I have sometime read of a religious father, that had a deboyst lewd son, that was a ⟨p. 211⟩great grief to him; when the father was on his death bed, he made this son to promise him, that he would be every day of his life, half an hour alone by himself. The son making some conscience of his solemn engagement to his dying father, used afterwards to retire himself daily, for that space of time, where at first he busied himself vainly, in thinking of the honours and delights of the world; but afterwards he began to consider, what end his father had in binding him to such retiredness, and then thought of his own folly, in wandering from God, and embracing a dying and lying world; and the Spirit striking in with those meditations, he became a new man. O that, Reader, thou wouldst go and do as he did. Is it not an easy remedy? If God should require ten hours, every day, to be spent in secret, about thy soul and salvation, I profess to thee, I know not how thou couldst spend thy time better, or so well. I am sure twere worth the while; O Friend to be amongst Devils, in everlasting torments, or with Christ in everlasting pleasures, are other manner of things then thou canst imagine; but I do request of thee, on the behalf of God and thy soul, but one half hour every day, that thou wouldst retire thy self into thy chamber, or closet. (The beautiful bridegroom is bashful, and cometh seldom to his Church. Cant. 4.11. or any Christian in a crowd) and there consider seriously, ⟨p. 212⟩of some things which I shall from the Lord propound to thee. Let not the cheapness of the receipt make the refuse it; thou seest sometimes that simple herbs, that grow in our own gardens, cure those distempers, which costly drugs fetched from far cannot: As the Generals servant said to him, when he raged and fretted at the counsel of the Prophet, for the cure of his Leprosy. If the Prophet had bid the do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it, how much rather when he saith wash and be clean 2 Kings 5.13. so say I to thee, if I should request more time in a day, if I should desire far greater things of thee, for the killing of that Leprosy, which otherwise will kill thee, wouldst thou not do it? Ah didst thou but know the price of a Christ, thou wouldst sell all to buy that pearl;
I have sometime read of a religious father, that had a deboyst lewd son, that was a ⟨p. 211⟩great grief to him; when the father was on his death bed, he made this son to promise him, that he would be every day of his life, half an hour alone by himself. The son making some conscience of his solemne engagement to his dying father, used afterwards to retire himself daily, for that space of time, where at first he busied himself vainly, in thinking of the honours and delights of the world; but afterwards he began to consider, what end his father had in binding him to such retiredness, and then thought of his own folly, in wandring from God, and embracing a dying and lying world; and the Spirit striking in with those meditations, he became a new man. O that, Reader, thou wouldst go and do as he did. Is it not an easy remedy? If God should require ten hours, every day, to be spent in secret, about thy soul and salvation, I profess to thee, I know not how thou couldst spend thy time better, or so well. I am sure twere worth the while; O Friend to be amongst Divels, in everlasting torments, or with Christ in everlasting pleasures, are other manner of things then thou canst imagine; but I do request of thee, on the behalf of God and thy soul, but one half hour every day, that thou wouldst retire thy self into thy chamber, or closet. (The beautiful bridegroom is bashful, and cometh seldom to his Church. Cant. 4.11. or any Christian in a crowd) and there consider seriously, ⟨p. 212⟩of some things which I shall from the Lord propound to thee. Let not the cheapness of the receipt make the refuse it; thou seest somtimes that simple hearbs, that grow in our own gardens, cure those distempers, which costly drugs fetched from far cannot: As the Generals servant said to him, when he raged and fretted at the counsel of the Prophet, for the cure of his Leprosy. If the Prophet had bid the do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it, how much rather when he saith wash and be clean 2 Kings 5.13. so say I to thee, if I should request more time in a day, if I should desire far greater things of thee, for the killing of that Leprosy, which otherwise will kill thee, wouldst thou not do it? Ah didst thou but know the price of a Christ, thou wouldst sell all to buy that pearle;
