so troubled with distractions in holy duties 1. Because there is corruption in the best which clogs and shackies us in our best duties Remainders of sin will be hinderers of our close communion with God these dogs will be barking though their teeth be pulled out 2. Because Satan stands at our right â—and to withstand us when we appear beâ—â—re God and to disturb us in our worâ—â—ipping of him 3. To shew unto us our need of Jesus â—hrist to be our High Priest to bear the â—niquity of our holy things 4. To teach us that when we do seem â— be most dutiful yet even then we â—ave need to be most humble 5. To be a touchstone of our spirituality and growth in Grace The more spiâ—ituality we arrive at the fewer distraâ—tions in Gods service we shall meet with 6. To teach us to watch as well as pray to keep our hearts with all diligence Every Christian in duty must fight as well as work 7. To teach us not to make our selves the fountain of assistance and strength in holy duties 8. To make us strive to be more fervent in spirit in serving the Lord. When the flame arises the smoak decreases 9. To stir us up to delight in Gods service Our hearts will abide there wherâ— they do delight 10. To make us long after heaven that blessed state where no distraction are The remedies against them are of twâ— sorts by way of prevention by way of care 1. By way of prevention remembeâ— these three things 1. Holy retirement sometimes of body alwayes of mind Esau went in the field to meditate Enter into thy Closet saith our Saviour But in publicâ— there must be a retirement of spirit calâ— off thy heart from the world and from external objects It was a saying of Bernard it is not unusual for men of untamed fancies to be surrounded with multitudes when alone nor is it impossible for a man of a sound spirit to be alone among multitudes 2. Come to holy duties armed with â—ly resolution say with David Ps 71. â—6 I will go in the strength of the â—rd Resolve not to be taken off 3. Supplication There must come â—ower from above and prayer fetches in And in prayer against distractions â—earnest with God for 1. The sanctification of thy fancy and â—agination That grace that sanctifies â—r minds confines them grace sets â—r hearts upon the right object and â—kes them move orderly and regularâ— 2. Beg a fixed heart Psal 86.11 â—avid prays unite my heart make it â—e and he often speaks of this my â—art is fixed or prepared 3. The spirit of love The soul lives â—here it loves and causes an immoraâ—on on the object the more love to â—od the fewer distractions and the â—ore composedness of mind 4. The grace of holy fear In thy fear â—ill I worship saith David Psal 5. Pray to God to possess thy soul with an awâ— of his Glorious Majesty 5. Beg holy Zeal Let thy heart bâ— seething hot Flies use not to come â— the boiling pot Zealous Christian complain least of distractions 2. By way of Cure 1. Get indignation at the first rise â— them If they be injected by Satan throâ— out the fire-ball if thy heart haâ— been the mother to conceive and brinâ— them forth let it not be the nurse â— bring them up 2. Be humbled for them Gracioâ— souls cannot but be grieved at then but vain thoughts never trouble vaâ— men but walk humbly with God â— the sense how little thy heart is witâ— him 3. Exercise faith in Christ for tâ— pardon of them and power against them when thou art troubled with these fieâ— Serpents look to the brazen Serpeâ— Christ Jesus §. 16 â— brief consideration of that common distress of conscience arising from fear that a man hath sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost in three questions 1. Shewing what are the reasons why God suffers some to be exercised with this â—emptation 2. Who are they that are far from â—mmitting this sin 3. What are those Graces that are â—eservatives against this sin 1. Q. What are the reasons that God â—ffers some to be troubled with this tenâ—ation It is a thing of common observation â—mong those to whom distressed souls â—o open their maladies that they find â—any sore pressed with this tentation â—he reasons with submission to better â—udgements may be such as these 1. It many times ariseth from ignorance â—ant of right and sound information of the nature and ingredients of this sin Many poor Christians charge them selves with it before they understand what it is 2. Because they have not made â— right application of the word to theiâ— own hearts but have been censoriouâ— and uncharitable to others and noâ— they are forced by a Divine hand whether they will or no to make application to themselves and this is God carrosive to eat out uncharitableness 3. It may be they have been secuâ— and formal in Religion and neglecteâ— the duties of it against the conviction oâ— the Word and Conscience and abateâ— in their affections to God to the Ordinances to the Children of God Sin against light and back-sliding thougâ— in such and such a degree they do noâ— constitute this sin yet they look too likâ— it 4. It is to make others fear and takâ— more heed to their wayes When we seâ— God as it were letting our brotheâ— upon the rack this is to check our negligence to be a bridle to our looseness 5. It is to exercise the gifts and graces of others both Ministers and Christians to put them upon the exercise of prayer consolation pitty charity labour brotherly kindness and the like 6. They may be exercised with it to fit them for some eminent service and imployment as to make some open confession of the Faith or to make them experimental comforters of others with the comforts wherewith they themselves have been comforted of God or to prepare them for undergoing some heavy outward affliction which seems â—ight to those that have had a wounded spirit or to make them live a more strict and exemplary life or to possess some greater measure of spiritual joy or to â—ortifie them against the assaults of some beloved sin or to undergo some fierce conflict with Satan some or all these may be the condition of the party hereafter and God is now fitting and preparing them by this trouble for it They may think they have committed this sin by Gods leaving them to hearken to Satans perswasion They failed in believing God who spoke for their good and now they believe Satan who speaks for their ruine they did not hearken to the motions of Gods spirit for their consolation and now they hearken to the false reasonings of an unbelieving heart prompted by Satan for their vexation Satan was not formerly more diligent to draw them on to sin then he is now to keep them from comfort and their own perversness did not then make them further from instruction then
and Ecclesiastical body The Prince cannot say to the Subject he hath no mind of him nor the Subject to the Prince he hath no need of him for he is the Minister of God to us for good The like may be said of Ministers if they need our Temporals we need their Spirituals Know therefore that Superiours need the prayers of Inferiours because They resemble God more then others They have a greater charge lies upon them They have more tentations standing on higher ground They have more influence to do good they set the lesser wheels in motion They commit more faults and seldome sin alone They have more opportunities They must give a greater account at the last day The best assistance that can be given them by Inferiours is to pray that the special presence of God may be with them Let inferiours remember these things and it will keep them from envy murmuring ambition reviling c. §. 6. Of the Love of God A True Christian loves God no more with the world to boot then though he were all alone without the World It is God a Christian loves in the creature and he loves them for God as the Fisherman loves the fish for the pearle that is in it He that loves not God above all loves him not at all Joseph loves his Mistriss his Master and God but when his Mistris's love rose up against his Duty and love to his Master away he runs as he would have forsaken his Masters had it been contrary to God For a True Christian stands alwayes ready to forgo all for the love of God True love to God is sincere supream universal constant Our obedience to Christ is a sure ground of our love to him If you love me keep my Commandments Joh. 14.15 Or love to Christ is a sign We are beloved of Christ 1 Joh. 4.19 From Christs love to us spring all the blessings of time and eternity §. 7. A Dialogue between a Minister and a Christian Chr. Pray Sir which is the way to Heaven Min. Your ready way lies in the Ordinances which is the King of Heavens high-way Chr. Which are they Min. The Ordinances of God are 1. The Word both read by us and heard from Ministers The Duties here to be observed are before it Preparation at it Attention after it Practise 2. The Sacraments and seals of the Covenant which are 1. Baptism the type Circumcision the duties going before it Prayer following after the care of a new life 2. The Lords Supper the Type the Pass-over duties herein going before examination at it the use of faith to apprehend and apply Christ after it a tryal what benefit we have received an amendment of life a care to keep our Covenant with God 3. Prayer the Key of Heaven the type incense Duties before it are searching and emptying our hearts in it fervency of Spirit and Faith after it care to walk worthy of Mercy past present future Take the Spirit for your guide you cannot miss the way there be no turnings to the right hand or the left Follow your Leader doubt not By an unknown Authour §. 8. How to preserve Love among Christians 1. Avoid groundless suspitions and jealousies which will be the break-neck of true Charity 2. Keep down thy natural passions and in fighting with them be sure to watch the first rise of them and fight with that that thou knowest the strongest Passions are an unnatural heat that prey upon brotherly love and charity 3. Be courteous in thy salutations This draws out and strengthens love 4. Bear one anothers infirmities 5. Stand for thy Christian friends when they be spoken against 6. Pray for one another heartily 7. Visit the afflicted in their misery 8. Hold fast to the Truth 9. At some times part with that which is thy right Do nothing to make any hate thee suffer something to make them love thee 10. Interpret doubtfull things in the most charitable way 11. Take not all advantages for gaine or opportunities to rise and get preferment in the world be contented others should out-shine thee 12. Ever remember the three great supporters of love Humility which wins others Diligence which helps others â—â—d quietness which pleases others Be good with quietness do good with chearfulness and receive good with thankfulness This is the way to promote and increase love §. 9. The Spiritual Touch-stone Twelve Graces that distinguish a true Saint from a counterfeit one 1. Brokenness of heart for and from all sin 2. Mourning for other mens sins as Lot David Jeremy Ezra Nehemiah Paul did This is an argument of great sincerity for we never read any in Scripture did this but Godly men 3. The grace of self-denyal in the extent of it to be able to deny natural worldly religious self this is a grace none but a true Christian can attain to 4. To love God for himself not onely because he is our good but because he is the chief good not onely to make our Heaven our God buâ—â—o know and believe God himself is our heaven and happiness 5. To love a child of God because he is a child of God and the more eminent he is in grace the more to love him to love all the Godly as well as some to love their company and to take their reproofs kindly is the distinguishing character of a true Saint 6. To advance the Glory of God in thought word and deed and to rejoyce that Christ is magnified whatever becomes of us 7. To prize Jesus Christ for himself as well as his rewards to prize his Kingly and Propheticall as well as his Priestly Office to prize him above all things and at all times is a sure note of a child of God 8. Every branch in Christ bringeth forth fruit every true Saint is a growing and a fruitfull Saint A picture of a Child doth not grow but a living Child doth 9. A true Saint is heavenly-minded his thoughts his affections his hope joy desire his speech his conversation are all heavenly 10. A true Saint is careful to redeem his time Natural men make no conscience of idle thoughts idle words and idle time 11. He is known by the Uniformity and universality of his obedience to the will of God he hath respect to all Gods Commandments he is holy and honest A true Christian makes conscience to abstain from the sins of both Tables and to do the duties of both Tables that he may keep a conscience void of offence towards God and Man 12. Every true Saint hath a thankfull heart a thankfull tongue and a thankfull life §. 10. The seven last words of Christ The first was a word of mercy for his persecutors Luke 23.34 Father forgive them they know not what they do The second was a word of free-grace to the penitent thief Luke 23.43 This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise The third a word of care and affection for his dear Mother Joh. 19.26 27. Behold thy Son
Shechemites of Jacobâ— Sons These men are peaceable with us therefore let them dwell in the land Gen. 34.21 It is a question yet unresolved whether the persecutions oâ— enemies or the divisions of brethren have done the Church of God moâ— harm 4. Thou must walk charitably labour after a beneficialness in thy conversation to be profitable to men to bâ— publick spirited open handed to thâ— poor to be as Job was eyes to the blind to cloath the naked visit the sick defend the fatherless and widow This iâ— well pleasing to God these things arâ— good and profitable to men This is the way to adorn thy Conversation and to be a pattern of gooâ— works and without such things as these thy profession and religious performances will have no great lustre noâ— beauty 8. If God give thee prosperity and riches increase be not overjoyed with it Trust not in uncertain riches do not bless thy self in abundance as if thy happiness did stand in possessing or thou wert sure to have these things continued If we rejoyce exceedingly in the day of prosperity we shall grieve immoderately when the time of parting comes 9. Therefore prepare for adversity Thy Saviour hath commanded thee to take up thy Cross daily in preparation and expectation And Solomon hath told us We know not what a day may bring forth If adversity comes be not impatient murmur not against God if he cut short thy Estate but say with holy Job Shall I receive good things at Gods hand and not evil The Lord gives and the Lord takes blessed be his holy Name Job 1.21 c. 2.10 10. In Recreations which the necessity of Nature calls for and Religion doth not deny Look to thy self for it is easie stepping out of the use into the abuse of them See therefore 1. To the kind of them that they be lawful innocent and of good report as also that thy recreations be in offensive That which is in it self lawfuâ— may be in expedient Use no recreation that hath got an universal eviâ— report among Sober Godly Wise grave persons 2. To the time We should abridge ouâ— selves Recreations in times of Common Calamity to our Country or thâ— Church of God See also that it bâ— not on the Lords day which is to bâ— employed in Heavenly exercise Wâ— must not suffer them to thrust out Family duties or croud them up in â— narrow compass And finally seâ— that they take thee not off from the important works of thy Calling 3. To the place that it be not too publick and open to draw others to seâ— us who notwithstanding thy libertâ— may be offended or that it be not place of gusling and drinking where we may be drawn to excess 4. To thy Company that we sort our our selves as much as we can with Godly wise Christians 5. In the continuance of them Recreations as they should not be over frequent so they should not be over-long Make not thy by-work thy work Use them as sauce a little here is enough and enough may be too much and as the Proverb saith Too much of one thing is good for nothing 6. To the end of them which must be to refresh the outward man to benefit the inward man We must not play to play No man uses a whetstone but to put a keenness upon an Instrument Imitate the Primitive Christians of whom Tertullian gives this account We sit not down to eat till we have first prayed to God we eat so as to satisfie hunger we drink so as not to enflame lust we feast so as to remember we must go to prayer and come away as if we had been at â— watch rather then a feast 11. Be ready to every good work and constantly perform such holy dutie as God calls thee to and do not willingly omit them If God calls thee to hear his word and pray to him go to it that not out of form but out of a conscience of thy duty and a sense of thy wants get some time every day foâ— Meditation of Gods Word and Works and if thou art so barren thou canst noâ— find matter meditate of thy barrenness and humble thy soul for it 12. And now in the Evening take â— view of the former particulars and examine all how thou hast prayed how thou hast performed the works of thy Calling what hath come into thy thoughts what hath gone out of thy mouth how thou dost find thy self in prosperity and adversity how it hath been with thee at home and abroad alone and in company in recreations and in religious duties And herein deal faithfully with thy own soul If thou hast upon due enquiry into thy self found that thou hast kept this order in some good manner give God the praise and Glory If thou be conscious to thy self of any disorder blame and shame thy self beg pardon of God fly to the merits of Christ renew thy resolutions to walk with more watchfulness And as thou didst rise with God in the morning so close the day with him making thy peace with him that thou mayst rest in the arms of thy beloved and have good hope thou shalt go to heaven if thou should'st dye before the morning Objections against this daily order in our Conversation Obj. 1. O but saith the flesh this is more then needs more then God requires Ans But go and learn what that means to love the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength and then thou wilt not say it is more then needs except thou thinkest there is no need to please God Obj. 2. But this will spoil all mirth to observe this order Ans It is nothing so these Rules observed will keep from nothing that is lawful delightful profitable thou mayest eat drink buy sell keep company recreate thy self onely it teaches thee to do these things without sin If there be no mirth but in sin then the Devil is the merriest creature in the world for he doth nothing but sin Obj. 3. But it is impossible to do this alwayes and this makes Religion a bondage Ans The love of God makes his Commandments not to be grievous when we first enter on it it seems harsh and hard not that it is so but it seems so because we have used our selves to so much liberty as a new garment is strait at the first putting on but after a little wearing it is easie Do not say Christs yoke is heavy and strait when he saith it is easie If God give thee a new heart thou wilt never complain of the difficulty of a new life The encouragements to observe this Order are these five 1. This will keep out many sins that overtake us for want of it The resolving against sin in the morning and prayer to God to strengthen that resolution are excellent helps to keep us from sin 2. It will preserve us from many troubles and sorrows which it doth by
Commandment of the Lord but you do not so Is not Gods servicâ— contemned by you Do not you looâ— upon it as a disgrace to be Religious When do you hear Gods word or wheâ— doth God hear from you in prayer Anâ— not all dayes alike with you even thaâ— holy time God hath chosen for himself is it not many times more vainly and wickedly spent then the week day What are your Consciences but graves wherein you have buried all the good principles you had in your education Are not your bodies the sinks of lust and the epitome of Diseases Youâ— estates so wasted in the service of thâ— Devil that they are become but a meaâ— skeleton Your breath is become morâ— infectious then the steam of a Sepulcher who more bitter against Godliness then you Who more ready to shake hands with the wicked then youâ— Who more ashamed of their Godly Ancestours then you are Do not many â—f you think their strictness and circumâ—pect walking a crime and for fear least you should be involved in it you think â—hat you have no way to clear your selves but by doing the quite contrary And now Sirs do you think to scape I tell you in the name of God except you repent your condition will be doubly miserable 1. In this life the judgements of God will overtake you Deut. 32.20 They â—e Children in whom is no faith saith God in the 23 I will heap mischief â—pon â—â—em I will spend mine arrows upon them What a fatal deluge befel those Sons of God and of the Church that corrupted themselves and fell from God Gen. 7.8 What a dreadful curse befel degenerate Cham in Noahs family How heavy was Gods hand upon Ishmael and Esau the time would fail to let off the sad ends wicked children of Godly Parents have come to to speak of Nadab and Abihu Hophni and Phineas Absolom the Sons of good Samuel of Jehoram the Son of good Jehoshaphat of the Children of Josiah of theâ— posterity of the seven Asian Churches O you degenerate ones read these examples and tremble at them 2. But most miserable will you be iâ— the day of judgement Mat. 8.13 Wheâ— the Children of the Kingdom shall be casâ— into utter darkness There shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth that day will be a sad day to two sorts of persons to wicked Parents and Rebellious Children when Christ shall say to a Child who taughâ—â—ou to swear drink c. and they shall say Lord I had a Father and Mother did nâ— more for me then beasts do for their young I never was taught any thing was good â— was never warned against sin I knew little of thee and Christ except it were how to abuse and prophane thy Name O the misery of those Parents But oâ— the other side when Christ shall say tâ— another who taught you to take sucâ— courses and do such things and the Parents shall say Lord this our Son â—ur Daughter were Children of Belial we warned them night and day with tears we were gentle to them and exhorted them as fathers should do their their Children we corrected them we â—rayed for them we entreated others to â—ray for them we wept over them Lord thou knowest the sighs and tears the heart-breakings we had from them but they would not hear O the misery of â—hat Child and of all such Children Now let me add but a little Counsel to you which if followed will do you much good 1. Engage your hearts to God give up your selves to him Avouch the Lord to be your God and resolve to be his Servants then you will easily answer those many temptations that will come a suiâ—oring for your hearts and be very importunate with you Satan is Gods rival in suing for the heart the world and the flesh are his Pandors Now Oâ— young man engage thy heart to God and then thou mayest say I am not mine own I have bestowed my affections already and I like my choice too well to change 2. Do not think your selves too wise to learn and too good to be taught which is the sin of most young people It is your great wisdome to hearken to instruction Prov. 12.15 He that hearkneth to counsel is wise Prov. 13.1 A wise Son hears his Fathers instruction There is no greater folly in young people ahen to think themselves wise enough already It is reckoned in Sacred Scripture great impiety not to hear instruction and there is a curse promised against those that like the deaf Addeâ— stop their ears and will not hearken to Parents Ministers Godly wise friends Whom do you despise but God himself Ezek. 3.7 You find it the brand of Reprobates 1 Sam. 2.25 Eli hiâ— â—ons hearkned not to the voice of their father because the Lord would slay them 2 Ch. 25.16 The Prophet tells Aâ—aziah that his not hearkning to counsel was an argument God had determined to destroy him I have read a story of Bernard who had a younger brother that was a Souldier and led a wicked life his brother used many wayes to reclaim him but he slighted all Well saith he to him Brother the time may come that God may let my â—ords into your heart by a hole in the side not long after this gallant was wounded in his side then his Brothers words came to his mind with great astonishment You that have faithfull Parents Masters Friends that advice and counsel you take heed of shutting it out of your ears and hearts least God let it in with a witness afterwards I would intreat young persons to study that place Eph. 6.1 2. It is the first Commandment that hath a promise with it and there is a four-fold cord to bind to the performance of it 1. It is just and equal this is right 2. That it is the first Command thaâ— which leads to all the rest he or shâ— that keeps this will keep the other hâ— or she that breaks this is in danger oâ— breaking all the other 2 Tim. 3.1 3. It is a Command with a promisâ— to allure them to it and that of a temporal blessing and that blessing whicâ— every one desires long life And 4. The Apostle in Col. 3.20 adds one more this is well-pleasing tâ— the Lord and who is there that woulâ— not please him O remember how iâ— all other things you are willing to bâ— instructed What Schollar is not willing to learn of his teacher the Tongueâ— and Arts What Servant is not willing to learn his trade and to be instructed and bind himself seven eight nine years to learn an Art or Mystery that he may live by hereafter And are youâ— souls nothing to you Are you so wise for saving them you need no help 3. Though you are in strength and health likely to live many years yet remember all you Young ones that you must dye and come to judgement It is Solomons counsel Eccles 11.9 There are in Goigotha skulls of all sizes