1ittll£tmtng t1)t time. ward Robe but a Rag, or at befi an excrcme111 of dead worms, of. which I hav-e lll tl_e , . ~eafon to be proud ? But my Souls Robe is as ..a garll)ent cut out of tht Son, and' put 1\cv. n .t. upon me. And there appeared a groat wnn(ier in H:•ven, a wom~n cl~ath.<d wit_b thJ Stm.Oh that I may be cloathed with that Sun ef. Rtghteoufn,ef~, or.•With that. R•ghtoufnefsoftheSon ofGod,that I may appear beforeGod as lam in him,puteand fpo'i'lefs>. . •· . _ . J !hall not infian•e.in any ptl;er obje6ts of my Morning~ medit~~ion ; onely if'.lliind my fpirit mofi active and lit for meditation at fuch a time, 'J fhould t-h~n. go on, _and fpare more time for fet, deliberate, and folemn meditations. : j .• _:1.- . .: -lat .I : z. I !bould pray; and to this Duty I may joyn the reading of ·~be Word. ,Tbat . rhisis a morl)ings Duty the Scripture is expr~fs : ,J,. tbe :f!mti~g.miU!dirsq.mlp?a. Pr,J. s. 3;~ \)'tr "1110 thee, and wtQ look,. up.-. -Ami m the morm11g fhall my pr.ayu...('ntvellt Pf21. gg,,~ . thee,--:-And e••ening, and morning, andst nootJ rPiU I pray, and c.ie 41ol(r:4 ~d b_ePial. !'• '7· .,Pn./1 beor my voice, It is true, that Prayer and reading . of1 th.e Wo,rd ~re ·two dillinCl:excrcifes, yet that they mutually help one a,nother js moll manifdi, and confequen tly art tit robe joyned together; for rhc.worc! minillers mallet ofprayer,~and is the ground of our petition, who have no promi[e robe heard,_unlcfs we ask acco~ding to God's word, 1 Job. 5· r4. And the fitnefs of the morning (or th<fe excrcifes.is evident, 110t only bec.ufe the lirfi of time belongs unto,God, but alfo ihe heart bting then moll free from worldly thoughts, it is therefor< fitttfi for filol:y t'X• ercifes ; and withal, when in the beginning ofthe day rhe heart ofman is feafoned with Holinefs, and with the fear ofG0d, he filall find himfelf the better .Jilted to wa k humbly with God all the day after. . ~-": 2. hll rhe rdl ofthe day till evening fhould 1 fpend my• time_in the Duties of my particular callin~, nor know I t?e leafi rtafon why any inan i,n the _world, h!gh m low, rich or poor , lhould.he herqn exempted. .Adam mujf not eat hu bread ,..,b. oat Jweat a11d labo"r. .Abtl wat a k.ftper ofjheep. Cain a.tiJier of the ground. Ja.bal Gen. ;. rp, iwas aTmt-ma~tr. J"bal the f ather of[,.cbal handle the harp. Tubal Cain .anrA.r- O~n: 4·•·•-~· ~·{iccr in Bra{i and lroH, All the the Patriarchs of Ifrael were but Shepherds; an·d. 11 • n , Jefus Chn!l hunfelf was a plain Carpenter. .l • • , But you may object, may J·not herein lofe my time as to God'sfcrvice ? One-would think, ifthis wer.e my Iall day .J lhould do no other work but pray, or hear, or read; 'or meditate, & c. I anfwer-- '· I grant there are. fuch ti'rdes wherein God calls us extraotdinarily to fuch fpiri; tual Duues all the day long; as either in •ffiiCl:ions felt or· feared, or in fome fpecial mercies expected or received. And there are thofc times we call ' the· Lords' dayes, wherein we ar~to do no wmkordinarily but of a Spiritual nature . And ihere are fuch times wherein God holds forth an opportunityofexercilinggraccs, or'of doing good; and fo to embrace the occafion is one piece or part of our redeeming .rime. .A1· Jilt . haveopporttmity let"'· dag•od to all men. And yo>1r care of m• hAih fiourifhed agai11, Gal. r. ' 0 • ·, (fa1d P•ul to his Philippians) hut ye lac~edopp.mu/fity. 1t feems their care for the Phl1. 4 10 ' Apollle was intermimd for a feafon, for want ofopperrunity to fend unto him, hut now they put forth again as flowers in Spring. I doubt not but in fuch cafes · ~s there, we may, and mull for the time dilpenfc with oui particular callings. 'Yet.--- ' . • 2. In my ordinary confiant daily courfe i a.m to be in the cxercife of my Puti– cu\,arcallmg, with which l may either mingle [olfle aCl:ings of grace, or ejaculatory D uucs, as luddenly to look up to Heaven, and to behold the face of God, eo whom lam to approve my felf in my particulu calling; 9r if they clafh,l am folcly to follow l."Y pnucul<r _callmg, and to leave other Spiritual aClings till their <~ppointed feafon. Nor do I hcrem declme God's fer vice. For 1 .. I follow my calling out of an awful re, fpect to the eye, prtfenc<; and command of God,who hath faid. Six day"fhalt t6ou'la. hour: Yea I do whar I do in civil buGnefs aS the work of Chriil , fo that I may fay at that lime now am I About tbe work. ofGod, a11d of Jefus Chrijf, . ~- Seemg my fe\f thus working for him, I may cafily apprehend, that for that time· l honour God as much, nay rnoie by the rne1nell fervilc worldly aCl, than if I fhould fpend all that rime in Prayer, Medit~rion, or any other. Spiritual employment ro Which 1had no call at fuch a time. It is noted therefore; by fome, ofPtter's Wives ~other, _t.hat when Chrill had healed her of her Feaver, fhe fat not down at Table With Chr>llio Commun'ion with. him, which ( noquellion) was fwcet, but jhe miniC 2 , ftree{
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