sight the same industry that is necessary to a thorough acquaintance with other History is necessary to the same acquaintance with this 4. That the common beginning of receiving all such historical truths is first by Believing our Teachers so far as becometh Learners and in the mean time going on to Learn till we come to know as much as they and upon the same historical Evidence as they 5. That if any man be here necessitated to take more than others upon the trust or belief of their Teachers it is long of their Ignorance and therefore if such cry out against their taking things on trust it is like a mad mans raving against them that would order him or as if one should reproach a Nurse for feeding Infants and not letting them feed themselves Oportet discentem credere He that will not believe his Teacher will never learn If a Child will not believe his Master that tells him which are the Letters the Vowels and Consonants and what is their power and what they spell and what every word signifieth in the Language which he is teaching him will he be ever the better for his teaching 6. That he that knoweth these historical matters no otherwise than by the belief of his particular Teacher may nevertheless have a Divine and saving faith For though he believe by a humane faith that these things were done that this is the same Book c. yet he believeth the Gospel it self thus brought to his knowledge because God is true that hath attested it Even as it was a saving faith in Mary and Martha that knew by their eyes and ears and not only by Belief that Lazarus was raised and that Christ preached thus and thus to them but believed his Doctrine to be true because of Gods Veracity who attested it 7. That it is the great wisdom and mercy of God to his weak and ignorant people to provide them Teachers to acquaint them with these things and to â—ou chsafe them such a help to their salvation as to make it a standing Office in his Church to the end of the world that the Infants and ignorant might not be cast off but have Fathers and Nurses and Teachers to take care of them 8. But specially mark that yet these Infants have much disadvantage in comparison of others that know all these matters of fact by the same convincing evidence as their Teachers And that he that followeth on to learn it as he ought may come to prove these subservient matters of fact by such a concurrence of evidences as amounteth to an infalibility or moral certainty beyond meer humane faith as such As e. g. an illiterate person that hath it but from others may be certain that it is indeed a Bible which is ordinarily read and preached to him and that it is so truly translated as to be a sufficient Rule of faith and life having no mistake which must hazard a mans salvation Because the Bible in the Original tongues is so commonly to be had and so many among us understand it and there is among them so great a contrariety of judgements and interests that it is not possible but many would detect such a publick lye if any should deal falsly in so weighty and evident a case There is a Moral certainty equal to a Natural that some actions will not be done by whole Countreys which every individual person hath power and natural liberty to do As e. g. there is no man in the Kingdom but may possibly kill himself or may fast to morrow or may lye in bed many dayes together And yet it is certain that all the people in England will do none of these So it is possible that any single person may lye even in a palpable publick case as to pretend that this is a Bible when it is some other Book or that this is the same Book that was received from the Apostles by the Churches of that age when it is not it c. But for all the Countrey and all the world that are competent witnesses to agree to do this is a meer impossibility I mean such a thing as cannot be done without a Miracle yea an universal Miracle And more than so it is impossible that God should do a Miracle to accomplish such an universal wickedness and deceit whereas it is possible that natural causes by a Miracle may be turned out of course where there is nothing in the nature of God against it as that the Son should stand still c. We have a certainty that there was a Iulius Caesar a William the Conquerour an Aristotle a Cicero an Augustine a Chrysostome and that the Laws and Statures of the Land were really enacted by the Kings and Parliaments whose names they bear because the Natural and Civil interestâ— of so many thousands that are able to detect it could never be reconciled here to a deceit When Judges and Counsellors Kings and Nobles and Plaintiffs and Defendants utter enemies are all agreed in it it is more certain to a single person than if he had seen the passing of them with his eyes So in our case when an Office was stablished in the Church to read and preach this Gospel in the Assemblies and when all the Congregations took it as the Charter of their salvation and the Rule of their faith and life and when these Pastors and Churches were dispersed over all the Christian world who thus worshipped God from day to day and all Sects and enemies were ready to have detected a falsification or deceit it is here as impossible for such a Kind of History or Tradition or testimony to be false in such material points of fact as for one mans senses to deceive him and much more § 29. Thus I have at once shewed you the true order of the Preaching and proofs and receiving of the several matters of Religion and how and into what our Faith must be resolved and how far your Teachers are to be Believed And here you must specially observe two things 1. That there can be no danger in this Resolution of faith of derogating either from the work of the Holy Ghost or the Scriptures self-evidence or any other cause what ever Because we ascribe nothing to History or Tradition which was ascribed to any of these causes by the first Christians but only put our Reception by Tradition instead of their Reception immediately by sense Our receiving by infallible history is but in the place of their receiving by sight and not in the place of the self-evidence of Scripture or any testimony or teaching of the Spirit The method is exactly laid down Heb. 2. 3 4. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by them that heard him God also â—earing them witness both with signs and wonders and divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will
that be gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Act. 13. 39. And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Heb. 8. 12. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more If it be the weakness of his grace that troubleth him let him choose such passages as these Isa. 40. 11. He shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bâ—som and shall gently lead those that are with young Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would Matth. 26. 41. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak Joh. 6. 37. All that the father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Luk. 17. 5. The Apostles said unto the Lord Increase our faith If it be the fear of death and strangeness to the other world that troubleth you remember the words of Christ before cited and 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 4 5 6 8. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven For we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life we are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Phil. 1. 23. For I am in a strait between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Rev. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them 1 Cor. 15. 55. O Death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Act. 7. 59. Lord Iesus receive my spirit Fix upon some such word or promise which may support you in your extremity § 6. Direct 6. Look up to God who is the Glory of Heaven and the Light and Life and Ioy of souls Direct 6. and believe that you are going to see his face and to live in the perfect everlasting fruition of his fullest Love among the glorified If it be delectable here to know his works what will it be to see the Cause of all All Creatures in Heaven and Earth conjoyned can never afford such content and joy to holy souls as God alone O if we knew him whom we must there behold how weary should we be of this dungeon of mortality and how fervently should we long to see his face The Chicken that cometh out of the shell or the Infant that newly cometh from the womb into this illuminated world of humane converse receiveth not such a joyful change as the soul that is newly loosed from the flesh and passeth from this mortal life to God One sight of God by a blessed soul is worth more than all the Kingdoms of the earth It is pleasant to the eyes to behold the Sun But the Sun is as darkness and useless in his Glory Rev. 21. 23. And the City had no need of the Sun nor of the Moon to shine in it For the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof Rev. 22. 3 4 5. And there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads and there shall be no night there and they need no candle nor light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them Light and they shall reign for ever and ever If David in the Wilderness so impatiently thirsted to appear before God the living God in his Sanctuary at Ierusalem Psal. 42. How earnestly should we long to see his Glory in the Heavenly Ierusalem The glimpse of his back-parts was as much as Moses might behold Exod. 34. yet that much put a shining glory upon his face v. 29 30. The sight that Stephen had when men were ready to stone him was a delectable sight Act. 7. 55 56. The glimpse of Christ in his transfiguration ravished the three Apostles that beheld it Mat. 17. 2 6. Pauls vision which rapt him up into the third Heavens did advance him above the rest of mankind But our Beatifical sight of the Glory of God will very far excell all this When our perfected bodies shall have the perfect Glorious Body of Christ to see and our perfected souls shall have the God of Truth the most perfect uncreated Light to know what more is a created understanding capable of And yet this is not the top of our felicity For the Understanding is but the passage to the Heart or Will and Truth is but subservient to Goodness And therefore though the Understanding be capable of no more than the Beatifical Vision yet the Man is capable of more even of receiving the fullest communications of Gods Love and feeling it poured out upon the heart and living in the returns of perfect Love and in this entercourse of Love will be our highest Ioyes and this is the top of our heavenly felicity O that God would make us foreknow by a lively faith what it is to behold him in his Glory and to dwell in perfect Love and Ioy and then death would no more be able to dismay us nor should we be unwilling of such a blessed change But having spoken of this so largely in my Saints Rest I must stop here and refer you thither § 7. Direct 7. Look up to the Blessed Society of Angels and Saints with Christ and remember their Direct 7. blessedness and joy and that you also belong to the same society and are going to be numbred with them It will greatly overcome the fears of death to see by faith the Joyes of them that have gone before us and withall to think of their relation to us As it will encourage a man that is to go beyond Sea if the far greatest part of his dearest friends be gone before him and he heareth of their safe arrival and of their Joy and happiness Those Angels that now see the face of God are our special friends and guardians and entirely Love us better than any of our friends on earth do They rejoiced at our Conversion and will rejoice at our Glorification And as they are better and Love us better so therefore our Love should be greater to them than to any upon earth and we should more desire to be with them Those blessed souls that are now with Christ were once as
6. Cases about losing and finding Q. 1. Must we seek out the loser to restore what we find Q. 2. May I take a reward as my due for restoring what I found Q. 3. May I wish to find any thing in my way or be glad that I find it Q. 4. May I not keep it if no owner be found Q. 5. If others be present when I find it may I not conceal or keep it to my self Q 6. Who must stand to the loss of goods trusted to another p. 130 Tit. 7. Directions to Merchants Factors Travellers Chaplains that live among Heathens Infidels or Papists p. 131 Q. 1. Is it lawful to put ones self or servants specially young unsetled Apprentices into the temptations of an Infidel or Popish Countrey meerly to get Riches as Merchants do p. 131 Q. 2. May a Merchant or Embassadour leave his Wife to live abroad p. 132 Q. 3. Is it lawful for young Gentlemen to travail into other Kingdoms as part of their education The danger of Common Traveling p. 133 Directions for all these Travellers in their abode abroad p. 135 CHAP. XX. Motives and Directions against Oppression The sorts of it The greatness of the sin of Oppression The Cure p. 137 Tit. 2. Cases about Oppression especially of Tenants p. 140 Q. 1. Is it lawful to buy land of a liberal Landlord when the buyer must needs set it dearer than the Sâ—lâ—er did Q. 2. May one take as much for his Land as it is worth Q. 3. May he raise his Rents Q. 4. How much below the full worth must a Landlord set his Land Q. 5. May not a Landlord that is in debt or hath a payment to pay raise his Rents to pay it Q. 6. If I cannot relieve the honest poor without raising the Rent of Tenants that are worthy of less charity may I do it Q. 7. May I penally raise a Tenants Rent or turn him out because he is a bad man Q. 8. May one take house or Land while another is in possession of it Q. 9. May a rich man put out his Tenants to lay the Lands to his own dâ—mesnes Q. 10. May one Tenant have divers Tenements Q. 11. May one have divers Trades Q. 12. Or keep shops in several Market Towns CHAP. XXI Cases and Directions about Prodigality and sinful waste What it is p. 143. Wayes of sinful waste Q. 1. Are all men bound to fare alike Or what is excess Q. 2. What cost on visits and entertainments is lawful Whether the greatest good is still to be preferred Q. 3. What is excess in buildings Q. 4. May we not in building dyet c. be at some charge for our Delight as well as for Necessity Q. 5. When are Recreations too costly Q. 6. When is Apparel too costly Q. 7. When is Retinue Furniture and other pomp too costly Q. 8. When is House-keeping too costly Q. 9. When are Childrens Portions too great Q. 10. How far is frugality in small matters a duty Q. 11. Must all labour in a Calling Q. 12. May one desire to increase and grow rich Q. 13. Can one be prodigal in giving to the Church Q. 14. May one give too much to the poor Q. 15. May the Rich lay out on conveniences pomp or pleasure when multitudes are in deep necessities Directions against Prodigality p. 143 c. CHAP. XXII Cases and Directions against injurious Law suits witnessing and judgement p. 148 Tit. 1. Cases of Conscience about Law suits and proceedings Q. 1. When is it Lawful to go to Law Q. 2. May I Sue a poor man for a Debt or Trespass Q. 3. May I Sue a Surety whose interest was not concerned in the debt Q. 4. May I Sue for the Use of Money Q. 5. May Law Suits be used to vex and humble an insolent bad man Q. 6. May a rich man use his friends and purse to bear down a poor man that hath a bad cause Q. 7. May one use such forms in Law Suits Declarations Answers c. as are false according to the proper sense of the words Q. 8. May a guilty person plead Not guilty Q. 9. Is a man bound to accuse himself and offer himself to justice Q. 10. May a witness voluntarily speak that truth which he knoweth will be ill used Q. 11. May a witness conceal part of the truth Q. 12. Must a Iudge or Iury proceed secundum allegata probata when they know the witness to be false or the Cause bad but cannot evince it T it 2. Directions against these sins p. 150. The evil of unjust Suits The evil of false witness The evil of unjust judgements The Cure p. 150 CHAP. XXIII Cases of Conscience and Directions against backbiting Slandering and Evil speaking p. 152 Tit. 1. Q. 1. May we not speak evil of that which is evil Q. 2. May not the contrary be sinful silence and befriending mens sins Q. 3. What if Religious credible persons report it Q. 4. If I may not speak it may I not believe them Q. 5. May we not speak ill of open persecutors or enemies of Godliness Q. 6. What if it be one whose reputation countenanceth his ill Cause and his defamation would disable him Q. 7. If I may not make a true Narrative of matters of fact how may we write true Histories for posterity Q. 8. What if it be one that hath been ofâ— admonished Q. 9. Or one that I cannot speak to face to face Q. 10. In what Cases may we open anothers faults Q. 11. What if I hear men praise the wicked or their sins T it 2. Directions against back-biting slandering and evil speaking p. 154 Tit. 3. The great evil of these sins p. 155 CHAP. XXIV Cases of and Directions against Censoriousness and sinful judging p. 157 Tit. 1. Cases Q. 1. Am I not bound to judge truly of every one as he is Q. 2. How far may we judge ill of one by outward appearance as face gesture c. Q. 3. How far may we censure on the report of others Q. 4. Doth not the fifth Command bind us to judge better of Parents and Princes than their lives declare them to be Q. 5. Whom must we judge sincere and holy Christians Q. 6. Is it not a sin to err and take a man for better than he is Q. 7. Whom must I take for a visible Church member Q. 8. Whom must I judge a true Worshipper of God Q. 9. Which must I take for a true Church Q. 10. Whom must we judge true Prophets and true Pastors of the Church p. 157 Tit. 2. Directions for the Cure of sinful Censoriousness p. 159 Tit. 3. The evil of the sin of Censoriousness p. 160 Tit. 4. Directions for those that are rashly censured by others p. 162 CHAP. XXV Cases and Directions about Trusts and Secrets p. 163 Tit. 3. The Cases Q. 1. How must we not put our Trust in man Q. 2. Whom to choose for a Trust Q. 3. When may I commit a
p. 199 CHAP. XXXI Cases and Directions about Confessing sins and injuries to others Tit. 1. The Cases p. 201 Q. 1. When must we confess wrongs to those that we have wronged Q. 2. What will excuse us from such Confessions Q. 3. Must I confess a purpose of injury which was never executed Q. 4. When must sins against God be confessed to men Tit. 2. The Directions for just confessing sin to others p. 202 CHAP. XXXII Cases and Directions about satisfaction and Restitution p. 203 Tit. 1. The Cases Q. 1. What is Satisfaction what Restitution and when a duty Q. Why did they restore fourfold by the Law of Moses Q. 2. How far is Satisfaction and Restitution necessary Q. 3. Who are bound to make it Q. 4. To whom must it be made Q. 5. What Restitution is to be made for dishonouring Rulers or Parents Q. 6 How must Satisfaction be made for Slanders and Lyes Q. 7. And for tempting others to sin and hurting their souls Q. 8. And for Murder or Man-slaughter Q. 9. Iâ— a Murderer bound to offer himself to justice Q. 10. Or to do execution on himself Q. 11. What Satisfaction is to be made by a Fornicator or Adulterer Q. 12. In what cases is a man excused from Satisfaction and Restitution Q. 13. What if Restitution will cost the Restorer more than the thing is worth Q. 14. What if confessing a fault will turn the rage of the injured person against me to my ruine p. 203 Tit. 2. The Directions for Practice p. 206 CHAP. XXXIII Cases and Directions about our obtaining pardon from God p. 206 Tit. 1. The Cases Q 1. Is there Pardon to be had for all sin without exception Q. 2. What if one oft commit the same heinous sin Q. 3. Is the day of Grace and Pardon ever past in this life Q. 4. May we be sure that we are pardoned Q. 5. Can any man pardon sins against God and how far Q. 6. Is sin forgiven before it be committed Q. 7. Are the Elect Pardoned and Iustified before Repentance Q. 8. Is Pardon or Iustification perfect before Death Q. 9. Is our pardon perfect as to all sins past Q. 10. May Pardon or Iustification be lost or reversed Q. 11. Is the pardon of my own sin to be Believed â—ide Divina and is it the meaning of that Article of the Creed Q. 12. May one in any kind Trust to his own Faith and Repentance for his Pardon Q. 13. What are the Causes and Conditions of Pardon p. 208 Tit. 2. Directions for obtaining Pardon from God p. 209 CHAP. XXXIV Cases and Directions about self-judging p. 210 Tit. 1. The Cases Q. 1. What are the Reasons Vses and Motives of Self-judging Q. 2. What should ignorant persons do whose capacity will not reach to so high a work as true self-examination and self-judging Q. 3. How far may a weak Christian take the judgement of his Pastor or others about his sincerity and justification Tit. 2. Directions for judging of our Actions p. 211 Tit. 3. Directions for judging of our estates to know whether we are Iustified and in a state of life p. 212 c READER Thou art desired to mend the following Errata with thy Pen especially those markt with a Star Some more false Spellings false Pointings c. there are but too slight to give thee any trouble PAg. 26. l. antepen r. have lived p. 48. l. 7. r. if they p. 44. l. 20. r. once * listed p. 4â— l. 31. r. 〈◊〉 to p. 55. l. 30. r. in the practice p. 59. l. 13. del not l. 43. r. from them that p. 63. l. 46. del not p. 99. l. 50. r. â—ew reâ—â— not fit p. 105. Sect. 11. l. 2. r. â—â—â—â— serves v. 120 â—â— 12â— l. 36. r. * â—â—arl sâ—â—ss p. 150. l 29. r. * world 〈◊〉 p. 154. Sect. 37. l. anteâ— r. 2 * Chron. p. 165. l. 1. r. before them p. 180. l. 3. r. * that clearly p. 219. Sect. 11. l. 1. r. câ—â—jâ—â—es p. 233. Sect. 16. l. ult r. 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â— p. 238. Sect. 50. l. 3. r sound p. 244. l. 21. r. their shame p. 261. l 13. r. * a dâ—â—p p. 323. Sect. â—9 l. 6. r. i◠〈◊〉 p. 325. l. 5â— â— * Dury p. 33. Title r. sinful Desires p. 354. l. 33. r. love him p. 380. Sect. 63 l. 6. r. loath p. 384. l. 4â— r * senseless 〈◊〉 p 386. l. 6. r. * most defile p. 397 Sect. 14. l. 11. r. yet of p. 398. Sect. 19. l. 2. r. sights p. 404. Sect 3 l. 7. r. * present 〈◊〉 p. 410. l 9. r. * mod p. 433. l. 51. r. sermonum l. 53. r. * aftercations p. 437. l. 18. r. General to get p. 4â—â— l. antep r. their â—â—ot p. 442. l. 41. r. give thee p. 445. l. 7. r. contented l. 42. r. got p. 452. l. 26. r. * best employment l. 6. del best p. 460. Title r. â—â—â—â— Zeal Lust. r. in the world p. 461. Sect. 16. l. 2. r. unprofitable * prating p. 462. l. 37. r. 〈…〉 l. 4â— r. othâ—â—s l. 52. r. using them p. 495. l. 8. r. Gods p. 496. l. 45. r. Riâ—ht of propriety p. 500. l. 37. r. Psalms of praise p. 503. l. 33. r. 1 Câ—r l. â—4 r. 〈◊〉 â—oâ— tâ—â—ir house l. 35. r. thy house l. pen. r. Therefore p. 506. l. 56. r. the faith p. 507. l. 37. r. â—it to oâ—â— p. 523 l. â—2 del it ibid. r. this heat p. 536. l. 26. r. will do p. 550. l. ult r. heart-breaking p. 551. l. 39. r evâ—◠〈◊〉 p. 557. l. 46. r. hath * not given p. 599. l 30. r. shorter p. 625. l. â— r. * not wholly p. 635. l. 39. r. * not able p 641. l. 39. r. your 〈◊〉 p. 676. Sect. 19. l. 4. â— Your work p. 692. l. 17. r. himself p. 695. l. 1. r. arctius nobis p. 701. l. 24. r. wicked hands p. 705. Prop. 8. l. 5â—6 del half each line p. 711. l. 42. r. in force l. 58. r. needeth it * not p 713. l. 38. r. by a faâ—se p. 720. l. 3. r. Here note p. 722. l. 19. r. Sâ—â— p. 724. Sect. 3. l. 5. del you p. 727. Sect. 19. l. 10. r. ask p. 745. Sect. â—4 l. r. del of intrusions p. 756. l. antep r. would â—idâ— p. 757. l. 55. r. imitate them p. 759. l. 10. r. murder p. 771. l. ult r. to all p 798. l. 34. r. Oâ—â—â—â—ined as p. 812. Q. 36. l. 5. r. as such unknown p 844. l. 9. r. to * remove p 885. l. 12. r. * not to institute p 898 l. 10 11. r. Gomarus * Somnius p. 900. l. antep r. bare witness p 915. l. 17. r 2 Some things p. 919. l. antep r. see that * aptâ—ntâ—r p. 921. l. 22 r. 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 maâ—â— l. 39. r. after * the Scriptures which Paul is commonly supposed to mean and some of it after he â—ud so p. 922. l. 25. r. Hotâ—â—kis l. 46. r. * Sâ—ccaâ—i l.
dealing so plainly with you You know that they hazard by it their reputation with such as you and they cannot be ignorant that it is like to expose them to your ill will and indignation § 2. And they are men as well as you and therefore undoubtedly desire the good will and the good word of others and take no pleasure to be scorned or hated Undoubtedly they break through much temptation and reluctancy of the flesh before they can so far deny themselves as to endeavour your salvation on such terms And seeing it is all for you methinks you should be their chief encouragers If others should oppose them you should be for them because they are for you If I go with a Convoy to relieve a besieged Garrison I shall expect opposition from the Enemy that besiegeth them But if the besieged themselves shall shoot at us and use us as enemies for venturing our lives to relieve them it 's time to be gone and let them take what they get by it § 3. Perhaps you think that the Preacher or private admonisher is too plain with you But Seneca Ep. 87. sâ— ibit Tan necessarium fuisle Romano populo â—asci Catoaâ—m quam Scâ—pionem Alter enim cum hostious â—ostâ—â— alter cum moâ—ibus belluâ— gessiâ— you should consider that self-love is like to make you partial in your own cause and therefore a more uncapable Judge than they And you should consider that God hath commanded them to deal plainly and told them that else the peoples blood shall be required at their hands Isa. 58. 1. Ezek. 18. And that God best knoweth what Medicine and Dyet is fittest for your Disease And that the case is of such grand importance whether you shall live in Heaven or Hell for ever that it is scarce possible for a Minister to be too plain and serious with you And that your disease is so obstinate that gentler means have been too long frustrate and therefore sharper must be tryed else why were you not converted by gentler dealing until now If you fall down in a swoon or be ready to be drowned you will give leave to the standers by to handle you a little more roughly than at another time and will not bring your action against them for laying hands on you or ruffling your Silks or Bravery If your house be on fire you will give men leave to speak in another manner than when they modulate their voices into a civill and complementing tone It may be you think that they are censorious in judging you to be unconverted when you are not and to be worse and in more danger than you are and speaking harder of you than you deserve But it 's you that should be most suspicious of your selves and afraid in so great a matter of being deceived A stander by may see more than a player I am sure he that is awake may know more of you than you of your selves when you are asleep § 4. But suppose it were as you imagine it is his Love that mistakingly attempteth your good He intendeth you no harm It is your salvation that he desireth It is your damnation that he would prevent You have cause to love him and be thankful for his good will and not to be angry with him and reproach him for his mistakes He is none of those that brings you into the inquisition and would fine or imprison or banish or burn or hang or torment you in order to convert and save you The worst he doth is but to speak those words which if true you are deeply concerned to regard and if mistaken can do you no hurt unless you are the cause your self If it be in publick preaching he speaketh generally by descriptions and not by nomination no more of you than of others in your case Nor of you at all if you are not in that case If he speak privately to you there is no witness but your self and therefore it is no matter of disgrace Never for shame pretend that thou art willing to be converted and saved when thou hatest those that would promote it and art angry with every one that tells thee of thy case and couldst find in thy heart to stop their mouths or do them a mischief Direction 8. IF thou art willing indeed to be converted do thy best to discover that yet thou art unconverted Direct 8. and in a lost and miserable state § 1. Who will endeavour to cure a Disease which he thinks he hath not Or to Vomit up the poison which he thinks he never took or taketh to be no poison Or to come out of the ditch that thinks he is not in it Or who will turn back again that will not believe but he is in the right way Who will labour to be converted that thinks he is converted already Or who will come to Christ as the Physicion of his soul that thinks he is not sick or is cured already The common cause that men live and die without the grace of Repentance Sanctification and Justification which should save them is because they will not believe but that they have it when they have it not and that they are penitent and justified and sanctified already It is not my desire to make any of you think worse of your condition than it is But if you will not know what it is you will not be fit for recovering grace nor use the means for your own recovery you think it is so sad a conclusion to find your selves in a state of condemnation that you are exceeding unwilling to know it or confess it § 2. But I beseech you consider but these two things First Either it is true that you are in so Bernard de grad humil grad 8. describeth mens excusing their sins thus If it may be they will say I did not do it or else It was no sin but lawful or else I did it not oft or much or else I meant no harm or else I was perswaded by another and drawn to it by temptation miserable a state or it is not true If it be not true the closest tryal will but comfort you by discovering that you are sanctified already But if it be true then do you think it will save you to be ignorant of your danger Will it cure your disease to believe that you have it not Will thinking well of your selves falsly prove that you are well indeed Is it the way to grace to think you have it when you have it not Will it bring you to Heaven to think that you are going thither when you are in the way to Hell Nay do you not know that it is the principal temptation of the Devil to keep men from a state of Repentance and Salvation to deceive them thus and perswade them that they are in such a state already Judge soberly of the case Do you think if all the impenitent unconverted sinners in the world were certain that they are
seriousness in Religion made odious or banished from the earth and that themselves may be taken for the Center and Pillars and Law-givers of the Church and the Consciences of all men may be taught to cast off all scruples or fears of offending God in comparison of â—â—â—â—â—â—ing them and may absolutely submit to them and never stick at any feared disobedience to 〈…〉 t They are the scorners and persecutors of strict obedience to the Laws of God and take those that â—ear his judgements to be men affrighted out of their wits and that to obey him exactly which alas who can do when he hath done his best is but to be hypocritical or too precise but to question their domination or break their Laws imposed on the world even on Kings and States without any Authority this must be taken for Heresie Schism or a Rebellion like that of Corah and his company This Luciferian Spirit of the proud Autonomians hath filled the Christian world with bloodshed and been the greatest means of the miseries of the earth and especially of hindering and persecuting the Gospel and setting up a Pharisaical Religion in the world It hath fought against the Gospel and filled with blood the Countreys of France Savoy Rhaetia Bohemia Belgia Helvetia Polonia Hungary Germany and many more that it may appear how much of the Satanical nature they have and how punctually they fulfill his will § 3. And natural corruption containeth in it the seeds of all these damnable Heresies nothing more natural to lapsed man than to shake off the Government of God and to become a Law-giver to himself and as many others as he can and to turn the grace of God into wantonness Therefore the prophane that never heard it from any Hereticks but themselves do make themselves such a Creed as this that God is merciful and therefore we need not fear his threatnings for he will be better than his word It belongeth to him to save us and not to us and therefore we may cast our souls upon his care though we care not for them our selves If he hath predestinated us to salvation we shall be saved and if he have not we shall not what ever we do or how well soever we live Christ dyed for sinners and therefore though we are sinners he will save us God is stronger than the Devil and therefore the Devil shall not have the most That which pleaseth the flesh and doth God no harm can never be so great a matter or so much offend him as to procure our damnation What need of so much ado to be saved or so much haste to turn to God when any one that at last doth but repent and cry God mercy and believe that Christ dyed for him shall be saved Christ is the Saviour of the world and his grace is very great and free and therefore God forbid that none should be saved but those few that are of strict and holy lives and make so much ado for Heaven No man can know who shall be saved and who shall not and therefore it is the wisest way to do no body any harm and to live merrily and trust God with our souls and put our salvation upon the venture no body is saved for his own works or deservings and therefore our lives may serve the turn as well as if they were more strict and holy This is the Creed of the ungodly by which you may see how natural it is to them to abuse the Gospel and plead Gods grace to quiet and strengthen them in their sin and to embolden themselves on Christ to disobey him § 4. But this is but to set Christ against himself even his Merits and Mercy against his Government and Spirit and to set his Death against the Ends of his death and to set our Saviour against our salvation and to run from God and rebell against him because Christ dyed to recover us to God and to give us Repentance unto life and to sin because he dyed to save his people from their sins and to purifie a peculiar people to himself zealous of good works Matth. 1. 21. Tit. 2. 14. He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. John 8. 44. Direct 18. WAtch diligently hath against the more discernable decayes of grace and against Direct 18. the degenerating of it into some carnal affections or something counterfeit and of another kind And so also of Religious duties § 1. We are no sooner warmed with the coelestial flames but natural corruption is enclining us to grow cold Like hot water which loseth its heat by degrees unless the fire be continually kept under it Who feeleth not that as soon as in a Sermon or Prayer or holy Meditation his heart hath got a little heat as soon as it is gone it is prone to its former earthly temper and by a little remisness in our duty or thoughts or business about the world we presently grow cold and dull again Be watchful therefore lest it decline too far Be frequent in the means that must preserve you from declining when faintness telleth you that your stomachs are emptied of the former meat supply it with another lest strength abate You are rowing against the stream of fleshly interest and inclinations and therefore intermit not too long lest you go faster down by your ease then you get up by labour § 2. The Degenerating of Grace is a way of backsliding very common and too little observed How Grace may degenerate It is when good affections do not directly cool but turn into some carnal affections somewhat like them but of another kind As if the body of a man instead of dying should receive the life or soul of a Beast instead of the reasonable humane soul. For instance 1. Have you Believed in God and in Iesus Christ and Loved him accordingly You shall seem to do so still as much as formerly when your corrupted minds have received some false representation of him and so it is indeed another thing that you thus corruptly Believe and Love 2. Have you been fervent in Prayer you shall be fervent still iâ— Satan can but corrupt your prayers by corrupting your judgement or affections and get you to think that to be the cause of God which is against him and that to be against him which he commandeth and those to be the troublers of the Church which are its best and faithfullest members Turn but your prayers against the cause and people of God by your mistake and you may pray as fervently against them as you will The same I may say of preaching and conference and zeal Corrupt them once and turn them against God and Satan will joyn with you for zealous and frequent preaching or conference or disputes 3. Have you a confidence in Christ and his promise for
your excellency The soul of Religion is departing from you and it is dying and returning to the dust And if once Man get the preheminence of God and be preferred and set above him in your hearts or lives and feared trusted and obeyed before him you are then dead to God and alive to the world and as Men are taken for your Gods you must take up with such a salvation as they can give you If your Alms and Prayers are done to be seen of men and to procure their good thoughts and words if you get them make your best of them For verily your Judge hath said unto you You have your reward Matth. 6. 1 2 3. Not that man is absolutely to be contemned or disregarded No under God your Superiours must Aâ—te 〈◊〉 sâ— voles aâ—â— haâ—e sedâ—m ae 〈…〉 am domum contuâ—â—t re 〈…〉 Sermoâ—â—bâ—s vuâ—gâ— dedeâ—â—s te nec in praeviâ—s humamanis â—pem posueris rerum tuarum suis te illecebrâ—s oportet ipsa viâ—tâ—s trahat ad verum dâ—â—uâ— Ciâ—râ— somâ— Sâ—â—p Cael stia sâ—mper â—pâ—â—tato â—â—â—â—a humana contemnito Id. Ibid. be obeyed you must do wrong to none and do good to all as far as in you lyeth you must avoid offence and give good example and under God have so much regard to men as to become all things to all men for their salvation But if once you set them above their rank and turn your selves to an inordinate dependance on them and make too great a matter of their opinion or words concerning you you are losing your godliness or divine disposition and turning it into man-pleasing and hypocrisie When man stands in competition with God for your first and chief regard or in opposition to him or as a sharer in co-ordination with him and not purely in subordination to him he is to be numbred with things to be forsaken Even good men whom you must love and honour and whose communion and help you must highly value yet may be made the object of your sin and may become your snare Your honouring of them or love to them must not entice you to desire inordinately to be honoured by them nor cause you to set too much by their approbation If you do you will find that while you are too much eying man you are losing God and corrupting your Religion at the very heart And you may fall among those that how Holy soever may have great mistakes in matters of Religion tending to much sin and may be somewhat censorious against those that are not of their mind and so the retaining of their esteem and the avoiding of their censures may become one of the greatest temptations of your lives And you will find that man-pleasing is a very difficult and yet unprofitable task Love Christ as he appeareth in any of his servants and be followers of them as they are followers of Christ and regard their approbation as it agreeth with Christs But O see that you are able to Live upon the favour of God alone and to be quietted in his acceptance though man despise you and to be Pleased so far as God is pleased though man be displeased with you and to rejoyce in his Justification though men condemn you with the odiousest slanders and the greatest infamy and cast out your names as evil doers See that God be taken as Enough for you or else you take him not as your God Even as Enough without man and Enough against man That you may be able to say If God be for us who can be against us Who is he that condemneth it is God that justifieth Rom. 8. 31 33 34. Do I seek to please men For if I yet pleased men I should not be a servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. Jer. 17. 5. Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord For he shall be like the Heath in the Desert and shall not see when good cometh Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is for he shall be as a Tree planted by the waters and that spreadeth out her roots by the Rivers and shall not see when heat cometh but her leaf shall be green and shall not be careful in the year of drought neither shall cease from yielding fruit Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is be to be accounted of Isa. 2. 22. § 3. HAving given you these Directions I must tell you in the Conclusion that they are like foed that will not nourish you by standing on your Table or like Physick that will not cure you by standing in the Box They must be taken and digested or you will find none of the benefit It is not the Reading of them that will serve the turn to so great use as the safe proceeding and confirmation of beginners or Noâ—ices in Religion It will require humility to perceive the need of them and labour to learn digest and practise them Those slothful souls that will refuse the labour must bear the sad effects of their negligence There is not one of all these Directions as to the Matter of them which can be spared Study them Understand them and Remember them as things that must be done If either a senselesness of your necessity or a conceit that the Spirit must do it without so much labour and diligence of your own do prevail with you to put off all these with a meer approbation the consequent may be sadder than you can yet foresee Though I suppose you to have some beginnings of Grace I must tell you that it will be comparatively a sad kind of life to be erroneous and scandalous and troublesome to the Church or full of doubts and fears and passions and to be burdensome to others and your selves Yea it is reason that you be very suspicious of your Sincerity if you desire not to increase in grace and be not willing to use the means which are necessary to your encrease He is not sincere that desireth not to be perfect And he desireth not sincerely who is not willing to be at the labour and cost which is necessary to the obtaining of the thing desired I beseech you therefore as you love the happiness of prudent strong and comfortable Christians and would escape the misery of those grievous diseases which would turn your lives into languishing unserviceableness and pain that you seriously study these Directions and get them into your minds and memories and hearts and let the faithful practice of them be your greatest care and the constant employment of your lives CHAP. III. The General Grand Directions for Walking with God in a Life of Faith and Holiness Containing the Essentials of Godliness and Christianity I Am next to Direct you in that Exercise of Grace which is common to all Christians Habits are for Use Grace is given you not only that you may have it
but also that you may Use it And it is fit that we Direct you how to Use it before we direct you how to know that you have it because it is Grace in exercise that you must discern and Habits are not perceived in themselves but by their Acts And the more lively and powerful the exercise is the more easily is Grace perceived So that this is the nearest and surest way to a Certainty of our own sincerity He that Useth Grace most and best hath most Grace And he that hath most and useth it most may most easily be Assured that he hath it in sincerity and truth In these Directions I shall begin with those great internal duties in which the very Life of all Religion doth consist and the General Practice of these Principles and Graces and all these Generals shall be briefly set together for the easiness of Understanding and Remembring them And then I shall give you such Particular Directions as are needful in subordination to those Generals DIRECT I. Labour to understand well the Nature Grounds Reason and Order of Faith and Gr. Dir. 1. Godliness and to Believe upon such grounds so well understood as will not suffer For a well-grounded Faith you to stagger or entertain a contrary belief § 1. IGnorance and ungrounded or ill-grounded perswasions in matters of Religion are the cause that abundance of people delude themselves with the empty name and dead profession of a Faith and Religion which they never were indeed possessors of I know there are low degrees of knowledge comparatively in many that are true believers and that there may be much Love and Holiness where knowledge is very small or narrow as to the objective extent of it And that there is a knowledge that puffeth up while Charity edifieth And that in many that have the narrower knowledge there may be the fastest faith and adherence to the truth which will conquer in the time of tryal But yet I must tell you that the Religion which you profess is not indeed your own Religion if you know not what it is and know not in some measure the true Grounds and Reasons why you should be of that Religion If you have only learnt to say your Creed or repeat the words of Christian Doctrine while you do not truly understand the sense or if you have no better Reasons why you profess the Christian faith than the custom of the Countrey or the command of Princes or Governours or the Opinion of your Teachers or the example of your Parents friends or neighbours you are not Christians indeed You have a humane belief or opinion which objectively is true but subjectively in your selves you have no true divine belief I confess there may be some insufficient yea and erroneous Reasons which a true Believer may mistakingly make use of for the proof of certain fundamental truths But then that same man hath some other Reason for his reception of that truth which is more sound and his faith is sound because of those sound infallible principles though there be a mixture of some other Reasons that are unsound The true Believer buildeth on the Rock and giveth deep rooting to the holy seed Matth. 7. 24. 13. 5 8. Though some deluded men may tell you that Faith and Reason are such enemies that they exclude each other as to the same object and that the less Reason you have to prove the truth of the things believed the stronger and more laudable is your faith yet when it cometh to the tryal you will find that Faith is no unreasonable thing and that God requireth you to believe no more than you have sufficient reason for to warrant you aâ—â— bâ—â—r you out and that your faith can be no more than is your perception of the Reasons why you should believe and that God doth suppose Reason when he infuseth Faith and useth Reason in â—â—e usâ— of faith They that Believe and know not why or know no sufficient Reason to warâ—ant their Belief do take a fansie an Opinion or a dream for faith I know that many honest hearted Christians are unable to dispute for their Religion or to give to others a satisfactory account of the Reasons of their faith or hâ—pe But yet they have the true apprehension of some solid Reasons in themselves and they are not Christians they know not why And though their knowledge be small as to the number oâ— propositions known yet it doth alwayes extend to all that is essential to Christianity and Godliness and they do not believe they know not what And their knowledge is greater intensively and in its value and operation than the knowledge of the learnedst ungodly man in the world § 2. Though I may not here digress or stay so long as largely to open to you the Nature Grounds Reason and Method of Faith and Godliness which I am perswading you to understand yet I shall first â—â—y before you a few Propositions which will be useful to you when you are enquiring into these things and then a little open them unto you Prop. 1. A life of Godliness is our living unto God as God as being absolutely addicted to him 2. A life of Faith is a living upon the unseen everlasting Happiness as purchased for us by Christ with all the necessaries thereto and freely given us by God 3. The contrary life of sense and unbelief is a living in the prevalency of sense or flesh to this present world for want of such believing apprehensions of a better as should elevate the soul thereto and conquer the fleshly inclination to things present 4. Though man in innocency needing no Redeemer might live to God without faith in a Redeemer yet lapsed man is not only unable to Redeem himself but also unable to live to God without the grace of the Redeemer It was not only necessary that he satisfie Gods justice for us that he may pardon and save us without any wrong to his Holiness Wisdom or Government but also that he be our Teacher by his Doctrine and his Life and that he Reveal from Heaven the Fathers will and that Objectively in him we may see the wonderful condescending Love and Goodness of a Reconciled God and Father and that effectually â—e illuminate sanctifie and quicken us by the operations of his Word and Spirit and that he protect and govern justifie and glorifie us and be the Head of Restored Man as Adam was the Root of lapsed man and as the lapsed Spirits had their Head And therefore we must wholly Live upon him as the Mediator between God and man and the only Saviour by Merit and by â—fficacy 5. Faith is a knowledge by certain credible Testimony or Revelation from God by means supernatural or extraordinary 6. The knowledge of things naturally revealed as the cause by the effect c. is in order before the Knowledge or Belief of things revealed supernaturally 7. It is matter of natural Revelation
last place in teaching learning and most serious consideration § 3. Two sorts do most dangerously sin against or abuse the Holy Ghost The first is the Prophane who through custom and education can say I believe in the Holy Ghost and say that He sanctifieth them and all the Elect people of God but hate or resist all sanctifying works and motions Deus est principium eâ—â—ectivum in Creatione refectivum in redemptione perfectivum in sanctificatione Ioh. Con. bis comp Theol. l. 4. c. 1. of the Holy Ghost and hate all those that are sanctified by him and make them the objects of their scorn and deride the very name of sanctification or at least the thing The second sort is the Enthusiasts or true Fanaticks who advance extoll and plead for the Spirit Rejectis propheticis Apostolicis scriptis Manichaei novum Evangelium scripserunt ut antecellere communi hominum multitudini semi-d 〈…〉 rentur simularunt Enthusiaâ—mos seu afflatus subâ—â—o in â—urâ—a se in terram objâ—â—â—â—entes c vâ—lut 〈◊〉 dâ—â— tacentes deinde tanquam redeuntes ex specu Trophonio plorantes multa vaticinati sunt Prorsus ut Anabaptistae recens fâ—ceruâ— in seditione Monasteriensi Etsi autem in quibusdam manifesta simulatio fuit tamen aliquibus reipsa à Diabolis surâ—tes immisses esse certum est Carioâ— Chron. l. 3. p. 54. against the Spirit covering their greatest sins against the Holy Ghost by crying up and pretending to the Holy Ghost They plead the Spirit in themselves against the Spirit in their Brethren yea and in almost all the Church They plead the authority of the Spirit in them against the authority of the Spirit in the holy Scriptures and against particular truths of Scripture and against several great and needful Duties which the Spirit hath required in the Word and against the Spirit in their most judicious godly faithful Teachers But can it be the Spirit that speaks against the Spirit Is the Spirit of God against it self Are we not all baptized by One Spirit and not divers or contrary into one body 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. But it is no marvel for Satan to be transformed into an Angel of light or his Ministers into the Ministers of Christ and of Righteousness whose end shall be according to their works 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. The Spirit himself therefore hath commanded us that we believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they be of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 John 4. 1. Yea the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4. 1. Therefore take heed that you neither Mistake nor abuse the Holy Spirit § 4. 1. The Doctrine concerning the Holy Ghost to be believed is briefly this 1. That the Holy Ghost as given since the Ascension of Christ is his Agent on earth or his Advocate with men called by him the Paraclete Instead of his bodily presence which for a little space he vouchsafed to a few being John 16. 7. â— ascended he sendeth the Holy Spirit as better for them to be his Agent continually to the end and John 15 2â— John 16. 13. Gal. 3. 1 2 3 4 Heb. 2. 3 4. unto all and in all that do believe 2. This Holy Spirit so sent infallibly inspired the holy Apostles and Evangelists first to preach and then to write the Doctrine of Christ contained as indited by him in the Holy Scriptures perfectly imprinting therein the Holy Image of God 3. The same Spirit in them sealed this holy Doctrine and the Testimony of these holy men by many Miracles and wonderful Gifts by which they did actually convince the unbelieving world and plant the Churches 4. The same Spirit having first by the Apostles given a Law or Canon to the Universal Church constituting its Offices and the duty of the Officers and the manner of their entrance Eph. 3 2 3 4 8 13. dâ—tâ— Qualifie and â—ispose men for the stated ordinary Ministerial work which is to Explain and Apâ—â—â—â— â—he â—oresaid Scriptures and directeth those that are to Ordain and Choose them they being not wanting on their part and so he appointeth Pastors to the Church 5. The same Spirit assisteth the Ministers thus sent in their faithful use of the means to Teach and Apply the holy Scriptures according to the necessities of the peoplâ— the weight of the matter and the Majesty of the Word of God 6. The same Spirit doth by this Word heard or read renew and sanctifie the souls of the Elect illuminating their minds opening and quickning their hearts prevailing with changing and Actâ— 26. 18. resolving their wills thus writing Gods Word and imprinting his Image by his Word upon their hearts making it powerful to conquer and cast out their strongest sweetest dearest sins and bringing John 14 16 26 them to the saving knowledge love and obedience of God in Jesus Christ. 7. The same holy Spirit assisteth the sanctified in the exercise of this grace to the increase of it by blessing and concurring with the means appointed by him to that end And helpeth them to use those means perform their duties conquer temptations oppositions and difficulties and so confirmeth and preserveth them to the end 8. The same Spirit helpeth believers in the exercise of grace to feel it and discern the sincerity of it in themselves in that measure as they are meet for and in these seasons when it is fittest for them 9. The same Spirit helpeth them hereupon to conclude that they are justified and reconciled to God and have right to all the benefits of his Covenant 10. Also he assisteth them actually to rejoyce in the discerning of this Conclusion For though Reason of it self may do something in these acts yet so averse is man to all that is holy and so many are the difficulties and hinderances in the way that to the effectual performance the help of the Spirit of God is necessary § 5. By this enumeration of the Spirits operations you may see the errors of many detected and many common Questions answered 1. You may see their blindness that pretend the Spirit within them against Scripture Ministry or the use of Gods appointed means when the same Spirit first indited the Scripture and maketh it the Instrument to illuminate and sanctifie our souls Gods Image is 1. Primarily in Jesus Christ his Son 2. Derivatively by his Spirit imprinted perfectly in the holy Scriptures 3. And by the Scripture or the holy Doctrine of it instrumentally impressed on the soul. So that the Image of God in Christ is the Cause of his Image in his holy Word or Doctrine and his Image in his Word is the Cause of his Image on the heart So a King may have his Image 1. Naturally on his Son who is like his Father 2. Expressively in his Laws which express
To be as like God in all his communicable excellencies as is agreeable to our created state and capacity 2. And to have as near and full communion with him as we can attain to and enjoy § 7. 7. The Will of God and his Goodness and Holiness is more nearly propounded to us to be the Rule of our Conformity than his Power and his Knowledge Therefore his Law is most immediately the expression of his Will and our Duty and Goodness lyeth in our Conformity to his Law being Holy as he is Holy Because I may not stand on the particulars I shall give you a brief imperfect Scheme of that of God which you must thus know GOD is to be known by us I. As â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â— I. In his BEING Qâ—od â—â—â—â— 1. One and indivisible In Three Persons 2. Immense and incomprehensible 3. Eternal 1. The FATHER 2. The SON 3. The HOLY GHOST 1. Necessary 2. Independent 3. Immutable II. In his NATURE Quod â—â—t A SPIRIT 1. Simple uncompounded 2. Impassionate incoruptible immortal 3. Invisible intactible c. and LIFE it self 1. POWER 2. UNDERSTANDING 3. WILL. III. In his PERFECTIONS Qâ—aliâ—â—â—â—â— 1. OMNIPOTENT 2. OMNISCIENT 3. MOST GOOD 1. MOST GREAT 2. MOST WISE 3. MOST HOLY and HAPPY 1. BEING HIMSELF 2. KNOWING HIMSELF 3. LOVING ENJOYING HIMSELF II. As Râ—laâ—â—d to his Creatures I. The EFFICIENT Cause of all things Rom. 9. 36. OF HIM 1. CREATOR Conserver 1. Our OWNER or LORD most Absolute Free and Irresistible d 1. Our Life and Strength and Safety e 1. Perfecting our Natures in Heavenly Life II. The DIRIGENT Cause THROUGH HIM 2. REDEEMER Saviour 2. Our RULER or KING 1. By Legislation 2. Judgement 3. Execution Absolute Perfect True Holy Just Merciful Patient Terrible 2. Our Light and Wisdom 2. Whom we shall behold in Glorious Light III. The FINAL Cause TO HIM are all things To him be Glory for ever Amen 3. REGENERATOR Sanctifier 3. Our BENEFACTOR or FATHER 1. Most Loving 2. Most Bountiful 3. Most Amiable Patient Merciful Constant. Causally and Objectively d 3. Our Love and Ioy And so our End and Rest and Happiness hereafter e 3. Whom we shall Please and Love and be Pleased in him and Loved by him Rejoyce in him Praise him and so Enjoy him Perfectly and Perpetually See these Practically opened and improved in the First Part of my Divine Life The more full Explication of the Attributes fit for the more capacious is reserved for another Tractate § 8. For the right improvement of the Knowledge of all these Attributes of God I must refer you Do Dâ—s ita uâ— sunt loquere Bias iâ—l â—â—â—â— â—â—g Paâ—â—i Sâ—alâ—gâ—i â—â—â—â—â— sâ—s de 〈◊〉 Mâ—â—do Ep. Cath. l 14. God never wrought Miracâ—e to convince Atheism because his ordinary works convince it â— Baâ—oâ— Essay 16. p. 87. Deus est mens soluta libera legâ—egata ab omni concretione mortall omnia seâ—â—â—â—enâ— movens c. Cicero 1. Tâ—â—cul to the fore-mentioned Treatise The acts which you are to exercise upon God are these 1. The clearest Knowledge you can attain to 2. The firmest Belief 3. The highest Estimation 4. The greatest Admiration 5. The â—eartiest and sweetest Complacency or Love 6. The strongest Desire 7. A filial Awfulness Reverence and Fear 8. The boldest quietting Trust and confidence in him 9. The most fixed Waiting Dependance Hope and Expectation 10. The most absolute self-resignation to him 11. The fullest and quiettest submission to his disposals 12. The humblest and most absolute subjection to his Governing Authority and Will and the exactest obedience to his Laws 13. The boldest courage and fortitude in his cause and owning him before the world in the greatest sufferings 14. The greatest Thank fulness for his Mercies 15. The most faithful improvement of his Talents and use of his Means and performance of our trust 16. A reverent and holy use of his Name and Word with a Reverence of his Secrets forbearing to intrude or meddle with them 17. A wise and cautelous observance of his Providences publick and private neither neglecting them nor mis-interpreting them neither running before them nor striving discontentedly against them 18. A disâ—â—rning loving and honouring his Image in his children notwithstanding their infirmities and faults without any friendship to their faults or over magnifying or imitating them in any evil 19. A reverent serious spiritual adoration and worshipping him in publick and private with soul and body in the use of all his holy Ordinances but especially in the joyful celebration of his Praise for all his Perfections and his Mercies 20. The highest Delight and fullest Content and Comfort in God that we can attain Especially a Delight in Knowing him and Obeying and Pleasing him Worshipping and Praising him Loving him and being beloved of him through Jesus Christ and in the hopes of the Perfecting of all these in our Everlasting fruition of him in Heavenly Glory All these are the Acts of Piety towards God which I lay together for your easier observation and memory But some of them must be more fully opened and insisted on DIRECT V. Remember that God is your Lord or Owner and see that you make an absolute Gr. Dir. 5. Of Self-resignation to God as our Owner Resignation of your selves and all that you have to him as his Own and Use your selves and all accordingly Trust him with his Own and rest in his disposals § 1. OF this I have already spoken in my Sermon of Christs Dominion and in my Directions for a sound Conversion and therefore must but touch it here It is easie notionally to know and say that God is our Owner and we are not our Own But if the Habitual Practical knowledge of it were as easie or as common the happy effects of it would be the sanctification and reformation of the world I shall first tell you what this Duty is and how it is to be performed and then what fruits and benefits it will produce and what should move us to it § 2. I. The duty lyeth in these acts 1. That you consider the Ground of Gods Propriety in you Persuasum hoc sit à principiâ— hominibus dominos esse omnium rerum ac moderatores Deos eaque quae gâ—raâ—â—ur coâ—um geâ—i dâ—â—â—â—one aâ—que numâ—nâ— Et qâ—â—â—â—â— quisque â—â—â—â— quâ—â— agat quâ—d in se admiâ—â—aâ— qua mâ—nte qua pâ—etaâ—e â—olat râ—ligiâ—nem intue â— pâ—orumque impâ—orum habere ratâ—onem 〈◊〉 â— dâ—â—â—â—â— 1. In making you of Nothing and preserving you 2. In Redeeming you by purchase 3. In Regenerating you and renewing you for himself The first is the Ground of his Common Natural Propriety in you and all things The second is the Ground of his Common Gracious Propriety in you and all men as Purchased by Christ Rom. 14. 9 Iohn 13. 3. The third is the Ground of his special Gracious Propriety in you and all his sanctified peculiar people Understand and acknowledge what a Plenary
it And what do men at death say of it And what do converted souls or awakened consciences say of it Is it then followed with delight and fearlesness as it is now Is it then applauded Will any of them speak well of it Nay all the world speaks evil of sin in the general now even when they love and commit the several acts Will you sin when you are dying § 29. Direct 10. Look alwayes on sin and judgement together Remember that you must answer for Direct 10. it before God and Angels and all the world and you will the better know it § 30. Direct 11. Look now but upon sickness poverty shame despair death and rottenness in the Direct 11. grave and it may a little help you to know what sin is These are things within your sight or feeling You need not saith to tell you of them And by such effects you might have some little knowledge of the cause § 31. Direct 12. Look but upon some eminent holy persons upon earth and upon the mad prophane Direct 12. malignant world and the difference may tell you in part what sin is Is there not an amiableness in a holy blameless person that liveth in love to God and man and in the joyful hopes of life eternal Is not a beastly Drunkard or Whoremonger and a raging Swearer and a malicious persecutor a very deformed loathsome creature Is not the mad confused ignorant ungodly state of the world a very pittiful sight What then is the sin that all this doth consist in Though the principal part of the Cure is in turning the Will to the haired of sin and is done by this discovery of its malignity yet I shall add a few more Directions for the executive part supposing that what is said already have had its effect § 32. Direct 1. When you have found out your disease and danger give up your selves to Christ as Direct 1. the Saviour and Physicion of souls and to the Holy Ghost as your Sanctifier remembring that he is sufficient and willing to do the work which he hath undertaken It is not you that are to be Saviours and Sanctifiers of your selves unless as you work under Christ But he that hath undertaken it doth take it for his glory to perform it § 33. Direct 2. Yet must you be willing and obedient in applying the Remedies prescribed you by Christ and observing his Directions in order to your Cure And you must not be tender and coy and fineish and say This is too bitter and that is too sharp but trust his Love and skill and care and take it as he prescribeth it or giveth it you without any more ado Say not It is grievous and I cannot take it For he commands you nothing but what is safe and wholesome and necessary and if you cannot take it you must try whether you can bear your sickness and death and the fire of Hell Is humiliation confession restitution mortification and holy diligence worse than Hell § 34. Direct 3. See that you take not part with sin and wrangle not or strive not against your Direct 3. Physicion or any that would do you good Excusing sin and pleading for it and extenuating it and striving against the Spirit and Conscience and wrangling against Ministers and godly friends and hateing reproof are not the means to be cured and sanctified § 35. Direct 4. See that malignity in every one of your particular sins which you can see and say Direct 4. is in sin in general It 's a gross deceit of your selves if you will speak a great deal of the evil of sin and see none of this malignity in your Pride and your worldliness and your passion and pievishness and your malice and uncharitableness and your lying backbiting slandering or sinning against conscience for worldly commodity or safety What self-contradiction is it for a man in prayer to aggravate sin and when he is reproved for it to justifie or excuse it For a Popish Priest to enter sinfully upon his place by subscribing or swearing the Trent Confession and then to preach zealously against sin in the general as if he had never committed so horrid a crime This is like him that will speak against Treason and the Enemies of the King but because the Traytors are his friends and kindred will protect or hide them and take their parts § 36. Direct 5. Keep as far as you can from those temptations which feed and strengthen the sins which Direct 5. you would overcome Lay siege to your sins and starve them out by keeping away the food and fewel which is their maintenance and life § 37. Direct 6. Live in the exercise of those graces and duties which are contrary to the sins which Direct 6. you are most in danger of For grace and duty is contrary to sin and killeth it and cureth us of it as the fire cureth us of cold or health of sickness § 38. Direct 7. Hearken not to weakning unbelief and distrust and cast not away the comforts of God Direct 7. which are your cordials and strength It is not a frightful dejected despairing frame of mind that is fittest to resist sin but it is the encouraging sense of the love of God and thankful sense of grace received with a cautelous fear § 39. Direct 8. Be alwayes suspicious of carnal self-love and watch against it For that is the Direct 8. burrow or fortress of sin and the common Patron of it ready to draw you to it and ready to justifie it We are very prone to be partial in our own cause as the case of Iudah with Thamar and David when Nathan reproved him in a Parable shew Our own passions our own pride our own censures or back-bitings or injurious dealings our own neglects of duty seem small excusable if not justifyable things to us whereas we could easily see the faultiness of all these in another especially in an enemy when yet we should be best acquainted with our selves and we should most love our selves and therefore hate our own sins most § 40. Direct 9. Bestow your first and chiefest labour to kill sin at the Root To cleanse the Heart Direct 9. which is the fountain For out of the heart cometh the evils of the life Know which are the Master-Roots and bend your greatest care and industry to mortifie those And that is especially these that follow 1. Ignorance 2. Unbelief 3. Inconsiderateness 4. Selfishness and Pride 5. Fleshliness in pleasing a bruitish appetite lust or fantasie 6. Senseless hard-heartedness and sleepiness in sin § 41. Direct 10. Account the world and all its pleasures wealth and honours no better than indeed Direct 10. they are and then Satan will find no bait to catch you Esteem all as dung with Paul Phil. 3. 8. And no man will sin and sell his soul for that which he accounteth but as dung § 42. Direct 11. Keep up
to fight against his cause and work which is by fighting against the World and the Flesh and for the glory of God § 13. In opening to you this holy War I shall 1. Shew you what we must do on the Offensive part The Mâ—â—â—â—d 2. What on the Defensive part And here I shall shew you I. What it is that the Tempter aimeth at as his End II. What matter or ground he worketh upon III. What are his Succours and Assistants IV. What kind of Officers and Instruments he useth V. What are his Methods and actual Temptations 1. To actual sin 2. Against our duty to God § 14. 1. Our offensive arms are to be used 1. Against the power of sin within us and all its advantages and helps For while Satan ruleth and possesseth us within we shall never well oppose him without 2. Against sin in others as far as we have opportunity 3. Against the credit and honour of sin in the world As the Devils Servants would bring Light and Holiness into disgrace so Christs Servants must câ—si disgrace and shame upon sin and darkness 4. Against all the Reasonings of sinners and their subtile fallacies whereby they would deceive 5. Against the passions and violent lusts which are the causes of mens other sins 6. Against the holds and helps of sin as false Teachers prophane Râ—vilers ignorance and dâ—câ—it Only take heed that on this pretence we step not out of our ranks and places to pull down the powers of the world by rebellions For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal 2 Cor. 10. 4. § 15. 2. As to our Defence I. The ends of the Tempter which must be perceived are these 1. In general his aâ—m is at our utter ruine and damnation and to draw us here to dishonour God as much as he can But especially his aim is to strengthen the great heart-sins which are most mortal and are the root and life and spawners of the rest Especially these 1. Ignorance which is the friend and cloke to all the rest 2. Error which will justific them 3. Unbelief which keeps off all that should oppose them 4. Atheism prophaneness unhâ—liness which are the defiance of God and all his Armies 5. Presumption which emboldneth them and hides the danger 6. Hardness of heart which fortifieth them against all the batteries of Grace 7. Hypocrisie which maketh them serve him as Spies and Intelligencers in the Army of Christ. 8. Disaffection to God and his wayes and servants which is the Devils colours 9. Unthankfulness which tends to make them unreconcileable and unrecoverable 10. Pride which commandeth many Regiments of lesser sins 11. Worldliness or love of money and wealth which keepeth his Armies in pay 12. Sensuality Voluptuousness or flesh-pleasing Animi molles aetate fluxâ— doâ—â—s hâ—ud dâ—fficulter câ—pâ—untur which is the great Commander of all the rest For selfishness is the Devils Lieutenant General which consisteth chiefly in the three last named but especially in Pride and Sensuality Some think that it is outward sins that bring all the danger but these twelve heart-sins which I have named to you are the twelve Gates of the infernal City which Satan loveth above all the rest § 16. II. The Matter and Grounds of his Temptations are these 1. The Devil first worketh upon the outward sense and so upon the sensitive appetite He sheweth the Cup to the Drunkards eye and the bait of filthy lust to the fornicator and the riches and pomp of the world to the covetous and proud The Glutton tasteth the sweetness of the dish which he loveth Stage-playes and tempting sports and proud attire and sumptuous buildings and all such sensual things are the baits by which the Devil angleth for souls Thus Eve first saw the fruit and then tasted and then did eat Thus Noah and Lot and David sinned Thus Achan saith Josh. 7. 21. I saw the Garments Silver and Gold I coveted them and I took them The sense is the door of sin § 17. 2. The Tempter next worketh on the Fantasie or Imagination and prints upon it the loveliest image of his bait that possibly he can and engageth the sinner to Think on it and to rowl it over and over in his mind even as God commandeth us to Meditate on his Precepts § 18. 3. Next he worketh by these upon the Passions or affections which fantasie having enflamed they violently urge the Will and Reason and this according to the nature of the passion whether fear or hope sorrow or joy love or hatred desire or aversation but by none doth he work so dangerously as by Delight and Love and Desire of things sensual § 19. 4. Hence he proceedeth to infect the Will upon the simple apprehension of the understanding to make it inordinately cleave to the temporal good and to neglect its duty in commanding the understanding to meditate on preserving objects and to call off the Thoughts from the forbidden thing It neglecteth to rule the Thoughts and Passions according to its office and natural power § 20. 5. And so he corrupteth the understanding it self first to omit its duty and then to entertain deceit and to approve of evil And so the servant is put into the Government and the commanding powers do but serve it Reason is blinded by sensuality and passion and becomes their servant and pleads their cause § 21. By all this it appeareth 1. That Satans first bait is ordinarily some sensible or imaginary good set up against true spiritual good 2. That his first assault of the Reason and Will is to tempt them into a sluggish neglect and neutrality to omit that restraint of Sense Thought and Passion which was their duty 3. And that lastly he tempteth them into actual complyance and committing of the sin And herein 1. The bait which he useth with the understanding is still some seeming Truth And therefore his art and work is to colour falshood and make it seem Truth For this is the deceiving of the mind And therefore for a sinner to plead his mistake for his excuse and say I thought it had been so or so I thought it had been no sin or no duty this is but to confess and not to excuse It is but as much as to say my Understanding sinned with my Will and was deceived by the Tempter and overcome 2. And the bait which he useth with the Will is alwayes some appearing good And self-love and love of good is the principle which he abuseth and maketh his ground to work upon as God also useth it in drawing us to good § 22. III. The Succours and Auxiliaries of the Devil and his principal means are these 1. He doth what he can to get an ill tempered Body on his side For as sin did let in bodily distempers so do they much befriend the sin that caused them A cholerick temper will much help him to draw men to passion malice murder cruelty and revenge A sanguine and bilious
this and so doth custom in sensual courses even turn men into bruits § 46. 2. He doth what he can to hinder Parents and Masters from doing their part in the instructing and admonishing of Children and servants and dealing wisely and zealously with them for their salvation Either he will keep Parents and Masters ignorant and unable or he will make them wicked and unwilling and perhaps engage them to oppose their children in all that 's good or he will make them like Eli remiss and negligent indifferent formal cold and dull and so keep them from saving their childrens or servants souls § 47. 3. He doth all that possibly he can to keep the sinner in security presumption and senselesness even asleep in sin and to that end to keep him quiet and in the dark without any light or noise which may awake him that he may live asleep as without a God a Christ a Heaven a Soul or any such thing to mind His great care is to keep him from Considering and therefore he keeps him still in company or sport or business and will not let him be oft alone nor retire into a sober conference with his conscience or serious Thoughts of the Life to come § 48. 4. He doth his best to keep soul-searching lively Ministers out of the Country or out of that Place and to silence them if there be any such and to keep the sinner under some ignorant or dead-hearted Minister that hath not himself that faith or repentance or life or love or holiness or zeal which he should be a means to work in others And he will do his utmost to draw him to be a leader of men to sin § 49. 5. He doth his worst to make Ministers weak to disgrace the cause of Christ and hinder his work by their bungling and unskilful management that there may be none to stand up against sin but some unlearned or half-witted men that can scarce speak sense or will provoke contempt or laughter in the hearers § 50. 6. He doth his worst to make Ministers scandalous that when they tell men of their sin and duty they may think such mean not as they speak and believe not themselves or make no great matter of it but speak for custom credit or for their hire And that the people by the wicked lives of the Preachers may be emboldned to disobey their doctrine and to imitate them and live without Repentance § 51. 7. He will labour to load the ablest Ministers with reproaches and slanders which thousands shall hear who never hear the truth in their defence And so making them odious the people will receive no more good by their preaching than from a Turk or Iew till the very truth it self for it self prevail And to this end especially he doth all that he can to foment continual divisions in the Church that while every party is engaged against the other the Interest of their several causes may make them think it necessary to make the chief that are against them seem odious or contemptible to the people that so they may be able to do their cause and them no harm And so they disable them from serving Christ and saving souls that they may disable them to hurt themselves or their faction or their impotent cause § 52. 8. He doth what he can to keep the most holy Ministers under persecution that they may be as the wounded Deer whom all the rest of the herd will shun or like a worried dog whom the rest will fall upon or that the people may be afraid to hear them lest they suffer with them or may come to them only as Nicodemus did to Christ by night § 53. 9. Or if any Ministers or Godly persons warn the sinner the Devil will do what he can that they may be so small a number in comparison of those of the contrary mind that he may tell the sinner Dâ—st thou think these few self-conceited fellows are wiser than such and such and all the country Shall none be saved but such a few precise ones Do any of the Rulers or of the Pharises believe in him But this people that knoweth not the Law are cursed John 7. 48 49. That is as Dr. Hammâ—nd noteth This illiterate multitude are apt to be seduced but the Teachers are wiser § 54. 10. The Devil doth his worst to cause some falling out or difference of interest or opinion between the Preacher or Monitor and the sinner that so he may take him for his Enemy And how unapt men are to receive any advise from an Enemy or Adversary experience will easily convince you § 55. 11. He endeavoureth that powerful preaching may be so rare and the contradiction of wicked cavâ—llers so frequent that the Sermon may be forgotten or the impressions of it blotted out before they can hear another to confirm them and strike the nail home to the head and that the â—â—re may go out before the next opportunity come § 56. 12. He laboureth to keep good books out of the sinners hands or keep him from reading them leâ—t he speed as the Eunuch Acts 8. that was reading the Scripture as he rode in his Chariot on the way And instead of such books he putteth Romances and Play-books and trifling or scorning contradicting writings into his hands § 57. 13. He doth what he can to keep the sinner from intimate acquaintance with any that are truly Godly that he may know them no otherwise than by the image which ignorant or malicious slanderers or scorners do give of such And that he may know Religion it self but by hearsay and never see it exemplified in any holy diligent believers A holy Christian is a living image of God a powerful convincer and teacher of the ungodly And the nearer men come to them the greater excellency they will see and the greater efficacy they will feel Whereas in the Devils army the most must not be seen in the open light and the Hypocrite himself must be seen like a picture but by a side-light and not by a direct § 58. 14. Those means which are used the Devil labours to frustrate 1. By sluggish heedlesness and disregard 2. By prejudice and false opinions which prepossess the mind 3. By diversions of many sorts 4. By pre-ingagements to a contrary interest and way so that Christ comes to late for them 5. By worldly prosperity and delights 6. By ill company 7. And by molesting and frighting the sinner when he doth but take up any purpose to be converted Giving him all content and quietness in sin and raising storms and terrors in his soul when he is about to turn The Methods of Christ against the Tempter § 59. Before I proceed to Satans perticular Temptations I will shew you the contrary Methods of Christ in the conduct of his Army and opposing Satan I. Christs Ends are ultimately the Glory and Pleasing of his Father and himself and the saving of his Church and the
destroying the Kingdom of the Devil and next the purifying his peculiar people and calling home all that are ordained to eternal life § 60. But more particularly he looketh principally at the heart to plant there 1. Holy Knowledge 2. Faith 3. Godlyness or holy devotedness to God and Love to him above all 4. Thankfulness 5. Obedience 6. Humility 7. Heavenly-mindedness 8. Love to others 9. Self-denial and Mortification and contentment 10. Patience And in all these 1. sincerity 2. tenderness of heart 3. â—eal and holy strength and resolution And withal to make us actually serviceable and diligent in our masters work for our own and others salvation § 61. II. Christs order in working is direct and not backward as the Devils is He first revealeth saving truth to the understanding and affecteth the will â—â— shewing the Goodness of the things revealed And these employ the Thoughts and Passions and Senses and the whole body reducing the inferiour faculties to obedience and casting out by degrees those images which had deceived and prepossessed them § 62. The matter which Christ presenteth to the Soul is 1. Certain Truth from the Father of Lights set up against the Prince and Kingdom of darkness ignorance error and deceit 2. Spiritual and everlasting Good even God himself to be seen and Loved and Enjoyed for ever against the Tempters temporal corporal and seeming good Christs Kingdom and work are advanced by Light He is for the promoting of all useful knowledge and therefore for clear and convincing Preaching for reading the Scriptures in a known tongue and meditating in them day and night and for exhorting one another daily which Satan is against § 63. III. The Means by which he worketh against Satan are such as these 1. Sometime he maketh use of the very temper of the body as a preparative and being Lord of all he giveth such a temperature as will be most serviceable to the soul As a sober deliberate meek quiet and patient disposition But sometime he honoureth his Grace by the conquest of such sins as even bodily disposition doth entertain and cherish § 64. 2. Sometimes by his providence he withdraweth the matter of temptations that they shall not be too strong for feeble souls But sometimes his Grace doth make advantage of them all and leave them for the magnifying of its frequent victories § 65. 3. Sometimes he giveth his cause the major vote among the people so that it shall be a matter of dishonourable singularity not to be a professed Christian and somtime but exceeding rarely it is so with the life of Godliness and practice of Christianity also But ordinarily in the most places of the world Custom and the Multitude are against him and his grace is honoured by prevailing against these bands of Satan § 66. 4. He maketh his Ministers his principal Instruments qualifying disposing and calling them to his work and helping them in it and prospering it in their hands § 67. 5. He maketh it the duty of every Christian to do his part to carry on the work and furnisheth them with Love and Compassion and Knowledge and Zeal in their several measures § 68. 6. He giveth a very strict charge to Parents to devote their Children with themselves to God encouraging them with the promise of his accepting and blessing them and commandeth them to teach them the word of God with greatest diligence and to bring them up in the nurture and fear of God § 69. 7. He giveth Princes and Magistrates their power to promote his Kingdom and protect his servants and encourage the good and suppress iniquity and further the obedience of his Laws Though in most of the world they turn his enemies and he carrieth on his work without them and against their cruel persecuting opposition § 70. 8. His Light detecteth the nakedness of the Devils cause and among the Sons of Light it is odious and a common shame And as wisdom is justified of her children so the judgement of holy men condemning sin doth much to keep it under in the world § 71. 9. His providence usually casteth the sinner that he will do good to into the bosome and communion of his holy Church and the familiar company and acquaintance of the Godly who may help him by instruction affection and example § 72. 10. His providence fitteth all conditions to their good but especially helpeth them by seasonable quickning afflictions These are the means which ordinarily he useth But the powerful inward operations of his Spirit give efficacy to them all Tit. 2. Temptations to particular sins with Directions for preservation and Remedy IN Chapter 1. Part 2. I have opened the Temptations which hinder sinners from Conversion to God I shall now proceed to those which draw men to particular sins Here Satans Art is exercised 1. In fitting his baits to his particular use 2. In applying them thereto § 1. Tempt 1. The Devil fitteth his Temptations to the sinners age The same bait is not suitable Tempt 1. to all Children he tempteth to excess of playfullness lying disobedience unwillingness to learn the things that belong to their salvation and a senselesness of the great concernments of their souls He tempteth youth to wantonness rudeness gulosity unruliness and foolish inconsiderateness In the beginning of manhood he tempteth to lust voluptuousness and luxury or if these take not to designs of worldliness and ambition The aged he tempteth to covetousness and unmoveableness in their error and unteachableness and obstinacy in their ignorance and sin Thus every age hath its peculiar snare § 2. Direct 1. The Remedy against this is 1. To be distinctly acquainted with the Temptations of Direct 1. your own age and watch against them with a special heedfullness and fear 2. To know the special duties and advantages of your own age and turn your thoughts wholly unto those Scripture hath various precepts for the various ages study your own part The young have more time to learn their duty and less care and business to divert them Let them therefore be taken up in obedient learning The middle age hath most vigor of body and mind and therefore should do their masters work with the greatest vigor activity and zeal The Aged should have most judgement and experience and acquaintedness with Death and Heaven and therefore should teach the younger both by word and holy life § 3. Tempt 2. The Tempter also fitteth his Temptations to mens several bodily tempers as I Tempt â— shewed § 22. The hot and strong he tempteth to lust The sad and fearful to discouragement and continual self-vexations and to the Fear of Men and Devils Those that have strong appetites to Gluttony and Drunkenness Children and Women and weak-headed people to Pride of Apparel and trifling Complement And masculine wicked-unbelievers to Pride of Honour Parts and Grandeur and to an ambitious seeking of Rule and Greatness The meek and gentle he tempteth to a yieldingness unto the perswasions
observest thy danger Nor perceivest that this very desire to have the Power to do evil sheweth a degree of the evil in thy heart and that thou art not yet sâ—t so far from it as thou must be if thou wouldst be safe Contrive thy self if thou be wise and love thy self into the greatest difficulties of sinning that thou canst Make it Impossible if it may be done The Power is for the act Desire not to be able to sin if thou wouldst not sin Not that Natural power to do goâ—d should be destroyed because it is also a power to do evil but cast as many blâ—cks in the way of thy sinning as thou canst till it amount to a moral impossibility Desire the strictest Laws and Gâ—vernâ—rs and to be still in the eye of others and contrive it that thou maist Psal 101. 3. have no hope of secrecie Contrive it so that it may be utter shame and lâ—ss to thee if thou sin If thou be tempted to fornication never be private with hâ—r or him that is thy snare If thou be tempted to deceive and rob those that trust thee avoid the trust or if ever thou have done it restore and confess that shame may preserve thee § 37. Tempt 7. Next the Tempter importunately soliciteth ouâ— Thoughts or fantasies to feed upon Tempt 7. the tempting thing That the lustful person may be thinking on the objects of his lusts and the ambitious man thinking on his desired honour and the coveteous man of his desired wealth his house or lands or gainful bargains and the malitious man be thinking of all the real or imaginary wrongs which kindle malice § 38. Direct 7. Keep a continual watch upon your thoughts Remember that this is the common Direct 7. entrance of the greatest sins And if they go no further the searcher of hearts will judge thee for the adultery murder and other sins of thy heart But especially see that your thoughts be so employed on better things that sin may never find them vacant § 39. Tempt 8. The Tempter also is diligent to keep the end from the sinners eye and to perswade Tempt 8. him that there is no danger in it and that it will be as good at last as at first He cannot endure a thought a word of death or judgement unless he can first fortifie the sinner by some presumptuous hope that his sons are pardoned and his case is good either he will make them believe him that there is no such danger to the soul as should deterr them or else he keepeth them from thinking of that danger He is loth a sinner should so much as look into a grave or go to the house of mâ—urning and see the end of all the living lest he should lay it to heart and thence perceive what worldly pleasure wealth and greatness is by seeing where it leaveth sinners If one do but talk of death or judgement and the life to come the Devil will stir up some scorn or weariness or opposition against such dâ—scourse If a sinner do but bethink himself in secret what will become of him after death the Devil will either allure him or trouble him and never let him rest till he have cast away all such thoughts as tend to his salvation He cannot endure when you see the pomp and pleasure of the world that you should think or ask How long will this endure And what will it prove in the latter end § 40. Direct 8. Go to the holy Scriptures and see what they foretel concerning the end of Direct 8. Psal. 1. 15. Mat. 25. Godliness and sin God knoweth better than the Devil and is more to be believed You may see in the word of God what will come of Saints and sinners Godly and ungodly at the last and what they will think and say when they review their present life and what Christ will say to them and how he will judge them and what will be their reward for ever This is the infallible Prognostication where you may foresee your endless state In this glass continually foresee the end Never judge of any thing by the present gust alone Ask not only how it tasteth but how it worketh and what will be the effects Remember that Gods Law hath inseparably conjoyned Holiness and Heaven and sin unrepented of and Hell and seeing these cannot be separated indeed let them never be separated from each other in your thoughts Otherwise you will never understand Christ or Satan When Christ saith wilt thou deny thy self and take up the Cross and follow me his meaning is shall I â—eal thy carnal worldly heart and life and bring thee by grace to the sight of God in endless Glory You will never understand what prayer and obedience and holy living mean if you see not the End even Heaven conjoyned to them When the Devil saith to the Glutton eat also of this pleasant dish and to the Drunkard take the other cup and to the Fornicator take thy pleasure in the dark and to the Voluptuous go to the Play-house or the Gaming-house come play at Cards or Dice his meaning is Come venture upon sin and fear not Gods threatnings and refuse his word and spirit and grace that I may have thy company among the Damned in the fire which never shall be quenched This is the true English of every temptation Open thy ears then and when ever the Devil or any sinner tempteth thee to sin hear him as if he said I pray thee leap into the flames of Hell § 41. Tempt 9. If the Tempter cannot quickly draw men to the sin he will move them at least to Tempt 9. abate their resolution against it and to deliberate about it and hear what can be said and enter into a dispute with Satan or some of his instruments telling them that it is a sign of falshood which will not indure the trial and that we must prove all things And while the sinner is deliberating and disputing the vâ—â—â—â—me is working it self into his veins and sense is secretly undermining and betraying him and deceiving his mind brâ—bing his reason and seducing his will Iust as an enemy will treat with those that keep a Garrison that during the treaty he may send in spies and find out their weakness and corrupt the souldiers So doth the Devil with the sinner § 42. Direct 9. Remember that it is Christ and not Satan that you are to hear Truth is strong and Direct 9. can bear the tryal before any competent judge but you are weak and not so able to judge as you may imagine Ignorant unskilful and unsetled persons are easily deceived be the cause never so clear If it be a cause untryed by you it is not untryed by all the godly nor unknown to him that gave you the holy Scriptures If it be fit to be called in questim and disputed take the help of able godly Teachers or friends and hear what they
But the misery is that few of the ignorant and weak have knowledge and humility enough â—o pâ—rceive their ignorance and weakness but they think they speak as wisely as the best and are offended if their words be not reverenced accordingly As a Minister should study and labour for a skill and ability to preach because it is his work so every Christian should study for skill to discourse with wisdom and meet expressions about holy things because this is his work And as unfit expressions and behaviour in a Minister do cause contempt instead of edifying so do they in discourse § 31. Direct 10. When ever Gods holy Name or Word is blasphemed or used in levity or jeast Direct 10. or a holy life is made a scorn or God is notoriously abused or dishonoured be ready to reprove it with gravity where you can and where you cannot at least let your detestation of it be conveniently manifested Of Prayer I have spoken aâ—terwaâ—d Among those to whom you may freely speak lay open the greatness of their sin Or if you are unable for long or accurate discourse at least tell them who hath said Thou shalt Tom. 2. c. not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain And where your speech is unmeet as to some Superiours or is like to do more harm than good let your departing the room or your looks or rather your tears shew your dislike Directions for the glorifying God in our Lives § 32. Direct 1. Our Lives then glorifie God when they are such as his Excellencies most appear in Direct 1. And that is when they are most Divine or Holy when they are so managed that the world may see that Turâ—issimum est Philosopho secus docere quam viviâ— Paul Scaligâ—r p. 728. it is God that we have chiefly respect unto and that HOLINESS TO THE LORD is written upon all our faculties and affairs So much of GOD as appeareth in our lives so much they are truly venerable and advanced above the rank of fleshly worldly lives God only is the real glory of every person and every thing and every word or action of our lives And the natural conscience of the world which in despight of their Atheism is forced to confess and reverence a Deity will be forced even when they are hated and persecuted to reverence the appearance of God in his holy ones Let it appear therefore 1. That Gods Authority commandeth you above all the powers of the earth and against all the power of fleshly lusts 2. That it is the Glory and Nam illa quae de regno calorum commâ—mâ—rantur à nâ—bâ—â— dâ—que praesentâ—um reâ—um contâ—mpâ—u vel non caâ—â—unt vel non â—aâ—â—le sibi peâ—suadeâ—t cum sâ—rmo factis evertitur Interest of God that you live for and look after principally in the world and not your own carnal interest and glory And that it is his work that you are doing and not your own and his cause and not your own that you are engaged in 3. That it is his Word and Law that is your Rule 4. And the example of his Son that is your pattern 5. And that your hearts and lives are moved and acted in the world by motives fetcht from the Rewards which he hath promised and the punishments which he hath threatned in the world to come 6. And that it is a supernatural powerful principle sent from God into your hearts even the Holy Ghost by which you are inclined and actuated in the tenor of your lives 7. And that your daily converse is with God and that men and other creatures are comparatively nothing to you but are made to stand by while God is preferred and honoured and served by you and that all your business is with him or for him in the world Acâ—staâ—l 4. c. 18. p. 418. § 33. Direct 2. The more of Heaven appeareth in your Lives the more your Lives do glorifie God Worldly and carnal men are conscious that their glory is a vanishing glory and their pleasure but a transitory dream and that all their honour and wealth will shortly leave them in the dust And Direct 2. therefore they are forced in despight of their sensuality to bear some reverence to the life to come And though they have not hearts themselves to deny the pleasures and profits of the world and to spend their dayes in preparing for eternity and in laying up a treasure in Heaven yet they are convinced that those that do so are the best and wisest men and they could wish that they might dye the death of the righteous and that their last end might be like his As Heaven exceedeth Earth even in the reverent acknowledgement of the World though not in their practical esteem and choice so Heavenly Christians have a reverent acknowledgement from them when malice doth not hide their Heavenliness by slanders though they will not be such themselves Let it appear in your lives that really you seek a higher happiness than this world affordeth and that you verily look to live with Christ and that as Honour and Wealth and Pleasure command the lives of the ungodly so the hope of Heaven commandeth yours Let it appear that this is your design and business in the world and that your Hearts and conversation are above and that whatever you do or suffer is for this and not for any lower end and this is a life that God is glorified by § 34. Direct 3. It glorifieth God by shewing the excellency of faith when we contemn the riches Direct 3. and honours of the world and live above the worldlings life accounting that a despicable thing which he accounts his happiness and loseth his soul for As men despise the toyes of children so a believer must take the transitory vanities of this world for matters so inconsiderable as not to be worthy his regard save only as they are the matter of his duty to God or as they relate to him or the life to come Saith Paul 2 Cor. 4. 18. We look not at the things which are seen they are not worth our observing or looking at but at the things which are not seen For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal The world is under a believers feet while his eye is fixed on the coelestial world He travelleth through it to his home and he will be thankful if his way be fair and if he have his daily bread but it is not his home nor doth he make any great matter whether his usage in it be kind or unkind or whether his Inn be well adorned or not He is almost indifferent whether for so short a time he be rich or poor in a high or in a low condition further than as it tendeth to his Masters service Let men see that you
in our practice 99. For it is specially to be noted that the Doctrinal or Objective means of Love which Christ doth use and his internal spiritual influx do concur And his way is not to work on us by his spirit alone without those objects nor yet by the objects without the spirit nor by both distinctly and dividedly as producing several effects But by both conjunctly for the same effect The spirits influx causing us effectually to improve the objects and reasons of our Love As the hand that useth the seal and the seal it self make one impression 100. As Christ began to win our Love to God by the excitation of our self love multiplying and revealing Gods mercies to our selves so doth he much carry it on to increase the same way For while every day addeth fresh experience of the greatness of Gods Love to us by this we have a certain Tast that God is Love and Good in Himself and so by degrees we learn to Love him more for himself and to improve our notional esteem of his Essential Goodness into Practical 101. Though Faith it self is not wrought in us without the Holy Ghost nor is it if sincere a common gift yet this operation of the spirit drawing us to Christ by such arguments and means as are fitted to the work of believing is different from the Consequent Covenant-right to Christ and the spirit which is given to Believers and from the spirit of Adoption as recovering us as aforesaid to the Love of God 102. In this last sense it is that the Holy Ghost is said to dwell in Believers and to be the new name the pledge the earness the first fruits of life eternal the witness of our right to Christ and life and Christs agent and witness in us to maintain his cause and interest 103. Even as a man that by sickness hath lost his Appetite to meat is told that such a physicion will cure him if he will take a certain medicinal food that he will give him And at first he taketh it without appetite to the food or medicine in it self but meerly for the Love of health but after he is doubly brought to Love it for it self First because he hath tasted the sweetness of that which he did but see before and next because his health and appetite is recovered so is it with the soul as to the Love of God procured by believing When we have tasted through the perswasion of self-love our tast and recovery cause us to Love God for himself 104. When the soul is risen to this Habitual predominant Love of GOD and Holiness as such for their own Goodness above its own felicity as such though ever in conjunction with it and as his felicity it self then is the Law written in the Heart and this Love is the virtual fullfilling of all the Law And for such it is that it is said that the Law is not made that is In that measure that they Love the Good for it self they need not be moved to it with threats or Promises of extrinsick things which work but by self-love and fear Not but that Divine Authority must concur with Love to produce obedience especially while Love is but imperfect but that Love is the highest principle making the commanded Good connatural to us 105. And I think it is this spirit of Adoption and Love which is called The Divine Nature in us as it inclineth us to Love God and Holiness for it self as Nature is inclined to self-love and to food and other necessaries Not that the specifick essential Nature that is substance or form of the soul is changed and man Deified and he become a God that was before a man But his humane Soul or Nature is elevated or more perfected as a sick man by health or a blind man by his sight by the spirit of God inclining him habitually to God himself as in and for himself And this is all which the publisher of Sir H. Vanes notions of the two Covenants and two Natures can soundly meâ—n and seemeth to grope after 106. By all this you see that as the Love of God hath a double self-love in us to deal with so it dealeth variously with each 1. Sensual inordinate self-love it destroyeth both as it consisteth in the inordinate Love of sensual pleasure and in the inordinate love of self or life 2. Lawful and just self-love it increaseth and improveth to our further good but subjecteth it to the highest purest Love of God 107. By this you may gather what a confirmed Christian is even one in whom the pure Love of God as God and all things for God is predominant and more potent than not only the vicious but also the good and lawful and necessary love of himself 108. Though Christians therefore must study themselves and keep up a care of their own salvation yet must they much more study God his Greatness Wisdom and Goodness as shining in his works and word and in his Son and as foreseen in the Heavenly Glory And in this knowledge of God and Christ is life eternal And nothing more tendeth to the holy advancement and perfection of the soul than to keep continually due apprehensions of the Divine Nature Properties and Glorious appearances in his works upon the Soul so as it may become a constant course of contemplation and the habit and constitution of the mind and the constant guide of Heart and Life 109. The attainment of this would be a tast of Heaven on Earth Our wills would follow the will of God and Rest therein and abhor reluctancy All our duty would be both quickned and sweetned with Love Self-interest would be disabled from either seducing us to sin or vexing us with griefs cares fears or discontents We should so far trust soul and body in the Will and Love of God as to be more comforted that both are at his will than if they were absolutely at our own And GOD being our All the constant fixing satisfying object of our Love our souls would be constantly fixed and satisfied and live in such experience of the sanctifying grace of Christ as would most powerfully conquer our unbelief and in such foretasts of Heaven as would make Life sweet Death wellcome and Heaven unspeakably desirable to us But it is not the meer Love of personal Goodness as our own perfection that would do all this upon us 110. The soul that is troubled with doubts whether he Love God as God or only as a means of his own felicity in subordination to self-love must thus resolve his doubts If you truly believe that God is God that is the Efficient Dirigent and Final cause the just end of every rational agent the Infinite Good and chiefly to be loved in comparison of whom you are vile contemptible and as nothing If you feelingly take your self as lothsome by sin If you would not take up with an everlasting sensual pleasure alone without Holiness if you could
Unhumbledness Impurity Unreformedness and all sin in general as sin In the ninth you are directed against †Of Presumption and false hope enough is said in the Saints Rest and here about Temptation Hope and other Heads afterward Security Unwatchfulness and yielding to temptations and in general against all danger to the soul. In the tenth you are directed against Barrenness Unprofitableness and Sloth and Uncharitableness and against mistakes in matter of duty or good works In the eleventh you are directed against all Aversness Disaffection or cold Indifferency of heart to God In the twelfth you are directed against Distrust and sinful Cares and Fears and Sorrows In the thirteenth you are directed against an over sad or heartless serving of God as meerly from fear or forcedly without delight In the fourteenth you are directed against Unthankfulness In the fifteenth you are directed against all unholy or dishonourable thoughts of God and against all injurious speeches of him or barrenness of the tongue and against all scandal or barrenness of life In the Books referred to in the sixteenth and seventeenth you are directed against selfishness self-esteem self-love self-conceit self-will self-seeking and against all worldliness and fleshliness of mind or life But yet leâ—t any necessary helps should be wanting against such heinous sins I shall add some more particular Directions against such of them as were not fully spoken to before PART I. Directions against UNBELIEF § 1. I Know that most poor troubled Christians when they complain of the sin of Unbelief do mean by it their not Believing that they are sincere believers and personally justified and shall be saved â— Whether not to believe that my sins are pardoned â—e indeed Unbelieâ— And I know that some Divines have affirmed that the sense of that Article of the Creed I believe the Remission of sins is I believe my sins are actually forgiven But the truth is to believe that I am elect or justified or that my sins are forgiven or that I am a sincere Believer is not to Believe any word of God at all For no word of God doth say any of these nor any thing equivalent nor any thing out of which it can be gathered For it is a Rational Conclusion and one of the premises which do infer it must be found in my self by reflexion or internal sense and self-knowledge The Scripture only saith He that truly believeth is justified and shall be saved But it is Conscience and not Belief of Scripture which must say I do sincerely believe Therefore the Conclusion that I am justified and shall be saved is a Rational Collection from what I find in Scripture and in my self set together and resulting from both can be no firmer or surer than is the weaker of the premises Now Certainty is objective or subjective in the Thing or in my Apprehension As to Objective Certainty in the thing it self all truths are equally true But all Truths are not equally discernable there being much more cause of doubting concerning some which are less evident than concerning others which are more evident And so the Truth of Gods promise of Justification to believers is more certain that is hath fuller surer Evidence to be discerned by than the Truth of my sincere believing And that I sincerely believe is the more Debile of the premises and therefore the conclusion followeth this in its Debility And so can be no article of faith And as to the subjective Certainty that varyeth according to mens various apprehensions The premises as in their evidence or aptitude to ascertain us are the cause of the Conclusion as evident or knowable And the premises as apprehended are the Cause of the Conclusion as known Now it is a great doubt with some Whether a man can possibly be more certain that he believeth Whether a man can be more certain that he believeth than he is that the thing believed is true than he is that the thing believed is true because the act can extend no further than the object and to be sure I believe is but to be sure that I take the thing believed to be true But I shall grant the contrary that a man may possibly be surer that he believeth than he is that the thing believed is true because my believing is not alwayes a full subjective certainty that the thing is true but a believing that its true And though you are fully certain that all Gods word is true yet you may believe that this is his word with some mixture of unbelief or doubting And so the question is but this Whether you may not certainly without doubting know that you Believe the Word of God to be true though with some doubting And it seems you may But then it is a further question Whether you can be surer of the saving sincerity of your faith than you are that this Word of God is true And that ordinarily men doubt of the first as much as they doubt of the later I think is an experimented truth But yet grant that with some it may be otherwise Because he believeth sincerely that so far believeth the Word of God as to trust his life and soul upon it and forsake all in obedience to it And that I do so I may know with less doubting than I yet have about the Truth of the Word so believed All that will follow is but this That of those men that doubt of their Iustification and Salvation some of their doubts are caused more by their doubting of Gods Word than by the doubting whether they sincerely though doubtingly believe it and the doubts of others whether they are justified and shall be saved is caused much more by their doubting of their own sincere belief than by their doubting of the truth of Scriptures And the far greatest number of Christians seem to themselves to be of this later sort For no doubt but though a man of clear understanding can scarcely believe and yet not know that he believeth yet he may believe sincerely and not know that he believeth sincerely But still the knowledge of our own justification is but the effect or progeny of our Belief of the Word of God and of our Knowledge that we do sincerely believe it which conjunctly are the Parents and Causes of it And it can be no stronger than the weaker of the Parents which in esse cognoscibili is our faith but in esse cognito is sometime the one and sometime the other And the effect is not the cause The effect of faith and knowledge conjunct is not faith it self It is not a Believing the Word of God to believe that you believe or that you are Iustified But yet because that faith is one of the Parents of it some call it by the name of faith though they should call it but an effect of faith as one of the causes And well may our doubtings of our own salvation be said to be from Unbelief because
into the causes of all the oppressions rapines cruelties and inhumanity which have made men so like to Devils Look into the corrupted lacerated Churches and enquire into the cause of their contentions divisions usurpations malignity and cruelty against each other And you will find that Pride and Worldliness are the Causes of all When men of a Proud and Worldly mind have by fraud and friendship and Simony Usurped the Pastorship of the Churches according to their Minds and Eâ—ds they turn it into a Malignant Domination and the Carnal worldly part of the Church is the great enemy and Persecutor of the spiritual part and the fleshly Hypocrite as Cain against Abel is filled with envy against the serious believer even out of the bitter displeasure of his mind that his deceitful Sacrifice is less respected What Covetousness hath done to the advancement of the pretended Holy Catholick Church of Rome I will give you now but in the words of an Abbot and Chronicler of their own Abbas Urspergens Chron. p. 3â—â— Vix remansit aliquis Episcopatus sive dignitas Ecclesiastica vel etâ—am Parochialis Ecclesiae quae ron fieâ—et litigâ—osa Romam deduceretur ipsa causa sed non manu vacua Gaude mater nostra Roma quonâ—am aperiuntur cataractae thesaurorum in teâ—ra ut ad te consâ—uant rivi aggeres nummoâ—um in magna copia Laetare super iniquitate filiorum hominum quonâ—am in recompensationem tantorum malorum datur tibi precâ—um Jocundare super adjutrice tua discordia quia erupit de puteo infernalis abyssi ut accumulentur tibi multa pecuniaâ—um praemia Habes quod semper sitisti decanta Canticum quia per malitiam hominum non pâ—â— tuam Religionem orbem vicistâ— Ad te trahit homines non ipsorum devotio aut pura Conscientia sed sâ—â—lerum multiplicium perpetratio litium decisio precio comparata Foâ—tun Galindas speaking of Pope Paul the fifth his love to the Iesuites for helping him to money saith Adeo praestat acquirendarum pecuniarum quam animarum studiosum peritum esse apud illos qui cum animarum Christi sanguine redemptarum in se curam receperint vel quid anima sit nesciunt vel non pluris animam hominis quam piscis faciunt quod credo suum officium Piscatum quendam esse aliquando per strepitum inaudierint quibus propterea gratior fuerit qui Animam auri cum Paracelso quam animam Saxoniae Electoris invenisse nuntiet Arcan Soci Iesu. pag. 46. Lege ibid. Iâ—struct secret de Iesuitarum pâ—axi Et Ioh. Sarisbur l. 7. c. 21. de Monach. Potentiores ditiores favore vel mercede recepta facilius absolutione exâ—nerant peccatis alienis humeros supponentes jubent abire in tunicas vestes pullas quicquid illi se commisisse deplorant Si eis obloquetâ—s Religionis inimicus veritatis diceris impugnator hand It is the departing of the heart from God to creatures See the malignity of it before Good men have been overtaken with heinous sins but its hard to find where Scripture calleth any of them Covetous A heart secretly cleaving most to this present world and its prosperity is the very killing sin of every hypocrite yea and of all ungodly men 2. Worldliness makes the Word unprofitable and keepeth men from believing and repenting and coming home to God and minding seriously the everlasting world What so much hindereth the Conversion of sinners as the love and caâ—es of earthly things They cannot serve God and Mammon Their treasure and hearts cannot be chiefly be both in Heaven and Earth They will not yield to the terms of Christ that love this world They will not forsake all for a treasure in Heaven In a word as you heard The love of money is the root of all evil and the Love of the Father is not in the lovers of the world 3. It destroyeth holy meditation and conference and turneth the thoughts to worldly things And it corrupteth Prayer and maketh it but a means to serve the flesh and therefore maketh it odious to God 4. It is the great hinderance of mens necessary preparation for death and judgement and stealeth away their hearts and time till it is too late 5. It is the great cause of contentions even among the nearest relations and the cause of the Wars and calamities of Nations and of the woful divisions and persecutions of the Church when a worldly generation think that their worldly interest doth engage them against self-denying and spiritual principles practices and persons 6. It is the great cause of all the injustice and oppression and cruelty that rageth in the world They would do as they would be done by were it not for the love of money It maketh men perfidious and false to all their friends and engagements No vows to God nor obligations to men will hold a Lover Iâ—m â— 1. 2 3 4 5. 1 Iohn â— â—â— of the world The world is his God and his worldly interest is his rule and law 7. It is the great destroyer of Charity and Good works No more is done for God and the poor because the Love of the world forbids it 8. It disordereth and proâ—aneth families and betrayeth the souls of Children and Servants to the Devil It turneth out prayer and reading the Scripture and good books and all serious speeches of the liâ—e to come because their hearts are taken up with the world and they have no relâ—sh of any thing but the provisions of their flesh Even the Lords own Day cannot be reserved for holy works nor a duty performed but the world is interposing or diverting the mind 9. It tempâ—eth mâ—n to sin against their knowledge and to forsake the truth and fit themselves to the rising side and save their bodies and estates whatever become of their souls It is the very price that the Dâ—vil gives for souls With this he bought the soul of Iudas who went to the Pharisâ—es with a What will you give me and I will deliver him to you With this he attempted Christ himself 2 Tim 4. 10. Matth. 4. 9. All these will I give thee if thâ—u wilt fall down and worship me It is the cause of Apâ—â—â—â—acy and unfaithfulness to God And it s the price that sinners sell their God their Conscience and their salvation for 10. It depriveth the soul of holy communion with God and comfort from 1 â—im 6. 17 1â— him and of all foretaste of the life to come and finally of Heaven it self For as the Love of the world keepeth out the Love of God and Heaven it must needs keep out the hopes and comforts Christs Sheep mark is 〈◊〉 on the Sheep that are shorâ— When the Hâ—ece groweth long the Mark wears out which should arise from holy love It would do much to cure the love of money and of the world if you knew how pernicious a sin it is § 35.
of God in Prayer doth much dispel the frauds of carnal reasonings Yet persons who by Melancholy are cast into diseased fears and scrupulosities are uncapable of this way of tryal § 10. Direct 8. Consult with wise impartial persons and open your case to them without deceit Direct 8. before affection have gone so far as to blind you or leave you uncapable of help In this case if in any case the judgement of a stander by that 's faithful and impartial is usually to be preferred before your own For we are too near our selves and judgement will be bribed and byassed even in the best and wisest persons § 11. Direct 9. Yet cast not away all because you discover much excess or carnality in your affections Direct 9. For frequently there is a mixture both in the cause of Love and in the Love it self of good and evil And when you have but taken out all that was selfish and carnal and erroneous in the cause the carnal violent Love will cease but not all Love For still there will and must remain the moderate rational and holy Love which is proportioned to the creatures worth and merit and is terminated ultimately on God The separation being made this part must be preserved § 12. Direct 10. Meer Natural appetite in it self is neither morally good or evil But as it is well Direct 10. placed and ordered it is good and as unruled or ill-ruled it is evil Helps to mortifie sinful Love § 13. Direct 1. The greatest of all means to cast out all sinful Love is to keep the soul in the Love Direct 1. of God Jud. 21. wholly taken up in admiring him serving him praising him and rejoycing in him Nâ—â—â—â—â—â— Love maketh manâ—â—â—â— â—riendly Love perfectâ—th it much more Divine Love but waâ—â—on Love corrupteth and embaseth it Lord Bacoâ— â—â—â—â— 10. of which see Chap. 3. Dir. 11. we see that they that are taken up in the Love and Service of one person are not apt to be taken much with any other But it is not only by diversion nor only by prepossessing and employing all our Love that the Love of God doth cure sinful Love but besides these there is also a Majesty in his objective presence which aweth the soul and commandeth all things else to keep their distance And there is an unspeakable splendour and excellency in him which obscureth and annihilateth all things else though they are more neer and clearly seen and known And there is a celestial kind of sweetness in his Love which puts the soul that hath tasted it out of relish with transitory inferiour goâ—d As he that hath conversed with wise and learned men will no more admire the wit of fools And as he that hath been employed in the Government of a Kingdom or the sublimest studies will be no more in love with Childrens games and paddling in the dirt § 14. Direct 2. The next help is to see that the Creature deceived you not and therefore that you be Direct 2. not rash and hasty but stay while you come neerer it and see it uncloathed of borrowed or affected 〈…〉 â—iâ— Ita amandum quaâ—â— odâ—o fi mu habâ—uâ—â— plutimos enim esse malos Quam tamen â—â—â—â—â—ntiam Cicero in Lâ—â—io sapiente dâ—cit pâ—ane indignum Amâ—cos seqâ—eâ—e quos â—on â—udeaâ—â—lâ—gâ—sâ—◠〈…〉 ornaments and see it not only in the dress in which it appeareth abroad which often covereth great deformities but in its homely habit and night attire Bring it to the light and if it may be also see it when it hath endured the fire which hath taken off the paint and removed the dress Most of your inordinate Love to creatures is by mistake and rashness The Devil tricks them up and paints them that you may fall in love with them or else he sheweth you only the outside of some common good and hideth the emptiness or rottenness within Come nearer therefore and stay longer and prevent your shame and disappointments Is it not a shame to see you dote on that place or office or thing this year which you are weary of before the next Or to see two persons impatiently fond of each other till they are marryed and then to live in strife as aweary of each other How few persons or things have been too violently loved that were but sufficiently first tryed § 15. Direct 3. The next great help is to destroy self-love as carnâ—l and inordinate For this is the Parent life and root of all other sinful love whatever Why doth the Worldling over-love his wealth and the proud man his greatness and repute and the sensualist his pleasures but because they Direct 3. first over-love that flesh and self which all these are but the provision for Why doth a dividing Sectary over-value and over-love all the party or sect that are of his own opinion but because he first over-valueth and over-loveth himself why do you love those above their worth who think Sâ—â— before Chap. 4 Pa â— 7 highly of you and are on your side and use to praise you behind your back or that do you a good turn but because you first over-love your selves Why doth Lustful Love enflame you or the Love of meat and drink and sport and bravery carry you into such a gulf of sin but that first you over-love your fleshly pleasure what ensnareth you in fondness to any person but that you think they love you or are suitable to your carnal ends See therefore that you mortifie the flesh § 16. Direct 4. Still remember how jealous God is of your Love and how much he is wronged when Direct 4. any creature encroacheth upon his right 1. You are his own by Creation and did he give you Love to lay out on others and deny it to himself 2. He daily and hourly maintaineth you he giveth you every breath and bit and mercy that you live upon and will you love the creature with his part of your love 3. How dearly hath he bought your Love in your Redemption 4. He hath adopted you and brought you into the nearest relation to him that you may love him 5. He hath pardoned all your sins and saved you from Hell if you are his own that you may Love him 6. He hath promised you eternal glory with himself that you may Love him 7 His excellency best deserveth your love 8. His creatures have nothing but from him and were purposely sent to bespeak your love for him rather than for themselves And yet after all this shall they encroach upon his part If you say It is not Gods part that you give them but their own I tell you All that Love which you give the creature above its due you take from God But if it be such a Love to the creature as exceedeth not its worth and is intended ultimately for God and maketh you not Love him the less but the more it is not it that I am speaking
inimicus sed tu veritaâ—i Hieron i. Gal. 5. Godliness in the world Gods Laws condemn the very life and pleasure of the fleshly man Godliness is unreconcileable to concupiscence and the carnal interest Lay by thy fleshly mind and interest or as sure as thou art a man thou wilt be judged and damned as an enemy to God Dost thou not feel that this is the cause of thy enmity that God putteth thee on unpleasing holy courses and will not let thee please thy flesh but affrighteth thee with the threatnings of Hell Rom. 8. 6 7 8. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God ver 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks Acts 9. 5. Wo to him that striveth with his Maker Isa. 45. 9. Read Luke 19. 27. § 15. Direct 6. Draw neâ—r and accustome thy soul to serious thoughts of God For it is strangeness Direct 6. that maketh thee the more averse to him We have less pleasure in the company of strangers than of familiar acquaintance Reconciliation must be made by coming nearer and not by keeping at a distance still § 16. Direct 7. Study well the wonderful Love and Mercy which he hath manifested to thy soul in Direct 7. the Redemption wrought by Iesus Christ in the Covenant of Grace in all the patience he hath exercised towards thee and all his offers of mercy and salvation entreating thee to turn and live Canst thou remember what God hath done for thee all thy life and how patiently and mercifully he hath dealt with thee and yet canst thou hate him or thy Heart be against him § 17. Direct 8. Iudge not of God or Holiness by the faults of any men that have seemed holy Direct 8. No more than you will censure the Sun because Thieves rob by the light of it or because some men are purblind God hateth sin in them and you where ever he findeth it Judge of God and holiness by his proper nature and true effects and by the holy Scripture and not by the crimes of sinners which he condemneth who if they had been more Holy had less offended § 18. Direct 9. Come among the godly and try a holy life a while and judge not of it or them Direct 9. that use it by the reports of the Devil and wicked men Malice will speak ill oâ— God himself and of his holiest servants Can worse be said than was said of Christ himself and his Apostles The Devil was not ashamed to belye Iob to Gods own face and tell God that he was such a one as that a little tryal to his flesh would turn him from his Godliness But those that come near and try the wayes and servants of God do find that the Devil did belye them § 19. Direct 10. Remember thy near approaching end and how dreadful it will be to be found and Direct 10. judged among the malignant enemies of Holiness And if the Righteous be scarcely saved where then shall the ungodly and the sinner appear 1 Pet. 4. 18. Then what wouldst thou give to be one of those holy ones that now thou hatedst and to be judged as those that lived in that holiness which thy malignant heart could not abide Then thou wilt wish that thou hadst lived and dyed as the righteous that thy latter end might have been like his Tit. 7. Directions against sinful Wrath or Anger § 1. AS Anger is against the Love of our neighbour I shall speak of it afterwards As it is against the soul it self I shall speak of it in this place Anger is the rising up of the heart in passionate displicency against an apprehended evil which would cross or hinder us of some desired good It is given us by God for Good to stir us up to a vigorous resistance of those things which within us or without us do oppose his Glory or our salvation or our own or our neighbours real good § 2. Anger is Good when it is thus used to its appointed end in a right manner and measure But it is sinful 1. When it riseth up against God or any Good as if it were evil to us As wicked men are angry at those that would convert and save them and that tell them of their sins and hinder them from their desires 2. When it disturbeth Reason and hindereth our judging of things Duo maxime contraria sunt consilio Ira â—â—stinatio Bias in Laert. aright 3. When it casteth us into any unseemly carriage or causeth or disposeth to any sinful words or actions when it enclineth us to wrong another by word or deed and to do as we would not be done by 4. When it is mistaken and without just cause 5. When it is greater in measure than the cause alloweth 6. When it unfitteth us for our duty to God or man 7. When it tendeth to Read Sexeca de Ira and be ashamed to come short of a Heathen the abatement of Love and brotherly kindness and the hindering of any good which we should do for others Much more when it breedeth malice and revenge and contentions and unpeaceableness in societies oppression of inferiours or dishonouring of superiours 8. When it stayeth too long and ceaseth not when its lawful work is done 9. When it is selfish and carnal stirred up upon the account of some carnal interest and used but as a means to a selfish carnal sinful end As to be angry with men only for crossing your Pride or profit or sports or any other fleshly will In all these it is sinful Directions Meditative against sinful Anger § 3. Direct 1. Remember that immoderate anger is an injury to humanity and a rebel against the Direct 1. Government of Reason It is without reason and against reason Whereas in man all Passions should be obedient to Reason It is the misery of madness and the crime of drunkenness to be the suppressing and dethroning of our Reason And sinful Anger is a short madness or drunkenness Remember that thou art a man and scorn to subject thy self to a bestial fury § 4. Direct 2. It is also against the Government of God for God governeth the Rational powers first Direct 2. and the inferiour by them If you destroy the Kings Officers and Judges you oppose the Government of the King Is a man in passion fit to obey the commands of God that hath silenced his Reason § 5. Direct 3. Sinful Passion is a pain and malady of the mind And will you love or cherish your Direct 3. disease or pain Do you not feel your selves in pain and diseased while it is upon you I do not think you would take all the world to live
much to a common reformation III. The Greatness of the sin of Gluttony § 15. To know the Greatness of the sin is the chief part of the cure with those that do but believe Rom. 16. 17 18. They serve not the Lord Iesus but their own Bâ—llies that there is a God I shall therefore next tell you of its nature effects and accidents which make it great and therefore should make it odious to all § 16. 1. Luxury and Gluttony is a sin exceeding contrary to the Love of God It is Idolatry It hath the Heart which God should have And therefore Gluttons are commonly and well called Belly-Gods and God-bellys because that Love that â—are that delight that service and diligence which God should have is given by the Glutton to his Belly and his throat He Loveth the pleasing of his Appetite better than the Pleasing of God His dishes are more delightful to him than any holy exercise is His thoughts are more frequent and more sweet of his belly than of God or Godliness His care and labour is more that he may be pleased in meats and drinks than that he may secure his salvation and be justified and sanctified And indeed the Scripture giveth them this name Phil. 3. 19. whose end is destruction whose God is their Belly who glory in their shame who mind earthly things being enemies to the Cross of Christ that is to bearing the Cross for Christ and to the Crucifying of the flesh and to the mortifying suffering parts of Religion Nay such a devouring Idol is the Belly that it swalloweth up more by Intemperance and excess than all other Idols in the world do And remember that the very life of the sin is in the Appetite and Heart when a mans Heart is set upon his Belly though he fare never so hardly through necessity he is a Glutton in Heart When you make a Great matter of it ☜ what you shall eat and drink as to the delight and when you take it for a great loss or suffering if you fare hardly and are troubled at it and your thoughts and talk are of your belly and you have not that Indifferency whether your fare be course or pleasant so it be wholsom as all Temperate persons have this is the Heart of Gluttony and is the Hearts forsaking of God and making the Appetite its God § 17. 2. Gluttony is self-murder Though it kill not suddenly it killeth surely Like the dropsie It is a common saying that â—ula plures occidit quam gladius Quicquid avium volitat quicquid piscium natat quicquid ferarum discurrit nostris sâ—pelitur ventribus Quaeâ—e nunc â—ur subito moriamur Quia mortibus viviâ—us Senec. Hierome saith that he had read of some that had been sick of the Arthritis and Podagra that were cuâ—â—d by being brought to poverty by confiscation of their estates and so brought to a poor dyeâ— which killeth as it filleth by degrees Very many of the wisest Physicions do believe that of those that over-live their Child-hood there is scarce one of twenty yea or of a hundred that dyeth but Gluttony or excess in eating or drinking is a principal cause of their death though not the most immediate cause It is thought to kill a hundred to one of all that dye at Age. And it will not let them dye easily and quickly but tormenteth them first with manifold diseases while they live You eat more than nature can perfectly concoct and because you feel it not trouble you or make you sick you think it hurts you not whereas it doth by degrees first alter and vitiate the temperament of the blood and humours making it a crude unconcocted unnatural thing unfit for the due nutrition of the parts turning the nourishing mass into a burdensom excrementitious mixture abounding with Saline or tartareous matter and consisting more of a pituitous slime or redundant serosity than of that sweet nutrimental milk of nature quickened with those spirits and well proportioned heat which should make it fit to be the Oyl of life And our Candle either sparkleth away with Salt or runs away because there is some Thief in it or goeth out because the Oyle is turned into Water or presently wasteth and runs about through the inconsistent softness of its Oyl Hence it is that one part is tainted wieh corruption and another consumeth as destitute of fit nutriment and the vessels secretly obstructed by the grossness or other unfitness of the blood to run its circle and perform its offices are the cause of a multitude of lamentable diseases The frigid distempers of the Brain the soporous and comatous effects the Lethargy Carus and Apoplexy the Palsie Convulsion Epilepsie Vertigo Catarhs the Head-ache and oft the Phrensie and Madness come all from these effects of gluttony and excess which are made upon the blood and humours The Asthma usually and the Phthisis or Consumption and the Pleurisie and Peripneumony and the Hemoptoick passion often come from hence Yea the very Syncopes or Swooning Palpitations of the heart and Faintings which men think rather come from weakness do usually come either from oppression of nature by these secret excrements or Putrilaginous Blood or else from a weakness contracted by the inaptitude of the blood to nourish us being vitiated by excess The loathing of meat and want of appetite is ordinarily from the crudities or distempers caused by this excess yea the very Canine appetite which would still have more is caused by a vitiousness in the humours thus contracted The Pains of the Stomach Vomitings the Cholera Hickocks Inflamations Thirsts are usually from this cause The Wind Colick the Iliack Passion Loosness and Fluxes the Tenesmus and Ulcers the Worms and other troubles in those parts are usually from hence The obstructions Châ—ysostome saith the difference betwixt famine and excess is that famine kills men sooner out of their pain and excess doth putrifie and consume them by long and painful sicknesses in Hâ—br Hom. 29. of the Liver the Jaundice Inflamations Abscessus and Ulcers Schirrhus and Dropsie are commonly from hence Hence also usually are Inflammations Pains Obstructions and Schirrhus of the Spleen Hence commonly is the Stone Nephritick torments and Stoppages of Urine and Ulcers of the Reins and Bladder Hence commonly is the Scorbute and most of the Feavers which are found in the World and bring such multitudes to the grave Even those that immediately are caused by Colds distempers of the Aire or Infections are oft caused principally by long excess which vitiateth the humours and prepareth them for the disease Hence also are Gouts and Hysterical affects and diseases of the eyes and other exteriour parts So that we may well say that Gluttony enricheth Landlords filleth the Churchyards and hasteneth multitudes untimely to their ends Perhaps you 'll say that the most temperate have diseases To which experience teacheth me to answer that usually Children are permitted to be Voracious and
wouldst be free from lust keep far enough from the tempting object If possible Direct 3. dwell not in the house with any person that thou feelest thy self endangered by If that be not possible avoid their company especially in private Abhor all lascivious and immodest actions Dost thou give thy self the liberty of wanton dalliance and lustful embracements and yet think to be free from lust wilt thou put thy hand into the fire when thou art afraid of being burnt either thou hast the power of thy own heart or thou hast not If thou hast why dost thou not quench thy lust If thou hast not why dost thou cast it upon greater temptations and put it farther out of thy power than it is Fly from a tempting object for thy safety as thou wouldst fly from an enemy for thy life These Loving enemies are more dangerous than hating enemies They get the Key of our hearts and come in and steal our treasure with our consent or without resistance when an open enemy is suspected and shut out § 6. Direct 4. Command thy Eyes and as Job 31. 1. make a Covenant with them that thou mayest Direct 4. not think on tempting objects Shut these Windows and thou preservest thy heart Gaze not upon any 〈…〉 and â—â—proveâ—â— them that â—ast a wanton 〈…〉 at women in Coaches aâ— they pass by and look out at Windows to have a full view of them and yet think that they 〈…〉 fault suffering a curious eye and a wandering mind to slide and run every way pag. 142. alluring object A look hath kindled that fire of Lust in many a heart that hath ended in the fire of Hell It s easier to stop lust at these outward doors than drive it out when it hath tainted the heart If thou canst not do this much how canst thou do more An ungoverned eye fetcheth fire to burn the soul that should have governed it § 7. Direct 5. Linger not in the pleasant snares of lust if thou feel but the least beginnings of it Direct 5. but quickly cast water on the first discerned spark before it break â—um hâ—â—t modiâ—â—â—angunt praecordia motus Sâ— pâ—get in primo lâ—minâ— siste pedem Opâ—r me dum nova sunt subiti mala semina morbi â—â—â—â—uus incipienâ—ire resiâ—â—aâ— equus Nâ—m mâ—â—a daâ— vires Dum noâ—uâ—â—st câ—â—pto poâ—ius pugnemus amoâ—i Hamma râ—â—â—â—ns parva sparsa resedit aqua Iâ—â—â—â—ea â—aciâ—â— serpunt in vesâ—era flammae â—â— mala â—adiâ—es altius arbor agit out into a flame The Amorous Poet can teach you this Ovid. de Rem Am. If ever delay be dangerous it is here For delay will occasion such engagements to sin that you must come off at a far dearer rate If the meat be undigestible its best not look on it it s the next best not to touch or taste it but if once it go down it will cost you sickness and pain to get it up again and if you do not you perish by it § 8. Direct 6. Abhor lascivious immodest speech As such words come from either vain or filthy Direct 6. hearts and shew the absence of the fear of God so they tend to make the hearer like the speaker And if thy eares grow but patient and reconcileable to such discourse thou hast lost much of thy innocence already Christians must abhor the mentioning of such filthy sins in any other manner but such as tends to bring the hearers to abhor them Be not deceived evil words corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15. 33. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers and grieve not the holy spirit of God Corrupt communication is rotten stinking communication and none but Dogs and Crows love Carrion But Fornication and all uncleanness and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inordinate lust or luxury let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting c. § 9. Direct 7. Abhor the covering of filthy lust with handsome names to make it the more acceptable Direct 7. Their discourse is more dangerous that would thus dress up an ugly lust than theirs that speak of it in nâ—sty language Thus among the bruitish party it goeth under the names of Love and having a Mistris and Courting and such like But as one saith thats cited in Stobaeus It is doubled Lust that is commonly called Love and doubled Love is stark madness If filthiness will walk abroad let it go for filthiness and appear as it is § 10. Direct 8. Avoid the Reading of Romances and Love stories which are the Library of Venus Direct 8. or the Devils Books of the Lustful art to cover over filthiness with cleanly names and bewitch the fantasies of fools with fine words To make men conceive of the ready way to Hell under the notions and images of Excellency Beauty Love Gallantry And by representing strong and amorous passions to stir up the same passions in the Reader As he that will needs read a Conjuring Book is well enough served if Devils come about his ears so he that will needs read such Romances and other Books of the Burning art it is just with God to suffer an unclean Devil to possess them and to suffer them to catch the Feaver of Lust which may not only burn up the heart but cause that pernicious deliration in the brain which is the ordinary symptome of it § 11. Direct 9. Avoid all wanton Stage-plays and Dancings which either cover the odiousness of lust Direct 9. or produce temptations to it As God hath his preachers and holy assemblies and exercises for the Communion 〈…〉 ial 30. of Saints and the stirring up of Love and holiness so these are Satans instruments and assemblies and exercises for the communion of sinners and for the stirring up of lust and filthiness They that will go to the Devils Church deserve to be possessed with his Principles and numbred with his Disciples The ancient Christians were very severe against the seeing of these spectacula shews or plays especially in any of the Clergy § 12. Direct 10. Avoid all tempting unnecessary ornaments or attire and the regarding or gazing Direct 10. on them upon others It is a procacious lustful desire to seem comely and amiable which is the common Ly 〈…〉 dâ—r forbad his daughters to wear the brave attire which Dâ—o 〈◊〉 sent them Ne lâ—xuâ—iâ— consâ—iâ—uae tâ—â—poâ—â—es videantur Iâ—st câ—â—spicuoâ—s in â—â—â—â—ury they shoâ—ld seem the moâ—e dâ—formed cause of this excess The Folly or Lust or both of fashionists and gawdy Gallants is so conspicuous to all in their affected dress that never did Pride more cross it self than in such publications of such disgraceful folly or lust They that take on them to be adversaries to lust and yet are careful when they present themselves to sight to appear
Whoever took a talkative babler for a wise man He that is Logophilus is seldome Philologus much less Philosophus As Demosthenes Eccles 5. 3 7. Eccles. â—0 12 13. Eccles. 10. 14. Psal. 37. 30 Prov. 17. 27 28. 10. 20. 12. 18. 10 19. 18. 4 5 6. â—1 23. said to a Prater If thou knewest more thou wouldst say less They seldom go for men of action and vertue that talk much They that say much usually do little Women and Children and old folks are commonly the greatest talkers I may add mad folks Livy noteth that Souldiers that prate and brag much seldom fight well And Erasmus noteth that Children that quickly learn to speak are long in learning to go It is not the barking Curr that biteth Let it be the honour of a Parrot to speak much but of a man to speak wisely The mobility of their tongues an honour common to an Aspen leaf is all their honour that can multis verbis pauca dicere say a little in a great many of words but multa paucis much in few words is the character of the wise unless when the quality of the auditors prohibiteth it And qui sunt in dicendo brevissimi if the auditors can bear it shall be accounted the best speakers I am not of his mind that said He oft repented speaking but never repented silence But except they be Ministers few men have so much cause to repent of silence as of speech Non quam multa sed quam bene must be the Christians care As one said of Philosophy I may much more say of Religion that though an Orators excellency appeareth only in speaking yet the Philosophers and the Christians appeareth as much in silence § 26. 6. Where there is much idle talk there will be much sinful talk Prov. 10. 19. In the multitude of words there wants not sin but he that refraineth his lips is wise There are lyes or backbitings or medling with other folks matters or scurrilous jeasts if not many such sins that go along with a course of idle talk It is the vehicle in which the Devil giveth his most poysonous draughts Saith Lipsius It is given to Praters Non multa tantum sed male to speak ill as well as to speak much § 27. 7. Vain words hinder your own edification Who knoweth if you would hold your tongues but some one would speak wiselyer that might do you good Prov. 23. 8 9. § 28. 8. And you weary the Hearers unless they are strangely patient when you intend to please them or else you might as well talk all that by your self It is scarce manners for them unless you be much their inferiors to tell you they are aweary to hear you and to intreat you to hold your tongues But you little know how oft they think so I judge of others by my self I flye from a talkative person as from a Bed that hath Fleas or Lice I would shut my doors against them as I stop my Windows against the Wind and Cold in Winter How glad am I when they have done and gladder when they are gone Make not your selves a burden to your company or friends by the troublesome noise of an unwearied tongue § 29. 9. Many words are the common causers of contention Some word or other will fall that offendeth those that hear it or else will be carried to those that are absent and made the occasion of heart-burnings rehearsals brawls or Law-suits There is no keeping quietness peace and love with talkative pratlers at least not long § 30. 10. Are you not sensible what Pride and impudency is in it when you think your selves worthiest to speak As if you should say you are all children to me hold your tongues and hear me speak If you had Christian Humility and Modesty you would in honour prefer others before your selves Rom. 12. 10. You would think your selves unworthiest to speak unless the contrary be very evident and desire rather to hear and learn As Heraclitus being asked Why he alone was silent in the company answered That you may talk So when you talk above your parts it is as if you told the company I talk that all you may be silent § 31. 11. It is a voluntary sin and not repented of For you may easily forbear it if you will and you wilfully continue in it and therefore impenitency is your danger § 32. 12. Lastly Consider how unprofitable a sin it is and how little you have to hire you to commit it What get you by it Will you daily sin against God for nothing § 33. Direct 4. If you would not be idle talkers see that your hearts be taken up with something that Direct 4. is good And that your tongues be acquainted with and accustomed to their proper work and duty An Isa. 32. 4 5 6. Matth. 12 34 36. 2 Cor. 4. 13. John 3. 11. 1 John 4. 5. Prov. 16. 23. Psal. 40 5. Cant. 7. 9. empty head and heart are the causes of empty frothy vain discourse Conscience may tell you when your tongues run upon vanity that at that time there is no sense of sin or duty or the presence of God upon your hearts no holy Love no Zeal for God but you are asleep to God and all that 's good and in this sleep you moither and talk idly of any thing that cometh into your mind Also you make not conscience of speaking of that which is good or else it would keep out vanity and evil Remember what abundance of greater matters you have to talk of You have the evil of sin the multitude and subtilty of temptations and the way of resisting them to talk of You have your faults to lament your evidences to enquire after your mercies thankfully to open the greatness and goodness and all the attributes of God to praise You have all the works of God to admire even all the creatures in the world to contemplate and all Gods admirable Providences and Government to observe You have the mysterie of Redemption the person and office and life and miracles and sufferings and glory and intercession and reign of Christ to talk of And all the secret sanctifying operations of the Holy Ghost and all the Ordinances of God and all the means of Grace and all our duties to God and man and all the holy Scripture besides death and judgement and Heaven and Hell and the concernments of the Church of God and the case of the persons you speak to who may need your instruction exhortation admonition reproof or comfort And is not here work enough to employ your tongues and keep them from idle talk Make conscience of those Prov. 23. 16. duties commanded Ephes. 4. 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying and may minister grace to the hearers and grieve not the holy Spirit Psal. 145. 6 11 12 13 21. of God
genuine 1. There is a zeal and activity meerly Natural which is the effect of an active temperature of body 2. There is an affected zeal which is hypocritical about things that are good when men speak and make an outward stir as if they were truly zealous when it is not so 3. There is a selfish zeal when a proud and selfish person is fervent in any matter that concerneth himself for his own opinions his own honour his own estate or friends or interest or any thing that is his own 4. There is a partial factioâ—s zeal when errour or pride or worldliness hath engaged men in a party and they think it is their duty or interest at least to side with the Sect or Faction which they have chosen they will be zealous for all the Mat. 23. 15. Opinions and wayes of their espoused Party 5. There is a superstitious Childish carnal zeal for small indifferent inconsiderable things Like that of the Pharisees and all such hypocrites for their Washings and Fastings and other ceremonious Observances 6. There is an envious malicious zeal against those that have the precedency and cross your desires or cloud your honour in the World or that contradict you in your conceits and ways such is that at large described Iam. 3. 7. There is a pievish contentious wrangling zeal that is assaulting every man who is not squared just to your conceits 8. There is a malignant zeal against the Cause and Servants of the Lord which carryeth men to persecute them See that you take not any of these or any such like for holy zeal § 3. If you should so mistake these mischiefs would ensue 1. Sinful zeal doth make men The mischiefs of false zeal doubly sinful As holy zeal is the fervency of our grace so sinful zeal is the intention and fervency of sin 2. It is an honouring of sin and Satan as if sin were a work and Satan a Master worthy to be fervently and diligently followed 3. It is the most effectual violent way of sinning making men do much evil in a little time and making them more mischievous and hurtful to others than other sinners are 4. It blindeth the judgement and maketh men take truth for falshood and good for evil and disableth Reason to do its office 5. It is the violent resister of all Gods means and teacheth men to rage against the truth that should convince them It stops mens ears and turns away their hearts from the Counsel which would do them good 6. It is the most furious and bloody persecutor of the Saints and Church of Jesus Christ It made Paul once exceeding mad against them Act. 26. 10 11. and shut them up in Prison and punish them in the Synagogues See Jam. 3. and câ—mpel them to blaspheam and persecute them even unto strange Cities and vote for their death Thus concerning zeal he persecuted the Church Phil. 4. 6. 7. It is the turbulent disquieter of all Societies A destroyer of Love a breeder and fomenter of contention and an enemy to order peace and quietness 8. It highly dishonoureth God by presuming to put his name to sin and errour and Rom. 10. 2. Act. 21. 20 22. to entitle him to all the wickedness it doth Such zealous sinners commit their sin as in the Name of God and fight against him ignorantly by his own pretended or abused authority 9. It is an impenitent way of sinning The zealous sinner justifieth his sin and pleadeth reason or Scripture for it and thinketh that he doth well yea that he is serving God when he is murdering his Servants Ioh. 16. 2. 10. It is a multiplying sin and maketh men exceeding desirous to have all others of the sinners mind The zealous sinner doth make as many sin with him as he can Yea if it be but a zeal for small and useless things or about small Controversies or Opinions in Religion 1. It sheweth a mind that 's lâ—mentably strange to the tenour of the Gospel and the mind of Christ and the practice of the great substantial things 2. It destroyeth Charity and peace and breedeth censuring and abusing others 3. It dishonoureth holy zeal by accident making the prophane think that all zeal is no better than the foolish passion of deceived men 4. And it disableth the persons that have it to do good even when they are zealous for holy truth and duty the people will think it is but of the same nature with their erroneous zeal and so will disregard them § 4. The signs of holy zeal are these 1. It is guided by a right Judgement It is a zeal for The signs of holy zeal Truth and Good and not for falshood and Evil Rom. 10. 2. 2. It is for God and his Church or cause and not only for our selves It consisteth with meekness and self-denyal and patience as to our own concernments and causeth us to prefer the interest of God before our own Numb 12. 3. Exod. 32. 19. Gal. 4. 12. Act. 13. 9 12. 3. It is always more careful of the substance than the circumstances It preferreth great things before small It contendeth not for small Controversies to Mat. 23. 22 23. Tit. 2. 14. the loss or wrong of greater truths It extendeth to every known truth and duty but in due proportion being hottest in the greatest things and coolest in the least It maketh men rather zealous of good works than of their controverted Opinions 4. Holy Zeal is alway charitable It is not cruel 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. â—â—â—â—k 9. 4. 1 Cor. 5. and bloody nor of a hurting disposition Luk. 9. 55. but is tender and merciful and maketh men burn with a desire to win and save mens souls rather than to hurt their bodies 1 Cor. 13. Zeal against the sin is conjunct with Love and pity to the sinner 2 Cor. 12. 21. 5. Yet it excludeth that foolish pity which cherisheth the sin Rev. 2. 2. 1 King 15. 13. 6. True zeal is tender of the Churches Unity and Peace It is not a dividing tearing zeal It is first pure and then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits Jam. 3. 17. 7. True zeal is impartial and is Gâ—n 38. 24. 2 Sam. 12. 5. as hot against our own sins and our Childrens and other relations sins as against anothers Mat. 7. 4. 8. True zeal respecteth all Gods Commandments and is not hot for one and contemptuous of another It aimeth at perfection and stinteth not our desires to any lower degree It maketh a man desirous to be like to God even Holy as he is Holy It consisteth principally in the fervour of our Love to God when false Zeal consisteth principally in censorious wranglings against other mens actions or opinions It first worketh towards good and then riseth up against the hindering-evil 9. It maketh 2 Cor. 8. 3. Act 18. 25. Exod. 36. 6. a man laborious in holy duty to God and diligent in
the week IT somewhat tendeth to make a holy life more easie to us when we know the ordinary course and method of our duties and every thing falleth into its proper place As it helpeth the Husbandman or Tradesman to know the ordinary course of his work that he need not go out of it unless in extraordinary cases Therefore I shall here give you some brief Directions for the holy spending of every day § 1. Direct 1. Proportion the time of your sleep aright if it be in your power that you waste Direct 1. not your pretious morning hours sluggishly in your bed Let the time of your sleep be rationally fitted to your health and labour and not sensually to your slothful pleasure About six hours is meet for healthful people and seven hours for the less healthful and eight for the more weak and aged ordinarily The morning hours are to most the preitousest of all the day for all our duties especially servants that are scanted of time must take it then for prayer if possible leâ—t they have none at all § 2. Direct 2. Let God have your first awaking thoughts Lift up your hearts to him reverently Direct 2. and thankfully for the rest of the night past and briefly cast your selves upon him for the following day and use your selves so constantly to this that your consciences may check you when common thoughts shall first intrude And if you have a Bed-fellow to speak to let your first speech be agreeable to your thoughts It will be a great help against the temptations that may else surprize you and a holy engagement of your hearts to God for all the day § 3. Direct 3. Resolve that pride and the fashions of the times shall never tempt you into such a Direct 3. garb of attire as will make you long in dressing you in the morning but wear such cloathing as is soon put on It 's dear-bought bravery or decency as they will needs call it which must cost every day an hours or a quarter of an hours time extraordinary I had rather go as the wilde Indians than have those morning hours to answer for as too many Ladies and other gallants have § 4. Direct 4. If you are persons of quality you may employ a child or servant to read a Chapter Direct 4. in the Bible while you are dressing you and eating your breakfast if you eat any Else you may employ that time in some fruitful meditation or conference with those about you as far as your necessary occasions do give leave As to think or speak of the mercy of a nights rest and of your renewed time and how many spent that night in hell and how many in prison and how many in a colder harder lodging and how many in grievous pain and sickness aweary of their beds and of their lives and how many in distracting terrours of their minds and how many souls that night were called from their bodies to appear before the dreadful God And think how fast days and nights â—oul on and how speedily your last night and day will come And observe what is wanting in the readiness of your soul for such a time and seek it presently without delay § 5. Direct 5. If more necessary duties call you not away let secret prayer by your self alone or Direct 5. with your chamber-fellow or both go before the common prayers of the family and delay it not causlesly but if it may be let it be first before any other work of the day Yet be not formal and superstitious to your hours as if God had absolutely tyed you to such a time nor think it not your duty to pray once in secret and once with your chamber-fellow and once with the family every morning when more necessary duties call you off That hour is best for one which is worst for another To most private prayer is most seasonable as soon as they are up and cloathed To others some other hour may be more free and fit And those persons that have not more necessary duties may do well to pray at all the opportunities before-mentioned But reading and meditation must be allowed their time also And the labours of your callings must be painfully followed And servants and poor people that are not at liberty or that have a necessity of providing for their families may not lawfully take so much time for prayer as some others may especially the aged and weak that cannot follow a calling may take longer time And Ministers that have many souls to look after and publick work to do must take heed of neglecting any of this that they may be longer and oftener in private prayer Allwayes remember that when two duties are at once before you and one must be omitted that you prefer that which all things considered is the greatest And understand what maketh a duty greatest Usually that is greatest which tendeth to the greatest good yet sometime that is greatest at that time which cannot be done at another time when others may Praying in it self considered is better than Plowing or Marketting or Conference And yet these may be greater than it in their proper seasons because prayer may be done at another time when these cannot § 6. Direct 6. Let family-worship be performed constantly and seasonably twice a day at that hour Direct 6. which is freest in regard of interruptions not delaying it without just cause But whenever it is performed be sure it be reverently seriously and spiritually done If greater duty hinder not begin with a brief invocation of Gods name and craving of his help and blessing through Christ and then read some part of the holy Scripture in order and either help the hearers to understand it and apply it or if you are unable for that then read some profitable Book to them for such ends and sing a Psalm if there be enough to do it fitly and earnestly pour out your souls in Prayer But if unavoidable occasions will not give way to all this do what you can especially in prayer and do the rest another time but pretend not necessity against any duty when it is but unwillingness or negligence The lively performance of Family-duties is a principal means to keep up the power and interest of Godliness in the world which all decays when these grow dead and slight and formal § 7. Direct 7. Renew the actual intention and remembrance of your ultimate end when you set your Direct 7. selves to your days work or set upon any notable business in the world Let HOLINESS TO THE LORD be written upon your hearts in all that you do Do no work which you cannot entitle God to and truly say he set you about And do nothing in the world for any other ultimate end than to Please and Glorifie and Enjoy him And remember that whatever you do must be done as a means to these and as by one that is that way going
is simple or mixt simple when we only intend Gods worship immediately in the action And this is found chiefly in Praises and Thanksgiving which therefore are the most pure and simple sort of expressive worship Mixt worship is that in which we joyn some other intention for our own benefit in the action As in Prayer where we worship God by seeking to him for mercy And in reverent hearing or reading his Word where we worship him by a holy attendance upon his instructions and Commands And in his Sacraments where we worship him by Receiving and acknowledging his benefits to our souls And in Oblations where we have respect also to the use of the thing offered And in holy Vows and Oaths in which we acknowledge him our Lord and Judge All these are acts of Divine Worship though mixt with other uses § 3. It is not only worshipping God when our acknowledgements by word or deed are directed immediately to himself but also when we direct our speech to others if his Praises be the subject of them and they are intended directly to his Honour Such are many of Davids Psalms of Praise But where Gods Honour is not the thing directly intended it is no direct worshipping of God though all the same words be spoken as by others § 4. Direct 2. Understand the true Ends and Reasons of our worshipping God lest you be deceived Direct 1. by the impious who take it to be all in vain When they have imagined some false Reasons to themselves they judge it vain to worship God because those Reasons of it are vain And he that understandeth not the true Reasons why he should worship God will not truly worship him but be prophane in neglecting it or hypocritical in dissembling and heartless in performing it The Reasons then are such as thâ—se § 5. 1. The first ariseth from the Use of all the world and the nature of the Rational Creature in special The whole world is made and upheld to be expressive and participative of the Image and Benefits of God God is most perfect and blessed in himself and needeth not the world to add to his felicity But he made it to please his blessed Will as a communicative Good by communication and appearance that he might have creatures to know him and to be happy in his Light and those creatures might have a fit representation or revelation of him that they might know him And Man is Read Mr. Herberts Poem called Providence specially endowed with Reason and Utterance that he might know his Creator appearing in his works and might communicate this knowledge and express that Glory of his Maker with his Tongue which the inferiour creatures express to him in their being So that if God were not to be worshipped the end of mans faculties and of all the Creation must be much frustrated Mans Reason is given him that he may know his Maker His will and affections and executive powers are given him that he may freely love him and obey him and his tongue is given him principally to acknowledge him and praise him Whom should Gods work be serviceable to but to him that made it § 6. 2. As it is the Natural Use so it is the highest honour of the creature to worship and honour his Creator Is there a nobler or more excellent object for our thoughts affections or expressions And nature which desireth its own perfection forbiddeth us to choose a sordid vile dishonourable work and to neglect the highest and most honourable § 7. 3. The right worshipping of God doth powerfully tend to make us in our measure like him and so to sanctifie and raise the soul and to heal it of its sinful distempers and imperfections What can make us Good so effectually as our Knowledge and Love and Communion with him that is the chiefest Good Nay what is Goodness it self in the creature if this be not As nearness to the Sun giveth Light and Heat so nearness to God is the way to make us Wise and Good For the contemplation of his perfections is the means to make us like him The worshippers of God do not exercise their bare understandings upon him in barren speculations but they exercise all their affections towards him and all the faculties of their souls in the most practical and serious manner and therefore are likest to have the liveliest impressions of God upon their hearts And hence it is that the true worshippers of God are really the wisest and the best of men when many that at a distance are employed in meer speculations about his works and him remain almost as vain and wicked as before and professing themselves wise are practically fools Rom. 1. 21 22. § 8. 4. The right worshipping of God by bringing the Heart into a cleansed holy and obedient frame doth prepare it to command the body and make us upright and regular in all the actions of our lives For the fruit will be like the Tree and as men are so will they do He that honoureth not his God is not like well to honour his Parents or his King He that is not moved to it by his regard to God is never like to be universally and constantly just and faithful unto men Experience telleth us that it is the truest worshippers of God that are truest and most conscionable in their dealings with their neighbours This windeth up the spring and ordereth and strengtheneth all the causes of a good conversation § 9. 5. The right worshipping of God is the the highest and most rational Delight of man Though to a sick corrupted soul it be unpleasant as food to a sick stomach yet to a wise and holy soul there is nothing so solidly and durably contentful As it is Gods damning sentence on the wicked to say Depart from me Matth. 25. 41. 7. 23. so holy souls would lose their joyes and take themselves to be undone if God should bid them Depart from me worship me and love me and praise me no more They would be weary of the world were it not for God in the world and weary of their lives if God were not their Life § 10. 6. The right worshipping of God prepareth us for Heaven where we are to behold him and Love and worship him for ever God bringeth not unprepared souls to Heaven This life is the time that 's purposely given us for our preparation as the Apprenticeship is the time to learn your trades Heaven is a place of action and fruition of perfect Knowledge Love and Praise And the souls that will enjoy and Praise God there must be Disposed to it here and therefore they must be much employed in his Worship § 11. 7. And as it is in all these respects necessary as a means so God hath made it necessary by Psal. 45. 11. Psal. 66. 4. Psal. 80. 9. Psal. 95. 6. Psal. 99. 5 9. his command He hath made it oâ—r duty to worship him constantly and he
Dâ—â—r l. 1. p. 46. â—aâ—th that Possi 〈…〉 s believed that Epiâ—urus thought there was no God but put a sâ—orn upon him by describing him like a man idle careless c. which he would not have done if he had thought there was a God to any of his creatures 3. God is Omnipresent and therefore you may every where lift up holy hands to him 1 Tim. 2. 8. And you must alwayes worship him as in his sight 4. God is Omniscient and knoweth your Hearts and therefore let your Hearts be employed and watched in his worship 5. God is most wise and therefore not to be worshipped ludicrously with toyes as children are pleased with to quiet them but with wise and rational worship 6. God is most Great and therefore to be worshipped with the greatest reverence and seriousness and not presumptuously with a careless mind or wandring thoughts or rude expressions 7. God is most Good and Gracious and therefore not to be worshipped with backwardness unwillingness and weariness but with great Delight 8. God is most Merciful in Christ and therefore not to be worshipped despairingly but in joyful Hope 9. God is True and faithful and therefore to be worshipped believingly and confidently and not in distrust and unbelief 10. God is most Holy and therefore to be worshipped by Holy persons in a Holy manner and not by unholy hearts or lips nor in a common manner as if we had to do but with a man 11. He is the Maker of your Souls and Bodies and therefore to be worshipped both with soul and body 12. He is your Redeemer and Saviour and therefore to be worshipped by you as sinners in the humble sense of your sin and misery and as Redeemed ones in the thankful sense of his Mercy and all in order to your further cleansing healing and Recovery 13. He is your Regenerater and Sanctifier and therefore to be worshipped not in the confidence of your natural sufficiency but by the Light and Love and Life of the Holy Ghost 14. He is your Absolute Lord and the Owner of you and all you have and therefore to be worshipped with the absolute resignation of your self and all and honoured with your substance and not Hypocritically with exceptions and reserves 15. He is your Soveraign King and therefore to be worshipped according to his Lawes with an obedient kind of worship and not after the Traditions of men nor the will or wisdom of the flesh 16. He is your Heavenly Father Mat. 15. 2 3 6. Mar. 7. 3. to 14. Col. 2. 8 18 2â— and therefore all these Holy dispositions should be summed up into the strongest Love and you should run to him with the greatest readiness and Rest in him with the greatest Ioy and thirst after the full fruition of him with the greatest of your Desires and press towards him for himself with the most servent and importunate suites All these the very Being and Perfections of God will teach you in his worship And therefore if any controverted worship be certainly contrary to any of these it is certainly unwarranted and unacceptable unto God § 8. Direct 7. Pretend not to worship God by that which is destructive or contrary to the Ends of Direct 7. worship For the aptitude of it as a means to its proper end is essential to it Now the Ends of worship are 1. The Honouring of God 2. The Edifying of our selves in Holiness and delighting our souls in the contemplation and praises of his perfections 3. The communicating this Knowledge Holiness and delight to others and the increase of his actual Kingdom in the world 1. Avoid then all that pretended Worship which dishonoureth God not in the opinion of carnal men that judge of But with the Ba 〈…〉 Aâ—â—â—â—a the 〈…〉 p. 2. 9. â— 2. 〈…〉 riâ—u signa oâ—â—â—â—â— exteâ—num cultum diligenter câ—â—are His quippe delectâ—ntur d 〈…〉 homines animaleâ— N. B. â—donec paulatim aboleatur memoria gustus praeteritorum So Gâ— â—issiâ— sâ—â—â—â—h iâ— viâ—a Gâ—eâ— Nâ—oâ—as that they turned the Pagans Festivals into Festivals for the Martyrs to please them the better Which Bâ—dâ— and many others relate of the practice of those times him by their own misguided imaginations but according to the discovery of himself to us in his works and Word Many Travellers that have conversed with the soberer Heathen and Mahometan Nations tell us that it is not the least hinderance of their conversion and cause of their contempt of Christianity to see the Christians that live about them to worship God so ignorantly irrationally and childishly as many of them do 2. Affect most that manner of worship caeteris paribus which tendeth most to your own right information and holy resolutions and affections and to bring up your souls into nearer communion and delight in God And not that which tendeth to deceive or flatter or divert you from him nor to be in your ears as sounding brass or a tinkling Cymbal or as one that is playing you a lesson of Musick and tendeth not to make you better 3. Affect not that manner of worship which is an enemy to knowledge and tendeth to keep up Ignorance in the world Such as is a great part of the Popish worship especially their reading the Scriptures to the people in an unknown tongue and celebrating their publick prayers and praises and Sacraments in an unknown tongue and their seldome preaching and then teaching the people to take up with a multitude of toyish Ceremonies instead of knowledge and rational worship Certainly that which is an enemy to knowledge is an enemy to all Holiness and true obedience and to the Ends of worship and therefore is no acceptable worshipping of God 4. Affect not that pretended worship which is of it self destructive of true Holiness Such as is the preaching of false doctrine not according to godliness and the opposition and reproaching of a holy life and worship in the misapplication of true doctrine and then teaching poor souls to satisfie themselves with their Mass and Mass Ceremonies and an Image of worship instead of serious Holiness which is opposed Prov. 24. 24. He that saith to the wicked thou art Righteous him shall the people curse Nations shall ahhor him And if this be done as a worship of God you may hence judge how acceptable it will be Isa. 5. 20. Wo unto them that call Evil Good and Good Evil that put darkness for light and light for darkness that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter To make people believe that Holiness is but Hypocrisie or a needless thing or that the Image of Holiness is Holiness it self or that there is no great difference between the godly and ungodly doth all tend to mens perdition and to damn men by deceiving them and to root out Holiness from the earth See Ezek. 22. 26. 44. 23. Jer. 15. 19. If thou take forth the pretious from the vile thou shalt be as
If it be not then it is a sin to swear or promise to it and here there is no case of error But if it be really lawful and the vowing of it lawful then the obligations that lye upon this man are these and in this order 1. To have a humble suspicion of his own understanding 2. To search and learn and use all means to discern it to be what it is 3. In the use of these means to acknowledge the truth 4. And then to promise and obey accordingly Now this being his duty and the order of his duty you cannot say that he is not obliged to any one part of it though he be obliged to do it all in this order and therefore not to do the last first without the former For though you question an hundred times What shall he do as long as he cannot see the truth the Law of God is still the same and his error doth not disoblige him Nemini debetur commodum ex sua culpa So many of these acts as he omitteth so much he sinneth It is his sin if he obey not the Magistrate and it is his sin that he mis-judgeth of the thing and his sin that he doth not follow the use of the means till he be informed So that his erring conscience entangleth him in a necessity of sinning but disobligeth him not at all from his obedience 2. But yet this is certain that in such a case he that will swear because man biddeth him when he taketh it to be false is a perjured prophane despiser of God but he that forbeareth to swear for fear of sinning against God is guilty only of a pardonable involuntary weakness § 26. Direct 14. Take heed lest the secret prevalency of carnal ends or interest and of fleshly wisdom Direct 14. do byas your judgement and make you stretch your consciences to take those vows or promises which otherwise you would judge unlawful and refuse Never good cometh by following the reasonings and interest of the flesh even in smaller matters much less in cases of such great importance Men think it fitteth them at the present and doth the business which they feel most urgent but it payeth them home with troubles and perplexities at the last It is but like a draught of cold water in a Feavor You have some present charr to do or some straight to pass through in which you think that such an Oath or Promise or Profession would much accommodate you and therefore you venture on it perhaps to your perdition It is a foolish course to cure the parts yea the more ignoble parts with the neglect and detriment of the whole It is but like those that cure the Itch by anointing themselves with Quicksilver which doth the charr for them and sendeth them after to their graves or casteth them into some far worse Disease Remember how deceitful a thing the heart is and how subtilly such poyson of carnal ends will insinuate it self O how many thousands hath this undone that before they are aware have their Wills first charmed and inclined to the forbidden thing and fain would have it to be lawful and then have brought themselves to believe it lawful and so to commit the sin and next to defend it and next to become the champions of Satan to fight his battels and vilifie and abuse them that bâ— holy wisdom and tenderness have kept themselves from the deceit Tit. 2. Directions against Perjury and Perfidiousness and for keeping Vows and Oaths § 1. Direct 1. BE sure that you have just apprehensions of the Greatness of the sin of Perjury Direct 1. Were it seen to men in its proper shape it would more affright See Tom. 1. Ch. 9. Tit. 2. 3. them from it than a sight of the Devil himself would do I shall shew it you in part in these particulars § 2. 1. It containeth a Lye and hath all the malignity in it which I before shewed to be in The heinousness of Perjury Lying with much more 2. Perjury is a denyal or contempt of God He that appealeth to his Iudgement by an Oath and doth this in falshood doth shew that either he believeth not that there is See Causaâ—â—ons Exercâ—â— 202. * Cotta iâ— Cic. de Nat. Deor. l. 1. to prove that some hold there is no God saith Quid de sacâ—â—kgis de impiis de perjuris dicâ—mus si Carbo c. â—u aslet esse Deos tam perjurus aut impius non fuâ—sset pag. 25 26. a God or that he believeth not that he is the righteous Governour of the world who will justly determine all the causes that belong to his Tribunal The Perjured person doth as it were bid defiance to God and setteth him at nought as one that is not able to be avenged on him 3. Perjury is a calling for the vengeance of God against your selves You invite God to plague you as if you bid him do his worst you appeal to him for judgement in your guilt and you shall find that he will not hold you guiltless Imprecations against your selves are implyed in your Oaths He that sweareth doth say in effect Let God judge and punish me as a perjured wretch if I speak not the truth And it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Heb. 10. 31. For Vengeance is his and he will recompence v. 30. And when he judgeth the wicked he is a consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. 4. Perjury and perfidiousness is a sin that leaveth the conscience no ease of an extenuation or excuse but it is so heinous a villany that it is the seed of self-tormenting desperation Some sins conscience can make shift a while to hide by saying It is a Controversie and Many wise men are of another mind But perjury is a sin which Heathens and Infidels bear as free a testimony against in their way as Christians do Some sins are shifted off by saying They are little ones But †Onâ— of Canutus Laws 26. was that Perjured person with Sorcerers Idolaters Strumpets breakers of Wedlock be banished the Realm cited by Bilson of Subject p. 202. How few would be left in some lands if this were done Christians and Heathens are agreed that Perjury is a sin almost as great as the Devil can teach his servants to commit Saith Plutarch * Plut. in Lysaâ—d Cicer. de Leg. l. 3. Cuâ—t l. 7. Arist. Rhâ—t c. 17. He that deceiveth his enemy by an Oath doth confess thereby that he feareth his enemy and despiseth God Saith Cicero The penalty of Perjury is destruction from God and shame from man Saith Q. Curtius Perfidiousness is a crime which no merits can mitigate Read Cicero de Offic. l. 3. Saith Aristotle He that will extenuate an Oath must say that those villanous wretches that think God seeth not do think also to go away with their perjury unpunished In a word the Heathens commonly take the revenge of Perjury
example of Angels is also to be observed and with pleasure to be imitated And ask the enemies of Holiness who urge you with the examples of the Great and Learned whether they are wiser than all the Angels of God § 22. Direct 9. When you are tempted to desire any inordinate communion with Angels as visibly appearing Direct 9. or affecting your senses or to give them any part of the Office or honour of Iesus Christ then think how suitable that Office is to your safety and benefit which God hath assigned them and how much Timet Angelâ—s adoraâ—i ab humana natura quam videt in Deo sublimaâ—am Grâ—â—â—â— they themselves abhorr aspiring or usurpation of the Office or honour of their Lord And consider how much more suitable to your benefit this spiritual ministration of the Angels is than if they appeared to us in bodily shapes In this spiritual communion they act according to their spiritual nature without deceit And they serve us without any terrible appearances and without any danger of drawing us to sensitive gross apprehensions of them or entising us to an unmeet adhesion to them or honouring of them whereas if they appeared to us in visible shapes we might easily be affrighted confounded and left in doubt whether they were good Angels indeed or not It is our communion with God himself that is our Happiness And communion with Angels or Saints is desirable but in order unto this That kind of communion with Angels therefore is the best which most advanceth us to communion with God And that reception of his mercy by instruments is best which least endangereth our inordinate adhesion to the Instruments and our neglect of God We know not so well as God what way is best and safest for us As it is dangerous desiring to mend his Word by any fancies of our own which we suppose more fit so it is dangerous to desire to amend his Government and Providence and Order and to think that another way than that which in nature he hath stated and appointed is more to our benefit It is dangerous wishing God to go out of his way and to deal with us and conduct us in by-wayes of our own in which we are our selves unskilled and of which we little know the issue § 23. Direct 10. When you are apt to be terrified with the fear of Devils think then of the guard Direct 10. of Angels and how much greater strength is for you than against you Though God be our only fundamental security and our chiefest confidence must be in him yet experience telleth us how apt we are to look to instruments and to be affected as second causes do appear to make for us or against us Therefore when appearing dangers terrifie us appearing or secondary helps should be observed to comfort and encourage us § 24. Direct 11. Labour to answer the great and holy Love of Angels with such great and holy Love Direct 11. to them as may help you against your unwillingness to dye and make you long for the company of them Simus devoti simus grati tantis custodibus redamemus â—os quantum possumus quantum debâ—mus effectuose c. Bernâ—â—d Vae nobis si quando provocati Sancti Angeli peccatis negligentiis indignos nos judicaverint praesentia visitatione sua c. Cavenda est nobis eorum offensa in his maxime eâ—ercendum quibus eos novimus obâ—ectari Haec autem placent eis quae in nobis invenire delectat ut est â—obrietas castitas c. Inquovis angulo reverentiam exhibe Angelo ne audeas illo praesente quod me vidente non auderes Bernard whom you so much Love And when death seemeth terrible to you because the world to come seems strange remember that you are going to the society of those Angels that rejoyced in your conversion and ministred for you here on earth and are ready to convoy your souls to Christ. Though the thoughts of God and our blessed Mediator should be the only final object to attract our Love and make us long to be in Heaven yet under Christ the Love and company of Saints and Angels must be thought on to further our desire and delight For even in Heaven God will not so be All to us as to use no creature for our comfort Otherwise the glorified humanity of Christ would be no means of our comfort there And the heavenly Ierusalem would not then have been set out to us by its created excellencies as it is Rev. 21. 22. Nor would it be any comfort to us in the Kingdom of God that we shall be with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Luke 13. 28. Matth. 8. 11. § 25. Direct 12. Pray for the protection and help of Angels as part of the benefits procured for the Direct 12. Saints by Christ and be thankful for it as a Priviledge of believers excelling all the dignities of the ungodly And walk with a reverence of their presence especially in the worshipping of God It is not fit such a mercy should be undervalued or unthankfully received Nor that so ordinary a means of our preservation should be over-looked and not be sought of God by prayer But the way to keep the Love of Angels is to keep up the Love of God And the way to please them is to please him For His will is theirs § 26. Direct 13. In all the Worship you perform to God remember that you joyn with the Angels of Direct 13. Heaven and bear your part to make up the Consort Do it therefore with that holiness and reverence and affection as remembring not only to whom you speak but also what companions you have And let there not be too great a discord either in your hearts or praises O think with what lively joyful minds they praise their glorious Creator and how unwearied they are in their most blessed work And labour to be like them in Love and Praise that you may come to be equal with them in their Glory Luke 20. 36. CASES OF CONSCIENCE ABOUT Matters Ecclesiastical VVich are not before handled By RICHARD BAXTER LONDON Printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons at the Sign of the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard 1673. READER I Have something to say to thee of the number of these Cases somewhat of the Order and somewhat of the manner of handling and resolving them I. That they are so Many is because there are really so many difficulties which all men are not able to resolve That they are no more is partly because I could not remember then any more that were necessarily to be handled and I was not willing to increase so great a Book with things unnecessary II. As to the Order I have some Reasons for the order of most of them which would be too tedious to open to you But some of them are placed out of order because 1. I could not remember them in due
paribus by an unnecessary thing to occasion divisions in the Churches But where one part judgeth Church Musick unlawful for another part to use it would occasion divisions in the Churches and drive away the other part Therefore I would wish Church-musick to be no where set up but where the Congregation can accord in the use of it or at least where they will not divide thereupon 2. And I think it unlawful to use such streins of Musick as are Light or as the Congregation cannot easily be brought to understand Much more on purpose to commit the whole work of singing to the Choristers and exclude the Congregation I am not willing to joyn in such a Church where I shall be shut out of this noble work of praise 3. But plain intelligible Church-musick which occasioneth not divisions but the Church agreeth in for my part I never doubted to be lawful For 1. God set it up long after Moses Ceremonial Law by David Solomon c. 2. It is not an instituted Ceremony meerly but a natural help to the minds alacrity And it is a 1 Sam. 18. 6. 1 Chron. 15. 16. 2 Chron. 5. 13. 7. 6. 23. 13. 34. 22. Psal. 98. 99. 149. 150. duty and not a sin to use the helps of nature and Lawful art though to institute Sacraments c. of our own As it is lawful to use the comfortable helps of spectacles in reading the Bible so is it of Musick to exhilerate the soul towards God 3. Jesus Christ joyned with the Jews that used it and never spake a word against it 4. No Scripture forbiddeth it therefore it is not unlawful 5. Nothing can be against it that I know of but what is said against Tunes and Melody of Voice For whereas they say that it is a humane invention so are our Tunes and Metre and Versions Yea it is not a humane invention As the last Psalm and many other shew which call us to praise the Lord with instruments of musick And whereas it is said to be a carnal kind of pleasure they may say as much of a Melodious harmonious confort of Voices which is more excellent Musick than any Instruments And whereas some say that they find it do them harm so others say of melodious singing But as wise men say they find it do them good And why should the experience of some prejudiced self-conceited person or of a half-man that knoweth not what melody is be set against the experience of all others and deprive them of all such helps and mercies as these people say they find no benefit by And as some deride Church-musick by many scornful names so others do by singing as some Congregations neer me testifie who these many years have forsaken it and will not endure it but their Pastor is fain to unite them by the constant and total omission of singing Psalms It is a great wrong that some do to ignorant Christians by putting such whimseyes and scruples into their heads which as soon as they enter turn that to a scorn and snare and trouble which might be a real help and comfort to them as well as it is to others Quest. 128. Is the Lords day a Sabbath and so to be called and kept and that of Divine institution And is the seventh day Sabbath abrogated c. Answ. ALL the Cases about the Lords day except those practical directions for keeping it in the Oeconomical part of this Book I have put into a peculiar Treatise on that subject by it self and therefore shall here pass them over referring the Reader to them in that discourse Quest. 129. Is it Lawful to appoint humane Holy dayes and observe them Answ. THis also I have spoke to in the foresaid Treatise and in my Disput. of Church-Govern and Cer. Briefly 1. It is not lawful to appoint another weekly sabbath or day wholly separated to the Commemoration of our redemption For that is to mend pretendedly the institutions of God Yea and to contradict him who hath judged one day only in seven to be the fittest weekly proportion 2. As part of some dayes may be weekly used in holy assemblies so may whole days on just extraordinary occasions of prayer preaching humiliation and thanksgiving 3. The holy doctrine lives and sufferings of the Martyrâ— and other holy men hath been so great a mercy to the Church that for any thing I know it is lawful to keep anniversary Thanksgivings in remembrance of them and to encourage the weak and prâ—voke them to constancy and imitation 4. But to dedicate dayes or Temples to them in any higher sence as the Heathens and Idolaters did to their Hero's is unlawful or any way to intimate an attribution of Divinity to them by word or Worship 5. And they that live among such Idolaters must take heed of giving them scandalous encouragement 6. And they that scrupulously fear such sin more than there is cause should not be forced to sin against their Consciences 7. But yet no Christians should causelesly refuse that which is lawful nor to joyn with the Churches in holy exercises on the dayes of thankful commemoration of the Apostles and Martyrs and excellent instruments in the Church Much less peâ—ulantly to work and set open Shops to the offence of others But rather to perswade all to imitate the holy lives of those Saints to whom they give such honours Quest. 130. How far is the holy Scriptures a Law and perfect Rule to us Answ. 1. FOr all thoughts words affections and actions of Divine faith and obedience supposing still Gods Law of Nature For it is no Believing God to believe what he never revealed nor no Trusting God to trust that he will certainly give us that which he never either directly nor indirectly promised Nor no obeying God to do that which he never commanded 2. The Contents will best shew the Extent Whatever is Revealed promised and commanded in it for that it is a perfect Rule For certainly it is perfect in its kind and to its proper use 3. It is a perfect Rule for all that is of Universal Moral necessity That is Whatever it is necessary that 1 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 20. 2 Tim. â— 15. Rom. 15. 4. 16. 26. Joh. â— 3â— Act. 1â— 2. 11. Joh. 19. 24 28 36 37. man believe think or do in all ages and places of the World this is of Divine obligation Whatever the World is Universally bound to that is All men in it it is certain that Gods Law in Nature or Scripture or both bindeth them to it For the World hath no Universal King or Lawgiver but God 4. Gods own Laws in Nature and Scripture are a perfect Rule for all the duties of the understanding thoughts affections passions immediately to be exercised on God himself For no one else is a discerner or judge of such matters 5. It perfectly containeth all the Essential and Integral parts of the Christian Religion so
Do you believe that both the Hearts and Lives of Kings and all their affairs are in the hand of God If not you are Atheists If you do then do you not think that God is fitter than you to dispose of them He that believeth will not make haste Deliverance from persecutions must be prayed and waited for and not snatcht by violence as a hungry dog will snatch the meat out of his masters hands and bite his fingers Do you believe that all shall work together for good to them that Love God Rom. 8. 28. And do you believe that the godly are more than Conquerours when they are killed all day and counted as sheep unto the slaughter v. 32 33 34 35. And do you believe that it is cause of exceeding joy when for the sake of righteousness you are hated and persecuted and all manner of evil is falsly spoken of you Matth. 5. 10 11 12. If you do not you believe not Christ If you do will you strive by sinful means against your own good and happiness and joy Will you desire to conquer when you may be more than Conquerours Certainly the use of sinful means doth come from secret unbelief and diffidence Learn to Trust God and you will easily be subject to your Governours § 34. Direct 11. Look not for too great matters in the world Take it but for that Wilderness Direct 11. which is the way to the promised land of rest And then you will not count it strange to meet with hard usage and sufferings from almost all 1 Pet. 4. 12 13. Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery tryal which is to try you as if some strange thing happened to you but rejoyce in that ye are Phil. 3. 7 8 11 12. partakers of the sufferings of Christ. Are you content with God and Heaven for your portion If not how are you Christians If you are you have small temptation to rebell or use unlawful means for earthly priviledges Paul saith he took pleasure in persecutions 2 Cor. 12. 10. Learn you to do so and you will easily bear them § 35. Direct 12. Abhor the popular spirit of envy which maketh the poor for the most part think odiously Direct 12. of the Rich and their superiours because they have that which they had rather have themselves I Univers Histor. p. 140. Dicas Imperatorem Orbâ—s Eâ—â—ctetum Neronem Mâ—ncipium irrisum esse summo fastigâ—o cum serviret dignus imperaret indignus nullumque esse malum quin aliqua boni gutta condiatur have long observed it that the poor labouring people are very apt to speak of the Rich as sober men speak of drunkards As if their very estates and dignity and greatness were a vice And it is very much to flatter their own Conscience and delude themselves with ungrounded hopes of Heaven When they have not the spirit of Regeneration and holiness to witness their title to eternal life they think their Poverty will serve the turn And they will ordinarily say that they hope God will not punish them in another world because they have had their part in this But they will easily believe that almost all Rich and Great men go to Hell And when they read Luke 16. of the Rich man and Lazarus they think they are the Lazarus'es and read it as if God would save men meerly for being poor and damn men for being Great and Rich when yet they would themselves be as Rich and Great if they knew how to attain it They think that they are the maintainers of the Common-wealth and the Rich are the Caterpillars of it that live upon their labours like drones in the hive or mice and vermine that eat the honey which the poor labouring Bees have long been gathering For they are unacquainted with the Labours and cares of their Governours and sensible only of their own This envyous spirit exceedingly disposeth the poor to discontents and tumults and rebellions but it is not of God Iam. 3. 15 16 17. § 36. Direct 13. Keep not company with envious murmurers at Government for their words fret Direct 13. like a canker and their sin is of an infecting kind What a multitude were drawn into the Rebellion Numb 16. of Corah who no doubt were provoked by the leaders discontented words It seemeth they were for Popularity Numb 16. 3 13 14. Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation are holy every one of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey to kill us in the Wilderness except thou make thy self altogether a Prince over us Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men What confidence and what fair pretenses are here so probable and plausible to the people that it is no wonder that multitudes were carryed to rebellion by it Though God disowned them by a dreadful judgement and shewed whom he had chosen to be the Governours of his people § 37. Direct 14. Keep humble and take heed of Pride The humble is ready to obey and yield Direct 14. and not only to be subject to Magistrates but to all men even voluntarily to be subject to them that cannot constrain them 1 Pet. 5. 5. Be all of you subject one to another It is no hard matter for a twig to bow and for a humble soul to yield and obey another in any thing that is lawful But the Proud take subjection for vassalage and obedience for slavery and say Who is Lord over us Psal. 12. 6 7. Prov. 16. 18. 29. 23. Our tongues are our own what Lord shall controll us will we be made slaves to such and such Only from Pride cometh contention Prov. 13. 10. By causing impatience it causeth disobedience and sedition § 38. Direct 15. Meddle not uncalled with the matters of superiours and take not upon you to censure Direct 15. their actions whom you have neither ability fitness or authority to censure How commonly will every tradesman and labourer at his work be censuring the Counsels and Government of the King and speaking of things which they never had means sufficiently to understand Unless you had been upon the place and heard all the debates and consultations and understood all the circumstances and reasons of the business how can you imagine that at so great a distance you are competent judges Fear God and judge not that you be not judged If busie-bodies and medlers with other mens Maâ— 7. 1 2 3 matters among equals are condemned 2 Thes. 3. 11. 1 Tim. 5. 13. 1 Pet. 4. 15. much more when they meddle and that censoriously with the matters of their Governours If you would please God know and keep your places as Souldiers in an Army which is their comly order and their strength § 39. Direct 16.
till their heads are setled and they come to themselves and that is not usually till the hand of God have laid them lower than it found them and then perhaps they will again hear reason unless pride hath left their souls as desperate as at last it doth their bodies or estates The experience of this Age may stand on record as a teacher to future generations what power there is in great successes to conquer both Reason Religion Righteousness Professions Vows and all obligations to God and man by puffing up the heart with pride and thereby making the understanding drunken CHAP. VIII Advice against Murder § 1. THough Murder be a sin which humane nature and interest do so powerfully rise up against that one would think besides the Laws of Nature and the fear of temporal punishment there should need no other argument against it And though it be a sin which is not frequently committed except by Souldiers yet because mans corrupted heart is lyable to it and because one sin of such a heynous nature may be more mischievous than many small infirmities I shall not wholly pass by this sin which falls in order here before me I shall give men no other advice against it than only to open to them 1. The Causes and 2. The Greatness and 3. The Consequents of the sin § 2. I. The Causes of Murder are either the Neerest or the more radical and remote The opening of the Neerest sort of Causes will be but to tell you how many wayes of murdering the World is used to And when you know the Cause the contrary to it is the prevention Avoid those Causes and you avoid the sin § 3. 1. The greatest Cause of the cruellest murders is unlawful wars All that a man killeth in an unlawful war he murdereth And all that the Army killeth he that setteth them a work by Command or Counsel is guilty of himself And therefore how dreadful a thing is an unrighteous war and how much have men need to look about them and try every other lawful way and suffer long before they venture upon war It is the skill and glory of a Souldier when he can kill more than other men He studyeth it he maketh it the matter of his greatest care and valous and endeavour He goeth through very great difficulties to accomplish it This is not like a sudden or involuntary act Thieves and Robbers kill single persons but Souldiers murder thousands at a time And because there is none at present to judge them for it they wash their hands as if they were innocent and sleep as quietly as if the avenger of blood would never come O what Devils are those Counsellers and incâ—ndâ—ries to Princes and States who stir them up to unlawful wars § 4. 2. Another Cause and way of Murder is by the Pride and tyranny of men in power When they do it easily because they can do it When their Will and Interest is their Rule and their Passion seemeth a sufficient warrant for their injustice It is not only Nero's Tiberius's Domitian's c. that are guilty of this crying crime but O what man that careth for his soul had not rather be tormented a thousand years than have the blood-guiltiness of a famous applauded Alexander or Caesar or Tamerlane to answer for So dangerous a thing it is to have Power to do mischief that Uriah may fall by a Davids guilt and Crispus may be killed by his father Constâ—mine O what abundance of horrid murders do the histories of almost all Empires and Kingdoms of the World afford us The maps of the affairs of Greeks and Romans of Tartariuns Turks Russians Germans of Heathens and Infidels of Papists and too many Protestants are drawn out with too many purple lines and their Histories written in letters of blood What write the Christians of the Infidels the Orthodox of the Arrians Romans or Goths or Vandals or the most impartial Historians of the mock Catholicks of Rome but Blood Blood Blood How proudly and loftily doth a Tyrant look when he telleth the oppressed innocent that displeaseth him Sirra I 'le make you know my power Take him Imprison him Rack him Hang him Or as Pilate to Christ Joh. 9. 10. Knowest thou not that I have power to Crucifie thee and have power to release â—hee I 'le make you know that your life is in my hand Heat the Furnace seven times horter Dan. 3. Alas poor worm Hast thou power to kill So hath a Toad or Adder or mad Dâ—gg or pestilence when God permitteth it Hast thou power to kill But hast thou also power to keep thy self alive and to keep thy Corpse from rottenness and dust and to keep thy soul from paying for it in Hell or to keep thy Conscience for worrying thee for it to all Eternity With how trembling a heart and ghastly look wilt thou at last hear of this which now thou gloriest in The bones and dust of the oppressed Innocents will be as great and honourable as thine And their souls perhaps in rest and joy when thine is tormented by infernal furies When thou art in Nebuchadâ—ezzara glory what a mercy were it to thee if thou mightest be turned out among the beasts to prevent thy being turned out among the Devils If killing and destroying be the glory of thy greatness the Devils are more honourable than thou And as thou agreest with them in thy work and glory so shalt thou in the reward § 4. 3. Another most heynous Cause of Murders is a malignant enmity against the Godly and a persecuting destructive Zeal What a multitude of innocents hath this consumed and what innumerable companies of holy souls are still crying for vengeance on these persecutors The Enmity began immediately upon the fall between the Womans and the Serpents seed It shewed it self presently in the two first men that were born into the World A malignant envy against the accepted Sacrifice of Abel was able to make his Brother to be his Murderer And it is usual with the Devil to cast some bone of carnal interest also between them to heighten the malignant enmity Wicked men are all Covetous voluptuous and proud And the doctrine and practice of the Godly doth contradict them and condemn them And they usually espouse some wicked interest or engage themselves in some service of the Devil which the servants of Christ are bound in their several places and callings to resist And then not only this resistance though it be but by the humblest words or actions yea the very conceit that they are not for their interest and way doth instigate the befooled world to persecution And thus an Ishmael and an Isaac an Esau and a Iacob a Saul and a David cannot live together in peace Gal. 4. 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit even so it is now Sauls interest maketh him think it just to persecute David and religiously he
do it And so sweet is Revenge to their furious nature as the damning of men is to the Devil that Revenged they will be though they lose their souls by it And the impotency and baseness of their spirits is such that they say Flesh and blood is unable to bear it § 11. 10. Another cause of murder is a wicked impatience with neer relations and a hatred of those that should be most dearly loved Thus many men and women have murdered their Wives and Husbands when either Adulterous Lust hath given up their hearts to another or a cross impatient discontented mind hath made them seem intollerable burdens to each other And then the Devil that destroyed their love and brought them thus far will be their teacher in the rest and shew them how to ease themselves till he hath led them to the Gallows and to Hell How necessary is it to keep in the way of duty and abhor and suppress the beginnings of sin § 12. 11. And sometimes Covetousness hath caused Murder when one man desireth another mans estate Thus Ahab came by Naboth's Vineyards to his cost And many a one desireth the death of another whose estate must fall to him at the others death Thus many a Child in heart is guilty of the murder of his Parents though he actually commit it not Yea a secret gladness when they are dead doth shew the guilt of some such desire◠while they were living And the very abatement of such moderate mourning as natural affection should procure because the estate is thereby come to them as the heirs doth shew that such are far from innocent Many a Iudas for Covetousness hath betrayed another Many a false witness for Covetousness hath sold anothers life Many a Thief for Covetousness hath taken away anothers life to get his money And many a Covetous Landlord hath longed for his Tenants death and been glad to hear of it And many a Covetous Souldier hath made a trade of killing men for Money So true is it that the Love of money is the root of all evil and therefore is one cause of this § 13. 12. And Ambition is too common a Cause of Murder among the great ones of the World How many have dispatched others out of the World because they stood in the way of their advancement For a long time together it was the ordinary way of Rising and dying to the Roman and Greek Emperours for one to procure the murder of the Emperour that he might usurp his Seat and then to be so murdered by another himself And every Souldier that looked for preferment by the change was ready to be an instrument in the fact And thus hath even the Roman seat of his Mock Holiness for a long time and oft received its Successours by the poison or other murdering of the possessours of the desired place And alas how many thousand hath that See devoured to defend its Universal Empire under the name of the spiritual Headship of the Church How many unlawful Wars have they raised or cherished even against Christian Emperours and Kings How many thousands have been Massacred How many Assassinate as Hen. 3. and Hen. 4. of France Besides those that fires and Inquisitions have consumed And all these have been the flames of Pride Yea when their fellow-Sectaries in Munster and in England the Anabaptists and Seekers have catcht some of their proud disease it hath workt in the same way of blood and cruelty § 14. 2. But besides these twelves great sins which are the nearest cause of Murder there are many more which are yet greater and deeper in nature which are the Roots of all especially these 1. The first cause is the want of true Belief of the Word of God and the judgement and punishment to come and the want of the Knowledge of God himself Atheism and Infidelity 2. Hence cometh the want of the true Fear of God and subjection to his holy Laws 3. The predominance of selfishness in all the unsanctified is the radical inclination to murder and all the injustice that is committed 4. And the want of Charity or Loving our Neighbour as our selves doth bring men neer to the execution and leaveth little inward restraint § 15. By all this you may see how this sin must be prevented and let not any man think it a needless work Thousands have been guilty of murder that once thought themselves as far from it as you 1. The soul must be possessed with the Knowledge of God and the true Belief of his Word and judgement 2. Hereby it must be possessed of the Fear of God and subjection to him 3. And the Love of God must mortifie the power of selfishness 4. And also much possess us with a true Love to our neighbours yea and enemies for his sake 5. And the twelve fore-mentioned causes of murder will thus be destroyed at the Root § 16. II. And some further help it will be to understand the Greatness of this sin Consider therefore 1. It is an unlawful destroying not only a Creature of God but one of his noblest Creatures upon earth Even one that beareth at least the natural Image of God Gen. 9. 5 6. And surely your blood of your lives will I require at the hand of every beast will I require it and at the hand of man at the hand of every mans brother will I require the life of man whoso sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God made he man Yea God will not only have the beast slain that killeth a man but also forbiddeth there the eating of blood v. 4. that man might not be accustomed to cruelty 2. It is the opening a door to confusion and all calamity in the World For if one man may kill another without the sentence of the Magistrate another may kill him and the world will be like Mastiffs or mad Dogs turned all loose on one another kill that kill can 3. If it be a wicked man that is killed it is the sending of a soul to Hell and cutting off his time of Repentance and his hopes If it be a Godly man it is a depriving of the World of the blessing of a profitable member and all that are about him of the benefits of his goodness and God of the service which he was here to have performed These are enough to infer the dreadful consequents to the Murderer which are such as these III. 1. It is a sin which bringeth so great a guilt that if it be repented of and pardoned yet Conscience very hardly doth ever attain to peace and quietness in this World And if it be unpardoned it is enough to make a man his own Executioner and tormenter 2. It is a sin that seldome scapeth vengeance in this life If the Law of the Land take not away their lives as God appointeth Gen. 9. 6. God useth to follow them with his extraordinary Plagues and causeth their sin
Son and Holy Ghost when they have in Baptism vowed themselves unto his service Of all men on earth these men will have least to say for their sin or against their condemnation § 22. 12. Lastly Remember that Christ taketh all that is done by persecutors against his servants for his cause to be done as to himself and will accordingly in judgement charge it on them So speaketh he to Saul Acts 9. 5 6. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I am Iesus whom thou persecutest And Matth. 25. 41. to 46. Even to them that did not â—eed and clothe and visit and relieve them he saith Verily I say unto you in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me What then will he say to them that impoverished and imprisoned them Remember that it is Christ reputatively whom thou dost hate deride and persecute § 23. Direct 3. If you world escape the guilt of persecution the cause and interest of Christ in the Direct 3. world must be truly understood He that knoweth not that Holiness is Christs end and Scripture is his Word and Law and that the Preachers of the Gospel are his messengers and that preaching is his appointed means and that sanctified believers are his members and the whole number of them are his mystical body and all that profess to be such are his visible body or Kingdom in the world and that sin is the thing which he came to destroy and the Devil the world and the flesh are the enemies which he causeth us to conquer I say He that knoweth not this doth not know what Christianity or Godliness is and therefore may easily persecute it in his ignorance If you know not or believe not that serious Godliness in heart and life and serious preaching and discipline to promote it are Christs great cause and interest in the world you may fight against him in the dark whilst ignorantly you call your selves his followers If the Devil can but make you think that Ignorance is as good as Knowledge and Pharisaical formality and hypocritical shews are as good as spiritual worship and rational service of God and that seeming and lip-service is as good as seriousness in Religion and that the strict and serious obeying of God and living as we profess according to the principles of our Religion is but hypocrisie pride or faction that is that all are hypocrites who will not be hypocrites but seriously Religious I say if Satan can bring you once to such erroneous malignant thoughts as these no wonder if he make you persecutors O value the great blessing of a sound understanding For if Error blind you either impious error or factious error there is no wickedness so great but you may promote it and nothing so good and holy but you may persecute it and think all the while that you are doing well John 16. 2. They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service What Prophet so great or Saint so holy that did not suffer by such hands Yea Christ himself was persecuted as a sinner that never sinned § 24. Direct 4. And if you would escape the guilt of persecution the cause and interest of Christ Direct 4. must be highest in your esteem and preferred before all worldly carnal interests of your own Otherwise the Devil will be still perswading you that your own interest requireth you to suppress the interest of Christ For the truth is the Gospel of Christ is quite against the interest of carnality and concupiscence It doth condemn ambition covetousness and lust It forbiddeth those sins on pain of damnation which the proud and covetous and sensual love and will not part with And therefore it is no more wonder to have a proud man or a covetous man or a lustful voluptuous man to be a persecutor than for a Dog to fly in his face who takes his bone from him If you love your pride and lust and pleasures better than the Gospel and a holy life no marvel if you be persecutors For these will not well agree together And though sometimes the providence of God may so contrive things that an ambitious hypocrite may think that his worldly interest requireth him to seem religious and promote the preaching and practice of godliness this is but seldome and usually not long For he cannot choose but quickly find that Christ is no Patron of his sin and that Holiness is contrary to his worldly lusts Therefore if you cannot value the Cause of Godliness above your lusts and carnal interests I cannot tell you how to avoid the guilt of persecution nor the wrath and vengeance of Almighty God § 25. Direct 5. Yea though you do prefer Christs interest in the main You must carefully take Direct 5. beed of stepping into any forbidden way and espousing any interest of your own or others which is contrary to the Laws or interest of Christ. Otherwise in the defence or prosecution of your cause you will be carryed into a seeming Necessity of persecuting before you are aware This hath been the ruine of multitudes of great ones in the world When Ahab had set himself in a way of sin the Prophet 1 Kings 22. 8 27. 1 King 13. 2 4. must reprove him and then he hateth and persecuteth the Prophet because he prophesied not good of him but evil When Ieroboam thought that his interest required him to set up Calves at Dan and Bethel and to make Priests for them of the baâ—est of the people the Prophet must speak against his sin and then he stretcheth out his hand against him and saith Lay hold on him If Asa sin and 2 Chron. 16. 10. the Prophet tell him of it his rage may proceed to imprison his reprover If Amaziah sin with the Idolaters the Prophet must reprove him and he will silence him or smite him And silenced he is 2 Chron. 15. 16. and what must follow 2 Chron. 15 16. The King said to him Art thou made of the Kings counsel forbear why shouldst thou be smitten This seemeth to be gentle dealing Then the Prophet forbore and said I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not hearkned to my counsel It Pilate do but hear If thou let this man go thou art not Caesars friend he thinketh John 19. 12. it his interest to crucifie Christ As Herod thought it his interest to kill him and therefore to kill so many other Infâ—nts when he heard of the birth of a King of the Jews Because of an Herodias Matth. 2. 16 17 18. Matth. 14. 6 7 8 9. Mar. 6. 19. 21 22. Acts 12. 2 3 4. and the honour of his word Herod will not stick to behead Iohn Baptist And another Herod will kill Iames with the Sword and imprison Peter because he seeth that it pleaseth
and that all strict Religion is but hypocrisie or at least to refuse their help and counsels Even Plutark noted that It so comes to pass that we entertain not virtue nor are â—apt into a desire of imitating it unless we highly honour and love the person in whom it is discerned And if they see or think the Preacher to be himself of a loose and careless and licentious life they will think that the like is very excusable in themselves and that his doctrine is but a form of speech which his office bindeth him to say but is no more to be regarded by them than by himself Two wayes is mens damnation thus promoted 1. By the ill lives of hypocritical ungodly preachers who actually bring their own persons into disgrace and thereby also the persons of others and consequently their sacred work and function 2. By wicked Preachers and people who through a malignant hatred of those that are abler and better than themselves and an envy of their reputation do labour to make the most zealous and faithful Preachers of the Gospel to be thought to be the most hypocritical or erroneous or factious and schismatical § 5. 5. The neglect of Ministerial duties is a common cause of sin and of mens damnation When they that take the charge of souls are either unable or unwilling to do their office when they teach them too seldome or too unskilfully in an unsuitable manner not choosing that doctrine which they most need or not opening it plainly and methodically in a fitness to their capacities or not applying it with necessary seriousness and urgency to the hearers state When men preach to the ungodly who are neer to damnation in a formal pase like a School-boy saying his lesson or in a drowsie reading tone as if they came to preach them all asleep or were afraid of wakening them When they speak of sin and misery and Christ of Heaven and Hell as if by the manner they came to contradict the matter and to perswade men that there are no such things The same mischief followeth the neglect of private personal inspection When Ministers think that they have done all when they have said a Sermon and never make conscience of labouring personally to convince the ungodly and reclaim offenders and draw sinners to God and confirm the weak And the omission much more the perversion and abuse of sacred Discipline hath the like effects When the Keys of the Church are used to shut out the good or not used when they ought to rebuke or to shut out the impenitent wicked ones nor to difference between the precious and the vile it hardeneth multitudes in their ungodliness and perswadeth them that they are really of the same family of Christ as the Godly are and have their sins forgiven because they are partakers of the same Holy Sacraments Not knowing the difference between the Church mystical and visible nor between the judgement of ministers and of Christ himself § 6. 6. Parents neglect of instructing Children and other parts of holy education is one of the greatest causes of the perdition of mankind in all the World But of this elsewhere § 7. 7. Magistrates persecution or opposition to Religion or discountenancing those that preach it or most seriously practise it tendeth to deceive some who over-reverence the judgement of superiours and to affright others from the obedience of God § 8. 8. Yea the negligence of Magistrates Masters and other Superiours omitting the due rebuke of sinners and due correction of the offenders and the due encouragement of the good is a great cause of the wickedness and damnation of the World § 9. 9. But above all when they make Laws for sin or for the contempt or dishonour or suppression of Religion or the serious practice of it this buildeth up Satans Kingdom most effectually and turneth Gods Ordinance against himself Thousands under Infidel and ungodly Princes are conducted by Obedience to damnation and their Rulers damn them as honourably as the Physicion kill'd his Patients who boasted that he did it secundum artem according to the rules of art § 10. 10. The vulgar example of the multitude of the ungodly is a great cause of mens impiety and damnation They must be well resolved for God and holiness who will not yield to the major Vote nor be carryed down the common stream nor run with the rabble to excess of ryot When Christianity is a Sect which is every where spoken against it proveth so narrow a way that Act. 2. 8. few have a mind to walk in it Men think that they are at least excusable for not being wiser and better than the multitude Singularity in honour or riches or strength or health is accounted no crime but singularity in godliness is at least thought unnecessary What! will you be wiser than all the Town or than such and such superiours is thought a good reprehension of Godliness where it is rare Even by them who hereby conclude their superiours or all the Town to be wiser than God § 11. 11. Also the vulgars scorning and deriding Godliness is a common cause of Murdering souls Because the Devil knoweth that there cannot one Word of solid Reason be brought against the Reason of God and so against a Holy life he therefore teacheth men to use such weapons as they have A Dog hath teeth and an Adder hath a sting though they have not the Weapons of a man A fool can laugh and jeer and rail and there is no great wit or learning necessary to smile or grin or call a man a Puritan or precisian or Heretick or Schismatick or any name which the malice of the age shall newly coin Mr. Robert Bolton largely sheweth how much the malignity of his age did vent it self against Godliness by the reproachful use of the word Puritan When Reason can be bribed to take the Devils part either natural or literate reason he will hire it at any rate But when it cannot he will make use of such as he can get Barking or hissing may serve turn where talking and disputing cannot be procured Drum and Trumpets in an Army serve the turn instead of Oratory to animate cowards and drown the noise of dying mens complaints and groans Thousands have been mocked out of their Religion and salvation at once and jeered into Hell who now know whether a scorn or the fire of Hell be the greater suffering As Tyrants think that the Greatest and Ablest and wisest men must either be drawn over to their party or destroyed so the Tyrant of Hell who ruleth in the Children of disobedience doth think that if Reason Learning and wit cannot be hired to dispute for him against God they are to be suppressed silenced and disgraced which the noise of rude clamours and foolish jeers is fit enough to perform § 12. 12. Also idle sensless prating against Religion as a needless thing doth serve turn to deceive the simple Ignorant people
created for § 2. Mot. 2. There is no subject so sublime and honourable for the Tongue of man to be imployed about as the matters of God and life eternal Children will talk of childish toyes and Countreymen talk of their Corn and Cattel and Princes and Statesmen look down on these with contemptuous smiles as much below them But Crowns and Kingdoms are incomparably more below the business of a holy soul The higher subjects Philosophers treat of the more honourable if well done are their discourses But none is so high as God and glory § 3. Mot. 3. It is the most profitable subject to the hearers A discourse of Riches at the most can but direct them how to grow rich A discourse of Honours usually puffeth up the minds of the ambitious And if it could advance the auditors to Honour the fruit would be a vanity little to be desired But a discourse of God and Heaven and Holiness doth tend to change the hearers minds into the nature of the things discourst of It hath been the means of converting and sanctifying many a thousand souls As learned discourses tend to make men learned in the things discourst off so holy discourses tend to make men holy For as natural Generation begetteth not Gold or Kingdoms but a Man so speech is not made to communicate to others directly the wealth or health or honours or any extrinsecal things which the speaker hath but to communicate those Mental Excellencies which he is possest of Prov. 16. 21 22. The sweetness of the lips increaseth learning Understanding is a well-spring of life to him that hath it Prov. 10. 13 21. In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found The lips of the righteous feed many Prov. 15. 7. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge but the heart of the foolish doth not so Prov. 20. 15. There is Gold and a multitude of Rubies but the lips of knowledge are a precious Iewel Prov. 10. 20. The tongue of the just is as choice Silver the heart of the wicked is little worth § 4. Mot. 4. Holy discourse is also most profitable to the speaker himself Grace increaseth by the exercise Even in instructing others and opening truth we are oft times more powerfully led up to further truth our selves than by solitary studies For Speech doth awaken the intellectual faculty and keepeth on the thoughts in order and one truth oft inferreth others to a thus excited and prepared mind And the tongue hath a power of moving own our hearts When we blow the fire to warm another both the exercise and the fire warm our selves It kindleth the flames of holy love in us to declare the praise of God to others It increaseth a hatred of sin in us to open its odiousness to others We starve our selves when we starve the souls which we should cherish § 5. Mot. 5. Holy and Heavenly discourse is the most delectable I mean in its own aptitude and to a mind that is not diseased by corruption That which is most Great and Good and Necessary is most delectable What should best please us but that which is best for us And best for others And best in it self The excellency of the subject maketh it delightful And so doth the exercise of our Graces upon it And serious conference doth help down the truth into our hearts where it is most sweet Besides that Nature and Charity make it pleasant to do good to others It can be nothing better than a subversion of the appetite by carnality and wickedness that maketh any one think idle jeasts or tales or plays to be more pleasant than spiritual Heavenly conference and the talking of Riches or Sports or Lusts to be sweeter than to talk of God and Christ and grace and glory A holy mind hath a continual feast in it self in meditating on these things and the communicating of such thoughts to others is a more Common and so a more pleasant feast § 6. Mot. 6. Our faithfulness to God obligeth us to speak his praise and to promote his truth â—â—d plead his cause against iniquity Hath he given us tongues to magnifie his name and set before us the admirable frame of all the World to declare his Glory in And shall we be backward to so sweet and great a work How precious and useful is all his holy word What light and life and comfort may it cause And shall we bury it in silence What company can we come into almost where either the bare-faced committing of sin or the defending it or the opposition of truth or Godliness or the frigidity of mens hearts towards God and supine neglect of holy things do not call to us if we are the servants of God to take his part and if we are the Children of light to bear our testimony against the darkness of the World and if we love God and truth and the souls of men to shâ—w it by our prudent seasonable speech Is he true to God and to his cause that will not open his mouth to speak for him § 7. Mot. 7. And how precious a thing is an immortal soul and therefore not to be neglected Did Christ think souls to be worth his Mediation by such strange condescension even to a shameful death Did he think them worth his coming into flesh to be their teacher And will you not think them worth the speaking to § 8. Mot. 8. See also the greatness of your sin in the negligence of unfaithful Ministers It is easie to see the odiousness of their sin who preach not the Gospel or do no more than by an hours dry and dead discourse shift off the serious work which they should do and think they may be excused from all personal oversight and helping of the peoples souls all the Week after And why should you not perceive that a dumb private Christian is also to be condemned as well as a dumb Minister Is not profitable conference your duty as well as profitable preaching is his How many persons condemn themselves while they speak against unfaithful Pastors being themselves as unfaithful to Families and Neighbours as the other are to the flock § 9. Mot. 9. And consider how the cheapness of the means doth aggravate the sin of your neglect and shew much unmercifulness to souls Words cost you little Indeed alone without the company of good works they are too cheap for God to accept of But if an Hypocrite may bring so cheap a sacrifice who is rejected what doth he deserve that thinketh it too dear What will that man do for God or for his Neighbours soul who will not open his mouth to speak for them He seemeth to have less love than that man in Hell Luk. 16. who would so fain have had a messenger sent from another World to have warned his brethren and saved them from that place of torment § 10. Mot. 10. Your fruitful conference is a needful help to the ministerial work When
man can bear contempt Hard censures hurt men so far as they are proud 2. Take heed lest imbecillity add to your impatience and concur with pride Cannot you bear greater things than these Impatience will disclose that badness in your selves which will make you censured much more And it will shew you as weak in one respect as the censurers are in another 3. Take heed lest their fault do not draw you to overlook or undervalue that serious godliness which is in many of the censorious And that you do not presently judge them Hypocrites or Schismaticks and abate your charity to them or incline to handle them more roughly than the tenderness of Christ alloweth you Remember that in all ages it hath been thus The Church hath had pievish children within as well as persecuting enemies without Insomuch as Paul Rom. 14. giveth you the copy of these times and giveth them this counsel which from him I am giving you The weak in knowledge were censorious and judged the strong The strong in knowledge were weak in Charity and contemned the weak Just as now one party saith These are superstitious persons and antichristian The other saith What giddy Schismaticks are these But Paul chideth them both one sort for censuring and the other for despising them Direct 2. Take heed lest whilest you are impatient under their censures you fall into the same sin Direct 2. your selves Do they censure you for differing in some Forms or Ceremonies from them Take heed lest you over-censure them for their censoriousness If you censure them as hypocrites who censure you as superstitious you condemn your selves while you are condemning them For why will not censuring too far prove you hypocrites also if it prove them such Direct 3. Remember that Christ beareth with their weakness who is wronged by it more than you Direct 3. and is more against it He doth not quit his title to them for their frowardness nor cease his love not turn every Infant out of his family that will cry and wrangle nor every Patient out of his Hospital that doth complain and groan And we must imitate our Lord and love where he loveth and pity where he pitieth and be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful Direct 4. Remember how amiable a thing the least degree of Grace is even when it is clouded and Direct 4. blotted with infirmities It is the Divine Nature and the Image of God and the seed of Glory And therefore as an Infant hath the noble nature of a man and in all his weakness is much more honourable than the best of Bruits so that it is death to kill an Infant but not a Beast So is the most infirm and froward true Christian more honourable and amiable than the most splendid Infidel Bear with them in love and honour to the image and interest of Christ. Direct 5. Remember that you were once weak in Grace your selves And if happy education under Direct 5. peaceable Guides did not prevent it it s two to one but you were your selves censorious Bear therefore with others as you bear with crying children because you were once a child your self Not that the sin is ever the better but you should be the more compassionate Direct 6. Remember that your own strength and iudgement is so great a mercy that you should the Direct 6. easilier bear with a censorious tongue The Rich and Noble can bear with the envious remembring that it is happy to have that worth or felicity which men do envy You suffer fools gladly seeing you your selves are wise If you are in the right let losers talk Direct 7. Remember that we shall be shortly together in Heaven where they will recant their censures Direct 7. and you will easily forgive them and perfectly love them And will not the foresight of such a meeting cause you to bear with them and forgive and love them now Direct 8. Remember how inconsiderable a thing it is as to your own interest to be judged of man Direct 8. and that you stand or fall to the judgement of the Lord. 1 Cor. 4. 3 4. What are you the better or the worse for the thoughts or words of a man When your salvation or damnation lyeth upon Gods judgement It is too much hypocrisie to be too much desirous of mans esteem and approbation and too much troubled at his disesteem and censure and not to be satisfied with the approbation of God Read what is written against Man-pleasing Tom. 1. Direct 9. Make some advantage of other mens censures for your own proficiency If good men Direct 9. censure you be not too quick in concluding that you are innocent and justifying your selves But be suspicious of your selves lest they should prove the right and examine your selves with double diligence If you find that you are clear in the point that you are censured for suspect and examine lest some other sin hath provoked God to try you by these censures And if you find not any other notable fault let it make you the more watchful by way of prevention seeing the eyes of God and men are on you and it may be Gods warning to bid you take heed for the time to come If you are thus brought to repentance or to the more careful life by occasion of mens censures they will prove so great a benefit to you that you may bear them the more easily CHAP. XXV Cases and Directions about Trusts and Secrets Tit. 1. Cases of Conscience about Trusts and Secrets Quest. 1. HOw are we forbidden to put our Trust in man And how may it be done Quest. 1. Answ. 1. You must not trust man for more than his proportion and what belongs to man to do You must not expect that from him which God alone can do 2. You must not trust a bad unfaithful man to do that which is proper to a good and faithful man to do 3. You must not trust the best man being imperfect and fallible as fully as if you supposed him perfect and infallible But having to do with a corrupted world we must live in it with some measure of distrust to all men For all that Cicero thought this contrary to the Laws of friendship But especially ignorant dishonest and fraudulent men must be most distrusted As Bucholtzer said to his friend that was going to be a Courtier Commendo tibi fidem diabolorum Crede Contremisce He that converseth with diabolical men must believe them no further than is due to the children of the Father of Lyes But we must trust men as men according to the principles of Veracity that are left in corrupted nature And we must trust men so far as reason sheweth us cause from their skill fidelity honesty or interest So a Surgeon a Physicion a Pilot may be trusted with our lives And the skilfuller and faithfuller any man is the more he is to be trusted Quest. 2. Whom should
and Idleness and Gluttony and Sportfulness of Wife and Children and Family also to maintain as well as their own many thousand pounds a year perhaps may be too little Many a conquering Army hath been maintained at as cheap a rate as such an Army of Lusts or Garrison at least as keep possession of some such families when all their Luxury goeth for the honour of their family and they glory in wearing the livery of the Devil the World and the Flesh which they once renounced and pretended to Glory in nothing but the Cross of Christ and when they take care in the education of their Children that this entailed honour be not cut off from their Families no wonder if God's part be little from these men when the Flesh must have so much and when God must stand to the courtesie of his enemies and have but their leavings I hope the Nobility and Gentry of England that are innocent herein will not be offended with me if I tell them that are guilty that when I foresee their reckoning I think them to be the miserablest persons upon earth that rob God and rob the King of that which should defray the charges of Government and rob the Church and rob the poor and rob their souls of all the benefits of good works and all to please the devouring flesh It 's a dreadful thing to foresee with what horrour they will give up their accounts when instead of so much in feeding and cloathing the poor and promoting the Gospel and the saving of mens souls there will be found upon their reckoning so much in vain curiosities and pride and so much in costly sports and pleasures and so much in flesh-pleasing Luxury and Excess The trick that they have got of late to free themselves from the fears of this account by believing that there will be no such day will prove a short and lamentable remedy and when that day shall come upon them unawares their unbelief and pleasures will dye together and deliver them up to never-dying horrour and despair I have heard it oft mentioned as the dishonour of France that the third part of the revenews of so rich a Kingdom should be devoted and paid to the maintaining of Superstition But if there be not many and most Kingdoms in the world where one half of their wealth is devoted to the Flesh and so to the Devil I should be glad to find my self herein mistaken And judge you which is more disgraceful to have half your estates given in sensuality to the Devil or a third part too ignorantly devoted to God! If men laid out no more than needs upon the flesh they might have the more for the service of God and of their souls You cannot live under so much a year as would maintain above twice as many frugal temperate industrious persons because your flesh must needs be pleased and you are strangers to Christian mortification and self-denial Laertius tell us that Crates Thebanus put all his money into the Bankers or Usurers hands with this direction that If his sons proved Ideots it should all be paid to them but if they proved Philosophers it should be given to the poor because Philosophers can live upon a little and therefore need little So if we could make men Mortified Christians they would need so little for themselves that they would have the more to give to others and to do good with 2. Men do not seriously believe Gods promises that he will recompence them in this life with better things an hundred fold and in the world to come with life eternal Matth. 19. 29. And that by receiving a Prophet or righteous man they may have a Prophets or righteous mans reward Matth. 10. 41. And that a cup of cold water when you have no better given to one of Christs little ones in the name of a Disciple shall not be unrewarded Matth. 10. 42. They believe not that Heaven will pay for all and that there is a life to come in which God will see that they be no losers They think there is nothing certain but what they have in hand and therefore they lay up a treasure upon earth and rather trust to their estates than God whereas if they verily believed that there is another life and that judgement will pass on them on the terms described Matth. 25. they would more industriously lay up a treasure in Heaven Matth. 6. 20. and make themselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness and study how to be rich in good works and send their wealth to Heaven before them and lay up a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold upon eternal life and then they would be ready to distribute and willing to communicate 1 Tim. 6. 17 18 19. Luk. 16. 9. They would then know how much they are beholden to God that will not only honour them to be his Stewards but reward them for distributing his maintenance to his Children as if they had given so much of their own They would then see that it is they that are the receivers and that giving is the surest way to be rich when for transitory things sincerely given they may receive the Everlasting riches Then they would see that he that saveth his Riches loseth them and he that loseth them for Christ doth save them and lay them up in Heaven and that it is more blessed to give than to receive and that we should our selves be laborious that we may have wherewith to support the weak and to give unto the needy Read Act. 20. 35. Ephes. 4. 28. Prov. 31. 20 c. Then they would not be weary of well-doing if they believed that in due season they shall reap if they faint not but as they have opportunity would do good to all men but especially to them that are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 9 10. They would not forget to do good and communicate as knowing that with such sacrifice God is well-pleased Heb. 13. 16. A true belief of the Reward would make men strive who should do most 3. Another great hinderance is the want of Love to God and our neighbours to Christ and his Disciples If men loved Christ they would not deal so niggardly with his disciples when he has told them that he taketh all that they do to the least of them whom he calleth his brethren as done to himself Matth. 25. 10. 39 40. If men loved their neighbours as themselves I leave you to judge in what proportion and manner they would relieve them whether they would find money to lay out on Dice and Cards and gluttonous feastings on playes and games and pomp and pride while so many round about them are in pinching want The destruction of Charity or Christian Love is the cause that works of Charity are destroyed Who can look that the seed of the Serpent that hath an enmity against the holy seed should liberally relieve them or
held to such a course of life as may be most effectual to destroy and change those habits And some that are upright at the heart and in the main and most momentous things are guilty but of some actual faults and of these some more seldom and some more frequent And if you do not prudently diversifie your rebukes according to their faults you will but harden them and miss of your ends For there is a family-justice that must not be overthrown unless you will overthrow your families as there is a more publick justice necessary to the publick good § 12. Direct 4. Be a good Husband to your Wife and a good Father to your Children and a good Direct 4. Master to your Servants and let Love have Dominion in all your Government that your inferiours may easily find that it is their interest to obey you For interest and self-love are the natural rulers of the world And it is the most effectual way to procure obedience or any good to make men perceive that it is for their own good and to engage self-love for you that they may see that the benefit is like to be their own If you do them no good but are sour and uncourteous and close-handed to them few will be ruled by you § 13. Direct 5. If you would be skilful in Governing others learn first exactly to command your Direct 5. selves Can you ever expect to have others more at your will and government than your selves Is he fit to rule his family in the fear of God and a holy life who is unholy and feareth not God himself Or is he fit to keep them from passion or drunkenness or gluttony or lust or any way of sensuality that cannot keep himself from it Will not inferiours despise such reproofs which are by your selves contradicted in your lives You know this is true of Wicked Preachers and is it not as true of other Governours § 14. III. Gen. Direct You must be Holy Persons if you would be Holy Governours of your families Mens actions follow the bent of their Dispositions They will do as they are An enemy of God will not govern a family for God Nor an enemy of Holiness nor a stranger to it set up a holy order in his house and in a holy manner manage his affairs I know it is cheaper and easier to the flesh to call others to mortification and holiness of life than to bring our selves to it But yet when it is not a bare command or wish that is necessary but a course of holy and industrious Government unholy persons though some of them may go far have not the ends and principles which such a work requireth § 15. Direct 1. To this end be sure that your own souls be entirely subjected unto God and that you Direct 1. more accurately obey his Laws than you expect any inferiour should obey your commands If you daâ—e disobey God why should they fear disobeying you Can you more sâ—verely revenge disobedience or more bountifully reward obedience than God can do Are you Greater and Better than God himself is § 16. Direct 2. Be sure that you lay up your treasure in Heaven and make the enjoyment of God in Direct 2. Glory to be the ultimate commanding end both of the affairs and government of your family and all things else with which you are entrusted Devote your selves and all to God and do all for him Do all as passengers to another world whose business on earth is but to provide for Heaven and promote their everlasting interest If thus you are separated unto God you are sanctified And then you will separate all that you have to his use and service and this with his acceptance will sanctifie all § 17. Direct 3. Maintain Gods authority in your family more carefully than your own Your own Direct 3. is but for his More sharply rebuke or correct them that wrong and dishonour God than those that wrong and dishonour your selves Remember Elies sad example Make not a small matter of any of the sins especially the Great sins of your children or servants It is an odious thing to slight Gods cause and put up all with It is not well done when you are fiercely passionate for the loss of some small commodity of your own Gods honour must be greatest in your family and his service must have the preheminence of yours and sin against him must be the most intolerable offence § 18. Direct 4. Let spiritual Love to your family be predominant and let your care be greatest for Direct 4. the saving of their souls and your compassion greatest in their spiritual miseries Be first careful to provide them a portion in Heaven and to save them from whatsoever would deprive them of it And never prefer the transitory pelf of earth before their everlasting riches Never be so cumbered about many things as to forget that one thing is necessary but choose for your selves and them the Luk. 10. 4â— better part § 19. Direct 5. Let your family neither be kept in idleness and flesh-pleasing nor yet overwhelmed Direct 5. with such a multitude of business as shall take up and distract their minds diverting and unfitting them for holy things Where God layeth on you a necessity of excessive labours it must patiently and chearfully be undergone but when you draw them unnecessarily on your selves for the Love of Riches you do but become the Tempters and Tormentors of your selves and others forgetting 1 Tim. 6. 1â— the terrible examples of them that have this way fallen off from Christ and pierced themselves through with many sorrows § 20. Direct 6. As much as is possible settle a constant order of all your businesses that every ordinary Direct 6. work may know its time and confusion may not shut out Godliness It is a great assistance in every Calling to do all in a set and constant order It maketh it easie It removeth impediments and promoteth success Distraction in your business causeth a distraction of your minds in holy duty Some Callings I know can hardly be cast into any order and method but others may if prudence and diligence be used Gods service will thus be better done and your work will be better done to the ease of your servants and quiet of your own minds Foresight and skillfullness would save you abundance of labour and vexation CHAP. V. Special Motives to perswade men to the Holy Governing of their Families IF it were but well understood what Benefits come by the holy Governing of Familes and what mischiefs come by its neglect there would few persons that walk the streets among us appear so odious as those careless ungodly Governours that know not or mind not a duty of such exceeding weight While we lie all as overwhelmed with the calamitous fruits of this neglect I think meet to try if with some the cause may be removed by awakening ignorant sluggish
souls to do their undertaken work § 1. Motive 1. Consider that the Holy Government of Families is a considerable part of Gods own Government Motive 1. of the world and the contrary is a great part of the Devils Government It hath pleased God to settle as a natural so a Political order in the world and to honour his creatures to be the instruments of his own operations And though he could have produced all effects without any interior causes and could have Governed the world by himself alone without any instruments he being not as Kings constrained to make use of Deputies and Officers because of their own natural confinement and insufficiency yet is he pleased to make inferiour causes partakers in such excellent effects and taketh delight in the frame and order of causes by which his will among his creatures is accomplished So that as the several Justices in the Countries do govern as Officers of the King so every Magistrate and Master of a family doth govern as an Officer of God And if his government by his Officers be put down or neglected it is a contempt of God himself or a rebellion against him What is all the practical Atheism and Rebellion and ungodliness of the world but a rejecting of the Government of God It is not against the Being of God in it self considered that his enemies rise up with malignant rebellious opposition But it is against God as the Holy and Righteous Governour of the world and especially of themselves And as in an Army if the Corporals Sergeants and Lieutenants do all neglect their offices the Government of the General or Colonels is defeated and of little force so if the Rulers of Families and other Officers of God will corrupt or neglect their part of Government they do their worst to corrupt or cast out Gods Government from the earth And if God shall not Govern in your families who shall The Devil is always the Governour where Gods Government is refused The world and the flesh are the instruments of his Government Worldliness and Fleshly living are his service Undoubtedly he is the Ruler of the family where these prevail and where Faith and Godliness do not take place And what can you expect from such a Master § 2. Motive 2. Consider also that an ungoverned ungodly family is a powerful means to the damnation Motive 2. of all the members of it It is the common Boat or Ship that hurrieth souls to Hell that is bound for the devouring gulf He that is in the Devils Coach or Boat is like to go with the rest as the Driver or the Boatman pleaseth But a well-governed family is an excellent help to the saving of all the souls that are in it As in an ungodly family there are continual temptations to ungodliness to swearing and lying and railing and wantonness and contempt of God so in a Godly family there are continual provocations to a holy life to faith and love and obedience and heavenly mindedness Temptations to sin are fewer there than in the Devils Shops and Workhouses of sin The Authority of the Governours the conversation of the rest the examples of all are great inducements to a holy life As in a well ordered Army of valiant men every coward is so linked in by order that he cannot choose but fight and stand to it with the rest and in a confused rowt the valiantest man is born down by the disorder and must perish with the rest even so in a well ordered holy family a wicked man can scarce tell how to live wickedly but seemeth to be almost a Saint while he is continually among Saints and heareth no words that are profane or filthy and is kept in to the constant exercises of Religion by the authority and company of those he liveth with O how easie and clean is the way to Heaven in such a gratious well ordered family in comparison of what it is to them that dwell in the distracted families of prophane and sensual worldlings As there is greater probability of the salvation of souls in England where the Gospel is preached and professed than in Heathen or Mahometane countrys so is there a greater probability of their salvation that live in the houses and company of the Godly than of the Ungodly In one the advantages of instruction command example and credit are all on Gods side and in the other they are on the Devils side § 3. Motive 3. A holy well-governed Family tendeth not only to the safety of the members but also Motive 3. to the ease and pleasure of their lives To live where Gods Law is the principal Rule and where you may be daily taught the mysteries of his Kingdom and have the Scriptures opened to you and be led as by the hand in the paths of life where the praises of God are daily celebrated and his name is called upon and where all do speak the heavenly language and where God and Christ and Heaven are both their daily work and recreation where it is the greatest honour to be most holy and heavenly and the greatest contention is who shall be most humble and godly and obedient to God and their superiors and where there is no reviling scornes at Godliness nor no prophane and scurrilous talk what a sweet and happy life is this Is it not likest to Heaven of any thing upon earth But to live where worldliness and prophaneness and wantonness and sensuality bear all the sway and where God is unknown and holiness and all religious exercises are matter of contempt and scorn and where he that will not swear and live prophanely doth make himself the hatred and derision of the rest and where men are known but by their shape and speaking-faculty to be men nay where men take not themselves for men but for bruits and live as if they had no rational souls nor any expectations of another life nor any higher employments or delights than the transitory concernments of the flesh what a sordid lothsom filthy miserable life is this made up by a mixture of BEASTLY and DEVILISH To live where there is no communion with God where the marks of Death and Damnation are written as it were upon the doors in the face of their impious worldly lives and where no man understandeth the holy language and where there is not the least foretast of the Heavenly everlasting joys what 's this but to live as the Serpents seed to feed on dust and to be excommunicated from the face and favour of God and to be chained up in the prison of concupiscence and malignity among his enemies till the judgement come that is making haste and will render to all men according to their works § 4. Motive 4. A holy and well-governed family doth tend to make a Holy Posterity and so to propagate Motive 4. the fear of God from Generation to Generation It is more comfortable to have no children than to beget