habit of Grace, Piety, Dependance upon God, and Obedience to him. There is an admirable Oeconomy of the Divine Goodnefs find Wifdcm, te bring his Creature Man both to his Duty and Haffinefs : Many times he invites us to come to him by Perfwafions, and Monitions , and fecret Motions ; and when we neglecii that Voice, he oftentimes fends upon us Troubles, and Affli(5tions, and Dangers : And this he doth by a kind of Moral Force, to make us fly to him by Prayer, for Help, and Relief, and Deliverance. And it feldom miffeth its efFed , if there be but any Wifdom, or the Common Inftind implanted generally in the Human Nature. When we know not which way to turn , we then fly to God, be- a Chron. 20. 12. caufe all other ways are moft common- ly obAru^led and hedged up, and this Hofea y . I f . Paffage only left open to an Efcape : In their j^ffliclion they wiU feek me early. Al- flighty God deaU by us, as a wife Artift , that hath a Of Suhmijftoiiy Prayer^ ahd fhanhfgiving, 413 purpofe to turn a Stream towards fofiie defigned Plac^, flops all other Egreffes but that which fits hisDefign • Or> as a Father, that is minded to bring an Extravagant Son to his Duty and Dependance, obftruds all Supplies but fuch as may be had from himfelf. So oftentimes God Almighty doth fo methodize his Afflictions, that all ways of Relief are obftruded, but fuch as may lead aMan to him. It is true, many times in fuch Cafes we will be fhifting and trying every Avenue to get out at ,• but, when we tind every Paffage hedged up with Thorns, but that only which leads to him, out Stomachs come down, and we are glad to feek Relief in that way where we find only it can be had. Like Jonas his Mariners, in the Storm, we try all Experiments and Artifices to fave our felves, throw out our Anchors, take down the Sails, ply the Pump, throw over the Goods to lighten the Veffel ,• and when all will not do, then we begin to call upon God, Lord^ [aiJt «j, we fenjh. But yet the Method of the Divine Goodnefs refieth Hot here, but brings us a Step forward ; He is often gra- cioufly pleafed to grant the Deliverance we pray for, to let us fee that we call not upon his Name in vain, and to encourage us to depend upon him, to draw near un- to him, to make him our Confidence as well as our Fear: And tho' fometimes he defers our Deliverance, yet he doth it, partly to give unto our felves an Experiment of our own Sincerity and Patience, partly to difcipline and tutor us to Conftancy and patient waiting upon him ; partly to carry us on to more Importunity and Continu- ance in Prayer ; and by this means our Souls are made the better, by drawing nearer and nearer to him that is the Fountain of Light and Goodnefs ; for the Repetiti- on of Prayers rectifies the Soul, brings it nearer to God, lays more hold upon his Strength and Goodnefs, as the linking Man draws himfelf nearer to the- Shore by the repeated laying hold upon that Cord that is from thence thrown out to fave him. Neither doth he reft here ; for, (he Deliverance he fends, is not barely fent to deliver us from the Afflidion E e 01 4X4 Of Suhmiffion^ Prayer^ and thankfgivingl or Danger, nor barely to gratify our Prayers, but to bring us yet nearer to God, and to make us adive In- flrutnents to give Gkry to that God that hath delivered us ; whereby at once we arc drawn nearer to the Foun- tain of our Happinefs, and Almighty God receives and attains the great end of his Goodnefs, in the adive Glory and Gratitude that he receives frocn his Creature, And this is attained, 1. By a kind of Natural Inftind, Ingenuity, and Im- planced Tendency, as I may call it, of a Good Nature ; whereby, unlefs a Man be a Fool, or hath put oiF the common Rudiments of Humanity, he is carried out to Thankfulnefs, Gratitude, and an endeavour of Compla- cency to him that is his Benefador ; which, as it is the moft rational Confequence imaginable, fo it is a Prin- ciple fo riveted in the very Conftitution of Humanity it felf, that even v/ithout any Antecedent Ratiocinati- on, or rational Difcourfe, it doth prefently, and at firft view, and antecedently, antevert any rational Difcourfe of the Mind. We are Grateful, and ftudy to be Com- placent to him that doth us Good, without any ufing of Topicks or Arguments, by a kind of Natural Inftind or Sympathy. 2. By a kind of Stipulation, or Bargain made by .Al- mighty God with his poor Creature, to have this Tribute of Gratitude and Benevolent Affedion from his Crea- ture, as the Tribute and Return of his Goodnefs and Beneficence, Vfal. ^o. 15". CaU upon me in the Day ofTrou^ hle^ and I will deliver thee^ and thou Jl)ah Glorify me. And this Retribution, as it is molt admirably Congenious and Connatural to the right Conftitution of the Human Nature ; fo it is the- mod Reafonable, and the moll Noble, and' the moft Eafy, and the moft Beneficial Re- tribution in the World to him that makes it. For firft. Whereas the Creature in his Prayer feeks, and in the Returns thereof receives fomething from God, in his Gratitude and Glorification of God, he performs that which his Maker gracioufly accepts, as a Return made to him from, his Creature. Secondly, By this means he attains Of Prayer and Tlmnkfgiving. ^jij attains the Two great Ends of his Being ; namely, the Glorifying ofGody and the Improvement of his own Felicity j for Gratitude and Thankfulnefs brings the Soul to a nearer approach to God, if it be poffible, than his very Prayers do ^ becaufe it is the greateft Motion of Love and Beneficence in the Soul unto God that can be ^ and the nearer the Soul is moved unto God, the nearer it is joyned to its Life, its Perfection, its Happinefs, the more it participates of the Love, the Goodnefs, the In- fluence, the Communication of the Divine Goodnefs. Of Prayer and Thankfgiving. P S A L. CXVL 12. What Jhall I render unto the Lord for all his Benefits towards me ? THERE are Two great Duties that we owe unto God, v/hich are never out of Seafon, but fuch as we have continual occafion and neceffity to ufe whilefl we Live , namely, Vrayer and Ihankfgi'ving, Vrayer is always feafonable in this Life, becaufe we ever ftand in need of it ,• we always want fomething, and have always occafion to fear fomething,* although \vq could be fuppofed in fuch a State of Happinefs ia this World, that we could not fay, we wanted any thing, yet we have caufe to Pray for the continuance of the Happinefs we Enjoy, which is not fo fixed and ftable, but that it may leave us : t [aid in my Frofperityy I jhall ve- ver be moved : Thou hiddefi thy Face^ and I was troubled. We are never out of the reach of the Divine Providence^ either to Relieve or Afflid us ,• and therefore we are un- der a continual Neceffity of Prayer, either to Relieve and Supply us, at leaft to preferve and uphold us. Thankfgiving is likewife always feafonable, becaufe we arf never without fomething that we receive from the E e a Divine ^i6 Of Prayer and Thankfgiving, Divine Goodnefs, that deferves and requires our Thank- fulnefs. It may be we want Wealth ; yet. Have we not Health ? If we want both, yet, Have we not Life ? If we want Temporal Bleflings^ yet. Have we not Eter- nal Everlafting Bleflings ? If we have any thing that is comfortable to, or convenient for us., we have it from the Goodnefs and Bounty of God. And tho' we have not all we wjDuld, yet we have what we deferve nor, and what we prize and value ; and therefore while we have any thing, we have occafion of Thankfgiving to our great Benefactor. But yet it feems, tho' both thofe Duties be highly due and neceffary, yet ThankCgMng hath a kind of Pre- ference even above Vrayer it felf, in thefe Confideracions efpecially. 1. The Duty of Thankfgiving feems to be a mor^ ?er- manent Duty, even than Prayer it felf, and of a greater Extent and Durahlenefs. The Bleffed Angels, and the Saints that are, or fliall be fettled and fixed in a State of full and unchangeable Happinefs, that enjoy what- foever they can defire, and therefore have no reafon to Pray for more, becaufe they cannot Enjoy more than they do ^ yet have an Everlafting occafion of Thankf- giving for that Happinefs they everlaflingly Enjoy : And as this is their Everlafting occafion, fo it is and fliall be their Everlafting Bufinefs unto all Eternity, toPraife and Glorify God. And as the Beams of the Divine Good- nefs fliall everlaftingly fiiine upon them, fo there will be an Everlafting Refled:ion, as it were, of the fame Good- nefs in the neceflary and unceflant returns of Praife and Thankfgiving by them. 2. The Duty of Thankfgiving feems to be a Duty of a more Noble Nature than even Prayer it felf, becaufe it anfwers more appofitely and clofeiy the noblefi end in the World J namely, the Glory of God, which certainly is a more ultimate and noble End than even the very good of the Creature. It is true, Almighty God receives no accellion to his Happinefs and Perfection by all the Ho- nour and Praife and Thankfgiving that all the Creatures in Of Prayer and Thankfgivifig. 417 in the World can pay him^yet the Glory of his Majefty is the chief ultimate End why he made all things, Re'v. 4. I r. Thou art worthy to receive Glory ^ and Honour, and Vo'W'- er ; for thou haft Created all things y and for thy Vleafure they were and are Created. It is true, the proximate immedi- ate . uf )n of the Creation of all things was, that the Reciunaai)C Goodnefs of Almighty God might be Com- municated unto Beings derived from him by Creation : Bat the ultimate and more univerfal End was, that by this Communication of the Divine Goodnefs unto fome- tning without himfelf, the Glory, and Honour, and Praife thereof might return unto himfelf, who only can be the adequate End of himfelf, of all he doth. Thankf- giving therefore and Praife anfwers the greateft and moft noble End in the World : If I want, and Pray for what I want, my immediate End therein is my own Good, and yet that End is too narrow, if I propound not to my felf to Praife and Glorify the Bounty of that God which anfwers ray Prayer. 5. Again, whereas all the Irrational and Inanimate Creatures in the World do paffively praife Almighty God, in that they bear every one of them the Infcription of his WifdomjGoodnefSjPower^ The lleafonahh arJ Intehcfual Natures of Men and Angels have that noble Advance, that they can and may Atiively and Intent io?^ ally Glorify and Praife the Goodnefs of God : And it is indeed the nubleft Harmony that they can make, when they Summon all their Underftanding, Will, AfFedions, all that is within them, to Praife that God, to whom they owe their Being and Benefits: And the Wife and Glorious God doth there- fore Communicate the Senfible, Experimental, Eminent Influences of his iMercy, Goodnefs and Bounty unto the Reafonableand Intellectual Natures of Men and Angels, that they might touch and ftrike upon thofe noble Strings of theHeart,andMind,andAfFe6lions,that they may there- upon return the Harmony of Thankfgiving and Praife to the great Lord of the World : And furely the Nature oi Man, in its true State and Temper, is as naturally and efFedually moved to the returning of Thankfgiving to E e 9 God 4^8 Of Prayer and Thankfgiving. God for Mercies received, as a well tuned Lute or other Inftrument, doth give an Harmonious Sound upon the touches of a skilful Artift. And moft certainly that Na- ture is ftrangely out of Tune and Order5that upon Mercies received makes not a fweet return of Thankfgiving and Praife. This therefore^as it is the nobleft,fo it is the moft natural Produ6tion of the Reafonable Nature, the fulleft of Congruity to the right Difpofition of its Faculties. Almighty God fends upon the Children of Men Be- nefits, Bleffings, Deliverance, Favours : And the Fruit that he doth (and that moft juftly) exped, is a Crop of Praife, Glory, Honour and Thankfgiving ; Call upn ms in the day of Trouble^ and I ivill Deliver thee^ and thoujlialt Glorify me. And it is a barren^ degenerate, ftupid Heart, that yields net fuch Fruit of fuch a Semination. So that Praife and Thankfgiving is Connatural to our very Faculties, the Tribute that the Rational Nature natu- rally pays to the Divine Being, as his Benefador • the very Fruit that the great Lord of the Harveft expeds for all his Goodnefs and Mercy. 4. The Truth is, Thankfgiving is the 'very End of Prayer : And as the End is more noble than the Means conducible to the End ,• fo therefore is the Duty, the Bufincfs of Thankfgiving in it felf^ though equally ne- ceflary, yet more noble than Prayer it felf. I vv^ant fomething that I would defire Almighty God to give me, and I therefore Pray • ttiy Merciful Lord grants me my Defire, and gives me what I Pray for ,• and therefore gives it, and gives it up6n my Prayer to him, that therefore his Mercy and Goodnefs may be more Evident unto me, and that thereupon I may Praife, and Glorify, "and give Thanks unto him. And if vvith the Nine Lepers in the Gofpel, 1 receive the Benefit I ask, and do not with the Tenth give Glory to God for the Benefit I receive, I difappoint both the Gi- ver, for what he defigned in the Gift, and difappoint my very Prayers in that which is their juftand proper End. And hence it is, that our Bleffed Lord in that abfolute Forn) of Prayer which he hach taught us^ promifeth the firit Meditations upon the Lorcts Prayer, 419 firlland greateft Petition of the Hallowing or Glorify* ing of the Name of God ^ and the firft, the great^ the regnant Pecition, that is to Influence all the reft that follow, efpecially thofe that are for the Supplies of our own Wants. y. Whereas in Prayer we ask that we may receive from God, Almighty God hath been pleafed to Honour and Dignify our Duty of Thankfgiving with fo much Condefcenfion of his Majefty, that he receives^ cr f.t leafi interprets it as a Receipt from his poor Creature. It is true, our Praifes add nothing to his Perfedion and Self fuffici- ency ; Nay, our very Thankfgiving and Praife is but a Gift that he gives to himfelf j He gives us a Being that may be capable to Praife him, gives us Hearts and AfFe- dions that may be willing to Praife him, gives us Grace that may enable us to Praife him, gives us Benefits that may Excite us to Praife him, gives us Directions how to Praife him ; gives us Laws, Commands, Promifes, En- couragements, to Praife him : So that in truth our very Thankfgivings and Praifes to him are but his own Work ; and yet fuchis his Goodnefs, that he takes, and accepts, and rewards our Praifes and Thankfgivings, as if they were our own Adions. And whereas in Prayer we re- ceive from him, in Thankfgiving he is pleafed fo far to Honour this Duty, as if he received fomewhat from us, and accordingly accepts and rewards it. Meditations upon the Lord's Frayen M A T T H. vi. 9. Jfter this manner therefore pray ye^ Our Father^ &c. BY the Sin of Adam, and the Corruption and Obli- quit y that thereupon entred into the Human Nature, Mankind had contracted a Threefold Mifchitf i. Guilty E e 4 that 4 JO MeJitations upon the Lord's Prayer. that needed an Expiation ; 2. BUvdnefs, that needed an Illumination; 5. ternjerfenefs and Rebellion, that needed Power and Vidory to fubdue it. In the fulnefs of time God fent his Son into the World with Healing for all thefe Difeafes. I. He fent his Son to he our Sacrifice and our Triefl : And not only fo in his own Perfon, but by Derivation unto thofe that believe on him ; he hath imprinted upon them, and communicated unto them a Participation of his own Office, and hath made them Kings and Priefts. 1. By making an Atonement for them with his Father, whereby they are accepted ; 3^0^.16.26,27. 1 fay untojouy I will fray the Father for ycu ; for the Father himfelf lo'veth you ; not to exclude the Continuance and Efficacy of his Incerceffion, but to intimate the fulnefs of our Recon- ciliation, that having made us of hisHou(hold,£/'-6. 2.19. we may have accefs to the Mafter and Father of the Fa- mily, Eph.z. iS, for through him we have accefs unto the Fa-' ther. 2. By fending his own Spirit to inftrudl, and warm, and fit our Spirits to come into his Prefence ; for through him we ha've accefs by one Spirit, Eph. 2. 18. teaching what to ask, and enabling us to ask as we (hould, Rom. 8. 26. For we know not what we (hould pray for as we ought. 2. As he made him a Sacrifice for our Guilt, fo he fent him to be a Light for our Darknefs, John 1.5'. the World was all in Darknefs and Error ,• the moft Exad Sublimate Wits infcribed their Altar, 7i? the Unknown God, They v/gre ignorant of things to be known, and of things tc be done. The Son of God that came out of the Boforn of his Father, and knew all his Mind, re- ceived a Commiflion from him to inftru^i: Mankind in the way to Life. Joh. 17. 8. / ha've given unto them the Words which thou gave ft me, John 5. 34. He whom God hath fent, fpeaketh the ffords of God. Matth. 1 1. 27. No Mun kr.oivtih the Will of the Father y fave the Son^ and him T^ vO' ':.:;> the Son revealeth it, , As he came with Light to ini^ru(3: us, fo he came Wich Power to cont^usr US: Thy People fljall be willing in the diy of thy Power: And to conquer for us Death and properly therefore,inthis refpe<5t. 4 3 8 Me Jit at ions upon the Lord's Prajei. refpea^heis call'd Father in relation to Angels and Men t To Mehj l[a. 6^. 8. But noivf>Lord;thou art ourFather ; we are the Clay, and tbcu our Potter, Mai. 2. 10. Ha'ue not all one Father ? Hath not one God created us ? Luk. 5.58. Which was the Son of hi^ivnywhich was tbe\Son of God. And as to Men, fo in a more near Relation to the Souls of Men, and the bleJTed Angels, who participate more immediately of his Imige and Perfedion. Jam, i. 17. The Father of Lights, Heb. 12.9. The Father of Sprits, Zech 12. 2. The Formef cf Spirits. Job 58. 7. And all the Sons of God jhouted for joy, 2.By fpecial Sufcept ionyOr\JndQVt2Lking,QtthQr without an intervenientContrad:: Thus he is pleafed to own a more fpecial Paternity towards thofe that have moft need of him, Pfal. 6s. S' ^ Father to the fatherlefs : Or by an in- tervenient Contrad : Thus he was a Father in a more near Relation to the Jewiffl} People ,• who as a Child is call'd by the Name of his Father, fo they did as it were bear his Name. Jer. 14. 9. JVe are called by his Name^ leave as not. Ifa. 65. 15. Doubtkfs thou art our Father ^ tho Abra- ham be ignorant of us : And accordingly he evidenced himfelf towards them in all the Care andTendernefs of a Father, Deut,'i^2..ii,A.s anEagle flutter cth o'ver her young^^c, Hof. II. I. When Ifrael was a Child I loved him, Rom.9.4. ^"^ called my Son out of Egypt, But thefe Rela- tions are yet too large and fpacious. 3. By Adoption In Chrifi. Which Relation is thus wrought: By an Eternal Stipulation between the Father and the Son, the Son was to take upon him our Nature by a fupernatural Conception, and to ftand as a publick Peifonand Mediatorbetvyeen the Father and lapfed Man, and appointed, that as many as (hould by true Faith lay hold on him, there ftiould be a kind of Union wrought between Chrift and that Believer • and in that Union the Father looks upon all that which was in the Believer as imputed to Chrift, and all that which was in Chrift as imputed to the Believer. Was there Sin and Guilt in the Believer ^ It is laid on Chriftj and he bears all Ini- quities, Ifa, j;. 6. Is there Righteoufnefs in Chrift ? The Believer hath that Righteoufnefs f The Righteo^- neff Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. ^^^ nefs which is of God hy Faith. Is Chrift the Firft-born of God ? Tfal, 89. 2^5 26. Tho' we cannot partake of his Priawgeniture, yet we partake of his Sonfhip. John ii 12. As many as received himy to them he gave Power to be* come the Sons of God. John 20. 17. I afcend unto my Fa* ther^ and to your Father ^ to my God, and to your God. GaL 4. ^, That we might receive the Adoption of Sons. And by virtue of this Union we partake of the Inheritance of Sons, Joint-heirs with Chrift, Gal. 4. 7. Of the Spirit of Sons, Gal. 4. 6. And hecaufe ye are SonSj God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Heart Sy &c. And by virtue of this Filiation we have the Privileges of Sons ; Accefs with boldnefs unto the Father^ Ephef. 2. 19. Care and Tendernefs* of our Father over us, Matth. 6. 32. For your Heavenly Fa^ ther knoweth that ye have ?ieed of all thefe Things : Audience from him, John 16. 26. At that day ye jhall ask in my Name^ &C. For the feather himfelf loveth you. Now this Appellation and Relation of a Father in the firft En- trance into Prayersj carries up our Hearts unto thefe Con- federations, 1. That we (hould by all means Labour to be in this Relation to God, viz.. that he fliould be our Father; for why do we call him fo, unlefs he be fo to us ? And that we (hould not be contented barely with the Relation unto him as we are Men ; for fo were even the^k^^- nians, who infcribed their Altar, To the XJn^0Kod '^ his OfF-fpring, ABs 17. 28. nor with Rdiron arifing out of an external Profeffion and Covenant, but with that neareft Relation of Paternity, arifing by our Unr* on with Chrift. 2. And confequently , that all our Applications Co God in Prayer muft be in, and through Chrift ,• for through him is this Relation wrought ; and it is a Relation of Nearnefs and Union, which is the greateft Neamefs. Ephef 2. 15. But now in Chrifi Jefus yCy who fometimes were afar offy are made nigh by the Blood ofChriJt^ ; and v. 1% of the Hou^wld of God : Oar Union unto God grows by out Union to Chrift, who is one with the Father, John ij. 23, I in them, and thou in me^ that they may b$ madtTer" Ff fia 44Q, Meditations ufon the Lord's Prayer* fiB in one ; and this is the meaning of asking in his Name, Johni6. 26. Through him we have an acccfs to the Father, Efhef. 2. 18. ^,j2. We learn ivith what AjfeBions we fliould come to him in our Prayers. And thefe arife either from the Con- fideration of our Duty as Children ^ or from the Confi- deration of that which we are to exped from him as a Father. Thofe of the firft Part are principally thefe : Love^ Reverence, Submiffion, and Thankfulnefs. I. Lo'ue to God^ The very Name of a Father imports in it.feif a relation of Benefit, and confequently of Love. God is the Father of thy Being, as thou art a Man, and of thy continual Prefcrvation ; and if there were no more than this in this comprehenfive Name of the Father, it is enough to take up the whole Stock and Compafs of thy Love. The Motion from not being to being, is an infi- nite Motion, and an Ad of infinite Goodnefs as well as of infinite Power, and deferves and challengeth the utter- moft Extent of thy Love, as a juft Debt unto it ; fo that thou haft fcarce a refidue of a Love left within the com- pafs of thy uttermoft Power, which thou oweft not to this great Love of thy Lord in giving thee a Being ; and if this common Goodnefs of thy Lord requireth and deferveth all thy Love to him as the Father of thy Nature, what Love doft thou owe him as he is pleafed to be thy Father in a nearer Relation, to be thy Father in Chri(t, and that after thou hadft rejected him, and wert loft ? And if thy debt of Love, that thou oweft to him as the Father of thy Nature, be more large than the Compre- hcnfion of thy Power, how, or with what wilt thou pay the further debt of Love which thou oweft to him for that undeferved, unfought for, fuperadded Relation of thy Father by Adoption ? When he gave his own Son to die for thee, an Enemy, that thou niighteft receive the Adoption of a Son ^ This is a Love that pafleth net only thy Retribution, but alfo thy Knowledge. Behold, what ^ manner of Lo've the Father hath be ft owed upon usy that we fljould he called the Sons of God, I John 3. i. And the Love of God to us, as it is the meritorious Caufe of our Love to Mentations upon the LorcTs Trayef. 44? to him, fo it IS that which excites and fires our Love to him, I John 4. 19. Wq love him^ hccaufe he firft loved us. And according to the rrieafure we have of the Appre- henfion of the Love of God to us, accordingly is tha meafure of our Love to him again. This therefore is the firft Aflfe<5lion that the Name of Father calls out, viz». The intenfeft Affection of our Love, in that he hath given us a Commiffion to call him Father, and Chrift is not afhamed to call us Brethren, Hih. zzi. 2, Reverence ; and this is but a Confequent of the for- mer; T erf eB Love c aft s out Fear y i John 4. 18. But it is the Mother of Reverence, Ueb, 12. 9. We have had Fa^ thers of our Flefh which correBed us, and we gave them Reve^ rencey &c. Mai. i. 6. If I he a Father, where is my Honour ?, Were there no other diftance of Nature between thy God and thee, but the diftance and relation of a Father, it requires Reverence of thee, efpecially when thou comeft before him in thy Prayers. And that inward Reverence of thy Soul will imprint a Reverence in thy Words, and in thy Carriage, as all other Affections and Tempers of tha Soul fix a fuitable Correfpondence upon the outwardMan, but efpecially when we confider he is ourHeavenly Father. ^ . Suhmiffion to his Will. Confider thy Approach is to thy Father, which carries with it a Relation of Authority^ efpecially confidering he is a Father of Wifdom, that knoweth what is fitteft for thee, and a Father of Mer- cies that is oftentimes more merciful to thee in denying, thee what thou askeft, than he could be in granting n : la is thy Duty tQ ask what thou wan teft, becaufe he is thy Father ; but riot to limit him what he ftould grant. 4. Thankfulnefs, for all thou haft received ; becaufe as he is the Author of thy Being, fo he is che^-Fi)uxi^ tain of all thy Benefits. ! f. And as the Name of a Father carries upward thefe Affections of Love, Fear, Submiffion and Thankfulnefs towards God, fo ithiingsdownthofQ ^pprehenjlons of God, that are fuitable to the Bufmefs about which we are. I. From the Confideration that God is our Father thus jplaced in the Entrance of this Prayer, we h^Yc Encourage- P f 3» mgffS 442^ Meditations upon the hordes Prayer^ went to make our Accefs unto him with an humble Bold- nefs. When we confider the Glory, and the Majefty, and the Purity of the Great and Infinite God, in whofe Sight the Heavens are not clean, nor the Stars pure, Joh 1 5:. '15'. & 2^. ^. that chargeth his Angels with Folly, and in his Prefence the Cherubims cover their Faces : How ihould Duft and Aflies, Man that is a Worm, under the Apprehenfion of his Majefty and Glory, ever think that this Glorious God fliould liften unto, or entertain his Perfon or his Prayers ? When David confidered but '^of the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, which are but the Works of his Hands, he found a great Difproporcion be- tween us and them. What is Man that thou pjouUefi he Tnindful of him ? Pfal. 8. 4. Much more between us and their and our Creator ; the Son of God therefore, that knew his Father's Will, -and Thoughts he beareth to- wards us, prefents him to us in the brink of our Pray- ers under the Expreffion of a Father, that might invite us, ^ before he renders him under the Apprehenfion of his beiigin Heaven, thatmi^ht eftrange us ,• under the Conception of the Love and Tendernefs of a Father, be- fore Conception of his Majefty and Glory. And is he thy Father ? Why Ihouldeft thou not upon all Occafions refort unto him ? Whither fliould a Child go with Bold- nefs, if not to his Father ? And to fuch a Father as he is pleafed to render himfelf unto us with more Tendernefs and Gentlenefs than lies within the Bowels of a Natural Father? 7/^.49.15'. Can a Woman, whofe AfFedions are moft Ardent and Jmportunatc, forget a Child, a piece of her felf, her fucking Child, to whom flie is engaged by an additional Obligation of Love and Care, that (IjeJJjould not haveCompaffion, when her natural Love is heightned by a pitiful Occurrence, of the Son of her Womb, the Perfe(5^ion of her Conception ? Tea,flje may forget, yet I or ill not forget thee, faith the Lord, Hof. II. 8. ho-w jhall I give thee up' Ephraim ? How Jhall I deliver thee Ifrael ^ Hav jJjall Imake thee as Admah ? Ho')tf jJrall I fet thee as Zeboim ? My Heart is turned within me, my Repentings are kindled together, I Trill not execute the fiercenefs of mine Anger j for I am God, and Meditations upon the Lor is Prayer. 443 'and not Man, Hof. 11. 5. 1 taught 'Ephv^Lim to go , leading him hy the hand. Efhraim^WkQ a weak Child, was ready to ftumble and fall upon every Occafion, and like a froward Ghild,apt to fnatch away his hand from him that led him i yet the AfFecf^ion of a Father is not loft by the weakneft or frowardnefs of a Child, Deut. 52. 6, 11. Do you thm recruit e the Lord, O foclififj feofle and un'wife } Is not be thy Father that bought thee ? As an Eagle fiirreth up her nefiy and fluttereth over her Toung, fpreadeth abroad her Wings, taketb them and beareth them on her Wings, fo the Lord alone did lead him. And all thefe, and a world of the like Expref- fions in the Book of God, to unveil the Love of God to his Creatures, and thereby to draw out an awful Love to him, and an humble boldnefs to make an approach unto him. Heb. 4. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace ; and to blefs our Redeemer, who by the price of his Blood- hath purchafed this free Liberty of ac- cefs unto God as our Father, Ephef. 3, 12. In whom we have boldnefs and accefs with Confidence, Who as he hath purchafed Accefs for us,fo when.nctwithftandingthatwe are fearful, and backward, andafhamedtocome, is plea- fed in the virtue of his own Mediation, to ftand between the Glory and Brightnefs of the Father,and us poor Crea- tures,and to (hew us more of his Goodnefs and Mercy than of his Glory,' and to receive our Defires, and to bring both them and us into the Prefence of his Father,and ourFathen 2. As this Expreffion leads us unto God, and gives us accefs, fo it gives us affurance of Succefs in our Petitions. This Prayer, as is faid, is a Comprehenfive Prayer • we thereby in an Abridgment ask whatfoever is necelTary for this Life, or that to come,- but the Name of a Father is a comprehenfive Name -, the Petitions that thou art asking, ' are large Petitions, and the Promife is yet more large, John 1 6. 2;. Whatfoever ye jli all ask the Father in my Name, be will give it you, Matth.7.7. Ask, and it (hall be givenyou : But here is the Foundation, thy Application is to thy Fa- ther : Matth. 7. 11. If ye being evil know bow to give good things to your Children, how much more jhall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him > Ff 3 What. 444 Meditatims upon the Lord's Prayer* Whatfoever thou canft find or expert from thy Natural Father, fo much, and much more, may 'ft thou expe<5k from thy Heavenly Father : Patience, to bear with thy Infirmities and Failings, Py^/. 78. 1 8. Compaffion, to pity thy Suffering, Ffal. loj. 13, Goodnefs,to fupply thy Wants; Juftice, to avenge thy Injuries ; Tfal, jo^. 14, Prote^ion, to defend thee from Danger ; Vigilancy and Care, to fupport thee againft Temptations ; Mercy, to pardon thy Backflidings, Jer. 3. 14. Skill to interpret, and Tendernefs, to accept thy weak and ftammering Petitions ; Providence and Bounty, abundantly to rc- ,ward all thy fmcere Performances ; Luke 12. 32. Fear not littk Flock, it is my Father s good will to give you a King-' dom. And this Confideration of God, as our Father, when we gome before him in Prayer, as it teacheth us our Duty, foit doth moft naturally teach us the three firft Petitions, to defire the Glory of his Name, the Increafe of the Manifeftation of his Kingdom and Power ,• the full fubmiffion unto, and defire of the fulfilling of his Will, And as that Relation looks downward upon us, fo it con- cludes the three laft Petitions. From whom fhouldeft thou defire or exped Mercy to forgive thee. Conveniens cies to fupply thee. Care and Protection to preferveand deliver thee from Evil, if not from a Father ? And as from this Appellation of a Father, we gather C')nfidence in his Love, fo in the next Qualification or Defcription of this Father, we gather Confidence in his Tower. Which art in Heaven, or Heavenly Father, Matth. 6. 26. To denote, i. The Eminenceof his Glory and Pow- er. The Heavens are the moft Eminent and Glorious Creatures that our Eyes behold, and fpeak much of the • Glory and Majefty of God, Pfal. 19. i. and in this. Ad- jund of Heavenly, we give him the Acknowledgment and Attribution of the Greatnefs of his Power and Glo- ry. Pfal. I. 5'. For our God is in the Heavens, and he hath done whatfoever he pleafeth. 2. Heaven, the Throne of his Majefty, Pfalm 11. 4. Ifa. 66. J. The Heaven is my Throne, and the Earth is r/jy Footfiooly Pfalm 68, 4. Extol him that rideth upon the Hea- vens. Meditations upon the Lord i Tray er. 44$ vens. Deut;^. 26. Tvho rideth upnW:Heaf Clipped in Spirit ; thy Body is here upon the Earth, arid thy Words vanifh before they are gone far from i^h^^ Thou canft not get before the Prefence of the Loriof Heaven, but with thy Spirit and Soul ^^ and urilefetky^ Prayer be the drawing near of thy Spirit to him, thy. Prayer is a Provocation, and not a Service ; unprofitable and ufelefs for thee, and unaccepted, and not regarded by God^ it dies, and is rotten in the Earth, and it can- not come up to thy Father which is in Heaven. 2,1^ Lei thy Spirit be a pure Spirit, and thy Prayers ha pure Prayers ; for what hath any thing that is impure to do with Heaven, a place of Purity and Holinefs 1 None F f 4 but 44!^ Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. biit the pre in Sprit can fee Ged, Mat. f. 8. and none but pure hands are fit to he lifted un to /&/«;, i Tim. 2. 8. Pfal. ^-4: 4; ^nd that thy Spirit may be pure, and fit to come tip Into this High and Hojy Place, and to have Commu- mon with the Holy and Glorious God/ get thy Spirit, and Soul,and Confcience,waflied by the Blood of Chrift, and thy Prayers mingltd with the Incenfe of Chrift, ^ev. 8. J. and labour to get an Inherent Holinefs, a pure and a fan^flified Heart, and from that will thy .Words, and thy Converfation, aqd thy Services, and thy Sacrifices (all which are but the Emanations and Fruit of thy Heart) be holy,and bear feme » though a weak proportion to that place, and to that Perfon whither thou art fending thy Prayers. And more efpecially and particularly, labour to cleanfe thy Heart when thou art about to Pray, becauf^ thy Prayers are drawing near unto God, TfaL 73. 28. The Priefts under theLaw^when they were to come near unto God in their Adminiftrations, were to be waflied and cleanfrom their natural and external Impurities^ and a Leper was not fuffered to come into the Tabernacle ; but what is that to the Leprofie and Impurity of thy Spi- rit^ that very part of thee that only can have an imme- diate accefsto God ? and what Communion can there be between an holy God, and an unholy Soul ? Pfal- 66. 18. If I regard Iniquity in my Hearty God will not hear me, Con- nder therefore that thy approach is unto Heaven^ the Dwelling-place of his Majefty and of his Glory, and Ho- linefs becomes fuch an Habitation, Vfal 93. j. But who then is fit for fuch Communion .'^ What is Man that he fljould be clean } and he "which ts horn of a Woman^ that he fhould he righteous } Behold he futteth no trufi in his Saints, yea the Hea'vens are not clean in his fight ^ how much more ahomi- nahle and filthy is Man^ which drinketh Iniquity like Water ? Job If. 14, If, 16. But for this^ thy Saviour hath given thee an Expedient • he taketh away the Iniqiiity of thy Holy things, and mingles thy Sacrifices wjth his own In- ccnfe.and covers thy Impurities with his own Rightepuf- hefs ; and if for all this the fenfe of thy own Vilenefs cot yer thy Heart vyith Shame, and tl^e Burden of thy Sins " ' and MeJitations upon the Lord's Prayer. 447 and Corruptions keeps thy Soul under, that it canno^ with that clearnefs and confidence look up unto Heaven, but, with the Publican in the Gofpel, ftand afar off, and fcarce canft ask for any thing, but what the fenfe of Guilt enforceth, ^uiz,. Mercy to pardon thee ,• yet fuch is the Goodnefs of God in Chrifi to thy low and humbled Soul, that though thou haft fcarce confidence enough to draw nigh unto God, yet he hath compaffion enough to draw nigh unto thee, Pfal. 54. 18. The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart. And though thy laden Soul can fcarce get up into Heaven, into the prefence of thy Creator, yet he will bring down Heaven into thy Soul, Ifaiah 5:7. 15'. Thus faith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity, whofe Name is Holy , / dwell in the high and holy place, with him alfo that is of a contrite artS humble fpirit , to revive the fpirit of the humble, and to re^ vive the heart of the contrite ones. g. Let thyTrayer be full of Reverence, with the whole Man : for as thou comeft to a Father, and in that relation thou oweft him Reverence, fo thou comeft to a Heavenly Father, the great Lord and Judge of ail things, i Pet. I. 17. And if ye call on the Father, who, without refpeB of perjons, judgeth according to every Mans works, pafs the time cf your fojourning here in fear. And as a Father, and fuch a Father calls for thy Reverence,fo efpecially when thou confidereft that thou comeft to this great King in his Throne, in the place of his Majefty and Glory. And therefore this Expreffion is added, to take up the whole Latitude of thy Thoughts, with the higheft apprehenfi- ons of the Glory and Majefty of the Lord, before whom thou comeft, and that thou mayeft confider the Infinite diftance that is between thee and the Lord of Heaven ; Ifaiah ^^. 9. For as the Heaven is higher than the Earthy Jo are my thoughts than your thoughts, and my ways than your ways. And upon this confiderarion to Admire and Mag- nify the Goodnefs and Mercy of this great King , that is pleafed to admit poor finful Worms to come into his prefence, and beg for our Lives, and for our Souls, with g promife of Mercy and Acceptation. 4. Let ^4f MeStations npon the Lord's Prayer. 4, Let thy Trayers h fuU of Intention : Thou doft, or Ihouldeft, bring up thy Soul into Heaven, into the pre- fence of the Great and Glorious God ,• and what fliould thy wandring Thoughts, thy Earthly Bufinefs do there ? leave them at the Foot of the Hill, when thouafcendeft into the Mount of God. Confider the Perfon to whom thou Cornell, exa<5lly views and obferves the frame, and Connexion,and Workings,and Motions of thy Thoughts and Defires, and whether they go along with thy Words, or with thy External Deportment : And if they do not, fo much of thy Prayer is not only loft, but a. mockery and abufe of thy Maker. And as the Confideration of the Perfon to whom thou makeft thy Addrefs, fo the Place where thoucomeft does not fuit with thofe imper- tinent and vain Diverfions. Therefore when thou pray- eft, do it confiderately, advifedly, and with the whole Intention of thy Soul, Ecckf, y. 2. Be not ra[h with thy Mouth ^and let not thy heart utter any thing hafiily before God; for God is in Hea^ven^ and thou upon Earth, 2. As thisExpreffion teacheth us our duty towards God in Prayer, fo it teacheth us v/hat to expsB from him, I. Hence learn the All- feeing Eye of God, that is ac- Ijuainted with all thy Wants, and with all thy Defires. It was a miftaken ufe that was made of his being in Heaven, Job 22. 14. Thick Clouds are a covering to him that bejeeth not^ and he walketh in the Circuit of Heaven. No, but Pfalnt 2 J. I J. The Lord looketh from Hea^ven , he be- holdeth all the Sons of Men^ Pfalm ii. 4. The diftance of the place is no difad vantage to his fight or hearing. A- gain. Though Heaven be the Seat of his Glory, yet all places are filled with his Prefence ; but efpecially he zs nigh to them that call upon him , to all that call upon him in truthy Pfalm 145'. 18. is nigh tofuch as be of a broken hearty Pfalm 54. 18. ^ round about his people, Pfalm 125". 2. zf nigh unto them in all they call upon him for.^ Dcut. 4. 7. ii^ill befu/ dou^n his ear to heary Pfalm 51. 2. will bow down the beauensy and come down for their good, Tfalm 18. 9. So that thy Prayers have no great diftance to go, for all places are Heaven where God iS; and he is in all places, - efpecially Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. 445^ efpecially where two or three are gathered together in his Name to call upon him. ^^^ i^' (VMVns^tt 2. Hence learn the All-fufficient and Almighty Voiver of Cody Pfal. 115'. 3. Our God is in bea'ven^ he hath Mm whatfoever he f leafed. As the relation of a Father carriech with it a fulnefs of Love^to be willing to grant thy largelt requefts; fo the Confideration that he is a Heavenly Fa- ther carrieth with it a Fulnefs of Power to grant themi. Thefe Confiderations of the Love and Power of God^ bear up the Heart in Prayer, as once Aaron and Hut did AfojQ/s Hands, Exod, ij. 12. And therefore they ^sre both placed in the Porch of this Prayer, like the Piiiars of Jachin and Boaz,y in Solomon Ttm^X^y i Kings ^ IfE To ftablifli and ftrengthen thy heart in thy Prayer to God. ;. As the confideration of Heavenly, or which art in Hea'Vin^Ciints thy heart to confidence in his Power and AU-fufficiency to grant thy Petitions ; fo it improves Khf Faith in his infinite T'endernefs and Goodnefs, Wh.en thtHi comsfl: to the Father of thy Flefli, thy Earthly Father, that relation imports and carries with it much Love' 2nd Compaflion^ as hath been obfeived 5 but though he be thy Father, yet he is an earthly Father • and as hk Power and Sufficiences are narrow and Weak, and noc ad€<5aare to the Extent of thy wants and defires. fo his Affections are limited,and mingled with the Paffions and Frovi^ard- nefs of his Temper or Age. A Woman may forget the Son of her Womb, Ifaiah 49. 1 5-. And the hands of the pitiful Woman may feethe her own Children, Lam, 4. 10. And Fathers are apt to provoke their own ChiU dren, Efhef, 6. 4. But were there not mixtures of Diir ftempers in the Affections of Parents,yet their Affecftions are finite ^ and fuch is our Condition,that in one day we fhould outfin all that ftock of Patience to bear, and. Mercy to forgive , that the moft tender earthly Father-" ever had or could be capable of. We ftand in need every day of the infin'te bowels of a Heavenly Father, to bear, and pardon, and receive us,as of infinite Power to fupply and fupport us, Ifaiah ^^.j. Let the IVi eked for fake his ways. 45'Q' Meditations upn the Lord's Prayer] ways, and the unrighteous man his thought i ^ and let him re^ turn unto the Lordy and he ivill haue mercy ; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon : For my thoughts are not your thought Sy nor your ways my ways^ faith the Lord : For as the Heavens are higher than the Earthy Jo are my ways higher than your way 5^ and my thoughts than you^ thoughts, Hof. i}. 9. Oh Ifraely thou hafi defiroyed thy felf^hut in me is thy help, I will not return to dejiroy Ephraim, for I am God , and not Many Hofea 11. 9. As if he fiiould have faid. Were all the Compaffions, and Boyvels, and Patience, and Ten- dernefs in the World combined in one Man^yet thy Sins are grown to that height, and thy Provocation to that perfedion,that all that Patience were too weak to bear, and all that Compaffion too fmall to pardon thee ; thou haft outfinned all the Gompafs and Extent of a Crea- ted Patience ,• but I am God, and not Man, I have Pa- tience enough for all this to bear with thee ^ and Mercy enough abundantly to pardon thee, Jer, 3. 12. Return thou hackjllding Ifraely faith the Lordy and I will not caufe mine anger to fall upon you ; for I am merciful, faith the Lordy and I will not keep anger for ever ; only acknowledge thine inicfuity that thou hafi tranfgrefj'ed againfi the Lord thy God, The Omnipotence of God runneth through all his Attributes, and is no lefs feen in his Mercy to pardon, than in his Power to create. Numb, 1^, 17, 18. And now I befeech theey let the power of my Lord be greaty accord- ing as thou ha[l fpoken, faying y The Lord is long-fuffering and of great mercy. Now I come to the RequeHs themfelves. I. Hallowed be thy Name, Wherein fiiall be confidered, 1. What we are to underftand by the Name of God. 2. What we are to underftand by Hallowing or Sandi* fying his Name. As to the Firft. The Ways of God and his Judgments are unfearchable, paft finding our, Rom, 11. ^3. and if his Ways are fuch, how infinitely unfearchable is his Ef- fence and Nature ? The Angels that are by God endued with Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer, 451 With an Underftanding more receptive of this Light than ours is, do behold his Face, Matt,iS,io. But ^ ^^.^ ^ ^i yet that Light is too bright for their pure ' * Eyes, and too wide for thofe perfed Intelligences to comprehend ; But Mortal Man cannot behold his Face, Exod. 25. 20. Thou canfi not fee my Face ^ for no Man can fee me, and live. But yet fuch is his Mercy and Conde- fcenfion to his Creature, that he communicates fo mucliT of the Knowledge of himfelf unto us, as is convenient for us, and fufficient to bring us to a more perfei^ Vi- fion of him, when our Souls fliall be endued with an Angelical Capacity to fee him. Matt, 5. 8. Bkffed art the pure in Heart : For they fliall fee God. And the Means whereby we know himjisthe Manifeftation of his Name unto us. yohn 17. 6. 1 have .manifefied thy Name unto the Men which thou gaveft me. The Name of the Lord therefore imports thefe t7vo things, 1. That which he hath been pleafed to manifeft un- to us in his Word concerning himfelf, his ElTence and Attributes. 2. That Glory and Honour, which, as a Beam from the Sun, doth arife from that Manifeftation. I. Touching the Firft, God hath been pleafed to re- veal himfelf unto us by Names or Expreflions, whereby we may have fome Conceptions concerning him ; and though every Attribute given to God in the Scripture, is a part of his Name ; yet he hath chofen fome Exprefli- ons which he hath in a fpecial manner called his Name, as being of a more fpecial ufc to us, and therefore are to have a greater Impreffion upon us ; fojnetime to iig- nifie his Abfoluce and Independent Being. Exod. 3. 15. yind Mofes faid unto God, When I come to the Children of Ifraely and (lo all fay unto them^ The God of your Father hath fent me unto you] and they fljall fay to me, What is his Name ? what Jliall I fay unto them ? And God faid unto Mofes, I AM That 1 am. Thus flmlt thou (ay unto them, I AM hath fent me. Sometimes to iignifie the Greatnefs of his Au- thority, Ifa. 42. 8. I am the Lord^ that is my Nawe^ and my Glory ipill I not give to mother. Sometimes to fignifie his ^^ir Meditations upon the LorcPs Prayer, his Powcr^ Jer.io. 1 6. The Lord of Hofts^ is hisName. Some- times to fignify the Immenfity of his Majcfty, Exod, 6. 5. I af feared unto Abraham^ Ifaac^ and Jacob^ by the Name of God Almighty , but by my Name Jeho'vah 'was I not known unto them. Pfal. 83. 18. Thou whofe Name is Jeho'uah, Deut. 28. 5" 8. That thou may fi fear this Glorious and Fearful Namey The Lord thy God. Sometimes to fignify his Puri- ty, Exod. 34. 14, whofe Name is fealouf. Pfal. 93.3. "whofe Name is Holy. But above all, when God himfelf was pleafed, at the Requefts of his Creature , to make his Goodnefs to pafs before him^ and to proclaim his Name, confiftingof all the Ingredients neceflary for our Know- ledge and Ufe , Exod, 34. 6, 7. The Lord^ the Lord God, Merciful and Gracious y Long- fuffering and Abundant in Good- nefs and Truth ; Keeping mercy for thoufndsy Forgiving ini^ ^uityy tranfgrcjjion and fin , and that will by no means clear the guilty y &c. And this was the Name that our Saviour came to comment upon, fliewing his Mercy in pardon- ing us^ and his Jufiice in puniihing our Sins in his Son, his Truth in fulfilling the firftGofpel preached in Para- dife , The Seed of the Woman jhall break the Serpents head. And this Name of God he manifefted to his Difciples and to us. 2. The Name of the Lord is taken for that Glory and Honour that is due unto hisEflencej Attributes and Works, the Refledion of his ownPerfedion. He hath proclaim- ed himfelf Merciful and Gracious , and his Works of Mercy refled Glory upon this part of his Name : Ifaiah 48. 9, II. For my Name.s fake I will defer mine anger ' For how fijould my Name be polluted ? And I will not give iny Glory to another : He proclaimeth his Strength and Power,* and the Works of his Power refled Glory upon that part of his Name: Jer.io. 6. His Name is great inTower. Jer. 32. 20. Which haft fet figns in Egypt y &C. And haft made thee a Name ai at this day. He hath proclaimed that he is long- fuffering ; and the Works of his Patience towards our Back-Hidings and Rebellions, refled: Glory upon that part of his Name : Vfal. 106.8. Ntvcrthelefi he faved them ffir his Name's fake , that he might make his mighty power known i Meditations upon the Lords Vrayer. 45} known : The Power of his Patience to forbear them^ as well as of his Strength to deliver them. And thus, PfaL 48. 10. According to thy Name, [0 is thy Praife in all the Earth : That is, all the Works of God, and his Difpenfati- ons carry an impreffion of the Glory and Truth of fome Attribute of his Name, Pfalm, 134. 2. I •will Praife thy Name for thy Loving-kindnefs and thy Truth , for thou haft magnified thy Word above all thy Name : That is, thy Word hath proclaimed thy Name to be Merciful, Boun- tiful, &c. And all the Courfe of thy Government in the World doth juftify the Truth of that Word of thine, and doth Atteft it, every part of it bringing back to fome Attribute of that Name of thine, Glory, and a juft Suffrage unto the Truth of thy Word. HalIo7Ped, or SanBifiedy be thy Name, This hnports thefe Things : I. That all the TVorks ofGod^ and the Anions and Oc- currences of the World, may bear upon them, and ia them, an impreffion of the Glory of God, of his Power, Majefty, Wifdom, Goodnefs, Juftice, That they may have upon them that Beauty, Comelinefs and Ufe fulnefe, that he originally did put upon them. God made ali Things for his Glory, and in Conformity thereunto they were in their original full of Beauty and Order ,• and the Excellence of the Work did fpeak the Perfedion of the Workman ; but the Sin of Men and Angels brought up- on fome parts of his Works a Deformity and Diforder, Gen. 3. 17. I ha'ue curfed the Ground for thy fake. And tho' in that Gurfe, and in all other the Confequents of Sin, there is flill a Glory of the Juftice of God in Pu- niftiing, and of his Wifdom in Managing of them ; yet much of the Beauty of the Works themfelves is taken from them by that Diforder that Sin hath brought upon them. When we pray therefore that the Name of Gcd may be hallowed, we defire that, as much as may (land with his Will, all Things may bear in them the impref- fion of his Glory • that they may have a Conformity, not only to his Will, but to his good Pleafure ^ that in all Things the WifiJom, and Goodnefs, and Power of God 4 J4 Meditations upon the Lords Prayer. may be Confpicuous ; that he would in Chrift take out that Diforder and Curfe, that by Sin defaced the Crea- ture i that all Things may in the higheft meafure be re- flored to their Primitive Perfection ^ that all the Occur- rences of the World, and all the Actions of Men and Angels, may carry in them the moft eminent Infcripti- on of his Prefence, Wifdom and Goodnefs, and may be direded with the beft Advantage to his Glory. Our Love to God makes that which he Wills, to be our Wills ,• and as he Wills his own Glory, fo it makes us to defire his Glory , and tho' we are to leave the par- ticular Manifeftation thereof to his Wifdom, yet itmuft be our chief Defire that all Things may, in the higheft Meafure, move to his Honour, and bear the Infcripci- on of it. And this is that Praife that Da^id calls for from all Creatures, V[al. 148. 1^0. 2. In as much as God hath endued Reafonahle Creatures with Underftanding and Capacity to difcover the Wif- dom and Goodnefs of God in his Creatures and Works, we are to defire that the Works of God may not only carry in them a native or fecret Impreffion of his Power, Wifdom and other Attributes, but that it may be made evident, and difcovered and manifefted to the Under- ftandings of Men and Angels,^ and that they may dif- cern it, and be convinced of it, T[alm 9. 16. that the Lord may be known by the Judgments that he executes, Pfalm 64. 9. And all Men fljall fear^ and declare the Works cfGody for they ^dl wifely confider his Doings^ Pfal. ^8. ii. So that a Man jfjall fay^ Verily he is a God that judgeth in the Earth, Pfal. iii. 2. That as his Works are great, fo they may be fought out, that as all the Works of God contain an objective Glory of God in them, fo that the fame may be feen and obferved by thofe Parts of his Creation, Men and Angels, that have a Capacity to receive it ; and for that purpofe that objective Glory of God is put into all Creatures , and this Capacity or Receptivity is placed in Intellectual Creatures, that they may obferve and difcern the Glory of his Wiflom, Goodnefs and Truth, and all other his Attributes in the Creatures. 5- ^^^ Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. 45 J 5. And in as much as he hath magnified his Word above all his Name, Vfalm i ;8. 1. That is, he hath evinced thd Truth of his Word, and every part thereof in all the courfe of his Providence and Works, that Men and An- gels may difce^rn and underftand the fulfilling and ma- king good of his Word. The Sun fhining upon a Glafs doth caufe a refietaion of his Beams, but many may not fee it, either becaufe they are blind and cannot fee it, or they look another way, or ftand in fuch a Pofition that they do not fee it ,* and fo it is with the Works of God. When I pray that his Name be hallowed, I pray that God would be pleafed to open the Eyes of Men by his Spirit ; to put them in fuch a Frame and Pofition that they may difcern the Pov/er, and Wifdom, and Good- nefs, and Juftice, and Truth of God, that refleds from his Word, that thefe Impreffions of his may not be loft unto us, nor the Glory of them loft unto him. 4. That the Obfervations and Difcovery of the Truth and Goednefs, &c. of God, may not only work a Con- viction thereof in our Underftandings and Judgments (for thus it doth even to the Devils themfelves) but that Conviction may raife up in the Minds and JffeBicns thofe fuitable Confequences that fliould a rife from fuch a Convi- ction ; fuch as are thefe : i. A Suhfcripion and Setting to our Se^il, That God is True, and Juft, and Merciful. In the Work of Conviction we are in a manner Paffive ; but herein we are Active, when in our Hearts we do chearful- ly and willingly Subfcribe and Atteft to all that Goodnefs and Truth, whereof we are thus convinced. 2. An In- ward Admiration of the Power, Truth and Glory of God that is thus difcovered unto us. The natural Eflfedt of great Difcoveries is Admiration, 2 Thef. i. 10. To he ad-- mired in all thein that helie'Ve. 3. Blejjing of that Goodnefi of his, not only that is difcovered unro us, but that fo far condefcends to his Creature, as to fliewus fo much of his Glory, Truth and Greatnefs. 4. An Attribution of Infinitely wore Glory, Ma jefty, Mercy, Goodnefs, 2(nd all Perfection unto him, than poffibiy I can difcover by any of thefe Manifeftations, eonfidering that all his Works put roge- Q g thcr v\ 4 J ^ Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. ther cannot (peak his Fulnefs. If I could fee all the Glory of God, that all the Works of God in the whole World do bear upon them, yet I mull needs conclude inReafon, that they are infinitely fhort of that Perfediou which he hath in him, : For he muft needs have a refidue pf Power and Wifdom, infinitely more tlian Commen- furate to all his Works put together : But alas ! I fee but a part of his Works, and fo narrow is my Capacity, that I find plainly I cannot reach to the bottom of any Work, nor fearch it out, nor his Power, Wifdom and Glory, that lies in a Flie or Worm, to the uttermoft ^ and yet I jfee fomuch as doth Aftonifii me, and Confound me, even in the ieaft of all his Workings ,• whatMeafure then muft his own Fulnefs am.ount unto ? And this made Da^oid and the other Saints of God, whofe Eyes he had opened, even to lofe themfelves in the Contemplations and Ex- preflions of the Goodnefs and Greatnefs of God. ^. A rtturn of infinite Fear and Reverence^ LonjCy Dependance, Suh* tniffion^ andObeditnce^ and of all the choiceft and fvveeteft Motions of our Souls to him, as the juft defert of his Goodnefs and Truth, and the juft Tribute due to his Majefty and Glory. And this is tht Sanctifying of the I^ord of Hoits^ Ifaiah 8. 17. And thus he will be fan- ^ified hy all rhem that draw near unto him. Lev. 10. 3. 'Xhe Sanctifying of the Lord in the Heart, i Vet. 315". - 4. And as thefe AiFedionsand Motions are made in the Heart, fo by all External Ex frejfions of the Tongue, to evi- dence that inward Convidion and Affedion of the Soul • and, as much as in us lies, to Propagate and Proclaim to all the World the Glory due to God, by acknowledg- ing openly his Truth, i Kings 18. 39. When the People faw the Miracle of the Fire devouring the Water, they fell on .their Faces, and faid, TXe Lord he is God, The Lord be is God, By afcribing Greatnefs, Deut. 32. Strength, Ffalm 68. 34. Glory, Tfalm 96. 8. unto his Name, ; ^y publiftiing his Name, Dmt, 32. 3. Singing forth his Ho- nour, Vfabn 66. 2. Exalting his Name, Vfalm 34. 3. Cau- fing it to be had in remembrance, Vfalm 47.27. Magni- fying his Works, Job 36.24. By inviting and exciting all the Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. 4J7 the Creatures in the World, according to their utter- moft Adivity, to Praife his Name, Vfalm 148, f . Out of the abundance of the Heart, thus poffeffed with the Senfe of the Perfeaion of God, the Mouth will fpeak. J-. That from the fame Principle in the Heart, tht Lives of Men and Angels may bring Glory and Honour to God, that is, by Conformity of their Natures and Lives to the Will of God concerning them. Other Creatures , by a paffive Conformity unto the Will of God, bring Glory unto him, 'viz. by moving as they are. moved by thofe Natural Inftin<5ls that are put in them ; but to Men and Angels God hath given that Honour to have in them an Adive Principle, not only to be Conformed, but to Conform to the Will of God, and to bring Glory to his Name : And when by our Sin and contraded Corruption, Mankind hathdifabled him- felf to Exercife that Power which God once gave him to Glorify his Creator, Chriffc came to reftore him^ a- gain to fuch a Condition, that he might actively bring Glory to God by an Adiive Conformity to the Mind and Will of God, 2 Cor, j. 15'. For this Caufe he died, that they which live jhould not live td thcmfelves, hut unto him that died for them. Tic. 2. 14. ad idem. And this was a principal Part of that Recojuiliation that he wrought,"* viz.- as for the Things that were paft, reconciling God to Man by Forgivenefs and Pardon, fo*for the time to come reconciling Man to God by Conformity to Him and his Will. Sin made an unlikenefs of Man to God, and thereby deftroyed the image of God in Man,* for an Image confids in the likenefs of another thing* Chrift came to reftore that Im^ge again, Cdof. 5. 10. And that not to reft meerly in the Internal Difpofitions of the Soul, but that, as he that hath called us is Ho- ly, we fiiould be Holy in all manner of Converfation, I ?€t. I. 15. which is impoffible to be fevered, fo that the former fiiould be without the latter ; for, as out of the ahtindance cf the Heart the Mouth fpeaks, fo out of the fame abundarlce the Hand worketh ; and the Sandlift- cation of the Mind can as ill be contained within the G ^ z Heart 4j8 Me Jit at ions upon the Lor^s Prayer. Heart without {ouit Expreffion in the Life, as any other Temper or ['ifpofition of the Mind can be reftrained fron difcovering it felf. That Communion that Mcfes had with God in the Mount, imprinted a Glory on his Face ,• and that image of God, the Conformity of the Heart unto him. will fhine through into the Life ^ and that out of a double Principle : i. As a connatural Confequence of the inward Difpofition, 2. Out of the Love and Obedience to God, Matth. j. 16. That Men may fee your good Works ^ ^nd Glorify your Father 'which is in Bea^jen, So that when I pray that the Name of God may be Sandified ; I do defire that God would in Chrift reimprint his Image upon Man, that he would renew him in the Spirit of his Mind, and reftore him to a Con- formity to his Divine Will, which is our SanAification ; I Tbef, 4. ;. And that the outward Converfation of Men may be fuitable to this inward Conformity, in all Obedience to the good Pleafure of God ; that as they profefs his Name, fo they may appear to be his.Work- nianfllip, created in Qhrift Jsjus unto good Works, Ephef. 2. 10. And -ivalk worthy of God, 2 Thef. 2. 12. That others hebolding their good Works may Glorify God, I Pet. 2. 12. Now the Oppojtte to this Petition, is, Blafphemy • Curling the Name of God (for to that heighth of Vil- lany the Corruption of Nature hath rifcn, that that fearful and terrible Name, Pfalm 99. ^. Deut. 28. j8. hath not efcaped the blafphemous Tongues of xMen) defpifmg his Majefly, Job 21. ij. What is the Almighty^ that we jhould ferv-e him ? Exod. 5". 2. Who is the Lcrd^ that I [houU obey his Voice ? Taking his Name in vain, ufmg of it'Lightly or Irreverently. It is a terrible Name, and not to be ufed without fummoning up of all the Awe and Reverence of our Hearts : Or falfly, either in folemn Oaths, Swearing falfly by his Name ; or pretending MelTages from him that he never fent, Jer, 14. 14. Prophefying Lies in his Name, whereby a Diflionour is brought upon his Truth. Pride; Arrogan- cy and Self-admiration, thefe intercept the Glory due unto God, and ufurp that which is only due unto him, and Meditations upon the Lor is Trayer. 4^9 dnd moft dear unto him, Ifa, 48. 11. My Glory will I not gi've to another. Therefore God doth in a fpecial manner hate, ?rov. 6. 17. Frou. 9. 13. and refifl: ir^ and them, Jam, 4, 6. When Herod intercepted the Glory of the People, and entertained it, and gave not God the Glory, the Angel of the Lord fmote hinij JBs 12, 2 j. And when the great King was puffed up with the great- nefs of his Glory and Power, then the Meffage comes^ that the Kingdom is departed from him, Dav. 4, ig. And commonly God takes that Seafon to punifb the whole Stock of Sins that a Man hath committed, when his Heart is moft lifted up : Prov. 16. 18. Tride goeth hefore Dejlru- Bicn. Again, Prefumptuous Sins, thele bid defiance to the Name of God, to his Truth, his Jufiice, his Power^ his Prefence, Deut. 29. 20. The Jeaioufie of God will fmoke againft fuch a Man. Scandalous Sins in thofe that bear or profefs the Name of God, 2 Sam. 12. 14. by this, occafion is given to the Enemies of God to Elafpheme. Inadvertence and want of Confideration of the Works of God ,* Becaufe they regard not tbe IVorks of the Lordy nor the Operat'-ons of his Hands: Therefore (l^all he defiroy them, and not builJ tbe?n up^ Pfalm 28. 5-. God therefore doth difpence many of his Works of Providence, that Men fliould wifely confider of his Doings, and dccVdCQ his Work, Pfalm 64. 9. Thi? Inadvertence partly difap- pointeth God of his End, and robbeth him of his Glory, Mifapplication of Events either to falfe Caules, Idols, Fate, Fortune, or only to Second Caufes, without the due Attribution of all to the moft Wife and Powerfoi Counfei of the Mighty Lord, Deut. 8. 17, 18. A»d thou fay in thy Hearty My power, and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth ; hut thou fjalt remember the Lord thy God ,• for it is he that gi^eth thee power to get Tfealth, So for Promotion, Tfalm 75. 6. Vidory, Ifaiah 10. ^. O Af- fyriany the Rod of mine Anger, V. 15. but, he faith hy ths Jlrength of mine hand ha've I done this^ and hy my Wffdom^ And as in things concerning others, this Obfervation is to be ufed, fo principalh/ in the Occurrences and Pro- vidences concerning thy felf : To labour to know that all G g 3 things 460 Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. things that befal thee, come from the moft Wife and Juft Hand of God ; in all thy Bieffings acknowledge his Mercy, and labour to find him in them ^ in all thy Af- flidions acknowledge his Juftice and his Wifdom ; La- bour to find out the Caufe, and give him the Glory. Now concerning the Order of this Petition ; it fell not in the firfi Tlace by Chance ; but he that was the Wifdom of the Father, placed it there upon moft juft Reafonf. 1. The Glory of God is that which is firfl: to be fought for ; becaufe it is the chief End of God in all things, and that which he principally intended. He Fide Ifa. 43. j„3^3e ail things for his Glory, The firft and ^* ^^* higheft Duty of Man is to Love God, and Love to God will carry the Heart to defire that firft, which God firft v^ills ; in fo much as if the Glory of God muft be loft, or the Soul that Loves him, the Per- fedion of Love will chufe the Prefervation of his Glo- ry, rather than of it felf, if it were pofEble. Vide Exod. 52 35. Rom. 9. 3. 2. It is the Jufteft, and only Tribute that all Creatures can return to God for their Being and Bleffing. Such is his Infinite Self fufiiciency, that it is impoffible he can receive any good from them, that receive their Being from him, Job 35". 7. If thou he righteous^ what givefi thou hiryi ? Pfal. 16. 2. My Goodmfs extendcth not to thee. But the return of the Honour or Glory, and acknowledging of his Goodnefs in ail that the Creature can give, and that he is pleafed to accept, Vfalm 5*0. 15"- I ovill deli'uer thee, and thou jhalt Ghrlfie we. Pfalm 116,12.- What fimll I re- tuYji unto the Lord for all his Benefits to me ? I will take the Cup of Salvation^ and call upon the Name of the Lord. Rev. 4. II, Thoft art worthy y O Lord, to receive Glory, and Ho- nottr, and Power, for then baft Created all Things, and for thy Plea/tire they are, and were Created, And according to this Debt of Duty, M/hich the Creatures owe to God for their Being, fo we fir^d them, according to their (everal Capacities and Conditions, bringing in their Tribute, R.'veL 5"- And every Creature which ts in Heaven^ and in Lurth^ MeJitatzofi^ upon the LorJs Prayer. 4^1 E^rth^ and in the Sea^ heard /, faying, BkJJing^ Honours Glory y and Voiver he unto him that fitteth en the Jhrom^ and unto the Lamh for ever and ever, 3. It is the beft Preparation for the Heart that ap- proacheth to God in Prayer to be firft taken up wichai : If in the ordinary Actions of our Nature the Glory of God fhould affed our Heart, and be the End at which we fhould aim, i QoY. 10. 31. Whether ye Hat or Dr'inky €r Tifhatfoever ye do, do all to the Glory of Go:l : And if the Son of God in this Pattern of Prayer begins his Petitions with the fanajfying of his Name, it is certainly moft neceffary that the- Heart of him that fets upon this Duty, be taken up wich the Confiderj^cion of the Honour and Majefty of him, who will be fanaified by all that draw near unto him ; and to carry that End through all our Prayers i left while we repeat the Words of this PeticioOa we take the Name of God in vain, feemingly praying for the Glorifying of that Name, which we at the lame time Difhonour ^ either for vvant of a due Confider-ation of his Majefiy, or for want of making his Glory ih^ Rule and End of our Prayers. This firft Petition there- fore requires that the Heart be duly afFeded with the Glory of that Name which it invokes, snd duly a<^ed and directed to that Glory ^ and that this Petition be drawn through all the reft of our Requefts. Thefe enfuing Confder.:ticns therefore arife from the placing of this Petition firft in this Prayer : I. As thou prayeft that his Name be balloived^ fo In all thy Requefts labour to Sandihe the Lord in thy Heart | Sandifie him in his Greatnefs and xMajefty with Honou- rable and Reverent Thoughts of him in thy Heart, with an awful and humble Carriage both of thy inward and outward Man, as in the Prefence of the Great and Glo- rious King of Heaven and Earth ; San^^ifie him in his Authority and Sovereignty, by calling upon him in O- bedience tor his Command and Will, who hath Com- manded it^ by acknowledgment of thy dependance up- on him : Sandifiehim in his Power, and All-fufSciency, by cafting thy felf upon him, who is mighty to Save, and G g 4 tQ ^6z Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. to fulfil thy moft extenfive and large Requefts : Sancftifie him in his Goodnefs and Mercy, which is infinitely more large to pardon thy Sins, to fupply thy Wants, and to fill thee with all good Things, than thy NecefE- ties, or the wideft compafs of thy Soul can be to ask : San^iifie hini in his Truth and Faithfulnefs, by a Re- cumbence and a refting upon his Promifes, That no one thing ffiall fail of ail the good things that he hath fpoken ^ That no Man fhall feek his Face in vain j That he that.hath faid, Whatfoever thou (halt ask in his Son's Name^he will give it ; That he who hath granted lis Accefs unto him upon thepurchafe of his Son's Blood, will in no fort rejedi thofe Requefts which he himfelf hath Commanded thee to make. 2. As thou prayeft in the firft place, that his Name may be fandified ^ fo let that be the End of all thy Requefts. Be fure thou ask not any thing which may notbefuita- ble to that End, much lefs contrary to it. And in what thou askeft agreeable to that End, let it be likewife for that End. Ask not thy daily Bread for thy Lufts, but that thou mayeft Glorifie him by it, and for it. Ask not Pardpn for thy Sin, barely for thy eafe from Punifh- ment, much lefs to make room for new OfFences, but that thereby his Mercy and Truth rnay be magnified, and his Creature reftored to a Condition Adively to fcrve him, and Glorifie him. Xhe End is firft in Intenti- on, and is that which dravi^s out all the A(9:ions,and orders and dire<5ts them to that End : And every Adion taftes and reliftieth of that End : Since therefore the Sandify- ing of the Name of God is, or fhould be thy chief End, and therefore is firft ifi thy Requefts, Let all thy Requefts and Prayers be primarily and chiefly direded to this that is, or fticuld be, thy chiefeft End. 3. As the Glory of God ftiould be th^ chief of thy Defires, fo confequently muft it be the Meafure of them. That which is the chiefeft End muft controul and over- rule all other fubordiriate Ends, if they come in com- petition with it. For as it is of greateft value, fo it is p{ greateft force. Whatfoever therefore thou askeft, l^t U Meditations upon the LorJts Tracer. 463 it be ftill with fubordination to the Glory of God ; and be rather contented to be difappointed in thy other in- ferior Ends, than that this fliould in the leaft degree be difappointed: Only know, and reft affured ofthisTruth, That fuch is the great Goodnefs and Wifdom of God, that he hath placed all thofe Requefts which are of abfo- lute necefSty to be granted thee, in fuch an order, and path, that the granting of them always confifts with his Glory ,• and whilft thou feekeft them , thou canft not mifsof Glorifying him ; and therefore thou may 'ft be fare the making of his Glory the meafure of thy Requefts, fliall never difappoint thee in them : Such as are the pardoning thy Sins, the delivering thee from being final- ly overcome with SpiritualEvils: But thy other Requefts, for Temporal Benefits or Deliverances, or the particular Circumftances of thofe other, as the Manifeftation or Afturance of Pardon, the degrees of Spiritual Bleffings, or the Seafons of granting them, thefe may not always lie in the Road-way of his Glory. Be content in thefe to wait upon him, and let them ftill be asked with fub- ordination to this great End j but be aftured that by pre- ferring his Glory as thy chief End, and fubjeding the fulfilling of thy Requefts to the Glory of Godjthou fliak be no lofer in the End. Never any Man was a lofer, nor ever fliall be, that principally intends the Glory of Godj though to the difappointment of his own particu- lar Ends. Thou haft done thy duty in asking , and in asking with this reftridion, if it tend moft for the Glory of God. And thou haft done thy Duty in being con- tented, and rejoycing that thy very Requeft is difap- pointed,if God receive Glory thereby : For thou haft that which chou didft in the firft place defire ; and had thy particular Requeft been granted, and the Glory of thy Maker fuffered thereby, thou had'ft been difappointed in the firft and great Petition, SanBified he thy Name ; which thou haft carried along with thee as the qualifi- cation of all therell of thy Requefts, and as that which thou haft as it were prayed overagain in every other Pe- tition thou haft made. Allure thy felf, if thou canft take delight 4<54 Meditations upon the Lords Prayer, delight in the Glory of God, though to thy own parti- cular damage^God will more abundantly recompence thy feeking of his Glory , than that very Petition which is denied could have done , if granted. Thou ferveft a Bountiful Mafter, that will furely recompence thy Love of his Glory above thy own particular advantage. And thou ferveft a Wife Matter, that will recompence thee in fuch a Time, or at fuch a Seafon , as fliall be more fuitable, and more Comfortable, than if thou had'ft been thy own Carver. And this thou (halt clearly and fenfibly find, that which thou did'ft in the firft place ask, is granted in kind, ^vlz,, the Honour of God • and that v/hich thou didft as for thy felf, though denied in kind, is the more granted in value, thy own particular benefit. Our Saviour prayed that that bitterCup of Death might pafs from him , yet with fubmiffion to the Will and Glory of God, Mc.tth. 26. 39. yet his Soul muft be made an OfF^^ring for Sin ^ and it was fo. The Glory and the Truth of God required it : Yet he was heard In thr.t be Feared^ Heb. 5*. 7. he fufFers him to die, but raifeth him from Death ; and he Jav^ of the tra-vail of his Sculy and was fatisfiedy Ifaiah 5'3. 11. Thou prayed for deliverance from any AfflidYion, from a Difeale,from Poverty, for Know- ledge or Aifurance in fuch a degree. It may be ic will not be fo much for the Glory of God to grant it, or to ^rant it yet, as for the prefent to deny it. Firft, there- fore pray,7l>/ ISJ.fme he hallowed ^^ and though I am for the prefent denied, it is enough j lam abundantly anfwered, if God be glorified,though I be denied. Thou (halt find that none that wait upon him fiiall be afhamed ,• if he grant thee not Deliverance, he will give thee fufficienc Grace ; if he deny thy recovery, he will give thee Pati- ence ,• if he deny thee Riches, he will give thee Con- tentednefs : If he ^^ny thee thatmeafure of Grace, he will grant thee Humility: If he deny thee that de- gree of AlTurance, he will give thee Dependance. So that though thou walk in Oarknefs, for a while, and hafi no Light,, yet thou Ibalt truft in the Name of the Lord, and rtay upon ihy God ^ Ifahh 50. 10. fuch is the Meditatiom upon the Lord's Prayer. 4(Jy the goodnefs of God, that while we feek his Glory in the firft place, and other thiipgs with fubordination to it, our other requefts fhallbe granted either in kind^or cotn- penfation. Thy Kingdom Come* The KingdoRi of God h^ith fever al Acceptations, I. His Univerfal Kingdom. The Kingdom of his Pro- 'vUence, which extendeth to all the Anions and Events of all his Creatures, even to the falling of a Sparrow. Pfalm loj. 19. The Lord hath Matth.io 39^ prepared his Throne in Heaven \ his Kingdom Luke 12. 6. ruleth over all. Vfalm 66.7. He ruleth by his Toiver for eveVy his Eyes behold the Nations, And this he doth by planting originally in his Creatures their feveral Laws or. Rules^by which they move ; by a derivation of a continual influence whereby they are fupporced and preferved in their feveral Motions^ Operations^ and Be- ings^ which if he fhould withdraw but one Moment,all things would return unto their Nothing ; but correcting and over-ruling of all things/ometimes contrary to their Nature, to fhew his Freedom and Sovereignty ,• but al- ways by the mingling and interweaving of the Adirions and Motions of one Creature with another ^ by which conjund:ures^though unto us accidental^ he brings about moft Wife and Various Events according to his own Counfel : So that while NaturalAgents move neceifarily according to their Natures^Voluntary Agents move freely according to their liberty. Contingent Agents move and are moved contingently,* yet every one of them apart, and all of them together , are guided and managed, to the moft infallible fulfilling of his moft Wife and Free Counfel. And by this Kingdom all things in the World, though to us feemingly cafual and confufed, are led to Ends, and by Means, which they thernfelves neither fee nor intend. But the fame is moft admirably Evinced and Difcovered in the Sacred Hiftory ; wherein we fee how his determinate and pofirive Counfels are moft in- fallibly, and yet moft ftrangely brought about, through divers varieties of A(^ions and Events feemingly moft cafual^ ^66 Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer] cafual, fometimes exprefly contrary, but always befideS the Minds, Intentions, or Defigns of the Inftruments and Means, as is evident among divers others/o efpecially in thefe, -uiss. that Counfel of God, Gen,i^. 15. and the itrange conjuniftures that were ufed to efFed it,that hap- ned from the diflike that grew between Jofeph and his Brethren, till the going of Jacob into Eppt, and the Prophecy of G^». ij. 16. And the ftrange varieties that were ufed to fulfil it , from the time that the Egyptian King grew Jealous of them, till their coming into C^w,!j^»: That ever- to-be admired Counfel and Promife of God of fending Chrift, and his fuffering for Mankind , firft manifefted in Paradife, Gen. 3. 15". And all the feve- ral particular Predidions of him and concerning him, and the mod wonderful Connexion of Millions of Events, many of them feemingly inconfiderable, all of them feemingly cafual-,through the whole feries of 4000 Years led on to the fulfilling of it, even from the Sin of Adam till the Death of Chrift ; and the Revelation of that Mercy, for the fake of which the World was Created. To thefe may be added the Counfels and Pro- phecies of the Rejedion of the Jews, the Defolations of the Temple, the Converfion of the Gentiles : For the moft certain fulfilling whereof^ it is mod confpicuous, that all the Conjundures of Natural, Voluntary, Cafual Agents and Events, M^ere moft infallibly and certainly managed by the moft powerful hand of God. And this Kingdom is not that which is principally intended * in this Petition^ for this Kingdom hath been, and is 'come, even fince the Creation ; only it ftiould be our defire, that th^ true and wife Knowledge and Obferva- tion of this Kingdom may enter into the Hearts of all Men, that thereby we may admire and adore his Wif- dom and Power in the governing and difpofing of all things ; that wc may depend upon his AU-f ufi^iciency, fubmit unto the Difpenfations of his Government, at- tribute all the Succeifes, Events and Occurren cesin the World, to his Juftice, Power and Providence. 2. His Meditations upon the Lorcfs Prayer. 467 2, His Kingdom over his Reafonable Creatures , Men and Angels ; which, tho' they were under the general Kingdom of his Providence, in the Confideration above mentioned, yet they are under a more efpecial Kingdom than other Creatures. To thefe he hath given Under- ftanding and Will ; and fo they are capable not only of a Subjeaion to the Will of his Counfel , as they are Creatures ; but of an Adive Obedience to the Will of his Command [as they are reafonable Creatures], and fo are Subjeds of his Juftice in Rewards and Punifhments, as well as of his Power. And in reference to this King- dom it is faid , Vfalm 89. 14. Juftice and Judgment are the habitation of his Throne. And Vfahn.^<;. 6. The Scep- ter of his Kingdom is a right Scepter, Now the Admini^ sfration of this Kingdom confiiteth efpecially in thefe Things : i. In giving the Children of Men a Law to be their Rule. 2. In' difpenfing Rewards and Puniffi- ments , according to the Obedience and Difobedience of this Law. 5. In Protedion. I. As touching the Laiv given to Man : In the fifft Creation of Man he did acquaint Man v^ich his Will and Mind , and furely by fome fpecial Manifeftation of it, did reveal that Law unto him, which ihould be a Rule. of Righceoufnefs to him and ail his Poiterity. And as he gave to ail things Propenfions, Inclinations, and Motions fuitable to the feveral Degrees of their Beings,fo to Man he gave a Law or Rule fuitable to his Nature, and by a Manifeftation convenient for the Condition of his Na- ture. And tho^ Man by his Fall introduced that Dif- order and difconformity to that Law , whereby he be- cometh unable to keep it; yet many of thofe Principles of Righteoufnefs which God had manifefted unto him, he retained in his Knowledge, and traduced to his Po- fterity. And thefe as they grew corrupted by the cor- ruptions of our Nature, and forgotten, fo he did reim- print them upon Men by the feveral AGcs of his Provi- dence .-Sometimes by new publication of his Law unto fome Perfons, which was by that means traduced ever to divers others; thustheLaw given to Noah^th^ Law given to 4^8 Meditations upon the Lordts Prayer. to theye:^j,was queftionlefs propagated and derived over to others by Tradition and Relation : Sometimes by en- lightning and exciting men of Eminence , as divers of the Heathen Lawgivers, who were Eminent in their Generations : but moft ordinarily and univerfally fend* ing down into the Confciences of Men fome difcoveries of his Will, and Inclinations to acknowledge them, and to obey them,i?c/». 2. ij. A Law written in theirHearts^ their Confciences alfo bearing witnefs. So that there can fcarcely be found any Time or Perfon wherein God's Providence did not by fome of thefe ways convey, at ieaft fomeDiredions of Righteoufnefs, which fhould be the Rule by which they fhould live, and by v/hich they fiiould be judged. So that they that ha^ve finited without the JLaWy (hallperipj without the Law ,* and they that have finned in the Law , fhall be judged by the Law , Romans 2. I2._ That is, fomewhat of the Will of God touching Righte- oufnefs is derived to all Men, though to fome more, to fome lefs ^ to fome by a more clearDifpenfation ^ to fome fey a more obfcure Difpenfation : Yet fuch is the Exa6l Juftice of God, that though he might Judge all Mankind according to the Exa(5te(l Rule of hisLaw,given to Man fcven in his Innocency , yet that every Mouth may be ftoppedj he will Judge them according to fo much of his Law, as he hath communicated to them. He will not Judge the Heathen that never heard of the Law of God, fo clearly publifh'd to the Jews, by that Law ,• but by that manifeftation or convidion of Righteoufnefschat he hath. Thus if he fin, he fhall be condemned without the Law, that is, without calling in any other Law to judge him by, than that Law which hath been in fome mea- fure declared unto him. 2. As the Adminiftration of this Kingdom over men is by giving them a Law,fo there is likewife an Execution of that Law by Rewards of Obedience, and by Fu?iijljme?its of Difobedience. And this God publiflied in the infancy of the World. Gen. 4. 7, If thou do/l weli, flialt thou not he accepted^ and if thou dofi not well fin lies at the d,on Pfdh' 6z, 12. Thou rsndreff to every man ascording to his works. Meditations upon the Lords Prayer. 4^9 Difobedience to this Law of God obligeth to Punifliment upon a double ground, i. As a natural and a juit Con* fequence of an unjuft Violation of a juft Duty, in as niuch as every Creature owes an infinte Subjection and Obedience to .the Sovereign Commands of iiim thac gives it Being. 2. As a Confequence of that Sanc5lioa that is expreily annexed to the Law fo given : In the day th:it thou eat e si thereof thou flnlt die the death. Obe- dience, on the other fide, is followed with a Reward, not out of a natural Confequence , or a Proportioa between the Obedience and the Reward ; for every Creature owes Obedience to God , tho' there were no Reward at all : We have therein done but our Duty ; And God cannot be a Debtor to the beft of his Crea- tures for their beft Works, Job 35.7. If thou he righte^ ciiSy -what giveft thou him ? But out of the Free Goodne& and Bouncy of our Lawgiver , who is pleafed to make himfelf a Debtor to his Creatures Obedience, by his free Promife of a Reward, and annexing of it to the Obedi- ence of this Law,. Pfal. 62. 12. Alfo to thee, O Lord, he- lovgeth Mercy y for thou rendreft to every man according to hit vmks. As if he fhould have faid , " O Lord, all thy [^ Creatures owe an univerfal Subjedion and Obedience ** to thy Command ,- and when they have done what f^Vthou commandeft, they pay but the juft Tribute umo -^* Thee for their Being ,• and therefore when they have ^^ done all that thou requireft, chey mull fit down and " fay, We are unprofitable Servants, we have done but what was oar Duty , and cannot challenge any Re- ward at thy Hands. They ovve thee more for their Be- ^^ ing that thou haft already given them , than all their "Service and Obedience can amount unto. It is thy *^ Mercy, notthy Juftice, that hath annexed any further ** Reward to that Duty which we ovv^e unto thee. All " the Challenge that thy Creature can make to any Reward of his choiceft Obedience, is ftill founded up- on thy Mercy , who ('tho' we are in all this but un- profitable Servants) art pleafed to be to us a Bountiful *'M'4fter, in giving that Rewavd to the Obedience '' of rc (i ^470 Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. *^ of thy Creature^ which only thine own Free Gooc?- '* nefs did at firft freely promife ; Even fo, Lord^ be- *^ caufe Mercy pleafeth thee. 5. In his molt Wife and Special Vroviding for them^ Diffoftng of them, and ProteBing of them. The General Providence of God reacheth every Creature: But,if that Inlinite Wifdom and Power can admit of any Degrees in the way of its Execution , it is more eminently , at lead, aded in his Kingdom, over his Reafonable Crea- tures. Luke 12. 7. Fear not , ye are of more value than many Sparrows, Matth. 6. 30. Shjll be not much more cloath you ^ And this fpecial Difpenfation of this King- dom is feen more efpecially in difpofing and ordering of the Ways and Events of particular Men. 2 Pet. i. 11: Prov. 24. 24. Mali's goings are of the Lord : How can a man then under ft and his own way ? Of Societies or Com- panies of Men, Ads 17. 26. hath determined the times before appointed^ and the hounds of their habitations : In pro- tecting them againft the Power and Malice of Evil An- gels, reftraining them from thofe Evils that their Malice and natural Power is able and willing to effed, Jobi. 12. 3, His Kingdom ovtr his Church : And this in a more efpecial manner is the Kingdom of God. And herein we confider, I. The King of this Kingdom. God by an Eternal De- cree hath appointed his Son, our Lord Jefus Chrift, the King of this Kingdom. Pfal. z6. 7. I have fet my King upon my holy hill, Pfal. no. 2. Rule thou in the midB of thine Enemies. And thence it is called frequently the King- dom of Chrift : Col. I. 13. The Kingdom of his dear Son. I Pet. 2. ili The Everlafting Kingdom of our Lord and Sa- viour Jefus ChriB ; and fometimes the Kingdom of Chrift, and of God, Ephef S- S- The Kingdom of Chrifi in the im- mediate Adminiftration of it ; and the Kingdom of God, who hath delegated and fubftituted him unto this Admi- niftration ; Angels, and Authorities, and Powers, being made fubjed: unto him, i Pet. j. 22. Firft, the King- dom of Chrift, till he fhall have judged all Men ; and then the Kingdom of the Father, when hs ftall deliver ap' Meditations upon the Lorcts Prayer. 47! Up the Kingdom to bis Father, that God may be all in all, I Cor. 1^ 24, 28. And the Regal Office of Chrili ove^ hh Church principally refpedech chefe Two Things : i. In conquering to himfelf a People. The whole World was by Sin reduced under a Subjedion to an Ofurper, the Prince of the Power of the Air, theSpirit that work- eth in the Children of Difobedience. And this King- dom of his was a Kingdom of Darknefs, Colof, l. ij. Who hath delivered us from the Power of Darknejs, And the Subjefts of this Kingdom were a People of Darknefs : Ephef 5". 8. Te were fometimes Darknefs^ And by the ad- vantage of this Darknefs, this Prince of Darknefs go- verned the World as he pleafed j for they knew not whither they went : And by and from this Darknefs, this Prince led them into another Continent, or rachet condition of his Kingdom, a Kingdom of Sin ; and Sin, as the Vice- Roy of this Prince of Darknefs, did reign irt the World, and had Dominion over it, Rom, 6. 12, i^. and by Sin he led hisSubjeds into another Region of his Kingdom, into the Kingdom of Death : Sin reigned un- to Death, Km. 5. 21. and then Death reigned, Rom. 5'» 14. Now as God was pleafed, by a Mighty Hand, to go and take him a Nation from the mid'lt of another Nation, Dern.^, ^4. So Chrifl: redeems him a People out of eve- ry Tongue and Kindred, and People and Nation, Rev4 6. 9. out of the mid'ft of his Enemies. He came to de- ftroy the Works of the Devil, i John 3. 8, binds this llrong iMan that kept the Houfe, and refcaes his Prifo^ iiers from him. I. He came a Light into the World, and difpelled and fcattered that Darknefs, which was the principal Engine whereby the Prince of this World did Rule, Jchn i. f. The light fJjiTjed into darknefs^ cfid the darknefs ccmpehended it not. And at the very dawning of this Light into the World, the Prince of Darknefs falls from Heaven like Lightning, L«^. 10. 18. And this was that, whereby the Prince of this World was Judged j that is, all his de- ceits, and methods, and wiles, and abufes of Mankind, livere difcovered and dcte(!!led, John 18. 11. And by this H h Ligh« 472^ Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. Light we ^re tranfla^ed from the Power of Darknefs into the Jv-ingdom of his Son, Co/o/ 1. 13. are become Par- takers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, Colof.i. 12,, are become Light, and Chiyren of the Light, Ephef. ^. 8\ . And as he came with Light to take away that Egyptian parknefs which overfpread the World, Ifa. 9.1. bo 2. he came with a Treaiury of Merit to expiate the Guilt, and a Treafury oi.^f^ht^^oufnefs to cover the Stain, ancj take away thePower pf Sin, to re-imprint the Image ol God that was defaced by Sin, to refcuq the Heart from the love of Sin, and ponfequently frorn the Power of Sin ,* to tranfmit into theSpi^ln^w Principles, new Affedions, ne^,, Wills,, PfaL.IJO. ^r.Jhy Feopk Jhali he TviUing in the t>ay of thy To'wen,^ A^ h^'.came with Light to rec^tify the Underftanding^ jo lie cam'e vjith. Right e^ufnefs to re- (ftify the Will : , The Strength of a King refts in the Love and WiiJ of his People : ,When Chrift conquers the Will from the Love and SuDmiffion to Sin, he conquers Man from the Dominion and Kingdom of Sin. 3^ And as thus by Light he conquered the Kingdom of Darknefs, and by Righteoufnefs the Kingdom oi Sin ,• fo he comes with Life ^Ko, and conquers us from the Kingdom of Death. When our Saviour died, he entrecj into the Chambers of Death, and conquered this King of Terrors ; took away the Malignity and Sting of it by taking away Sin, the Sting of Death ; healed thefe bitter Waters by his own paffing through them, and by his Refurredion triumphed over the Power of Death for us, by the virtue of that Refurredion delivering our Souls from the fecondDeath,aiid ourBodies from the firftDeath, and giving -us a moft infallible Affurance of a final Vi- d:ory ov^r Death, by an aflured and bleffed Refurredtion. Thus Death is fwallowed up in VicSfcory, i Cor. i ^. 5-4. 2. And as Chrift hath purchafed him a People by Vidtory, fo his Regal Office is confiderable in the Govern- went of this People that he hath fo acquired. He hath given them a Law to live by, the Law or the Spirit of Life in Chrift Jefus, which makes them free from the Law of Sin and of Death, Rom, 8, 2. The Law of God vindi- Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. 47) vindicated from the falfeGlofles which the Corruption of Men had in fucceffion of Time put upon it ^ a Law fweet- ned aod ftrengthned and actuated by the Love of God wrought in the Soul^ a Law^ tho' of the higheft Perfe- moulds the Heart to the Image of God : It oppofeth and ftruggleth againftLufts and Temptations, which labour to Itifle and to kill this Seed of Life ,• and, like the Leaven, that was hid in the three Meafures of Meal, Manh.i'}^. ^3. it doth^^ by, de- grees, affimilate the whole inward Man to this living Principle, and conforms the Life unto it. Now though this Principle of Life is thus.Qperatiye, yet in refped of the outward View, it is a hidden Life. The External ap- pearance of this Life, is referved till Chrift who is our Life fhall appear j- and then ihali tliat hidden Life be revealed, Colojjl 3. 4. Behold^ no-oJ we an the Sons of GoJ^ J John 3. 2. hut it doth not yet ^ppiar, what we jhall he, hut we know that when he (hall af^et^^ we fihill he like him. By the Seed of Grace fown in our Hearts, we become the Sons of God;, and of this Sonftiip we have a fecret Evidence in our own Souls ; but .there fliali be a fuller Manifeftation of it, when C.hriil, ^vy.ho is cur Life, fhall appear. So then, the Kingdo^Tol^,^G.race and of Glory are the Ame Kingdom, but under>.a different Manifefta- tion : That, a concealed Kingdom, a Seed ifl.jhc Ground,- this, the Manifeftation' of that Kingdom, a .Seed in the Tree. . . , .. .^^ \ \v .4:- ' ^ ■■■■ - To. conclude ; When t hoy pray «ft^^7]^j' Kingdom ceme^ let thy Soul enlarge it ftlf in thefe, or the like Defires.- O Lord, I know thou art King ef Heaven and Earth ; and the leafi- of ^U thy Creatures, in their Tnoft feemingly cafual and inconjtderahle Events and Motions, are under thy mofi certain and powerful Fro'uidence. Tet fuch is our Bliyjdnefs, and fo myjiericus are the ways of thy Vrovidence, that fometimet we are at a lofs, and dtjire with thy Prophet Jeremiah 12. I. to expoftulate .with thee touching thy Judgments. If itjland with thy Glory and IViU, I hefeech thee, let all the Events and Occurrences of the World appear to he under thy Admini^ firation and Government ; that all may fee thy Wifdom, and thy Tower, and thy Jufiice, and thy Goodnefs in all the Vajjages of it ^ and that all Men may he convinced, that thou, the mo ft High, rulefi in the Kingdoms of Men, and that all thy Warks H h 4 ^r% 4/8 Meditations upon the Lord's Prajer, are Truths an^fy ways are Judgment ^ and thoft t-hot walk in Pride thcu art able to ahafe^ Dan. 4. 52, 37. That they way all acknowledge be is a God that Judgetb in the Earthy Ffal. 58. II. yind becaufe thcu hafi a more peculiar Kif^^dor^^ even that that thcu hafi gi'uen unto thy Son, let that Kingdom of thine come ^ do thou find out thy Spirit and thy Word into the World, and fuhdue the Hearts of all People to the Belief and Obedience of the Gofpel cf Chrifi, that all th^ Kingdoms of the IVcrld may be the Kingdoms of God and of ChrifL BriTfg in the Jews^ andthefulnefs of the Gentiles^ that there may be one Fold and one Shepherd * and let thy Son ride en vicloriovflyy cor/(^uering and to contjuer j and prefer^ue thy Flock from the Mifchiefs that .^re from without^ Opprijfion and Ferfecution ; and from thofe that are from within^ Divi- ficns and Herefes, Let them walk as beco?»es the SubjcBs cf the Prince ef Peace, Purity and Truth, in Unity, Holineff and Truth, that they may appear to be the People of thy Hc^ linejs. Rule every Member thereof by thy Grace ,* prefcrve them from their Enemies within them, Lufis and Defeflions ^ from their Enemies without them, the Incurpons of Satan. Make hafle to fulfil the Number of thine EleB ; and when thy Kingdom of Grace u conjummate, then let thy Kingdom ef Glory come, the Di-y of the Manifeftaticn of thy Righte- ous Judgment, when the SubjeSls of thy Kiijcr^dom (ludl be dc" li'veredfrom all Death and Sorrow, and fi a II Inherit that King-- 4om which thou hafi prepared for them from all Eternity^ And keep all cur Hearts looking for, and hafiing unto thy eoming, p^^jpi^g our time here in all Holy Ccnverfation aiid God^ li»efs, 2 Pec. 3. II. that fo, when our Lord comet h, he may find Hi fo doing • and then come Lord Je/us, come quickly. Thy Will he done in Earth as it is in Heaven, Though the Will of God be one invisible Ad, yet in regard of the Manifeitation of it to lis, it comes under a double Jpprehenfion: I. The Will of his Counfel. 2. The Will of his Commands. This is that which he wills to be done by his Creature : The other is that which ho v/ills fhall be done upon his Creature. ^ Th( Meditations upon the Lor J! 5 Prayer, 4/9 I. The Will of his Counfel ; whereby he hath from all Eternity appointed and ordered moft Wifely, and Infal- libly, and Irrefiftibly, all the Ath and Events of all his Creatures; fo that thofe things that feem to us moil na- tural or mofi: freely toremove,are fubfervient in all their Aclings to this molt Free and Eternal Counfel of his ; and all thofe Occurrences which feem to us moft confi- derable or contingent, are preordained by the fame moft Infallible Counfel, and made the Inftruments of bring- ing about the greateft Concernments in the World, Ifu 43. 14. I will work, and who ^all let it ? Ifaiah 14.24. J he Lordofhofis hathfworny fayin^y Surely as I have thought^: fc fhall it come to pafs ; and as I ha'ue furfofedj it (Jjall fiand,' Ifaiah 14. 27. For the Lord of hoHs hath furpofed^ and who jloall difannul it ? and his hand is ftretched out, and who [iiaU turn it hack ? Ifaiah ^6. 9, 10, / am God, and thtre is none like mej declaring the End from the Beginning, and from An- ^ cie7it times the things that are not yn do?ie, faying^ My Counfep pall fiand, and I will do aHmy fleafure, Infomuch that rhola. various, and unftable, and free Motions of the Will and- Mind of Man, which feem to come under n^ Rule nor Government but of himfelf, are moft exad:ly ordered to the bringing to pafs the Purpofes of God. Pr(;z;. 19.21. There are many deuices ifi the heart of man, ne'vcrthelefs the Counfd of the Lord that jhall fiand, Prov. 29. 24. Afans goings are of the Lordy how can a man then underhand his . 07vn ways 1 Jeremiah 10. 33. O Lord, I know that the way cf man is not in hiyf^felf', it is not iii a man that walketh ti> , direct his fteps. And herein we may obferve the moft deep and unfearchable Wifdom, Power, and Purity of Go(<, chat while Man worketh freely , yet therein God work- eth thereby powerfully ', and while Man worketh Sinful- ly, yet God worketh thereby Purely and Juftly. The freedom of the Will of Man is not controlled by the in- fallibility of the Counfel of God, nor can interrupt or diiappoint it : And the finfulnefs of the Will and Ways of Man is not Juftified by the Infallibiliry and Purity of the Counfel of God, nor doth it pollute it. This is ad- mirably fee forth in the actings of thofe two moft Power- ful 480 Meditations upon the Lords Prayer. fa! Monarchs ; thQ Ajjyrian, Ifaiah 10. f, 6, 7. O Afly- rian, the Rod of mine anger ^ and 'the Staff in their hand u my indignation, I wiH fend him againfi an Hypocritical Nation ^Bzc. Howheit he meaneth not fo. The Ajjyrian King did what he did moft freely, moft prefumptuoufly, and proudly, and arrogantly, attributing hisSuccefies to his own Power • had no Thought of Juftice to punifli the Defections of Judahy or vindicating the breach of their Covenant with God, but to fatisfy his own Covetdufnefs and Ambition, Verfb 15. For he faith, By the firength of mine hand ha^e I done this, and bymy Wijdom, Szc. Little thinking that the Wrath and Juftice of God was the Staff in his Hand^ the Strength of his Powdr. But in all this God doth moft wifely and juftly manage the Diftempers of a proud, ambitious, injurious, and covetous King, to the fulfilling of the moft Wife and Juft Counfels of his own Will, without ftaining any part thereof with the' Vices of that Perfon by which they were A<5led , but punifhing thofe Vices in the Inftrtiments which were in- ftrumental in the fulfilling of his Counfel. Verfe 12. Wherefore when I have performed my whole Will upon Sion, and upon Jerufalem', I will pimijl} the Fruit of the [lout Heart of the King of Affyria^ and the Glory of his high Looks, And as thus in the Affyrian, fo after in the Ver- Jtan Monarch, Jfaiah 45". i. 'Thus faith the Lord to the A* nointed, to Cyrus, whofe right Hand I have holden to fuh- due Nations before him. Now this Will of God's Counfel IS for the moft part a fecret Will till it be fulfilled. Vfalm 77. 19. Thy way, O Lord'y is in the Sea, and thy Footfieps are not knowp, Tho' fometimes, for the vindicating of his own Power, and convincing Men that he govern- eth all Things according to the Counfel of his Will, he is picafed to proclaim it in Prophecies and Predidions, ihe great and undeniable Evidence: of his Eternal Coun- fel and Government Ifaiah 41., 2 5. Shew the things that a^e to come, that we may know ye are Gods, llaiah 48. 5, 5". Ifaiah 42. 9. ifaiah 4^. 2r. Who hath declared this from ancient time ? Who hath told it f rem that tiwe ? Have not I the Lord ? 2 The MeStations upon tiVtoffsTrayer. *J[ti ■' ' -iV The TVill of his Commands. This is the Rule of our A<^iohs, Ifa. y^. 21. M^ words ^ ivbich 1 have put into thy mouthy Jballfiot depart out of thy ynouthy nor ont df the mouth of thy feed^ 8zc. Deut. 30. 14. The word is Viry nigh unta thee, in thy mouthy and in thy hearty that thou mayefi do if,- Micah 6. 9: He hath Reived thee^ O man^ what is good. ; Afid what doth the Lord recjuire of thee, hut to do 'Juftice, and to love Mercy ^ and to'ii>alk humbly v/ith thy God? The Will of God's Cdunfel is Secret, but the Will of his ComT hiand is Revealed unto us in thefe three great DireBions hf o^rLive'f, 1. The IVord ofConfcience, the Law written in theHeart, or natural Confcience, Row. 2. 14, if. So much of hisWill is by fome rheans of Providence difcovered even to a Na- tural Confcience, as leaves a Man inexcufable. 2. The TVord of the Spirit of God fpeSfking either fecret- ly in the Heart, or by fome Occurrence or Difpenfation of Providence ; Thou fhalt hear a Voice behind thee, f^yi^gy This is the way, walk in it, Ift. 50. 21. ^' -5. The TVord of both Teflaments, The Natural Cohfci- ence is corrupted, and many times doth not its Duty ; the Word of the Spirit of God is not fo eafily difcerned by our flefhly Nature, and m^ny times we miftake the Voice of our own Spirit for the Spirit of God.': He hath therefore in his infinite Wifdom and Mercy given us a Handing Rule, the Rule of his written Word, obvious to our Senfe ; and whatever other Dictates there fhall be. We are fure'not to err in following it : Ifaiah 8. 20. To the Law, and to theTefiimony : For if they walk not according to that Rule, it is becaufe there is no Light in them. This is to be a Light to our Steps, and theLanthorn to our Feet, Pfalrn 11^. 15-0. 2 Pet. I. 19, -^ more fure Word ofVrophecy, whereunto we are to take heed, as to a Light that pineth in, a dark Place, In this Petition therefore we defire Two Things : i. That his Will may be done. 2. That it may be done here as it is done in Heaven, i. In refped: of the Will cf bis Counfel : What thou haft willed in Heaven, Let it be done on Earth. [' 1. Ut ^Sx Meditations upon the Lor is Prayer. *^ I. Let the Will of thy Counfe! be done. It is true, ** thy Counfcis are fecret and unknown to me, but they ** are the Counfels of the moft Wife and Juft God, and ** therefore certainly they are moft Wife and Juft Coun- ** fels 5 and therefore I will be content therein to pray **^ with an Implicit Faith , Righteous art thouy O Lord^ in *^ all thy waysy and Holy in all thy -works. It is true, thy *^ Counfels fhall ftand, yet are not my Prayers imperti- *^ nent ^ it is the Duty of thy Creature to will what thou *' willeft, and to pray thee to do what rhou intended to *' do \ that my Will may not only Paffively fubmit unto *^ thy Will, but Actively run along with it. ^* 2. Let me with all contentednefs and cheerfulnefs " refign up my Will, and my Self, and my Defires unto *Vthy Will, and bear a Spirit conformable to my Savi- ^'^ ouF, who, when he deprecated the worft of Evils, a *^ bitter and a curfed Death,yet he fubfcribed to thyWii! **^ contrary to his own,Mat.26.59.i/'/r bs p^ihhlet thisCu^ *' pa fs from me ^ yet not as I will .hut as thou -wilt. I am compaf- ^^ fed about with Dangers3withDifcafes,wich Wants,wich *^ Reproaches,withPerfccutions,andI cometothee,from ^* whofe Hand they come, to beg the Removal of them, ^' and I am fure I am taking the ficteftCourfe to ha ve them *' removed, by fuing to him from whofe hand they came ; *' yet thy Will be done ; I have done my duty in calling " upon thy Name, but I will not offend thy Sovereignty " in prefcribing unto thy Will : Thou art the God that '* haft made me, and therefore I owe an Univerfal Sub- " jedion unto thy Will: thou art a Godof Infinite Wifdom, " and knoweft beft what is fitteft to be done ; and then ^' thou art a God of Infinite Mercy and Tendernefs and " Love unto all thy Creatures,efpecially to thofethatfeek " unto thee in Chfift, and doft with as much Love deny *' fome of my Requefts, as thou granteft others ,• I will '^ with all Patience and Chearfulnefs wait upon thee, " and fubmit unto thy Will,both in what thou inflideft, '* and in what thou denieft ; i Sam. 3. 18. It is theLord, " let him do what feemeth him good. Job I. 21. The Lord *^ 7ave. and the Lord taketh away^ hltjjed be the Nar/te of the ^ ''Lord Meditations upon the LorXs Prayer, 483 *^ Lord. Thus I will hope, and quietly wait for theSal- '' vation of the Lord , putting my Mouth in the duft^ " if fo be there may be Hope, Lam. ;. 26. "3. Let me, with all Expedation and longing Defire, *^ wait for the fulfilling of the Prophecies and Predidrions. *^ This Part of thy Secret Counfel thou haft reveaFd^that '^ thyTruth and Wifdom may receive the Glory in icsAc- " compHfhment • and that v/e thy Creatures look after k^ *^ and expect it. Thou haft declared that thy everlafting *^ Gofpel fhall be preach'd to all Nations ; that the King- ^^ doms of the World (hall be the Kingdoms of thy Son • ** that thou wilt bring in the Jews, and the Fulnefs of the *^ Ge7Jtiies; that thou wilt difcover and confound the Man ^^ of Sin ; that thou wilt fend thy Son in the Clouds, to *' Judge the World. Thefe, and the like Parts of thy '^ Gounfels, thou haft publifhed to the World ; be thou *' glorify 'd in the fulfilling of them. Thy Secret Coun- ^' fels are deep and myfterious • and when we fee them '' in their Fulfiilings, yet they make us to wonder and '^ ftagger ; fo that, tho' our Duty teach us to acknow- *^ ledge that thou art righteous when we plead with thee, *^ yet we are apt with the Prophet to expoftulace with ^' thee touching thy Judgment, Jer, 12. i. as if Things ^^ fell out befides thy Will, and in difappointment of thy *' Counfel. But in thefe Mariifeftations of thy Counfels ^' before they are fulfilled , we fee and muft conclude, ^^ Dan. 4. 17. T/jr.t the mojl High ruleth in th'e Kingdom of *^ Men, and gi'veth it to whomfoei/er he 'will,andfetteth up o^er " it the bafefi of Men. Let therefore this Will of thy '' Counfels , revealed in the Prophecies and Predidions '*'fof thy Word, be fulfilled, that thou may'ft receive the ^* Glory of thy Power, and of thy Wifdom;- and of thy " Truth in the fulfilling of them • and thaft every Man *^ may fee and conclude that thou, whofe ISjame \%Jtho^ " 'vah, art the moft High over all the Earth,' Tfalm 85. **■ 18. And while I thus pray, my Prayers are not idle ,• *^ God having often appointed, that Prayers Ihall bethe " means to fulfil chat which he hath certainly promifed, ^^ Ezek. 56. 57. Ti.t I will for this be enquired of by the [' Houje of IfraeL 4. Thca 484 Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. *^ 4. Thou haft another part of thy Counfel more pre- ^[ cious, and of greater Concernment to me than the for- *^ mer, which thou haft alfo revealed^ the Counfel oithy ^[ fromifes. When thou fenteft thy Son out of thine own *^ Bofom into the World, thou did'ft impart unto him *^ this great and concerning part of thy Counfel^and this •^ he hath imparted unto us ; The Proriiife of Pardon of '^ our Sins through his Blood ,• of Juftification through his ^' Righteoufnefs ,• of thy Spirit that fhould lead us into *[ all Truth ; of his abiding with us unto the End of tha *V World ; of conquering and fabduing our Lufts and "Temptations • of raifmg us up at the laftDay^and giving ^^us an Everlaftirig Kingdom that cannot be fhaken. *f, ThefePromifes, as thou haft given to be the objedls of *' our Faith, Hope, and certain Expedation, 7l>.2. 15. *^ 2 Vet,':^. 12. fo are they the obje(5ts of our Defires, and ^^ confequenrly the Subject of our Prayers, and therefor^ ^* I will pray Vi'ithDa^vldj i Chron. 17.2^. Therefore nowy ^l hordy Let the thing that thou hafi fpoken cenccrrAng thy Ser* *- "VantSy he efiahlified for E-ver, and do as thou ha fit [aid. And as thus the Will of God's Counfel is the Subje(5t of this Petition, fo is likewife the WiH of his Command. And this falls under thefe Covfideraticns. V :" I. As thou Willeft in Heaven, fo let it be done by ^ us on Earth ,• and to that purpofe, " I. Let thy Will be' difcovered and made known un- ?* to us, and to all Creatures : And in as much as none *^ teacheth like God, Let us be all taught of thee. Let thy ^V revealed Will in thy Word come unto us as Light into ^ Darknefs j and becaufe our Underftandings are blind ** and fealed up, that they cannot receive this Light, and *Vour Hearts are perverfe and will refift it, fend down /' thy Spirit of Life and Power to open our Underftand- *^ ings to receive it, to difcern the Truth, and Purity, *•* and Perfedion of it ; open our Hearts to receive it in the Love of it ^ and conquer that Cell of Corru- ption and Oppofition that lies there ready to ftifle it ; mingle thy Word in our Hearts with Faith, thae ^vmay purify our Hearts, and make thy Word power- MeJitatims upon the Lords Prayer. 48 r '^ i\x\ to theifubd^iag pf all thofe ftrong Holds and Op- '/^pofitions that ftand out againft it : Thy Will in Hea- .^•^ veri is a Perfed, Pure, and Holy Will ; fend out fuch ^^ Difcoveries of thy Will, that we may know it in the " Spiritualners and Truth of it, vindicated from the falfe ^/ Glofles that the Corruptions and Degenerations of the "^^ times., or our deceitful and falfe Hearts are apt to put " upon it: And that thy Will may be done on Earth as it is " in Heaven, let it be known on Earth as it is in Heaven. ' *^ 2. Becaufe the only true Principle of Obedience is '^ Love ; ftied abroad thy Love in our Hearts : And be- *^ caufe the Senfe of thy Love to us is the caufe and ground " of our Love to thee, fliew us the greatnefs and fulnefe *^ of thy Love to us in Chrift, and that will refied: Kt\s ^^ of Love to thee again, and make us ready and willing " to obey thy Will, and exceeding thankful to thee that ^'^ thou art pleafed to accept the fincere, tho' imperfeiSl ^[ Obedience of thy Creature. " 3. And becaufe the end of the Manifeftation of thy '^ Love to Mankind in Chrift, was to redeem us from all " Iniquity, and to purify unto thy feif a peculiar People, " zealous of good Works, Tit. 2. 14. And in as much a§ ^^ our Conformity, to thy Will, as it is our Perfection, fo *^ it is the Great and Juft Tribute that we owe uiico thee for our Eeibg, as Creatures, and much more for ouF Redemption 9s redeemed and purchafed Creatures j *^ Let all our Thoughts, Words and Works, be univer- ^y fally fubjeA and obedient to thy Will revealed in thy ^^ Son, that we may be Holy as thou art Holy, in allman- '^ ner of Converfation : Purge ourHearts from vain and '•' unprofitable Tfc^^/jn, from finful and polluted Thoughts, *' from Devilifh and Atheiftical Thoughts ^ and let cur Thoughts be fuch as becomes thePrefence of God , be- fore whom they are naked and legible, fuch as becomes that Heart whereChrift is pleafecf to make hisReiidence, Pious, Charitable, Pure, Chaft, Clean, Sober, Hum- ble Thoughts, fit to be attendants upon fo Heavenly " a Gueft : Waffi my Tongue from that fire of Hell that is *' naturally in it, Ja?Nes^^, 6. deliver it from Blafphe- *^ mous ,^26 Mec//fatio»s upon the LxfrJs Prayer. " mous, Atheidical, C^lamniating, Uncharitable^ Falfe, •" Vain, and Unprofitable Words ; and let me ufe my '*^ Tongue as one whofe Words are all regiftred , and *^ that muft give an Account for every Idle Word. Let '^ my Speeches be feafon'd with Salt, glorifying thy Name, ^^ Edifying others ; true^ profitable, feafonable, ferious, *^ charitable, difcreet • for by w/ TVords I fiiall be jufti- ^* fy'd, and by my Words I fliall be condemned. De- *^ liver me from all finful , impure , unfeemly , unjuft ^^ AHlons : In the firft Life of any A<^ion or Intention, *^ let me bring them to the Rule of thy Word , to the ^^ Rule of my Confcience, to the Rule of thy Prefence, *^ and impartially meafure them thereby ^ and if they *^ will not abide that Examination, or upon that Exami- *^ nation want their due Conformity, let me rejed them without any more Reafonings or Difpu tings. In all my Actions relating immediately to thy Majefty ^ let theoi "^ be Warrantable, Pious, Sincere, Reverent, Humble : " In all my Adions nltting to others^ let them be full of " Jufdce, Charity, free from Revenge, Difdain, Sullen- '' nefs ,* Meafaring out impartiaHy^as in the Prefence of '^ God, the fame Meafure which I vi^ould defire to be '' done unto my felf : In all my Ac5fcions relating to my ^"^ [elf ^ let there be Sobriety, Temperance, Moderati- '•' on, Seafonablenefs. And let all this be done out of " that only true Principle of Obedience, Love to God ; ^' prefented unto him upon that only Ground of Ac- *' cepcation , Jefus Chrift • and f'Z'\{ond with that ac- '' ceptable Grace of Humility. If when I have done '' all that is enjoin'd,- I am but an unprofirablc Servant ^ *' how unprofitable am I, when I infinitely fail of what *' I am Commanded } " And as I pray that the things that thou willeft to be *^ done in Heaven may be done by us on Earth^fo I dellre *' that that HeavenlyWill of thine may be doneonEarth^ " as thy Will is done in Heaven by thofe Glorious a7id Ture *' Creaitires that always behold thy Face, Perfectly, U- " niverially. Speedily, Chearfully, Humbly. I, Perfecl'y, Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. 487 I. Verfe6ily, The Angels do dearly difcern and Knoiif the Will of God by a douhle AB : r. On God*s part, a Clear Emanation or Beam of the Mind of God fliining into their clear intelleduaj Nature, and conveying into them a perfed difcovery of the Mind and Will of God con- cerning them. 2. On their part, by a clear Intuition of God, and beholding his Mind and Will in him concern- ing them ^ the Wife God^having fitted their Natures with fuch a Meafure of Intuition of him, whereby, tho' they cannot fee all his Perfedions, yet they are fitted and enabled to fee fo much as is fuitable to their Nature, conducible to the fulnefs of that Perfed:ion^vhich they are capable of, and to the Performance of that adiive Ser- vice which he requires of them. And as thus they per- fectly know his Will, fo Their WilU are mod purely in- clined and moved to the Obedience of it ,• there is no mixture of Impurity or Refiftance of their Will againfl: the Will of God ; no mixture of Hy pocrify or bafe Self- ends : For their Pure Natures are taken up with a fqlnefs of the Love of God, large and comprehenfive as their Natures, and upon that Principle they move in all their A(5ls of Obedience^; and they clearly fee that their high- eft Perfe(5lion confifts in the moft even and unbyaffed Conformity to the Command of God ; fo the more per- fed their Obedience is, the more abfolute is their Per- fedion ; they need no other Motive to Obey him but this. That it is the moft Perfed Command of the moft Perfed, and Wife, and Holy God. And as thus their Minds and Wills are fafliioned and fitted to a moft per- fect Obedience, fo they are endued with a Tower from God exadly commenfurate to an exad Performance of his Will ,• vvhsther it be in their refieded Adions unto God, or whether it be in their inftrument^ Adions un- to others. If God Command an Angel to deftroy an Hoft of the Aflyriansy he can difpatch 18 poo of them in one Night ,• if he Command an Angel to deliver Daniel out of the Lions Den, he can (hut the Lions Mouths, that they fliall be rather his Guard, than his Executioners^ Darnel 6, 22. If he Commands aa Angei I i to 488 Meditations upon the Lor is Prayer, to deliver Veter out of the Prifon, he can make his Chains fall off from him, like the Tow when it fcedeth the Fire^ ABs 12. 7. When he Commands an Angel to Comfort his Son, tho* under a preffure and weight more heavy to his Soul than the Weight of the Earth, he can dart into the tender and vital Pa^ts of the Soul fuch Comforts and Cordials, that can enable his Humanity to bear that Burden, Lt4ke 22.45. When he Commands an Angel to attend the Refurredion of his Son, he can at the fame inftant fiiake Terror and Amazement, and Diffolution- into the Spirits of the Soldiers, and Com- fort and Satisfadion into the Souls of thofe that exped- ed his Refurredion ^ and caufe that Stone, which the Vharifses laid upon the Sepulchre as a Seal unto his Mor- tality, to ftart afide and give way to our Saviour's Re- furredion, Luke 28. 34. And little do we know thofe wonderful Services tha;t thefe invifible Powers do in the World, even for poor and weak Men, at the Com- mand of their great Lord and Sovereign every hour in the day. " And now, O Lord, it Is true ^ that thy " Will is done in Heaven by thofe thy Glorious Crea- /^ tures perfedly and exadly ; but 1 and all thy Crea- ^^ tures upon Earth have in us a mixture of Darknefs " that we cannot know thy Will • and a mixture of " Corruption, that refifts the Obedience of thy Will , '^ and a mixture of Impotence, that we cannot per- ** form that part of thy Will that we kiiov^ and d^Q^iit *^ to Obey ; fo that when we can at any time fay with *^ the Apoftle, To Will is prefent ivtth me y yet we muft, ^* with the fame Apoftle fay. That how to perform ^^ that Good, we find not, Romans 7. 18. Therefore I ** cannot in this Houfe of Clay hope to afpire to the *^ full Perfedion of an Angelical Obedience, nor to do *^ thy Will on Earth as it is done in Heaven ; yet there *' is an Imperfed Perfedion, which in Chrift thou art *^ pleafed to accept of, an Evangelical, tho' not an An- ** gelical, Perfedion in our Obedience ^ a Perfedion " of Integrity and Sincerity, free from Guile, bafe {^ Ends, or Hypocrify ,• a Heart truly endeavouring to !^ obey Meditations upon the Lord's Trayer. 48^ ** obey the Voice of God in his Word, and truly for- ^^ rowful for his Defeds and Failings in that Obedi- " ence : Thus the Heart of Da'vid, i Ki?igs ly. }. of '^ Hez>ekiah, 2 Kings 20 3. were perfecft Hearts; the '^ Obedience enjoined by Da^vld to Solomon , i Chroni 28. 9. Serzfe him with a f erf eB Heart ^ and wiUing Mind: '' And this Perfedion of Obedience give unto thy Ser-» *^ vants^ that thy Will may be done on Earth as it is in *^ Heaven^ fincerely and fingly, 2. Which is aConfequcnt of the former. Angelical O- bedience is an Universal Obedience : There is not any Command of God^ not the meaneft, but they perform it, Pfalm 10^. 20. Blefi the Lord ye his Angels that excel in (Irengthy that do his Commandments y hearknmg unto the 'voice of his word. For the fame Principle_of perfed Love of God, moves them to a willing Obedience to every Com- mand, as well as any ; and they find as much Beauty in their Obedience unto the Command of God, when fei>t out to Minifter for the poor Members of the Son of God, Heb. 1. 14. as when fent upon an Employment, for the Matter, more Glorious. " And, O Lord, Let thy Will ^^ be thus done on Earth as it is in Heaven : Let me have *' refped to all thy Commandments ,• and let no Sin bs *^ fo much mine, fo dear, fo natural, fo fuitable to my *' Nature or Condition, but that I may for fake it at thy " Command, and keep my felf from my Tranfgreffion, " fmce it is the fame God that equally Commands and ^' Forbids in ail, and the fame Love to God, which h ^^ or fliould be the Principle and Ground of all my O- *^ bedience, James 2. 10. Whofoe'ver fljall keep the -whole Law, and y-t offend in one point, is guilty of all. A Heart *^ that can obferve fome Commands, and yet difpenfe ^y with it felf in the Violation of others, obeys not for *^ Love of God, but of himfelf. 5. Angelical Obedience is 2i Willing and Cheerful Oh^di- ence. Which ftill runs upon the former Reafon : Th^, Principle of their Obedience is perfed Love of God j and Love is an adive AfFedion, as ftrong as Death ; fo that they are glad of any Opportunity tg return the Expref- I i » ' fioqs <( iC 490 Meclitations upon the LorcPs Prayer. fions of that Love in a moft hearty and willing Obedi- ence. Chrift, fpeaking of the Angels, faith, They al- ways behold the Face of my Father • they Watch and are Attentive, and vi^ith Cheerfulnefs exped every Com- mand of God. " And thus alfo let thy Will be done on '* Earth as it is in Meaven, that vi^e may Willingly and Cheerfully perform thy Will ; glad that we thy poor Creatures have any Opportunity to do any Service *^ to thee, tho thou needed: i: not ; and thankful that *' thou arc pieafed to accept of the Obedience of thj ** Creature. 4. Confequently, An Angelical Obedience is Speedy^ Swifty Reddy. They difpute not the Reafon of the Com- mand, nor delay the Performance of it : Like the Cen- turion's Servants, he faith to one, Go, and he goeth ; Luke 7. 8. " And, Lord, as thus thy Will is done in *^ Heaven, fo let it be done on Earth : When thou com- " mandeft Things that our Flefli and Blood have much ** ado todigeft, would fain be Reafoning againft, or at ^^ leaft angry in the Obfervance, give us this Grace not ^' to confer with Flefh and Blood, Gal i. 16. but refol- *^ vedly and fpeedily to obey thy Will. When Abraham was called to leave his own Country, he obeyed, and went out, not knowing whither he went, Heb. 11. 8. when commanded to Sacrifice his Son, he rofe early in the Morning, and goes about this hard Employ • Gen, 12. 5. Lingringi and Reafonlngi upon the Commands of Gody as they carry in them a want of Duty, fo they always bring with them much Difadvantagc, either wholly in- tercepting our Obedience, or mingling with it much Unwillingnefs and Averfenefs to it. 5-. A Heavenly, Angelical Obedience, thoMt be full of Perfection, yet it \s full of Humility, They know that they owe an infinite Obedience to him from whom they receive their Being ; and that their Obedience to God is but the payment of that Debt they owe to him, and cannot make him a Debtor to them : They knew that infinite diftance between the infinite God and them- felves, though glorious yet finite Creatures j and there- fore Meditations upon the Lord's Tray er, 491- fore they do not only pay theirObedience, as a juft Tri- bute to God, without arrogance of Merit • but they do it with all the Reverence and Acknowledgment that is imaginable. Both thefe we find in the Adoration of the 24 Elders^ Rev. 4. 10. 11. they fall down before him, and caft their Crowns before the Throne, faying; Thou art worthy y O Lordy to receive Glory ^and Honour and Power, The diftance between God and Man is infinite ; and though the Angels are nearer unto God in perfection of Nature than Men, yet ftill the diftance between them is infinite : Here is the odds,the Angels fee their diftance and fee more of the Perfection of God ; and the more they fee of him, the more they Adore and Reverence him, and the Humbler they are in their Services, becabfe they fee the greatnefs of their diftance. And if Ange- lical Obedience, that is fo perfed, fhall be mingled with fo much Reverence, with fo much Humility, fhould our Services, that are fo im.perfed:, be allayed r '* O Lord, " Lee thy Will be thus alfb done in Earth as it is in *^ Heaven : Give us a fenfe of thy infinite Glory and Ma- ^' jefty, of that infinite diftance between Thee and Thy "Creature 5 that with all Reverence to Thy Ma jefty, and " allLowlinefs inourfelves.we may appear before Thee *^ in all we do for Thee : Give us a fQuiQ of that infinite ^' Debt of Obedience that we owe unto Thee for our " Being, that product of an infinite Power, and an in- " finite Motion j for our well-beings, our reftiturion in " Chrift. without whom our very Being would have been " our Burden : Give us a fenfe of the great Imperfe(5li- '^ ons of all our beft Performances, that need no lefs a *^ Sacrifice than the Blood and Interceffion of Chrift to " wafh them from that guilt that would damn us, if we '^ had nothing elfe to anfwer for : Give us a fenfe of Thy " Great Condefcenfion toThy weak and finfulCreatures, '^ that art pleafed to deliver unto us the knowledge of " Thy Will ; and when we by Nature are unable to coc^ ceive it, or to believe it, doft give us Light to under-\ ftind it, and Faith to affent unco it, that Thy Law is Holy, Juft and Good , and when for all thefe Con- I i J " vi6tions 49 X Meditattons upon the Lords Prayer, «* virions of ThyTruth,our hearts,the feats of Rebellion, *' do oppofe it in the Love and Pradice of it. Thou art '^ pleafed to fend down a powerful working of Thy Spi- '* rit to chafe out of us thofe oppofitions of our corrupt- ^' ed Nature, and to make us willing in the day of Thy *^ Power, and to ftrive with and fubdue our hearts to '* any meafure of the Love of thy Will ; and when not- *^ withftanding all this,our poor and lean Performances '^ are mingled with much of our own deadnefs , con- *r trary motions,and pollutions; yet Thou art pleafed to *^ fprinkle ourObedience with his perfed Righteoufnefs ; ^^ to forgive the defefls, to cover the Imperfedions, to ^^ rectify the Deformities of all our Obedience ; to par- *^ don what is ours, our Sins and Defects, and to accept ^^ and reward whatisTHine ovvn^as if it were ours,when '^ Thou workeft all our works in us, and yet rewardeft *^ us, as if we had wrought them. And as in the diftincS^ confiderations of the Will, of the Counfels and Commands of God, we are to defire that his Will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven ; fo in the conjunB cofjfideration of both thefe Wills. There is not an A6lion or Event in the World, but it falls out by the determinate Counfel and Fore-appointment of God ; and yet to the produdion of thefe Events we find a mix- ture of A6lions that exprefly thwart the Command of God. The greateft Event, and of the greateft concern- ment that the World ever knew, or fhall know, was the Death of Jefus Chrifl: ,• and though he was thus deliver- ed by the determinate Counfel and Foreknowledge of God, yet the Jews took, and by wicked hands. Cruci- fied and flew him, JBs 2. ;;. The Counfel of God was a moff Wife and Merciful Counfel , the Aiftion t)f the Jews that fulfilled this Counfel , was a moft cruel and unjuft Adion j yet the Injuftice of the Inftrument did no way affect the Counfel of God , nor the Counfel of God no way juftify the Ac^iion of thtjews ; witnefs that heavy Curfe that upon their own Imprecation lies upon the Adors and their Po- fterity unto this day, his Eloed bs ufon us^ and upn cur ChlU Mecfitatlonsuponthe LoMsFrayer. , 495 ChiUnn, Matth. 27. 2^ The Man Sins moft willingly, and though the Wife God intermingle Occurrences that make the finfulAaions of Men inftrumentalto hisCoun- fels yet their Guilt is no lefs, and no lefs their own, by being fubfervient to his Cbunfel, God hath given thee a vvord of Command , he bath jhewed theey O man, what isg-ood : and -what doth the Lord require at thy hands ? Ml-* cah 6. 8. Thou needeft not, nor mayeft feek out for a Rule of thy Anions in the Secret Counfel of God, nor endeavour to juftify thy Aaions , becaufe in order to the fulfilling of thofe Counfels, but keep to that Rule which he hath given, To the Laiv , and to the Teftimony, Deut. 29. 29. Thefecret things belong unto the Lord ourGod^ hut thofe things that are revealed, klong to us and to cur children for ever, . . "Therefore, O Lord, teach me to wait upon the *' Will of thy Counfels, and to be inftrumental in them ; « that I may neverthelefs ever obey the Will of thy ^^ Command ; th^t while I ad thy Will as ^Cvcztme, " I may never negled it as a Man or a Chriltian. Ihy '' Wifdom, it is true, can bring about thy Counfels by " the fmful Adions of Men ; and as thou turneit the " Hearts of Men as Rivers of Water5,fo thou turneit the « fmful motions of the Heart, as a skilful Workman can " turn the ftreams of water, fo that whilft it moves na- « turally, it ftiall bring about Ends that are of a higher '' conftitution : But furelyifthoucanft make thofe works '' of Difobedience ferve thy Providence , much more *' canft thou ufe fuch A6Hons to the fulfilling of thy " Counfels that are fuitable to thy Commands ; there- " fore as the Will of thy Counfels is done in Heaven /^ by the Angels and bleifed Spirits , in fuch a way as is ""' fuitable to thy Commands ; fo let thy Will be done *^on Earth, that while we ferve thy Providence we '' may neverthelefs obey thy Will ; and wmle we clofe- " ly obferve what thou requireft , that vve may Con- '' tentedly. Patiently , Cheerfully and Thankfully fub- " mit unto , and receive what thou in thy moit W He *' Counfel difpenfeli ^^ ■ 1 i 4 GiV9 494 Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. Gi've us this day our daily bread. Our Saviour dire(9:s us, Matrh. 6. 35. to feek firft the Kingdom of God and his Righteoufnefs, and then pro- mifeth that the things of this life (hall be added to us. And according to the Method of this Dodrine and Pro- mife^ fo is the Method of this Prayer ; firft to feek the Glory, Kingdom and Will of God, and then for thofe things that are neceffary for our felves. And though hs hath promifed that they fliall be added to us, yet he di- rects us to pray for what he hath thus promifed to add. And this is the courfe of God's Will and our Duty, that we fhould beg of God what he hath certainly promifed to give. The Promifes of God, as they are the warrants of our Prayer , fo our Prayers are required, though not as Caufes, yet as Means of fulfilling his Promifes. And then a Promife is moft fuitably and fitly performed,when it is fued out by our Prayers. When God hath promifed to build the ruined Places, and plant that which was defolate, and had engaged his own Name and Truth to perform it, /, tbe Lord hazfe fpoken /r, and I will do /^,Ezek. 56. 36. yet requires their Prayers to precede the perfor- mance of it ,• I will yet for this he encjuired of by the houfe ^Ifrael, to do it for them ^ and that, amongft others, up- on thefe Confiderations : I. To fliew our Dependance upon him : All Creatures, as they are eifentially depending upon God in their Being and Prefervation, fo according to the meafure of their power they teftify that Dependance , Fflm 104. 21. The Young Lions feek their meat from God, Pfalm 147. 9. He giveth the Beafts their .Food, and to the young Ra'vens vjhich cry, Pfalm'145'. 15". The eyes of aU wait upon thee, and thou gizfefi them their meat in due feafon. There is a fecret and unknown Teftification , even in the fenfible Creatures, of their dependance upon God for their livelihood ,-and much more is required, and that moft juftly, from Man : It is an ad of Mercy and Bounty for God to promife and to give ; and an a<5t of Duty and Recognition for Man to feek. 2. It MeJitation's upon the Lord's Prayer. 49 jT 2. It brings the Soul more to fee and to acknowledge and magnify that Mercy that is given , when it is firft fued out from God by Prayer. A Bleffing obtained upon Prayer, carries a more immediate impreffion of the Liberality of God, than when it is given unfought for. 5. It makes a Bleffing the more acceptable, when ob- tained ,♦ and the more comfortable and contenting in the Enjoyment ,• v/hen a Man, together with the Mercy he receives,receives alfo a fcnfe of the Mercy and Good- nefs of God coming with it : And as in refped: of this concomitance, fo it moft times falls out, that fuch Blef- fmgs fo obtained are more fuitable, and feafonable^and ample, and ufeful, than fuch as come in an ordinary way of Providence. ^, 4. It fits a man with a better Mind to ufe them Wifn Thankfulnefs unto God , with Sobriety , and yet with Cheerfulnefs ; when a man fliall confiderthat rhisBlefling 1 had from the hands of the Almighty God, derived to me by that means that he hath enjoyned, Prayer, bottomed upon his Promife. The difturbance that grows to ^ny man in any condition, is cither out of a difproportion of his condition to a right mind or defire, or a difpropor- tion of his Mind to a right Fruition : A Bleffing obtained by Prayer avoids both ^ it brings a proportionable good to his mind and defire ; and itfuits the Mind wich a pro- portionable temper to the Bleffing. EcdeJ. 6. 2. Solomon tells us of a man to whom God had given Riches, and Wealth, and Honour, fo that he vi^anted nothing that his heart could defire ,• yet God gave him not power to eat thereof: The difcompofure of his Mind robbed him of fruition as equally as if he had not had the poffeffion.But the bleffing of Wealth gotten by Prayer, is accompanied with a Mind to uCq it comfortably and cheerfully, yet foberly and humbly. Sin hath put a Curfe in the Crea- tares, that they prove unufeful ; and it hath put a Curfe in the Soul, that it corrupts the Creature, as an ill Sto- mach doth good Nourifliment ,- fo that oftentimes chey are occafions of Excefs and Intemperance, of Pride and Haughci' 49 6 Meditations upon the Lords Prayer. Haughtinefs, of Carnal Confidence and forgetting of God J Trov, 30. 9. Lefi I he full and deny thee , and fay. , Who is the Lord ? Prayer is by the free Goodnefs of God made a means to take out the Curfe from both ^ it fan- ^ifies the Creature, i Tim. 4. J. Every Creature of God is fanBified by the Word and Trayer : By the Word of Com- mand given to the Creature to make it fcrviceable ; and by the Word of Promife given to the Ufer , and by Prayer laying hold upon that Promife, and fuing out that Blefling that is contained in it ,• and it fandiftes the Heart, keep^ it in dependance upon God^ in Con- fidence in him, and Sobriety before him ^ it teacheth him, that the Bleffings of this Life come from him, are his Bleflings ; my Corn^ and my Wine^ and my OyL And accordingly the Heart is tutored to ufe them with all Moderation, Thankfulnefs, and Contencednefs* I. Cive usy &c. Give m our Bread, not pay it us as a Duty. The beft Title we have to all our Bleffings, is Free Gift. God did not , nor could at firit owe to any thing its Beings and having given a Being to any thing, he owes it not Prefervation , nor the means of it ; but the Gift of the latter is as free as the former. When God faid to Man, In the jweat of thy Brows thou Jhalt eat thy Bread, Gen. ;. 19. he gave him not his Bread as the Wages of his Labour,but annexed hisToil and Labour as the Curfe of his Life ; and yet fuch is his iMercy,that he gives us our Bread for asking for it. Matth. 7. 11. How mush more jhall your Father which jj in Heaven^ give good things to them that ask him ? O Lord, I have no Title to the ISfeceJfaries of my Life, but thy free Gift and Bounty -y and had J any, yet my xontinualSins do every moment forfeit thatTitle. The Beggar that begs Bread at my Door, hath a better Right to the Bread he begs, as againfi me, than I have to the Bread le^t, as from thee, I come therefore before thee for the Ne- cejaries of my Life , with all abhorrence and deteHation of any Merit in my felf to deferve them : They are thine be- fore thou givefl them ; and they are not mine unlefs thou pvefl them j avd when thou ha fi given them they are Hill ■ thinty Meditations upon the Lord's Frayer, 497 thine J and blejj'ed by thy Name that thou art fleafed td give them me for the asking. Nor doth my asking of my Bread at thy hands defer've the Gift of it to me^ but it is the means which thou hafi fan^tified by thy free Fromife to procure them for me. 2. Gi've us our Bread, We cannot give it our felves ; our Good is not in our own hands nor power ; it is he that giveth the Power to get Wealth, Deut, 8. 16, 19. without his Bleffings my Labours and Projedions will prove fruitlefs ^ it is in vain to rife early, and to go to bed late, Tfalm i2j, 2. or if they arrive to acquire the Bread I want, yet he can blow upon it, and make holes in my Bag , Hagg, i. 6, 9. can fend Worms into my Manna, Exodus 16. 20. or if my Store become not un- ferviceable for me, yet it muft be his BlefSng that muft enable me to eat of it, Ecdef ^. 19. and-6. 2. I will therefore be honeftly induftrious to get my Bread ; for it is my Duty, Gen, j. 19. In thefweat of thy Brows thou jhalt eat thy Bread. But I will not be follicitous touching the Event ^ for he hathfaid, I will not leave thee, nor for fake thee, Heb. 15.^. And if the Providence of God fecond my Endeavours, yet I will not facfifice to my Net, Hab, I. 16. but with acknowledgment blefs the Hand of God that gives me the Bread, and labour and pray to make it Bread to me ,• for Man cannot live by Bread alone, Mitth. 4. 4. -but by that Word of Bleffing whereby he^ makes it my daily Bread. * 5. Give us our Bread ^yet if thou give it not, give us Con- tentednefs ; for what cau/e have we to murmur at the denial of that which thou art net bound to give ? cr if thou turn our daily Bread to Bread of Carefulnefs, or of Jffiiclion, yet give us Fatience, and we fljall be able to live upon this Bread. Our daily Bread is thy free gift, and therefore if thou give it not, it is no injury, nor caufe of repining. This Day, or Day by Day. And why not Bread for to morrow, as well as for to day ? the Reafon of the Prayer is contained in our Savi- oursCojj:]mand, Matth. 6. ;2. Take no thought for to mor- row. And the Reafons of that Command are thefe. I. To 498 Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. I. To keep us in a continual Dependance upon GocJ. And this our Saviour enforceth upon the confideration of the very Fowls, Mattb, 6. 26. They fow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into Barns, yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them ,* and that in due Seafon , Pfalm 145'. And are ye not fnuch better than tbey ? When E//^i was at God's imme- diate finding, the Ravens brought him Meat in the Wil- dernefs at feafonable Times. Supplies beyond neceffity of the prefent, are apt to make us either vainly profufe, or vainly confident. An Example of the firft we have in the Prodigal , Luke ij. 12. that would have all his Portion at once that belonged to him : He wafted it in riotous Living, which he did not before, when his Fa- ther's Care meafured out his Supplies according to his Exigencies and Occafions. An inftance of the latter we have in the Rich Man, Luke 12. When his Store out- grew his Receipt, fo that he projedeth the building of greater Barns^, he then fets up his reft ,• Thou haji much laid up for mafiy Tears ; Eat, Drink and he merry, Ifrael was in lefs danger when he fed as it were from Hand to Mouth in the VVildernefs, than when he had Eaten and was full ,* when his Herds, and Flocks , and Silver and Gold were multiplied, then his Heart was in danger to be lifted up, and to forget God, Deut. 8. 5, 15, 14. And accordingly it proved when7S Sin having corrupted and erribafed his Nature ; we by Propagation from him, derive a corrupted, depraved Na- ture, full of Impotence, and Rebellion , and Diforder, Job 14. 4. ^bo can bring a clean thing out of an unclean i God was pleafed to communicate to Man a Being in the Effence of a Man ; and to communicate unto him a Degree of Purity, Immortality, Wifdom, and Perfedion, beyond the Compafs of his Natural Subfiftence : But this latter uras communicated to him under a Covenant, which when he broke he loft ; and not only loft that, but even ftained, and corrupted, and embafed that ve- ry Being , that after he had fmned he retained. And this is the old Man corrupt^ according to the decei'vahle Lujlsy Ephef 4. 22. A body of death, Rom. 7. 24. And this Depravation of our Nature was followed with the con- tinual Corruption , and at laft with the Diflblution ojF Nature i and that not only in thofe who had finned af- ter the fimilitiide of Adam's Tranfgreffion, by an adual Breach of an exprefs Law, Rom. 5". 14. but in all that were Partakers oi A darns Corrupted Nature, even la- fants j and fo Death paffed over all. And as thus we partake oi Original Sin, as well by be- ing virtually Adors in it, as alfo by Derivation of a cor- rupted Nature ,• fo this Corruption of our Nature produ- ced in all ou'- Lives continued and renewed /iclualSins^ the Conceptions of Lufts^ James i. ij. And th&kABual Sin.r, according to the difference of thofe Commands of God which a.e violated , are either Sins of Omifflon, or of Commiffion :- And both come under the Extent of this Petition,, by the name of Sins or TrefpaJJes, Luk, ii* by the Nnme of I)t:hts , Matth 6, For we owe unto God Duty ^nd Obedience ; and every Violation of that Duty , lea^-es us fo much indebted unto God'; the leaft of which is.impoffible to be paid when once incurred ^ be- caufe it is impcffible forusto make that not to have been, which hath already been ,* and impoilible for us by all our future Obedience, (were it as exad as the Will of God requires) to expiate a Sin paft ; for ftill that perfec^^ Obedience is no more than we owe i We have therein K k 2 bst fofi MeJitatiorts upon the Lor^s Prayer, but done our Duty^ and are but unprofitable Servants: But if it were poflible to think, that one Ad of perfecfl Obedience to God would expiate for any Sin paitj yec fuch is the Corruption of our Nature, that not one fuch AA can be found. There is in our beft A<5tions a Mix- cure and Adherence of fome Defed or other , that makes it become the Subjed ftill of this Petition , that which needs Mercy^ Pardon, and therefore cannot con- tain Merit to deferve. So then all are concluded under Sin, GaL 3. 22. and confequently under Guilt, the EfFed of Sin ^ confe- quently under Death , and a Curfe, the Wages of Sin. And this Sin, Guilt, and Curfe, is fo clofely bound to every one of ^-jdams Pofterity, that there is no Poflibi- lity in the beft of them to deliver themfelves from it ; therefore, O Lord, teach us to pray. Forgive us. Forgi'venefs is an Ad of Free Grace, whereby our of- fended God freely, and without any Merit of ours, re-^ mits the Sin, the Guile and Punifhment : The Perfon of- fended is he only that can forgive : The Rule was true, tho' mifapplied, Mark 2. 7. Who can forgive Sins but God cnly ? And Forgivenefs is an Ad of moft free Mercy, and nothing of Merit in the Perfon forgiven. Ifaiah 45. 25-. •/, even 7, am he^ that blotteth out thy trcmfgreljions for my own fake, and ivill not remember thy Sins. Mifery, which is the EfFed of Sin, is the Objed of Mercy ^ but it is not the Defert of it, efpecially when that very Mifery, under which we are brought by Sin, is a Mifery wilfully con- traded by our felves ,• and not only fo, but is ftill finning Mifery,a Mifery accompanied with Stupidity and Senfe- lefnefs, with Averfion and Oppofition againft that God, and that very Mercy that fhould deliver us. God com- mends the Freenefs and Fulnels of his Goodnefs to us, by taking that Seafon to be Merciful when our Conditi- on is molt Miferable j notbecaufe our Mifery deferves his Pity : Ez^ek. 16. 6. / faid unto thee , "when thou waft in thy Bloody Live : Tea^ I faid unto thee whin thou wuft in thy Blood, Live. This Forgivenefs is thus wrought : Man, that was Meditations upon the LorcFs Prayer. soj was infinitely bound to Love and Obey the Author of his Being , moft ungratefully and unncceflirily finned againfl him, and thereby defervedly incurred the ever- lafting Curfe of the moft Juft and True God, and for- feited his Being: Yet , tho' Man had deftroyed him- felf, Almighty God, of his own free Will, and without any other Motive, and by his own infinite Wifdom, con- trived a way. whereby his moft exad Truth and Juftice might be fatisfied, and yet his Creature faved, and his Mercy and Goodnefs might be infinitely evidenced unto Men and Angels : By an Everlafiing Covenant between the Father and the Son, the Son he muft affume our Na-' ture , and offer it up as One Sacrifice for Sin for ever, Heh. lo. 12. This was that Myftery hid from Ages and Generations ; the Myftery that the Angels defire to look into, I Vet. I. 12. The Great Myftery of Godlinefs, God manifefted in the Flefh, i Tim. 5. 16. The great End of the Creation of Man. And by this Sacrifice thus freely given by our offended Lord, we have Redemption, even the Rem.ifSon of our Sins, Ephef. i. 7. Coloj]^. i. 14. And Pardon thus freely given by the Father , and yet thus dearly bought by the Son, is with Abundance of Love and Grace proclaimed and tendred unto all, in all the World, that will but come in, and enter into Covenant with God in Chrift, jerem, 51. 54. / tviH fcrgiue their Iniquity y and "will remember their Sin na more. And altho* this one Sacrifice of Chrift, offered up once for all, is a full Satisfadion for all the Sins of hisEled, to the End of the World ; yet the fame Eternal Contrad that made it fo, did likewife appoint QQiX.d.\n Means aciually to apply it, and make it effedual to us, of Faith to lay hold up- -onit. And in as much as, notwithftanding our giving up our Names to Chrift , many renewed daily Sins are committed by us , our Lord teacheth to reforc daily to this Sacrifice, this Magazine of Mercy , this Fountain opened to wafii for Sin and for Uncleannefs , thence to fetch new Applications of this one Sacrifice of our re- newed Offence, and to beg our Pardon as often as we beg our Bread. K k I So foS Meditations upon the JLorJ's Prayer. * So then, 1. We have the true Original of Forgivenefs , the Free Love of God, which gave Chrift as the Sacrifice for Sin, and accepted that Sacrifice as the Price of our Par- don: So God loved the World y that he gave his only begotten Son, that ivhofoever believed in him jhouldnot perijli^ but have everlafting Life, John 3. i6. 2. We have the Meritorious Caufe of it , that Sacrifice of Chrift , whereby Pardon is impetrated for as many as lay hold upon it. 5. The Ad, which that Eternal Counfel appointed to be the Means of the aBual A f plication of it to the Soul, re- ceiving of the Pardon thus offer'd. Tq as many as received him, to them, &c. John i. 12. For as we live, and move, and have our Being by God, and his Will, and Provi- dence ,• yet the fame Will of his hath appointed the Means whereby that Will of his is accomplifhed , our daily Bread, and the Ufe of it : So, altho' from God we have our Pardon, yet the fame Will of his hach appoint- ed Faith in Chrift to be the Inftrument of an Adual or Effectual Application of it ; and the Efficacy of Faith, as an Inftrument for that purpofe, depends likewife up- on the fame Will of God which hath fo appointed. When the Ifraelites were bitten with fiery Serpents in the Wildernefs , God commanded Mofes to ered a brazen Serpent for their Cure, Numb. 21. 8. But altho' the Divine Will had annexed a Power of Healing unto that Serpent inftrumentally, yet the fame Will appointed the adual Application of that Power, to the looking upon that Serpent : Every cne that is bitten , when he lookcth upon it Jljall live : So tho' by the Eternal Will of God a Pardon is obtained by the Death of Chrift , yet the fame Will of his hath appointed Faith in Chrift the Means of Receiving of that Pardon ; and yet this very Means is not in our own Power , but it is the Gift of God , John 6. 44. No man can come unto me , except the Father draw him, 4. The renewed Ex- cr^y^ of that AB, upon Occafions of Sin committed or renewed. Prayer for Pardon^ which as Meditations upon the 'Lord's Prayer. 509 as It doth moft naturally flow from the Senfe of Sin, and of a Pardon impetrated by Chrift, fo by the Divine In- ftitution it is required to apply that Pardon a«5lual]y to the Soul ; and it is a high Mercy of God to grant it for the asking ; and an Argument of a proud unbelieving Heart to think to have ic without. And vvhenfoever the Spirit and the Word of God hath wrought in a Man a Belief of and in the Sacrifice of Chrift^ the fame Spi- rit doth work in the Heart a Deiire of it^ which is no- thing elfe but the Prayer of the Mind : For it maketh Interceflion according to the Will of God, Rem, 8. 27. And herein we therefore fee Tiijo Things : I. Our Duty, Our Sins are many, and daily^ even after we have given up our Names to Chrift, If we fay we have no fiyjy we decei've our felzfes.. I John I. 8. And tho' meritorioufly Chrift hath (atisfied for thofe verySins^yet we are to have often Recourfe to this Sacrifice, fetch our Cure and our Cleanfing in the adual Application of this Sacrifice unto us. Had a Man been bitten by a fiery Serpent , he might look upon the brazen Serpent and live ,• and had he been bitten again, he muft have looked again, or elfe he had died : It is lb with us, on- ly here is the Odds : The Man that had been once cu- red, if bitten again, might perchance not have looked again upon the Serpent , and fo have died. But it is otherwife here ; the fame Principle of Life, that abiding Seed , I John 3. 8. that did at firft make him to feek and fue to Chrift for his firft actual Pardon, will, after a Fall, a renewed Sin, fend the Soul to this Fountain for a new Ad: of Application of that Cleanfing and Pardoning : He cannot commit Sin , that is , lye in \t^ without Recourfe to God for Pardon, becaufe his Seed a^* bidet h in him^ I John 2. 8. 2. Our 'Privilege. If any man fin , we have an Advo^ catcj I John 2.1. An Advocate that knows the mind of our Judge, and out of that Knowledge hath taught us^ as often as we beg our Bread to beg our Pardon , and that wiih AlTurance that we fiiall be heard, if we do It in Faith and Sincerity ; i John 1.9. He is Faithful and K k 4 Juji jio Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. Jufi to forgive. It is the Proclamation of his Name, Exod. 34.7. FoYgi'vinglnicjuityyTranfgrejJiony and Sin, It is hisPromife, Jer. 31. 54. Jer. 33.8. Iwill forgi'ue their Ini- quity, and remember their Sin no more : Even to a revolt- ing and backfliding Creature , upon true Repentance : Ifaiah ^^. 7. Let the 'ivi eked for fake his way , and the un- righteous man his thought s^ and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our Gpd,for he will abundantly far don, Jer. j. 12. Return thou backjlidinglfraely and I will not caufe mine anger to fall upon you * for I am merciful, faith the Lord , and will not keep anger for ever ^ only acknowledge thine Iniquity. Chrift came into the World to reftore in Man the loft Image of God. And when Feter asked him , Matth. 18. 21. How oft flmll my Brothur fm againfi me, and I forgive him ? till f even times ? Jefus faid unto him , I fay 7)ot unto thee , till J even times y but till ftventy times /even times. And furely, that Mer- cy that Chrift required in a poor Mortal Man , is infi- iiitely fuller in the Merciful God, who delights in Mer- cy and Forgivenefs. Only remember, 1. To take heed of Prefumptuous Sins, Premeditated Sins, Sins againft Knowledge, and againft Convidions, Sins with a Prefuppofition of Pardon, Deut, 29. 19. That fjall blefs himfelf in his heart, faying, I Jhall have Peace, tho' I walk in the imagination of mj Heart, The Lord will not fpare him. Thefe, tho' they cannot exceed the Mercy of God to pardon them, they many times (hut and feal up the Soul againft Pardon -, hard'ning the Heart to a great Difficuly^if not a final impoffibility of Repentance ; and by that means the Soul is difabled with any comfor- table Ground or Affurance to beg Pardon, without the great Mercy of God to foften that Heart again. 2. Make a frequent and knon^ Examination of thy paft Actions ; meafure ihem by the Rule of the Word of God ,• and find out that accuifed thing, whatfoever it be, .that is difpleafing to him : So that, as much as may be, thou niay'ft diftindly, and with reference to particular Sins.or Faults, or Failings, pray over this Petition. There is not aDay,butby a wary Obfervation thou wilt not only find Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer. 511 find a general indiftinA diftemper , which is to be the fubjed of this Requeft ; but particular^ fpecial, eminent Evils , that deferve a particular Refledion upon them, in the Repetition of this Petition. Let us fear ch and try our waysy and turn to the Lord our God : And to this end, 5. Endeavour to keep thy Confcience always wakeful, vigilant, tender ; be content to liften to her Chidings ; fhe feldom quarrels without a Caufe : but fiippreffing, checking,and ftifling the language of Confcience^makes her at laft either fullen, or fenfelcfs^or outragious. A vi- gilant Confcience will prevent thee from many Sins ; but if it do not, it will tell thee of them, and bring thee up- on thy Knees, and make this Petition feafonable, and a Pardon gotten thereupon acceptable and comfortable. For how can that Man, with any Senfebeg Pardon for a Sin, when he fcarce finds himfelf fenfibly guilty of any ? This Petition is delivered up but carelefly , and coldly, and fruitlefsly by fuch a Perfon. 4. Give God the Honour of his Juflice, even when thou fueft for the benefit of his Mercy jin aggra^uations to thy fins to the due height ; in owning Damnation and ut- ter Rejedlion as the juft Reward of every Sin,humble thy Soul truly and deeply for it. This will make thy Prayer earneft, and thy Pardon dear ^ it gives to God the Ho- nour of hisjuftice, and the Glory of his Mercy, which is all the Tribute thou canft pay unto him for his free Goodnefs, in giving thee that Pardon, without which thou wert eternally loft. 5. Give thy Mediator the Honour and End of thy Re- demption. Thy Saviour died, it is true , to obtain thy Pardon ; But wilt thou continue in Sin, that Grace may abound ? Sin, that thou mayeft be pardoned ? and re- new thy Sins, that God may renew his Pardon .? God forbid. Thou doft, as much as in thee lieth, difappoint the End of Chrift's Death, who therefore died, that he might redeem unto himfelf a peculiar People, zealous of Good Works. Let the begging of thy Pardon be ever accompanied with a refolution not to offend again ; other-. wife God;, that fees thy heart, looks upon thy asking of Pardon, 5 r 2* Meditations upon the L&rds Prayer. Pardon, !is a higher, and more impudent, and prefum- ptuous Sin, than that which thoii fpemeft to beg the Forgive nefs of. 6. Upon the difcovery of any particular Sin, which in a fpeciai manner concerns thee, beware of thefe things ; 1. Sleeping in it, without recourfe to God for Pardon for it ; or flipping over it in the Prayer without a parti-^ cular Animadverfion upon it. Be content to open this Sore ,• the longer it is kept covered/he worfe it is. Thou may ft know that every Sin is written before God with a point of a Diamond ,- and though thou art contented to forgve it , or by incurfion of time to wear out the remembrance, or at leaft the horror of it; yet it is written, and thou (halt be fure to hear of it ,• and the lon- ger it continues , the harder thy heart grows ,• and the deeper doth the Canker and Stain of that Sin work and fpread into thy Soul ; and the more d fliicult is thy Par- cfoii obtained, and yet the lefs earneftly fought. It is a lecret Curfe in thy Bofom, that makes all thy Services ta God unacceptable and unfavory ^ and who can tell when the Decree may come out, when this Sin will ripen into an eminent Judgment.^ Therefore clear thy Account with God betimes ; let not the guilt of a Sin lye long upon thy Confcience, but make thy Peace betimes j fue out thy Pardon fpeedily.Thou knoweft not what a day may bring forth. 2. Yet after Sin frefhly committed, fall not prefently CO beg thy Pardon, till thou haft humbled thy Heart, 'and put it into a fie frame to come into the prefence of God; till thou haft got a fenfe that it is an evil thing and a bitter to depart from him ,• till thou haft crept to thy Saviour's Feet for his Blood to wafli thee, and for his JRighteoufnefs to cover thee, and for his Mediation to bring thee, otherwife a defiled, polluted Creature, into his Father's Prefence , under his Patronage ; till thou haft mourned over him whom thou haft pierced ,• and been afhamed before him of thy Mifcarriage ,• and a<5led thy Faith upon his All-fuificient fatisfa6lion; till thou liaft taken up Refolutions of future Amendment : And then Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer, ^ij then in the Name and Mediation of thy Saviour fall upon thy Knees, and beg thy Pardon. As we forgive our Dehtorsy Luke 12. For We forgive our Debtors. Here we Learn, I. That ic is our Duty to forgive others, M^/^/5. 18.2 r^ 22. upon their Repentance : Luke 17. 4. If be mfpafs againfi thee [even times in a day , and f even times in a day turn to theey faying, I repent ; thou flialt forgive him : And that upon thefe Confiderations : i. From that conformity that is or fliould be in our Nature to the Nature of God ; He is flow to anger, and of Great Mercy, Pfalni 14^. 8. Pfho is a Godlike unto thee, that fardoneth iniquity^ and fajjeth by the tranfgrejfions of the remnant of his heritfge} He retaineth not his anger for ever , hecaufe he delight eib' in Mercy, Micah 7. 18. And Chrift coming to renew the broken Image of God in Man , and to renew him after the Image of him that created him , doth enjoyn and imprint this part of the Divine Image, Luke 6. 56. Be ye merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful. And Mercy in the Heart is that excellent Habit from whence For- givenefs proceeds. And hence it is, that where the Spi- rit of Chrift comes, it affimilates the Nature to that dif- pofition, Gal. 5'. 22. the fruit of the Spirit ts Longfuffcring, Gentlenefs, Meeknefs. 2. From that great Commandment enjoyned by God in the Moral Law, Thou (Imh love thy Neighbour as thy felf And much more enforced under the New Covenant, even to the Love of our very Ene- mies, Matth. 5-. 44. I fay unto you , Love your E7ie?t7ies ; and confequently forgive your Enemies, for Love is that afteaion that produceth Pardon • and thisinjunaion lies upon us under the lame obligation whereby we are bound to love cur Brethren • for the Love we owe to God is that grand Obligation that.binds to whatfoever he com- mands, John 14. I)-. If ye love me, keep my commandments • Therefore if ye love me, love, and pity, and pardon y cur Enemies, 3. From that great Equity and Reafon, tV,^ proportion of God's dealing withus,Matth. 18. 22. I for-, gavs thee all tba debt buaufe thou defmdft me ; flmddeft not thci^ 5 14 Me Jit at ions upon the Lord's Prayer. thou alfo have had compajjlon on thy feUow-fervant ^ even as I h:id pity on thee ? Coloff. J. 15. Forhearing one another ^ and forgiving one anothsr^ even as Chri/} forgave you. If God ffiould require obedience to any command, though I faw no reafon for it, yet the Love of God would conflrain me to reafon thus ; Tho' I fee no Reafon of this Com- mand, yet when I confider who it is that commands it, even the Infinite and Merciful God, to whom I owe my felf and all I hope for , I fee reafon enough for me to obey, tho' I fee not the reafon why God fliould com- mand. But in this Injun(ftion of Forgiving my Enemy, I fee a moft juft and porportionable reafon of my Obe- dience : I owed unto God a moft Infinite Love and Obe- dience to the uttermoft poflibility of my Being, for from him I had it \ and when I broke that Allegiance, I owed unto him an Infinite Debt of Guilt and Punifliment; and with this Guilt I likewife contrac^led an innate enmity againft that God to whom I owed fo vaft a Debt of Duty,and of Guilt : This very God freely, without my feeking, when I hated him, fent me his Son with a free Pardon of all this Infinite Guilt, and commanded me to fiiew Mercy to my offending Brother : The offence that I committed was againft an Infinite Obligation of the Creature to his Creator \ the Offence that my Brother commits as againft me, is only againft feme petty Re- lation ; we are otherwife both equals. God freely for- gave me, when there was nothing to enjoyn, or enforce, or deferve, or fo much as to feek it ^ and is it not rea- fonable that I fhould forgive my Brother , that it may be feeks my Pardon ? But if he doth not, our common Lord and Mafter enjoy ns it. 2. Confequently upon the former, The not obferving of this Duty, doth moft juftly and reafonably deferve that I (h3uld not be heard in this Petition. If I can fo baldly and unthankfully encounter a Command of God ftanding upon fuch juft and reafonable grounds , With what fac2 can I expe'l a Pardon from him at my Re- qaeft, when I refufe to Pardon my Brother at his Com- mand ? 5. Con- Meditations upon the LorJts Prayer. ^if 3. Confequently alfo the Pardon of my Brother is no Meritorious Caufe for God to Pardon me ; the Breach of any Command is a Meritorious Caufe of Puniftment j but the Obfervationof one Duty cannot deferve the Par- don of the Violation of another : God requires me to forgive my Brother, and when I have done fo , I have done but my Duty, and do not deferve my Pardon ; and therefore when I fay. Forgive me, for I forgave others, I make not the Pardon I ask, the wages for the Pardon I gave ; for as my Brother's Offence againft me holds not proportion with my Offence againft God ,• fo nei- ther doth my Pardon of him hold proportion with God's Pardon to me. 4. Nor confequently is my Pardon of others the mea- fure of that Pardon I beg of God : The Offences com- mitted by my Brother againft m.e,are not iri truth fo much Offences committed againfl me, as againft God ,• for it is therefore an injury to me, becaufe done againft that Law that he hath interpofed between him and me ,- and fo though I am concerned , yet in the Foundation of my concernment, is that Law that God hath fet between him and me ,• and were it poffible to fuppofe no fuch Law, it were impoffible to conceive any Injury to be done from one Man to another. So then my Pardon of him is but of (lender concernment of my own, the chiefeft Intereft is God '5. Again, My Offence againft God is againft an Infinite Obligation, and againft an In- finite Perfon ; but my Brother's Offence againft me, as it relates to me, is but of finite Relation or Obligation, and againft a finite Perfon ; and therefore the Meafure of the thing forgiven by me is too fhort and too narrow to fie and fuit with that whereof I beg my Pardon. A- gain. My Pardon to my Brother is Vv^ith a great deal of Corruption, Supercilioufnefs, Pride, Grudging, Averfe- nefs, Expoftulations, fecret Rifings of my Heart againft him ; O! But fuch a Pardon will not ferve my turn ; I beg a Pardon at the Hands of the God of Mercy and Perfection, a full^ a perfcd Pardon. Meafure not cut, O Lord^ thy Vardon to ms accordirig to my far don to my Brc' 5 1 6 Meditations upon the LorcHs Prayer. ther^ the thing I pardon holds not proportion with the Offence Tvhich I have committed againft thee : this is hut a finiteO^ence figalnfl me, a finite Creature ; mine is an infiniteO fife nee againjt an infinite Obligation, andagainH an infinite God : the Vardon that I give, is mingled with ruggedttejs, with revenge, with remembrance of the thing I forgive ^ hut the Tar don I beg of thee, is an abundant Vardon^ Ifaiah J 5". 7- ^ Blotting out, and an everlasiing forgetting of my 5/wj, Ifaiah 45. 25*. Such a Pardon as leaves not behind it the tinSlure of my former Guilt ', that though my Sins 7vere as Scarlet , they may be as ophite as Snow, Ifaiah i. 18. But^ 5*. Forgive us, for we forgive. By our Union with Chrift , we partake of his Privilege of being the Sons of God ', lb that as a Father hath tendernefs towards his Child, and is apt and ready , upon his Submiffion, to Pardon him, fo there is the fame,and a far greater readi- nefs in him to forgive ,* Ifaid, I will confefs my Tranfgref- fions unto the Lord, and thouforgaveft the Iniquity of my Sin. As foon as he had but a Refolution to beg his Pardon, God prevents his Petition by granting that Pardon which he intended to ask. And as by this Union with Chrift we partake of his priviledge,fo we partake of his Spirit ^ and that Spirit is a Merciful Spirit, ready to Pardon an Enemy even before he ask it. This was the command he gave us, and this was the Pattern he left us, who, when he was reviled, reviled not again , i Pet. 2. 21, 25. but prayed for thofe that fought his Life , Luke 23. 34. Father, Forgive them, for they know not what they do. And therefore this Conformity unto the Mind of Chrift, is an Evidence unxo a Man of his Participation of him, and that God hearethhim as a Father heareth his Child ^ and by this means Faith is ftrengthened ; and the Soul argues thus in this Petition ; '' O Lord, I am guilty in " my felf of many Sins : but yet, if I am found in thy *' Son, thou wilt look upon me with the fame tenderneis that a Father looks upon his Child, and wilt be more ready to forgive me than I can be to ask it *. 1 find thy Son was Merciful, and ready to forgive even his E- nemies -, and I thank thy good Grace, I find in my cc k Mtditations upon the Lords Prayer, 517 ^^ felf the fame mind that my Saviour bore, a mind ready *^ to forgive the Injuries that were offered him • and chis *' difpofitioh 1 have not from my felf, nor my own Spi- *^ ric, for that Spirit lufteth after Envy ,• but fu rely it *^ comes from that meek and gentle Spirit that is in thy *^ Son , and upon this I do believe I am in fome meafure '^ united to him ; and as I do partake of his Spirit, fo I ^^ doubt not but I partake of that Relation of his, even ^^ the Relation of a Son unto thee, and in that Relation *^ I come before thee, and beg thee to pardon my Sins, " alTuredly trufting, that thou that haft created in me a ^^ mind of Mercy and Forgivenefs unto others, wilt fliew " thy felf a God of Mercy and Pardon unto me. 6. Forgive us, for we forgive: " It is true, our Par- " don of others deferves not thy Mercy^nor can it make " thee a debtor unto us^ but. Bountiful Lord, thou haft ^^ been pleafed in Chrift, in whom all thy Promifesare ** Yea and Amen, by thine own free Promife, to engage '^ thy felf unto thy Creature, Vfalm 18. xy That with ^^ the Merciful thou will fjew thy [elf Merciful. Matth. *^ 5:. 7. That the Merciful fliall obtain Mercy. Matth. *' 6. 14. That if we forgive Men their Trefpaffes, thoti " wile forgive us : And thefe Promifes of thine , freely *^ and undefervedly made by thee,I lay before th£e,when ^^ I beg my Pardon in Jefus CMy^^thereby to Ibengthen " my Soul in thy Goodnefs, in the free remilEon of all '^ my Sins. To conclude Jn this Petition the Soul breaths out fuch Thoughts as thefe : '' O Lord, I confefs before thee I am " a finful Creature j I havea finful and polluted Nature, ^' a Body of Sin and Death; and this iinful Nature fends *' forth through all my Thoughts, Words, and Adions, *' foul and filthy Streams in every moment of my Life ;■ ' and if thou (houldeft pafs by all the fins of my Nature and Life unto this day, and fhouldeit call me to an ac- count for my Errors fince I laft begged my Pardon, " there were guilt enough left to prefs me down to the '\ loweft Hell j And this guilt of the leafl of any of my ^f fins, as it is more than I am able to anfwer , fo it is ''more (C (C 518 Meditations Upon the Ltfrd*s Prayer. '^ more than I am able to expiate ; there is no efcaping '^but by thy free Pardon, and that Pardon I beg of ^^ thee in the Name and Righteoufnefs and Promife of *' thy Son, who knew all thy Mind ^ and taught me to *^ feek my Pardon as often as to feek my daily Bread. *^ And in confidence only of that free Mercy of thine, *^ I befeechthee pardon me : And as I beg the Pardon of *^ my Sins in general, fo in fpecial I beg the Pardon of *^ thofe Sins which I committed fince thy laft ad of Re- *' miflion granted, and manifefted, and ratified unto •^ me : This or that negled of my Duty to thee or my " Neighbour ,- this or that finful, proud, unclean, vaift Thought, which hathftained my Soul, and grieved thy Spirit, and polluted or weakned my Confcience^ this *^ or that uncharitable, or malicious,orunfeemly or vain ^^ Word ^ this or that unjuft, or unbecoming, or unchri- *^ ftian, or ungodly Adion ,• every one of thefe leaves a " fpot in my Soul,which nothing but theBlood of Chrift *^ and thy Free Grace can takeaway,- It leaves a Difeafe, or Weaknefs, a Wound in my Soul , which nothing but thy Free Spirit can heal and recover. And tho' I know that my greateft Mercy to others cannot merit *^ Mercy from thee, becaufe thatMercy is but my Duty, '^ and a Duty mingled in the Performance of it, with " many of my own Imperfections which itand in need '^ of thy Mercy to pardon it^ and that little good that is '^ in it, is not my own, but the work of thy Grace as '^ free as thy Pardon ^ yet is an evidence to me, that *^ thou wilt be merciful unto me, in that thou haft, con- " trary to my own Nature, wrought a merciful temper *^ in my Heart to others ^ the fame Mind that was in ** thy Son ; and therefore I am humbly confident that " thou haft given me that Spirit of thy Son, and confe- '^ quently the relation and privilege of a Son ^ that, in *^ as much as thou haft given me a heart to pardon others, " thou wilt make good thy Promife of Mercy and Pardon '^ unto me. I make mention of my remiffion of others, " not as the merit of thy forgiving of me, but thereby " to ftrengthen my Faith,and to lay hold of thy Promife *^ made cc w 19. 11. Here was Maiice in the Devil , and Treachery in Judaf'\^$i& Envy in the Jews^^nd Injuftice in Vilate, and Murderiirf-' the Soldiers,- and yet in God the grearell manififladwrf of his Truch^ and Juftvce, and Wifdom, and V^fi^\i and Mercy, that ever the World did or (hall fee. Whihaft he permits the Inftrument to fin, he nor his A^ion W in no fort defiled by it, but managetl) that fin, which is* none of his, to bring forth the Righteoufnefs that is' only his. 3- He is faid to lead into Temptation, by the E:xter-.. nal Difpenfation of his Vro'vidtnce ; and that, ; I. By withdrawing thofe External Refiraints from Sin ; fuch are the raking away of good Men, good Gover- nors, good Laws. So much Goodnefs as is in thefe, is his own ; and he may juftly call home what is \\\$: As the reflraining Gracethat helendsto a particularMan is not due to him, fo thefe External Rcftraints, they are not due to us, but they are the free Mercy and Favour L I 3 of 5'Z4 Meditatmn upon the Lor is Prayer. of God; and yet as in the former/o in This, the removal of them is feldom but upon feme eminent fin. When JerufaUm had t.fTended againft God, he takes from them the Prudent, and the Ancient^and the Honourable Man, and the Counfelior, and gives rhern Children to be their Princes_, lia, 5. 2. When his Vineyard brings forth wild Grapes, he takes away the Hedge thereof, l[a- 5:. j. the good Order, and Rule, and Laws among them. When God is angry wich a Mr-in , or a People ^ Governors of Exemplary Goodnefs are taken away, not only from the Evil to come, but by their being taken away. Evil fucceeds, evil Manners, and then evil Events. i i. By prop /ing ofObjdis, which, though they have no evil in them, nor are they propounded to the end to draw Men to Evil; yet the Evil heartofMiin takes opportunity by themto ad: unto Evil. The Egjpticn Inchanters could have no more made Blood by their Inchantments with- Zxod 8.18, ^^^ ^ Permiflion, than they could make Lice ; V yet by that act of theirs, Fharoah's Heart was litardned, Exod. 7^ 22. Again, when upon the Importu- nity of Pharaoh, and the Prayer of Mofes, the Plague of Frogs was removed, it was an ad of Mercy in God, yet when Pharaoh faw there was refpite, he hardned his heart, ExgJ. 8. 15. And here appeais that Sea of Poyfon that is in our heart by Nature, that will corrupt an in- nocent Objed, as was the Wedge of Gold ; a Mercy was this to Pharaoh ; nay the very Grace, and Goodnefs, and Patience,and Bounty of God, into a Temptation to Covetoufnefs, Prefumption, Wantonnefs. Now from this Petition we learn cur Duty in reference unto thefe Temptations : I. In reference to fuch Temptations which God is pleafed oftentimes to fend (or Trjal, fuch as are Afflidi- ons and Perfecutions. iv That we are not tofeek them. Our Saviour teach- cth us to pray againft all Temptations ; they are not in themfelves good, but are turned to good by the Wife and Merciful hand of God. 2. That Meditattom upon the LortPs Prayer. Jif 2. That if we fall into them, to be quiet and conten- ted, and to difcern the hand that hath led us into them, and the end why he did, and to co-operate to that end : to learn by them Patience under the Hand of God ; Con- fidence in his Grace and Power to fupport us ; Hill to hold our Integrity ; not to be amazed and difordercdy asif fome ftrange thing had befallen us, but reft upon that promife of his , who is faithful and will not fufFer us to be tempted above what we are able, but with the Temptation will make a way to efcape : i Cor, lo. i;. Know that it is he, whofe Will thou haft before prayed may be done, that hath led thee into this Temptation. And by this means thy Temptation (hall be only a Tem- ptation of Trial, and for thy Advantage ; not a Tem- ptation of Sedudion. 3. To pray unto God, 1. To prevent us from them : For as they are not to be fought, fo all due means is to be ufed to avoid them, 2. To be delivered out of them. ;. To be fupported in them ; i. with patience to bear them^ 2. with Grace to improve them to God's end ; and if God fay unto thee, as once he did to Paul , My Grace is [ufficient for thee, it will become an ad of Heaven- ly Chymiftry to turn thy Iron into Gold, thy Temptati- on into Advantage. 2. In reference to Temptations unto fin, yN^Xtzm two ffe^ cial Duties, Watchfulnefs and Prayer, both joyned toge- ther by our Saviour for this purpofe, Macth. zG./i^iJVatch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation, I. Watch^ (I.) That thou be not a Tempter; and therein, 1. Beware of Tempting God : ( for fuch Tempters there have been : ) (i.^^ By Prefumption and prcfumptu- ous caftingour felvcs upon unneceiTary Danger s,M/rf/^.4. 6, 7. (z.) By Murmuring and Difcontent, Exod. 17. 2. Why temft ye the Lord ^ Deut. 6. 16. Pfal. 78. 18. They Tempted God in their Heart by asking meat for their LuHs. 2. Beware of Tempting the De^il; for fuch is theVil- laay of our Nature^ that we are ready even to follicit LI 4 the ^z6 Me Ji tat ions upon the Lord s Prayer. ^he Devil himfelf unto Temptation, by adventuring up- o n ftcret and unwarrantable Arts, unreafonable Pradi- ces, going to Witches, ufing Charms, Invocations, or willingly being in fuch Places where they areufed ; ad- venturing into unwarrantable Places or Companies with- out any juft or reafonable calhng thereunto. ^ Beware of tempting Others unto any Sin, either by thy Perfuafion,or by thy Pradice. The former is more grofs, the latter well near as dangerous,- i. To the per- fon offending; Matth i8. 7. IVo be unto the World becaufe of offences, 2. Unto others, efpecially when the occafion is given by a Perfon in eminence of Place orReputation. Teters diffimulation proves a compullion , GaL 2. 14. And this extends not only to things fimplv evil, but aifo to the pradice of things in themfelves indifferent: i Cor • 8. II. Rom. 14 1 5*. Deftroy not him with thy meat for who^ Cbrifi died. The thing that to thee is indifferent, and [^ efteemed by thee, when it fhall drawanother into thelik® praiice upon thy Example, bat againft his Confcience, becomes an occafion to lofe his Soul. 4. Beware of tempting thy fdfi and this may be done divers ways : ;.t3v giving way to wandringand 'uain thouzhts. They miflead the Heart , indifpofe it for Good , corrupt the M n i, poffefs it with vanity ; as for Example, when a Mnn will raife an imagination to himfelf, that if he had f .;ch a degree of Wealth and then what Houfes he would Buiid, what Retinue he would have , what Table he would keep what Equipage he would have; or fancy to himfelf, that if he had fuch a degree of Power,then how he would revenge fuch an Enemy , how he would ho- nour fuch a Friend, and the like. Such is the vanity of our Minds that it can, and often doth, frame fuch fimi- litudes to it felf, and upon them beget fuch Follies and vain Refolutions as thefe. The Temptation and Sin that ari(eth out of Wealth and Power really enjoyed , are thofe very workings of the Mind upon them, K/x.Con- fidence, Oikntatic n, Pride, Revenge and the like. Now in thefe Imagiaacions and vainThoughrs,theSoul tempts i: Meditations upon the Lord's Frayer. ^ij it felf in a double way : Fifft, he tempts his Underftand- ing into a Lye and a Falfhood, by putting himfelf into that imaginary Condition in which he is not. 2. He tempts himfelf in his Will and AfFedrions, drawing from': thofe very Imaginations that he hath thus framed, thofe very fame Mifchiefs, and that v^ry fime Foifon, if not worfe , which his corrupted Heart would have drawn from the real Enjoyment of that very Power or Wealthy which he hath imagined himfelf to have ; and th^rejb^^ improveth this very Imagination into a realTemptat'iopL" flaining, corrupting and poifoning his Mind, and cotii- mits Adultery with his own Imagination. O Jerufaleniy cleanfe thy felf : How long jhali 'uain thoughts lodge within thee ? Jer.- 4. 14. 2. Idlenefs. And from this Idlenefs and want of Em- ployment, the Soul runs out either inro thefe vain Ima- ginations, whereof before ; or into unprofitable or fin-,' ful Refolutions j and to thefe the Devil joineth himfelf, and if he finds a Man not bufied in what he fhould be, he will help him to bufy himfelf in what he fhould not te. Da^id was walking carelefly upon his Houfe, fees, and lufts, and fins: He therefore that allows himfelf to Idlenefs, thereby tempts himfelf to be tempted by him- felf, or by the Devil. 3. Truiting a Man's felf too muchunneceiTarily vvith, or in Places, Companies, or Objecfls, that carry in them Temptations to Sin ; fuch as are Rude, Impious, or Wanton Company, or Converfation ^ Stage-Plays ; Fil- thy or Wanton Songs, Books, Pidures, Places of Idola- trous Worfhip ^ Prefence at Atlieifticpil, Irreligious Di- fputes orDifcourfes ^ ReadingBooks or Difcourfes againft the Deity, the Scriptures, &c. Jofph declined Conver- fation with his Adulterous Miftrefs ^ Gen, 39. 10. He hearkened not to her to lye by her, or to be with her. And when the Wife Man diifuadeth from the Pradice of diffolute Perfons, he forbids to walk in the way with them jFrou.i. 15". And not to come nigh the Door of her Houfe, Vrou. 5, 8 Not to look upon the Wine when it gives its Colour in the Glafs. And a Man that thus trults J^8 Meditations upon the Lord s rrayer. trufts himfelf with Objedks, or Companies unneceffari- ly, tempts himfelf : And it is a kind of Prefumpcion to exped:, and rare to find, that he comes off without fome Difadvantage. He that hath taught us to pray, that we be not led into Temptation , hath given no Promife of Grace to deliver us from thac Temptation, which, con- trary to our Prayer and Duty, we feek. 2, As we muft watch over our felves, that we tempt not our felves or others ,• fo we muft watch, that we be not tempted ; or if tempted, that we be not overtaken. And for that purpofe, I. tVatchover thy ways, and fee that the Ways thou go- cft in be warrantable Ways. Ways that thou haft a Commiffion of God to walk in ^ the Ways of thy Chri- ftian Duty ; the Ways that are commended or allowed by the Word of God ; the Ways of thy Lawful Profeffi- on. If they be fuch,thou may'ft be confident that he that hath given his Angels Charge over thee, to proted thee ^n all thy Ways, will remove out of this way of thine tbofe Snares that the Devil lays for thee ; or at leaft, will lead thee befides them. It is true, the Enemy hath his Traps hid as well in our Ways, as out of our Ways ; but when we are out of our warrantable Ways, the ve- ry Way wherein we are is a Snare , and is likewife all ftrewed with Snares and Traps for us ; and we have no Promife of Diredion or Protedion from God in fuch By-ways. Therefore confider diligently. Am I in a J^awful Way ? Have I a Calling or Commiffion from God or his Word to walk in this Way, or to be about this Bu- irnefs ? If fo , well then I will truft on him for Prote- &\on ; I am in the great King's High-way : But if not, then I am in an Enemy's Country, I have not the Pro- tedion or Promife of God ; I am like to meet with Temptations, and to fall under them ^ I am out of my way 5 and I know not whither this wandring Fire will lead me. And this is the Meaning of the Wife Man, Prov. 4. 26. Fonder the way of thy feety and let all thy ways heeftahli^ed : That is, confider what way thou art in ; and be fure it be a right , and found , and warrantable way. 2. La- Me Jit at tons upon the Lord's Prayer, ^zf 2, Labour to have thy Converfation and Walking to be with Gody in his Prefence , and keep a conftant Com- munion with him ; For fuch is his Condefcention to his poor Creatures , that he is pleafed to allow us to walk with him if we will. Enoch walked with God, Gen. ^. 24. No^^h walked with God, Gen. 6. 9. God faid to Abraham ^ Walk h( fore me, and be ferfeB^ Gen. 17, I, / have fet the Lord always before we, Pfalm 16. 8. That is, to endea- vour to have the whole Frame of our Converfation as before him,and to have continual Communion with him in all the way of our Life j and not only at the felecft and folemn Times of Prayer, but in the general Frame of our Converfation. And if thou haft fuch a Guide, he will be to thy Soul, even in the darkeft and moft dif- ficult and dangerous Times , what he was once to his own People, even a Pillar of Fire, that thou may 'ft fee thy way before thee, and he will fhew thee where the Snare lies, and how to avoid it ; Nay, if thou flip into ic, he that leads thee by the Hand , will pull thee out of it, and will not fufFer thy Foot to Aide. 3. When any Atlion of any con fider able or unusual Na^ ture is to be undertaken by thee , that is fomewhat be- yond or befide the ordinary Track of thy Life, let this have ^ffecial and difiinci Examination y and be not content with that general Care of thy ordinary way, but bring it to a more particular Scrutiny. 1. Confider how ic becomes the Prefence of God ,• and whether it will abide to be brought before him without fome Regret and Shame : How if this were the laftAAi- on of thy Life , and prefently to be brought into his Judgment, whether it would abide that Tryal ? 2. Confider whether it be allowed or condemned by the Word of God ^ or what Part, or whatCircumftancc thereof will not abide that Examination. 3. Bid thy Confcience plainly and truly tell thee what flie thinks of it , and of every Part of it ,• and what fhe likes, and what fbe diflikes of it. 4. See if there be any thing in it that thou wouldeft be alhamed to own ic before Men, or any part of it. And ^^^o MeJitatzons upon the Lor is Tracer. • And if upon thefe Examinations thou canft clear the h^ion to be agreeable to the Prefence and the Word of God, the Teftimony of thy Confcience, and darefl; to expofe it to the Judgment of Men, do it : But if it fails in any, ( as when it fails in any , be fure it fails in all ; tho' happily in fome particular, according to the diffe- rent Conftitution of a M^n, and the Nature of the thing, the Exorbitancy will be more apparent^ it may be, in one than in another : For all Sin flies the Prefence of God, crofles the Word of God , hurts the Confcience, and brings Shame ) rejed it, or fo much of it as upon this Examination will not abide this Ted • there is a Temptation in it. 4. Upon fuch a Difcovery of Sin in the Ac51ion to be cndertaken , hold not tiifpute ivith thy own corrupt Heart Jong about it , but rejed it without any more Reafon- ings : For if thou enter into Debate with thy Heart, fhe is a Sophifter,and will deceive thee ; fhe will diftinguifh and put DifFerences,and enforce the Neceffity or Conve- nience of the Bufinefs, the Poffibility of a greater Good which may outweigh the Evil, the Inconfiderablenefs of that Crookednefs that thou hall difcover'd, and by de- grees at laft over-work rhee, and bring thee about. And the Devil is not wanting to be affiftant in this Difpute, and to interpofe. When Eve entered into Difcourfe and Difpute with the Devil , and heard his Reafons , and argued the Cafe, he over-match'd her in her Innocence, to offend againft a moft exprefs and moft penal Law : And how much eafier will the Conqueft be over a cor- rupt and weak Soul, when the treacherous Flefh is won already wichout any Perfuafion ? f. If ehy Temptation ht importunate, lay againft it in the other Balance, thefe two Confiderations j and if thou wilt be reafoning wirh thy Temptation, reafon thus ; 1 am nviv pefjuiided and foUicitcd to this A^ion ; wherein , upon Examination , I find apparently a Sin ag,iinft God and my own Life : And it is truey I have propounded to we the ISfe" cejjity, or the Profit, or the Vleajure of it ; hut I knoii/ I am now in thi Prefence of the Gloriom and Eternal God, that hath power Meditations upon the Lord's Trayer. 55.1 Tower to hrin(r me out of this Neceffity without the help of this Jinful Mlion, and is able to hlaft this ABion^ that it fhailnot fewe to accommodate this Neceffity ; Btfore that God who ss Lord of all the Wealth in the World, arJ hath pumifed that he will not lea've we nor fcrfake me : / am before that God that hdth promifed Eternal Fkrjures for e'verr/rore to thcfe that fear him^ and can mingle or follow this Pleafure that I expert from this Temptation with a mo(t bitter Curie ^ e'ven unto all Eter- nity : And it is this God that hath forbidden me to commit this Sin^ and doth stand tojee whether I will abide by his Com-- mand, or fide with bis Enemy : I am before my Lord Jefus that laid down his Life for me^ became a Curfe to redeem me^ as well from my Subjection to Sin for the time to commas from the Guilt of Sin for the time p^ji ; and that]t{\xs fta^tds and he- holds whether I now 'value or defvije that Blood of the Cq^encmt ; and is accordiiigly ready with Vengeance or Glory to reward me^ I am before thofe glorious and pure Spirits ^ the EhSt Angels^ whom God hath hitherto appointed as Minifhrs for my Vrefer^ for that makes thy Meditations upon the LorcFs Prayer. sY$ thy very lawful Aaibn a Snare to thee to draw thee into Sin. Any one defedt is enough to make the whole A<5H- on finful : As in the u(e of the Creatures, if it be accom- panied with the Circuniftances of Immoderation, Unfea- fonablencfs or Unfuicablenefs : In the acquiring of Con- veniences for Life, if it be accompanied with any un- lawful Means, Anxiety, robbing God of the Heart, un- feafonable robbing God of his Time ; thefe make the Things, that are in themfelves lawful, to become Siris. And not only is it fo in cafe of Things lawful, but in cafe of Things necejfary and commendable : To glorify God is our moft univerfal and indifpenfableDuty, yet to talk deceitfdlly for him, becomes a Sin ; Job i;.7. To offer Sacrifice, vvas a Duty enjoyned under the Old Law, yet to commit Robl^ety of Burnt- offerings, or to offer Sa- crifice with Hands full of Blood, turns the Sacrifice in* to an Abomination, Ifaiah 1. 15. I'D Pray, togive Alms^ to Fa ft, are Duties enjoyned by God ,• but to da themi for Pride, Vain-Glory, turns them into a Sin, Mattbi 6, I. The mixing of an ill Means, or an ill End, fpoils the whole Service. 6. Efpecially have an Eye to that Temptation that is moQ. fuitable to thy Age, Complexion, Conftitution, or Condition: For that is thy moil dangerous Tempcation, becaufe it hath the greateft Power over thee. The Temptations of Toutk are commonly Lightnefs, Pride of Apparel, Raftmefs, Luft, Excefs : The Temptations of Rtper Age are commonly Vain- Glory, Ambition, Re- venge, Violence : The Temptation of Old Age^ Cove- toutnefs, Morofity, &c. So the Temptations incident: to the fe'veral Conjiitutions or Complexions, Anger, Luft, Immoderate Eating, Sluggifhnefs, Unquietnefs, Fear- fulnefs. Vanity of Thoughts, &c. So the Temptations incident to the feveral Conditions of a Man, thofe that border upon his Trade, or ProfefHon, Lying, Cozen-^' ing, &c. Upon his Eftate in this World j Po'Verty is apt to incline to Murmuring,, Repining, Envy at others that feem of left Merit, yet more Wealth, ufe of unlaws ful Means cither tofupply, or to cover our Waflts: Fo7pet. - 5;3r^ Meditations up en the Lor is Prayer, andGreatnefs are apt CO tempt to .Revenge of p^aft Injuries or prefent Negledisj to fcornandidefpire others, oo Pride and Arrogance , to love to be flatter'd , and hupt fpr Applaufe, Boaftingy Threatning, Supercilioufiie6ji,f,Qr- -getting of Relations I- ufing undue Means to fupport X^3,&c. Wealth is apt jto temprtqConfidence in it ^ to- fet up our Reft here , to be loth to. think of Death pr Change ; to forget Gpd^ to undervalue^ or not to think upon our Everlafting Future Condition.^ vexing and tor- menting Cares, and Imagination that we are out of thp Ne«d or Reach of the Divine Providence, i Tjm,,6^.<^ Khofe that ovill he Rjch^ fall into many Temptations, '^U^ajures •€Xpe(:^1ed or en joy 'd, are apt to thruft out of theHeart the Thought of the Prefence of God, and the Thought of Death and Judgment, that fo they may be the more freely and uncontrollably enjoyed : They are apt, to eftrange a Man from Accefs to God, or Confidence in him, &c. Thefe and the like Temptations, every Man may fmd by a fmall Obfervation of himfelf, and others^ are apt to follow the feveral Conditions of Men, and prevail upon them : And therefore, efpecially upon any gi eat Change of our Condition forefeen ^ we are to fence our lelves ftrongeft againft thofe Temptations^ which are indeed nothing elfe but the Iffues and Produ^ d:ions of the Heart upon fuch Conjunctions , and are as natural to it in that State of Corruption wherein fhe is, as Vermin are to be produced from Heat and Putre- fa<5tion : And therefore, exped fuch Temptations upon any great Change of thy Condition, and fortify thyfelf againft them with Refolution, with Watchfulnefs, with often Thoughts of thy Mortality, with Remembrance of the Prefence , Power, and AU-fufficiency of God ; and laftly , with Recourle to God by Prayer againft them \ for , Except the Lord hccj> the City, the Watchmen wake hnt in 'vain^ Pfal. 127. i. 2. The Second Means is chat which our Saviour teach- eth us in this Petition, Tta^jtr unto God the Father, who is faithful , and will not fufFer us to be tempted above what we are able, i Cor. 10, 13. Through om Lordjefns I Chrifi, Meditatiom upon the Loris Prayer. 'y%i thin, who hath fuffered himfelf, being tempted, and therefore is able to fuccour thole that are tempted, H.^. 2. 1 8 By tht Eternal Spirit, who hath promiied to guKJe us into all Truth, John i6. 13. That the Ahnighty and Eternal Gdd/ who fo far condefcends unto us, as to oN fer us his Hand to lead us, and his Strengthto lupporc vm : -that fees all our Ways, and our Wandnngs, and the Snares that' are fpread for our Feet , would be pledled -to cuide us by his Hand and by his Eye, that we may ^-keep the true and old way ; and if any Snares be laid •rthere for us by the Enemy of our Peace, that he would either remove or break the Snare, or lead us about by them, or lift us over them. That he would be pleafed to cleanfe our:Hearts from our Corruptions, the Nurle- ry of our Temptations ; that he would prepare us, and inflrua, and ftrengthen us by his Mighty Spirit to dil- cern, and to oppofe, and to overcome the Deceits and Sedudi^ris of our own Hearts. ^ , . ^ . . ct ^ To conclude therefore this Part of this Petition : U '' Lord God- Almightv , that beholdeft all my Ways, 1 '' find that Iwalk in'the miaft of Snares and Tempta- ^' tionsj thegreatEnemj of my Salvation, aiid his Retinue^ « is continually about me', and watch for my Halting, fecretly and undifcoverably rolliciting my Soul to ha a^ainft thee, almoit in every Occurrence of my Lite^ and every Motion of my Mind ^ and having in any thine prevail'd againft me, either he quiets my bouiiil '' my Sin, or diforders my Soul for it, and by both pre- « vents or diverts me from coming to thee toTeek my " Pardon, as a thing not neceflary to be asked, or im- '^ poffible to be gained. Again, the Men, among^whoni " I live fcatter theirTemptations for me, by Perluahons '^ to Sin by evil Examples, by Succeft in finful Practices ; '' and if there were no Devil or Man to tempt me, yec " I find in wy {elf an everlafting Seed ^/temptations, " a Stock of Corruptions that forms all I am and all i '' have or do, even thy very Mercies, into Tempcarion§. « When I confider thy Vatiena and Goodmfs to me, 1 ain '' tempted to Prefumpcion, to Supinenrfs; co an G^piniort (C M m a 55?8 MsJitations upon tie Lor is Prayef. of my own worth ; when I confider or find thy Jtifilti, I am tempted to Murmuring, to Defpair, to think the ^ moft Sovereign Lord, a hard Mafter. In my Vndir- " fiandinp I am tempted to fecret Argumentation, co ** AtheihB, to Infidelity, to difpute thy Truth, toCurio- *' fity, to Impertinent or Forbidden Enquiries ; if I haVO •* Learnings it ma!;:es me Proud, apt to defpife the Purity " and Simplicity of thy Truth, to contend for Maftery, ** not for Truth, t<5 ufe my Wit to reafon my felf or ** others into Errors or Sins^, to fpend my Time in thofe " difcoveries that do not ooantervail the Expence, nor '* are of any value or ufe to my Soul after Death. In " mylVilll find much averfenefs to what is Good, a- ready motion to every thing that is Evil, or at leaff an uncer- tain Fluduation between both :^ In all my Thoughts I find " abundance of Vanity ; when employed to any thoughts *"' of moft concernment to my Soul, fu^l of ificonfiftency, unfixt, unfetled, eafily interrupted, mingled with grofs^ Apprehenfions. When I look into my Confcknce^ I find her eafily bribed, and brought over to the wrong Party^ ^ allayed with Self-love, if not wholly filent, unprofirabie *' and ^f^^. In my Jffdiions I find continued diforder, " eafily mifplaced, and more eafily overawed beyond the bounds of Moderaticfn, Reafon, and Wifdom, mueh^ more of Chriftianity and thy Fear. In my fevfual Af- " fetlte I find a continual Fog and Vapour rifing from it, J difordering my Soul in all I am about, with unfea- ^ fonable, importunate, and foul Exhalations, that darken and pollute it, that divert and difturb it in all that is good, that, continually folicit it to all fenfual Evils, un- to all Immoderation and Excefs. In my Senfes I have an Eye full of Wantonnefs, full of Covecoufnefs, full of Haughtinefs j an Ear full of Itching after Novelties, ^^ Impertinences,Vanities ^ a Falate full of Intemperance, *' f^".^^<^^s for Curiofitics ; a Hand full of Violence, when " it is in my Power ;■ a Tongue full of unneceffary vain "^ Words, apt to Slander, to Whifper, full of Vain Glory "and Self Flattery. If thou giwQilmQZ healthy firong Body, I am ready to be Proud of it^ apt to think my (elf out "of €i €C €€ €C €C €C tc CC €C « CC tc Real XVants. Jf ^hou giveft me Reputatim and Efteem ^'\in the World, I am ape to make nfe of it to bear me out ^^ at a Pinch in fome unlav/ful Adion, to ufe it to miflead " others, to ufe any bafe Shift to fupport it. If thoucaft ^^ me into Reproach andlgnominy, my Heart is apttofweli ^^againft the A^eans, to ftudy Revenge, and to die with " my Reputation, though it may caufelcfiy be loft, and ^* to have the Thoughts and- Remembrance of it to in- terfere and 'grat^ ppon my Soul, even in my immediate Service to thee ; any C7-0/} fow^es my Bleffings, and - carries my Hefiit fo violently into Difcontent for, it may be, a.fingle ^fHidion, which I defervedly fufFer, tbatl forget. to be thankful for a Multitude of other Mercie;s, which I undefervedly enjoy. If I am a- bout a good Duty, I find my Heart teqipted to per- ** form chera Carelefiy, Formally, Negligently, Hypo- *^ critically, ¥ain~glorioully, for falfe or by-Ends j* and ^^ when I have done them, my Heart is puft up with *^ Pride, Opinion of Merit, looking upon my Maker as *^ my Debtor for the Duty Ipwejiimj and yet but (lightly ^^ and defedively performed to him : How then can I •" exped Power from my felf to refift a Temptation with- M m 5 *^ cue cc (C cc ^^40 MeJitatioM updft the Loreisfrkyer. *' out, "Cvhcn I find To much Treachery Within me ? T ^^ therefore befeech thee , mod Mertifal and Powerful f^ Facheryto fend inro my Heart the Grace and Strength "'^ of thy bleffedSpirit^to refift and ovel^comeall myTem- *^^ ptations, to cleanfe and purge this foul Heart of mine, •^ of this Brood and Ned of Lull and Corruptions that ** are within it ; to i^rengchen my felfagainfl theTcm- *^ ptationsof Hell, the World, and my fdf; to lead me j^ in fafc Paths ; to difcover arid admon'Ifh me hourly of all ** the Dangers that-arein tny way ^-arldfoby thy mJghty ** and over- ruling Providence to guido me, that I may ^^ avoid all Occafions of Falling ; fo to order, and over- •^ rule, arid moderate, and temper all the Occurrences *^ of my Life, that they may be fuitable to that Grace *^ thou givcft me, to bear them without offe-nding thee | ^^ and' if thou at any'time'fufFer me to take a Fall, yet *^ deliver me from prefumptuous fins', ^ive me a Heart *' fpeediiy to fly to thee for Strength to reftore me, for f^ Mercy to pardomne. If thou fufFereft'me to fall into *^1remptation,yet I befeech thee deliver me from theEvil. But deliver us from Evil, Three Evils ^re here meant. ' i: The Evil of Sin. We are before taught to pray for pardoning Mercy in- the firft Petition j- for preventing Mercy in the former part of thisPetrci6'n ; and here we are taught to pray for delivering,reftoring M-ercy. W^hen a Sin is committed, there is not only a Guilt contrac5led, which fl-ands in need of Mercy to pardon ic^but the Soul receives a Wound that weakens it, and ftand^ in need of Divine Strength to reftore it ,• and without this it wil! never rife out of that State of Impotency, yea of Rebel- lion into which it is fallen, but would multiply Sin upon Sin to all Eternity. As before our Converfion unto God| we are dead in Trefpafles and Sins, and cannot convert: our felves^ fo after we are converted, any one Sin puts ltis,asin our felves^andinrefpeitof our ownStrength,into the fame State of dead Men, in which our Converfion at firft found us : Only here is the Odds • God is pleafed iro put into us a Seed of Life , xh:xt fhall dgain quicken us thp' we fall. ; John' 3. 9. IVhofcever is bvrn of God doth not Meditations upon the Lord's Prayer, ' 5-4 1 m^\hG7nmit Sin, Cthat is,, continue ill it) for his feed ahideth : in him: i John. 2, i; If -^ any manfiny v/e have an Advo* ;'i?fri?./&p. That Seedx)f Life, that Advocate of our Peace, :wiil(paurG him to lay hold again upon the Strengthy and Morcyatid Proraife of God j will carry his Eye to look upon this brazen Serpeac ; will enable hitn to re-^ipfly iiheiMfirits and.Liik:oif. Chrilt to his Soul ^ and fo xihac Wound that was in it felf mortal^ is. cured, and the:Soul enai>ibjd tp returS againko God, -whom by Sin it hatl^ for- • faken.ri And ye'c-tl^'' the Benefit is ours, the Deliverance .is Goid'8 ,• and , hei iwiil^ be fou^gStJurito , as well for Strengcfe to recover tem the State of Sin^ as for Mercy .jCo recover froni:ths Guilt, of Si^ after every Fall. Liixis Deliver' us froiilitlie Evil ofFum^imera, or AfRi from; fome Siiiywiiiich thou art other- ' wif^lik-e to; fall in to, and fo bids theelook/oru'/zni ::Itmay be thy He^arc beans' to- fettle upon her Lees ^ tofix her -felf upon the Wo^ldj... to grow feciire and careless, to -•giioiWpt'oud andiofetftofi ; and fo.it bids thee lock 2i;/ri>/« *^i?^j itimay be G^sd irpleafed to ufe this Crofs to ffir thee »Up fcCrD©pendai:jo^ upOrt him, to feek Kim by Prayer^ to difcX2>V4rhis.Power'aln[d Mercy in delivering thee in fomie emirfent way, apd» fe.it bids thee look above thee. Learn 'the-refore the MelTag^e of the Crofs, and improve it to ^thait end for which^he fent it ; and by this means thou rliialtbi^ delivered from rhe Evil of liie Evil. g. Deliver iits^ftbm^Evil' 5 th^t is;; from the v^ry I?uumhency of tbcEvil •Upon us.y And thi«4s a thij^g that we may lawfully, ask, .fait be wirh Subrtiffibn to the Will of God, who belt knows- what is fie fot Xis's- Only of this we may be fure, tha't .thb' the thing be not granted , yet thy. Petition is not loft. When /'^^/befought God thrice againft anAffli- M m 4 dion. f^% MeJitations upon the Lord's Prayer. {kiOTiy 2C{?r. 12.9. though he had not Deliverance from it, yet he had fufficient Grace given him to bear it : When our Bleffed Lord befought that that Cup might pafs from him, though he muft drink of the Cup, yet he was heard in the thing which he feared, Heh, j. 7. and thy Prayer for Deliverance (hall be anfwered either with a way to efcape it, or with Strength comfortably to bear it, i Cor, 10. 15. 3. Deliver us front Evil^ that is, the Evil one, who go- cth about as a roaring Lyon feeking whom he may de- vour, the Prince of Darknefs, the Prince of this World, the Prince of the Power of the Air ; an invifible Prince, that could he but get Commiflion from the great Lord of Heaven and Earth, would fift us as Wheat, would fiiake our Faith, and bring us under his own Rule ; a Creature, but yet of that Power, Wifdom, Subtilty and Malice, that he would be eafily able to feduce, or at leaft to diforder and fhacter the ftrongeft Man, as once he did Joh: Therefore we have caufe to pray, that, as the Son of God came to deftroy the Works of Sata^y to Judge this Prince of this World, to bruife his Head ; fo he would continually affift us with his Grace to refift him, to difcover him, even when he transforms himfelf into an Angel of Light ; that if he (hall go about to fe- duce us from the Truth by Signs and Wonders, as once he did Pharaoh ; by Predidions, as fometimes he did in the Heathen Oracles ; by Mifapplications even of the very Word of Truths as he endeavoured to do by our Saviour ; by Succeffes and Events of Things ,• that we may remember the Caution that Mofes gave unto the If- raelites, Deut/13. 5. The Lord your God froveth yoti, i^i/he* therye love the Lor dy our God v/itb all your Hearty and with all yiur Soul; that if he §0 about to feduce us ii^tp Sin, or denying of the Truth by Propofals and Promifes of Honours, Preferments, Temporal Advantages, or to af- fright us from the Truth, by Menaces, Perfecutions, Difgraces, Death, yet we may not be allured or affright- ed into Sin, but may keep clofe to the fure Truth of God revealed in his Word, whatever the Eyenf bj?. MeJitatiom upon the Lord's Prayer. y^j For thine is the Kingdofn, Power and Glory, In the beginning of this Prayer, our Saviour teacheth us to ftrengthen our Faith in the Mercy of God,by teach- ing us to call him Father ^ and in the Power of ^od, by teaching us to call him our Heavenly Father ; that under both thefe Confiderations we may look upon Almighty God in the entrance into our Prayers : And becaufe our Thoughts are eafily taken off from thefe Confiderations • and, like Mofes's Arm,our Faith foon declines, and our Light foon burns out ; and becaufe there is an equal ne- ceffity of Intention of Spirit,as well in ourlaft requeft as in our firft, our Saviour teaches us to remind thofe confi- derations, that may fupport and fortify our Souls in the clofe of our Prayers, as well as in the beginning,* that fo the confideration of Almighty God,his Power andGood- nefsjwho is theBeginning and the End,the Firft and the Laft, may be alio the Beginning and the End,as of our Prayers, fo of all our Services. Thine ts the Kingdom, '^ Thou art the only, and abfo- ■' lute, and rightful Sovereign of all thy Creatures,- and ^" to thee do all the Creatures in the World owe an infi- ^' nitefubjedion ; for by thy Power and Goodnefs they *^ werecreatedandarepreferved; And yet if it werepof- ^^ fible that Infinitude could admit of Degrees, theChil- *^ dren of Men owe a more infinite fubjedion unto thee, " than any of the reft of thy Creatures ; for thou yet *^ fpareft unto them t«hat Being,thatby Sin they have for- *^ feited unto thee ; And yet more than this, thofe whom '' thou haft redeemed by the PafSon of thy Son, and " fandified, owe thee yet a more infinite Debt of fubje- '^ dion, than the reft of the Children of Men : And be- ^' caufe thou art our King,whither fhould we go to make " our Requefts hut unto our King, in whom all Autho- *^ rity is juftly placed ? And if thou art our King, it i$ " but reafonable for me to defire. That thy Name may be ^' glorified, that all the Subjeds of thy Kingdom, accor- ding to their federal conditions, may Magnify and Glo- rify the Name of their lying ^ That thy Kingdom may come with evidence aad demonftratipn of it felf ,• and " that €C •5'44 ' Meditations iipon the Lords Praytr. ** that ail thy Creatutes,as they owe a Juft fubje(5l;ion to .'*' thea,fo they may duly pei'form it ; that thofe that have .^^ rebelled againft thee may return^ and be brought into /' fubjedion to thee ; that though other Lords have had *^ an ufurped Dominion ovfer us, yet: th«f thy Kingdom ** may break in pieces all UfurpationSji and recover thy *f rejoiced' Subjeds unto their juft Allegiance. That thy *^ WiU^ .the only rightful L^w and Rule of Juftice, may ^* be done in all places 6f thy Dominion^^ in Earth and .*^ Heaven ; and thatallthyiCreaturesmay fubmit fr^ety ;*^ toihis thy Will; whiebis the only Rale-^arid Meafure " both of their PerfscSkion^and ObediehCdP The Wills of /' Earthly Rings are fubjedxo Error, Op|)5r€flion, and ** Injustice, and therefore tHy^ Providence hath regulated -" theSr Adminiftration^ byij?iWs:and Rtifesif^but thy Will r^' i jthe bnly Rule,Exemplar*/a'pd Foundaxi^^n* of Jullice ; f^ th«rcf^re.iet. thy :Will :be' dphe. Th'k tHotl would eft *^ give us our Daily BreaJ.'WhQn the feven years of Plen- -*^ ty Ead filled Pharaoh' s'StorQ houfes, and were after en- !*^ tertained with feven Years of Famlne^-nhc -Egyptians *^ cried unto their King for Bread- ,,Ge«.n^rv fy. And v^^ whither ihall we go fdr .Bread for DUr Bodies, but to *^ our King, who is'Lor>d'ofvall the Sto-re of Jfte- World, ^* artd givesMeat to aJl'te Greatures inth^iffe^fon.an'd *^ feeds dhe youn-g Raven^'w^hen they cry?. And whither f' fhovik wte'go for Bread Kb? feu r Souls^ but tos thee tJiir -f* !Kin^>, who haft intruft^d thi^ Bread bfTJfQ Under the *"** Hands of out Jofeph^ om 'Say lour ? 'That thou would- *^ e&fdf^pve us tur fini ; ibr oar Sins are as fo manyTrea - >**fon& againft thy Majefty, and thoii alone canft remit, ^^againtt whom alone we can bffend : The pdrddningof '"Sins, 35 it is thy peculiar Pi:e^rogative,^(y for' who cah -^>tfofgifve Sins, fave God otily ?) fo itjisthy^^-rbperty^a ■** paft'Of.thy Name, fardming tniiq'uity\'stmnfgf.effiony and '^/;i,^Exod. 54. 7. That thou wonVdcdJeli^erm from - " Temp'taticn, the Caufe of Sin ; and from Evil, the fruit " of Sin ; from the Incurfions of that Rebel againft thy "" Majefty^the Prince of Darknefs- for whither fiiould the ••^Subjeasfty forProte^iod.^buc CO their King? and Me-JitaUons upon the Lord's Prayer. . jaji ^though that Prince hath a Kingx^pm too^ yet it is-r^^-^ ^ vum juh gra'uiore regno : the very Kingdom of Heil iS' ^' fubjed to thy Authority j and therefore as thoa ^rt ^/ our King, we befeech Thee ProteA and Deliver .usi;= And- the Fewer :■' There may be^. lawful and ajuftAu-- ^^ thority, where yet there v^/ants. Pp^ver to a6t it : B^it V;as thou haft a juft Sovereignty and Authority ove/^it' "- thy Greaturesylb thou haft aninfinite Power to do wh^t-- " foe ver thou pieafeft : nothing is too hard for thee ; J^vil' f 'Men and Evil Angels^though they refift thy Authoriy,'' ^^ cannot avoid thy Power. My kequefls that I haye- '^Jiere Tent up unco- thee, they are Great Requefts,. but f ^^jet they are ail vvirhin thy Power to grant : Sin hafli ^5.,4rawn a cloud- aridd^rknefs over xiurUnderftandingsy lUhat we cannot fe9 thee ^ Ithathihfufedamalignity in-- fStoour Wills , that we cannot abide thee ; andho^w"^ '^ then ftiall we fanftifythatiSIame vvhieh we knovt^ngt';* "or jf we know, yet we hate it? But thou haft Infinite- flPower to fcatter this darknefs, ihat we may fee thqey * 'and to conquer this perverfenels, that W(^" may love-ahd' :'' glorify thee. The Prince of darknefs^hath fet up, his- '' ufurped Power,and is become thePrifnge of tlieWpf'ld=;' :^' and. lets up ftrong holds in our.Kearis',. .ar^d ma-ris th^nr *%ith principalities^and po wers,and fpii-itual wickednefs- :abu,t thou haft Infinite Power, even by a poor dcl'f>ihd V" GQfpel,to pull dcwri thefe ftrong ho)ds!to ftibdue thj^fe 5^ Principalities, and Powers, to bi^idthe ftrong man t|^a-t '' keeps the Houfef, and to fet upYhy Throne and,^by^' '^Kingdom,eveil:where6'^/^«'s3catis. Theftate ofcoii* f^nature is fo changed,; that we,that were once fitted foi^ c:a;? cbedienc^ ;p thy-Will,.are noviu beccme enemas, to " it, refifters of jt^ dead to the obedience of it ,• butxlipit- '' haft infinite Power by thy very^Wprd of Command to- ?^.quicken us, as welj as to create us ^ to change our-Na- " tures, to ccnform our Will to the obedier.ce of thine; that fo thy Will may be done in earth as it is in Hea- ven. Sin hath put a Curfe into the Creature, that k hath loft much of that efFedual power to fupport and to prefefve our Nature, that once, ir had ,• and it haih. . put 54^ Meditations upon the LortTs Prayer. put a diforder into the whole Creation, fo that it is a wonder to fee thatfuch a World of Men and Creatures '^ amongft whomSin hathfown fuch a diforder and enrni- ' ty, fhould be one able to live by another ,• yet thoa haft power to remove that Gurfe, to provide for the * feveral Exigencies of all thy Creatures , a-ccording to ^^ their feveral Conveniencie? ; to feed us in times and ^* places ofNecefficy ; to make a Raven our Purveyor^ ^ a Craife of Oyl or a Barrel of jMeal to be a fupply for ** three years Famine. Our daily Sins committed fo oft- en againft fo great a Duty, againit fo many Mercies^ fo much Patience /o much Love, fo much Bounty re- ^ ceived from one that owes us nothing, are enough to ^^ lin away any ftock of Pardoning Mercy and Patience ^ below Infinitude : But thou haft an unfearchable bot- tomleis Fountain of Power , as well to pardon as to ^ punifli. Our Temptations untoSin meet us upon every ^ occafion, from without us and from within us, and we * have no Wifdom in our felves to for efee them : no ftrengch, nor yet any will to oppofe them ; but thou * haft infinite Power to forefee, to prevent , to divert them, and to deliver from them. The leaft of Evils, armed with the guilt of any one Sin, wil!,like a Weight ^of Lead, prefs us into an impoffibility of recovery from it ; the Enemy of our Souls -is converfanc within us , and about us , and ready upon every occafton to feduce us into fm, and to torment and dif- order us for it • and his power, and ftrength, and fub- ^ tilty is beyond our power to refift ; andindeed hefinds ^ us willing Captives ; but as thou haft Authority, fo ^^ thou haft Power to reft rain him, to difcover him, to ^' fortify and ftrengthen us againft him, and to deliver *' us from him; And therefore I here lay hold of the ^' ftrength of Omnifotency to grant thefe my Petitions, /But this is not all. And the Glory, * ^ Omnipotency , though it be one ad- ^* dicion of ftrength to oiar Prayers, yet it is not enough. " The Leper in the Gofpel faid truly to our Saviour, If ^^thou wilt, thou canft make me clean j -but ^yec he doth "not cc according to the *^ meafure of their perfect, but finite Natures ^ and from ^^ that communication of thy Glory to them, they fhali f everlaftingly return Glory to thy Name ; faying, Mlef- «^ jifpa Honour, Glory and Tower , be un^o him that fit Utb " on the Throne ^and unto the Lamb yf or ever and ever^ Amen. '^^^ Rev. 5*. 15. via::io.-'>:.K:^'^:-^'^ ^^^^ The ^Lofd's. TY(!iyef:Phra^Bft^ iS lU OJ li^.i\j^Z% i\u • ^ ' k1 {^s u ? : Our Father', . in -i^^v. O Eternal anii- Glorious Lord God, thou art our V^n i\\ti by Cremom, for. thou gaveft at firft Being to^ the CommonvPafents of ail Mankind : Thou art our Fa- ther by Nature ; we owe our own' immediate Being more to Thee, than we do to our immediate Parents; for thou arc the Father of our Spirits : Thou art our Father by our I^referVamn,wt could not fupport our felves in Be- ing one moment-bf time, without the unceffant influence of thy Providence and Goodnefs : Thou art olir Fatfer by Adoption, receiving us in a more fpecial manner to be thyChildreninant3throughJefusChrift.InalltheGbarfi and Paffagesof our Lives, rhou haft manifefted urico us the Love,andCompaffiGn,andTendernefs^afldGGodnefs, and AfFeclion, and Kindnefs of a Father ; Forgiving our Offences, Healing our Backfljidings, Pitying bur Weak- neffes,SupplyingourVVant5,-Delivering us frori^ Dangers^ Accepting our weak Endeavours to pkafe and iTerve^thee-^ Pro- ^j yo The Lord's Prayer ParaphrafiJ. Providing things neCeflary for uspnd an Immortal Inhe-^ ritance of Glory and Happinefs. Blefled be thy Name, that art pleafed even from Heaven to commiflionate us to come unto thee, and to call upon thee under that encoura- ging, comfortable, and near Relation and Tide of our Father ; which carries in it the molt full and ample aflu- rance of Audience and Acceptation : For with whom can we expect Acceptation or Accefs ? From whom can we cxpecft the concefGon of what we need, if not from our Father ? To whom (hould we refort for Supplies, but to our Father ? Whkh art in Heaven. It is true, the Fathers of our Flefh did bear to usT^h- dernefs and AfFedion : But alas ! they were Mortal Fa- thers, Fathers on Earth, Fathers that are either dead,ot muft die ; And befides, though their Aifedions might be large to us, they were ftraitned in Power j they were Earthly Fathers ; and poffibly their AfFedions to us were brger than their Ability. But thou art our Father, an Abiding, Everlafting Father, a Father in Heaven. As thy Love is abundantly extended to us as a Father , fo thy Power and Ability to anfwer us is as large as thy Goodnefs. Thou art an Heavenly Father, an All-fufR- cient Father ; we are not ftraitned in thy Love to us, becaufe thou art our Father : neither are we ftraitned in thy Power, Wifdom, Goodnefs ; for thou art infinite in all thy Attributes. And yet, tho thou Ifaiab 66. I. art in Heaven, as thy Throne, yet Earth is thy Footftool : Though thou dwellett in the Heavens by thy Glorious Manife- jKifjgsS,2j: ftation of thy Majefty, yet the Heavens, nor the Heaven of Heavens cannot con- tain thee. Thou art in all Places by thy Power , Pre- fence, and Effence. Our Prayers have no long journey to thee ; for thou art near unto us, and acquainted with all our Thoughts, and Wants, and De(ire;s. And thou art not only prefent to hear our Prayers, but to relieve, fupply, fupport u&; and art pleafed by a fpecial Promife to make the poor Cottage of an humble^ (incere, pray- ingfr 7he LorcTs Prayer ParaphrafeJ. §§l ing Soul to be thy Temple, and to be prefent there, and to be near to all them F fa! a^^.iS, that in integrity call upon thee. Hallowed be thy Name, And fmce thy Glory and Honour is the great End of all thy Works, we defire that it may be the beginning an4 end of all our Prayers and Services. Let thy great Name be Glorious, and Glorified and Sandified through all the World: Let the Knowledge of thee fill all the Earth, as the Waters cover the Sea : Ifaiah ii. 9. Let that be done in the World, that may mofi: advance thy Glory : Let all thy Works praife thee : Let thy Wifdom, Power, Juftice, Goodnefs, Mercy and Truth be evident unto all Mankind, that they may ob- ferve, acknowledge and admire it, and Magnify the Name of thee the Eternal God. In all the Difpenfations of thy Providence, enable us to fee thee , and to fan- <5^ify thv Name in our Hearts with Thankfulnefs, in our Lips with Thankfgiving, in our Lives with Ducifulnefs and Obedience. Enable us to live to the Honour ot that great Name of thine by which we are called ; and that as we profefs our felves to be thy Children , fo we may ftudy and fmcerely endeavour to be like thee in all Goodnefs and Righteoufnefs, that we may thereby bring Glory to thee Our Father, which art in Heaven ^ that we and all Mankind may have High and Honourable Thoughts touching thee.in feme meafure fuicable to thy.; Glory, Majefty,Goodnefs,Wifdom, Bounty, and Purity ; and may in all our Words and Adionsmanifeft thefe in- ward J houghts touching thee, with i'uirable and be- coming Words and Aitions. Thy K.l}7gdom come. Let the Kingdom of Gr^ce come. Let all the World become the true Subjeas of thee the Glorious God. And let the Gofpel of thy Kingdom, the everlafting Gofptl^ run V'doriouHy over the face of the whole Wond,- that the Kingdoms of the Earth Re^j.ii,ifi niay become the Kingdom of God and of his Chrift. Let thy Grace, and thy Fear, and' thy lotey ^^z The LorcTs Prayer Paraphrafcd* and thy Law, rule in all our Hearts , and in the Hearts of allMankind.Andfubdue and exterminate the Kingdom of Darknefs^the Kingdom of Satan, the Kingdom of An- tichrift ,• bring all Men to the Knowledge and Obedience of the Truth : and let the Scepter of thy Kingdom befet up and upheld as long as the Sun endureth. And lee thy Kingdom o/G/or/ come. Alfo make usfitVeflels of it • and that having this Hope we may perfe(5t 2 Cor, 7. I. Holinefs in thy Fear, Waiting for^and Haft- 2 Per. 3.12. ning unto the Coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the day wherein he (hall Deli- I Cor. If. ver up the Kingdom unto the Father, that 24, 28. God may be all in all. Thy Will he done. And fince thy Will is a moft Holy, Righteous, Graci- ous, Juft and Wife Will, let it be evermore our choice to make thy Will to be ours, and to refign up our Wills unto thee, and to thy Will. h^ttheWillofthyCounfelht done : And altho* we know it is not in the Power of Men or Devils to hinder it , yet fo we do teftify our Duty unto chee,in Praying, that nothing may impede or retard the Will of thy Counfcis ; for thy Counfels are full of Good- nefs,and Benignity ,and Purity, and Righteoufnefs. And we beg thee to give us hearts moft entirely to wait upon thee in whatfoever thou fhalt appoint concerning us : that if thou fhalt give us Profperity and Succefs in this Life, we may receive it with all Thankfulnefs and Humility ; andufeit with Sobriety, Moderation; and Fairhfulnefs ;If thou fhalt fend us Adverfity, we may entertain it with all Submiffivenefs, Patience^Contentednefs ,• cheerfully fub- mittingtotheDifpenfatioaof our Heavenly Father^ ever acknowledging thy Will to be the belt Will , and that whereunto it becomes us with all Humility to fubmit ; and in the midft of all to rejoyce, that our Portion, and Patrimony, and Happinefs is referved for us in a better Life. And as we defire the Will of thy Counfels may be done upon us, fo we defire the Will of thy Commands may be done by us, and by all Mankind : That we may conform our Hearts and Lives to the Rule of thy BlefTed Word, The Lord's Prayer Paraphrafed. '5-5' 5 Word, that we may live in all Piety to thee our Godwin all Righceoufnefs towards Men, in all Sobriety towards our felves ; that we may follow thofe Precepts and Pat- terns of Holinefs, Righteoufnefs, Juftice, Temperance, Patience, Goodnefs, Charity, and all other Moral and ChrifHan Virtues, that thou hail: in thy Word com- manded or propounded for our Pradice and Imitation; In Eirth as it is in Heaucn, And that this Obedience unto thee and thy Will may be performed by us and all Mankind in fome meafure anfwerable to what is done by thy Glorious Angels in Heaven ; that we ("^^Y) do it Chearfully , without Mtirmuring ; Sincerely, withoutDiilimulationi Speedily, without Delay or Procrafiination*; and Conftantly and Unceifaiitly, without Deficiency or Fainting : And that we may not -^^t all fail in our Duty herein , be pleafed daily more and more to reveal thy Heavenly Will unto us, that fo our Will on Earth may anfwer thy Will in Heaven : And keep us always careful and circumfped, in Sincerity and Inregrity of Heart, to keep clofe unto it^ that neither the Corruptions of our own Hearts, the fe- ducements of Sat an ^ the deceits of this prefent World, may at any time withdraw us from the Obedience of thy mok Perfect and Holy Will, iji've us this Day cur daily Bread. And now, mofl: Gracious Father, as we have Petition- ed Thee for things that more immediately concern thy Glory,Kingdom and Will • v^^e beg Thee to give us leave to PetitionThee for fome things that more immediately con^ cdrn cur felves, Bleffed Lord / thou haft given us our Be- ing ; and yet when thou hafl: fo given it us, we cannot fupport our felves in that Being one day, nay one mo- ment, without thy further Influence and Bounty. We therefore beg of Thee our Daily Bread ,• and, in that, all the Bleffings and convenient NecelTaries for pur fup- port. We beg Bread for this Life : Thou that feedeft the young Ravens when they cry, we^ that are thy Chil- dren, beg of Thee to feed us with food convenient for N n 2 \Mi 'f 54 "^f^^ Lord's Prayer ParaphrafeJ. us : Thou that cloatheft the IJliies of the Field, gJve us cloathing for our covering and defence ; and all thofe necelTaries and convenient Supplies for our Wants and Conditions, And becaafe it is thy Bleffing that giveth our Food ability to nourifii us ^ our Cloaths to keep us warm, and all other outward fupplies, their ferviceable- Xiefs and ufefulnefs for our Conditions, we beg thy Blef- fings may come along with thy Benefits. And becaufe it is part, as well of our Duty, as of that State and Con- dition wherein .thou haft placed us in this Life, that in the Sweat of our Brows we fliould eat our bread ; enable us, we befeech Thee, for the Duties of our feveral Cal- ings and Employments ; and blefs our Labours, that we may ferve Thee faithfully therein, and may be enabled thereby honeftly to provide for our feWes and Families. And as we beg of Thee this meat that periflieth, the con- venient fupplies of our external conditions in this life ; Co we befeech Thee, give us tb^it Bread that may feedus unto evcrlafiing life ; an Intereft in the Righteoufnels and Me- rits of thy Son Jefus Chrift, thy Grace, and the Diredi- on, Guidance, and Sandihcacion cf thy Holy Spirit ; whereby we may be direded , llrengthned and Com- forted in a walking according to thy Will here, and may everIafLii7gly enjoy thy Prefence and Glory here- after. And forgive tis onr 7refpaJ/a» Thou art the great Creator,Lord and Governor of all the World, and art in a more fpecial relation the Sove- reign, the Father , the great Benefador of Mankind ; and therefore may'ft moft juftly exped from the Children of Men our jitmoft Love , and Fear , and Reverence, arid Obedience ; and thou haft by the Light of Nature,, and by that greater Light of thy Holy Word , reveal'd unto us a moft Holy and Righteous Law, to which we owe a moft entire and fincere Obedience : And yet not- withftanding all thefe Obligations,we poor fmful Crea- tures do daily and hourly violate that Holy Law of thine both in Thought, Word and Deed : We omit much of what thou requireft of us ; and we commit often wha: thou fhe Lords Prayer Paraphrafed. 555- thou forbiddeft us: We are deficient in the Remembrance of thee, in our Love to thee^ in our Fear of thee. We often omit thofe Duties that thou required, of Invoca- tion, Thankfgiving, Dependance ^ and when vye per- form them, they want that due meafure of Love, Hu- mility, Reverence, Intention of Mind, that thou moft JLidly doft require and deferve. We omitthcfe Duties of Charity, Juftice, Righteoufnefs,'that we owe to others ; thatSobriety, Temperance, Moderation, Vigilance, that relate to our felves : And we daily commit Offences a- gainft thee, the Glorious God j againft our Neighbours ; againft our felves ; contrary to the InjundHons of thy Holy Law revealed to us : And thefe we often reiterate againft Mercies, Chaitifements, Promifes of betterObe- dience. And altho' many of our Neglects and Offences immediately concern our felves or others j yet they are all Offences againft .thy Holy and Righteous Law ; and againft that Subjedion, and Obedience, and Duty, and Thankfulnefs, that we owe unto thee. And when we have done ail this, we are not able to make thee any fa- tisfadion for any of the leaft of our Offences or Negleds, but only to confefs our Guilt , and to beg thy Mercy, pardon and Forgivenefs. We therefore come unto thee, who art our Lord and Sovereign, whofe Prerogative it is to forgive Iniquity, Tranfgreffion and Sin • To thee, which art our Father, v/ho art full of Pity and Compaf^ fion to thy Children , tho' difobedient and backfliding Children; To thee, who art a Father of Mercies, as well as of Men ; and hai^ delight in Forgiving ihy difo- bedient and returning and repenting Children ; And we confefs our Sins, our Backflidings, our Failings. And up- on the Account of thy ovyn Mercy and Goodnefs, upon the Account of thy Son's Merits andSufferings, upon the Account of thy own Promifes contained in that Word, whereupon thou haft caufed thy Servants to truft ; Par- don the Sins of our Duties, and the Sins of our Lives ; the Sins of our Natures, and the Sins of our Pradice • the •' Sins of our Thoughts, Words, and Actions : The Sins of QmiUion, and the Sins of Ccmniiffion ; the Sins of In- fumicy. ^J^ The Lord^s Prayer Paraphrafed. %miry, Falling, and daily Incurfion, and th« fins of Wilfulnefs, Vvtm nimprion and Rebellion, whereof we (land guilty before thee. Our Requel>, we confefs is great. The Debt wheieof we defirc Forgive- neis, is a great and vail: Debt ; But we ask it ot the great and glori- ous Monarch of the WorJd ; we ask it of our gracious and merciful Father ; and from that glorious God , who rejoyceth more in mul- tiplying Pardons upon repenting Sinners, than the Children of Men can delight in Offending. ^s we forgive them that Irefpafs again]} uf. And befides all this, we have been taught by him, that knew thy Will to the full, that if we from our hearts foigive rhofe rhat fref- pafs againft us,thou that art our Heavenly Father wilt forgive us our TrefpalTes againft thee. Upon this Promife of thine we lay hold. In Obedience to thy Commands we forgive ourBrethren theirOifences againft us , and beg thee therefore to make good that rhy Promife^ Forgive us our Offences. It is true , our Forgiving of others caniioc merit thy Pardon of us. When we Forgive , we do cur Duty, be. caufc thou commandeft It. And befides , the Trefpafs that we re- mit is but to our Brother, and is but a fmall inconfiderable Trefpafs in companfon of thofe TrefpafTes whereof we beg the fnrgivenels of Thee : His Trefpafs not an hundred Pence, ours more than ten thou- fand Talents. Yet, bleffed Lord, give us leave to lay hold upon thy Promife, which thou haft freely made, and to ftrengrhen our hearts in this, that that God that hath commanded us to forgive our repent- ing Brother, will not deny a Pardon to his repenting Children ; and thatGod that harh been pleafed to promife forgivenefs to us upon our forgivenefs of others, is a God of Truth and Faithfulnefs, as well as a Father of Mercies: And tho' our forgivenefs of our Brother can- not in any proportion deferve our Gods forgivenefs of us,yetwhen the God of Truth hath freely engaged himfeJr by his Word to for- give us if we forgive, he will never break it ; and he that hath railed in our hearts by his Grace this Merciful Temper and Difpofition to- wards others , hath thereby given us a pledge of his Mercy and Goodnefs unto us in Pardoning all our Offences. ^4ncl lead tis not into Temptation. And beaaufe we are weak and frail Creatures, Tubje^l: to be over- come with every Temptation, to depart from ourDury to thee ; and we hourly converf? with all varieties of Temptations : Temptations from the World ; Temptations from Satan, the Prince of this World, and, which is the worft of all, Temptations from our own fmful hearts ; corrupt natures, unruly affections, and without thy continual Grace preventing or affifting us,the Icaft of all rhefe ourEnemies andTemp- tations are able to over-march us : And becaufe we are obnoxious to Temptations in all our ati:ions,in all our conditions, in all our wants, and in all our enjoyments ; in our lawful actions we are fubjeft to the Temptation of Immoderation and Excefs ; in our Religious actions, to Formality and Vain-glory; in our Profperity,ro Pride and Forgerful- nefs of thee ; in Adverfity, to Murmuring and Difconrent, and ac- cullng of chy Providence j under InjurieS;to Vindiftivenefs and Im- moderate the Lord's Prayer Taraphrafed. ^^y moderate Anger ; under Comforts and Enjoyments, to Security ^nd Abatement of our Love to thee , and fetting up our hopes and our reft upon the prefent World ; in our Know]edge,to vain and imper- tinent Curiofity, Pride and Self-conceit ; in cafes of Wants, to un- lawful Means for our Supplies ; in cafe of Abundance, to Luxury Intemperance and Contempt of others ; in Sicknefs, to Impatience * in Health, to Prefumption and Forgetfulnefs of our latter ends • ia our Callings, either to NegIigence,Unfaithfulnefs and IdJenefs on the one hand, or to overmuch Solicitoufncfs and Vexation on the otJier hand : If we are inCompany,we are in danger to be mifguided by evil Perfuafions or Examples from others ; if we are alone, we are apt to be corrupted by the evil fuggeftions of our own corrupt hearts, or of that evil one that watcheth all Opportunities either to ledu'ce or mifchief us. And fince all our ways are before thee,and thou knowefl theifnares that are in them, and how to prevent them, or to prevent us from them, or to preferve us againft them, we bcfeech thee, by thy Providence preferve us from all thofe Temptations which thou knoweft to be too ftrong for us ; and by thy Grace preferve us from being overcome by thofe Temptations that unavoidably occur in ail our aaions and conditions : Grant us the Spirit of WatchfuJnefs and Sobriety,theSpirit of Moderation and Humility ,theSpirit of Patience and Wifdom, the Spirit of Faith and Dependance, and the Spirit o£ the Love and Fear of thy Majefty, that ma-y fupport us againft all thofe Temptations unto any fm that may occur m the courfe and pafTagesof our Lives; that though thy Providence (liould permit uy to fall mto Temptation,we may not fall under it, but by thy Grace be delivered from the evil of it. But deliver us from Evil. • Deliver us therefore, we pray thee, from Evil of all kinds and na» tures ; from thcEvil of Sin,and from theEvil of Suffering j from facfe Evils as may befal our Souls, either to difturb and difcompofe them or to defile and corrupt them ; from'the Evils that may befal our Bo- dies by Cafualties or Difcafes ; from the Evils that may befal our Eftates by Lodes and Calamities ; from the Evils that may befal our good Names by Calumnies and Slanders; from the Evils that may be- fal our Relations in any kind ; from pubJick Evils to the Church or State wherein we live ; from private Evils to our fclves or others. For thine is the Kingdom. And though in this Ihort Prayer we have been bold jto ask of thee many large and ample Benefits and Mercies, which if we look upon our xelves onjy, fcem too great for us to ask ,' yet they are not too great for thee ro give ; for thou art the great King and Sovereian Lord ot all the World, in comparifon of whom all the Kings of the Earth are but fmall inconfiderable th;ngs ; and yet even theirHonour IS much advanced byBeneficence andBounty ; all which neverthelels as but a drop ir; companion of that Ocean of Goodnefs , and Bounty and Beneficence that refidcs in, and hourly flows from Thee , the Great '^5^ The Lords Prayer Taraphrafed. Great Monarch of the whole World. Thy Sabjefts are all of thy Own makin;; ; and all the good that is in them, or enjoyed by them, is derived from thee to them : The Strengt:h,and G3ory,and Beauty, and Excellence of thy Kingdom is not derived from thySubieas,buc from thy Self to them. And therefore, tho my Petitions be great, they are fie to be fuch, becaafe direSed to the Mighty Creator, and King and M-^narch of the whole Univerfe , the Root and Fountain of ail Being and Goodnefs. The Power. And as thou art the Great Sovereign of all the World, and art in^ vefttd with the Supream Authority ; fo thou art the great Creator of all things, and art invefted with infinite Power and All-fufficiency. And as thou hafl the SupreamAuthority,fo thou hafcBoundlefs Power* to Grant and Eifeft what we have asked. As thou art the Great and Glorious King of Heaven and Earth, and the Father of all Mankind,' we have reafon to be confident in thy Goodnefs and Beneficence. Ahd as thou art the Almighty Creator, we have alfurance of thy Power, to oive us whatfoever thy Wifdom and Goodnefs doth move' thee to beOow. And therefore upon both accounts we have reafon to be confident in the obtaining of what we ask in this Prayer from the great Lord of all things, that is abundant in Goodnefs, and AU- fufficient in Power. j^nd the Glory. And although thy InfiniteAll-fufhciency andGlory can receive no increafe from thy Creatures, yet give us leave wirhHumility to prei's. thee ever with this Argument alfo ; Thou haft been pleafcd to de- clare unto us, That thy Glory is the great end of all thy Works 5 and art pleafcd to fer the greaceft Value that may be upon thy own Glory ; and art pleafed to command thy Creatures to Glorify thee ; and dofl accept that fmali Tribute of Praife and Thankfgiving and^ Glorifying of thy Name from thy Creatures in good part. Thouhafl:- the Glory of our Dependance upon Thee, which we teftify by in- voking thy great Name 5 thou wilt have the Glory of thy Goodnefs, thyPower,thy Bounty in granting thefeour Petitions and Requefts j and the Glory of our Praifes and Tbankfgivings for thy Bounty and Goodnefs in accepting and anfwering them j which tho' it cannot benefit Thee, yet it is ail thy poor Creatures can return unto Thee, and thouhafl declared thy felf well pleafed with it. ?fal. 50. 32. He that ofFcreth Praife, glorifieth Thee. ^men. Bleffed Lord, therefore be it according to thefe our Petitions and Defires : And fo much the rather , becaufe thefe our Requefts are not the produQ: of our own Imaginations and weak Judgments ; but that Son of thine, who beft knew thy Will, and what thou would- eft grant, has taught us thus to pray j When ye pay, Jay, Oar F^- thcr, &C. FINIS,' \. <'.; i