2O8 THE NATURE OF [Chap. 13. and therefore cannot set their hours ; and many are so poor, that the necessities of their families deny them this freedom; such persons should be watchful to redeem time as much as they can, and take their vacant opportunities as they fall, and especially join meditation and prayer, as much as they can, with the labors of their callings. Yet those that have more time to spare from their worldly necessities, and are masters of their time, I still advise to keep this duty to a stated time. And indeed, if every work of the day had its appointed time, we should be better skilled, both in redeem- ing time and in performing duty. 2. Let it be frequent as well as stated. How oft it should be, I cannot determine, becausemen's circumstances differ; but, in general, Scripture requires it to be frequent, when it mentions meditating day and night. For those, therefore, who can conveniently omit other business, I advise, that it be once a day at least. Frequency in heavenly contempla- tion is particularly important, To prevent a shyness between God and thy soul. Fre- quent society breeds familiarity, and familiarity increases love and delight, and makes us bold in our addresses. The chief end of this duty is, to have acquaintance and fellow- ship with God ; and therefore, if thou come but seldom to it, thou wilt keep thyself a stranger still. When a man feels his need of God, and must seek his help in a time of neces- sity, then it is great encouragement to go to a God we know and are acquainted with. O !" saith the heavenly Christian, " I know both whither I go, and to whom. I have gone this way many a time before now. It is the same God that I daily converse with, and the way has been my daily walk. God knows me well enough, and I have some knowledge of him." On the other side, what a horror and discouragement will it be to the soul, when it is forced to fly to God in straits, to think, " Alas ! I know not whither to go. I ne- ver went the way before. I have no acquaintance at the court of heaven. My soul knows not that God that I must speak to, and I fear he will not knowmy soul." But espe- cially when we come to die, and must immediately appear before this God, and expect to enter into his eternal rest, then the difference will plainly appear ; then what a joy will it be to think, " I an going to the place that I daily conversed in ; to the place from whence I tasted such fre-
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