MOTIVES FOR PRAYER VPON THE SVNDAY.

TIme as a Tyrant, useth us as it list; and we as in bon­dage use time as we can: but we cannot use it whole & entire; but as we are faine to breake it into [Page 2]pieces: and where the great parts of Time are proper for great actions; and the smaller for trifles: we so crosly use the matter, that the grea­ter parts of it, as Moneths, and Yeares, and Ages wee imploy in trifles; and onely the small pieces, as Dayes, and Houres, and Moments are the times wee allow for matters of moment: and it were well if wee would but allow them whole and entire; but in using them we breake them in pieces too: for in our great worke which is the service of God; the worke for which wee came into the world: who is there that spends a whole houre, much lesse a whole day, and breakes it not into many shivers of worldly thoughts? And say, wee breake time into Weekes: yet can we afford a whole weeke to the service of God? Alas no! we must breake the weeke againe into [Page 3]seaven dayes, and then perhaps of those seaven we will professe at least to allow God one, but the other sixe we looke to keepe for our selves: and indeed it is the great goodnesse and bounty of God, that sixe dayes of the weeke hee allowes us to doe our owne worke; and reserves but the seaventh to doe him service; and should we not be very unthankfull? yea indeed most unreasonable, to grudge at this division? O my soule be thou so farre from grudging at it, as be content, besides Gods one day, to afford him part of thy owne sixe: of which, if thou have not perhaps commandement, yet thou hast exam­ple: for so did David, as he saith himselfe, Evening, and Morning, and at Noone, I will praise thee: and this upon a weeke day, no doubt; how much more then may wee well thinke upon the Sabbath day? Cer­tainly [Page 4]so much more, as there is more reason: for though every par­ticular day of the weeke have Mo­tives for serving of God proper to it selfe and not common to any other; yet the Sabbath hath more than all of them put together: for first the Sabbath we now keepe, was in the revolution of time the first day that ever God made: and of which it hath beene properly said, This is the day that God hath made: as if hee challenged the making of no day but this: and though he made it for our use, yet more for his owne Glo­ry; and have wee not speciall reason then to glorifie God this day? It is the worke for which the day was made, it is the worke for which our selves were made, and therefore to do both the day and our selves right; what can we doe, what should wee doe this day, but glorifie God? This [Page 5]day God made light; for without light it had not beene a day: and if God have begun his Dayes with the worke of light; shall I begin my dayes with the workes of darknesse? No my soule, but let this be thy prayer this day, that God will so guide thee by the light of his holy Spirit, that thou mayst this day nei­ther walke in the counsell of the un­godly, nor stand in the way of sin­ners, nor sit in the seat of scorners: but that all thy delight may be in the Law of the Lord, & that in his Law thou maist exercise thy selfe both Day and Night: but this day (O my soule) especially; for this is a day of Rest, in which thou must do no manner of worke: No workes, but of necessity to thy selfe, or of mercy to thy neighbour, or of piety to God; for these are workes that breake not thy Rest, but bring the [Page 6]rest; workes that thou mightest doe, though thou wert an Angell; or ra­ther workes thou must doe to come to be as Angels.

But shall nothing then be allowed this day for Recreation of the Body? nothing for refreshing the spirits af­ter sixe dayes labour? Yes my soule, this is included in the workes of ne­cessity for our selves, at least it is as the quailes sent to the Israelites in the Wildernesse: no fault in using them, if no abuse in using them. O then, vouchsafe O God, so to blesse me with grace this day that though I spend it not all in only devotion, yet I may spend it all onely devoutly; that whether I eate or drinke, or whatsoever I do else, either for ne­cessity or recreation, it may all be done to the glory of thy holy Name. If God had intended no other resting upon this day, but only resting from [Page 7]sinne; if not as well recreation of the Body, as devotion of the mind; he would never have injoyned the Sab­bath to beasts, which are not capable of devotion; but as Gods resting was a cessation from his worke of creation: so Mans resting must be a cessation from his workes of labour; and so the end of the Sabbath will be mans ease and recreation: which made Christ say, The Sabbath was made for man: but the celebration of that end must be his holinesse and devotion; which made God say, Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day; and then wee may inferre, as farre as the end of the Sabbath is mans ease and recreation; so farre Prayer is the Allelujah for it: and as farre as the celebration of that end is holinesse and devotion, so farre Prayer is the Hosanna for it: and thus Prayer so necessary for keeping [Page 8]the Lords day, that without Prayer indeed it cannot be truly kept.

This day which was at first made a day of labour, is now made a day of rest: But alas! O Lord, what good is it to have rest in my Body, if I have not rest also as well in my soule? and what rest can I have in my soule, if thou keep me not from falling this day into sinne? for where sinne is, there will never be be but unquietnesse of conscience: and where the conscience is unquiet, what rest can the soule have? O there­fore suffer mee not O God, to fall this day into any sinne; but so up­hold mee by the grace of thy holy Spirit, that as thou hast made this day a day of rest to my body: so thou mayest make it also a day of rest to my soule; that neither any vani [...]ies of the world may allure mee: nor any temptations of Satan may [Page 9]disturbe mee, but that I may enjoy the like calme of quietnesse in al my spirits, as Christ made upon the waters, when hee rebuked the windes.

But seeing this day was once a day of labour: how comes it now to be a day of rest? Indeed upon most just occasion. It was a day of labour whilst we were under the Law; but now that wee are under the Gospell, it is a day of rest. If the Law could have brought us to rest, the old Sab­bath had continued still: but seeing there could be no perfect rest, but by the Gospell, it was therefore necessa­ry the old Sabbath should be aboli­shed, but that there must be a Sabbath still, for so much of the Law conti­nues still, that one day of the seaven must still be kept holy to the Lord. The first Sabbath was a resting from Gods worke of Creation, but this [Page 10]Sabbath is a resting from Christs worke of Redemption: for though upon the Crosse he pronounced Con­summatum est; as though his worke had then beene finished: yet that was spoken but in regard of his work upon earth: the full consummatum est, was not untill this day that hee rose againe from the dead: for if he had onely dyed, and had not risen againe; though perhaps we had been Redeemed, yet wee had not beene justified; for, as he died for our sinnes; so he rose againe for our Justification. O then my soule, if this day were the finishing of thy Redemption, by Christs rising from the dead, do thou also arise this day from dead workes to newnesse of life, that so thou maist be capable of Christs Redem­ption, partaker of Christs Resurre­ction; and then thou shalt find that true rest in his justification, which [Page 11]neither troubles of the world, nor temptations of Satan shall ever be able to disquiet. This Sabbath under the Law was the last day of the weeke: because it was given then as a reward for our labours: but under the Gospell it is the first day of the weeke; because it is given now as an Encouragement to our labours. Or is it perhaps that this which was at first a day labour, is now made a Sabbath, and a day of rest: because being the first day that God made, it is thereby Primogenitus dierum, the first-borne of all dayes: and so by right of Primogeniture, ought to have the greatest blessing amongst all dayes: and what is the greatest bles­sing to a day, but to be a Sabbath? it had not indeed possession of the benefit of Primogeniture till Christ vouchsafed to rise this day from the dead; and to make it, as it were his [Page 12]second birth-day; but then in ho­nour thereof, He who is Primogeni­tus omnium Creaturarum, the first­borne of all Creatures: brought this Primogenitum omnium Dierum, this first-borne of all Dayes in possession of its Primogeniture: and so of a day of labour, it is become a Sab­bath, and a day of rest. Indeed this day had many great things done in it, as it were pleading for it before it could recover its right of Primoge­niture, to be a Sabbath: For first, upon this day Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary: enough of it self to have made a Sabbath, and yet for all that the old Sabbath stood firme still. Then upon this day Christ was baptized in Jordan, when a voyce was heard from heaven, This is my beloved Sonne, in whom I am well pleased. And this also enough to have made a Sabbath; and yet for [Page 13]all that the old Sabbath stood firme still. Then upon this day Christ did his first miracle of turning water into wine, at a Marrriage in Cana; and this also enough to have made a Sabbath: and yet for all that the old Sabbath stood firme still; But when upon this day, Christ rose a­gaine from the dead, and that there rose with him, many Saints that slept; and appeared in the holy Ci­ty; then the old Sabbath could hold the place no longer, but yeelded up all right of a Sabbath to this day; which from that time hath had a new Name given it, to be called as Saint John calls it, The Lords Day. O then my soule, if this day, by so many rights be become our Sabbath, shall we be so ungratefull, as not to do it the right of a Sabbath? If it be now the Lords day, shall wee take it from him, and make it the worlds [Page 14]day? shall the Jewes keepe the Sab­bath of the Law with so strict obser­vance, by which they expect but a temporall rest; and shall not I keepe the Sabbath of the Gospell with a stricter observance, by which I ex­pect an eternall rest? Doth the me­mory of my creation deserve a great Sabbath? and doth not the memory of my Redemption deserve as great a Sabbath? Alas! What had my Creation beene, if I had not beene Redeemed? I know I was created, to the end I should serve God: but I was Redeemed to the end I should be able to serve him: and is not that as worthy of a Sabbath which makes me able to serve him, as that which requires mee to serve him, and makes mee not able? but though I cannot say, I was not created able, yet I may truly say: I am Redeemed to be more able: for as without Christ, [Page 15]we can do nothing: so through him we can do all things. O my soule! if it be justly said, Remember thy Crea­tor in the dayes of thy youth, may it not be as justly said, Remember thy Re­deemer in the youth of thy dayes? and what is this first day of the weeke, but as it were the youth of the weeke? and so of thy dayes: for as the dayes of the weeke goe on, so thy age goes on: and if thou remem­ber not in this youth of thy dayes, when thy memory is fresh, how wilt thou remember him in the dayes of thy age, when the memory naturally growes forgetfull? O my soule, if thou keepe not this day holy, if thou keepe not thy selfe holy this day, in which God requires holines of thee, and to doe his workes, what hope is there of thy holinesse in other dayes, in which a liberty is left thee to doe thine owne workes? God [Page 16]expects holinesse at our hands, in all dayes; for he saith, Be ye holy as I am holy: which is to be holy continually: yet he appoints us no day to be holy in by name, but onely this, that wee may know it to be a holinesse, in which he takes more pleasure, than in any other: All other duties of pie­ty we may performe in any day, but this piety in none but this day; for it is, I may say, a piety personall to the day; that if wee performe it not in this, we cannot in any other: wee must tarry till the day come about againe: and who can be sure to live till the next Sabbath? and is it not a grievous thing to commit a fault, which we are not sure we shall ever live to amend? I say not, that to be holy on other dayes, is opus supere­rogationis, more than wee need to be: but this I may truly say, that not to be holy this day, is opus extremae dero­gationis; [Page 17]infinitely lesse than wee ought to do: for wee derogate ex­tremely from that devotion to God, which humane imbecillity, as weake as it is, is able to performe. The ho­linesse of this day, to that of other dayes, ought to be as Cumulus ad granum, a whole sheafe of corne to a single eare: holinesse in all dayes, but in this day all holinesse. The Israelites, to make the walls Jericho fall downe, went once about it eve­ry day, but the eighth day sixe times about it. O my soule, the Sabbath wee now keepe, is that eighth day: that if wee will have the walls of our sinfull Jericho to fall down, we must goe sixe times as much about it, as in any other day. Remember the poore man that gathered sticks on the Sab­bath day: and what is it to gather stickes, but to spend the Sabbath in vanities and trifles? yet that man for [Page 18]his gathering stickes was censured by Gods owne mouth to be put to death. For it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God: and though in every sin we commit, we may justly be said to fall into his hands: yet most properly in this, seeing this is a day which hee hath chosen to himselfe; and in which a­bove all other dayes he lookes to be glorified. O therefore, vouchsafe (O God) so to sanctifie this day to mee, and mee unto this day, that I may neither fell timber this day; (which is to busie my selfe about great worldly matters) nor yet ga­ther stickes this day, (which is to spend it in trifles) but that wholly abandoning all worldly businesse, I may dedicate it to thee onely, and onely to thy service. Indeed to keep a day holy, is to keepe it so wholly, without any mixture at all of world­ly [Page 91]affaires; for as a little leaven sow­reth the whole lumpe: so any pro­phanenesse corrupts the purity of a true holinesse. As therefore Trades­men keepe their shops open all the weeke long, but shut them up upon the Sabbath day, and suffer not any customers to repaire unto them: so upon the Sabbath day, we must shut up the shops of our hearts, and not suffer any worldly or prophane cares to have accesse, but reserve them wholly to God, and to his service. For (O my soule) when we be once in the careere of a worldly course, and have runne already sixe stages, if then wee make not a stop by keep­ing a Sabbath; we shall runne our selves out of breath, and there will be no returning for the Spirit of Grace. Shall our eares stand listning all the weeke long, to the idle talke of vaine men, and shall they not [Page 20]listen this day to that which God himselfe shall say unto us by the mouth of his Prophets? shall our tongues be imployed so long toge­ther, in making bargaines for our worldly benefits, and shall they not be imployed this day in performing the bargaine wee have made with God for our soules benefit? shall our feet goe so many wearisome jour­neyes, and never be weary, to the Courts of Princes: and shall they not this day go a Sabbaths day jour­ney, to the Temple of God? shall the Church doores which stood shut before, stand open now, to let us in? shall the bells which stood silent be­fore, send forth now voyces, and call us to come, and shall wee not be moved by so great invitations to so holy a worke? Do not the very clothes we put on this day, seeme to put us in mind before whom wee are [Page 21]to present our selves; and shall wee not present our selves before him, when wee have made us ready to do it? O blessed God, cloath mee with thy grace, and with the merits of thy Sonne Christ Jesus; for these onely are the cloathes that can make mee worthy to present my selfe before thee: let thy holy Word and Spirit be ringing in my heart; for these on­ly are the bels, whose sound can be effectuall to call mee to thee.

It is observed in the course of Na­ture, that sixe dayes wee may live without eating any thing; but to fast seven dayes together, is commonly mortall: and so it is in the course of the Spirit: sixe dayes wee may fol­low our worldly vocations; and all that time wee may be justly said to fast from feeding the spirit, and yet no perishing to the soule; but if we continue fasting the seventh day, if [Page 22]this day wee keepe not a Sabbath, both to rest our bodies, and to feast our soules, wee shall be in great ha­zard of a spirituall death; at least ex­ceedingly enfeeble our spirituall life: and indeed having kept the soule fa­sting so long, there is great reason this day to make it a feast: and as the use is in feasts to sit long; so in ma­king this feast for the soule, all the day long may be little enough. But O gracious God, as I cannot keepe this feast to thy Glory without thy Grace: so I cannot have thy Grace without thy gift; and therefore vouchsafe O God, of thy free Mer­cy, so to furnish mee with the Graces of thy holy Spirit, that whilst I nou­rish my body, I may cherish my soule, and not onely continue my spirituall life, but may encrease in spirituall strength; the better to serve thee all the dayes of my life.

The Heathen dedicated this day to the Sunne; wherein, though they erred in the matter, yet they erred not in the name: for it must indeed be dedicated to the Sunne, but to the Sunne of Righteousnesse. Not to the visible Sunne, which is but a mortall creature, as we our selves are: but to the Sunne that is immortall, and invisible. O therefore my soule, do thou amend this errour of the Heathen, and dedicate this day to the Sunne, but to the Sunne, in whose light thou shalt see light: to the Sunne that lighteth every one that commeth into the world: to the Sunne that hath placed his Taber­nacle in the visible Sunne; and which shining upon thee, will dispell all clouds of feare, all mists of per­turbation, and will bring thee the peace of a quiet conscience, the rest of a perfect Sabbath.

But shall we so dedicate this day to the Sonne, that we shall dedicate no day to the Father? Shall we so re­member our Redeemer, that wee shall forget our Creator? No my soule: but this day may fitly serve for both: for a memoriall of our creation, in honour of the Father, as it is a seventh day: and for a me­moriall of our Redemption, in ho­nour of the Sonne, as it is this se­venth day.

It was in this day, in the revoluti­on of time that Christ rose againe from the dead, and by his Resurre­ction wrought our Justification, & a power besides for us also in our time to rise againe: and is not this a bene­fit worthy of a Sabbath? worthy of a day of purpose to meditate upon it? O then my soule, let this be thy prayer this day: that as Christ this day rose from death: so thou this [Page 25]day mayst rise to newnesse of life: that when thy day shall come to rise from the dead, and to come before the great Judge of the quicke, and the dead, thou mayst then also rise in the Judgement; and be one of those to whom it shall bee said, Come yee Blessed of my Father, inhe­rit the Kingdome prepared for you.

It was upon this day in the Re­volution of time, that the holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles in fiery tongues, enabling them with all good Graces of the Spirit: and is not this a benefit worthy of a Sab­bath? worthy of a day apart, to me­ditate upon it? O then my soule, let this be thy prayer this day, that Christ would send downe his holy Spirit upon thee, to fill thee with a fiery zeale of devotion, and to [Page 26]work in thee a true sanctification, that when thy day of triall shall come, the day of separating the sheep from the goates, thou mayst be found worthy to stand in the congregati­on of the Righteous, and mayst find the benefit of this Prayer, for which wee are beholding to this day; and but for this day, could never have made; By thy glorious Resurrection: and by the comming of the holy Ghost: good Lord deliver us.

But what is this rest of the Sab­bath, so much spoken off, to be such a blessing to us? Is it onely to be idle, to sit still, and do nothing? Can doing nothing Glorifie God? No my soule, the true rest of the Sab­bath is a perpetuall motion: we must be still going, but not our owne wayes; wee must be still speaking, but not our owne words: as Christ himselfe did for our Example: Hee [Page 27]went not his owne way when hee said to his Father, Not as I will, but as thou wilt: He spake not his owne words, when he continued in Prayer to his Father, sometimes whole nights together, returning, as it were a Sabbaths night labour, for a Sabbaths dayes rest; which we also should doe, though it be more than we can doe: more than we can do indeed of our selves; but not more than wee can do by his assistance, through whom wee can do all things.

But is not this that which Christ reprehended in the Pharisees? may we not as well offend in making too long Prayers, as in making too short? No my soule, that which he repre­hended in the Pharisees, was not mul­ta precatio, but multa locutio, not much praying, but much babling; for if the words wee use in praying be but [Page 28] Nascentia in labris, it is but babling; but if they be Nascentia in corde, it is then praying; if wee draw neere to God with our lips, and our hearts be farre from him, this is but babling: but if the heart ascend up to God, together with the voyce, this is true Praying. O then vouchsafe O God, to assist mee with thy grace in Praying; that my tongue, and my heart may make but one suppliant: that whilst my tongue speakes no­thing but what my heart endites, my heart may endite nothing but what thy holy Spirit dictates: that so without any wandring cogitations of the flesh, without any sinfull sug­gestions of the world or Satan, my prayers may ascend up to thee, with the sweet savour of a Sabbaths sacri­fice, and be acceptable unto thee.

There is a difference may be ob­served betweene Prayers of this day, [Page 29]and prayers that are proper for other dayes; for those are properly Hosan­na's, Petitions to God for blessings to be obtained, but the prayers of this day are properly Hallelujahs; thanksgiving to God for a blessing al­ready had: for this day God gives us a temporary rest, which is but a Type of the eternall rest, he will give us hereafter. O then grant mee O God, so to use the rest of this Sab­bath, that I may come to the rest of the eternall Sabbath; grant mee so to sing an Hallelujah for the rest thou givest now to my body, that I may sing at last the Hallelujah of Angels for the rest thou wilt give to my bo­dy and soule: a rest that shall never rest from singing and saying; Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Sabbath: Hea­ven and Earth are full of the Majestie of thy Glory.

MOTIVES FOR PRAYER VPON MVNDAY.

This is now the first of those dayes, of which God said, Sixe dayes thou shalt labour and do all that thou hast to doe: so it is a day of labour, and not to be spent, in nihil agendo, in doing nothing: [Page 36]and it is a day for doing all we have to doe: and therefore not to be spent in aliud agendo; but specially not in male agendo, in doing of evill: for certainly doing of evill is no part at all of all we have to doe: and to do this, to be doing, and not doe amisse, to be going, and not go astray, this O my soule, is a hard taske; and this is the taske wee are now enjoyned. And if the taske be hard for perfor­mance, have wee not the more need to looke about us for assistance? O therefore, thou great God to whom nothing is impossible; to whom even impossible things are easie; vouchsafe to assist me in this worke I am about, that entring into it by thine ordinance, I may be conducted in it by thy governance: and that I may cheerfully goe on in the course of my vocation, without either an­xietie or diversion.

The labour of this day makes the labour of the dayes that follow, to be none at all, at least so easie, that it hath given occasion of the saying, Dimidium facti, qui bene coepit, habet: A worke well begun is halfe done: if then this dayes labour make a good beginning, and a good beginning make so great a progresse, how can we thinke, but that the labour of this day will be well bestowed? It is said, Aurora amica Musis, that the morning is a friend to the Muses; and what is this first day, but as it were, the morning of the weeke? and there­fore, if wee labour not this day, we make a division betweene the Muses, and their friend; and then we cannot looke to have the Muses our friend; we cannot indeed looke to have God our friend, if we begin not our labour with alacrity and cheerfulnesse. Not to labour this day, is to make the [Page 38]day it selfe to labour: and seeing suf­ficient for the day, is the labour thereof; should we not do ill to adde more labour to it? and then we adde more labour to the day, when wee labour in the day: For, qui non est hodie, cras minus aptus erit: He that is idle to day, will be more to mor­row, and so more and more till it come at last to the most: that as at first we had no will to labour; so at last wee shall have no ability to la­bour: and then of necessity, as now of choyce, wee shall be servants to idlenesse, the greatest labour of all.

Seeing then the beginning of eve­ry worke, is for the most part, the hardest part: and no good begin­ning can be made, if God be not the principall actor in it: For if the Lord build not the City, the builders labour but in vaine. Therefore, O thou that [Page 39]art the Alpha and Omega; the begin­ner and finisher of all good things; vouchsafe to be present at this be­ginning of my worke, in this begin­ning of the dayes of my worke: that being in thee, and to thee intended and begunne, it may by thee, and through thee, be finished, and have a happy issue.

But what are the workes wee are to do this day? Are they not workes for necessities, and workes for orna­ment? for so bountifull a Lord is God unto us, that he allowes us to do workes, as well for ornament as necessity. When Adam made him cloathes of fig-leaves to cover his nakednesse; this was a worke of ne­cessity: but when Hester attired her selfe in her rich apparell; this was a worke of ornament, and both these workes allowed of God. But when we labour for necessities, wee must [Page 40]not labour for superfluities; when we worke for ornament, wee must not worke for vanitie; and this is a hard moderation to be observed, and whereof perhaps vaine man is of himselfe scarce capable. Here there­fore is Gods assistance specially to be sought, and how to be sought, but onely by Prayer? for though Prayer be not the very worke wee have to doe this day, yet prayer must be the preface to the worke, or it will never be well done. For (O my soule) if wee begin not our worke with Hosanna, wee shall never finish with Hallelujah; if wee begin it not with Prayer, wee shall hardly e­ver end it with Thanksgiving. O therefore thou great Moderator of all things, vouchsafe so to moderate mee in supplying necessities, that I may content my selfe without see­king superfluities: so moderate mee in [Page 41]supplying of ornaments, that I may content my selfe without seeking af­ter vanities.

Now that wee have had a whole day of rest, wee may well be con­tented to have sixe dayes of labour; for one of rest for sixe of labour is no uncomfortable proportion. And in­deed the rest wee have had, hath beene but to make us the fitter to la­bour; for labour is the thing wee are borne to in this world. Alas! the rest we have now, is but a labouring to rest; Laborare ut non laboremus; our rest will never be perfect till it come to be eternall; and will never be eter­nall till we come to be with him who inhabiteth eternity; and till then, O my soule, thou must be contented to labour: and to do it, not onely with patience, seeing it must be done, but with cheerfulnesse, seeing there will be a reward for it being done: [Page 42]for as God loveth a cheerfull giver, so hee loveth a cheerfull labourer; and where patience perhaps may be out of constraint, cheerfulnesse can­not but be out of obedience; and who knowes not, that obedience is better, and to God more acceptable than any Sacrifice?

When we heare it said, Sixe daies thou shalt labour, wee may do well to meditate upon the cause, why it was said; for if we had not sinned, it had never beene said: If there had beene no sinne, there should have beene no labour; but now labour is injoyned us as a penance for our sins: and this penance we must do, or else incurre a greater punishment: but though the day be dedicate to labour, yet the labour of the day we may dedicate to God: so of the penance, wee shall make a sacrifice, and then labour will no longer be laborious to us, being so [Page 43]imployed. But if we thinke of the sixe dayes of labour, to make so many Sabbaths of rest; and so to shift off labour altogether: as God knowes too many do, spending all their time in idlenesse; or which is worse, in va­nity: alas! we shall do it but in our owne wrong: for when wee looke to enter into our true rest; and that there shall be no more labour for us to take, we shall have the like answer made to us, as Abraham made to Di­ves, Sonne, thou hast received thy goods in thy life time, thou hast ta­ken thine ease in dayes that were or­dained for labour; and thou canst not have all Sabbath, both then and now, both there and here: and seeing thou hast made a Sabbath to thy self which God never made, thou hast forfeited the Sabbath which he had provided; and which is worse, where thy penance before had beene [Page 44]but weeping for thy sinnes, it will be now weeping for thy torment, and gnashing of teeth.

The Heathen dedicated this day to the Moone; committing therein, besides the impietie, a most grosse absurditie; for what can be more absurd, than to dedicate a day of la­bour to the Moone, whose Empire is but onely in the night, when all la­bour is done? But thou, O my soule, follow not this folly of the heathen, but content thy selfe with Gods de­dication of the day, and dedicate it to labour: but then labour not for things that are under the Moone, which are as variable, and as subject to change as the Moone it selfe is: but labour for things that are above the Sunne; that thou mayst be out of danger of this saying, What remaines to a man of all his labour; that he labours under the Sun?

It was upon this day in the revo­lution of time, that God made hea­ven, the glorious mansion of blessed spirits, and will there not be a place there for thee also, O my soule, if thou place thy labours as God hath ordained them? But canst thou looke for rest in heaven, untill thou hast laboured first on earth? and is not this a good motive to make thee labour to come to hea­ven: to thinke that heaven was this day prepared for thy comming to it? Can any labour be grievous that is taken to so glorious an intent? No my soule, but as God this day hath made Heaven ready for us: so let us this day make our selves ready for heaven; For alas, else wee doe not answer God, in the intent of his workes, and were it not a grievous thing, that when God doth all hee can to make us happy, we should do [Page 46]all wee can to make our selves mise­rable? and we shall do so indeed, if we crosse God in his ordinance, and labour not these sixe dayes, as he ap­points us: of which this now is but the first: and O my soule, if thou shouldst faint now at thy first setting out; now that thou art fresh, and hast had a whole day of rest, what hope is there thou shouldst be able, to hold out the other dayes of labour that are remaining? Thinke not therefore of the labour of the day, but thinke of the recompence of the labour, and this thought will certainly keep thee in heart. We are all of us very ready to labour for earth, of which wee have enough already; and shall here­after have too much, but we are very unready to labour for heaven: of which wee have as yet nothing, and can never have enough: And can there be a greater folly than this, to [Page 47]labour for that, wee shall have with­out labour: and not to labour for that which without labour wee shall never have? O therefore my soule, leave labouring for earth: and let thy labour be for heaven, and though thou shalt not have another Sabbath presently, yet thou shalt pre­sently have another time of rest; thou shalt have a whole night, which will plentifully serve to refresh thy wea­ried limbes, though after never so hard labour: and indeed the harder thy labour is in the day, the sweeter thy rest will be in the night: and hath not God then dealt most graciously with us, who injoynes us indeed to labour sixe dayes, but it is to make our rest the sweeter in the nights? O then my soule, be thankfull to him for both: both for thy labour in the day, and for thy rest in the night, and pray unto him, that as they be [Page 48]both of them for thy comfort, so they may be both of them to his Glory; Pray unto him that he will first give thee a will to labour, for where the mind is willing, all labour is easie: and then that hee will give thee an ability to labour: for though the spirit be willing, yet the flesh is weake: and lastly, that he will give a blessing to thy labours; that being not vaine, they may not be in vaine, but have a happy and successefull is­sue: for without his blessing all la­bour is but lost that is taken, all cour­ses but frustrate that are underta­ken.

And yet (O my soule) thou hast not done, this is not yet all thou hast to doe: for is it enough to labour, and do workes, and to have patience? No my soule, for all this the Church of Ephesus did, to which the Angell acknowledged, I know thy labour, and [Page 49]thy workes, and thy patience; and how for my Names sake thou hast laboured, and hast not fainted; and yet hee had somewhat against her, because shee had left her first love. Take heed there­fore O my soule, that this be not thy case, for there is no trusting to la­bour, nor to workes: the first love is all, and what is this first love, but to love God first, and before all? to la­bour, not for our selves, but for him, to worke, not for our owne profit, but for his Glory, to labour, not on­ly for his Names sake, which that Church did; but onely for his Names sake, which that Church did not; and no fitter time to shew this first love, than this first day; which O my soule, if thou shalt do this day, thou shalt make a good dayes worke; and there shall be given thee to eate of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. O [Page 50]therefore most gracious God, make mee so to shew my first love, by con­tinuing my labour this first day, in workes of piety: that after this, and the rest that follow, I may rest from my labours, and my workes may follow mee, that I may follow the Lambe wheresoever he goeth.

MOTIVES FOR PRAYER VPON TVESDAY.

THis O my soule, is thy second day of labour: the first perhaps thou hast well imployed in the course of thy voca­tion: but is it enough to passe one day well, if thou hold not on thy course in the rest that follow? Is it enough to have made a good begin­ning, [Page 60]if thou now give over, before thou come at the ending? Remem­ber how it is said: He that continueth to the end, he onely shall be saved. But what speake I to thee of continu­ance: being so weake and feeble a creature as thou art? soone weary (God knowes) of doing any thing: and of nothing sooner than of well­doing: but soonest of all, if there be la­bour required to the doing it: for then humane imbecillity seemes to claime a priviledge, to give over at any time. And there will be no help for this, but only by prayer: & prayer to him who is Antiquus dierum, the ancient of daies: in whom there is no change, nor shadow of change. O there­fore, thou Great and Gracious God, as thou hast begun this good worke in mee, to labour one day already, in the course of my vocation: so give mee a constant resolution to perse­vere, [Page 61]and to hold out my labour this day also; that the fruit of my labours may come to some maturi­tie: and that adding one dayes la­bour to another, I may beare a part in that song of thy Saints, Day by day wee magnifie thee; and wee praise thy Name, ever world without end. Alas my soule, if thou shouldst not conti­nue thy labour this day also, thou wouldst lose the benefit of all thy former dayes labour, for God will take thee as he finds thee: he accepts thee not for what thou hast done, but for what thou doest: and if thou hast done well, and dost not continue, it had beene as good thou hadst never begunne. The day before thou didst but plough the ground, this is the day wherein to sow it: and canst thou have any benefit of thy Ploughing: if thou give over, and do not sow it? If God had given over his workes of [Page 62]creation at the second day; though there had indeed beene an Heaven and an Earth: yet the heavens had beene without Starres; and the earth without man or beast: and so my soule it would be with thee, if thou shouldest now give over, and not continue thy labour. What good is it to have a foundation laid, if there be no walls reared? and this O my soule, is the day for rearing the walls. What benefit of a worke, of which there is no use? and what use can be of it, if onely begunne, and then gi­ven over? Did not Moses strike the Rocke twice, before there came any water forth: and canst thou looke to have water come forth with stri­king it but once? Had Lot beene ere the better for comming safe out of Sodome, if he had not beene con­stant on his way till he came to Zoar? Was Lots wife ere the better for [Page 63]escaping the fire of Sodome when ha­ving escaped that fire, she burned with longing to be looking back: and was thereby made an example of folly, and inconstancie to all poste­rity? & so my soule it would be with thee, if having passed thy first daies station, thou shouldst looke backe, before thou come at thy Zoar, which is the end of thy labour. What though thou hast done one dayes better worke, than our first Parent Adam, who continued not in inno­cencie the first day hee was made? Is it enough to do better than hee that did so ill? so ill, that it hath tainted the whole world with illnesse to this day: and even thee also, O my soule, as well as others: that if thou now give over, and continue not thy labour, thou mayst truly say, it is long of him. But if thou have taken hurt by his fault, at least take [Page 64]warning by his example; and if thou find thy selfe to faint, and not able to hold out two dayes to­gether, then have recourse to Pray­er, for prayer will adde new vi­gour to thy spirits, and not suffer a good beginning to breake off in the middle. I therefore once againe make my prayer unto thee, most Gracious God, that thou wilt con­tinue thy favour to mee this day: that I may continue my labour this day: and that no inticements of the world, no suggestions of Sa­tan may divert mee from the good course I have begunne: but that as I goe from day to day, so I may grow from strength to strength, untill I come to the fulnesse of a perfect man in Christ Jesus.

It is sayd, Hee that provides not for his familie is worse than an infi­dell: and hee is like to provide [Page 65]but ill for his family, who having laboured one day, should the very next day turne loyterer, and give over his labour. And it is not per­haps for nothing, that when God saith, Sixe dayes thou shalt labour, and do all that thou hast to doe; it seemes spoken in such a manner, that it may bee doubted whether hee re­quire it of us as a commandement; or onely but allow it to us as a liber­tie: but in which sense soever it be spoken, wee shall certainly not doe, as wee ought to doe, if wee conti­nue not to labour the whole sixe dayes together; for if it be spoken as requiring it; then in not labou­ring we shall breake a kind of com­mandement; and if it be spoken, as onely allowing it, then in not la­bouring wee shall seeme to slight the bounty of God, as refusing to make use of that portion of time, [Page 66]which hee affords us. O therefore vouchsafe O God, to indue mee with a spirit of constancie, that I may hold out the sixe dayes of la­bour, with a settled resolution, and specially, that I may adde this se­cond dayes labour to the former, lest if that day should goe with­out a fellow, it may haply be in danger of the Woe pronounced by Salomon, Woe to one that is alone.

It seemes that God makes it a journey for us of sixe dayes, to goe from one Sabbath to another: and a journey cannot be performed with­out labour: if therefore we let any of the sixe dayes passe without la­bour, wee shall never come kind­ly to the next Sabbath: either some­thing will be forgotten that should have beene remembred; or some­thing left undone that should have beene done: or something or other [Page 67]will be wanting, that should make the Sabbath be welcome to us when it comes. O therefore take from mee O God, the spirit of idlenesse, and the spirit of slumber, that I be not like a ship that is calmed, and can­not stirre, but that by the gale of thy free Spirit, I may be able to use both saile and oares, to attaine the blessed part of that Sabbath, which will amply make amends for more than the sixe dayes labour put up­on us.

It is observed in the workes of Gods Creation, that of his worke which hee made the second day, it is not said, that he saw it was good, as though there were something in the second day that made his workes not appeare so good, as in the other dayes: Was it perhaps, that of his worke of the second day, God said not, Hee saw it was [Page 68]good, because the second is the number of Division, which is ne­ver good, and least of all with God, who is unitie it selfe? Or was it, that of the workes hee made, the second day, hee said not, hee saw they were good, because perhaps that day hee made the Angels, of whom some were not good; not that hee made them not good, but that hee saw they would not continue good: and perhaps did not continue good that very day in which they were made, to give God time to say, they were good: how ever it were, seeing of his worke of the second day, God said not, Hee saw it was good; it be­hoves us to be the more watchfull over our workes of this second day, that God may neither see in them the evill of Apostasie, as in the Angels: nor the evill of divisi­on, [Page 69]as in the number; to hinder him from saying, they are good; but that hee may see in them a constan­cie in our honest labours, and a per­severance in our holy endeavours; the onely things that can move God to say, hee sees them to be good: and when hee sees them to be good, to know them to be his owne works in us. For alas, if hee should looke upon our workes as they are in them­selves, and as they are wrought by us, hee would see nothing in them, but even the Apostasie of the An­gels, and the evill of Division, at least nothing of which hee could justly say, he sees it to be good; but as it is wrought in us by his holy Spirit.

Was it not upon this day in the revolution of time, that God made the tree of Good and Evill; the baite with which our first Parents [Page 70]were caught? and is it not a bait as like to catch us as it did them, if we take not the better heed? and is it not then a good motive, to make us take the better heed to our waies this day: to remember that this day, was laid the first bait that drew our first Parents, and in them us into sin? a bait indeed, by God, but for our triall: but made by Satan a bait of temptation. O mercifull God, so divert mine eyes this day from see­ing of vanity, that I may spend this day in the course of my vocation; and not be drawne by any bait to transgresse thy commandements.

It was upon this day in the revo­lution of time that God made the Earth to bring forth fruit; herbes and trees according to their kinde; and shall the earth this day bring forth fruit for the use of man, and shall I bring forth no fruit this day [Page 71]for the service of God? Am not I made of a better mold than the earth; at least of the the best mold of the earth? and shall the worse mold bring forth fruit; and the bet­ter none, or none that shall attaine to ripenesse and maturitie? for what maturity can there be in one dayes labour, when there are sixe dayes la­bour required to do it? O there­fore, thou great God, who being thy selfe most perfect, indeed perfe­ction it selfe, givest all thy creatures a perfection in their kind: vouchsafe so to shine upon mee with the beams of thy grace, that they may bring forth in mee the fruites of good living, and fruites that may grow up to perfect ripenesse; which is then done, when they be whol­ly addressed to the Glory of thy Name: for though the day it selfe I dedicate to labour, yet the la­bour [Page 72]of the day I dedicate to thee; to whom be all Honour and Glory forever, and ever. Amen.

MOTIVES FOR PRAYER VPON WEDNESDAY.

THis O my soule, is the third of thy dayes of labour; and if thou have well spent the two former, in the course of thy vocation, are they not an encouragement to thee, to conti­nue thy labour this day also? For dost thou not find thy selfe as fresh now, as at the first? or rather so [Page 80]much fresher, as exercise is able to make more able? Indeed to labour in well doing never wearies a willing mind; but rather addes new vigour to it, as seeming to prompt it to con­tinue by its owne example. But O my soule, as there be many encou­ragements for thee to continue thy labour, so there is a powerfull Ora­tor stands ready to disswade thee from it: the Orator that perswaded our first Parent Eve, that darknesse was light: and therefore will not sticke to perswade thee, that idlenesse is labour: and though he be laying his battery against thee continually and every day; yet this third day, I have great cause to doubt his vio­lence more than before; First, be­cause this was the method hee held in tempting of Christ, to keepe his strongest temptation for the third; for then he shewed him all the King­domes [Page 81]of the world, and the glory of them, and made him a promise of them, but onely to fall downe and worship him; that this day most pro­perly we may make this Prayer, By thy fasting and temptation, good Lord deliver us: And is he not like to hold the same course with mee? For doth hee not offer mee all the ease and pleasures of the world, if I will but this third day give over, and forbeare to labour? and doth he not fortifie his tempting of mee, as hee did of Christ, with a text of Scripture, There is nothing better to a man under the Sunne, than to eate, and drinke, and be merrie; And by this Text seekes to withdraw mee from labour? But, O my soule, it is happy for thee, that as Christ had his Text, so thou hast thine in readinesse to answer him: Sixe dayes thou shalt labour, and do all that thou hast to do: And I may the ra­ther [Page 82]feare, he will use more violence in assaulting mee this day, then in the former, because this is the third day, and makes up the number of three: a number that Satan cannot abide of any; whether it be that three being the first perfect number, is therefore the most hatefull to him, as being an enemy to all perfection: or whe­ther it be, that it puts him in mind of the blessed Trinity, a mystery hee cannot thinke of with any patience: and puts him perhaps into as great a passion, as when hee said to Christ, Art thou come to torment us before the time? And now O my soule, if this third day be so hatefull to Satan; if the number of three, be so formida­ble to him, thou mayst do well to take advantage of his feare, and to make this thy prayer this day; O Holy, Blessed, and Glorious Trinitie, three Persons, and one God, vouchsafe [Page 83]to defend mee this third day, from all the assaults of Satan, that nei­ther his batteries may enforce mee, nor his flatteries may entice mee to to give over labouring in the course of my vocation, but that according to thy holy Ordinance, I may labour this day, and do all that I have to doe, in spight of all his stratagems and devises. For, O my soule, if thy former dayes labour have beene easie to thee; why shouldst thou now offer to give them over? and if they have beene hard and difficult; yet consider thou art going to a Sab­bath; follow the example of Christ, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the Crosse, and set light by the labours of a painfull and afflicted life. But O blessed Sa­viour, it is not enough to have thy example, if wee have not also thy as­sistance. O therefore vouchsafe to [Page 84]assist mee with grace, and endue me with a spirit of perseverance: one drop of thy patience infused into mee, will like the drop of honey to Jonathan, be of force sufficient to re­fresh my spirits, and to put new vi­gour into my soule.

Although all the sixe dayes be dayes of labour; yet this third day especially, and more than any other, and therefore this day hath alwayes beene designed to sackcloth, and ashes: and if, O my soule, thou en­dure not to labour this day, which is the easiest part of thy penance: how wilt thou endure to put on sackcloth and ashes this day, which is so much a harder part? and yet as hard a part as it is, it must bee done: and O mercifull God, make mee so to doe penance this day, in sackcloth and ashes; in the Sackcloth of patience, and in the ashes of contrition, that I [Page 85]may never come to doe penance in the fire that is unquenchable, and leaves no ashes; Alas, no place for contrition.

There are indeed three things that are commonly reputed to be the parts of perfect holinesse; thoughts, and words, and actions; and he that continues to labour in Gods service this third day, may well be thought to have attained these three degrees: but if hee stand idle this third day, and do not labour, he will be found guiltie, at least in one of them, and then his service will never be accep­ted. O therefore vouchsafe O God, so to sanctifie all the thoughts of my Heart, and all the words of my mouth, and all the actions of my life, that I may be admitted this third day, a labourer in thy vineyard; and this, O my soule, will be as great a happinesse, as when Saint Paul [Page 86]was rapt up into the third Heaven.

It was upon this day, in the revo­lution of time, that God made the Starres, the Sunne, and the Moone: but alas, O Lord, what availes it mee that thou hast set starres of light in the heavens, if thou set not as well also starres of grace in my heart? they may give light to my bodily eyes; but onely these to the eyes of my soule: and seeing I live by my soule, and not by my body, be plea­sed O God, as thou didst upon this day, furnish heaven with starres of light, so this day to furnish my soule with starres of grace, and with stars of all magnitudes: with some of pa­tience, with some of feare, with some of devotion, but above all, with the two great starres of faith and perseverance: that I may perse­vere and continue my labour to serve thee this third day; not doubting [Page 87]but this day ended, will call up ano­ther: and so continue calling, till they bring mee at last to that true Sabbath, where there shall be no more starres of different magnitude, but all shall be onely one great starre of love and charity.

A single cord is of no great strength, and a double cord, of not much greater, but a threefold cord is not easily broken: O therefore my soule, continue thy labour this third day also: that so thou mayst make thee a threefold cord of devotion, of pietie, and perseverance: and then neither the world, nor Satan shall be able to breake it. If I should say Holy, to God, once and twice, and not the third time also; I should come short in the Angels song; and how then could I looke for an An­gels reward? O therefore my soule, continue to say Holy this third day [Page 88]also; which is to exercise thy selfe in holy endeavours, that so thou mayst beare a part in the Angels song; or rather mayst act that which the Angels doe but sing: and not be frustrate of thy expectation. Did God make the Sunne to give us light this day, with a meaning wee should stand idle this day? Alas, idle­nesse needs no light: and therfore, see. God made us light this day, we may be sure hee lookes wee should labour this day, and not stand idle. O there­fore my soule, do not frustrate Gods ordinance; make not the Sunne to stand idle, by thy standing idle, but while it is called to day, imploy thy selfe in honest labour; that the Sunne may see thee make use of its light; and that God may see thee make use of his creatures, to the purpose for which hee made them; lest other­wise they may justly be taken from [Page 89]thee, as not worthy to have them, that dost not use them, or not use them as they ought. If God have given us the comfortable gift of light this day, shall wee not in grate­fulnesse give him thankes this day? and the best kind of thankes for the benefits of his creatures, is to make benefit of his creatures; and then we make benefit of light, when we do the workes of light, and stand not idle: But know my soule withall, that all labour is but idlenesse, if it be not joyned with prayer, and with thanksgiving.

It was upon this day in the revo­lution of time, that the wretched Ju­das made a bargaine with the wicked Jewes for selling of Christ; and ought not the remembrance of this be a good motive to us to stand upon our watch, that we commit no sinne this day, lest wee be taken to joyne [Page 90]with Judas in selling of Christ? In­deed in every sinne we commit, if we sell not Christ to the Jewes, at least we sell our soules to Satan.

If it be examined in true constru­ction, this third day may well be counted the first day; for what day could there be before there was a Sunne? and there was no Sunne till this third day; if then O my soule thou hast laboured heretofore, be­fore, it was day; wilt thou not labour now when the Sunne is up, and it is broad day light? But then as thou labourest in thy world­ly vocation: so be not idle in thy spirituall calling: no my soule, but so labour in both thy callings, that thou mayst be found worthy to be chosen for thy labour; for it is a fear­full thing, to be of their number, of whom it is said, Many are called, but few are chosen.

MOTIVES FOR PRAYER VPON THVRSDAY.

THis, O my soule, is the fourth of thy sixe daies of labour: and so one halfe of thy labour is now past, and perhaps the hardest halfe: for the former dayes were spent, in labouring I may say, up hill; labour encreased upon thee before, but will now every day [Page 100]abate, that very speedily now thou wilt come within sight of thy races end: and therefore no time now to faint. No my soule, but goe cheer­fully on; for alacrity lightens la­bours; and then only is a worke hard to bee wrought, when the mind must be wrought as well as the worke.

But alas, my soule, why do I call upon thee to be willing; as though it were in thy owne power, to will what thou wouldest? Thy will I know is free, but thou hast not po­wer to use that freedome, without the assistance of a higher power. O therefore thou great God, who onely hast power over the free­dome of my will, vouchsafe by the operation of thy Spirit, so to incline my heart that my will may be con­formable to thy will: and that no reluctancie of the flesh may obicem [Page 101]ponere, to divert my soule. If my soule were free, and alone by it selfe, it would perhaps have power over the freedome of my will: but being in this prison of my body, it is drawne oftentimes to be willing a­gainst its will: that I know not which to call its will, whether that which of it selfe it would, and doth not; or that which of it selfe it doth, and would not. But thou O God, be pleased to reconcile this diffe­rence: make my will and my acti­ons to agree in one: and both of them to concurre with thy pleasure, that I may have nothing in mee of my owne, but all of thine; not my owne will, but thy will; not my owne wayes, but thy wayes; not my owne thoughts, but thy thoughts; that thy Image, which hath beene long defaced in mee, may now at length be renued: that all things [Page 102]may be done away, and new come in their place, till there come to be a new Heaven, and new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousnesse; for then, and not till then, will my soule have a freedome of will, and a power over it.

Christ bids us knock, and it shall be opened unto us, but he tels us not how often wee must knocke before it shall be opened to us: if therefore wee have knocked three dayes alrea­dy, and it be not yet opened to us; yet let us not give over knocking: it may be this fourth day is the time it will be opened to us. To give over our labour now, were to make fru­strate all the former dayes labours. For it is an undoubted truth, if ever piety be rewarded, it is long of per­severance. Indeed this fourth dayes labour hath a speciall influence of vertue in it; it makes, I may say, a [Page 103]quadrature of pietie; in which every side is a front: and is thereby the complement of all the former dayes labours: and without which their la­bours are abortives, and unperfect births. What was Sampson the bet­ter for three times withstanding the enticements of Delilah, when the fourth time hee yeelded, and disco­vered where his strength lay? No more shall wee be the better for three dayes holding on our honest courses, if now this fourth day wee give over, and turne our strength into weaknesse, by turning our labour into idlenesse.

But what is all this to keepe my soule from fainting, in this fourth dayes labour? it is not words will do it, it must be something that is reall: see then my soule, I have that to offer thee, which is truly reall; the Body and Blood of Christ; of [Page 104]wh [...]ch, upon this very day, in the re­volution of time, hee instituted his blessed Sacrament: for though to my body it be bread and wine, yet to my soule, it is his body and his blood: and can there be a fitter day to meditate upon this mystery, than the day upon which it was first or­dained? And will not this food be a sufficient cordiall to keepe thee from fainting in this fourth dayes labour? Yes, my soule, though thou wert dead, yet would this revive thee, and put new life into thee. But then remember, hee that will not labour must not eate: if therefore thou con­tinue not thy labour this day, as hee hath appointed, thou must not looke to eate this food, which upon this day hee appointed to be eaten: for this is a food that must bee eaten worthily; and none worthy to eate it that doth not labour. O there­fore [Page 105]my soule, that thou mayst not faint, be sure to eare it, and that thou maist eate it, be sure to labour and by this meanes, all differences will indif­ferently be composed; thou my soule, shalt be preserved, and Gods holy Name shall also be glorified.

But if this be not a sufficient cor­diall to keepe thee from fainting: then adde another to it; the cordi­all of Christs Ascension: for upon this very day, in the revolution of time, did Christ ascend up into heaven; and ascended in that very body, which hee had given thee before to eate; and if by eating it thou makest thy selfe one body with him; shalt not thou also in thy bo­dy ascend up thither, where hee himselfe is? But though thou canst not stand gazing this day to see him ascend, as the Apostles did, yet thou mayst this day meditate upon [Page 106]the benefit of his ascending; and this cannot choose but be a perfect cordiall to keepe thee from fainting: and indeed this is the day, in which most properly wee may say, By thy pretious Body and Blood, and by thy glorious Ascension, good Lord deli­ver us.

O therefore, most gracious God, enable mee so to labour this day; that I may be worthy to eate thy body: and make mee so to eate it, that I may bee incorporate into it; and may thereby be made capable of the benefit of thy Ascension. But till I have the benefit of ascen­ding up in body: make mee at least to ascend up in soule; that as thou by ascending hast taken possession for both; so my soule, by ascending, may take possession for my body: that as they are joyned together here in these sixe dayes of labour: [Page 107]so they may be joyned there in the rest hereafter of an eternall Sab­bath.

It was upon this day, in the revo­lution of time, that God made the fishes of the Sea, and fowles of the aire: the first living creatures that ever hee made: and if God have la­boured this day, to make creatures to do us service, shall not wee con­tinue our labour this day to do him service? And it is not onely that this day made his first living crea­tures; but that hee hath made them such, that they had no part in pro­voking God to bring the great de­luge upon the earth: and art not thou jealous of this, O my soule, that fishes should be more pleasing to God than thy selfe, and such as thou art? O then, not onely conti­nue thy labour this day, but let thy labours be such, they may not [Page 108]provoke God to bring any new de­struction upon the world, but that when the wicked shall perish in their sinnes, by the angry hand of God, yet thy workes, like fishes, may escape the furie of his wrath, and may swimme securely in the Ocean of his mercy. And now my soule, thou mayst justly conclude, O great and gracious God, as thou hast safely brought mee to the begin­ning of this day, so vouchsafe to to bring mee safely to the ending; and let the meditations of my heart this day, be first of the great my­stery of the Body and Blood of Christ: and then of the great be­nefit of his Acension into heaven: and lastly of the wonderfull crea­tures, thou didst this day make in the sea; the small fishes, in number in­numerable; the great whales, in magnitude incredible; and all for [Page 109]the use of man, and to be under his Dominion; that our labour this day may be chiefly to prayse thee for thy goodnesse, and for the wonder­full workes which thou hast done for the children of men.

MOTIVES FOR PRAYER VPON FRIDAY.

THis is now our fifth day of labour, and after this but one day of labour more, and then our Sab­bath. And as a workeman hath his heart well lightned, when the grea­test part of his worke is done, and only some small part remains: and as a mariner rejoyceth, when after long [Page 114]tossing with stormes and tempests, he comes to discry the land, and specially his desired haven: so is it this day with us: we may justly now rejoyce, seeing after foure dayes of incessant labour, wee come this day (I may say) within sight of our Sabbath, which is the haven of our rest: and by this reckoning, we should now be singing of Hallelujahs, and songs of joy. But O my soule, our case is farre otherwise, for all the labours of the dayes past are no­thing, compared to the labour of this day: and as for the Sabbath that is talked of, what Sabbath can I looke to have, when the Lord of the Sab­bath, was this day himselfe so cru­elly handled! I have had a most grie­vous nigt of it, to see him in whom was all my hope, brought now him­selfe almost to despaire; and yet I shall have a more grievous day of it, [Page 119]to see the Lord of my life, be put him­selfe to a cruell death: and now my soule, what can my labour doe? All I could have done, had beene but to oppose his adversaries: & perhaps to have strucken off one of their eares: and this would have done no good: for hee would presently have healed it againe. Yet I might have follow­ed him to see the end, as Peter did: but so perhaps I might have denied him, as Peter did: yet I should hope O Lord, thou wouldest afford mee the like grace as thou didst to Peter; to make mee presently goe out and weepe bitterly. But alas, this weep­ing would be for my selfe; and I have now cause to weep for another: one infinitely more deere unto mee, than I am my selfe; and of such worth, that it were better the whole world should perish, than one haire of his head should be diminished. And [Page 120]can I remember it then with out weeping; that this man of more worth than the world was this day held of no worth in the world; alas, was rejected; alas, was despised, and was made a publike spectacle to the world, of infinite woe and infamie: and have I not cause then to turne the labour of this day into lamen­ting? but where to find lamentati­ons to serve my turne this day I know not: alas, the lamentations of Jeremy are farre too short to expresse my sorrow: to have my head be made a fountaine of teares, that I might weep day and night, beares no proportion with the greatnesse of my griefe; O yee rockes, why doe you not cleave asunder to see this day? and the rockes indeed did cleave asunder at it: and vaile of the Temple rent in twaine, from the top to the bottome. O yee heavens, why are ye [Page 121]not astonished at this sight? and the heavens indeed were astonished at it: for the Sunne was darkened from the sixth houre to the ninth: and why was the Sunne darkned, but because the Sunne of Righteousnesse was e­clipsed? Why was the vaile of the Temple rent, but because his body was rent, that was indeed the true Temple, in which all holinesse was dwelling bodily? And is not this a case, that deserves lamenting? O my soule, if I should lament this day, as the case of the day deserves to be la­mented; it might justly be said to be a day of labour indeed.

But seeing thou canst never lament enough, let thy labour now be tur­ned into thanking; for why did Christ suffer all these indignities? why was hee punished, that was no delinquent? was it by the errour of the Judge, upon the suggestion of [Page 122]false witnesses? No, God knowes, it was his owne voluntary act; for he knew, we could not be healed but by his stripes: he knew we could not be saved, but by his death: and such was his compassion and pity towards us, that for our sakes, hee tooke a bur­then upon him, which no shoulders but his were able to beare. He paid a debt for us, which wee were never able to have paid our selves: he bore a penalty for us, which we were ne­ver able to have borne our selves: hee performed a justice for us which wee were never able to have perfor­med our selves: And who were wee, that for us hee should take such burthens upon him? For good men perhaps, one may be gotten to die, but we, alas, were all grievous sin­ners. For friends perhaps one may be drawne to suffer much; but wee, God knowes, were all his enemies: [Page 123]and doth not such kindnesse then de­serve thankes at our hands, in the highest degree? O my soule, if I should labour to thanke him this day, as his love shewed me this day deseives to be thanked; it might justly be said to be a day of labour indeed.

But seeing with all thy labour, thou art never able to thanke him enough; let thy labour now be tur­ned into magnifying; for having done these great things for mee, how can I speake of him in a lower style than to say, Thou art the King of glo­ry O Christ, thou art the everlasting Sonne of the Father: when thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou didst not abhorre the Virgins wombe: when thou hadst overcome the sharpnesse of death, thou diddest open the King­dome of heaven to all beleevers; and therefore day by day wee magnifie thee; [Page 124]and wee worship thy Name, ever world without end.

But seeing with all my labour I can never magnifie him, as hee de­serves: my labour now shall be tur­ned into praying; that, O gracious God, thou wilt be pleased, to make mee truly sensible of these inestima­ble favours, sensible from what I am redeemed, and sensible by whom I am redeemed, and sensible to what I am redeemed: for I am redeemed, not onely from the worst captivitie, but from that which is worse than captivitie, from the thraldome of Sa­tan, and from everlasting death: and I am redeemed by him, who incur­red thy displeasure, to procure my reconcilement: by him who exinani­vit seipsum, emptied himselfe, that of his fulnesse we might all receive: and I am redeemed to the end I might serve thee without feare, without [Page 125]servile feare indeed, but yet in feare & holinesse all the dayes of my life. And now my soule put all these la­bours together; lamenting, and thanking, & magnifying, & praying, and all of them to be done this day, & then say, if this day may not justly be said to be a day of labour? a day indeed of so great labour, that if my sabbath come not the sooner, I shall never be able to hold out from fainting. But O mercifull God, when my own strength failes, be thou plea­sed to assist mee with the strength of thy grace, that I may lament his suffe­ring with a hearty contrition, that I may thanke him for his sufferings, with an humble acknowledgement, that I may magnifie his sufferings, with songs of extolling, and that I may pray for them all, with a true devotion: and beeing thus assisted, I shall come to my Sabbath time [Page 126]enough; and before any fit of fain­ting take hold upon mee. For O my soule, though these indeed be great labours, yet wee may well be con­tented to take them this day, seeing wee are beholding to this day for a Prayer, which but for this day wee could never have made: By thy Crosse and Passion, by thy pretious Death and Buriall, Good Lord deliver us.

And yet these are not all the la­bours of the day neither; for it was upon this day, in the revolution of time, that God made the beasts of the earth, and last of all made man; whether it were he made him last, as his perfectest worke: for this hath hitherto beene Gods manner, to proceed from the lesse to the more perfect; and therefore of his se­cond dayes worke, it is not said, Hee saw it was good: because his [Page 127]worke of the second day was not per­fected till the third day; and in Gods language, nothing is good that is not perfect: or whether it were that hee would not make man till hee had first made all things else, that hee might have no pretence of wanting any thing in excuse of his sinne: or whether it were, that he reserved man for his last worke, before he rested himselfe: that being made so lately, he might have entred into his rest at the shortest distance: and is there not in all these conside­rations, very just occasion to move us this day to labour? O my soule, if our first parent. Adam had la­boured but this one day; Alas, but a small part of this one day in ser­ving of God; how happy had hee beene? how happy had wee all beene? for if once hee had gotten a Sabbath over his head; if hee had [Page 128]but once entred into Gods rest: hee had then beene safe for ever, against all temptations of the world, and Satan. For this (wee may con­ceive) had beene the like confir­mation to him in grace, as was to the holy Angels at the fall of Lucifer. This Satan knew well, and there­fore made hast to get betweene him and home; and taking advantage of his idlenesse, before hee knew what labour meant, hee quickly brought him to his fall. And is there not in this againe another consideration, to make us consecrate this day to la­bour? For why did Adam fall, but because he did not labour? if he had not stood gazing upon the forbidden fruit, if he had notspent his time idly, in parlee with the Serpent, hee might have stood still in his estate of up­rightnesse, & never perhaps have bin put to other labour, than walking with God.

And now my soule, let these considerations bee layd together, that this was the day in which man was made; this the day in which man fell; this the day in which man was redeemed; and then say, if these three make not a strong cord to draw us (if any thing will draw us) this day to labour? Wee use to celebrate our birth-day with some extraordinary solemnity: and shall we use no solemnity upon this day, which is the generall birth­day of all mankind? We use when wee are fallen, to labour to rise a­gaine; and shall wee not labour to rise this day, in which wee tooke our fall? Is it not fit, when wee are redeemed, to do some act to shew that wee are freed? and in all these considerations, what so fit as prayer? the greatest solemnity wee can use to celebrate our birth day. The fittest [Page 130]labour wee can take, to helpe us to rise; the best act wee can do to ex­presse our libertie. O then my soule, labour this day: but let thy labour be with Prayer; that this day thou mayst do workes of pietie worthy of thy creation; workes of humilitie in remembrance of thy fall; and workes of charity in acknowledgement of thy redemption. And if any man thinke, that prayer is but an easie la­bour, and not enough for this day; let him remember Christs praying in the garden, which was so laborious to him, that it brought him into a sweat of very blood. O then vouch­safe O God, to endue mee with a spi­rit of fervent prayer, that may draw all blood of prophanenesse out of my veins; that all the meditations of my heart, and all my actions this day may wholly be directed by thee, & wholly be directed to thee, to thee [Page 131]O God, who only canst make my la­bours light unto mee; and only canst endite my prayers for mee: only my soule remember, that this is the day, semper acerbus, semper honoratus: to which we are beholding for a prayer, which but for this day wee could never have said, By thy agony and bitter Passion, by thy pretious death and buriall, good Lord deliver us.

Jacob told Pharaoh, that few and evill were the dayes of his Pilgri­mage: and tooke no notice of any good day he had ever had; and how then come we to have a good day, amongst our much worse and fewer than his were? and if wee have not a good day, why do wee call it good Friday? can that be a good day, which tooke our onely good away? can that day be good, which depri­ved us of him that was onely good? May wee not rather call it one of [Page 132] Jacobs evill dayes; or, one of Jacobs accursed dayes, than to call it a good day? No my soule, just cause to call it a good day, that was the cause of all good dayes to us; though not to him: or therefore to him also, be­cause to us: but justest cause to call it Good Friday, which was the cause of our good Sunday; for if it had not beene for this Friday, the next Sun­day could have bin no Sabbath; for if he had not dyed now, he could not have risen then; seeing he was not to rise, till the third day after his death: and if hee had not risen then, it had not beene then a Sabbath: seeing it was his rising onely that made it a Sabbath. If therefore our Sabbath be good, then is this Friday good, which prepared it to be a Sabbath. And by this appeares a reason of the different reckoning of the day of Christs death, and the day of his [Page 133]birth: for the death of Christ is re­membred to us by the day of the weeke, and nor of the Moneth; but the birth of Christ, is remembred to us, by the day of the Moneth, and not of the Weeke, and this because the day of his death reserres to the Sabbath; and that beeing Sunday, this of necessity must be Friday: what day of the Moneth soever: but the day of his birth hath no day of the weeke to regulate it of necessitie, and therefore it is left to the Moneth at large, moveable as concerning the weeke, fixt onely as concerning the moneth.

MOTIVES FOR PRAYER VPON SATVRDAY.

THis, O my soule, is my last day of labour; and if I can hold out now, but this one day more, I shall then be free from all danger of fainting for ever hereafter. Alas, if I should faile now in extremo actu, in the last stage of my labour, it would utterly make frustrate all my former dayes [Page 142]labours. For though there be a prize set for them that runne, yet not till they come to the end of the race: and till we can say with Saint Paul, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course; we have no right to say with him, There is a crowne of righteousnesse laid up for mee, which the righteous Judge will give mee at the last day. Be not therefore too confident my soule, for how many have gone cheerfully on, a great part of the race, and yet have given over before they came to the end? Did not Saul do so, a man chosen by God himselfe, to be a King of Israel? Did not Judas do so, a man chosen by Christ himselfe to be an Apostle? and who am I, that I should presume of my selfe not to faile; when Arietes gregis, such great ones as these have failed? No my soule, I presume not, but yet I have a confidence; and not a confi­dence [Page 143]neither, but with feare; a confi­dence of persisting, but yet with feare of not persisting; for as God saith; I will never leave thee nor forsake thee; which makes mee confident: so Saint Peter saith, Worke out your salvation with feare and trembling; which makes mee fearfull. But seeing it is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in thee onely, O God, that shewest mercy: O there­fore thou great God, in whose hand is the strength of the hils, and thy dayes never faile; vouchsafe to assist mee so with thy grace, that my strength may not faile mee in going up this hill of my last dayes labour; but that my sixe dayes of labour be­ing ended with patience; I may en­ter into thy rest with joy, there to rest with thee, and with all blessed Saints for ever.

But although the labour of this [Page 144]day, as beeing the last, must needs be the least; yet it may be thought greatest: as the last mile of a jour­ney seemes commonly the longest: whether it be that the body, wea­ried with the former labour, is lesse able to endure the present: or whe­ther it be that the minds anticipa­ting, makes any delay to appeare te­dious; that it seemes the greatest la­bour of this day, is rightly to estimate the labour of the day: and to hold the skales even betweene fancie and judgement: at least to take care that fancie overweigh not judge­ment, but that knowing this labour to be the last, and to be concluded with a Sabbath, wee may the more cheerfully goe on, and continue it at least with patience.

But this day was once a day of rest: and how comes it now to be a day of labour? it was indeed a day [Page 145]of rest under the Law, but now un­der the Gospell, it is a day of labour. As long as the Father kept all power in his owne hands; so long it was a day of rest; but now that hee hath given power to the Sonne to say: All power is given mee in heaven, and in earth: Now it is become a day of labour, for the Sonne must have his Sabbath too: and as the Father, a Sabbath for his worke of creation: so the Sonne, a Sabbath for his worke of redemption: and see­ing there cannot be two Sabbaths within the compasse of seaven daies, therefore the old was to be abolish­ed that the new might take place; and being no longer a Sabbath, a day of rest, it followes of necessitie to be a day of labour.

And a day of labour indeed, it is justly become: for after that the Jewes had this day sate watching the [Page 146]Sepulchre where Christ lay buried: a heavie worke for a Sabbath dayes rest: and that this day the Disciples of Christ had sate mourning for his departure; a sad solemnizing of a Sabbath dayes feast; and that this day Christ himselfe was descended into hell; a dolefull place for a Sab­bath dayes triumph; was it fit for this day to continue its being a Sab­bath any longer: when so many sad and mournfull workes were of all hands done in it? Certainly we may justly thinke that this day was then the very funerall of the old Sabbath: and that it then gave place for a new to succeed, which is the Sabbath we now celebrate: and thus, as this day which was before a wor­king day, is now become a Sabbath: so that day which was before a Sab­bath, is now become a day of la­bour.

And what then is the labour wee have to doe this day? What my soule, but the same which the two Maries did, when Christ lay buried in his grave: to provide spices and sweete odours to embalme his body: for is it enough to fit weeping and mourning for the dead; a thing which doth them no good: and not rather to doe something which may be for the ornament at least, if not for their comfort? And what then are the Spices we should prepare? O my soule, the true spices to embalme Christs body, are mortification, and repentance, faith, and charitie, and humilitie, and hee that comes with these spices, and seekes to embalme Christs body in the grave, shal heare an Angell say unto him: He is risen, he is not here: and well may say, hee is not there indeed, for he is risen al­ready in their hearts that thus seeke: [Page 148]him: & though they know him not, & take him perhaps but for a gardner, as Mary did, yet is he the very true Christ & such a gardner, that wil plant in our hearts the sweet flowers of peace and joy; & then the spices we bring to em­balme Christ dead, shall serve to em­balme our selves alive: for being now alive in Christ, by the vertue of his resurrection, wee shall be made partakers of his Ascension, which is the last step of all our labours: when for our embalming him with spices, wee shall be embalmed by him with immortalitie; and have the fruition of an eternall Sabbath. But seeing, O blessed Saviour, I cannot have these spices for embalming of thee, unlesse thou first make them to be growing in mee; O vouchsafe so to garden and dresse my barren heart, with seedes of grace, that it may bring forth in mee the fruits of pati­ence, [Page 149]of charity, and of a lively faith: to the embalming not onely of my body, but of my soule: & not only in this life, but in the life that is to come.

But though this day be no longer a Sabbath day; yet it is a preparation of the Sabbath still, and retaines something of its former qualitie; and if preparatives be of good use in the Physicke of our bodies: they are cer­tainly of no lesse use in the Physicke of our soules: and wee shall never in­deed come kindly to our Sabbath, if wee make not preparation for it the day before. And we may know how necessary a preparation is to us for the Sabbath, if wee consider how necessary it was for the Lord of the Sabbath, for therefore came John Baptist to be a preparative for Christ, his doctrine was onely Praeparate: Re­pent and amend your lives, for the King­dome of heaven is at hand: but though [Page 150] John Baptist could preach repen­tance, yet John Baptist could not give repentance; this was a worke for the Lord of the Sabbath himselfe. O therfore most blessed Saviour vouch­safe to do that for mee which John Baptist could not doe; give mee true repentance, and love, and charity to­wards all men, that when I come and looke for my Sabbath, I may not be like the foolish Virgins, who came without oyle in their lamps: and being unprepared, were shut out of doores: but that I may heare thee say, Euge bone serve, Well done good servant, thoucomest prepared, and therefore enter into my rest.

But seeing there can be no entring into this rest, no comming to this Sabbath; but after these sixe dayes of labour; which is after all the daies of our life, it may not unfitly be here inquired, what should make us to [Page 151]be loath to die; which is nothing but a parting of the soule from the body? O my soule, and must not this be needs a heavie parting? yes, God knowes most heavie indeed, but though wee all find it to be so; yet who can tell the reason, why it is so? Is it that the soule hath certaine fa­culties, which she cannot use but by bodily organs: and these organs, she will want, if parted from the bo­dy; and therefore is not willing to leave the body? Or is it, that while the soule is in the body, she can pre­tend the frailtie of the body in excuse of her sinne: and this pretence shee will be to seeke of, if parted from the body; and therefore is unwilling to leave the body? Or is it that the body is Domicilium animae, the house and dwelling of the soule: and if shee be put out of this house, she knowes not where to have another; and [Page 152]therefore is not willing to leave the body? Or is it that the soule is so wedded to the body, that though it be to goe to her Sabbath; yet she is not willing to goe and leave the bo­dy behind her? Indeed how unkind soever the body be to the soule, yet the soule is to the body a most con­stant friend, and never leaves it, if she be not thrust out of doores by force. Or is it that naturally we feare nothing so much as violence: and it must be a great violence to separate them, whom God hath joyned toge­ther: & must needs be grievous to us, that are Gods creatures, to be seised on by death, that is none of his crea­tures? Or is it that death is the exe­cuting of that sentence of God upon us for our sin, Morte morieris, Thou shalt die the death, and because wee know not how farre that sentence ex­tendeth, wee are therefore afraid of [Page 153]comming to it? Or is it that no­thing is so fearfull as to fall into the hands of an enemy: and of all ene­mies the most terrible is death: which is therfore called The King of Terrors, and how then can we chuse but be a­fraid to die? Or is it perhaps, that be­cause the soule cannot remember it had any being before it came into the body, it doubts whether it shall have any beeing, if it goe out of the body; and therefore to preserve her being, desires to stay in the body still? Or is it, that while the soule and body are united, they can be a help and com­fort to one another; but once divi­ded, the soule is sure to be subject to that wo of Salomon; Vae soli: Woe to one that is alone: and therefore is not willing to be without the body? Or is it, that while the soule is in the body, it is in state of capacitie to re­pent: and so long is not questioned [Page 154]about eating the forbidden fruit; but so soone as it it parted from the bo­dy, it is presently carried to the barre of triall: and because shee is fearfull to make her account, shee is therefore afraid to be parted from the body? Or is it that none would be willing to change a certaine estate, for a state uncertaine; and because wee know what it is to live; but know not what it is to be dead, we are therefore loath to change life for death? Or is it that while we live, we have the company of reasonable creatures; but once dead, no company but of wormes: and because such company is loath­some to us, wee cannot chuse but be loath to die? Or is it, that the plea­sures of the body, are all our joy: and because these pleasures are by death taken from us, it makes us to be most unwilling to die? Or is it perhaps, that it is not so much the soule that [Page 155]fears death, as the whole living crea­ture; and because every thing desires to continue its being: and this our being is by death dissolved, wee can­not therefore chuse but be loath to to die? Or is it, lastly, that the soule by contagion of this earthy body, is so besotted upon the earth, and earthly things, that nothing is so grievous to it, as to leave them; and leave them it must, if parted from the body; and therefore is not willing to leave the body? but alas what poore reasons are these, or if there be any better than these, to make us be loath to die; which is in effect, to make us be loath to goe to our Sabbath? For seeing we cannot goe to our Sabbath with soule and body both together: why should wee thinke much to goe to it with them asunder? Is it not worth rejoycing, to have the soule goe to God, though the body stay behind? [Page 156]must not their parting be as their mee­ting was? and was not the body made of earth, and made at first without a soule, and then God breathed a soule into it? and is it not just, that the soule should returne to God that gave it: and the body returne to the earth, of which it was made? It was the privi­ledge of only Christs body, to enter into his glory, without seeing corrup­tion: it is sufficient for us, that though our bodies see corruptiō, yet that cor­ruption shall put on incorruption: and then wee shall enter intire, both with body and soule, into our Sab­bath. Although therefore there may be reasons to a naturall man of some colour, to make him be loath to die; yet to a man that knowes the myste­ries of Christian Religion, and speci­ally to a man regenerate, and that lookes with the eye of faith, they are easily discerned to be palpable er­rours, [Page 157]at least of ignorance, at best of of infirmity. Wherefore O my soule, be not dazled, nor deluded with these colours, but count it a happinesse to goe to thy Sabbath at any time: and the sooner the better: for then thou shalt have no more dayes of labour: and be not afraid of parting from the body: for once parted, thou my soule, shalt presently have a Sabbath of joy; and thy body shall have a Sab­bath of rest, and that rest to continue, till it heare the voyce; Arise thou that sleepe, and God shall give thee light, and then that rest shall be turned into joy too: for as God at first brought the soule to the body, so hee will bring at last the body to the soule, when they shall meete againe with the greater joy; and shall be free from all feare of ever being parted from one another any more; but as they have passed these sixe dayes of [Page 158]labour together, so the seaventh day they shall enjoy their Sabbath toge­ther, and shall no more need to re­member, to keepe holy the Sabbath day; seeing there shall be then no o­ther dayes to hazzard the forgetting it: but as with God, so with us, a thousand yeares, or rather indeed eternity, shall be but as one day, only (my soule) be carefull to come pre­pared to make thy account, and then thou mayst be sure of a quietus est: be carefull to worke well these sixe dayes of labour, and then thou canst not doubt of having a Sab­bath; yet not for thy workes sake, nor for thy labours sake; but for his mercies sake, that is the Lord God of Sabbath; and for his me­rits sake, that is Lord of the Sab­bath.

But O my soule, is it enough, that wee bee not loath to die any day? [Page 159]Is there not rather cause wee should be glad to die every day? seeing each day hath peculiar mo­tives to winne us to it? For if wee die upon the Munday, wee may be glad, because this be­ing the first of our sixe dayes of labour, by dying now, wee escape the labours of all the dayes fol­lowing: If we die upon the Tues­day, wee may be glad, because dying now wee give over working before the heat of the day; this be­ing yet but as the morning of the weeke. If wee die upon the Wed­nesday, wee may be glad, because to die now, is but as the taking of a baite in the middest of a jour­ney: all our life being as a travel­ling betweene two Sabbaths. If we dye upon the Thursday, we may be glad, because we may take our Viaticum with us, the body and [Page 160]blood of Christ, which was this day given, and is only able to refresh us after our labours: if we die upon the Friday, we may be glad, because we shall die upon the same day that Christ died, and so imitate him in the time of his death, though we cannot in the innocencie. If we die upon the Saturday, wee may be glad, because having now finished our sixe dayes of labour, wee are ready for entring into our rest, and have our workes to follow us: if we die upon the Sun­day, wee may be most glad of all, because to die now, is but to shift our Sabbath; to put off an old, and put on a new; to leave a temporary Sabbath here on earth, for a Sab­bath which is eternall in the hea­vens. But though these or any like reasons may be thought but idle thoughts, and no better than dreams: yet one sound reason wee are sure [Page 161]there is, to make us glad to die any day; and it is the same which Saint Paul discovered in himselfe, when hee said, Cupio dissolvi, I desire to be dissolved: and why to be dissolved? indeed for a very good reason, & esse cum Christo, that hee might be with Christ: for though Christ have made us a promise to be with us alwayes to the end of the world, yet it serves not our turne, that hee be with us, if wee be not with him; and be with him as Saint Paul desired to be, wee cannot, unlesse wee goe the same way, as hee went, the way of death; and then if death be the way to bring us to Christ; and but by death we cannot be with him: have we not just cause to alter our saluta­tion of death, from saying, O mors quam amara, O death how bitter thou art! to saying, O mors quam jucunda, O death how pleasing thou art! and [Page 162]entertaine it with acclamations of joy, as a most welcome guest, at least as a harbinger to a most comfor­table host: with whom wee shall sit at his Table, in his Fathers Kingdome: and where there shall be no more distinction of dayes; but all shall bee one entire day; and that day a Sabbath; and that Sabbath, though it have a mor­ning, yet shall have no evening: because time shall be no more: but as death shall then bee swallowed up of victory, so time shall then be swallowed up of eternitie.