I am to beftir me, now while time ferves me. 0 dread to let ever a day flip, without the doing of fome good work, and making fome addition ftill more to the fpiritual ftock. Be full of contrivance and care, my foul, that the next new day may always bring thee in fome new advantage; to fet thee clearer from thy fins; and to raise thee higher above this present world: to make thee bolder to meet with death; and better fitted for the bleffed life; to ftrengthen thy intereft above; and to render thee more great and intimate with thy God. And then wilt thou fee a greater mercy, than bare life, in the lengthening out of thy time upon earth; when it brings thee into the better preparation for heaven: and at laft, yet a much higher mercy than that when he, in whofe hands are thy times, fhall give thee thy discharge, from waiting here any longer, as foon as thou art made meet, to live elsewhere, infinitely happier, and that for ever.

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THE PRAYER.

MY gracious Lord, the God of my life! it is thy fweet and rich mercy, to thy poor creature, and unprofitable fervant, that ftill I do "fee new days, and find new mercies every morning. Yea, thy wonderful patience it is, with a provoking finner, that I had not long ago been put paft the opportunity to enjoy any more of "fuch abused mercy. O forgive me, Lord, all the "time that I have loft, and wickedly miffpent: and

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give me grace to improve the future to thy glory, "and to the advantage of that foul, which thou wilt "fhortly require of me. That while I have oppor"tunity, I may do all the good that's within the "reach of my ability; and fo acquit me every day, "that my last may be my beft day: and my latter "end peace, and my death, a safe paffage out of this

VOL. II.

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miferable

"miferable world: and a joyful entrance into the

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heavenly kingdom. Amen."

MEDITATION II.

Of the Enjoyment of good Health.

MY foul, how infipid, yea, how nauseous to me, would be my life, without that health, which is the favoury fauce to give it a pleasant relifh: ; never fhould I love but lothe to live; muft the life that I hold, be as the common butt, to receive all the arrows of acute diseases, and serve only to give me a poignant fenfe of the appendant pain and mifery. Life, with fuch a heavy clog at its heels, with fuch a galling load, to bow down and break its back; would it not lose the name of a bleffing, and look as if it were given only in judgment; when fo plunged in the waves and billows of trouble ftill rolling over it? would not this difprove the devil's maxim; and make him to fpeak like himself, even in that, which uses to be counted a truth from the liar's mouth; that fkin for fkin, and all that a man has, he will give for his life? For who would pay fo dear for his own torment, when he must but hang on, that he may ftill endure the more?

But O how much better has my indulgent Father provided for me, my foul! Bleffed be his name, that fuch a bitter draught, and weeping mingled with my drink, has not been the portion of my cup: but my conftitution healthy; and all fo well with my body, as I cannot but take for a wonder, in the cafe of one, that has lived no more regular. When many are fuch ftrangers to health, and fo acquainted with

grief; that they fcarce know a well day; wherein they are not fore preffed, and go mourning even all the day long; yea, when they fhould lie down at night, and put off their load, are in dread then, even of their bed; because the place of rest uses to afford them little or none: when their appetite is gone, and no meat or drink delectable to their taste, or what they do defire, they cannot digeft; but only fwallow it to fuffer for it: when their chamber's a fhop of medicines; by which they are ftriving to live artfully, i. e. wretchedly, finding there, none but that fad relief, to protract the miferies of life: O how happily has my Lord made me to differ, that I fee fo many good days, and find fo many good nights! that my ftomach fo feldom fails in its of fice, either of reception or concoction; that my meat and drink goes down pleafantly, and goes off easily that my fleep is fweet, and my bed fcarce ever deceives me of a comfortable repofe, O what a mighty advantage have I here, my foul, of all the various forts of plaintiffs, that are groaning out their wearifome days and nights under the fad oppreffion of their feveral ailments, aches, and maladies! what a price have I here, put into my hands, not to facrifice to my flesh, but to lay out fuch a blessing, in the fervice of my Lord!

When I hear the fmooth words of fuch as wifh me long life, and good health, to enjoy what God has given me of the world's good: I accept the kind intention, but muft correct their erroneous petition; which should be, that God would bless the bleffing to me, and help me to make a good ufe of the good things bestowed upon me, and ftill, to do the more good, the more I have of good; and can I think the best of my time, too good for the God, whose goodness to me has been so abundant, even at all times? O my foul, this is the time, wherein to do his work: whoever do reckon fickness the only

feafon

feafon for religion: I pity the mistaken notion: and cannot hope to fee all well done, in fuch a bad condition; when their service is like to be even as fickly as themselves. But now am I to be doing, when I have not only the opportunity, but ability, and when, O when fo fit a time as this, to use the health, before it be gone? yea, to double my diligence; and now be fo much the bufier, because ere long, the hail temper will be broken, and I fhall be locked up, and rendered unfit for any more business? if the ftrong man is not to glory in his ftrength, whose foundation, even at bett, is but in the duft; O what do I know, but that I, who am fo well and lufty to-day, may be utterly disabled to help myself tomorrow? while health and ftrength then serve me, I muft find them better work, than to ferve my wantonnefs, or worldlinefs, my vices, or follies; and in the greatest care muft I be, that thou, my foul, maycft alfo fhare in the health, and be in profperity, as well as my body. Elfe what will the eafinefs of my flesh prove, but the harveft of the devil? and the better it is with me, it will be but the worse for me. As I am, therefore, aforehand with others, in being healthier; O that I may be alfo holier! elfe I cannot be healthy all over. For what is holiness but the health of the foul; and then only canft thou do well, my foul; and live like thyfelf, when healed of all thy deadly fins; and made the faithful member of that kingdom, which is righteoufnefs, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoft.

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GOD of my life and health! by whofe favour I have, not only a fubfiftence in the "world, but a comfortable enjoyment of my life, " and a great measure of good health. It is thy: "fweet gift, Lord, and the chief of thy temporal bleffings,

bleffings, that gives relish and luftre to all the reft, "O that I may be duly thankful for it, and bring "thee glory, in the use of it! Let me not truft to "it, nor glory in it; but carefully and induftriously "lay out and improve it, while I have it. That my "foul alfo may be healthy, and that thou, Lord, "who haft pleasure in my profperity, mayeft alfo be "pleased with my duty, when I am ftrong in the "Lord, and rejoice as a strong man to run a race, "in doing the service acceptable to my God thro' "Jefus Chrift. Amen."

MEDITATION III.

Of God's goodness, in making affairs profperous.

TH

HAT things do fucceed to my wishes; yea, and above my expectations; O my foul, shall I afcribe it to my fubtile politicks, or to my ftrenuous endeavours, or to the intereft and affistance of my good friends and kind neighbours? Whatever fhare these might have in the conduct and execution, yet muft I look ftill higher and further: when all, indeed, is owing to the kind providence, and the good will of my heavenly Father, who fends profperity, and who gives every good gift. 'Tis he that has fhewed his favour to me, and levelled the banks, and removed the rubs, to make my way plain and facile before me, and every thing bend and comply, to gratify and please me.

For how often, my foul, do I fee much deeper wisdom, ftronger ability, greater intereft, and wider friendship, than any of mine, fail of producing fuch effects? how often are the wife and potent, and fuch as are best befriended, yet baffled and defeated? and

cannot