Book I. of J B S U S C H R 1 S T. 4i

this Qoes us no Differvice^ and the Omiffion is eafily repaired. But if thro' any loathnefs or indifpofition of Mind, if thro' Lazinefs or any voluntary Negled cf ourown, our cuftomary Devotions be palled over • this is from a wicked Caufe, and will not fail to have a very ill Effect upon us. When we keep our Zeal with all our might, and do our very belt, yet even then we fhall find our felves often defective. But, tho we cannot arrive at abfolute Perfedion, nor conquer all our Frailties, nor prevent all our Hindrances in Goodnefs ; yet ought not this to difcourage us from ftriving and refolving. And, when we do fo, we Ihall do well not to content our felves with general Inten- tions, but bend our Force againft fome particular thing, and chiefly againft fuch, as we have found by Experience to be the greateft and moft troublefoine Obftrudion to our doing well. The Condition of our Affairs without, and that of our own Souls with- in, muft be diligently confidered, and reduced into the beft Order we can^ becaufe both the Circum- ftances of the One, and the Difpofitions of the Other, contribute greatly to our furtherance in Piety.
It may be, you cannot at all times recoiled and call your felf to account, but certainly you cannot want Opportunities of doing fo once every Day at leaft. The Morning or the Evening are proper for it. In the Morning you may lay out your Bulinefs for the Day fol- lowing ; And, at the return of Night again, you may refled what hath palfed in the Day-time,- how your Thoughts, and Words, and Adions have agreed with that Scheme of Behaviour you laid before your felf. Where you have tranfgreifed, how far exceeded or fal- len lhort,and in what Inftances, (for alas ! ic is but too likely that you have in many Inftances) offended God and Man. In this Scheme you form of living well, quit your felf like a Man, in refifting the Ailaults of the Devil. ^To this End begin with keeping a ftrid
D 3 hand
4x €)f ti^t 9ittlttat(0U Book I.
hand over your Appetite ; for when you have once at- tained to a rigid and mafterly Sobriety, all other flefhiy Defires and Temptations will be vanquifhed and kept under with much lefs difficulty. To the fame purpcfe, beware of Idlenefs ; be conftantly in Adion, let Read- ing, or Writing, or Praying, or Meditating, or Con- triving fomewhat for the Good of Others, employ your r^ifure Hours. Some Bodily Exercifes are very fit to be u fed, but thefe will require Prudence in the Choice of them ; for all are not equally convenient ; and there- fore the Nature and Degrees of them muft be confi- dered, as well as the Temper and Conflitution of the Perfon confulted, to render them profitable.
Some religious Exercifes the Community is concern- ed in, and they muft be attended to in Publick. Others are Perfonal, and thefe will be beft performed in pri- vate. This Diftindlion is of great ufe, to keep Men from Ading improperly ; for even a good thing may lofe.much of its gracefulnefs and commendation, by being done out of due place and time. Another necet fary Caution, which many good People ftand in need of, is, 'J'hat you fhould not be fo zealoufly bent upon any private Devotions or Duties, as for Theirfakesto flight or difufe the Publick ,• for thefe require at leaft an equal degree of your Efteem, and Care in the at- tendance of them. But when you have difcharged your Duty in that Point, and done all that your particular Station, or the Commands of your Superiors, require from you ; Then is the proper Seafon, and then you will do well, to return into your own Breaft, and em- ploy the reniainder of your Time,as Piety and Religi- ous Purpofes ftiall dire^. And here again a prudent Choice is needful ,- For all forts, even of Religious Entertainments, are not fuited alike to our Spiritual Advantage. Some difference arifes from the confidera- tion of the Perfons, and another ver}' vifible one from the different Times and Seafons of ufing them. Some
9re
Book T. OfjESUSCHRIST. 4^
are more proper for Holy-days^ others for Common Days,- fome for Feftivals, others for Fafts • Some for a time of Temptation and Afflidion^othersfor a pe:^ce- ful and ferene State of Mind ,- Some to PeiTons in Gtief, or under calamitous Circumftances ; others for Profperity^when the Spirits flow gayly, and our Hearts rejoice and fmg for the Goodnefs of the Lord. Parti- cularly it will be convenient in an efpecial manner to renew and raife our Souls by very frequent and folemn Ads of Piety and Devotion, at the conftant returns . of all the Chrlftian Feftivals. Forthefefliould repre- fent to our Minds the eternal uninterrupted Feftival of Joy and Thanks, celebrated by the Saints in Hea- ven. And this fliould put our Souls upon the Wing, inflame our Devotion, Mount us up thither, and make us ad even beyond our felves ; more chearfully, more vigoroufly • as if we were jufl then going to receive that Glorious Reward of our Labour, which thefeglad Seafons bring fo lively Ideas of to our Thoughts.
And, if the Time of our receiving that Reward be ftill delay 'd, let us befo thankful for a longer time gi- ven us here, as at the fame time to be humbled by that very length of Life, which the generality of the World are apt to eiteem the greateft Happinefs that can be- fall them. Let us ende.ivcur to do God Itill better Ser- vice, but let us fufped:, that we have not ferved him yet as we ought. For, if we had, he would not have put off our Recompence to a farther Day ,• and proba- ble it is, that he does not tranflate us to Heaven as yet, becaufe we are not fit for it. And let us therefore dou- ble our Care to qualify our felves for that Glory, which in his own appointed time fhall not fail to be manifeft-^ ed in us. Come he moftaffuredly will, Lnh xn. -^-j. and BlfJJed is that Scrva7Jt ivhom bis Lcrdy Matth. xxiv. 7vhen he comet h, f mil find watching. Verily I 47- jay unto you ^ he will make hlw Ruler over all his Goods ^ and Partaker of the Joy of his Lord.
D 4 CHAP.
4i_ ^f tl)t imitation Book I.
Chap. XX.
Love of Solitude and Silence.
REferve a convenient Proportion of your Time for . privacy and converfing with yourfelf,- and let l^as be fpent in frequent and thankful Refleaions upon the Mercies of God ,• and in reading good Books. A- mong which I advife you by all means to let alone nice Difputes, and unprofitable Speculations ^ and keep to fuch Subjeds as may be proper for the exciting your Zeal and quickning your AfFedions, rather than fuch as -may employ the Subtilcy of your Wit. Never fear that you fliall want leifure for thefe good Purpofes, For if you will prevail with your felf to abate the mere Jmpertinencies of Life, the unnecelTary Conver- farions, the Time fpent in hearing and telling of News, in enquiring after, and fpreading about idle Reports, and fuch as are either faulty or frivolous waftings of your Time , you cannot want fufficient Leifure, and f?reat Opportunip-s, for cherifhing and improving ho- ly and heavenly ivledirations. Thus did the moft emi- nent Saints indufltioufly avoid Company and Bufinefs, snd chufe to coiaverfe with God in private, as much apd as often as pofliblv they could.
'Tis a good Refiedion, Vv hich the Philofopher made r:f hinjiclf ^' That he never wasin other Mens Compa- ny, but he came out of it lefs a Man than he went in : And this is what we may frequently confirm by our own Experience, after a great deal cf Lifcourfe hath pals'd. 'i is certainly much eafier for a Man to re- firain himfelf from Talking at all, than to enter into Difcourfe, and not fay m.ore than beccmes him : In- nnitely ealier to live at home and fee no Body, than to go abroad into Cciripuny, and return innocent. A Man therefore who makes inward and fpiritual Per-
fedion