Oh how sad a sight is it to see men making a Profession of Religion instead of adorning the same with a godly life disgracing it and denying the power thereof in their loose and carnal conversation Let such talk what they will of their Faith that they do believe in Jesus Christ and therefore doubt not their condition is as good as the best yet let them know that that Faith will not save them which brings not forth a godly life Though Faith alone justifies yet Faith which is alone not accompanied with good works doth not justifie nor save It is a dead Faith Jam. 2. 20. Wilt thou hope to live by that Faith which is dead Young men let it not content you to be only believing but be doing Christians be not professing only but be living Believers Hast thou Grace prove that thy Grace is true by this that thou hast not received the Grace of God in vain Let thy love prove thy Faith and thy labours of love prove thy love and the fruit of thy labours prove that thou hast not either believed or laboured in vain Be a Christian for action let Religion be not only thy Profession but thy business Let it not be the business of thy Sabbaths or of thy praying times but let it be the ordinary business of thy life let thy whole course evidence that Godliness is not an Airy or empty notion an insignificant and useless form or shew but that there is a spirit of life and power in it which worketh in thee mightily That thy actions and the way of thy life may be according to Godliness I shall give thee 1. Some general 2. Some particular Directions General Directions are these 1. Ingage thy self deeply in a design for Eternity Resolve for Heaven and the way that leads to it Be not longer a man for this world but for the Everlasting Kingdom and study out with plainness of heart what is the surest way to the blessedness to come and what ever thou findest it to be what ever Objections thou meetest with against it let that be thy way Studiously consider how thou mayst get into that way and contrive and cast about how thou mayst effectually make progress in it Godliness is the way to blessedness and therefore let that be thy great study how thou mayst live godly Till thou hast in good earnest taken up a godly design thou wilt never do any thing to purpose in it The most of men are so far from living a godly life that they have not yet designed any such thing Some good may be done at times by them but it is only as it falls in their way by accident rather than upon any serious good intent This God regards not at all nothing is acceptable to him no nor like to be profitable to us but what is done upon design upon this godly design When the series or course of our actions do as the several Links in a Chain all hang together and draw all one way then there 's like to be something done to purpose When there is only some little good scattered up and down here a Link of the Chain and there another but not joyned in a Chain together they will not help us on our way Let that therefore be your first care take up an heavenly design and therein let all your particular acts of Religion hang together 2. Let thy whole life be a prosecuting and serving thy godly design And that thou mayst the more effectually prosecute it and prosper in it 1. Let Faith and Love be the Root of thy life and the several actions of it 2. Let the Word and Will of God be the rule of thy actions 3. Let the glorifying and injoying God be the end of them 1. Let Faith and Love be the root of thy actions 1. Let Faith be the root of them 1 Tim. 1. 5. The end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned Heb. 11. 6. without Faith it is impossible to please God Our persons must be accepted first before our actions and neither the one nor the other will be accepted without Faith in Christ Heb. 11. 4. A godly life and a life of Faith are the same A life of Faith hath its Original from above is fetch'd down from Christ and is maintained and carried on by a continual supply of fresh influences from him without whom we can do nothing If thou wilt live godly thou must look to Christ and lean on Christ and go to Christ for all thy strength and motion A Christian is beholding to Christ for every good motion he moves for every Grace he hath and for every good duty he doth Carnal Professors are beholding only to their Books or their Teachers or their Acquaintance or their Parts their Understanding their Memories c. Nay it may be to their Flesh and their Lusts for all their Religion they would not pray as they do nor take such pains to hear as they do nor profess as they do did not their pride or their covetousness or their company prompt and press them to it But the Religion of a sincere Christian whatever advantage it may have from Books or Teachers or good Society yet it springs and rises all from Christ. That Faith which is their Root uniting them to Christ doth also as their root suck such spirits and sap and strength from Christ and convey it to their Souls that they are thereby furnished for and quickned to every good 〈◊〉 Let it be thus with thee O Soul let thy Faith iâ—… Christ be the root from whence all thy actions and 〈◊〉 strength for action comes 2. Let Love be the root of thy life Let thy duties be the works of Faith and labours of Love The love of Christ constraineth us 2 Cor. 5. 14. Christians love Christ both his Person and holy ways and thence 't is they follow him so fast They love to be holy and therefore follow Holiness they love to pray and love to hear and love to labour for Christ and to watch with Christ and walk with him and therefore 't is they live a Praying Hearing Labouring Watchful life Love quickens them to duty and love sweetens every duty Young Man thou wilt never bear through the hard services and great severities of a godly life thou wilt never â—…old out in that constant care labour watchfulness self-denial which Religion will put thee upon unless thy love to Christ do quicken thee on and sweeten all to thee Carnal Professors whatever they do they do all for fear or from force or fashion they would be bad enough or do little enough if they did dare if they were not afraid or ashamed or were it not from the influence of some things external upon them Though thou also must make use of fear and all manner of Arguments and helps to lead and press on thy backward heart yet see to it that thy love
to pass if thou shalt 〈◊〉 diligently unto the 〈◊〉 of the Lord thy God to observe and to do all his Commandments blessed shalt thou be in the City and blessed shalt thou be in the Field Blessed shall be thy Basket and thy Store The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy Storehouse and in all that thou puttest thine â—…and unto c. And saâ—…th our Saviour Matth. 6. 36. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you that is food and rayment yea wealth and all temporal blessings so far as they shall be good for you shall be freely cast upon you as an over-plus into the bargain 2. We find the Lord hath made good these promises to his people so far as hath been good for them whereof we have many instances in Scripture as in Abraham who was both a good man and a great man abounding with much wealth and riches The like we read of Isaac of Iacob and of Ioseph in Aegypt of Iob and others In all which grace and greatness sweetly met together As the Ark brought a blessing to the house of Obed-Edom so I may truly say Godliness brings a blessing to the house and person in whom it is Having the promise of all needful temporal good things here as of eternal happyness hereafter 1 Tim. 4 8. So that there can be no likelier way to thrive and prosper in the World than betimes to give up thy self to God and to consecrate thy youth and younger years to his service III. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked Psal. 37. 16. 1. For first Godly men have an heart given them from God to use and enjoy their estate whatever it is for their own good and the relief of others They have mercies and taste of them they have goods and do good with them whereas wicked men for the most part either have no heart at all to use their estates or else they spend them upon their â—…usts for which they shall full dearly answer at the great and dreadful day 2. What the godly have they enjoy with much comfort and contentment with much peace and quietness of mind and they find more sufficiency and fulness in their little than many rich wordlings do in their plenty and abundance For these though they have much yet they find no contentment nor satisfaction no quietness therein but much vexation of Spirit Whereas the righteous though they have but little yet they have a good and quiet conscience with it which is a continual feast yea they find a fulness therein so that they sit down abundantly satisfied and contented therewith For God puts a fulness into their little and makes it more satisfactory to his Children than greater abundance is to carnal worldly men Obj. 4. Should I hearken to your counsel I should thereby deprive my self of all joy and delight which is the very life of my life and lead a sad melancholly life For what doth more abridge men of pleasure and delight than walking in the ways of godliness Ans. 1. A godly life will not deprive thee of all joy and delight but only change thy rejoycing in evil for rejoycing in that which is good Whereas before thou rejoycedst in the pleasures of sin in rioting and revelling in chambering and wantonness now thou wilt rejoyce in the assurance of Gods Love and of thine own Salvation in the undoubted Testimony of his Grace and Favour towards thee which is indeed a blessed change of joy from carnal to spiritual from that which is vain and frothy unto that which is sound and solid 2. The godly sometimes by reason of their present affliction under which they lie may seem sorrowful yet are they always rejoycing as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowful yet always rejoycing And our blessed Saviour promised unto his Disciples and in them to all the faithful that he would give them such a permanent joy as no man should be able to take from them Joh. 16. 22. whereupon said David The Voice of rejoycing is in the Tabernacle of the Righteous Psal. 118. 15. 3. Though wicked men think and say that the godly lead sad melancholy lives yet certain it is that the ungodly when they are alone are generally melancholy Indeed when they are in Taverns and Alehouses with their vain Companions then they can laugh and sing but in their secret retirements none so dull and dampish as they yea through the checks and clamours of their guilty Consciences they are oft-times sorrowful in the very midst of laughter For wickedness is so far from producing peace and comfort that it is properly the cause of sorrow and discomfort Therefore saith the Prophet Isa. 5. 7. The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt and then no wonder that it follows There is no peace to the wicked it being the property of wickedness to be troublesome and vexatious so that little joy or comfort can be found in a vicious course of life whereas godliness brings great pleasure and contentment to the mind of a man which the Apostle implieth 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world The satisfaction which ariseth from the testimony of a mans own Conscience in the faithful discharge of his duty is very pleasant and delightful In which respect saith David Psal. 19. 11. In keeping thy Commandments there is great reward There is not only a reward hereafter to all such as sincerely indeavour to â—…eep the Commandments of the Lord but likewise a reward here in keeping them men finding a complaâ—… and delight therein being satisfied that they have in some measure performed their duty 4. There is no joy comparable to their joy who set themselves to serve God in truth and sincerity Such the Apostle Peter saith Rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. Therefore the Wise Man speaking in the commendation of godliness saith Her ways are ways of pleasantness Prov. 3 17. As if he had said Though worldly men do judge the ways of godliness to be sad and uncomfortable yet they do indeed yield great joy and pleasure to those who walk in them and therefore may well be termed ways of pleasantness For 1. In ways of godliness God doth communicate himself to the Soul and the Soul doth injoy sweet communion with God The Soul doth injoy as the influences of Gods Grace so the light of his Countenance which is as it were an Heaven upon Earth yea the greatest happiness poor Creatures can possibly attain unto 2. The ways of godliness are ways of pleasantness because the walking in them is pleasing and delightful unto God And a gracious heart must needs take great complacency and contentment in that which
credit and prosperity in the world Thou maist be and be happy without all this there 's many an honest poor man who hath lived comfortably and contentedly that hath scarce been worth a groat besides his labours and it may be hath scarcely had one friend in the world to relieve him But it 's necessary to keep thee out of Hell to keep thy soul out of the hands of the devil this is more necessary than to have a Being better thou hadst never been born than at last to be damned 2. It 's necessary to be converted that so thou maist live Thou diest without remedy thou diest without mercy if thou turn not Ezek. 18. 31 32 Why will ye die turn and live Intimating that it 's impossible but men must perish everlastingly if they turn uot Except ye repent ye shall all perish Luke 13. 3. Sinners will sometimes acknowledge and say 't would be well for me if I could mind my Soul 't would be well for me if I could repent of my sins If I could leave this Drunkenness or this Company-keeping or this Covetousness 't would be well for me if I could bring my heart to it to leave off this carnal course of life and give my self to Christianity and Godlyness 'T would be well for thee Why is that all â—…hou hast to say in so important a case How will it be with thee if thou repent not 'T would be well for thee dost thou say to turn to God Why man it 's necessary for thee a necessity is laid upon thee and wo be unto thee if thou turn not If thou wert in extream poverty and hadst no bread to eat no house to dwell in nor friend to relieve thee or if thine house were all on fire over thine head would such a cold or low expression suffice to set out thy case 'T would be well for me if I could get bread or a house or a friend to relieve me 't would do well for me if I could get out of mine house ere the fire devour me No thou wouldst then cry out of thy necessity of thy extremity I starve I am ready to perish for want I shall be burnt to ashes if I fly not out of my house Escape for thy life sinner thy soul starves it dies is like to burn for ever in the bottom of hell Oh its necessary for thee to get thee out of this fearful case why lingrest thou haste thee haste thee let the extremity of the danger and misery thy soul is in press thee to make a sudden escape thy case will not bear delayes flie for thy life flie unto Christ and live II. Thy commodity or profit perswades thee to turn to the Lord. Commodity is the great argument of the thristy World that puts them upon all their labours What will not men undertake and endure for their commodity This chooses their habitations builds their houses plants their Orchards this animates their Tradeâ—… and is the encouragement and reward of all their labours the profit that is expected to come in by them Why now sinner consider Godliness is the great profit It 's profitable to all things 1 Tim. 4. 8. There 's nothing truely profitable besides Sinners count that Godliness is good for nothing unless to make men proud and conceited Fools cry out with those Job 21. 15. What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him They count that this is the onely thing that stands in the way of their profit their great hindrance in the world they think they might get more and thrive better if it were not for this Godliness this Conscience hath been many a mans undoing How many a man is there that hath lost a good living because he would keep a good Conscience If it were not for this Conscience men might get not only by honesty but by fraud or by violence lying or false swearing might then bring them in many a penny but Conscience pares off all that gain But yet whatever Fools think Godliness is great gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. It is our onely profit Nothing can truely be counted our profit but that which is or contributes to our happiness Wilt thou call that thy profit which when thou hast it thou art like to be never the better for it neither the honester man nor the happier man Nothing can be accounted our happiness or conducing to it but that which either will abide by us or do us good when it is gone Holiness will abide by us and the exercises of Holiness will do us good when they are over and past In such times when through sickness and weakness or some other invincible hindrances we cannot pray or hear or labour in the work of our souls 't will then be a great comfort to us that we have prayed and heard and laid up against such a time of need when we had ability The fruits of praying will remain and the very remembrance of our faithfulness to God will be a comfort to us in our greatest weaknesses and distresses Sinners when their estates are gone their labours are done their pleasures are over then they will know whether these things be their happiness or no. This getting life this merry life which thou now blessest thy self in will not last alwayes with thee and when 't is gone then thou wilt see how wise a man thou wert in promising thy self happiness in such things as these where is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God shall take away his Soul Job 27. 8. Thy soul Man thy soul must be gone the time is at hand when God will take away thy sâ—…ul and lay it in the dark for ever and when that day comes where then will thy gains be What shall it profit a man to win the whole World and lose his own soul Matth. 16. 26. Young man what art thou for Art thou for profit Wilt thou study thy own commodity Wilt thou count that thy pâ—…ofit which will make thee the honester man and the happier man Wouldst thou get something to comfort thee when thou art old Wouldst thou be really happy Then go to God joyn thy self to him give thy self to him to be his servant for ever Get the Lord to be thy portion and then thou maist say Return to thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with me Psal. 116. 7. Wilt thou now Young man take these arguments and urge them home upon thy heart stand in the presence of God and in his fear reason thus with thy self Why should I not now become a sincere convert to God 1. Is there not a necessity laid upon me Must I not either turn or burn Is it not necessary for me to look to the salvation of my soul and is there any way for that but turning from my sin My flesh pretends necessity for my serving of it I must have bread I must have
end consider the excellency thereof Consider I say the excellency of grace it is the beam of the Divine Nature a spark and ray of glory which puts such an excellency upon a person that all others are vile persons in comparison of him A gracious soul is the rarest piece of all Gods workmanship of more worth than all the wealth and riches in the world Nothing so graceth a man as grace doth being the image of God in man whereby he becomes like unto his Creator which is the greatest excellency that can be conferred on a Creature It was this that made all Gods servants so famous in their generation It was not their wealth their parts or the like but their graces their faith their patience their zeal for God and the like These kept their names fresh when the names of wicked graceless wretches do rots and are perished Grace is aromatical it embalmes the living names of dead Saints whereupon a gracious person when he dies is said to carry a good conscience with him and to leave a good name behind him I grant that carnal men through their ignorance of the true worth of Saints being blind in spiritual matters have a low and mean esteem of them But could they look into their inward parts and discern their true worth they would acknowledge them all-glorious within more precious than fine gold I shall close this Direction with a word to those who have some comfortable evidence of the truth of grace in their hearts exhorting them that they content not themselves with any measure or degree of grace but labour and strive after perfection adding Grace to Grace and growing from one degree of Grace unto another till they be perfect men and women in Christ Jesus Though you ought to be contented with a competency of worldly wealth yet never talk of a competency of grace nor take up with any degree of it already obtained as if you had enough and needed no more St. Paul though he was content with a little of the world yet not with a little of grace he reached forward and pressed towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Phil. 3. 13 14. It was the Motto of Charles the fifth Plus ultra that is more yet or further yet And it ought to be every Christians Motto Go on to perfection To perswade you thereuno take these Arguments 1. Hereby you will gain a comfortable evidence of the truth of Grace in you For true grace hath this property that though it be weak yet it will grow and increase mightily as he that loveth silver is never satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase saith the Wise man Eccl. 5. 10. So he that hath true grace in him will never think he hath enough of it but will be ever desiring and endeavouring after more They who have once tasted of the sweetness of grace are not satisfied with a little the more they drink the more they thirst till they have drank their full draught in the Kingdome of God It may justly be doubted whether there be any truth of grace where there is not a desire and endeavor after an encrease therein It is an ill sign to sit down satisfied and rest contented with a little Sure thou hast none at all who art satisfied with that little grace thou thinkest thou hast 2. To stir you up to labour after a greater measure and higher degree of grace consider that after the work of grace hath been wrought in you there is a great deal more work to be wrought by you many lusts to be conquered much corruption to be subdued many temptations to be resisted many graces to be exercised several duties to be performed many of them hard and difficult to flesh many great things to be done and bitter things to be indured for Christ you may be called to the fiery trial and to suffer the loss of all that is dear unto you How can you imagine to go through all all these works with a small degree of grace and measure of strength 3. The stronger Christians you are the more helpful will you be unto others who are weak and infirm and consequently the more honourable for it is more honourable to give than to receive Therefore how doth it concern you to strive to increase your store that you may have by you to help the needy and be useful in your generations by instructing the ignorant resolving the doubtful comforting such as mourn reproving such as are scandalous converting such as are unconverted strengthning such as are weak in grace Oh what a Blessing might you be to all your relations yea to all with whom you do converse How should the ears that heard you bless you yea and bless God for you Iob. 9. 11. CHAP. IX Containeth Directions how to live a godly and gracious Life BEtake thy self to live a godly and gracious Life For thy help therein take these Directions I. Direction At thy first awaking in the morning lift up thine heart to God in a thankful acknowledgement of his mercy to thee the night pass in giving thee such quiet rest and sleep whereby thy body is refreshed and thou inabled for the duties of the day And beg of God that he would so assist thee with his Grace and Holy Spirit that all the thoughts of thy heart and words of thy mouth and works of thy hands the day following may be acceptable in his sight And in regard the Devil at thy first awaking is very watchful to take possession of thine heart by casting in some wicked worldly wanton thoughts it will be thy wisdom to prevent him by fixing thy heart on some spiritual subject as on God his Word or Works his Providence or Properties Good thoughts in the Morning will so season thine heart that thou shalt retain the favour of such a gracious beginning all the day after II. Direction to a godly life So soon as thou art ready before thou goest about the works of thy Calling withdraw thy self into some private place and there pour out thy Soul unto God by fervent and effectual prayer Be sure to open thine heart to God before thou open thy Shop to men This secret prayer we find commended by Christ himself Matth. 6. 6 When thou prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father that is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly And we find that what he commanded himself practised for Mark 1. 35. it is said In the Morning Christ went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed How careful the servants of God have been therein none will question who are acquainted with the Scriptures Besides all the Benefits of prayer in general secret prayer hath these 1. It will be some testimony of the sincerity of thine heart A man may joyn in Publick and Family-prayer meerly in
out of every Creature which they behold and every Providence that they meet with By which blessed Art of Heavenly Chymistry thou mayst both please thy fancy and profit thine own heart 2. In the midst of thy Worldly businesses and imployments often lift up thine heart to God in some short Ejaculatory Prayer as for his direction assistance and blessing on thy pains and endeavours so to keep thee from the pollutions and defilements of this World and that he would sanctifie every Dispensation of his Providence unto thee whereby thou wilt carry on the interest of thy Soul with the concernment of thine Estate These kind of Prayers thou mayst send up unto God at all times in all places and company yea whilest thou art conversing with others about worldly matters thou mayst by these converse with God and hold communion with him and that without any prejudice to thine outward businesses The Lord hath manifested his great approbation of these Ejaculatory Prayers by his gracious Answers and Returns thereunto How graciously did God answer that Ejaculatory Prayer of David against Achitophels Counsel by defeating the same and turning it into Foolishness 2 Sam. 15. 31. How graciously did God answer that ejaculatory Prayer of Nehemiah by enclining the heart of the King to send him to Ierusalem Neh. 2. 4 6 As also that ejaculatory Prayer of the penitent thief Lordre member me when thou comest into thy Kingdom whereupon Christ said unto him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luk. 23. 42 43. Yea that ejaculatory Apostraphe of Moses to God Exod. 5. 22. Wherefore hast thou so evil entreâ—…ted this people had it s gracious answer and return Chap. 6. 1. Then said the Lord now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh Ejaculatory Prayers though they are short and sudden yet pâ—…oceeding from the heart may be as fervent and prevalent as solemn Prayers And indeed these frequently used argue an heavenly mind and an holy familiarity with God But still beware that these short and occasional Prayers be not made to serve thee instead of and to shut out thy set and solemn duties These will be of use to help thee in thy fixed duties and may not excuse thee from them III. Direction To young men touching the manner of following their Callings Be just and honest in thy dealing with men avoiding as all guile and deceit so all subtile equivocations and mental reservations tending to the wronging thy Neighbour that thou maist be able to say with the Apostle Heb. 13. 18. I trust I have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly It is very observable how plentiful the Scripture is in pressing men to deal Justly and Honestly with all men even in Weights and Measures and that both in the Old and New Testament In the Old Testament saith the Lord to his People Levit. 19. 35 36. Iust Ballances and just Weights a just Epha and a just Hin shall you have The Epha was a dry Measure or a measure for dry things as our Bushel is And the Hin was a measure for liquid things as our Pottle-pots or Gallon Under these two names all other measures are comprehended which God requireth should be just and true without all falshood and deceit And Deut. 25. 13 14 15 16. Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers Weights of one kind he meaneth a great and a small Thou shalt not have in thy house divers Measures a great and a small one to buy with another to sell with or a greater to be shewn to the Magistrate or Officers when they come to view thâ—… weights and measures and a less to sell with And vers 15. But thou shalt have a perfect and a just weight a perfect and a just measure shalt thou have and vers 16. All that do such things and all that do unrighteously in what kind soever are an abomination to the Lord thy God In the New Testament the Apostles in their exhortations doe much press upon Gods people just and honest dealing one with another as Rom. 12. 17. Provide things honest in the sight of all men The word in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very emphatical and implyeth a forecasting care that they did nothing that was dishonest in the sight of men Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are of good report thinks on these things As if he had said Be sure you mind such things And 1 Thes. 4. 6. Let no man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such Theâ—… Apostle seemeth to anticipate the secure thoughts of the fraudulent promising themselves impunity telling them that the Lord is the avenger of all those who shall by any deceit defraud their Brethen Yet what abominable frauds and deceits are daily acted in matters of commerce and trading between neighbour and neighbour CHAP. XI Setteth forth several frauds and deceits too frequently acted in matters of Commerce and Trading between Neighbour and Neighbour with some general Rules for the preventing of them 1. HOw many do use all the art they can to make their Wares look better and fairer than indeed they are that so they may get more for their commodities than in truth they deserve which is one kind of deceit 2. How many by lying and equivocating do put off their â—…ad wares at the highest prices commending that for the best of the kind which they know to be stark naught and so sell their Consciences with their commodities for a very inconsiderable advantage Surely those are sad gains that make a man lose peace of Conscience and Heaven at last 3. How many are apt to work upon the unskilfulness and ignorance or the necessity of the buyer If they find him unskilful in the commodity he is buying how are they apt to work upon it and to demand an unreasonable price of him far above the worth of it Or if the buyer hath more than ordinary need of such a commodity how apt is the seller to take advantage of his urgent necessity making him to pay more for the same than it is really worth which is cruel injustice Or when poor people expose their Wares to sale which they have wrought up to buy Bread for themselves and Family How many are there who take advantage of their necessity offering them little more for the same than their goods cost them before they were wrought up which is an high degree of oppression forcing them to sell their tears sighs and groans with their wares because they are necessitated to part with them at such low rates Thus many sell their souls for the gaining a few pence and then bless themselves in their good bargain 'T is an evil rule which some men propose to themselves and take to be warrantable enough To buy as cheap and sell as dear as they can that is to wrong and over-reach if they
that is not in your ordinary communication But let your communication be Yea Yea Nay Nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil that is the Devil that evil one vers 37. This Vain swearing is a Vice which ill becometh any much more those who make a profession of Christianity for a Christians speech should be seasoned with Grace and not with prophane Oaths it should be savoury ministring Grace to the hearers and not unsavoury ministring nothing but sin or scandal Swearing in our ordinary discourse is an undoubted evidence of a prophane person who maketh no Conscience of any sin for what sin will he forbear who will not forbear this unprofitable sin of Swearing whereas other sins have their several baits and temptations to allure men thereunto some the bait of profit some of honour some of pleasure This sin of Swearing hath neither of them It brings no profit at all but great loss even the loss of Gods favour and the loss of a good Conscience Neither doth it yield any pleasure and delight unless a man should like the Devil himself take a hellish pleasure in acting sin and wickedness And what credit doth it procure unless amongst such debauched ones whose applause is a reproach Therefore I may with confidence affirm that he who maketh no Conscience of Swearing which hath no worldly advantage to induce thereunto will make less Conscience of other sins which have stronger temptations and feed the sinner with expectations of advantage from them O Young Man let me prevail with thee deeply to abhor and watch diligently against this wicked and most unreasonable practice Remember the account thou must make at the dreadful day An account must be given of every idle word much more of every vain and bloody Oath If they shall not escape unpunished who have spoken idly and vainly how fearful shall their condemnation be who in their ordinary discourse have most impiously and prophanely abused the Name of the most Great and holy God I know there are several vain excuses common in the mouths of men for this sin which if they be weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary will be found very light I. Some excuse themselves that they use only small and little Oaths as Faith and Troth forbearing great Oaths as to swear by the Name of God c. A. 1. Little Oaths are sins Our Saviour hath expresly forbidden all kind of Oaths saying Swear not at all Matth. 5. 34. Suppose that to swear by Faith and Troth be not so heynous a sin as to swear by the Name of God yet it is a sin seeing Christ himself hath forbidden and condemned it 2. Little Oaths are great sins God will not hold such guiltless To be held guilty before God notes two things 1. To be under a merit of everlasting wrath By thy little Oaths thou deservest the wrath of the great God 2. Guilt notes an obligation to wrath These Oaths are Bonds by which thou art bound over to the Judgment of the Great Day and when there it shall be demanded Guilty or not Guilty these only will prove thee guilty 3. Little Oaths are leading sins As he that accustometh himself to pilfer small things by the just Judgment of God will at length fall to steal greater things from a Pin to a Peny from a Peny to a Pound So he that accustometh himself to these smaller Oaths by the just Judgment of God will at length fall to swear most horrid and hellish Oaths and stick at none II. Some excuse themselves by saying they shall not be believed except they swear and second their words with an Oath A. Thou wilt rather be less believed for thine Oath Certainly every honest man will be jealous and suspitious of the truth of that mans words who hath seconded them with an Oath because he who maketh no Conscience of an Oath will make as little Conscience of a Lye he that maketh no Conscience of dishonouring God by taking his Name in vain will make little Conscience of deceiving his Neighbour by telling him a Lye III. Some alledge that Oaths are a Grace to their Speech A. 1. Iust such a Grace as a Blister or Carbuncle is to the Face 2. That Grace and Credit is dear bought that is gained by pawning their Souls to the Devil IV. Some excuse themselves by saying they utterly detest Swearing but they have so long accustomed themselves thereunto that they know not how to leave it A. In pleading long custom thou dost not at all excuse but the more accuse thy self For it is as if the Thief should plead at the Bar that he had been so long accustomed to pilfring and stealing that he could not now leave it Would the Judge take this excuse for good or rather the sooner condemn him as more justly deserving to be hanged If Custom will not excuse the Thief for his Stealing nor the Adulterer for his Whoring how shall it excuse the Swearer for his swearing For every sin by how much the more common and customable by so much the more heynous and detestable If once to swear vainly be a sin then is customary Swearing a crying sin and must needs incur the higher condemnation Know therefore 1. That an evil Custom is better broken than kept 2. Such an evil Custom as this though it be hard yet 't is necessary to be broken say not any more thou canst not leave it thou must leave it or die thou must break this custom or it will break thy back and undo thee for ever To help such as have long accustomed themselves to Swearing in their ordinary discourse I shall give them these few Directions 1. Believe thy present condition to be very sad and dangerous so long as thou livest in this sin What hope of Salvation canst thou have without true and unfeigned repentance 2. Keep a narrow warch over thy tongue that thou mayst not offend in this kind any more And if thou hast been so long accustomed to it that thou even despairest of leaving it off at once labour to leave it by degrees Resolve whatsoever occasion is offered to keep such a narrow watch over thy tongue that with the assistance of Gods Grace thou wilt not swear for the space of an whole day And when thou hast got so far the Victory over thy former evil custom then take a longer and a longer time and so at length by the assistance of Gods Grace thou wilt quite forget thine old and wicked custom 3. Break this old and wicked custom by taking up a new and better Accustom thy self to serious and savoury discourse let thy Speech be full of Grace and then it will be empty of Oaths 4. Seriously lay to heart those Iudgments that from time to time have been executed on Swearer which have been many and grievous Some dying with flaming heat in their mouths as though the Fire of Hell were there already kindled Otheâ—â—â—â—ing with swoln tongues and distorted mouths
examine thy self to search thy heart and try thy ways that thou mayst know the estate of thy Soul Dost thou this How seldom dost thou spend any pains this way It may be thou hast never done it nor so much as seriously put the question to thy self Whose Child am I or How may I know whether I be the Child of God or the Child of the Devil Thou knowest it is thy duty to watch to watch thine heart and watch thy tongue and watch against corruption and temptation Dost thou do it Thou knowest it is thy duty to sanctifie the Sabbath by forbearing thy Calling thy Recreations and Carnal Pleasures by spending the whole day in the publick and private exercises of Religion not allowing thy self in vain and impertinent talk or idle or worldly thoughts Dost thou so Thou knowest it is thy duty to do good to others to their Souls by exhorting or reproving them to their bodies by feeding or cloathing or otherwise relieving them Dost thou so Is there none of all this nor nothing else which thou allowest thy self in the neglect of If it be so how canst thou think thy self sincere O Young man if thou wouldst please God indeed and have evidence that thou art his resolve on Universal obedience and be ready to every good work Let not Conscience fly upon thee at last and tell thee one thing thou lackest one thing thou wouldst not do Be faithful study to know thy whole duty and rest not till thy heart be willing to follow the Lord in all things whatsoever he commands thee II. Live not in the practice of any known sin For 1. One sin is a Violation of Gods Law as well as many Jam. 2. 10 Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all A wilfull breach of one part of the Law makes thee guilty of the Violation of the whole Law The Law of God is a chain of holy precepts if one link of a chain is broken you may say the chain is broken 2. One sin allowed and delighted in is enough to keep thy soul out of Heaven As Adam by eating one forbidden fruit was cast out of Paradise So maist thou out of Heaven for but one sin that thou hast committed and not repented of 3. The living and delighting in one sin doth evidence a rotten and unsound heart As it is made in the Scripture a note of uprightness to make Conscience of every known sin So it is made a note of Hypocrisie to seem to make Conscience of the forbearance of some sins and yet to live and lye in the practice of others Hereby was Herods Hypocrisie discovered who though upon Iohn Baptists Preaching he reformed much and did many good things yet would not part with his beloved Horodias notwithstanding she was his Brothers Wife 4. One sin never goeth alone but is ever accompanied with more For it is the natural effect of sin especially being wittingly committed to make men apter to sâ—…n Rom. 6. 19 You have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity God in his just judgement oft-times as a punishment for some oâ—…e sin leaves men so to themselves that they break forth into the committing of others 5. For a man to live and lye impenitently in the practice of a known sin is the dreadfullest judgement in the World Better were it for a man to be given up to the Devil than to the power of one sinful Lust. The incestuous person was delivered up to Satan 1 Cor. 5. 5. but he was restored again and the better for it Whereas we seldome read or hear of any who were given up to the Lusts of their own hearts that ever recovered O Young man how doth it then concern thee to withstand every Lust not to indulge thy self in any sin but especially to keep thy self from thine own iniquity I mean thy natures darling sin to which thou art most propense by thy complexion and constitution and of all thy Lusts are lothest to leave Let not that bear rule in thee as formerly but bend thy greatest force against it As the King of Syria commanded his 32. Captains to fight principally against the King of Israel for full well he knew that the King being once slain the whole Army would soon be discomfited So if thy beloved sin that reigns and rules in thee were once subdued thy other sins would soon be vanquished What saist thou now O man wilt thou hearken to this counsel not to allow thy self in any one sin thou knowest to be so Hast thou hearkened to it Thou knowest it is a sin to lye and yet dost thou not lye Thou knowest that defrauding over-reaching defaming backbiting scoffing quarrelling thou knowest that these are all sins are there none of them which thou allowest in thy self Thou knowest 't is a sin unnecessarily to keep company with sinners to be the companion of Drunkards the companion of Swearers and the vile ones of the earth dost thou keep not only from the wayes but from the company of such Are they no company for thee who are no friends to Godliness Dost thou know thine owne iniquities thy special sins that have greatest power over thee and thou hast greatest pleasure in and dost thou keep thy self from these Is there not one Lust that thou wouldst have spared to thee God will not spare thee one sin the Scripture will not allow thee one and if thou wilt approve thy self to him let not thy Conscience allow thee what God allows thee not and let not thine heart love and entertain and practice it whether Conscience allow it or no. If thou wilt be upright keep thee from all but especially from thine own iniquity III. If thou hast been overtaken with any sin and thereby made a wound in thy Conscience seek an healing Plaister by sound Repentance and faith in the blood of Christ. Lie not secure in any known sin into which thou art fallen but rise speedily again make up every breach between God and thy soul betimes What the Apostle saith of wrath Ephes. 4. 26. the same may I say of other sins Let not the Sun go down upon them Do not presume to sleep one night in any sin unrepented of It is dangerous sleeping at the brink of hell Hast thou fallen into sin do not say it is but one or but a little one 'T is sin be it great or little one or more t is sin and that 's enough to destroy thee for ever unless thou repent Go speedily and make up the breach repent and seek thy pardon and thy peace But what shall I say to you O rude and wicked Young men whose whole life is a continued course of iniquity who have so black a cloud of witnesses to testifie against you who are so sunk and drown'd in Lust and sensuality whose hand is never out but is alwayes ingaged in one wickedness or other whose whole life hath been an
But O Young Men how many of you come far short of Aristippus though an Heathen Philosopher in this particular thinking it no disgrace to break the Peace but a disgrace to seek it Forgetting how Abraham humbled himself so far as to go to Lot for Peace and Reconciliation the Superiour to the Inferiour though the injury done was on Lot's part and not on Abraham's Surely whosoever will be the Children of Abraham must sollow the steps of their Father Abraham and though elder in years and greater in place yet go first to their Brothers for peace and reconciliation Yea herein we shall imitate God and thereby shew our selves the Children of our Heavenly Father who first seeks unto us who have grievously sinned and trespassed against him Alas if God had not began with us when should we have sought to him we should have stood out with him to all Eternity Now is it the honour of God to begin with us poor Creatures And is it not the honour of a Creature to begin reconciliation with his Fellow-creature 4. In a willingness to part with thy right for peace sake When men stand upon terms of extream right there peace is usually broken and contentions are ingendred The World may count this an Effeminate softness but it is the truest prudence I deny not but a man of a peaceable disposition may with a good Conscience seek to recover his own by Law provided that it be not for every small trifling matter and without all private revenge and inward hatred and after all amicable means and remedies have been used For the Law is to be used only as Physick for those diseases which cannot otherwise be cured 5. In a patient bearing the wrongs and injuries of others done unto thee Matth. 5. 19. saith our Saviour Resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on the right Cheek turn to him the other also c. which words are not to be understood simply and litterally but comparatively as if he had said Rather than revenge thy self by rising up against him that hath smitten thee on the right Cheek turn to him the other also that is be more ready to receive another wrong than retaliate the former raâ—…her than thou shouldst revenge thy self of a small injury be ready to receive a greater Neither is this exposition of our Saviour to be applied only to real blows to smiting by the hand but also by the tongue to the suffering of reproaches as if he had said If a man shall speak disgracefully and reproachfully of thee be so far from casting dirt in his face by reproaching and reviling him again as rather be ready to receive and bear greater reproaches and disgraces 6. In a willingness to forgive the wrongs and injuries of others offered unto us wherein we are like unto God in one of those Excellencies whereof himself glorieth For in Exod. 34. 7. where we have an enumeration of the Names of God wherein he glorieth this is one Forgiving iniquities transgressions and sins They therefore that forgive the wrongs and trespasses of others done unto them shew themselves like unto God in this his Excellency Besides our forgiving the trespasses of our Neighbours committed against us is made the condition of Gods forgiving of us Forgive and ye shall be forgiven Luk. 6. 37. And if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses A dreadful word to all such who are of implacable spirits who will revenge their wrongs but will not remit them Wouldst thou not be forgiven wouldst thou not that God should revenge upon thee the wrongs thou hast done him O tremble he will certainly do it he will not forgive thee unless thou forgive thy Brother Take heed what thou dost man retain not revenge no nor ill will in thine heart for 't is a vain thing to say I forgive whilest thou malignest in thy heart and retainest a grudge within thee Thou never forgivest till thou forget also so far forth as never to remember thy Brothers wronging of thee to his prejudice This is the forgiveness thou wouldst have from God that he remember thy sins no more And this is the forgiveness that God expects from thee to thy Brother and so he expects it that thou art at this point either forgive or thou shalt never be forgiven either forget thy Brothers trespasses or God will remember thine 7. In a readiness to do what good Offices of love and kindness we can unto those who have wronged us For which we have the Command of Christ Matth. 5. 44. But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them who hate you It is not sufficient to speak friendly and peaceably but we must shew our peaceable disposition by doing good unto those who have wronged us To requite good for good is civil courtesie to requite evil for evil is malicious policy to requite evil for good is hateful ingratitude but to requite good for evil is true Christian Charity which goeth beyond all the Heathenish love in the World This is a Lesson hard to flesh and blood but the more difficult it is to nature the more earnest should be our endeavour and the more comfortable will be our practice 8. In a forwardness to make peace between others who are at variance This is accounted by many worldly Politicians a thankless Office because they may incur the displeasure and lose the friendship of both Parties But what if thou shouldst lose the frendship of one or two men yet by doing thy duty to thy Neighbour thou shalt gain the favour of God which will abundantly recompence the loss of any mans Friendship Besides though it should prove a thankless work yet there is a blessing promised thereunto Mat. 5. 9. Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God that is they shall attain to this Priviledge and Prerogative to be the Children of God And saith the Apostle James 3. 18. The fruit of Righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace that is such as make peace between others do sow the seeds which afterwards will yield sheaves of comfort into their bosoms Yea by labouring to make peace they sow the seed of everlasting reward which afterwards they shall receive So that the glorious rewards which follow this duty do abundantly recompence the inconveniencies and mischiefs which sometimes accompany the same CHAP. XXVII Sheweth how to carry our selves towards others II. ANother Duty incumbent on thee which relateth to others is this Be affable and courteous unto all avoiding all morose and supercilious behaviour Religion requires Courtesie as well as Piety Good Manners together with Good Consciences Many Moral men who have no saving grace yet herein carry themselves like Christians What a shame is it then for Christians who have truth of Grace in them not to carry themselves like Moral Men This will exceedingly grace your carriage and make your
company welcom and acceptable unto all Yea it will win the hearts of all with whom you have to do and even knit them unto you Davids courteous carriage made all the servants of Saul to respect him Yea it is said All Israel and Judah loved him 1 Sam. 18. 16. On the other side Churlishness Bitterness Testiness and such other Vices which are contrary to this Vertue alienate mens minds from them yea and exasperate them against them But withal take notice that this courtesie and gentleness must neither make thee an Hypocrite and Dissembler nor over-familiar with thy Inferiours especially such as are in subjection under thee For Gods Image which all Superiours carry must be respected of them and accordingly must they carry themselves Nor yet must this make any over-remiss in reproving Offenders for so would this comely Vertue be turned into an hurtful and dangerous Vice indeed it serveth to sweeten reproofs that they may be better accepted Be courteous to all but beware of connivence much more of compliance with evil men in their sins Let not pretence of being courteous draw thee aside to be vicious III. Carry thy self humbly towards all men thinking better of others than of thy self The truth is that man who well knoweth himself knoweth more of himself of his own weakness and vileness than he can know of most others and therefore he may well have a meaner esteem of himself than of others especially such as are of his Rank and betwixt whom there is not too too palpable a difference If he have apparently better gifts than others yet his humble mind will make him think that others may have more true inward grace and sincerity because he knows more of the deceit of his own heart than he can of others This Vertue of Humility though it be primarily seated in the heart yet from thence it extendeth it self to a mans outward conversation and proves a most lovely and adorning Grace which doth adorn our Christian Profession and obtaineth favour both with God and Man whereas a proud haughty spirit is hated both of God and Man Solomon ranketh haughty eyes in the first place among such things as the Lord hateth and his Soul abhorreth Prov. 6. 17. As for man he naturally hateth pride in another though he love and like it in himself which is a great condemnation of the sin of pride But as for the humble and lowly-minded man he doth exceedingly gain the hearts and affections of others unto him Humility is so comely and graceful a Grace that it makes him who is decked therewith amiable and gracious in every mans eye Whereas none are more disdained than the proud none are better respected both by God and Man than the humble for it is abundance of Grace that makes men humble as it is abundance of Fruit that maketh Trees most bow God highly prizeth them and accordingly bestoweth his choicest graces on them Men usually lay up their richest Wines in the lowest Cellars and God lays up his choicest mercies in the lowest hearts Yea God himself delights to dwell in the humble Soul Isa. 57. 15. God hath but two Thrones the highest Heavens and the lowest hearts He overlooks the frame of Heaven and Earth to look on a poor humble heart Isa. 66. 1 2. not with a bare look of intuition but with a look of favour complacency and delight Though the Lord be the most high yet hath he respect to the lowly Psal. 38. 6. They are Gods Iewels in high esteem with him yea they are Gods Glory Isa. 4. 5. They give all glory to God and therefore God loves to exalt them to honour So that Humility is the readiest way to Honour Many make it the chief design and the main business of their lives to contrive how they may be great and honourable in the World and often it is that Honour flies from them as the shadow from him that pursues it But if they would study to be humble and so carry themselves towards all they would find that the speediest way to exaltation For saith Christ himself Mat. 23. 12. Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted even to honour here if God sees it good for him but howsoever to glory hereafter which is the highest and best preferment for Mat. 5. 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven True Humility stands in being low in our own eyes and being content to be low in the eyes of others Get this Heart humility and that will prevent those thoughts which would puff thee up in thy self and those lofty carriages which tend to set thee up in the World Let it be thy care to approve thy self in all good Conscience towards God and let him alone to take care of thy good name among men IV. Be as serviceable to others as thou canst As it was the meat and drink of our blessed Saviour to be doing good unto others So let it be thy meat and drink even thy chief delight to be doing all the good thou canst Let not any opportunity of doing good slip out of thy hands but as the Wise Man adviseth Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might that is whatsoever ability or opportunity of service God affordeth unto thee either in thy general or particular Calling improve it with all care and diligence endeavour with thy might to do all the good that possibly thou canst in thy Generation This we find was the mind of our Saviour for saith he Joh. 9. 4. I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day Now what was the work of Christ but to do all manner of good as any opportunity was offered whether by word or deed The phrase used by the Evangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to work the work is an Hebraism and implieth a thorow acting or doing of a thing a doing it heartily and that with all care and diligence Thus should we make it our chief care and endeavour yea the main and principal work of our lives to do all the good we can in the world accounting that the happiest time in which we can do the most good And surely it is the greatest honour we are capable of here to be any way serviceable to God and his people and that which will bring much peace and comfort to our Souls and Consciences Be not a man for thy self be a common good be willing to serve thy Generation Let it not be said of thee It had been as well for the World if this man had never been born CHAP. XXVIII Of Mercy towards such as are in misery which implieth both a compassionate heart and an helping hand V. BE merciful towards such as are in misery Luk. 6. 36. This mercifulness or mercy is such a compassion of the heart whereby a man is moved to help and succour others in their misery So
acknowledge the wrong he hath done If satisfaction cannot be made by Restitution then it must be by Humiliation 3. He must shew himself willing to restore whatsoever he hath unjustly and fraudulently gotten and promise satisfaction whensoever God shall inable him thereunto Q. What if the Party wronged be dead A. Then restitution ought to be made to his Executors ' or Administrators or Heirs and if they cannot be found then to the poor making them his Heirs and thereby thou wilt turn thy Debt into an Alms and in shewing thy self just do a work of Mercy What thou dost herein let it be done speedily As thy Repentance must be speedy without delay so must thy Restitution For what true Repentance can there be without Restitution Zacheus we read upon his Conversion made present Restitution Luk. 19. 8. knowing his Repentance without it was but counterfeit and vain It is not sufficient to purpose and promise Restitution but it must be presently done For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth thou mayst either be taken from thy riches or thy riches may be taken from thee and thou thereby be altogether disinabled to restore according to thy purpose Though for the present thou mayst please thy self with thine ill-gotten goods yet if ever thy Conscience be enlightened and made sensible of the evil of sin thou wilt find no quiet therein till thou hast made restitution Ill-gotten goods will be to thy Conscience as the Canaanites were to that good Land It is said the Land groaned till it had spewed them out So thy Conscience will travel with grief till it be delivered of thine ill-gotten goods Seneca tells us of a Philosopher at Athens who having bought a pair of Shooes upon trust and afterwards hearing that the Shoo-maker was dead flattered himself for a while with a conceit that the Money due for the Shooes was his own and that he should never be called upon for the same But his Conscience being afterwards awakened he was so terrified with the thought of his injustice that as one affrighted he ran with all speed to the mans Shop and finding the door shut he flung the Money in at the Window saying Though the good man be dead yet the Money is due from me If an Heathen made such conscience of restoring what was anothers and not his own how much more shouldst thou who art a Christian make Conscience of restoring whatsoever thou hast stoln or fraudulently gotten from another and doth not properly belong unto thee Obj. Happily thou wilt say I am willing to make restitution but unwilling to have the thing known because thereby my Credit and Reputation will be exceedingly blasted A. For the preservation of thy Reputation thou mayst make choice of some honest faithful friend who will deliver the Money or Goods and conceal thy name Be sure restitution be made one way or other of thine ill-gotten goods 1. Because otherwise they will prove a Moth to consume the rest of thine estate 2. It is the only way and means whereby thou canst make recompence and satisfaction for the wrong thou hast done unto thy Neighbour 3. Common Justice and Equity requireth restitution so far as thou art able Cicero and divers others amongst the Heathens by the Light of Nature acknowledged as much What a shame then must it needs be for Christians who have the light of the Gospel added to the light of Nature not to acknowledge and practise this necessary duty 4. This is the fruit worthy of repentance which we are commanded to bring forth Mat. 3. 8. And which will evidence the truth thereof Hereby Zacheus testified the truth of his repentance Luk. 19. 8. It is not thy confession unto God of the wrong done to thy Neighbour nor thy mourning and sorrowing for the same that will obtain the pardon of the sin without restitution so far as thou art able where that is wanting all thy sorrow and repentance will do thee little good This was the Judgment of S. Austin confirmed by all Divines to this day that Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatum No remission of sin without restitution of goods or money so far as the party is able Hast thou therefore O Young Man in the time of thine Apprenticeship been unfaithful to thy Master and stoln any thing from him or any other as thou expectest to find mercy from God and to obtain the pardon of thy sin resolve forth with to restore the same otherwise it will prove not only a Moth in thine estate but the ruine of thy Soul If thou part not speedily with thine ill-gotten goods thy Soul is like to go for them And what will it profit thee to save thy goods and lose thy Soul CHAP. XXX Sheweth the necessity of performing Relative Duties VII HAve special regard to the Duties thou owest to thy Relations wherein consisteth a great part of a Christians work If God hath blessed thee with a Family let thy care be that God may be honoured therein by a constant conscionable performance of holy and religious duties Relative Duties do more demonstrate Piety and true Godliness than General Duties The work of Grace in mens Conversations doth appear much in the Duties of their Relations If therefore thou profess Godliness manifest the truth and power of it in performing the Duties of thy Relations Whatsoever men may talk of Godliness except it appear in a conscionable discharge of the duties of their Relations all their talk and profession of Religion is 〈◊〉 no purpose Except a Servant be diligent and faithful to his Master a Child dutiful to his Parent a Wife loving and obedient to her Husband all their profession of Religion is in vain So unless Masters Parents and Husbands be careful and conscionable in the discharge of the duties of their Relations all their talk of Godliness is to no purpose Therefore O Young Man have special regard to thy Relative Duties if thou be not good therein thou art not good at all what shew of goodness soever thou makest A good man but a careless Master careless of the Souls of his Servants A good man but an harsh unkind Husband these cannot well stand together Men are really what they are relatively except thou art relatively good thou art not really good Be therefore exactly conscionable in the duties of thy Relations If thou beest a Master a Governour of a Family be just and merciful to thy servants careful for the saving of their Souls If thou beest an Husband be kind and loving to thy Wife let all thy Commands be in love then will they be more chearfully obeyed If thou beest a Father be careful in the education of thy Children bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord As God hath made them thy Children by Natural Generation do thou endeavour to make them his Children by a Religious Education Know that relative duties and graces do very much grace Religion Q. What are those