Ija. 59. 12, 13. Our tranfgreflions are multiplied before thee, and our fins teftitie against us, for our tranfgreffions are with us, and as for our iniquities we know them, in tranfgrelling and lyeing againit the Lord,and departing away from our God,fpeak ing oppreffion and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falfhood,

2. Our fpiritual Merchant hath his Book of Res ceipts, wherein be records all his mercies received, from whence he can extract a lift of them in his day of thanksgiving and rejoicing before the Lord; and this piece of frugal improvement, we may make hereof, that when we meet with any cross difpenfas tion, we may produce the forefaid lift of mercies to Counterballance our grievances, and to argue our felves into a rational contentment with Gods plea fure, Job 2. 10. What, shall we receive good at the band of God, and hall we not receive evil? O what comfort accrews to the Believer in turning over the leaves of this book wherein he finds a particular res gifter of the mercies of God fpiritual and bodilie, there is fet down, fuch a day I had Gods prefence in prayer, I met with God in fuch a preaching, at fach a communion, I found Gods power in reading fuch a paffage, or portion of Scripture, I faw God in fuch a providence, &c. O Birs, is it not worth the while to remember fo manie meetings with God there alfo he keeps account of fuch prevent ing mercies, as he was most capable to guess at; on fach a day I was in eminent hazard of my life by fea, at another time by a dangerous sickness &c, but the Lord gave me not over to death; I was on from

day accofted with a furious temptation, & 1 fhould no doubt baye tulfilled fuch a lutt, ar bave perfor med fuch a mischievous ill action if the alliftances of fufficient grace had not prevented in feafon, for I wanted neither to will nor to work of my self, so impetuous and keen were my corrupt pallions; and fo after this manner the diligent Chriftian records the bleffings and kindneffes of God, which helps not a little to turnish and enlarge us in the praises of God. Bleffed be the Lord, lays the Pfalmift, who daily loadeth us with his benefits, Pfal.68 19.which implies there was daily account kept of them. In the 103. and the to7. Pfalms, you have a large recapi tulation of Gods lignal mercies and providences to wards the children of Ifrael, with this frequent E piphonema, Oh that men would praife the Lord for his goodnefs, and in the close of the Pfalm.fays the Penman, whoso is wife & will obferve thofe things (or record them) even they fhall understand the loving kindness of the Lord.

3. This our fpiritual Merchant bath alfo his Bosk of Profit & Loss, wherein he notes whither he grows or decays in grace, what graces be hath most need of, what graces are in exercife, what evidences be hath of a gracious converted ftate, when he began to fall from his firft love, how he came by his fpiritual loffes, whether be reaps advantage from Gol pel-ordinances, from difpenfations of mercies or judgements &c. and thus keeps an account of the ups and downs, of the revolutions and changes of his fpiritual lot. It feems David was thus concerned for Pral, 30. 5, 6, 7, he tells us, that by interchang

abl

able courfes and turns, he had Gods anger and favour, rejoicings and mournings, profperitie & ade vertitie, the fhinings of Gods countenance, and Ecclipfer, or the hidings thereof,

4. This our fpiritual Merchant keeps his Diarie of daily Duties,where be punctuallie fets down what flated or occafional duties, he either performs or omits, and alle with what frame he manages them, whether enlarged or ftraitned, whether with ala tritie or dulnefs, whether with affection or in a coldriff way, and whether he meet with God in his duties, Thefe following paffages feem to point at this practice, Pfal, ss. 17. Evening and morning and At noon will I pray. Pfal. 119, 164, Seven times a day do I praife thee; Dan. 6. 10. 2 Cor. 12.8.

5. This our fpiritual Merchant notes down like. wife the returns and answers of his prayers,if he bath a petition lying before the Throne, be continues in duty with patienee expecting a propitious anfwer, and when he obtains it, he records it as a double mercy, and thus pofleth the gracious returns of his prayers among the reft of his accounts, Pfal. 138.3. In the day when I cryed thou answered me, Arengthe ned me with Arength in my foul,Pfal.66 19,20 & 118 s

6. This our fpiritual Merchant is so much of a publick fpirit, and fo far concerned in the Commonwealth of Ifrael, as alfo to fet down in his Diarie, what notable passages of providence fall out, what fige bal revolutions come to pafs that concern the church' of God, and be derives not a little fpiritual profit to bimfelf from this practice, for thereby he is helped to a feafonable good frame of fpirit, and to f

fwerably affected with the welfare, or illfare of the work & people of God,he mourns with them when they mourn, and rejoiceth with them when they rejoice. And alfo comes to be as one of the men of Iẞachar,that know the times & the feasons, & what Ifrael ought to do, Ezra 6, 1,2,Elth, 3, 12, In the thirteenth day of the first moneth, there was written Letters &c. Efth. g. 20, 21, 21, And Mordecai wrote thefe things &c.

From what we have been faying, ye may fee how ufefull & neceffar it is for a Merchant to keep clear counts, and it is an ordinar observe,that thefe Mer chants who are either ignorant or careless in this matter, feldom come to be wealthy or in reputati on, and their affairs often go to dangerous confufi. on; fo likewife careless Chriftians who take no care how affairs go betwixt God and their Souls, com monlie they are weak and wanthriven,or elfe deges nerate and fall from what pitches they feemed to

arrive at.

SECTION II.

4. Dire&. Set up Trade as foon as may be, or be gin betimes to buy from Chrift, the fooner the better, for ye are in the fairer prospect of mul tiplying to be rich, it is a great advantage to be put to a Trade in Youth. In profecuting this Direction, I am pallionatlie defirous to perfwade Young Per fons to remember their Creator and ply Religion iD their tender years, therefore I offer thefe following Reasons to their ferious Confideration,

" Why Young Perfons fhould begin bes

times to trade with Chrift, Youthhood is the prime and fittel feafon for taking in Leffons and Inftru&tis ons, then is there moft mettal in your Spirits, then are your Capacities molt clear and comprehentive, then are all the intelle&ual Faculties best able to help in learning the Arts and Sciences, which will require labour and induftrie. Even fo as to fpiritual concerns, where the grace of God works with Beginners in the firft moft vigorous times of their Youth, Ohow clear and clever is the Understand ing, for apprehending the nature and properties of heavenlie things, O how readie is the Will to run as with Hynds feet in the ways of God, and bow foon are the fpiritualized Affections rapt and drawn out after Ged, after Chrift, after Ordinances & Duties; O with what a ftrong zeal and courage de fach ops pole Temptations & overcome their Tempters: O with what love and conftaneie are they readie to follow God amid ft greatest Difficulties; I fay what mightie Feats are Young Saints wont to do when they are both fpiritual and folid, fometimes they have far outrun older Disciples.

2. Reaf Youthhood as it is the prime feafon, fot it is a paffing feason, of very fhort continuance, yea our whole Life is but a fhadow, that quickly paffeth by, therefore we should improve our feafon wifely while we have it, leaft being once gone, we be left to bemoan, that we were to foolish as to flipe the Tyde, which we could not expect would abide.

3 Reaf. To begin betimes is the ready way to be wellskilled in the myfteries of Trade,and to treaft op a flock of profitable experiences, you may