true piety thou art at the same time an enemy to charity For the promoting therefore true piety in young persons and comers in I have offered my endeavours in the ensuing Discourse That if this present Generation after all their cultivating should bring forth no fruit nor admit of any melioration yet the seedlings and young plants might draw in a more benigne juyce and shoot up and bring forth more and better fruits It is a general complaint that Relations prove so bad and indeed to find a man faithful in all Relations is to find a rare Jewel Nothing more honours God and the Gospel then when those that profess it live up to the duty commanded them in their Relations as nothing dishonours God more shames the Gospel ruines families then undutifulness and unfaithfulness in Relations No plainer proof of our sincerity in our Religion then this is Thou canst not be a good Christian if thou art not a good Child a good Servant a good Master or Mistris a good Subject a good Husband or Wife The same God that commands to be a good Christian commands thee to fill up the duties of the other also as he calls thee to them and one great cause of the neglect of these duties and the decay of them is the neglect of Catechizing in private families which till it be conscientiously practised all publick preaching and chatechizing will be the less successful Vpon whose account soever the neglect of this doth lie I am sure it will not be found light one day and one mans omitting his duty will be no excuse then for thy neglecting thine I have here offered a plain short Catechisme of the heads of second Table Duties I made choice of this Authour as one who lies liable as I know of to no exception the Catechism having been reprinted several times with good approbation and also because his answers are for the most part the words of Scripture pertinently quoted and applyed Vpon which account as the duties herein pressed come with more authority so the learner is accustomed to Scripture phrases and language for want of which and the unbounded libertie many give to their fancy we have so many uncouth wild extravagant and offensive expressions even in Religious performances Which however weak ones may account the height of devotion yet riper judgments and sober Christians know them to be nothing else but the statulency of fancy I exhort thee therefore Christian Reader to hold fast the form of sound words get thy heart stocked with sound knowledge and take heed of phraseologie in Religion which is a minting and coyning new expressions and differencing our selves from others by an affected stile or form of speaking and making people believe we have attained more light then others when as indeed when these notions come to be examined and weighed in the ballance of Truth they are worth no more then the trash and trumpery that the Cardinals Sumpter horses carried a story so well known it needs but naming And this is all will be found among the Enthusiasts of this Age the Behmenists Paracelsians Familists c. Thus I have in brief with plainness of heart given thee an account of this Work which I shall pray to God may be acceptable to his people and successfull to their spiritual edification in Knowledge Faith Love and obedience Amen Thine in the Lord Jos Church The Christians daily Monitor To the performance of personal and relative Duties c. §. 1. Of Humility HUmility is a foundation grace to encrease this grace compare thy self With the brute creatures that have onely sense yet they keep the Law of their Creation With the fallen Angels that sin only against Gods power thou sinnest against his Grace With thy self What thou shouldest have been if man had not fallen what thou art now by sin what thou mightest have been if thou hadst not neglected thy duty With others inferiour in means superiour in growth that have fewer mercies and more thankfulness With the Holy Angels who serve God chearfully readily sincerely fervently constantly With Jesus Christ Who was meek and lowly in heart who for our sakes humbled himself and was obedient to the death of the Cross and then thou wilt abhor thy self in dust and ashes §. 2. The best Physitian Christ our heavenly Physitian exceeds all earthly Physitians in seven things 1. He never leaves any work behind him for others 2. He never undertakes any cure but he finisheth it 3. He doth all freely without desert in us or reward from us 4. There is nothing in him but hath a healing vertue in it his eye his lips his hand his blood his garments c. 5. He cures Nations as well as Persons 6. He cures Death as well as Diseases 7. He alwayes makes his Patients the better not only after but by their sickness Oh! I am sick of sin Lord shew thy Art One touch of thine will break and heat my heart O rare Physician that shedst thy blood And givest thy life to do poor sinners good §. 3. Successfull begging The way to be heard in prayer and not to loose our labour is 1. To ask in faith Mark 11.24 that is believing God is able and willing to bestow good things on us 2. To ask in sincerity for right ends Jam. 4.3 3. To ask fervently as Jacob who wrestled with God and prevailed Gen. 32.28 4. Seasonably while the door is open Isa 55.6 Seek the Lord while he may be found 5. Constantly pray continually 1 Thes 5.17 or without ceasing 6. Patiently Psal 40.1 He that can pray to God withall this cost Is sure his labour never shall be lost Who asks in sound faith zeal fixt patience And season alwayes hath sure recompence Stay not at one or two or four or five But get all six and then be sure thou 'lt thrive §. 4. The Heavenly care From Dr. H. There are five things considerable in that Promise he careth for you 1 Pet. 5.7 There are five things considerable in that Promise he careth for you 1 Pet. 5.7 1. God cares for his people when they think he doth not 2. He so cares for them as he cares for none else comparatively 3. He cares for them when none else care for them 4. He cares for them when those that should care for them neglect them 5. He cares with others to bless their care and make it successfull Q. But must Gods Children cast off all care A. No they must use a care of prudence and providence a Godly care but they must take heed of worldly immoderate heart-breaking heart-corroding distrusting care Martha with many things distracts her mind Mary in one thing all content doth find Lord cure my cares that I thy word may hear Lord choose for me the troubles I shall bear §. 5. The Dutiful Aid God hath in wisdome so framed our bodies that one part cannot say to another I have no need of thee So it is in the Political
behold thy Mother The fourth a word of sad complaint Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The fifth a word of want and distress Iohn 19.28 I thirst The sixth a word of triumph and gratulation Iohn 19.30 It is finished The seventh a word of perseverance Luke 23.46 Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Twenty Directions how to live well and dye well from these seven last words of Christ being the heads of several Sermons preached by Mr. E. C. B. M. 1. He that would live well and dye well must be much in prayer The first fourth seventh words are prayers 2. He must be well versed in the Book of Psalms the fourth and seventh words are out of it 3. He must forgive his Enemies and pray for them 4. He must have a care of relations and dispose of his worldly estate 5. He must do what he can to convert others 6. He must not abuse the example of the penitent thief to delay his repentance 7. He must believe the souls of the Godly go immediately upon their death to a Heavenly Paradise 8. He must thirst after communion with God and the enjoyment of God in Heaven Jesus Christ thirsted after our salvation 9. He must meditate of the soul and body sufferings of Jesus Christ what he suffered in his soul when he uttered the fourth word what he suffered in his body when he uttered the fifth word 10. He must so live as that he may upon good grounds call God Father The first word was Father forgive them The last word was Father into thy hands c. 11. He must take more care for hiâ— precious soul then his mortal body 12. He must believe that Christ hath finished all things necessary for hiâ— salvation in point of merit and satisfaction and that nothing is required of him but to testifie his thankfulness in a holy life â—3 He must believe on good grounds that Christ hath finished His Salvation O happy man that when he is breathing out his last can say my salvation is finished â—4 He must finish whatsoever is behind and to be done by him to fit him for heaven something we are to do and we must finish it not only begin well but end well â—5 He must fly in the time of tentation to Christs sufferings there is a great deal of comfort in that word it is finished â—6 He must stay himself on God in a time of darkness when there is no light Christ said My God we must not let go the faith of adherance though we want the faith of evidence â—7 He must remember Christ wore a Crown of Thorns that we mighâ— wear a Crown of Glory he was forsaken for a time that we might noâ— be forsaken for ever 18. He must believe that through many tribulations we may enter intâ— the Kingdom of Heaven A man maâ— from the Cross go to Heaven Chriâ— was Crucified between two thieveâ— and yet died gloriously 19. He must study the love of Christ iâ— suffering such a cursed death on thâ— Cross for his sins that he may bâ— able to say He loved me and gavâ— himself for me and rejoyce in nothing save in the Cross of Christ 20. He must after the example of Chriâ— commend his soul to Gods hands and remember Christ hath commended thy soul and my soul already intâ— the hands of God and when we dyâ— God will remember the deposituâ— left with him §. 11. The order a Christian is to observe in his walking every day with an answer to objections and encouragement to set about it 1. In the morning awake with God Psal 139.18 i. e. season thy mind with awful and thankful thoughts of Gods morning and evening mercies and lift up thy heart in some short mental prayer to God that he would help thee to renew thy resolution to walk with him 2. When thou art up as soon as conveniently thou canst betake thy self to prayer Private prayer should be the first thing we do The first hour is the Golden hour and by so doing thou mayest open thy heart to God and shut it against all sin For family prayer that is the fittest hour when all the family or the greatest part can most conveniently meet together and if thou art a servant take heed of voluntary neglecting family prayer Let it be some urgent occasion that hinders thee anâ— when thou canst not be there with thy bodily presence yet be sure thy affection be with them 3. After prayer and other religiouâ— duties performed Go to thy calling anâ— follow the works thereof as that statioâ— God hath set thee in with diligence conscience and chearfulness and be contented with thy calling though mean Be not like worldlings who do all with a greedy mind of getting But remember a Christian hath two Callings one general the other particular and he is a happy and wise servant that so minds his general as not to neglect his particular and so follows his particular Calling as he doth not neglect his general Usually the former have some tincture of hypocrisie and the latter are too much over-grown with covetousness Labour therefore to keep thy eye upon thy heart and upon the rule Do all in thy particular Calling with uprightness and faithfulness in wisdom and order referring the success to Gods blessing and labour to be armed with patience against crosses and losses In buying and selling take heed of lying and dissimulation covetousness and frowardness of multiplying words carelesly and of over-praising thy own wares when thou sellest and saying it is naught when thou buyest 4. When thou art alone look to thy heart and say Heart where art thou what art thou doing where hast thou been whither art thou going keep thy heart with all diligence Prov. 4.23 Keep it as a Guardian would do a rich Heir that hath many Suitors or as a General would do a Castle that was a key or in-let to the whole Country and in order to this remember five things 1. Observe the motions of it thy mind is thy self Be not a stranger to thy self God looks at the heart 1 Sam. 16.7 he delights in truth in the inward man Psal 1.6 2. When any good thoughts and holy motions come into thy soul as those that are truly good shall not find themselves long without them cherish and entertain them say as the Spouse It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh say Come in thou blessed of the Lord why standest thou without but iâ— evil motions arise let them not lodge with thee but chase them from thee 3. Employ thy heart and set it tâ— work The mind is a restless mill alwayes in motion Calvin prayed every day the devil might never find him idle If our hearts be doing nothing they will be doing evil like a garden if yoâ— do not sow good seeds will soon bâ— overun with weeds Remember Goâ— and Nature abhor idleness and the Devil watches for the idle hour 4.
now it doth from consolation 2. Quest Who are they that are far from committing this sin The solution of this may serve as a remedy against this distress for whosoever finds in himself these things may be confident he is not guilty of this sin 1. They are far from committing this sin that do esteem Christ and desire to enjoy him and are willing to be subject to his Authority 2. They that do truly desire to honour Christ not only inwardly in their hearts but outwardly in their lives and conversations by words and actions 3. They whose illumination is attended with reformation who not onely know the Truth but love and obey it 4. Those who with well to the Kingdome and Gospel and people of Christ that for Sions sake cannot hold their peace 5. They who cleave to the Ordinances though they want comfort that wait upon the Lord who hides himself from the house of Jacob. 6. They who desire the efficacy of the ministry on the souls of others who can rejoyce when souls are converted and are glad to see that Grace in others they want and that grieve when the edification of souls is opposed and obstructed 7. They that aspire after a holy life that are students for piety and mourners for iniquity These have not committed the sin against the Holy Ghost 3. Qu. What are those Graces that are preservatives against this sin 1. A chearfulness in the service and wayes of Christ. Serve the Lord with gladness account not his Commands grievous 2. A sincere love to Father Son and Spirit This sin is committed out of malice and hatred 3. A daily desiring thirsting after Christ ever desiring Christ will keep us from ever despising him 4. A labouring to get heat unto our light that our knowledge may be attended with a change in heart and life 5. A daily care to persevere and hold on in Religion and Grace with a jealousie of our selves least we should be guilty of declining and back sliding 6. A pleading and standing up for the truth in our places and callings with courage and wisdom 7. A perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord avoiding not only all gross sins but also as much as we can keeping our selves from infirmities at least not allowing our selves in them §. 17. The spirituals mans aime or a resolution of an important and serious question concerning our aimes and intentions whether they be for God or the world Aims and intentions are secret things removed from the cognizance of others The rectitude of intention contributes so much to the acceptation of our services with God that without this nothing though never so materially good and plausible can denominate us sincere in his sight or prevail for any acceptance with him Now though others are not competent judges of our ends yet if we will deal faithfully and truly with our own souls we may know them by such plain things as these are 1. By our desires Try thy heart by this whether thou dost desire most to be with God or to be in the world That which is our end we would be in the fullest enjoyment of 2. By thy hopes What is it thou hopest for is it to grow great or rich in the world or is it that thou art approved of God and in favour with him That which is thy chiefest hope is thy end 3. By thy delights Dost thou so delight in the world that if that flow in and that thou hast any probable assurance of its continuance thou findest thou canst be contented without God or dost thou account thy self miserable whatsoever thou enjoyest except thou have some soul communion with God and canst find some tasts of his love even in outward mercies and those tasts carrying thy soul to delight more and more in God as the fountain of them 4. Examine how thy heart is affected upon the loss of outward things What is it grieves thee most the burning thy house loss of trade death of friends or the want of Gods presence the dishonour of his name the danger of losing the Gospel and the like that which is our end we are grieved for being disappointed of 5. If the world be thy darling thou wilt be affraid to own Religion when it exposes thee to danger shame and loss alwayes worldlings are for an easie creditable cheâ—p Religion But if God have thy heart thou art jealous least the world should draw thee from God and thou wilt account no pains too much for him thou wilt be diligent in the use of all means In the service of God thou wilt account losses gain and think thy self abundantly honoured in being accounted worthy to be dishonoured for Christ 6. That which is a man's end he will plead for We see prophane men plead for the world gross sins are with them small sins nay no sins nay sometimes commendable things or at least indifferent for ends will make men find cut many Topicks to argue from Monstrous apparel is but decency drunkenness is but good fellowship they can say much for unlawful gaming wanton dalliances stage-playes recreations on the Lords day Alas say they these are but innocent Divertisements for the body and mind But those that make God their end will plead for him they stand up for his Name â—is Word his People Wisdom is justified of her Children they have much to say for devotion for mortification for fasting and praying for holy conference for modest apparel for sobriety and temperance for circumspect walking and the like 7. He that serves the world will suffer much for it in his body by pinching it in his name and reputation by reproach for even a covetous miser shall have some scoffs he will make such pittiful complaints and such ridiculous excuses and do such base drudgery the world will laugh at him yet he suffers all this because it is his end So he that serves God is willing to suffer for God to part with all for him when he calls for it to endure scoffs and jeers for his not complying with the Vices of the world Lastly if God and the World call whom dost thou follow the Bell touls the Play-bill is set up whither dost thou go Here 's the Bible or a good Book there is the Tavern or the Gaming house God calls to the one the World to the other whom dost thou obey If a Lacquey follows two Gentlemen when they part he whom he follows we know is his Master that which a man follows from morning to night from week to week and leave other things to follow that is his Master that he serves and that is his end §. 18. How must we carry our selves to God aâ— our friend Trust him because he is faithful Prize him because he is so transcendently excellent Be advised by him for he is infinitely wise Suffer for him for Christ did so foâ— us Delight in him because he is amiable Be zealous for his Glory and grieved at his