Profitable NEW-YEARS-GIFT, Teaching how to Begin the Year Well, and End it Comfortably: OR, Motives and Directions for a Daily Exercise of Christianity, Gen. 5.24, 24. Psal. 84.11.  
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 looked at at a Distance appears small, though the same beholded nigh, appears great, and terrifies. Cannons afar off don't cause trembling. 2. The Severity of his Punishment; where observe, 1. How sore his judgement is, He shall cut him asunder( alluding to a Punishment among the Heathen, to show the exquisite Pain of his Body) and give him his portion among Unbelievers; the hottest Hell being reserved for such. Observe, 2. How sudden' tis. 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 entertained, coming on a sudden have struck Men to Despair. The present Day's Work may be the last Actions of Life. When in our closerts, we should think with ourselves, I may possibly pray, red, 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 writ 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 yourself, 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 beholded 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 sand 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 night▪ 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 yourself, 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 advices 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 practise, 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, tortured with ston, Gout or colic. 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 counselor, 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 tilled, brings forth Thorns; Millstones, if there be no Grift, waste and wear out themselves. Action keeps the Soul sweet and clean.  
Direct. III. Be watchful 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 ston. The Devil watches to devour us, and he is politic 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 subtle of heart, &c. Prov. 5.10. to the end. What reason then for Watchfulness, when we have such powerful 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 careful 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 tradesman, who dealing for most precious Commodities, make the most of their Markets, and buy their wears, 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, 'tis impossible to stay a Moment. He that has but a little Paper and much to writ, 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 abused to Folly and Vanity, or worldly Lusts, or lavished away in idle, unnecessary things.  
Direct. V. Call yourself to Account in the Evening, how you did behave yourself 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 failed 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 prescribed thee? This is the way to make the Day Pious, and the Night Pleasant. Conscience will be more faithful 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 cheerful 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.  

1. Sin will be prevented. The Servant will be faithful in the Day, that expects to be called to an Account for all ●is Actions at Night.  
2. Sin if committed, will be speedily repented of; the Wound healed before it be festered.  
3. Our Hearts better prepared for Evening Duties. 'twill make the Streams of our Sorrows for Sin, run more freely. Wounds when fresh, bleed most.  
4. Hereby our Souls will be always ready for our Accounts whenever God shall Summon us to give them up. The keeping a Diary facilitates the Steward's yearly Reckoning. He that will not bear the Warnings of Conscience, must expect its Woundings.   
Direct. VI. Close the Day with Prayer to God, and Reading the Scriptures. Our Bed is resembled to our Grave; Sleep to Death. 'tis 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 mournful Confession: The Mercies of it for thankful acknowledgement: The Perils of the Night, for fervent Petition. Infirmity bewrayeth itself in all the Actions of fallen Man. Now if we Sin daily, we must sorrow daily. When we lye down, if there were no fear of visible Thieves, there were of invisible Devils. We cannot boult 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?  Mic. 6.8. He hath shewed the●, O man, what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do Justice and to love Mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Joh. 3.19. This is the Condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 
FINIS.   

LONDON Printed, and Sold by J. Conyers in Little Brit●ain, and R. Baldwin at the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane, 169●.