foolish and unhappy Owners 2. WHAT are Honors where a qualification of Mind is wanting to manage them Those Phaetons precipitate themselves and set the World on fire What are Riches without a Mind well qualified but snares and easie ways to Hell All things duly weighed to a prudent Mind which can limit it self within the desires of Necessaries a little is enough but to an ambitious Mind nothing can satisfie Alexander had a monstrous Mind when he was grieved that there was but one World for him to Conquer 'T is the Mind that maketh truly Rich or Poor That contented in every Estate aboundeth in its own Happiness but discontented can be blessed in none 3. THE way to gain Riches is not so much by adding to an Estate as by depriving the Mind of that foolish desire of having Superfluity beyond use Temporal Riches are but a burden to him who hath truly placed his Affections on Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt and where Thieves do not break through and steal Matth. 6.20 That which must once be lost is nothing worth which Consideration possibly made Stilpo answer like a Philosopher who when Demetrius had taken Megera and out of a noble Care to give him Protection from Plundering asked him if the Soldiers had taken ought from him he answered No for said he I saw no Man that would take any Knowledge or Learning from me 4. THE Mind is Sacred and out of the reach of violent hands so that to make thee happy which is the scope of a prudent Desire the way is not to labour so much and disquiet thy self in things External but to compose thy Mind aright to value and make a good Use of what thou hast to get true Wisdom and Understanding and well-ordered Affections quietly to endure want or enjoy plenty In which there is not only an admirable skill and strength of Mind requisite but also an holy Habit. No Precepts can suddenly make a Man practically wise or good which must make us resolve quickly to study this Divine Philosophy And indeed Experience here discovereth a marvellous Stupor and Incogitancy of most Men. In any bodily Dissection we speedily consult the Physician but in our Soul's Distempers we not only delay our seeking help but are too often impatient of offered Remedies That which thou designest to do well speedily put in practice 5. SOLOMON's advice is Prov. 4.23 To keep thine Heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of Life Many think it enough to keep their Tongues and their Hands But it highly concerneth all Christians to keep their Hearts from Satan's Snares there he beginneth all his Stratagems which afterwards break out into Words and Actions It is true that bare Suggestions without any delight or consent of our own are no more our Sins than any Robbery or Murder committed without our Consent or Knowledge But except we are vigilant over our Thoughts and carefully stand upon our guard Satan's deluding Influences will create a Delight and excite in us a Consent and concession to them Therefore the Counsel of the Wise Man is this Prov. 7.25 Let not thine Heart decline to her ways go not astray in her paths 6. CHECK the first beginnings of Sin in thy Thoughts use them roughly at the door and think of the Prophet Elisha's saying 2 Kings 6.33 Is not the sound of their Masters Feet behind them We must there chiefly observe and extinguish Sin where 't is born and quench the Sparks before they break out into masterless Flames We must crush the Cockatrice in the Egg before it proves a fiery flying Serpent We neglect not the biting of a Serpent but presently seek remedy to keep the Venom from the Heart With how much more care and diligence should we look to the biting of the Old Dragon Rev. 12.9 who is able if a little neglected to kill Body and Soul Of evil Seeds spring evil Plants Murder from Revenge in the Heart Adultery from Lust unextinguish'd there and God justly castigateh evil Intentions though they do not always break forth into Actions 7. KEEP a good Conscience and put on Sanctity The Wicked meditate on Evil and the Prophet Esay affirms cahp. 59.7 That their Thoughts are Thoughts of Iniquity Wasting and Destruction are in their paths As our Actions follow our Thoughts so do they leave Impressions in them which prove occasions of their further Operation and Solomon tells you Prov. 12.5 That the Thoughts of the Righteous are right but the Counsels of the Wicked are deceit Love good Thoughts and thou shalt be furnished with them as Flowers spring out of Buds so good Desires flow from Celestial Thoughts We often think of those we Love and are ambitious of their Acquaintance Think often of God for his Love will cause thee to detest all thoughts of Evil and will hinder the approaches of that old malicious Serpent to thy Heart 8. FIX thy Thoughts on something certain The Heart is a spiritual Labyrinth in whose perplexed turnings we often lose our selves and the best fruits of idle and extravagant Fancies are but as the Eyes continually rolling up and down seeing nothing intentively but a wandring Mind It is a signal Token of a composed Mind if it can contain it self and not launch out into those vain Evagations and wandring Thoughts From whence waking as out of some feverish Dream after much thinking we can give our selves no true account what the Mind has busied it self about but that in long thinking we thought on nothing to the Purpose 9. THE Mind is Man's most active Faculty In a Moment with the flight of a Thought it mounts from Earth to Heaven and back again from Age to Age from Present to Future Like Lightning it shoots from East to West vanishing in the Appearance It is not a little skill to arrest it so as that we may say with David Psal. 108.1 My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed Without this we can neither Hear nor Pray otherwise than prophane Hypocrites provoking God's Anger by drawing near him with their Lips when their Hearts are far from thinking on him 10. SEEK Peace with God through Faith in Christ for therein consists the true Composure and happy Rest of the Mind The Prophet tells you Isa. 57.21 There 's no Peace to the Wicked neither is there any true Rest out of Christ Jesus Sin is the distemper and disquiet of the Soul Until that Jonah be cast over-board we can never appease the Surges of a troubled Mind This thou mayest seek by hearty sorrow for thy Sins this restringent Acrimony shall heal the Fountains that Death and Barrenness may no more fluctuate from the Mind into thy Words and Actions 'T is a good symptom of Recovery when the Disease changeth Place So when we are pleased with Repentance who were wont to please ourselves with Sin 't is a token that Sin declineth in us 11. BY Committing thy works unto the Lord thy thoughts
habitation every Room and Recess thereof it disturbeth with hideous Cries like Ziim and Ohim doleful Beasts in the Desolations of Babylon Isai. 13.21 6. IT is a folly and sober distraction wherein the deseased Mind rejecteth all wholesome Prescriptions it Rebelleth against the Physician and lacerateth open its own Wounds it is an Heart-corroding canker the internal Man's Woolf which devoureth that which feedeth it the Worm which gnaweth the Soul which Prometheus-like cherisheth the Vulture which afflicteth it and delighteth in that which grieves it Nor is the best of Men free from this Distemper for David with his Soul made this inquest Why art thou so sad O my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Psal. 43.5 7. OUR Blessed Saviour who was free from Sin who bare all our Sorrows in the sense of his Father's wrath acknowledged that his Soul was heavy to the death And wrestling with that most unknown Passion cryed out upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He could no otherwise be sensible of Hell Torments due to us in his Humane Soul than by losing the present sense of the Deities Assistance which wheresoever it is makes Eternal Happiness He lost in that Agony a present sense not an Indeficient Interest For even then he called God his God which Demonstrated a vast distance between the Impatience of Desperate and Irrecoverable Sinners and the Estate of those Good Men who are under Tribulation for the Infirmity of their Souls The just Man may be compared to the Israelites marching with the Egyptians through the Red-Sea where there is a way opened to their Promised Rest but the Waters return with a full force and drown the Enemy 8. AS to this Malady we must not plead ignorance but be sensible that it groweth Gradually First In unadvised Anger mixâ— with Sorrow which are the Seminaries of Impatience Next it goes forward to a dislike of every Accident and Estate from thence to an internal Repining So like a Gangren it invadeth the Souls Vitals Hope Content and a Cheerful dependance upon God's Providence and then marches forward to violent Despair so that it behoves a Man highly to prevent this danger by checking its Primitive Motions and learning to make a Prudent use of every Affliction and to Expel all those discomposed Thoughts which nourish it likewise to practise in the whole Course of Life that Christian Patience and Moderation which becometh those who depend on the Providence of God Some Motives to it I shall shew in the next Chapter CHAP. XIV Motives to Patience and Contentedness FIRST God Commandeth us by his Holy Apostle in several places as Rom. 12.12 1 Thess. 5.8 1 Tim. 6.8 Heb. 13.5 And David earnestly perswades us to this duty Psal. 37. from the first to the fourteenth Verse Secondly Consider well the disadvantages of Impatience and the Advantages of Patience Seneca was of that good Opinion that no man could be happy who did not think himself so It imports not what thy Condition is if thou thinkest it evil The Patient Man is happy in every Estate because God will hear him Psal. 40.1 And the Wise Man gives this Result Eccles. 7.8 The Patient in Spirit is better than the Proud in Spirit And the Apostle gives us this assurance Rom. 2.7 That the Lord will give him Eternal Life And the Evangelist gives us this Encouragement by Patience a Man possesseth his own Soul Luke 21.19 All Affliction to him is but a wholesome Bitter Potion which he freely swalloweth as being prescribed to Operate his Cure and to produce him the quiet Fruits of Righteousness Heb. 12.11 The Apostle likewise tells you 1 Tim. 6.6 That Godliness with Contentment is great gain 2. PATIENCE allays a ponderous burden and makes it easie and therein defeateth the adverse Party the product of whose Injury is the Perplexity and Impatience of the injured When Job Exercised his Affliction with Patience Satan was foiled at his own Weapon As Ballast if it be well placed that it cannot move or shoot the Sailing Ship Rides secure but if otherwise she is Foundred Even so it is with Patience in the Soul It was a Blessed Victory obtained at Job's first encounter at which the Angels of Heaven could do no less than give a Plaudite for when Satan had fully charged him with all his Machinations and Job had received all those fierce Blows on his Shield of Patience he made this meek Reply The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the Name of the Lord And the Holy Ghost thus testifieth In all this Job sinned not Job 1.21 22. And Job was happy in being so great a Victor and happy are all they who imitate that invincible Patience in their sufferings 3. THOSE who are Impatient must submit to that Term of being Evil and the Almighty will not lend an Ear to them They are by every Condition made worse being Authors of their own misery and make their own Burdens intollerable by striving under that which no violence can cast off They are Satan's Captives introducing their Fretful Impatience only to adorn his Triumphs they prove scorns to Men who can no less than deride if not loath that Morosity and peevish Waywardness which causeth the Impatient malecontent neither to enjoy Friends nor himself An Example we have of that Mirror of Impatience Diogenes the Cynick who being Asked by Alexandâ—r the Great if he lacked any thing to which he Morosely Replyed Yea I do Stand out of my Light Now whether he embraced this Churlish Humour to profess himself a Votary to his own Passions or to lay Claim to an equal Capacity and Right of Contemning his Friends Greatness as much as he slighted his Poverty that I cannot Expostulate But he chose rather to Inhabit in a Tub than expect the delayed Beneficence of him that promised to build him a House And certainly by this his Impatience he reaped no Advantage 4. CONSIDER that Momentary Afflictions are of no Duration If all the World Men and Devils Conspired to vex and molest thee they could not long make thee an Object of their Fury and Malice The Apostle like a good Prognostick foretells our Necessities Heb. 10.37 Ye have need of Patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promises For yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Then Blessed are all they who with meekness and a patient Confidence expect him Be therefore Patient Stablish your hearts For the coming of the Lord draweth nigh James 5.8 Heaviness may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Psal. 30.5 However the longest day as its due must accept of a period And the most tedious misery of a good Christian shall have such a Counsumation as may render him happy 5. CONSIDER the extent of thy suffering Perhaps thou art envied without Cause Thou owest thanks to God for that Conformity to his
most weak let thy Fortifications and Guards be strongest 17. FLY Idleness that lazy Matron of all Evil and Basis of Mischief Ever employ thy self about acts of Vertue and then there will be no space or room for the Tempter What advantage did he reap upon the Royal Prophet by staining so glorious a Life which was produc'd by his few hours Vacancy Dally not with Temptations for happy shall he be who parleys not with them but is Careful and Vigilant and is ready to say as Elisha said of Jehoram's Messenger 2 Kings 6.32 When he cometh shut the Door and hold him fast there Is not the sound of his Master's Feet behind him The same Remedy we must use to Satan's Messengers who are sent to Destroy us We must crush the Cocatrice Eggs lest breaking out into a fiery Serpent we cannot Conquer it but say too late as the Turk mention'd of Scanderberg This Enemy should have been Subdued in his Minority for a Attemptation is Nourished that Hour it is not Mastered 18. INVOKE the Almighty constantly and fervently use his own Words Lead us not into Temptation In many Instances these are a Divine Revenge on some precedent unrepented Sin against which the Sanctimonious frequently make their Supplications And if as often as Satan assaileth we could address our selves to earnest and zealous Prayers we should worst him at his own Weapon receive frequenter Allarms to awaken us to a stronger Guard even the shadow of the Almighty The first Enemy that assailed Israel in his way to Canaan was vanquish'd by Prayer When Moses held up his Hands Israel prevailed Exod. 17. The same repulse we must use to our grandest Enemy The Prayer O LOD God Almighty the Examiner of all Hearts and the Tryer of the Reins who knowest before we ask what our Necessities are and by thy Holy Spirit helpest our Infirmities Lord I acknowledge my Ignorance in not Praying unto thee as I ought but thou alone canst make request for me according to thy blessed Will with unutterable Groans which thou only understandest Help I beseech thee my Infirmities regulate my Devotion and restrain the busie Malice of the Tempter Direct and accept my Prayers as Incense in thy sight and let them enter thy Presence through Jesus Christ my only Redeemer and Advocate 2. THOU who art Truth it self hast promised that all things shall work together for good to them that love thee and keep thy Commandments Lord I put all my trust and confidence in thee and do stedfastly believe that it is good for me that I have been afflicted for I am assured that after the tryal of my Faith and exercise of my Patience I shall receive of thee the only giver of all good things the quiet Fruits of Righteousness But O Lord how shall frail dust and ashes appear before thee which is full of Infirmities Fears Doubtings and Failings for mine Iniquities have taken such hold upon me that l am not able to look up Nay they are more in number than the hairs on my head and my heart hath failed me Neither have I to deal O Lord with Flesh and Blood only but with Invisible Powers of Darkness which with restless encounters assault my Soul to destroy it 3. BUT O Lord God of my Salvation be not thou far from me Shew thy Power and deliver me from the Messengers of Satan which are too mighty for me O rescue me and bridle their Insolent Malice bind the Strong man and deliver thy Vessel from his Usurping Tyranny that I may in every faculty of my Soul serve and please thee Pardon all my sins for thy Blessed Son's sake who died for me Heal my wounded Soul which hath to the anguish of my heart so often sinned against thee Hide not thy face from me in time of my trouble forget not my bitter affliction which makes me go mourning all the day long while the insulting Enemy heavily oppresseth me Thou art my King O God and canst Command deliverances Lord I am poor needy and destitute of help and strength to resist the Fiery Darts of Satan 4. PUT thy whole Armour upon me I beseech thee that I may be able to stand Arise for my aid O thou preserver of all Men redeem me from the devouring Lyons Mouth and for thy Infinite Mercies sake think upon me make hast to help me and make no long tarrying O my God O suffer me not for any tryals to fall from thee Lay no more upon me than thou wilt be pleased to give me Strength Patâ—ince and Perseverance to bear Cheerfully Confirm me unto the end that I may be blameless in the day of the Lord Jesus Give me a blessed Effect and Issue out of every tryal that the more thou permittest me to suffer the more Experience I may acquire of thy Mercy and the greater assurance that thou wilt never fail me nor forsake me That I may through him who hath by suffering vanquished death hell and him who hath the power of death overcome all these Spiritual wickednesses which war against my Soul 5. LORD I have trusted only in thy Mercy thou hast ordained Strength in the Mouths of Babes and Infants O strengthen me unto the end that my heart may rejoice in thy Salvation Lord spare me that I may recover my strength Put thou a new song into my mouth that I may praise thee for my deliverance and declare unto afflicted Sinners what thou hast done for my Soul Lord hear me and have mercy upon me Thou who art ever readier to give than poor Mortals are to ask deny not the Humble and Earnest Requests of me the vilest and worst of Sinners This I beg O Lord through the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen The Close HAVING run through the several Parts I intended I shall now Calculate the whole and give a Specimen of Reducing it into Practice Be very careful to stifle every Sin in its primitive motion and give no place to the Wiles of Satan but crush betimes the Cockatrice Egg lest it break out into a Serpent Permit not vain Imaginations to possess thy Mind which are impossible for thee to attain or unprofitable if they are attained but rather contemn and behold them as empty shadows and lighter than Vanity 2. BUT labour daily more and more to inspect into thy self that thou mayst attain to that cognizance If thou shouldst upon the Enquiry be asked what is the vilest Creature in the whole Earths Circumference thy nearest and most intimate Friend thy Conscience may report thy own self by reason of thy Sins And if on the contrary thou wert ask'd the Question What is the truest Catholicon for it Thy Heart may readily reply The Blood of Christ which speaks better things than the Blood of Abel Affect not vain Glory nor Popularity lest it prove more pernicious than Contempt and avoid entertaining a male-contented mind for that may produce thee more misery than thou
Medium carry such an even temper as that Prudence may claim that priviledge to fit at the Helm without the Interruption of either Extreams Take the Prophets Counsel Isai. 8.13 Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts and let him be your Fear and your Dread and he shall be your Sanctuary But fear not their Fear who say a Confederacy The present fear of God Createth us an Eternal Security Fear him and he will banish all other fears from thee Behold the Psalmist how he is fortified Though I walk in the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Psal. 23.4 And Psal. 118.6 The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me And in Conclusion the fear of the Lord immergeth all other fears 3. IN every danger impress on thy heart the Omnipotency of God and endeavour to have an Affiance in him He that pursues this Rule shall act safely When a Fiery-Furnace was threatned Shadrach Meshac and Abednego answered the Incens'd King Our God whom we serve is idle to deliver us Dan. 3 17. And David tells you Psal. 34.7 The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them And when our Enemies seem most formidable there are more for us than can be against us As it appeared in the case of the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 6.16 It animated the Royal Prophet to cry out In the Lord put I my trust how say ye then to my Soul flee as a Bird to your Mountain Psal. 11.1 All Confidence in Men even their Councels or an Arm of Flesh is unhappy and must come to nothing but God endures to all Eternity Which made the Psalmist declare Therefore will we not fear though the Earth be removed And though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea 4. TAKE Solomon's Counsel and hearken unto the Word of God Pro. 1.33 Whose hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil And Prov. 3.23 34. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely when thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid Herein shall be made manifest Gods Power Truth Providence Mercy and Justice that thou mayest trust in him according to the Expression of the Psalmist They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee Psal. 9.10 Love the Lord thy God with a sincere heart And the more thou lovest him the more thou wilt rest assured of his Love and Protection and the more perfect thy love is the more it casteth out fear 1 John 4.18 5. TAKE Job's advice Chap. 22.24 Depart from iniquity and say of it as the Princes of the Philistines said of David Let him not go down with us to the Battle lest in the Battle he be an Adversary to us 1 Sam. 29.4 Fix thy self to seek the Lord as Jehosaphat did when the Armies were upon their March towards him against whom he Atchieved a Glorious Victory 2 Chron. 2.3 Entertain a good Conscience it shall be a Wall of Brass unto thee The safety of that makes a man assume the Courage of a Lyon But if we perceive the smoak of Infernal Brimstone ascend there we must needs faint like the men of Ai when they beheld their City on Fire Josh. 8.20 Guilt of Sin in the Conscience creates Sordidness in Men they may possibly express Transcendent Words who possess a Timerous Conscience but as one said of the fearful Dog He must needs fear who hath no peace in himself 6. CONSIDER with David Psal. 37.37 The end of the Saints and Apostles sufferings which hath ever been happy and they are the more Partakers of Christ's Glory for bearing a share in his sufferings Consider how long they have suffered and then thou canst not fear any of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that you may betryed be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 True it is Flesh and Blood claims Allowance for its Infirmity but the more we can apply to our hearts the end of the Saints and the quiet fruits of Righteousness to them that are exercised the less we must needs be sensible of the Malignity of any Creature 7. ENDEAVOUR for Peace with God give him no rest till he speaks unto the Voice within thee thy Conscience And firmly resolve not to let him go untill he Bless thee and assure thee of thy Remission in Christ Jesus He hath nothing to fear or molest him whose sins are forgiven When the sting of Death is taken out who would not be Valiant Which occasioned St. Paul to express himself 1 Cor. 15.57 But thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And St. John says in his first Epistle Chap. 5.4 And this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith 8. IN thy greatest Fears pray most fervently Even so did our Saviour being in an Agony He prayed more earnestly So did Jacob in fear of his Brother 's long studied Revenge Gen. 32.9 Pray and beseech God that he would illuminate and open thine Eyes to behold his saving Health God many times sounds his Allarm to awaken our drouzy Souls and open our Mouths to earnest Prayer which in Prosperity are too prone to the Spirit of Slumber and Coldness Fear hath many Tongues and can open the Mouth of the Dumb Even Jonahs Mariners in their Fear will pray and instigate others to the same Duty That one Example of Athis Croesus's Son sheweth what the violence of Fear can do he who before was dumb on a sudden cryed out O Cyrus spare my Father and by our Misfortunes learn that thou also art but a Man A Prayer against Fear O Almighty Lord God who art in thy Wrath and Indignation dreadful against Sinners I humbly acknowledge and confess that there is not one of thy Judgments but what the Guilt of my Sins have long since deserved even the miseries of this Life terrors of Death and future Condemnation But O thou great God of Consolation assure me of a full and free Pardon and a remission of all my Sins and Seal my Peace with thee through the Blood of a Crucified Jesus Fill my Heart and Affections with that measure of thy Love as may exclude all servile fear Give me the testimony of a good Conscince to comfort me against all vain fears of the Wicked Lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me and give me that assurance that thou art and will be my Defence and Confidence 2. AND O thou who rulest in Heaven and Earth from the Angel to the Worm the lowest of Creatures and from the swayer of the Scepter to the drawer of Water Thou art Omnipotent and canst do what thou pleasest and no other God besides thee can Deliver after this sort Lord let it be thy Divine will and
occasion to vex at the Levity and Vanity of thy own Mind If it be just what is the monstrous Object of thy Hatred and Malice Assure thy self the Adulteress is unhappy enough and there is no Creature on Earth more despicable and odious nor no Sin in this Life accompanied with so many varieties of Plagues and Judgments so that indeed they are great Objects of Pity if all these wretched Ingredients can render them to be so as a wounded Conscience the Devil 's Earnest to the Impenitent and assurance of Hell and Damnation 8. IN the next place my address shall be to those in whom there is occasion of Suspicion And first Let Man himself consider how odious Adultery is and out of all measure sinful for he sinneth against his own Body defileth the Temple of the Holy Ghost Cor. 6.18 19. and pierceth through his own Bowels with a Dart of Rottenness Prov. 7.23 And that which will render him in the end mournful But beyond all this in case of Impenitency which the stubborn Presumer may justly suspect it is that whereby he excludeth himself from the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 10. And in the Adulteresses Crime some Aggravations are appertaining to it as robbing her Husband of his Posterity obtruding a base and adulterous Issue and so stealing away his Estate and Inheritance by giving it to a Stranger and fixing on an indelible Character of Dishonor and Bastardy upon her Child who but for her impotent and ungovern'd Lust might have proved noble and legitimate An Injury which she can never expiate nor repair to the innocuous Son with Rivers of Tears and streams of her infected Blood This multiplied Sin is sometimes conceal'd from Men but never from the All-seeing God who is a severe Revenger of all Iniquity 9 OTHER Sins are grievous and pernicious yet neither Lying Stealing Idolatry Murder nor Witchcraft can of it self dissolve the Sacred Bond of Wedlock as this only base act of Adultery doth Therefore our Saviour admits of no Divorce but upon that occasion And it is remarkable that when God would display the loathsomness of Idolatry which most displeased him he styl'd it Whoredom and himself a jealous God and certainly though that be abolished of the bitter Water causing the Curse and rotting of the Thigh with swelling which attended that antiquated Ceremony yet the bitter Moral and Substance are not quite extinguish'd Numb 5.18 10. AVOID what you are sensible of hath created your Suspicion otherwise you are guilty if not of Adultery yet of a just Cause of Jealousie Lysander punished one of his Soldiers for going out of his Quarters resolving that he would have none of his look or go out like a Plunderer Dinah's idle visits Gen. 34.1 2. proved her dishonor effusion of guiltless Blood her Father's Trouble and her Brother's Curse The wisest of Men recordeth it as the mark of an Harlot Prov. 7.11 12. Her feet abide not in the house now she is without now in the streets lying in wait at every corner 11. IT was an Italian Severity in Sulpitius and a Diposition to part with his Wife who divorced her for going out of doors bare-headed The Law said he confined thee to mine Eyes and Approbation and not to please others The common Law noted any going out unvail'd with the odious brand of Adultery So careful were they to avoid all occasions or suspicions of that Sin However foolishly strict they were I am sure Jerom's Rules fore-noted is good Whatsoever saith he may probably be feigned be thou cautious it may not be feigned Thou owest this to thy Husband's Love thine own Indemnity and Honor and the Right and Credit of thy Children The PRAYER O Eternal and Almighty God Father of Lights and of the First-born who are written in Heaven and of the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect Thou art the Searcher of all Hearts and Reins to whose All-seeing Eye every Creature is manifest and every thought of the Heart naked and open We humbly beseech thee to take from us our stony Hearts and to give us Hearts of flesh to subdue in us by thy omnipotent Spirit the miserable remainders of the First Adam that native inclination to Sin which continually carrieth us away Captive to the Laws thereof even to that Evil which we would not commit but utterly detest and in bitterness of Soul repent of 2. LORD create clean Hearts and renew right Spirits within us root out that raging Spirit of Jealousie that infernal Fire which lies scorching in our bosoms and enlighten our Vnderstandings with a sound Knowledge of all the Mysteries of Eternal Life and Salvation Sanctifie our Wills and Affections and according to thine own gracious promise six thy Law in our inward Parts and write it deeply in our Hearts that we may know thee from the least to the greatest Heal up those Wounds which our Sins have made so wide that none but thine own Hands can close them and forgive our Iniquity and remember our Sins no more 3. O Lord thou didst by thy holy Word so heal the fountains that death and barrenness was no more therein heal we humbly beseech thee the wretched Corruptions of our hearts cleanse and sanctifie all the thoughts thereof by the sweet and blessed influence of thy Holy Spirit and so quide govern and direct us in the way which thou wilt have us to walk in as that we may in all our Thoughts Words and Actions be acceptable to thee Mortifie and subdue all our evil Desires and Thoughts and bring them all into Subjection to thy Holy Will and Pleasure that we may constantly resist all Temptations to Sin and Wickedness 4. KEEP us and Counsel us in all our Affairs Spiritual and Temporal that we may be filled with the holy Fruits of the Spirit of Sanctification appearing in new and hallowed Thoughts Words and Actions to thy glory and our farther assurance before thee so that in our Bodies and in our Spirits we may be kept blameless in this sinful and miserable World unto the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ To whom with thee O Father of Mercy and the Holy Spirit the Comforter of the Elect be rendred all Honor and Glory in Heaven and in Earth from this time forth and to all Eternity Amen CHAP. XXIII Of External Actions THE External Actions of Men are the product and fruit of their Thoughts and as we owe Sanctimony to God and our own Consciences within so do we good Examples to our Neighbors in things External And our blessed Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount excites us with this Doctrin Mat. 5.16 Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven 2. GOOD Actions proceed from a sound Credence without which they cannot be good nor pleasing in the Sight of Heaven For whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Rom. 14.23 For Faith apprehending Christ to our Justification renders our Works
greater advantage of Assurance 12. NOW the Conclusions necessary to be considered are these First The Almighty's Judgments are ever just yea when Flesh and Blood says with Nichodemus How can these things be John 3.9 When the too Curious Inquests after them are to be Stayed with a Nay but O Man Who art thou that Repliest against God Rom. 9.20 And so also his Mercies are as the unsounded Deeps beyond all apprehension of carnal Reason often Medicable by Wounding and Afflicting the Guilty Conscience Comforting by terrifying introducing to Glory and Immortality through Corruption killing Sin in the Flesh by Death the Fruit of Sin and guiding to Heaven as I may say by the Gates of Hell and fear of Damnation 13. THE most Notorious Sins committed in Ignorance and Incredulity after Repentance are no Arguments to Despair For the Apostle tells you 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers â—f themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall Inherit the Kingdom of God and such were some of you But ye are Washed but ye are Sanctified but ye are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And the same Apostle was a Blasphemer and a Persecuter and Injurious but obtained Mercy forasmuch as he did it ignorantly and in unbelief 1 Tim. 1.13 In his Conversion these Sins fell off as the Viper of Melita from his hand without any danger to his Life Acts 28.5 So God pronounceth of the Convert by the Mouth of his Prophet Ezek. 18.22 All his Transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him 14. SINS of the Regenerate though violent Perturbations of Mind or Tentations ensnaâ—ing them are not to be reckoned among Symptoms of Reprobation or Apostacy Such was Peter's denyal and Davids Adultery and Murder Therefore the Apostle's Counsel is very charitable Gal. 6.1 If any Man be overtaken in any fault ye that are Spiritual restore such a one with the Spirit of Meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted And Christ hath taught us without distinction of great and little Sins to say daily forgive us our trespasses This Life is a Spiritual Combate a Truceless War against the Powers of Darkness wherein the Strongest may be and often are carried away Captive and yet be healed and recovered Eph. 6.12 Their Captivity concludeth not their not being true Israelites who would fain return 15. EVERY Sin against Knowledge doth not presently infer a Reprobate Mind The most Exquisite and Dexterous are sometimes taken in Satan's snares St. Peter though forewarned denyed Christ through sudden apprehension of fear Not out of Malice but infirmity We nay the best of Men are but partly Flesh and partly Spirit so that we can neither perform the good we are inclin'd to nor avoid the evil which we behold and detest St. Paul and all that are Regenerate doth allow the Law of God yet sometimes feel another lawless Law carrying them away Captive to Sin Rom. 7.23 16. THOUGH every Sin against Conscience is very dangerous and every perseverance therein the very Suburbs of Hell yet every such Enormity excludeth not Repentance and Remission Because sin not only allureth but sometimes exerciseth the rage of a Tyrant and Captivates us against our Wills There may also be a Lethargy or Epilepsie of the Soul There is such mischievous subtilty in Satan that his Snares though visible are not always avoided whose Messengers though felt with grief of Soul are not always overcome yet he that gave Waters to the Horeb Rock Exod. 17. 6 7. can smite our harder Hearts and make the Waters of Life flow Plentifully to Repentance never to be repented of 17. THOUGH every Relapse into Sin is very dangerous yet if a man be not entangled and vanquish'd those breaches may be repaired by Repentance 2 Pet. 2.20 And Solomon tells you The Just man falleth seven times a day Prov. 24.16 Satan doth not always present New Scenes but sometimes dresses up his Old Artifices therewith to beguile Though our Infirmities are numerous God's Power is made manifest by sustaining us that though we fall we shall not fall away Though Satan's power subtilty and restless malice are very potent yet he and his Messengers are limited by their Chain and can receive no Commission if it be but to enter into a Herd of Swine but from the Almighty Mat. 8.31 And the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 10.13 That God will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able So that we may resolve that neither Life nor Death nor any Creature shall be able to saparate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.39 CHAP. XXXII Rules of Practice FIRST use thy utmost endeavour to possess the Testimony of a good Conscience which thou canst by no means attain but by being vigilant over thy Soul and with a fixed Constancy resisting Temptations Every Sin yea even the least woundeth the Soul afresh Be not secure of minor Sins but let a good Conscience be most precious unto thee part not from it for any Pleasures Honours or Riches of this World but rather part from Life it self Enjoy a tender Conscience A seared one like Callous Flesh is insensible of that which toucheth it to this Custom creates a proneness to sin and takes away the sense of it 1 Tim. 4.3 Tit. 15. 2. APPROVE thy self in every Action to God fixing thy self ever in his presence who beholdeth a far off all thou thinkest or actest 1 Pet. 3.12 And value not whoever is disgusted if God approveth thee Walk not according to the Wisdom of the Flesh but by the Rule of Gods Grace which shall at last be thy rejoicing 2 Cor. 1.12 Resign not thy self to Sins Dominion which is impossible except thou wholly deliverst up thy self by consenting to thine own Captivity as the Ear-bored Servants who professed love to their Masters and so would not be Manumissed and freed from them Exod. 21.5 6. Detest Sin and it shall not prejudice thee No sin is so pernicious as that which is most facetious but espicially beware of presumptuous sins lest they get the Dominion over thee Psal. 19.13 Numb 15.30 31. Deut. 17.12 3. CONTEMPLATE on God's Justice and Mercy together let them be inseparable in thy Thoughts For if thou inspectest into his Justice only thou art liable to Despair upon the sight of thy sins And if thou viewest his Mercy only thou wilt with facility presume when thou beholdest that transcendent Immensity which is ever ready upon unfeigned Repentance to pardon Sinners The Sailers of Old upon the Yards of their Ships conjectured the Ignis lambens for a good or a bad fatality if they beheld but one flame they denominated it an unlucky Helena but if two they accepted it for Castor and Pollux Good Prognosticks of fair and prosperous Weather Even so it is in Mercy and Justice the Consideration of
which denominates tempting or proving As you will find in Exod. 15.25 and Ch. 16.4 Deut. 8.16 and Chap. 13.3 Psal. 26.2 1 Pet. 1.7 And there is a Temptation of seducement which is a Solicitation to defection and falling from God by sinning and committing evil 1 Tim. 6.9 1 Thes. 3.5 So that God tempteth that he may Discipline us but the Devil that he may destroy us 3. SOME Temptations spring from the Corruption and Sin Inherent in the Flesh St. James 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lusts such as are mentioned Gal. 5.19 20. Some are suggested by the Tempter who being a Spirit hath power to insinuate and convey his impious notions into our minds Suggestion between Spirits are as Contiguity and touching of Bodies for whereas he cannot discover the unuttered secrets of the heart it being the Almighties peculiar Prerogative but he observes mens natural inclinations and habits by their Words and Actions and so prepares Baits accordingly thus he fishes in these depths till he perceives his Suggestions are swallowed and the Sinner taken And by this means he presenteth such Thoughts as he conjectureth will take by that which is obvious to the Senses of men As he fitted an opportunity of Treason to impious Judas by the malice of the high Priests Of Lust to Amnon of venturing on the cursed thing to Achan of the Revenge to Cain of Idolatry to Ahaz by the Altar of Damascus 2 Kin. 16.10 c. 4. OF Temptations there are four degrees by which it ariseth to full Maturity First Suggestion Secondly Delight therein Thirdly Consenting Fourthly Acting the same As St. James tells ye Chap. 1.14 15. Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lusts and enticed then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death The first of these a bare Suggestion is not our Sin if there be no delight or consenting to it For Christ was tempted Mat. 4.1 Luke 4.2 in all points as we are yet without sin Heb. 4.15 The Sin is Satans when ever he Suggesteth evil The Second as the Third and Fourth is Sin in its degree for every delight in evil declares a Mans inclination to be such A declining from Good and a proneness to consent and act evil 5. A tryal of Temptation to the Just is but as Fire to Gold it purifieth and createth a valuation in God's Esteem as the Psalmist tells ye Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and the Apostle informs ye 1 Pet. 1.7 That the tryal of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold which perisheth though it be tryed with Fire might be found unto praise c. And that mirror of Patience is Comforted Job 23.10 When he hath tryed me I shall come forth as Gold Temptation therefore burneth out the dross and is as a Winnowing Wind For Satan by a Temptation winnowed St. Peter Now Consider with thy self can the Refiner of Gold take that Care that he will not lose it in the Furnace Can the Husbandman so opportune the Wind that he will not lose the Corn but cleanse it from the Chaff And canst thou think that the Almighty will suffer thee to be lost by permitting thee to Temptations No assure thy self he cannot err He measureth all Is Faithful and will not suffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able 1 Cor. 10.13 He knoweth how to deliver his out of Temptations 2 Pet. 2.9 Therefore God commands us not to fear any of these things which they should suffer whom Satan should cast into Prison Rev. 2.10 6. THERE can be no Conquest gained without an Enemy nor no Crown without a Conflict No Faith without Troubles nor no Combate without some Adversary When the Almighty puts thee to Tryals he stedfastly beholds how thou entertainest the Enemy and as thou standest the Shock he supplieth thee with fresh aids as necessity requireth and in the mean time prepareth the Crown Many by a long and secure peace grow Impotent and for want of Experience unable to resist an enemy when he invadeth perhaps their own Pride born out of self-ignorance overcometh them or fulness may debauch them whereas Exercise makes them Vigorous and Temptations humble Lest I should be Exalted above measure saith Saint Paul There was given to me a Thorn in the Flesh the Messengers of Satan to buffet me 2 Cor. 12.7 And indeed Conscience of a Sin and fear of punishment makes the Regenerate more Religious and is much the firmer Faith which Repentance storeth up That ye Sorrowed after a Godly sort what Carefulness it wrought in you 2 Cor. 7.11 7. THE Spiritual Pharoah most eagerly pursueth those who are departing out of his Kingdom He passeth by his own as Captives And chaseth those in whom he perceiveth Christ liveth When he must be cast out then he teareth most furiously Luke 9.42 So that his rage against thee is no Argument of Despair but rather of great Affiance that Satan himself finds thou art none of his Disciple were he secure of thee he would let thee go unmolested to destruction and never disquiet thee lest any agitation should bring thee to Repentance and him to loss This Lesson our Saviour taught When a strong Man armed keepeth his Palace his Goods are in peace Luke 11.21 8. CONSIDER well that the best have been and the best that live are tempted The Jebusites were left in Jerusalem for an Exercise of Vertue 2 Sam. 5.6 The Apostle wrapt up into the third Heaven was buffetted by Satans Messengers 2 Cor. 12. 12. EVERY day dedicate thy first and last 2 7. Once for all Christ in whom was no sin was tempted Heb. 4.15 That thou are tempted is no inference of Despair It seems a Paradox how Heaven and Earth are here so annexed we being partly Spirit and partly Flesh that we cannot appear as we would Gal. 5.17 We find an irksome Law in our selves opposing us Our Reparation is something and Supernatural but so short of that which shall be that our selves like the Israelites in Ezra's time sound a discordious Concord of sharps and flats joy and sorrow Ezra 3.13 We must expect perfection in Heaven for our present freedom from sin is rather a desire to be free than our being so 9. NEXT let us consider that God's Grace who at his pleasure chaineth up the Tempter is sufficient for thee Rev. 20.1 2 Cor. 12.9 He restraineth him so much that he cannot be a lying Spirit in the Mouths of Ahab's Prophets untill he have leave to tempt him out to his destruction from him who justly permitteth to strong Delusions that they should perish in believing Lies who receive not the love of the Truth that they might be saved Omnipotence knows best how far he will suffer thee to be tempted and accordingly measureth out a sufficiency of Grace to all the Regenerate Why he suffered David so
art sensible of but think it the greatest Mercy of the Almighty that in the multitudes of those Blessings thou enjoyest thou hast some Crosses God showers upon thee many Blessings lest through want thou shouldst despond and he mixes with them some Crosses lest by too much Prosperity thou shouldst forget thy Maker 3. WHEN the Subtile Tempter by his Instigations offers any Motion of Discontent referring to thy present Station remember St. Pauls saying which must be allowed a Maxim 1 Tim. 6.7 8 9. We brought nothing into this World and it is certain we can carry nothing out and having Food and Rayment let us be therewith content but they that will be Rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown men in Destruction and Perdition Invocate the Almighty and with wise Agur let this be thy Petition O Lord Give me neither Poverty nor Riches feed me with Food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poor and Steal and take the Name of my God in vain Prov. 30.8 9. 4. BE not opinionated that any sin is diminutive for Heavens Vengeance is due to the least and without Gods Infinite Goodness and Mercy is enough to cast thee into unquenchable fire from whence there is no Redemption Remember that Christ died for thee and when thou hast committed any sin mourn for it and earnestly deprecate the Almighty for Pardon and Forgiveness Often Contemplate on the Frailties of thy Transitory Life and of Deaths Infallibility Wish rather a good than a long Life and let thy Verdict agree with the Royal Prophet's That one day in God's House is better than a thousand elsewhere so that one week Religiously employed is more estimable than a Life annually consumed in Debauchery 6. CALCULATE once a day thy thoughts and for what good ones thou hast entertained return thy Lands to him from whom cometh every good and perfect gift And for what vain and idle ones has possessed thy Memory humbly implore his Remission to whom alone belong Mercies and Forgiveness St Matthew as a good Monitor gives thee this Memento that for every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof at the day of Judgment Mat. 12.36 Therefore shun all frivolous and prolix Discourse which will but infest thy Ears and prove insignificant and petulant answers which many times prove very pernicious The words were thine when lockt up in silence but once uttered they are out of thy Possession and what folly and madness is it when that sharp weapon thy Tongue shall attest against thee 6. AVOID Hypocrisie and let thy Heart and Tongue agree in a direct Harmony for where Truth and Justice is the Basis no evil Politicks can undermine the Foundation Abhorr all Falsity and Dissimulation in another and Contemn it in thy self else the Almighty will detest thee and for ever banish thee his presence of which the Prophet David gives us that assurance He that telleth Lies shall not tarry in his sight Psal. 101.7 Set a Guard upon the Door of thy Lips that no Obscene words proceed from thence as thou wouldst preserve thy Food from being Poyson'd but let thy Discourse favour of Vertue and Piety that the Hearers may be Improved and well Instructed And when Religion is the Theme use that Reverence which so Important a Subject requires 7. STUDY to be a good Proficient in Three things which are very necessary First to understand with Discretion to speak with Prudence and to perform with Alacrity be not too Credulous to all Informations neither report totally what you have lent an ear too For if thou dost those which were thy Friends will become thy Enemies and thou wilt expose thy self to perpetual Vexation This is well observed by the Son of Sirach Ecclus. 19.8 9. Whether it be to Friend or Foe talk not of other Mens Lives and if thou canst without offence reveal them not for he heard and observed thee and when time cometh he will hate thee 8. LET not Malice provoke thee to divulge that which the Bonds of Friendship obliges thee to Conceal but to prevent so great an Eruption make choice of such a Familiar Friend who is inspired with Evangelical Graces from whom thou canst never receive any prejudice for though there may arise some particular dissension yet the operation of those Graces will infallibly conduce to a Reconciliation Next act nothing which may be offensive to Sobriety or uneasie to thy self neither be guilty of any thing which may induce thy Friend to become thine Enemy but when thou hast through Supineness or Ignorance committed even the least sin with all the speed thou canst hasten to the Throne of Grace and there thou wilt upon thy true Repentance find Mercy in the time of need 9. BE not too liberal in declaring all thou knowest but rather disswade thy self than thy Friend to keep thy own Councel Scoff not at other's Infirmities but consider and pity thy own by endeavouring to Rectifie and Reform that in thy self which afterwards thou mayest be capable of performing to others Prefer not the little Ebullitions of Frothy Obscene Wit before Solid Reason and Judgment But if thou art disposed to use that freedom in Mirth confine it within the bounds of Legality and level it at nothing that is Sacred or Religious lest we provoke God to anger and pull down a Judgment for our Prophaneness 10. BE no Contriver of Evil though it lies in thy power to Act it for the Almighty will not permit the least sin without bitter Repantance to escape unpunished Omit not any good Duty neither enter upon any before thou hast humbly besought God for a Blessing upon thy endeavours in the performance and whatever thy task and undertaking is let the Operation be effected with all Diligence of Alacrity committing the Event unto him whose Omnipotence doth Benedict with his Grace whatsoever Action is intended for his Glory Be not puft up by any good performance for the Judgment of God is far differing from the judgments of Men Avoid that in thy self which doth most displease thee in others and remember that as thou inspects into others so art thou inspected by Omnisciency Angels and by Men. 11. EXERCISE thy self as often as thou canst in Religious Duties and abridge thy self of Worldly Pleasures by entertaining them seldom That if Death should suddenly Summon thee thou mayst not be Surprized but stand ready prepared Render to every Man the Honour due unto his Function but Esteem and Venerate him more for his Goodness than Greatness And from whom thou hast received a Gratuity according to thy ability express thy Thankfulness Be apprehensive of the dreadful Events of Notorious Evil Men and detest their Wicked Actions But observe the Life of the Sanctimonious that thou mayst effectually imitate their Blessed Example to thy Joy and Comfort Obey thy Superiours attend the Prudent