Holy Ghost Read Luke 19. 27. Some think it strange that any men should be called Haters of God And I believe you will find it hard to meet with that man that will confess it by himself till converting Grace or Hell constrain him And indeed if God himself had not charged men with that sin and called them by that name we should scarce have found belief or patience when we had endeavoured to convince the world of it Intreat but the worst of men to repent of Hating God and try how they will take it Yet they may read that name in Scripture Rom. 1. 30. Psal. 81. 15. Luke 19. 14. Did not the Iews hate Christ think you when they murdered him and when they hated all his followers for his sake Matth. 10. 22. Mar. 13. 13. And doth not Christ say that they shall be hated for his sake not only of the Jews but also of all Nations and all men Matth. 24. 9. 10. 22. Even by the world Iohn 17. 14. 15 17 18 19 c. And this was a hating both Christ and his Father Iohn 15. 23 24. But you will say It is not possible that any man can hate God I answer How then come the Devils to hate him Yea every ungodly man hateth God Indeed no man hateth him as Good or as Merciful to them But they hate him as Holy and Iust as one that will not let them have the pleasure of sin without damning them as one engaged in justice to cast them into Hell if they dye without conversion and as one that hath made so pure and precise a Law to govern them and convinceth them of sin and calls them to that repentance and Holiness which they hate Why did the world hate Christ himself He tells you John 7. 7. The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie against it that the works thereof are evil John 3. 19. This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Nay it is a wonder of blindness that this God-hating world and age should not perceive that they are God-haters while they hate his servants to the death and implacably rage against them and hate his holy wayes and Kingdom and bend all their power and interest in most of the Kingdoms of the world against his interest and his people upon earth While the Devil fighteth his battels against Christ through the world by their hands they will yet confess the Devils malice against God but deny their own as if he used their hands without their hearts Well poor wretched worms instead of denying your enmity to him lament it and know that he also taketh you for his enemies and will prove too hard for you when you have done your worst Read Psal. 2. and tremble and submit This is especially the case of persecutors and open enemies but in their measure also of all that would not have him to reign over them And therefore Christ came to Reconcile us unto God and God to us and it is only the sanctified that are Reconciled to him See Col. 1. 21. Phil. 3. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 25. Rom. 5. 10. The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be Rom. 8. 7. Mark that Text well § 2. 2. As long as you are unsanctified you are unjustified and unpardoned you are under the guilt of all the sins that ever you committed Every sinful thought word and deed of which the least deserveth Hell is on your score to be answered for by your self And what this signifieth the threatnings of the Law will tell you See Acts 26. 18. Mar. 4. 12. Col. 1. 14. There is no sin forgiven to an impenitent unconverted sinner § 3. 3. And no wonder when the unconverted have no special interest in Christ. The pardon and life that is given by God is given in and with the Son God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 John 5. 10 Rom. 8. 9. 11 12. Till we are members of Christ we have no part in the pardon and salvation purchased by him And ungodly sinners are not his members So that Jesus Christ who is the hope and life of all his own doth leave thee as he found thee and that is not the worst for § 4. 4. It will be far worse with the impenitent rejecters of the grace of Christ than if they had never heard of a Redeemer For it cannot be that God having provided so precious a Remedy for sinful miserable souls should suffer it to be despised and rejected without encreased punishment Was it not enough that you had disobeyed your Great Creator but you must also set light by a most Gracious Redeemer that offered you pardon purchased by his blood if you would but have come to God by him Yea the Saviour that you despised shall be himself your judge and the Grace and Mercy which you set so light by shall be the heaviest aggravation of your sin and misery For how shall you escape if you neglect so great salvation Heb. 2. 3. And of how much sorer punishment then the despisers of Moses Law shall they be thought worthy who have trodden under foot the Son of God c. Heb. 10. 29. § 5. 5. The very prayers and sacrifice of the wicked are abominable to God except such as contain their returning from their wickedness So that terror ariseth to you from that which you expect should be your help See Prov. 15. 8. 21. 27. Isa. 1. 13. § 6. 6. Your common Mercies do but increase your sin and misery till you return to God Your carnal hearts turn all to sin Tit. 1. 15. Unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled § 7. 7. While you are unsanctified you are impotent and dead to any holy acceptable work when you should redeem your time and prepare for eternity and try your states or pray or meditate or do good to others you have no heart to any such spiritual works your minds are byassed against them Rom. 8. 7. And it is not the excusable impotency of such as would do good but cannot but it is the malicious impotency of the wicked the same with that of Devils that cannot do good because they will not and will not because they have blind malicious and ungodly hearts which makes their sin so much the greater Tit. 1. 16. § 8. 8. While you have unsanctified hearts you have at all times the seed and disposition unto every sin And if you commit not the worst it is because some providence restraining the Tempter hindereth you No thanks to you that you do not daily commit Idolatry Blasphemy Theft
John 3. 18. 3. 5. Thou sleepest in Irons in the captivity of the Devil among the walking judgements of God in a life that is still expecting an end in a Boat that is swiftly carried to eternity just at the entrance of another world and that world will be Hell if Grace awake thee not Thou art going to see the face of God to see the world of Angels or Devils and to be a companion with one of them for ever And is this a place or case to sleep in Is thy Bed so soft thy dwelling so safe God standeth over thee man and dost thou sleep Christ is coming and death is coming and judgement coming and dost thou sleep Didst thou never read of the foolish Virgins that slept out their time and knockt and cryed in vain when it was too late Matth. 25. 5. Thou mightest wiselyer sleep on the Pinnacle of a Steeple in a Storm than have a soul asleep in so dangerous a case as thou art in The Devil is awake and is rocking thy Cradle How busie is he to keep off Ministers or Conscience or any that would awake thee None of thy enemies are asleep and yet wilt thou sleep in the thickest of thy foes Is the battle a sleeping time or thy race a sleeping time when Heaven or Hell must be the End While he can keep thee asleep the Devil can do almost what he liâ—t with thee He knows that thou hast now no use of thy eyes or understanding or power to resist him The Learnedst Doctor in his sleep is as unlearned actually as an Ideot and will dispute no better than an unlearned man This makes many learned men to be ungodly they are asleep in sin The Devil could never have made such a drudge of thee to do his work against Christ and thy soul if thou hadst been awake Thou wouldst never have followed his whistle to the Ale-house the Play-house the Gaming-house and to other sins if thou hadst been in thy wits and well awake Read Prov. 7. 23. 24. I cannot believe that thou longest to be damned or so hatest thy self as to have done as thou hast done to have a lived Godless a Graceless a Prayerless and yet a merry careless life if thy eyes had been opened and thou hadst known and feelingly known that this was the way to Hell Nature it self will hardly go to Hell awake But it 's easie to abuse a man that is asleep Thou hast Reason but didst thou ever awake it to one hours serious Consideration of thy endless state and present case O dreadful judgement to be given over to the Spirit of slumber Rom. 11. 8. Is it not high time now to awake out of sleep Rom. 13. 11. When the light is arisen and shines about thee When others that care for their souls are busily at work When thou hast slept out so much precious time already Many a mercy and perhaps some Ministers have been as Candles burnt out to light thee while thou hast slept How oâ—t hast thou been called already How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard Prov. 6. 9. 10. Yet thou hast thundering calls and allarums to awake thee God calls and Ministers call Mercies call and judgements call and yet wilt thou not awake The voice of the Lord is powerful full of Majesty breaketh the Cedars shaketh the Wilderness and yet cannot it awake thee Thou wilt not sleep about far smaller matters at meat or drink or in common talk or Market But O how much greater business hast thou to keep thee awake Thou hast yet an unholy soul to be renewed an ungodly life to be reformed an offended God to be reconciled to and many thousand sins to be forgiven Thou hast death and judgement to prepare for thou hast Heaven to win and Hell to scape Thou hast many a needful Truth to learn and many a holy duty to perform and yet dost thou think it time to sleep Paul that had less need than thou did watch and pray and labour day and night Acts 20. 31. 1 Thess. 3. 10. O that thou knewest how much better it is to be awake While thou sleepest thou losest the benefit of the Light and all the mercies that attend thee The Sun is but as a clod to a man asleep The world is as no world to him The beauty of Heaven and Earth are nothing to him Princes friends and all things are forgotten by him So doth thy sleep in sin make nothing of health and patience time and help Ministers Books and daily warnings O what a day hast thou for everlasting if thou hadst but a heart to use it What a price hast thou in thine hand Prov. 10. 5. Sleep not out thy day thy harvest time thy tide time They that sleep sleep in the night 1 Thess. 5. 7. Awake and Christ will give thee light Rom. 13. 12. Ephes. 5. 14. Awake to righteousness and sin not 1 Cor. 15. 34. O when thou seest the Light of Christ what a wonder will it possess thee with at the things which thou now forgettest What joy will it fill thee with and with what pity to the sleepy world But if thou wilt needs sleep on be it known to thee sinner it shall not be long If thou wilt wake no sooner death and vengeance will awake thee Thou wilt wake when thou seest the other world and seest the things which thou wouldst not believe and comest before thy dreadful Judge Thy damnation slumbereth not 2 Pet. 2. 3. There are no sleepy souls in Heaven or Hell all are awake there and the day that hath awakened so many shall waken thee Watch then if thou love thy soul lest thy Lord come suddenly and find thee sleeping Mark 13. 34 35 36 37. What I say to one I say to all Watch. § 4. Tempt 2. If Satan cannot keep the soul in a sleepy careless inconsiderate forgetfulness he would Tempt 2. make the unregenerate soul believe that there is no such thing as Regenerating Grace but that it is a fancied thing which no man hath experience of and he saith as Nicodemus How can these things be John 3. 4. He thinks that natural conscience is enough § 5. Direct 2. But this may be easily refuted by observing that Holiness is but the very Health and Direct 2. rectitude of the soul and is no otherwise supernatural than as Health to him that is born a Leper See 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. Gal. 4. 19. Joh. 3. 3. 5. 6. Matth. 18. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 23. It is the rectitude of Nature or its disposition to the use and end that it was made for Though Grace be called supernatural 1. Because it is not born with us and 2. Corrupted Nature is against it 3. And the End of it is the God of Nature who is above Nature 4. And the Revelation and other means are supernatural as Christs incarnation resurrection c. Yet both Nature and Scripture and experience tell you
destroying the Kingdom of the Devil and next the purifying his peculiar people and calling home all that are ordained to eternal life § 60. But more particularly he looketh principally at the heart to plant there 1. Holy Knowledge 2. Faith 3. Godlyness or holy devotedness to God and Love to him above all 4. Thankfulness 5. Obedience 6. Humility 7. Heavenly-mindedness 8. Love to others 9. Self-denial and Mortification and contentment 10. Patience And in all these 1. sincerity 2. tenderness of heart 3. â—eal and holy strength and resolution And withal to make us actually serviceable and diligent in our masters work for our own and others salvation § 61. II. Christs order in working is direct and not backward as the Devils is He first revealeth saving truth to the understanding and affecteth the will â—â— shewing the Goodness of the things revealed And these employ the Thoughts and Passions and Senses and the whole body reducing the inferiour faculties to obedience and casting out by degrees those images which had deceived and prepossessed them § 62. The matter which Christ presenteth to the Soul is 1. Certain Truth from the Father of Lights set up against the Prince and Kingdom of darkness ignorance error and deceit 2. Spiritual and everlasting Good even God himself to be seen and Loved and Enjoyed for ever against the Tempters temporal corporal and seeming good Christs Kingdom and work are advanced by Light He is for the promoting of all useful knowledge and therefore for clear and convincing Preaching for reading the Scriptures in a known tongue and meditating in them day and night and for exhorting one another daily which Satan is against § 63. III. The Means by which he worketh against Satan are such as these 1. Sometime he maketh use of the very temper of the body as a preparative and being Lord of all he giveth such a temperature as will be most serviceable to the soul As a sober deliberate meek quiet and patient disposition But sometime he honoureth his Grace by the conquest of such sins as even bodily disposition doth entertain and cherish § 64. 2. Sometimes by his providence he withdraweth the matter of temptations that they shall not be too strong for feeble souls But sometimes his Grace doth make advantage of them all and leave them for the magnifying of its frequent victories § 65. 3. Sometimes he giveth his cause the major vote among the people so that it shall be a matter of dishonourable singularity not to be a professed Christian and somtime but exceeding rarely it is so with the life of Godliness and practice of Christianity also But ordinarily in the most places of the world Custom and the Multitude are against him and his grace is honoured by prevailing against these bands of Satan § 66. 4. He maketh his Ministers his principal Instruments qualifying disposing and calling them to his work and helping them in it and prospering it in their hands § 67. 5. He maketh it the duty of every Christian to do his part to carry on the work and furnisheth them with Love and Compassion and Knowledge and Zeal in their several measures § 68. 6. He giveth a very strict charge to Parents to devote their Children with themselves to God encouraging them with the promise of his accepting and blessing them and commandeth them to teach them the word of God with greatest diligence and to bring them up in the nurture and fear of God § 69. 7. He giveth Princes and Magistrates their power to promote his Kingdom and protect his servants and encourage the good and suppress iniquity and further the obedience of his Laws Though in most of the world they turn his enemies and he carrieth on his work without them and against their cruel persecuting opposition § 70. 8. His Light detecteth the nakedness of the Devils cause and among the Sons of Light it is odious and a common shame And as wisdom is justified of her children so the judgement of holy men condemning sin doth much to keep it under in the world § 71. 9. His providence usually casteth the sinner that he will do good to into the bosome and communion of his holy Church and the familiar company and acquaintance of the Godly who may help him by instruction affection and example § 72. 10. His providence fitteth all conditions to their good but especially helpeth them by seasonable quickning afflictions These are the means which ordinarily he useth But the powerful inward operations of his Spirit give efficacy to them all Tit. 2. Temptations to particular sins with Directions for preservation and Remedy IN Chapter 1. Part 2. I have opened the Temptations which hinder sinners from Conversion to God I shall now proceed to those which draw men to particular sins Here Satans Art is exercised 1. In fitting his baits to his particular use 2. In applying them thereto § 1. Tempt 1. The Devil fitteth his Temptations to the sinners age The same bait is not suitable Tempt 1. to all Children he tempteth to excess of playfullness lying disobedience unwillingness to learn the things that belong to their salvation and a senselesness of the great concernments of their souls He tempteth youth to wantonness rudeness gulosity unruliness and foolish inconsiderateness In the beginning of manhood he tempteth to lust voluptuousness and luxury or if these take not to designs of worldliness and ambition The aged he tempteth to covetousness and unmoveableness in their error and unteachableness and obstinacy in their ignorance and sin Thus every age hath its peculiar snare § 2. Direct 1. The Remedy against this is 1. To be distinctly acquainted with the Temptations of Direct 1. your own age and watch against them with a special heedfullness and fear 2. To know the special duties and advantages of your own age and turn your thoughts wholly unto those Scripture hath various precepts for the various ages study your own part The young have more time to learn their duty and less care and business to divert them Let them therefore be taken up in obedient learning The middle age hath most vigor of body and mind and therefore should do their masters work with the greatest vigor activity and zeal The Aged should have most judgement and experience and acquaintedness with Death and Heaven and therefore should teach the younger both by word and holy life § 3. Tempt 2. The Tempter also fitteth his Temptations to mens several bodily tempers as I Tempt â— shewed § 22. The hot and strong he tempteth to lust The sad and fearful to discouragement and continual self-vexations and to the Fear of Men and Devils Those that have strong appetites to Gluttony and Drunkenness Children and Women and weak-headed people to Pride of Apparel and trifling Complement And masculine wicked-unbelievers to Pride of Honour Parts and Grandeur and to an ambitious seeking of Rule and Greatness The meek and gentle he tempteth to a yieldingness unto the perswasions
wood and yet is afraid of the shaking of a leaf You dwell among a world of ulcerated selfish contradictory mutable unpleasable minds and yet you cannot endure their displeasure Are you Magistrates The people will murmure at you and those that are most incompetent and uncapable will be the forwardest to censure you and think that they could govern much better than you Those Socrates dicenâ—â— cuidam Nonne tibi â—â—â—â—e maledicit Non inquit mâ—hi enim â—â—â—â—a non aâ—â—uâ—t that bear the necessary burdens of the common safety and defence will say that you oppress them and the malefactors that â—re punished will say you deal unmercifully by them and those that have a cause never so unjust will say you wrong them if it go not on their side Are you Pastors and Teachers You will seem too rough to one and to smooth to another yea too rough to the same man when by reproof or censure you correct his faults who censureth you as too smooth and a friend to sinners when you are to deal in the cause of others No sermon that you preach is like to be pleasing to all your hearers nor any of your ministerial works Are you Lawyers Dicebat â—xpâ—dire ut sâ—se ex induâ—â—ria com â—â—s exponerâ—â— Nâ—m si ea dixerin quae in nâ—bâ— corrigenda sint emâ—ndâ—bunt sin aâ—iaâ— nihil ad nâ—s The Clyents that lost their cause behind your backs will call you unconscionable and say you betrayed them And those that prevailed will call you covetous and tell how much money you took of them and how little you did for it So that it s no wonder that among the vulgar your profession is the matter of their reproach Are you Physicions You will be accused as guilty of the death of many that die and as covetous takers of their money whether the Patient die or live For this is the common talk of the vulgar except of some few with whom your care hath much succeeded Are you Trades-men Most men that buy of you are so selfish that except you will begger your selves they will say you deceive them and deal unconscionably and sell too dear Little do they mind the necessary maintenance of your families nor care whether you live or gain by your trading But if you will wrong your selves to sell them a good penny-worth they will say you are very honest men Dicenti Alâ—â—bâ—adâ— non esse toleâ—abâ—lâ—m Zantippen adeo morosam Atqui ait ego ita hisâ—e jampâ—idem assuetus sum ac si sâ—num trochearum audiam miâ—i post Zantippes uâ—um relâ—quorum mortalium facilis â—â—leratio est Laâ—â—t iâ— Socr. And yet when you are broken they will accuse you of imprudence and defrauding your creditors You must buy dear and sell cheap and live by the loss or else displease § 59. Direct 11. Remember still that the Pleasing of God is your business in the world and that in Direct 11. Pleasing him your souls may have safety rest and full content though all the world should be displeased Hoc habeo fâ—â—e refugii praesidii in meâ—â—aeruâ—ni sermones cum Deo cum amicis verâ—â— cum multâ—s magistrâ—s Buâ—holtzâ—â— with you God is enough for you And his approbation and favour is your portion and reward How sweet and safe is the life of the sincere and upright ones that study more to be good than to seem good And think if God accept them that they have enough O what a mercy is an upright heart Which renounceth the world and all therein that stands in competition with his God And taketh God for his God indeed even for his Lord his Judge his Portion and his all Who in temptation remembreth the eye of God and in all his duty is provoked and ruled by the will and pleasure of his Judge And regardeth the eye and thoughts of man but as he would do the presence of a bird or beast unless as piety justice or charity require him to have respect to man in due subordination to God Who when men applaud him as a person of excellent holiness and goodness is fearful and sollicitous lest the all-knowing God should think otherwise of him than his applauders And under all Nemo alâ—oâ—um sâ—nâ—u miser est sâ—d â—â—â—â— â—deâ— non possunt â—â—â—â— usquam fâ—â—â—â— judicio esâ—e misâ—ri qui sunt vere â—uâ— conscient â— bâ—ati Salvi 〈…〉 Gubâ—râ— l 1. the censures roproaches and slanders of man yea though through temptation good men should thus use him can live in peace upon the approbation of his God alone and can rejoyce in his justification by his righteous judge and gracious redeemer though the inconsiderable censures of men condemn him Verily I cannot apprehend how any other man but this can live a life of true and solid peace and joy If Gods approbation and favour quiet you not nothing can rationally quiet you If the pleasing of him do not satisfie you though men though good men though all men should be displeased with you I know not how or when you will be satisfied Yea if you be above the censures and displeasure of the profane and not also of the godly when God will permit them as Iobs wife and friends to be your trial it will not suffice to an even contented quiet life And here consider § 60. 1. If you seek first to please God and are satisfied therein you have but one to please instead of Philosophi libertas 〈…〉 a est omnâ—bus P. Sâ—asig mulâ—o maâ—is fidelis Pastor is multitudes And a multitude of masters are hardlier pleased than one 2. And it is One that putteth you upon nothing that is unreasonable for quantity or quality 3. And one that is perfectly wise and good not liable to misunderstand your case and actions 4. And one that is must Holy and is not pleased in iniquity or dishonesty 5. And he is one that is impartial and mâ—st just and is no respecter of persons Acts 10. 34. 6. And he is one that is a competent Iudge that hath fitness and authority and is acquainted with your hearts and every circumstance and reason of your actions â— And he is one that perfectly agreeth with himself and putteth you not upon contradictions or unpossibilities 8. And he is one that is constant and unchangeable and is not pleased with one thing to day and another contrary to morrow nor with one person this year whom he will be weary of the next 9. And he is one that is merciful and requireth you not to hurt your selves to please him Nay he is pleased with nothing of thine but that which tendeth to thy happiness and displeased with nothing but that which hurts thy self or others as a father that is displeased with his children when they defile or hurt themselves 10. He is gentle though just in his censures of thee judging truly but not with unjust rigor nor making your actions worse
or your Answ. ultimate end Therefore here you owe them no formal obedience But yet the will of Parents with all the consequents must be put into the scales with all other considerations and if they make the discommodities of a single life to become the greater as to your end then they may bring you under a duty or obligation to marry not necessitate praecepti as obedience to their command but necessitate medii as a means to your ultimate end and in obedience to that general command of God which requireth you to seek first your ultimate end even the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Matth. 6. 33. Quest. But what if I have a corporal necessity and yet I can foresee that marriage will greatly disadvantage Quest. me as to the service of God and my salvation Answ. First You must understand that no corporal necessity is absolute For there is no man so Answ. lustful but may possibly bridle his lust by other lawful means by dyet labour sober company diverting business solitude watching the thoughts and senses or at least by the Physicions help so that the necessity is but secundum quid or an urgency rather than simple necessity And then 2. This measure of necessity must be it self laid in the ballance with the other accidents and if this necessity will turn the scales by making a single life more disadvantageous to your ultimate end your lust being a greater impediment to you than all the inconveniences of marriage will be than the case is resolved It is better to marry than to burn But if the hinderances in a married state are like to be greater than the hinderances of your concupiscence then you must set your self to the curbing and curing of that concupiscence and in the use of Gods means expect his blessing § 7. 2. Children are not ordinarily called of God to marry when their Parents do absolutely Of Parents Wills and peremptorily forbid it For though Parents Commands cannot make it a duty when we are sure it would hinder the interest of God our ultimate end yet Parents prohibitions may make it a sin when there is a clear probability that it would most conduce to our ultimate end were it not prohibited Because 1. Affirmatives bind not semper ad semper as Negatives or prohibitions do 2. Because the sin of disobedience to Parents will cross the tendency of it unto good and do more against our ultimate end than all the advantages of marriage can do for it A duty is then to us no duty when it cannot be performed without a chosen wilful sin In many cases we are bound to forbear what a Governour forbiddeth when we are not bound to Do the contrary if he command it It is easier to make a duty to be no duty than to make a sin to be no sin One bad ingredient may turn a duty into a sin when one good ingredient will not turn a sin into a duty or into no sin § 8. Quest. But may not a Governours prohibition be over weighed by some great degrees of incommodity Quest. It is better to marry than to burn 1. What if Parents forbid Children to marry absolutely untill death and so deprive them of the lawful remedy against lust 2. And if they do not so yet if they forbid it them when it is to them most seasonable and necessary it seemeth little better 3. Or if they forbid them to marry where their affections are so engaged as that they cannot be taken off without their mutual ruine may not Children marry in such cases of necessity as these without and against the will of their Parents Answ. I cannot deny but some cases may be imagined or fall out in which it is lawful to do Answ. what a Governour forbiddeth and to marry against the will of Parents For they have their Power to edification and not unto destruction As if a Son be qualified with eminent gifts for the work of the Ministry in a time and place that needeth much help if a malignant Parent in hatred of that Sacred Office should never so peremptorily forbid him yet may the Son devote himself to the blessed work of saving souls even as a Son may not forbear to relieve the poor with that which is his own though his Parents should forbid him nor forbear to put himself into a capacity to relieve them for the future nor forbâ—â—â—â— his own necessary food and rayment though he be forbidden As Daniel would not forbear praying openly in his house when he was forbidden by the King and Law When any inseparable accident doth make a thing of it self indifferent become a duty a Governours prohibition will not discharge us from that duty unless the accident be smaller than the accident of the Rulers prohibition and then it may be over weighed by it But to determine what Accidents are Greater or Less is a difficult task § 9. And as to the particular Questions to the first I answer If Parents forbid their Children to marry while they live it is convenient and safe to obey them until death if no greater obligation to the contrary forbid it But it is necessary to obey them during the time that the Children live under the Government of their Parents as in their Houses in their younger years except in some few extraordinary cases But when Parents are dead though they leave commands in their Wills or when age or former marriage hath removed Children from under their Government a smaller matter will serve to justifie their disobedience here than when the Children in minority are less fit to Govern themselves For though we owe Parents a limited obedience still yet at full age the Child is more at his own dispose than he was before Nature hath given given us a hint of her intention in the instinct of bruits who are all taught to protect and lead and provide for their young ones while the young are insufficient for themselves But when they are grown to self-sufficiency they drive them away or neglect them If a wiâ—e Son that hath a Wife and many Children and great affairs to manage in the world should be bound to as absolute obedience to his aged Parents as he was in his childhood it would ruine their affairs and Parents government would pull down that in their old age which they built up in their middle age § 10. And to the second Question I answer that 1. Children that pretend to unconquerable Lust or Love must do all they can to subdue such inordinate affections and bring their lusts to stoop to reason and their Parents wills And if they do their best there is either none or not one of many hundreds but may maintain their chastity together with their obedience 2. And if any say I have done my best and yet am under a necessity of marriage and am I not then bound to marry though my Parents forbid me I answer it is not
and ye fed me c. Heb. 5. 9. He is the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him Matth. 7. 24 25. whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him to a wise man that built his house upon a rock Rev. 22. Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in by the gate into the City for without are dogs c. Thus must you rejoyce in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ not only as he was Crucified on it for you but also as you are crucified by it to the world and the world to you Gal. 6. 14. He that as a Benefactor will give you that Glory which you could never deserve of him on terms of commutative Justice for so no Creature and deserve any thing of God will yet as a Righteous Governour and Judge deliver it you only on the terms of his Paternal governing-distributive justice and all shall receive according to what they have done in the body And therefore you may take comfort in that Evangelical Righteousness which consisteth in your fulfilling the conditions of the new Covenant though you have no Legal-Righteousness which consisteth in innocency or freedom from the Curse of the Law but only in the Merits and Sacrifice of Christ. If you are accused as being Impenitent Unbelievers or Hypocrites Christs Righteousness will not Justifie you from that accusation but only your Repentance faith and sincerity wrought in you by the spirit of Christ But if you can but shew the evidence of this Evangelical Righteousness Christ then will justifie you against all the other accusations of guilt that can be charged on you Of which more anon Seeing therefore the spirit hath given you these Evidences to difference you from the wretched world and prove your title to eternal life if you over look these you resist your Comforter and can see no other ground of Comfort than every graceless hypocrite may see Imitate holy Paul 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but to all them also that love his appearing To look back and see that in sincerity you have gone the way to heaven is a just and necessary ground of assurance that you shall attain it If you say But I have been a grievous sinner I answer so was Paul that yet rejoyced after in this evidence Are not those sins repented of and pardoned If you say But I cannot look back upon a holy life with comfort it hath been so blotted and uneven I answer Hath it not been sincere though it was imperfect Did you not first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness Matth. 6. 33. If you say My whole life hath been ungodly till now at last that God hath humbled me I answer It is not the Length of time but the sincerity of your hearts and service that is your evidence If you came in at the last hour if now you are faithfully devoted to God you may look with comfort on this change at last though you must look with Repentance on your sinful lives § 10. Direct 10. When you see any of this evidence of your interest in Christ appeal to him to Direct 10. acquit you from all the sin that can be charged on you For all that believe in him are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1. Whatever sin a penitent believer hath committed he is not chargeable with it Christ hath undertaken to answer for it and justifie him from it and therefore look not on it with terrour but with penitent shame Isa. 53. 10 11 12 c. and believing-thankfulness as that which shall tend to the honour of the Redeemer and not to the condemation of the sinner He hath born our transgressions and we are healed by his stripes § 11. Direct 11. Look back upon all the Mercies of your lives and think whence they came and Direct 11. what they signifie Love tokens are to draw your hearts to him that sent them These are dropt from Heaven to entice you thither If God have been so good to you on earth what will he be in Glory If he so blessed you in this Wilderness what will he do in the land of promise It greatly emboldeneth my soul to go to that God that hath so tenderly loved me and so graciously preserved me and so much abounded in all sorts of mercies to me through all my life Surely he is Good that so delighteth to do good And his presence must be sweet when his distant mercies have been so sweet What Love shall I enjoy when perfection hath fitted me for his Love who have tasted of so much in this state of sin and imperfection The sense of mercy will banish the fears and mis-givings of the heart § 12. Direct 12. Remember if you have attained to a declining age what a competent time Direct 12. you have had already in the world If you are grieved that you are mortal you might on that account have grieved all your dayes But if it be only that you die so soon if you have lived well you have lived long When I think how many years of mercy I have had since I was near to death and since many younger than I are gone and when I think what abundance of mercy I have had in all that time ingenuity forbiddeth me to grudge at the season of my death and maketh me almost ashamed to ask for longer life How long would you stay before you would be willing to come to God If he desired our company no more than we do his and desired our happiness in Heaven no more than we desire it our selves we should linger here as Lot in Sodom Must we be snatcht away against our wills and carryed by force to our Fathers presence § 13. Direct 13. Remember that all mankind is mortal and you are to go no other way than all that Direct 13. ever came into the world have gone before you except Henoch and Elias Yea the poor bruit creatures must die at your pleasure to satisfie your hunger or delight Beasts and birds and fishes even many to make one meel must die for you And why then should you shrink at the entrance of such a trodden path which leadeth you not to hell as it doth the wicked nor meerly
bear too patiently with your selves If another speak evil of you he doth not make you evil It 's worse to make you bad than to call you so And this you do against your selves Doth your Neighbour wrong you in your honour or Estate But he endangereth not your soul He doth not forfeit your salvation He doth not deserve damnation for you nor make your soul displeasing to God But all this you do against your selves even more than all the Devils in Hell do and yet you are too little offended with your selves see here the power of blind self-love If you loved your Neighbours as your selves you would agree as peaceably with your Neighbours almost as with your selves Love them more and you will bear more with them and provoke them less § 5. Direct 4. Compose your minds to Christian gentleness and meekness and suffer not Passion to Direct 4. make you either turbulent and unquiet to others or impatient and troublesome to your selves A gentle and quiet mind hath a gentle quiet tongue It can bear as much wrong as another can do according to its measure It is not in the power of Satan He cannot at his pleasure send his Emissary and by injuries or foule words procure it to sin But a Passionate person is frequently provoking or provoked A little thing maketh him injurious to others and a little injury from others disquieteth himself He is daily troubling others or himself or both Coals of fire go from his lips It is his very desire to provoke and vex those that he is angry with His Neighbours Peace and his own are the fuel of his anger which he consumeth in a moment To converse with him and not provoke him is a task for such as are eminently meek and self-denying He is as the leaves of the Aspe tree that never rest unless the day be very calm The smallest breath of an angry tongue can shake him out of his tranquillity and turn him into an Ague of disquietness The Sails of the Windmill are scarce more at the winds command than his heart and tongue is at the command of Satan He can move him almost when he please Bid but a Neighbour speak some hard speeches of him or one of his Family neglect or cross him and he is presently like the raging Sea whose waves cast up the mire and dirt An impatient man hath no security of his own peace for an hour Any enemy or angry person can take it from him when they please And being troubled he is troublesome to all about him If you do not in your patience possess your souls they will be at the mercy of every one that hath a mind to vex you Remember then that no peace can be expected without Patience nor patience without a meek and gentle mind Remember that the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit is of great price in the sight of God 1 Pet. 3. 4. And that the wisdom from above is first pure and then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated Jam. 3. 17. And that the eternal wisdom from above hath bid you learn of him to be meek and lowly in spirit as ever you would find rest to your souls Matth. 11. 28 29. And he that loseth his own peace is likest to break the peace of others § 6. Direct 5. Be careful to maintain that order of Government and obedience which is appointed Direct 5. of God for the preservation of Peace in families Churches and Common-wealths If you will break this vessel peace will flow out and be all quickly spilt What peace in Schools but by the authority of the Schoolmaster Or in Armies but by the authority of the General If an unwise and ungodly Governour do himself violate the foundations and boundaries of peace and either weakly or wilfully make dividing Laws no wonder if such wounds do spend the vital blood and spirits of that society It being more in the power of the Governours than of the Subject to destroy Peace or to preserve it And if the Subjects make not conscience of their duty to their Superiours the banks of peace will soon be broken down and all will be overwhelmed in tumult and confusion Take heed therefore of any thing which tendeth to subvert or weaken Government Disobedience or Rebellion seldome wanteth a fair pretence but it more seldome answereth the agents expectation It usually pretendeth the weaknesses miscarriages or injurious dealings of superiours But it as usually mendeth an inconvenience with a mischief It setteth fire on the house to burn up the Rats and Mice that troubled it It must be indeed a grievous malady that shall need such a mischief for its remedy Certainly it is no means of Gods appointment Take heed therefore of any thing which would dissolve these bonds Entertain not dishonourable thoughts of your Governours and receive not nor utter not any dishonourable words against them If they be faulty open not their shame Their honour is their interest and the peoples too Without it they will be disabled for effectual Government When subjects or servants or children are sawcily censorious of superiours and make themselves Judges of all their actions even those which they do not understand and when they presume to defame them and with petulant tongues to cast contempt upon them the fire is begun and the sacred bonds of peace are loosed When superiours rule with Piety Justice and true love to their subjects and Inferiours keep their place and rank and all conspire the publick good then Peace will fourish and not till then § 7. Direct 6. Avoid all revengeful and provoking words When the poyson of Asps is under mens Direct 6. lips Rom. 3. 13. no wonder if the hearers minds that are not sufficiently antidoted against it fester Death and life are in the power of the tongue Prov. 18. 21. When the tongue is as a Sword yea a sharp sword Psal. 57. 4. and when it is purposely whetted Psal. 64. 3. But no marvel if it pierce and wound them that are unarmed But by long forbearing a Prince is perswaded and a soft tongue breaketh the bone Prov. 25. 15. A railer is numbered with those that a Christian must not eat with 1 Cor. 5. For Christianity is so much for Peace that it abhorreth all that is against it Our Lord when he was reviled reviled not again and in this was our example 1 Pet. 2. 21 23. A scorning railing reproachful tongue is set as Iames saith 3. 6. on fire of Hell and it setteth on fire the course of nature even persons families Churches and Common-wealths Many a a ruined society may say by experience Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth James 3. 5. § 8. Direct 7. Engage not your selves too forwardly or eagerly in disputes nor at any time without Direct 7. necessity And when necessity calleth you set an extraordinary watch upon your passions Though disputing is lawful and sometime necessary to defend