Motive I. ANY Day may be our last Day . The Candle of Life may be blown out before it burn out , Luk . 12.45 , 46. where we may look at the Occasion of the Sin , and the Severity of its Punishment : 1. The Occasion of the Sin , His Lord delayeth his Coming . Because he has no present reward he lays aside all good Works ; because of God's Gracious Forbearance , he argues a general Acquittance for all his Evil Works . What is look'd at at a Distance appears small , though the same beheld nigh , appears great , and terrifies . Cannons afar off don't cause trembling . 2. The Severity of his Punishment ; where observe , 1. How sore his Judgment is , He shall cut him asunder ( alluding to a Punishment among the Heathen , to shew the exquisite Pain of his Body ) and give him his portion among Unbelievers ; the hottest Hell being reserved for such . Observe , 2. How sudden ' t is . Unexpected Evils are most dreadful : In a Day he looked not for it . Sudden frights overwhelm the Spirits . Those Evils that seen at a distance , have been patiently entertain'd , coming on a sudden have struck Men to Despair . The present Day's Work may be the last Actions of Life . When in our Closets , we should think with our selves , I may possibly pray , read , meditate no more ; how seriously then and fervently should I do the present Work ? When eating and drinking , Possibly this is the last time I may use the Creatures , therefore how should I be careful not to abuse them ? When about our callings , Possibly my last Sand is running , therefore how Heavenly should I be about these Earthly things ? How should he be every Moment , that has cause every Moment to expect the Coming of a Holy and Jealous God , to call him to an Account ?

Motive II . God's Eye is all the Day long upon us . We may write on every Room we go into , Thou , God , seest me . In all the Passages of the Day we have that God with us that will take Notice of all , and reckon with us for all . The Eyes of the Lord are every where , beholding the Evil and the Good . The well-drawn Picture , which way soever you turn your self , seems to have its Eye upon you . God does that really which the Picture does seemingly , and that with so direct a Face as if he beheld nothing else ; and surely it concerns us to be holy while we are under the Inspection of so Holy a God . This influenced David's holy Walking . Psal . 119.68 . If the Eyes of great or good Men prevail with us to be handsome and comely in our Behaviour ; how much more should the eye of God ?

Direction I. Begin the Day with God . Never expect a good Day , unless it begin with a good Duty . The Mind retains a Tincture all the Day of its Exercise in the Morning . When a true Watch is would up in the Morning , it 's regular in its Motion all the Day . As soon as you awake lift up your hearts to Heaven . Great Persons are usually first served . Let the first Messenger you send be to the Lord of Life , to present your humble Service and Thanks to him for his Providence over you , and the Rest he has afforded you the last Nigh● ▪ Be mindful also in some short Ejaculation , to beg his Protection all the Day . This short taste of Ejaculatory Prayer will quicken the Appetite for a full Meal of set and solemn Devotion . If you can after this keep your Mind intent on some divine Subject while dressing your self , you will be much fitter for secret Duties ; and in in fair way to walk with God all the Day . The next thing is , what our Saviour advises to and enjoins : Enter into thy Closet , and when thou hast shut the Door , pray to thy Father in secret , &c. Here 's , 1st . A Precept for Prayer . The Priests under the Law , were every Morning to renew the Fire on the Altar , and offer Sacrifice , Ezra 3.3 , 4. The Substance of these Shadows is , That Christians , who are a spiritual Priest-hood , should every Day have their Morning and Evening Addresses , to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ , 1 Pet . 2.5 . This was David's Practice , Psal . 5.3.119.127 . 2. The Promise to secret Prayer , And thy Father , &c. The Sun of Righteousness , looks as well into the narrow Closet-Casements as the large Church-Windows . God's Mercies renewed upon us every Morning should engage to this , Hos . 6.3 . Psal . 90.14 . The Damned , could we speak with them , would tell us , Life , a bare Continuance on this side Hell , was a great Mercy . The Sick , and such as are troubled with continual Aches , tortur'd with Stone , Gout or Colick . would tell us Health is a great Mercy . The Blind , and Lame , and Deaf , that Limbs and Senses are a great Mercy . The Hungry , Naked , Houseless and Friendless , that Food , Raiment , Habitation and Friends , are great Mercies . The Saints in Heaven , could we speak with them , that the Patience of God , the Gospel of Salvation , the tenders of Grace , are great Mercies : and do not all these , which every Morning , notwithstanding our Abuse and Forfeitures are renewed upon us , deserve our sincere and solemn Thanks every Morning ?

Our Wants and Necessities command us to be at Heaven's Gate for Supply . We are needy Creatures , and must get our Living wholly by begging . We want all the Day long forbearing , preserving , supporting Mercy . It must be Divine Power , that must enable us to follow our Callings , to stir or move about our Business , defend and protect us in our out-goings and in-comings , and prosper and succeed our Undertakings .

Besides , Our Dangers and Difficulties are many , and call for Earnestness in this Duty . Our Callings , every Company , all Earthly Affairs are Snares , unless sanctified by Prayer . They who walk abroad without Prayer , may fear they do it without God's Protection . The Neglect of this gives Satan a great Advantage . When Saul had left off knocking at Heaven's Gate , we soon hear him knocking at a Witch's , at the Devil's Door .

Another Duty , which concerns us in secret , is , Reading some part of God's Word . There 's no acting safely , unless we act Scripturally , Prov. 6.21 , 22 , 23. there 's no Guide nor Counsellor , Shield nor Treasure like the Scripture . God commanded Moses to come to meet him early with the Two Tables in his Hands , and he commands us to give him a Meeting every Morning with the Two Testaments in our Hands .

Direct . II . Spend the greatest Part of the Day in your particular Calling . He that minds his Shop before his Closet , is an Atheist ; and he that minds it not after , is an Hypocrite . The World is God's great Family , and he will have none in it to be idle . The Air when it 's still , corrupts and putrefies ; the Earth if not till'd , brings forth Thorns ; Millstones , if there be no Grift , waste and wear out themselves . Action keeps the Soul sweet and clean .

Direct . III . Be watchfull all the day long . We walk every Day in the midst of Traps and Snares , Gins and Blocks ; and the secure Person is as a Blind Man stumbling at every Stone . The Devil watches to devour us , and he is politick to ensnare us : He knows the length of our Foot ; and if he should be quiet , our own Hearts are instead of an Hundred Traitors : And if these both should be at rest , the World , as an Harlot with her fair Breasts of Pleasure and Profit , is still watching to allure us to Folly : She is subtile of heart , &c. Prov. 5.10 . to the end . What reason then for Watchfulness , when we have such powerfull Enemies every Moment to encounter with ? To watch in the Closet : Good Duties are not to be done between Sleeping and Waking : In Company , alone , at Bed , at Board ; at all times to keep the heart with all diligence . Watch against Occasions of Sin . They that have a Brand in their Hand , had need beware of Thatch and Straw . Especially watch against your own Sin . This is the great Destroyer of Conscience . Our Beloved Sins , Sins of our Calling , Condition , constitution , are the weakest place at which Satan will most endeavour Entrance ; and therefore require a stronger Guard , Deut. 4.9 .

Direct . IV . Be carefull to Redeem Time . This is of inestimable Value in regard of its present Use ; and because when once lost it cannot be recovered . Time was given not to squander away in long Meals , needless Visits , or unnecessary Sleep , but to get our Persons Justified , our Natures Sanctified , to secure an Interest in Christ , the Covenant of Grace , and Heaven : Walk not as Fools , &c. Col. 4.5 . Eph. 5.16 . an Allusion to Merchants , and wise Tradesmen , who dealing for most precious Commodities , make the most of their Markets , and buy their Wares , when a fit time of buying them serves . The time of Life goeth Post , we are hasting to the last Stage ; whether Eating or Drinking , Walking or Sitting , Buying or Selling , Sleeping or Waking , Death is making towards us . The time of our Departure hence is concluded , beyond which , whether the Work be done or no , 't is impossible to stay a Moment . He that has but a little Paper and much to write , writes small and thick . How much has every Christian to do in the World , which if he neglect , he is lost for ever ? Headstrong Lusts to subdue , Duties towards God and Man to perform , Providences and Ordinances to improve ; and all this to be done in a little time . All waste time , yet all complain they want it . They complain of God , when they should of themselves ; he is not penurious , but they are prodigal . Our Days are sufficient to our Duties , had we Grace to number them , and apply our hearts to wisdom : But there 's no Overplus of Time to be abus'd to Folly and Vanity , or worldly Lusts , or lavish'd away in idle , unnecessary things .

Direct . V. Call your self to Account in the Evening , how you did behave your self the whole Day . Begin with the Morning . Consider , Did I wake with God ? What was the Frame of my Spirit in Closet and Family-Duties ? in Company and Solitude ? Reflect on thy Affections , whether Heavenly and above the World , while thine Actions were earthly and about the World ? Whether thou wast Righteous in thy particular Calling , and didst set upon it out of Conscience to God's Precept , and with an Eye to his Glory ? Whether thou didst not lose an Opportunity of advantaging thy Brother's Soul , and doing thy God Service ? Whether thou haft not fail'd in thy Thoughts , Words or Deeds , in thy Demeanour towards thy Relations , Neighbours or Strangers ? Whether thou didst in all things walk according to the Rule that God hath prescrib'd thee ? This is the way to make the Day Pious , and the Night Pleasant . Conscience will be more faithfull in the Day when it knows beforehand it shall be called to account at Night ; and the more Conscientious we be in the Day , the more Chearfull we shall be at Night . When great Persons neglect to account with their Stewards , they tempt them to be dishonest . Our Consciences are corrupted , and will be false , if not timely prevented . But by this way of Examination .

Direct . VI . Close the Day with Prayer to God , and Reading the Scriptures . Our Bed is resembled to our Grave ; Sleep to Death . 't is of worse Consequence to go to the Grave without making our Will , than to Bed without making our Prayers . The Sins of the Day call for mournfull Confession : The Mercies of it for thankfull Acknowledgment : The Perils of the Night , for fervent Petition . Infirmity bewrayeth it self in all the Actions of fallen Man . Now if we Sin daily , we must sorrow daily . When we lie down , if there were no fear of visible Thieves , there were of invisible Devils . We cannot bolt our Doors so fast but they will get in . If God were not our Guard , we could not one Moment be in quiet from th●se , And is not his Protection then worth the asking ?