Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	christian_n	true_a	zion_n	16	3	8.6000	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46526	Compunction or pricking of heart with the time, meanes, nature, necessity, and order of it, and of conversion; with motives, directions, signes, and means of cure of the wounded in heart, with other consequent or concomitant duties, especially self-deniall, all of them gathered from the text, Acts 2.37. and fitted, preached, and applied to his hearers at Dantzick in Pruse-land, in ann. 1641. and partly 1642. Being the sum of 80. sermons. With a post-script concerning these times, and the sutableness of this text and argument to the same, and to the calling of the Jews. By R.J. doctor of divinity.	R. J.	1648 (1648)	Wing J27; ESTC R213600	381,196	433

joyn thereunto 1 Religious Fasting as it will give an edge to thy prayer so the afflicting of thy body if it be done without superstition will help well to the afflicting and humbling of thy soul and heart for so fasting is called And wee know that the hearts of Gods people have been wonderfully softned at such times as Judg. 20.26 1 Sam. 7.6 So David I humbled my self with fasting Psalm 35.13 and 69.10 2 Watchfulness especially against worldly cares and distractions 2 Watchfulnesse watch and pray Watch against all the former Lets named but especially against all worldly cares take heed of a heart busied with the world and earthly thoughts Distractions from the world keep the heart from minding such things as might affect it with godly sorrow as a man hastily and suddenly smitten whiles hee mindes his business is less sensible at least for the present of pain and grief from the hurt Simil. then hee would be in the apprehension of it beforehand and for the present when especially he cannot avoid or divert the blow And as a man forgets his pain when a friend talks with him which is the reason why such as are sick and sorrowfull for the loss of friends are comforted by company as having their thoughts and mindes by conference taken off in good part from thinking of their sorrow and why on the night time and in solitariness men are more sensible of their sickness and sorrow as in their other senses of hearing c. seeing all sense is from the soul Alex. Probl. l. 1. Prob. 118. it is the soul which sees which hears which feels and which accordingly being distracted with many objects is the less sensible in each So by like reason if the soul and thoughts be taken up with wordly cares and distracted therewith it can less be afflicted with such things as otherwise by gods blessing would prick and wound it To which end in our prayer and● meditation wee are to retire our selves In which regard it will help wel when we would meditate and pray to retire and withdraw our selves from company into some solitary place which we are also taught both by precept and practice of Christ himself His precept wee have Matth. 6.6 so Psam 4.4 Commune with your hearts upon your bed His practice Mark 1.35 So Peter went up to the top of the house to pray Acts 10.9 So Jeremiah's soul did weep in secret chap. 13.17 And of these Jews and Converts it was foretold they should mourn every family apart the husband apart and the wife apart Zech. 12.12 Retiredness both of place and thoughts is fittest to work our hearts unto goldly sorrow SECT 7. A reproof of the secure with an Exhortation and Caveat Conclusion of the Directions NOw for conclusion of these Directions It were good and it is needfull that such as have heard or now read the same would well consider with themselves whether they have in any measure followed or yet so much as do resolve to follow the same or to take any pains with their hearts hereabout Where 1 A triall and reproof of such as yet remain secure and sensless 1 It is to be suspected that many continue still secure careless and slothfull and do still go on in their old courses as inconsiderately as ever without a right knowledge of the power of Gods anger and are as stout-hearted partiall and self-loving both flattering themselves and as desirous to be flattered by time-serving and false Prophets and as much hardened against the true and faithfull servants of God by unbelief as ever And that they are still sensuall and worldly and remain still senseless without fear of being hardened either by great sins which lay waste the conscience or by giving way to smaller sins against conscience or by custome of sinning or yet by and in Gods secret vengeance giving them up to this heavie and dismal judgement of an hard impenitent heart neither afraid of it as the worst of Gods judgements on earth and as the first and irrecoverable entrance into hell nor praying against it nor carefull to avoid evill company and examples and such other things and sins in speciall which are the procurers of it whilest they still make as light of sin of reproof of the word and of Gods threatnings as ever before all of them signes of an hard and dedolent heart especially considering how little they care for hearing of such teachers as would most help them in this work of conviction pricking and wounding their conscience or for calling to minde Gods word and such truths as have come neer them or for applying it to themselves And as for their sins Originall or Actuall they are far from raking into that dunghill from questioning or yet loathing themselves for the same from keeping an account or catalogue of their sins either for number or foulness or aggravation of the same never weighing or pondering with themselves how thereby they draw upon themselves the heavie weight of Gods vengeance And as little do they make use of Gods severe judgements and corrections whether on themselves past present or threatned and in expectation as of death hell and the last generall judgement or on others either private Christians in their sorrows and true mourners in Sion or whole Churches of Christ or of the sorrows of Christ for them or of the unparalleld love of Christ so dying for them and of other the mercies yea and high majestie of God against whom without all ingenuity or fear they daily trespass And as for the exercise of prayer accompanied with fasting and watchfulnesse it s a duty they are wholly strangers unto they are without sense of their wants they have no true desire of this so needfull a work of humiliation they can spend no serious thoughts thereon nor time being so taken up with their delights vain pleasures worldly cares and imployments Now what may a man think of such men This their little care and study after true compunction this their disaffection to the means thereof is an apparant signe of their unsensibleness and securitie and consequently that all the evils and miseries mentioned formerly lie heavie upon them as that they are still in their natural and damned condition dead in and by sin in Satans possession farre from the first step to repentance and salvation and that they come short of very reprobates Pharaoh Felix Saul Cain and Judas and under certain expectation of eternal wrath seeing their sin will have sorrow if not here yet undoubtedly hereafter even such as made the eternal Son of God crie out on the Crosse as he did for a time and which they must suffer and undergo eternally without end or ease 2 An exhortation and a caveat to take heed that repentant sorrow be not swallowed up of Ah then dear Sirs ye that yet cannot say or give any good proofe that your hearts are or have been pricked for your

see the glory of that calling 2. To magnifie the preaching of the word 3 To prefer Christs spiritual presence in the word and Sacraments and are hence taught all of us first To magnifie the preaching yea also the faithfull Preachers of the Gospel though they be men like to our selves and of like infirmities as instruments of Gods power in the conversion and saving of soules as also secondly not curiously to wish or dreame of Christs bodily presence either by conversiing on earth againe as do the Chiliasts or to thinke he cannot be effectually present in the Sacrament unlesse corporally either by Transubstantiation or Consubstantiation No his spirituall presence both in Word and Sacrament by his blessing is more profitable to us c. 2 Cor. 5.16 SECT 3. Why mens conversion is often so long delayed Question 2. Why doth God often defer the conversion of men Quest WHy doth God so long deferre the conversion of his Elect and suffer them to go on so long in sinne before they come to faith and true repentance Answer 1. For his own glory Answ I answer This he doth first for his own glory For the glory 1. Of his power first of his power in so easily subduing the obstinacy of mans will which hath so long hardened it selfe in sinne which will appear wonderfully in the conversion of the Jewes And so he sheweth it is only in his will not in mans will that men are converted otherwise it is most likely that these converts in my text should have repented when Christ preached to them himselfe Secondly of his Freedome and to shew his Spirit is not tied to persons 2 Freedom nor times but like the wind blows and workes freely when and how it listeth Joh. 3 8. Thirdly and especially of his mercy 3 Patience his long-suffering and patience which is more resplendent in and toward such See 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Rom. 11.30 31 32. Answer 2. For their humiliation 2 God thus often doth for the deeper humiliation of such Converts as 1 Tim. 1.15 16 17. And that they might have their mouthes for ever stopped See Rom. 3.19 20 c. 25. Vse 1 Vse 1. It refutes the conceit of such as think it in their power to repent when they will To refute mens practice And to confute the opinion of such as thinke men may accept or reject grace at their pleasure who accordingly deferre repentance upon presumption that at more couvenient time they will convert and return to God Yea it confutes the opinion of such as think the power to accept or reject grace is in themselves Indeed I may say the power to reject grace is in them when God leaves them to themselves as often as he doth leave these presumers otherwise not as in these Jewes But I cannot say that to accept of grace is in mans power till God work it effectually in him though even then for the subject it be man that doth accept of it onely the power yea and will nay the deed and work is from God and his effectuall grace No means prove effectuall or availeable till Gods appointed time doe come no not the preaching of Christ himself why else were these why we no sooner converted why are not the Jewes to this day as yet converted and many of us who have lived long under the means not at all Vse 2 2. This yet teacheth us not to despair of any sinners conversion in this life To despair of no mans conversion here on earth God suffers many long yea some till the very last as the Thiefe on the Crosse and then and not till then shewes them mercy seeking or intending his own glory by that means Thus we doubt not neither question the conversion of the Jewes in Gods fit time we have his promise and he can and will in his own time graffe them in again Rom. 11.23 And we conclude the like concerning such particular persons among our selves as he within himself purposeth to call though we have it not made known unto us who they are therefore we will despaire of none while they live Vse 3 Not to neglect the present time 3. It may yet excite all not to neglect Gods time so farre as we know it or any opportunity of hearing the word by which God converts There is greatest likelihood of conversion where the word is preached for now in the time of the Gospel is the accepted time and day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 Other times God may winke at as he pleaseth Act 17.30 but now he commandeth all men every where to repent Know we then our time which is the present and leave we the rest to God Let us take the first next or rather the present opportunity step we in when and so soon as we see the waters troubled John 5.4 which being but at a certain season let us not lose the opportunity seeing there is much time in a little opportunity Luk. 19.42 34. Oh that we would but know then the time of our visitation which many or most of the Jewes did not know though these here in my text did Oh that young men would know that their best and fittest time now that they enjoy the Gospel is the time of their youth Eccles 12.1 That such as have lost so much time of the Gospel and of their age would now at length know the time Rom. 13.11.12 that now it is hight time for them to awake out of sleep The night is far spent the day is at hand said Paul to the Romans but I may say to many Christians among us The day is far spent with them and the night is at hand the night of the Gospells removall from us or at least of death Verse 13. Let us therefore cast off the workes of darknesse and put on the Lord Jesus Christ Luk. 19.13 Revel 1.1 23. Pro 1.14.10 28 Let us know also that there is a time when God will shew no mercy when he will leave men in their hardnesse In a word a period of his patience when no prayers will be heard Vse 4 4 If any have been late commers in as these here who neglected Christs preaching a long time For late commers in 2 Cor. 7.11 Acts 2.41 42 45. let us learne with the Corinthians to be more zealous and of these here likewise who continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and conversed devoutly and charitably together selling their possessions and goods parting them to others in the zeale of their love as every man had need To redeeme their time by greater zeale Let us think how much time we have lost how long we have done service to our lusts and to Satan how far we are cast behinde others how much holy knowledge and good experience we might have gained if our time had been better spent how much glory we might have brought to God and withall how

Saviour Mat. 18.6 Who so shall offend one of these little ones which beleeve in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea CHAP. XXII An Exhortation to men of all sorts to get this mournfull disposition of soul for sin LAstly A Second use of exhortation to all that we labour after a sorrowfull disposition of soul for sin in our selves as a thing 1. Necessary 2. Seasonable and befitting 1. The times 2. The persons 1. Of Kings and great ones 2 Chron. 37.27 Why to conclude all Be we again exhorted all of us to be so far from condemning this mournful disposition in others that we rather conceive it needfull and necessary for our selves seeing mourn we must for sin either here savingly if we willingly undertake it and frame our hearts to it or hereafter eternally and hellishly as hath been said And it is a disposition not only such as befits the times it being the time of Jacobs trouble and of the Churches miseries in many parts of the world but all sorts and conditions of men and women 1. Kings and great ones who are tenderly brought up may seem if any most of all exempt yet behold David a King watering his couch with his teares King Hezekiah turning to the wall and weeping but above all King Josiah humbling himself rending his clothes and weeping before the Lord Why Though to other men they be as gods yet to God whom by their sin they offend they are but men and it is the great God they are to deal withall and who will deal with them as well as with others seeing he is no respecter of persons It s no shame but the honour of the best and greatest on earth to humble and abase themselves before the great and dreadfull God Who should not be ashamed to humble themselves But I am sure it shall be pride and matter of shame in meaner men not to do it when such great and godly Kings as have been named have not been ashamed so to do 2. Rich men if they be as yet unhumbled are called on to weep and howl 2. Rich men their danger being so great and their salvation so difficult by being told what else in the end will befall them Jam. 5.1 2 c. 3. And poor men should strive to be also poor in spirit 3. Poor men their outward poverty and wants inviting them thereunto as we see in the Prodigall whose poverty and wants though deeper matters be implied humbled him and sent him home unto God his Father 4. Young men should begin betimes 4. Young men and so by godly sorrow prepare themselves to do God long and cheerfull service they should make use of and maintain that naturall tenderness which is in them least by time and continuance in sin they grow more sencelesse and hard-hearted 5. And older men though perhaps lesse disposed to weep 5. Old men yet have the greater cause by reason of their long continuance in sin and as being in all probability nearer either heaven or if they have not formerly mourned hell and the everlasting torments thereof which cannot otherwise be prevented but by timely sorrow here on earth 6. Nay it concerns us all generally whatsoever our relations are on earth 6. All generally whether considered 1. As men Jam. 4.9.10 who by St. James are called on to be afflicted and mourn and weep Let your laughter your carnall rejoycing saith he be turned to mourning let it be the matter of your sorrow that you have so carnally rejoyced and your joy to heaviness Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God c. It becomes us all thus to do Are we men since sin came into the world the world it self is but a vale of teares whose condition is to be here on earth as in a vale of misery a house of mourning and mortality and surely mad mirth and laughter doth not become it or us being as men banished into a strange land from heaven the place of joy But are we Christians are we members of Christ 2. As Christians that we may Phil. 3.10 be conformable to Christ Then weeping and mourning will well become and befit us that we may be conformable to him our Head in his death and sufferings here as we hope be like him in glory hereafter 2 Tim. 2.11 12. This is a faithfull saying If we be dead with him we shall also live with him If we suffer with him we shall also raign with him saith the Apostle and suffer with him Matth. 26.37 38. Now his sufferings were for our sins when his soul was exceeding sorrowfull even to the death and he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares Heb. 5.7 Now though his sorrows and sufferings being alone satisfactory were to ease and free us from everlasting sorrows yet sorrow we must not by way of satisfaction but of sympathie not by way of satisfaction but of sympathy and so far only as by tasting the bitterness of our own sin we may not only so far suffer with him but feel and expresse the more joy and thankfulnesse to him who drunke the very dregs of that cup of trembling and of wrath which we should have been made to swallow down as shall the damned who now by not sorrowing in time lose the benefit of Christs death and sufferings but whereof we who are now touched and pricked in heart for our sins do only sip and taste a little Moe lets of godly sorrow with their remedies barely named You have heard of Le ts to this godly sorrow which I endeavoured to remove and to which I do refer some moe might here be added such as are from the suggestions of Satan telling us such an austere course is a needless strictness from distractions occasioned by other men and other businesses from our selves and from that naturall indisposition unto duties of this nature and from a love of pleasures and lothnesse to bid vain pleasures adieu unto all which must be opposed watchfulnesse prayer good consideration of the straitnesse of the way and gate of life and the necessity of the duty The sweet content and true pleasure which is in these waies of God when sensuall men can find no pleasure no not in things otherwise necessary naturall and lawfull unlesse there be sin in them and some tang of the forbidden fruit and leaven of corruption Whereas there is no such pleasure as to overcome pleasure no such delight in the acting of sin as pleasure in resisting the temptation thereunto c. But we may seem to have said enough already of such things Conclusion exhorting to get soft hearts Therefore let us as we love our soules shew care to make good use of the things we have heard and known aboue all things labouring in the use of the meanes abovesaid to get

Christ himself God-man in and by the order of that most absolutely perfect form and frame of prayer which he left as a pattern to his Church according to which all our desires and wills should be regulated and bounded in all things That petition which more directly and immediatly concerns God in his glory is premised and set in the first place for order and eminencie In which Gods glory is to be respected first and last as the rule measure and square of all the rest First Hallowed be thy name Yea that respect of Gods glory bounds and shuts in all the former Petitions all which are by us no otherwise to be made nor will by God be otherwise accepted then as they are referred to the same end seeing therewith in the end of our prayers we are to conclude yea and to bind God by urging him with respect to his own glory saying For thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen By which Attestation of our faith and desire we confirm that we beg nothing but so far as may stand with Gods glory yea that God thereby may be glorified A double end of man 1. Gods glory 2. His own salvation And wheras the chief end of man and of all his desires and indeavours is or ought to be in the first place and most principally and universally the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 and secondarily his own and others eternall good happiness and salvation which before all earthly things he is to desire Matth. 6.33 See ye first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof The Lord teacheth us so much This last subordinate to the first by making our own and others spirituall and eternall good to be desired in the next and second place directing us to say and pray after the other Thy kingdome come whereby we pray that we and others may be of or belong to Gods Kingdom to raign with him in this life by grace and after in glory for evermore Now though this be mans chief end in regard of himself yet in regard of the former which is the glory of God the hallowing and sanctifying of his name it is secondary and subordinate For so Gods eternall decree hath made it Ephes 1.5 6. which is shewed God hath predestinated us to be adopted through Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good pleasure of his will But to what end to the praise of the glory of his grace Yea and contrariwise in the reprobation and damnation of the wicked Rom. 9.17 Even for this same purpose saith God unto Pharaoh have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth And Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evill Not that he is author of his wickednesse but that he according to his eternall purpose permits him through his own impiety to oppresse such as are good reserving him to the day of wrath and punishment that he might shew in him his power and justice by which his name is glorified Job 21.30 2 Thes 1.6 7 8 9 10. The like reason in the generall and in respect to Gods glory is to be considered in such as everlastingly perish be they young or old though they be not so apparantly wicked as the four last petitions are to the four first as those named and intimated So that as the other four petitions in the Lords prayer and our desires of such things whether 1. the purchasing of good 1. Spiritual as the third 2. Temporall as the fourth Or 2. the removall of evill 1. Past and committed the pardon of sin Or 2. such as may hereafter be admitted by the temptation of the Divell should be subordinated to these two ends named Gods glory and our own and others eternall good and glory So the second of these is and ought to be subordinate to the first and not simply and absolutely sought but with like subordination to the first at least with submission thereunto as also to Gods will we being taught in the next Petition in case we be denied the former to say not only Hallowed be thy name but Thy will be done From this ground we infer that we are so far to deny our selves in our own if need were and in others salvation as to subordinate all unto Gods glory and just will Two Inferences hence 1. For others dear unto us and with relation to our love and respect to them whether dead or dying or as yet living 1. Concerning the salvation of others I know first that divers good Christians both can and doe so far submit to Gods will in the death or dying condition of their nearest and dearest friends and tender young children and others brothers sisters parents and associates whether wives or husbands as to rest therein 1. Dead or dying being dear and near to us and in our doubts of their salvation and be content to be denied the comfort of them on earth Only troubled they are and know not what to say or thinke or how to comfort themselves through doubt of their eternall salvation and good estate with God after this life If they could be satisfied herein they would take up and moderate their sorrows and not so excessively mourn as David by some is thought upon this ground to have mourned for the death of Absolom But what can we be content in the one to submit and deny our selves We are howsoever to rest in Gods will and in this that God glorifieth himself in them whether they die apparantly in their sins and not if need be in the other Is not God alike just and holy in both and doth he not in the one as well as in the other seek his own glory and the hallowing of his Name and should not we likewise so do I know it cannot nay ought not but be a cause of very great sorrow to any godly soul to see such as otherwise in naturall respects they love dearly to die apparantly in their sins in the act as well as habite thereof without shewing any signs of remorse or repentance Yet in such case we must in due season moderate and put limits to our sorrow yea and thoughts and so far deny our selves as without grudging gainsaying reasoning against God or replying and questioning his justice holiness and soveraignty lay the hand upon the mouth silence our own thoughts as well as words and rest in his most holy will suffering him to glorifie himself which way soever he please whether it be by the way of mercy or justice will and soveraignty ever mindfull of that He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth where we are not to reply or dispute against God And dashing such in the teeth as are ready to lay all blame on him from off themselves

lost nothing in him thou hast all he to thee is in stead of all I am sure such a one is and will be Christ unto us if once we make him ours 3 In all our Wants And as in our losses so in our wants on earth all which are supplyed unto us from Christ and his fulnesse so that with one Attalus we may oppose the name Christian to all things else and with him say whilest others brag of their wealth honour friends c. But I am a Christian and with Paul in want I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content c. I can do all things both be full and hungry abound and suffer need through Christ which strengtheneth me Phil. 4.11 12 13. 4 In Death Yea and as in life so in death we by denying our selves may and should seek to be gainers by gaining him as Paul Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ and to die is gain Christ takes away the sting of death and of most terrible makes it desirable and changeth the condition of it so that one in Christ may desire with Paul to depart and to be with Christ and having once truly by faith seen Christ with Simeon say Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Luke 2.29 30. In which regard death when especially we are called to suffer it for his Names sake should be no death to us so that by it we may more fully and immediately enjoy Christ and in death truly say 1 Cor. 15.18 1 Thes 4.16 as Peter of old and one Lambert of later times None but Christ Nothing but Christ For blessed are they that die in the Lord nay blessed are they being dead from henceforth saith the Spirit that they may nest from their labours and their works do follow them 5 After death where our gain is Glory Revel 14.13 Then our gain is glory and an eternall retribution then do wee enter into our Masters joy which like a sea is so great that it cannot enter into us Who need now fear who can but deny himself for such a Christ And if thus we can once truly conceive of Christ as these young converts in my Text began to do It will be no hard matter to us to deny our selves for him SECT 13. Shewing we are Thirdly to deny our selves in other things for the eternall good of our souls 3 Our souls are to be thought more precious then the whole world NOw in the third place Next after Gods glory and Christ our own Souls compared with all things of this life would be thought on and respected as more excellent then them all which all of them even the whole world it self must be denyed and lightly esteemed and accounted of in comparison of it which is to be denyed for it The world and things of it being unworthy that the soul should either be hazarded for them All things of this life are nothing to it for worth and price seeing Christs blood and not the world or ought in it could redeem it 1 Pet. 1.18 19. And therefore it should not either be hazarded or so much as imployed seriously about the things of this world and life which are not worth a mans labour Prov. 23.4 or that especially the soul being a spirituall and immortall substance should be made a drudge to earth or seek any happinesse from things mortall and momentany Man and the powers of his soul are made and redeemed by Christ as for other ends even for God and his glory who made man for himself and not for the world to love follow seek and serve it so for higher objects and that is himself too that the end of his labours might be the fruition of God himself in glory and of his own eternall happinesse in God or that either the noble faculties of it should be much imployed about worldly things as the Vnderstanding Memory How unworthy a thing then is it how dissonant and disproportionable that the faculties of the soul should be seriously imployed about the world or the best things in it that either the understanding and thoughts and so mans head should plot or be filled with cares of this life Luke 12.22 or that the memory should be so burthened that with the thought thereof a mans heart taketh not rest in the night Eccles 2.23 Or that the Conscience should be defiled therewith Conscience yea galled and secretly nipped in the guiltinesse of goods ill gotten and not by right or of our precious time mis-spent about earthly things with neglect of better Will Or that the Will of man whose object should be God should so absolutely and so resolutely propend and lean to such things 1 Tim. 6.9 Or that his Affections of Love Affections Desire and Delight should be so intensive towards and in the same 1 Tim. 6.10 Psal 4.6 Or or yet our Labour All which being rightly imployed would bring us to better things that the Heart should be set thereon Psal 62.10 Or lastly that a mans labour should so much be imployed about them Psal 127.2 when especially the things of this life so impensively sought and the Soul cannot both be enjoyed or had together each requiring the soul especially the whole man Matth. 6.24 33. 1 John 2.15 16 17. with Jam. 4.4 Yea and considering that the noble powers of mans soul being rightly imployed and mans labour and pains wisely ordered would with much lesse adoe bring him to much better riches honours happiness even to true wisdom and saving knowledge to righteousnesse joy in the holy Ghost and at length to eternall life and salvation Why then should we so over-value the world and under-value our precious souls as not to deny our selves in all things of this world rather then either mis-imploy our chief care or hazard the life of our souls for the gaining of the world This was the care of these self-denying Converts and should be ours who should ever oppose the excellency and preciousness of our souls against all worldly allurements temptations and offers which the world can make us But of our care of it I have spoken but lately SECT 14. Shewing Fourthly that the publick good of others of Church and Common-wealth is to be preferred before our own 4 The publick good of Church Common-wealth and publick persons is to be preferred before all private respects all which are to be denyed for the other FOurthly and lastly We are much to propose unto our selves the publick good of others especially of the true Church of God on earth which should of us in our thoughts and affections be preferred above our chief joy Psal 137.6 in respect to which all the enemies of it and of Gods people should be basely accounted of though otherwise and in other respects and references neer and deer unto us yea and prayed against as there ver 7. Nay our