Ex Libris C. K. OGDEN 7? THE RULE AND EXERCISES Woivi ^i^iriQ THE RULE AND EXERCISES %alY iCitring By JEREMY TAYLOR, d.d. BISHOP OF DOWN AND CONNOR AND DROMORE JRiDingtane' lEtiitinn LONDON HENRY FROWDE, OXFORD WAREHOUSE AND LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. MDCCCXC B^-^*r BV T2lr 16^0 €onitntB CHAPTER INTRODUCTION — OK THE GENERAL MEANS SERVING TO A HOLY LIFE Sect. I. Care of our Time Rules for employing our Time . The Benefits of this Care of our Time 11. Purity of Intention . Rules for our Intentions . Signs of Purity of Intention III. The Practice of the Presence of God Several Manners of the Divine Presence Rules for practising this consideration The Benefits of this Habit CHAPTER II CHRISTIAN SOBRIETY I. Sobriety in General . . . . . -47 Evil consequences of Voluptuousness or Sensuality . 48 Degrees of Sobriety . . . . -49 Rules for suppressing Voluptuousness . . -49 Contents Sect. page II. Temperance in Eating and Drinking . . .52 Measures of Temperance in Eating . . '53 Signs and Effects of Temperance . -54 Drunkenness . . . - -55 Evil Consequences of Drunkenness . . .56 Signs of Drunkenness . . . . - 58 Rules for maintaining Temperance . . -58 III. Chastity— An Introductory Warning to be read before going on further .... The Evil Consequences of Uncleanness Acts of Chastity in general Acts of Virginal Chastity Rules for Widows, or Vidual Chastity . Rules for Married Persons, or Matrimonial Chastity Remedies against Uncleanness . IV. Humility ...... Considerations against Pride Acts or Offices of Humility Means and Exercises for obtaining and increasing the Grace of Humility .... Signs of Humility .... V. Modesty ....... Acts and Duties of Modesty, as it is opposed to Inqui sitiveness ..... Acts of Modesty as it is opposed to Boldness . Acts of Modesty as it is opposed to Indecency VI. Contentedness in all Estates and Accidents Means and Habits for procuring Contentedness Consolations to make one contented »n Troubles Poverty or a low Fortune The Charge of many Children . Contents Sect. PAGE Violent Necessities 121 Death of Children or nearest Relatives and Friends 123 Untimely Death .... 123 Death unseasonable .... 124 Sudden or Violent Death 126 Being Childless ..... 126 Evil or unfortunate Children 126 Our own Death ..... 127 CHAPTER III OF CHRISTIAN JUSTICE I. Obedience to our Superiors .... 134 Acts and Duties of Obedience to all our Superiors . 135 Remedies against Disobedience, and Considerations for making us love Obedience .... 138 Degrees of Obedience ..... 142 II. The Justice which is due from Superiors to Inferiors . 143 The Duties of Kings, and all the Supreme Power, as Lawgivers ...... 143 The Duty of Superiors as Judges . . . 146 The Duty of Parents to their Children. . . 147 Rules for Married Persons . . . .148 The Duty of Masters of Families . . . 149 The Duty of Guardians or Tutors . . .150 III. Business Transactions . . . . • 151 Rules and Measures of Justice in Bargaining . . 151 IV. Restitution . . . . .154 Rules for making Restitution .... 155 CTontcnts CHAPTER IV CHRISTIAN RELIGION § 0/ the Iniental Actions of Religion Sect. page I. Faith .169 The Acts and Offices of Faith . . . .169 Signs of True Faith ..... 171 The Means and Instruments to obtain Faith . . 173 II. The Hope of a Christian ..... 174 The Acts of Hope . . -175 Rules to govern our Hope . . . .176 Means of Hope, and Remedies against Despair 177 III. Charity or the Love of God .... 102 The Acts of Love to God . . .184 The Mea.sures and Rules of Di\'ine Love . . 186 Helps to increase our Love to God, as a habit . 187 The two States of Love to God .... 189 Cautions and Rules concerning Zeal . . . 190 § The External Actions of Religion IV. Of Reading or Hearing the Word of God . . 193 Rules for Hearing or Reading the Word of God . 194 Concerning Spiritual Books and Ordinary' Sermons . 195 V. Fasting ....... 197 Rules for Christian Fasting .... 197 The Benefits of Fasting ..... 202 Contents Sect. page VI. Of Keeping Festivals, and Days Holy to the Lord ; par- ticularly the Lord's Day .... 206 Rules for keeping the Lord's Day and other Christian Festivals . . . . . .208 § Acts of Religion partly Internal, partly Extertial VIL Prayer ...... 228 Motives to Prayer ..... 228 Rules for the Practice of Prayer . . . 229 Cautions for making Vows .... 236 Remedies against Wandering Thoughts in Prayer . 237 Signs of Tediousness of Spirit in our Prayers and all Actions of Religion ..... 239 Remedies against Tediousness of Spirit . . 240 VIII. Of Alms 249 Works of Mercy, or the several Kinds of Corporal Alms 250 Works of Spiritual Alms and Mercy . . .251 Rules for giving Alms ..... 252 Motives to Charity ..... 258 Remedies against Unmercifulness and Uncharitableness 260 Against Envy ...... 260 Against Anger ...... 261 Remedies against Anger, by way of consideration . 265 Remedies against Covetousness, the third Enemy of Mercy ...... 267 IX. Of Repentance . . . . . .272 Acts and Parts of Repentance .... 274 Motives to Repentance .... 281 X. Of Preparation to, and the Manner how to receive, the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper . . 283 The Effects and Benefits of Worthy Communicating . 291 CTontcnts PRAYERS A Prayer for holy intention in the beginning and pursuit of any considerable action, as Study, Preaching, &c. A Prayer meditating and referring to the Divine presence Prayers and Devotions ...... For Grace to spend our time well .... The First Prayers in the Morning, as soon as we are dressed An Act of Adoration, being the song that the angels sing in heaven .... An Act of Thanksgiving, being the song of David for the morning .... An Act of Oblation, or presenting ourselves to God for the day ..... An Act of Repentance or Contrition Prayer, or Petition ... An Act of Intercession or Prayer for others For the Church For the Sovereign . For the Clergy For Wife or Husband For our Children . For Friends and Benefactors For our Family For all in Misery . Another Form of Prayer for the Morning An Exercise to be used at any time of the day The Hymn, collected out of the Psalms, recounting the Excellences and Greatness of God Ejaculations .... Prayer .... Contents PAGE A Form of Prayer for the Evening, to be said by those who have not time or opportunity to say the public Evensong . . . . . .42- Another Form of Evening Prayer, which may also be used at bed-time . . . . -43 Ejaculations and short Meditations to be used in the night when we awake . . . . -45 Prayers for the several Graces and Parts of Christian Sobriety 128 A Prayer against Sensuality . . . . .138 For Temperance ...... 128 For Chastity; to be said especially by Unmarried Per- sons ........ 129 A Prayer for the Love of God, to be said by Virgins and Widows, professed or resolved so to live : and may be used by any one ...... 129 A Prayer to be said by Married Persons in behalf of them- selves and each other ..... 15c* A Prayer for the Grace of Humility . .130 Acts of Humility and Modesty by way of Prayer and Me- ditation ....... 131 A Prayer for a Contented Spirit, and the Grace of Mode- ration and Patience . . . . .132 Prayers to be said in relation to the several Obligations and Offices of Justice ...... 161 A Prayer for the Grace of Obedience, to be said by all Persons under Command . . . . .161 A Prayer to be said by Subjects when the Land is invaded and overrun by barbarous or wicked People, enemies of the Religion or the Government .... 162 A Prayer to be said by Kings or Magistrates for themselves and their People . . . . . .164. A Prayer to be said by Parents for their Children . . 164 Contents PAGE A Prayer to be said by Masters of Families, Curates, Tutors, or other responsible Persons, for their Charges 165 A Prayer to be said by Merchants, Tradesmen, and Handi- craftsmen ....... 165 .\ Prayer to be said by Debtors, and all Persons bound, whether by Crime or Contract .... 166 A Prayer for Patron and Benefactors . . . 167 A Prayer to be said before the hearing or reading the Word of God ........ 197 A Form of Confession of Sins and Repentance, to be used upon Fasting Days, or Days of Humiliation, especially in Lent, and before the Holy Sacrament . . . 203 Prayer . . . . • • • .205 Special Devotions to be used upon the Lord's Day, and the great Festivals of Christians .... 212 A short Form of Thanksgiving to be said upon any special Deliverance, as from Child-birth, from Sickness, from Battle, or imminent Danger at Sea or Land, &c. . 217 A Prayer of Thanksgiving after the receiving of some great Blessing, as the Birth of an Heir, the Success of an honest Design, a Victorj', a good Harvest, &c. . 219 A Prayer to be said on the Feast of Christmas, or the Birth of our Blessed Saviour Jesus ; the same also may be said upon the Feast of the Annunciation and Purification of the B. Virgin Mary ..... 220 A Prayer to be said upon our Birthday, or day of Baptism 221 A Prayer to be said upon the Days of the Memorj- of Apostles, Martyrs, &c. ..... 222 A Form of Prayer recording all the parts and mysteries of Christ's Passion, being a short history of it : to be used especially in the Week of the Passion, and before the recei\'ing of the Blessed Sacrament . . . 223 Contents PAGE Prayer ........ 227 A Form of Prayer or Intercession for all Estates of People in the Christian Church : the parts of which may be added to any other forms ; and the whole office, entirely as it lies, is proper to be said in our preparation to the Holy Sacrament, or on the day of celebration . . . 243 For Ourselves ...... 243 For the whole Catholic Church .... 244 For all Christian Kings, Princes, and Governors . . 244 For all the Orders of them that minister about Holy Things . . . . . . -245 For our nearest Relatives, as Husband, Wife, Children, Family, &c. . . . . . -245 For our Parents, our Kindred in the Flesh, our Friends and Benefactors ...... 246 For all that lie under the Rod of War, Famine, Pestilence : to be said in the time of Plague, or War, &c. . . 246 For all Women with Child, and for unborn Children . 247 For all Estates of Men and Women in the Christian Church 247 A Prayer of Preparation or Address to the Holy Sacrament . 294 An Act of Love ...... 294 An Act of Desire An Act of Contrition . An Act of Faith The Petition . 294 295 295 295 Ejaculations to be said before or at the receiving the Holy Sacrament ....... 296 Ejaculations to be used any time that Day, after the So- lemnity is ended ...... 299 Prayers for all sorts of Men and all Necessities; relating to the several parts of the Virtue of Religion . . . 300 A Prayer for the Graces of Faith, Hope, Charify . . 300 Contents PAGE Acts of Love bj' way of Prayer and Ejaculation ; to be used in private ...... 301 A Prayer to be said in any affliction, as Death of Children, of Husband or Wife, in great Poverty, in Imprison- ment, in a Sad and Disconsolate Spirit, and in Temp- tations to Despair ..... 301 Ejaculations and short Meditations to be used in time of Sickness and Sorrow, or Danger of Death . . 302 An Act of Faith concerning the Resurrection and the Day of Judgment, to be said by Sick Persons, or meditated 304 Short Prayers to be said by Sick Persons . . . 304 Acts of Hope, to be used by Sick Persons after a Pious Ijfe ....... 307 A Prayer to be said in behalf of a Sick or Dying Person . 307 A Prayer to be said in a Storm at Sea . . . 308 A Form of a Vow to be made in this or the like Danger . 309 A Prayer before a Journey . . . 309 THE RULE AND EXERCISES l^olg UtiJtnQ THE ^xtk anb ^xtvcxBtB ot W)ol^ ^Eibing Chapter I Introduction On tlie General Means serving to a Holy Life IT is necessary that every man should consider, that since God hath given him an excellent nature, wisdom, and choice, an understanding soul, and an immortal spirit ; having made him lord over the beasts and but a little lower than the angels ; he hath also appointed for him a work and a service great enough to employ those abili- ties, and hath also designed him to a state of life after this, to which he can only amve by that service and obedience. And therefore, as every man is wholly God's own portion by the title of creation, so all our labours and care, all our powers and faculties, must be wholly employed in the service of God, and even all the days of our life ; that, this life being ended, we may live with Him for ever. Neither is it sufficient that we think of the service of God as a work of the least necessity, or of small employ- ment, but that it be done by us as God intended it ; and that it be done with great earnestness and passion, with much zeal and desire ; that we refuse no labour ; that we bestow upon it much time ; that we use the best guides, and arrive at the end of glor}-- by all the ways of grace, of pnidence and religion. And, indeed, if we con- sider how much of our lives is taken up by the needs ot Zi)t Entrotjuction nature ; how many years are ] wholly spent, before we come j to any use of reason ; how I many years more, before that ' reason is useful to us to any great purposes; how imper- fect our discoui-se is made by our evil education, false principles, ill company, bad examples, and want of expe- rience ; how many parts of our wisest and best years are spent in eating and sleeping, in necessary busi- nesses and unnecessary vani- ties, in worldly civilities and less useful circumstances, in the learning arts and sciences, languages, or trades ; that little portion of hours that is left for the practices of piety and religious walking with God, is so short and trifling, that, were not the goodness of God infinitely great, it might seem unreasonable or impossible for us to expect of Him eternal joys in heaven, even after the well spending those few minutes which are left for God and God's ser- vice, after we have served ourselves and our own occa- sions. And yet it is to be con- sidered, that the fruit which comes from the many days of recreation and vanity 13 very little ; and, although we scatter much, yet we gather but little profit : but from the few hours we spend in prayer and the exercises of a pious life, the return is great and profitable; and what we sow in the minutes and spare portions of a few years, grows up to crowns and sceptres in a happy and a glorious eternity. 1. Therefore, although it cannot be enjoined, that the greatest part of our time be spent in the direct actions of devotion and religion, yet it will become, not only a duty, but also a great providence, to lay aside, for the services of God and the businesses of the Spirit, as much as we can; because God rewards our minutes wnth long and eternal happiness ; and the greater portion of our time we give to God, the more we treasure up for ouiselves ; and A^o man is a better Jiier- chant than he that lays out his timetipon God, and his mo7iey upon the poor. 2. Only it becomes us to remember, and to adore God's goodness for it, that God hath not only permitted us to serve the necessities of our nature, but hath made them to become parts of our duty; that if we, by directing CTarc of our Zhm these actions to the glory of God, intend them as instru- ments to continue our persons in His service, He, by adopt- ing them into rehgion, may turn our nature into grace, and accept our natural actions as actions of religion. God is pleased to esteem it for a part of His service, if we eat or drink, so it be done tem- perately, and as best may preserve our health, that our health may enable our ser- vices towards Him. And there is no one minute of our lives (after we are come to the use of reason), but we are or may be doing the work of God, even then when we most of all serve our- selves. 3. To which, if we add, that in these and all other actions of our lives we always stand before God, acting, and speaking, and thinking in His presence, that it mat- ters not that our conscience is sealed with secrecy, since it lies open to God ; it will concern us to behave our- selves carefully as in the pre- sence of our Judge. These three considerations rightly managed, and applied to the several parts and in- stances of our lives, will be like Elisha stretched upon the child, apt to put life and quickness into every part of it, and to make us live the life of grace, and do the work of God. I shall, therefore, by way of introduction, reduce these three to practice, and shew how every Christian may im- prove all and each of these to the advantage of piety, in the whole course of his life ; that if he please to bear but one of them upon his spirit, he may feel the benefit, like an universal instrument, helpful in all spiritual and temporal actions. § I. Care of our Time HE that is choice of his time will also be choice of his company, and choice of his actions : lest the first engage him in vanity and loss ; and the latter, by being criminal, be a throwing bis time and himself away, €axt of our Zimc and a going back in the ac- ! counts of eternity. I God hath given to man a ; short time here upon earth, ' and yet upon this short time eternity depends : but so, | that for every hour of our ! hfe (after we are persons cap- ' able of laws, and know good from evil) we must give ac- count to the great Judge of men and angels. And this is it which our blessed Sa- viour told us, that we must ' account for C7'e;y idle zi>ofd ; not meaning, that every word ; which is not designed to edi- j tication, or is less prudent, | shall be reckoned for a sin ; but that the time which we spend in our idle talking and unprofitable discoursings, that time which might and ought to have been em- ' ployed to spiritual and useful j purposes — that is to be ac- | counted for. j For we must remember, that we have a great work to do, many enemies to con- quer, many evils to prevent, much danger to run through, many difficulties to be mas- tered, many necessities to serve, and much good to do ; many children to provide for, or many friends to support, or many poor to relieve, or many diseases to cure; be- sides the needs of nature and of relation, our private and our public cares, and duties of the world, which necessity and the providence of God have adoped into the family of religion. And that we need not fear this instrument to be a snare to us, or that the duty must end in scruple, vexation, and eternal fears, we must re- member, that the life of every man may be so ordered (and indeed must) that it may be a perpetual serving of God. The greatest trouble and most busy trade and worldly encumbrances, when they are necessaiy, or charit- able, or profitable in order to any of those ends which we are bound to serve, whether public or private, being a doing God's work. For God provides the good things of the world to sene the needs of nature, by the labours of the ploughman, the skill and pains of the artisan, and the dangers and traffic of the mer- chant : these men are, in their calling, the ministers ol the Divine Providence, and the stewards of the creation, and servants of the great family of God, the M'orld, in the employment of procur- inir necessaries for food and Care of our (Time clothing, ornament, and phy- sic. In their proportions, also, a king, and a priest and a prophet, a judge and an advocate, doing the works of their employment according to their proper rules, are doing the work of God ; be- cause they serve those neces- sities which God hath made, and yet made no provisions for them, but by their minis- tr)'. So that no man can complain that his calling takes him off from religion ; his calling itself, and his very worldly employment in hon- est trades and offices, is a serving of God ; and, if it be moderately pursued and ac- cording to the rules of Chris- tian prudence, will leave void spaces enough for prayers and retirements of a more spiritual religion. God hath given every man work enough to do, that there shall be no room for idleness ; and yet hath so ordered the world, that there shall be space for devotion. He that hath the fewest busi- nesses of the world is called upon to spend more time in the dressing of his soul ; and he that hath the most affairs may so order them that they shall be a service of God ; whilst at certain periods, they are blessed with prayers and actions of religion, and all day long are hallowed by a holy intention. However, so long as idle- ness is quite shut out from our lives, all the sins of wantonness, softness, and effeminacy, are prevented, and there is but little room left for temptation ; and, therefore, to a busy man temptation is fain to climb up together with his busi- nesses, and sins creep upon him only by accidents and occasions ; whereas, to an idle person they come in a full body, and with open violence, and the impudence of a restless importunity. Idleness is called "the sin of Sodom and her daugh- ters,"^ and indeed is "the burial of a living man ;" an idle person being so useless to any purposes of God and man, that he is like one that is dead, unconcerned in the changes and necessities of the world ; and he only lives to spend his time, and eat the fruits of the earth : like ver- min or a wolf, when their time comes they die and perish, and in the meantime do no good ; they neither plough nor carry burdens ; 1 Ezek. xvi. 49. Care of our Cime all that they do either is un- profitable or mischievous. Idleness is the gi'eatest pro- digality in the world ; it throws away that which is invaluable in respect of its present use, and irreparable when it is past, being to be recovered by no power of art or nature. But the way to secure and improve our time we may practice in the fol- lowinc: rules : — Rules for employing our Time. 1. In the morning, when you awake, accustom your- self to think first upon God, or something in order to His service; and at night also, let Him close thine eyes : and let your sleep be necessary and healthful, not idle and expensive of time, beyond the needs and conveniences of nature ; and sometimes be curious to see the preparation which the sun makes, when he is coming forth from his chambers of the east. 2. Let every man that hath a calling be diligent in pur- suance of its employment, so as not lightly or without rea- sonable occasion to neglect it in any of those times which are usually, and by the cus- tom of prudent persons and good husbands, employed in it. 3. Let all the interi'als or void spaces of time be em- ployed in prayers, reading, meditating, works of nature, recreation, charity, friendli- ness and neighbourhood, and means of spiritual and cor- poral health ; ever remem- bering so to work in our calling, as not to neglect the work of our high calling; but to begin and end the day with God, with such forms of devotion as shall be proper to our necessities. 4. The resting days of Christians, and festivals of the Church, must, in no sense, be days of idleness ; for it is better to plough upon holy days, than to do nothing, or to do viciously : but let them be spent in the works of the day, that is, of religion and charity, according to the ndes appointed.^ 5. Avoid the company of drunkards and busy-bodies, and all such as are apt to talk vinch to little purpose : for no man can be provident of his time that is not pradent in the choice of his company ; and if one of the speakers be vain, tedious, and trifling, he that hears, and he that an- 2 See chap. iv. sect. 6. Care nf our Cimc swers, in the discourse, are equal losers of their time. 6. Never talk with any man, or undertake any trifling employment, merely to pass the th?ie azvay ; for eveiy day well spent may become a *' day of salvation," and time rightly employed is an "ac- ceptable time." And re- member, that the time thou triflest away was given thee to repent in, to pray for par- don of sins, to work out thy salvation, to do the work of grace, to lay up against the Day of Judgment a treasure of good works, that thy name may be crowned with eter- nity. 7. In the midst of the works of thy calling, often retire to God in shoj-t prayers and ejaculations ; and these may make up the want of those larger portions of time, which, it may be, thou desirest for devotion, and in which thou thinkest other persons have advantage of thee : for so thou reconcilest thy outward work and thy inward calling, the Church and the Common- wealth, the employment of thy body and tlie interest of thy soul : for be sure, that God is present at thy breath- ings and hearty sighings of prayer, as soon as at the longer offices of less busied persons ; and thy time is as truly sanctified by a trade, and devout though shorter prayers, as by the longer offices of those whose time is not filled up with labour and useful business. 8. Let your employment be such as may become a reasonable person; and not be a business fit for children or distracted people, but Jit for your age and understand- ing. For a man may be very idly busy, and take great pains to so little purpose, that, in his labours and ex- pense of time, he shall serve no end but of folly and van- ity. There are some trades that wholly serve the ends of idle persons and fools, and such as are fit to be seized upon by the severity of laws and banished from under the sun ; and there are some people who are busy ; but it is, as Domitian was, in catch- ing flies. 9. Let your employment be fitted to yonr person and calling. Some there are that employ their time in affairs infinitely below the dignity of their person; and being called by God or by the re- public to help to bear great burdens, and to judge a peo- Cnrc of our (Time pie, do enfeeble their under- standings and disable their persons by sordid and brutish business. Thus Nero went up and down Greece, and challenged the fiddlers at their trade. yEropus, a Ma- cedonian king, made lanterns. Harcatius, the king of Par- thia, was a mole-catcher ; and Biantes, the Lydian, filed needles. He that is appoint- ed to minister in holy things must not suffer secular affairs and sordid arts to eat up great portions of his employ- ment ; a clerg}'man must not keep a tavern, nor a judge be an innkeeper. 10. Let our employment be siich as becomes a Chris- tian; that is, in no sense mingled with sin ; for he that takes pains to serve the ends of covetousness, or ministers to another's lust, or keeps a shop of impurities or intem- perance, is idle in the worst sense ; for every hour so spent runs him backward, and must be spent again in the reniaining and shorter part of his life, and spent better. 11. Persons oi great qual- ify, and of no trade, are to be most prudent and careful in their employment and traffic of time. They are miserable if their education hath been so loose and un- j disciplined as to leave them unfurnished of skill to spend their time: but most miserable are they, if such misgovern- ment and unskilfulness make them fall into vicious and baser company, and drive on their time by the sad minutes and periods of sin and death. They that are learned know the worth of time, and the manner how well to improve i a day ; and they are to pre- I pare themselves for those pur- I poses in which they may be most useful in order to arts j or arms, to counsel in public, or government in their coun- try'. But for others of them, that are titilearncd, let them choose good company, such as may not tempt them to a vice, or join with them in any ; but that may supply their defects by counsel and discourse, by way of conduct or conversation. Let them learn easy and useful things, read histoiy and the laws of the land, learn the customs of their country, the con- dition of their own estate, profitable and charitable contrivances of it : let them study prudently to govern ' their families, learn the bur- ! dens of their tenants, the ne- Care of our cLtmc cessities of their neighbours, and in their proportion sup- ply them, and reconcile their enmities, and prevent their lawsuits or quickly end them ; and in this glut of leisure and disemployment, let them set apart greater portions of their time for religion and the ne- cessities of their souls. 12. Let women of noble birth and great fortimes do the same things in their pro- portions and capacities ; nurse their children, look to the affairs of the house, visit poor cottages, and relieve their necessities ; be courteous to the neighbourhood, learn in silence of their husbands or their spiritual guides, read good books, pray often and speak little, and ' ' learn to do good works for necessary uses ; " for by that phrase St. Paul expresses the obligation of Christian women to good housewifery, and charitable provisions for their family and neighbourhood. 13. Let all persons of all conditions avoid all delicacy or nicencss in their clothing or diet, because such softness engages them upon great misspendings of their time, while they dress and comb out all their opportunities of their morning devotion, and half the day's severity, and sleep out the care and pro- vision for their souls. 14. Let every one of every condition avoid curiosity, and all inquiry into things that concern them not. For all business in things that con- cern us not is an employing our time to no good of ours, and therefore not in order to a happy eternity. In this account our neighbours' ne- cessities are not to be reck- oned : for they concern us, as one member is concerned in the grief of another : but going from house to house, tattlers and busybodies, which are the canker and rust of idleness, as idleness is the rust of time, are reproved by the Apostle in severe lan- guage, and forbidden in order to this exercise. 15. As much as may be, CJit off all impertijient and nseless ejnployments of your life, unnecessary and fantas- tic visits, long waitings upon great personages, where nei- ther duty, nor necessity, nor charity oblige vis ; all vain meetings, all laborious trifles, and whatsoever spends much time to no real, civil, reli- gious, or charitable purpose. 16. Let not your recreations be lavish spenders of your Care of our vtimc time ; but choose such as are healtliful, short, transient, recreative, and apt to refresh you ; but at no hand dwell upon them, or make them your great employment : for he that spends his time in sports, and calls it recreation, is like him whose garment is all made of fringes, and his meat nothing but sauces ; they are healthless, charge- able, and useless. And therefore avoid such games as require much time or long attendance ; or which are apt to steal thy affections from more severe employments. For to whatsoever thou hast given thy affection, thou wilt not grudge to give thy time. Natural necessity and the example of St. John, who recreated himself by sporting with a tame partridge, teach us, that it is lawful to relax and unbend our bow, but not to suffer it to be unready or unstning. 17. Set apart some por- tions of ever)' day for more solemn dci'otion and religious employment; which be severe in observing : and if variety of employment, or prudent affairs, or civil society, press upon you, yet so order thy inile, that the necessary parts of it be not omitted ; and though just occasions may make your prayers shorter, yet let nothing but a violent, sudden, and impatient neces- sity make thee, upon any one day, wholly to omit thy morn- ing and evening devotions ; which if you be forced to make very short, you may supply and lengthen with ejaculations and short retire- ments in the day-time, in the midst of your employment or of your company. 18. Do not the " work of God negligently" ^ and idly : let not thy heart be upon the world when thy hand is lifted up in prayer ; and be sure to prefer an action of religion, in its place and proper sea- son, before all worldly plea- sure : letting secular things, that may be dispensed with in themselves, in these cir- cumstances v/ait upon the other. Sir Thomas More being sent for by the king when he was at his prayers in public, returned answer, he would attend him when he had first performed his service to the King of kings. In honouring God and doing His work, put forth all thy strength ; for of that time only thou mayest be most confident that it is gained, 3 Jer. xlviii. 10. Care of our Zimt Avhich is prudently and zeal- ously spent in God's service. 19. When the clock strikes, or however else you' shall measure the day, it is good to say a short ejaculation every hour, that the parts and returns of devotion may be the measure of your time : and do so also in all the breaches of thy sleep ; that those spaces, AA-hich have in them no direct business of the world, may be filled with religion. 20. If, by thus doing, you have not secured your time by an early and forehanded care, yet be sure by a timely diligence " to redeem the time;" that is, to be pious and religious in those cases in which formerly you have sinned, and to bestow your time especially upon such graces, the contrary whereof you have formerly practised, doing actions of chastity and temperance with as great a zeal and eai-nestness as you did once act your unclean- ness ; and then, by all arts, to watch against your present and future dangers, from day to day securing your standing. This is properly to redeem your time, that is, to buy your security of it at the rate of any labour and honest arts. 21. Let him that is most busied set apart some " so- lemn time every year,"^ in which, for the time, quitting all worldly business, he may attend wholly to fasting and prayer, and the dressing of his soul by confessions, me- ditations, and attendances upon God ; that he may make up his accounts, renew his vows, make amends for his carelessness, and retire back again, from the place to which levity and the vanities of tile world, or the oppor- tunity of temptations, or the distraction of secular affairs, have carried him. 22. In this we shall be much assisted, and we shall find the work more easy, if, before we sleep, every night we examine the actions of the past day with a particular scratiny, if there have been any accident extraordinary ; as long discourse, a feast, much business, variety of company. If nothing but common hath happened, the less examination will suffice ; only let us take care that we sleep not without such a re- collection of the actions of the day, as may re-present anything that is remarkable and great, either to be the * I Cor. vii. 5. Care of our (Time matter of sorrow or thanks- giving. For other things a general care is proportion- able. 23, Let all these things be done prudently and mode- rately, not with scruple and vexation. For these are good advantages, but the particu- lars are not Divine command- ments ; and therefore are to be used as shall be found ex- pedient to every one's con- dition. For, provided that our duty be secured, for the degrees and for the instru- ments every man is permitted to himself and the conduct of such as shall be appointed to him. He is happy that can secure every hour to a sober or a pious employment : but the duty consists not scrupu- lously in minutes and half- hours, but in greater portions of time ; provided that no minute be employed in sin ; that the great portions of our time be spent in sober em- ployment, and that all the appointed days, and some portion of every day, be allowed for religion. In all the lesser parts of time we are left to our own choice and pnident management, and to the consideration of the great degrees and differ- ences of glory that are laid up in heaven for us, accord- ing to the degrees of our care, and piety, and dili- gence. The Be7iefits of this Care of our Time. This habit, besides that it hath influence upon our whole lives, hath a special efficacy for the preventing of — (i.) Beggarly sins, that is, those sins which idleness and beg- gary usually betray men to ; such as are lying, flattery, stealing, and dissimulation. (2.) It is a proper antidote against carnal sins, and such as proceed from fulness of bread and emptiness of em- ployment. (3.) It is a great instrument of preventing the smallest sins and irregulari- ties of our life, which usually creep upon idle, disemployed, and curious persons. (4. ) It not only teaches us to avoid evil, but engages us upon doing good, as the proper business of all our days. (5.) It prepares us so against sudden changes, that we shall not easily be surprised at the sudden coming of the day of the Lord ; for he that is care- ful about his time will not easily be unready and unfur- nished. y^lr^t2 of Cntcution § II. Purity of Intention THAT we should intend and design God's glory in every action we do, whether it be* natural or chosen, is ex- pressed by St. Paul, "Whe- ther ye eat or drink, do all to the glory of God." ^ Which rule when we observe, every action of nature becomes re- ligious, and every meal is an act of worship, and shall have its reward in its pro- portion, as well as an act of prayer. Blessed be that good- ness and gi-ace of God, which, out of infinite desire to glo- rify and save mankind, would make the veiy works of na- ture capable of becoming acts of virtue, that all our lifetime we may do Him ser\ice. This grace is so excellent, that it sanctifies the most common action of our life ; aitd yet so necessary, that without it the very best ac- tions of our devotion are im- perfect and vicious. For he that prays out of custom, or gives alms for praise, or fasts to be accounted religious, is but a Pharisee in his devo- tion, and a beggar in his alms, and a hypocrite in his fait. But a holy end sano- 5 I Cor. X. 31. tifies all these and all other actions which can be made holy, and gives distinction to them, and procures accept- ance. For, as to know the end distinguishes a man from a beast, so to choose a good end distinguishes him from an evil man. Hezekiah re- peated his good deeds upon his sick-bed, and obtained favour of God, but the Pha- risee was accounted insolent for doing the same thing ; because this man did it to upbraid his brother, the other to obtain a mercy of God. Zacharias questioned with the angel about his message, and was made speechless for his- incredulity ; but the blessed Virgin Mary questioned too, and was blameless ; for she. did it to inquire after the manner of the thing, but he did not believe the thing it- self : he doubted of God's power, or the truth of the messenger ; but she, only of her own incapacity. This was it which distinguished the mourning of David from the exclamation of Saul ; the confession of Pharaoh from that of Manasses ; the teara. 14 i^uritu of Entcntion of Peter from the repentance I of Judas : for the praise is I not in the deed done, but in i the manner of its doing. If j a man visits his sick friend, j and watches at his pillow for ! charity's sake, and because of ] his old affection, we approve it ; but if he does it in hope of legacy, he is a vulture, and ; only watches for the carcase. ! The same things are honest j and dishonest : the manner I of doing them, and the end of the design, makes the separation. Holy intention is to the ac- tions of a man that which the soul is to the body, or form to its matter, or the root to the tree, or the sun to the world, or the fountain to a river, or the base to a pillar : for, without these, the body is a dead trunk, the matter is sluggish, the tree is a block, the woi-ld is darkness, the i river is quickly dry, the pillar I rushes into flatness and a I ruin ; and the action is sin- | ful, or unprofitable and vain, j The poor fanner that gave | a dish of cold water to Ar- j taxerxes was rewarded with a golden goblet ; and he that gives the same present to a disciple in the name of a dis- ciple, shall have a crown ; but if he gives water in de- , spite, when the disciple needs wine or a cordial, his reward shall be to want that water to cool his tongue. But this duty must be re- duced to rules. Rules for our Intentions. 1. In every action reflect np07i the end ; and in your undertaking it, consider ivhy you do it, and what you pro- pound to yourself for a re- ward, and to your action as its end. 2. Begin every action in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; the meaning of which is, (i.) That we be careful that we do not the action without the permission or warrant of God. (2.) That we design it to the glory of God, if not in the direct action, yet at least in its consequences ; if not in the particular, yet at least in the whole order of tilings and accidents. (3,) That it mav be so blessed that what you intend for innocent and holy purposes, may not, by any chance, or abuse, or mis- understanding of men, be turned into evil, or made the occasion of sin. 3. Let every action of ^uritg of intention 15 concernment be begtin ivith prayer, that God would not only bless the action, but sanctify your purpose ; and make an oblation of the action to God; holy and well intended actions being the best oblations and pre- sents we can make to God ; and, Avhen God is entitled to them, he will the rather keep the fire upon the altar bright and shining. 4, In the prosecution of the action, renew and re- enkindle your purpose by short ejaciclations to these purposes : "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name let all praise be given : " and consider ' ' Now I am working the work of God ; I am His servant, I am in a happy employment, I am doing my Master's business, I am not at my own disposal, I am using His talents, and all the gain must be His:" for then be sure, as the glory is His, so the reward shall be thine. If thou bringest His goods home with increase. He will make thee ruler over cities. 5. Have a care, that, while the altar thus sends up a holy fume, thou dost not suffer the birds to come and carry away the sacrifice : that is, let not that which began well, and was intended for God's glory, decline and end in thy own praise, or temporal satisfac- tion, or a sin. A story, told to represent the vileness of unchastity, is well begun ; but if thy female auditor be pleased with thy langifage, and begins rather to like thy person for thy story than to dislike the crime, be watch- ful, lest this goodly head of gold descend in silver and brass, and end in iron and clay, like Nebuchadnezzar's image ; for from the end it shall have its name and reward. 6. If any accidental event, which was not first intended by thee, can come to pass, let it not be taken into thy purposes, not at all be made use of ; as if, by telling a true story, you can do an ill turn to your enemy, by no means do it ; but when the tempta- tion is found out, turn all thy enmity upon that. 7. In eveiy more solemn action of religion join together many good ends, that the consideration of them may entertain all your affections ; and that, when any one ceases, the purity of your i6 ^Juritg of Cutrnttoit intention may be supported I by another supply. He that I fasts only to tame a rebellious | body, when he is provided of | a remedy either in grace or | nature, may be tempted to leave off his fasting. But he that in his fast intends the mortification of eveiy uniaily appetite, an accustoming him- self "to bear the yoke of the Lord, a contempt of the pleasures of meat and drink, humiliation of all wilder thoughts, obedience and hu- mility, austerity and charity, and the convenience and as- sistance of devotion, and to \ do an act of repentance; j ■whatever happens, will have i reason enough to make him to continue his purpose, and to sanctify it. And certain it is, the more good ends are designed in an action the more degrees of excellency j the man obtains. | S. If any temptation to ■ spoil your purpose happens i in a religious duty, do not ! presently omit the action, but rather strive to rectify your intention, and to mortify | the temptation. St. Bernard j taught us this rule : for when tlie Devil, obsei-ving him to preacii excellently and to do much benefit to his hearers, tempted him to vain-gloiy, , hoping that the good man, to avoid that, would cease preaching, he gave this answer only, " I neither began for thee, neither for thee will I make an end." 9. In all actions, which are of long continuance, delibera- tion, and abode, let your holy and pious ititcntioii be actual; that is, that it be, by a special prayer or action, by a peculiar act of resignation or oblation, given to God : but in smaller actions, and little things and indifferent, fail not to secure a pious habitual intention; that is, that it be included within your general care, that no action have an ill end; and that it be comprehended in your general prayei's, whereby you offer yourself and ajl you do to God's glory. 10. Call not every temporal end a defiling of thy intention, but only, (i.) When it con- tradicts any of the ends of God; or (2.) When it is principally intended in an action of religion. For some- times a temporal end is part of our duty ; and such are all the actions of our calling, whether our employment be religious or civil. We are commanded to provide for our family : but if the minis- Puritg of Entfution 17 ter of divine offices shall take upon him that holy calling for covetous or ambitious ends, or shall not design the glory of God principally and especially, he hath polluted his hands and his heart ; and the fire of the altar is quenched, or it sends forth nothing but the smoke of mushrooms or unpleasant gums. And it is a great un- worthiness to prefer the in- terest of a creature before the ends of God, the Almighty Creator. But because many cases may happen in which a man's heart may deceive him, and he may not well know what is in his own spirit ; there- fore, by these following signs we shall best make a judg- ment whether our intentions be pure and our purposes holy. Sig?is of Purity of Intention. I. It is probable our hearts^ are right with God, and our intentions innocent and pious, if we set upon actions of re- ligion or civil life with an affection proportionate to the quality of the work ; that we act our temporal affairs with ^ See Sect. I. of this Chapter, Rule 18. ' a desire no greater than our : necessity ; and that, in actions of religion, we be zealous, ' active, and operative, so far as prudence will permit ; but, ' in all cases, that we value a religious design before a tem- poral, when otherwise they are in equal order to their ' several ends : that is, that ' whatsoever is necessary in I order to our soul's health be I higher esteemed than what is j for bodily; and the necessi- j ties, the indispensable neces- sities of the spirit, be served I before the needs of nature, I when they are required in I their several circumstances; or plainer yet, when we choose any temporal incon- venience, rather than commit a sin, and whei> "we choose to do a duty, rather than to get gain. But he that does his recreation or his merchandise cheerfully, promptly, readily, and busily, and the works of religion slowly, flatly, and without appetite ; and the spirit moves like Pharaoh's chariots when the wheels were off ; it is a sign that his heart is not right with God, but it cleaves too much to the world. 2. It is likely our hearts are pure and our intentions spotless, when we are not iS iJuritg of Entrntion solicitous of the opinion and censures of men : but only that we do our duty, and be accepted of God. For our eyes will certainly be fixed there from whence we expect our reward : and if we desire that God should approve us, it is a sign we do His work, and expect Him to be our pay- Master. 3. He that does as well in private, between God and his own soul, as in public, in pulpits, in theatres, and market-places, hath given himself a good testimony that his purposes are full of honesty, nobleness, and in- tegi'ity. For what Elkanah said to the mother of Samuel, "Am not I better to thee than ten sons ?" is most cer- tainly verified concerning God ; that He, who is to be our judge, is better than ten thousand witnesses. But he that would have his virtue published, studies not virtue, but glory. " He is not just that will not be just without praise : but he is a righteous man that does justice, when to do so is made infamous ; and he is a wise man who is delighted with an ill name that is well gotten." And indeed that man hath a itrange covetousness, or folly, I that is not contented with this reward, that he hath pleased God. And see what he gets by it. He that does good works for praise or secu- lar ends, sells an inestimable jewel for a trifle ; and that which would purchase heaven for him, he parts with for the breath of the people ; which, at the best, is but air, and that not often wholesome. 4. It is well, also, when we are not solicitous or troubled concerning the effect and event of all our actions ; but that being first by prayer recommended to Him, is left at His disposal : for then, in case the event be not answer- able to our desires, or to the efficacy of the instrument, we have nothing left to rest in but the honesty of our pur- poses ; which it is the more I likely we have secured, by how much more we are in- different concerning the suc- cess. St. James converted but eight persons, when he preached in Spain ; and our blessed Saviour converted fewer than his own disciples did : and if thy labours prove unprosperous, if thou beest much troubled at that, it is certain you didst not think yourself secure of a reward for your intention; which ^uritg of Entcntton 19 you might have done, if it had been pure and just. 5. He loves virtue for God's sake and its own that loves and honours it wher- ever it is to be seen ; but he that is envious or angry at a virtue that is not his own, at the perfection or excellency of his neighbour, is not cove- tous of the virtue, but of its reward and reputation ; and then his intentions are pol- luted. It was a great in- genuousness in Moses that wished all the people might be prophets; but if he had designed his own honour, he would have prophesied alone. But he that desires only that the work of God and religion shall go on is pleased with it, whosoever is the instrument. 6. He that despises the world, and all its appendant vanities, is the best judge, and the most secured of his intentions ; because he is the farthest removed from a temp- tation. Every degree of mor- tification is a testimony of the purity of our purposes ; and in what degree we despise sensual pleasure, or secular honours, or worldly reputa- tion, in the same degree we shall conclude our heart right to religion and spiritual de- signs. 7. When we are not soli- citous concerning the instru- ments and means of our ac- tions, but tise those means which God hath laid before ?/j, with resignation, indifferency, and thankfulness, it is a good sign that we are rather intent upon the end of God's glor}^ than our own convenience or temporal satisfaction. He that is indifferent whether he serve God in riches or in poverty, is rather a seeker of God than of himself ; and he that will throw away a good book because it is not curi- ously gilded, is more curious to please his eye than to in- form his understanding. 8. When a temporal end, which is consistent with a spiritual, and pretends to be subordinate to it, happens to fail and be defeated, — if we can rejoice in that, so God's glory may be secured, and the interests of religion, it is a great sign our hearts are right, and our ends prudently designed and ordered. When our intentions are thus balanced, regulated, and discerned, we may consider, (i.) that this habit is of so universal efficacy in the whole course of a holy life, that it is like the soul to every holy ac- tion, and must be provided 20 iJuritg of Eutcntion for in every undertaking ; and is, of itself alone, sufticient to make all natural and indiffer- ent actions to be adopted into the family of religion. (2.) That there are some actions, which are usually reckoned as parts of our religion, which yet, of themselves, are so i-elative and imperfect, that, without the purity of inten- tion, they degenerate ; and unless they be directed and proceed on to those purposes which God designed them to, they return into the family of common, secular, or sinful actions. Thus, ali)is are for charity, fasting for temper- ance, prayer is for religion, Jmviiliatioii is for humility, austerity or sufferance is in order to the virtue of patience : and when these actions fail of their several ends, or are not directed to their own pur- poses, alms are misspent, fasting is an impertinent trouble, prayer is but lip- labour, humiliation is but hypocrisy, sufferance is but vexation ; for such were the alms of the Pharisee, the fast of Jezebel, the prayer of Ju- dah (reproved by the prophet Isaiah), the humiliation of Ahab, the martyrdom of he- retics ; in which nothing is given to God but the body, or the forms of religion, but the soul and the power of godliness is wholly wanting, (3.) We are to consider that no intention can sanctify an unholy or unlawful action. Saul, the king, disobeyec" God's commandment, and spared the cattle of Amalek to reser\'e the best for sacri- fice ; and Saul, the pharisee, persecuted the Church of God with a design to do God ser- vice ; and they that killed the apostles had also good pur- poses, but they had unhal- lowed actions. When there is both truth in election, and charity in the intention; when we go to God in ways of his own choosing or approving, then our eye is single, and our hands are clean, and our hearts are pure. But when a man does evil that good may come of it, or good to an evil purpose, that man does like him that rolls him- self in thorns that he may sleep easily ; he roasts himself in the fire that he may quench his thirst with his o^\-n sweat ; he turns his face to the east that he may go to bed with the sun. I end this with the saying of a wise heathen : — " He is to be called evil that is good only for his own sake. Rejiard not how full hands (Tfjc practice of tf)c presence of CSoti 21 you bring to God, but how pure. Many cease from sin out of fear alone, not out of innocence or love of virtue ;" and they, as yet, are not to be called innocent but timorous. A Prayer for holy intention in the beginning and pursuit of any considerable action, as Study, Preaching, &'c. O eternal God, who has made all things for man, and man for Thy glory, sanc- tify my body and soul, my thoughts and my intentions, my words and actions, that whatsoever I shall think, or speak, or do, may be by me designed to the glorification of Thy name ; and by Thy blessing it may be effective and successful in the work of God, according as it can be capable. Lord, turn my necessities into virtue ; the works of nature into the works of grace, by making them orderly, regular, tem- perate, subordinate, and pro- fitable to ends beyond their own proper efficacy : and let no pride or self-seeking, no covetousness or revenge, no impure mixture or un- handsome pui-poses, no little ends and low imaginations pollute my spirit, and un- hallow any of my words and actions : but let my body be a servant of my spirit, and both body and spirit servants of Jesus : that doing all things for Thy glory here, I may be partaker of Thy glory hei-eafter ; through Je- sus Christ our Lord. Amen. § III. The Practice of the Presence of God. THAT God is present in all places, that he sees every action, hears all discourses, and understands every thought, is no strange thing to a Christian ear who hath been taught this doc- trine, not only by right rea- son and the consent of all the wise men in the world, but also by God himself in holy Scripture. "Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth?"'' ''Neither is there any creature that is not ^ Jer. xxiii. 23, 24. (Tfjc practice of tf)C presence of GoU manifest in His sight ; but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do." ^ " For in Him we live, and move, and have our being. "^ God is wholly in every place ; in- cluded in no place ; not bound with cords except those of love ; not divided into parts, not changeable into several shapes ; filling heaven and earth with His present power and with His never absent nature ; and we can no more be removed from the presence of God than from our own being. Several Alanners of the Divine Presence. The presence of God is understood by us in several manners, and to several pur- poses. I. God is present by his Being, which, because it is boundless or infinite, cannot be contained within the limits of any place; and because He is of an essential purity and spiritual nature, He can- not be undervalued by being supposed present in the places of unnatural imcleanness: be- cause as the sun, reflecting upon the mud of strands and 8 Heb. iv. 13. 9 Acts vii. 28. shores, is unpolluted in its beams, so is God not dis- honoured when we suppose Him in every one of His creatures, and in eveiy part of every one of them ; and is still as unmixed with any unhandsome adherence, as is the soul in the bowels of the body. 2. God is everywhere pre- sent by His p(noer. He rolls the orbs of heaven with His "hand ; He fixes the earth with His foot ; He guides all the creatures with His eye, and refreshes them with His influence : He makes the powers of hell to shake with His terrors, and binds the devils with His word, and throws them out with His command : and sends the angels on embassies with His decrees: He hardens the joints of infants, and makes firm the bones, when they are fashioned beneath secretly in the earth. He it is that assists at the numerous pi'o- ductions of fishes ; and tlaere is not one hollowness in the bottom of the sea, but He shows Himself to be Lord of it by sustaining there the creatures that come to dwell in it : and in the wilderness, the bittern and the stork, the dragon and the satyr, the Cfje practice of tfjc 13rrscucc of Goti unicorn and the elk, live upon his provisions, and revere His power, and feel the force of His Almighti- ness. 3. God is more specially present, in some places, by the several and more special manifestations of Himself to extraordinaiy purposes. First, by glory. Thus His seat is in heaven, because there He sits encircled with all the outward demonstra- tions of His glory, which He is pleased to show to all the inhabitants of those His inward and secret courts. And thus, they that " die in the Lord," may be properly said to be "gone to God;" with whom although they were before, yet now they enter into His courts, into the secret of His tabernacle, into the retinue and splendour of His glor)'. That is called walking with God, but this is dwelling or being with Him. "I desire to be dis- solved and to be with Christ : " so said St Paul. But this manner of Divine Presence is reserved for the elect people of God, and for their portion in their country. 4. God is, by grace and benediction, specially present in holy places^ and in the solemn assemblies of His servants.^ If holy people meet in grots and dens of the earth, when persecution or a public necessity disturbs the public order, circumstance, and convenience, God fails not to come thither to them : but God is also, by the same or a greater reason, present there, where they meet ordi- narily, by order, and public authority ; there God is pre- sent ordinarily, that is, at every such meeting. God will go out of Plis way to meet His saints, when them- selves are forced out of their way of order by a sad neces- sity : but else, God's usual way is to be present in those places w^here His servants are appointed ordinarily ^ to meet. But His presence there signifies nothing but a readiness to hear their pray- ers, to bless their persons, to accept their oflEices, and to like even the circumstance of orderly and public meet- ing. For thither the prayers of consecration, the public authority separating it, and God's love of order, and the reasonable customs of reli- gion, have in ordinary, and in a certain degree, fixed this 1 Matt, xviii. 20. 2 I Kings V. 9. Ps. cx.wvili. i, 2. ■M Zl)t iJvacticc of tfjc 13rrsrncc of GoU manner of His presence ; and He loves to have it so. 5. God is especially pre- sent in the hearts of His people, ^j' His Holy Spirit: and indeed the hearts of holy- men are temples in the truth of things, and, in type and shadow, they are heaven itself. For God reigns in the hearts of His servants : there is His kingdom. The power of grace hath subdued all His enemies : there is His power. They serve Him night and day, and give Him thanks and praise ; that is His glory. This is the reli- gion and worship of God in the temple. The temple itself is the heart of man ; | Christ is the high-priest, who from thence sends up the in- cense of prayers, and joins them to His own intercession, and presents all together to His Father ; and the Holy Ghost, by His dwelling there, hath also consecrated it as part of His temple :^ and \ God dwells in our heart by j faith, and Christ by His j Spirit, and the Spirit by His 1 purities : so that we are also | cabinets of the mysterious I Trinity : and what is this 1 short of heaven itself, but as infancy is short of manhood, 3 I Cor. iii. xd. 2 Cor. vi. 16. \ and letters of words? The same state of life it is, but not the same age. It is heaven in a looking-glass, dark, but yet true, represent- ing the beauties of the soul, and the graces of God, and the images of His eternal glory, by the reality of a special presence. 6. God is especially pre- sent in the coiisiietices of all persons, good and bad, by way of testimony and judg- ment : that is. He is there a remembrancer to call our actions to mind, a witness to bring them to judgment, and a judge to acquit or to con- demn. And although this manner of presence is, in this life, after the manner of this life, that is, imperfect, and we forget many actions of our lives ; yet the greatest changes of our state ofgraceor sin, our most considerable actions, are always present, like capi- tal letters to an aged and dim eye : and, at the day of judgment, God shall draw- aside the cloud, and mani- fest this manner of His pre- sence more notoriously, and make it appear that He was an observer of our A'ery thoughts, and that He only laid those things by, which, because we covered them Z^c i^racticc of tfjc l^rcsrncc of Goti 25 with dust and negligence, were not then decerned. But when we are risen from our dust and imperfection, they all appear plain and legible. Now the consideration of this great truth is of a very- universal use in the whole course of the life of a Chris- tian. All the consequences and effects of it are univer- sal. He that remembers that God stands a witness and a judge, beholding every secrecy, besides his impiety, must have put on impudence, if he be not much restrained in his temptation to sin. For ' the greatest part of sin is taken away, if a man have a ^ witness of his conversation : j and he is a great despiser of God who sends a child away when he is going to commit a gi-eat sin, and yet will dare to do it, though he knows God is present, and cannot be sent off : as if the eye of a little child were more awful than the All-seeing eye of God. He is to be feared in public, He is to be feared in private : if you go forth, He spies you ; if you go in, He sees you : when you light the candle, He observes you ; when you put it out, then also God marks you. Be sure, that while vou are in 1 His sight, you behave your- self as becomes so holy a presence. But if you will sin, retire yourself wisely, and go where God cannot see : for nowhere else can you be safe. And certainly, if men would always actually con- sider, and really esteem this truth, that God is the great eye of the world, always watching over our actions, and an ever-open ear to hear all our words, and an un- wearied arm ever lifted up to crush a sinner into i-uin, it would be the readiest way in the world to make sin to cease from amongst the chil- dren of men, and for men to approach to the blessed estate of the saints in heaven, who cannot sin, because they al- ways walk in the presence, and behold the face of God. This is to be reduced to practice, according to the following rules : — Rides for practising this con- sideration. I. Let this actual thought often return, that God is omnipresent, filling every place ; and say with Da\'id, " Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? 26 tLijc iJracticc of tf)c ^rcsmcc of ©oti If I ascend up into heaven, j Thou art tliere : if I make | my bed in hell, Thou art | there."'* This thought, by | being frequent, will make an liabitual dread and reverence , towards God, and fear in all J thy actions. For it is a great necessity and engagement to do unblameably, when we act before the Judge, who is in- fixllible in His sentence, all- knowing in His information, severe in His anger, power- ful in His providence, and : intolerable in His wrath and j indignation. 2. In the beginning of ac- tions of religion, make an act of adoration, that is, solemnly worship God, and place thy- self in God's presence, and behold Him with the eye of faith ; and let thy desires actually fix on Him, as the object of thy worship, and the reason of thy hope, and the fountain of thy blessing. For when thou hast placed thyself before Him, and kneelest in His presence, it is most likely, all the follow- ing parts of thy devotion will be answerable to the wisdom of such an apprehension, and the glor)- of such a presence. 3. Let everything you see represent to your spirit the ■* Psal. c.xxxix. 7, S. presence, the excellency, and the power of God ; and let your conversation with the creatures lead you unto the Creator ; for so shall your actions be done, more fre- quently, with an actual eye to God's presence, by your often seeing Him in the glass of the creation. In the face of the sun you may see God's beauty ; in the fire you may feel His heat warming; in the water His gentleness to refresh you : He it is that comforts your spirit when you have taken cordials, it is the dew of heaven that makes your field give you bread ; and the breasts of God are the bottles that minister drink to your necessities. This philosophy, A\hich is obvious to ever)' man's expe- rience, is a good advantage to our piety ; and, by this act of understanding, our wills are checked from violence and misdemeanour. 4. In your retirement, make frequent colloquies, or short discoursings, between God and your own soul. "Seven times a-day do I praise Thee: and in the night season also I thought upon Thee, while I was waking."' So did David; and even,- act of complaint or thanksgiving, ®fje practice of t^t presence of ®ot( 27 every act of rejoicing or of mourning, ever}^ petition and every return of the heart in these intercourses, is a going to God, an appearing in His presence, and a representing Him present to thy spirit and to thy necessity. And this was long since by a spiritual person called "a building to God a chapel in our heart," It reconciles IMaitha's em- ployment with Mary's devo- tion, charity and religion, the necessities of our calling, and the employments of de- votion. For thus, in the midst of the works of your trade, you may retire into your chapel, your heart; and converse with God by fre- quent addresses and returns. 5. Represent and offer to God acts of love aiid fear, which are the proper effects of this apprehension, and the proper exercise of this con- sideration. For, as God is everywhere present by His power, He calls for reverence and godly fear: as He is present to thee in all thy needs, and relieves them. He deserves thy love : and since, in every accident of our lives, we find one or other of these apparent, and in most things we see both, it is a proper and proportionate return, that, in the case of every such demonstration of God, we express ourselves sensible of it, by admiring the Divine goodness, or trembling at His presence; ever obeying Him because we love Him, and ever obeying Him be- cause we fear to offend Him. This is that which Enoch did, who thus " walked with God." 6. Let us remember that God is in us, and that we are in Him : we are His work- manship, let us not deface it; we are in His presence, let us not pollute it by unholy and impure actions. God hath "also wrought all our works in us : " ^ and because He rejoices in His ov.n works, if we defile them, and make them unpleasant to Him, we walk perversely with God, and He will walk crookedly towards us. 7. *' God is in the bowels of thy brother;" refresh them when he needs it, and then you give your alms in the presence of God, and to God ; and he feels the relief, which thou providest for thy brother. 8. God is in eveiy place : suppose it therefore to be a church : and that decency of deportment and piety of car- 5 Isa. xxvi. 12. 2S Z\}C Practice of tfjc i^rcscncc of Goti riage which you are taught by religion, or by custom, or by civility and public man- ners, to use in churches, the same use in all places : with this difference only, that in churches your deportment should be religious in exter- nal forms and circumstances also ; but there and every- where let it be religious in abstaining from spii-itual in- decencies, and in readiness to do good actions ; that it may not be said of us, as God once complained of His people, ' ' Why hath my be- loved done wickedness in my house ?"^ 9. God is in every created being or thing : be cruel to- wards none, neither abuse ! any by intemperance. Re- j member, then, the creatures, ' and every member of thy own body, as one of the lesser j cabinets and receptacles of God. They are what God hath blessed with His pres- ence, hallowed by His touch, and separated from unholy [ use, by making them to be- j long to His dwelling. 10. He walks as in the presence of God that con- verses with Him in frequent prayer and frequent com- munion ; that runs to Him fi Jer. xi. 15, as in Latin Bible. in all his necessities, that asks counsel of Him in all doublings ; that opens all his wants to Him ; that weeps before Him for his sins ; that asks remedy and support for his weakness ; that fears Him as a Judge ; reverences Him as a Lord ; obeys Him as a Father; and loves Him as a Patron. T/ie Beiiefits of this Habit. The benefits of this con- sideration and habit belong- ing to all the parts of piety, I shall less need to specify any particulars ; but yet, most properly, this habit of remembering the Divine presence is, (i.) An excel- lent help to prayer, producing in us reverence and awe to- wards the Divine Majesty of God, and actual devotion in our offices. (2.) It produces a confidence in God, and fear- lessness of our enemies, patience in trouble, and hope of remedy ; since God is so nigh in all our sad accidents, He is a disposer of the hearts of men and the events of things. He proportions out our trials, and supplies us with remedy, and, where His rod strikes us, His staff supports us. To which we Z^t practice of tfje i^rrscnce of GoU 29 may add this ; that God, who is always with us, is espe- cially, by promise, with us in tribulation, to turn the misery into a mercy, and that our greatest trouble may become our advantage, by entitling us to a new manner of the Divine presence. (3.) It produces joy and rejoicing in God, we being more apt to delight in the partners and witnesses of our conversation; every degree of mutual abid- ing and conversing being a relation and an endearment : we are of the same household with God ; He is with us in our natural actions, to pre- serve us ; in our recreations, to restrain us ; in our public actions, to applaud or re- prove us ; in our private, to observe us ; in our sleeps, to watch by us ; in our watch- ings, to refresh us : and if we walk with God in all His ways, as He walks with us in all ours, we shall find per- petual reasons to enable us to keep that rule of God, " Re- joice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice." And this puts me in mind of a saying of St. Anthony, — "There is one way of over- coming our ghostly enemies ; spiritual mirth, and a per- petual bearing of God in our minds." This effectively re- sists the devil, and suffers us to receive no hurt from him. {4.) This habit is apt also to enkindle holy desires of the enjoyment of God, because it produces joy, when we do enjoy Him ; the same desires that a weak man hath for a defender; the sick man, for a physician ; the poor, for a patron ; the child, for his father; the espoused lover, for her betrothed. (5. ) From the same fountain issue humility of spirit, apprehen- sions of our great distance and our great needs, our daily wants and hourly sup- plies, admiration of God's unspeakable mercies : it is the cause of great modesty and decency in our actions ; it helps to recollection of mind, and restrains the scat- terings and looseness of wan- dering thoughts; it establishes the heart in good purposes, and leadeth on to persever- ance : it gains purity and perfection (according to the saying of God to Abraham, ' ' walk before me and be perfect"), holy fear, and holy love, and indeed eveiything that pertains to holy living : when we see ourselves placed in the eye of God, who sets us to work and will reward Cfjc |3rart{rc of t\)t ^Jrcsmrc of Goti us plenteously, to serve Him with an eye-service is ver>' pleasing; for He also sees the heart : and the want of this consideration was de- clared to be the cause why Israel sinned so grievously, " for they say, the Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not:"^ "there- fore the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverse- ness."*^ What a child would do in the eye of his father; and a pupil before his tutor; and a wife in the presence of her husband ; and a servant in the sight of his master; let us always do the same ; for we are made a spectacle to God, to angels, and to men; we are always in the sight and presence of the all- seeing and almighty God, who also is to us a Father I and a Guardian, a Husband I and a Lord. j I A Prayer meditatifto and re- \ fo-ring to the Divine pres- i cnce. 7 Psa. X. II Ezek. ix. o. ^ This Prayer is especially to be iised ill temptation to prizfaie sin. O Almighty God, infinite and eternal, Thou fillest all things with Thy presence; Thou art eveiywliere by Thy essence and by Thy power, in heaven by glory, in holy places by Thy grace and favour, in the hearts of Thy servants by Thy Spirit, in the consciences of all men by Thy testimony and observa- tion of us. Teach me to walk always as in Thy pres- ence, to fear Thy majesty, to reverence Thy wisdom and omniscience; that I may never dare to commit any indecency in the eye of my Lord and my Judge ; but that I may with so much care and reverence demean myself that my Judge may not be my accuser but my advocate ; that I, expressing the belief of Thy presence here by care- ful walking, may feel the effects of it in the participa- tion of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ. Amen. Dcfaotions for ©rtiinarg Qays Prayers and Devotions, founded on the Foregoing Considerations. For Grace to spend 07ir time well. O ETERNAL God, Who from all eternity dost behold and love Thy own glories and infinite perfec- tions, and hast created me to do the work of God after the manner of men, and to serve Thee in this generation and according to my capaci- ties ; give me Thy grace, that I may be a careful and prudent spender of my time, so as I may best prevent or resist all temptation, and be profitable to the Christian commonwealth, and, by dis- charging all my duty, may glorify Thy name. Take from me all slothfulness, and give me a diligent and an active spirit, and wisdom to choose my employment : that I may do works proportion- able to my person and to the dignity of a Christian, and may fill up all the spaces of my time with actions of reli- gion and charity ; that, when the devil assaults me, he may not find me idle ; and that my dearest Lord at his sud- den coming may find me busy in lawful, necessary, and pious actions ; improving my talent intrusted to me by Thee, my Lord ; that I may enter into the joy of my Lord, to partake of His eternal felicities, even for Thy mercy's sake, and for my dearest Saviour's sake. Amen. Here follows the devotion of ordinary days ; for the right employment of those portions of time which every day must allow for religion. The first Prayers in the morn- ijig, as soon as zve are dressed. Humbly and reverently com- pose yourself, with heart lifted up to God, and your head bowed ; and meekly kneeling upon your knees, say the Lord's Prayer : after which, use the follow- ing collects, or as many of them as you shall choose. " Our Father, which art in heaven," &c. Dcbotions for (Drtiinarg Qacs I. — A)i Act of Adoratioft, being the sotig that the angels sing in heaven. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is, and is to come :^ heaven and earth, angels and men, the air and the sea, give glory, and honour, and thanks to Him that sitteth on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever.^ All the blessed spirits and souls of the righteous cast their crowns before the throne, and wor- ship Him that liveth for ever and ever. ^ Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power ; for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are, and were created. Great and marvellous are Thy works, O Lord God Al- mighty : just and true are Thy ways, thou King of saints.^ Thy wisdom is in- finite, Thy mercies are glo- rious ; and I am not worthy, O Lord, to appear in Thy presence, before Whom the angels hide their faces. O holy and eternal Jesus, Lamb of God, Who wert slain from the beginning of the world. Thou hast redeemed us to s Rev. xi. 17. 1 Rev. v. 10, 13. 2 Rev. iv. 10. 3 Rev. xv. 3. God by Thy blood out of every nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign with Thee for ever. Bless- ing, honour, glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen. I H. — An Act of Thanksgiv- I ing, beifig the song ofDavia I for the morning. I Sing praises unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give , thanks to Him for a remem- ; brance of His holiness. For \ His wrath endureth but the twinkling of an eye : and in His pleasure is life ; heavi- ness may endure for a night, but joy Cometh in the morn- ing. Thou, Lord, hast pre- served me this night from the violence of the spirits of dark- ness, from all sad casualties and evil accidents, from the wrath which I have eveiy day deserved ; Thou hast brought my soul out of hell ; Thou hast kept my life from them that go down into the pit : Thou hast showed me marvellous gi'eat kindness, and hast blessed me for ever ; the greatness of Thy glory reacheth unto the heavens, and Thy truth unto the clouds. Scbotions for ©rtJinarjj Gags Therefore shall every good man sing of Thy praise with- out ceasing. O my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. Hallelujah ! III. — An Act of Oblaiwn, or presenting oiuselves to God for the day. Most holy and eternal God, Lord and Sovereign of all the creatures, I humbly present to Thy Divine jNIajesty my- self, my soul and body, my thoughts and my words, my actions and intentions, my passions and my sufferings, to be disposed by Thee to Thy glory ; to be blessed by Thy providence ; to be guided by Thy counsel ; to be sanc- tified by Thy Spirit ; and, afterwards, that my body and soul may be received into glory : for nothing can perish which is lender Thy custody ; and the enemy of souls can- not devour w^hat is Thy por- tion, nor take it out of Thy hands. This day, O Lord, and all the days of my life, I dedicate to Thy honour, and the actions of my calling to the uses of grace, and the religion of all my days to be united to the merits and in- tercession of my holy Saviour Jesus ; that in Him and for Him I may be pardoned and accepted. Amen. IV. — An Act of Repentance or Contrition. For, as for me, I am not worthy to be called Thy ser- vant ; much less am I worthy to be Thy son ; for I am the vilest of sinners and the worst of men ; a lover of the things of the world, and a despiser of the things of God ; proud and envious, lustful and in- temperate, greedy of sin, and impatient of reproof; desir- ous to seem holy, and negli- gent of being so; transported with interest; fooled with presumption and false prin- ciples; disturbed with anger, with a peevish and unmorti- fied spirit, and disordered by a whole body of sin and death. Lord, pardon all my sins for my sweetest Saviour's sake; Thou, who didst die for me, holy Jesus, save me and deliver me; reserve not my sins to be punished in the day of wrath and eternal vengeance; but wash away my sins, and blot them out of Thy remembrance, and purify my soul with the waters of repentance and the blood of the cross ; that, for what is past. Thy wrath may 34 Qcbotions for (Driinarg Sags not come out against me; and, for the time to come, I may never provoke Thee to anger or to jealousy. O just and dear God, be pitiful and gracious to Thy servant. Amen. Y.— The Prayer, or Petition. Bless me, gracious God, in my calling to such purposes as Thou shalt choose for me, or employ me in ; relieve me in all my sadnesses; make my bed in my sickness ; give me patience in my sorrows, con- fidence in Thee, and grace to call upon Thee in all temp- tations. O be Thou my guide in all my actions ; my protector in all dangers ; give me a healthful body, and a clear understanding ; a sanc- tified and just, a charitable and humble, a religious and a contented spirit; let not my life be miserable and wretched ; nor my name stained with sin and shame ; nor my condition lifted up to a tempting and dangerous fortune ; but let my condition be blessed, my conversation useful to my neighbours, and pleasing to Thee ; that, when my body shall lie down in its bed of darkness, my soul may pass into the regions of light, and live with Thee for ever, through Jesus Christ. Amen. VI. — All Aet of Inte7-cession or Prayer for otkei's, to be added to this or any other office, as our devotion, ot duty, or their needs, shall determine tis. O God of infinite mercy, who hast compassion on all men, and relievest the neces- sities of all that call to Thee for help, hear the prayers of Thy servant, Avho is un- worthy to ask any petition for himself, yet, in humility and duty, is bound to pray for others. For the Church. O let Thy mercy descend upon the whole Church ; pre- serve her in truth and peace, in unity and safety, in all storms, and against all temp- tations and enemies; that she, offering to Thy gloiy the never-ceasing sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving, may advance the honour of her Lord, and be filled with His Spirit, and partake of His glory. Amen. For the Soz'.veigii. In mercy, remember the Qcbotions for ©rtiinarg Dags Kinglpv Queen]; preserve /z/j person in health and honour ; /i/s crown in wealth and dig- nity; ///j- kingdoms in peace and plenty ; the churches un- der /iis protection in piety and knowledge, and a strict and holy religion : keep /lim perpetually in thy fear and favour, and crown Aim with glory and immortality. Amen. J^07' the Clei'gy. Remember them that min- ister about holy things; let them be clothed with right- eousness, and sing with joy- fulness. Amen. For Wife or Husband. Bless Thy servant [my wife, or husband] with health of body and of spirit. O let the hand of Thy blessing be upon his [or her] head, night and day, and support him in all necessities, strengthen ///;;/ in all temptations, comfort him in all his sorrows, and let hijn be Thy servant in all changes ; and make us both to dwell with Thee for ever in Thy favour, in the light of Thy countenance, and in Thy gloiy. Amen, For our Children. Bless my children with healthful bodies, with good understandings, with the graces and gifts of Thy Spirit, with sweet dispositions and holy habits ; and sanctify them throughout in their bodies, and souls, and spirits, and keep them unblameable to the coming of the Lord Amen. For Friends and Belief actors. Be pleased, O Lord, to remember my friends, all that have prayed for me, and all that have done me good. \Here imme those tuhom you would especially recommend.] Do Thou good to them, and return all their kindness double into their own bosom, rewarding them with bless- ings, and sanctifying them with Thy graces, and bring- ing them to glory. For our Family. Let all my family and kin- dred, my neighbours and ac- quaintance [^liere name what other relations you please], receive the benefit of my prayers, and the blessings of God ; the comforts and sup- ports gf Thy providence, and the sanctification of Thy Spirit. Dcbotions for ©rtiinarg Dags For all ill Misery. Relieve and comfort all the persecuted and afflicted ; speak peace to troubled consciences : strengthen the ■weak : confirm the strong : instruct the ignorant : deliver the oppressed from him that spoileth him, and relieve the needy that hath no helper : and bring us all, by the waters of comfort, and in the ways of righteousness, to the kingdom of rest and glory, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. To God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; to the eternal vSon, that was incar- nate and born of a vii-gin ; to the Spirit of the Father and the Son, be all honour and glory, worship, and thanks- giving, now and for ever. Amen. Allot her Form of Prayer, for the Morning. Ifi the name of the Fat/ier, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Our Father, &^c. Most glorious and eternal God, Father of mercy, and God of all comfort, I worship and adore Thee with the lowest humility of my soul and body, and give Thee all thanks and praise for Thy infinite and essential glories and perfections, and for the continual demonstration of Thy mercies upon me, upon all mine, and upon Thy holy Catholic church. IL I acknowledge, dear God, that I have desen-ed the greatest of Th}- wrath and indignation ; and that, if Thou hadst dealt with me according to my deserving, I had now, at this instant, been desperately bewailing my miseries, in the sorrows and horrors of a sad eternity. But, Thy mercy triumphing over Thy justice and my sins. Thou hast still continued to me life and time of repent- ance ; Thou hast opened to me the gates of grace and mercy, and perpetually callest upon me to enter in, and to walk in the paths of a holy life, that I may glorify Thee, and be glorified of Thee eternally. in. Behold, O God, for this Thy great and unspeakable goodness, for the preserva- tion of me this night, and for all other Thy gi-aces and Bcbotiorts for ©rtimarg Qags 37 blessings, I offer up my soul 1 and body, all that I am, and all that I have, as a sacrifice to Thee and Thy service; | humbly begging of Thee to j pardon all my sins, to defend i me from all evil, to lead me { into all good; and let my | portion be amongst Thy re- deemed ones, in the gathering together of the saints, in the kingdom of grace and glory. IV. Guide me, O Lord, in all the changes and varieties of the world ; that in all things that shall happen I may have an evenness and tranquillity of spirit ; that my soul may be wholly resigned to Thy diAdnest will and pleasure, never murmuring at Thy gentle chastisements and fatherly correction ; never waxing proud and insolent, i though I feel a torrent of comforts and prosperous suc- cesses. V. Fix my thoughts, my hopes, and my desires, upon heaven and heavenly things; teach me to despise the world, to repent me deeply for my sins ; give me holy purposes of amendment, and ghostly strength and assistances to perform faithfully whatsoever I shall intend piously. En- rich my understanding with an eternal treasure of Divine truths, that I may know Thy will : and Thou, who work est in us to will and to do of Thy good pleasure, teach me to obey all Thy commandments, to believe all Thy revelations, and make me partaker of all Thy gracious promises. VI, Teach me to watch over all my ways, that I may never be sui-prised by sudden temptations or a careless spirit, nor ever return to folly and vanity. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips, that I offend not in my tongue, neither against piety nor charity. Teach me to think of nothing but Thee, and what is in order to Thy glory and service : to speak nothing but of Thee, and Thy glories; and to do nothing but what becomes Thy ser- vant, whom Thy infinite mercy, by the graces of Thy Holy Spirit, hath sealed up to the day of redemption. VIL Let all my passions and 38 Drfaotions for ©rKinarg Gays affections be so mortified and brought under the dominion of grace, that I may never, by deliberation and purpose, nor yet by levity, rashness, or inconsideration, offend Thy Divine majesty. Make me such as Thou wouldest have me to be : strengthen my faith, confirm my hope, and give me a daily increase of charity, that, this day and ever, I may serve Thee according to all my oppor- tunities and capacities, grow- ing from gi-ace to grace ; till at last, by Thy mercies, I shall receive the consumma- tion and perfection of grace ; even the glories of Thy king- dom, in the full fruition of the face and excellences of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ; to whom be gloiy and praise, honour and adora- tion, given by all angels, and all men, and all creatures, now, and to all eternity. Amen. H To this may be added the prayer of intercession for others whom we are bound to remember, which is at the end of the foregoing prayer; or else you may take such special prayers as follow at the end of the fourth chapter [for parents, for children, (S:c. ]. After which, conclude tvith this cjacjilatioit. Now, in all tribulation and anguish of spirit, in all dan- gers of soul and body, in prosperity and adversity, in the hour of death and in the day of judgment, holy and most blessed Saviour Jesus, have mercy upon me, save me, and deliver me and all faithful people. Amen. *i[ Between this and noon, usually, are said the daily mattins of the church, at which all the clergy are obliged to be present, and other devout persons, that have leisure, to accompany them. IT After noon, or at any time of the day, when a devout person retires into his closet for private prayer or spiri- tual exercises, he may say the following devotions. A71 exei'cise to be used at any time of the day. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, &c. Our Father, Ejaculations. Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord, who hath made heaven and earth. ^ Shew the light of Thy countenance, and we shall be whole.® Do well, O Lord, unto those that are good and true of heail. ^ Lead me forth in Thy truth, and learn me ; for Thou art the God of my salvation. 1 Keep me from sin and death eternal, and from my enemies visible and invisible. Give me grace to live a holy life, and Thy favour, that I may die a godly and happy death. Lord, hear the prayer of Thy servant, and give me Thy Holy Spirit. The Prayer. O eternal God, merciful and gracious, vouchsafe Thy favour and Thy blessing to Thy servant : let the love of Thy mercies, and the dread and fear of Thy majesty, make me careful and inqui- sitive to search Thy will, and diligent to perform it, and to persevere in the practices of ' Psa. cxxiv. 7. ^ Psa. Ixxx. 7. 9 Psa. cxxv. 4. 1 Psa. xxv. 4. Scbottons for ©rtiiitars Qags 41 a holy life, even till the last of my days. 11. Keep me, O Lord, for I am Thine by creation ; guide me, for I am Thine by pur- chase ; Thou hast redeemed me by the blood of Thy Son ; and loved me with the love of a father, for I am Thy child by adoption and grace: let Thy mercy pardon my sins, Thy providence secure me fi'om the punishments and evils I have deserved, and Thy care watch over me, that I may never any more offend Thee : make me, in malice, to be a child ; but in under- standing, piety, and the fear of God, let me be a perfect man in Christ, innocent and prudent, readily furnished and instructed to every good work. III. Keep me, O Lord, from the destroying angel, and from the wrath of God : let Thy anger never rise against me, but Thy rod gently cor- rect my follies, and guide me in Thy ways, and Thy staff support me in all sufferings and changes. Preserve me from fracture of bones, from noisome, infectious, and sharp sicknesses ; from great vio- lences of fortune and sudden surprises : keep all my senses entire till the day of my death, and let my death be neither sudden, untimely, nor unprovided : let it be after the common manner of men, having in it nothing extraor- dinary, but an extraordinaiy piety, and the manifestation of Thy great and miraculous mercy. IV. Let no riches make me ever forget myself, no po- verty ever make me to forget Thee : let no hope or fear, no pleasure or pain, no acci- dent without, no weakness within, hinder or discompose my duty, or turn me from the ways of Thy commandments. Oh, let Thy Spirit dwell with me for ever, and make my soul just and charitable, full of honesty, full of religion, resolute and constant in holy purposes, but inflexible to evil. Make me humble and obedient, peaceable and pious ; let me never envy any man's goods, nor deserve to be despised myself ; and if I be, teach me to bear it with meekness and charity. V. Give me a tender con- 42 Dcbotians far (Drtiinarg Days science ; a conversation dis- creet and affable, modest and patient, liberal and obliging ; a body chaste and healthful, competency of living accord- ing to my condition, con- tentedness in all estates, a resigned will and mortified affections ; that I may be as Thou wouldest have me, and my portion may be in the lot of the righteous, in the bright- ness of Thy countenance, and the glories of eternity. Amen. Holy is our God. Holy is the Almighty. Holy is the Immortal. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God of Sabaoth, have mercy upon me. A foj-m of Frayer for the Evening, to be said by those who have not time or oppor- tunity to say the public Evensong. I. Evening Frayer. O eternal God, great Father of men and angels, who hast established the heavens and the earth in a wonderful order, making day and night to succeed each other; I make my humble address to Thy Divine Majesty, begging of Thee mercy and protection this night and ever. O Lord, pardon all my sins, my light and rash words, the vanity and impiety of my thoughts, my unjust and uncharitable actions, and whatsoever I have transgressed against Thee this day, or at any time be- fore. Behold, O God, my soul is troubled in the remem- brance of my sins, in the frailty and sinfulness of my flesh, exposed to every temp- tation, and of itself not able to resist any. Lord God of mercy, I earnestly beg of Thee to give me a great por- tion of Thy grace, such as may be sufficient and effec- tual for the mortification of all my sins and vanities and disorders : that as I have for- merly served my lust and un- worthy desires, so now I may give myself up wholly to Thy service and the studies of a holy life. IL Blessed Lord, teach me fre- quently and sadly to remem- ber my sins ; and be Thou pleased to remember them no more : let me never forget Thy mercies, and do Thou still remember to do me good. Teach me to walk ahvays as in Thy presence : ennoble my soul with great degrees of love to Thee, and consign my Qcfaations for ©rlimarg Bags 43 spirit with great fear, religion, and veneration of Thy holy Name and laws ; that it may become the great employ- ment af my whole life to serve Thee, to advance Thy glory, to root out all the accursed habits of sin ; that in holiness of life, in humility, in charity, in chastity, and all the orna- ments of gi-ace, I may by patience wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus. Amen. III. Teach me, O Lord, to number my days, that I may apply my heart unto wisdom ; ever to remember my last end, that I may not dare to sin against Thee. Let Thy holy angels be ever present with me, to keep me in all my ways from the malice and vio- lence of the spirits of dark- ness, from evil company, and the occasions and opportuni- ties of evil, from perishing in popular judgments, from all the ways of sinful shame, from the hands of all mine ene- mies, from a sinful life, and from despair in the day of my death. Then, O brightest Jesu, shine gloriously upon me, let lliy mercies and the light of Thy countenance sus- tain me in all my agonies, weaknesses, and temptations. Give me opportunity of a pru- dent and spiritual guide, and of receiving the holy Sacra- ment; and let Thy loving spirit so guide me in the ways of peace and safety, that, with the testimony of a good con- science and the sense of Thy mercies and refreshment, I may depart this life in the unity of the Church, in the love of God, and a certain hope of salvation through Je- sus Christ our Lord and most blessed Saviour. Amen. Our Father, Sec. Anothci' Form of Evening Froyc)', which may also be 2ised at bed-time. Our Father, &c. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence Cometh my help.*^ My help cometh even from the Lord, who hath made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved : and He that keepeth thee will not sleep. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord himself is thy keeper, the Lord is thy de- fence upon thy right hand. 2 Psal. cx.xi. I, &c. 44 Qcbotions for ©rtilnarg Bags So that the sun shall not bum thee by day, neither the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil ; yea, it is even He that shall keep thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in, from this time forth for evermore. Glory be to the Father, &c. I. Visit, I beseech thee, O Lord, this habitation with Thy mercy, and me with Thy grace and salvation. Let Thy holy angels pitch their tents round about and dwell here, that no illusion of the night may abuse me, the spirits of darkness may not come near to hurt me, no evil or sad ac- cident oppress me : and let the Eternal Spirit of the Fa- ther dwell in my soul and body, filling every corner of my heart with light and grace. Let no deed of darkness over- take me ; and let Thy bless- ing, most blessed God, be up- on me for ever, through Je- sus Christ our Lord. Amen. IL Into Thyhands, most bless- ed J esu, I commend my soul and body, for Thou hast re- deemed both with Thy pre- cious blood. So bless and sanctify my sleep unto me that it may be temperate, holy, and safe, a refresh- ment to my wearied body, to enable it so to serve my soul that both may serve Thee with a never -failing duty. Oh, let me never sleep in sin or death eternal, but give me a watchful and a prudent spirit, that I may omit no opportunity of serving Thee ; that whether I sleep or awake, live or die, I may be Thy servant and Thy child : that when the work of my life is done, I may rest in the bosom of my Lord, till, by the voice of the archangel, the trump of God, I shall be awakened, and called to sit down and feast in the eternal supper of the Lamb. Grant this, O Lamb of God, for the honour of Thy mercies, and the gloiy of Thy Name, O most merciful Saviour and Redeemer Jesus. Amen. in. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, who hath sent His angels, and kept me this day from the destruction that walketh i^£\jotions for ©rtimarg Sags 45 at noon, and the arrow that flieth by day ; and hath given me His Spirit to restrain me from those evils to which my own weaknesses, and my evil habits, and my unquiet ene- mies,- would easily betray me. Blessed and for ever hallowed be Thy Name for that never- ceasing shower of blessing, by which I live, and am content and blessed, and provided for in all necessities, and set for- ward in my duty and way to heaven. Blessing, honour, glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen. Holy is our God. Holy is the Almighty. Holy is the Immortal. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth, have mercy upon me. Ejaculations and short Medi- tations to be used in the ni^ht xvhen we aruake. Stand in awe, and sm not: commune with your own heart and in your chamber, and be still. I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest ; for it is Thou, Lord, only that makest me dwell in safety. '^ O Father of spirits, and 3 Psal. iv. 4, 9. the God of all flesh, have mercy and pity upon all sick and dying Christians, and re- ceive the souls which Thou hast redeemed returning unto Thee. Blessed are they that dwell in the heavenly Jerusalem, where there is no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it : for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.'^ And there shall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither light of the sun ; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign for ever and ever.° Meditate on Jacob's wrest- ling with the angel all night : be thou also importunate with God for a blessing, and give not over till He hath blessed thee. Meditate on the angel pass- ing over the children of Israel, and destroying the Egyptians for disobedience and oppres- sion. Pray for the grace of obedience and charity, and for the Divine protection. Meditate on the angel who destroyed in a night the whole army of the Assyrians for fornication. Call to mind the sins of thy youth, the sins of thy bed ; and say with * Rev. xxi. 23. * Rev. xxii. 5. 46 Qrbotions for ©rtiinarg Dags David, "My reins chasten me in the night season, and my soul refuseth comfort." Pray for pardon and the grace of chastity. Meditate on the agonies of Christ in the garden, His sadness and affliction all that night ; and thank and adore Him for His love that made Him suffer so much for thee ; and hate thy sins which mad*e it necessary for the Son of God to suffer so much. Meditate on the last four things. I. The certainty of death. 2. The terrors of the day of judgment. 3, The joys of heaven. 4. The pains of hell ; andtheetei-nityofboth. Think upon all thy friends who are gone before thee ; and pray that God would grant to thee to meet them in a joyful resurrection. " The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night ;6 in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fer^^ent heat ; the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up. Seeing, then, that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be, in all holy con versation and godliness, look> ing for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God?" Lord, in mercy remember Thy servant in the day of judgment. Thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God. In Thee, O Lord, have I trusted: let me never be confounded. Amen. ^ 2 Pet. iii. 10. [I desire the Christian reader to observe, that all these offices or forms of prayer (if they should be used every day) would not spend above an hour and a half: but because some of them are double (and so but one of them to be used in one day) it is much less : and by affording to God one hour in twenty-four, thou mayest have the comforts and re- wards of devotion. But he that thinks this is too much, either is very busy in the world, or very careless of heaven. I have parted the prayers into smaller portions, that he may use which and how many he please in any one of the forms.] Chapter II Christian Sobriety § I. Sobriety in General CHRISTIAN religion, in all its moral parts, is nothing else but the law of nature, and reason ; comply- ing with the great necessities of all the world, and promot- ing the great profit of all relations, and carrying us, through all accidents of variety of chances, to that end which God hath from eternal ages purposed for all that live according to it, and which He hath revealed in Jesus Christ : and, according to the apostle's arithmetic, hath but these three parts of it; I. Sobriety, 2. Justice, 3. Religion. ' ' For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men ; teaching us that, denying un- godliness and worldly lusts, we should live, i. Soberly, 2. Righteously, and, 3. God- ly, in this present world, look- ing for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. "1 The first contains all our deportment in our personal and private capacities, the fair treating of our bodies and our spirits. The second enlarges our duty in all relations to our neigh- bour. The third contains the offices of direct religion, and intercourse with God. Christian sobriety is all that duty that concerns our- selves in the matter of meat and drink, and pleasures, and thoughts ; and it hath within it the duties of — I. Temperance, 2. Chastity, 3. Humility, 4. INIodesty, 5. Content. It is a using severity, denial 1 Tit. ii. 11-13. 4S djristiau .^cbrietg and frustration of our appe- tite, when it grows unreason- able in any of these instances : the necessity of which we sliall to best purpose under- stand, by considering the evil consequences of sensuality, effeminacy, or fondness after carnal pleasures. Evil consequences of Vohiptit- onsness or Sensnality. 1. A longing after sensual pleasures is a dissolution of the spirit of a man, and makes it loose, soft, and wandering; unfit for noble, wise, or spiritual employ- ments ; because the principles upon which pleasure is chosen and pursued are sottish, weak, and unlearned, such as set the body before the soul, the appetite before reason, sense before the spirit, the pleasui-es of a short abode before the pleas- ures of eternity. 2. The nature of sensual pleasure is vain, empty, and unsatisfying, biggest always in expectation, and a mere vanity in the enjoying, and leaves a sting and thorn be- hind it, when it goes off. Our laughing, if it be loud and high, commonly ends in a deep sigh; and all such pleasures have a sting in the tail, though they carry beauty on the face and sweetness on the lip. 3. Sensual pleasure is a great abuse to the spirit of a man, being a kind of fascina- tion or witchcraft, blinding the understanding and en- slaving the will. And he that knows he is free-born, or redeemed with the blood of the Son of God, will not easily suffer the freedom of his soul to be entangled and rifled. 4. It is most contrary to the state of a Christian, whose life is a perpetual exercise, a wrestling and a warfare, for which sensual pleasure disables him, by yielding to that enemy with whom ne must strive if ever he will be crowned. And this argument the apostle intimated: he "that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things : now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible."'^ 5. It is by a certain conse- quence the greatest impedi- ment in the world to martyr- dom : that being a fondness, this being a cruelty to the flesh; to which a Christian man, arriving by degrees, 2 I Cor. ix. 25. CTfjristtan .Sobrirtg 49 must first have crucified the lesser affections : for he that is overcome by little argu- ments of pain, will hardly consent to lose his life with torments. Degrees of Sobriety. Against this voluptuous- ness, sobriety is opposed in three degrees. 1. A despite or disaffection to pleasures, or a resolving against all entertainment of the instances and temptations of sensuality ; and it consists in the internal faculties of will and understanding, decreeing and declaring against them, disapproving and disliking them, upon good reason and strong resolution. 2. A fight and actual war against all the temptations and offers of .sensual pleasure in all evil instances and degrees : and it consists in prayer, in fasting, in cheap diet and hard lodging, and laborious exercises, and avoid- ing occasions, and using all arts and industry of fortifying the spirit, and making it severe, manly, and Christian. 3. Spiritual pleasure is the highest degree of sobriety ; and in the same degree in which we relish and ar,e in love with spiritual delights, the hidden ]Manna,3 witli the sweetness of devotion, with the joys of thanksgiving, with rejoicing in the Lord, with the com- forts of hope, with the de- liciousness of charity and alms-deeds, with the sweet- ness of a good conscience, with the peace of meekness, and the felicities of a con- tented spirit; in the same degree we disrelish and loathe the husks of swinish lusts, and the parings of the apples of Sodom, and the taste of sinful pleasures is altogether unsavoury to us. Rules for siippressifig Volup- tuousness. The precepts and advices which are of best and of general use in the curing of sensuality, are these : I, Accustom thyself to cut off all superfluity in the pro- visions of thy life, for our desires will enlarge beyond the present possession so long as all the things of this world are unsatisfying : if, therefore, you suffer them to extend beyond the measures of necessity or moderated conveniency, they will still swell : but you reduce them iJ Rev. ii. 17. 50 Cfjrtstian .^obrirtg to a little compass when you make nature to be your limit. We must more take care that our desires should cease than that they should be satisfied : and, therefore, reducing them to narrow scantlings and small proportions is the best way of redeeming their trouble, and preventing the dropsy, because that is next to an universal denying them : it is certainly a paring off from them all unreasonable- ness and irregularity. ' ' For whatsoever covets unseemly things, and is apt to swell into an inconvenient bulk, is to be chastened and tempered : and such is sensuality, said the philosopher. 2. Suppress your sensual desires in their first approach; for then they are least, and thy faculties and election are stronger ; but if they, in their weakness, prevail upon thy strengths, there will be no resisting them when they are increased, and thy abilities lessened. You shall scarce obtain of them to end, if you suffer them to begin. 3. Divert them with some laudable employment, and take off their edge by inad- vertency, or a not-attending to them. For, since the faculties of a man cannot at the same time, with any sharpness, attend to two ob- jects, if you employ your spirit upon a book or a bodily labour, or any innocent and indifferent employment, you have no room left for the present trouble of a sensual temptation. For in this sense it was, that Alexander told the Queen of Caria, that his tutor Leonidas had pro- vided two cooks for him ; " Hard marches all night and a small dinner the next day :" these tamed his youthful dis- position to dissoluteness, so long as he ate of their provi- sions. 4. Look upon pleasures, not upon that side that is next the sun, or where they look beauteously ; that is, as they come towards you to be enjoyed, for then they paint and smile, and dress them- selves up in tinsel and glass gems, and counterfeit ima- gery; but when thou hast rifled and discomposed them with enjoying their false beauties, and that they begin to go off, then behold them in their nakedness and weari- ness. See what a sigh and sorrow, what naked unhand- some proportions, and a filthy carcase, they discover; and the next time they counter- CJjrfsttan ^obrtctu feit, remember what you have ah^eady discovered, and be no more abused. And I have known some wise persons have advised to cure the pas- sions and longings of their children by letting them taste of everything they pas- sionately fancied ; for they should be sure to find less in it than they looked for, and the impatience of their being denied would be loosened and made slack : and when our wishings are no bigger than the thing deserves, and our usages of them according to our needs (which may be obtained by trj-ing what they ire, and what good they can do us), we shall find in all pleasures so little entertain- ment, that the vanity of the possession will soon reprove the violence of the appetite. And if this permission be in innocent cases it may be of good use : but Solomon tried it in all things, taking his fill of all pleasures, and soon grew weary of them all. The same thing we may do by reason which we might do by experience, if either we will look upon pleasures as we are sure they look when they go off, after their enjoyment; or if we will credit the expe- rience of those men who have tasted them and loathed them. 5. Often consider and con- template the joys of heaven, that, when they have filled thy desires, which are the sails of the soul, thou mayest steer only thither, and never more look back to Sodom. And when thy soul dwells above, and looks down upon the pleasures of the world, they seem like things in the distance, little and contemp- tible ; and men running after the satisfaction of their sottish appetites seem foolish as fishes, thousands of them lamning after a rotten worm, that covers a deadly hook ; or at the best, but like chil- dren with gi-eat noise pursu- ing a bubble rising from a walnut shell, which ends sooner than the noise. 6. To this the example of Christ and His apostles, of Moses, and all the wise men of all ages of the world, will much help ; who, under- standing how to distinguish good from evil, did choose a sad and melancholy way to felicity, rather than the broad, pleasant, and easy path to folly and misery. This is, however, but the general principle. Its first particular is temperance. 52 e.cmprranrc in Hating 11. Temperance ix Eating and Drinking. SOBRIETY is the bridle of tlie passions of desire, and temperance is the bit and curb of that bridle, a restraint put into a man's mouth, a moderate use of meat and drink, such as may best con- sist with our health, and may not hinder but help the works of the soul by its necessaiy supporting us, and minister- ing cheerfulness and refresh- ment. Temperance consists in the actions of the soul principally; for it is a grace that chooses natural means in order to proper, and natural, and holy ends. It is exercised about eating and drinking, because they are necessary; but there- fore it permits the use of them, only as they minister to lawful ends : it does not eat and drink for pleasure, but for need, and for refresh- ment, which is a part or a degree of need. I deny not that eating and drinking may be, and in healthful bodies akoays are, with pleasure ; because there is in nature no greater pleasure than that all the appetites which God hath made should be satisfied : and a man may choose a morsel that is pleasant, the less pleasant being rejected as being less useful, less apt to nourish, or more agreeing with an infirm stomach, or when the day is festival by order, or by private joy. In all these cases it is permitted to receive a more free delight, and to design it too, as the less principal : that is, that the chief reason why we choose the more delicious be the serving that end for which such refreshments and choices are permitted. But when delight is the only end, and rests itself, and dwells there long, then eating and drink- ing is not a sex-ving of God, but an inordinate action ; because it is not in the way to that end whither God directed it. But the choos- ing of a delicate before a more ordinary dish is to be done as other human actions are in which there are no degrees and precise natural limits described, but a lati- tude is indulged ; it must be done moderately, prudently, and according to the accounts of wise, religious, and sober Cctnpcrance in lEattng 53 men : and then God, who gave us such variety of crea- tures, and our choice to use which we will, may receive gloi-y from our temperate use, and thanksgiving ; and we may use them indifferently without scruple, and a mak- ing them to become snares to us, either by too licentious and studied use of them, or too restrained and scrupulous fear of using them at all, but in such certain circumstances, in which no man can be sure he is not mistaken. But temperance in meat and drink is to be regulated by the following rules : 3It'as2i7'es of Tempej-ajice in Eating. I. Eat not before the time, unless necessity, or charity, or any intervening accident, which may make it reason- able and prudent, should happen. Remember, it had almost cost Jonathan his life, because he tasted a little honey before the sun went down, contrary to the king's commandment : and although a great need which he had excused him from the sin of gluttony, yet it is inexcusable when thou eatest before the usual time, and thrustest thy hand into the dish unseason- ably, out' of greediness of the pleasure, and impatience of the delay. 2. Eat not hastily ajid im- patiently, but with such de- cent and timely action that your eating be a humane act, subject to deliberation and choice, and that you may consider in the eating: where- as, he that eats hastily cannot consider particularly of the circumstances, degrees, and little accidents and chances, that happen in his meal ; but may contract many little in- decencies, and be suddenly surprised. 3. Eat not delicately or nicely, that is, be not trouble- some to thyself or others in the choice of thy meats or the delicacy of thy sauces. It was imputed as a sin to the sons of Israel, that they loathed manna and longed for flesh : "the quails stunk in their nostrils, and the wrath of God fell upon them. " And for the manner of dress- ing, the sons of Eli were noted of indiscreet daintiness : they would not have the flesh boiled, but raw, that they might roast it with fire. Not that it was a sin to eat it, or desire meat roasted ; but that when it was appointed to be 54 CTrmprranrc in !£atmrj boiled, they refused it : which declared an intemperate and a nice palate. It is lawful in all senses to comply with a weak and a nice stomach : but not with a nice and curi- ous palate. When our health requires it, that ought to be provided for ; but not so our sensuality and intemperate longings. "Whatsoever is set before you eat;" if it be provided for you, you may eat it, be it never so delicate ; and be it plain and common, so it be wholesome, and fit for you, it must not be refused from luxurious daintiness: for every degree of that is a de- gree of intemperance. Happy and innocent were the ages of our forefathers, who ate herbs and parched corn, and drank the pure stream, and broke their fasts with nuts and roots ; and when they were permitted flesh, ate it only dressed with hunger and fire ; and the first sauce they had was bitter herbs, and some- times bread dipped in vine- gar. But in this circumstance, moderation is to be reckoned in proportion to the present customs, to the company, to education, to the judgment of honest and wise persons, and to the necessities of 4. Eat not too much : load neither thy stomach nor thy understanding. ' ' If thou sit at a bountiful table, be not greedy upon it, and say not there is much meat on it. Remember that a wicked eye is an evil thing : and what is created more wicked than an eye ? Therefore it weepeth upon eveiy occasion. Stretch not thy hand whithersoever it looketh, and thrust it not with him into the dish. A very little is sufficient for a man well nurtured."^ Signs and Effects of Temper- ance. We shall best know that we have the grace of temper- ance by the following signs, which are so many arguments to engage us also upon its study and practice. I. A temperate man is modest : greediness is un- mannerly and rude. And this is intimated in the advice of the son of Sirach, "When thou sittest among many, reach not thine hand out first of all. Leave off first for manners' sake, and be not un- satiable lest thou offend. " ^ 2. Temperance is accompanied with gravity of deportment : 4 Ecclus. xxxi. 17. » Ibid. S^cmpcrancc in Qrinfeing 55 greediness is garish, and re- joices loosely at the sight of dainties. 3. Sound but moderate sleep is its sign and its effect. Sound sleep cometh of moderate eating ; he riseth early, and his wits are with him. 4. A spiritual joy and a devout prayer. 5. A sup- Dressed and seldom anger. 6. A command of our thoughts and passions. 7. A seldom- returning and a never-pre- vailing temptation. 8. To which add, that a temperate person does not care about fancies and deliciousness. He thinks not much, and speaks not often, of meat and drink ; hath a healthful body and long life, unless it be hindered by some other acci- dent : whereas to gluttony, the pain of watching and choler are continual com- pany. Dritnkcnness. But I desire that it be observed, that because in- temperance in eating is not 60 soon perceived by others as immoderate drinking, and the outward visible effects of it are not either so notorious or so ridiculous, therefore glut- tony is not of so great dis- reputation amongst men as drunkenness ; yet, according to its degi-ee, it puts on the greatness of the sin before God, and is most strictly to be attended to, lest we be surprised by our security and want of diligence, and the intemperance is alike crimi- nal in both, according as the affections are either to the meat or drink. Gluttony is more imcharitable to the body, and dnmkenness to the soul, or the understand- ing part of man ; and there- fore in Scripture is more frequently forbidden and de- claimed against than the other : and sobriety hath by use obtained to signify tem- perance in drinking. Drunkenness is an immo- derate affection and use of drink. That I call immo- derate that is besides or beyond that order of good things for which God hath given us the use of drink. The ends are digestion of our meat, cheer- fulness and refreshment of our spirits, or any end of health. If at any time we go beside this, or beyond it, it is inordinate and criminal — it is the vice of drunken- ness. It is forbidden by our blessed Saviour in these words : *' Take heed to your- selves, lest at any time your vLcmprranrc in Dvinkinrif hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness :" ^ surfeiting, that is, the evil effects, the sottishness and remaining stupidity of habi- tual, or of the last night's drunkenness. For Christ for- bids both the actual and the habitual intemperance ; not only the effect of it, but also the affection to it ; for in both there is sin. He that drinks but little, if that little makes him drunk, and if he know beforehand his own infirmity, is guilty of surfeiting, not of drunkenness. But he that drinks much,, and is strong to bear it, and is not deprived of his reason violently, is guilty of the sin of drunken- ness. It is a sin not to pre- vent such uncharitable effects upon the body and under- standing: and therefore a man that loves not the drink is guilty of surfeiting if he does not watch to prevent the evil effect : and it is a sin, and the gi-eater of the two, inordinately to love or to use the drink, though the surfeiting or violence do not follow. Good therefore is the counsel of the son of Sirach, " Show not thy vali- antness in wine ; for wine hath destroyed many."7 s Luke xxi. 34. " Ecclus. xxxi. 2,. £vi7 Consequences of Drunkeuficss. The evils and sad conse- quences of drunkenness (the consideration of which ai-e as so many arguments to avoid the sin) are to this sense rec- koned by the writers of holy Scripture, and other wise personages of the world. ( i . ) It causeth woes and mis- chief,^ wounds and sorrow, sin and shame ; it maketh bitterness of spirit, brawling and quarrelling ; it increaseth rage and lesseneth strength ; it maketh red eyes, and a loose and babbling tongue. (2. ) It particularly ministers to lust, and yet disables the body ; so that in effect it makes man wanton as a satyr, and impotent as age. And Solomon, in enumerat- ing the evils of this vice, adds this to the account, " Thine eyes shall behold strange M-omen, and thine heart shall utter perverse things r"^ as if the dninkard ^^'ere only desire, and then impatience, muttering and enjoying like an eunuch embracing a wo- man. (3. ) It besots and hin- ders the actions of the un- derstanding, making a man 8 Prov. xxili. 29 : Ecclus. xxxi. 26. 3 Prov. xxiii. 33. (I^cmpcrancE in Q ringing 57 brutish in his passions, and a fool in his reason ; and differs nothing from madness but that it is vokmtary, and so is an equal evil in nature, and a worse in manners. (4. ) It takes off all the gnards, and lets loose the reins of all those evils to which a man is by his nature or by his evil customs inclined, and from which he is restrained by reason and severe principles. Drunkenness calls off the watchmen from their towers ; and then all the evils that can proceed from a loose heart, and an untied tongue, and a dissolute spirit, and an unguarded, unlimited will, all that we may put upon the accounts of drunkenness. (5. ) It extinguisheth and quenches the Spirit of God, for no man can be filled with the Spirit of God and with wine at the same time. And therefore St. Paul makes them exclu- sive of each other : "Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess ; but be filled with the Spirit. " 1 And since Joseph's cup was put into Benjamin's sack, no man hath a divining goblet. (6.) It opens all the sanctuaries of nature, and discovers the nakedness of the soul, all its weaknesses 1 Ephes. V. 18. and follies ; it multiplies sins and discovers them ; it makes a man incapable of being a private friend or a public counsellor. (7.) It taketh a man's soul into slavery and imprisonment more than any vice whatsoever,^ be- cause it disarms a man of all his reason and his wisdom, whereby he might be cured, and therefore commonly it grows upon him with age ; a drunkard being still more a I fool and less a man. I need [ not add any sad examples, since all stoiy and all ages have too many of them. Am- non was slain by his bro- ther Absalom when he was wann and high with Avine. Simon, the high priest, and two of his sons, were slain by their brother at a diimken feast. Holofemes was drunk when Judith slew him ; all the great things that Daniel spake of Alexander were drowned with a surfeit of one night's intemperance ; and the drvmkenness of Koah and Lot are upon record to eter- nal ages, that in those early instances, and righteous per- sons, and less criminal drunk- enness than is that of Chris- tians in this period of the world, God might show that 2 Prov. x.wi. 4. 5S Ccmpcraitcc veiy great evils are prepared to punish this vice ; no less than shame, and slaveiy, and incest ; the first upon Noah, the second upon one of his sons, and the third in the person of Lot. S/^ms of Dnnikeiiness. But if it be inquired con- cerning the periods and dis- tinct significations of this crime, and when a man is said to be drank ; to this I answer, that drunkenness is in the same manner to be judged as sickness. As every illness or violence done to health, in every part of its continuance, is a part or de- gree of sickness ; so is ever)' going off from our natural and common temper and our usual severity of behaviour, a degree of drunkenness. He is not only drunk that can drink no more ; for few are so : but he hath sinned in a degi^ee of drunkenness who hath done anything towards it beyond his proper mea- sure. But its parts and periods are usually thus rec- koned : I. Apish gestures ; 2. !Much talking ; 3. Immo- derate laughing ; 4. Dulness of sense. 5. Scurrility, that is, wanton, or jeering, or abusive language ; 6. An use- less understanding ; 7. Stupid sleep ; 8. Epilepsies, or fall- ings and reelings, and beastly vomitings. The least of these, even when the tongue begins to be untied, is a degree of drunkenness. But that we may avoid the sin of intemperance in meats and drinks, besides the former rules of measures, these coun- sels also may be usefiil. Rules for inaiiitaining Tern- pei-ance. 1. Be not often present at feasts, nor at all in dissolute co?7ipany, when it may be avoided, for variety of pleas- ing objects steals away the heart of man ; and company is either violent or enticing, and we are weak or complying, or perhaps desirous enough to be abused. But if you be unavoidably or indiscreetly engaged, let not mistaken civility or good nature engage thee either to the temptation. of staying (if thou under- standest thy weakness), or the sin of drinking inordinately. 2. Be severe in your judg- ment concerning your propor- tions, and let no occasion make you enlarge far beyond your ordinary quantity. For tLcmprrancc 59 a man is surprised by parts ; and while he thinks one glass more will not make him drunk, that one glass hath disabled him from well dis- cerning his present condi- tion and neighbour danger. " While men think them- selves wise, they become fools :" they think they shall taste the aconite and not die, or crown their heads with juice of poppy and not be drowsy ; and if they drink off the whole vintage, still they think they can swallow another goblet. But remem- ber this, whenever you begin to consider whether you may safely take one draught more, it is then high time to give over. Let that be accounted a sign late enough to break off ; for every reason to doubt is a sufficient reason to pail the company. 3. Come not to table but when thy need invites thee ; and, if thou beest in health, leave something of thy ap- petite unfilled, something of thy natural heat unemployed, that it may secure thy diges- tion, and serve other needs of nature or the spirit. 4. Propound to thyself (if you are in a position to do so) a constant nale of living, of eating and drinking, which, ' though it may not be fit to observe scrupulously, lest it become a snare to thy con- science, or endanger thy health upon every accidental violence ; yet let not thy rule be broken often nor much, but upon great necessity and in small degrees. 5. Never urge any man to eat or drink beyond his o\\m limits and his own desires. He that does otherwise is drank with his brother's sur- feit, and reels and falls with his intemperance ; that is, the sin of drunkenness is upon both their scores, they both lie wallowing in the guilt. 6. Use St. Paul's weapons of sobriety : ' ' Let us who ax-e of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and, for an helmet, the hope of salvation. " Faith, hope, and charity are the best weapons in the world to fight against intemperance. The faith of the Mahometans for- bids them to drink wine, and they abstain religiously, as the sons of Rechab. Now the faith of Christ forbids drunkenness to us, and there- fore is infinitely more power- ful to suppress this vice, when we remember that we are Christians, that to abstain from drunkenness and glut- 6o (Trmpfraiuc tony is part of the faith and disciphne of Jesus, and that Avith these vices neither our love to God, nor our hopes of heaven, can possibly con- sist ; and, therefore, when these enter the heart the other goes out at the mouth ; for this is the devil that is cast out by fasting and pray- er, which are the proper actions of these graces. 7. As a pursuance of this rule, it is a good advice, that as we begin and end all our times of eating with prayer and thanksgiving, so, at the meal, we remove and carry up our mind and spirit to the celestial table, often thinking of it, and often desiring it ; that by enkindling thy desire to heavenly banquets, thou mayest be indifferent and less passionate for the earthly. S. ]Minglediscourses,pious, or, in some sense, profitable, and in all senses charitable and innocent, with thy meal, as occasion is ministered. 9. Let your drink so sei've your meat as your meat doth your health ; that it be apt to convey and digest it, and re- fresh the spirits ; but let it never go beyond such a re- freshment as may a little lighten the present load of a sad or troubled spirit, never to inconvenience, lightness, soltishness, vanity, or intem- perance ; and know, that the loosing the bands of the tongue, and the very first dissolution of its duty, is one degree of the intemperance. 10. In all cases be careful that you be not brought under the power of those things which otherwise are lawful enough in the use. ' ' All things are lawful for me ; but I will not be brought under the power of any," said St. Paul. And to be perpetually longing, and im- patiently desirous of any- thing, so that a man cannot abstain from it, is to lose a man's liberty, and to become a sen-ant of meat and drink, or sviokc. And I wish this last instance were more con- sidered by persons who little suspect themselves guilty of intemperance, though their desires are strong and impa- uent, and the use of it per- petual and unreasonable to all purposes, but that they have made it habitual, and necessary as intemperance itself is made to some men. 11. Use those advices which are prescribed as means for suppressing vo- luptuousness, in the forego- ing section. Ci^astits 6j § III. Chastity An Inti'oductoiy IVarning, to be read before goi7ig oil fui'ther " To the pure all things are pure,'' but— READER, stay, and read not the ad\dces of the following section, unless thou hast a chaste spirit, or desir- est to be chaste, or at least art apt to consider whether you ought or no. For there are some spirits so atheistical, and some so wholly possessed with a spirit of uncleanness, that they turn the most pru- dent and chaste discourses into dirty and filthy appre- hensions ; like choleric sto- machs, changing their very cordials and medicines into bitterness, and, in a literal sense, turningthegraceofGod into lasciviousness. They study cases of conscience in the matter qf carnal sins, not to avoid, but to learn ways how to offend God and pol- lute their own spirits; and search their houses with a sunljcam, that they may be instructed in all the comers of nastiness. I have used all the care I could, in the fol- lowing periods, that I might neither be wanting to assist those that need it, nor yet minister any occasion of fancy or vainer thoughts to those that need them not. If any man will snatch the pure taper from my hand and Irold it to the devil, he will only bum his own fingers, but shall not rob me of the re- ward of my care and good intention, since I have taken heed how to express the following duties, and given him caution how to read them. Chastity is that duty which was mystically intended by God in the law of circum- cision. It is the circumcision of the heart, the cutting off all superfluity of naughtiness, and a suppression of all irre- gular desires in the matters of sensual or camal pleasure. I call all desires iiTegular and sinful that are not sanctified : (i.) By the holy institution, 62 Cfjastitg or by being within the pro- tection of marriage ; (2. ) By being within the order of na- ture ; (3.) By being within the moderation of Christian modesty. Against the first are fornication, adultery, and all voluntary pollutions of either sex. Against the second are all unnatural lusts and incestuous mixtures. Against the tliird is all immoderate use of permitted beds : con- cerning which judgment is to be made, as concerning meats and drinks, there being no certain degree of frequency or intention prescribed to all persons ; but it is to be ruled as the other actions of a man, by proportion to the end, by the dignity of the person in the honour and severity of being a Christian, and by other circumstances of which I am to give account. Chastity is that grace which forbids and restrains all these, keeping the body and soul pure in that state in which it is placed by God, whether of the single or of the married life ; concerning which our duty is thus described by St. Paul : ' ' For this is the will of God, even your sanctifica- tion, that ye should abstain from fornication ; that every one of vou should know how to possess his vessel in sanc- tification and honour, not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God. " ^ Chastity is either absti- nence or continence. Absti- nence is that of virgins or widows ; continence belongs to married persons. Chaste marriages are honourable and pleasing to God ; widowhood is pitiable in its solitariness and loss, but amiable and comely w^hen it is adorned with gravity and purity, and not sullied with remem- brances of the past licence, nor with present desires of returning to a second bed. But virginity is a life of an- gels, the enamel of the soul, the huge advantage of reli- gion, the great opportunity for the retirements of devo- tions ; and, being empty of cares, it is full of prayers ; being unmingled with the world, it is apt to converse with God ; and by not feel- ing the warmth of a too for- ward and indulgent nature, flames out with holy fires till it be burning like the Cher- ubim and the most ecstasied order of holy and unpolluted spirits. Natural virginity, of itself, 3 I Thess. iv. 3 — 5. Cfjastttg 63 is not a state more accept- able to God ; but that which is chosen and vohuitaiy, in order to the conveniences of religion and separation from worldly encumbrances, is therefore better than the married life, not that it is more holy, but that it is a freedom from cares, an op- portunity to spend more time in spiritual employments. It is not allayed with businesses and attendances upon lower affairs ; and if it be a chosen condition to these ends, it containeth in it a victory over lusts, and greater desires of religion, and self-denial, and therefore is more excellent than the married life, in that degree in which it hath greater religion, and a greater mortification, a less satisfac- tion of natural desires, and a greater fulness of the spiri- tual : and just in that degree is to expect that little coro- net, or special reward, which God hath prepared (extra- ordinary and besides the great crown of all faithful souls) for those " who have not de- filed themselves with women, but follow the ' virgin' Lamb for ever.""* But some married persons, their marri Rev. xiv. 4. better please God than some virgins in their state of vir- ginity : they, by giving great example of conjugal affection, by preserving their faith im- broken, by educating chil- dren in the fear of God, by patience, and contentedness, and holy thoughts, and the exercise of virtues proper to that state, do not only please God, but do so in a higher degree than those virgins whose piety is not answer- able to their gi-eat opportuni- ties and advantages. However, married persons, and widows, and virgins, are all servants of God, and co- heirs in the inheritance of Jesus, if they live within the restraints and laws of their particular estate chastely, temperately, justly, and reli- giously. 77ie czu'l Consequences of Uncleanness. The blessings and proper effects of chastity we shall best understand, by reckon- ing up the evils of unclean- ness and carnality. I. Uncleanness, of all vices, is the most shameful. "The eye also of the adulterer wait- eth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me ; and 64 Cfjastitg disgiiiseth his face. " ° In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the day-time ; they know not the hght, for the morning is to them as the shadow of death. He is swift as the waters ; their portion is cursed in the earth ; he behokleth not the way of the vineyards. Shame is the eldest daughter of un- cleanness, 2. The appetites of un- cleanness are full of cares and trouble, and its fruition is sorrow and repentance. The way of the adulterer is hedged with thorns ;^ full of fears and jealousies, burning de- sires and impatient waitings, tediousness of delay, and sufferance of affronts, and amazements of discovery. 3. Most of its kinds are of that condition that they in- volve the ruin of two souls, and he that is a fornicator or adulterous steals the soul, as well as dishonours the body, of his neighbour; and so it becomes like the sin of fall- ing Lucifer, who dragged down a part of the stars with himself from heaven. 4. Uncleanness, with all its kinds, is a vice which hath a professed enmity against 5 Job xxiv. 15. 6 Hos. ii. 6. the body. " Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body."^ 5. Uncleanness is hugely contrary to the spirit of self- control by embasing the spirit of a man, making it effeminate, sneaking, soft, and foolish, without courage, without confidence. David felt this after his folly with Bathshfcba; he fell to iin- kingly arts and stratagems to hide the crime; and he did nothing but increase it, and remained timorous and poor- spirited, till he prayed to God once more to establish him with, a free and a princely spirit.^ And no superior dare strictly observe discip- line upon his charge, if he hath let himself loose to the shame of incontinence. 6. The Gospel hath added two arguments against un- cleanness which were never before used, nor, indeed, could be. Since God hath given the Holy Spirit to them that are baptized and rightly con- firmed, and have thus entered into covenant with Him, our bodies are made a temple of the Holy Ghost, in which He dwells ; and therefore un- ' I Cor. vi. 18. 8 Psa. li. Cfjastitg 65 cleanness is sacrilege, and defiles a temple. It is St. Paul's argument, " Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost P"^ and " He that defiles a tem- ple, him will God destroy. Therefore glorify God in your bodies ;" ^ that is, flee fornica- tion. To which, for the likeness of the argument, add, "that our bodies are mem- bers of Christ ; and therefore God forbid that we should take the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot." So that vm clean- ness dishonours Christ, and dishonours the Holy Spirit': it is a sin against God, and, | in this sense, a sin against the Holy Ghost. 7. The next special argu- ment which the Gospel mini- sters, especially against adul- tery, and for the preservation of the purity of marriage, is, that marriage is by Christ hallowed into a mystery, to signify the sacramental and mystical union of Christ and His church. 2 He, therefore, that breaks this knot, which the church and their mutual faith have tied, and Christ hath knit up into a mystery, dishonours a great rite of * I Cor. vi. 19. 1 I Cor. iii. 17. 2 Ephcs. V. 32. Christianity, of high, spirit- ual, and excellent significa- tion. 8. St. Gregory reckons un- cleanness to be the parent of these monsters : blindness of mind, inconsideration, pre- cipitancy, or giddiness in actions, self-love, hatred of God, love of the present pleasures, a despite or despair of the joys of religion here, and of heaven hereafter. Whereas, a pure mind in a chaste body is the mother of wisdom and deliberation, sober counsels, and ingenuous actions, open deportment and sweet carriage, sincere princi- ples and unprejudiced un- derstanding, love of God and self-denial, peace and confi- dence, holy prayers and spiri- tual comfort, and a pleasure of spirit infinitely greater than the sottish and beastly plea- sures of unchastity. * ' For to overcome pleasure is the greatest pleasure ; and no victory is greater than that which is gotten over our lusts and filthy inclinations." 9. Add to all these, the public dishonesty and disre- putation that all the nations of the world have cast upon adulterous and unhallowed embraces. Abimelech, to the men of Gerar, made it death 65 Cfjastfto to meddle with the wife of Isaac, and Judah condemned Thamar to be burned for her adulterous conception ; and God, besides the law made to put the adulterous person to death, did constitute a settled and constant miracle to dis- cover the adultery of a sus- pected woman, ^ that her bowels should burst with drinking the waters of jeal- ousy. The Eg}^ptian law was to cut off the nose of the adulteress, and the offending part of the adulterer. The Locrians put out both the adulterer's eyes. The Ger- mans (as Tacitus reports) placed the adulteress amidst her kindred naked, and shaved her head, and caused her hus- band to beat her with clubs through the city. The Gor- tynceans crowned the man with wool, to shame him for his effeminacy ; and the Cu- mani caused the woman to ride upon an ass, naked and hooted at, and for ever after called her by an appellation of scorn, "a rider upon the ass." All nations, barbarous and civil, agreeing in their general design, of rooting so dishonest and shameful a vice from under heaven. The middle ages of the 3 Numb. V. 14- Church were not pleased that the adulteress should be put to death : but in the primitive ages, the civil laws by which Christians were then governed gave leave to the \\Tonged husband to kill his adulterous wife if he took her in the fact. Because, however, this was a privilege indulged to" men rather than a direct de- testation of the crime, a con- I sideration of the injury rather I thanoftheuncleanness,there- j fore it was soon altered ; but j yet hath caused an inquin,-, j Whether is worse, the adul- tery of the man or the wo- man? The resolution of which case, in order to our present affair, is thus : (i. ) In respect of the person^ the fault is greater in a man than in a woman, who is of a more pliant and easy spirit, and weaker understanding, and hath nothing to supply the unequal strengths of men, but the defensative of a passive nature and armourof modesty, which is the natural ornament of that sex, "And it is un- just that the man should de- mand chastity and severity from his wife which himself will not observe towards her, " said the good Emperor Anto- ninus: it is as if the man Cfjastitg 67 sliould persuade his wife to fight against those enemies to which he had yielded him- self a prisoner. (2. ) In respect of the effects and roil conse- qiiences, the adultery of the ■woman is worse, as bringing bastardy into a family, and disinherisons or great injuries to the lawful children, and infinite violations of peace, and murders, and divorces, and all the effects of rage and madness. (3. ) But in respect of the crime, and as relating to God, they are equal, in- tolerable, and damnable: and the Church anciently refused, therefore, to admit such per- sons to the holy communion, until they had done seven years' penances in fasting, in sackcloth, in severe inflictions and instruments of charity and sorrow, according to the dis- cipline of those ages. Acts of Chastity in general. The actions and proper offi- ces of the grace of chastity in general, are these : I. To resist all zinchaste thoughts: at no hand enter- taining pleasure in the unfruitful fancies and re- membrances of uncleanness, although no definite desire or resolution be entertained. 2. At no hand to entertain any desire, or any fanciful imaginative loves, though by shame, or disability, or other circumstance, they be re- strained from act. 3. To have a chaste eye and hand : for it is all one wdth what part of the body we commit adultery : and if a man lets his eye loose and enjoys the lust of that, he is an adulterer. " Look not upon a woman to lust after her." And supposing all the other members restrained, yet if the eye be permitted to lust, the man can no other- wise be called chaste than he can be called severe and mortified that sits all day long seeing plays and revel- lings, and out of greediness to fill his eye, neglects his belly. There are some ves- sels which, if you offer to lift by the body, you cannot stir them, but are soon removed if you take them by the han- dles. It matters not with which of your members you are taken and carried off from your duty and severity. 4. To have a heart and mind chaste and pttre ; that is, detesting all uncleanness ; disliking all its motions, past actions, circumstances, like- nesses, discourses : and this 6S Cfjastitg ought to be the chastity of virgins, widows, and old per- sons especially, and generally of all men, according to their several necessities. 5. To discourse chastely and purely ; with great care de- clining all indecencies of lan- guage, chastening the tongue and restraining it with grace, as vapours of wine are re- strained with a bunch of myrrh. 6. To disapprorje by a7i after- act all iiivolmtiary and natu- j-al acts, which, if they were voluntary, would be sinful. For if a man delights in hav- ing suffered any such, and v/ith pleasure remembers it, he chooses that which was in itself involuntary ; and that which (being natural) was in- nocent, becoming voluntary, is made sinful. 7. They that have per- formed these duties and parts of chastity will certainly ab- stain from all exterior actions of uncleanness, those noonday and midnight devils, those lawless and ungodly worship- pings of shame and unclean- ness, whose birth is in trouble, whose growth is in folly, and whose end is in shame. But besides these general acts of chastity, which are common to all states of men and women, there are some few things proper to particular conditions of life. Acts of Virginal Chastity. 1. Virgins must remember, that the virginity of the body is only excellent in order to the purity of the soul ; who therefore must consider, that since they are in some mea- sure in a condition like that of angels, it is their duty to spend much of their time in angelical employment : for in the same degree that virgins live more spiritually than other persons, in the same degree is their virginity a more excellent state. But else, it is no better than that of involuntary or constrained eunuchs ; a misery and a trouble, or else a mere pri- vation, as much without ex- cellency as without mixture. 2. Virgins must contend for a singular modesty; whose first part must be an igno- rance in the distinction of sexes, or their proper instru- ments ; or if they accident- ally be instructed in that, it must be supplied with an inadvertency or neglect of all thoughts and remembrances of such difference. And the following parts of it must be Cf}astitg 69 pious and chaste thoughts, holy language, and modest carriage. 3. Virgins must be retired and unpublic : for all free- dom and looseness of society is a violence done to virginity, not in its natural, but in its moral capacity; that is, it loses part of its severity, strictness, and opportunity of advantages, by publishing that person whose work is religion, whose company is angels, whose thoughts must dwell in heaven, and sepa- rate from all mixtures of the world. 4. Virgins have a peculiar obligation to charity : for this is the virginity of the soul ; as purity, integrity, and sepa- ration is of the body : which doctrine we are taught by St. Peter : " Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.""* For a Virgin that consecrates her body to God, and pollutes her spirit with rage, or impatience, or inordinate anger, gives Him what He most hates, a most foul and defiled soul. 5. These rules are neces- * I Pet. i. 22. sary for virgins that offer that state to God, and mean not to enter into the state of mar- riage ; for they that only wait the opportunity of a conve- nient change, are to steer themselves by the general rules of chastity. Rules for Widows, or Vidual Chastity. For widows, the fontinel of whose desires hath been opened by the former per- missions of the marriage-bed, they must remember, 1. That God hath now re- strained the former licence, bound up their eyes and shut up their heart into a narrower compass, and hath given them sorrow to be a bridle to their desires. A widow must be a mourner; and she that is not cannot so well secure the chastity of her proper state. 2. It is against public hon- esty to marry another man so long as she is with child by her former husband : and of the same fame, it is in a lesser proportion to marry within the year of mourning ; but anciently it was infamous for her to marry till by com- mon account the body was dissolved into its first prin- ciple of earth. €f}astit2 3. A widow must restrain her memory and her fancy, not recalhng or recounting her former permissions and freer licences with any pre- sent dehght : for then she opens that shiice which her husband's death and her own sorrow have shut up. 4. A widow that desires her widowhood should be a state pleasing to God, must spend her time as devoted virgins should, in fastings and prayers, and charity. 5. A widow must forbid herself to use those temporal solaces, which in her former estate were innocent, but now are dangerous. Rides for Man-ied Persons^ or Matrimonial Chastity. Concerning married per- sons, besides the keeping of their mutual faith and con- tract with each other, these particulars are useful to be observed. I. Although their mutual endearments are safe within the protection of marriage, yet they that have wives or husbands must be as though they had them not ; that is, they must have an affection greater to each other than they have to any person in the world, but not greater than they have to God : but that they be ready to part with all interest in each other's person rather than sin against God. 2. In their permissions and licence, they must be sure to observe the order of nature, and the ends of God. He is an ill husband that uses his wife as a man treats a harlot, having no other end but plea- sure. Concerning which our best rule is, that although in this, as in eating and drink- ing, there is an appetite to be satisfied which cannot be done without pleasing that desire, yet, since that desire and satisfaction was intended by nature for other ends, they should never be separate from those ends, but always be joined with all or one of these ends, with a desire of chil- dren, or to avoid fornication, or to lighten and ease the cares and sadnesses of house- hold affairs, or to endear each other : but never with a pur- pose, either in act or desire, to separate the sensuality from these ends which hallow it. Onan did separate his act from its proper end, and so ordered his embraces that his wife should not conceive, and God punished him. Ojastitg 71 3. Married persons must keep such modesty and de- cency of treating each other, that they never force them- selves into high and violent lusts, with arts and misbe- coming devices : always re- membering, that those mix- tures are most innocent which are most simple and most natural, most orderly and most safe. 4. It is a duty of matrimo- nial chastity to be restrained and temperate in the use of their lawful pleasures : con- cerning which, although no universal rule can antece- dently be given to all persons any more than to all bodies one proportion of meat and drink, yet married persons are to estimate the degree of their hcence according to the following proportions. (l.) That it be moderate, so as to consist with health. (2.) That it be so ordered as not to be too expensive of time, that precious opportunity of working out our salvation. {3.) That when duty is de- manded, it be always paid (so far as is in our powers and election) according to the foregoing measures. (4.) That it be with a temperate affection, without violent transporting desires, or too sensual applications. Con- cerning which a man is to make judgment by propor- tion to other actions, and the severities of his religion, and the sentences of sober and wise persons ; always remem- bering, that marriage is a provision for supply of the natural necessities of the body, not for the artificial and procured appetites of the mind. And it is a sad truth, that many married persons, thinking that the flood-gates of liberty are set wide open without measure or restraint (so they sail in that channel), have felt the final rewards of intemperance and lust, by their unlawful using of lawful permissions. Only let each of them be temperate, and both of them be modest. So- crates was wont to say, that those women to whom nature hath not been indulgent in good features and colours, should make it up themselves with excellent manners ; and those who were beautiful and comely should be careful that so fair a body be not polluted with unhandsome usages. To which Plutarch adds, that a wife, if she be unhandsome, should consider how extreme- ly ugly she would be if she wanted modesty: but if she be QTfjastitj handsome, let her think how gracious that beauty would be if she superadds chastity. 5. Married persons are to abstain by consent from their mutual entertainments at so- lemn times of devotion ; not as a duty of itself necessary, but as being the most proper act of purity, which, in their condition, they can present to God, and being a good advantage for attending their preparation to the solemn duty and their demeanour in it. It is St. Paul's counsel, that " by consent for a time they should abstain, that they may give themselves to fast- ing and prayer."^ And though when Christians did receive the holy communion every day, it is certain they did not abstain, but had chil- dren ; yet, when the com- munion was more seldom, they did with religion abstain from the marriage-bed during the time of their solemn pre- paratoiy devotions, as an- ciently they did from eating and drinking, till the solem- nity of the day was past. 6. It were well if man-ied persons would, in their peni- tential prayers and in their general confessions, suspect themselves, and accordingly 5 I Cor. vii. 5. ask a general pardon for all their indecencies, and more passionate applications of themselves in the offices of marriage : that what is law- ful and honourable in its kind may not be sullied with imperfect circumstances ; or if it be, it may be made clean again by the interruption and recal lings of such a repent- ance, as such uncertain parts of action are capable. But, because of all the dan- gers of a Christian none are more pressing and trouble- some than the temptations to lust, no enemy more danger- ous than that of the flesh, no accounts greater than what we have to reckon for at the audit of concupiscence, there- fore it concerns all that would be safe "^from this death to arm themselves by the follow- ing mles, to prevent or to cure all the wounds of our flesh made by the poisoned arrows of lust. Remedies against Uncleanness. I. When a temptation of lust assaults thee, do not resist it by heaping up argu- ments against it and disput- ing with it, considering its offers and its dangers, hvXfly from it; that is, think not at ©i^astitg 73 all of it, lay aside all con- sideration concerning it, and turn away from it by any severe and laudable thought of business. Saint Jerome very wittily reproves the Gentile superstition, which pictured the virgin-deities armed with a shield and lance, as if chastity could not be defended without war and direct contention. No ; this enemy is to be treated other- wise. If you listen to it, though but to dispute with it, it ruins you ; and the very arguments you go about to answer, leave a relish upon the tongue. A man may be burned if he goes near the fire, though but to quench his house; and by handling pitch, though but to draw it from your clothes, you defile you_r fingers. 2. Avoid idleness, and fill up all the spaces of thy time with severe and useful em- ployment ; for lust usually creeps in at those emptinesses where the soul is unemployed, and the body is at ease. For no easy, healthful, and idle person was ever chaste, if he could be tempted. But of all employments bodily labour is most useful, and of greatest benefit for driving away the devil. 3. Give 710 enteTtaini7ient to the begi7iiiings, the first motions and secret whispers of the spirit of impurity. For if you totally suppress it, it dies ; if you permit the furnace to breathe its smoke and flame out at any vent, it will rage to the consumption of the whole. This cocka- trice is soonest crushed in the shell ; but if it grows, it turns to a serpent, and a dragon, and a devil. 4. Corporal mortification, and hard usages of our body, hath, by all ages of the Church, been accounted a good instrument, and of some profit against the spirit of for- nication. A spare diet, and a thin coarse table, seldom refreshment, frequent fasts, not violent, and interrupted with returns to ordinary feed- ing, but constantly little, un- pleasant, of wholesome but sparing nourishment : for by such, cutting off the provi- sions of victual, we shall weaken the strengths of our enemy. To which if we add lyings upon the ground, pain- ful postures in prayer, reciting our devotions with our arms extended at full length like Moses praying against Ama- lek, or our Blessed Saviour hanging upon His painful 74 C^astitg bed of sorrows, the Cross, and (if the lust be upon us, and sharply tempting) by in- flicting any smart to over- throw the strongest passion by the most violent pain, we shall find great ease for the present, and the resolution and apt sufferance against the future danger. And this was St. Paul's remedy, "I bring my body under;" he used some rudenesses towards it. But it was a great nobleness of chastity which St. Jerome reports of a son of the King of Nicomedia, who, being tempted upon flowers and a perfumed bed Avith a soft violence, but yet tied down to the temptation, and soli- cited with circumstances of Asian luxur}' by an impure courtesan, lest the easiness of his posture should abuse him, spit out his tongue into her face: to represent that no virtue hath cost the saints so much as this of chastity. 5. Fly fro??i all occasions, temptations, loosenesses of company, balls and revel- lings, indecent mixtures of wanton dancings, idle talk, private society with strange women, starings upon a beau- teous face, the company of women that are singers, amorous gestures, garish and wanton dresses, feasts and liberty, banquets and per- fumes, wine and strong drinks, which are made to persecute chastity; some of these being the very pro- logues to lust, and the most innocent of them being but like condited or pickled mushrooms, which if care- fully coiTected and seldom tasted may be harmless, but can never do good : ever remembering, that it is easier to die for chastity than to live with it; and the hang- man could not extort a con- sent from some persons from whom a lover would have entreated it. For the glory of chastity will easily over- come the rudeness of fear and violence; but easiness, and softness, and smooth temptations creep in, and, like the sun, make a maiden lay by her veil and robe, which persecution, like the northern wind, makes her hold fast and clap close about her. 6. He that will secure his chastity, must first cure his pride and his rage. For oftentimes lust is the punish- ment of a proud man, to tame the vanity of his pride by the shame and affronts of unchastity ; and the same Cfjastitg 75 intemperate heat that makes anger does enkindle lust. 7. If thou beest assaulted with an unclean spirit, trust not thyself alone ; but run forth into company whose reverence and modesty may suppress, or whose society may divert thy thoughts : and a perpetual witness of thy conversation is of espe- cial use against this \ice, which evaporates in the open air like camphor, being im- patient of light and witnesses. 8. Use frequent and earnest prayers to the King of puri- ties, the First of Virgins, the eternal God, who is of an essential purity, that He would be pleased to reprove and cast out the unclean spirit. For beside the bless- ings of prayer by way of reward, it hath a natural virtue to restrain this vice : because a prayer against it is an unwillingness to act it; and so long as we heartily pray against it our desires are secured, and then this devil hath no power. This was St. Paul's other remedy : "For this cause I besought the Lord thrice." 9. Hither bring in succour from consideration 0/ the Divine presence and of His holy angels, meditation of death, and the passions of Christ upon the cross, imita- tion of His purities, and of the Virgin Alary, His un- spotted and holy JM other : and of those eminent saints, who, in their generations, were burning and shining liglits, unmingled with those uncleannesses which defile the soul, and who now fol- low the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. 10. These remedies are of universal efficacy in all cases extraordinaiy and violent ; but in ordinary and common, the remedy which God hath provided, that is, honourable marriage, hath a natural effi- cacy, besides a virtue by Divine blessing, to cure the inconvenience^ which other- wise might afflict persons temperate and sober. -^ 76 llnimilitg § IV. Humility HUMILITY is the great ornament and jewel of Christian religion ; that whereby it is distinguished from all the wisdom of the world ; it not having been taught by the wise men of the Gentiles, but first put into a discipline, and made part of a religion, by our Lord Jesus Christ, who pro- pounded Himself imitable by His disciples so signally in nothing as in the twin sisters of meekness and humility. Learn of me, for I am meek and humble ; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For all the world, all that we are, and all that we have, our bodies and our souls, our actions and our sufferings, our conditions at home, our accidents abroad, our many sins and our seldom virtues, are as so many arguments to make our souls dwell low in the deep valleys of humility. Considerations against Pride. I. Our body is weak and impure, sending out more uncleannesses from its several sinks than could be endured, if they were not necessary and natural : and we are forced to pass that through our mouths, which as soon as we see upon the ground, we loathe like rottenness and vomiting. 2. Our strength is inferior to that of many beasts, and our infirmities so many that we are forced to dress and tend horses and asses, that they may help our needs, and relieve our wants. 3. Our beaicty is in colour inferior to many flowers, and in proportion of parts it is no better than nothing ; for even a dog hath parts as well pro- portioned and fitted to his purposes, and the designs of his nature, as we have ; and when it is most florid and gay, three fits of an ague can change it into yellowness and leanness, and the hollowness and wrinkles of deformity. 4. Our learning \s then best when it teaches most humi- lity ; but to be proud of learning is the greatest ignor- ance in the world. For our learning is so long in getting, and so very imperfect, that the greatest clerk knows not ^umilitg 77 the thousandth part of what he is ignorant ; and knows so uncertainly what he seems to know, and knows no otherwise than a fool or a child even what is told him or what he guesses at, that except those things which concern his duty, and which God hath revealed to him, which also every woman knows so far as is necessary, the most learned man hath nothing to be proud of, un- less this be a sufficient argu- ment to exalt him, that he uncertainly guesses at some more unnecessary thing than many others, who yet know all that concerns them, and mind other things more neces- sary' for the needs of life and commonwealths. 5. He that is pr07(d of riches is a fool. For if he be exalted above his neighbours, because he hath more gold, how much inferior is he to a gold mine! How much is he to give place to a chain of pearl, or a knot of diamonds ! For certainly that hath the greatest excel- lence from whence he derives all his gallantry and pre-emi- nence over his neighbours. 6. If a man be exalted by reason of any excellence in his soul, he may please to remem- ber that all souls are equal ; i and their differing operations are because their instrument I is in better tune, their body I is more healthful or better j tempered ; which is no more I praise to him than it is that he was bom in Italy. 7. He that is proud of his birth is proud of the blessings of others, not of himself; for if his parents were more emi- nent in any circumstance than their neighbours, he is to thank God, and to rejoice in them ; but still he may be a fool, or unfortunate, or de- formed ; and when himself was bom, it was indifferent to him whether his father were a king or a peasant, for he knew not anything nor chose anything : and most commonly it is tnie, that he that boasts of his ancestors, who were the founders and raisers of a noble family, doth confess that he hath in him- self a less virtue and a less honour, and therefore that he is degenerated. 8. Whatsoever other dif- ference there is between thee and thy neighbour, if it be bad it is thine own, but thou hast no reason to boast of thy misery and shame : if it be good thou hast received it from God ; and then thou art more obliged to pay duty and 78 ^nmilitg tribute, use and principal to Him ; and it were a strange folly for a man to be proud of being more in debt than another. 9. Remember what thou wert before thou wert be- gotten. Nothing. What wert thou in the first regions of thy dwelling, before thy birth ? Uncleanness. What wert thou for many years after ? Weakness. What in all thy life ? A great sinner. What in all thy excellences ? A mere debtor to God, to thy parents, to the earth, to all the creatures. But we may, if we please, use the method of the Platonist philosophers, who reduce all the causes and arguments for humility, which we can take from ourselves, to these seven heads, (i.) The spirit of man is light and troublesome. (2. ) His body is brutish and sickly. (3.) He is constant in his folly and error, and inconsistent in his manners and good pur- poses. {4. ) His labours are vain, intricate, and endless. (5.) His fortune is change- able, but seldom pleasing, never perfect. (6.) His wis- dom comes not till he be ready to die, that is, till he be past using it. {7.) His death is certain, always ready at the door, but never far off. Upon these or the like medi- tations if we dwell, or fre- quently retire to them, we shall see nothing 77iore reason- able than to be Jmmble, and nothing rnoj-e foolish than to \)^ p7-oud. Acts or Offices of Himiility. The grace of humility is to be practised by these follow- ing rules : 1. Think not thyself better for Anything that happens to thee from without. For although thou mayest, by gifts bestowed upon thee, be bet- ter than another, as one horse is better than another, that is of more use to others ; yet as thou art a man, thou hast nothing to commend thee to thyself but that only by which thou art a man, that is, by what thou choosest and re- fusest. 2. Humility consists not in railing against thyself, or wearing mean clothes, or going softly and submissively; but in hearty and real e\dl or mean opinion of thyself. Be- lieve thyself an unworthy person heartily, as thou be- lievest thyself to be hungry, or poor, or sick, when thou art so. f^umilitg 79 3. Whatsoever evil thou sayest of thyself, be content that others should think to be true ; and if thou callest thyself fool, be not angry if another say so of thee. For if thou thinkest so truly, all men in the world desire other men to be of their opinion ; and he is an hypocrite that accuses himself before others with an intent not to be be- lieved. But he that calls himself intemperate, foolish, lustful, and is angry when his neighbours call him so, is both a false and a proud person. 4. Love to be concealed, and little esteemed : be con- tent to want praise, never being troubled when thou art slighted or undervalued ; for thou canst not understand thyself, and if thou thinkest so meanly as there is reason, no contempt will seem un- reasonable, and therefore it will be very tolerable. 5. Never be ashamed of thy birth, or thy parents, or thy trade, or thy present em- ployment, for the meanness or poverty of any of them ; and when there is an occasion to speak of them, such an occasion as would invite you to speak of anything that pleases you, omit it not, but speak as readily and indif- ferently of thy meanness as of thy greatness. Primislaus, the first king of Bohemia, kept his country shoes always by him, to remember from whence he was raised ; and Agathocles, by the furniture of his table, confessed that from a potter he was raised to be the king of Sicily. 6. Never speak anything directly tending to thy praise or glory ; that is, with the purpose to be commended, and for no other end. If other ends be mingled with thy honour, as if the glory of God, or charity, or necessity, or anything of prudence be thy end, you are not tied to omit your discourse or your design, that you may avoid praise, but pursue your end, though praise come along in the company. Only let not praise be the design. 7. When thou hast said or done anything for which thou receivest praise or estimation, take it indifferently, and re- turn it to God, reflecting upon Him as the Giver of the gift, or the Blesser of the action, or the aid of the design ; and give God thanks for making thee an instrument of His glory, for the benefit of others. So l^umilitg 8. Secure a good name to thyself by living virtuously and humbly ; but let this good name be nursed abroad, and never be brought home to look upon it : let others use it for their own advan- tage ; let them speak of it if they please ; but do not thou at all use it, but as an instru- ment to do God glory, and thy neighbour more advan- tage. Let thy face, like Moses', shine to others, but make no looking-glass for thyself. 9. Take no content in praise when it is offered thee: but let thy rejoicing in God's gift be allayed with fear, lest this good bring thee to evil. Use the praise as you use your pleasure in eating and drinking; if it comes make it no drudger}', let it serve other ends, and minister to necessities, and to caution ; lest by pride you lose your just praise, which you have deserved, or else, by being praised unjustly, you receive shame into yourself with God and wise men. 10. Use no stratagems and devices to get praise. Some use to inquire into the faults of their own actions or dis- courses, on purpose to hear that it was well done or spoken, and without fault : others bring the matter into talk, or thrust themselves into company, and intimate and give occasion to be thought or spoke of. These men make a bait to persuade them- selves to swallow the hook, till by drinking the waters of vanity they swell and burst. 11. Make no suppletories to thyself, when thou art dis- graced or slighted, by pleasing thyself with supposing thou didst deserve praise, though they understood thee not, or enviouslydetracted from thee: neither do thou get to thyself a private theatre and flat- terers, in whose vain noises and fantastic praises thou mayest keep up thine own good opinion of thyself. 12. Entertain no fancies of vanity and private whispers of this devil of pride ; such as was that of Nebuchadnezzar: ' ' Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the honour of my name, and the might of my majesty, and the power of my kingdom ? " Some fantastic spirits will walk alone, and dream wak- ing of greatnesses, of palaces, of excellent orations, full theatres, loud applauses, sud- den advancement, great for- times, and so will spend an f^umilitg Si hour with imaginative plea- sure ; all their employment being nothing but fumes of pride, and secret indefinite desires and significations of what their heart wishes. In this, although there is nothing of its own nature directly vicious, yet it is either an ill mother or an ill daughter, an ill sign or an ill effect ; and therefore at no hand consisting with the safety and interests of humility. 13. Suffer others to be praised in thy presence, and entertain their good and glory with delight ; but at no hand disparage them, or lessen the report, or make an objection ; and think not the advance- ment of thy brother is a les- sening of thy worth. But this act is also to extend further. 14. Be content that he should be employed, and thou laid by as unprofitable ; his sentence approved, thine rejected, he be preferred, and thou fixed in a low em- ployment. 15. Never compare thyself with others, unless it be to advance them and to depress thyself. To which purpose, we must be sure, in some sense or other, to think our- selves the worst in every company where we come : one is more learned than I am, another is more prudent, a third more honourable, a fourth more chaste, or he is more charitable, or less proud. For the humble man observes their good, and reflects only upon his own vileness ; or considers the many evils of himself certainly known to himself, and the ill of others but by uncertain report ; or he considers that the evils done by another are out of much infirmity or ignorance, but his own sins are against a clearer light, and if the other had so great helps, he would have done more good and less evil ; or he remem- bers, that his old sins before his conversion were greater in the nature of the thing, or in certain circumstances, than the sins of other men. So St. Paul reckoned himself the chiefest of sinners, be- cause formerly he had acted the chiefest sin of persecuting the Church of God. But this rule is to be used with this caution, that though it be good always to think meanest of ourselves, yet it is not ever safe to speak it, because those circumstances and considerations which de- termine thy thoughts are not 82 pniinilitg known to others as to thyself; and it may concern others that they hear thee give God thanks for the graces He hath given thee. But if thou pre- I servest thy thoughts and j opinions of thyself truly \ humble, you may with more safety give God thanks in public for that good which cannot, or ought not to be concealed. I 1 6. Be not always ready to excuse every oversight, or indiscretion, or ill action, but if thou beest guilty of it, con- fess it plainly ; for virtue scorns a lie for its cover, but to hide a sin with it is like a crust of leprosy drawn upon an ulcer. If thou beest not guilty (unless it be scandal- ous), be not over-earnest to remove it, but rather use it as an argument to chastise all greatness of fancy and opinion in thyself ; and accustom thy- self to bear reproof patiently and contentedly, and the harsh words of thy enemies, as knowing that the anger of an enemy is a better monitor, and represents our faults, or admonishes us of our duty, with more heartiness than the kindness does, or precious balms of a friend. 17. Give God thanks for every weakness, deformity, and imperfection, and laccept it as a favour and grace of God, and an instrument to resist pride, and nurse humi- lity ; ever remembering, that when God, by giving thee a crooked back, hath also made thy spirit stoop or less vain, thou art more ready to enter the narrow gate of heaven, than by being straight, and standing upright, and thinking highly. Thus the apostles rejoiced in their infirmities, not moral, but natural and accidental, in their being beaten and whipped like slaves, in their nakedness and poverty. 18. Upbraid no man's weakness to him to discom- fort him, neither report it to disparage him, neither de- light to remember it to lessen him, or to set thyself above him. Be sure never to praise thyself, or to dispraise any man else, unless God's glory or some holy end do hallow it. And it was noted to the praise of Cyrus, that, amongst his equals in age, he would never play at any sport, or use any exercise, in which he knew himself more excellent than they ; but in those in which he was unskilled he would make his challenges, lest he should shame them I^umilitg 83 by his victory, and that him- self might learn something of their skill, and do them civilities. 19. Besides the foregoing parts and actions, humility teaches us to submit our- selves and all our faculties to God, ' ' to believe all things, to do all things, to suffer all things," which His will en- joins us ; to be content in every state or change, know- ing we have deserved v/orse than the worst we feel, and that He hath but taken half when He might have taken all ; to adore His goodness, to fear His greatness, to wor- ship His eternal and infinite excellences, and to submit ourselves to all our superiors, in all things, according to godliness, and to be meek and gentle in our conversa- tion towards others. Now, although, according to the nature of every grace, this begins as a gift, and is increased like a habit, that is, best by its own acts ; yet, besides the former acts and offices of humility, there are certain other exercises and considerations, which are good helps and instruments for the procuring and in- creasing this grace, and the curing of pride. Means and Exercises for ob- taining and increasing the Grace of Hicjnility. 1. Make confession of thy sins often to God ; and con- sider what all that evil amounts to, which you then charge upon yourself. Look not upon them as scattered in the course of a long life ; now an intemperate anger, then too full a meal ; now idle talking, and another time impatience ; but unite them into one continued represen- tation, and remember, that he whose life seems fair, by reason that his faults are scattered at large distances in the several parts of his life, yet, if all his errors and follies were articled against him, the man would seem vicious and miserable. And possibly this exercise, really applied upon thy spirit, may be useful. 2. Remember that we usu- ally disparage others upon slight grounds and little in- stances, and towards them one fly is enough to spoil a whole box of ointment ; and if a man be highly com- mended, we think him suffi- ciently lessened if we clap one sin or folly or infirmity into his account. Let us, therefore, be just to ourselves, 84 fllumilitg since we are so severe to others, and consider that whatsoever good any one can think or say of us, we can tell him of hundreds of base, and unworthy, and foolish actions, any one of which were enough (we hope) to destroy another's reputation; therefore, let so many be sufficient to destroy our over- high thoughts of ourselves, 3. When our neighbour is cried up by public fame and popular noises, that we may disparage and lessen him. we cr}' out that the people is a herd of unlearned and ignor- ant persons, ill judges, loud trumpets, but which never give certain sound ; let us use the same art to humble our- selves, and never take delight and pleasure in public reports and acclamations of assem- blies, and please ourselves with their judgment, of whom, in other the like cases, we affirm that they are mad. 4. We change our opinion of others by their kindness or unkindness towards us. If he be my patron and boun- teous, he is wise, he is noble, his faults are but warts, his virtues are mountainous ; but if he proves unkind, or rejects our importunate suit, then he is ill-natured, covetous, and his free meal is called glut- tony ; that which before we called civility is now very drunkenness, and all he speaks is flat, and dull, and ignorant as a swine. This, indeed, is unjust towards others ; but a good instru- ment if we turn- the edge of it upon ourselves. We use ourselves ill, abusing our- selves with false principles, cheating ourselves with lies and pretences, stealing the choice and election from our wills, placing voluntary ignor- ance in our understandings, denying the desires of the spirit, setting up a faction against every noble and just desire, the least of which, because we should resent up I to reviling the injurious per- I son, it is but reason we should at least not flatter ourselves ; with fond and too kind opinions. 5. Every day call to mind some one of thy foulest sins, or the most shameful of thy disgraces, or the indiscreetest of thy actions, or anything that did then most trouble thee, and apply it to the present swelling of thy spirit and opinion, and it may help to allay it. 6. Pray often for His grace with all humility of gesture f^umilitjj and passion of desire, and in thy devotion interpose many acts of humility, by way of confession and address to God, and reflection upon thyself 7. Avoid great offices and employments, and the noises of worldly honour. For in those states, many times so many ceremonies and circum- stances will seem necessary, as will destroy the sobriety of thy thoughts. If the num- ber of thy servants be fewer, and their observances less, and their reverences less solemn, possibly they will seem less than thy dignity; and if they be so much and so many, it is likely they will be too big for thy spirit. And here be thou very care- ful, lest thou be abused by a pretence, that thou wouldest use thy great dignity as an opportunity of doing great good. For supposing it might be good for others, yet it is not good for thee; they may have encourage- ment in noble things from thee, and, by the same instru- ment, thou mayest thyself be tempted to pride and vanity. And certain it is, God is as much glorified by thy ex- ample of humility in a low or temperate condition, as by thy bounty in a great and dangerous. 8. Make no reflex acts up- on thy own humility, nor upon any other grace with which God hath enriched thy soul. For since God often- times hides from His saints and servants the sight of those excellent things by which they shine to others (though the dark side of the lantern be towards themselves), that He may secure the grace of humi- lity, it is good that thou do so thyself; and if thou be- holdest a grace of God in thee, remember to give Him thanks for it, that thou mayest not boast in that which is none of thy own; and con- sider how thou hast sullied it by handling it with dirty fingers, with thy owTi imper- fections, and with mixture of unhandsome circumstances. Spiritual pride is very dan- gerous, not only by reason it spoils so many graces, by which we drew nigh unto the kingdom of God, but also because it so frequently creeps upon the spirit of holy per- sons. For it is no wonder for a beggar to call himself poor, or a drunkard to con- fess that he is no sober per- son ; but for a holy person to be humble, for one whom all S6 p^umilttg men esteem a saint to fear lest himself become a devil, and to observe his own dan- ger, and to discern his own infirmities, and make dis- covery of his bad adherences, is as hard as for a prince to submit himself to be guided by tutors, and make himself subject to discipline, like the meanest of his servants. 9. Often meditate upon the effects of pride on one side, and humility on the other. First, That pride is like a canker, and destroys the beauty of the fairest flowers, the most excellent gifts and graces ; but humi- lity crowns them all. Se- condly, That pride is a great hindrance to the perceiving the things of God,^ and hu- mility is an excellent prepa- rative and instrument of spiritual wisdom. Thirdly, That pride hinders the ac- ceptation of our prayers, but " humility pierceth the clouds, and will not depart till the Most High shall regard." Fourthly, That humility is but a speaking truth, and all pride is a lie. Fifthly, That humility is the most certain way to real honour, and pride is ever affronted or despised. Sixthly, That pride turned 9 Matt. xi. 25. Lucifer into a devil, and hu- mility exalted the Son of God above eveiy name, and placed Him eternally at the right hand of His Father. Seventhly, That "God re- sisteth the proud," ^ pro- fessing open defiance and hostility against such persons, but " giveth grace to the humble J " grace and pardon, remedy and relief, against misery and oppression, con- tent in all conditions, tran- quillity of spirit, patience in afflictions, love abroad, peace at home, and utter freedom from contention, and the sin of censuring others, and the trouble of being censured themselves. For the humble man will not "judge his brother for the mote in his eye," being more troubled at ' ' the beam in his own eye ; " and is patient and glad to be reproved, because himself hath cast the first stone at himself, and therefore won- ders not that others are of his mind. 10. Remember that the blessed Saviour of the world hath done more to prescribe, and transmit, and secure this grace, than any other ;- His whole life being a great con- tinued example of humility, a 1 James iv. 6. 2 John xiii. 15. I^umtlitg 87 vast descent from the glorious bosom of His Father to the womb of a poor maiden, to the form of a servant, to the mise- ries of a sinner, to a life of labour, to a state of poverty, to a death of malefactors, to the grave of death, and the into- lerable calamities which we deserved ; and it were a good design, and yet but reason- able, that we should be as humble, in the midst of our greatest imperfections and basest sins, as Christ was in 1 the midst of His fulness of I the Spirit, great wisdom, per- | feet life, and most admirable j virtues. l 11. Drive away all flatter- | ers from thy company, and j at no hand endure them ; for he that endures himself so to | be abused by another, is not i only a fool for entertaining j the mockery, but loves to have his own opinion of him- self to be heightened and cherished. 12. Never change thy em- ployment for the sudden coming of another to thee ; but if modesty permits, or discretion, appear to him that visits thee the same that thou wert to God and thyself in thy privacy. But if thou wert walking or sleeping, or in any other innocent employ- ment or retirement, snatch not up a book to seem studious, nor fall on thy knees to seem devout, nor alter anything to make him believe thee better employed than thou wert, 13. To the same purpose it is of great use, that he who would preserve his humility should choose some spiritual person to whom he shall oblige himself to discover his very thoughts and fancies, eveiy act of his, and all his intercourse with others, in which there may be danger ; that by such an openness of spirit he may expose every blast of vaingloiy, every idle thought, to be chastened and lessened by the rod of spiri- tual discipline ; and he that shall find himself tied to con- fess every proud thought, eveiy vanity of his spirit, will also perceive they must not dwell with him, nor find any kindness from him ; and, be- sides this, the nature of pride is so shameful and unhand- some, that the very discovery of it is a huge mortification and means of suppressing it. A man would be ashamed to be told that he inquires after the faults of his last oration or action on purpose to be commended ; and, therefore, when the man shall tell his ss l^umilitg spiritual guide the same shameful story of himself, it is very likely he will be hum- bled, and heartily ashamed of it. 14. Let every man suppose what opinion he should have of one that should spend his time in playing with drum- sticks and cockle-shells, and that should wrangle all day long with a little boy for pins, or should study hard and labour to cozen a child of his gauds ; and who would run into a river, deep and dan- gerous, with a great burden upon his back, even then when he were told of the danger, and earnestly impor- tuned not to do it ? and let him but change the instances and the person, and he shall find that he hath the same reason to think as bad of himself, who pursues trifles with earnestness, spending his time in vanity, and his *' labour for that which pro- fits not ;" who, knowing the laws of God, the rewards of virtue, the cursed conse- quences of sin, that it is an evil spirit that tempts him to it, a devil, one that hates him, that longs extremely to ruin him ; that it is his own destruction that he is then working ; that the plea- sures of his sin are base and brutish, unsatisfying in the enjoyment, soon over, shame- ful in their story, bitter in the memory, painful in the effect here, and intolerable hereafter, and for ever ; yet in despite of all this, he runs foolishly into his sin and his ruin, merely because he is 2 fool, and winks hard, ana rushes violently like a horse into the battle, or, like a madman, to his death. He that can think great and good things of such a person, the next step may court the rack for an instrument of pleasure, and admire a swine for wis- dom, and go for counsel to the prodigal and trifling grass- hopper. After the use of these and suchlike instruments and con- siderations, if you would try how your soul is grown, you shall know that humility, like the root of a goodly tree, is thrust very far into the ground by these goodly fruits which appear above ground. Sig7is of Humility. (i.) The humble man trusts not to his own discretion, but in matter of concernment relies rather upon the judg- ment of his friends, counsel- ilHoticstg 89 lors, or spiritual guides. (2. ) He does not pertinaciously pursue the choice of his own will, but in all things lets God choose for him, and his supe- riors, in those things which concern them, (3) He does not murmur against com- mands. (4. ) He is not inqui- sitive into the reasonableness of indifferent and innocent commands, but believes their command to be reason enough in such cases to exact his obedience. (5.) He lives ac- cording to a rule, and with compliance to public customs, without any affectation or singularity. (6. ) He is meek and indifferent in all acci- dents and chances. (7.) He patiently bears injuries. (8. ) He is always unsatisfied in his own conduct, resolutions, and counsels. (9. ) He is a grfeat lover of good men, and a praiser of wise men, and a censurer of no man. (10.) He is modest in his speech, and reserved in his laughter. (11.) He fears, when he hears himself commended, lest God make another judgment con- cerning his actions than men do. (12.) He gives no pert or saucy answers when he is reproved, whether justly or unjustly. (13.) He loves to sit down in private, and, if he may, he i^efuses the temp- tations of offices and new honours. (14.) He is ingen- uous, free, and open in his actions and discourses. (15.) He mends his fault, and gives thanks when he is admon- ished. (16.) He is ready to do good offices to the mur- derers of his fame, to his slanderers, backbiters, and detracters, as Christ washed the feet of Judas. (17.) And is contented to be suspected of indiscretion, so long as before God he is really inno- cent, and not offensive to his neighbour, nor wanting to his just and prudent interest. § V. Of Modesty MODESTY is the ap- pendage of sobriety, and is to chastity, to temper- ance, and to humility, as the fringes are to a garment. It is a grace of God, that mo- derates the over-activeness and curiosity of the mind, and orders the passions of the body and external actions, 90 iHotiestg and is directly opposed to curiosity, to boldness, to in- decency. The practice of modesty consists in these fol- lowing rules. Acts and Duties of Modesty, as it is opposed to Inqiiisi- tiveness. 1. Inquire not into the se- crets of God, 1 but be content to learn thy duty according 1 to the quality of thy person or employment : that is plain- ly, if thou beest not con- cerned in the conduct of others ; but if thou beest a teacher, learn it so as may , best enable thee to discharge thy office. God's command- ments were proclaimed to all the world ; but God's coun- I sels are to Himself and to His ! secret ones, when they are \ admitted within the veil. I 2. Inquire not into the things which are too hard for thee, but learn modestly to know thy infirmities and abi- lities ;^ and raise not thy | mind up to inquire into mys- , teries of state, or the secrets of government, or difficulties I theological, if thy employ- ment really be, or thy under- standing be judged to be, of a lower rank. 1 Ecclus. iii. 21-23. 2 Prov. xxv. 3. Let US not inquire into the affairs of others that con- cern us not, but be busied within ourselves and our own spheres ; ever remembering that to pry into the actions or interests of other men not under our charge, may min- ister to pride, to tyranny, to uncharitableness, to trouble, but can never consist with modesty ; unless where duty or the mere intentions of charity and relation do war- rant it. 4. Never listen at the doors or windows ;^ for, besides that it contains in it danger and a snare, it is also an in- vading my neighbour's pri- vacy, and a laying that open which he therefore enclosed, that it might not be open. Never ask what he canies covered so curiously; for it is enough that it is covered curiously. Hither also is re- ducible that we never open letters without public autho- rity, or reasonable presumed leave, or great necessity, or charity. Everyman hath in his own life sins enough, in his own mind trouble enough, in his own fortune evils enough, and in performance of his offices failings more than enough, to 3 Ecclus. vii. 21. fEoticstg entertain his own inquir)'- ; so that curiosity after the affairs of others cannot be without envy and an evil mind. What is it to me if my neighbour's grandfather were a Syrian, or his grandmother illegitimate ? or that another is indebted five thousand pounds, or whether his wife be expen- sive ? But commonly inqui- sitive persons, or (as the apostle's phrase is) "busy- bodies," are not solicitous or inquisitive into the beauty and order of a well-governed family, or after the virtues of an excellent person ; but if there be anything for which men keep locks and bars, and porters, things that blush to see the light, and either are shameful in manners or pri- vate in nature, these things are their care and their busi- ness. But if great things will satisfy our inquiry, the course of the sun and moon, the spots in their faces, the firma- ment of heaven, and the sup- posed orbs, the ebbing and flowing of the sea, are work enough for us : or if this be not, let him tell me whether the number of the stars be even or odd, and when they began to be so ; since some ages have discovered new stars which the former knew not, but might have seen if they had been where now they are fixed. If these be too troublesome search lower, and tell me why this turf this year brings forth a daisy, and the next year a plaintain; why the apple bears his seed in his heart, and wheat bears it in his head : let him tell why a graft, taking nourish- ment from a crab -stock, shall have a fmit more noble than its nurse and parent : let him say why the best of oil is at the top, the best of wine in the middle, and the best of honey at the bottom, other- wise than it is in some liquors that are thinner, and in some that are thicker. But these things are not such as please busybodies; they must feed upon tragedies, and stoi'ies i of misfortunes and crimes ; and unless you tell them something sad and new, something that is done with- in the bounds of their own knowledge or relation, it seems tedious and unsatis- fying : which shows plainly, it is an evil spirit. Envy and idleness married together, and begot curiosity. There- fore Plutarch rarely well compares curious and inqui- sitive ears to the execrable gates of cities, out of which 92 fEotirstg only malefactors and hang- men and tragedies pass — nothing that is chaste or holy. If a physician should go from house to house un- sent for, and inquire what woman hath this secret malady, or what man hath that, though he could pre- tend to cure it, he would be almost as unwelcome as the disease itself; and therefore it is inhuman to inquire after crimes and disasters without pretence of amending them, but only to discover them. We are not angry with searchers and publicans, when they look only on pub- lic merchandise ; but when they break open trunks, and pierce vessels, and unrip packs, and open sealed letters. Curiosity is the direct in- continency of the spirit ; and adultery itself in its principle is many times nothing but a curious inquisition after, and envying of, another man's enclosed pleasures; and there have been many who refused fairer objects that they might ravish an enclosed woman from her retirement and single possessor. But these inquisitions are seldom with- out danger, never without baseness ; they are neither just, nor honest, nor delight- ful, and very often useless to the curious inquirer. For men stand upon their guards against them, as they secure their meat against harpies and cats, laying all their counsels and secrets out of their way ; or as men clap their garments close about them, when the searching and saucy winds would dis- cover their nakedness ; as knowing that what men willingly hear they do •will- ingly speak of. Knock, therefore, at the door before you enter upon your neigh- bour's privacy ; and remem- ber, that there is no differ- ence between entering into his house, and looking into it. Acts of Modesty as it is opposed to Boldness. I. Let us always bear about us such impressions of reve- rence and fear of God as to tremble at His voice, to ex- press our apprehensions of His greatness in all great accidents, in popular judg- ments, loud thunders, tem- pests, earthquakes ; not only for fear of being smitten our- selves, or that we are con- cerned in the accident, but also that we may humble our- selves before His Almio-hti- iBotJrstg 93 ness, and express that infinite distance between His infinite- ness and our weaknesses, at such times especially when He gives such visible argu- ments of it. He that is merry and airy at shore when he sees a sad and a loud tempest on the sea ; or dances briskly when God thunders from heaven, regards not M-hen God speaks to all the world, but is possessed with a firm immodesty. 2. Be reverent, modest, and reserved in the presence of thy betters, giving to all, according to their quality, their titles of honour, keep- ing distance, speaking little, answering pertinently, not interposing without leave or reason, not answering to a question propounded to an- other ; and ever present to thy superiors the fairest side of thy discourse, of thy tem- per, of thy ceremony, as being ashamed to sei-ve excellent persons with unhandsome in- tercourse. 3. Never lie before a king or a great person, nor stand in a lie, when thou art ac- cused; noroffer to justify what is indeed a fault ; but mo- destly be ashamed of it, ask pardon, and make amends. 4. Never boast of thy sin. but at least lay a veil upon thy nakedness and shame, and put thine hand before thine eyes, that thou mayest have this beginning of re- pentance, to believe thy sin to be thy shame. For he that blushes not at his crime, but adds shamelessness to his shame, hath no instrument I left to restore him to the I hopes of virtue. I 5. Be not confident and affirmative in an uncertain matter, but report things mo- destly and temperately, ac- cording to the degree of that persuasion, which is, or ought to be, begotten in thee by the efficacy of the authority, or 'the reason inducing thee. 6. Pretend not to more knowledge than thou hast, but be content to seem igno- rant where thou art so, lest thou beest either brought to shame, or retirest into sliame- lessness.'* Acts of Modesty as it is opposed to Iiidecejicy. I. In your prayers, in churches and places of reli- gion, use reverent postures, great attention, grave cere- mony, the lowest gestures of humility, remembering that ■* Ecclus. iii. 25. 94 fEolicstg we speak to God, in our re- verence to whom we cannot possibly exceed ; but that the expression of this reverence be according to law or cus- tom, and the example of the most prudent and pious per- sons ; that is, let it be the best in its kind to the best of beings. 2. In all public meetings, private addresses, in dis- courses, in journeys, use those forms of salutation, rever- ence, and decency which cus- tom prescribes, and which is usual amongst the most sober persons ; giving honour to whom honour belongeth, tak- ing place of none of thy betters, and in all cases of question concerning civil pre- cedency, giving it to any one that will take it, if it be only thy own right that is in ques- tion. 3. Observe the proportion of affections in all meetings and to all persons : be not merry at a funeral, nor sad upon a festival ; but re- joice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 4. Abstain from wanton and dissolute laughter, petu- lant and uncomely jests, loud talking, jeering, and all such actions, which in civil ac- count are called indecencies and incivilities. 5. Towards your parents use all modesty of duty and humble carriage ; towards them and all your kindred, be severe in the modesties of chastity ; ever fearing, lest the freedoms of natural kind- ness should enlarge into any neighbourhood of unhand- someness. For all incestuous mixtures, and all circum- stances and degrees towards it, are the highest \dolations of modesty in the world : for therefore incest is gro%^Ti to be so high a crime, especially in the last periods of the world, because it breaks that reverence which the consent of all nations and the severity of human laws hath enjoined towards our parents and near- est kindred, in imitation of that law which God gave to the Jews in prosecution of modesty in this instance. 6. Be a careful observer of all those things which are of good report, and are parts of public honesty. ^ For pub- lic fame, and the sentence of prudent and public persons, is the measure of good and evil in things indifferent ; and charity requires us to comply with those fancies and afifec- 5 Philip, iv. 8. iHolicstg 95 tions which are agreeable to nature, or the analogy of virtue, or public laws, or old customs. It is against mo- desty for a woman to marry a second husband as long as she bears a burden by the first, or to admit a second love while her funeral tears are not wiped from her cheeks. It is against public honesty to do some lawful i actions of privacy in public places, and therefore in such cases retirement is a duty of modesty. 7. Be grave, decent, and modest in thy clothing and ornament : never let it be above thy condition, not always equal to it, never light or amorous, never discovering a nakedness through a thin veil, which thou pretendest to hide, never to lay a snare for a soul ; but remember what becomes a Christian professing holiness, chastity, and the discipline of the holy Jesus : and the first effects of this let your servants feel by your gentleness and aptness to be pleased with their usual diligence and ordinary con- duct. P'or the man or woman that is dressed with anger and impatience wears pride under their robes, and immodesty above. 8. Hither also is to be reduced singular and affected walking ; proud, nice, and ridiculous gestures of body, paintings and lascivious dres- sings, all which together God reproves by the prophet : "The Lord saith, Because the daughters of Sion are haughty, and walk with stretched - forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet ; therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head, and will take away the braveiy of their tinkling ornaments."^ And this duty of modesty, in this instance, is expressly enjoined to all Christian women by St. Paul : " That women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and so- briety, not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearl, or costly array, but (which be- cometh women professing' godliness) with good works. " '' 9. As those meats are to be avoided which tempt our stomachs beyond our hunger, so, also, should prudent per- sons decline all those specta- cles, relations, theatres, loud noises and outcries, which concern us not, and are be- « Isa. iii. 16-18. " I Tim. ii. 9. Contcntctincss side our natural or moral interest. Our senses should not, like petulant and wanton girls, wander into markets and public places without just employment ; but when they are sent abroad by reason, return quickly with their errand, and remain modestly at home under their guide till they be sent again. lo. Let all persons be care- ful in observing modesty to- wards themselves, in the handsome treatment of their own body, and such as are in their power, whether living or dead. Against this rule they offend who expose to others their own, or pry into others' nakedness beyond the limits of necessity, or where a leave is not made holy by a permission from God. It is also said, that God was pleased to work a miracle about the body of Epiphanius to reprove the immodest curi- osity of an unconcerned per- son who pried too near when charitable people were com- posing it to the grave. In all these cases and particulars, although they seem little, yet our duty and concernment is not little. Concerning which I use the words of the son of Sirach, " He that despiseth little things shall perish by little and little." VI. Of Contentedness in all Estates and Accidents. VIRTUES and discourses are, like friends, neces- sary in all fortunes ; but those are the best, which are friends in our sadnesses, and support us in our sorrows and sad accidents : and in this sense, no man that is virtuous can be friendless ; nor hath any man reason to complain of the Divine Providence, or accuse the public disorder of things, or his own infelicity, since God hath appointed one remedy for all the evils in the world, and that is a contented spirit : for this alone makes a man pass through fire, and not be scorched ; through seas, and not be drowned ; through hunger and nakedness, and want nothing. For since all the evil in the world consists ContEntctiness 97 in the disagreeing between the object and the appetite, as when a man liath what he desires not, or desires what he hath not, or desires amiss ; he that composes his spirit to the present accident, hath variety of instances for his virtue, but none to trouble liim, because his desires en- large not beyond his present fortune : and a wise man is placed in the variety of chances, like the nave or centre of a wheel, in the midst of all the circumvolu- tions and changes of posture, without violence or change, save that it turns gently in compliance with its changed parts, and is indifferent which part is up, and which is down ; for there is some vir- tue or other to be exercised, whatever happens, either patience or thanksgiving, love or fear, moderation or humility, charity or conten- tedness, and they are every one of them equally in order to his great end and immor- tal felicity : and beauty is not made by white or red, by black eyes and a round face, by a straight body and a smooth skin ; but by a pro- portion to the fancy. No rules can make amiability ; our minds and apprehensions make that ; and so is our felicity ; and we may be re- conciled to poverty and a low fortune, if we suffer con- tentedness and the grace of God to make the propor- tions. For no man is poor that does not think himself so : but if, in a full fortune, with impatience he desires more, he proclaims his wants and his beggarly condition. But because this grace of contentedness was the sum of all the old moral philoso- phy, and a great duty in Christianity, and of most universal use in the whole course of our lives, and the only instrument to ease the burdens of the world and the enmities of sad chances, it will not be amiss to press it by the proper arguments by which God hath bound it upon our spirits ; it being fastened by reason and reli- gion, by duty and interest, by necessity and conveni- ency, by example, and by the proposition of excellent rewards, no less than peace and felicity. I. Contentedness in all estates is a duty of religion ; it is the great reasonableness of complying with the Divine Providence which governs all the world, and hath so 9S Contcntctincss ordered us in the adminis- tration of His great family. He were a strange fool that should be angry because dogs and sheep need no shoes, and yet himself is full of care to get some. God hath sup- plied those needs to them by natural provisions, and to thee by an artificial : for He hath given thee reason to learn a trade, or some means to make or buy them, so that it only differs in the manner of our provision : and which had you rather want, shoes or reason ? And my patron, that hath given me a farm, is freer to me than if he gives a loaf ready baked. But, how- ever, all these gifts come from Him, and therefore it is fit He should dispense them as He pleases; and if we murmur here, we may, at the next melancholy, be troubled that God did not make us to be angels or stars. For if that which we are or have do not content us, we may be troubled for everything in the world which is besides our being or our possessions. God is the master of the scenes ; we must not choose which part we shall act ; it concerns us only to be care- ful that we do it well, always saying, " If this please God. let it be as it is : " and we, who pray that God's will may be done in earth as it is in heaven, must remember that the angels do whatsoever is commanded them, and go wherever they are sent, and refuse no circumstances ; and if their employment be crossed by a higher degree, they sit down in peace, and rejoice in the event ; and when the angel of Judea could not prevail in behalf of the people committed to his charge,^ because the angel of Persia opposed it, he only told the story at the command of God, and was as content, and wor- shipped with as gi-eat an ecstasy in his proportion, as the prevailing spirit. Do thou so likewise : keep the station where God hath placed you, and you shall never long for things with- out, but sit at home, feasting upon the Divine Providence and thy own reason, by which we are taught that it is neces- sary and reasonable to sub- mit to God. For is not all the world God's family? Are not we His creatures ? Are we not as clay in the hand of the potter ? Do we not live up- on His meat, and move by 8 Dan. X. 13. €^ontmtctinfSS 99 His strength, and do our work by His light ? Are we anything but what we are from Him ? And shall there be a mutiny among the flocks and herds, because their lord or their shepherd chooses their pastures, and suffers them not to wander into deserts and unknown ways ? If we choose, we do it so foolishly that we cannot like it long, and most commonly not at all : but God, who can do as He pleases, is wise to choose safely for us, affec- tionate to comply with our needs, and powerful to exe- cute all His wise decrees. Here, therefore, is the wis- dom of the contented man, to let God choose for him ; for when we have given up our wills to Him, and stand in that station of the battle where our Great General hath placed us, our spirits must needs rest while our conditions have for their security the power, the wis- dom, and the charity of God. 2. Contentedness in all accidents brings great peace of spirit, and is the great and only instrument of temporal felicity. It removes the sting from the accident, and makes a man not to depend upon chance and the uncertain dis- positions of men for his well- being, but only on God and his o\\Ti spirit. We ourselves make our fortunes good or bad; and when God lets loose a tyrant upon us, or a sickness, or scorn, or a les- sened fortune, if we fear to die, or know not to be patient, or are proud or covetous, then the calamity sits heavy on us. But if we know how to manage a noble principle, and fear not death so much as a dishonest action, and think impatience a worse evil than a fever, and pride to be the biggest disgrace, and poverty to be infinitely desir- able before the torments of covetousness : then we who now think vice to be so easy, and make it so familiar, and think the cure so impossible, shall quickly be of another mind, and reckon these acci- dents amongst things eligible. But no man can be happy that hath great hopes and great fears of things without, and events depending upon other men, or upon the chances of fortune. The re- wards of virtue are certain, and our provisions for our natural support are certain; or if we want meat till we die, then we die of that dis- ease — and there are many (JTontrntrtncss deaths worse than to die with an atrophy or consumption, or unapt and coarser nourish- ment. But he that suffers a transporting passion concern- ing things within the power of others, is free from sorrow and amazement no longer than his enemy shall give him leave; and it is ten to one but he shall be smitten then and there where it shall most trouble ; for so the adder teaches us where to strike, by her careful and fearful de- fending of her head. The old Stoics, when you told them of a sad story, would still answer, " What is that to vie? Yes, for the tyrant hath sentenced you also to prison. Well, what is that ? he will put a chain upon my leg ; but he cannot bind my soul. No: but he v/ill kill you. Then I will die. If directly, let me go, that I may at once be freer than himself: but if not till anon or to-morrow, I will dine first, or sleep, or do what reason or nature calls for, as at other times." This, in Gentile philosophy, is the same with the discourse of St. Paul, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased. and I know how to abound : everywhere and in all things I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry ; both to abound and to suffer need."^ We are in the world like men playing at tables ; the chance is not in our power, but to play it is ; and when it is fallen we must manage it as we can : and let nothing trouble us, but when we do a base action, or speak like a fool, or think wickedly — these things God hath put into our powers; but concerning those things which are wholly in the choice of another, they cannot fall under our delibera- tion, and therefore neither are they fit for our passions. My fear may make me miser- able, but it cannot prevent what another hath in his power and purpose ; and prosperities can only be en- joyed by them who fear not at all to lose them, since the amazement and passion con- cerning the future takes off all the pleasure of the present possession. Therefore, if thou hast lost thy land, do not also lose thy constancy ; and if thou must diealittle sooner, yet do not die impatiently. 5 Phil. iv. II, 12 ; I Tim. vi. 6; Heb. xiii. 5. ffi^ontmtctjncss For no chance is evil to him that is content ; and to a man nothing is miserable unless it be unreasonable. No man can make another man to be his slave unless he hath first enslaved himself to life and death, to pleasure or pain, to hope or fear: command these passions, and you are freer than the Parthian kings. Means and Habits for pro- curing Contentedness. Upon the strength of these premisses, we may reduce this virtue to practice by its proper instruments first, and then by some more special considera- tions or arguments of content. I. When anything happens to our displeasure, let us en- deavour to take off its trouble by turning it into spiritual or artificial advantage, and han- dle it on that side in which it may be useful to the designs of reason; for there is nothing but hath a double handle, or at least we have two hands to apprehend it. When an enemy reproaches us, let us look on him as an impartial relater of our faults, for he will tell thee truer than thy fondest friend will ; and thou mayest call them precious balms, though they break thy head, and forgive his anger, while thou makest use of the plainness of his declamation. " The ox, when he is weaiy, treads surest ; " and if there be nothing else in the dis- grace, but that it makes us to walk warily, and tread sure for fear of our enemies, that is better than to be flattered into pride and carelessness. This is the charity of Chris- tian philosophy, which ex- pounds the sense of the Divine Providence fairly, and recon- ciles us to it by a charitable construction : and we may as well refuse all physic, if we consider it only as unpleasant in the taste ; and we may find fault with the rich valleys of Thasus, because they are circled by sharp mountains ; but so also we may be in charity with every unpleasant accident, because, though it taste bitter, it is intended for health and medicine. If, therefore, thou fallest from thy employment in pub- lic, take sanctuary in an honest retirement, being in- different to thy gain abroad, or thy safety at home. If thou art out of favour with thy prince, secure the favour of the King of kings, and then there is no harm come to thee. When the north I02 (ITontmtEljncss ■\vind blows hard, and it rains sadly, none but fools sit down in it and cry ; wise people defend themselves against it with a wai-m garment, or a good fire and a dry roof. XVhen a stonn of a sad mis- chance beats upon our spirits, turn it into some advantage by observing where it can serve another end, either of religion or pmdence, of more safety or less envy : it will turn into something that is good, if we list to make it so ; at least it may make us weaiy of the world's vanity, and take off our confidence from uncertain riches, and make our spirits to dwell in those regions where content dwells essentially. If it does any good to our souls, it hath made more than sufficient recompense for all the tem- poral affliction. He that threw a stone at a dog, and hit his cruel stepmother, said, that although he intended it otherwise, yet the stone was not quite lost ; and if we fail in the first design, if we bring it home to another equally to content us, or more to profit us, then we have put our conditions past the power of chance ; and this was called, in the old Greek comedy, "a being revenged on fortune by becoming philosophers," and turning the chance into reason or religion : for so a wise man shall overrule his stars, and have a greater influence upon his own content than all the constellations and planets of the firmament. 2. Never compare thy con- dition with those above thee ; but, to secure thy content, look upon those thousands with whom thou wouldest not, for any interest, change thy fortune and condition. A soldier must not think him- self unprosperous if he be not so successful as Alexander the Great, or cannot grasp a for- tune as big as the Roman empire. Be content that thou art not lessened as was Pyrrhus, or, if thou beest, that thou art not routed like Crassus; and when that comes to thee, it is a great pros- perity that thou art not caged and made a spectacle, like Bajazet, or thy eyes were not pulled out, like Zede- kiah's, or that thou wert not flayed alive, like Valentinian. If thou admirest the greatness of Xerxes, look also on those that digged the mountain Atho, or whose ears and noses were cut off because the Hellespont carried away the bridge. It is a fine thing Contcntetincss 103 (thou thinkest) to be carried on men's shoulders ; but give God thanks that thou art not forced to carry a rich fool upon thy shoulders, as those poor men do whom thou be- holdest. There are but a few kings among mankind, but many thousands who are very miserable if compared to thee. However, it is a huge folly rather to grieve for the good of others than to rejoice for that good which God hath given us of our own. And yet there is no wise or good man that would change persons or conditions entirely with any man in the world. It may be he would have one man's wealth added to himself, or the power of a second, or the learning of a third ; but still he would re- ceive these into his own per- son, because he loves that best, and therefore esteems it best, and therefore oven^alues all that which he is, before all that which any other man in the world can be. Would any man be Dives to have his wealth, or Judas for his office, or Saul for his king- dom, or Absalom for his bounty, or Ahitophel for his policy ? It is likely he would wish all these, and yet he would be the same person still. For every man hath desires of his own, and objects just fitted to them, without which he cannot be, unless he were not himself And let every man that loves him- self so well as to love himself before all the world, consider if he have not something for which in the whole he values himself far more than he can value any man else. There is therefore no reason to take the finest feathers from all the winged nation to deck that bird that thinks already she is more valuable than any of the inhabitants of the air. Either change all or none. Cease to love yourself best, or be content with that por- tion of being and blessing for which you love yourself so well. 3. It conduces much to our content, if we pass by those things which happen to our trouble, and consider that which is pleasing and pros- perous — that, by the repre- sentation of the better, the worse may be blotted out ; and, at the worst, you have enough to keep you alive, and to keep up and to improve your hopes of heaven. If I be overthrown in my suit at law, yet my house is left me still and my land ; or I have 104 Contrntrtinrss a virtuous wife, or hopeful children, or kind friends, or good hopes. If I have lost one child, it may be I have two or three still left me. Or else reckon the blessings which already you have re- ceived, and therefore be pleased, in the change and variety of affairs, to receive evil from the hand of God as well as good. Or else please thyself with hopes of the future ; for we were born with this sadness upon us, and it was a change that brought us into it, and a change may bring us out again. Harv^est wall come, and then every fai"mer is rich, at least for a month or two. It may be thou art entered into the cloud which will bring a gentle shower to refresh thy sorrows. Now suppose thyself in as great a sadness as ever did load thy spirit, wouldst thou not bear it cheerfully and nobly if thou wert sure that within a certain space some strange excellent fortune would relieve thee, and en- rich thee, and recompense thee, so as to overflow all thy hopes, and thy desires, and capacities ? Now, then, when a sadness lies hea\7 upon thee, remember that thou art a Christian designed to the inheritance of Jesus ; and what dost thou think con- cerning thy great fortune, thy lot and portion of eternity? Dost thou think thou shalt be saved or damned ? In- deed if thou thinkest thou shalt perish, I cannot blame thee to be sad, till thy heart- strings crack ; but then why art thou troubled at the loss of thy money ? What should a damned man do with money, which in so great a sadness it is impossible for him to enjoy ? Did ever any man upon the rack afflict himself because he had re- ceived a cross answer from his mistress ? or call for the particulars of a purchase upon the gallows ? If thou dost really believe thou shalt be .damned, I do not say it will cure the sadness of thy po- verty, but it will swallow it up. But if thou believest thou shalt be saved, consider how great is that joy, how infinite is that change, how unspeakable is the glory, how excellent is the recompense, for all the sufferings in the world, if they were all laden upon the spirit ? So that, let thy condition be what it will, if thou considerest thy own present condition, and com- Contmtctincss 105 parest it to thy future possi- bility, thou canst not feel the present smart of a cross for- tune to any great degree, either because thou hast a far bigger sorrow, or a far bigger joy. Here thou art but a stranger, travelling to thy country, where the glories of a kingdom are prepared for thee ; it is therefore a huge folly to be much afflicted be- cause thou hast a less conve- nient inn to lodge in by the way. But these arts of looking forwards and backwards are more than enough to support the spirit of a Christian : there is no man but hath blessings enough in present possession to outweigh the evils of a great affliction. Count the joints of thy body, and do not accuse the uni- versal Providence for a lame leg, or the want of a finger, when all the rest is perfect, and you have a noble soul, a particle of divinity, the image of God himself; and by the want of a finger you may the better know how to estimate the remaining parts, and to account for every degree of the surviving blessings. If you miss an office for which you stood candidate, then, besides that you are quit of the cares and the envy of it, you still have all those excel- lences which rendered you capable to receive it, and they are better than the best office in the commonwealth. If your estate be lessened, you need the less to care who governs the province, whether he be rude or gentle. I am crossed in my journey, and yet I escaped robbers ; and I consider, that if I had been set upon by villains, I would have redeemed that evil by this which I now suffer, and have counted it a deliver- ance ; or if I did fall into the hands of thieves, yet they did not steal my land. Or, I am fallen into the hands of pub- licans and sequestrators, and they have taken all from me : what now? let me look about me. They have left me the sun and moon, fire and water, a loving wife, and many friends to pity me, and some to relieve me, and I can still discourse ; and, unless I list, they have not taken away my merry countenance, and my cheerful spirit, and a good conscience ; and they still have left me the providence of God, and all the promises of the gospel, and my reli- gion, and myhopes of heaven, and my charity to them too ; io6 Contmtctincss and still I sleep and digest, I eat and drink, I read and meditate ; I can walk in my neighbour's pleasant fields, and see the varieties of natural beauties, and delight in all that in which God delights — that is, in virtue and wisdom, in the whole creation, and in God Himself. And he that hath so many causes of joy, and so gi'eat, is very much in love with soiTow and peevish- ness, who loses all these pleasures, and chooses to sit down upon his little handful of thorns : and because he loves it he deserves to starve in the midst of plenty, and to want comfort while he is encircled with blessings. 4. Enjoy the present, what- soever it be, and be not soli- citous for the future ; for if you take your foot from the i present standing, and thrust it forward towards to-mor- row's event, you are in a restless condition : it is like refusing to quench your pre- sent thirst by fearing you shall want drink the next day. If it be well to-day, it is madness to make the present miserable by fearing it may be ill to-morrow — when your belly is full of to-day's dinner, to fear you shall want the next day's supper ; for it may j be you shall not, and then to what purpose was this day's affliction ? But if to-morrow you shall want, your sorrow will come time enough, though you do not hasten it : let your trouble tarry till its own day comes. But if it chance to be ill to-day, do not increase it by the care of to-morrow. Enjoy the bless- ings of this day, if God sends them, and the evils of it bear patiently and SAveetly ; for this day is only ours : we are dead to yesterday, and we are not yet bom to the mor- row. He, therefore, that enjoys the present if it be good, enjoys as much as is possible ; and if only that day's trouble leans upon him, it is singular and finite. ' ' Suf- ficient to the day (said Christ) is the evil thereof:" suffi- cient, but not intolerable. But if we look abroad, and bring into one day's thoughts the evil of many, certain and uncertain, what \\dll be, and what will never be, our load will be as intolerable as it is unreasonable. To reprove this instrument of discontent, the ancients feigned that in hell stood a man twisting a rope of hay ; and still he twisted on, suffering an ass to eat up all that was fin- ^ontmtctincss 107 ished — so miserable is he who thrusts his passions forwards towards future events, and suffers all that he may enjoy to be lost and devoured by folly and inconsideration, thinking nothing fit to be en- joyed but that which is not or cannot be had. Just so, many young persons are loth to die, and therefore desire to live to old age, and when they are come thither, are troubled that they are come to that state of life, to which before they were come they were hugely afraid they should never come. 5. Let us prepare our minds against changes, al- ways expecting them, that we be not surprised when they come ; for nothing is so great an enemy to tranquillity and a contented spirit as the amazement and confusions of unreadiness and inconsidera- tion ; and when our fortunes are violently changed, our spirits are unchanged if they always stood in the suburbs and expectation of sorrows. *' O death, how bitter art thou to a man that is at rest in his possessions ! " And to the rich man who had pro- mised to himself ease and fulness for many years, it was a sad arrest that his soul was surprised the first night : but the apostles, who every day knocked at the gate of death, and looked upon it continu- ally, went to their martyrdom in peace and evenness. 6. Let us often frame to ourselves, and represent to our considerations, the images of those blessings we have, just as we usually understand them when we want them. Considerhow desirable health is to a sick man, or liberty to a prisoner ; and if but a fit of the toothache seizes us with violence, all those troubles which in our health afflicted us disband instantly, and seem inconsiderable. He that in his health is troubled that he is in debt, and spends sleepless nights, and refuses meat because of his infelicity, let him fall into a fit of the stone or a high fever, he de- spises the arrest of all his first troubles, and is as a man unconcerned. Remem- ber then that God hath given thee a blessing, the want of which is infinitely more trouble than thy present debt, or poverty, or loss ; and therefore is now more to be valued in the possession, and ought to outweigh thy trouble. The very privative blessings, the blessings of loS (fTontrntrliiifss immunity, safeguard, liberty, and integrity, which we com- monly enjoy, deserve the thanksgiving of a whole life. If God should send a cancer upon thy face, or a wolf into thy side, if He should spread a crust of leprosy upon thy skin, what wouldest thou give to be but as now thou art ? Wouldest thou not, on that condition, be as poor as I am, or as the meanest of thy brethren ? Would you not choose your present loss and affliction as a thing ex- [ tremely eligible, and a re- demption to thee, if thou mightest exchange the other | for this ? Thou art quit from i a thousand calamities, every one of which, if it were upon i thee, would make thee insen- [ sible of thy present sorrow : and therefore let thy joy (which should be as great for thy freedom from them, as is thy sadness when thou feel- est any of them) do the same cure upon thy discontent. For if we be not extremely foolish or vain, thankless or senseless, a great joy is more apt to cure sorrow and dis- content than a great trouble is. I have known an affec- tionate wife, when she hath been in fear of parting with her beloved husband, heartily desire of God his life or so- ciety upon any conditions that were not sinful ; and choose to beg with him rather than to feast without him ; and the same person hath, upon that considerati on, borne poverty nobly, when God hath heard her prayer in the other matter. What wise man in the world is there who does not prefer a small fortune with peace before a great one with contention, and war, and vio- lence? And then he is no longer wise if he alters his opi- nion when he hath his wish. 7. If you will secure a contented spirit, you must measure your desires by your fortune and condition, not your fortunes by your desires — that is, be governed by your needs, not by your fancy ; by nature, not by evil customs and ambitious prin- ciples. He that would shoot an arrow out of a plough, or hunt a hare with an elephant, is not unfortunate for missing the mark or prey ; but he is foolish for choosing such un- apt instruments : and so is he that runs after his content with appetites not springing from natural needs, but from artificial, fantastical, and vio- lent necessities. These are not to be satisfied ; or if they aianttntttimss 109 were, a man hath chosen an evil instrument towards his content : nature did not in- tend rest to a man by filHng of such desires. Is that beast better that hath two or three mountains to graze on, than a little bee that feeds on dew or manna, and lives upon what falls every morning from the storehouses of heaven, clouds and providence. Can a man quench his thirst better out of a river or a full urn, or drink better from the foun- tain, which is finely paved with marble, than when it swells over the green turf? Pride and artificial gluttonies do but adulterate nature, making our diet healthless, our appetites impatient and unsatisfiable, and the taste mixed, fantastical, and mere- tricious. But that which we miscall poverty is indeed na- ture ; and its proportions are the just measures of a man, and the instruments of con- tent. But when we create needs that God or nature never made, we have erected to ourselves an infinite stock of trouble that can have no end. He that propounds to his fancy things greater than himself or his needs, and is discontent and troubled when he fails of such purchases, ought not to accuse Provi- dence, or blame his fortune, but his folly. God and na- ture made no more needs than they mean to satisfy ; and he that will make more must look for satisfaction where he can. 8. In all troubles and sad- der accidents, let us take sanctuary in religion, and by innocence cast out anchors for our souls to keep them from shipwreck, though they be not kept from storm. For what philosophy shall com- fort a villain that is haled to the rack for murdering his prince, or that is broken up- on the wheel for sacrilege ? His cup is full of pure and unmingled sorrow : his body is rent with torment, his name with ignominy, his soul with shame and sorrow, which are to last eternally. But when a man suffers in a good cause, or is afflicted, and yet walks not perversely with his God, then St. Paul's character is engraved in the forehead of our fortune ; " We are troubled on every side, but not distressed ; perplexed, but not in despair; perse- cuted, but not forsaken ; cast down, but not destroyed.^ And who is he that will harm 1 2 Cor. iv. 8, 9. Contmtctincss you, if ye be followers of that which is good?"^ For in- deed everything in the world is indifferent but sin ; and all the scorchings of the sun are very tolerable in respect of the burnings of a fever or a calenture. The greatest evils are from within us ; and from ourselves also we must look for our greatest good; for God is the fountain of it, but reaches it to us by our o\vn hands ; and when all things look sadly round about us, then only we shall find how excellent a fortune it is to have God to our friend ; and, of all friendships, that only is created to support us in our needs ; for it is sin that turns an ague into a fever, and a fever to the plague, fear into despair, anger into rage, and loss into madness, and sorrow to amazement and confusion. But if either we were innocent, or else by the sadness are made penitent, we are put to school, or into the theatre, either to learn how, or else actually to com- bat for a crown ; the accident may serve an end of mercy, but is not a messenger of wrath. Let us therefore be governed by external, and present, and 2 I Pet. iii. 13 ; iv. 15, 16. seeming things ; nor let us make the same judgment of things that common and weak understandings do ; nor make other men, and they not the wisest, to be judges of our felicity, so that we be happy or miserable as they please to think us : but let reason, and experience, and religion, and hope relying upon the Divine promises, be the measure of our judgment. No wise man did ever describe felicity with- out \'irtue ; and no good man did ever think virtue could depend upon the variety of a good or bad fortune. It is no evil to be poor, but to be vicious and impatient. Consolations to make one con- tented in troubles. To these exercises and spiritual instruments if we add the following considera- tions concerning the nature and circumstances of human chance, %ve may better secure our peace. For as to chil- dren, who are afraid of vain images, we use to persuade confidence by making them to handle and look nearer such things, that when, in such a familiarity, they per- ceive them innocent they may overcome their fears : so must ^ontcntclrttEss timorous, fantastical, sad, and discontented persons be treat- ed; they must be made to consider and on all sides to look upon the accident, and to take all its dimensions, and consider its consequences, and to behold the purpose of God, and the common mis- takes of men, and their evil sentences they usually pass upon them. For then we shall perceive, that, like colts of unbroken horses, we start at dead bones and lifeless blocks, things that are in- active as they are innocent. But if we secure our hopes and our fears, and make them moderate and within govern- ment, we may the sooner overcome the evil of the acci- dent; for nothing that we feel is so bad as what we fear. I. Consider that the uni- versal providence of God hath so ordered it, that the good things of nature and fortune are divided, that we may know how to bear our own and relieve each other's wants and imperfections. It is not for a man, but for a God, to have all excellences and felicities. He supports my poverty with his wealth ; I counsel and instruct him with my learning and experi- ence. He hatli many friends, I many children ; he hath no heir, I have no inheritance ; and any one great blessing, together with the common portions of nature and neces- sity, is a fair fortune, if it be but health or strength, or the swiftness of Ahimaaz. For it is an unreasonable discon- tent to be troubled that I have not so good cocks, or dogs, or horses, as my neighbour, being more troubled that I want one thing that I need not, than thankful for having received all that I need. This consideration is to be enlarged by adding to it, that there are some instances of fortune and a fair condition that cannot stand with some others ; but if you desire this, you must lose that, and un- less you be content with one, you lose the comfort of both. If you covet learning, you must have leisure and a re- tired life; if to be a politi- cian, you must go abroad and get experience, and do all businesses, and keep all com- pany, and have no leisure at all. If you will be rich, you must be frugal ; ifyouwillbe popular, you must be bounti- ful ; if a philosopher, you must despise riches. The Greek that designed to make the most exquisite picture Contentelittess that could be imagined, fan- cied the eye of Chione, and the hair of Paegnium, and Tarsia's lip, Philenium'schin, and the forehead of Delphia, and set all these upon Mil- phidippa's neck, and thought that he should outdo both art and nature. But when he came to view the proportions, he found, that what was ex- cellent in Tarsia, did not agree with the other excel- lency of Philenium ; and although, singly, they were rare pieces, yet in the whole they made a most ugly face. The dispersed excellences and blessings of many men, if given to one, would not make a handsome, but a mon- strous fortune. Use, there- fore, that faculty which nature hath given thee, and thy edu- cation hath made actual, and thy calling hath made a duty. But if thou desirest to be a saint, refuse not his persecu- tion. 2. Consider how many ex- cellent personages in all ages have , suffered as great or greater calamities than this which now tempts thee to impatience. Almost all the ages of the world have noted that their most eminent scholars were most eminently poor, some by choice, but most by chance, and an in- evitable decree of Provi- dence; and in the whole sex of women God hath decreed the sharpest pains of child- birth, to show that there is no state exempt from sorrow, and yet that the weakest per- sons have strength more than enough to bear the greatest evil ; and the greatest queens, and the mothers of saints and apostles, have no charter of exemption from this sad sentence. But the Lord of men and angels was also the King of sufferings ; and if thy coarse robe trouble thee, remember the swaddling- clothes of Jesus ; if thy bed be uneasy, yet it is not worse than His manger; and it is no sadness to have a thin table, if thou callest to mind that the King of heaven and earth was fed with a little breast-milk : and yet, besides this. He suffered all the sor- rows which we deserved. We therefore have great reason to sit down upon our own hearths, and warm our- selves at otir own fires, and feed upon content at home ; for it were a strange pride to expect to be more gently treated by the Divine Provi- dence than the best and wisest men, than apostles Contcntftinrss "3 and saints, nay, the Son of the eternal God, the heir of both the worlds. This consideration may be enlarged by surveying all the states and families of the world. In the most beaute- ous and splendid fortune there are many cares and proper interruptions and al- lays : in the fortune of a prince there is not the coarse robe of beggary, but there are infinite cares ; and the- judge sits upon the tribunal with great ceremony and ostentation of fortune, and yet, at his house or in his breast there is something that causes him to sigh deeply. Pittacus was a wise and valiant man, but his wife overthrew the table when he had invited his friends ; up- on which the good man, to excuse her incivility, and his own misfortune, said ' ' that every man had one evil, and he was most happy that had but that alone." And if nothing else happens, yet sicknesses so often do em- bitter the fortune and content of a family, that a physician in a few years, and with the practice upon a very few families, gets experience enough to administer to almost all diseases. And when thy little misfortune troubles thee, remember that thou hast known the best of kings and the best of men put to death publicly by his own subjects. 3. There are many acci- dents which are esteemed great calamities, and yet we have reason enough to bear them well and unconcernedly; for they neither touch our bodies nor our souls — our health and our virtue remain entire, our life and our repu- tation. It may be I am slighted, or I have received ill langimge ; but my head aches not for it, neither hath it broke my thigh, nor taken away my virtue, unless I lose my charity or my patience. Inquire, therefore, what you are the worse, either in soul or in body, for what hath happened ; for upon this veiy stock many evils will dis- appear, since the body and the soul make up the whole man. If an enemy hath taken all that from a prince whereby he was a king, he may refresh himself by con- sidering all that is left him whereby he is a man. 4. Consider that sad acci- dents and a state of affliction is a school of virtue; it re- duces our spirits to soberness, 14 Contcntctincss and our counsels to modera- tion ; it corrects levity, and inten-upts the confidence of sinning. "It is good for me (said David) that I have been afflicted, for thereby I have learned Thy law. "2 And " I know (O Lord) that Thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled." For God, who in mercy and wis- dom governs the world, would never have suffered so many sadnesses, and have sent them especially to the most virtu- ous and the wisest men, but that He intends they should be the seminary of comfort, the nursery of virtue, the exercise of wisdom, the trial of patience, the venturing for a cro\\Ti, and the gate of glory. 5. Consider that afflictions are oftentimes the occasions of great temporal advantages; and we must not look upon them as they sit down heavily upon us, but as they serve some of God's ends, and the pui-poses of universal Provi- dence. And when a prince fights justly, and yet unpros- perously, if he could see all those reasons for which God hath so ordered it, he would think it the most reasonable thing in the world, and that 3 Psa. cxix. 75. it would be very ill to have it otherwise. If a man could have opened one of the pages of the Divine counsel, and could have seen the event of Joseph's being sold to the merchants of Amalek, he might, with much reason, have dried up the young man's tears : and when God's purposes are opened in the events of things, as it was in the case of Joseph, when he sustained his father's family and became lord of Egypt, then we see what ill judgment we made of things, and that we were passionate as chil- dren, and transported with sense and mistaken interest. The case of Themistocles was almost like that of Joseph ; for being banished into Egypt, he also grew in favour with the king, and told his wife " he had been undone, unless he had been undone." For God esteems it one of His glories, that He brings good out of evil ; and therefore it were but reason we should trust God to govern His own world as He pleases ; and that we should patiently wait till the change Cometh, or the reason be dis- covered. And this consideration is also of great use to them who CoittmtriJncss envy at the prosperity of the wicked, and the success of persecutors, and the baits of fishes, and the bread of dogs. God fails not to sow blessings in the long furrows which the ploughers plough upon the back of the Church ; and this success which troubles us will be a great glory to God, and a great benefit to His saints and servants, and a great ruin to the persecutors, who shall have but the fortune of Theramenes, one of the thir- ty tyrants of Athens, who escaped when his house fell upon him, and was shortly after put to death with tor- ments by his colleagues in the tyranny. To which also may be added, that the great eyils which happen to the best and wisest men are one of the great arguments upon the strength of which we can ex- pect felicity to our souls and the joys of another world. And certainly they are then very tolerable and eligible, when with so great advan- tages they minister to the faith and hope of a Christian. But if we consider what un- speakable tortures are pro- vided for the wicked to all eternity, we should not be troubled to see them pros- perous here, but rather won- der that their portion in this life is not bigger, and that ever they should be sick, or crossed, or affronted, or troubled with the contradic- tion and disease of their own vices, since, if they were for- tunate beyond their own am- bition, it could not make them recompense for one hour's torment in hell, which yet they shall have for their eternal portion. After all these considera- tions derived from sense and experience, grace and reason, tlT,ere are two remedies still remaining, and they are ne- cessity and time. 6. For it is but reasonable to bear that accident pa- tiently which God sends, since impatience does but entangle us, like the fluttering of a bird in a net, but cannot at all ease our trouble, or pre- vent the accident : it must be run through, and therefore it were better we compose our- selves to a patient than to a troubled and miserable suffer- ing. 7. But, however, if you will not otherwise be cured, time at last will do it alone ; and then consider, do you mean to mourn always, or but for a time ? If always. i6 ContcnteSncss you are miserable and foolish. If for a time, then why will you not apply those reasons to your grief at first with which you will cure it at last ? or if you will not cure it with reason, see how little of a man there is in you, that you suffer time to do more with you than reason or religion ! You suffer your- self to be cured, just as a beast or a tree is ; let it alone, and the thing will heal itself: but this is neither honourable to thy person, nor of reputation to thy religion. However, be content to bear thy calamity, because thou ai-t sure, in a little time, it will sit down gentle and easy, for to a mortal man no evil is immortal. And here let the worst thing happen that can, it will end in death, and we commonly think that to be near enough. 8. Lastly, of those things which are reckoned amongst evils, some are better than their contraries ; and to a good man the very worst is tolerable. Poz'erty or a lozv Fortune. I. Poverty is better than riches, and a mean fortune to be chosen before a great and splendid one. It is indeed despised, and makes men con- temptible ; it exposes a man to the insolence of evil per- sons, and leaves a man defenceless ; it is always sus- pected ; its stories are ac- counted lies, and all its counsels follies ; it puts a man from all employment ; it makes a man's discourses tedious, and his society troublesome. This is the worst of it ; and yet all this, and far worse than this, the apostles suffered for being Chriscians ; and Christianity itself may be esteemed an affliction as well as poverty, if this be all that can be said against it ; for the apostles and the most eminent Chris- tians were really poor, and were used contemptuously : and yet, that poverty is de- spised may be an argument to commend it, if it be de- spised by none but persons vicious and ignorant. How- ever, certain it is that a great fortune is a great vanity, and riches nothing but danger, trouble, and temptation ; like a garment that is too long, and bears a train ; not so useful to one, but it is trouble- some to two— to him that bears the one part upon his shoulders, and to him that Contmtctincs3 117 bears the other part m his hand. But poverty is the sister of a good mind, the parent of sober counsels, and the nurse of all virtue. For what is it that you admire in the fortune of a great king? Is it that he always goes in a great com- pany ? You may thrust your- self into the same crowd, or go often to church, and then you have as great a company as he hath ; and that may upon as good grounds please you as him, that is, justly neither : for so impertinent and useless pomp, and the other circumstances of his dis- tance, are jiot made for him, but for his subjects, that they may learn to separate him from common usages, and be taught to be governed. But if you look upon them as fine things in themselves, you may quickly alter your opinion when you shall consider that they cannot cure the tooth- ache, nor make one wise, nor fill the belly, nor give one night's sleep (though they help to break many) — not satisfying any appetite of nature, or reason, or religion ; but they are states of great- ness which only make it pos- sible for a man to be made extremely miserable. A great estate hath great crosses, and a mean fortune hath but small ones. It may be the poor man loses a cow, for if his child dies he is quit of his biggest care ; but such an accident in a rich and splendid family doubles upon the spirits of the parents. Or, it may be the poor man is troubled to pay his rent, and that is his biggest trouble; but it is a bigger care to secure a great fortune in a troubled estate, or with equal gi-eat- ness, or with the circum- stances of honour and the niceness of reputation, to de- fend a law-suit ; and that which will secure a common man's whole estate is not enough to defend a great man's honour. Now besides what hath been already noted in the state of poverty, there is nothing to be accounted for but the fear of wanting neces- saries ; of which if a man could be secured that he might live free from care, all the other parts of it might be reckoned amongst the advan- tages of wise and sober per- sons, rather than objections against that state of fortune. But concerning this, I con- sider that there must needs be great security to all Chris- tians, since Christ not only ii8 CCotttentElintss made express pi-omises that we should have sufficient for this hfe, but also took great pains and used many argu- ments to create confidence in us; and such they were, as by their own strength were sufficient, though you abate the authority of the speaker. The Son of God told us, His Father takes care of us : He that knew all His Father's counsels, and His whole kind- ness towards mankind, told us so. How great is that truth, how certain, how neces- sary, which Christ Himself proved by arguments ! ' The excellent words and most comfortable sentences which are our bills of exchange,upon the credit of which we lay our cares do\vn and receive provisions for our need, are these: "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment ? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into bams, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are" ye not much better than they ? Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit to his stature ? And why take ye thought for raiment ? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow — they toil not, neither do they spin ; and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Therefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, Avhich to-day is and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith ? Therefore take no thought, saying. What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed ? (for after all these things do the Gentiles seek) ; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take there- fore no thought for the mor- row, for the mon-ow shall take thought for the things of itself : sufficient to the day is the evil thereof."-^ The same discourse is repeated by St. Luke ;^ and accordingly our duty is urged, and our confidence abetted, by the dis- ciples of our Lord, in divers places of Holy Scripture. So 4 Matt. vi. 25, &c. 5 Luke xii. 22 — 31. Contmtcrjncss 119 St. Paul— "Be careful for nothing; but in eveiything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your re- quests be made known unto God. "6 And again, " Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high- minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." 7 And yet again, *'Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have ; for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor for- sake thee : so that we may boldly say. The Lord is my helper." ^ And all this is by St. Peter summed up in our duty thus : "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you." "Which words he seems to have borrowed out of the fifty-fifth Psalm, ver. 23, where David saith the same thing almost in the same words. To which I only add the observation made by him, and the argument of expe- rience : " I have been young, and now am old, and yet saw I never the righteous for- saken, nor his seed begging their bread." And now, after all this, a fearless confidence 6 Phil. iv. 6. 7 I Tim. vi. 17. 8 Heb. xiii. 5, 6. in God, and concerning a provision of necessaries, is so reasonable that it becomes a duty ; and he is scarce a Christian whose faith is so little as to be jealous of God, and suspicious concerning meat and clothes — that man hath nothing in him of the nobleness or confidence of charity. Does not God provide for all the birds, and beasts, and fishes ! Do not the sparrows fly from their bush, and eveiy morning find meat where they laid it not ? Do not the young ravens call to God, and He feeds them ? And were it reasonable that the sons of the family should fear the father would give meat to the chickens and the servants, his sheep and his dogs, but give none to them ? He Avere a very ill father that should do so ; or he were a very foolish son that should think so of a good father. But besides the reasonable ness of this faith and this hope, we have infinite expe rience of it. How innocent how careless, how secure is infancy ! and yet how cer tainly provided for ! We have lived at God's charges all the days of our life, and have (as the Italian proverb ffl^ontcntrtincss says) sat down to meat at the sound of a bell ; and hitherto He hath not failed us ; we have no reason to suspect Him for the future ; we do not use to serve men so ; and less time of trial creates great confidences in us towards them, who for twenty years together never broke their word with us : and God hath so ordered it, that a man shall have had the experience of many years' provision be- fore he shall understand how to doubt ; that he may be provided with an answer against the temptation shall come, and the mercies felt in his childhood may make him fearless when he is a man. Add to this, that God hath given us His Holy Spirit ; He hath promised heaven to us ; He hath given us His Son ; and we are taught from Scripture to make this infe- rence from hence, *' How should not He wdth Him freely give us all things ?" The charge of juany Chtldreit. We have a title to be pro- vided for, as we are God's creatures, another title as we are His children, another be- cause God hath promised — and each of our children hath the same title ; and therefore it is a huge folly and infide- lity to be troubled and full of care because we have many children, Eveiy child we have to feed is a new re- venue, a new title to God's care and providence ; so that i many children are a great j wealth ; and if it be said they j are chargeable, it is no more than all wealth and great re- venues are. For what differ- ence is it ? The rich farmer keeps ten ploughs, the poor widow hath ten children : he hath land enough to employ and to feed all his hinds — she blessings and promises, and the provisions and the truth of God, to maintain all her children. His hinds and horses eat up all his com, and her children are suffi- ciently maintained w'ith her little. They bring in and eat up, and she indeed eats up, but they also bring in from the storehouses of heaven, and the granaries of God ; and my children are not so much mine as they are God's — He feeds them in the womb, by ways secret and insensible, and would not work a perpetual miracle to bring them forth, and then to stan-e them. C^ontcntrtncss Violent Necessities. But some men are highly tempted, and are brought to a strait, that, without a miracle, they cannot be re- lieved — what shall they do ? It may be their pride or va- nity hath brought the neces- sity upon thevn, and it is not a need of God's making ; and if it be not, they must cure it themselves, by lessening their desires and moderating their appetites : and yet, if it be innocent, though unne- cessary, God does usually relieve such necessities ; and He does not only upon our prayers grant us more than He promised of temporal things, but also He gives many times more than we ask. This is no object for our faith, but ground enough for a temporal and prudent hope ; and if we fail in the particular, God will turn it to a bigger mercy if we sub- mit to His dispensation and adore Him in the denial. But if it be a matter of ne- cessity, let not any man, by way of impatience, cry out that God will not work a miracle ; for God, by miracle, did give meat and drink to His people in the wilderness, of which He made no parti- cular promise in any cove- nant ; and if all natural means fail, it is certain that God will rather work a mir- acle than break His word ; He can do that — He cannot do this. Only we must re- member that our portion of temporal things is but food and raiment. God hath not promised us coaches and horses, rich houses and jewels, Indian silks and Persian car- pets ; neither hath He pro- mised to minister to our needs in such circumstances as we shall appoint, but such as Himself shall choose. God will enable either thee to pay thy debt (if thou beggest it of Him), or else He will pay it for thee ; that is, take thy desire as a discharge of thy duty, and pay it to thy cre- ditor in blessings, or in some secret of His providence. It may be He hath laid up the corn that shall feed thee in the granary of thy brother, or will c]othe thee with his wool. He enabled St. Peter to pay his tax by the ministry of a fish, and Elias to be waited on by a crow, who was both his minister and his steward for provisions ; and His holy Son rode in triumph upon an ass that grazed in another man's pastures. And Contcntetrness if God gives to him the do- minion, and reserves the use to thee, thou hast the better half of the two ; but the charitable man serv^es God and serves thy need, and both join to provide for thee, and God blesses both. But if He takes away the flesh-pots from thee. He can also alter the appetite, and He hath given thee power and com- mandment to restrain it ; and if He lessens the revenue. He %\-ill also shrink the ne- cessity ; or if He gives but a veiy little, He will make it go a great way; or if He sends thee but a coarse diet. He will bless it and make it healthful, and can cure all the anguish of thy poverty by giving thee patience and the grace of contentedness. For the grace of God secures you of provisions, and yet the gi-ace of God feeds and sup- ports the spirit in the want of pi-ovisions ; and if a thin table be apt to enfeeble the spirits of one used to feed better, yet the cheerfulness of a spirit that is blessed will make a thin table become a delicacy, if the man was as well taught as he was fed, and learned his duty when he received the blessing. Po- verty, therefore, is in some senses eligible, and to be preferred before riches ; but in all senses it is very toler- able. Death of Children, or nearest Relatives and Friends. There are some persons, who have been noted for ex- cellent in their lives and passions, rarely innocent, and yet hugely penitent for indis- cretions and hannless infirmi- ties ; such as was Paulina, one of the ghostly children of St. Jerome ; and yet, when any of her children died, she was arrested with a sorrow so great as brought her to the edge of her grave. And the more tender our spirits are made by religion, the more easy we are to let in gi'ief, if the cause be innocent, and be but in any sense twisted with piety and due affections ; to cure which, we may con- sider that all the world must die, and therefore to be im- patient at the death of a per- son concerning whom it was certain and known that he must die, is to mourn because thy friend or child was not bom an angel ; and when thou hast awhile made thy- self miserable by an impor- tunate and useless grief, it Contmtelincss may be thou shalt die thy- self, and leave others to their choice whether they will mourn for thee or no ; but by that time it will appear how unfit and useless that grief was which served no end of life, and ended in thy own funeral. But what great matter is it if sparks fly up- ward, or a stone falls into a pit ; if that which was com- bustible be burned, or that which was liquid be melted, or that which is mortal do die? It is no more than a man does eveiy day ; for every night death hath gotten possession of that day, and we shall never live that day over again ; and when the last day is come, there are no more days left for us to die. And what are sleeping and waking, but living and dying ? what are spring and autumn, youth and old age, morning and evening, but real images of life and death, and really the same to many considerable effects and changes ? Untimely Death. But it is not mere dying that is pretended by some as the cause of their impatient mourning ; but that the child died young, before he knew good and evil, his right hand from his left, and so lost all his portion of this world, and they know not of what excel- lency his portion in the next shall be. If he died young, he lost but little, for he un- derstood but little, and had not capacities of great plea- sures or great cares ; but yet he died innocent, and before the sweetness of his soul was deflowered and ravished from him by the flames and follies of a froward age ; he went out from the dining-room before he had fallen into error by the intemperance of his meat, or the deluge of drink ; and he hath obtained this favour of God, that his soul hath suffered a less im- prisonment, and her load was sooner taken off, that he might, with lesser delays, go and converse with immortal spirits — and the babe is taken into paradise before he knows good and evil (for that know- ledge threw our great father out, and this ignorance re- turns the child thither). But (as concerning thy own par- ticular) remove thy thoughts back to those days in which thy child was not born, and you are now but as then you were, and there is no differ- [24 CTontnttc^nEss ence, but that you had a son bom ; and if you reckon that for evil, you are unthankful for the blessing ; if it be good, it is better that you had the blessing for awhile, than not at all ; and yet, if he had never been born, this sorrow had not been at all. But be no more displeased at God for giving you a blessing for awhile, than you would have been if he had not given it at all ; and reckon that inter- vening blessing for a gain, but account it not an evil ; and if it be a good, turn it not into sorrow and sadness. But if we have great reason to complain of the calamities and evils of our life, then we have the less reason to grieve that those whom we loved have so small a portion of evil assigned to them. And it is no small advantage that our children receive if they die young ; for their condi- tion of a blessed immortality is rendered to them secure by being snatched from the dangers of an evil choice, and carried to their little cells of felicity, where they can weep no more. And this the wisest of the Gentiles understood well, when they forbade any offerings or libations to be made for dead infants, as was usual for their other dead ; as believing they were entered into a secure possession, to which they went with no other condition but that they passed into it through the way of mortality, and, for a few months, wore an uneasy garment. And let weeping parents say if they do not think that the evils their little babes have suffered are suffi- cient. If they be, why are they troubled that they were taken from those many and greater which in succeeding years are great enough to try all the reason and religion which art, and nature, and the grace of God have pro- duced in us, to enable us for such sad contentions ? And, possibly, we may doubt con- cerning Christian men and women, but we cannot sus- pect that to Christian infants death can be such an evil, but that it brings to them much more good than it takes from them in this life. DeatJi unseasonable. But others can well bear the death of infants ; when, however, they have spent some years of childhood or youth, and are entered into arts and society, when they C^ontcntctinrss 125 are hopeful and provided for, when the parents are to reap the comfort of all their fears and cares, then it breaks the spirit to lose them. This is true in many ; but this is not love to the dead, but to them- selves ; for they miss what they had flattered themselves into by hope and opinion ; and if it were kindness to the dead, they may consider, that since we hope he is gone to God and to rest, it is an ill expression of our love to them that we weep for their good fortune. For that life is not best which is longest ; and when they are descended into the grave it shall not be inquired how long they have lived, but how well : and yet this shortening of their days is an evil wholly depending upon opinion. For if men did naturally live but twenty years, then Ave should be satisfied if they died about sixteen or eighteen ; and yet eighteen years now are as long as eighteen years would be then : and if a man were but of a day's life, it is well if he lasts till evensong, and then says his compline an hour before the time — and we are pleased, and call not that death immature, if he lives till seventy; and yet this age is as short of the old periods before and since the flood, as this youth's age (for whom you mourn) is of the present fulness. Suppose, therefore, a decree passed upon this person (as there have been many upon all mankind), and God hath set him a shorter period ; and then we may as well bear the immature death of the young man as the death of the old- est men ; for they also are immature and unseasonable in respect of the old periods of many generations. And why are we troubled that he had arts and sciences before he died ? or are we troubled that he does not live to make use of them? The first is cause of joy, for they are excellent in order to certain ends ; and the second cannot be cause of sorrow, because he hath no need to use them, as the case now stands, being provided for with the provi- sions of an angel and the manner of eternity. How- ever, the sons and the parents, friends and relatives, are in the world like hours and minutes to a day. The hour comes, and must pass ; and some stay by minutes, and they also pass, and shall never return again. But let 126 CTontcntrtncss it be considered, that from the time in which a man is conceived, from that time forward to eternity he shall never cease to be; and let him die young or old, still he hath an immortal soul, and hath laid down his body only for a time, as that which was the instrument of his trouble and sorrow, and the scene of sicknesses and disease. But he is in a more noble manner of being after death than he can be here; and the child may with more reason be allowed to cry for leaving his mother's womb for this world, than a man can for changing this world for another. Sudden Death, or Violent. Others are yet troubled at the manner of their child's or friend's death. He was drowned, or lost his head, or died of the plague ; and this is a new spring of sorrow. But no man can give a sen- sible account how it shall be worse for a child to die with drowning in half an hour, than to endure a fever of one-and-twenty days. And if my friend lost his head, so he did not lose his constancy and his religion, he died with huge advantage. Being Childless. But by this means I am left without an heir. Well, suppose that : thou hast no heir, and I have no inherit- ance ; and there are many kings and emperors that have died childless, many royal lines are extinguished : and Augustus Caesar was forced to adopt his wife's son to in- herit all the Roman great- ness. And there are many wise persons that never mar- ried; and we read nowhere that any of the children of the apostles did sur\dve their fathers ; and all that inherit anything of Christ's kingdom come to it by adoption, not by natural inheritance : and to die without a natural heir is no intolerable e%dl, since it was sanctified in the person of Jesus, who died a virgin. Evil or zuifortunate Childre?t. And by this means we are freed from the greater sor- rows of having a fool, a swine, or a goat, to rule after us in our families ; and yet even this condition admits of com- fort. For all the wild Ameri- cans are supposed to be the sons of Dodonaim ; and the sons of Jacob are now the Contentctinrss :27 most scattered and despised people in the whole world. The son of Solomon was but a silly weak man; and the son of Hezekiah was wicked : and all the fools and barbar- ous people, all the thieves and pirates, all the slaves and miserable men and women of the world, are the sons and daughters of Noah; and we must not look to be exempted from that portion of sorrow which God gave to Noah, and Adam, to Abra- ham, to Isaac, and to Jacob: I pray God send us into the lot of Abraham. But if any- thing happens worse to us, it is enough for us that we bear it evenly. Our own Death. And how, if you were to die yourself } You know you must. Only be ready for it by the preparations of a good life ; and then it is the great- est good that ever happened to thee ; else there is nothing that can comfort you. But if you have served God in a holy life, send away the women and the weepers ; tell them it is as much intem- perance to weep too much as to laugh too much ; and when thou art alone, or with fitting company, die as thou should- est, but do not die impa- tiently, and like a fox caught in a ti-ap. For if you fear death, you shall never the more avoid it, but you make it miserable. To die is necessary and natural, and it may be honourable ; but to die poorly, and basely, and sinfully, that alone is it that can make a man unfortunate. No man can be a slave, but he that fears pain, or fears to die. To such a man nothing but chance and peaceable times can secure his duty, and he depends upon things without for his felicity ; and so is well but during the pleasure of his enemy, or a thief, or a tyrant, or it may be of a doG: or a wild bull. [28 (Contentctincss Prayers for the seve7'al Gt'aces and Parts of Christian Sobriety. A Prayer against Sensuality. O eternal Father, Thou that sittest in heaven invested with essential glories and Divine perfections, fill my soul with so deep a sense of the excellences of spiritual and heavenly things, that, my affections being weaned from the pleasures of the world and the false allure- ments of sin, I may, with great severity, and the pinid- ence of a holy discipline and strict desires, with clear reso- lutions and a free spirit, have my conversation in heaven and heavenly employments ; that being, in affections as in my condition, a pilgrim and a stranger here, I may covet after and labour for an abid- ing city, and at last may enter into and for ever dwell in the celestial Jerusalem, which is the mother of us all, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For Temperance. O Almighty God and gra- cious Father of men and angels, who openest Thy hand and fillest all things with plenty, and hast pro- vided for Thy servant suffi- cient to satisfy all my needs ; teach me to use Thy crea- tures soberly and temperately, that I may not, with excess of meat or drink, make the temptations of my enemy to prevail upon me, or my spirit unapt for the perfomiance of my duty, or my body health- less, or my affections sensual and unholy. O my God, never suffer that the blessings which Thou givest me may either minister to sin or sick- ness, but to health and holi- ness and thanksgiving; that in the strength of Thy provi- sions I may cheerfully and actively and diligently serve Thee; that I may worthily feast at Thy table here, and be accounted worthy, through Thy grace, to be admitted to Thy table hereafter, at the eternal supper of the Lamb, to sing an hallelujah to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen. CTontenttlinEss 129 For Chastity; to be said espe- ] dally by Unmarried Persons. Almighty God, our most holy and eternal Father, who art of pure eyes, and canst behold no uncleanness ; let Thy gracious and Holy Sphit descend upon Thy servant, and reprove the spirit of for- nication and uncleanness, and cast him out ; that my body may be a holy temple, and my soul a sanctuary to en- tertain the Prince of puri- ties, the holy and eternal Spirit of God. O, let no impure thoughts pollute that soul which God hath sancti- fied ; no unclean words pol- lute that tongue which God hath commanded to be an organ of His praises; no un- holy and unchaste action rend the veil of that temple where the holy Jesus hath been pleased to enter, and hath chosen for His habitation : but seal up all my senses from all vain objects, and let them be entirely possessed with religion, and fortified with prudence, watchfulness, and mortification ; that I, possess- ing my vessel in holiness, may lay it down with a holy hope, and receive it again in a joyful resurrection, through J"sus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer for the Loz'e of God, to be said by Virgins ajid IVidows, professed or re- solved so to live : and may be used by any one. O holy and purest Jesus, who wert pleased to espouse eveiy holy soul, and join it to Thee with a holy union and mysterious instniments of re- ligious society and communi- cations ; O, fill my soul with religion, and desires holy as the thoughts of cherubim, passionate beyond the love of women ; that I may love Thee as much as ever any creature loved Thee, even with all my soul and all my faculties, and all the degrees of every faculty; let me know no loves but those of duty and charity, obedience and devotion ; that I may for ever run after Thee, who art the King of virgins, and with whom whole king- doms are in love, and for whose sake queens have died, and at whose feet kings with joy have laid their crowns and sceptres. My soul is thine, O dearest Jesu ; thou art my Lord, and hast bound up my eyes and heart from all stranger affections ; give me for my dowry purity and humility, modesty and devo- tion, charity and patience. ContmtElinfss and at last bring me into the bride-chamber to partake of the felicities, and to lie in the bosom of the Bridegroom to eternal ages, O holy and sweetest Saviour Jesus. Amen. <4 Prayer to he said by Mar- ried Persons in behalf of thejiiselves and each other. O eternal and gracious Father, who hast consecrated the holy estate of marriage to | become mysterious, and to I represent the union of Christ and His church, let Thy Holy Spirit so guide me in the doing the duties of this state, that it may not become a sin unto me ; nor that libert}"-, which Thou hast hal- lowed by the holy Jesus, become an occasion of licen- tiousness by my own weak- ness and sensuality ; and do Thou forgive all those irregu- larities and too sensual appli- cations which may have, in any degree, discomposed my spirit and the severity of a Christian. Let me, in all accidents and circumstances, be severe in my duty towards Thee, affectionate and dear to my wife (or husband)^ a guide and good example to my family, and in all quiet- ness, sobriety, prudence, and peace, a follower of those holy -pairs, who have served Thee with godliness and a good testimony. And the blessings of the eternal God, blessings of the right hand and of the left, be upon the body and soul of Thy servant my wife (or hzisband), and abide upon her (or hi??i) till the end of a holy and happy life ; and grant that both of us may live together for ever in the embraces of the holy and eternal Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, Amen. A Prayer for the Grace of Humility. O holy and most gracious Master and Saviour Jesus, who by Thy example and by Thy precept, by the practice of a whole life and frequent discourses, didst command us to be meek and humble, in imitation of Thy incompar- able sweetness and great humility ; be pleased to give me the grace, as Thou hast given me the commandment : enable me to do whatsoever Thou commandest, and com- mand whatsoever Thou pleas- est, O, mortify in me all proud thoughts and vain opinions of myself; let me CTotttmtctinrss 131 return to Thee the acknow- ledgment and the fruits of all those good things Thou hast given nie, that, by confessing I am wholly in debt to Thee for them, I may not boast myself for what I have re- ceived, and for what I am highly accountable ; and for what is my own teach me to be ashamed and hjimbled, it being nothing but sin and misery, weakness and un- deanness. Let me go before my brethren in nothing but in striving to do them honour and Thee gloiy, never to seek my own praise, never to delight in it when it is offered; that, despising myself, I may be accepted by Thee in the honours with which Thou shalt crown Thy humble and despised servants, for Jesus' sake, in the kingdom of eter- nal glory. Amen. Acts of Humility and Modesty by xvay of Prayer and Meditation. I. Lord, I know that my spirit is light and thorny, my body is brutish and exposed to sickness ; I am constant to folly, and inconstant in holy purposes. My labours are vain and fruitless ; my fortune full of change and trouble, seldom pleasing, never per- fect ; my wisdom is folly, being ignorant • even of the parts and passions of my own body : and what am I, O Lord, before Thee, but a miserable person, hugely in debt, not able to pay? IL Lord, I am nothing, and I have nothing of myself : I am less than the least of all Thy mercies. in. What was I before my birth? First, nothing, and then uncleanness. What dur- ing my childhood ? Weak- ness and folly. What in my youth ? Folly still, and pas- sion, lust, and wildness. What in my whole life ? A great sinner, a deceived, and an abused person. Lord, pity me ; for it is Thy goodness that T am kept from confusion and amazement, when I con- sider the misery and shame of my person, and the defile- ments of my nature. IV. Lord, what am I ? And, Lord, what art Thou ? ' ' What Contcntetiness is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou so regardest him ?" ' ' How can man be justified with God ? Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman ? Behold, even to the moon, and it shineth not ; yea, the stars are not pure in His sight : How much less man that is a worm, and the son of man which is a worm ! ' ' Job XXV. 4, &c. A Prayer for a Coitented Spirit, and the Grace of Moderation and Patience. O Almighty God, Father and Lord of all the creatures, who hast disposed all things and all chances so as may best glorify Thy wisdom, and serve the ends of Thy justice, and magnify Thy mercy by secret and indiscernible ways, bringing good out of evil ; I most humbly beseech Thee to give me wisdom from above, that I may adore Thee and admire Thy ways and footsteps, which are in the great deep and not to be searched out : teach me to submit to Thy providence in all things, to be content in all changes of person and con- dition, to be temperate in prosperity, and to read my duty in the lines of Thy mercy; and in adversity to be meek, patient, and resigned ; and to look through the cloud, that I may wait for the consolation of the Lord and the day of redemption ; in the meantime doing my duty with an unwearied diligence, and an undisturbed resolution, having no fondness for the vanities or possessions of this world, but laying up my hopes in heaven and the re- wards of holy living, and. being strengthened with the spirit of the inner man, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Chapter III Of Christian Justice JUSTICE is, by the Chi-is- tian religion, enjoined in all its parts by these two propositions in Scripture : ' ' Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, even so do to them. " This is the mea- sure of commutative j ustice, or of that justice which supposes exchange of things profitable for things profitable : that as I supply your need you may supply mine ; as I do a benefit to you, I may receive one by you. And because every man may be injured by another, therefore his security shall depend upon mine : if he will not let me be safe, he shall not be safe himself (only the manner of his being punished is, upon great reason, both by God and all the world, taken from particulars, and committed to a public dis- interested person, who will do justice, without passion, both to him and to me) ; if he re- fuses to do me advantage, he shall receive none when his needs require it. And thus God gave necessities to man, that ail men might need ; and several abilities to several per- sons, that each man might help to supply the public needs, and, by joining to fill up all wants, they may be knit together by justice, as the parts of the world are by nature. And He hath made all obnoxious to injuries, and made every little thing strong enough to do us hurt by some instrument or other; and hath given us all a sufficient stock of self-love and desire of self- preservation, to be as the chain to tie together all the parts of society, and to restrain us from doing violence lest we be vio- lently dealt withal ourselves. 134 ©bctiicnce The other part of justice is commonly called distributive, and is commanded in this rule, "Render to all their dues : tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom cus- tom ; fear to whom fear ; honour to whom honour. Owe no man anything, but to love one another." ^ This justice is distinguished from the first ; because the obliga- tion depends not upon con- tract or express bargain, but passes upon us by virtue of some command of God or of our superior, by nature or by grace, by piety or religion, by trust or by office, according to that commandment — "As every man hath received the gift, so let him minister the same, one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 2 And as the first considers an equality of per- sons in respect of the con- tract or particular necessity, this supposes a difference of persons, and no particular bargains, but such necessary intercourses as by the laws of God or man are introduced. But I shall reduce all the particulars of both kinds to these four heads : I. Obe- dience ; 2. Provision ; 3. Ne- gotiation; 4. Restitution. § I. Obedience to our Superiors OUR superiors are set over us in affairs of the Avorld, or the affairs of the soul and things pertaining to religion, and are called accordingly ecclesiastical or civil. To- wards whom our duty is thus generally described in the New Testament. For tem- poral or civil governors the commands are these : "Ren- der to Caesar the things that are Caesar's;" and, "Let every soul be subject to the 1 Rom. xiii. 7. higher powers : for there is no power but of God ; the powers that be are ordained of God : whosoever, there- fore, resisteth the power re- sisteth the ordinance of God ; and they that resist shall re- ceive to themselves damna- tion :"3 and, "Put them in mind to be subject to princi- palities and powers, and to obey magistrates : " ** and, " Submit yourselves to every 2 I Pet. iv. 10. 3 Rom. xiii. i. ■* Titus iii. i. ©beliimcc ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme ; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by Him for the pun- ishment of evil doers, and the praise of them that do well. "5 For spiritual or ecclesiasti- cal governors, thus we are commanded : " Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves ; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give an ac- count:"^ and "Hold such in reputation:"'' and, "To this end did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things," ^ said St. Paul to the Church of Corinth. Our duty is reducible to practice by the following rules. Ac^s a7id Duties of Obedience to all our Superiors. I. We must obey all human laws appointed and consti- tuted by lawful authority, that is, of the supreme power, according to the constitution of the place in which we live ; all laws, I mean, which nre not against the law of God. s I Pet. ii. 13. 6 Heb. xlii. 17. ' Phil. ii. 29. 8 2 Cor. ii. 9. 2. In obedience to human laws, we must observe the letter of the law where we can, without doing violence to the reason of the law and the intention of the lawgiver; but where they cross each other the charity of the law is to be preferred before its discipline, and the reason of it before the letter. 3. If the general reason of the law ceases in our parti- cular case, and a contrary reason rises upon us, we are to procure dispensation, or leave to omit the observance of it in such circumstances, if thex'e be any persons or office appointed for granting it, but if there be none, or if it is not easily to be had, or not without an inconveni- ence greater than the good of the observance of the law in our particular case, we are dispensed withal in the nature of the thing, without further process or trouble. 4. As long as the law is obligatory, so long our obedi- ence is due; and he that begins a contrary custom without reason, sins : but he that breaks the law, when the custom is entered and fixed, is excused ; because it is supposed the legislative power consents, when, by not 136 ^bttiizntt punishing, it suffers disobedi- ence to grow to a custom. 5. Obedience to human laws must be for conscience sake ; that is, because in such obedience pubhc order, and charity, and benefit are con- cerned, and because the law of God commands us : there- fore we must make a con- science of keeping the just law of superiors : and al- though the matter before the making of the law was indif- ferent, yet now the obedience is not indifferent ; but, next to the laws of God, we are to obey the laws of all our supe- riors, who, the more public they are, the first they are to be in the order of obedience. 6. Submit to the punish- ment and censure of the laws, and seek not to reverse their judgment by opposing, but by submitting, or flying, or silence, to pass through it or by it, as we can ; and al- though from inferior judges we may appeal where the law permits us, yet we must sit down and rest in the judg- ment of the supreme ; and if we be wronged, let us com- plain to God of the injuiy, not of the persons ; and He will deliver thy soul from un- righteous judges. 7. Do not believe thou hast kept the law, when thou hast suffered the punishment. For although patiently to submit to the power of the sword be a part of obedience, yet this is such a part as supposes another left undone ; and the law punishes, not because she is as well pleased in taking vengeance as in being obeyed, but because she is pleased she uses punishment as a means to secure obedience for the future, or in others. Therefore, although in such cases the law is satisfied, and the injury and the injustice are paid for, yet the sins of irreligion, and scandal, and disobedience to God, must still be so accounted for, as to crave pardon and be washed off by repentance. 8. Human laws are not to be broken with scandal, nor at all without reason ; for he that does it causelessly is a despiser of the law, and un- dervalues the authority. For human laws differ from Divine laws principally in this: (i.) That the positive commands of a man may be broken upon smaller and more reasons than the positive commands of God ; we may, upon a smaller reason, omit to keep any of the fasting-days of the Church than omit to give ^beUimce 137 alms to the poor : only this, the reason must bear weight according to the gravity and concernment of the law ; a law, in a small matter, may be omitted for a small reason; in a great matter, not with- out a greater -reason. And (2.) The negative precepts of men may cease by many instruments, by contrary cus- toms, by public disrelish, by long omission : but the nega- tive precepts of God never can cease, but when they are expressly abrogated by the same authority. But what those reasons are that can dispense with the command of a man, a man may be his own judge, and sometimes take his proportions from his own reason and necessity, sometimes from public fame, and the practice of pious and severe persons, and from popular customs ; in which a man shall walk most safely when he does not walk alone, but a spiritual man takes him by the hand. 9. We must not be too for- ward in procuring dispensa- tions, nor use them any longer than the reason continues for which we first procured them : for to be dispensed withal is an argument of natural infir- mity, if it be necessary ; but, if it be not, it signifies an un- disciplined and unmortified spirit. 10. We must not be too busy in examining the prud- ence and unreasonableness of human laws : for although we are not bound to believe them all to be the wisest, yet if, by inquiring into the lawfulness of them, or by any other in- strument, we find them to fail of that wisdom with which some others are ordained, yet we must never make use of it to disparage the person of the lawgiver, or to countenance any man's disobedience, much less our own. 11. Pay that reverence to the person of thy prince, of his ministers, of thy parents and spiritual guides, which, by the customs of the place thou livest in, are usually paid to such persons in their several degrees : that is, that the highest reverence be paid to the highest persons, and so still in proportion ; and that this reverence be expressed in all the circumstances and manners of the city and nation. 12. Lift not up thy hand against thy prince or parent, upon what pretence soever ; but bear all personal affronts and inconveniences at theii- t38 ©ijclJimcE hands, and seek no remedy but by patience and piety, yielding and praying, or ab- senting thyself. 13. Speak not evil of the ruler of thy people, neither curse thy father or mother, nor revile thy spiritual guides, nor discover and lay naked their infirmities ; but treat them with reverence and re- ligion, and preserve their authority sacred, by esteem- ing their persons venerable. 14. Pay tribute and cus- toms to princes according to the laws, and maintenance to thy parents according to their necessity, and honour- able support to the clergy according to the dignity of the work, and the customs of the place. 15. Remember always, that duty to our superiors, is not an act of commutative justice, but of distributive; that is, although kings and parents and spiritual guides are to pay a great duty to their inferiors, the duty of their several charges and govern- ment, yet the good govern- ment of a king and of parents are actions of religion, as they relate to God, and of piety, as they relate to their people and families. And although we usually call them just princes who administer their laws exactly to the people, because the actions are in the manner of justice, yet, in pro- priety of speech, they are rather to be called pious and religious. For as he is not called a just father that edu- cates his children well, but pious ; so that prince who defends and well rules his people is religious, and does that duty for which alone he is answerable to God. The consequence of which is this, so far as concerns our duty : if the prince or parent fail of their duty, we must not fail of ours ; for we are answer- able to them and to God too, as being accountable to all our superiors, and so are they to theirs : they are above us, and God is above them. Remedies against Disobedience, a7id co7tsideratio7is for mak- ing us love Obedience. I, Consider that all autho- rity descends from God, and our superiors bear the image of the Divine power, which God imprints on them as on i an image of clay, or a coin upon a less perfect metal, wliich whoso defaces shall not be answerable for the loss or spoil of the materials, but Qht'Dimct 139 the defacing the king's image; and in the same measure will God require it at our hands, if we despise His authority, upon whomsoever He hath imprinted it. " He that de- spiseth you, despiseth Me." And Dathan and Abiram were said to be " gathered together against the Lord." And this was St. Paul's argu- ment for our obedience : ' ' The powers that be are ordained of God." 2. There is very great peace and immunity from sin in resigning our wills up to the command of others : for pro- vided that our duty to God be secured, their commands are warrants to us in all things else ; and the case of con- science is determined, if the command be evident and pressing : and it is certain, the action that is but indif- ferent and without reward, if done only upon our own choice, is an act of duty and of religion, and rewardable l)y the grace and favour of God, if done in obedience to the command of our superiors. For since naturally we desire what is forbidden us (and sometimes there is no other evil in the thing but that it is forbidden us), God hath in grace enjoined and propor- tionably accepts obedience, as being directly opposed to the form er irregularity ; and it is acceptable, although there be no other good in the thing that is commanded us but that it is commanded. 3, By obedience y,e are mad e a society and a republic, and distinguished from herds of beasts, and heaps of flies, who do what they list, and are incapable of laws, and obey none, and therefore are killed and destroyed, though never punished, and they never can have a reward. 4. By obedience we are rendered capable of all the blessings of government, sig- nified by St. Paul in these Avords : " He is the minister of God to thee for good ■ " ^ and by St. Peter in these : " Governors are sent by Him for the punishment of evil- doers, and for the praise of them that do well."^ And he that ever felt, or saw, or can understand, the miseries of confusion in public affairs, or amazement in a heap of sad, tumultuous, and inde- finite thoughts, may from- thence judge of the admirable effects of order, and the beauty of government. "What health is to the body, and peace is » Rom. xiii. 4. 1 1 Pet. ii. 14. I40 ©factiimcc to the spirit, that is govern- ment to the societies of men; the greatest blessing which they can receive in that tem- poral capacity. 5. No man shall ever be fit to govern others that knows not first how to obey. For if the spirit of a subject be rebellious, in a prince it will be tyrannical and intolerable, and of so ill example, that as it will encourage the diso- bedience of others, so it will render it unreasonable for him to exact of others what in the like case he refused to pay. 6. There is no sin in the world which God hath pun- ished with so great severity and high detestation as this of disobedience. For the crime of idolatry God sent the sword amongst His people ; but it was never heard that the earth opened and swal- lowed up any but rebels against their prince. 7. Obedience is better than the particular action of reli- gion ; and he serves God better that follows his prince in lawful services than he that refuses his command upon pretence he must go say his prayers. But rebellion is compared to that sin which of all sin seems the most un- natural and damned impiety. — "Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft." 8. Obedience is a compli- cated act of virtue, and many graces are exercised in one act of obedience. It is an act of humility, of mortifica- tion and self-denial, of charity to God, of care of the public, of order and charity to our- selves and all our society, and a great instance of a vic- tory over the most refractory and unruly passions. 9. To be a subject is a greater temporal felicity than to be a king : for all eminent governments, according to their height, have a great burden, huge care, infinite business, little rest, innumer- able fears ; and all that he enjoys above another is, that he does enjoy the things of the world with other circum- stances and a bigger noise ; and if others go at his single command, it is also certain, he must suffer inconvenience at the needs and disturbances of all his people : and the evils of one man and of one family are not enough for him to bear, unless also he be almost crushed with the evils of mankind. He, therefore, is an ungrateful person that wuU press the scales down with a voluntary load, and, ©bctiicnce 141 by disobedience, put more thorns into the crown or mitre of his superior. Much better is the advice of St. Paul : " Obey them that have the rule over you, as they that must give an account for your souls ; that they may do it with joy and not with grief: for (besides that it is unpleasant to them) it is un- pi-ofitable for you." 10. The angels are minis- tering spirits, and perpetually execute the will and com- mandment of God : and all the wise men and all the good men of the world are obe- dient to their governors ; and the eternal Son of God esteemed it His " meat and drink to do the will of His Father," and for His obe- dience alone obtained the greatest glory: and no man ever came to perfection but by obedience ; and thousands of saints have chosen such institutions and manners of living, in which they might not choose their own work, nor follow their own will, nor please themselves, but be accountable to others, and subject to discipline, and obe- dient to command ; as know- ing this to be the highway of the cross, the way that the King of sufferings and humi- lity did choose, and so be- came the King of glory. 11, No man ever perished who followed first the will of God, and then the will of his superiors : but thousands have been damned merely for fol- lowing their own will, and relying upon their own judg- ments, and choosing their own work, and doing their own fancies. For if we begin with ourselves, what- soever seems good in our eyes is most commonly dis- pleasing in the eyes of God, 12. The sin of rebellion, though it be a spiritual sin, and imitable by devils, yet it is of that disorder, unreason- ableness, and impossibility, amongst intelligent spirits, that they never murmured or mutinied in their lower sta- tions against their superiors. Nay, the good angels of an inferior order durst not revile a devil of a higher order. This consideration, which I reckon to be most pressing in the discourses of reason, and obliging next to the ne- cessity of a Divine precept, we learn from St. Jude, 8, 9, *' Likewise also these filthy dreamers despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. And yet Michael the arch- angel, when, contending with 142 ©bclitettcg the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation," But because our superiors rule by their example, by their word or law, and by the rod, therefore in propor- tion there are several degrees and parts of obedience, of several excellences and de- grees towards perfection. Degrees of Obedience. 1. The first is the obe- dience of our outward work : and this is all that human laws of themselves regard ; for because man cannot judge the heart, therefore it pre- scribes nothing to it : the public end is served, not by good ^^•ishes, but by real and actual performances ; and if a man obeys against his will, he is not punishable by the laws. 2. The obedience of the will : and this is also neces- sary in our obedience to human laws, not because man requires it for himself, but because God commands it towards man ; and of it, although man cannot, yet God will demand an account. For we are to do it as to the Lord, and not to men ; and therefore we must do it will- ingly. But by this means our obedience in private is secured against secret arts and subterfuges : and when we can avoid the punishment, yet we shall not decline our duty, but serve man for God's sake, that is, cheerfulh', promptly, vigorously ; for these are the proper parts of willingness and choice. 3. The understanding must yield obedience in general, though not in each particular instance ; that is, we must be firmly persuaded of the excellency of the obedience, though we be not bound, in all cases, to think the parti- cular law to be most piiident. But, in this, our rule is plain enough. Our understanding ought to be inquisitive, whe- ther the civil constitution agree with our duty to God ; but we are bound to inquire no further : and therefore be- yond this, although he who, having no obligation to it (as counsellors have), in- quires not at all into the wisdom or reasonableness of the law, be not always the wisest man, yet he is ever the best subject. For when he hath given up his under- standing to his prince and ©titg of Supertars 143 prelate, provided that his duty to God be secured by a preceding search, he hath also, with the best and ^vith all the instruments in the world, secured his obedience to man. § II. The Justice which is due from Superiors to Inferiors AS God hath imprinted His authority in seve- ral parts upon several estates of men, as princes, parents, spiritual guides ; so He hath also delegated and committed parts of His care and provi- dence unto them, that they may be instrumental in the convepng those blessings which God knows we need, and which He intends should be the effects of government. For since God governs all the world as a king, provides for us as a father, and is the great guide and conductor of our spirits as the head of the church, and the great shep- herd and bishop of our souls, they who have portions of these dignities have also their share of the administration : the sum of all which is usually signified in these two words, gcwerning 2ind feeding, and is particularly recited in these following rules. Deities of Kings, and all the Supreme Power, as Law- givers. 1. Princes of the people, and all that have legislative power, must provide useful and good laws for the defence of property, for the encour- agement of labour, for the safeguard of their persons, for determining controversies, for reward of noble actions and excellent arts and rare inventions, for promoting trade, and enriching their people. 2. In the making laws, princes must have regard to the public dispositions, to the affections and dii5affections of the people, and must not in- troduce a law with public scandal and displeasure : but consider the public benefit, and the present capacity of affairs, and general inclina- tions of men's minds. For 144 ©utg of .Sttperiors he that enforces a law upon a people against their first and public apprehensions, tempts them to disobedience, and makes laws to become snares and hooks to catch the people, and to enrich the treasury with the spoil and tears and curses of the com- monalty, and to multiply their mutiny and their sin, 3. Princes must provide, that the laws be duly exe- cuted : for a good law, with- out execution, is like an unperformed promise : and therefore they must be severe exactors of accounts from their delegates and ministers of justice. 4. The severity of laws must be tempered with dis- pensations, pardons, and re- missions, according as the case shall alter, and new ne- cessities be introduced, or some singular accident shall happen, in which the law would be unreasonable or in- tolerable, as to that parti- cular. And thus the people, with their importunity, pre- vailed against Saul in the case of Jonathan, and ob- tained his pardon for break- ing the law which his father made, because his necessity forced him to taste honey ; and his breaking the law, in that case, did promote that service whose promotion was intended by the law. 5. Princes must be fathers of the people, and provide such instances of gentleness, ease, wealth, and advantages, as may make mutual confi- dence between them ; and must fix their security under God in the love of the people; which, therefore, they must, with all arts of sweetness, remission, popularity, noble- ness, and sincerity, endeavour to secure to themselves. 6. Princes must not mul- tiply public oaths without ! great, eminent, and violent necessity; lest the security of the king become a snare to the people, and they be- come false, when they see themselves suspected ; or im- patient, when they are vio- lently held fast : but the greater and more useful cau- tion is upon things than upon persons ; and if security of kings can be obtained other- wdse, it is better that oaths should be the last refuge, and when nothing else can be sufficient. 7. Let not the people be tempted with arguments to disobey, by the imposition of great and unnecessary taxes ; for that lost to the son of Butg of ^uperiars '45 Solomon the dominion of the ten tribes of Israel. 8. Princes must, in a spe- cial manner, be guardians of pupils and widows, not suf- fering their persons to be oppressed, or their estates imbeciled, or in any sense be exposed to the rapine of covetous persons; but be pro- vided for by just laws, and provident judges, and good guardians, ever having an ear ready open to their just complaints, and a heart full of pity, and one hand to sup- port them, and the other to avenge them. 9. Princes must provide, that the laws may be so ad- ministered that they be truly and really an ease to the people, not an instrument of vexation : and therefore must be careful that the shortest and most equal ways of trials be appointed, fees moderated, and intricacies and windings as much cut off as may be, lest injured persons be forced to perish under the oppres- sion, or under the law, in the injury, or in the suit. Laws are like princes, those best and most beloved who are most easy of access. 10. Places of judicature ought, at no hand, to be sold by pious princes, who remem- ber themselves to be fathers of the people. For they that buy the office will sell the act ; and they that, at any rate, will be judges, will not, at any easy rate, do justice ; and their bribery is less pun- ishable, when bribery opened the door by which they en- tered. 11. Ancient privileges, fa- vours, customs, and acts of grace, indulged by former kings to their people, must not, without high reason and great necessities, be revoked by their successors, nor for- feitures be exacted violently, nor penal laws urged rigor- ously, nor in light cases ; nor laws be multiplied without great need ; nor vicious per- sons, which are publicly and deservedly hated, be kept in defiance of popular desires ; nor anything that may imne- cessarily make the yoke heavy and the affection light, that may increase mumiurs and lessen charity ; always re- membering, that the interest of the prince and the people is so enfolded in a mutual embrace, that they cannot be untwisted without pulling a limb off, or dissolving the bands and conjunction of the whole body. 12. All princes must esteem 146 Butg of Superiors themselves as much bound by their word, by their grants, and by their promises, as the meanest of their subjects are by the restraint and penaUy of laws : and although they are superior to the people, yet they are not superior to their own voluntary conces- sions and engagements, their promises and oaths, when once they are passed from them. The Duty of Siiperio7's as Judges. I. Princes in judgment and their delegate judges must judge the causes of all per- sons uprightly and impar- tially, without any personal consideration of the power of the mighty, or the bribe of the rich, or the needs of the poor. For although the poor must fare no worse for his poverty, yet, in justice, he must fare no better for it : and although the rich must j be no more regarded, yet he must not be less. And to this purpose the tutor of Cyrus instructed him, when in a controversy, where a great boy would have taken a large coat from a little boy, because his own was too little for him, and the other's was too big, he adjudged the great coat to the great boy : his tutor answered, " Sir, if you were made a judge of decency or fitness, you had judged well in giving the biggest to the biggest ; but when you are appointed judge, not whom the coat did fit, but whose it was, you should have considered the title and the possession, who did the violence, and who made it, or who bought it. " And so it must be in judgments be- tween the rich and the poor : it is not to be considered what the poor man needs, but what is his own. 2. A prince may not, much less may inferior judges, deny justice, when it is legally and competently demanded : and if the prince will use his pre- rogative in pardoning an offender, against whom jus- tice is required, he must be careful to give satisfaction to the injured person, or his re- latives, by some other instru- ment ; and be watchful to take away the scandal, that is, lest such indulgence might make persons more bold to do injury : and if he spares the life, let him change the punishment into that which may make the offender, if not suffer justice, yet do justice, ©titg of Stipcriors 147 and more real advantage to the injured person. These rules concern princes and their delegates in the making or administering laws, in the appointing rules of justice, and doing acts of judgment. The duty of pa- rents to their children and nephews is briefly described by St. Paul. The Duty of Parents to their Children. 1. " Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath :"2 that is, be tender-hearted, pitiful, and gentle, complying v\dth all the infirmities of the children, and, in their several ages, proportioning to them several usages, according to their needs and their capa- cities. 2. " Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord :" that is, secure their religion ; season their younger years with prudent and pious principles ; make them in love with virtue ; and make them habitually so, before they come to choose or to discern good from evil, that their choice may be with less difficuhy and danger. For while they are under dis- 2 Ephes. vi. 4. cipline, they suck in all that they are first taught, and be- lieve it infinitely. Provide for them wise, learned, and virtuous tutors, and good company and discipline, sea- sonable baptism, catechism, and confirmation. 3 For it is great folly to heap up much wealth for our children, and not to take care concerning the children for whom we get it. It is as if a man should take more care about his shoe than about his foot. 3. Parents must show piety at home ;"* that is, they must give good example and reve- rend deportment in the face of their children ; and all those instances of charity, which usually endear each other — sweetness of conver- sation, affability, frequent ad- monitions, all significations of love and tenderness, care and watchfulness — must be expressed towards children, that they may look upon their parents as their friends and patrons, their defence and sanctuary, their treasure and their guide. Hither is to be reduced the nursing of chil- dren, which is the first and most natural and necessary instance of piety which mo- thers can show to their babes ; 3 Heb. xii. 9. * i Tim. v. 4, 148 Diitg of Superiors a duty from ^vhich nothing will excuse, but a disability, sickness, danger, or public necessity. 4. Parents must provide for their own, according to their condition, education, and employment : called by St. Paul, "a laying up for the children," 5 that is, an en- abling them, by competent portions, or good trades, arts, or learning, to defend them- selves against the chances of the world, that they may not be exposed to temptation, to beggary, or unworthy arts. And although this must be done without covetousness, without impatient and greedy desires of making them rich; yet it must be done with much care and great affection, with all reasonable provision, and according to our power : and if we can, without sin, im- prove our estates for them, that also is part of the duty we owe to God for them. And this rule is to extend to all that descend from us, al- though we have been over- taken in a fault, and have unlawful issue ; they also become part of our care, yet so as not to injure the pro- duction of the lawful bed. 5. This duty is to extend 5 I Tim. V. I. to a provision of conditions and an estate of life. Parents must, according to their power and reason, provide husbands or wives for their children. In which they must secure piety and religion, and the affection and love of the interested persons ; and after these let them make what provisions they can for other conveniences or advantages : ever remembering that they can do no injury more afflic- tive to the children than to join them with cords of a dis- agreeing affection ; it is like tying a wolf and a lamb, or planting the vine in a garden of coleworts. Let them be persuaded with reasonable inducements to make them willing, and to choose accord- ing to the parent's wish ; but at no hand let them be forced. Better to sit up all night than to go to bed with a dragon. Rules for Married Feisons. I. Husbands must give to their wives love, mainten- ance, duty, and the sweetness of conversation ; and wives must pay to them all they have or can, with the interest of obedience and reverence : and they must be complicated in affections and interest, that ©utg of Superiors 149 there be no distinction be- tween them of mine and thine. And if the title be the man's or the woman's, yet the use must be common ; only the wisdom of the man is to regulate all extrava- gances and indiscretions. In other things no question is to be made; and their goods should be as their children, not to be divided, but of one possession and provision : whatsoever is otherwise is not marriage but merchan- dise. And upon this ground I suppose it was, that St. Basil commended that woman who took part of her hus- band's goods to do good works withal : for supposing him to be unwilling, and that the work was his duty or hers alone, or both theirs in con- junction, or of great advan- tage to either of their souls, and no violence to the sup- port of their families, she had right to all that : and Abi- gail, of her own right, made a costly present to David, when her husband Nabal had refused it. The husband must rule over his wife, as the soul does over the body, obnoxious to the same suffer- ings, and bound by the same affections, and doing or suf- fering by the permissions and interest of each other: that (as the old philosopher said) as the humours of the body are mingled with each other in the whole substances, so marriage may be a mixture of interests, of bodies, of minds, of friends, a conjunction of the whole life, and the noblest of friendships. But if, after all the fair deportments and innocent chaste compliances, the husband be morose and ungentle, let the wife dis- course thus : "If while I do my duty, my husband neglects me, what will he do if I neglect him?" And if she thinks to be separated by reason of her husband's un- chaste life, let her consider, that then the man will be in- curably ruined, and her rivals could wish nothing more than that they might possess him alone. The Duty of Masters of Families. I. The same care is to extend to all of our family, in their proportions, as to our children : for as, by St. Paul's economy, the heir differs nothing from a servant, while he is in minority, so a servant should differ nothing from a child, in the substantial part ISO Dutg of Superiors of the care; and the differ- ence is only in degrees. Ser- vants and masters are of the same kindred, of the same nature, and heirs of the same promises, and therefore (i.) must be provided of neces- saries, for their support and maintenance. (2. ) They must be used with mercy. (3. ) Their work must be tolerable and merciful. (4. ) Their re- straints must be reasonable. (5.) Their recreations fitting and healthful. (6.) Their religion and the interest of souls taken care of. {7. ) And masters must correct their ser- vants with gentleness, pru- dence, and mercy ; not for every slight fault, not always, not with upbraiding and dis- graceful language, but with such only as may express and reprove the fault, and amend the person. But in all these things measures are to be taken by the contract made, by the laws and customs of the place, by the sentence of pradent and merciful men, and by the cautions and re- membrances given us by God; such as is that written by St. Paul, ' ' as knowing that we also have a Master in heaven. " The master must not be a lion in his house, lest his power be obeyed, and his person hated; his eye be waited on, and his business be neglected in secret. No servant will do his duty, unless he make a conscience, or love his mas- ter: if he does it not for God's sake or his master's, he will not need to do it always for his own. The Duty of Guardians or Tutors. Tutors and Guardians are in the place of parents ; and what they are in fiction of law, they must remember as an argiiment to engage them to do in reality of duty. They must do all the duty of parents, excepting those ob- ligations which are merely natural. [A"(?/^.— The duty of ministers and spiritual guides to the people is of so greatburden, so various rules, so intricate and busy caution, that it re- quires a distinct tractate by itself.] lousiness Cransacttons 151 § III. Business Transactions. THIS part of justice is such as depends upon the laws of man directly, and upon the laws of God only by consequence and indirect reason ; and from civil laws or private agreements it is to take its estimate and mea- sures : and although our duty is plain and easy, requiring of us honesty in contracts, sincerity in affirming, simpli- city in bargaining, and faith- fulness in perfomiing, yet it may be helped by the addition of these following rules and considerations. Rules and ATeastires ofyustice in Bargaining. 1. In making contracts, use not many words ; for all the business of a bargain is sum- med up in few sentences : and he that speaks least means fairest, as having fewer opportunities to deceive. 2. Lie not at all, neither in a little thing nor in a great, neither in the substance nor in the' circumstance, neither in word nor deed : that is, pretend not what is false, cover not what is true ; and let the measure of your af- firmation or denial be the understanding of your con- tractor ; for he that deceives the buyer or the seller by speaking what is true in a sense not intended or under- stood by the other, is a liar and a thief. For in bargains you are to avoid not only what is false, but that also which deceives. 3. In prices of bargaining concerning uncertain mer- chandises, you may buy as j cheap ordinarily, as you can; and sell as dear as you can, so it be ( I.) without violence; and (2.) when you contract on equal teniis with persons in all senses (as to the matter and skill of bargaining) equal to yourself, that is, merchants with merchants, wise men with wise men, rich with rich; and {3.) when there is no deceit, and no necessity and no monopoly ; for in these cases, viz., when the contractors are equal, and no advantage on either side, both parties are voluntary, and therefore there can be no injustice or wrong to cither. But then add also this con- :52 Business (^Transactions sideration, that the public be not oppressed by unreason- able and unjust rates : for which the following niles are the best measure. 4. Let your prices be ac- cording to that measure of good and evil which is estab- lished in the fame and com- mon accounts of the wisest and most merciful men, skilled in that manufacture or commodity ; and the gain such as may, without scandal, be allowed to persons in all the same circumstances. 5. Let no prices be height- ened by the necessity or un- slvilfulness of the contractor : for the first is direct uncharit- ableness to the person, and injustice in the thing; because the man's necessity could not naturally enter into the con- sideration of the value of the commodity ; and the other is deceit and oppression. Much less must any man make necessities ; as by engrossing a commodity, by monopoly, by detaining corn, or the like indirect arts; for such persons are unjust to all single per- sons, with whom, in such cases, they contract, and op- pressors of the public. 6. In intercourse with others, do not do all which you may lawfully do ; but keep some- thing within thy power : and, because there is a latitude of gain in buying and selling, take not thou the utmost penny that is lawful, or which thou thinkest so; for although it be lawful, yet it is not safe; and he that gains all that he can gain lawfully this year, possibly, next year, will be tempted to gain something unlawfully. 7. He that sells dearer, by reason he sells not for ready money, must increase his price no higher, than to make himself recompence for the loss which, according to the rules of trade, he sustained by his forbearance, accord- ing to common computation, reckoning in also the hazard, which he is prudently, warily, and charitably, to estimate. But although this be the measure of his justice, yet because it happens either to their friends, or to necessi- tous and poor persons, they are in these cases, to con- sider the rules of friendship and neighbourhood, and the obligations of charity, lest justice turn into unmerciful- ness. 8. No man is to be raised in his price or rents in regard of any accident, advantage, or disadvantage, of his per- Business transactions 153 son. A prince must be used conscionably, as well as a common person ; and a beg- gar be treated justly, as well as a prince : with this only difference, that, to poor per- sons, the utmost measure and extent of justice is unmerci- ful, which, to a rich person, is innocent, because it is just; and he needs not thy mercy and remission. 9. Let no man, for his own poverty, become more op- pressing and cruel in his bar- gain, but quietly, modestly, diligently, and patiently re- commend his estate to God, and follow its interest, and leave the success to Him : for such courses will more probably advance his trade ; they will certainly procure him a blessing and a recom- pence ; and, if they cure not his poverty, they will take away the evil of it : and there is nothing else in it that can trouble him. 10. Detain not the wages of the hireling ; for every degree of detention of it be- yond the time is injustice and uncharitableness, and grinds his face, till tears and blood come out : but pay him ex- actly according to covenant, or according to his needs. 11. Religiously keep all promises and covenants, though made to your disad- vantage, though afterwards you perceive you might have been better : and let not any precedent act of yours be altered by any after-accident. Let nothing make you break your promise, unless it be unlawful, or impossible : that is, either out of your natural, or out of your civil power, yourself being under the power of another ; or that it be intolerably inconvenient to yourself, and of no ad- vantage to another; or that you have leave expressed, or reasonably presumed. 12. Let no man take wages or fees for a work that he cannot do, or cannot with probability undertake, or in some sense profitably, and with ease, or with advantage manage. Physicians must not meddle with desperate diseases, and known to be incurable, without declaring their sense beforehand ; that if the patient please, he may entertain him at adventure, or to do him some little ease. Advocates must deal plainly with their clients, and tell them the true state and dan- ger of their case ; and must not pretend confidence in an evil cause : but when he hath 154 2cvEstitutioit so cleared his own innocence, if the client will have col- lateral and legal advantages obtained by his industry, he may engage his endeavour, provided he do no injury to the right cause, or any man's person. 13. Let no man appropri- ate to his own use what God, by a special mercy, or the republic, hath made common; for that is both against justice and charity too : and, by miraculous accidents, God hath sometimes declared His displeasure against such en- closure. The sum of all is in these words of St. Paul, "Let no man go beyond and defraud his brother, in any matter, because the Lord is the aven- ger of all such. And our blessed Saviour, in enumer- ating the duties of justice, besides the commandment of " Do not steal," adds, " De- fraud not," forbidding (as a distinct explication of the old law) the tacit and secret theft of abusing our brother in civil contracts. And it needs no other arguments to enforce this caution, but only that the Lord hath undertaken to avenge all such persons. And as He always does it in the great day of recompences, so very often He does it here, by making the unclean por- tion of injustice to be as a canker-worm eating up all the other increase : it pro- cures beggary, and a declin- ing estate, or a caitiff cursed spirit, an ill name, the curse of the injured and oppressed person, and a fool or pro- digal to be his heir. IV. Restitution RESTITUTION is that part of justice to which a man is obliged by a prece- dent contract, or a foregoing fault, by his ovvn act or an- other man's, either with, or without, his will. He that borrows is bound to pay, and much more he that steals or cheats. For if he that bor- rows, and pays not when he is able, be an unjust person and a robber, because he pos- sesses another man's goods, to the right owners preju- dice, then he that took them at first without leave, is the same thing in every instant Saestitutujit [55 of his possession, which the debtor is after the time in which he should, and could, have made payment. For, in all sins, we are to distin- guish the transient or passing act from the remaining effect or evil. The act of stealing was soon over, and cannot be undone ; and for it the sinner is only answerable to God, or His vicegerent ; and he is, in a particular manner, appointed to expiate it by suffering punishment, and re- penting, and asking pardon, and judging and condemning himself, doing acts of justice and charity, in opposition and contradiction to that evil action. But because, in the case of stealing, there is an Injury done to our neighbour, and the evil still remains after the action is past ; therefore i for this we are accountable j to our neighbour, and we are ' to take the evil off from him, which we brought upon him ; or else he is an injured per- son, a sufferer all the while : and that any man should be the worse for me, and my direct act, and by my inten- tion, is against the rule of equity, of justice, and of cha- rity ; 1 do not that to others which I would have done to myself; for I grow richer upon the ruins of his fortune. Upon this ground, it is a determined rule in divinity, " Our sin can never be par- doned, till we have restored what we unjustly took, or wrongfully detain :" restored it (I mean) actually, or in purpose and desire, which we must really perform, when we can. And this doctrine, be- sides its evident and apparent reasonableness, is derived from the express words of Scripture, reckoning restitu- tion to be a part of repent- ance, necessary in order to the remission of our sins. " If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, &c., he shall surely live, he shall not die. " ^ The practice of this part of justice is to be directed by the following rules. Rules for 7iiaking Resfihition. I. Whosoever is an effec- tive real cause of doing his neighbour wrong, by what instmment soever he does it (whether by commanding, or encouraging it, by counsel- ling, or commending it, by acting it, or not hindering it, when he might and ought, by concealing it, or receiving 6 Ezek. x.xxiii. 15. 156 i^rstitution it), is bound to make resti- tution to his neighbour ; if, without him, the injury had not been done, but, by him or his assistance, it was. For, by the same reason that every one of these is guilty of the sin, and is cause of the injury, by the same they are bound to make reparation ; because by him his neighbour is made worse, and therefore is to be put into that state from whence he was forced. And suppose that thou hast per- suaded an injury to be done to thy neighbour, which others would have persuaded, if thou hadst not, yet thou art still obliged, because thou really didst cause the injury ; just as they had been obliged, if they had done it : and thou art not at all the less bound, by having persons as ill-inclined as thou wert. 2. He that commanded the injury to be done is first bound ; then he that did it ; and, after these, they also are obliged who did so assist, as without them the thing would not have been done. If satis- faction be made by any of the former, the latter is tied to repentance, but no resti- tution : but if the injured person be not righted, every one of them L^ wholly guilty of the injustice ; and there- fore bound to restitution, singly and entirely. 3. Whosoever intends alittle injury to his neighbour, and acts it, and by it a greater evil accidentally comes, he is obliged to make an entire reparation of all the injury of that which he intended, and of that which he intended not, but yet acted by his I own instrument going further than he at first purposed it. He that set fire on a plane- tree to spite his neighbour, and the plane-tree set fire on his neighbour's house, is ! bound to pay for all the loss, j because it did all rise from his own ill intention. It is like murder committed by a drunken person, involuntary in some of the effect, but voluntary in the other parts of it, and in all the cause ; and therefore the giiilty per- son is answerable for all of it. 4. He that hinders a charit- able person from giving alms to a poor man is tied to resti- tution if he hindered him by fraud or violence, because it was a right which the poor man had, when the good man had designed and resolved it, ' and the fraud or violence I hinders the effect but not the i^rstittition :57 purpose ; and therefore he who used the deceit or the force is injurious, and did damage to the poor man. But if the alms were hindered only by entreaty, the hinderer is not tied to restitution, be- cause entreaty took not liberty away from the giver, but left him still master of his own act, and he had power to alter his purpose, and so long there was no injustice done. The same is the case of a testator giving a legacy, either by kindness, or by promise, and common right. He that hin- ders the charitable legacy by fraud or violence, or the due legacy by entreaty, is equally obliged to restitution. The reason of the latter part of this case is, because he that entreats or persuades to a sin, is as guilty as he that acts it ; and if, without his persuasion, the sin and the injury would not be acted, he is in his kind the entire cause, and therefore obliged to repair the injury as much as the person that does the wrong immediately. 5. He that refuses to do any part of his duty (to which he is otherwise obliged) with- out a bribe, is bound to restore that money, because he took it in his neighbour's wrong, and not as a salaiy for his labour, or a reward for his wisdom (for his stipend hath paid all that), or he hath obliged himself to do it by his voluntary undertaking. 6. He that takes anything from his neighbour which was justly forfeited, but yet takes it not as a minister of justice, but to satisfy his own revenge or avarice, is tied to repentance, but not to resti- tution. For my neighbour is not the worse for my act, for thither the law and his ow^n demerits bore him ; but because I took the forfeiture indirectly I am answerable to God for my unhandsome, un- just, or imcharitable circum- stances. 7. The heir of an obliged person is not bound to make restitution if the obligation passed only by a personal act ; but if it passed from his person to his estate, then the estate passes with all its bur- den. If the father, by per- suading his neighbour to do injustice, be bound to restore, the action is extinguished by the death of the father, be- cause it was only the father's sin that bound him which cannot directly bind the son; therefore the son is free. And this is so in all personal actions, unless where the civil 158 3^tstittitton law interposes and alters the case. [Note. — These rules concern the persons that are obUged to make restitution ; the other circumstances of it are thus described.] 8. He that by fact, or word, or sign, either fraudulently or violently, does hurt to his neighbour's body, life, goods, good name, friends, or soul, is bound to make restitution in the several instances, ac- cording as they are capable to be made. In all these instances we must separate entreaty and enticements from deceit or violence. If I per- suade my neighbour to com- mit adultery, I still leave him or her in their own power; and though I am answerable to God for my sin, yet not to my neighbour. For I made her to be mlling, yet she was willing, that is, the same at last as I was at first. But if I have used fraud, and made her to believe a lie, upon which confidence she did the act, and without she would not (as if I tell a woman her husband is dead, or intended to kill her, or is himself an adulterous man), or if I use violence, that is, either force her or threaten her \vith death, or a grievous wound, or anything that takes her from the liberty of her choice, I am bound to restitution ; that is, to restore her to a right understanding of things and to a full liberty, by tak- ing from her the deceit or the violence. 9. An adulterous person is tied to restitution of the in- jury, so far as it is reparable, and can be made to the wronged person ; that is, to make provision for the child- ren begotten in unlawful em- braces, that they may do no injury to the legitimate by receiving a common portion ; and if the injured person do account of it, he must satisfy him with money for the WTong done to his bed. He is not tied to offer this, because it j is no proper exchange, but he is bound to pay it if it be reasonably demanded ; for every man hath justice done him when himself is satisfied, though by a word, or an action, or a penny. 10. He that hath killed a I man is bound to restitution, by allowing such a main- tenance to the children and near relatives of the deceased as they have lost by his death, considering and allowing for all circumstances of the man's age, and health, and proba- bility of living. ^tstitutian 159 11. He that hath really les- sened the fame of his neigh- bour by fraud or violence is bound to restore it by its proper instruments ; such as are confession of his fault, giving testimony of his in- nocence or worth, doing him honour, or (if that will do it, and both parties agree) by money, which answers all things. 12. He that hath wounded his neighbour is tied to the expenses of the surgeon and other incidences, and to re- pair whatever loss he sustains by his disability to work or trade ; and the same is in the case of false imprisonment, in which cases only the real effect and remaining detri- ment are to be mended and repaired, fpr the action itself is to be punished or repented of, and enters not into the question of restitution. But in these and all other cases, the injured person is to be restored to that perfect and good condition from which he was removed by my fraud or violence, so far as is pos- sible. Thus a ravisher must repair the temporal detriment or injury done to the maid, and give her a dowry, or marry her if she desire it. For this restores her into that capacity of being a good wife, which by the injury was lost, as far as it can be done. 13. He that robbeth his neighbour of his goods, or detains anything violently or fraudulently, is bound not only to restore the principal, but all its fruits and emolu- ments, which would have accrued to the right owner during the time of their being detained. By proportion to these rules we may judge of the obligation that lies upon all sorts of injurious persons; the sacrilegious, the detainers of tithes, cheaters of men's inheritances, unjust judges, false witnesses, and accusers; those that do fraudulently or violently bring men to sin, that force men to drink, that laugh at and disgrace virtue, that persuade servants to run away, or commend such pur- poses ; violent persecutors of religion in any instance ; and all of the same nature. 14. He that hath wronged so many, or in that manner (as in the way of daily trade), that he knows not in what measure he hath done it, or who they are, must redeem his fault by alms and largesses to the poor, according to the value of his wrongful dealing, as near as he can proportion [6o destitution it. Better it is to go begging to heaven, than to go to hell laden with the spoils of rapine and injustice. 15. The order of paying the debts of contract or resti- tution is, in some instances, set down by the civil laws of a kingdom, in which cases their rule is to be observed. In the absence of any such rules, we are (l.) to observe the necessity of the creditor; (2.) then the time of the delay; and (3.) the special obligations of friendship or kindness ; and, according to these, in their several degrees, make our restitution, if we be not able to do all that we should ; but, if we be, the best rule is to do it so soon as we can, taking our ac- counts in this, as in our human actions, according to prudence, and civil or natural conveniences or possibili- ties, only securing these two things : (i.) that the duty be not wholly omitted ; and (2. ) that it be not deferred at all out of covetousness, or any other principle that is vicious. Remember that the same day in which Zaccheus made res- titution to all whom he had injured, the same day Christ Himself pronounced that sal- vation was come to hi? house. 16. But besides the obliga- tion arising from contract or default, there is one of another sort which comes from kind- ness, and the acts of charity and friendship. He that does me a favour hath bound me to make him a return of thankfulness. The obliga- tion comes not by covenant, not by his own express inten- tion, but by the nature of the thing, and is a duty spring- ing up within the spirit of the obliged person, to whom it is more natural to love his friend, and to do good for good, than to return evil for evil, because a man may for- give an injury, but he must never forget a good turn. For everything that is excel- lent, and ever}'thing tliat is profitable, whatsoever is good in itself, or good to me, can- not but be beloved ; and what we love we naturally cherish and do good to. He, therefore, that refuses to do good to them whom he is bound to love, or to love that which did him good, is un- natural and monstrous in his affections, and thinks all the world born to minister to him w4th a greediness worse than that of the sea, which, although it receives all rivers into itself, yet it furnishes the ^ragcrs nlatmg to Justice i6i clouds and springs with a return of all they need. Our duty to benefactors is to esteem and love their per- sons, to make them propor- tionable i-etums of service, or duty, or profit, according as we can, or as they need, or as opportunity presents itself, and according to the great- nesses of their kindness, and to pray to God to make them recompence for all the good they have done to us ; which last office is also requisite to be done for our creditors, who, in charity, have relieved our wants. Prayers to be said in relation to the several Obligations and Offices of Justice A Prayer for the Grace of Obedience, to be said by all Persons under Command. O eternal God, great ruler of men and angels, who hast constituted all things in a wonderful order, making all the creatures subject to man, and one man to another, and all to Thee, the last link of this admirable chain being fastened to the foot of thy throne ; teach me to obey all those whom Thou hast set over me, reverencing their persons, submitting indiffer- ently to all their lawful com- mands, cheerfully undergoing those burdens which the public wisdom and necessity shall impose upon me, at no hand murmuring against government, lest the spirit of pride and mutiny, of murmur and disorder, enter into me, and consign me to the por- tion of the disobedient and rebellious, of the despisers of dominion, and revilers of dignity. Grant this, O holy God, for His sake, who, for His obedience to the Father, hath obtained the glorifica- tion of eternal ages, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. i6: ^3raucrs relating to \Praycrs for Kings mid all Magist?'afcs, for our Parents spij'itiial and natural^ are in the folloiv- ing Litanies^ at the end of thefoiuih chapter'\ A Prayer to be said by Subjects -co/ien the Land is invaded and ove}-r7in by barbarous or wicked People, enoiiies of the Religion or the Govern- ment. I. O eternal God, Thou alone rulest in the kingdoms of men; Thou art the great God of battles and recom- pences ; and by Thy glorious wisdom, by Thy almighty power, and by Thy secret providence, dost determine the events of war, and the issues of human counsels, and the returns of peace and vic- tory : now at last be pleased to let the light of Thy coun- tenance, and the effects of a glorious mercy and a gracious pardon, return to this land. Thou seest how gi-eat evils we suffer under the power and tyranny of war, and al- though we submit to and adore Thy justice in our suf- ferings, yet be pleased to pity our misery, to hear our com- plaints, and to provide us of remedy against our present calamities ; let not the de- fenders of a righteous cause go away ashamed, nor our counsels be for ever con- founded, nor our parties defeated, nor religion sup- pressed, nor learning dis- countenanced, and we be spoiled of all the exterior ornaments, instruments, and advantages of piety, which Thou hast been pleased for- merly to minister to our in- firmities, for the interests of learning and religion. Amen. II. We confess, dear God, that we have deserved to be totally extinct and separate from the communion of saints and the comforts of religion, to be made serv^ants to ignorant, unjust, and inferior persons, or to suffer any other cala- mity which Thou shalt allot us as the instrument of Thy anger, whom we have so often provoked to wrath and jealousy. Lord, we humbly lie down under the burden of Thy rod, begging of Thee to remember our infirmities, and t\)t Butics of Sustict 163 no more to remember our sins, to support us with Thy staff, to Hft us up with Thy hand, to refresh us with Thy gracious eye; and if a sad cloud of tempoi-al infeHcities must still encircle us, open unto us the window of heaven, that, with an eye of faith and hope, we may see beyond the cloud, looking upon those mercies which, in Thy secret providence and admirable wisdom. Thou designest to all Thy servants from such unlikely and sad beginnings. Teach us diligently to do all our duty, and cheerfully to submit to all Thy will ; and, at last, be gracious to Thy people that call upon Thee, that put their trust in Thee, that have laid up all their hopes in the bosom of God, that besides Thee have no helper. Amen. III. Place a guard of angels about the person of the king, and immure him with the defence of Thy right hand, that no unhallowed arm may do violence to him. Support him with aids from heaven in all his battles, trials, and dan- gers, that he may, in every instant of his temptation, become dearer to Thee ; and do Thou return to him with mercy and deliverance. Give unto him the hearts of all his people, and put into his hand a prevailing rod of iron, a sceptre of power, and a sword of justice; and enable him to defend and comfort the churches under his protection. IV. Bless all his friends, rela- tives, confederates, and lieges, direct their counsels, unite their hearts, strengthen their hands, bless their actions. Give unto them holiness of intention, that they may, with much candour and in- genuity, pursue the cause of God and the king. Sanctify all the means and instnmients of their purposes, that they may not with cruelty, injus- tice, or oppression, proceed towards the end of their just desires ; and do Thou crown all their endeavours with a prosperous event, that all may co-operate to, and actu- ally produce, those great mer- cies which we beg of Thee — honour and safety to our sovereign, defence of his just rights, peace to his people, establishment and promotion to religion, advantages and encouragement to learning and holy living, deliverance 164 Pragcrs rrlatmg to to all the oppressed, comfort to all Thy faithful people, and, from all these, glory to Thy holy name. Grant this, King of kings, for His sake, by whom Thou hast consigned us to all Thy mer- cies and promises, and to Whom Thou hast given all power in heaven and earth, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen, A Prayer to be said by Kings or iMagistrates for them- selves and their People. O my God and King, Thou nilest in the kingdoms of men ; by Thee kings reign, and princes decree justice; Thou hast appointed me un- der Thyself \and under my p7'i7ice^\ to govern this por- tion of Thy Church, accord- ing to the laws of religion and the commonwealth, O Lord, 1 am but an infirm man, and know not how to decree cer- tain sentences without erring in judgment ; but do Thou give to Thy servant an un- derstanding heart to judge this people, that I may dis- cern between good and evil. Cause me to walk, before Thee and all the people, in truth and righteousness, and 1 These wortls to be added by a delegate or inferior. I insincerityof heart, that I may I not regard the person of the I mighty, nor be afraid of his ^ terror, nor despise the person ; of t-he poor, and reject his peti- 1 tion ; but that, doing justice I to all men, I and my people I may receive mercy of Thee, peace and plenty in our days, and mutual love, duty, and correspondence ; that there be no leading into captivity, no complaining in our streets, but we may see the Church in prosperity all our days, and religion established and increasing. Do Thou estab- lish the house of Thy servant, and bring me to a participa- tion of the glories of Thy kingdom, for His sake, who is my Lord and King, the holy and ever blessed vSaviour of the world, our Redeemer, Jesus, Amen. A Prayer to be said by Par- ents for their Children. O Almighty and most mer- ciful Father, who hast pro- mised children as a reward to the righteous, and hast given them to me as a testi- mony of Thy mercy, and an engagement of my duty ; be pleased to be a Father unto them, and give them health- ful bodies, understanding tlft ©uttcs oC Justice i6s souls, and sanctified spirits, that they may be Thy ser- vants and Thy children all their days. Let a great mercy and providence lead them through the dangers, and temptations, and ignor- ances, of their youth, that they may never run into folly and the evils of an unbridled appetite. So order the acci- dents of their lives, that, by good education, careful tutors, holy example, innocent com- pany, prudent counsel, and thy restraining grace, their duty to thee may be secured in the midst of a crooked and untoward generation ; and if it seem good in Thy eyes, let me be enabled to provide conveniently for the support of their persons, that they may not be destitute and miserable on my death ; or if Thou shalt call me off from this world by a more timely summons, let their portion be Thy care, mercy, and providence, over their bodies and souls. And may they never live vicious lives, nor die violent or untimely deaths ; but let them glorify Thee here with a free obedience, and the duties of a whole life, that when they have served Thee in their generations, and have profited the Chris- tian commonwealth, they may be coheirs with Jesus in the glories of Thy eternal king- dom, through the same our Lord Jesus Christ. Ameru A Prayer to be said by Mas- ters of Faviilies^ Curates, Tiitors, or otho' responsible Persons, for their Charges. O Almighty God, merciful and gracious, have mercy upon my family [or pupils or parishioners, &c.] and all committed to my charge, sanctify them with Thy grace, preserve them with Thy pro- vidence, guard them from all evil by the custody of angels, direct them in the ways ot peace and holy religion by my ministry and the conduct of Thy most Holy Spirit, and consign them all, with the participation of Thy bless- ings and graces in this world, with healthful bodies, with good understandings and sanctified spirits, to a full fruition of Thy glories here- after, through Jesus Christ our Lord. A Prayer to be said by Mer- chants, Tradesmen, and Handicraftsmen. O eternal God, Thou foun- tain of justice, mercy, and benediction, who, by my 1 66 ^ragcrs relating to education and other effects of Thy providence, hast called me to this profession, that, by my industry, I may, in my small proportion, work to- gether for the good of myself and others; I humbly beg Thy gi-ace to guide me in my intention, and in the trans- action of my affairs, that I may be diligent, just, and faithful; and give me Thy favour, that this my labour may be accepted by Thee as a part of my necessary duty ; and give me Thy blessing to assist and prosper me in my calling to such measures as Thou shalt, in mercy, choose for me ; and be pleased to let the Holy Spirit be for ever present with me, that I may never be given to covetous- ness and sordid appetites, to lying and falsehood, or any other base, indirect, and beg- garly arts ; but give me prud- ence, honesty, and Christian sincerity, that my trade may be sanctified by my religion, my labour by my intention and Thy blessing, that, when I have done the portion of work Thou hast alloted me, and improved the talent Thou hast intrusted to me, and served the commonwealth in my capacity, I may receive the mighty price of my high calling, which I expect and beg, in the portion and in- heritance of the ever-blessed Sa^^our and Redeemer, Jesus. Amen. A Prayer to be said by Debt- ors, and all Persons bo7i7id, lohctJicr by Crifne or Con- tract. O Almighty God, who art rich unto all, the treasuiy and fountain of all good, of all I justice, and all mercy, and all bounty, to whom we owe all that we are, and all that we have, being Thy debtors by reason of our sins, and by Thy own gracious contract made with us in Jesus Christ; teach me, in the first place, to per- form all my obligations to Thee, both of duty and thank- fulness ; and, next, enable me to pay my duty to all my friends, and my debts to all my creditors, that none be made miserable or lessened in his estate by his kindness to me, or traffic with me. Forgive me all those sins and irregular actions by which I entered into debt further than my necessity required, or by which such necessity was brought upon me; but let not them suffer by occasion of my sin. Lord, reward all their kindness into their t\)Z Qutics of Justice 167 bosoms, and make them re- compence where I cannot, and make me very wilHng in all that I can, and able for all that I am obliged to ; or, if it seem good in Thine eyes to afflict me by the continu- ance of this condition, yet make it up by some means to them, that the prayer of Thy ser\'ant may obtain of Thee, at least, to pay my debt in blessings. Amen. Lord, sanctify and forgive all that I have tempted to evil by my discourse or my example, instruct them in the right way whom I have led to error, and let me never nm further on the score of sin ; but do Thou blot out all the evils I have done by the sponge of Thy passion, and the blood of Thy cross, and give me a deep and an excel- lent repentance, and a free and a gracious pardon, that Thou mayest answer for me, O Lord, and enable me to stand upright in judgment ; for in Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, let me never be con- founded. Pity me and instruct me, gviide me and support me, pardon me and save me, for my sweet Saviour Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. j A Prayer for Patron ami BcJiefactors. } O Almighty God, Thou I fountain of all good, of all excellency both to men and angels, extend Thine abund- { ant favour and loving-kind- I ness to my patron, to all my friends and benefactors ; re- I ward them and make them j plentiful recompence for all I the good which from Thy I merciful providence they have j conveyed unto me. Let the ! light of Thy countenance i shine upon them, and let I them never come into any affliction or sadness, but such as may be an instiiiment of Thy glor}^ and their eternal I comfort. Forgive them all their sins ; let Thy divinest i Spirit preserve them from all I deeds of darkness ; let Thy I ministeringangels guard their i persons from the violence of I the spirits of darkness. And Thou who knowest every degree of their necessity by Thy infinite wisdom, give supply to all their needs by Thy glorious mercy, preserv- ing their persons, sanctifying their hearts, and leading them in the ways of righteousness, by the waters of comfort, to the land of eternal rest and glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Chapter IV Christian Religion RELIGION, in a large sense, doth signify the whole duty of man, compre- hending in it justice, charity, and sobriety ; because all these being commanded by God, they become a part of that honour and worship which we are bound to pay to Him. And thus the word is used in St. James, "Pure ' religion and undefiled before ' God and the Father is this, to : visit the fatherless and widows \ in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the | world. "1 But, in a more re- i strained sense, it is taken for | that part of duty which par- ticularly relates to God in our worshippings and adoration of Him, in confessing His excellences, loving His per- j son, admiring His goodness, believing His word, and doing j 1 James i. 27. all that which may, in a pro- per and direct manner, do Him honour. It contains the duties of the first table only, and so it is called godli- ness, ^ and is by St. Paul dis- tinguished from justice and sobriety. In this sense I am now to explicate the parts of it. 0/ the internal Actions of Religion. Those I call the internal actions of religion, in which the soul only is employed, and ministers to God in the special actions of faith, hope, and charity. Faith believes the revelations of God : hope expects His promises : and charity loves His excellences and mercies. Faith gives up understanding to God : hope 2 Tit. ii. 12. JTaitfj 169 gives up all the passions and affections to heaven and heavenly things: and charity gives the will to the service of God, Faith is opposed to infidelity, hope to despair, chanty to enmity and hos- tility: and these three sanctify the whole man, and make our duty to God and obedience to His commandments to be chosen, reasonable, and de- lightful, and therefore to be entire, persevering, and uni- versal. § I. Faith The Acts and Offices of Faith are — I. '1^0 believe everything X which God hath re- vealed to us : and, when once we are convinced that God hath spoken it, to make no further inquiry, but humbly to submit, ever remembering that there are some things which our understanding can- not fathom, nor search out their depth. 2. To believe nothing con- cerning God but what is hon- ourable and excellent, as knowing that belief to be no honouring of God which entertains of Him any dis- honourable thoughts. Faith is the parent of charity ; and whatsoever faith entertains must be apt to produce love to God : but he that believes God to be cruel or unmerciful, or a rejoicer in the unavoid- able damnation of the greatest part of mankind, or that He speaks one thing and privately means another, thinks evil thoughts concerning God, and such as for which we should hate a man, and therefore are great enemies of faith, being apt to destroy charity. Our faith concerning God must be as Himself hath revealed and described His o\\xv ex- cellences ; and, in our dis- courses, we must remove from Him all imperfection, and attribute to Him all excel- lency. 3. To give ourselves wholly up to Christ, in heart and desire, to become disciples of His doctrine with choice (be- sides conviction), being in the presence of God but as idiots, that is, without any principles of our own to hinder the truth of God ; but sucking in greed- ily all that God hath taught jiaitlj us, believing it infinitely, and loving to believe it. For this is an 'act of love, reflected upon faith ; or an act of faith, leaning upon love. 4. To believe all God's pro- mises, and tliat whatsoever is promised in Sci-ipture shall, on God's part, be as surely performed as if we had it in possession. This act makes us to rely upon God with the same confidence as we did on our parents when we were children, when we made no doubt but whatsoever we needed we should have it, if it were in their power. 5. To believe also the con- ditions of the promise, or that part of the revelation which concerns our duty. Many are apt to believe the article of remission of sins, but they believe it ^^'ithout the con- dition of repentance, or the fruits of holy life ; and that is to believe the article other- Avise than God intended it. For the covenant of the Gos- pel is the great object of faith, and that supposes our duty to answer His grace ; that God will be our God, so long as we are His people. The other is not faith, but flatter}'. 6. To profess publicly the doctrine of Jesus Christ, openly owning whatsoever He hath revealed and com- manded, not being ashamed of the word of God, or of any practices enjoined by it ; and this without complying with any man's interest, not regarding favour, nor being moved with good words, not fearing disgrace, or loss, or inconvenience, or death it- self. 7. To pray without doubt- ing, without weariness, with- out faintness ; entertaining no jealousies or suspicions of God, but being confident of God's hearing us, and of His returns to us, whatsoever the manner or the instance be, that, if we do our duty, it will be gracious and merciful. These acts of faith are, in several degrees, in the ser- vants of Jesus ; some have it but as a grain of mustard- seed ; some grow up to a plant ; some have the fulness of faith : but the least faith that is must be a persuasion so strong as to make us un- dertake the doing of all that duty which Christ built upon the foundation of belieA-ing. But we shall best discern the tn.;th of our faith by these following signs. St. Jerome reckons three. Mt\) 171 Signs oftme Faith. 1. An earnest and vehe- ment prayer : for it is impos- sible we should heartily be- lieve the things of God and the glories of the gospel, and not most importunately desire them. For everything is de- sired according to our belief of its excellency and pos- sibility. 2. To do nothing for vain- glory, but wholly for the interests of religion and these articles we believe; valuing not at all the nmiours of men, but the praise of God, to whom, by faith, we have given up all our intellectual faculties. 3. To be content with God for our judge, for our patron, for our Lord, for our friend ; desiring God to be all in all to us, as we are, in our understanding and affections, wholly His. Add to these — 4. To be a stranger upon earth in our affections, and to have all our thoughts and principal desires fixed upon the matters of faith, the things of heaven. For, if a man were adopted heir to a king, he would (if he believed it real and effective) despise the present, and wholly be at court in his father's eye ; and his desires would outrun his swiftest speed, and all his thoughts would spend them- selves in creating ideas and little fantastic images of his future condition. Now God hath made us heirs of His kingdom, and co-heirs with Jesus : if we believed this, we should think, and affect, and study accordingly. But he that rejoices in gain, and his heart dwells in the world, and is espoused to a fair estate, and transported with a light momentary j oy, and is afflicted with losses, and amazed with temporal persecutions, and esteems disgrace or poverty in a good cause to be intoler- able — this man either hath no inheritance in heaven, or be- lieves none ; and believes not that he is adopted to be the son of God, the heir of eter- nal glory. 5. St. James's sign is the best: "Shew me thy faith by thy works. " Faith makes the merchant diligent and venturous, and that makes him rich. Ferdinand of Arragon believed the story told him by Columbus, and therefore he furnished him with ships, and got the West Indies by his faith in the 172 iTaitfj nndertaker. But Henry VII. of England believed him not ; and therefore trusted him not with shipping, and lost all the purchase of that faith. It is told us by Christ, " He that forgives shall be for- given ; " if we believe this, it is certain we shall forgive our enemies ; for none of us all but need and desire to be forgiven. No man can pos- sibly despise, or refuse to desire, such excellent glories as are revealed to them that are servants of Christ ; and yet we do nothing that is commanded us as a condition to obtain them. No man could work a day's labour without faith ; but because he believes he shall have his wages at the day's or week's end, he does his duty. But he only believes who does that thing which other men, in like cases, do when they do believe. He that believes money gotten with danger is better than poverty with safety, will venture for it in unknown lands or seas ; and so will he that believes it better to get heaven with labour, than to go to hell with pleasure. 6. He that believes does not make haste, but waits patiently till the times of re- freshment come, and dares trust God for the morrow, and is no more solicitous for the next year than he is for that which is past ; and it is certain that man wants faith who dares be more confident of being supplied, when he hath money in his purse, than when he hath it only in bills of exchange from God ; or that relies more upon his own industiy than upon God's providence when his own in- dustry fails him. If you dare trust to God when the case, to human reason, seems im- possible, and trust to God then also out of choice, not because you have nothing else to trust to, but because He is the only support of a just confidence, then you have a good testimony of your faith, 7. True faith is confident, and will venture all the world upon the strength of its per- suasion. Will you lay your life on it, your estate, your reputation, that the doctrine of Jesus Christ is true in every article ? Then you have true faith. But he that fears men more than God, believes men more than he believes in God. 8. Faith, if it be true, living, and justifying, cannot be separated from a good life; it works miracles, makes JFaitfj 17: a drunkard become sober, a lascivious person become chaste, a covetous man be- come liberal; "it overcomes the world — it works righ- teousness," ^ and makes us diligently to do, and cheer- fully to suffer, whatsoever God hath placed in our way to heaven. The Means and Instruments to obtain Faith are — 1. A humble, willing, and docile mind, or desire to be instructed in the way of God; ' for persuasion enters like a sunbeam, gently, and with- out violence; and open but the window, and draw the curtain, and the Sun of right- eousness will enlighten your darkness. 2. Remove all prejudice and love to everything, which may be contradicted by faith. "How can ye believe (said Christ) that receive praise one of another?" An unchaste man cannot easily be brought to believe that, without pu- rity, he shall never see God. He that loves riches can hardly believe the doctrine of poverty and renunciation of the world ; and alms and martyrdom, and the doctrine 3 2 Cor. xiii. 5 ; Rom. viii. 10. of the cross, is folly to him that loves his ease and plea- sures. He that hath within him any principle contrary to the doctrines of faith cannot easily become a disciple. 3. Prayer, which is instru- mental to everything, hath a particular promise in this thing. " He that lacks wis- dom, let him ask it of God:" and, " If you give good things to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give His Spirit to them that ask Him ? 4. The consideration of the Divine omnipotence and in- finite wisdom, and our own ignorance, are great instni- ments of curing all doubting, and silencing the murmurs of infidelity. 5. Avoid all curiosity of inquiry into particulars and circumstances and mysteries: for tme faith is full of ingenu- ousness and hearty simplicity, free from suspicion, wise and confident, trusting upon gene- rals, without watching and prj'ing into unnecessary or indiscernible particulars. No man carries his bed into his field, to watch how his corn gi-ows, but believes upon the general order of Providence and nature ; and at harvest finds himself not deceived. 174 l^opc 6. In time of temptation be not busy to dispute, but rely upon the conclusion, and throw yourself upon God ; and contend not with Him but in prayer and in the pres- ence, and with the help, of a pi'udent untempted guide ; and be sure to esteem all changes of belief which offer themselves in the time of your greatest weakness (con- trary to the persuasions of your best understanding) to be temptations, and reject them accordingly. 7. It is a prudent course that, in our health and best advantages, we lay up par- ticular arguments and instru- ments of persuasion and confidence, to be brought forth and used in the great day of expense ; and that especially in those things in which we used to be most tempted, and in which we are least confident, and which are most necessary, and which commonly the devil uses to assault us withal in the days of our visitation. 8. The wisdom of the Church of God is very re- markable in appointing festi- vals or holy days whose solemnity and offices have no other special business but to record the article of the day; such as Trinity Sunday, Ascension, Easter, Christ- mas-day; and to those per- sons who can only believe, not prove or dispute, there is no better instrument to cause the remembrance and plain notion, and to endear the affection and hearty as- sent to the article, than the proclaiming and recommend- ing it by the festivity and joy of a holy day. § II. The Hope of a Christian FAITH differs from hope in the extension of its object, and in the intention of degree. St. Austin thus accounts their differences. Faith is of all things revealed, good and bad, rewards and punishments, of things past, present, and to come, of things that concern us, of things that concern us not ; but hope hath for its object things only that are good, and fit to be hoped for, fu- ture, and concerning our- selves ; and because these things are offered to us upon conditions of which Ave may f^ope 75 so fail as we may change our will, therefore our certainty is less than the adherences of faith ; which (because faith relies only upon one propo- sition, that is, the truth of the word of God) cannot be made uncertain in themselves, though the object of our hope may become uncertain to us, and to our possession. For it is infallibly certain that there is heaven for all the godly, and for me amongst them all, if I do my duty. But that I shall enter into heaven is the object of my hope, not of my faith ; and is only so sure as it is certain I shall persevere in the ways of God. The Acts of Hope are — 1. To rely upon God with a confident expectation of His promises ; ever esteem- ing that every promise of God is a magazine of all that grace and relief which we can need in that instance for which the promise is made. Every degree of hope is a degree of confidence. 2. To esteem all the danger of an action, and the possi- bilities of miscarriage, and every cross accident that can intervene, to be no defect on God's part, but either a mercy on His part, or a fault on ours ; for then we shall be sure to trust in God when we see Him to be our confidence, and ourselves the cause of all mischances. The hope of a Christian is prudent and re- ligious. 3. To rejoice in the midst of a misfortune or seeming sadness, knowing that this may work for good, and will, if we be not wanting to our souls. This is a direct act of hope to look through the cloud, and look for a beam of the light from God ; and this is called in Scripture " rejoicing in tribulation, when the God of hope fills us with all joy in believing." Every degree of hope brings a degree of joy. 4. To desire, to pray, and to long for the great object of our hope, the mighty price of our high calling ; and to desire the other things of this life as they are promised ; that is, so far as they are made necessary and useful to us, in order to God's glory and the great end of souls. Hope and fasting are said to be the two wings of prayer. Fasting is but as the wing of a bird ; but hope is like the wing of an angel, soaring up [76 ^OllJt to heaven, and bears our prayers to the throne of grace. Without hope, it is impos- sible to pray; but hope makes our prayers reasonable, pas- sionate, and religious ; for it relies upon God's promise, or experience, or providence, and story. Prayer is always in proportion to our hope, zealous and affectionate. 5. Perseverance is the per- fection of the duty of hope, and its last act ; and so long as our hope continues, so long M'e go on in duty and dili- gence ; but he that is to raise a castle in an hour, sits down and does nothing towards it. Thus Herod, the sophister, left off to teach his son, when he saw that twenty-four boys, appointed to wait on him, and called by the several letters of the alphabet, could never make him to under- stand his letters perfectly. Rules to govern our Hope. I. Let your hope be mo- derate ; proportioned to your state, person, and condition, whether it be for gifts or graces, or temporal favours. It is an ambitious hope for persons whose diligence is like them that are least in the kino:dom of heaven, to ' believe themselves endeared to God as the greatest saints ; or that they shall have a throne equal to St. Paul, or the blessed Virgin Mary. A stammerer cannot, with mo- deration, hope for the gift of tongues ; or a peasant to be- come learned as Origen ; or if a beggar desires, or hopes, to become a king, or asks for a thousand pound a year, we call him impudent, not pas- sionate, much less reason- able. Hope that God wall crown your endeavours with equal measures of that reward wlaich He indeed freely gives, but yet gives according to our proportions. Hope for good success according to, or not much beyond, the effi- cacy of the causes and the instrument ; and let the hus- bandman hope for a good harvest, not for a rich king- dom, or a victorious army. 2. Let your hope be well founded, relying upon just confidences ; that is, upon God, according to His reve- lations and promises. For it is possible for a man to have a vain hope upon God ; and, in matters of religion, it is presumption to hope that God's mercies will be poured forth upon lazy persons, that do nothing towards holy and Mm 177 strict walking, nothing (I say) but trust and long for an event besides and against all disposition of the means. Every false principle in reli- gion is a reed of Eg>'pt, false and dangerous. Rely not in temporal things upon uncer- tain prophecies and astro- logy, not upon our own wit or industry, not upon gold or friends, not upon armies and princes ; expect not health from physicians, that cannot cure their own breath, much less their mortality : use all lawful instruments, but ex- pect nothing from them above their natural or ordinary effi- cacy, and, in the use of them, from God expect a blessing. A hope that is easy and cre- dulous is an arm of flesh, an ill supporter without a bone. 3. Let your hope be with- out vanity, or garishness of spirit ; but sober, grave, and silent, fixed in the heart, not borne upon the lip, apt to support our spirits within, but not to provoke en\y abroad. 4. Let your hope be of things possible, safe, and use- ful. He that hopes for an opportunity of acting his re- venge, or lust, or rapine, watches to do himself a mis- chief. All evils of ourselves or brethren are objects of our fear, .not hope; and, when it is truly understood, things useless and unsafe can no more be wished for than things impossible can be ob- tained. 5. Let your hope be pa- tient, without tediousness of spirit, or hastiness of prefix- ing time. Make no limits or prescriptions to God ; but let your prayers and endeavours go on still with a constant attendance on the periods of God's providence. The men of Bethulia resolved to wait upon God but five days I longer ; but deliverance stayed j seven days, and yet came at last. And take not ever}- accident for an argument of despair; but go on still in hop- ing ; and begin again to work if any ill accident have inter- rupted you. Means of Hope, and Remedies against Despair. The means to cure despair, and to continue or increase hope, are, partly by conside- ration, partly by exercise. I. Apply your mind to the cure of all the proper causes of despair ; and they are, weakness of spirit or violence of passion. He that greedily ijS l^m covets is impatient of delay, and desperate in contrary ac- cidents ; and he that is little of heart is also of little hope, and apt to sorrow and sus- picion. 2. Despise the things of the world, and be indifferent to all changes and events of Providence ; and for the things of God, the promises are certain to be performed in kind ; and where there is less variety of chance, there is less possibility of being mocked : but he that creates to himself thousands of little hopes, uncertain in the pro- mise, fallible in the event, and depending upon ten thou- sand circumstances (as are all the things of this world), shall often fail in his expectations, and be used to arguments of distrust in such hopes. 3. So long as your hopes are regular and reasonable, though in temporal affairs, such as are deliverance from enemies, escaping a storm or shipwreck, recovery from a sickness, ability to pay your debts, &c., remember that there are some things ordi- nary, and some things extra- ordinary, to prevent despair. In ordinar}', remember that the very hoping in God is an endearment of Him, and a means to obtain the blessing ; " I will deliver him, because he hath put his trust in Me." (2.) There are in God all those glorious attributes and excellences which in the na- ture of things can possibly create or confirm hope. God i is — I. strong; 2. wise; 3. j true ; 4. loving. There can- j not be added another capa- i city to create a confidence ; for upon these premises we I cannot fail of receiving what I is fit for us. (3.) God hath : bound Himself by promise I that we shall have the good ; of everything we desire ; for I even losses and denials shall i work for the good of them 1 that fear God. And, if we ; will trust the truth of God I for performance of the gene- i ral, we may well trust His i wisdom to choose for us the ! particular. But the extraor- j dinaries of God are apt to supply the defect of all na- tural and human possibilities. < (i.) God hath, in many in- I stances, given extraordinaiy I virtue to the active causes and instmments — to a jaw- bone, to kill a multitude ; to three hundred men, to de- stroy a great army ; to Jona- than and his armour-bearer, to rout a whole garrison. (2.) He hath given excellent Wtm 179 sufferance and vigorousness to the sufferers, arming them with strange courage, heroical fortitude, invincible resolu- tion, and glorious patience : and thus He lays no more upon us than we are able to bear ; for when He increases our sufferings, He lessens them by increasing our pa- tience. (3. ) His providence is extra-regular, and pro- duces strange things beyond common rules ; and He that led Israel through a sea, and made a rock pour forth wa- ters, and the heavens to give them bread and flesh, and whole armies to be destroyed with fantastic noises, and the fortune of all France to be recovered and entirely re- volved by the arms and con- duct of a girl, against the torrent of the English fortune and chivalry, can do what He please, and still retain the same affections to His people, and the same provi- dence over mankind as ever. And it is impossible for that man to despair who remem- bers that his helper is omni- potent, and can do what He please.^ Let us rest there a while ; He can if He please : and He is infinitely loving, willing enough; and He is in- 4 Heb. ii. 18. finitely wise, choosing better for us than we can do for ourselves. This, in all ages and chances, hath supported the afflicted people of God, and carried them on dry ground through a Red Sea. God invites and cherishes the hopes of men by all the I variety of His providence. I 4. If your case be brought to the last extremity, and that you are at the pit's brink, even the very margin of the gi-ave, yet then despair not ; at least put it off a little longer : and remember that whatsoever final accident takes away all hope from you, if you stay a little longer, and, in the meanwhile, bear it sweetly, it will also take away all despair too. For when you enter into the regions of death you rest from all your labours and your fears. 5. Let them who ai^e tempted to despair of their salvation, consider how much Christ suffered to redeem us from sin and its eternal pun- ishment ; and he that con- siders this must needs believe that the desires which God had to save us were not less than infinite, and therefore not easily to be satisfied with- out it. 6. Let no man despair of I So |l?opc God's mercies to forgive him, unless he be sure that his sins are greater than God's mercies. If they be not, we have much reason to hope that the stronger ingredient will prevail, so long as we are in the time and state of repentance, and within the possibilities and latitude ofthe covenant ; and as long as any promise can but reflect upon him with an oblique beam of comfort. Possibly the man may err in his judgment of circumstances ; and therefore let him fear ; but, because it is not certain he is mistaken, let him not despair. 7. Consider that God, who knows all the events of men, and what their final condition shall be, who shall be saved, and who will perish ; yet He treateth them as His own, calls them to be His own, offers fair conditions as to His ovm, gives them blessings, arguments of mercy, and in- stances of fear, to call them off from death, and to call them home to life ; and, in all this, shows no despair of happiness to them; and there- fore much less should any man despair for himself, since he never was able to read the scrolls of the eternal predes- tination. 8. Remember that despair belongs only to passionate fools or villains, such as were Ahitophel and Judas, or else to devils and damned persons ; and as the hope of salvation is a good disposition towards it, so is despair a cer- tain consignation to eternal ruin. A man may be damned for despairing to be saved. Despair is the proper passion of damnation. "God hath placed truth and felicity in heaven, curiosity and repent- j ance upon earth, but miseiy and despair are the portions of hell. 9. Gather together into j your spirit and its treasure- I house the memor)% not only I all the promises of God, but j also the remembrances of experience and the former 1 senses of the Divine favours. that from thence you may ! argue from times past to the i present, and enlarge to the future and to greater bless- ings. For although the con- jectures and expectations of hope are not like the conclu- sions of faith, yet they are a helmet against the scorching of despair in temporal things, and an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast, against the fluctuations of the spirit in matters of the soul. St. Ber- ^m i8i nard reckons divers princi- ples of hope, by enumerating the instances of the Divine mercy ; and we may by them reduce this rule to practice, in the following manner : (i. ) God hath preserved me from many sins ; His mercies are infinite : I hope He will still preserve me from more, and for ever. (2. ) I have sinned, and God smote me not ; His mercies are still over the penitent : I hope He will de- liver me from all the evils I have deserved. He hath for- given me many sins of malice, and therefore surely He will pity my infirmities. (3. ) God visited my heart, and changed it ; He loves the work of His own hands, and so my heart is now become; I hope He will love this too. (4. ) When I repented. He received me graciously; and therefore I hope, if I do my endeavour. He will totally forgive me. (5.) He helped my slow and beginning endeavours ; and therefore I hope He will lead me to perfection. (6. ) When He had given me something first, then He gave me more : I hope, therefore. He will keep me from falling, and give me the grace of perse- verance. (7.) He hath chosen me to be a disciple of Christ's institution ; He hath elected me to His kingdom of grace ; and therefore I hope also to the kingdom of His glory. (8, ) He died for me when I was His enemy; and there- fore I hope He will save me when He hath reconciled me to Him and is become my friend. (9.) " God hath given us His Son : how should not He with Him give us all things else?" All these St. Bernard reduces to these three heads, as the instru- ments of all our hopes : (l.) The charity of God adopting us; (2.) The truth of His promises ; (3. ) The power of His performance : which, "df any tmly weighs, no infirmity or accident can break his hopes into indiscernible frag- ments, but some good planks will remain after the great- est storm and shipwreck. This was St. Paul's instru- ment : " Experience begets hope, and hope maketh not ashamed." 10. Do thou take care only of thy duty, of the means and proper instru- ments of thy purpose, and leave the end to God — lay that up with Him, and He will take care of all that is intrusted to Him : and this, being an act of confidence in lS2 Cfjaritg, or God, is also a means of secu- rity to thee. 11. By special arts of spiri- tual prudence and arguments, secure the confident belief of the resurrection ; and thou canst not but hope for every thing else which you may reasonably expect or lawfully desire upon the stock of the Divine mercies and promises. 12. If a despair seizes you in a particular temporal in- stance, let it not defile thy spirit \\ith impure mixture, or mingle in spiritual consi- derations ; but rather let it make thee fortify thy soul in matters of religion, that, by being thrown out of your earthly dwelling and confi- dence, you may retire into the strengths of grace, and hope the more strongly in that iDy how much you are the more defeated in this, that despair of a fortune or a success may become the necessity of all virtue. § III. Charity, or the Love of God LOVE is the greatest thing that God can give us ; for Himself is love : and it is the greatest thing we can give to God ; for it will also give ourselves, ' and cany with it all that is ours. The apostle calls it the band of perfection ; it is the old, and it is the new, and it is the great commandment, and it is all the commandments ; for it is the fulfilling of the law. It does the work of all other graces without any in- strument but its own imme- diate virtue. Foras the love to sin makes a man sin against all his own reason, and all the discourses of wisdom, and all the advices of his friends, and without temptation, and without opportunity, so does the love of God ; it makes a man chaste without the labo- rious arts of fasting and ex- terior disciplines, temperate in the midst of feasts, and is active enough to choose it without any intermedial ap- petites, and reaches at gloiy through the very heart of grace, without any other arms but those of love. It is a grace that loves God for Him- self, and our neighbours for God. The consideration of God's goodness and bounty, ^\)t lEobe of ®oti 1S3 the experience of those pro- fitable and excellent emana- tions from Him, maybe, and most commonl)' are, the first motive of our love ; but when we are once entered, and have tasted the goodness of God, we love the spring for its own excellency, passing from passion to reason, from thank- ing to adoring, from sense to spirit, from considering our- selves to an union with God : and this is the image and little representation of heaven ; it is beatitude in picture, or rather the infancy and begin- nings of glory. We need no incentives by way of special enumeration to move us to the love of God ; for we cannot love any thing for any reason real or imaginary, but that excellence is infinitely more eminent in God. There can but two things create love — perfection and usefulness : to which an- swer on our part — ( I. ) Admi- ration ; and (2.) Desire; and both these are centred in love. For the entertainment of the first, there is in God an infinite nature, immensity or vastness without extension or limit, immutability, eter- nity, omnipotence, omni- science, holiness, dominion, providence, bounty, mercy. justice, perfection in Him- self, and the end to which all things and all actions must be directed, and will, at last, arrive. The consideration of which may be heightened, if we consider our distance from all these glories ; our small- ness and limited nature, our nothing, our inconstancy, our age like a span, our weakness and ignorance, our poverty, our inadvertency and incon- sideration, our disabilities and disaffections to do good, our harsh natures and unmerciful inclinations, our universal ini- quity, and our necessities and dependencies, not only on God originally and essen- tially, but even our need of the meanest of God's crea- tures, and our being obnox- ious to the weakest and most contemptible. But, for the entertainment of the second, we may consider that in Him is a torrent of pleasure for the voluptuous ; He is the fountain of honour for the ambitious, an inexhaustible treasure for the covetous. Our vices are in love with fantastic pleasures and images of perfection, which are truly and really to be found no- where but in God. And therefore our virtues have such proper objects that it is iS4 CTfjaritg, or but reasonable they should all turn into love ; for certain it is that this love will turn all into virtue. For in the scrutinies for righteousness and judgment, when it is inquired whether such a per- son be a good man or no, the meaning is not, What does he believe ? or what does he hope ? but what he loves. The Acts of Lot' e to God are — 1. Love does all things which may please the beloved person ; it performs all his commandments : and this is one of the greatest instances and arguments of our love that God requires of us — this is love, "That we keep His commandments." Love is obedient. 2. It does all the intima- tions and secret significations of his pleasure whom we love ; and this is an argument of a great degree of it. The first instance is, it makes the love accepted : but this gives a greatness and singularity to it. The first is the least, and less than it cannot do our duty; but without this second we cannot come to perfec- tion. Great love is also pliant and inquisitive in the instances of its expression. 3. Love gives away all things, that so he may ad- vance the interest of the be- loved person : it relieves all that he would have relieved, and spends itself in such real significations as it is enabled withal. He never loved God that will quit anything of his religion to save his money. Love is always liberal and communicative. 4. It suffers all things that are imposed by its beloved, or that can happen for his sake, or that intervene in his ser\dce, cheerfully, sweetly, willingly; expecting that God should turn them into good, and instruments of felicity. " Charity hopeth all things^ endureth all things." ^ Love is patient and content with anything, so it be together with its beloved. 5. Love is also impatient of anything that may dis- please the beloved person, hating all sin as the enemy of its friend ; for love con- tracts all the same relations, and marries the same friend- ships and the same hatreds ; and all affection to a sin is perfectly inconsistent with the love of God. Love is not divided between God and God's enemy : we must love 5 I Cor. xiii. ^fje Eobc of ffiotj 185 God with all our heart ; that is, give Him a whole and undivided affection, having love for nothing else but those things which He approves, and which He commands or loves Himself 6. Love endeavours forever to be present, to converse with, to enjoy, to be united with its object ; loves to be talking of him, reciting his praises, telling his stories, re- peating his words, imitating his gestures, transcribing his copy in everything; and every degree of union and every degree of likeness is a degree of love ; and it can endure anything but the displeasure and the absence of its be- loved. For we are not to use God and religion as men use perfumes, with which they are delighted when they have them, but can very well be without them. True charity is restless, till it enjoys God in such instances in which it wants Him : it is like hunger and thirst, it must be fed, or it cannot be an- swered : and nothing can sup- ply the presence, or make recompence for the absence of God, or of the effects of His favour and the light of His countenance. 7, True love in all acci- dents looks upon the beloved person, and observes his coun- tenance, and how he approves or disapproves, and accord- ingly looks sad or cheerful. He that loves God is not displeased at those accidents which God chooses ; nor murmurs at those changes which He makes in his family; nor envies at those gifts He bestows ; but chooses as He likes, and is ruled by His judgment, and is perfectly of His persuasion ; loving to learn where God is the Teacher, and being content to be ignorant or silent where He is not pleased to open Himself 8. Love is careful of little things, of circumstances and measures, and little accidents; not allowing to itself an^ infirmity which it strives not to master, aiming at what it cannot yet reach, desiring to be of an angelical purity, and of a perfect innocence, and a seraphical fei-vour, and fears every image of offence ; is as much afidicted at an idle word as some at an act of adultery, and will not allow to itself so much anger as will disturb a child, nor endure the im- purity of a dream. And this is the curiosity and niceness of divine love: this is the fear 1 86 Cfjaritg, or of God, and is the daughter and production of love. The Measures and Rides of Divine Love. But because this passion is pure as the brightest and smoothest nnirror, and, there- fore, is apt to be sulUed with every im purer breath, we must be careful that our love to God be governed by these measures. I. That our love to God be sweet, even, and full of tranquillity ; having in it no violences or transportations, but going on in a course of holy actions and duties, which are proportionable to our con- dition and present state ; not to satisfy all the desire, but all the probabilities and mea- sux^es of our strength. A new beginner in religion hath pas- sionate and violent desires ; but they must not be the measure of his actions : but he must consider his strength, his late sickness and state of death, the proper temptations of his condition, and stand at first upon his defence ; not go to storm a strong fort, or attack a potent enemy, or do heroical actions, and fitter for giants in religion. Indiscreet violences and untimely for- wardness are the rocks of religion, against which tender spirits often suffer shipwreck. 2. Let our love be prudent and without illusion ; that is, that it express itself in those instances which God hath chosen or which we choose ourselves by proportion to his rules and measures. Love turns into doating when reli- gion turns into superstition. No degree of love can be im- prudent, but the expressions may : we cannot love God too much, but we may pro- claim it in indecent manners. 3. Let our love be finn, constant, and inseparable ; not coming and returning like the tide, but descending like a never-failing river, ever run- ning into the ocean of divine excellency, passing on in the channels of duty and a con- stant obedience, and never ceasing to be what it is, till it comes to be what it desires to be ; still being a river till it be turned into sea and vast- ness, even the immensity of a blessed eternity. Although the considera- tion of the divine excellences and mercies be infinitely suffi- cient to produce in us love to God (who is invisible, and yet not distant from us, but we feel Him in His blessings, STfje Eobc of GcU 187 He dwells in our hearts by faith, we feed on Him in the sacrament, and are made all one with Him in the incar- nation and glorifications of Jesus) ; yet, that we may the j better enkindle and increase 1 our love to God, the follow- ! ing advices are not useless. j Helps to increase ojir Love to God, as a habit. 1. Cut off all earthly and sensual loves, for they pollute and unhallow the pure and spiritual love. Every degree of inordinate affection to the things of this world, and eveiy act of love to a sin, is a perfect enemy to the love of God ; and it is a great shame to take any part of our affection from the eternal God, to bestow it upon His creature in defiance of the Creator ; or to give it to the devil, our open enemy, in disparagement of Him, who is the fountain of all excel- lences and celestial amities. 2. Lay fetters and restraints upon the imaginative and fan- tastic part; because our fancy, being an imperfect and higher faculty, is usually pleased with the entertainment of shadows and gauds: and, because the things of the world fill it with such beauties and fantastic imagery, the fancy presents such objects as are amiable to the affections and elective powers. Persons of fancy, such as are women and child- ren, have always the most violent loves ; but, therefore, if we be careful with what representments we fill our fancy, we may the sooner rectify our love. To this purpose it is good that we transplant the instruments of fancy into religion ; and for this reason music was brought into churches, and orna- ments, and perfumes, and comely gannents, and solem- nities, and decent ceremonies, that the busy and less dis- cerning fancy, being bribed with its proper objects, may be instrumental to a more celestial and spiritual love. 3. Remove solicitude or worldly cares, and multitudes of secular businesses ; for if these take up the intention and actual application of our thoughts and our employ- ments, they will also possess our passions ; which, if they be filled with one object, though ignoble, cannot attend another, though more excel- lent. We always contract a friendship and relation with those with whom we con- [88 (STfjaritg, or verse ; our very country is dear to us for our being in it ; and the neighbours of the same village, and those that buy and sell with us, have seized upon some portions of our love ; and, therefore, if we dwell in the affairs of the world, we shall also grow in love with them ; and all our love or all our hatred, all our hopes or all our fears, which the eternal God would wil- lingly secure to Himself, and esteem amongst His treasures and precious things, shall be spent upon trifles and vani- ties. 4. Do not only choose the things of God, but secure your inclinations and apt- nesses for God and for reli- gion. For it will be a hard thing for a man to do such a personal violence to his first desires as to choose whatso- ever he hath no mind to. A man will many times satisfy the importunity and daily solicitations of his first long- ings ; and, therefore, there is nothing can secure our loves to God but stopping the natural fountains, and mak- ing religion to grow near the first desires of the soul. 5. Converse with God by frequent prayer. In particu- lar, desire that your desires may be right, and love to have your affections regular and holy. To which purpose make very frequent addresses to God by ejaculations and communions, and an assidu- ous daily devotion ; discover to Him all your wants; com- plain to Him of all your affronts ; do as Hezekiah did, lay your misfortunes and your ill news before Him, spread them before the Lord ; call to Him for health, run to Him for counsel, beg of Him for pardon ; and it is as natural to love Him to whom we make such addresses, and of whom we have such depen- dences, as it is for children to love their parents. 6, Consider the immensity and vastness of the divine love to us, expressed in all the emanations of His pro- vidence: (i.) In His creation; (2.) In His conservation of us. For it is not my prince, or my patron, or my friend, that supports me or relieves my needs ; but God, who made the corn that my friend sends me ; who created the grapes, and supported him, who hath as many depen- dences, and as many natural necessities, and as perfect dis- abilities as myself God, indeed, made him the instru- Cfje ILobc of 6otJ 189 ment of His providence to me, as He hath made his own land or his o\A'n cattle to him — with this only differ- ence, that God, by his minis- tration to me, intends to do him a favour and a reward, which to natural instruments He does not. (3.) In giving His Son ; (4. ) In forgiving our sins ; (5. ) In adopting us to glory ; and ten thousand times ten thousand little acci- dents and instances happen- ing in the doing every of these — and it is not possible but for so great love we should give love again ; for God, we should give man ; for felicity, we should part with our misery. Nay, so great is the love of the holy Jesus, God incarnate, that He would leave all His tri- umphant glories, and die once more for man, if it were necessary for procuring felicity to him. In the use of these instru- ments, love will grow in several knots and steps, like the sugar-canes of India, ac- cording to a thousand varie- ties in the persons loving ; and it will be great or less, in several persons, and in the same, according to his growth in Christianity. But, in gene- ral discoursing:, there are but two states of love ; and those are labour of love, and the zeal of love : the first is duty ; the second is perfection. The two States of Love to God. The least love that is must be obedient, pure, simple, and communicative ; that is, it must exclude all affection to sin, and all inordinate affection to the world, and must be expressive, accord- ing to our power, in the in- stances of cluty, and must be love for love's sake ; and for this love, martyrdom is the highest instance — that is, a readiness of mind rather to suffer any evil than to do any. Of this our blessed Saviour affirmed that no man had greater love than this; that is, this is the highest point of duty, the greatest love, that God requires of man. And yet he that is the most imperfect must have this love also in preparation of mind, and must differ from another in nothing, except in the degrees of promptness and alacrity. And in this sense, he that loves God truly (though but with a beginning and tender love), yet he loves God with all his heart, that is, with that degree of love IQO (JTfjciritu, or which is the highest point of our duty and of God's charge upon us ; and he that loves God with all his heart may yet increase with the increase of God ; just as there are degrees of love to God among the saints, and yet each of them love Him with all their powers and capacities. 2. But the greater state of love is the zeal of love, which runs out into excrescences and suckers, like a fruitful and pleasant tree ; or burst- ing into girnis, and producing fruits, not of a monstrous, but of an extraordinaiy and heroical, greatness. Con- cerning which these cautions are to be observed •• Caiitio7is and Rules concern- ing Zeal. 1. If zeal be in the begin- nings of our spiritual birth, or be short, sudden, and tran- sient, or be a consequent of a man's natural temper, or come upon any cause but after a long growth of a temperate and well-regulated love — it is to be suspected for passion and forwardness, rather than the vertical point of love. 2. That zeal only is good which, in a fervent love, hath temperate expressions. For let the affection boil as high as it can, yet if it boil over into irregular and strange actions, it will have but few, but will need many, excuses. Elijah was zealous for the Lord of Hosts ; and yet he was so transported with it, j that he could not receive answer from God till by music he was recomposed and tamed ; and Moses broke both the tables of the law by being passionately zealous against them that brake the I first. 3. Zeal must spend its j greatest heat principally in those things that concern our- selves ; but with great care and restraint in those that concern others. 4. Remember that zeal, being an excrescence of divine love, must in no sense con- tradict any action of love. Love to God includes love to our neighbour ; and therefore no pretence of zeal for God's glory must make us unchari- table to our brother ; for that is just so pleasing to God as hatred is an act of love. 5. That zeal that concerns others can spend itself in nothing but arts, and actions, and charitable instruments, for their good ; and when it E^t 3Lobc of ^oti 19] concerns the good of many that one should suffer, it must be done by persons of a com- petent authority, and in great necessity, in seldom instances, according to the law of God or man ; but never by private right, or for trifling accidents, or in mistaken propositions. 6. Zeal, in the instances of our own duty and personal deportment, is more safe than in matters of counsel, and actions besides our just duty, and tending towards perfection. Though in these instances there is not a direct sin, even where the zeal is less wary, yet there is much trouble and some danger ; as, if it be spent in the too- forward vows of chastity, and restraints of natural and in- nocent liberties. 7. Zeal may be let loose in the instances of internal, personal, and spiritual ac- tions, that are matters of direct duty; as in prayers, and acts of adoration, and thanksgiving, and frequent addresses, provided that no indirect act pass upon them to defile them ; such as com- placency and opinions of sanctity, censuring others, scruples and opinions of ne- cessity, unnecessary fears, superstitious numberings of times and hours : but let the zeal be as forward as it will, as devout as it will, as se- raphical as it will, in the direct address and intercourse with God there is no danger, no transgression. Do all the parts of your duty as earnestly as if the salvation of all the world, and the whole glory of God, and the confusion of I all devils, and all that you hope or desire, did depend : upon every one action. I 8. Let zeal be s'feated in j the will and choice, and re- j gulated with prudence and a sober understanding, not in the fancies and affections ; for t/iese will make it full of noise and empty of profit : but i(/iai will make it deep and smooth, material and devout. The sum is this : that zeal is not a direct duty, nowhere commanded for itself, and is nothing but a forwardness and circumstance of another duty, and therefore is then only acceptable when it ad- vances the love of God and our neighbours, whose cir- cumstance it is. That zeal is only safe, only acceptable, which increases charity di- j rectly; and because love to our neighbour and obedience ! to God are the two great 192 Cfjaritg, or Ojc ILobc of ©oU portions of charity, we must never account our zeal to be good but as it advances both these, if it be in a matter that relates to both ; or severally, if it relates severally. St. Paul's zeal was expressed in preaching without any offer- ings or stipend, in travelling, in spending and being spent for his flock, in suffering, in being willing to be accursed for love of the people of God and his countrymen. Let our zeal be as great as his was, so it be in affections to others, but not at all in angers against them : in the first there is no danger ; in the second there is no safety. In brief, let your zeal (if it must be ex- pressed in anger) be always more severe against thyself than against others. [Note. — The other part of love to God is love to our neighbour, for which I have reserved the paragraph of alms.] T/ie external Actions of Religion. Religion teaches us to pre- sent to God our bodies as well as our souls, for God is the Lord of both : and if the body serves the soul in ac- tions natural, and civil, and intellectual, it must not be eased in the only offices of religion, unless the body shall expect no portion of the re- wards of religion, such as are resurrection, reunion, and glorification. Our bodies are to God a living sacrifice; and to present them to God is holy and acceptable. The actions of the body as it serves to religion, and as it is distinguished from sobriety and justice, either relate to the word of God, or to prayer, or to repentance, and make these kinds of external actions of religion: (i.) Read- ing and hearing the word of God; (2.) Fasting and cor- poral austerities, called by St. Paul bodily exercise ; (3.) Feasting, or keeping days of public joy and thanksgiving. ^ _ * [This book being written in the time of the Commonwealth, when it was penal to use the Book of Common Prayer, there is scarcely any reference in it to the Divine Service of the Church of England. -Ed.] 3^ratimg or l^earing tfjc 212Eorl3 of 6otl 193 § IV. Of Reading or Hearing the Word of God READING and hearing the word of God are but the several circumstances of the same duty ; instrumen- tal especially to faith, but consequently to all other graces of the spirit. It is all one to us whether by the eye or by the ear the Spirit con- veys his precepts to us. If we hear St. Paul saying to us, that ' ' whoremongers and adulterers God will judge," or read it in one of his epistles, in either of them we are equally and sufficiently instructed. The Scriptures read are the same thing to us which the same doctrine was when it was preached by the disciples of our Blessed Lord ; and we are to learn of either with the same dispositions. There are many that cannot read the word, and they must take it in by the ear ; and they that can read find the same Word of God by the eye. It is necessary that all men learn it in some way or other, and it is sufficient in order to their practice that they learn it any way. The word of God is all those com- mandments and revelations, those promises and threaten- ings, the stories and sermons recorded in the Bible : noth- ing else is the word of God that we know of by any certain instrument. The good books and spiritual discourses, the sermons or homilies written or spoken by men are but the word of men, or rather explications of, and exhorta- tions according to, the word of God ; but of themselves they are not the word of God. In a sermon, the text only is in a proper sense to be called God's word ; and yet good sermons are of great use and convenience for the advantages of religion. He that preaches an hour to- gether against drunkenness, with the tongue of men or angels, hath spoke no other word of God but this, "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess ;" and he that writes that sermon in a book, and publishes that book, hath preached to all that read it a louder sermon than could be spoken in a church. This I say to this purpose, that we 194 Kcatiing or I^Jcaring may separate truth from er- ror, popular opinions from substantial truths. For God preaches to us in the Scrip- ture, and by his secret assis- tances and spiritual thoughts and holy motions : good men preach to us when they, by popular arguments and hu- man arts and compliances, expound and press any of tliose doctrines which God hath preached unto us in his holy word. But, 1. The Holy Ghost is cer- tainly the best preacher in the world, and the words of Scripture the best sermons. 2. All the doctrine of sal- vation is plainly set down there, that the most un- learned person, by hearing it read, may understand all his duty. What can be plainer spoken than this, "Thou shalt not kill ; Be not diTink with wine ; Husbands, love your wives ; Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them?" The wit of man cannot more plainly tell us our duty, or more fully, than the Holy Ghost hath done already, 3. Good seiTnons and good books are of excellent use ; but yet they can sen'e no other end but that we practise the plain doctrines of Scripture. 4. What Abraham, in the parable, said concerning the brethren of the rich man, is here very proper; "They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them ; but if they refuse to hear these, neither will they believe though one should arise from the dead to preach unto them."^ 5. Reading the holy Scrip- tures is a duty expressly commanded us, and is called in Scripture "preaching :"2 all other preaching is the effect of human skill and industry ; and although of great benefit, yet it is but an ecclesiastical ordinance ; the law of God concerning preaching being expressed in the matter of reading the Scriptures, and hearing that word of God which is, and as it is, there described. But this duty is reduced to practice in the following rules. Rides for hearing or reading the Word of God. I. Set apart some portion of thy time, according to the 1 Luke x%i. 29, 31. 2 Deut. xxxi. 13 ; Luke xxiv. 45 ; Matt. .xxii. 29 ; Acts xv. 21 ; 2 Tim. iii. 16 ; Rev. i. 3. tfjc m,atti of Jiy parents'] my friends and my benefactors ministers of Thy mercy, and instruments of Providence to Thy servant, I humbly beg a blessing to descend upon the heads of [name the persons or the 7-ela- tionsl. Depute Thy holy angels to guard their persons. Thy Holy Spirit to guide their souls. Thy providence to minister to their necessi- ties ; and let Thy grace and I mercy preserve them from the bitter pains of eternal ! death, and bring them to , everlasting life, through Je- i sus Christ. Amen. i 7. For all that lie tinder the Rod of War, Famine, Pes- tilence : to be said in the time of Plague, or War, O Lord God Almighty, Thou art our Father, we are Thy children ; Thou art our Redeemer, we Thy people, purchased with the price of Thy most precious blood : be pleased to moderate Thy anger towards Thy servants ; let not Thy whole displeasure arise, lest we be consumed and brought to nothing. Let health and peace be within our dwellings ; let righteous- ness and holiness dwell for ever in our hearts, and be expressed in all our actions, and the light of Thy counte- nance be upon us in all our sufferings, that we may de- light in the service and in the mercies of God for ever. Amen. O gracious Father and merciful God, if it be Thy will, say unto the destroying angel, " It is enough;" and though we are not better than our brethren, who are smitten with the rod of God, but much worse, yet may it please Thee, even because Thou art good, and because we are timorous and sinful. iSragrr 247 not yet fitted for our appear- ance, to set Thy mark upon our foreheads, that Thy angel, the minister of Thy justice, may pass over us and hurt us not ; let Thy hand cover Thy servants and hide us in the clefts of the rock, in the wounds of the holy Jesus, from the present anger, that is gone out against us ; that though we walk through the falleyof the shadow of death, tve may fear no evil, and suf- fer none; and those whom Thou hast smitten with Thy rod, support with Thy staff, and \nsit them with Thy mer- cies and salvation, through Jesus Christ. 8. Foi'all Women tvith Child, andfo}' 2cnbo?'n Children. O Lord God, who art the Father of them that trust in Thee, and she west mercy to a thousand generations of them that fear Thee ; have mercy upon all women great with child ; be pleased to give them a joyful and a safe deliverance : and let Thy grace preserve the fruit of their wombs, and conduct them to the holy sacrament of baptism ; that they, being regenerated by Thy Spirit, and adopted into Thy family. and the portion and duty of sons, may live to the glory of God, to the comfort of their parents and friends, to the edification of the Christian commonwealth, and the sal- vation of their own souls, through Jesus Christ. Amen. 9. For all Estates of Men ajid Wo/Jien in the Christian Chnrch. O holy God, King eternal, out of the infinite storehouses of Thy grace and mercy, give unto all virgins chastity and a religious spirit ; to all per- sons dedicated to Thee and to religion, continence and meekness, and active zeal and an unwearied spirit ; to all married pairs, faith and holi- ness ; to widows and father- less, and all that are oppres- sed, Thy patronage, comfort, and defence ; to all Christian women, simplicity and mo- desty, humility and chastity, patience and charity ; give unto the poor, to all that are robbed and spoiled of their goods, a competent support, and a contented spirit, and a treasure in heaven hereafter ; give unto prisoners and cap- tives, to them that toil in the mines, and row in the gallies, strength of body and of spirit, 24S iPragtr liberty and redemption, com- fort and restitution ; to all that travel by land, Thy angel for their guide, and a holy and prosperous return ; to all that travel by sea, freedom from pirates and shipwreck, and bring them to the haven where they would be ; to dis- tressed and scrupulous con- sciences, to melancholy and disconsolate persons, to all that are afflicted with evil and unclean spirits, give a light from heaven, great grace, and proportionable comforts and timely deliver- ance; give them patience and resignation ; let their sorrows be changed into grace and comfort, and let the storni waft them cer- tainly to the regions of rest and glory. Lord God of mercy, give to Thy martyrs, confessors, and all Thy persecuted, con- stancy and prudence, bold- ness and hope, a full faith, and a never-failing charity. To all who are condemned to death, do Thou minister comfort, a strong, a quiet, and a resigned spirit ; take from them the fear of death, and all remaining affections to sin, and all imperfections of duty, and cause them to die full of grace, full of hope. And give to all faithful, and particularly to those who have recommended themselves to the prayers of Thy unworthy servant, a supply of all their needs temporal and spiritual, and, according to their several states and necessities, rest and peace, pardon and re- freshment ; and show us all mercy in the day of judgment. Amen. Give, O Lord, to the magi- strates equity, sincerity, cour- age, and prudence, that they may protect the good, defend religion, and punish the wrong-doers. Give to the nobility wisdom, valour, and loyalty; to merchants, justice and faithfulness : to all arti- ficers and labourers, truth and honesty ; to our enemies, forgiveness and brotherly kindness. Preserve to us the heavens and the air in healthful influ- ence and disposition, the earth in plenty, the kingdom in peace and good govern- ment, our marriages in peace, and sweetness, and innocence of society, Thy people from famine and pestilence, our houses from burning and rob- bery, our persons from being burnt alive, from banishment and prison, from widowhood and destitution, from violence ^Ims 249 of pains and passions, from tempests and earthquakes, from inundation of waters, from rebellion or invasion, from impatience and inor- dinate cares, from tediousness of spirit and despair, from murder, and all violent, ac- cursed, and unusual deaths, from the surprise of sudden and violent accidents, from passionate and unreasonable fears, from all Thy wrath, and from all our sins, good Lord, deliver and preserve Thy servants for ever. Amen. Repress the violence of all implacable, warring, and tyrant nations ; bring home unto Thy fold all that are gone astray ; call into the Church all strangers; increase the number and holiness of Thine own people; bring in- fants to ripeness of age and reason; confirm all baptized i people with Thy grace and I with Thy Spirit ; instruct the ! novices and new Christians ; let a great grace and merciful providence brmg youthful persons safely and holily through the indiscretions, and passions, and tempta- tions of their younger years ; and to those whom Thou hast or shalt permit to live to the age of a man, give competent strength and wis- dom ; take from them covet- ousness and churlishness, pride and impatience ; fill them full of devotion and charity, repentance and so- briety, holy thoughts and longing desires after heaven and heavenly things ; give them a holy and a blessed death, and to us all a joyful resurrection, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. § VIII. Of Alms LOVE is as communica- tive as fire, as busy and as active, and it hath four twin-daughters, extreme like each other; and but that the doctors of the school have done, as Tliamar's midwife did, who bound a scarlet thread, something to distin- guish them, it would be very hard to call them asunder. Their names are (i.) Mer- cy ; (2. ) Beneficence or well-doing; (3.) Liberality; Slims and (4. ) Alms ; which, by a special privilege, hath ob- tained to be called after the mother's name, and is com- monly called Charity. The first or eldest is seated in the affection : and it is that which all the others must attend ; for mercy, without alms, is acceptable when the person is disabled to express out- wardly what he heartily de- sires. But alms, without mercy, are like prayers with- out devotion, or religion without humility. (2.) Bene- ficence or well-doing is a promptness and nobleness of mind, making us to do offices of courtesy and humanity to all sorts of persons in their need, or out of their need. (3.) Liberality is a disposi- tion of mind opposite to covetousness ; and consists in the despite and neglect of money upon just occasions, and relates to our friends, children, kindred, sen-ants, and other relatives. (4. ) But alms is a relieving the poor and needy. The first and the last only are duties of Christianity. The second and third are circumstances and adjuncts of these duties ; for liberality increases the degree of alms, making our gift gi-eater; and beneficence extends it to more persons and orders of men, spreading it wider. The fonner makes us sometimes to give more than we are able ; and the latter gives to more than need by the necessity of beggars, and serves the needs and con- veniences of persons, and sup- plies circumstances; whereas, properly, alms are doles and largesses to the necessitous and calamitous people, sup- plying the necessities of nature, and giving remedies to their miseries. Mercy and alms are the body and soul of that charity which we must pay to our neighbour's need ; and it is a precept which God therefore enjoined to the world, that the great inequality which He was pleased to suffer in the possessions and accidents of j men might be reduced to ' some temper and evenness ; and the most miserable per- son might be reconciled to some sense and participation of felicity. Wofks of Mercy, or the several A inds of Corporal Alms. The works of mercy are so many as the affections of mercy have objects, or as the world hath kinds of miseiy. ^Ints 251 Men want meat, or drink, or clothes, or a house, or liberty, or attendance, or a grave. In proportion to these, seven works are usually assigned to mercy, and there are seven kinds of corporal alms reck- oned : 1. To feed the hungry ; 2. To give drink to the thirsty ; 3. Or clothes to the naked; 4. To redeem captives ; 5. To visit the sick ; 6. To entertain strangers ; 7. To bury the dead. But many more may be added. Such as are — 8. To give physic to sick persons ; 9. To bring cold and star\-ed people to warmth and to the fire — for some- times clothing will not do it, or this may be done when we cannot do the other ; 10. To lead the blind in right ways ; 11. To lend money; 12. To forgive debts; 13. To remit forfeitures; 14. To mend highways and bridges ; 15. To bring back or guide wandering travellers ; 16. To ease their labours by accommodating their work with apt instruments, or their journey with beasts of car- riage ; 17. To deliver the poor from their oppressors ; 18. To die for my brother; 19. To pay maidens' dow- ries, and to procure for them honest and chaste marriages. Works of Spiritual Alms and Mercy are — 1. To teach the ignorant ; 2. To counsel doubting persons ; 3. To admonish sinners diligently, prudently, season- ably, and charitably: to which also may be reduced, pro- voking and encouraging to good works ; 4. To comfort the afflicted; 5. To pardon offenders ; 6. To suffer and support the weak ; 7. To pray for all estates of men, and for relief to all their necessities. To which maybe added — 8. To punish or correct refractoriness ; 9. To be gentle and chari- table in censuring the actions of others ; 10. To establish the scru- pulous, wavering, and incon- stant spirits ; 11. To confirm the strong; 12. Not to give scandal ; ailms 13. To quit a man of his fear; 14. To redeem maidens from prostitution and publi- cation of their bodies. To both these kinds a third also may be added of a mixed nature, partly corporal, and partly spiritual : such are — (i.) Reconciling enemies ; (2.) Erecting public schools of learning ; (3. ) Maintain- ing lectures of divinity; (4.) Erecting colleges of religion and retirement from the noises and more frequent temptations of the world ; (5.) Finding employment for unbusied persons, and put- ting children to honest trades: for the particulars of mercy or alms cannot be narrower than men's needs are; and the old method of alms is too narrow to comprise them all ; and yet the kinds are too many to be discoursed of particularly; only our blessed Saviour, in the precept of alms, uses the instances of relieving the poor, and for- giveness of injuries ; and by proportion to these, the rest, whose duty is plain, simple, easy, and necessary, may be determined. But alms in general are to he disposed of according to the following rules : — A'/i/c's for giving Alms. I. Let no man do alms of that which is none of his own ; for of that he is to make restitution that is due to the owners, not to the poor — for eveiy man hath need of his own, and that is first to be provided for ; and then you must think of the needs of the poor. He that gives the poor what is not his own, makes himself a thief, and the poor the re- ceivers. This is not to be understood as if it were un- lawful for a man that is not able to pay his debts to give smaller alms to the poor. He may not give such por- tions as can in any sense more disable him to do justice ; but such as, if they were saved, could not advance the other duty, may retire to this, and do here what they may, since, in the other duty, they cannot do what they should. But, generally, cheaters and robbers cannot give alms of what they have cheated and robbed, unless they cannot tell the persons whom they have injured, or the propor- tions ; and, in such cases, they are to give those un- known portions to the poor by way of restitution, for it Qlms 253 is no alms ; only God is the supreme Lord to whom those escheats devolve, and the poor are his receivers. 2. Ofmoney unjustly taken, and yet voluntarily parted with, we may, and are bound to, give alms ; such as is money given and taken for false witness, bribes, simo- niacal contracts ; because the receiver hath no right to keep it, nor the giver any right to recall it; it is unjust money, and yet payable to none but the supreme Lord (who is the person injured), and to His de- legates, that is, the poor. To which I insert these cautions: (i.) If the person injured by the unjust sentence of a bribed judge, or by false witness, be poor, he is the proper object and bosom to whom the restitution is to be made; (2.) In the case of simony, the church, to whom the simony was injurious, is the lap into which the resti- tution is to be poured ; and if it be poor and out of re- pair, the alms or restitution (shall I call it ?) are to be paid to it. 3. There is some sort of gain that hath in it no injus- tice, properly so called ; but it is unlawful and filthy lucre; such as is money taken for work done unlawfully upon the Lord's day ; hire taken for disfiguring one's self, and for being professed jesters ; the wages of such as make unjust bargains, and of har- lots. Of this money there is some preparation to be made before it be given in alms : the money is infected with the plague, and must pass through the fire or the water before it be fit for alms ; the person must repent and leave the crime, and then minister to the poor. 4. He that gives alms must do it in mercy; that is, out of a true sense of the cala- mity of his brother, first feel- ing it in himself in some proportion, and then endea- vouring to ease himself and the other of their common calamity. Against this rule they offend who give alms out of custom, or to upbraid the poverty of the other, or to make him mercenary and obliged, or with any unhand- some circumstances. 5. He that gives alms must do it with a single eye and heart ; that is, without de- signs to get the praise of men ; and if he secures that, he may either give them pub- licly or privately : for Christ intended only to provide 254 ^Ims against pride and hypocrisy when He bade alms to be given in secret ; it being other- wise one of His command- ments, " that our light should shine before men:" this is more excellent ; that is more safe. 6. To this also appertains that he who hath done a good turn should so forget it as not to speak of it; but he that boasts it, or upbraids it, hath paid himself and lost the nobleness of the charity. 7. Give alms with a cheer- ful heart and countenance ; " not grudgingly or of neces- sity, for God loveth a cheer- ful giver ;" and therefore give quickly when the power is in thy hand, and the need is in thy neighbour, and thy neighbour at the door. He gives twice that relieves speedily, 8. According to thy ability give to all men that need ; and, in equal needs, give first to good men rather than to bad men; and if the needs be unequal, do so too, pro- vided that the need of the poorest be not violent or extreme ; but if an evil man be in extreme necessity, he is to be relieved rather than a good man who can tarry longer, and may subsist with- out it ; and if he be a good man he will desire it should be so, because himself is bound to save the life of his brother with doing some in- convenience to himself; and no difference of virtue or vice can make the ease of one beggar equal with the life of another. 9. Give no alms to vicious persons if such alms will sup- port their sin, as if they will continue in idleness ; "if they will not work neither let them eat ;" or if they will spend it in drunkenness, or wantonness, such persons, when they are reduced to very great want, must be relieved in such proportions as may not relieve their dying lust, but may refresh their faint or dying bodies. 10. The best objects of cha- rity are poor house-keepers that labour hard, and are burdened with many chil- dren ; or gentlemen fallen into sad poverty, especially if by innocent misfortune (and if their crimes brought them into it, yet they are to be re- lieved according to the former rule) ; persecuted persons, wido^^•s and fatherless chil- dren, putting them to honest trades or schools of learning. And search into the needs of •311ms 255 numerous and meaner fami- lies, for there are many per- sons that have nothing left them but misery and mo- desty; and towards such we' must add two circumstances of charity: (i.) To inquire them out ; (2. ) To convey our relief unto them so as we do not make them ashamed. 11. Give, looking for no- thing again — that is, without consideration of future ad- vantages; give to children, to old men, to the unthank- ful, and the dying, and to those you shall never see again ; for else your alms or courtesy is not charity, but traffic and merchandise; and be sure that you omit not to relieve the needs of your enemy and the injurious; for so, possibly, you may win him to yourself; but do you intend the winning him to God. 1 2. Trust not your alms to intermedial, uncertain, and under-dispensers ; by which rule is not only intended the securing your alms in the right channel, but the humi- lity of your person, and that which the apostle calls ' ' the labour of love." And if you converse in hospitals and alms-houses, and minister with your own hand, what your heart hath first decreed, you will find your heart en- deared and made familiar with the needs and with the persons of the poor, those excellent images of Christ. 13. Whatsoever is super- fluous in thy estate is to be dispensed in alms. "He that hath two coats must give to him that hath none;" that is, he that hath beyond his need must give that which is beyond it. Only among needs, we are to reckon not only what will support our life, but also what will main- tain the decency of our estate and person, not only in pres- ent needs, but in all future necessities, and very probable contingencies, but no further: we are not obliged beyond this, unless we see very great, public, and calamitous neces- sities. But yet, if we do ex- tend beyond our measures, and give more than we are able, we have the Philippians and many holy persons for our precedent ; we have St. Paul for our encouragement ; we have Christ for our counsel- lor ; we have God for our rewarder ; and a great trea- sure in heaven for ourrecom- pence and restitution. But I propound it to the considera- tion of all Christian people 256 aims that they be not nice and curious, fond and indulgent to themselves in taking ac- counts of their personal con- veniences ; and that they make their proportions mo- derate and easy, according to the order and manner of Christianity ; and the conse- quent will be this, that the poor will more plentifully be relieved, themselves will be more able to do it, and the duty will be less chargeable, and the owners of estates charged with fewer accounts in the spending them. It cannot be denied but, in the expenses of all liberal and great personages, many things might be spared ; some super- fluous servants, some idle meetings, some unnecessary and imprudent feasts, some garments too costly, some unnecessary law-suits, some vain journeys ; and when we are tempted to such needless expenses, if we shall descend to moderation, and lay aside the surplusage, we shall find it with more profit to be laid out upon the poor members of Christ than upon our own with vanity. But this is only intended to be an advice in the manner of doing alms; for I am not ignorant that great variety of clothes always have been permitted to princes and nobility and others in their proportion ; and they usually give those clothes as rewards to serv'ants, and other persons needful enough, and then they may serve their o\vn fancy and their duty too ; but it is but reason and religion to be careful that they be given to such only where duty, or prudent liberality, or alms, determine them ; but in no sense let them do it so as to minister to vanity, to luxury, to prodigality. The like also is to be observed in other instances ; and if we once give our minds to the study and arts of alms, we shall find ways enough to make this duty easy, profit- able, and useful. 1. He that plays at any game must resolve beforehand to be indilTerent to win or lose; but if he gives to the poor all that he wins, it is better than to keep it to him- self; but it were better yet that he lay by so much as he is willing to lose, and let the j game alone, and, by giving so much alms, traffic for eter- nity. That is one way. 2. Another is keeping the fasting-days of the Church, which if our condition be such as to be able to cast our ac- ^Ims 257 counts, and make abatements for our wanting so many- meals in the whole year (which by the old appoint- ment did amount to one hundred and fifty-three, and since most of them are fallen into desuetude, we may make up as many of them as we please by voluntary fasts), we may, from hence, find a con- siderable relief for the poor. But if we be not willing some- times to fast, that our brother may eat, we should ill die for him. St. Martin had given all that he had in the world to the poor save one coat ; and that also he divided be- tween two beggai-s. A father in the mount of Nitria was reduced at last to the inven- tory of one Testament, and that book also was tempted from him by the needs of one whom he thought poorer than himself Greater yet : St. Paulinus sold himself to slavery to redeem a young man for whose captivity his mother wept sadly; and it is said that St. Katherine sucked the envenomed wounds of a villain who had injured her most impudently. And I shall tell you of a greater charity than all these put together: Christ gave Hnn- sclf to shame and death to redeem His enemies from bondage, and death, and hell. 3. Learn of the frugal man, and only avoid sordid actions, and turn good husband, and change your arts of getting into providence for the poor, and we shall soon become rich in good works ; and why should we not do as much for charity, as for covetousness ; for heaven, as for the fading world ; for God and the holy Jesus, as for the needless superfluities of back and belly ? 14. In giving alms to beg- gars and persons of that low rank it is better to give little to each, that we may give to the more ; so extending our alms to many persons ; but in charities of religion, as build- ing hospitals, colleges, and houses for devotion, and sup- plying the accidental wants of decayed persons, fallen from great plenty to great necessity, it is better to unite our alms than to disperse them ; to make a noble relief or maintenance to one, and to restore him to comfort, than to support only his natural needs, and keep him alive only, unrescued from sad discomforts. 15. The precepts of alms or charity binds not indefinitely 2SS mms to all the instances and kinds : of charity: for he that de- lights to 'feed the poor, and spends all his portion that way, is not bound to enter into prisons and redeem cap- tives ; but we are obliged by the presence of circumstances, and the special disposition of Providence, and the pitiable- ness of an object, to this or that particular act of charity. The eye is the sense of mercy, and the bowels are its organ; and that enkindles pity, and pity produces alms : when the eye sees what it never saw, the heart will think what it never thought ; but when we have an object present to our eye, then we must pity; for there the providence of God , hath fitted our charity with ' circumstances. He that is in j Thy sight or in Thy neigh- bourhood is fallen into the lot of Thy charity. 1 6. If thou hast no money ^ yet thou must have mercy, and art bound to pity the poor, and pray for them, and throw thy holy desires and ' devotions into the treasure of the Church; and if thou do?t ' M-hat thou art able, be it little ' or great, corporal or spiritual, I the charity of alms or the | charity of prayers, a cup of • 3 Luke xii. 2 ; Acts iii. 6. | wine or a cup of water, if it be but love to the brethren,-* or a desire to help all or any of Christ's poor, it shall be accepted according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not.^ For love is all this, and all the other commandments ; and it will express itself where it can ; and where it cannot, yet it is love still ; and it is also sor- row that it cannot. Mo fires to Chanty. The motives to this duty are such as Holy Scripture hath propounded to us by Avay of consideration and proposition of its excellences and consequent reward, (i.) There is no one duty which our blessed Saviour did re- commend to His disciples with so repeated an injunc- tion as this of charity and alms.^ To which add the words spoken by our Lord, "It is better to give than to receive." And when we con- sider how great a blessing it is that we beg not from door to door, it is a ready instance of our thankfulness to God, * I Pet. i. 22. 5 2 Cor. viii. 12. 6 Matt. \-i. 4; xili. 12. 33 ; xxv. 15. Luke xi. 41. ^Ims 259 for His sake, to relieve them that do. (2.) This duty is that alone whereby the future day of judgment shall be transacted. For nothing but charity and alms is that whereby Christ shall declare the justice and mercy of the eternal sentence. Martyrdom itself is not there expressed, and no otherwise involved, but as it is the greatest charity. (3.) Christ made Himself the greatest and daily example of alms or charity. He went up and down doing good, preaching the gospel, and healing all diseases : and God the Father is imitable by us in nothing but in purity and mercy. {4. ) Alms given to the poor re- dound to the emolument of the giver both temporal and eternal.'' (5.) They are in- strumental to the remission of sins ; our forgiveness and mercy to others being made the very rule and proportion of our confidence and hope, and our prayer to be forgiven ourselves.^ (6.) It is a trea- sure in heaven ; it procures friends when we die. It is reckoned as done to Christ, whatsoever we do to our poor 7 Phil. iv. 17. ^ Acts X. 4 ; Heb. xiii. 16 ; Dan. iv. 27. brother; and, therefore, when a poor man begs for Christ's sake, if he have reason to ask for Christ's sake, give it him if thou canst. Now every man hath title to ask for Christ's sake whose need is great, and himself unable to cure it, and if the man be a Christian. Whatsoever charity Christ will reward, all that is given for Christ's sake, and therefore it may be j asked in His name : but every man that, uses that sacred nam.e for an endear- ment hath not a title to it, neither he nor his need. (7.) It is one of the wings of prayer by which it flies to the throne of grace. (8.) It crowns all the works of piety. (9.) It causes thanksgiving to God on our behalf (10.) And the bowels of the poor bless us and they pray for us. (11.) And that portion of our estate out of which a tenth, or a fifth, or a twentieth, or some offering to God for religion and the poor goes forth, certainly returns with a gx-eat blessing upon all the rest. It is like the effusion of oil by the Sidonian woman ; as long as she pours into empty vessels it could never cease nmning : or like the widow's barrel of meal, it 26o Enb2 consumed not as long as she fed the prophet. (12.) The sum of all is contained in the words of our blessed Saviour: " Give alms of such things as you have, and behold all things are clean unto you." ( 1 3. ) To which may be added, that charity or mercy is the peculiar character of God's elect, and a sign of predesti- nation, which advantage we are taught by St. Paul : "Put j on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, &c. For- bearing one another, and for- giving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any."^ 5 Col. iii. 12. The result of all which we may read in the words of St. Chrysostom : "To know the art of alms is greater than to be crowned with the diadem of kings. And yet to con- vert one soul is greater than to pour out ten thousand talents into the baskets of the poor." But because giving alms is an act of the virtue of merci- fulness, our endeavour must be, by proper arts, to mortify the parents of unmercifulness, which are: (i.) Envy; (2.) Anger; {3.) Covetousness : in which "\ve may be helped by the following rules or instruments. Remedies against Umnercifubiess and Uncharitabkness. I. Against Envy. Against envy I shall use the same argument I would use to persuade a man from the fever or the dropsy, (i.) Because it is a disease ; it is so far from having pleasure in it, or a temptation to it, that it is full of pain, a great instrument of vexation : it eats the flesh, and dries up the marrow, and makes hol- low eyes and lean cheeks and a pale face. (2.) It is no- thing but a direct resolution never to enter into heaven by the way of noble pleasure taken in the good of others. {3.) It is most contrary to God. (4.) And a just con- trary state to the felicities and actions of heaven, where every star increases the ligh^ driQtx 261 of the other, and the multi- tude of guests at the supper of the Lamb makes the eter- nal meal more festival. (5.) It is perfectly the state of hell and the passion of devils; for they do nothing but de- spair in themselves, and envy others' quiet or safety, and yet cannot rejoice either in their good or in their evil, although they endeavour to hinder that and procure this with all the devices and arts of malice and of a great un- derstanding. (6. ) Envy can serve no end in the world ; it cannot please anything, nor do anything, nor hinder anything, but the content and felicity of him that hath. (7.) Envy can never pretend to justice, as hatred and uncharitableness sometimes may; for there may be causes of hatred, and I may have wrong done me, and then hatred hath some pretence, though no just ai-gument. But no man is unjust or in- jurious for being prosperous or wise. (8. ) And therefore many men profess to hate another, but no man owns envy, as being an enmity and displeasure for no cause, but goodness or felicity: en- vious men, being like wasps and caterpillars, that delight most to devour ripe and most excellent finiits. It is of all crimes the basest ; for malice and anger are appeased with benefits, but envy is exas- perated, as envying to fortu- nate persons both their power and their will to do good, and never leaves murmuring till the envied person be levelled, and then only the vulture leaves to eat the liver. For if his neighbour be made miserable, the envious man is apt to be troubled : like him that is so long unbuilding the turrets, till all the roof is low or flat, or that the stones fall upon the lower buildings and do a mischief, that the man re- pents of 2. Against Anger. The next enemy to merci- fulness and the grace of alms is anger; against which there are proper instiimients both in prudence and religion. I. Prayer is the great re- medy against anger ; for it must suppose it in some de- gree removed before we pray, and then it is the more likely it will be finished when the prayer is done. We must lay aside the act of anger as a preparatory to prayer; and 262 Sngcr the curing the habit will be the effect and blessing of prayer : so that if a man, to cure his anger, resolves to address himself to God by prayer, it is first necessary, that by his own observation and diligence, he lay the anger aside before his prayer can be fit to be presented ; and when we so pray, and so endeavour, we have all the blessings of prayer which God hath promised to it to be our security for success. 2. If anger arises in thy breast, instantly seal up thy lips, and let it not go forth ; for, like fire when it wants vent, it will suppress itself It is good, in a fever, to have a tender and a smooth tongue ; but it is better that it be so in anger ; for if it be rough and distempered, there it is an ill sign, but here it is an ill cause. Angiy passion is a fire, and angry words are like breath to fan them to- gether ; they are like steel and flint sending out fire by mutual collision. Some men will discourse themselves into passion ; and if their neigh- bour be enkindled too, to- gether they flame with rage and violence. 3. Humility is the most ex- cellent natural cure for anger in the world ; for he, that by daily considering his own in- firmities and failings, makes the error of his neighbour or servant to be his own case, and remembers that he daily needs God's pardon and his brother's charity, will not be apt to rage at the levities, or misfortunes, or indiscretions of another, greater than which he considers that he is very frequently and more inexcu- sably guilty of 4. Consider the example of the ever blessed Jesus, who suffered all the contradictions of sinners, and received all affronts and reproaches oi malicious, rash, and foolish persons, and yet in all of them was as dispassionate and gentle as the morning sun in autumn ; and in this also He propounded Himself imitable by us. For if in- nocence itself did suffer so great injuries and disgraces, it is no great matter for us quietly to receive all the calamities of fortune, and in- discretion of sers-ants, and mistakes of friends, and un- kindnesses of kindred, and rudenesses of enemies, since we have desei'ved these and worse, even hell itself 5. If we be tempted to anger in the actions of govern- Sncjcr 263 ment and discipline to our in- feriors (in which case anger is permitted so far as it is piiidently instnniiental to government, and only is a sin when it is excessive and unreasonable, and apt to dis- turb our own discourse, or to express itself in imprudent words or violent actions), let us propound to ourselves the example of God the Father, who, at the same time and \\'ith the same tranquillity, decreed heaven and hell, the joys of blessed angels and souls, and the torments of devils and accursed spirits ; and, at the day of judgment, when all the world shall burn imder His feet, God shall not be at all inflamed or shaken in His essentia] seat and cen- tre of tranquillity and joy. And if at first the cause seems reasonable, yet defer to exe- cute thy anger till thou may- est better judge. For, as Phocion told the Athenians, who, upon the first news of the death of Alexander were ready to revolt, "Stay a while, for if the king be not dead, your haste will ruin you ; but if he be dead, your stay cannot prejudice your affairs, for he will be dead to-morrow as well as to-day : " so if thy sei-vant or inferior deserves punishment, staying till to-morrow will not make him innocent ; but it may possibly preserve thee so, by preventing thy striking a guiltless person, or being furious for a trifle. 6. Remove from thyself all provocations and incentives to anger; especially, (i.) Games of chance and great wager. Patroclus killed his friend, the son of Amphi- damas, in his rage and sud- den fury, rising upon a cross game at tables. (2.) Such also are petty anxieties, and worldly business and careful- ness about it ; but manage thyself with indifferency, or contempt of those external things, and do not spend a passion upon them, for it is more than they are worth. But they that desire but few things, can be crossed but in a few. In not heaping up, with an ambitious or curious prodigality, any very curi- ous or choice utensils, seals, jewels, glasses, precious stones ; because those very many accidents which hap- pen in the spoiling or loss of these rarities, are, in event, an irresistible cause of violent anger. {3.) Do not entertain nor suffer talebearers ; for they abuse our eai's first, and 264 anger then our credulit)', and then steal our patience, and, it may be, for a he ; and, if it be true, the matter is not considerable ; or if it be, yet it is pardonable. And we may always escape with pa- tience at one of these outlets; either (i) By not hearing slanders ; or (2) By not be- lieving them ; or ^'3) By not regarding the thing ; or (4) By forgiving the person. (4. ) To this purpose also it may serve well if we choose (as much as we can) to live with peaceable persons, for that prevents the occasions of con- fusion ; and if we live A^th prudent persons, they will not easily occasion our dis- turbance. But because these things are not in many men's power, therefore T propound this rather as a felicity than a remedy or a duty, and an act of prevention than of cure. 7. Be not inquisitive into the affairs of other men, nor the faults of thy servants, nor the mistakes of thy friends ; but wliat is offered to you, use according to the former niles ; but do not thou go out to gather sticks to kindle a fire to burn thine own house. And add this: "If my friend said or did well in that for which I am angry, I am in the fault, not he ; but if he did amiss, he is in the misen,-, not I : for either he was de- ceived, or he was malicious ; and either of them both is ! all one with a miserable per- [ son; and that is an object of I pity, not of anger." j 8. Use all reasonable dis- ! courses to excuse the faults j of others ; considering that ! there are many circumstances of time, of person, of acci- dent, of inadvertency, of in- frequency, of aptness . to amend, of sorrow for doing it ; and it is well that we take any good in exchange for the evil done or suffered. 9. Upon the arising of anger, instantly enter into a deep consideration of the joys of heaven, or the pains of hell ; for " fear and joy are naturally apt to appease this violence. " 10. In contentions be al- ways passive, never active ; upon the defensive, not the assaulting part ; and then also give a gentle answer, receiving the furies and in- discretions of the other, like a stone into a bed of moss j and soft compliance, and you I shall find it sit down quietly; whereas anger and violence make the contention loud and angtr 265 long, and injurious to both the parties. 11. In the actions of reli- gion, be careful to temper all thy instances with meekness, and the proper instruments of it ; and if thou beest apt to be angr}% neither fast vio- lently, nor entertain the too forward heats of zeal, but secure thy duty with constant and regular actions, and a good temper of body, with convenient refreshments and recreations. 12. If anger rises suddenly and violently, first restrain it with consideration ; and then let it end in a hearty prayer for him that did the real or seeming injury. The former of the two stops its growth, and the latter quite kills it, and makes amends for its monstrous and involuntary birth. Remedies against Anger ^ by way of consideration. (i.) Consider, that anger is a professed enemy to coun- sel ; it is a direct storm in which no man can be heard to speak or call from with- out: for if you counsel gently, you are despised ; if you urge it and be vehement, you pro- voke it more. Be careful, therefore, to lay up before- hand a great stock of reason and prudent consideration, that, like a besieged town, you may be provided for, and be defensible from within, since you are not likely to be relieved from without. Anger is not to be suppressed but by something that is as in- ward as itself, and more ha- bitual. To which purpose add, that (2.) Of all passions it endeavours most to make reason useless. (3. ) That it is a universal poison of an infinite object ; for no man was ever so amorous as to love a toad, none so envious as to repine at the condition of the miserable, no man so timorous as to fear a dead bee ; but anger is troubled at every thing, and every man, and every accident, and, therefore, unless it be suppressed it will make a man's condition restless. (4. ) If it proceeds from a great cause it turns to fury ; if from a small cause it is peevish- ness ; and so is always either terrible or ridiculous. (5.) It makes a man's body mon- strous, deformed, and con- temptible ; the voice horrid ; the eyes cruel ; the face pale or fiery; the gait fierce; the speech clamorous and loud. 266 ^ngcr (6. ) It is neither manly nor ingenuous, (7.) It proceeds from softness of spirit and pusillanimity ; which makes that women are more angry than men, sick persons more than the healthful, old men more than young, unprosper- ous and calamitous people than the blessed and fortu- nate. (8.) It is a passion fitter for flies and insects than for persons professing noble- ness and bounty. (9. ) It is troublesome not only to those that suffer it, but to them that behold it ; there being no greater incivility of enter- tainment, than for the cook's fault, or the negligence of the servants, to be cruel, or outrageous, or unpleasant in the presence of the guests. (10.) It makes marriage to be a necessary and unavoid- able trouble; friendships, and societies, and familiarities to be intolerable, (il.) It mul- tiplies the evils of drunken- ness, and makes the levities of wine to run into madness. (12.) It makes innocent iest- ing to be the beginning of tragedies. (13.) It turns friendship into hatred ; it makes a man lose himself, and his reason, and his argu- ment, in disputation. It turns the desires of know- ledge into an itch of wrang- ling. It adds insolency to power. It turns justice into cruelty, and judgment into oppression. It changes dis- cipline into tediousness and hatred of liberal institution. It makes a prosperous man to be envied, and the unfor- tunate to be unpitied. It is a confluence of all the irre- gular passions ; there is in it envy and sorrow, fear and scorn, pride and prejudice, rashness and inconsideration, rejoicing in evil and a desire to inflict it, self-love, impa- tience, and curiosity. And, I lastly, though it be very troublesome to others, yet it is most troublesome to him that hath it. In the use of these argu- ments and the former exer- cises, be diligent to observe lest, in your desires to sup- press anger, you be passionate and angry at yourself for being angry ; like physicians who give a bitter potion when they intend to eject the bit- terness of choler, for this will provoke the person and in- crease the passion. But pla- cidly and quietly set upon the mortification of it, and attempt it first for a day, re- solving that day not at all to be angry, and to be watchful CTobctousncss 267 and observant ; for a day is no great trouble : but then, after one day's watchfulness it will be as easy to watch two days as at first it was to watch one day, and so you may increase till it becomes easy and habitual. Only observe that such an anger alone is criminal which is against charity to myself or my neighbour ; but anger against sin is a holy zeal, and an effect of love to God and my brother, for whose inter- est I am passionate, like a concerned person ; and if I take care that my anger makes no reflection of scorn or cruelty upon the offender, or of pride and violence, or transportation to myself, anger becomes charity and duty. And when one com- mended Charilaus the king of Sparta for a gentle, a good, and a meek prince, his col- league said well, " How can he be good who is not an enemy even to vicious per- sons?" 3. Remedies against Covetotis- jtess, the third Enemy of Mercy. Covetousness is also an enemy to alms, though not to all the effects of merciful- ness ; but this is to be cured by the proper motives to cha- rity before mentioned, and by the proper rules of justice, which being secured, the arts of getting money are not easily made criminal. To which also we may add : 1. Covetousness makes a man miserable, because riches are not means to make a man happy ; and unless feli- city were to be bought with money, he is a vain person who admires heaps of gold and rich possessions. They would be excellent things, if the richest man were certainly the wisest and the best ; but as they are they are nothing to be wondered at, because they contribute nothing to- wards felicity; which appears, because some men choose to be miserable, that they may be rich, rather than be happy with the expense of money and doing noble things. 2. Riches are useless and unprofitable ; for, beyond our needs and conveniences, na- ture knows no use of riches. No man can, with all the wealth in the world, buy so much skill as to be a good lutenist ; he must go the same way that poor people do, he must learn and take pains : much less can he buy con- (Hobrtonsnrss stancy or chastity or courage ; nay, not so much as the con- tempt of riches : and by pos- sessing more than we need, we cannot obtain so much power over our souls as not to require more. And cer- tainly riches must deliver me from no evil, if the possession of them cannot take away the longing for them. If any man be thirsty, drink cools him ; if he be hungry, eating meat satisfies him; and when a man is cold, and calls for a warm cloak, he is pleased if you give it him ; but you trouble him if you load him with six or eight cloaks. Na- ture rests, and sits still, when she hath her portion ; but that which exceeds it is a trouble and a burden : and, therefore, in true philosophy, no man is rich but he that is poor according to the com- mon account : for when God hath satisfied those needs which He made, that is, all is natural, whatsoever is be- yond it is thirst and a disease; and, unless it be sent back again in charity or religion, can ser\^e no end but vice or vanity : it can increase the appetite to represent the man poorer, and full of a new and artificial, unnatural need; but it never satisfies the need it I makes, or makes the man richer. No wealth can satisfy I the covetous desire of wealth. i 3. Riches are troublesome; I but the satisfaction of those I appetites, which God and nature hath made, are cheap and easy ; for who ever paid use-money for bread, and onions, and water, to keep him alive ? but when we covet after sumptuous houses, or long for jewels, or for my next neighbours field, or for many luxuries, then we can never be satisfied till we have the best thing that is fancied, and all that can be had, and all that can be desired, and that we can lust no more ; but before we come to the one half of our first wild de- sires, we are the bondmen of usurers, and of our worse tyrant appetites, and the tor- tures of envy and impatience. But I consider that as it fares with those who drink on still when their thirst is quenched, or eat after they have well dined, so it is also with those that covet more than they can temperately use : they are oftentimes forced to part I even with that patrimony I which would have supported I their persons in freedom and I honour, and have satisfied all I their reasonable desire. Cobctousmss 269 4. Contentedness is there- fore health, because covetous- ness is a direct sickness : and it was well said of Aristippus (as Plutarch reports him), if any man, after much eating and drinking, be still unsatis- fied, he hath no need of more meat or more drink, but of a physician ; he more needs to be purged than to be filled : and therefore, since covetous- ness cannot be satisfied, it must be cured by emptiness and evacuation. The man is without remedy, unless he be reduced to the scantling of nature, and the measures of his personal necessity. Give to a poor man a house, and a few cows, pay his little debt, and set him on work, and he is provided for, and quiet ; but when a man en- larges beyond a fair posses- sion, and desires another lordship, you spite him if you let him have it ; for, by that, he is one degree the further off from the rest in his desires and satisfaction ; and now he sees himself in a bigger capacity to a larger fortune; and he shall never find his period, till you begin to take away something of what he hath ; for then he will begin to be glad to keep that which is left : but reduce him to nature's measures, and there he shall be sure to find rest : for there no man can desire beyond his bellyful ; i and, when he wants that, any j one friend or charitable man can cure his poverty, but all the world cannot satisfy his covetousness. 5. Covetousness is the i most fantastical and contra- I dictory disease in the whole I world : it must therefore be j incurable; because it strives I against its own cure. No : man, therefore, abstains from meat, because he is hungry ; nor from wine, because he loves it, and needs it : but the covetous man does so, for he desires it passionately, be- cause he says he needs it, and when he hath it, he will need it still, because he dares not use it. He gets clothes, be- cause he cannot be without them; but when he hath them, then he can : as if he needed corn for his gi-anary, and clothes for his wardrobe, more than for his back and belly. For covetousness pre- tends to heap much together for fear of want; and yet, after all his pains and pur- chase, he suffers that really, which, at first, he feared vainly; and by not using what he gets, he makes that suffer- CTobctousnrss ing to be actual, present, and necessary, which, in his low- est condition, was but future, contingent, and possible. It stirs up the desire, and takes away the pleasure of being satisfied. It increases the appetite, and will not content it : it swells the principal to no purpose, and lessens the use to all purposes ; disturb- ing the order of nature, and the designs of God ; making money not to be the instru- ment of exchange or charity, nor corn to feed himself or the poor, nor wool to clothe him- self or his brother, nor wine to refresh the sadness of the afflicted, nor oil to make his own countenance cheer- ful ; but all these to look upon, and to tell over, and to take accounts by, and make himself considerable, and wondered at by fools ; that while he lives he may be called rich, and when he dies may be accounted miser- able ; and, like the dish- makers of China, may leave a greater heap of dirt for his nephews, while he himself hath a new lot fallen to him in the portion of Dives. But thus the ass carried wood and sweet herbs to the baths, but was never washed or perfumed himself: he heaped up sweets for others, while himself was filthy with smoke and ashes. And yet it is considerable ; if the man can be content to feed hardly, and labour extremely, and watch carefully, and suffer affronts and disgrace, that he may get money moi-e than he uses in his temperate and just needs, with how much ease might this man be happy? and with how great uneasiness and trouble does he make himself miserable? For he takes pains to get content, and when he might have it he lets it go. He might better be content with a virtuous and quiet po- verty, than with an artifi- cial, troublesome, and vi- cious. The same diet and a less labour would, at first, make him happy, and, for ever after, rewardable. 6. The sum of all is that which the apostle says, " Covetousness is idolatry;" that is, it is an admiring money for itself, not for its use, it relies upon money, and loves it more than it loves God and religion : and it is "the root of all evil;" it teaches men to be cruel and crafty, industrious in evil, full of care and malice ; it devours young heirs, and Cobctousncss 27] grinds the face of the poor, and undoes those who spe- cially belong to God's pro- tection, helpless, craftless, and innocent people; it in- quires into our parent's age, and longs for the death of our friends; it makes friendship an art of rapine, and changes a partner into a vulture, and a companion into a thief; and, after all this, it is for no good to itself; for it dares not spend those heaps of treasure which it snatched : and men hate serpents and basilisks worse than lions and bears ; for these kill be- cause they need the prey, but those sting to death and eat not. And if they pretend all this care and heap for their heirs, they may remember, that what was unnecessary for themselves is as unneces- sary for their sons ; and why cannot they be without it, as well as their fathers, who did not use it? And it often happens that to the sons it becomes an instrument to serve some lust or other; that as the gold was useless to their fathers, so may the sons be to the public, fools or prodigals, loads to their country, and the curse and punishment of their father's avarice : and yet all that wealth is short of one bless- ing ; but it is a load, coming with a curse, and descending from the family of a long- derived sin. However, the father transmits it to the son, and it may be the son to one more ; till a tyrant, or an oppressor, or a war, or change of government, or the usurer, or folly, or an expensive vice, makes holes in the bottom of the bag, and the wealth runs out like water, and flies away like a bird from the hand of a child. 7. Add to these the con- sideration of the advantages of poverty : that it is a state freer from temptation, secure in dangei's, but of one trouble, safe under the Divine Provi- dence, cared for in heaven by a daily ministration, and for whose support God makes every day a new decree; a state, of v\hich Christ was pleased to make open profes- sion, and many wise men daily make vows ; that a rich man is but like a pool, to whom the poor run, and first trouble it, 'and then draw it dry ; that he enjoys no more of it than according to the few and limited needs of a man ; he cannot eat like a wolf or an elephant ; that variety of dainty fare ministers 272 Hfprntancc but to sin and sicknesses ; that the poor man feasts oftener than the rich, because every little enlargement is a feast to the poor, but he that feasts eveiy clay feasts no day, there being nothing left to which he may, beyond his ordinary, extend his appetite ; that the rich man sleeps not so soundly as the poor labourer ; that his fears are more, and his needs are greater (for who is poorer, he that needs ;!^5 or he that needs ;i^50oo?); the poor man hath enough to fill his belly, and the rich hath not enough to fill his eye ; that the poor man's wants are easy to be relieved by a common charity, but the needs of rich men can- not be supplied but by princes ; and they are left to the temp- tation of great vices to make reparation of their needs ; and the ambitious labour of men to get great estates, is but like the selling of a fountain to buy a fever, a parting with content to buy necessity, a purchase of an unhandsomt condition at the price of in- felicity ; that princes, and they that enjoy most of the world, have most of it but in title, and supreme rights, and reserved privileges, pepper- corns, homages, trifling ser- vices, and acknowledgments, the real use descending to others, to more substantial purposes. These considera- tions may be useful to the curing of covetousness : that, the grace of mercifulness en- larging the heart of a man, his hand may not be con- tracted, but reached out to the poor in alms. § IX. Of Repentance REPENTANCE, of all things in the world, makes the gi-eatest change : it changes things in heaven and earth ; for it changes the whole man from sin to grace, from vicious habits to holy customs, from unchaste bodies to angelical souls, from swine to philosophers, from drunk- enness to sober counsels ; and God himself, ' ' with whom is no variableness or shadow of change," is pleased, by de- scending to our weak under- standings, to say, that He 2^epmtance 273 changes also upon man's re- pentance, that He alters His decrees, revokes His sen- tence, cancels the bills of ac- cusation, throws the records of shame and sorrow from the court of heaven, and lifts up the sinner from the grave to life, from his prison to a throne, from hell and the guilt of eternal torture to heaven and to a title, to never-ceasing felicities. If we be bound on earth, we shall be bound in heaven ; if we be absolved here, we shall be loosed there ; if we repent, God will repent, and not send the evil upon us which we had deserved. But repentance is a conju- gation and society of many duties ; and it contains in it all the parts of a holy life, from the time of our return to the day of our death inclu- sively ; and it hath in it some things specially relating to the sins of our former days, which are now to be abolished by special acts, and have obliged us to special labours, and brought in many new necessities, and put us into a very great deal of danger. And, because it is a duty con- sisting of so many parts and so much employment, it also requires much time, and leaves a man in the same de- gree of hope of pardon, as is his restitution to the state of righteousness and holy liv- ing, for which we covenanted in baptism. For we must know, that there is but one repentance in a man's whole life, if repentance be taken in the proper and strict evan- gelical covenant sense, and not after the ordinary under- standing of the world : that is, we are but once to change our whole state of life, from the power of the devil and his entire possession, from the state of sin and death, from the body of corruption, to the life of grace, to the posses- sion of Jesus, to the kingdom of the gospel ; and this is done in the baptism of water, or in the baptism of the Spirit, when the first rite comes to be verified by God's grace coming upon us, and by our obedience to the heavenly calling, we working together with God. After this change, if ever we fall into the con- trary state, and be wholly estranged from God and re- ligion, and profess ourselves servants of unrighteousness, God hath made no more covenant of restitution to us; there is no place left for any more repentance, or entire ■7A- ilrpcutancc change of condition, or ncM' birth : a man can be regener- ated but once ; and such are vohmtary malicious apostates, witches, obstinate impenitent persons, and the like. But if we be overtaken by infir- mity, or enter into the marches or borders of this estate, and commit a grievous sin, or ten, or twenty, so we be not in tlie entire possession of the devil, we are, for the present, in a damnable condition if we die; but if we live, we are in a re- coverable condition ; for so Ave may repent often. We repent or rise from death but once, but from sickness many . times; and by the grace of God we shall be pardoned if so we repent. But our hopes of pardon are just as is the repentance ; which, if it be timely, hearty, industrious, and effective, God accepts ; not by weighing grains or scruples, but by estimating the great proportions of our life. A hearty endeavour, and an effectual general change shall get the pardon ; the unavoidable infirmities, and past evils, and present imperfections, and short in- terruptions, against which we watch, and pray, and strive, being put upon the accounts of the cross, and paid for by the holy Jesus. This is the state and condition of repent- ance : its parts and actions must be valued according to the following rules. Acfs mid Parts of Repentance. I. He that repents truly, is greatly sorrowful for his past sins : not with a super- ficial sigh or tear, but a pun- gent, afflictive sorrow; such a sorrow as hates the sin so much, that the man would choose to die rather than act it any more. This sorrow is called in Scripture " a weeping sorely ; a weeping with bitterness of heart ; a weeping day and night ; a soiTOw of heart ; a breaking the spirit ; mourning like a dove, and chattering like a swallow; and we may read the degree and manner of it by the lamentations and sad accents ofthe prophet Jeremy, when he wept for the sins of the nation ; by the heart- breaking of David, when he mourned for his murder and adultery; and the bitter weep- ing of St. Peter, after the shameful denying of his Mas- ter. The expression of this sorrow differs according to the temper of the body, the sex, the age, and circum- Eeptntance 275 stance of action, and the motive of sorrow, and by many accidental tendernesses, or masculine hardnesses ; and the repentance is not to be estimated by the tears, but by the grief; and the grief is lo be valued not by the sen- sitive trouble, but by the cordial hatred of the sin, and ready actual dereliction of it, and a resolution and real re- sisting its consequent tempta- tions. Some people can shed tears for nothing, some for anything ; but the proper and true efforts of a godly sorrow are — fear of the Divine judg- ments, apprehension of God's displeasure, watchings and strivings against sin, pa- tiently enduring the cross of sorrow (which God sends as their punishment), in accusa- tion of ourselves, in perpe- tually begging pardon, in mean and base opinions of ourselves, and in all the na- tural productions from these, according to our temper and constitution. For if we be apt to weep in other acci- dents, it is ill if we weep not also in the sorrows of repent- ance ; not that weeping is of itself a duty, but that the sorrow, if it be as great, will be still expressed in as great a manner. 2. Our sorrow for sins must retain the proportion of our sins, though not the equality. We have no particular mea- sures of sins ; we know not which is greater, of sacrilege or superstition, idolatry or covetousness, rebellion or witchcraft ; and therefore God ties us not to nice measures of son-ow, but only that we keep the general rules of propor- tion ; that is, that a great sin have a great grief, a smaller crime being to be washed off with a lesser shower. 3. Our sorrow for sins is then best accounted of for its degi-ee, when it, together with all the penal and afflic- tive duties of repentance, shall have equalled or ex- ceeded the pleasure we had in commission of the sin. 4. True repentance is a punishing duty, and acts its sorrow ; and judges and con- demns the sin by voluntaiy submitting to such sadnesses as God sends on us, or (to prevent the judgment of God) by judging ourselves, and punishing our bodies and our spirits by such instruments of piety as are troublesome to the body: such as are fast- ing, watching, long prayers, troublesome postures in our prayers, expensive alms, and 276 i^fpcntance all outward acts of humilia- tion. For he that must judge himself, must condemn him- self if he be guiUy ; and if he be condemned, he must be punished ; and if he be so judged, it will help to prevent the judgment of the Lord, St. Paul instructing us in this particular.^ But I before intimated that the punishing actions of repentance are only actions of sorrow, and there- fore are to make up the pro- portions of it. For our grief may be so full of trouble as to outweigh all the burdens of fasts and bodily afflictions, and then the other are the less necessary ; and when they are used, the benefit of them is to obtain of God a remission or a lessening of those temporal judgments which God hath decreed against the sins, as it was in the case of Ahab ; but the sinner is not, by anything of this, reconciled to the eternal favour of God ; for, as yet, this is but the mtroduction to repentance. 5. Every true penitent is obliged to confess his sins, and to humble himself before God for ever. Confession of sins hath a special promise : " If we confess our sins, He 1 I Cor. x\. 31. is faithful and just to forgive us our sins ;"" meaning, that God hath bound Himself to forgive us if we duly confess our sins, and do all that for which confession was ap- pointed ; that is, be ashamed of them, and own them no more. For confession of our sins to God can signify no- thing of itself in its direct nature : He sees us when we act them, and keeps a record of them ; and we forget them, unless He reminds us of them by His grace. So "that to confess them to God does not punish us, or make us ashamed ; but confession to Him, if it proceeds from shame and sorrow, and is an act of humility and self-con- demnation," and is a laying open our wounds for cure, then it is a duty God delights in. In all which circum- stances, because we may very much be helped if we take in the assistance of a spiritual guide, therefore the Church of God, in all ages, hath com- mended, and, in most ages, enjoined, that we confess our sins, and discover the state and condition of our souls to such a person as we or our superiors may j udge fit to help us in such needs. For so 2 I John i. 9. Repentance 277 * ' if we confess our sins one to another," as St. James advises, we shall obtain the prayers of the holy man whom God and the Church have appointed solemnly to pray for us ; and when he knows our needs, he can best minister comfort or reproof, oil or caustics ; he can more opportunely recommend your particular state to God ; he can determine your cases of conscience, and judge better for you than you do for your- self; and the shame of open- ing such ulcers may restrain your forwardness to contract them ; and all these circum- j stances of advantage will do j very much towards the for- giveness. And this course was taken by the new converts in the days of the apostles : " For many that believed came and confessed and shewed their deeds." And it were well if this duty were practised prudently and inno- cently in order to public dis- cipline, or private comfort and instruction ; but that it be done to God is a duty, not directly for itself, but for its adjuncts and the duties that go with it, or before it, or after it : which duties, be- cause they are all to be helped and guided by our pastors and curates of souls, he is careful of his eternal interest, that will not lose the advan- tage of using a private guide and judge. " He that hideth his sins shall not prosper;" No7i dh-igetur, saith the vul- gar Latin, " he shall want a guide;" "but who confess- eth and forsaketh them shall hav( And to this purpose Climacus reports, that divers holy persons in that age did use to carry table-books ^dth them, and in them described an ac- count of all their determinate thoughts, purposes, words, and actions in which they had suffered infirmity ; that by communicating the estate of their souls, they might be instructed and guided, or cor- rected or encouraged. 6. Tnie repentance must reduce to act all its holy pur- poses, and enter into and nm through the state of holy living,^ which is contrary to that state of darkness in which in times past we walked. For to resolve to do it, and yet 3 Prov. xxviii. 13. * Rom. vi. 3, 4, 7; viil. 10; xi. 22, 27; xiii. 13, 14. Gal. v. 6, 24; vi. 15. I Cor. vii. ig. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Col. i. 21-23. Heb. xii. i, 14, 16; X. 16, 22. I Pet. i. 15. 2 Pet. i. 4, 9, 10; iii. II. I John i. 6; iii. 8, 9 ; v. 16. 27S Erpcntancc not to do it, is to break our resolution and our faith, to mock God, to falsify and eva- cuate all the preceding acts of repentance, and to make our pardon hopeless, and our hope fruitless. He that re- solves to live well when a danger is upon him, or a vio- lent fear, or when the appe- tites of lust are newly satisfied, or newly served, and yet when the temptation comes again, sins again, and then is sor- rowful, and resolves once more against it, and yet falls when the temptation returns, is a vain man, but no true penitent, nor in the state of grace ; and if he chance to die in one of these good moods, is very far from sal- vation ; for if it be necessary that we resolve to live well, it is necessaiy we should do so. For resolution is an im- perfect act, a term of relation, and signifies nothing but in order to the actions : it is as a faculty is to the act, as spring is to han-est, as eggs are to birds, as a relative to its correspondent, nothing without it. No man, there- fore, can be in a state of grace and actual favour by resolutions and holy pur- poses ; these are but the gate and portal towards pardon : a holy life is the only perfec- tion of repentance, and the firm ground upon which we can cast the anchor of hope in the mercies of God, through Jesus Christ. 7. No man is to reckon his pardon immediately upon his returns from sin to the beginnings of good life, but is to begin his hopes and degrees of confidence accord- ing as sin dies in him, and grace lives ; as the habits of sin lessen, and righteousness grows; according as sin re- turns, but seldom in smaller instances and wathout choice, and by surprise without deli- beration ; and is highly dis- relished, and presentlydashed against the rock Christ Jesus, by a holy sorrow and renewed care, and more strict watch- fulness. For a holy life being the condition of the covenant on our part as we return to God, so God returns to us, and our state returns to the probabilities of pardon. 8. Every man is to work out his salvation with fear and trembling ; and after the commission of sins his fears must multiply; because every new sin and every great de- clining from the ways of God is still a degree of new dan- ger, and hath increased God'« i^cpcntattce 279 anger, and hath made Him more mieasy to grant pardon: and when He does grant it, it is upon harder terms both for doing and suffering ; that is, we must do more for par- don, and, it may be, suffer much more. For we must know that God pardons our sins by parts ; as our duty in- creases, and our care is more prudent and active, so God's anger decreases : and yet it may be, the last sin you com- mitted made God unalterably resolve to send upon you some sad judgment. Of the particulars in all cases we are uncertain ; and therefore we have reason always to mourn for our sins that have so pro- voked God, and made our condition so full of danger that, it may be, no prayers or tears or duty can alter His sentence concerning some sad judgment upon us. Thus God irrevocably decreed to punish the Israelites for idol- atr}', although Moses prayed for them, and God forgave them in some degree ; that is, so that He would not cut them off from being a people; yet He would not forgive them so, but He would visit that their sin upon them; and He did so. 9. A true penitent must, all the days of his life, pray for pardon, and never think the work completed till he dies ; not by any act of his own, by no act of the Church, by no forgiveness by the party injured, by no restitution. These are all instruments of great use and efficacy, and the means by which it is to be done at length ; but still the sin lies at the door, ready to return upon us in judg- ment and damnation, if we return to it in choice or action. And whether God hath for- given us or no, we know not, and how far we know not ; and all that we have done, is not of sufficient worth to obtain pardon : therefore still pray, and still be soiTowful for ever having done it, and for ever watch against it; and then those beginnings of par- don, which are working all the way, will at last be per- fected in the day of the Lord. 10. Defer not at all to re- pent ; much less mayest thou put it off to thy death-bed. It is not an easy thing to root out the habits of sin, which a man's whole life hath gathered and confirmed. We find work enough to mortify one beloved lust, in our very best advantage of strength and time, and before it is so 2So J^Epmtancc deeply rooted, as it must needs be supposed to be at the end of a wicked life: and therefore it will prove im- possible, when the work is so great and the strength so little, when sin is so strong and grace so weak : for they always keep the same pro- portion of increase and de- crease, and as sin grows grace decays : so that the more need we have of grace, the less at that time we shall have ; because the greatness of our sins, which makes the need, hath lessened the grace of God, which should help us, into nothing. To which add this consideration ; that on a man's death-bed the day of repentance is past : for re- pentance being the renewing of a holy life, a living the life of grace, it is a contradiction to say that a man can live a holy life upon his death-bed: especially if we consider, that for a sinner to live a holy life must first suppose him to have overcome all his evil habits, and then to have made a purchase of the con- trary graces, by the labours of great prudence, watchful- ness, self-denial and severity. "Nothing that is excellent can be wrought suddenly." 1 1, After the be^innines of thy recovery, be infinitely fearful of a relapse ; and therefore, upon the stock of thy sad experience, observe where thy failings were, and by especial arts fortify that faculty, and arm against that temptation. For if all those arguments which God uses to us to preserve our innocence, and thy late danger, and thy fears, and the goodness of God making thee once to escape, and the shame of thy fall, and the sense of thy own weaknesses, will not make thee watchful against a fall, especially knowing how much it costs a man to be restored, it will be infinitely more dan- gerous if ever thou fallest again ; not only for fear God should no more accept thee to pardon, but even thy own hopes will be made more desperate, and thy impatience greater, and thy shame turn to impudence, and thy own will be more estranged, vio- lent, and refractory, and thy latter end will be worse than thy beginning. To which add this consideration: that thy sin, which was formerly in a good way of being par- doned, will not only return upon thee with all its own loads, but with the baseness of unthankfulness, and thou lElEpentancc 281 wilt be set as far back from heaven as ever ; and all thy former labours and fears and watchings and agonies will be reckoned for nothing, but as arguments to upbraid thy folly, who, when thou hadst set one foot in heaven, didst pull that back, and carry both to hell. Motives to Repentance. I shall use no other argu- ments to move a sinner to repentance, but to tell him, unless he does he shall cer- tainly perish ; and if he does repent timely and entirely, that is, live a holy life, he shall Idc forgiven and be saved. But yet I desire, that this consideration be enlarged with some great circumstances ; and let us remember, I. That to admit mankind to repentance and pardon, was a favour greater than ever God gave to the angels and devils ; for they were never admitted to the condi- tion of second thoughts : Christ never groaned one groan for them : He never suffered one stripe, nor one affront, nor shed one drop of blood, to restore them to hopes of blessedness after their first failings. But this He did for us : He paid the score of our sins, only that we might be admitted to re- pent, and that this repent- ance might be effectual to the great purposes of feUcity and salvation. 2. Consider, that as it cost Christ many millions of prayers and groans and sighs, so He is now at this instant, and hath been for these six- teen hundred years, night and day, incessantly praying for grace to us, that we may repent ; and for pardon when we do ; and for degrees of pardon beyond the capacities of our infirmities, and the merit of our sorrows and amendment : and this prayer He will continue till His second coming; "for He ever liveth to make interces- sion for us."^ And that we may know what it is in be- half of which He intercedes, St. Paul tells us His design : ' ' We are ambassadors for Christ, as though He did be- seech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead to be recon- ciled to God. "6 And what Christ prays us to do, He prays to God that we may do; that which He desires of us as His servants. He desires * Heb. vii. 15. ^ 2 Cor. v. 20. ;S2 Hrpcntance of God, who is the fountain of the grace and powers unto us, and without whose assist- ance we can do nothing. 3. That ever we should re- pent, was so costly a pur- chase, and so great a con- cernment, and so high a favour, and the event is esteemed by God Himself so great an excellency, that our blessed Saviour tells us, " there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that re- penteth ; '' ^ meaning, that when Christ shall be glori- fied, and at the right hand of His Father make intercession for us, praying for our re- pentance, the conversion and repentance of every sinner is part of Christ's glorification, it is the answering of His prayers, it is a portion of His reward, in which He does essentially glory by the joys of His glorified humanity. This is the joy of our Lord Himself directly, not of the angels, save only by reflec- tion : the j oy (said our blessed Saviour) shall be in the pres- ence of the angels; they shall see the glor^- of the Lord, the answering of His prayers, the satisfaction of His desires, and the reward of His suffer- ings, in the repentance and 7 Luke XV. 7. consequent pardon of a sin- ner. For therefore He once suffered, and for that reason He rejoices for ever. And therefore, when a penitent sinner comes to receive the effect and full consummation of his pardon, it is called "an entering into the joy of our Lord ;" that is, a par- taking of that joy which Christ received at our con- version and enjoyed ever since. 4. Add to this, that the rewards of heaven are so great and glorious, and Christ's burden is so light, his yoke is so easy, that it is a shameless impudence to expect so gi-eat glories at a less rate than so little a sendee, at a lower rate than a holy life. It cost the heart-blood of the Son of God to obtain heaven for us upon that condition; and who shall die again to get heaven for us upon easier terms? What would you do, if God should command you to kill your eldest son, or to work in the mines for a thousand years together, or to fast all thy life-time with bread and water? were not heaven a very great bargain even after all this ? And when God re- quires nothing of us but to live soberly, justly, and godly preparation to tijc |i|oIg ^acrammt 283 (which things themselves are to a man a very great feHcity, and necessary to our present well-being), shall we think this to be an intolerable bur- den, and that heaven is too little a purchase at that price; and that God, in mere jus- tice, will take a death-bed sigh or groan, and a few un- profitable tears and pro- mises, in exchange for all our duty ? If these motives, joined together with our own in- terest (even as much as feli- city, and the sight of God, and the avoiding the intolerable pains of hell, and many in- termedial judgments, come to), will not move us to leave, i. the filthiness, and, 2. the trouble, and, 3. the uneasiness, and, 4.. the un- reasonableness of sin, and turn to God, — there is no more to be said ; we must perish in our folly. § X. Of Preparation to, and the manner how TO receive, the Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper THE celebration of the holy sacrament is the great mysteriousness of the Christian religion, and suc- ceeds to the most solemn rite of natural and Judaical reli- gion, the law of sacrificing. For God spared mankind, and took the sacrifice of beasts, together with our so- lemn prayers, for an instru- ment of expiation. But these could not purify the soul from sin, but were typical of the sacrifice of something that could. But nothing could do this, but either the offering of all that sinned, that every man should be the anathema or dez'oted thing; or else by some one of the same capa- city, who by some superadded excellency might in his own personal sufferings have a value great enough to satisfy for all the whole kind of sin- ning persons. This the Son of God, Jesus Christ, God and man, undertook, and finished by a sacrifice of Him- self upon the altar of the cross. 2. This sacrifice, because it was perfect, could be but 284 preparation to tf)c li^olg 5arramrnt one, and that once : but be- cause the needs of the world should last as long as the world itself, it was necessary that there should be a per- petual ministry established, whereby this one sufficient sacrifice should be made eter- nally effectual to the several new arising needs of all the world, who should desire it, or in any sense be capable of it. 3. To this end ChHsi was 7)1 ade a Priest for ez'er : He was initiated or consecrated on the cross, and there began His priesthood, which was to last till His coming to judg- ment. It began on earth, but was to last and be offici- ated in heaven, where He sits perpetually, re-presenting and exhibiting to the Father that great effective sacrifice which He offered on .the cross, to eternal and never- failing purposes. 4. As Christ is pleased to re-present to His Father that great sacrifice as a means of atonement and expiation for all mankind, and with special purposes and intendment for all the elect, all that serve Him in holiness; so He hath appointed that the same mini- stry shall be done upon earth too, in our manner and accord- ing to our proportion ; and therefore hath constituted and separated an order of men who, by " showing forth the Lord's death" by sacramental re-presentation, may pray un- to God after the same manner that our Lord and High Priest does ; that is, offer to God and re-present in this solemn prayer and sacrament, Christ as already offered ; so send- ing up a gracious instrument, whereby our prayers may, for His sake and in the same manner of intercession, be offered up to God in our be- half, and for all them for whom we pray, to all those purposes for which Christ died. 5. As the ministers of the sacrament do, in a sacra- mental manner, present to God the sacrifice of the cross, by being imitators of Christ's intercession, so the people are sacrificers too in their manner : for besides that, by saying Amen, they join in the act of him that ministers, and make it also to be their own; so, when they eat and drink the consecrated and blessed elements worthily, they re- ceive Christ within them, and therefore may also offer Him to God, while, in their sacri- fice of obedience and thanks- preparation to tfjc p?olg =Sacrammt 285 giving, they present them- selves to God with Christ, whom they have spiritually received, that is, themselves with that which will make them gracious and accept- able. The ofifering their bodies and souls and services to God in Him, and by Him, and with Him, who is His Father's well -beloved, and in whom He is well pleased, cannot but be accepted to all the purposes of blessing, grace, and glory. 6. This is the sum of the greatest mystery of our reli- gion ; it is the copy of the passion, and the ministration of the great mystery of our redemption ; and therefore, whatsoever entitles us to the general privileges of Christ's passion, all that is necessary by way of disposition to the celebration of the sacrament of His passion ; because this celebration is our manner of applying or using it. The particulars of which prepara- tion are represented in the following rules. I. No man must dare to approach to the holy sacra- ment of the Lord's Supper, if he be in a state of any one sin, that is, unless he have entered into the state of re- pentance, that is, of sorrow and amendment ; lest it be said concerning him, as it was concerning Judas, the hand of him that betrayeth Me is with Me on the table : and he that receiveth Christ into an impure soul or body, first turns his most excellent nourishment into poison, and then feeds upon it. 2. Every communicant must first have examined himself ; that is, tried the condition and state of his soul, searched out the secret ulcers, inquired out its weaknesses and indis- cretions, and all those apt- nesses where it is exposed to temptation ; that, by finding out its diseases he may find a cure, and by discovering its aptnesses he may secure his present purposes of future amendment, and may be armed against dangers and temptations. 3. This examination must be a man's own act and in- quisition into his life ; but then also it should lead a man on to run to those whom the great Physician of our souls, Christ Jesus, hath ap- pointed to minister physic to our diseases ; that in all dan- gers and great accidents we may be assisted for comfort and remedy, for medicine and caution. 286 iSrcparation to tf}c ?i)oIy Sacrament 4. In this affair let no man deceive himself, and against such a time \vhich public authority hath appointed for us to receive the sacrament, weep for his sins by way of solemnity and ceremony, and still retain the affection : but he that comes to this feast must have on the wedding garment, that is, he must have put on Jesus Christ, and he must have put off the old man with his affections and lusts ; and he must be wholly conformed to Christ in the image of his mind. For then we have put on Christ when our souls are clothed with His righteousness, when every faculty of our soul is propor- tioned and vested according to the pattern of Christ's life. And therefore a man must not leap from his last night's surfeit and bath, and then communicate ; but when he hath begun the work of God effectually, and made some progi-ess in repentance, and hath walked some stages and periods in the ways of godli- ness, then let him come to him that is to minister it, and having made known the state of his soul, he is to be ad- mitted: but to receive it into an unhallowed soul and body is to receive the dust of the tabernacle in the waters of jealousy ; it will make the belly to swell and the thigh to rot ; it will not convey Christ to us, but the devil will enter and dwell there, till with it he returns to his dwelling of torment. Remem- ber always, that after a great sin, or after a habit of sins, a man is not soon made clean ; and no unclean thing must come to this feast. It is not the pi^eparation of two or three days that can render a person capable of this ban- quet : for in this feast, all Christ, and Christ's passion, and all His graces, the bles- sings and effects of His suffer- ings, are conveyed. Nothing can fit us for this but what can unite us to Christ, and obtain of Him to present our needs to His heavenly Father: this sacrament can no other- wise be celebrated but upon the same terms on which we may hope for pardon and heaven itself. 5. When we have this gene- ral and indispensably neces- sary preparation, we are to make our souls more adorned and trimmed up with circum- stances of pious actions and special devotions, setting apart some portion of our time immediately before the preparation to tfjc ?§oIg Sacrament 287 day of solemnity, according as out great occasions will permit ; and this time is spe- cially to be spent in actions of repentance, confession of our sins, renewing our pur- poses of holy living, praying for pardon of our failings, and for those graces which may prevent the like sadnesses for the time to come, medita- tion upon the passion, upon the infinite love of God ex- pressed in so great mysterious manners of redemption ; and indefinitely in all acts of virtue which may build our souls up into a temple fit for the reception of Christ Him- self, and the inhabitation of the Holy Spirit. 6. The celebration of the Holy Sacrament being the most solemn prayer, joined with the most effectual in- strument of its acceptance, m.ust suppose us in the love of God and in charity with all the world ; and therefore we must, before every com- munion especially, remember what differences or jealousies are between us and any one else, and recompose all dis- unions, and cause right un- derstandings between each other ; offering to satisfy whom we have injured, and to forgive them who have in- jured us, without thoughts of resuming the quarrel when the solemnity is over ; for that is but to rake the embers in light and fantastic ashes : it must be quenched, and a holy flame enkindled — no fires must be at all, but the fires of love and zeal ; and the altar of incense will send up a sweet perfume, and make atonement for us. 7. When the day of the feast is come, lay aside all cares and impertinences of the world, and remember that this is thy soul's day, a day of traffic and intercourse with Heaven. Arise early in the morning, (i.) Give God thanks for the approach of so great a blessing. {2.) Confess thine own unworthi- ness to admit so divine a guest. (3.) Then remember and deplore thy sins, which have made thee so unworthy. (4. ) Then confess God's good- ness, and take sanctuary there, and upon Him place thy hopes ; {5. ) And invite Him to thee with renewed acts of love, of holy desire, of hatred of His enemy, sin. (6. ) Make oblation of thyself wholly to be disposed by Him, to the obedience of Him, to His providence and possession, and pray Him to enter and 288 53rfparnt{on to tfjc l^olg Sacrament dwell there for ever. And after this, with joy and holy fear, and the forwardness of love, address thyself to the receiving of Him, to whom, and by whom, and for whom, all faith and all hope, and all love, in the holy Catholic Church, both in heaven and earth, is designed ; Him, whom kings and queens, and whole kingdoms are in love with, and count it the greatest honour in the world that their crowns and sceptres are laid at His holy feet. 8. When the holy man stands at the table of blessing and ministers the rite of con- secration, then do as the angels do, who behold, and love, and wonder that the Son of God should become food to the souls of His ser- vants ; that He, who cannot suffer any change or lessening, should be broken into pieces, and enter into the body to support and nourish thespirit, and yet at the same time re- main in heaven, while He descends to thee upon earth; that He who hath essential felicity sho-uld become miser- able and die for thee, and then give Himself to thee for ever to redeem thee from sin and misery ; that by His wounds He should procure health to thee, by His affronts He should entitle thee to glory, by his death He should bring thee to life, and by be- coming a man He should make thee partaker of the Divine nature. These are such glories that, although they are made so obvious that each eye may behold them, yet they are also so deep that no thought can fathom them : but so it hath pleased Him to make these mysteries to be sensible, because the excellency and depth of the mercy is not intelligible ; that while we are ravished and comprehended within the in- finiteness of so vast and mys- terious a mercy, yet we may be as sure of it as of that thing we see and feel, and smell and taste ; but yet it is so great that we cannot un- derstand it. 9. These holy mysteries are offered to our senses, but not to be placed under our feet ; they are sensible, but not common ; and therefore, as the weakness of the elements adds wonder to the excel- lency of the sacrament, so let our reverence and reverent usages of them add honour to the elements, and acknow- ledge the glory of the mys- tery, and the Divinity of the preparation to tf)c l^olg 5acramciit 289 mercy. Let us receive the consecrated elements with all devotion and humility of body and spirit; and do this honour to it, that it be the first food we eat, and the first beverage we drink that day, unless it be in the case of sickness, or other great necessity ; and that your body and soul both be prepared to its reception ivith abstinence from secular pleasures, that you may bet- ter have attended fastings and preparatory prayers. For if ever it be seasonable to observe the counsel of St. Paul, that married persons by consent should abstain for a time, that they may attend to solemn religion, it is now. It was not by St. Paul, nor the after-ages of the Church, called a duty so to do, but it is most reasonable that the more solemn actions of reli- gion should be attended to, without the mixture of any- thing that may discompose the mind and make it more secular or less religious. 10. In the act of receiving, exercise acts of faith with much confidence and resig- nation, believing it not to be common bread and wine, but holy in their use, holy in their signification, holy in their change, and holy in their effect : and believe, if thou art a worthy communicant, thou dost as verily receive Christ's body and blood to all effects and purposes of the Spirit, as thou dost receive the blessed elements into thy mouth — that thou puttest thy finger to His hand, and thy hand into His side, and thy lips to His fontinel of blood, sucking life from His heart ; and yet, if thou dost com- municate unworthily, thou eatest and drinkest Christ to thy danger, and death, and destruction. Dispute not con- cerning the secret of the mystery, and the nicety of the manner, of Christ's pres- ence ; it is sufficient to thee that Christ shall be present to thy soul as an instrument of grace, as a pledge of the resurrection, as the earnest of glory and immortality, and a means of many inter- medial blessings, even all such as are necessary for thee, and are in order to thy salvation. And to make all this good to thee, there is nothing necessary on thy part but a holy life, and a true belief of all the sayings of Christ ; amongst which, in ■ definitely assent to the words of institution, and believe that Christ, in the holy sacra- 290 ^Brrparation to t|}0 f^otg Sacrament ment, gives thee His body and His blood. He that be- lieves not this is not a Chris- tian. He that believes so much needs not to inquire further, nor to entangle his faith by disbelieving his sense. 11. Fail not this solemnity, according to the custom of pious and devout people, to make an offering to God for the uses of religion and the poor, according to thy ability. For when Christ feasts His body, let us also feast our fellow-members, who have right to the same promises, and are partakers of the same sacrament, and partners of the same hope, and cared for under the same Providence, and descended from the same common parents, and whose Father God is, and Christ is their elder brother. If thou chancest to communicate where this holy custom is not observed publicly, supply that want by thy private charity; but offer it to God at His holy table, at least by thy private designing it there. 12. When you have re- ceived, pray and give thanks. Pray for all estates of men ; for they also have an interest in the body of Christ, whereof they are members : and you, in conjunction with Christ (whom then you have re- ceived), are more fit to pray for them in that advantage, and in the celebration of that holy sacrifice, which then is sacramentally re-presented to God. Give thanks for the passion of our dearest Lord : remember all its parts, and all the instruments of your redemption; and beg of God, that by a holy perseverance in well-doing you may from shadows pass on to sub- stances, from eating His body to seeing His face, from the typical, sacramental, and transient, to the real and eternal supper of the Lamb. 13. After the solemnity is done, let Christ dwell in your hearts by faith, and love, and obedience, and conformity to His life and death : as you have taken Christ into you, so put Christ on you, and conform eveiy faculty of your soul and body to His holy image and perfection. Re- member, that now Christ is all one with you ; and, there- fore, when you are to do an action consider how Christ did, or would do the like; and do you imitate His ex- ample, and transcribe His copy, and understand all His commandments, and choose 2£Jmii)mg tfjc ^olg Sacrament 291 all that He propounded, and desire His promises, and fear His threatenings, and marry His loves and hatreds, and contract His friendships ; for then you do every day com- municate ; especially when Christ thus dwells in you, and you in Christ, growing up towards a perfect man in Christ Jesus. 14. Do not instantly, upon your return from church, re- turn also to the world, and secular thoughts and employ- ment ; but let the remaining parts of that day be like a post -communion, or an after- office, entertaining your bless- ed Lord with all the caresses and sweetness of love and colloquies, and intercourses of duty and affection, ac- quainting Him with all your needs, and revealing to Him all your secrets, and opening all your infirmities ; and as the affairs of your person or employment call you off, so retire again with often ejacu- lations and acts of entertain- ment to your beloved guest. The Effects and Benefits of Worthy Comninnicating. When I said that the sacri- fice of the cross, which Christ offered for all the sins and all the needs of the world, is represented to God by the minister in the sacrament, and offered up in prayer and sacramental memory, after the manner that Christ Him- self intercedes for us in heaven (so far as His glori- ous priesthood is imitable by His ministers on earth), I must of necessity also mean, that all the benefits of that sacrifice are then conveyed to all that communicate worth- ily. But if we descend to particulars, then and there the Church is nourished in her faith, strengthened in her hope, enlarged in her bowels with an increasing charity ; there all the members of Christ are joined with each other, and all to Christ their head; and we again renew the covenant with God in Jesus Christ, and God seals His part, and we promise for ours, and Christ unites both, and the Holy Ghost signs both in the collation of those graces which we then pray for, and exercise, and receive all at once. There our bodies are nourished with the signs, and our souls with the mys- tery : our bodies receive into them the seed of an immortal nature, and our souls are joined with Him who is the 292 Kcccibing tfje ll^olg .Sacrament first-fruits of the resurrection and never can die. And if we desire anything else and need it, here it is to be prayed for, here to be hoped for, here to be received. Long life and health, and recovery from sickness, and competent sup- port and maintenance, and peace and deliverance from our enemies, and content, and patience, and joy, and sanctified riches, or a cheer- ful poverty, and liberty, and whatsoever else is a bless- ing, was purchased for us by j Christ in His death and re- surrection, and in His inter- cession in heaven. And this sacrament being that to our particulars which the great mysteries are in themselves and by design to all the world, if we receive worthily, we shall receive any of these blessings, according as God shall choose for us ; and He will not only choose with [ more wisdom, but also with i more affection, than we can for ourselves. | After all this, it is advised by the guides of souls, wise [ men and pious, that all per- ^ sons should communicate very often, even as often as they can, -without excuses or delays ; everything that puts us from so holy an employ- ment, when we are moved to it, being either a sin or an imperfection, an infirmity or indevotion, and an inactive- ness of spirit. All Christian people must come. They, indeed that are in the state of sin must not come so, but yet they must come. First they must quit their state of death, and then partake of the bread of life. They that are at enmity with their neighbours must come — that is no excuse for their not coming ; only they must not bring their enmity along with them, but leave it, and then come. They that have variety of secular employment must come ; only they must leave their secular thoughts and affections behind them, and then come and converse with God. If any man be well grown in grace, he must needs come, because he is excellently disposed to so holy a feast : but he that is but in the infancy of piety had need to come that so he may grow in grace. The strong must come lest they become \\eak ; and the weak that they may become strong. The sick must come to be cured ; the healthful to be preserved. They that have leisure must come, because i^cccibfng tfjc ?^ol2 Sacrament 293 they have no excuse; they that have no leisure must come hither, that by so ex- cellent religion they may sanctify their business. The penitent sinners must come, that they may be justified ; and they that are justified, that they may be justified still. They that have fears and great reverence to these mysteries, and think no pre- paration to be sufficient, must receive, that they may learn how to receive the more worthily ; and they that have a less degree of reverence must come often to have it heightened : that as those creatures that live amongst the snows of the mountains turn white with their food and conversation with such perpetual whiteness, so our souls may be transformed in- to the similitude and union with Christ by our perpetual feeding on Him, and conver- sation, not only in His courts, but in His very heart, and most secret affections, and incomparable purities. The vianner of using these Devotions by way oj Preparation to the receivijig of the blessed Sacra- mejit of the Lord^s Supper The just preparation to this holy feast consisting principally in a holy life, and consequently in the repeti- tion of tlie acts of all virtues, and especially of faith, repent- ance, charity, and thanksgiv- ing ; to the exercise of these four graces, let the person that intends to communicate, in the times set apart for his preparation and devotion, for the exercise of his faith recite the prayer or litany of the passion J for the exercise of repentance, the form of con- fession of sins with the prayer annexed ; and for the graces of thanksgiving and charity, let him use the special forms of prayer above described. Or if a less time can be allot- ted for preparatory devotion, the two first will be the more proper, as containing in them all the personal duty of the communicant. To which up- on the morning of that holy solemnity, let him add 294 ^ragcrs for .Scleral Occasions A Prayer of Preparation or Address to the Holy Sacrament. An Act of Lone. O most gracious and eter- nal God, the helper of the helpless, the comforter of the comfortless, the hope of the afflicted, the bread of the hungry, the drink of the thirsty, and the Saviour of all them that wait upon Thee ; I bless and glorify Thy name, and adore Thy goodness, and delight in Thy love, that Thou hast once more given me the opportunity of receiv- ing the greatest favour which I can receive in this world, even the body and blood of my dearest Saviour. O take from me all affection to sin or vanity; let not my affec- tions dwell below, but soar upwards to the element of love, to the seat of God, to the regions of glory, and the inheritance of Jesus; that I may hunger and thirst for the bread of life, and the wine of elect souls, and may know no loves but the love of God, and the most merciful Jesus. Amen. An Act of Desire. O blessed Jesus, Thou hast used many arts to save me. Thou hast given Thy life to redeem me, Thy Holy Spirit to sanctify me, Thyself for my example. Thy word for my rule. Thy grace for my guide, the fruit of Thy body hanging on the tree of the cross for the sin of my soul ; and, after all this, Thou hast sent Thy apostles and minis- ters of salvation to call me, to importune me, to constrain me to holiness, and peace, and felicity. O now come. Lord Jesus, come quickly ; my heart is desirous of Thy presence and thirst of Thy grace, and would entertain Thee, not as a guest, but as an inhabitant, as the Lord of all my faculties. Enter in and take possession, and dwell with me for ever ; that I also may dwell in the heart of my dearest Lord, which was opened for me with a spear and love. ^ragrrs for ^rbcral Occasions 295 A71 Act of Contrition. Lord, Thou shalt find my heart full of cares and worldly desires, cheated with love of riches, and neglect of holy things, proud and unmorti- fied, false and crafty to de- ceive itself, intricated and en- tangled with difficult cases of conscience, with knots which my own wildness and incon- sideration and impatience have tied and shuffled to- gether. O my dearest Lord, if Thou canst behold such an impure seat, behold the place to which Thou art invited is full of passion and prejudice, evil principles and evil habits, peevish and disobedient, lust- ful and intemperate, and full of sad remembrances, that I have often provoked to jeal- ousy and to anger Thee my God, my dearest Saviour, Him that died for me. Him that suffered torments for me. Him that is infinitely good to me, and infinitely good and perfect in Himself. This, O dearest Saviour, is a sad truth, andl am heartily ashamed, and truly sorrowful for it, and do deeply hate all my sins, and am full of indignation against myself for so unworthy, so careless, so continued, so great a folly: and humbly beg of Thee to increase my sorrow, and my care, and my hatred against sin ; and make my love to Thee swell up to a great grace, and then to gloiy and immensity. An Act of Faith. This indeed is my condi- tion : but I know, O blessed Jesus, that Thou didst take upon Thee my nature, that Thou mightest suffer for my sins, and Thou didst suffer to deliver me from them and from Thy Father's wrath ; and I was delivered from this wrath, that I might serve Thee in holiness and right- eousness all my days. Lord, I am as sure Thou didst the great work of redemption for me and all mankind, as that I am alive. This is my hope, the strength of my spirit, my joy and my confidence ; and do Thou never let the spirit of unbelief enter into me and take me from this rock. Here I will dwell, for I have a de- light therein ; here I will live, and here I desire to die. The Petition. Therefore, O blessed Jesu, who art my Saviour and my God, whose body is my food, 296 ^ragcrs for 5rbcral ©ccasions and Thy righteousness is my robe, Thou art the priest and the sacrifice, the master of the feast and the feast itself, the physician of my soul, the light of my eyes, the purifier of my stains : enter into my heart, and cast out from thence all impurities, all the remains of the old man ; and grant I may partake of this holy sacrament with much reverence, and holy relish, and great effect, receiving hence the communication of Thy holy body and blood, for the establishment of an unreproveable faith, of an unfeigned love, for the ful- ness of wisdom, for the heal- ing my soul, for the blessing and preservation of my body, for the taking out the sting of temporal death, and for the assurance of a holy resur- rection ; for the ejection of all evil from within me, and the fulfilling all Thy right- eous commandments ; and to procure for me a mercy and a fair reception at the day of judgment, through Thy mer- cies, O holy and ever-blessed Saviour Jesus. [Here also may be added the prayer after receiving the cup.] EJaaclatiofts to be said before or at the receiving the Holy Sacrame?it. Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks, so longeth my soul after Thee, O God. My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God : when shall I come before the presence of God ? Psal. xlii. I, 2. O Lord my God, great are Thy wondrous works which Thou hast done ; like as be also Thy thoughts, which are to usward : and yet there is no man that ordereth them unto Thee. Psal. xl. 6. send out Thy light and Thy truth, that they may lead me, and bring me unto Thy holy hill and to Thy dwelling ; and that I may go unto the altar of God, even unto the God of my joy and gladness ; and with my heart will I give thanks to Thee, God my God. Psal. xliii. 1 will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord,' and so will I go to Thine altar : that 1 may shew the voice ot thanksgiving, and tell of all Thy wondrous works. Psal. xxvi. 6, 7. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me, try Thou my ilragers for <$ci)cral ©ccastons 297 reins and my heart. For Thy loving-kindness is now and ever before my eyes : and I will walk in Thy truth. Ver. 2, 3, Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that trouble me : Thou hast an- ointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full. But Thy loving-kindness and mercy sliall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psal. xxiii. 5, 6. This is the bread that Cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die. John vi. 50. Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me and I in him, and hath eternal life abiding in him ; and I will raise him up at the last day. Ver. 54, 56. Lord, whither shall we go but to Thee ? Thou hast the words of eternal life. John yi. 68. If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. John vii. 37. The bread which we break, is it not the communication of the body of Christ ? and the cup which we drink, is it not the communication of the blood of Christ ? I Cor, X. 16. What are those wounds in thy hands ? They are those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. Zech. xiii. 6. Immediately before the receiv- ing, say, Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof But do Thou speak the word only, and Thy servant shall be healed. Matt. viii. 8. Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew Thy praise, O God, make speed to save me : O Lord, make haste to help me. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. After receiving the consecrated a?id blessed Bread, say, O taste and see how gra- cious the Lord is : blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. The beasts do lack and suffer hunger ; but they which seek the Lord shall want no man- ner of thing that is good. Lord, what am I, that my Saviour should become my food ; that the Son of God should be the meat of worms, of dust and ashes, of a sinner, of him that was His enemv ? 298 ^ragcrs for .SEiieral Occasions this Thou hast done to me, because Thou art infinitely good and wonderfully gra- cious, and lovest to bless every one of us, turning us from the evil of our ways. Enter into me, blessed Jesus : let no root of bitterness spring up in my heart ; but be Thou Lord of all my faculties. O let me feed on Thee by faith, | and grow up by the increase of God to a perfect man in Christ Jesus. Amen. Lord, I believe : help mine un- belief. Glory be to God the Fa- ther, Son, &c. After the receiving the Citp of Blessing. It is finished. Blessed be the mercies of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ. O blessed and eternal High- priest, let the sacrifice of the cross, which Thou didst once offer for the sins of the whole world, and which Thou dost now and always re-present in heaven to Thy Father by Thy never-ceasing interces- sion, and which this day hath been exhibited on Thy holy table sacramentally, obtain mercy and peace, faith and charity, safety and establish- ment to Thy holy Church, which Thou hast founded upon a rock, the rock of a holy faith; and let not the gates of hell prevail against her, nor the enemy of man- kind take any soul out of Thy hand, whom Thou hast pur- chased with Thy blood, and sanctified by Thy spirit. Pre- serve all Thy people from heresy and division of spirit, from scandal and the spirit of delusion, from sacrilege anc hurtful persecutions. Thou, O blessed Jesus, didst die for us ; keep me for ever in holy living, from sin and sinful shame, in the communion of Thy Church, and Thy Church in safety and grace, in truth and peace, unto Thy second coming. Amen. Dearest Jesu, since Thou art pleased to enter into me, be jealous of Thy house and the place where Thine honour dwelleth: suffer no un- clean spirit or unholy thought to come near Thy dwelling, lest it defile the ground where Thy holy feet have trod. .O teachmesotowalk,thatImay never disrepute the honour of my religion, nor stain the holy robe which Thou hast now put upon my soul, nor break my holy vows, which 1 have made, and Thou hast sealed, nor lose my right of ^ragcrs for 5cbcral ©ccasions 299 inheritance, my privilege of being co-heir with Jesus, into the hope of which I have no further entered : but be Thou pleased to love me with the love of a father, and of a brother, and a husband, and a lord ; and make me to sei-ve Thee in the communion of saints, in receiving the sacrament, in the practice of all holy virtues, in the imita- tion of Thy life, and confor- mity to Thy sufferings : that I, having now put on the Lord Jesus, may marry His loves and His enmities, may desire His glory, and may obey His laws, and be united to His Spirit, and in the day of the Lord I may be found having on the wedding gar- ment, and bearing in my body and soul the marks of the Lord Jesus, that I may enter into the joy of my Lord, and partake of His glories for ever and ever. Amen. Ejaculations to be nsed ajiy time that Day, aftei' the Solemnity is ended. Lord, if I had lived inno- cently, I could not have de- served to receive the crumbs that fall from Thy table. How great is Thy mercy, who hast feasted me with the bread of virgins, with the wine of angels, with manna from heaven ! O when shall I pass from this dark glass, from this veil of sacraments, to the vision of Thy eternal clarity ; from eating Thy body, to behold- ing Thy face in Thy eternal kingdom ? Let not my sins crucify the Lord of life again : let it never be said concerning me, ' ' The hand of him that be- tray eth Me is with Me on the table." O that I might love Thee as well as ever any creature loved Thee ! Let me think nothing but Thee, desire no- thing but Thee, enjoy nothing but Thee. O Jesus, be a Jesus unto me. Thou art all things unto me. Let nothing ever please me but what savours of Thee and Thy miraculous sweetness. Blessed be the mercies of our Lord, who of God is made unto me wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctifica- tion, and redemption. " He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." Amen. ^ragcrs for .Scfacral ([Occasions Prayer's for all sorts of Men and all Necessities ; relating to the several parts of the Virtue of ReligioJi A Prayer for the Graces of Faith, Hope, Charity. O Lord God of infinite mercy, of infinite excellency, who hast sent Thy holy Son into the world to redeem us from an intolerable misery, and to teach us a holy reli- gion, and to forgive us an infinite debt ; give me Thy Holy Spirit, that my under- standing and all my faculties may be so resigned to the discipline and doctrine of my Lord, that I may be prepared in mind and will to die for the testimony of Jesus, and to suffer any affliction or cala- mity that shall offer to hinder my duty, or tempt me to shame or sin or apostacy ; and let my faith be the parent of a good life, a strong shield to repel the fiery darts of the devil, and the author of a holy hope, of modest desires, of confidence in God, and of a never - failing charity to Thee, my God, and to all the world ; that I may never have my portion with the unbelievers, or uncharitable and desperate persons ; but may be supported by the strengths of faith in all temp- tations, and may be refreshed with the comforts of a holy hope in all my sorrows, and may bear the burden of the Lord, and the infirmities of my neighbour, by the support of charity ; that the yoke of Jesus may become easy to me, and my love may do all the miracles of grace, till from grace it swell to glory, from earth to heaven, from duty to reward, from the imperfections of a beginning and still growing love, it may arrive to the consumma- tion of an eternal and never- ceasing charity, through Je- sus Christ the Son of Thy love, the anchor of our hope, and the author and finisher of our faith : to whom with Thee, O Lord God, Father of heaven and earth, and mth Thy Holy Spirit, be all glory, and love, and obe- dience, and dominion, now and for ever. Amen. ^ragcrs for Scberal Occasions Acts of Love by way of Prayer and Ejaailation ; to betised in private. God, Thou art my God, early will I seek Thee : my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is ; to see Thy power and Thy glory so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary. Because Thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee. Psal. Ixiii. I, &c. 1 am ready, not only to be bound, but to die for the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts xxi. 13. How amiable are Thy ta- bernacles, Thou Lord of Hosts ! My soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord : my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house ; they will still be praising Thee. Psal. Ixxxiv. i, 2, 4. O blessed Jesu, Thou art worthy of all adoration, and all honour, and all love : Thou art the wonderful, the counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace ; of Thy government and peace there shall be no end : Thou art the brightness of Thy Father's glory, the express image of His person, the appointed heir of all things. Thou up- holdest all things by the word of Thy power ; Thou didst by Thyself purge our sins ; Thou art set on the right hand of the Majesty on high ; Thou art made better than the angels ; Thou hast by in- heritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Thou, O dearest Jesus, art the Head of the Church, the beginning and the first-born from the dead : in all things Thou hast the pre-eminence, and it pleased the Father that in Thee should all fulness dwell. Kingdoms are in love with Thee ; kings lay their crowns and sceptres at Thy feet ; and queens are Thy handmaids, and wash the feet of Thy servants. A Prayer to be said in any affiictioji, as Death of Child- ren, of Husband or Wife, in great Poverty, iji Ijh- prisonnient, in a Sad and Disconsolate Spirit, and in Te}7iptatio7is to Despair. O eternal God, Father of mercies, and God of all com- fort, with much mercy look upon the sadnesses and sor- l^rasers for 5eberal ©ccasinns rows of Thy servant. My sins lie heavy upon me, and press me sore, and there is no health in my bones by reason of Thy displeasure and my sin. The waters are gone over me, and I stick fast in the deep mire, and my miseries are without comfort, because they are punishments of my sin : and I am so evil and unworthy a person, that though I have great desires, yet I have no dispositions or worthiness toward receiving comfort. My sins have caused my sorrow, and my sorrow does not cure my sins ; and unless for Thy own sake, and merely because Thou art good. Thou shalt pity me and relieve me, I am as much without remedy as now I am without comfort. Lord, pity me ! Lord, let Thy grace refresh my spirit ! Let Thy comforts support me, Thy mercy pardon me, and never let my portion be amongst hopeless and accursed spirits ; for Thou art good and gra- cious, and I throw myself upon Thy mercy. Let me never let my hold go, and do Thou with me what seems good in Thine •)wn eyes. I cannot suffer more than I have deserved ; and yet I can need no relief so great as Thy mercy is ; for Thou art in- finitely more merciful than I can be miserable ; and Thy mercy, which is above all Thy own works, must needs be far above all my sin and all my miser)'. Dearest Je- sus, let me trust in Thee for ever, and let me never be confounded. Amen. Ejaculations and short Medi- tations to be icsed i?i time of Sicktiess and Sorrow, or Danger of Death. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto Thee.^ Hide not Thy face from me in the time of my trouble, incline Thine ear unto me when I call : O hear me, and that right soon. For ■ my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burnt up as it were with a firebrand. My heart is smitten down and withered like grass, so that I forget to eat my bread : and that because of Thine indignation and wrath ; for Thou hast taken me up and cast me down : Thine arrows stick fast in me, and Thine hand presseth me sore. ^ There is no health in my fiesh because of Thy displeasure ; 8 Psa. cii. 2 — 4, lo. 9 Psa. xxxviii. 2 — 4, 18. ^ragets for .Stbcral Occasions 303 neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sin. My wickednesses are gone over my head, and are a sore burden too heavy for me to bear. But I will con- fess my wickedness, and be sorry for my sin. O Lord, rebuke me not in Thine in- dignation, neither chasten me in Thy displeasure.^ Lord, be merciful unto me, heal my soul, for I have sirmed against Thee.^ Have mercy upon me, O God, after Thy great good- ness, according to the multi- tude of Thy mercies do away mine offences. ^ O remem- ber not the sins and offences of my youth ; but according to Thy mercy think Thou upon me, O Lord, for Thy goodness. ^ Wash me tho- roughly from my wickedness ; and cleanse me from my sin. Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. ^ Cast me not away from Thy presence, from Thy all-hallowing and life- giving presence : and take not Thy Holy Spirit, Thy sancti- fying, Thy guiding. Thy com- forting. Thy supporting, and confirming Spirit, from me. 1 Psa. vi. I. 2 Psa. xli. 4. ^ Psa. li. 1. * Psa. xxv. 6. 5 Psa. li. 2, 10, II. O God, Thou art my God for ever and ever : Thou shalt be my guide unto death. ^ Lord, comfort me now that I lie sick upon my bed : make Thou my bed in all my sick- ness. "^ O deliver my soul from the place of hell ; and do Thou receive me^ My heart is disquieted within me, and the fear of death is fallen upon me. ^ Behold, Thou hast made my days as it were a span long, and my age is even as nothing in respect of Thee ; and verily every man living is altogether vanity. ^ When Thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin. Thou makest his beauty to con- sume away, like a moth fret- ting a garment : every man therefore is but vanity. And now. Lord, what is my hope ? truly my hope is even in Thee. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with Thine ears consider my calling : hold not Thy peace at my tears. Take this plague away from me: I am consumed by the means of Thy heavy hand. I am a stranger with Thee and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. O spare me a little, that I may recover my 6 Psa. xlviii. 13. ^ Psa. xli. 3. 8 Psa. xlix. 15. ^ Psa. Iv. 4. 1 Psa. xxxix. 6. 304 i^ragcrs for 5cberal ©ccastons strength, before I go hence and be no more seen. My soul cleaveth unto the dust : quicken me according to Thy word. " And when the snares of death compass me round about, let not the pains of hell take hold upon me,^ An Act of Faith concerning the Resurrection and the Day ofyitdgment, to be said by Sick Persojis, or medi- tated. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth : and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall 1 see God ; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, though my reins be consumed within me. Job xix. 25, &c. God shall come and shall not keep silence ; there shall go before Him a consuming fire, and a mighty tempest shall be stiired up round about Him : He shall call the heaven from above, and the earth, that He may judge His people. * O blessed Jesu, Thou art my judge and Thou art my advocate : have mercy 2 Psa. cxix. 25. 3 Psa. cxvi. 3. 4 Psa. 1. 3, 4. upon me in the hour of my death, and in the day of judgment. See John v. 28, and I Thess. iv. 15. Short Prayers to be said by Sick Persons. O holy Jesus, Thou art a merciful high priest, and touched with the sense of our infirmities ; Thou knowest the sharpness of my sickness, and the weakness of my per- son. The clouds are gathered about me, and Thou hast covered me with Thy storm: my understanding hath not such apprehension of things as formerly. Lord, let Thy mercy support me. Thy Spirit guide me, and lead me through the valley of this death safely; that I may pass it patiently, holily, with per- fect resignation ; and let me rejoice in the Lord, in the hopes of pardon, in the ex- pectation of glory, in the sense of Thy mercies, in the refreshments of Thy Spirit, in a victory over all tempta- tions. Thou hast promised to be with us in tribulation. Lord, my soul is troubled, and my body is weak, and my hope is in Thee, and my enemies are busy and mighty ; nov Pragers for Seijcral Occasions 305 make good Thy holy pro- mise. Now, O holy Jesus, now let Thy hand of grace be upon me : restrain my ghostly enemies, and give me all sorts of spiritual assist- ances. Lord, remember Thy servant in the day when Thou bindest up Thy jewels. O take me from all tedious- ness of spirit, all impatiency and unquietness : let me pos- sess my soul in patience, and resign my soul and body into Thy hands, as into the hands of a faithful Creator and a blessed Redeemer. O holy Jesu, Thou didst die for us ; by Thy sad, pun- gent, and intolerable pains, which Thou enduredst for me, have pity on me, and ease my pain, or increase my patience. Lay on me no more than Thou shalt enable me to bear. I have deserved it all and more, and infinitely more. Lord, I am weak and ignorant, timorous and inconstant ; and I fear lest something should happen that may discompose the state of my soul, that may displease Thee : do what Thou wilt with me, so Thou dost but preserve me in Thy fear and favour. Thou kno'west that it is my great fear, but let Thy Spirit secure that nothing may be able to separate me from the love of God in Jesus Christ : then smite me here, that Thou mayest spare me for ever ; and yet, O Lord, smite me friendly, for I'hou knowest my infirmities. Into Thy hands I commend my spirit ; for Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth. Come, Holy Spirit, help me in this conflict. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. [Let the sick man often meditate upon these follow- ing promises and gracious words of God.] My help cometh of the Lord, who preserveth them that are true of heart. Psa. vii. II. And all they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee : for Thou, Lord, hast never failed them that seek Thee. Psa. ix. 10. O how plentiful is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee, and that Thou hast prepared for them that put their trust in Thee, even be- fore the sons of men. Psa. xxxi. 21. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, and upon them that put their trust in His mercy, to deliver jo6 Pragcrs for