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exercise. When should we more seasonably contemplate on Rest, than on that day of rest which typifies it to us? It being a day appropriated to spiritual duties, methinks we should never exclude this duty, which is so eminently spiritual. I verily think this is the chief work of a Christian Sabbath, and most agreeable to the design of its positive institution. What fitter time to converse with our Lord, than on the Lord's-day? What fitter day to ascend to heaven, than that on which he arose from earth, and fully triumphed over death and hell? The fittest temper for a true Christian is, like John, to be "in the Spirit on the Lord's-day." Rev. i. 10. And what can bring us to this joy in the Spirit, but the spiritually beholding of our approaching glory?

Take notice of this, you that spend the Lord's-day only in public worship! Your allowing no time to private duty, and therefore neglecting this spiritual duty of meditation, is very hurtful to your souls. You also, that have time, on the Lord's-day, for idleness and vain discourse, were you but acquainted with this duty of contemplation, you would need no other pastime; you would think the longest day short. enough, and be sorry that the night had shortened your pleasure. Christians, let Heaven have more share in your Sabbaths, where you must shortly keep your everlasting Sabbath. Use your Sabbaths as steps to glory, till you have passed them all, and are there arrived. Especially, you that are poor, and cannot take time in the week as you desire, see that

you well improve this day: as your bodies rest from their labours, let your spirits seek after rest from God.

THE WISDOM OF EXPERIENCE.

FROM HIS NARRATIVE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE

PASSAGES OF HIS LIFE AND TIMES.

THE temper of my MIND hath somewhat altered with the temper of my BODY. When I was young, I was more vigorous, affectionate, and fervent in preaching, conference and prayer, than, ordinarily, I can be now my style was more extemporate and lax, but, by the advantage of affection, and a very familiar moving voice and utterance, my preaching then did more affect the auditory than many of the last years before I gave over preaching; but yet, what I delivered was much more raw, and had more passages that would not bear the trial of accurate judgments; and my discourses had both less substance and less judgment than of late.

My understanding was then quicker, and could easilier manage any thing that was newly presented to it upon a sudden; but it is since better furnished, and acquainted with the ways of truth and error, and with a multitude of particular mistakes of the world, which then I was the more in danger of, because I had only the faculty of knowing them, but did not actually know them. I was then like a man of a quick understanding, that was to travel a way which he never went before, or to cast up an account which

he never laboured in before, or to play on an instrument of music which he never saw before and I am now like one of somewhat a slower understanding (by that præmatura senectus which weakness and excessive bleedings brought me to), who is travelling a way which he hath often gone, and is casting up an account which he hath often cast up, and hath ready at hand, and that is playing on an instrument which he hath often played on: so that I can very confidently say, that my judgment is much sounder and firmer now than it was then; for, though I am not now as competent judge of the actings of my own understanding then, yet I can judge of the effects ; and when I peruse the writings which I wrote in my younger years, I can find the footsteps of my unfurnished mind, and of my emptiness and insufficiency: so that the man that followed my judgment then, was likelier to have been misled by me, than he that should follow it now.

And withal I knew not how impatient divines were of being contradicted, nor how it would stir up all their powers to defend what they have once said, and to rise up against the truth which is thus thrust upon them, as the mortal enemy of their honour; and I knew not how hardly men's minds are changed from their former apprehensions, be the evidence never so plain. And I have perceived, that nothing so much hindereth the reception of the truth, as urging it on men with too harsh importunity, and falling too heavily on their errors: for hereby you engage their

honour in the business, and they defend their errors as themselves, and stir up all their wit and ability to oppose you. In controversies, it is fierce opposition which is the bellows to kindle a resisting zeal; when, if they be neglected, and their opinions lie a while despised, they usually cool, and come again to themselves; (though I know that this holdeth not, when the greediness and increase of his followers doth animate a sectary, even though he have no opposition). Men are so lothe to be drenched with the truth, that I am no more for going that way to work; and, to confess the truth, I am lately much prone to the contrary extreme, to be too indifferent what men hold, and to keep my judgment to myself, and never to mention any thing wherein I differ from another, or any thing which I think I know more than he; or, at least, if he receive it not presently, to silence it, and leave him to his own opinion.

And I find this effect is mixed according to its causes; which are, some good, and some bad.-The bad causes are: 1. An impatience of men's weakness, and mistaking frowardness and self-conceitedness. 2. An abatement of my sensible esteem of truths, through the long abode of them on my mind: though my judgment value them, yet it is hard to be equally affected with old and common things, as with new and rare ones.-The better causes are: 1. That I am much more sensible than ever of the necessity of living upon the principles of religion, which we are all agreed in, and uniting these; and how much

mischief men that over-value their own opinions have done by their controversies in the church; how some have destroyed charity, and some caused schisms by them; and most have hindered godliness in themselves and others, and used them to divert men from the serious prosecuting of a holy life: and, as Sir Francis Bacon saith, in his Essay of Peace, that it is one great benefit of church-peace and concord, that writing controversies is turned into 'books of practical devotion, for increase of piety and virtue. 2. And I find that it is much more for most men's good and edification, to converse with them only in that way of godliness which all are agreed in, and not, by touching upon difficulties, to stir up their corruptions; and to tell them of little more of your knowledge than what you find them willing to receive from you, as mere learners: and therefore to stay till they crave. information of you (as Musculus did with the Anabaptists, when he visited them in prison, and conversed kindly and lovingly with them, and showed them all the love he could, and never talked to them of their opinions, till, at last, they, who were wont to call him a deceiver and false prophet, did intreat him to instruct them, and received his instructions). We mistake men's diseases when we think there needeth nothing to cure their errors, but only to bring them the evidence of truth. Alas! there are many distempers of mind to be removed, before men are apt to receive that evidence. And, therefore, that church is happy, where order is kept up,