their affaires As 1st Those who Act rashly rush upon matters they have a mind to little caring whether this be lawfull of good report convenient but like beasts led by sense 2ly Who consult but not with the Lord but either with their own lusts their pride their Covetousness their Spite c. Asking them what they would have done or with their own understandings they pore and think lose one thought upon another not knowing and Considering man's thoughts are Altogether Vanity Or with others whom they esteem and Confide in not considering that ignorance on the one hand and interest on the other may make them give none of the best counsell 3ly Who enquire of the Lord but stay not for an Answer from him go on before they know whether he do's allow of it approve of it they be onely perswaded in their hearts the Lord would have them to doe thus and no otherwise Just like Pilate St. John 18. 39. Who askâ—s what is truth and never expects an Answer 4ly Who stay for the Counsell of God but take it not follow it not as the Jewes Jer. 32. 3. C. 43. 2. Vse 2. Do then in all cases what duty and interest obliges thee to trust in God for direction do what the holy ones of God use to doe make him thy Oracle Counsell Guide this will make most for thy true comfort thy reall advantage he will direct thee either Clearly shew thee what is most convenient for thee or at least effectually incline thee to what is best enabling thee to trust him with thy selfe in it though otherwise thou hast many seeming grounds of fear thou art bringing mischeif upon thy selfe he has no designes which interfere with thine Therefore First goe to him for Counsell say with David Psal 143. 10. Teach me to do thy will lead me guide me I am Foolish apt to mistake my selfe easily deceived by others thou knowest my frame my Circumstances how it is every way with me Thou knowest what I can bear what I have need of what will do me good what will make for my Comfort O Suffer me not to do any thing which may be prejudiciall to my own Soul which will make me lose Communion with thee forfeit thy favour provoke thee to leave me to my self to the humours or Fashions of men And that you may speed labour to bring your Soules to this not to desire worldly advantage to your selves in what ever you are about but onely that ye may be kept in the fear of God in the wayes of Holiness and Righteousness and truth so as to grow in grace to overcome your selves and the World how you may be in a way of pleasing Honouring and Serving him relieving and bettering your Brethren For if you come onely to learn what will make most for your ease and pleasure in the flesh to make you rich and great in the World to procure you outward prosperity and security this is not to ask counsel of the Lord this is a great abomination in his sight and ye have cause to fear the Lord may say of you as of the Israelites Ezechi 13. 34. Shall I be enquired of at all by them I the Lord will Answer him that cometh according to his Idolls 2ly Stay for his Counsel settle upon no resolution one way or other before the Lord have in some measure given you to understand what will be for the good of your Soules and those about you perswade you in your hearts that this gather then the other is so 3ly See you follow it stand and act in it when the Lord ha's perswaded you that this or the other is for the good of your Souls be not swayed to the contrary by any worldly considerations whatsoever be not moved one way or other by conveniencies or inconveniences But may not one be herein mistaken Yes very easily 1st If they do not sincerely desire to understand what is for the good of the Soul that they may follow that what ever it be though it do not so much agree with their inclinations 2ly If they do not heartily rely upon God for right information But where neither of these are wanting God neither can nor will suffer you to be mistaken But we cannot well resolve what is for the Souls good Then you must suspend wait upon God till he satisfy you Till you follow the leading and guiding of God ye are not safe If you run before him or turn out of his way thank your selves if you miscarry 3ly No wonder that there is such a generall miscarriage of People in matters of highest concernment when there is so much aiming at particular ends consulting with the customs of the World the maxims of vulgar prudence our own vain imaginations vain opinions of others and so little considering what may promote the wellfare of the Soul unto all eternity seeking to and relying upon the only wise God the God of Judgment for his directions 4ly Never expect to prosper to do discreetly when you are not in Gods way and truly thou art not in the way to learn wisdom before thou become a Fool in thine own eyes and discernest the highest wisdom of the World to be foolishness and utterly dispairest of doing any thing but playing the fool unless the Lord teach guide and direct thee 5ly How much are Gods People concerned to keep close unto the Lord to obey him to take heed of provoking displeasing him seeing it is he from whom alone selfe profitable Counsel is to be expected when they will find the greatest need of it 6ly Humble thy self if thou hast enterprised any business without asking Counsel of the Lord considering that hereby thou hast both slighted God and been wanting to the concernments of thy Soul 7ly Thank God for bringing thee into any difficulty and perplexity seeing this is the likeliest way to mind thee of thy Duty and concernment and of putting thee upon it These are some of the courses God takes to make People know he is the Lord thou hast no cause to be troubled at such a providence whereby thou are taught there is need of being wise in the wisdom of God as well as strong in the prwer of his might Mat. 7. 14. Because strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leads unto Life and few there be that find it HAVING discoursed of the first sort of motives which our Saviour makes use of to perswade Men to enter in at the strait Gate I am now come to the second sort The first sort of Motives are taken from Considerations of the contrary gate and way those that lead to Destruction and yet are so Wide and Broad that they have many Entries and Passages in them The Second sort are taken from Considerations had of the Strait Gate and ways and that either 1st Of the necessity of going in and going on here It is the only Way to Life thus to do this Way leads to Life but none else
nature And observe God and you shall find that it is not so much modes and fashions of Religion as love and goodness which God most stands upon These are the essentiall parts of Religion and the immutable parts others as they are accidentall so they are various Love is the summ of the Law Mat. 22. 39 40. Rom. 13. 9 10. owe no Man any thing c. Ye have the vast body of the Law epitomized here Thus Chymists can reduce the vertues of Herbs and Mineralls into a very little roome drawing of the Essences and Spirits and leaving the gross matter behind Love is the end of the law The end of the law is Charity 1. Tim. 1. 5. This is that which the Law aimes to bring Men too and when it has once brought Men to this it has done its work Love is the great designe of ordinances what Christ most prayes for That they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Joh. 17. 21. What the Ministers of Christ should most preach up Phil. 2. 1. 2. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love c. And indeed the main edification is in love Ephe. 4. 16. Unto the edifying it self in love It s also the great designe of providences Does God carry lovingly to his people it is to teach them to love one another Love one another as I have loved you Joh. 15. 12. Does he carry angrily towards them he does but whip them round to make them kiss one another falls out with them all that he may make them agree better among themselves If ye ask what peculiar excellency there is in love which gives it the preheminence to all other attributes Answer 1st It perfects that in God which is the Cheif faculty in him In every rationall being there are three Facultys the Appetitive Faculty the will which carries out to desire what is agreeable to its nature The Directive Faculty the vnderstanding which both discouer the object which is desirable and propounds to the Choice the various methods and means whereby the good desired may be attained And the executive faculty which wants a peculiar name whereby the methods and means pitcht upon by Choice are applied for the attaining the good desired Now of these three facultyes the appetitive is the Chief it being the Spring unto the other two to set them upon motion and keeping a hand over them so as to restrain them when it pleases the Will fits as Queen having the understanding besides it for its Councellour the executive faculty below it for its Minister to act Accordingly whereas there are three habits to perfect these three facultys that which perfecteth the Cheif must be the Cheif of them and consequently love which perfects the Will must have the preheminence of wisdom which perfects the understanding and of Power which perfects the Motive faculty Now though in God by reason of the purity and simplicity of the Divine nature we cannot so properly distinguish these faculties yet being found in the Choicest Creatures and being acknowledged excellencyes in them they cannot be wanting in God himself but must be in him though in a more eminent manner 2dly It most Clearly distinguishes God from all other beings every thing is distinguished from all other things by that which is its Choicest perfection Thus it being the Cheif excellency of man that he is able to take a view of Severall things at once and to compare one thing with another and from principles evident in themselves to deduce conclusions which are more obscure hence he is distinguished from all bruits by this one thing that he is a rationall creature Thus Love being the Cheif perfection of God he is distinguished from all other things by this that he is Love the best that can be said of any other being is that it has love And as God is the most excellent being in the world so the Devil is the basest and the main thing wherein God dos most evidently differ from the Devill is not either wisdom or power for the Devil has a great deal of both these though its true they are but finite in him whereas they are infinite in God but its love and goodness for there is not the least of these in the Divell and the very want of these makes him a Divell were he not so full of malice and naughtiness as he is so imutably Settled in these as he is he would not be what he is a Devill Nay should it be granted what some of Old have strongly fancyed though against all reason that there were two infinite beings the one good the other bad the bad would have all other perfections besides goodness equal unto the good and for want of this one perfection it being the main it would not be God for God and the Cheife good are all one 3dly It has the Soveraigne command of all other excellencies in God There is nothing but what is excellent in God and no excellency in him but what is either a part of his goodness or a Servant to it Gods pitty is but goodness to those in misery his mercy is but his goodness to those that are Sinfull as well as miserable Nay Gods Justice which Seemes most opposite to his goodness is but goodness exerting it selfe with vehemency and indignation against that in men and Devils which most hinders goodness from Communicating it selfe As for Gods Wisdome and power these attend on goodness to execute its commands Wisdome has no other work then to contrive the readiest way to do the most good and power is wholy imployed in removing those obstacles which hinder the doing of good That therefore which do's most sway with God in all his actings and has so great an influence upon all his attributes to point them what way to steer must needs be a very eminent perfection in God 4thly The displaying of love and goodness do's most tend to the glorifing of God I know not whether this do more prove love and goodness to be the prime perfectoon of God or demonstrate why it so Absolute Supermacy how highly soever it may be prized by foolish and proud men yet God do's not look upon it as becoming himself and therefore though he may pretend to it as Justly as any else yet he Counts it not worth his Claim When he is Challenged for unrighteousness by vnreasonable persons he alleadges not that he being the greatest in the world may do what ever he list without Controul or without giving account but he pleads his own cause and submits his providences to the severest censure of those who have reason and will Judge indifferently Exek 18. 25. He accounts it a far greater honour to be reputed a gracous King then a great tyrant Wisdom though it pass among men for a very choice excellency as indeed it is The excellency of a Man as a Man that
in more need he should make to thee Art thou sure he is in the wrong thou in the right how knowest thou this thou thinkest thy self in the right so do's he Thou art confident it may be so is he Thou producest Reason and Scripture so dos he thou alledgest the consent of such and such learned and good Men whom thou greatly accounts of he do's no less Hast thou studyed and prayed for the finding out of the truth he has done so too Hast thou suffered in Testimony to what thou Judgest truth If he have not done so thou knowest not but he may be ready to do the like when God calls him to it Obi. Why but it is a dangerous Arrour Answer How knowest thou it is Canst thou shew wherein the danger of it lyes 2ly Grant it be so thou hast more need to pitty him then to quarrel with him thou hast more need to deal with him so as thou mayest best hope to bring him out of his Errour Thou oughtest to take care least by thy passionate and untoward management of the Cause of Truth thou give people occasion so to loth it that they Chuse rather to fall in with the others errours Que. But would you not have us to be Zealous Answer Yes as Zealous as you will but I would first have you to understand what for I would not have you to run without your Errand as Zealous as you will but I would have you remember that venting of Pride and peevishness in Religion Loving and admiring and violently propagating your Opinions and ways is not Zeal As Zealous as you will but first let Zeal begin at Home let it burne up your Pride and Earthliness and frowardness and then when this Smoke is gone the light of it will serve you to guide the heat of it by Alass Men talk much of Zeal but there is less true Zeal in the World then there is true Love there is as much want of Zeal as Vse of it and it must First be got before exercised and put forth the same spirit enclines to Moderation that Enclines to Zeal Vse 2. Labour for a Spirit of Moderation A meek lowly and tender Spirit It s hard practising a Duty when it thwarts Nature this is a lovely God like Spirit were it not for this in what a sad case were we who hourly try Gods patience by greater provocations then mistakes amount to Vse 3. Condemn not any for putting that Duty in practise which you allow your selves in the neglect of If you will not be moderate your selves be not angry with those who in Conscience to God desire to be so smut them not with odious Names Vse 4. Whatever ill usage thou meetest with from the World be not discouraged in the due practise of Moderation Consider it is thy Duty and though Men may reproach and Curse thee for it the blessing of a peace maker shall be upon thee from the God of Heaven I know such is the madness of the World they are ready to quarrell with every one that will not engage with them in their Contentions one against another and he that goes about to part Two opposite Partyes provokes both against himself and seldom goes away without blows from either But count it no new and strange thing to be used as the Men of God have been used before thee Continue thou in Gods work still and he will answer the damage that accrues thereby to thee Vse 5. Judge those the best Christians who being Consciencious in all other dutys do not neglect this It shews a Christian Spirit it is an Argument of the Wisdome from above Which is pure Peaceable 6ly See thou hast more Cause of humbling thy selfe then Glorying If thou hast neglected Moderation thou hast omitted a Duty deceive not thy selfe nor vainly hope to delude God by putting a good Name upon a bad practise and Calling that Zeal which God Counts Hellish Fury 7ly Conclude not there is most of Religion in such as seem the eagerest all violent heats speaks not so much strength of Nature as the oppressition of some Distemper Let not any by Sin gain the reputation of being more then ordinarily Pious 8ly Learn the Wisdome and Justice of true Religion which requires such practises from its professors as tend most to promote and secure what all generally desire and that is peace to obviate the Slanders cast upon it by the worldly wise that it disturbs societys But 2ly A Christian ought to be moderate about the Concernements of this Life the Comforts and conveniencys Health Wealth and Credit Lovers and Friends c. In these people are then immoderate when they let out their Affections too much upon any of these giving them a greater share in their hearts then of right belongs to them That we love these at all is no fault they being the good Creatures of God But that we love them otherwise then we should more then we should here is the Immoderation As 1st When we love them more then God himselfe the Gift more then the Giver whatever it be in any Creature comfort whatsoever that we find any favour and relish in any chearing and warmth by It is but a drop a spark a ray of that goodness which is in God and is used by God as a bate to allure us to himselfe In whom alone the Fountain is to be found who alone is able not onely to content but satisfye us Now then we love these more then God when 1st We take more care and paines to procure these to our selves then to win the favour of God 2ly To secure these more then we do the Love of God 3ly When we can be quiet without God while we have these let God hide his face forbeare his visits withdraw his directions and Consolations no matter for all this provided Health lasts Mony comes in the World gives us its good word and Friends their smiles 4ly When God himself cannot please us without these let him reason the case with us as Elkana with Hannah am not I better to thee then ten earthly comforts Our hearts are so hardned in sorrow for being deprived of these we mind him not but go on grieving and fretting still 5ly When we will not give God leave to deny us these to Strip us of these as he shall Judge it meet but we will either have our own will in these or we repine at him quarrel with him take no care to please or serve him But 2ly We are then immoderate when we love these more then Grace which being the Life Health Strength Beauty of the Soul a Divine participation and resemblance a reall Substantiall Solid Lasting Good Is of greater worth much more desirable As 1st When we Grieve more deeply for our want or losse of these then we do for our weakness or decay of Grace It 's a trouble to us that we have not some outward comfort we formerly had or at least hoped for and still
Can we expect that People should ever give over Separating from our Congregations how strict soever the provision made by the Laws be when having a great famine in their Souls and a thirst for the word of Knowledge they come amongst us and get none If there be any here that can account it nothing though the great and dreadfull God be provoked poor Souls be Everlastingly undone a Flourishing Nation laid desolate a Church well ordered as to the main miserably torne in pieces by Schismes a Ministry which hitherto God has Honoured by using it to the Converting and edifying of Souls laid aside as an useless instrument I know not what to say to them which I can hope will take the least hold of them they may go and follow their Pleasures â—ark and â—oil in the World to be Rich and great and in the mean while quite forget that it was any part of their duty to preserve saving Knowledge Only let me tell them this time may come when they shall too late find it was a duty when Judgements have pursued and overtaken them and Conscience is awakened out of its long sleep when outward afflictions press and pinch and Terrours of Death and Hell Affright and all Comfort and help from Creatures fails and the man knows not which way to turne him or what will become of him then they will wish they had Considered it sooner But for you My Brethren who have engaged in this great work following the inward call of God being fully perswaded in your hearts that by devoting your selves this way you might do God and his People best service let me speak a word to you and my self Let us make it appear that how hard conceits soever some have of us we have a sense of and regard to our duty as well as they while we faithfully discharge it Let us confute the prejudices which prevail much in the World against us as if we were a generation of men that might be best spared by being really usefull let us manage our business so that their Consciences may Justify us when their humours and Interests engage them most in the quarrell against us 1st Let us Labour to grow in Knowledge Reall Spirituall Experimentall Solid and usefull Knowledge let us faithfully set our selves to do Gods will and he will make us know it Get our hearts made more pure then our heads will be more clear Earnestly press after the Spirit of truth and Knowledge which is able to reveal unto us the hidden things of God and to lead us into all truth Let us study throughly our own hearts we need not read over the Whole impression and the Bible these we shall find the best Books out of which we may be sufficiently furnished with what ever is usefull Let us faithfully make use of our talents that God may encrease them 2ly Let us in holding out Knowledge be faithfull instant in season and out of season and wise also let us meddle little with disputable Points these take them generally come not near the heart of Religion they do small good a great deal of harm making People proud Talkative and quarrelsome Diverting them also from the main of Religion to impertinencies Deal gently with Conscientious dissenters they will not be won by being reproached and â—ttaunted by being rendred odious to those about them by Nicknames Railing against their mistakes will not confute them neither will it heal their Sores to be ever in handling them No it is Found by Experience that False opinions are sooner undermined then battered and the warm Sun causes the Traveller to lay aside that Cloak which the Blustering wind could never have forced from him Make vse of Knowledge rather than shew of it lest thou prejudice the more sober and understanding persons against thee by giving them too Just cause to believe that thou art studying more to gain applause then to do good Some while they affect to seem learned make themselves Ridiculous yea and nauseous too while they vomit up as it were amongst the People their crude Matters which if they had been throughly digested into strength of reason would have made the Consciences of People feel that they do understand themselves So while they seek credit they miss it and also oft times render weighty matter inefficacious by Intermixing Dilute stuff with it which Weakens the Force of it Let us thus set our selves to preserve Knowledge and Knowledge shall preserve yea advance us God himself will own us wipe away our reproach and secure our interest and every way bless us People shall owne us and readily hear us Chearfully submit to us in the Lord heartily bless God for us And we shall either see of the Travell of our Souls amongst them and be Satisfied or however we shall know that our Judgment is with the Lord and our work with our God though Israel be not gathered and great shall be our reward in Heaven Proverbs 3. 5. 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and leane not unto thine understanding In all thy wayes Acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths THis Book was writ by one of great naturall parts who had all imaginable advantages whereby to improve them to the height besides those Supernaturall Endowments of Knowledge and wisdom he begg'd of God and obtained It containes in it severall usefull directions learned and tryed by Experience for the ordering of ones wayes in the fear of God with discretion so as to decline the snares of this present life comfortably to wade through all its troubles profitably to make use of all the Occurrences of it so as daily to get ground of Corruption to grow in purity and Heavenly mindedness fear of Love to faith in God submission to him meekness and holiness of heart ingenuity and goodness towards men to provide for and make sure of peace Joy and Glory to the Soul unto all eternity In the begining of this Chapter he falls upon his instructions with a winning insinuating compellation a temper expressing much tender Love and serious care My Son He enforces them with very powerfull perswasions from the reall advantages they bring along with them If a long Comfortable and honourable life be of any worth the rules which point out the certain way to these are of weight But what are these In generall Two 1st Make Conscience of all thy ways and keep thine heart Continually in Exercise to find out what is thy duty in every particular case that thou mayest set about the serious practice of it Ver. 3. Know that mercy and truth goodness reality are the main things ye ought to addict your selves unto you must get your hearts purged your lives Reformed from all malice and guile filled and adorned with what ever is akin to tender Love and honest sincerity But how shall one know what is Duty and what will really promote mercy and truth in the heart and life This is wisely inquired for