The practice of Christian graces, or, The whole duty of man laid down in a plaine and familiar way for the use of all, but especially the meanest reader : divided into XVII chapters, one whereof being read every Lords Day, the whole may be read over thrice in the year : with Private devotions for several occasions...

PARTITION. VI. (Book 6)

Of DUTIES to our SELVES, Of Sobriety other Hu∣mility; the great Sin of PRIDE, the Danger, the Folly of this Sin. Of VAIN GLORY, the Dan∣ger, Folly, The Means to Prevent it. Of MEEK∣NES, the Means to obtain it, &c.

§. 1. THis duty to our selves,* 1.1 is by St. Paul in the foremetioned text, Tit. 2▪ 12. summed up in this one word, soberly. Now by soberly is meant our keeping within those due bounds which God hath set us. My busi∣ness will therefore be to tell you, what are the particulars of this sobriety. And that first in respect of the soul, secondly in respect of the body: the sobriety of the soul stands in a right governing its passions, and affections; and to that there are many vertues required. I shall give you the particulars of them.

2 The first of them is humility,* 1.2 which may well have the prime place, not only in respect of the excellency of the vertue, but also of it usefulness towards the obtaining of all the rest. This being the founda••ion, on which all others must be built. And he that hopes to gain them without this, will prove but like that foolish builder Christ speaks of, Luke 6. 49. Who built his house on the sand. Of the humility

towards God I have alread•• spoken, and shew∣ed the necessity of it, I am now to speak of humility, as it concerns our selves, which will be found no less necessary, then the former.

3. This humility is of two sorts, the first is the having a mean and low opinion of our selves, the second is the being content that others should have so of us. The first of these is contrary to pride, the other to vain glory. And that both these are absolutely necessary to Christians, I am now to shew you•• which will, I conceive, best be done by laying before you first the sin, secondly the danger, and third∣ly the folly of the contrary vices.

4. And first for pride;* 1.3 the sin of it is so great, that it cast the Angels out of heaven, and therefore if we may judg of sin by the pu∣nishment, it was not only the first, but the greatest sin that ever the Divel himself hath bin guilty of: But we need no better proof of the hainousness of it, then the extreme hate∣fulness of it to God, which besides that instance of his punishing the Divel, we may frequently find in the Scriptures, Prov. 16. 5. Every one that is proud in heart, is an a∣bomination to the Lord. And again, Chap. 6. 16. Where there is mention of several things▪ the Lord hates, a proud look is set as the first of them: So Jam. 4. 7. God resisteth the proud; and divers other texts there are to the same pur∣pose, which shew the great hatred God bears to this sin of pride Now since it is certain, God who is all goodness hates nothing, but

as it is evil, it must needs follow, that where God hates in so great a degree, there must be a great degree of evil.

5. But secondly,* 1.4 pride is not only very sin∣ful, but very dangerous, and that first in re∣spect of drawing us to our sins,* 1.5 secondly of be∣traying us to punishments. First, pride draws us to other sins, wherein it shews it self indeed to be the direct contrary to humility, for as that is the root of all vertu, so is this of all vice. For he that is proud, sets himself up as his own God, and so can never submit himself to any other rules or Laws, then what he makes to himself. The ungodly, sayes the Psalmist, is so proud that he careth not for God, Psal. 10. 4. Where you see it is his pride, that makes him despise God. And when a man is once come to that, he is prepared for the commission of all sins. I might instance in a multitude of par∣ticular sins, that naturally flow from this of pride, as first anger, which the wise man sets, as the effect of pride, Pro. 21. 24. calling it proud wrath; secondly, strife and contention, which he again notes to be the off-spring of pride, Pro. 13. 10. Only by pride cometh con∣tention. And both these are indeed most n••∣tural effects of pride. For he that thinks very highly of himself, expects much submission, and observance from others, and therefore cannot but rage and quarrel, whenever he thinks it not sufficiently payed. It would be infinite to mention all the fruits of this bitter root, I shall name but one more, and that is,

that pride not only betrays us to many sins, but also makes them incureable in us, for it hinders the working of all remedies.

6. Those remedies must either come from God or man;* 1.6 if from God, they must be either in the way of meekness and greatness, or else of sharpness and punishment. Now if God by his goodness essay to lead a proud man to repentance, he quite mistakes Gods meaning, and thinks all the mercies he receives, are but the reward of his own desert, and so long 'tis sure he will never think he needs repentance. But if on the other side, Gods use him more sharply, and lay afflictions, and punishments upon him, those in a proud heart work no∣thing but murmurings and hatings of God, as if he did him injury in those punishments. As for the remedies that can be used by man, they again must be either by way of correcttion, or exhortation; correcttion from man will sure never work more on a proud heart, then those from God; for he that can think God unjust in them, will much rather believe it of man. And exhortations will do as little. For let a proud man be admonished though never so mildly and lovingly, he looks on it as a dis∣grace. And therefore in stead of confessing, or amending the fault, he falls to reproach∣ing his reprover, as an over-busy, or censo∣rious person, and for that greatest and most precious act of kindness, looks on him as his enemy. And now one that thus stubbornly re∣sists all means of cure, must be included

in a most dangerous estate.

7. But besides this danger of sin,* 1.7 I told you there was another, that of punishment; and of this there will need little proof, when it it con∣sidered, that God is the proud mans profest enemy; that he hates and resists him, as ap∣peared in the texts forecited: And then there can be little doubt, that he which hath so mighty an adversarie shall be sure to smart for it; Yet besides this general ground of con∣clusion, it may not be a miss to mention some of those t••xts, which particularly threaten this sin, as Pro. 16. 18. Pride goeth before de∣struction, and an haughty spirit before a fall: Again, Pro. 16. 5. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord, though hand joyn in hand, yet they shall not be unpu∣nished. The decree it seems is unalterable, and whatever endeavours are used to preserve the proud man, they are but vain, for he shall not go unpunished. And this is very remarkable in the story of Nebuchadnezar, Dan. 4. Who though a King, the greatest in the world, yet for his pride, was driven from among men, to dwell and feed with beasts. And it is most frequently seen, that this sin meets with very extraordinary judgments even in this life. But if it should not, let not the proud man think that he hath escaped Gods vengeance, for it is sure, there will be a most sad reckoning in the next; for if God spared not the An∣gels for this sin, but cast them into hell, let no man hope to speed better.

8. In the third place,* 1.8 I am to shew you the great folly of this sin, and to do that, it will be necessary to consider the several things, whereof men use to be proud; they are of three sorts, either those which we call the goods of nature, or the goods of fortune, or the goods of grace.

9. By the goods of nature,* 1.9 I mean beauty, strength, wit, and the like, and the being proud of any of these is a huge folly. For first we are very apt to mistake, and think our selves hand some or witty, when we are not, and then there cannot be a more ridiculous folly, then to be proud of what we have not, and such every one e∣steems it in another man, though he never supposes it his own case, and so never dis∣cerns it in himself. And therefore there is nothing more despiseable amongst all men, then a proud fool, yet no man that entertains high opinions of his own wit, but is in danger to be thus deceived, a mans own judgment of himself being of all others the least to be trusted. But Secondly, suppose we be not out in judging, yet what is there in any of these natural endow∣ments, which is worth the being proud. There being scarce any of them, which some creature or other hath not in a greater degree then man. How much does the whiteness of the Lilly, and the redness of the Rose exceed the white, and red of the fairest face?

what a multitude of creatures is there, that farr surpass man in strength and sweetness? And divers others there are which as far as con∣cerns any useful end of theirs, act much more wisely then most of us; and are therefore of∣tentimes in Scripture proposed to us by way of Example. It is therefore surely great un∣reasonableness for us to think highly of our selves, for such things as are common to us with beasts and plants. But thirdly, if they were as excellent as we fancy them, yet they are not at all durable, they are impaired and lost by sundry means; a phrensy will destroy the rarest wit, a sickness decay the freshest beauty, the greatest strength, or however old age will be sure to do all. And therefore to be proud of them is again a folly in this respect. But lastly, whatever they are, we gave them not to our selves. No man can think he did any thing towards the procuring his natural beau∣ty or wit, and so can with no reason value himself for them.

10 In the second place,* 1.10 the folly is as great to be proud of the goods of fortune; by them I mean wealth and honour, and the like; for it is sure, they add nothing of true worth to the man, somewhat of outward pomp, and bravery they may help him to, but that makes no change in the person. You may load an Asse with money, or deck him with rich trap∣pings, yet still you will not make him a whit the nobler kind of beast by either of them. Then secondly, these are things we have no

hold of, they vanish many times, ere we are aware, he that is rich to day, may be poor to¦morrow, and then will be the less pitied by all in his poverty, the prouder he was when he was rich. Thirdly, We have them all, but as Stewards, to lay out for our Masters use, and therefore should rather think how to make our accounts, then pride our selves in our receipts. Lastly, Whatever of these we have, they, as well as the former, are not owing to our selves. But if they be lawfully gotten, we owe them onely to God, whose blessing it is, that maketh rich, Pro. 10. 22. If unlawfully, we have them upon such terms, that we have very little reason to brag of them. And thus you see in these several re∣spects, the folly of this second sort of pride.

11. The third is that of the goods of grace;* 1.11 that is any vertue a man hath. And here I can∣not say, but the things are very valuable, they being infinitely more precious, then all the world, yet nevertheless this is of all the rest the highest folly. And that not onely in the fore∣going respect, that we help not our selves to it, grace being above all things most immediatly Gods Work in us, but especially in this, that the being proud of grace, is the sure way to loose it. God, who gives grace to the hum∣ble, will take it from the proud. For if, as we see in the parable, Mat. 25. 28. the talent was taken from him who had onely put it to no use at all, how shall he hope to have it

continued to him, that hath put it to so ill, that in stead of trading with it for God, hath trafficked with it for Satan? And as he will loose the grace for the future, so he will loose all reward of it for the time past. For let a man have done never so many good acts, yet if he be proud of them, that pride shall be charged on him to his destruction, but the good shall never be remembred to his reward. And this proves it to be a most wretched folly to be proud of grace. It is like that of chil∣dren, that pull those things in pieces, they are most fond of, but yet much worse then that of theirs, for we not onely loose the thing (and that the most precious that can be imagi∣ned) but we must also be eternally punished for doing so, there being nothing that shall be so sadly reckoned for in the next world, as the abuse of grace, and certainly there can be no greater abuse of it, then to make it serve for an end so directly contrary to that for which it was given, it being given to make us humble, not proud, to magnify God, not our selves.

12. Having shewed you thus much of this sin,* 1.12 I suppose it will appear very necessary to be eschewed, to which purpose it will first be useful to consider, what hath been already said concerning it, and that so seriously, as may work in thee▪ not some slight dislike, but a deep, and irreconcileable hatred of the sin; secondly to be very watchful over thine own heart, that it cherish not any beginnings of it;

never suffer it to feed on the fancy of thy own worth, but when ever any such thought arises, beat it down immediatly with the remem∣brance of some of thy follies or sins, and so make this very motion of pride an occasion of humility. Thirdly, Never to compare thy self with those thou thinkest more foolish or wicked then thy self, that so thou mayest like the Pharisee Luk. 16. 11. extol thy self, for being better, but if thou wilt compare, do it with the Wise, and Godly, and then thou wilt find thou comest so far short, as may help to pull down thy high esteem of thy self. Lastly, To be very earnest in Prayer, that God would root out all degrees of this sin in thee, and make thee one of those poor in Spirit, Mat. 5. 3. to whom the blessing, even of Heaven it self, is promised.

13. The second contrary to humility I told you was vain glory.* 1.13 That is a great thirst after the praise of men.* 1.14 And first, that this is a sin, I need prove no otherwise, then by the words of our Saviour, Jo. 5. 44. How can ye believe, that receive honour one of another? Where it appears, that it is not onely a sin, but such a one, as hinders the receiving of Christ into the heart, for so believing there signifies.* 1.15 This then in the second place shews you likewise the great dangerousness of this sin, for if it be that, which keeps Christ out of the heart, it is sure it brings infinite danger, since all our safety, all our hope of escaping the wrath to come, stands in receiving him?

But besides the authority of this text, com∣mon experience shews, that where ever this sin hath possession, it endangers men to fall into any other. For he that so considers the praise of men, that he must at no hand part with it, when ever the greatest sins come to be in fashion, and credit (as God knows many are now a daies) he will be sure to commit them, rather then run the disgrace of being too singular, and precise; I doubt there are many consciences can witness the truth of this, so that I need say no more to prove the danger of this sin.

14. The third thing I am to shew,* 1.16 is the folly of it, And that will appear first by con∣sidering, what it is we thus hunt after, no∣thing but a little air, a blast, the breath of men, it brings us in nothing of reall advan∣tage: for I am made never the wiser, nor the better, for a mans saying I am wise, and good. Besides if I am commended, it must be either before my face, or behind my back, if the former, it is very often flattery, and so the greatest abuse that can be offered, and then I must be very much a fool, to be pleased with it. But if it be behind my back, I have not then so much as the pleasure of knowing it, and therefore it is a strange folly thus to pursue, what is so utterly gainless. But se∣condly, It is not onely gainless, but painful, and uneasy also. He that eagerly seeks Prayer, is not at all Master of himself, but must suit all his actions to that end, and in stead of

doing what his own reason and conscience (nay perhaps his wordly conveniency) directs him to, he must take care to do what wil bring him in commendations, and so enslaves him∣self to every one that hath but a tongue to commend him. Nay there is yet a further uneasiness in it, and that is, when such a man fails of his aime, when he misses the praise, and perhaps meets with the contrary re∣proach, (which is no mans lot more often then the vain glorious, nothing making a man more despised) then what disturbances and disquiets, and even tortures of mind is he un∣der? A lively instance of this you have in Achitophel, 2 Sam. 17. 23. who had so much of this upon Absoloms despising his counsel, that he chose to rid himself of it, by hanging himself. And sure this painfulness that thus attends this sin, is sufficient proof of the folly of it. Yet this is not all, it is yet further very hurtful: For if this vain glory be concerning any good, or Christian action, it destroyes all the fruit of it; he that prayes or gives almes to be seen of men, Mat. 6. 2. must take that as his reward, Verily I say unto you they have their reward, they must expect none from God, but the portion of those hypo∣crites that love the the praise of men more then the praise of God. And this is a miserable folly to make such an exchange. It is like the dog in the fable, who seeing in the water the shadow of that meat he held in his mouth, catcht at the shadow, & so let go meat. Such

dogs, such unreasonable creatures are we, when we thus let go the eternal rewards of Heaven, to catch at a few good words of men. And yet we do not onely loose those eternal joyes, but procure to our selves the contrary eternal mercies, which is sure the highest pitch of folly and madness. But if the vain glory be not concerning any vertuous action, but only some indifferent thing, yet even there al∣so it is very hurtful; for vain glory is a sin, that wheresoever it is placed, endangers our eter∣nal estate, which is the greatest of all mischiefs. And even for the present it is observable, that of all other sins, it stands the most in its own light, hinders it self of that very thing it pursues. For there are very few that thus hunt after praise, but they are discerned to do so, and that is sure to eclipse whatever praise worthy thing they do, and brings scorn upon them in stead of reputation. And then certainly we may justly condemn this sin of folly, which is so ill a manager even of its own dedesigns.

15. You have seen how wretched a thing this vain glory is,* 1.17 in these several respects, the serious consideration whereof, may be one good means to subdue it, to which it will be necessary to add; first, a great watchfulness over thy self; Observe narrowly, whether in any Christian duty thou at all considerest the praise of men, or even in the most indiffe∣rent action, look whether thou have not too eager a desire of it; And if thou findest thy self inclined that way, have a very strict eye

upon it, and where ever thou findest it stirring, check, and resist it; suffer it not to be the end of thy actions; But in all matters of Religion, let the duty be thy motive; In all indifferent things of common life, let reason direct thee; and though thou mayest so far consider in those things the opinion of men, as to observe the rules of common decency, yet never think any praise, that come in to thee from any thing of that kind worth the contriving for; Secondly, Set up to thy self another aime, viz that of pleasing God; let that be thy inquiry when thou goest about any thing, whether it be approved by him, and then thou wilt not be at leisure to consider what praise it will bring thee from men. And surely he that weighs of how much more moment it is to please God, who is able eter∣nally to reward us, then men, whose applause can never do us any good, will surely think it reasonable, to make the former his onely care. Thirdly, If at any time thou art praised, do not be much overjoyed with it, nor think a jot the better of thy self, but if it be vertue thou art praised for, remember it was God, that wrought it in thee, and give him the glo∣ry, never thinking any part of it belongs to thee; If it be some indifferent action, then remember that it cannot▪ deserve praise, as having no goodness in it; But if it be a bad one (as amongst men such are sometimes like∣liest to be commended) then it ought to set thee a trembling, in stead of rejoycing, for

then that woe of our Saviours belongs to thee, Luk. 6, 26. Wo unto you when men speak well of you, for so did their Fathers to the false Prophets, and there is not a greater sign of a hardned heart, then when men can make their sins the matter of their glory. In the last place let thy prayers assist in the fight with this corruption.

16. A second vertue is meekness,* 1.18 That is a calmness and quietness of spirit, contrary to the rages, and impatiences of anger. This vertue may be exercised either in respect of God, or our neighbour. That towards God I have already spoken of, under the head of humility, and that towards our neighbour I shall hereafter; All I have here to say of it, is, how it becomes a duty to our selves; that it does, in respect of the great advantage we reap by it,* 1.19 which, in meer kindness to our selves, we are to look after. And to prove that it brings us this great advantage, I need say no more, but that this meekness is that to which Christ hath pronounced a blessing, Mat. 5. 5. Blessed are the meek, and not onely in the next world, but even in this too, they shall inherit the earth; Indeed none but th•• meek person hath the true enjoyment of any thing in the world, for the angry, and impa∣tient are like such people, who we use to say, cannot enjoy the greatest prosperities; For let things be never so fair without, they will raise storms within their own breasts. And surely whoever ••ath either in himself, or others ob∣served

the greatest uneasiness of this passion of anger, cannot chuse but think meekness a a most pleasant thing.

17. Besides it is also a most honourable thing, for it is that whereby we resemble Christ, learn of me, saith he, for I am meek and lowly in heart, Mat. 11. 28. It is also that whereby we conquer our selves, over∣come our own unruly passions, which of all victories is the greatest, and most noble. Last∣ly, it is that which makes us behave our selves like men, whereas anger gives us the fierce∣ness and wildness of savage beasts. And ac∣cordingly the one is by all esteemed, and lov∣ed, whereas the other is hated and abhorred, every man shunning a man in rage as they would a furious beast.

18. Farther, yet meekness is the sobriety of the mind, whereas anger is the direct madness, it puts a man wholly out of his own power, and makes him do such things, as himself in his sober temper abhors; how many men have done those things in their rage, which they have repented all their lives after? and there∣fore surely as much as a man is more honou∣rable then a beast, a sober man then a mad man, so much hath this vertue of meekness the advantage of honour above the contrary vice of anger.

19. Again, meekness makes any condition tollerable, and easie to be endured. He that meekly bears any suffering, takes off the edg of it, that it cannot wound him, whereas he

that frets and rages at it; whets it, and makes it much sharper then it would be; Nay in some cases makes that so, which would not else be so at all; as particularly in the case of re∣proachful words, which in themselves can do us no harm, they neither hurt our bodies nor lessen our estate, the only mischief they can do us is to make us angry, and then our anger may do us many more; whereas he that meek∣ly passes them by, is never the worse for them; nay the better, for he shall be rewarded by God for that patience. Much more might be said to recommend this virtue to us, in respect of our own present advantage, but I suppose this may suffice to perswade men to esteem of it. The harder matter will be to gain them to the practice of it, wherein men pretend I know not what difficulties of natural constitu∣tions and the like; Yet sure there is no man of so Cholerick a temper; but if he did heartily set about it, would find it were not impossible in some good measure to subdue it: But then he must be diligent in using means to that end. Divers of these means there are I shall menti∣on some few.

20 As first.* 1.20 The imprinting deep in our mind the loveliness, and benefits of meekness, toge∣ther with the ugliness and mischiefs of anger. Secondly, To set before us the examples of Christ, who endured all reproaches, yea tor∣ments with perfect, patience that was lead as a sheep to the slaughter, Isaiah 33. 7. That when he was reviled, reviled not again; when

he suffered, threatned not, 1 Pet. 2. 23. And if he the Lord of glory suffered thus meekly and unjustly from his own creatures, with what force can we ever complain of any in∣jury done to us? Thirdly, To be very watch∣ful to prevent the very first beginnings of an∣ger, and to that purpose to mortifie all in∣••ard peevishness, and frowardness of mind, which is a sin in it self, though it proceed no farther, but will also be sure, if it be cherish∣ed to break out into open effects of anger. Therefore whenever thou findest the least rising of it within thee, make as much haste to check it as thou wouldst to quench a fire in thy house, but be sure thou bring no fuell to it, by entertaining any thoughts, that may increase it. And at such a time especially, keep a most strick watch over thy tongue, that it break not out into any angry speeches, for that breath will fan the fire; not only in thine adversary, but thy self too; therefore though thy heart be hot within stifle the flame, and let it not break out, and the greater the tem∣ptation is▪ the more earnestly lift up thy heart to God, to assist thee to overcome it. Fourth∣ly, Often remember, how great punishments sins have deserved, and then whether thy suf∣ferings be from God or man, thou wilt ac∣knowledg them to be far short of what is due to thee, and therefore wilt be ashamed to be impatient at them.

21. The third vertue is ••onsideration,* 1.21 and this in a most special manner we own to our

souls. For without it, we shall, as rash, un∣advised people use to do; rush them into in∣finite perils. Now this consideration is either of our state, or of our actions. By our state I mean what our condition is to God-ward,* 1.22 whether it be such that we may reasonably conclude our selves in his favour. This it much concerns us to consider and examine, and that not by those easie rules men are apt to frame to themselves, as whether they believe that Christ died for their sins; that they are of the number of the elect; and shall certainly be saved, if these and the like were all that were required to put us into Gods favour, none but some very melancholly person could ever be out of it, for we are apt enough generally to believe comfortably of our selves. But the rules God hath given us in his word, are those by which we must be tryed at the last day, and therefore are certainly the only safe ones, by which to trie our selves now.* 1.23 And the summe of those are, that whosoever continues in a∣ny one wilful sin is not in his favour, nor can if he so die, hope for any mercy at his hand.

22. Now it is highly necessary, we should consider what our condition is in this respect For since our life is nothing but a puffe of breath in our nostrils, which may for ought we know be taken from us the next minuite, it neerly concerns us, to know how we are pro∣vided for another world, that so in case we want at present that oile in our lamps, where∣with

we are to meet the Bride-groom, Mat. 25. 8. We may timely get it, and not for want of it be ever shut out like the foolish virgins, from his presence.* 1.24 The neglect of this consi∣deration hath undon many soules, some by too easie a belief that they were in a good conditi∣on, without considering and trying them∣selves by the foregoing rule, but presuming either upon some slight outward performan∣ces, or upon such a false faith, as I even now described others by the wretched careless go∣ing on, without so much as asking themselves, what their condition is, but hope they shall do as well as their neighbours, and so never in∣quiring farther; which wretched carelesness will as certainly undoe the spiritual, as the like would do the temporal estate; yet in that e∣very man is wise enough to foresee, that a man that never takes any accounts of his estate to see whether he be worth somthing or nothing, will be sure to be a begger in the end. But in this far weightier matter we can generally be thus improvident.

23. The second thing we are to consider,* 1.25 is our actions, and those either before, or after the doing of them. In the first place we are to consider before we act,* 1.26 and not to do any rashly or headily. But first to advise with our consciences, whether this be lawful to be done, for he that followes his own incli∣nation, and does every thing which that moves him to, shall be s••re to fall into a mul∣titude of sins. Therefore consider soberly and

be assured of the lawfulness of the thing, be∣fore thou venture to do it. This advisedness is in all worldly things accounted so necessary a part of wisdom, that no man is accounted wise without it; A rash man we look upon as the next degree to a fool: And yet it is sure there is not so much need of looking a∣bout us in any thing, as in what concerns our souls, and that not only in respect of the great value of them above all things else, but also in regard of the great danger they are in, as hath been shewed more at large in the beginning of the treatise.

24 Secondly, We are to consider our acti∣ons,* 1.27 when they are past also, that is, we are to examine whether they have been such, as are allowable by the Laws of Christ, This is very necessary, whether they be good or bad; if they be good, the recalling them helpeth us to the comfort of a good conscience, and that comfort again incourageth us to go on in the like; and besides it stirrs us up to thankful∣ness to God, by whose grace alone we were enabled to do them. But if they be bad, then it is especially necessary, that we thus exa∣mine them, for without this it is impossible we should ever come to amendment; for un∣less we observe them to have been amiss, we can never think it needful to amend: But shall still run on from one wickedness to another, which is the greatest curse any man can lie up∣on.

25. The oftner therefore we use this consi∣deration,

the better;* 1.28 for the less likely it is, that any of our sins shall escape our know∣ledg. It is much to be wisht, that every man should thus every night try the actions of the day, that so if he have done any things a∣misse, he may soon check himself for it, and settle his resolutions against it, and not let it grow on to a habit and course. And that he may also early beg Gods pardon, which will the easier be had, the sooner it is asked, every delay of that being a great increase of the sin. And surely whoever means to take account of himself at all, will find this the ea∣siest course, it being much easier to do it so, a little at a time, and while passages are fresh in his memory, th••n to take the account of a long time together.* 1.29 Now if it be considered, that every wilful sin must have a particular re¦pentance before it can be pardoned, me thinks men should tremble to sleep without that re∣pentance, for what assurance hath any man that lies down in his bed, that he shall ever rise again; and then how dangerous is the con∣dition of that man, that sleeps in an unre∣pented sin? The weighing of these several motives may be a means by Gods blessing, to bring us to the practice of this duty of conside∣ration in all the parts of it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Duty to our selves.
• * 1.2

  Humility.
• * 1.3

  The great sin of pride.
• * 1.4

  The danger.
• * 1.5

  Drawing into other sins.
• * 1.6

  Frustrating of remedies.
• * 1.7

  Betraying to punish∣ment.
• * 1.8

  The folly.
• * 1.9

  In respect of the goods of Nature.
• * 1.10

  The goods of fortune.
• * 1.11

  The goods of grace.
• * 1.12

  Means of Humility.
• * 1.13

  Vain glory.
• * 1.14

  The sin.
• * 1.15

  The danger
• * 1.16

  The folly.
• * 1.17

  ••elps a∣••••inst vain ••••••ry.
• * 1.18

  Meekness.
• * 1.19

  Advan∣tages of it.
• * 1.20

  Means of obtaining it.
• * 1.21

  Considerati∣on.
• * 1.22

  Of our state.
• * 1.23

  The rule by which to trie our state.
• * 1.24

  The danger of inconsi∣deration.
• * 1.25

  Our acti∣ons.
• * 1.26

  Before we do them.
• * 1.27

  After they are done.
• * 1.28

  Frequency of conside∣ration.
• * 1.29

  Danger of omitting it.