Motives to holy living, or, Heads for meditation divided into consideratins, counsels, duties : together with some forms of devotion in litanies, collects, doxologies, &c.

§. 19.

5. Of secu∣lar Imploy∣ments.

1. Quitting and dismissing, as much as you can, worldly cares, and much temporal Affairs; The secular cares of most men being undertaken not for want of necessarie•• for the present for them, or theirs; but for provision of ne∣cessaries for the future (a thing to which our Lord saw our Infirmity very liable, and forbad it. Matt. 6.32, 33, 34. Matt. 13.7.22. Luk. 12.20. Jam. 4.13, 14.): And such cares proceeding, partly from some distrust of the di∣vine Providence; cured by casting our selves upon it, and so experiencing the goodness thereof: partly, from the overvaluing the good things of this world, and not well apprehending the felicities and contents of a low condition; cured by much practice of devotion, which affords solaces that much transcend mundane delights. When worldly cares of necessary provisions are dismissed; yet much tem∣poral affairs, by reason of much-customed Trading, or Offices of great charge, or (apprehended) Obligations of Charity to our Neighbour, &c. still molest us; and are commonly the last snare of this world, wherewith a man of good In∣tentions is catched; whilst, by this serving God in our Vocation, we neglect to serve him in Prayer: (which fre∣quentation of Prayer is an employment more spiritual, and to which men have much reluctance at the first, till more accustomed to it;) and, by doing some good (as we ap∣prehend) necessary to our Neighbour, we omit the while a good, more necessary, to our selves. I mean the Converse with God in our Devotions: yet, without which, we can no way endure long in the performance of any other ser∣vice of him, so as we ought, and without incurring many faults, and failings: and we are but like those, who are so eager on their work, as that they will not take their ne∣cessary sustinence for doing it; or like those that set up Trading without a Stock. Of several things, therefore, that present themselves under the appearance of doing good, that which is to be preferred, especially by those

who are not yet arrived to much perfection, is doing good to our selves; and that, first in Spirituals; and this, first by frequent and long converse with God in Prayer: (for a short time of Prayer doth not obtain, or produce many beneficial effects, and solaces thereof, which are enjoyed from a large time spent therein; especially by those, not yet arrived to any great habit of Piety): and this Prayer requires solitude, and coadmits not so much other imploy∣ment as many charge themselves with; requires also recollection, and freedome from those distractions in per∣forming it which much business usually interjects.

2. Ridding your self of, or dispatching with all speed, such occurring secular affairs as cause some extraordinary anxiety, a great impediment in Prayer. And for the same reason declining such secular imployments as much transcend your ordinary ability.

3. Dividing the day, and allotting a set portion thereof for your temporal Affairs; not easily to be enlarged, or the hours thereof changed.

4, Devolving (though perhaps with some loss of gain) some part of your business upon another; and well observing, Whether it be not any cogent necessity, but Covetousness, Ambition, or some other inordinate Lust, that o're-im∣ploys you; Whether another may not do, what we, better, or as well, or sufficiently; or whether inconsiderable, that such things be done at all; and whether my ingrossing much work, whilst it deprives me of necessary leisure, doth not deprive my Neighbor of necessary imployment.

5. Chusing, in order to God's better service (when it is in our power) rather such a vocation, or imployment, as is less tempting to sin (as some be much less than others), or is less mingling with, and engaging, us in, Company, and the world; (See 1. Cor. 7.21.) less full of business, less difficult in its work, a less hindrance to Solitude.

Digr. 1. Of the great danger of some Vocations; and

among these commonly of those more wealthy, and less corporally laborious; of those less necessary, and mini∣string to pleasures: and of those generally, wherein the flesh, and the world (i. e sensuality, gain, or converse,) have more scope to tempt us. For true wisdome doth discern those persons here in most peril as to their future (i. e. eternal) estate, who are, here, most prospering; &e con∣tra pitties the Wealthy's honor, and ease, envies the Poor's labour, and contempt.

Digr. 2. Of great caution to be used concerning Stu∣dies and all intellectual, and speculative, imployments; and of their special hindrance of devotion (more than o∣ther Vocations do) if not discreetly used; because in them those faculties are busily employed, which in others are (in part at least) left vacant, and free, to attend upon God: And because some of them, by the near alliance they seem to have to devotion (as when the Brain is im∣ployed in the study of Divinity) do seem priviledged hereby to intrench upon the times sequestred for it, and to pass in our account instead of Prayer; whenas yet the subtle speculations of the Intellect in these matters have little or no effect upon the Will, or to the producing of those acts of love wherein consists the life of Prayer; and, whilst charitas adificat, scientia inflat: Lastly, Be∣cause much imployment of the Brain is apt to molest us more with distractions, and extravagations, in our De∣votions.

* 1.16. For all necessaries much relying on, and trusting to, God's Providence, which though, in the way of working many times (to exercise Faith) it is much disguised, yet evi∣dently appears in the effect to those, who not only speak of it, but try, and also need it. Extended to all men, not only to Christians; to Beasts (Psal. 104.21.27.—36.6. Matt. 6.26.) not only to men; and nothing so small, wherein it hath not a hand: For men, extended to hairs,

their number, and colour (matt. 10.33. —5.36.); for Beasts to the life and death of a Sparrow, to the cloathing of a Grass, and the beauty of a Flower. Matt. 10.19.—6.29, 30; Yet, far more particularly (as I may so say) in its effects watching over the necessities of God's own servants (as to whom this paterfamilias hath a nearer relation): and that, not only of their Body, but of the Soul, much more: for the supplying, in all honest, and pious attempts, its indigencies, and any thing wanting, either in the Will to effect, or in the Ʋnderstanding to direct. And of this providence every one, according to his greater service, may so much more presume. Only provided, that as Deus non deficit in necessariis, so they should not expect, that he should in this world, to his children, whose inheritance is in the next, abundare in superfluis: nor, secondly, That they should in any thing tempt his Providence by their duty viciously neglected (which they are to perform still, in obedience to his Precept, though not, in distrust to his Provision). For all justice it is, that he, who provideth for the growth of a hair, should suffer him, who doth not labour, to want what to eat.

7. Retaining a resign'd indifferency in all things; whe∣ther for increasing, or also for conserving, what you have.

8. Not entertaining any long, or great, designments, present, or future.

Digr. Of the danger, and needlessness, of Worldly Cares.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Accep∣tableness of a Confident reliance on God's Pro∣vidence for Necessaries