to cure you 4. Poverty So great is the Poverty you are fallen under by sin and so low are you brought by it that all the Creatures on Earth are not able no nor all the Angels in Heaven to raise you or set you up again nothing less than the Riches of Heaven and Treasures of a Deity can and Christ onely has them who became poor for our sakes that we through his poverty might be rich and therefore to 2 Cor. 8. 9. Rev. 3. 18. him you must go that you may be enriched by him Of other Riches the promise is conditional onely but of these it is absolute but then you must come and buy them and you need not Isa 55. 1. fear for it is a buying without Money all the price is a will to accept them 5. Nakedness Tamar when deflowred rent 2 Sam. 13 18 19. her Virgin Robe and sin by defiling the Soul rent off the beautiful Garment that Virgin Robe of Innocency with which it was cloath'd but Christ is not onely Armour for defence against weakness an Ornament for Beauty against Deformity but a Vesture for covering against Nakedness and therefore you must by Faith put him on if you would be cloathed with Salvation not for Rom. 13. ult an out-side Garment of Profession onely or in shew but in reality not as a covering for sin but for Righteousness in Justification and for Holiness in Sanctification as a defence against the guilt and power of it that your nakedness may not be uncovered nor your shame seen Your own Righteousness like the curtail'd Clothes of David's 2 Sam. 10. 4 5. Ambassadors sent to Comfort Hanun is imperfect scanty and too short to do it Christ's Righteousness onely can and without it you can never obtain the Blessing Gen. 27. 15 27. for as you came Spiritually naked into the World so if you go out so you will be covered Dan. 12. 2. with everlasting shame Onely this you must remember that though Christs Righteousness is a Garment large enough to cover you yet the Rags of Nature must be pull'd off before that Robe will come on for it will come upon none but a naked Soul 6. Bondage A cruel Bondage worse than that of the Israelites in Egypt for it is to Sin and the Devil the worst of Tyrants and without the least degree of Ease or Liberty He in the Gospel that was Mark 5. 3 4. Luke 4. 13. possessed could break all Chains asunder but those of the Devil and from other Bondage you may be able to redeem your self but from this you cannot either by your self or others but by Christ onely the Angel of Redemption 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. and great Redeemer that paid the price of your Ransom You are not free-born but made so and by none but by him John 8. 36. and therefore you must by Faith go unto him that you may be so if he make you free you shall be free indeed but unless he do you must be a Slave for ever Other Slaves after their Service have Freedom or by Death obtain it but they that die in this are so for ever their Chains are Jude 6. everlasting You must be either a King to Rev. 5. 10. God or Slave to the Devil 7. Death Sin 's sickness was to Death but Christ the Heavenly Physician came down to raise the dead in sin to life again you were kill'd in the first Adam and may be made alive in the second but not untill by Faith you receive him for he that hath not the Son of God hath 1 John 5. 12. not life It is the life of Heaven in you that will bring you to that Heavenly Life and therefore without this Life of Grace you can have no sure hope of the Life of Glory the Title to that is by Christ and the Title to Christ is by this so that unless here you are Spiritually alive by him you John 3. 3. cannot hereafter live with him All that dye in sin are buried in Hell 8. Wrath. Not the wrath of Men no not of the greatest of them nor of Devils but of God a wrath that cannot be withstood for it Psal 90. 11. is irresistible nor endured for it is intolerable it cannot be comprehended much less endur'd nor either avoided or appeased but by Christ who came to deliver from it and to be as a shadow 1 Thes 1. 10. 5. 9. Cant. 2. 3. from the scorching heat of it There is no way to Mercy but by deliverance from wrath nor any way to that but by laying hold on Mercy nor any way to Quarendus est Deus in Pradicamento relationis Mercy but by Christ for God is the Father of Mercy as he is the Father of Christ and therefore Luke 3. 7. if you would flee from this wrath you must flee to Christ who appeas'd it and brank that bitter Cup off to the bottom that you might never taste of it Mat. 26. 39. Nothing but his Blood could quench that flame of wrath 3. Duty when recovered out of Misery All Priviledges whether Temporal or Spiritual Civil or Religious oblige to Duty in themselves they are engagements to it and should be so to all that are Interested in them Spiritual Priviledges are of all the highest and most obliging they are given to engage to Duty they afford the best means and advantages to it they aggravate sin and become a Curse instead of a Blessing where they are not effectual to it for as Mercy abounds so sin against Mercy abounds also A change in state calls for a Nova vita novos mores postulat change in Life and a new condition requires a new conversation If then you are cleansed by the Blood of Christ from all sin keep your self pure and unspotted from James 1. ult sin and the world If the Enmity betwixt God and Eph. 2. 16. you upon the account of sin is slain by Christ be subject to Rom. 8. 7. his Laws and live as one reconciled to him that all your Services Prov. 15. 8. may be accepted by him He that will not accept a gift Mat. 5. 23 24. of one at enmity with his Brother will much less accept it from any at enmity with himself If you are called out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. Eph. 5. 8. shew forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness by walking as a Child of light If through his poverty you are 2 Cor. 8 9. 1 Tim. 6. 18. Prov. 14. 21. made rich be rich in good works and have mercy on the poor If you are released from your spiritual Bondage stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free and be not intangled again with the Yoke of Bondage Gal. 5. 1. to sin and the lusts of Men. If by Faith you have received Christ
not be perswaded nor gathered to him but reject and contemn him and take Counsel against him They bid him stand off and depart they deâ—ire Job 21. 14. not the knowledge of his ways abuse his Ambassadors Acts 26. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 26. Psal 139. 21. Job 8. 44. that are sent to treat of Peace and List themselves under the Command of Gods utter Enemy the Devil and rise up in Arms â—nd open Rebellion against him When God is for Peace they â—re for War 2. On Gods part Who as he is a just Enemy so â—ver an Enemy to all impenitent â—inners He is strange to them â—eeps at a distance and withâ—raws from them knows them afar off and is Angry Isa 57. 17. Ps 138. 6. Psal 7. 11. Ps 18. 26. Isa 1. 11. 59. 2. Psal 5. 5. 11. 5. Psal 146. 9. Psal 1. ult 2 Cor. 5. 19. Prov. 15. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with them Curses their Blessings rejects their Services and counts them an Abomination hates them and walks contrary to them has a Controversie with them Proclaims his Hos 5. 6. Jer. 25. 31. 1 Pet. 5. 5. Displeasure against them and reâ—sts them in open Battel array turns their way upside-down and causes it to perish They are Outlaw'd Enemies God had no Friends among Men untill he made Friends out of Enemies He was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself 3. Darkness Adam at first was made a Son of Light the Candle of the Prov. 20. 27. Monstrum ingens cui lumen ademptum Eph. 4. 18. Lord was put into him but affecting the Tree of Knowledge above that of Life he brought Darkness upon himself and all his Posterity All that are brought out of this state are Light in the Lord they Eph. 5. 8. were blind but now they see John 9. 25. but they that are not are Darkness Rev. 16. 10. in the Devil the Prince of Darkness whose Kingdom is full of Darkness they are not onely dim of sight but stark blind Children of Darkness doing the works of Darkness which lead to Eternal Darkness 4. Poverty Adam at first was the Rich Heir Rev. 3. 17. of the World and Lord possessor of all but by sin he became a Bankrupt and then Justice seized on him as the Creditor on his Debtor and turn'd him the unjust Minimè natus at maximè dilectus Possessor out of all he was not the first-born yet had a double Portion but by losing all at one cast he fell into decay and became the first-born of the Poor Isa 14. 30. He was undone and all his Posterity had been ruin'd with him had not Christ the Jewel of the Imperial Crown been parted with to discharge the Debt All that are brought out of this Rev. 3. 18. state are Rich and have all things but they that are not are indigent Beggars without substance Isa 40. 20. or true Riches having no Oblation to offer unto God nor any thing of their own to satisfie that double Debt which they owe viz. of Obedience as Creatures and of Satisfaction as Sinners 5. Nakedness Adam at first was arrayed with Ezek. 16. 7. Rev. 3. 17. the resplendent Robe of Righteousness he wanted neither external nor internal Ornaments but sin the Mother of shame defiled them both and the Devil as a Conquerour with his Captive in War stript him of all those Ornaments and left him naked All that are brought out of this state are clothed with the Robes of Christs Righteousness Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed Mat. 6. 29. like one of these but they that are not are in the Raggs of Nature filthy Raggs which as filthy defile and as Raggs cannot hide nor cover the shame of Rev. 3. 18. their Nakedness Sin left us and Christ found us as the Man in the Gospel Naked and out of our Wits 6. Bondage Adam at first had perfect freedom Acts 8. 23. and was in bondage to none but Sin brought him and all his Gal. 4. 4. Posterity into it a Yoak that neither he their Father was nor they his Children are able to bear All that are brought out of this state are made Free by Christ John 12. 31. the Devil is cast out and Rules not as a King though sometimes he may as a Tyrant but they that are not are Slaves not onely near to Slavery but actually in it they may say with the Jews that they were never in Bondage to any but they are and that in Soul and Body too The Moralist says if the great ones of the World were divested of their Robes it would plainly appear what Slaves they were but all both great and small high and low with all their outward Ornaments are Slaves they were so before they came out of the Prison of the Womb and greater when out of it than when there to Sin and the Devil 1. To Sin Not onely Pride but every sin else as a Chain compasses them Psal 73. 6. about for they are in the Bond of Iniquity sold under it and Bond-servants to it So many Lusts so many Masters and every one give contrary Commands 2. To the Devil John 14. 30. Acts 26. 18. Eph. 2. 2. 2 Cor. 4. 4. 2 Tim 2. ult He is the strong Man and Prince of this World that has Snares by which he takes them Captive and a Power by which he Rules over them as a Tyrant over his Vassals from whom he exacts Tribute as a Master over his Servants who are under his Command as a Conquerour over his Captives who are led by him at his will and as a Father over his Children from whom he expects Obedience they are not onely Children of the Devil but 1 John 3. 10. Slaves to him They are his by possession though Gods by right 7. Death Adam at first was alive but when the Devil the first-born of Death as Prince of Death and first Condemn'd to it devour'd Job 18. 13. 38. 17. his strength the Gates of Death viz. present and certain Death Temporal on his Body and Spiritual on his Soul were opened to him and but a step there was Rom. 5. 12. betwixt him and Eternal Death All that are brought out of this Gal. 2. 20. Eph. 2. 1. Rom. 6. 11. Ma. 8. 22. Rom. 7. 9. Rev. 3. 1. state are alive in Christ alive by him and alive to him but they that are not are dead not onely sick weak or diseased but dead They may be indeed alive as to their own Opinion so Paul for a time was and in the Opinion of others so the Church of Sardis was and may be alive as to sinful works living in them and to them but this their Life is their Death for it is not a Physical Death which is a loss of the Faculties but a Moral one which is a loss of the goodness of them Sin cast Adam and
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVORDS To give to the Young-man KNOWLEDG AND DISCRETION OR The Law of Kindness in the Tongue of a Father to his Son By Francis Fuller M. A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox audita perit Litera scripta manet Prov. 13. 1. A wise Son heareth his Father's Instruction London Printed by J. P. for Obed Smith Bookseller in Daventry in Northamptonshire 1685. To my SON Dear Son A Little while since we parted with our Dear Sam never to see each other more until the glorious Day of the Resurrection Those smart Expressions that frequently drop'd from him beyond any that I ever yet knew of his Age were no small joy to me while he liv'd in hope that he might have been eminently useful when grown up to Years and shapen'd by Education and will make him live to me tho dead without carrying any of his Ashes about me as Iphicrates did of his dead Son to perpetuate his Memory I hope you will not easily forget him who was as you usually said so lovely in your Eye and so much beloved by you much less his latter end there was that in it worthy of your remembrance and least of all your own Death so much confirm'd by his he came last into the World but is first gone out as of the two Disciples that ran to the Sepulchre the youngest came there first but the other followed after him I made an Epistle Dedicatory long before he died that contained something relating to you both but should I publish it it might appear as great a mistake in the excess to dedicate an Epistle to two Sons when but one is living as that of Apollonius was in the defect when he saluted Decimus by the name of Quintus and to my self an act of Cruelty Mezentius-like thus to tye the Living to the Dead therefore have resolved not to do it The time of my Continuance in this World cannot be long yours may be longer but it is best not to think so and therefore do all the good you can These following Directions are given in order to it and may if diligently observ'd assist you in it I would not be as a Mercury's Statue to direct only and not move nor as the Crab in the Fable that advis'd her young ones to go forward whilst she her self went backward therefore desire to carry them about me with Antoninus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Title things for my self and to be a Practicer of what to you I am an Instructer that I may say to you as Gideon to his Souldiers Look on me and do likewise and hope that will reach Indè pasco undè pascor Inde tibi appono undè ego nivo your Heart that comes from the Heart of Bath December 8. 1682. Your Affectionate Father Francis Fuller TO Mr. Thomas Scroop Mrs. Mary Mr. Anthony Wood. Mrs. Joan Mr. Richard Ridley Mrs. Sarah Mr. Michael Pope Mrs. Martha Mr. John Dudelstone Mrs. Susanna Mr. John Wickham Mrs. Esther Mr. William Whitehead Mrs. Mary Mr. Henry Gibbes Mrs. Elizabeth Mr. Godfrey Vanettern Mrs. Abigail Mr. Thomas Edwards Mrs. Jane Mr. Samuel Tyson Mrs. Mary Mr. Alexander Dolman Mrs. Susanna Mr. Henry Lloyd Mrs. Elizabeth Mr. Edmund Tucker Mrs. Margaret Inhabitants in the City of Bristol and near to it CHildren are Parents in a new Edition and who but they should endeavour to prevent the Errata and who under God better may being always with them in their Minority and having a Power over them They are parts of themselves therefore should be as much concern'd for their Welfare as for their own They are committed to their care and they as Trustees thereby oblig'd not only to restore them upon demand but better than when receiv'd They are begot in their own sinful likeness and derive that from them which inclines and disposes them to all Evil therefore it ought to be matter of their Sorrow that it is so and no less of their care so far as they can to prevent it Did they behold the filth on their Souls that they bring with them into the World they would see as much cause for Sorrow as Joy and more to mourn over them while dead in Siâ— than when dead in Nature aâ—â— would they consider how far they have been instrumental to it they would see as much reason to prevent the misery that attends it Had they contributed nothing to it yet the hazard and danger of their perishing being great as great fear should possess them lest they should perish and as great care that they may not The Heathens knew nothing of this yet many of them made it their first and principal care to provide Instructers for their Children in Principles of Learning and Rules of Life wisely preventing Nature by their Discipline accompanying their increase of Years with a growth of Vertue that they might become men and good together and what a shame will it be if the Pagan World afford better Parents and Children than the Christian What at first was principally design'd for the good of my Children viz. my two Sons born in Bristol is now dedicated to you for the use of yours that I judg'd necessary as oblig'd by Duty and this not improper since ye are all in a married state and have Children It was calculated for my Meridian but will serve yours and that it may is the sincere desire of Your Obliged Friend and Servant F. Fuller TO THE READER SOlomon says Fools hate Instruction viz. not natural but moral Fools for Fools in Solomon's Dialect are the Wicked in David's They through Impotency cannot receive it these through Obstinacy will not To want Instruction is a misery to reject it a sin to neglect it is the sin of Parents not to receive it the sin of Children they by instructing secure themselves and no less these by harkening to it Happy those Parents whose Hearts are so far turned to their Children as to do it but more happy whose Childrens hearts are so far turn'd to God as to receive it If this shall contribute any thing to either it will then be as much the Joy as it is now the Desire of Your Friend F. F. WORDS To give to the Young Man Knowledge and Discretion THERE are three Principles in Philosophy own'd by some viz. Matter Form and Privation and so there are three principal and prime Truths in Divinity to be inquired into and known by all that expect Salvation viz. 1. Their Misery by Nature 2. Their Recovery out of it 3. Their Duty when Recovered 1. What they are out of Christ 2. What they are by him 3. What they must do or how they must walk when in Col. 1. 27. him All which when believed and understood may be as the three Deut. 4. 41. 19. 23. Cities of Refuge for the guilty Posterity of Adam to flee unto as the three Sons of Noah after Gen. 9. 18 19. the Flood the Seminary of a new
all his Posterity not into a swoon onely but a Death and they are all ever since by Nature not as Christ said of Lazarus asleep but dead John 11. 11. Luke 10. 30. in sin not as the Wounded Man in the way to Jericho half dead but altogether so under the sentence of a Natural Death under the power of a Spiritual Death and under the guilt of an Eternal Death Sons of Death for they are all Sententiâ legis Psal 102. 20. Condemned 8. Wrath. God is Love and Adam innocency 1 John 4. 8. Quoad effectum non quoad affectum found favour in his sight and was greatly beloved by him but by sin his Anger was kindled and his wrath waxed hot against him All that are brought out of this 1 Thes 1. 10. state are delivered from wrath wrath present and to come but they that are not are under wrath wrath is their Fee-simple and proper Inheritance to them it is due and to them it belongs for as Children of wrath they are Eph. 2. 3. born to it The Scripture concludes all under Rom 3. 23. Eph. 5. 6. Rom. 6. 23. sin and sin concludes all under wrath it is sins wages and God will see Justice done 2. Of Recovery out of Misery God left not miserable Man thus Luke 10. 30 31 32 33. fallen as the Priest and Levite the wounded man in his way to Jericho but with the good Samaritan had Compassion upon him and sent his Son to heal those wounds sin had made and to recover him from that state of Mal. 4. 2. Misery into which by sin he was fallen by his wounds he healed him and by dying restored him to Life Adam was the first man the Primus foederatus Natural Head of all men Christ the second man the Mystical Head of all Believers He was the Earthly man this the 1 Cor. 15. 47. Lord from Heaven The Titles given to him show as Remedies do the Disease the misery of all by sin on our part and the happiness of all Believers on his He is a Mediator and the onely Mediator an Advocate a Heb. 9. 15. 12. 24. 1 Tim. 2. 5. 1 Joh. 2. 1. Joh. 4. 42. Rom. 11. 26. Heb. 1. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 19. John 1. 12. Deliverer Healer and Purger of Sins a Reconciler Saviour and Redeemer he is all these in himself and whatever the necessities of lost and undone sinners can need or require but none of them to any unless by Faith they receive him and therefore if you expect any help from him you must by Faith go unto him and you need not fear going if you Mark 10. 49. see a present and absolute need of him for behold he calls you and this need you will find if you consider that your condition by Nature is no less than a state of Filthiness Enmity Nakedness Darkness Poverty Bondage Death and Wrath. 1. Filthiness 1. A Filthiness so deep that it is not onely extensive but intensive Jer. 2. 22. 17. 1. Isa 1. 18. Jer. 13. 23. compared to marks and brands in the Flesh which are not easily got out to colours of the deepest dye double dipt in the wool and web to the spots of a Leopard which are not by way of accidental or external but innate coherence and to the blackness of an Ethiopian which cannot be washt off the Colliers blackness may be washt off but not the Ethiopians and the Lepers spots may be taken out but not the Leopards A Filthiness so great that neither the Tears of Repentance nor the Flames of Hell-fire nor any thing but the Blood of Christ can wash or purge it away the sacred Laver cleansing Jordan and healing Bethesda set open for all that will to wash in for sin and uncleanness The Priests Zech. 13. 1. Rev. 1. 5. under the Law cleansed by the Blood of Beasts but Christ by 1 John 1. 7. his own Blood his will is that you should be clean and therefore you must by Faith apply his Blood that you may be so Christ washt his Disciples Feet with Water but their Hearts with his Blood and unless he thus wash you you can have no part in him and unless by Faith you go unto him you cannot be thus John 13. 8. washed by him 2. Enmity A degeneracy beneath the brute Beasts for none of them are at enmity with God with us they are and we may blame our selves for it for they never Rebell'd untill we Rebell'd But yet God is willing Isa 27. 5. By doubling of the Phrase Make Peace Make Peace as by doubling of the Dream to Pharaoh it appears a thing certain and establisht by him Cen 41. 32. to be at peace for he commands it prescribes a way to it and assures it to all that like the terms of it he offers it freely and sues for it earnestly and therefore it highly concerns you to make peace with him it is not convenient onely and fit to be done but necessary and that which must be and if ever it must be in his way and at his time 1. In his way viz. by Faith in Christ for the blessing of peace is the blessing of Faith in him who as Priest purchased it as Prophet preached it and as King works it in all that believe in him 2. At his time and that is the present time viz. of Life and therefore let not the Sun of your Luke 12. 58 59. Life go down upon your Enmity to God for if you do terms of peace shall neither be offered to you nor accepted from you There is no Quarter given in Hell to Enemies 3. Darkness A Darkness that implies a state of evil both sinful and penal not of the Body but Mind a Eph. 4. 18. Corruption of the most excellent Faculty yet not incurable for Christ the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4. 2. Isa 42. 6. Luke 1. 78. 79. Luke 2. 32. the day-spring from on High was sent into the World as a Light not onely to all the Types Prophesies and dark shadows but to them that sate in the darkness Joh. 8. 12. 12. 46. Acts 26. 18. of sin and misery that from him they might receive the light of Spiritual knowledge and comfort and therefore if you are brought out of this state of darkness it concerns you as the blind Man in the Gospel did when healed by John 9. 25 27 30. Christ to appear for him against all that oppose him to cast off the works of darkness and walk Eph. 5. 8. as a Child of light but if you are not it concerns you as much Mark 10. 46. to go unto him as blind Bartimeus did for the Eyes of his Body Omnia extra Christum tenebricosa Marlorat Luke 4. 18. Rev. 3. 18. that you may receive your sight Christ is the great Oculist sent from Heaven and none but he has the Eye-salve