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

§. 58.

5. Industry, and a Voca∣tion.

5. Industry in some Vocation. (i. e.) 1. Serving God, and being instrumental to his providence in some Imploy∣ment, for supplying those necessities Spiritual; Civil; or Natural; which God hath ordained to be conveyed to men, only by the ministry of men.

2. Following it without digressions into other curious, or needless imployments, or desire to be aliquis in omnibus. And (if it may be) having a design of some particular good accrewing to your self or your neighbor in your labour, by it to sanctify your work, and excite your diligence.

3. Entertaining no imployment, that excludes a suffici∣ent vacancy for your Devotions.

4. Ordering still before-hand, and, where it is much,

setting down in writing, your business; which strengthens the performance, and prevents divertisements.

5. Keeping a certain, and constant order in your dayly imployments, as far as they are capable thereof. Qui bene ordinat diem, bene ordinat vitam, life being only a col∣lection, and total summe of so many days.

6. Taking special care of the beginning of your imploy∣ments in the morning; and after meals; which then begun well, are easily continued; but ill, and vainly, are not so easily changed.

7. Using your recreations not before, but after, your imployments, because you will experience, that to get most of your time which is taken in hand first.

8. Not doing business hastily, or passionately, or many at once; for all these much hinder the acts of reason, and judgment, in the managing of them; but dispatching things allway successively rather; and in a certain order, with a reposed Spirit, and without excessive thought.

9. Avoiding in all things taedium mentis (for 'tis some delight that keeps a man in his work, nor will he perse∣vere without it): the chief remedy whereof is an ad∣mixture of some variety: variety both of our imployments; and, in the same imployment, of the postures of the body (as sitting, walking, lying, &c.) and of the accidental and by-entertainments of the senses, (as several roomes, pro∣spects, being in the House, in the Field, in a Church, &c.) by which the intention of the mind is much recreated; and better thus to afford some content to nature, than (which is worse) quite to desist from an holy, or other∣wise profitable, exercise out of irksomeness.

10. Keeping a strict account of your expence of two things: your Time; being that in which you are now to purchase Salvation in eternity: And your Money, or Goods; all the spare thereof being the Portion of the poor; and this in order to your Salvation also (see Luk. 16.9.) those

eternal houses, in this sense, being also to be bought with money: Often accounts for what is past, helps much to prevent mis-expence for the future: Edicat quid absump∣serit; ita fiet, ut non absumat, quod pudeat dicere.

11. Doing all your temporal business in the name of Christ (Col. 3.17.23.) to the glory of God (1. Cor. 10.31.) whereby all your secular actions may become (as it were) consecrated, religious, and holy duties.

12. Never neglecting your vocation, and duty, to cover an infirmity, or avoid obloquy, &c. But glorifying (and so increasing your reward with) God in serving him (in your appointed station) through the impotency of your nature; dishonor and infamy from men.

Digr. Neglect of publick duty not excused, and made amends for, by private integrity or good endeavors, that are besides our profession.

13. Not being discouraged in the works of your Voca∣tion, by ill success. God loving your patience in well-do∣ing as much as another man's fruitfulness (which is in∣deed only from him) and rewarding us according to the working, rather than the work. (Esay. 49.4.)

14. Before every distinct business (small or great) using a brief Invocation of God for his help, and benediction (with some reverence used of the Body); as 'tis usual before eating. 1. Cor. 10.31. [or whatsoever ye do.] This religious preparation will add more confidence, and cour∣age in your labours.

15. In matters of great moment, or much concernment, before any resolution made about them, Using the pre∣parations of Fasting, and other Mortifications; of Prayer, your own and others (Act. 12.5.12.) (for God loves to be courted, and sought to by his servants, before he bestows his favours); of counsel even from Inferiors; by whom many times God sends Advice; Deus saepe revelat parvulis. For the same reason, to those surprising us with a

proposal, not giving a sudden, and extempore answer, a∣bout matters of importance; but soberly desiring time to consider (i. e.) to recommend them to God in your Prayers.

16. Observing, and setting down the affections, and incli∣nations of your Soul, in, and after, your Prayer made to God; By which many times He doth (not obscurely) reveal his pleasure to those, who wait for it, touching the particu∣lars wherein they consult Him.

17. For making your election where two things of con∣sequence are doubtful which of them should be done, Bringing your self, for as much as concerns self-interest, (i. e. as to sensual pleasure, profit, honor, wealth, &c.) into an equilibrium, and indifferency between both, that so you may embrace that, which simply more advanceth God's glory, the end of your Creation. And if thus you do consider things deliberated on, not in order to your own pleasure, profit, or other Secular satisfaction, but meerly in order to the Glory and Service of God (for which you were created) and for attaining Salvation, in most pro∣posals this question or doubting will be immediately with∣out any difficulty decided by the Director of your consci∣ence, or rather of God's Spirit; and so you certainly know God's Will and what he would have you do.

18. But in those subjects of Consultation, wherein re∣mains some further difficulty: The better to acquire this indifferency, and impartiality, and to make a right choice,

• 1. Set down the several advancements of God's glory, or hinderances thereof, on both sides; and so compare these. Such deliberation, and tryal, being a good way to exclude affections.
• 2. Then betake your self to Prayer and the other means prescribed n. 15. observing whether, after this, your mind doth with much repose and satisfaction, and with∣out having used much discourse to perswade it, acquiess in any side: For this is a great Index to you of the Divine

• good pleasure, that such thing should be done, or prose∣cuted.
• 3. The mind not thus setled, ask counsel of your Ghostly Father, or other Spiritual persons, (for these, abstracting their thoughts more from temporal engagements, are likely to give you the most wholsome advice): desiring God, that by them he would declare his will unto you; and so follow their Directions.
• 4. In defect of these, chuse, what, if you knew you were to dye shortly, you should rather embrace: for this seems more divested of secular ends.
• 5. What you suppose one, mortified to the world, would take.
• 6. What you would advise another to, that asked your judgment.
• 7. What you think an holy man, being asked his judg∣ment, would advise to.
• 8. Generally decree rather against that side, which your sense pleads for, as more grateful to it.