commend this only upon that account not as a thing of absolute necessity but if any better way can bee found for the performance of those duties mentioned in this Chapter or a better model for keeping a Diary as I doubt not but many may be use them but in the mean time neglect not the using of any because you cannot have the best 5. I understand not this question it is somewhat like a question once proposed to me I pressing one of my Parishioners some years since to minde holiness make it his business and to spend one hour a day reading and praying c. and giving more particular directions for the daily time set apart for Gods service after by many evasions and excuses hee endeavoured to shift off this exhortation all which by Gods assistance I having taken off and answered hee at last in some discontent asked mee why I should offer to press him to spend an hour a day in the immediate service of God c. Had I prest any of the neighbours to it or did I ever press it to any other before Why should hee be the first that I should speak to So it is for you to ask Why should I bee the first that should keep a Diary Though let mee tell you thou art not the first as I suppose of thousands yet because Scripture is the soundation of all matters of Piety therefore I shall shew many places where the year the moneth the day of the moneth is set down when such and such things were done when the waters abated and the tops of the mountains first appeared when the Ark rested when the earth was quite dry the very day when Moses spake to the people such and such things the very moneth day and year of Solomons Reign and from the children of Israels coming out of Egypt is set down when the Temple began to bee built and the very day when it was finished the very year and moneth and day when Nebuchadnezzar came up against Jerusalem and when the famine began c. Gen. 8.4 5 13 14. Exod. 19.1 Deut. 1.3 1 Kings 6.1 38. 2 Kings 25.1 3 8 2 Kings 25.27 And as for the Prophet Ezekiel hee hath kept a perfect Diary of several times when the Word of the Lord came unto him and divers other circumstances added also besides the year moneth and day as of place where and persons with whom hee was as by these places following plainly appears Ezekiel 1.1 2. Ezek. 8.1 Ezek. 20.1 Ezek. 24.1 Ezek. 26.1 Ezek. 29.1.31.1.32.1.40.1 Why should the Spirit of God write down so particularly the year the moneth and the day surely it is for our instruction there may bee some spiritual advantage got by knowing the very day when the Lord did bestow such or such a mercy c. then only to know that God did bestow it on us but not know when This was not only the practise of Ezekiel but of other Prophets also as Jer. 29.1 2 Hagg. 1.1 Hagg. 2.1 10 20. so if you observe the book of Psalmes there are 99. that are ascribed to David 74. have his name prefixt 25. of them have no name prefixt yet some of them the Scripture it self entitles David to Acts 4.29 Heb. 4.7 and Ainsworth supposeth the rest of the 25. to bee his also Now you shall finde in those Psalmes as it were a Diary of the most remarkable passages of Davids life nay you shall finde in many of the Psalmes the very prayers and meditations that David had upon several particular occasions as in these Psalmes following 51.52.54.56.57.59.60 so Psal 3. and many others as by their several titles do appear How often do you finde mention of Nathan the Prophet Gad the Seer Ahijah the Shilonite Jaddai Shemmajah Iddo c. these were private Records or Diaries kept by them of remarkable passages that concern'd the Church of God and that expression is not this written in the book of Jasher Joshua 10.13 and 2 Sam. 1.18 cannot bee meant of any particular person for the same person could not live from Joshua till the time of David but the meaning is Is it not written in the book of the Just for holy men in those times and since used to keep Records of the special mercies and judgements of God as Grotius observes and the very title of the book of Chronicles signifies the words of daies Now it is evident that in civil matters also not only the Kings of Israel and the Kings of Judah did keep Diaries for where you read Is it not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel and in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah those are meant but even Heathen Emperours as Julius Caesar writ his own Commentary that is Diary so the word signifies Tyberius Caesar and Augustus Caesar had their Diurnos Commentarios as Gasper Sanctius in his Prolegomena to the Kings observes So Ahasuerus and the Kings of Persia had Secretaries by them continually to write down all that they did and said and all that befel them as Diodate upon Hester 2.23 observes I have been a little larger in this business because people think it is a new thing and that there are no Scripture proofes at all for it to prove it either a profitable or an ancient practise among the people of God but doubtless as I have said if there were no spiritual advantage to be got to know the particular times of matters the Scripture would never have been so punctual and particularly in setting of them down But to prosecute this a little further do but consider that whether you keep a Diary or no God doth Revel 20.12 and in his Diary are all your sins and all your good works set down surely if it were possible for us to see it every minute wee should see something written either in the black Register of our sins or in the Records of our good works and it would startle us if an Angel should be by us and we should see him write down every idle word as wee speak it and tell us this you must answer for at the day of Judgement it would make us more watchfull yet though wee cannot see this done nor read what is written in those books yet wee may do something towards it by keeping a Diary of our own and by judging and condemning our selves out of our own wee may prevent our being judged and condemned out of Gods Diary nor was David ignorant of this truth that God doth keep several books of Records to speak after the manner of men some where our sins are written down Psalm 51.9 for blotting out supposeth writing down and other where the members of our bodies are set down Psalm 139.16 A third book that David observes that God keeps is of the afflictions and tears of his people of their several wanderings when they are driven from place to place and as for their tears hee bottles them up and writes
is for their sakes that are simple Prov. 1.4 Psalm 19.7 Psalm 119.130 3. The way that they would have simple people take is far more intricate for they would have them believe the Church but the marks whereby the Church is to bee known as Antiquity visibility c. one cannot know except one reads over the Fathers Centuries c. which requires more time and learning a thousand-fold than that which they pretend is too difficult for them viz. reading the Scriptures They take away the Scriptures which is the Word of Truth and give them images which they call Lay-mens books which God himself faith are Teachers of lies and for their saying that hence all our errours and heresies come that every one is suffered to read the Scripture they speak contrary to that of Christ Mat. 22.29 And for this reason learned men should rather bee forbidden to read the Scripture than others since generally all Hereticks have been learned men dare they blaspheme God and say as they must if this were true Lord thou hast commanded us to read the Scriptures and hast said that they are able to make us wise to Salvation and that the cause of errour is the ignorance of the Scripture yet we finde that it is the cause of all errours and heresies and therefore though thou hast strictly commanded it wee do as strictly forbid it But I must crave pardon that I mix any thing of controversie in a Treatise that I intended to bee purely devotionary therefore I must crave pardon also that I have handled this controversie rather in a popular than Scholastical way since my main end of publishing this Treatise is not for the wise and prudent but for babes in our Saviours sense Mat. 11.25 therefore I shall now return to my former way of more practical matter and shall set down some spiritual directions for reading the Word of God with profit Directions how to read the Scripture 1. REad it as the word of God there is abundance in this very direction for if wee consider the incomprehensible Attributes of God they would all inflame us with fervent desires to read it and infallible demonstrations to believe it and strong endeavours to obey it and indeed would inable us in all other respects to read it as wee ought to read it for did we believe it to bee the Word of God as John his Revelation or Daniel his wee should doubtless read it according to these several following directions For though it is true Daniel and other of the Prophets and Apostles were more sure that their Revelations were the Word of God than wee are that the Scripture is yet not then they were that the Scripture was and is 2 Pet. 1.17 18. and indeed wee ought to take heed that is read mark and consider it until the Spirit of Christ shall arise in our hearts and make us as certain of the divine truth of it as they were therefore the first great thing is to confirm our selves of this truth that the Scripture is the Word of God But this caution I must give that wee must take heed to go about this work meerly by the strength of humane reason without craving the assistance and light of the Spirit of God not but that there are such invincible arguments and demonstrations that except one bee resolved to finde out cavils wee cannot but yeeld to this truth yet God is such an enemy to the pride of humane reason that God doth hide his truths from those that come to discover them with a carnal eye Mat. 11.25 Therefore the second direction is to read the Word of God prayingly and thou art to pray not only that God would convince thee that this is his Word but that thou mayest read it with these several following qualifications 3. Thou art to read it reverently not as other books not as books of Phylosophy and History c. but there ought to bee upon thy Spirit the awe and fear of God I do not mean that this reverence that I speak of should bee shown to the paper on which the Word of God is printed though these also as the dead bodies of Saints are not to bee used with dishonour and despight but this reverence is to bee shown to the truths promises and commands c. the sense of the Scripture do not account them as light and trivial things but read them with fear and trembling as both the matter and author of the Scripture require 4. Read the Scriptures attentively exceedingly observing and marking what is writ in them as a man that is try'd for his life diligently observes the witnesses and sentence of the Judge because his life lieth at stake so do thou mark and observe the Word of God for it is thy life Deut. 32.47 5. Read the Word of God understandingly for to read and not to understand is like looking on a sealed book therefore when thou readest mark those places verses of whose truth or meaning thou doubtest and enquire the next opportunity thou hast of some faithful Minister and enquire the meaning of them what passages thou dost not understand at the first reading upon further examination or enquiry thou mayest understand it The Virgin Mary what shee did not understand but wonder at when shee first heard shee laid up and pondered in her heart that shee might afterward understand So the vision that was shown to Peter Acts 10. though hee understood not what it meant at the present yet hee did seriously consider what God meant by it It were an excellent work if there were a clear Comment upon the Bible that might only fill up an ordinary margent and yet explain the Text so fully that wee might have a competent understanding of it I commend the Annotations commonly called The Assemblies Annotations on the Bible Dixon and Hutcheson what they have done this way and those that shall think it too great a labour to read the Scripture over with these Comments may make use of them only for the understanding of those places that are difficult to them but it is a great pity and shame that several of the Gentry spend their time either in vain and sinful recreations or in such studies as Histories Mathematicks c. and let the Bible lie by as a book not worthy to bee understood by them especially since they profess themselves to bee Christians and confess that it is the Word of God As if a Lawyer by profession should spend his whole time in other studies and understand nothing or very little of the Laws of the Land People generally think that it belongs onely to a Minister as a Minister to study and understand the Scripture but it generally proceeds from their undervaluing of the mysteries and their distasting the holiness of its commands 6. You are to read it believingly for when once you understand it the next thing is to believe which is not so in any other writing in the world for
the conversion of his brother who came home next munday a much reformed man in so much that hee frequently afterwards kept daies of humiliation by himself alone and gave evident tokens of his conversion and lived and dyed I verily beleeve a child of God I knew both the Brothers very well A Christian Gentlewoman of mine acquaintance being very dangerously sick sent to a Christian Friend of hers about twelve miles off desiring to see her before shee dyed sending her word that shee was afraid shee would come too late she went up to prayer desiring of God that in case shee might come time enough to do any Christian service to her friend hee would encline the heart of her husband to bee willing to let her go for he never used to bee willing that she should go any whether from home when shee came down from her prayer her Husband met her and told her that such a friend of hers was sick and wish't her immediately to go and did forward her exceedingly and it pleased God shee came in time to bee a help and comfort to her Christian friend with whom I am very intimately acquainted About the year 1646. We kept a publike fast in New-Sarum in the County of Wilts where a woman whom to my knowledge I never saw before nor since sent a Bil to be prayed for largely setting forth how shee was vexed by Satan and accordingly the bill being read effectual prayers were made for her deliverance from that sore and strange affliction the next Lords day following the fast the same Woman sent another Bill desiring that thanks might bee rendered to the Lord for hearing the prayers of that Congregation on the womans behalf and for his mercy in delivering her from the Devils power On both those daies there was a Citizen present who cursed both the Minister and woman in his heart saying within himself this is a meer juggle a holy Sister forsooth must bee brought in pretending to be possessed of the Devil and then prayers must bee made for her deliverance and after thanks must bee returned for the mercy obtained by their prayers and whereto doth all this tend but to win credit to them and their prayers But while the Citizen became thus a judge of unrighteous thoughts the righteous God met with him For immediately was the man surprized by Satan in like manner as the woman formerly had been as hee himself about a month after being weary of his life comming to me of his own accord confessed and after private conferences and both publike and private prayers hee found relief Here was a judgement turned into a blessing for by this means God was pleased I hope to work a good change in him About a year after another Inhabitant in that City was addicted to some courses displeasing to God and his friends especially his wife who desired nothing more than his Conversion and perceiving the next Lords day by the drift of a Text whereon the Minister then treated that some thing might bee handled the next Lords day following which would highly concern her husbands spiritual condition shee importunately sought God for him and invited him to bee present at the next Sermon but hee whether hee suspected any thing or no that shee had informed the Minister ought concerning him that so hee might fit his matter to his particular I cannot say but so it was when the morning of the Sabbath-day was come hee could by no means be perswaded to rise out of his bed till the Sermon bell had ceased and then said hee presumptuously now will I rise in spight of any but having raised himself half up hee was there held how they knew not but so as hee could not rise up nor lye down again this continued for some time till his wife by her earnest prayers obtained his release and then hee got up and dressed himself and made haste to the Church and by reason of some occasion falling out at that very time he came before Prayers or Sermon began and heard the subject which his Wife had desired of God he might hear At Ballyhaes in the County of Cavan after the English were almost all departed the Rebels stopt three Brethren viz. Thomas North Richard North and William North and because they was skilful workmen they stayed them to work for them at length there came to the house where they were a Jesuite a Priest and a Fryer with Souldiers attending them who told them unlesse they would turn Roman Catholikes they should be hanged who answered we hope you will satisfy our Consciences first about the truth of your Religion why said the Jesuite what do you make doubt of in our religion Sir said Th. North do not you affirm that some of you can keep the whole Law of God yea said the Fryer so can I then Tho replyed St. John teacheth us if any say he hath no sin hee deceiveth himself and there is no truth in him whether now shall wee beleeve St. John or you in the mean time the Priest found a Bible lying in the shop which the Fryer took and opened and perceiving it to bee an English Bible hee tore it in peices and uttered these words This is the Book which maketh so many Hereticks then said Thomas North Sir you said even now you could keep the morral Law but now you have broken both Law and Gospel which words so incensed them that they commanded the Souldiers to take the said Themas and to pinion his armes behind him and to carry him to the Gallowes which they did and when they came to the place of execution Thomas had a cloth before his eyes and hee desired so much liberty as to pray before hee went up the Ladder and obtained leave hee fell upon his knees and imagining that to be his last prayer continued therein a good while when hee had done hee raised up himself but heard no body about him then hee made a shift to pluck the cloath from before his eyes and saw no man and so came home to his brethren who unbound his arms and told him that the Jesuite Priest and Fryer had been there before him and told them their Brother was yet alive and that they were beaten with lightning from the Gallowes That was strange said Thomas that there should be lightning on such a fair day as this hath been for my part I saw none neither did I minde their departure my spirit being taken up in Prayer These passages the three brethren comming afterwards safe up to Dublin all justified to be true Dr. Teate CAAP. IX Of watching over one another and divers other great advantages that wee gain for the increase of holinesse from the acquaintance with Gods people ANother great advantage from our Communion with Gods people is from our serious and solemn engagement to watch one over another and faithfully to reprove whatsoever wee see amiss and whosoever will not onely patiently but thankfully receive reproof
or if we fall in the street without any harm c. But I would not bee mistaken I do not say wee are not to take notice of the lightest affliction for that were to despise it and contrary to that command Pro. 3.11 for the meaning of those words is this that bee the affliction never so great wee are not to dispond or faint so be the affliction never so light wee ought not to despise it So for sin none is so small but you ought to endeavour against it and mourn for it yet it is not to bee set down in the Diary but those that are grosser sins as angry words praying without any considerable marking what one prayes or reading a Chapter without diligently observing what one reads As for drunkenness lying and such abominations I do not expect that persons that are guilty of such sinnes should keep a Diary But under these grosser sins I do comprehend divers sins of omission and divers sins of thought as any Atheistical thought without resisting of it for if it be meerly from Satans injection they have divers times less guilt than some sins of humane frailty so for some sins of omission as for example in many cases if thou hearest one swear and doest not reprove him or seest one that truly wants and doest not relieve him if thou canst So all other omissions of necessary duties I do not mean all omissions in duties but all omissions of duties for whensoever you pray or give almes you do omit as to the degree of your intention to do it to Gods glory nor is there any act of holiness whatsoever wherein wee do not more or less sin so then a total omission of any duty is to bee taken notice of or a partial omission if the duty bee of any long continuance and if it bee any proportionable part of the time that is omitted as for example in keeping the Sabbath to spend half an hour of it without Sabbath day thoughts and so in a day of Humiliation though to set down the minimum quod sic what is the least portion is very difficult but in such cases the uprightness of the upright will guide them Pro. 11.3 Further it is to bee considered that the more perfect and holy any person is the more progress hee hath made in piety so hee is to take notice of his failings for that miscarriage which is more than usual is to bee taken notice of for that will bee more than usual to him which is but usual to another nay that fervency attention and feeling which is frequent to him in holy duties may bee eminent and singular to another whose graces are much weaker as wee take notice of divers answers to questions of the matters of Religion as extraordinary in a childe of five years old which are not remarkable in a grown knowing Christian So if you ask mee what mercies wee should take notice of I answer extraordinary mercies whether it bee of extraordinary actings of graces or receiving comforts in duties or other times Further wee are to be more particular and exact in the observing of our failings in our Master sin as if anger bee your Master sin take strict notice of your failings that way But there are some objections I shall answer 1. I have not time to do this great work I answer It will not take up any considerable time to keep a profitable Diary such an one as may bee much better than none I know one that writ but a line for a day from which hee hath received much advantage in which the main passages of his life were set down as to the substance of them for in such a Diary wee must use letters for words and particular marks for some sins which being of such common use wee cannot forget what they mean as for example P for prayer M for meditation R S for reading the Scripture R alone for reading other books C for conference a littler to signifie our rising a V for a Vow If God come in more especially in acting our graces or comforts in any duty as prayer meditation reading conference c. to give this mark over the letter that stands for that duty as for example if God comes in much in prayer draw over the P that mark thus P. If you have had many failings in prayer then draw that mark under the letter thus P So you may do in all other duties as meditation conference hearing over or under as are your incomes or failings in those duties which that letter stands for But if there bee no especial defect or incomes of God in the duty then let the letters stand without any marks either over or under and when you keep daies of fasting and prayer then put before the line you set down for the day F which signifies a Fast day I shall give an instance whereby all this may bee made more plain SEPTEMBER T. 1. r. 6. P. 6. 7. M. 7. 8. St. 12. C. 1. St. 5. C. 6. W. 2. r. 5. P. 5. 6. R. V S. 6. 7. St. 12. C. 2. R. 3. St. 6. V. to keep a Diary The meaning is this Tuesday being the first day of the moneth I rose at six of the clock prayed with special incomes from God half an hour for when 6. and 7. are set down it signifies half an hour past six and so in other figures when two are set down meditated while half an hour past seven with special incomes from God either in respect of actings of graces or comforts for the stroke over the letter signifies so much I studied while twelve of the clock came again to my Study at one and studied while five and confer'd about matters of God until six Wednesday being the second day of the moneth I rose at five of the clock prayed but with much deadness for half an hour for the stroke under signifies so much Read the Scripture but nothing extraordinary either for deadness or incomes of Gods Spirit for if there bee nothing over or under the letter it is to signifie so much studied while twelve came again to my Study at two Read some devotionary book while three with affection studied while six then made a Vow to keep a Diary The meaning and use of the strokes in the Margent is that with ones eye one may quickly see what vowes what incomes or failings have been in that moneth for at the end of every moneth it is convenient to set down whether one is encreased or decreased in holiness or comforts and as when one makes any vow one puts an V in the margent before that day so also if one hath made any signal prayer for any mercy one is to put a P before that day if one hath received any signal answer of prayer put an A in the margent before that day and if one hath received any signal deliverance out of sin or danger put a D in the margent and if you have kept a
that was a Batchelour who lived as poor as shee who very seldome would give her any thing sometimes some small single money the last time shee came to him though shee was in great want and used much importunity yet hee would not give her a farthing shee then begg'd a cup of drink of him hee pretends that he was so poor that hee had not money to buy himself bread and so sent her away with nothing but her own tears to drink but though weeping may endure for a night joy comes in the morning for the Lord struck that hard-hearted man with death and this poor woman being Heir to his Estate was worth next day ten thousand pound which with a great deal of care hee had scrap'd together and with a great deal of uncharitableness had kept and though hee would not give her a farthing over night hee was forced to leave her all the next morning Luther hath this story A certain woman in the time of famine having nothing at all for her children and her self to eat being brought to very great extremity shee resolv'd upon this course shee made her self and all her children ready and with a great deal of comfort and confidence shee walked to a Spring not far from her house as shee was going one met her who ask'd her whether shee was going with her children Shee told him that all her provision was quite spent and shee was going with her children to such a Fountain close by being confident that God that had provided drink for her and her children would there provide food for them also and hee that heard the young Ravens and provided for them would much more take care of her and her little ones hee that met her wished her to return home for shee should meet with provision that was ready for her there shee returned and found a considerable quantity of meal which was food for her and her children but whence this provision came shee knew not nor knew the man who told her of it There was a certain poor family being in great wants and had little or nothing for their children when dinner came they put them off with play-things and told them they would see if they could get them something for Supper and when Supper came they would give some small piece of bread and so get them to bed And thus they used them so long while at last the children would not to bed but cryed for bread that night it was so that my Lord Fawkland waking before midnight and could not sleep it came into his minde that this family was in great want insomuch that hee call'd up some of his servants and sent them with a great loaf and a Cheese to the house when the servant came hee found the children crying for bread and the Parents weeping by them who with a great deal of joy and eagerness received that unexpected provision Thus the Lord ordered it by his Providence that they were not only then relieved but their necessities being related to the Lord Fawkland by his servant hee took care of them for the future Speed in his Chronicles relates this story there being a great famine the year before as soon as the corn was ear'd the poor would gather and eat insomuch that the Inhabitants of the Parish came to the Priest desiring him to curse the people for gathering and spoiling the corn but one of the Parishioners stood up and charged the Priest that hee should not curse them for his corn for it did him good to see the poor eat his corn for hee was very sensible of their necessities but the clamours of the others prevail'd but as the Priest was cursing the poor there fell a great storm of Thunder and Lightening and Hail which beat down all the corn so as if Horses and Carts had gone over it nor would either beasts or any fowl eat any thing of it only this good mans corn though intermingled with others stood untouched not an ear of it being blasted Doctor Hill in his book of living and dying well hath a remarkable story of a young Gentleman of one of the Innes of Court who it seems expected to die suddenly and before hee should bee twenty four years of age and so hee did having these verses found about him viz. Not twice twelve years full told a wearied breath I have exchanged for an happy death Short was my life the longer is my rest God takes them soonest whom he loveth best Hee that is born to day and dies to morrow Loses some hours of joy but moneths of sorrow Other diseases often come to grieve us Death strikes but once and that stroke doth relieve us So grave a Doctor setting down this story in his book I thought it no lightness in mee to set it down in mine The story of Mr. Holland not only because it is very remarkable but also because it hath pleased God to affect me very much with it I shall setdown here also This Mr. Holland was a pious and faithful Preacher of the Gospel as some that have been acquainted with him and have heard him have testified of him a man that was a stranger and Pilgrime in the world neither having any thing to do with it nor indeed knew it his Wiâ—e mannaging all his worldly affairs for him hee knew not what the common coyns of gold were worth and for his cloaths except his Wife had otherwise ordered it hee would have worn them till they had been rags hee spent his time wholly in his Study and a man of great charity insomuch that if hee had no money about him and a poor man had begg'd of him hee would have given his Gloves or Handkerchief or Band c. being regardless of all things save the glory of God and the Salvation of his own and others Souls This precious Saint the day before his death calling for a Bible continued his Meditation and Exposition on the eighth to the Romans for the space of two hours but on a sudden hee said O stay your reading what brightness is this I see and they said it is the Sun-shine nay saith hee it is my Saviours shine Now farewel world welcome heaven the Day-Star from on high hath visited my heart I doubt not but you all see that light but I feel a light within me that none of yee all can know and then turning himself to the Minister who preached his Funeral Sermon who was one of them that came to visit him hee said Sir I desire you would preach my Funeral Sermon for this night I dye and speak this from mee and speak it confidently that God deales familiarly with man a rare and sweet expression I feel his mercy I see his Majesty whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God hee knoweth but I see things that are unutterable And being thus ravished in his spirit hee roamed towards heaven with a cheerful look and soft sweet voice
but what hee said was not understood raising himself towards morning as Jacob did upon his staff hee ended his blessed life with these blessed words O what a happy change shall I make from night to day from darkness to light from death to life from sorrow to solace from a factious world to a heavenly being Oh my dear brethren sisters and friends it pittieth mee to leave you behinde yet remember my death when I am gone and what I now feel I hope you shall feel e're you die that God doth and will deal familiarly with man and now thou fiery Chariot that camest down to fetch up Elijah carry mee to my happy hold and all you blessed Angels that attended the Soul of Lazarus to bring it to heaven bear mee O bear mee into the bosome of my best beloved Amen Amen Come Lord Jesus come quickly and so hee fell asleep FINIS A Table of the Chapters contained in this Book PART I. Shewing wherein the Power of GODLINESSE consists viz. CHAPTER I. IN inward Admirings and Adorings of God page 1. Chap. 2. In our high prizings of Christ p. 4. Chap. 3. In living contrary to Providences page 13. Chap. 4. In mortifying Temptations p. 15. Chap. 5. In the manner of conquering of Temptations page 21. Chap. 6. In inward Mortifications p. 27. Chap. 7. In having dominion over our thoughts page 31. Chap. 8. Wherein the Perfection of Holinesse consists as to several graces page 33. Chap. 9. In high Acts of Hope page 37. Chap. 10. In the love of God in four particulars page 40. Chap. 11. Wherein the Power of Godlinesse consists as to Knowledge or the high acts and effects of Knowledge page 46. Chap. 12. Wherein the Power of Godlinesse consists as to Humility or wherein Christian Humility chiefly consists pag. 50. Chap. 13. Wherein the Power of Godlinesse consists as to Patience or several special signs and acts of Patience page 61. Chap. 14. Of projecting and contriving how wee may glorifie God most page 63. PART II. Wherein is set down Cautions and Discoveries of several mistakes most common to the people of God CHAPTER I. THe first Caution viz. That wee should not judge our selves by the degrees of Grace page 67. Chap. 2. The second Caution That wee should take heed that the works of our General Calling justle not out the works of our particular calling page 71. Chap. 3. The third Caution which is that wee should take heed of degenerating into will-worship page 75. Chap. 4. The fourth Caution which is that especially new Converts take heed of over-burdening themselves with over-difficult or multitude of duties page 77. Chap. 5. The fifth Caution against several mistakes of the people of God in spiritual joyes and sorrowes page 79. Chap. 6. Of letting the Truths of God lie loose upon us page 89. Chap. 7. The next impediment is want of consideration page 93. Chap. 8. The next impediment is putting off God with solemn duties page 96. Chap. 9. The next impediment is carnally to think that God will bee contented with any thing page 97. Chap. 10. How not watching over our thoughts is a great hinderance to the power of Godlinesse page 107. Chap. 11. The next great impediment is endeavouring impossibilities page 109. Chap. 12. The next impediment of Holiness is our not taking heed of occasions temptations and beginnings of sin page 111. Chap. 13. The next impediment is to neglect the smaller acts either of Holinesse or sinne page 113. Chap. 14. The next impediment is our ignorance and senslesness of the sins of Omission page 117. Chap. 15. The next impediment is not to come fully off for God page 118. Chap. 16. The next great impediment is worldly company page 122. Chap. 17. The next impediment is abundance of worldly imployment page 124. Chap. 18. The next great impediment is to have a carnal opinion that it is easie to bee religious page 127. Chap. 19. The next great impediment is not to do what wee can because wee cannot do what wee would or should page 139. Chap. 20. The next impediment is that wee are not convinced of and affected with the vanity of the things of the world pa. 155. PART III. Wherein are set down several meanes and helps for attaining the Power of GODLINESSE CHAPTER I. THe first thing that is necessary for a godly life is faith page 161. Chap. 2. The second means to a godly life is to discover and mortifie our Master corruption or sin page 176. Chap. 3. The next help for the attainment of the Power of Godliness are Ejaculatory Prayers page 198. Chap. 4. The next great help and direction for attaining of Holiness is reading of holy books page 221. Chap. 5. Wherein is set down a Catalogue of several books for the ignorant and poorer sort who in respect of their poverty cannot buy and of their ignorance cannot understand books of greater value and depth and for others page 232. Chap. 6. The next great help for the attaining of Holinesse is communion with Saints and first of solemn conferences and how to mannage them page 238. Chap. 7. Of the second great advantage that we may gain from our converse with the people of God in reference to temptations page 245. Chap. 8. Another great advantage that wee receive from our acquaintance with the people of God is in reference to their prayers page 250. Chap. 9. Of watching over one another and divers other great advantages that wee gain for the encrease of holinesse from the acquaintance with Gods people page 267. Chap. 10. Of the sixth help to a godly life which is the getting and observing of rules to guide us in indifferent actions p. 287. Chap. 11. The seventh direction for the attaining of the Power of Godlinesse viz. the choice of some grace wherein wee desire to bee most eminent in and several rules to direct our choice page 296. Chap. 12. The eighth and ninth Directions for the attaining the Power of Godliness viz. Wee ought not without just cause to leave off any duty before that effect bee wrought for which wee use it as also concerning frequent examination page 300. Chap. 13. The tenth help for the attainment and progress in holiness which is the choice of a faithful prudent director in the things of God page 312. Chap. 14. The eleventh help for the perfecting of Holiness viz. keeping of a Diary page 324. Chap. 15. The last help to a godly life wherein are set down several stories of Gods Providences examples of graces c. page 354. Books printed for Joseph Crâ—nford at the King Head in St. Pauls Church-Yards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Sum of Practical Divinity practised in the Wildernesse and delivered by our Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount being observations on the fourth fifth sixth and seventh Chapters of St. Matthew to which is prefixed Prolegomena or Preface by way of Dialogue wherein the perfection and perspicuity of the Scripture is vindicated from the Calumnies of Anabaptists and Papist's by Thomas White Minister of Gods Word at Anne Aldersgate London Animadversions or the Rabinical Talmud of Rabbi John Rogers wherein is examined his Doctrine as of the Matter of a Church The duty of separation Form of a Church The subjects of Church Power c. By Zach. Crofton Minister of Gods Word at James Garlick Hythe London A Vindication of the Answer to M. Brabourn concerning the Civil Magistrates Power as to changing Church-Government wherein the Reverend M. Perkins and some Truths of God are vindicated from the lyes and scurrilous expressions cast upon them by John Collings Minister of Gods Word in Norwich The Pattern of Patience in the example of holy Job a Paraphrase upon the whole Book being an expedient to sweeten the miseries of these never enough to bee lamented times The Husbands Authority Unvailed wherein is moderately discussed whether it bee fit or lawful for a good man to beat his bad Wife A Method and instructions for the Art of Divine meditation with instances of the several kindes of solemn Meditation by Thomas White Minister of Gods Word in London Enchiridion Medicum containing the causes signes and cures of all those diseases that do chiefly affect the body of man divided into three books with Alphabetical Tables of such matters as are therein contained Whereunto is added a Treatise De facultatibus medicamentorum compositorum dosibus By Robert Bayfield Doctor of Physick in the City of Norwich The Crown of Righteousness by Thomas Watson Minister of Stephen Walbrook London The Golden Mean being some serious considerations together with some Cases of Conscience Resolved for a more full and frequent Administration of yet not free Admission unto the Sacrament of the Lords Supper by Stephen Geree Minister of Gods Word and Pastor of the Church of Abinger in the County of Surrey