spirit and must mortifie the deeds of the flesh that so we may withdraw peace from our consciences till wee see some change of our troubled state and recoverie thereof Delay Many times when wee have used all good meanes the Lord deferreth the successe that we being the more humbled may bee the fitter to receive comfort Delight Who so delighteth in the Lord in him doth the Lord delight Devills 1. By creation good Spirits by their fall damned and wicked spirits changed into evill finite immortall invisible adversaries to mans salvation exceeding many of great power Lyons able to doe any thing not above nature in respect of their malice compared to Dragons their subtiltie Serpents their experience termed olde using secret ambushes with shewes of good tempting the prophane never to minde salvation the civill to rest in common honestie as the carnall protestant in outward holinesse the weake beleever either to be scrupulous or to take vice for vertue through ignorance the strong to sin against knowledge and presume to hinder a greater duty by a lesse to use good actions to bad ends to doe evill that good may come thereof to grieve so for one sinne as to neglect others so running into extremities yea to winke at sinne to thinke it tolerable to tast it to commit it to continue in it to defend it 2. This is much to bee lamented that in time of superstition men were more feared with the devill when they heard of his hornes clawes hollow voice and such like then now in the Gospell when they heare of his privie working and fighting against mens soules which is much more dangerous and yet is nothing feared and yet wee can never beleeve and feele the gracious help of Gods holy Angels till wee beleeve and feele the hidden assaults of Satan and his Spirits 3. As God and his good Angels are about us so is the devill and his evill spirits and as good Angels have beene seene so have and may bee the wicked spirits not soules of men but devills in the ayre and the knowledge hereof is greatly for our comfort in well-doing that being in great danger voide of all helpe of man yet God is with us and his Angels for our humbling in evill doing that though no man see or can hurt us yet the devill and his spirits bee about us Discerning 1. Many are outwardly well that is rich in this world which are inwardly ill that is poore in Gods account and many hate outward evill things which for want of spirituall knowledge or the spirit of discerning see not the corruptions of the heart 2. Wisedome must bee desired in discerning of men but charitie in judgeing and praying for them 3. They with whom we would converse may be tryed by these three notes 1. Whether in professing godlinesse they speake upon grounded knowledge 2. What feeling they have of their inward corruptions 3. How loving they are to others in being ready to do them good and warie to speake of their infirmities and that with griefe Discipline 1. Wee are bound to be thankfull to God for that discipline wee have though there bee great want of it for its the Lords will to advance his glory hereby in taking that to himselfe which if we had stricter discipline wee would attribute to it for besides that hee doth that by his word and prayer which may bee done by discipline it may be discipline would hide many hypocrites which now are discovered and cover many a Christian heart which now are knowne for they that bee godly now be godly of conscience being a discipline to themselves but many may seeme godly under discipline which doe it for feare rather then for love 2. This is a good order of discipline first generally to declare that 1. Sinne is broken forth 2. To name the sinne 3. The partie offending after to admonish him then to suspend him lastly to leave him to Satan Despaire 1. It s a fearefull and dangerous policie of Satan to make men continue in sinne without care of recoverie in taking from them all hope thereof which he doth by perswading them that their sinnes bee so great so many and of so long continuance that they cannot be forgiven 2. A dangerous policie of Satan it is to provoke men to despaire inperswading them they have no faith at all because they have it not in this and that particular againe in provoking to presumption to perswade them thus I hope I have faith in generall and therefore my faith is sound in every particular Distrust 1. Distrust is a doubting of Gods helpe in our neede it s a capitall sinne above others robbing God of his truth power wisedome mercie and his other attributes drawing others by our example to distrust which in like manner robbeth man of his chiefe comfort in all distresses 2. How prone we are to it may appeare in our tryalls of paine debt and the like wherein we trust to meanes 3. Wee fall into this by resting too much on meanes neglecting to meditate on Gods truth 4. To trust on God is the speciall remedie to cure this maladie 5. It s a common temptation to afflicted consciences to perswade themselves after some few deliverances that they can looke for no more because the Lord hath beene so liberall but these must know that God is not like man for his gifts are without repentance and when he beginnes to shew mercie he will never cease Doctrine When there is a doctrin generall or equitie in the word the exāples though particular may bee generally applyed Doubting 1. What manner of doubting may stand with faith though it weaken faith and what doubting quite shuts out faith is not easily seene and more hardly uttered to the sight of the weake 2. Although this be by the wise providence of God that many of Gods true children who therefore have had sound com for t in Christ doe especially in their infirmitie oft greatly waver and doubt and so become uncomfortable which the Lord for good cause disposeth lest by their sudden change from so damnable State and uncomfortable to so happy and joyfull they should be lifted up made conceited and secure and so presumptuous the forerunners and causes also of a fearefull fall yet this is certaine that this is their sinne a weaknesse which must be withstood and overcome for the attaining whereto the cause of this doubting must be searched and so removed which ordinarily is our owne infirmities neglect and weaknesse in good duties too great pronenesse and strength in sinne whereupon the tender conscience feareth his former comfort was vaine and so doubteth of his estate for the right removing hereof this is duly to be considered that as the roote of our comfort in Christ is not the strength of our Christian life so the weaknesse herein ought not to breede doubting of
TIME WELL SPENT IN Sacred Meditations Divine Observations Heavenly Exhortations SERVING TO Confirme the Penitent Informe the Ignorant Reforme the Obstinate Convince the Hypocrite Encourage the Fearefull Resolve the Doubtfull Comfort the Afflicted Uphold the Tempted And Cherish the true-hearted Christian By that late able painfull and worthy Man of God Mr. EZECHIEL CULVERVVEL Minister of the Word LONDON Printed by M. Flesher for H. Skelton in Little-Britaine 1634. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL and truly religious Mrs MORE Right Worshipfull and worthy Mistresse More THe Church of God hath not only benefit by exact and just treatises knit together in a Methodicall dependancy of one part from another but likewise of sententious independent speeches that have a generall lustre of themselves as so many flowers in a garden or Jewels in a casket wherof every one hath a distinct worth of themselves and this maketh them the more acceptable that being short they are fitter for the heart to carie as having much in a little This moved this reverend man of God to spend what spare houres his sicknesse would afford him about thoughts in this kinde He was many yeares Gods prisoner under the gout and stone such diseases as will allow but little liberty to those that are arrested and tortured by them So fruitfull an expence of time in so weak and worne a body is seldome seene scarce any came to him but went away better than they came God gave much strength of spirit to uphold his spirit from sinking under the strength of such diseases It were a happy thing if we that are Ministers of Christ would in all conditions and times thinke of our calling that our office is not tyed to one day in a week and one houre or two in that day but that upon all fit occasions we are to quicken our selves and others in the way homeward as guides to heaven We read not of the opening of heaven but to some great purpose So it should bee with the man of God he should not open his mouth and let any thing fall so far as frailty and the necessary occurrences of humane life will permit but what might minister some grace to the hearers The reason why I made choise of you to dedicate them unto is not that I might discharge mine own debt unto you with another mans coine but that I could not thinke of any fitter than your self whom this ancient minister of Christ esteemed alwayes very much for eminency of parts and grace and you him as a man faithfull and one that maintained his ministeriall authority with good successe in his place God allotting your habitation in your younger yeares in that part of the countrey where he lived and where you first learned to know God and your selse In those times though those parts were in regard of the aire unhealthfull yet that aire was so sweetned with the savory breath of the Gospell that they were termed the holy land Hereupon I thought meet to commend these sententious speeches by your name to others Which though divers of them may seeme plaine yet what they want in shew they have in weight as comming from a man very well experienced in all the wayes of God The Lord follow you with his best blessings that you may continue still to adorne the Gospell of Christ in your place Yours in all Christian service R. SIBBS TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THE PUBLISHER HERE OF wisheth Grace mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour CHristian Reader Thou hast here offered unto thee a rare boxe of precious pearles on most subjects many sweet grave acurate wholesome fit and choise passages What the Author was what his care for Gods glory his delight in Gods worship his desire of the good of others his hatred of sinne his griefe for sinne his zeale and fervencie in prayer his knowledge of the word his contempt of the world his experience of Satans subtil ties his compassion towards the afflicted members of Iesus Christ his skill in exhorting dehorting reproving comforting his joyfulnesse in the society and company of Gods children his usuall endeavours and employments his daily meditations his ordinary speeches his grouth in grace and measure of sanctification c. may be easily perceived and plainly discerned by this his ensuing Treatise Well knew he the worth of time well knew he in like manner how to employ the same to his best advantage Apparent it is that he thought that time to be ill spent wherein he was not doing some good to himselfe or others and therefore endeavoured alwayes to bee thus employed Was he alone then was he either occupied in prayer reading meditation or such like Christian exercise Was he in company then were not his words idle vaine worldly unprofitable but gracious poudered with salt tending to edification Was he at dinner or supper then would he take occasion to speake of the use of Gods creatures the thankfulnesse we owe unto God for the plenty we enjoy together with the usuall abuse of Gods mercies by most men and women Was there a question propounded unto him in the resolution thereof would he take occasion to dehort from some one or other vice exhort to some one or other vertue Did he observe in himselfe any thing defective how did he labour for humiliation for a supply Did he observe sinnes in others which were not in himselfe how did he pitty and pray for them blesse God for himselfe yea be hereby perswaded that the Lord loved him as through whose goodnesse he was made see and hate such things as are so highly esteemed in the world and pursued by men of this world whence he became desirous the more to love the Lord with all his heart and to be so delighted in him that he might esteeme nothing without him nor bee carryed away by any thing from him in whose favour is all fulnesse of joy for evermore A faithfull Steward he was of the mysteries of God and who well knew how to divide the word aright and give every man his due portion Thus much no doubt and much more might be said by any of those which entirely knew him my selfe having at no time otherwise seene him than in his workes this especially warranting all that I have affirmed of him Whatsoever thou art whatsoever thy condition thou maiest here have sutable matter which concerneth thy good Here may parents learne their duty children theirs Here may Pastors learne their duty people theirs Here may all learne both young and old rich and poore This will informe thy judgement this in like manner stirre up thy affections Thou then who wouldst learn to performe thy duty towards God thy duty towards thy neighbour Thou who wouldest learne at all times to employ thy time well Thou who wouldest know with whom thou shouldst converse and what use to make of good company c. come here and enjoy thy hearts desire What is here
any righteousnesse of his owne the other that he hath received the grace of Gods spirit to leade an holy life either of which alone can give no sound rejoycing but both must goe together Rom. 5. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Gal. 6. 14. 2. No Christian professor can have any sound comfort of his faith if hee finde no such matter in the remembrance of Christs comming as doth rejoyce his heart and so in some measure stirre up in him a longing after his appearance for howsoever a true faith may bee without some other effects yet this being the very principall of all cannot be wanting the want whereof shewing the want of faith is the cause of that little profiting and so of that little comfort which is to bee found in many whereas if this were more laboured for and so more attained to it would soone cause a great change in any mans profession and hereby indeed the face of our profession would be even almost renewed the alteration would be so great in all respects publick and private 3. There is no well ordered course in Christianitie where godly sorrow and joy be not continuall companions for severed wee runne into some extremitie 4. Whatsoever is the matter of true joy ought to bee a matter of thanksgiving to the Lord. 5. This is much to bee lamented that even among such as make some good profession very few finde that comfort in the Lord as to serve him with delight and so rejoyce in their portion as might draw others to desire the like This comes to passe by our security contenting our selves with our course of living without open reproach and our slothsulnesse loath to straine our selves any further The remedie must be by considering better our state how short wee come and be wanting as in many duties so in many comforts and finde not that full contentment in the Lord for this life and that to come which others do and so leese the sweet and have the sowre of our profession Iudge 1. It s not safe to judge of our selves or others for one action but to waite Gods leasure in revealing the truth 2. For the most part hard judging and false is the fountain of all breaches betweene Christians Iudgements 1. The Lord will spare his judgements in them in whom he seeth a true love of true religion for they that love religion will heare and hearing the word will not lie long in any knowne sinne 2. It s the greatest judgement that can bee to thrive in sinne 3. Let the wicked rebell as they will and think how by their subtilties they may escape Gods threatened judgements for a while yet they shall be pursued from farre and shall tast the heavie hand of God both fearefully and wonderfully as came to passe in Ahad 2 Chron. 18. 33. 4. In denouncing Gods judgements against any we ought to be so affected that we earnestly pray for them that they may bee delivered from them 5. The carefull beholding of Gods judgements on others is very profitable as whereby observing the causes thereof we may warily avoide them lest the like fall on us 6. The not observing of Gods judgements maketh so little either to feare them or love his mercies 7. Who so maketh not conscience to walke uprightly I will not free him from povertie from sicknesse from heresie for as well can and will the Lord punish the minde as the body Knowledge KNowledge must goe before obedience obeeience must follow knowledge apace Law 1. THe Law is often taken for the morall Law of God his precepts for the ceremoniall his judgements or righteousnesse for the sanctions of the Law whether the Lord either accomplish his promises to his children or executeth his wrath on his enemies 2. In these dayes offecurity the preaching of the Law is the neerest way to draw men to Christ out of themselves Learning The greatest Scholars have often most unstable mindes fullest of doubting and least staid in that they know and not able to keepe themselves from foule fallings or being fallen to comfort themselves or others Therefore the greatest Divinity is in teaching or learning the word of God as the word of God comparing spirituall things with spirituall things Love I. All our travaile in Religion to know God to beleeve in him to love and feare him and all our prayers exercises in the word and the like are referred to this to doe all good to our neighbour in our severall callings agreeable to that He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law Rom. 13. 8. and Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is to visit the fatherlesse c. Iames 1. 27. Therefore as we are to bee carefull of all those duties we owe to ourselves so to others good or bad for all zeale in Gods service and profession of our love to God is vaine unlesse it make us carefull for the salvation and bodily preservation of our neighbour 2. There are no stronger meanes to make man and wife or two brethren or sisters living together in peace and love then to joyne together often in prayer and christian conference 3. By musing upon that which often the Scripturesdoe teach us concerning love that it is the fulfilling of the Law and to give all we have to the poore without love is nothing and especially that when our faith and hope shall cease love shall remaine most flourish in the life to come I doe grow to an admiration of the excellencie thereof the sense whereof I most feele when as by some good meanes as some sweet conference my affection is enlarged to any of Gods Saints me thinkes I tast of the happinesse to come then which what more delectable How great therefore is our folly and sinne who provide no better for our selves by encreasing this pleasure 4. The Lord doth often so work that the good affection wee beare to others doth breed the like love in them to us and so the contrary they of whom we thinke hardly have in like manner an heart burning against us 5. Wee must beware that we never further sin but if we love God wee must love them whom God loveth hate them whom God hateth Psal 15. 3. and 139. 21 22. how dare they then in whom are some good things hand over head be friends with Gods enemies Prov. 29. 27. The Lords day 1. Seeing by the appointment of the holy Ghost the Apostles did change the Jewish Sabbath on the seaventh day unto the next day for the memoriall of the Resurrection therefore wee are bound especially on that day to keepe a memoriall of Christs resurrection with thankes unto God for the same 2. There be two things specially needfull to bee much every Lords day in our mindes to uphold us in a conscionable sanctification thereof 1. The gaine to
by false reports doth often correct us for sinne long agoe committed and yet not fully repented or for some contrary corruption or generally he would have us see and amend some sinne we saw not before Reproofe 1. It falleth out often that some grudging at reprehension profit afterward when their choller is past others receiving it well after neglect it 2. At a table its good for them whose duty it is so to rebuke sinne that it may be reformed rather than the person shamed without there be necessary cause so to doe 3. No reprehension must bee but upon good ground according to a mans calling with care not to discredit our brother and prayer unto God for a blessing thereon 4. For the most part its a note of an uncharitable and unquiet Spirit in those that governe to admonish rebuke or chide as wee call it by ironies questions and scoffes Riches The love of riches or earthly things hinders us in good things but the use of them furthers us therein Sacrament I. A Pastor may not debar any from the Sacrament for a secret offence though being admonished he repent not 2. The Sacraments of the Jews were obligations to binde them of Christians to absolve them Saints In comparing our selves with Gods Saints we must not despaire in our weaknesse because wee bee not like them nor presume to be like them Salvation Even of those that have knowledge and sense of their miserie and of Christ the onely remedie yea of Gods large and free offer of salvation unto them and faithfull promise to save them if they will come to him not a few never bee saved for that not beleeving if they goe not or goe amisse not as Heb. 10. 22. but some ignorantly some fainedly some doubtingly some prophanely some not constantly and therefore have no answer or a deniall and an heavie answer who can have no comfort But besides these even such as have in their perswasion a gratious answer from God that he will save them which they shall finde by the inward comfort it brings them are to looke whether this be not a lying Spirit wherewith thousands bee beguiled one sort taking their comfort and building their perswasion that God will save them only and chiefly on this that their lives be amended which as it may be true so it may bee false is no good ground of our perswasion but at the best a prop whereas the true Spirit teacheth us to build all our perswasion on Gods goodnesse freely offered and faithfully to be performed of both which wee are assured by the Gospell the word of truth the onely ground of our assurance But further seeing how many bee beguiled having a good ground but building loosly thereon this is to bee tryed by the effects of the true Spirit whereof all though many may be referred to this one a conscionable studie to please God in all things Satans courses subtiltie temptations 1. Our common adversary Satan never ceasing to seeke our destruction doth chiefely labour 1. to rock us asleepe and so quiet in securitie that we may not see the state of our soules 2. if we be awakened and look about how it is with us then through our privie pride he drawes us to think better of our estate than it is and by that meanes gets us asleepe 3. If this prevaile not but our infirmities many wants doe humble us then doth he with all his power beate us downe to discourage us and weaken our profession In all which severall conditions 1. Some doe wholly and long lye and either asleep see nothing or are too wel pleased and jocond or else altogether cast downe and uncomfortable 2. A better sort goeth through all these sometimes asleepe sometimes too much contented and so fall asleepe againe sometimes oppressed with griefe and after a while either lifted up or fall asleepe againe and thus they spend their dayes unconstantly and therefore indeede with little sound rejoycing and doe hereby lye open to many temptations on every side 3. A third sort and indeede the best through the strength of grace received seldome fall asleep so as they see not how they walke neither be so lifted up as to forget their wants nor so cast downe as to have no joy in the Spirit but wisely considering what is the condition of Gods true children in this world and watching over their hearts especially doe rejoyce in trembling and goe on constantly in their christian course though with infirmity yet rarely or never falling into any offensive trespasse or doubting of Gods favour 2. Satan under a pretence of Repentance brings many unto extream sadnesse and strictnesse in the use of Gods creatures as under a pretence of lawfull libertie hee stirreth up others to excessive and unsanctified mirth and an untemperate use of Gods creatures 3. Wee must pray that the Lord give not out that measure of leave to the devill to tempt us which wee give out to sinne to worke rebellion in us against his majestie but that God would make Satan a Surgeon to open our sinnes 4. It s the policie of Satan to hide Gods present blessings upon us that we may be unthankfull and to set before us greater which we want to make us murmur against God 5. Satan is most ready to make us unwilling to that which shall bee most for Gods glory and the good of his Church 6. This is a common practice of Satan whereby hee much hindereth Gods children from many duties even both by outward object and inward temptation to draw them to some other thing though lawfull than at that time ought to be and therein to hold them what he can whereby hee may keepe them from the duty and also accuse them of neglect of duty and so at least disturbe their quiet and make them unfit for other duties it shall bee therefore high wisedome for every true Christian both to discerne what is to be done in his time and to watch straitly that hee bee not any way pulled therefrom But if he cannot keep men from doing their duty yet will he not cease to corrupt thē in the manner of doing either through hypocrisie or carelessenes and so either make thē cōtent thēselves with that which is naught worth before God or else oppresse them with feare that they have not done their duty in such sort as they ought The remedie is manifest To have speciall care over our hearts that they be sound and fervent humbling our selves in our wants and comforting our hearts in the testimonie of a good conscience 7. Through the subtle malice of Satan working on our corrupted nature it commeth to passe that if faith be taught most abuse it to libertie in sinne if obedience be urged to put confidence therein for justification they are therefore joyntly to bee urged yet faith as
for our soules Note The use of holy dayes We are to be in readinesse against our departure out of this vvorld daily preparing for the same To meditate on death or judgemeÌ„t vvhich best liked Hovv to meditate on death profitably Hovv to thinke of life and death The feare of death not to be disliked The use to be made of dying people A great judgement it is not to thrive by the many helps vvee have of our spirituall nourishment The causes hereof 1. 2. The Râ—medie The causes vvhy many decrease in godlinesse 1. 2. 3. 4. The Remedies Why the Lord often delayeth comfort Who the Lord delighteth in A description of the devills or evill spirits Of olde men vvere more affraid of the devill then novv Note The protection of the good angels comforteth in vvell doing as the evill spirits being about us humbleth in evill doing Man seeth not as God seeth Wisedome and charitie requisit Three notes vvhereby to try those vvith vvhom vve vvould converse Gods vvisdome in affording no stricter discipline A good order of discipline Hovv the devill driveth to despaire Satan tempteth at sometimes to desperation as at other to presumption Hovv capitall a sin distrust is Wee are prone to it Hovv vvee fall therein Hovv to remedie it Gods former liberalitie doth not prejudice his future mercies Note Hard to discerne vvhat doubting stands vvith faith Gods children doubt and vvaver oftentimes vvhich the Lord disposeth to good To doubt is a sinne and to bee vvithstood Hovv to remove the same Causes of Salvation The assurance of our nevv birth a remedie against doubting Sense of our vveaknesse and infirmities no breeder of security Faith and an holy life goe together Comfort to a tender conscience The hypocrite disproved Having fallen into sinne to doubt of Gods favour vvill not raise up They vvho most suspect their ovvne vveaknesse prove strongest in the time of tryall The saints looke too much on the effects too little on the causes of justification Many seeing much corruption in themselves vveaken their faith that they might by feare be made more carefull in life vvho should indeed increase their faith that they might be more quickened thereby to an holy life A principall means of vveakning faith The removall thereof It s no presumption to give credit to God in his Word Unbeleefe an horrible sinne Causes of distrust Our unvvorthines must not let us from beleeving Hovv to remove doubts of Gods favour The use to be made of dreames vvhether evill terrible or good Dulnesse vvhen chiefely found The causes thereof to be searched The remedie to bee used Gods help to be vvaited for Note Why the godly are sometimes more dull vvith the publique meanes then vvithout The omission of a duty for infirmities sake hovv dangerous In earnestnesse the heart is to be searched Long ease hovv dangerous Difference betvveene the faith of the elect and of the reprobate What it is to come to Christ Tvvo dangerous evills Unvvillingnesse to do good to be striven against Particular examples vvhen to be made generall instructions The variety of heavenly exercises tedious to our nature What use is to bee made of our failings A proofe of a vveake faith What benefits vvee enjoy by faith Hovv to encrease faith Mâ—anes vvhereby to be encouraged unto all godlinesse 1. 2. 3. Difference betvveene knowledge and faith The true doctrine and practise of faith a stranger Fevv knovv or doe every thing in faith Foure things to be laboured for of him that vvould doe any thing 〈…〉 1. 2. 3. 4. Note True faith never throughly quenched An holy life shevveth in vvhat sort vve beleev as iniquity vvho beleeve not Hinderances of faith 1. Security occasioned thorough ignorance neglect or contempt 2. Presumption or discouragements Remedies hereof 1. 2. 3. Faith likened to fire How dangerous not to be armed vvith faith Whether this speech I vvill goe to my father be of faith or before it Whence it is that being persvvaded that God is true in all that he saith vvee should yet not beleeve some things vvhich hee saith Faith coÌ„pared to a noble princesse Graces preceding and succeeding faith By the temper of the heart faith may be best tried Note Many deceived in thinking they have faith and have not Chiefe lets of faith or causes vvhy so fevv beleeve 1. Simil. 2. Wee more easily beleeve vvhat God hath said shall be though it be above nature then things coÌ„cerning our selves if they bee contrary to nature Faith like unto fire in sundrie particulars How it s to be kept The vvay to get faith 1. 2. 3. 4. The surest proofe of faith is by the causes and effects thereof The causes The tryall of our humiliation The tryall of our desire of Christ The try all of dravving to Christ The effects Comfortable notes of a sound heart 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. A speciall point of Gods mercie Hovv to prove vve have saith A reverend estimation of Gods mercies to be-retained A svveet comfort In affliction of minde vvhat is to be done The greatest faith is vvhere there is least feeling No man but may fall they soonest that think least of it What use to make of the falls of others He that standeth is to take heed lest he fall Even the best have some slips the vvorse some goodnesse The elect hardly fall tvvice into one grosse sinne Familiaritie vvith sinne hovv dangerous Fellovvship vvith the ungodly hovv fearefull With vvhat sort of persons and hovv farre vve are to converse Hypocrisie is to be avoided in fasting Benefits by fasting Difference betvveene feare and presumption How profitable to feare even those things vvhich never come to passe Those feares vvhich have not their events not to be accounted triviall We are to feare though not immoderately What use to be made of feasts Want of feeling to be prayed against Note Where and why the ungodly love or hate Affinitie vvith the vvicked dangerous The friendship of the vvicked deceitfull The flesh is to bee beaten dovvne the motions of the spirit to bee entertained The dutie of ministers tovvards their flocks A fault in friends meeting Hovv to have comfort of our friends What gift may bee received Upon the event of spirituall blessings upon any hovv to behave our selves Whence it commeth to passe that vvee are more affected vvith mans favour then Gods To meditate on Gods goodnesse how profitable it is Christians are to bee humbled for their light esteeme of Gods glorie In glorifiing God vve seeke our ovvne glory Gods glory still to be aimed at Hovv to knovv when God is glorified An encouragement to glorifie God God in shewing mercie is farre unlike unto man The use to be made of Gods long-suffering Hovv dangerous it is to play vvith our affections Serò sed seriò Gods providence in every thing is duely to be vveighed Gods providence to be observed in the speeches of our enemies Secret things are for the Lord the revealed for us Wherein the godly are