10 lt.ttlttmtng fbe time. ------------------------ Mat.s. i$, ftered.tmto them ( i.e. ,J lhe ran to and fro, and ferved him, 1nda&ed for him, 'V here~ in lhe !hewed more love, and gave him. more l)onour, than If at that time £he h a enjoyed Communion with him in a nearer way. • But I hear othcrs,ob.jel:t, May I not tak_e up fome liule of this time in recr~ati." ·ons? what, m~~ I alwaves be on .my_callmg? Is there not a time to ~verypurpoje un. Eecl•i• 1•+ ' rletHeaven? "ttmeto weep, av.d a time to l•ughl a t1me to mourn, and a timer"o G/l8Ct, • I anfwer: There is indeed.a time to recreate; but that time is then, I fay enely then, when our bodies or mtndsare wearied with our other employrnents. 0 what a fa~ thing it is to fee many fpcnd.a whole day, ~t m~y be a whole wed( in unmcdfa~ ry finful recreations I What, is this to redeem t-he ·timt ? orldare I thus fpcnd thelaft day ofmy life in this world! Surely, God"s people that make confcience ofthcir .Duties, lhould not meddle at any time with rtcreations ( though in rh,mftlves law. ful) without llue caufe, and a jufi calling thereunto ; noilhould they ufc them any longer, nor to an_y ether end, but only to quicken their minds, or to revive thell .bodi~. that ro they may retutn _wllh fome ~ightfomnefs and alaority -to>thetr crlhngs agam. He that fpends hts time lavilhly m recreations, is like him whofe Garments are made offringes, and his meat nothing but fauces. I am not a· -t;ainll recreations lawfully ufed • but God forbid that we lhould trifle away our time (more worth than worlds ) upon foolilh, vain, empty, and unnecdfuy toyes. ?• The ev<nin5 lho~ld be clofcd up with fpiritual duties. · If you ask what Duties? I anfwer. ' f 1. The evening is a time for prayer, Let my prayer be [et forth biforetfm at incenfe,'· ·lal.r4•·•· <~ndJbe lifting "P of my ba11ds at the evmingf~crifice. To 1 this of prayer I joyn read• ing the S;ripture, and go.od books; for it is fit to clofe up the day with the fame du~ ties wherewith .we began it, . . . ~ ~. The.ev.cning was.I{aa.is rime for medituioniAnd ljaac wentout-to meditate in the Gtn. •.4• 6 3• field#t the even-tide. It may be in this Duty the morning is not fo feafonable for fame tempers; but !hall the evening pafs without fome lpiritual Holy meditations1 Some conceive the evening to .be the ver,y feafon of fet and deliberate meditation;•nd in;this cafe how fruitful might I be in the ufe of that Ordinance of Loo"Jng t~/llo Jeftu, at becarries on the great work,. of our Sal'!ationfrom firfl to/aft 1 0 that thh Duty of meditation, either on that, or any other fpiritual fubjeGt, were not fo neglected as it is by Chrifiians themfelves! The Lord gave 1•./l"'a a charge, that he lhouldm1ditate p11hit LaD> iUy andHigbt; and :D~vid"t charader of the bldfed man is, that bit dtligb~ ui" the La,. oftheurd, and in his Law doth be meditate day a~d night. And Da· vir!s own praGtice was to rem~mber God upon his bed, and to meditate on him in the nigh~·..atchtt. And Paul't charge to Tirnotby was to meditate "P'" jpirittul thingr, Jod.I. 8. l'fal.!.>· Pfal. 63;6'. 1 Tim. 4•I$, and to give himfelf wholly t• them. Or if you'I have anor her p1ooffor the <V<ning- fealon, . not enly was it l{aac's tin<e, but Davi~'t time, Mine <yet prevmt thenigbt-watchu,that Pfal, 119>1~8. I might meditate in thy ward. Pfal.4. 4· 3• T.he evening is a fcafon ft>r ftlf·<X&I[Iination, This is another glorious ordi– n~nce which many Chrifiians ule oc.cafionally, and againfi Come good time; but to fetfome time apnt for this every evenin_J;, and that in confcienoe,as theydotor read– ing the word, and Pr>yer, where is th< Chrifiian almoll to be found? I ~m fore tt was 'David's charge, Comrmme with your o"'n heart upon yottr bed, aud be j!z/1, And agreeable to this was his praCtice, I calltoremem_bra11ce my fong in the night, I com• mune ,.ith my own heart, a11d my_ fpmt made dJitg<nl {t~rch. Chr){oftom on thefe Pfal.77· 6 • w<>rds ofDavid, What meallt thu ( faith he) comm1111e w11b yo11r own htorts upo" yo•r bed! thus anfwcrs himfelf, after jupper•time, whm yt are going to fleep , and are ready fo}ld~nam, d ' h .r. d" I b chrlfaj/. E•· taly dowil 011 bed, a~td have great quiet an jiltnee, rvitoout t t pre)tnce or zj '" anct Jx>f.in.Pf•·4-4· of any, then ereGI a tribun•l for thB confcience.--./Jnd when nmh<r frund difturbs V""'''"' nos you.mr fervalltt provok.eyou,nor muJtiJr<dtt of bu(imfs doprt[t upon you,then tok! •n a<• J.epe pa1resno• co1mt of your life, what you have done in the day-time htfore. And Dorttheut lay« It f;i;.~~.~:· down as a rule .which tbe Chriftiant ofhis time had learmdofthtir fort-f.r!Jtrt, that"' Bi*lioth. Patr.tht eveniug theyfhould q~te~ionthtm{tlvet bow they hadpojfed tht day. Oh that Chu· p. •4• fiians now would Sum IJP their accounts at the feat ol every page, f mean, that they would call thcmfelves to Ccrutiny every evening when 1hcy are tcady· ro compofe th~mfclves to llcep, as IOthelittle Ima~csof Dcalh! 4 • The
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