with others And they injure themselves most by being false to their trust Should they feed the bodies of their Children and Servants on the Lords-days and make no provision for them on the week-days their consciences would flie in their faces and tell them they were inhumane and unnatural and yet they can omit all regard of their immortal souls which are far more worthy of care and tendance without remorse and sorrow I must tell such persons that if Atheism had not the predominancy in their hearts it would not bear such sway in their houses Such men are like Swine with their Pigs as if all their noses were nailed to the trough in which they feed they look not up to the God of their food and of all their comforts Such Children and Servants will in the other world find cause to curse the time that ever they knew such Fathers and Masters Others there are some of whom I hope to be godly though not in this particular that pray in their families every night but omit morning duties As if God were the God of the night and not of the day as the Syrians blasphemously affirmed that he was God of the Hills but not of the Vallies These as Austin speaks of those that woâ—ship the Moon are Atheists by day as they that worship the Sun are Atheists by night The day is thine the night also is thine thou preparest the light and the Sun Psa. 74. 16. Surely though evening Sacrifice ought to be minded yet there is as much if not more reason for morning duties A man at night in his Chamber is like a Souldier in his Garrison subject onely to the unavoidable and more immediate hand of God whereas in the day when he stragleth abroad from his quarters to fetch in his supplies he is then exposed to many unexpected casualties and unthought of accidents Family perils and dangers every day call for family prayers and duties every morning Family favours and kindnesses every night call for family thanks and acknowledgements every day When many are joyned in a Bond they go often together to see the money paid All in a Family joyn in borrowing domestical mercies therefore they must all joyn in paying hearty praises Reader if thou art Governour of a Family Consider that thou canst not faithfully serve God as a Commander unless thou takest care that all the persons under thy power do their duties in their places The Lord of Hosts will never thank that Officer who is careful to sight for him in his own person but suffereth his Company through his carelesness to fall away to the enemy Do not pretend Servants are abroad or scattered here and there about their imployments and are not at leasure but answer 1. Art thou and thy servants contented to go all day without Gods protection and provision Without question thou art most unworthy of them that dost not think them worth asking Surely God may as well say he hath no leasure he hath other employment then to defend and feed and preserve thee as thou that thou hast no leasure to serve him 2. Dost not thou and do not thine squander away more time idly and vainly then need to be taken up in morning duties 3. Do not Children and Servants come together every morning to feed their bodies and why not to feed their souls 4. If any man should make use of thy Goods or Servants of thy Time without leave thou wouldst take it very ill at their hands Thou art Gods and all that thou hast may not God therefore take it unkindly that thou shouldst dispose of thy self and thine affairs without his leave 5. Is it not plain Atheism and horrid disrespect to the blessed God to put thy self or them under thy roof upon worldly imployments without asking his providence and blessing Is it not too plain a speaking that there is no such need of him that thou canst do well enough without him 6. Thou wilt not say that thou and thine have no leasure in the morning to plough or sow or buy and sell oâ— follow earthly affairs and why not leasure as well to serve and worship the Lord His worship is of greater worth of greater weight It is of more necessity it concerns thine endless bliss in the other world It will bring in the greatest profit In the doing of his commands there is great reward Dost thou not believe that he is a better pay-master then the world 7. Art thou able to do any thing in any part of the day without his assistance Dost thou not depend every moment upon him for all thy motions and actions and is he not worth acknowledging 8. Wilt thou sayâ— Thou hast no time no leasure to be saved to escape Hell and to attain Heaven I must tell thee if thou hast no time to serve God he will have no time to save thee 9. Wilt thou stand to this Plea at the day of Christ When God shall ask thee Why thou and thy Family went abroad prayerless and drowned your selves in worldly affairs and were taken and torn by snares and temptations and disowned him and his laws as if they were not worth regarding Dost thou think it will be sufficient then to answer Lord I was a Knight or a Squire and though I had many servants yet they had their several offices and employments and could not spare time to pay that homage they owed to thy Majesty to implore thy mercy and to intreat an interest in the merits of thy son We had other things to look after then thy beautiful Image and the blessed vision of thy face for ever Or suppose thou art of an inferiour rank canst thou imagine it will be a comfortable Plea to say Lord early in the morning my Children and Servants were called to tend my Sâ—op or Flocks or Cattel or set upon some needful business or other that they could have no leasure to mind their inestimable souls or to approach thy glorious Majesty in holy ordinances O blush Reader if thou art guilty of morning omissions and either cast away thy frivolous pretences and set upon the duty or else stand to thy foolish pleas and try whether they will bear weight at the great and terrible day of the Lord Jesus but remember in the mean time that thou hast had one warning more I have written somewhat largely about family duties in the first Part and therefore had intended onely to have saluted them in this place and so to have left them but observing how some families even where governous are judged to fear God are without morning though not without evening sacrifices I dwelt the longer upon it to quicken them to this duty that they might be able to say with Abijah The Lord is our God and we burn incense and offer sacrifice every morning and evening unto him 2 Chron. 13. 10 11. SECT III. SEcondly Spend the greatest part of the day in thy particular calling He that mindeth
swell never so much by unlawful means yet t is but like the swelling of the dropsie a presage of death O my soul what will it avail thee to be rich here and to be a beggar hereafter and that for ever Thou pretendest to purity but thy God tells thee that holiness and righteousness are like Husband and Wife joyned by him together and none may part them asunder Thou art unsound in all thy sacred duties if thou art unrighteous in thy civil dealings When the unjust dealer is cast into the unquenchable fire what will become of the great Professour What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God shall take away his soul Iob 27. 8. When the Thief is taken and carried to the Goal all the money he hath stollen is taken from him When Death seiseth thee and sendeth thee to the Prison of Hell all thy ill gotten goods must be left behind When thou art lost eternally what will become of thy unjust gains Thy Children may be ranting with it on Earth and thou art roaring for it in Hell Ah! what dear contracts dost thou make to sell thy present peace and thy future endless joy for a little perishing pelfe The comfort of thy life now consisteth in communion with thy God but he that saith He hath fellowship with God and walketh in darkness is a lyar 1 Ioh. 1. 6. Thy God hates to taste of those Waters which run out of such musâ—y Vessels Muchless will he suffer any of such rotten hearts and stinking breaths to draw neer to him in Heaven Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 9. No such Cattel shall ever come into the Celestial Court Unrighteous Heathens shall be shut out of Heaven and surely then unrighteous Christians shall be cast into the lowest Hell O let the fear of thy God ever possess thee that the love of this World may never pollute thee Manifest thy love to thy Saviour by loving thy Neighbour as thy self Blessed God who lovest righteousness and hatest iniquity the Scepter of whose Kingdom is a righteous Scepter who wilt render unto every man his righteousness and who hast appeared to me by that grace which teacheth me to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously in this present evil world Let thy good Spirit fill me with all the fruits of righteousness Do thou so lead me in the paths of equity for thy names sake that I may follow after righteousness and inherit a â—ure reward I Wish that I may be righteous in every relation wherein I stand and towards all persons with whom I deal that I may give to Superiours the things that are theirs to Inferiours the things that are theirs lest by denying either I rob all My God is no respecter of persons but just in all his ways and righteous in all his works When shall I imitate his blessed Majesty He tells me Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness at all times If I expect the blessing propounded I must mind the righteousness enjoyned and that is to be righteous at all seasons O my soul what encouragement hast thou to do justly upon all occasions thy righteousness shall have a large recompence Thy Children may fare the better The just man walketh in his integrity and his Children are blessed after him Nay thy whole Family The voice of joy and Salvation is in the Tabernacle of the righteous Whereas thou mayst fear that thy plain dealing may bring thee and thine to poverty thou bast his promise that he will make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous Above all thou thy self wilt have the greatest solace Thy righteousness shall answer for thee in time to come and whereas the dishonest wealth of others is a corroding worm to gnaw their consciences thy justice will afford thee present comfort In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare but the righteous doth sing and rejoyce Prov. 29. 6. Ah! who would not sow righteousness when he shall certainly reap so much mercy Though others as if they had pitchy hands take to themselves whatsoever they touch to the defiling of their own souls and like whirlpools suck in all that comes neer them to their own destruction do thou mete out all thy dealings by that royal measure Whatsoever thou wouldst that men should do to thee do the same to them for this is the Law and the Prophets When thou art buying or selling or about any bargain with thy Neighbour reflect upon thy self Would I be glad to be thus dealt with Were I in this mans case would I be willing that he should serve me as I serve him Am I as plain-hearted as true as just in my carriage towards him as I would desire him to be in his trading with me Would I be contented to be defrauded should I take it well to be defamed Is this action of mine such as I could be contented to receive the like Do I in this business love my Neighbour as my self Lord who hast promised that the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance in this world and shall shine as the Sun in the other world and who hast put the unrighteous and lovers of themselves in the front of that black list which is for the unquenchable fire do thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies that I may serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life I Wish that I may mind righteousness in my words as well as in my works and not dare to hide deceitful and foul intentions under fair and fawning expressions To say what is true and to be true to what I say is the property of a true Christian My God is a God that cannot lye his people are a people that will not lye If I therefore be found a lyar how unlike am I both to God and his people Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but they that deal truly are his delight Though lying lips may be perfumed with sweet words to men yet God smells the stench and loatheth the ill savour of those rotten inwards whence they proceed And though truth may beget hatred from men such sweet breath is his love and delight He is the God of truth His Law is the truth His Gospel is the word of truth His Son is the true and faithful Witness O that truth of heart truth of words and truth in deeds may be all in me which are so agreeable to the true God and so acceptable to the God of truth Can that tongue lye so loud to men which even now called so loud on God Shall those hands be filching in my Neighbours pocket which were so lately lifted up to Heaven in prayer Is my speech given me for my glory and shall it be the driveling of a Divel that father of lyes Lord let
it by thy providence water it with the showres of thy grace and so quicken it with the beams of thy favour that it may bring forth much fruit to thy glory I Wish that I may like Enoch walk so with my God in all my actions whilst I walk amongst men that in thy good time my soul may be translated and I may not see death either as the wicked in this World do with terrour or as the damned in the other World do in torment to their everlasting woe Lord thou art Jehovah Tsidkenu the Lord my righteousness be pleased to cloath my person with the robe of thy Sons imputed righteousness that my nakedness may not appear before Men and Angels to my eternal shame let all my actions be covered with the garment of thy Spirits imparted righteousness that they may be acceptable and amiable in thine eye Let thy grace so fill my heart that godliness may be visible in my hands and I may thereby draw others towards Heaven Thou hast said Behold I make all things new what wilt thou then do with this old corrupt nature of mine O Renew that or nothing will be new to my comfort O God create a clean heart and renew a right Spirit within me I know the time will come that thou wilt create new Heavens and new Earth wherein shall dwell righteousness My body is the Earth and my soul is the Heaven which thou hast already made but might thy servant prevail with thy Majesty to create my soul thy new Heavens and my body thy new Earth wherein may dwell righteousness how infinitely should I be bound tâ— thy distinguishing mercy Thy hands have made me and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may keep thy Commandements Were my soul bespangled with the glorious stars of thy graces and my body embroydered and curiously wrought so as to be the Temple of thy Spirit then indeed thou mightest reâ—lect upon what thou hadst made with complacency for behold it would be very good Hast thou not made the great World for man and the little World Man for thy self When shall I be so pure as to invite thy presence and so sanctified as to be set apart from all others and to be only for thy service O make it appear that I am thy workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which thoâ— hast before ordained that I should walk in them If thou pleasest to set forth this Heaven and Earth this little Epitome of the creation in a new edition I know it would be done in so fair a Character as to delight thine eyes and to raviâ—h the hearts of all that behold it T is confest the Copy was perfect when it came out of thy hands there was no unrighteousness or impatience not the least blot or blemish in it but my Parents who transmitted the book to the world through their unfaithfulness filled it from the beginning to the end with errors Adam begat a Son in his own likeness after his Image The first sheet went off the press through his cursed falseness and negligence imperfect and full of faults and the many millions that followed have still retained the same defects Yet Lord since thy Son was at the cost of a new impression Let it please thee for his sake to be at the pains of correctâ—ing this volume so effectually that those who look into it may read righteousness courtesie meekness faith humility patience heavenly-mindedness printed in so large a Letter free from the former errors that they may so like it as to embrace and imitate it O then I shall be assured that at the general Resurrection when thy last hand shall pass on me and I shall be published in the newest and last edition none of those blots and blurs wherewith I have defiled it shall be found in it but thy Image shall be printed on me in such a lovely Character and in so perfect a manner that thou wilt delight in me and I in thee for ever and ever Amen CHAP. II. How Christians may exercise themselves to Godliness in the Choice of their Companions SEcondly Thy duty is to make Religion thy business and to exercise thy self to Godliness in relation to thy Company Man saith the Great Philosoper is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natures good-fellow as one Englisheth it a creature in love with Company Cosmographers observe that the farthest Islands of the World are so seated that there is none so remote but that from some shore of it another Island or Continent may be discovered as if nature hereby invited Countries to mutual commerce God never intended that the World should be a wilderness nor the chief inhabitants thereof as barbarous Beasts to live alone lurking in their Monksâ— and Nuns and Hermits who under pretence of Sanctity sequester themselves from all society are so far from more holiness and being better Christians then others that they seem to have put off the very humane nature and not to be so much as Men. Vnclean nasty persons love to be always private and by their good will would neither seeâ— nor be seen of others Birds of Prey flye always alone and Ravenous Brutes come not abroad till others are retired Psa. 104. 23. Our very senses speak that God would have us sociable nay it s the natural voice of our tongues for our speech and hearing and sight would be in a great degree lost and our Makers end in giving us those Organs and Instruments for converse much frustrated if every man should immure himself in his own Cell The graces and spiritual riches of Saints would in some measure be useless if they did not deal with some to whom they might distribute them The Law of man condemneth ingrossers of external goods and the Law of God condemneth ingrossers of spiritual good things They who study to Monopolize all to themselves undo others As the World shall never want poor men that the wealthy may always have objects of Charity and opportunities of laying out and improving those talents which are committed to their trust so the world shall never be without needy Christians that those who are rich in grace may have fit objects and occasions of imploying their gifts The Moralists axiom is right Omne bonum quo communius eo melius Every good thing is so much the better as it hath many sharers in it In this sense there is a truth in that It is not good for man to be alone Not that it was a formal evil but inconvenient Infinite wisdom hath so dispenced his gifts and graces that no man is so sterile but he hath something wherewith to profit others nor any man so furnished and fruitful but he standeth in need of others help The Head cannot say to the Foot much-less the Foot to the Head I have no need of thee The King himself who seemeth to have least want cannot subsist without the meanest workmen even them that grind
enough to check the greatest for their crimes How plain was Seneca in reproving Nero Diogenes in reproving Alexander and Zeno Nearchus It s said of Suetonius that in writing the lives of the twelve Caesars he took the same liberty in declaring their vices which they took to commit them and shall not Christians be as bold to check sin as others are to act it Reader what love dost thou show to thy Neighbour if thou seest him wounding and piercing his inestimable soul and thou dost not endeavour though against his will to hold his hand If thou shouldst see him take a Knife to stab himself at the heart thou wouldst not stay to ask his leave or fear his anger but do thy utmost to hinder him and canst thou see him destroying his soul and not seek to prevent him That pity without question is the best which relateth to the better part There was a barbarous Law among the Lacedemonians That no man should tell his Neighbour any ill news that befel him but every one should be left in process of time to find it out himself Alas what will become of poor sinners if none should tell them what they are doing whither they are going till they come to find it in the place of torments Were love burning in our hearts as fire was in the Temple or were our faces towards one another like those Cherubims which covered the Mercy Seat with their wings we should not onely not lie in sin our selves but also endeavour that others should not die in their sins That person who refused to smite his Neighbour when commanded in the name of the Lord was slain by a Lion 1 King 20. 35. If we refuse to smite sin Gods wrath will smite us Because this duty is of such concernment I shall give thee some few brief directions 1. Be sure that which thou reprovest be a sin and not a lawful or indifferent thing Some shew much heat but little holiness in keeping a great stir about nothing The Israelites raised a great Army to fight against their Brethren upon a supposition that they had built an Altar for sacrifice Iosh. 22. 16. Eli was mistaken in chiding Hannah for drunkenness and thinking she was not sober because she was almost overwhelmed with sorrow 1 Sam. 2. T is dangerous to apply corroding medicines upon supposition that the person hath a festered sore or to cut a man for the stone who is not troubled with that distemper It were better by much to be silent then to cry out against that which we cannot by Scripture prove to be sin He that reproves the deed will do more hurt then good if he be not able to convince the doer Tit. 1. 9. To some it may be said as Iob to his friends who accused him of Hypocrisie because of his calamity as if the stick could not be straight because t was brought to the fire How forcible are right words but what doth your arguing reprove Job 6. 25. Right words have great weight naked truth will be too hard for armed error but what power have mistaken or misapplied arguments what doth such arguing reprove Such arguings seldom reprove any but the arguer and him they always reprove 2. Reprove seriously Reproof is an edged tool and must not be jested wiâ—h Cold Reproofs are like the noise of Cannons a great way off nothing affrighting us He that reproves sin merrily as one that takes a pride to shew his wit and make the company laugh will destroy the sinner instead of the sin There are those that spit out their friends with their tongues and laugh them into enemies Sharpness and acuteness doth ill in sportful festivals but it becomes purging potions Lightness is commendable is nothing but worst in things that are weighty A vain jesting admonition is like rubbing a person with a poisoned Oyl which spreads the more for being put into such a fleeting suppleness The Areopagites banished Stilpo for proving by his Sophistry that Minerva was no Goddess alledging this for their reason that it was not safe for any to dally with things that were Divine Reproof is strong Physick and worketh many times to purpose and therefore is not to be given in jest Sin which is the object of it is not to be played with nor Hell its consequent a jesting matter Titus 1. 13. The Apostle enjoynes Titus to reprove sharply the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may be sound in the faith He that mindeth his Patients health will not toy or trifle or play with his mortal diseases the flesh must feel the plaister or it will never eat up the corruption in it Shouldst thou apply an healing plaister to skin the wound aloft when there is need of a corrosive to take away the dead flesh thou wouldst be false and unfaithful to thy friend When the water was bitter and the ground barren Elisha cast a cruse of Salt into it and it healed both Reproof like Salt must have in it both sharpness and savouriness Alas how fierce is that wrath how hot is that fire to which poor sinners are liable and wilt thou sport with their souls and joyn with them in making a mock of sin Saints must be zealous not onely in good works but also in reproving evil workers The Command is Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their trangression and the house of Jacob their sin Isa. 58. 1. This belongs in some sense to every member as well as to the Minister They must reprove sin powerfully cry aloud lift up thy voice as a trumpet particularly shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sin Admonition without serious Application is like an Arrow with too many Feathers which though we level at the Mark is taken by the Wind and carried quite from it Some men shoot their Reprehensions like Pellets through a Trunk with no more strength then will kill a Sparrow those make sinners beleive that sin is no such dreadful evil and the wrath of God no such frightful end He that would hit the mark and recover the sinner must draw his arrow of Reproof home Reproof must be powerful the hammer of the word breaks not the heart if it be lightly layd on If the flesh doth not feel the plaister it will hardly be healed by it It must also be so particular that the offendor may think himself concerned Some in reproof will seem to aim at the sinner but so order it that their arrows shall be sure to miss him As Domitian when a Boy held for a mark afar off his hand spread with his fingers severed he shot his arrows so that all hit the empty spaces between his fingers Be the reproof never so gracious the Plaister never so good it will be ineffectual if not applied to the Patient 2 Sam. 12. 7. Act. 2. 36 37. 3.
Christian without a spice of this sin Ioshua is ready to envy them that seemed by their light to darken his Master Cantharides a venemous worm usually breedeth in Wheat when it is ripe the highest Christians as the greatest Favourites at Court are usually the greatest objects of envy But O t is a sign of a weak eye not to behold the sunshine of others holiness without pain The holy Apostle is enlarged in thanksgiving to God for the faith and love and patience of the Thessalonians and their grace was â— strong cordial to revive him in his sorrows and distress We give thanks to God for you all Remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Iesus Christ. We were comforted over you in all our afflictions and distresse by your faith Nay he was so far from grieving at others graces that he professeth the joy of his life did very much depend upon their perseverance in piety For now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord As if he had said Our life will be but a death in regard of sorrow and grief it will be so doleful a being that it will not deserve the name of a life if ye should once be loose and wandring from the Lord 1 Thes. 1. 2 3 4. 2 Thes. 3. 6 7 8. 1 Colos. 12. Grace cannot but desire and delight in its like He that truly loves his God will rejoyce in his brothers graces because they tend to his Fathers glory and he that truly loves his brother will be glad at his grace because it tends so exceedingly to his brothers good Pedaretus when he could not be admitted to be one of the three hundred among the Spartans went home rejoycing that his Country had three hundred better men then himself Surely then Christians when they behold others sparkling with grace and shining as lights in the World should rejoyce that the blessed God hath some that can do him more service and bring him more glory then themselves Good Wish about a Christians Carriage in Good Company wherein the former heads are applied THe Father of mercies and onely wise God who hath appointed â—he way in which I should walk during the time of my Pilgrimage and understandeth the multitudes of rubs and hinderances that I shall encounter with the power and policy of those enemies which will beset me therein as also how weak I am and unable to hold out how weary I shall soon be and ready to give over if I should travail alone having out of his boundless grace and goodness called me to the communion of Saints that I might be directed by their counsel and encouraged by their company notwithstanding all opposition to run the ways of his commandements I Wish that I may esteem his precept herein as my glorious priviledge improve their society to the greatest advantage both for my own welfare and my Gods honour and delight to converse with those brethren here with whom I hope to dwell in my Fathers house for ever What an inestimable dignity doth my God invest me with in imposing on me so sweet a duty How wretchedly ungrateful should I be if his paths should not be the more pleasant to me for such companions The worth and riches of this society may well invite me to trade with them and give me hopes of profiting by them All the companions on earth of the highest Callings are but a rabbel of Cennel-rakers to this noble society The Prince of this Senate is the Heir of all things the blessed and glorious Potentate such a Soveraign whose dominion is universal from Sea to Sea whose Kingdom is eternal throughout all Generations and even the highest have gloried in being his Subjects The Charter and Priviledges of this Society are the inestimable Covenant of Grace exceeding great and precious Promises wherein pardon of sin peace of conscience new natures adoption justification the love of the blessed God and eternal life are granted to them and entailed on them for ever The Servants of this Corporation are all the creatures in their several places striving which shall do them the greatest kindness They are in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field though never so ravenous by nature are at peace with them The glorious Angels pitch their Tents about them and count it their honour to wait upon them both living and dying The Livery in which this company is attired is the Royal Robes of Christs righteousness which renders them without spot or wrinkle and far more beautiful and amiable then Adam in his estate of unspotted innocency Their Garments smell of Myrâ—he Aloes and Cassin and for their richness infinitely surpaâ—â— that cloathing which is of wrought gold Their food is hidden Manna such meat as endureth to eternal life the bread that came down from Heaven the flesh of the Son of God which is meat indeed and the blood of the Son of God which is drink indeed Their inheritance is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken a Crown of life Rivers of pleasures an eternal weight of glory Some Societies have boasted that Kings and Lords have been Free of their Company the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is both Freee and Head of this Society they are his Hephzibah his delight his Segullah his peculiar treasure Ah! who would not have communion with them whose communion is with the Father and Jesus Christ his Son Lord let my ambition be to be enrolled a Citizen of Sion and to walk amongst them worthy of that vocation wherewith thou hast called me since the communion of thy Saints here is some weak resemblance of Heaven where all thy chosen shall glorifie and worship thee without fault and faintness teach me to hallow thy name by doing thy will on earth as it is in heaven I Wish that the gain which I am sure to reap by joyning with Christians in their common stock may make me more diligent at this spiritual trade The greatest priviledges are granted to Corporations not to particular persons The greatest victories are obtainted by Regiments and Brigades not by Souldiers engaged singly against their enemies That Oyntment which yeilded so grateful a savour as to delight God himself was compounded of several spices Exod. 30. 23 24 25. My God hath ordained the communion of the faithful for the building up one another in their most holy faith and if I expect his blessing it must be in his own way The body thrives best when all the members concur to perform their distinct and proper offices for the good of the whole Men make the most ravishing musick when many joyn in consort The two Disciples travelling together found the blessed Jesus to make a third and to warm their hearts with the fire of his heavenly Doctrine How many vessels going in company have returned in safety richly laden with the unsearchable riches in Christ If I am in doubts
but as Zacheus when gotten out of the crowd climb up into the Sycamore of meditation and obtain a sight of thy Saviour If he want no company who is with the King surely thou mayst deny all the company on earth for the King of Kings Look how lovingly he invites thee to take a turn or two with him alone in the fields Come my beloved let us go forth into the fields there I will give thee my loves Hast thou not many a time sighed out to him O kiss me with the kisses of thy lips for thy love is better then wine Lo he tells thee the place where he will answer thy petition There will I give thee my loves Thy bridegroom is bashful and desirous to satisfie thy longings in secret Isaac met his bride in the fields and thou mayst meet thy beloved when thou turnest aside from the world to entertain thy self in solitude O how pleasant should solitude be to thee for his sake What matters it whether thou art driven or who be the whips that drive thee when thou art driven farther from men to be nearer the Lord Iesus Christ A loving Husband is instead of all company to a faithful Spouse Is not Christ dearer to thee then all the world be not thou dejected though thou shouldst be turned as he was into a Wilderness but expect an Angel even the Angel of the Covenant to be sent from Heaven for thy comfort Lord it is my support that wherever I am thou art continually with me O that I were able to say I am continually with thee I would willingly with Jacob leave all my company to meet thee aloneâ— so I might but as he did weep in secret and make supplication so as to prevail with thee for thy blessing Though I should sind cause to say with David Lovers and friends stand aloof from me and with Job My friends scorn me yet if thou pleasest by parting me from them to draw me nearer to thy self and to afford me more of thy quickening cheering presence I shall account their absence a desireable advantage The best society without thee is as a barren desart and an howling wilderness the greatest solitariness with thee is as a fruitful Country and delectable Canaan How precious are thy thoughts my thoughts of thee to me O God Let me rather dwel alone in a Prison with thy company then in a Pallace without thee I Wish that I may be the more careful of my carriage in secret lest what I intend as an opportunity for my Gods service should prove a season and advantage for Satan The body must be lookt to narrowly when it comes out of an hot Bath lest the Poors being open it should take cold The soul must be carefully tended when it comes from Christian communion lest in solitude it lose what it hath gained in good company When the Countryman hath been at Market and filled his Purse he is in most danger of robbing as he goeth home alone The Tempter will be sure to be present with me whoever be absent He walks to and fro in the earth and whilst I am in his Circuit I must expect his company Though he be more bold then welcome and though I deny his desires defie his works and resist him and sometimes foil him yet he will still attend to sollicite me to folly wherever I go he will find me out and whatever I do I must expect him at my elbow he hath a double advantage of me in solitude partly in that I have no visible second to assist me he hopes when I am alone t is a good time to set upon me and that he is strong enough by force to ravish and defile me Partly in that shame which restrains from sin in publique hath no place no prevalency in private He will tell me that secresie may be a curtain to hide my sins from the worlds eye of which I am so much afraid As Josephs Mistress he will cry Come lie with me be bold to sin to take thy pleasure for here is no man present to know it or to reveal it to thy disgrace And for God he hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it How shall God know can he judge through the dark Cloud Thick Clouds are a covering to him that he doth not see and he walketh in the circuit os Heaven But O my soul thy double danger calleth upon thee to be the more vigilant and diligent in minding thy duty When thou hast no humane friend to watch over thee thou art the more concerned to watch over thy self They that live far from Neighbours are the more liable to Thieves and therefore if wise will make up that want by extraordinary watchfulness and a greater provision of armour and weapons If one Devil be too hard a match for many secure Christians how unable will one single Christian be to encounter with many with a Legion of Devils Shouldst thou be idle in solitude or suffer thy thoughts to wander expect more then good Company and such as will employ thee about works of darkness Besides Consider Though thy thoughts are mantled from the view of men yet thy God knoweth thy thoughts a far off long before thou thinkest them and will judge the secrets of mens hearts according to his Gospel He that numbereth the stars of Heaven numbereth all the thoughts of thy heart I know the things that come into your mind O house of Israel every one of them Ezek. 11. 5. And he that punisheth men for wicked deeds doth not let them escape for their evil thoughts Hear O earth behold I will bring upon this people the fruit of their thoughts Ier. 6. 19. Nay thy God will scourge men both for and by their thoughts accusing thoughts are stinging vipers That worm of conscience which will ever ever gnaw the sinners heart to his unconceiveable misery is bred in his thoughts O therefore wash thy heart from wickedness let not vain thoughts lodge within thee Remember also O my soul if thy most retired thoughts are legible to thy God then thy secret actions are all open and visible to his eye Never presume upon sin in hope of secrecy for though thou mayst cover the candle of creatures with a bushel yet thou canst not the glorious sun of righteousness nothing is hid from his sight There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves Lord thou hast told me There is nothing hid which shall not be revealed nor secret which shall not be made known I confess my wicked heart is apt to argue impunity from secrecy and to think I am invisible to thee because thou art invisible to the eye of my sense O affect my heart so throughly with thine Omniscience and Omnipresence that â— may keep thy precepts because all my ways whether inward or outward are before thee I Wish that I may have this comfortable evidence of my sincerity by the
not his Closet before his Shop is an Atheist and he that mindeth not his Shop after his Closet is an Hypocrite The world is Gods great Family and he will allow none in it to be idle Though he distinguisheth some from the common Mass and maketh them vessels of honour as Superiours and Officers in his house yet to every one he committeth some Talent or other and commandeth them to trade till he come The ancient Massilians would admit no man into their City who had not a good trade knowing what pests and plagues such are to the people among whom they dwell He that is void of or negligent in his calling is at best as a snail 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Septuag Domiporta according to the Latines keeping house and unprofitable But usually such a one is mischeivous and may not unfitly be compared to Kites that flie lazing up and down scarce moving their wings making a querulous complaining noise filching their food out of the shambles or warrens or out of Childrens hands by force Idleness is usher to murmuring and theâ—ving He quickly learns to do ill by doing that which is next to ill nothing The Air when still corrupts and putrifieth Wheat if not stirred groweth musty and unwholsom for mans body The earth if not tilled breeds thorns Milstones if there be no grist wast and wear out themselves The soul needeth exercise as well as the body to preserve it in health Action keeps the soul sweet and clean T is no wonder that persons are almost choacked with the flegm of corruption that deny themselves the benefit and advantage of Motion that they do not thrive who refuse to trade It s a worthy speech of holy Master Boultons He is a cursed drone a child of idleness the very Tennis ball of temptation most unworthy the blessings and benefits of humane society who doth not one way or other cooperate and contribute to the common good with his best endeavours in some honest particular calling Iob saith Man is born to labour but how many Gentlemen sing the rich fools requiem to their souls Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many years till at last they come to his end and that place where there is no ease day nor night for ever and ever but as a bone out of joynt so is a good man out of his calling The Sons of the Husbandman in the Fable being told by their Father on his Death-bed that he had left much gold buried in his Vineyard fell presently a digging and delving with diligence whereby they obtained though not the gold they sought for yet a rich Harvest by stirring the mold about the roots of the Trees In all labour there is profit Eccles. 5. Though the Christian doth not ever by diligence in his calling reap that gold of outward profit which is promised conditionally so far as God seeth fit for him in this world yet he reaps peace and comfort in the discharge of his duty and prevents temptations by being imployed about other things It s in vain for any to pretend that they are so busie in praying and reading and hearing and holy duties that they cannot attend their particular callings for the same God that calls them to spiritual traffique commands them their temporal trades and hath allotted them sufficient time for both He doth the Devil too great a courtesie who makes the Commands of God to quarrel and clash one against another If Satan can prevail with men to neglect their callings whole days together and leave their families declining and almost starving through their idleness for private fasting and praying he never fears the good such a man shall get by all that devotion which is as Paul speaks of himself born out of due time He knoweth God doth not usually send in blessings at such back-doors and that he is provoked as truly by leaving our Shops when our callings require our company as by passing by our Closets when he calls us in to speak with us there The best food may prove unwholsom and burthensom to the stomach if a fit season for taking it be not observed Our best duties like some Children are utterly lost by being brought forth before their time The Roman General said Non amo nimium diligentem I love not them that are too diligent meaning them that leave their own callings and are busie-bodies in others God loves not such over-diligent nor any negligent ones As he commandeth our dependance on him for a blessing so he commandeth our diligence in our several places But having also treated largely of the Christians carriage in his particular calling in the first part how he should undertake it in obedience to the divine command follow it with an heavenly heart depend upon God for a blessing I shall say no more here Thirdly Be watchful all the day long If thou wouldst walk safely walk as one that hath his eyes in his head Ponder the paths of thy feet Every man walketh every day in the midst of traps and gins and rubs and blocks now the secure person is as a blind man stumbling at every stone When a man goeth upon cords straitned and fastned on high it concerns him to look well to his footing lest he totter and fall and break his neck There is no Christian but walks as dangerously as he that danceth on the ropes it behoves him therefore to walk Watchfully The Children of God are called to be Souldiers to fight a good sight of faith under Christ the Captain of their salvation but Souldiers must be upon their guard especially such as are encompassed on all sides at all times with enemies of all sorts Should they who are the mark at which the world and Hell are continually shooting their fiery darts to destroy them give themselves to sleep Watch ye stand fast in the faith Quit your selves like men 1 Cor. 16. 3. The Divel watcheth to devour us and he is politique to insnare us and shall we slumber Machiavel saith A Prince ought to know the tempers of men that he may fit them with baits and wind them to his own ends Satan hath not waited on men and observed them so long but he knoweth the length of their feet and can fit them to their will and wo as Agrippina the wife of Claudius gave her Husband poison in that dish which he loved best so he can give them that meat which they love with poison for its sance He is a Serpent for his subtlety and can bait his hooks answerable to the love and liking of poor silly â—ish We read of his wiles of his devices As the Camelion that lieth on the ground to catch Flies and Grashoppers changeth himself into the colour of the grass whereby they are deceived and caught So Satan can transform himself into any shape even into an Angel of light for a shift that he may deceive and destroy Though he appeared in
savour of it So if godliness and the immediate worship of God do first in the morning possess my soul my natural and civil affairs will probably rellish of it Again Mens hearts are generally upon that in the morning which they esteem their happiness and portion The covetous Muck-worm no sooner openeth his eyes but his â—eart is tumbling in his heaps The voluptuous beast no sooner wakes but he is sporting in sensual waters The ambitious Peacock no sooner is able to think but his gay Feathers and gaudy dress for that day come into his mind and why should not my heart send its first thoughts into Heaven Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire in comparison of thee The Birds early in the morning salute the rising Sun with their sweet notes and shall not I the Sun of righteousness Further My wants my mercies call for morning duties I walk in the midst of deaths of dangers every day and shall I dare to travail without my defence Men cloath their bodies against the sharpness of the weather and why not their souls against the assaults of the flesh the world and the wicked one There is no safety without this breast-work If Satan take me out of my trenches and strong holds as Joshua did the men of Ai it will be no wonder if he roâ—t and ruine me If I do not bless God in the morning how can I expect that he should bless me in the day Is any earthly Prince so prodigal of his favours as to throw them away upon those that esteem them unworthy to be desired If I do not serve the Precepts of God I am presumptuous to look that his providence should serve meâ— Should I undertake my affairs on earth before I have dispatched my business with heaven I am a notorious Cheat and Theif I am a Theif to God by robbing him of his glory and that natural allegiance which I owe to my Maker I am a Theif to my self in robbing my self of that blessing which I might have on my callings and undertakings O that prayer might be the girdle to compass in the whole body of my natural and civil dealings and concernments And that I could every day of my life forestal the worlds market by setting early about closet and family duties Suitors find it fittest to wait upon and dispatch their business with great persons betimes in the morning Lord freedom of access to thy throne of grace is an unspeakable favour Access is hard to earthly Princes No worldly Court is so open as to admit all comers Those that with much difficulty present their Petitions are often against all reason denyed Thy gates are open night and day all that will may come and be welcome Thou invitest souls to come into thy presence and delightest to hear and grant their prayers Thine eares are more open and ready to hear then their mouths to ask Thou pressest upon many undesired blessings but denyest none who ask not stones instead of bread Importunity never angers thee the more fervent and frequent my soul is with thee the more prevalent Thou fillest the hungry with good things and dost not send any that desire thy grace empty away from thy gate What care I how little notice or knowledge the Nobles of the earth will take of me when I can speak so freely to their better their Soveraign and not fear a repulse O teach me the right art of begging and then I need not be afraid of poverty If I be but skilful to follow that trade my returns will be both â—â—re and large Thy mercies are renewed upon me every morning so are my necessities O let my prayses and prayers be as frequent and early I will bless the Lord at all times his praise â—hall be continually in my mouth O God my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee in a dry and barren Wilderness where no water is My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up I Wiâ—h that having done with the more immediaâ—e service of my God in Praying and Reading both in my Closet and Family I may proceed to serve him in my Shop and Particular Calling When God saith Man is born to labour I must not sing with the fool Soul take thine ease An idle person is like Caterpillars and Mice that devour Gods creatures and do no good to others It s pity he ever lived the book of whose life is filled up with nothing but Cyphers Nature never intended men to be drones to feed on others labours nor bats to spend their lives in the company of sleep the brother of death My God my soul my family my country do all call upon me to be diligent in that calling whereto he hath called me My God is a pure act himself and hath capacitated all his creatures for action He created all men but never made a sluggard The idle person wholly degenerates from the end of his being and receiveth his faculties in vain The command for civil labour hath the same divine stamp as that for sacred rest I have also his pattern for my encouragement as well as his precept for my warrant Hitherto my father worketh and I work My soul also stands in as much need of exercise as my body Idleness is the door at which diseases enter into both Rust eats up vessels that are laid by and unused The mind is never more bright then when it is in imployment from doing nothing we proceed to do evil Idleness is not onely a vice it self but also hath this unhappiness to usher in all other This is the least advantage of industry that it gives the soul no leasure to play with sin or to entertain the wicked one Standing waters do not sooner putrifie then lazy souls T is action that preserves the â—oul in health As Gâ—ats dance up and down in the Sun and then sit down and sting the next hand they seize upon So they who have no time to work have much to imploy in slandering and backbiting others One sin never goeth alone Again my Family may well rouze me out of the bed of laziness If I expect supply of their wants it must come in with Gods blessing at the door of diligence I am stealing from my wife and children all the while I am loytering The Heavens may cause seed sown to ripen into a joyful Harvest but untilled land will afford no crop save of weeds or stones Once more My Country commands me to my calling I am but an ill member in the body Politique if as a diseased part I take of its nourishment but rather hinder its growth then contribute to its health A jarring string is not more prejudicial to the rarest Viol in the hands of a skilful artist then an idle person to the musick and composure of the universe The most venemous
Chaff that the Storm carrieth away I flie away as a dream and shall not be found my life is chased away as a vision of the night The eyes which have seen me shall see me no more neither shall my place any more behold me I must live now or never If I die I shall not live again O that all the days of my appointed time I could wait till my change cometh Were I to take my leave of the world this night and were my life to end with the day how then would I spend every hour every moment of it Should I lavish away my time about this or that vanity Would I play it away in vain company Would I neglect my spiritual watch or waste my talents upon trifles should I dally about secret or private duties or be careless of my carriage in my calling would I starve my immortal soul or cast off all care of eternity No but I should all the day long act by the square and rule of the word How serious should I be in praying in reading in working for my soul for my salvation how diligent to do all the good I could to receive all the good I might how watchful to catch at and embrace all opportunities of honouring and serving my Maker and Redeemer because my time is short and I must pray and read and work for eternity now or no more no more for ever And why should I not be as holy though I do not know that I shall die this night when I know not but I may die this night How foolish is he who neglects doing his work till his work is past doing Besides Other creatures are constant and unwearied in serving their maker they are every day all the day long in their stations obedient to his commands If I look to Heaven to Earth to inanimate to irrational creatures I behold them all as so many Souldiers in their several ranks exactly and continually subject to the orders which they receive from the Lord of hosts and shall I be shamed by them I am at present more indebted more intrusted by God I have a reward hereafter of joy to encourage me of pain to provoke me to unweariedness in well doing which they neither hope nor fear Lord I live every moment upon thee why should I not live every moment to thee My life is by thy providence O that it were according to thy precepts I would not be thine hireling to serve thee meerly for wages thou thy self art my exceeding great reward but I would be thy days-man to work for thee by the day every day all the day long O help me to live well in time that I may live well eternally Let every day be so devoted to thy praise and every part of it so imployed in thy service that I may be the more fitted to please and woâ—â—â—ip thee in that place where there is no night yet all rest no Sun yet all day all light all joy where I shall have no meat or drink or sleep or shop or flocks or family and which is best of all no unbeleiving selfish carnal heart to call me from or hinder me in thy work but I shall worship and enjoy thee without diversion without distraction without interruption without intermission both perfectly and perpetually Amen CHAP. VII How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness in visiting the Sick FIfthly Thy duty is to exercise thy self in visiting the sick The Visitation of the sick is a work of as great weight as any injoyned us relating to others and as much neglected and slighted in its management as almost any duty commanded Sickness is so common and Death so ordinary that with most their frequency takes away the sense of them and charity in many sickens and dieth as fast as others bodies The generality of pretended Christians like the Priest and the Levite if they see a man wounded both in his body and soul though it be to death pass on the other side of the way not caring to meddle with any that are in misery They tell us they are true members of Christ but like a bag of suppurated blood they feel nothing neither have any communion with the body Many on their dying beds whose souls are worse and more dangerously sick then their bodies may speak to their Minister or Neighbour for the duty belongs to the People as well as the Pastor almost in the words of Martha to Christ Sir If thou hadst been here my soul had not dyed Some visite the sick but rather out of a complement then out of conscience or to profit themselves more then their Neighbours The Ingenuous Heathen Seneca will tell such If a man visit his sick friend and watch at his Pillow for charity sake and out of his old affection we approve it but if for a Legacy he is a Vulture and watcheth onely for the carcass The discourse of these is chiefly about worldly affairs and nothing about the great concernments of eternity Others sometimes go about the work but perform it so ill administring Cordials when there is need of Corrosives sowing Pillows under their sick friends heads that they may die easily or if they tell them of their danger they do it so coldly and carelesly and by halves that as he said there is diseaseâ— their soul-sickness is curable but the unsutable medicines they take make it incurable It may be said of many a soul as Adrians Counsellers said of him Multitudo medicorum c. Many Physitians have killed the Emperour Ah! How dreadful is it when unskilful and unfaithful Mountebanks undertake to tamper and trifle with immortal souls that are just entring into their eternal estates Father forgive them they know not what they do Galen saith in respect of bodily Medicines In medicina nihil exiguum There is nothing small in Physick Every thing in it is of great consequence A little mistake may cause death I may upon greater reason say There is nothing little in spiritual Physick A small error in our prescriptions to sick souls may cause dreadful mischief Instead of curing we may kill the patient Hazaels wet cloth was not more deadly to his Masters body then the discourse of most is to their sick neighbours souls Fear of displeasing and a natural propensity to flatter prevail with too many to sooth their dying friends into unquenchable flames But surely there is more love as well as more faithfulness in frighting a sick person out of his spiritual Lethargy then in fawning him into the eternal lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Some venemous creatures tickle a man till he laughs even when they sting him to death so doth the flattering Minister or Neighbour he raiseth a sick man void of grace to the Pinnacle of joy and highest hopes of Heaven and thereby throweth him down into the Culph of irrecoverable sorrows and leaves him to undeceive himself in hell I shall first lay down two or three
prudent questions to the sick concerning the condition of their souls The ignorance of a Physitian may occasion the death of the Patient Some practitioners in Physick who intend much good do much hurt for want of judgement to find out the tempers and distempers of the sick A mistake in soul-cases is of more hazard then in body-sickness If I undertake to humble a person who is already cast down sufficiently and wants a Cordial or to comfort one who is full of presumption already and needs a Corrosive how good soever my meaning may be my acting is evil and instead of releiving I may destroy my Brother The Eastern Churches did not without cause enjoyn the Minister or such as were appointed to visit the sick to continue with them seven days together that in that space they might discover the man before they applied themselves to him either in a way of Admonition or Counsel or Consolation Iobs friends when they came to visit him spake not a word either reproving or advising him till they heard him open his mouth and curse the tongue that told the news of his birth The knowledge of the sick mans spiritual condition is as it were the foundation upon which we must build all our discourse with him and prayers to God for him or at least it is the rule by which we must build and therefore it s very dangerous to mistake in it If the Foundation be laid ill the superstructure will never stand well If the rule be crooked the building cannot be strait A blind Archer may as soon hit the Mark as one ignorant of his Neighbours state advantage his soul. SECT IV. 2. APply thy self to him sutably to his condition As the conditions of men are several so must the Application be that which cures one may kill another One medicine will as soon cure all diseased bodies as one way all sick souls Indeed the Physick to be prescribed every Patient is the same for substance The blood of Christ By his stripes we are healed but there are several ways of tendering this to sinners that they may be prepared for it and give it all acceptation that Physick which is given to one in a Potion is given to another in a powder to a third in an electuary to a fourth in a pill according as it will be most prositable and most acceptable to them It s not easie so to write the bill that the sick may receive what is prescribed to his greatest content and advantage For as many perish errore medici as vi morbi by the error of the Physitian as by the power of the disease Though I judge it next to impossible for me to set down exactly and fully directions answerable to the difference of sick persons condition disposition education calling guilt c. yet I shall speak to the most ordinary cases and be careful not to omit the main work namely that which concerneth the conversion of graceless and Christless persons if on a sick bed God peradventure will give them repentance If the sick person be judged carnal and unregenerate for the Tree is known by its Fruits Besides it s no breach of charity to fear the worst of them whose lives do not speak a positive holiness especially whilst we are endeavouring their good then in general I would advise thee to speak 1. To the depravation of mans nature and the transgressions of life with the sad aggravations thereof How holy man was by creation how universally and desperately vicious he is by his fall from God and what horrid unthankfulness he is guilty of in continuing in sin notwithstanding the grace that is offered to him in the Gospel It s fit to speak to the purity and equity of the Law of God and to the difference and contrariety of his heart and life to it to the sinfulness of sin in its offensiveness and opposition to the nature and word of an infinitely Holy Glorious and Gracious Majesty in its destructiveness to the present peace and future perfection of his own precious and immortal soul and in that the stain of it is so deep and the venome of it so great that nothing beneath the blood of God could wash out its spots or be a sufficient Antidote for its poison Tell him of the folly of sinners in refusing Heaven for Earth Angelical Delights for brutish Pleasures the blessed God for a base lust and of his own madness likewise in running on so eagerly upon his own ruine against the counsels of men the commands threatnings and intreaties of God the convictions of his conscience the calls and invitations of a loving Redeemer and the motions of the holy Spirit 2. Speak to the merit of sin how it being committed against an infinite Majesty deserveth infinite wrath and severity Tell him that the Wages of Sin is death temporal spiritual eternal Acquaint him with the justice holiness and jealousie of God how he will by no means clear the guilty but hath threatned all manner of plagues and judgements on the workers of iniquity and cannot fail in the least of accomplishing his word how he is resolved to make all the Children of Men feel sin to be an evil and bitter thing either in broken bones on earth or broken backs and endless torments in hell Let him know his own obnoxiousness by reason of his many and greivous sins to the curse of the Law the wrath of the Lord and the vengeance of the eternal fire Tell him that he is by nature a Child of Wrath an Enemy to God and an Heir of Hell that it had been just to have cast him out of the Womb into Hell that Gods patience in bearing with him thus long will but increase his condemnation and endless misery unless he prevent it by sincere conversion This is the first thing requisite in order to the recovery of his soul. Till sin be discovered in its hainous nature and bloody colours it will never be lamented nor the Saviour esteemed according to the duty of the Sinner The first thing usually which the Spirit doth in the change of a sinner is to convince him of sin Joh. 16. 8. And this is also first in the Ministers commission Acts 26. 18. The great neglect of this in Ministers and others is one reason that so few Sinners are awakened the needful work of humiliation is so dangerously slighted that poor souls go sleeping and dreaming all is well till they come to be undeceived in Hell 3. Speak to his own inability to help himself that no less then infinite power can recover him out of his miserable condition Men are prone to act like Brutes when they are wounded to undertake the licking themselves whole as if it were an easie thing to renew a carnal creature and heal vitiated nature but alas the work is not so soon done It s another manner of work to open the blind eyes and â—â—liven the dead soul then the secure careless worldling
in my dealing and discourse with such men Lord thou knowest the poor silly children of men are unable to judge of eternal affairs according to their weight they are quickly lost when in their thoughts they begin to launch into that boundless Sea The ponderousness of the subject is ready to affright and press them down being so much beyond and above their shallow understandings But wouldst thou please to enable them though it were but to peep into the other world and to behold through some Crevice what is doing and enjoyed there both by thy friends and thine enemies they would soon have other thoughts of thee and thy service and other carriages when they are about thy work the greatest seriousness would then be too little the greatest ardour would not be thought enough for thy worship they would then indeed be fervent in spirit when they are serving the Lord. O teach thy servant though he cannot see into the other world with the eye of sense yet so to look into it with an eye of faith that he may transact the concerns thereof with that diligence faithfulness and fervency which thou acceptest and whilst he liveth be zealous of good works I Wish that my heart may be so affected with pity towards sick and afflicted persons that I may often and earnestly remember them in my prayers A little Captive considering the Leprosie of her Master was instrumental for his cure by crying out Would God my Lord were with the Prophet that is in Samaria for he would recover him of his Leprosie I have more reason when I behold a Leprous soul near its last gasp to look up to Heaven with Would to God that poor creature were with Jesus Christ that great prophet of his Church who is able and willing to enliven and pardon and sanctifie and save Would to God he would be perswaded to come to Christ to cling to Christ to close with Christ for he would recover him And what do I know but my prayers may be prevalent on his behalf Christ when dying prayed for his enemies for them that imbrued their hands in his blood and shall not I pray for my friends when they are dying and possibly ignorant whether they are going My Prayers are a cheap courtesie and diminish nothing of my estate either spiritual or temporal Their misery is an awakening motive to the duty Never did they stand in such need of help from others and wrastling with God on their behalves as now that they are taking their journey into a far Country and entring upon an unchangeable condition They may say to me as Nehemiah to Geshem I am doing a great work c. I am going to die to bid adieu to all the folly and vanity and comforts of this world to take possession of my long home of the place wherein I must abide for ever O pray for us that we may be pardoned and saved that we may repent and believe that we may die in the faith and obtain the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto life eternal They have many distractions upon their own spirits by reason of pains and bodily distempers and the loss and lamentation of their Kindred and Relations that they cannot poure out their hearts to God with that freeness and seriousness and earnestness which probably they desire Their enemies and assaults and temptations at such a time are more quick and strong and violent and full of rage having but a short time I must now pray for them or never pray for them Now beg mercy for them or never beg mercy for them When their life is gone all tears and cries and groans for them are in vain Davids greatest passions for dead Absolon were to no purpose They are then gone the way they shall not return and fixed in that place whence they shall never remove Lord I confess that my narrow heart hath not pity enough for afflicted and sick and dying souls and my weak hands have not power enough to supply or support them in their sad estates but thou hast both O be pleased to look down from Heaven the habitation where thine holiness dwelleth Behold their miseries hide thy face from all their iniquities out of thine infinite fulness releive their necessities Let the eyes of their souls be opened to see their sins and their Saviour before the eyes of their bodies be closed Give them patience and strength answerable to the burden thou layest on their backs Enable them to do their last works well and let them be better then their first Open thou their lips and let their mouths shew forth thy praise before they go to the place of silence Stand by them in their last conflict with their enemies Death and Devils that they may over come both be more then conquerours through him that loves them and pass through the jaws of death to the joys of a blessed eternal life I Wish that my soul may be the more sound for every visit I bestow on sick bodies There is not so much danger of catching their outward diseases as there is hope of increasing my spiritual health if I am not wanting to my self The sick and dying bed is a Pulpit out of which I may be instructed more fully in many serious truths though the sick or dying man be speechless King Joash obtained three famous victories over the Syrians by visiting sick Elisha and might have gotten a compleat conquest over them if it had not been his own fault The sight of sick and dying men may assist me in my conflicts with the three great enemies of my present purity and future comfort and bliss It teacheth â—e how vain it is to make provision for that flesh which will it self ere long be provision for wormes Ah how foolish am I to pamper and please that which instead of releiving or refreshing will in my extremity pierce and pain me It teacheth me that the world it self is the greatest Cheat and Impostour in the world That though it laughs and smiles on men dandling them on her knees and hugging them in her armes whilst they are in health and promising all sorts of comforts and pleasures yet in their sickness and misery she turns them off and leaves them as Absolons Mule did him to be â—hot through with the heart-cutting arrows of eternal death By discovering the emptiness and falseness of these two seeming ends the flesh and the world it helpeth me to overcome my third enemy and to repel the fiery darts of the Devil The cup of temptation which hath so often bewitched me to drink down his deadly poison had its prevalency from the worldly profit with which the out-side was guilded or the fleshly pleasure with which the in-side was sweetned Ah! could I but bid an hearty defiance to the World and the Flesh and conquer them I need not fear the wicked one They are the powerful Advocates by which Satan pleads and too often prevails with
soul 1 Pet. 1. 17. Who would make his Belly his Gut his God who confidereth that every meal may be his last or that thinketh his dainty diet his fine fare doth but provide a greater feast for wormes Who would give way to sinful wantons who beleiveth that whilst he is unloading his lust God may put a period to his life He that is high in conceit of himself little dreameth how low he must shortly be laid Who would be proud of that body which shall ere long see corruption become such a noysom loathsom carcass that the nearest and dearest relations will not endure the sight or sent of it He who loveth the world inordinately forgetteth that he may leave it suddenly and must leave it certainly Would Haman have bragged so much of Hesters banquet if he had known that his own corps should be served in for the last course Would the Israelites have tempted God for meat if they had thought that death should have been their sauce Would Achan have coveted the golden wedge if he had mused of his so sudden departure into the other world Without question he would have forborn the Babylonish garment if he had seen death at his back so ready to strip him naked Had the rich fool thought that his bed should that night have proved his grave he would never in the day have prided himself in his goods Who would not at Gods call vilifie that flesh which will be ere long a lump of filth and be choice of that soul which lives for a more high and heavenly flight It is reported of the Brachmans that they use no cloaths but Bear-skins no houses but Caves no food but such as nature dresseth When Alexander came to them in his travails he asked them the reason of this severe kind of living They answered him We know we shall dye whether to day or to morrow we know not and therefore why should we take care either for power to govern others or for riches to live in pleasures or for honour to be esteemed of None are so loose to the world that great hinderance of holiness as they who ponder they must leave it Travellers who look on themselves near their journeys end care not to burden themselves with much baggage Their moderation will be known to all men who believe The Lord is at hand Those who are most mindful of their deaths are most faithful in their lives Iob was eminent in grace because Iob was daily conversing with his grave All the days of his appointed time he waited till his change came Job 14. 14. That servant will follow his work most and best who expecteth his Masters coming every moment It is said of the Kite that by the turning of his tail he directs and winds about his whole body The same is reported of the Glede or Puttock Fish also say Naturalists turn and wind about by the fins in their Tails Reader could I but prevail with thee to mind the end of thy life it would help thee very much to order thy conversation aright O said God that my people were wise then would they consider their latter end Deut. 32. 29. The Thebans made a Law that no man should build an house for himself to dwell in before he had made his grave Several of the Philosophers had their graves made before their doors that when ever they went abroad they might remember their deaths If thou wouldst but in thy out-goings and in-comings behold the place of thy burial I doubt not but thou wilt be watchful over all thy ways When thou art in the midst of thy delights as Ioseph of Aritmathea have thy tomb in thy garden and it may prevent thy surfeiting by those dainties When thou sittest at Table let the first dish set before thee be according to Prester Iohns custom a deaths-head and then with what fear wilt thou feed how thankfully wilt thou receive the creatures even as through the beloved Son how soberly wilt thou use them even as in Gods sight If God raise thee to the height of prosperity and some friend do but as Moses and Elias to Christ when his Face did shine as the Sun and his Raiment was as white as Snow Luk. 9. 30 31. talk to thee of thy decease which thou must shortly accomplish it will abate thy love to the worlds withering vanities and quicken thine endeavours after the eternal weight of glory If God cast thee into great adversity and thou dost but consider thy time here is but short and therefore thy troubles cannot be long this will make thee contented in the saddest condition When thou beholdest thy relations and fore-thinkest that thine eternal separation from them is at hand and that within a few days thou shalt never have another opportunity to help them heaven-ward how will it stir thee up to do them all the good thou canst now both by thy Precepts Pattern and Prayers If when thou attendest on publique Ordinances thou wilt but cast thine eye on the Graves in the Church-yard as thou passest along and meditate thus Within a little time I must be laid in the dust when I shall hear no more pray no more enjoy a Sabbath no more when I shall never never more have a tender of a Saviour never more have a season to beg mercy in for my poor soul. After such awakening thoughts with what attention wouldst thou hear with what affections wouldst thou pray with what intention and devotion with what seriousness and uprightness wouldst thou perform every duty Some say that nothing in this world is so strong as death because it subdueth the mighty it conquereth the greatest conquerours it overcometh all Sure I am that death hath great force and power over mens souls as well as over their bodies The thought of it hath raised some to a spiritual life The consideration of death hath also caused others to live much in a little space when they have sâ—en the â—un of their lives near setting and the night of their deaths approaching they have in the day followed their work with the greater diligence None will work so hard as they who think themselves near their everlasting homes There were two Emperors Adrian and Charles the fifth that in their life time caused their Coffins to be carried before them and their exequies to be solemnly celebrated to this end possibly that considering they were but men dying men they might thence be righteous in their government and virtuous in their actions It is reported of Turannius that after he was ninety years old he got leave of Caesar to retire himself from Court and the old man would needs be laid in his bed as one that had breathed out his last and all his Family must bewail his death Friend do thou in earnest what he did in jest Suppose thou wert this day to bid adiew to thy Friends Relations Honours and Possessions and to travail into the unknown other world to
strength to do and suffer whatsoever I am called to He carrieth the purse for me and gives out to me according to my necessities I have not a farthing of my own wherewith to buy the least morsel I can do nothâ—ng of my self but I can do all things through Christ strengthning me Man is a weak creature and so far from runing that he is not able to creep in the way of Gods commandements unless Christ strengthen him Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 13. 3. If Christ with-draw himself as the Sun he carrieth the light of holiness along with him The easiest duty is too hard and the weakest enemy too strong for us unless Christ assist us 'T is upon his wings alone that we can mount to Heaven in an Ordinance and through his power that we do improve any Providence It is not the standing Army of habitual grace that will make the Christian a Conquerour he must daily be recruted with Auxilaries from Heaven The watch-man doth not onely make the watch and set every wheel in its right place but he or some other must wind it up daily or it will stand still Exerciâ—ing grace is as requisite to our spiritual motion as habitual grace to our spiritual being The Razor though it be never so sharp or keen at first if it be used must be often at the Whetstone or it will grow dull The Wife that hath frequent occasions for money for provision for her Self and Children and Servants and for Cloaths and all Family necessaries and not a penny but what comes out of her Husbands purse and he fearing she should be prodigal lets her have money by driplets but from hand to mouth must be always going or sending to him or otherwise starve The Shopkeeper that drives a great trade in the Country must go often to London or abroad in other parts to fetch in commodities The Israelites in the Wilderness were maintained for water by the Rock They drank of the Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. The Rock followed them they did not only drink of it at first but had a constant mornings draught and drank of it often in the day it ran iâ— a stream after them and every day supplied them It s no marvail the Apostle commandeth us Pray continually Pray without ceasing Pray evermore when he knew all our living was got by begging that all our supplies must be from above and we must expect nothing without asking Ordinances are the food of the soul. As Cows afford us both Milk and Beef so Ordinances are Milk to Babes and Meat for strong Men. Our God is the Fountain of Spiritual as well as of natural life It s said most truly in respect of a Natural life In him meaning God we live and move and have our beings Act. 17. 28. We live Now as God hath made the heart the spring of natural life and hath drawn from thence a multitude of arteries to carry the vital spirits through the whole body and disperse life through every part of it So he hath made the Mediatour the spring of spiritual life and his Ordinances the Arteries to convey life to every part of the soul. In whom we move As God hath from the head derived manifold sinews to carry out thence the animal spirits and with them the faculty both of sense and motion over all So the Lord from Jesus Christ the Churches head through the sinews of sacred duties conveyeth spiritual sense and motion to all his members And have our being To preserve our being he hath made the Liver a fountain of blood and from thence drawn the Veins to convey it over the body to the nourishment of the whole Ordinances are those Veins which convey and disperse gracious spirits over the whole new man With him is the well of life Psa. 36. Sacred duties are as needful every day for our souls as food and raiment for our bodies The body must continually be repaired with nourishment because it is continually consumed by our natural heat Yesterdays bread will not keep the laborer to day in strength and vigor to go through with his work he must have new diet or he cannot hold out Friend I must bespeak thee as the Angel to Elijah Vp and eat for the journey is too great for thee Vp and be doing in Prayer and Scripture and holy Ordinances that thou mayst feed and receive spiritual nourishment for otherwise the business of exercising thy self to godliness the duties required of thee to be performed the graces to be exercised the temptations to be resisted the deadly enemies to be conquered will be too hard for thee the journey will be too great for thee The Amalekite by long fasting grew faint and unable to go his journey If the bringing stream be not as large as the running stream the bottom will quickly be without water The greatest stock will lesson apace if a man spend daily on it though but in a small quantity if he hath no way of getting Those that are under-kept and called to hard labour can never perform what is required of them The spirits daily are decaying and if not daily renewed by proper nourishment we perish The Vessels that are always leaking must stand constantly under the conduit to get what they lose When Ionathan through fasting became faint He tasted a little honey and his eyes were enlightened How much more said he if happily the people had eaten liberally of the spoil of their enemies which they found for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines 1 Sam. 14. 29 30. The more a Christian mindeth Divine Ordinances in obedience to Gods precept and affiance on Gods promise the more strength he shall receive to conquer his spiritual adversaries and to discharge the several duties incumbent on him The truth is our religious life our heavenly flame is like a straw fire to mault which must constantly be tended and fed with fuel or it will go out There is noâ— more need of the Shepherds constant and daily tending his weak sheep in the summer seasonâ— then of the Saints daily regarding his precious soul. As trees being well ordered with skill and diligence they become abundantly fruitful but being left to themselves without culture and care they bring forth little or no fruit So Christians by a diligent use of means abound in the fruits of righteousness but neglecting ordinances they decline and decay The heart of man is like Reuben unstable 〈◊〉 water and is stablished with grace Heb. 10. which cannot be expected but through the means of grace The Viol that with every change of weather is apt to be out of tune must be constantly hung within sent of the fire Whilst we are in the care of this world we are full of damps and therefore need all means of quickening Our hearts are like Clocks twice a day at least the Plummets must be pulled up or their motion and
course will be hindered Indeed as God could preserve our bodies without food or any sustenance by his omnipotent power as he did Moses and Elijah forty days together but he will not where he affordeth ordinary means So he could preserve our souls in life without ordinances but he will not where his providence giveth us opportunity to enjoy them Reader I must say to thee as Iacob to the Patriarchs Behold I have heard that there is Corn in Egypt get you down thither and buy for us that we may live and not dye Behold thou hast heard there is spiritual food in Heaven the Son of Ioseph hath his granaries full of Corn go thou thither daily by sacred duties that thy soul may live and not dye There is a sensible decay of the strength in Husbandmen whose work is great upon one days abstinence If tradesmen grow careless of their business and neglect their Shops they quickly decay in their estates When Christians grow careless of duties and neglect their Closets t is no wonder that they decline in their spiritual stocks When the Moon hath her open side downward she decreaseth but when her open side is upwards towards Heaven she increaseth in light There is no growing in grace and holiness but by conversing with Heaven Grace like Armour may easily be kept bright if it be daily used but if it hang by the wall it will quickly rust and cost much time and pains to scoure Much fasting takes away the stomach and omission of Closet duties at one time makes a man more backward to them and dead about them another time When a Scholar hath plaid the Truant one day its difficult to bring him to School the next day Fear and Shame both keep him back when he comes thither he is the more untoward about his book Our deceitful hearts after they have discontinued holy exercises and are broken loose are like horses gotten out of their bounds not found or brought back without much trouble When an instrument is daily plaid on it s kept in order but if it be but a while neglected and cast into a corner the strings are apt to break the frets to crack the bridge to flye off and no small trouble and stir is requisite to bring it into order again We read of the Iews daily sacrifice which was Morning and Evening Exod. 29. 38. and 30. 7 8. David was for Morning and Eveningâ— and Noon-tide Psa. 55. 17. Daniel was three times a day upon his knees Dan. 6. 10. In the Morning the Saints were at their devotion which is thought to be the third hour when the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles Act. 2. 15. This is deemed to be our ninth hour The midle or mid day prayer was termed the sixth hour which is our twelfth Ioh. 4. 6. At this time Peter went up to the house top to pray Act. 10. 9. The evening Prayer was at the ninth hour which is our three a clock in the After-noon Now Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the hour of prayer being the ninth hour Act. 3. 1. So Cornelius Act. 10. 30. At the ninth hour I prayed in my house Some think the Primitive Christians had these three hours in such regard and use that thence they were termed Canonical hours David tells us Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgements Psa. 119. 164. The more frequent a Christian is at holy duties supposing he doth not make the commands of God to interfere and neglect his calling and family when his presence is required in them the more thriving he shall be in his spiritual trade The oftener we go to the Fountain or River the more water we bring thence As Runners in a Race do daily diet their bodies and use exercise to keep themselves in breath that they may be more able and active when they run for the wager whereas if they should neglect it they would grow pursie and shortwinded and unlikely to hold out when they run for the Garland So Christians who would hold out to the end and so run as to obtain must be daily feeding and dieting their souls and renewing their strength by these means which God hath appointed As the Sun is the cause of life and groweth in vegetables so is the Son of God the efficient cause of motion and growth in Christians where the Son is present in any soul there is spiritual moâ—ion and growth budding and blossoming and bearing fruit but when the Sun with-holds and with-draws when this Sun departs the soul is at a stand Now Ordinances are the means whereby the Mediatour conveys heat and life and growth to men CHAP. XI Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to Godliness Frequent Meditation of the day of judgement A daily Examination of our hearts Avoiding the Occasions and Suppressing the beginnings of Sin SEvently If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness Meditate much upon the day of Iudgement They will prepare themselves best to the battel who always hear the sound of the last trump in their ears Zisea that valiant Captain of the Bohemians commanded his Country-men to flea off his skin when he was dead and to make a Drum of it Which use saith he when ye go to battel and the sound of it will drive away the Hungarians or any of your enemies Could the Christian but with Ierom hear the sound of the last trumpet in his ears at all times it would encourage him in his spiritual warfare and enable him to fight manfully and to cause the enemies of his salvation to flee before him He who can frequently by faith view the Judge sitting on his Throne of Glory hear the last trumpet sounding behold the dead raised the books opened the godly examined by the Covenant of grace all their duties graces services sufferings publiquely declared approved and rewarded the wicked tried by the Law of works all their natural defilements actual transgressions in thought word and deed which ever they were guilty of with their crimson bloody circumstances openly revealed their persons righteously sentenced to the vengeance of the eternal fire and that sentence speedily without the least favour or delay executed on them will surely loath sin as that which brings him certain shame and torment and follow after holiness which will be his undoubted credit and comfort at that day The Apostle writing to the Iews concerning the terror of that day how the Heavens must pass away with a great noise and the Elements melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works therein burnt up makes this use of it Seeing then that all those things shall be dissolved What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness And again Wherefore beloved seeing ye look for these things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameness He had need to be exact in his conversation who must
Sun or a word which signifieth a ray which is darted in a moment from one end of the Heavens to another Such speed doth our life make to pass away Cardinal Bellarmin when he had a full prospect of the Sun going down to perceive the quickness of its motion took a Psalter in his hand and before he had twice read over the 51. Psalm the whole body of the Sun was set whereby he concluded the earth being twenty one thousand miles in compass the Sun must go seven thousand miles in half a quarter of an hour However the Cardinal might be mistaken in his reckoning Yet Mans days are swifter then a post they flee away they see no good They are passed away as the swift ships as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey Job 9. 25 26. It s our shame and misery that our days should be so swift and we so slack that our time should be as speedy as a post or ship or Eagle and our hearts as slow about our eternal concernments as a Snail Our negligence herein speaks us brutish and void of common sense Reason will teach him that followeth its directions to be most industâ—ious about matters of such importance The Heathen Historian can agree with Scripture in this Vita nostra sicut fabula non refert quam diu sed quam bene Our life passeth away as a tale that is told it matters not much whether it be long or short but whether it be well or ill Surely it concerneth thee Reader to make Religion thy business and work the work of God when thine everlasting happiness dependeth on it and thy time is so short that thou hast to do it in In the days of Ptolomeus Philopater when the huge and great Anchor of the Ship Thalmegos was laid out upon the shore the Children of Alexandria did ride upon the stalk and crept through the ring of the Anchor as if it had been made purposely for their pastime whereas wise men knew it was appointed for better uses namely to stable and make sure the great vessel in storms and tempests Truly so do too many serve time they play and toy and trifle it away as if God had given it to them for that end when he who hath but half an eye as we say may see that it was given for better purposes viz. to furnish his soul for his eternal voyage and thereby to help to stablish and fasten him when he shall lanch into the stormy Ocean Protogenes made himself ridiculous in the judgement of all that are sober for spending seven years in drawing Ialisus and his Dog for though the most excellent Pictures are longest in drawing yet to spend years about that which may be finished in days argueth want of wisdom But having spoken somewhat largely to this in the sixt Chap. I am the more brief in this Thirdly Consider the examples of others who have wrought hard at this heavenly Calling Cicero tells us Nothing prevailes more with men then similitudes and examples Indeed worthy patterns are of great power Thucydides brake forth into tears out of love to learning upon hearing Herodotus read an history that he had written Themistocles tells us The statue of Miltiades would not suffer him to sleep Alexander was much provoked to valiant acts by reading the prowess of Achilles and Hector in Homer Cesar was so stirred to courage by reading the conquests of Alexander in his youth that he wept for anger that he had done nothing worthy of himself at that age Iron put into the fire is turned into fire conâ—ider therefore the Prophets and Apostles of the Lord how diligent they were at their duty how hard they wrought for God The great Apostle was indefatigably industrious for his soul and his Saviour Consider him in reference to his outward man how unwearied was he at his Masters woâ—k and in reference to his inward man how zealous how fervent in spirit serving the Lord From Jerusalem to Illyricum I have preached the Gospel His travails are computed to be 12970. miles He gives us when necessitated thereunto a brief Catalogue of his actions and passions for Christ. Are they ministers of Christ I am more in labours more abundant in stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in deaths oft Of the Iews five times received I forty stripes save one Thrice was I beaten with rods once was I stoned thrice I suffered shipwrack a night and a day have I been in the deep In journyings often in perils of water in perils of robbers in perils by mine own Countrymen in perils by the Heathen in perils in the City in perils in the wilderness in perils in the sea in perils by false brethren In weariness and painfulness in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakedness besides those things which are without that which cometh upon me daily the care of all the Churches Who is weak and I am not weak who is offended and I burn not 2 Cor. 11. 23. to 30. Reader think thou hearest the Apostle speaking to thee as once to the Corinthians Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ. How did our blessed Saviour work the work of him that sent him while it was day He went about doing good Godliness was his meat and drink I have meat to eat which ye know not of My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work He wrought so hard that he forgot to eat his bread and was taken by his kindred to be mad It was his sleep and rest He went into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God He prayed with strong cries and groans And being in an agony he prayed the more fervently He was taken to be about fifty years old when he was little above thirty so much was he worn out with labour for his God Act. 10. 38. Ioh. 4. 34. Luk. 6. 12. Mar. 1. 34. Heb. 5. 7. Mar. 3. 20. O Reader let Christ be the Copy after which thou wilt write and the pattern which thou wilt follow and be a follower of others as they are of Christ Jesus Did Christ work so hard for thee did he lose his food and sleep and wear out himself that his strength was dried up like a potsherd and his heart was melted like wax in the midst of his bowels and wilt not thou spend and be spent for thy Saviour I would say for thy own soul for in serving him thou servest thy self Think of it when thou art trifling away thy time and neglecting thy spiritual watch and dull and dead in holy duties how eager and earnest how zealous and sedulous thy Lord Jesus was in working out thy salvation he did not play nor dally about the work of thy redemption but made it his business and did what he was called to with all his heart and soul and strength CHAP. XV. The excellency of this Calling and the
Conclusion of the Treatise FOurthly Consider the excellency of this Calling As it is said of God in respect of beings Who is like thee O God! Among all the Gods none is to be compared to thee So I may say of godliness in respect of Callings What is like thee O Godliness amongst all callings none is comparable to thee 1. It is the most honourable Calling The Master that thou are bound to is King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Fountain of honour and Lord of glory One of whom the greatest Princes and Potentates of the world hold their Crowns and Scepters to whom they must kneel and do their homage One to whom the whole creation is lesse then nothing The work that thou art imployed in is not servile and mean but high and noble the worship of the great God walking and conversing with his blessed Majesty subduing brutish lusts living above this beggarly earth a conversation in heaven a conflict with and conquest over this dreggy flesh and drossy world and powers of hell to which the greatest battels and victories of the most valiant warriours that ever drew the sword are worse then childrens play To conquer our passions is more then to conquer kingdomes Thâ—mistocles is renowned by Cicero for telling some who disparaged him for his ignorance in playing on the Lute That he knew not how to play on the Lute yet he knew how to take a City To subdue one lust is more then to subdue a thousand Cities Thy fellow servants are the elect of God glorious Angels and Saints who are higher then the Kings of the earth Princes in all lands a crown of glory a royal diadem a chosen generation the excellent of the earth vessels of Gold the Children of the most high of whom the world is not worthy The Priviledges of this calling and company are eminent Adoption remission growth in grace divine love perseverance â—n holiness an eternal kingdom are all contained in the Charter granted to thiâ— Corporation The covenant of grace that hive of sweetness that mine of gold that cabinet of jewels to which all the world is but an heap of dust is their part and portion and contains more in iâ— for their comfort then heaven and earth is able to contain To serve God is one of the fairest flowers in the Saints garland of honour hence the Lords kinsman glorieth in being the Lords servant and the Lords Mother calleth her self his handmaid Iude ver 1. Luk. 1. 38. If the meanest offices about earthly Princes are esteemed honourable what an honour is it to wait on the King of heaven The Saints duty is their preferment and that service which is commanded them a priviledge The great Apostle boasteth of his Chain for God as his glory and credit and holdeth it up as a mark and badge of honour For the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain Act. 28. 20. and begins one of his Epistles with this honourary Title Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ Philem. 1. It is not earthly riches that make a man honourable we mistake in calling and counting rich men the best men in the Parish Riches without godliness are but a gold ring in a swines snout for which the brute is nothing the better It is not aiery applause or worldly preferments that will make a man honourable Titles are but like feathers in the hat or glistering scarfes under the armes which adde not the least worth to the man that wears them A great letter makes no more to the sense of the word then a small one Worship Honourâ— Grace Highness Majesty make nothing to the real intrinsick value of any person The ungodly Monarchs of the world are but beasts in Gods account Antiâ—chus Epiphanes whose name signifieth Illustrious whom the Samaritans stiled the Mighty God is called by the Holy Ghost because of his ungodliness a vile person Dan. 11. 21. In his days shall stand up a vile person All honour without holiness is fading as well as fancied rather then real External nobility though it glister in the face of the world is but as Seneca saith vitrea brittle as glass and compounded of earth The Potentates of the world are often like Tennis-balls tossed up on high to fall down low Hence some of the wiser Heathen have called them Ludibria fortunae the scorn of fortune Haman honoured one day the next day hanged Gelimer the Puissant Prince of the Vandals Bellisarius Charles the fifth and Henry the fourth Emperours and many others experienced the brittleness of worldly glory But that honour which is from above is true and eternal Plutarch tells us the Roman nobles as a badge of their nobility wore the picture of the Moon upon their shoes signifying as their nobility did increase so it would decrease All priviledges all prerogatives all titles all dignities without godliness are vanishing shadows T is the new creation that rendreth the children of Abraham like the glorious stars in heaven The world looks on the Saint possibly he is poor and mean in the world as the Jews lookt on Christ As a root out of a dry ground and so saw no form nor comliness in him but they who could pierce into the inside of Christ could see that in him dwelt thee fullness of the godhead bodily and they who can see into the inside of Christians behold the Kings daughter all glorious within As the precious stone Sandastra hath nothing in outward appearance but that which seemeth black bâ—t being broken poureth forth beams like the Sun So the Church of Christ is outwardly black with affliction but inwardly more bright and glorious then the Sun with thriving vertues and celestial graces The power of godliness in a mean Christian is a rich treasure in a mean Cabinet but vice in robes in scarlet is poison in wine the more deadly and dangerous Tamberlain tomb was rifled by the Turks and his bones worn by them for Iewels though their enemy and one that had conquered them in divers combates and captivated their Emperour and carried him up and down in an Iron Cage for his foot-stool God makes his people honourable in the eyes of the wicked Since thou wast precious in my sight thou art honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life The sons of them that afflicted thee shall bow before thee and thine enemies shall lick the dust Isa. 43. 4. A wicked King Iohoram honoreth and waiteth on a Servant of God Elisha Herod reverenceth the Baptist. Grace is a powerful though silent Oratour to perswade all that see it to love and honour it What Diogenes spake of learning is truly applicable to grace or the knowledge of God in Christ It makes young men sober old men happy poor men rich and rich men honourable When Agesilaus was ready to dye he charged his friends that they should not make any picture or statue of him for saith he If I
Treatise A CHristians should Admonish one another 285 How ibid. Afflictions tend to a Christians advantage 814,815 Anger resteth in the bosome of fools 44,45 B Backbiting to be avoided 271 The great danger and evil of it 272 to 275 A Backbiter wounds three wiâ—h one arrow 274 Christians must bear with one another 288 A threefold burthen Christians must bear for each other 289 Their Civil Spiritual and Natural burthens ibid. The Beasts of the field may teach men 453 Beasts teach man six lessons Thankefulness to God Dependance on God The dread of God Diligence in our callings Innocency Wisdom 453 454 Birds of the Air teach man eight Lessonsâ— 454 to 457 Christians must use a conscience in buying 17 C CHristians should be diligent in their particular Callings 511 Christians must avoid censuring 266 The great evil of censuring 267 How to apply our selves to civil men in sickness 577 Saints must be careful in the choice of their Companions 90 133 The benefit of Company 86 87 to 90 138 139 The great danger of evil Company to draw men to sin 9â— to 95. 133 to 135 to draw men to suffering 95 to 99 136 The Great advantage of good Company 98 to 101. 241 to 247 A mans Company will discover him 101 102 139 Christians should Company with them that are godly 109,110,140,141 because they are godly 116,117 Whether a Christian may not be more intimate with some godly Companions then others 119 Two Cautions about it 120,121 Christians should endeavour the spiritual good of their Companions 121 to 125,182 Saints may sometimes use but should not chuse the Company of sinners 109,110 Objections against it answered 124 to 128 Evil Company infectioâ—sâ— 156 157 Saints may be the better for evil Company when they are called to it 158 159 177 Wherein 179 to 182 Christians must guard their souls in evil Company 160,161 not needlesly expose themselves to sufferings 167 Saints must not disown Christ in any Company 172 to 175 Saints should endeavour the Conversion of sinners 182 183 How 183 to 189 By good Company pious souls have been confirmed 245 Erring Saints recovered ibid. Dull Christians quickened 246 Much sin prevented 248 Christians must watch themselves in good Company â—62 What sins Saints are most prone to in good Company 263 The Communion of Saints the most excellent Communion 236 250 257 Wherein the Communion of Saints consisteth 275 In a mutual communication of their gifts and graces ibid. In joyning in the Ordinances of God ibid. In serviceableness each to other 276 Wherein 280 to 287 A Contented spirit a great help to godlinessâ— 809 Nine Arguments to Contentedness in the most afflicted condition 813 Christians should receive Counsel 301 Penitent Christians should be comforted 283 It s a duty to be courteous 39 Courtesie is an ornament to Christianity 40,41 D EVery day to be begun with duty 496 Arguments to it ib. to 499 Christians should exercise themselves to godliness in their dealings with all men 5 It s a sign of hypocrisie to be careless in dealings with men 7 to 10 The credit of Religion is much engaged in our Dealings with others 11 to 14 In our dealings with others we must be righteous 15 Courteous 39 Meek 42 The Principle of a Christian in his dealings must be gracious 51 52 The end of a Christian in his dealings must be minded 53 54 A daily performance of holy duties to be minded 756 The necessity and benefit of daily duties 757 to 760 Christians should exercise themselves to Godliness on a dying bed 611,612 What it is to dye in the Lord. 612 Three things in it ib. In what respects Christ was obedient to the death 6â—5 Death is a serious thing 619 Death will try men 620 At death man is stated for eternity 622 Satan is busie to assault at death ib. 623 A death bed is a special season to honour God 624 It s the last opportunity 627 How Christians should honour God on a dying bed 628 In commending God and godliness to others 629 In commending our selves to God 633 In praying for our Relations the Church our Benefactours and our Enemies 634 to 637 In exercising grace on a dying bed 637 What graces Saints should especially exercise on a dying bed Faith Courage Repentance Charity Patience 637 to 647 Our whole life should be a preparation for Death 633 634 In what respects or how a Saint may dye with comfort 658 to 662 Meditation of death a special help to holiness 745 to 753 The great mischif of discontent 811 812 E CHristians must spiritualize earthly things 372,373 Several examples hereof 374 to 380 The earth teacheth man four lessons 457 Earthly things unsutable unsatisfying vexatious deceitful and uncertain 828 to 840 Ejaculations profitable 435 Christians must look to their ends in their actions 53 54 Frequent Examination of our selves and our ways a duty 523 786 The great advantage thereof 524 to 727.781 to 786 Examples helpful to encourage us heaven-ward 841 F FAith necessary if we would exercise our selves unto godliness 706 The excellency of Faith 707 Faith destroyeth sin 708 Overcometh the world 712 Faith overcometh the affrightments of the World 713 714 Faith overcometh the allurements of the world 716 717 Faith enableth to overcome Satan 720 the flesh 722 Faith deriveth grace from Christ. 724 Faith sets all other graces at work 725 Faith makes Ordinances profitable 727 Nine Questions to them that neglect Family duties 508 to 511 Fear sinful when 179 There can be no true Friendship betwixt a godly and a wicked man 105 to 108 Who is thy best friend 303 345 G SEtting God always before our eyes a great help to godliness 729 to 737 The knowledge of God a great help to holiness 801 to 809 Gods Omniscience 493 494 Gods Patience Vide Patience Gods word Vide word Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to Godliness 695. Vide Means Godliness the most excellent Calling 844 The most honourable ib. The most comfortable 849 The most profitable Calling 858 Twelve serious thoughts to quicken all to Exercise themselves to Godliness Vide Epistle to the Reader H THe heart the great work-house of thoughts words and actions 698 The necessity of a new heart in all that would make religion their business 699 700 The heart of man backward to good 255 prone to evil 364 must be watched 369 Holiness is honourable 844 Humility an help to holiness 792 The Excellency of humility 793 794 Vnrighteousness a sign of Hypocrisie 7 8 I THe evil of Idleness 820 The great mischief of Ignorance 806 The Ignorant should be instructed 280 281 A serious consideration of the day of judgement a special help to godliness 765 Dreadfulness of the day of judgement to wicked men 767 776 The day of judgement will be comfortable to Saints 772 Their godliness will be mentioned ibid. Their names vindicated 773 Persons publiquely acquitted ib. Their happiness will be perfected 774 Justice to what resembled 39
Justice Vide Righteousness K THe Knowledge of God a special means of godliness 802 Subjects should pay tribute to their King 38 39 L LIfe is uncertain 490 Life is short 838 Love should be among Christians 2â—5 Why the Commandment of Love is called a new Commandment 236 The fervency of Christs prayer for love 237 Sad effects of want of love among Christians 239 M MEans whereby Christians may exercise themselves to godliness 695 A good Foundation 696 Living by Faith 746 Setting God before our eyes 729 A constant watchfulness 734 Meditation of our dying day 745 Dayly solemn performance of holy duties 756 Frequent thoughts of the day of judgement 765 Calling our selves often to account 780 Avoiding occasions of sin 787 Walking humbly 793 Suppressing sin in the beginning 799 The knowledge of God 801 A contented frame of spirit 809 Avoiding those things that hinder godliness 819 Meditation useful 388 What set Meditation is 389 to 396 An example of set Meditation on the Word of God 398 Another example on the patience of God 466 It s a christians duty to be meek 42 The excellency of meekness 43 Meekness a sign of a wise man 44 The Christians meekness should not hinder his zeal for God 46,47 A meek man a good Neighbour in what respects 48 49. N NAture is corrupted and must be renewed 571 O OCcasions of sin must be avoided 787 Obedience must be universal 8 9 P PAtience of God wonderful 467 Gods Patience amplified in twelve considerations 467 to 476 The causes of Gods patience 476,477 The Application of Gods patience 485 The vanity of Pride 795,796 Christians must look to the Principles of their ordinary actions 50 51 Men must pay what they owe. 20 Payments must be in good money 21 Q ITs good for Christians sometimes to put Questions to their own souls 524 The manner how they should do it 546 547 The benefit of it in four particulars 525 526 R REgeneration necessary 695 Christians should rejoyce in others graces 308 The credit of Religion much engaged in a Christians publique dealings 11 to 61 It s the duty of Saints to reprove them that sin 165 188 285 286 Reproof must be given seriously seasonably prudently compassionately 191 to 204 It s a Christians duty to take a reproof kindly 302 to 306 Christians ought to be righteous in their dealings with all men 15 In their works 16,64,65 In buying 17 18 19 Wherein Righteousness in buying consisteth 20 21,65 Christians ought to be righteous in selling 22 Wherein it consisteth 23 24,25,66,67 The general rule of righteousness 27,69 Christianâ— ought to be righteous in their words 34,70 S SAtan a strong crafty industrious and cruel enemy 336 to 339 Sinful shame what 174 Christians must be righteous in selling 22 It s a sin to work upon the ignorance or poverty of the Seller 18 19 Its a duty to visit the sick 554 557 Great caution about it 555 It s a special season of doing and receiving good 559 560 It may be the last opportunity 565 We must be acquainted with the state of sick persons souls 568 Sutable application must be made to the sick 570 Five things cheifly to be insisted on to the carnal sick 571 to 576 How to apply our selves to civil men in sickness 577 Three great lessons all should learn by sickness 579 How to apply our selves to Saints in their sickness 578 We must deal faithfully with the sick 581 It s a duty to pray with and for the sick 582 Much good may be gotten by visiting the sick 584 We may learn our own frailty the worth of health the price of time the excellency of grace 585 to 588 Sinful silence what 165 What it is to be silent in evil times 168 Sin to be suppressed in the beginning 799 Open sins worse then secret in a threefold respect 13 God hates sin 467 How many ways we may partake of other mens sins by provocation complyance Silence 164 165 186 No true friendship betwixt Saints and Sinners 104 108 141 142 Christians should be careful of their carriage amongst sinners 155 Christians should not needlesly accompany with sinners 111. Vide company In what respect Sinners are said to be without 155 Sinners joyn hand in hand to oppose the interest and Kingdom of Christ. 153 What it is to sit with vain persons 112 Slothful Christians must be quickened 282 Soliloquies a duty 432 It s a Christians duty to be holy in Solitude 354,355 The danger of neglecting our watch in Solitude 362 The great benefit of seasonable Solitude 357 To make conscience of our carriage in Solitude is a good sign of sincerity 365. Wherein it consisteth 369 c. In guarding the heart against vain thoughts 369 In spiritualizing earthly objects 372 In solemn Meditations 388 In Soliloquies 432 Secret Ejaculations 435 The evil of needless Solitude 257 The sorrowful must be comforted 283 T CHristians must be thankful for restraining grace 180 181 Vain thoughts must be watcht against 369 Time is precious and must be redeemed 263,264,578 Trees teach men ten lessons 460 to 464 V VAin thoughts what 370 Unrighteousness a sign of Hypocrisie 7,8 58 The folly of unrighteous men 25 28 to 34 W THe life of man compared to a Walk 1 The life of a Christian to a walk with God 2 In what respects a Christians life is said to be a walking in the light 2,3 Christians must watch 514 Watchfulness requisite in evil company 155 160 161 Watchfulness a great help to Godliness 734 Great reason for watchfulness 741 We must watch against sin 741. for doing good ibid. in duties 742. after duties ibid. our senses ibid. our tongues 743. our heart especially 744 Every Week-day to be devoted to God 488 Motives to it 490 to 496. Wherein it consisteth In beginning the day with God 496 Diligence in our callings 511 Redeeming time 518 Constant watchfulness 514 Self Examination 523 Evening duties 527 Our words should be the language of our hearts 34 The excellency of the Word of God largely described in its four causes 398 c. The Word of God is true 412. holy 408. perfect 411. powerful 410 Why the Word of God is compared to light 416 Why to rain 419 World not to be loved 821 The vanity of worldly things 824 Worldly things unsutable to our souls 8. 8. unsatisfying 830. deceitful 828. vexatious 832. Z ZEal what it is 179 Christians should be Zealous ibid. FINIS These Books following are Printed for and sold by Thomas Park-hurst as the three Crowns at the lower end of Cheap-side over-against the great Conduit Folio's THe History of the Evangelical Churches of the Valleys of Piedmont By Sam. Mâ—rland A Commentary upon Iob Psalms Proverbs Ecclâ—siâ—stes and the Song of Songs By Iohn Mayâ—r Exemplary Novels a famous Romance An Exposition upon the first Epistle of Iohn By Iohn Cotton An Exposition upon the second Epistle to the Corinthians By Rich. Sibs The bowels of tender mercy sealed
in the everlasting Covenant wherein is set forth the Nature Conditions and Excellencies of it and how a sinner should do to enter into it and the danger of refusing this Covenant Reâ—ation Also the Treasures of Grace Blessings Comforts Promises and Priviledges that are comprised in the covenant of Gods free and rich mercy made in Jesus Christ with Beleivers By Obadiaâ— Sedgwick B. D. The Parly of Beasts or Morphandra Queen of the inchanted Island with Reflexes upon the present state of most Countries in Christendom By Iames Howel Esq The dead Saint speaking to Saints and Sinners livingâ— in several Treatises viz. The fulness and greatest evil that is in sin on 2 Sam. 24. 10. The love of Christ to his Spouse on Cant. 4. 9. Nature and Royalties of Faith on Iohn 1. 15. The slowness of heart to believe on Iohn 1. 50. The causes signs and cure of Hypocrisie with motives and helps to sincerity on Isa. 58â— 2. The wonderful workings of God for his Church and his people on Exod. 15â— 11. Never before published By Boltâ—â—â— D D. Quarto's AN Expositâ—on upon the nineteen last Chapters of Ezekiel By Will. Gâ—eenhil An Exposition on the first eighteen verses of Iohn By I. Arrowsmith An exposition on the book of Canticles By R. Robotham A Treatise shâ—wing the right ordering of the Bee By Sam. Purchas An Exposition on the 15 16 17. Chap. of Iob By I. Caryll An Exhortation from the Churches of Bohemia to the Church of England By Iohn Amos Comenius The Plain Doctrine of the Justification of a sinner in the sight of God justified by the God of truth in his holy Word and the Cloud of Witneâ—â—es in all ages By Charles Chauncy of New England The whole Tryal of the Marquiss of Arguile An Exposition upon the 4. Chap. of the 2. Epist. to the Corâ—nthians By R. Sâ—bbs Comfortable Sermons on Psalm 24â— Preached before the Lady Elizabeth her Grace By Daniel Dyke B. D. God save the King in a Sermon preached the day after his Majesty came into Londonâ— by Anth. Walker Preacher of the Gospel An Antidote against Anabaptism wherein the baptizing Infants taking Tythes c are fâ—lly vindicated by Aylmor Haughton The Conversation as heavenly and as natural in two Treatises by D. Stoughton Jesus Christ the mystical or Gospel Sun sometimes seemingly Eclipsed yet never going gown from his people opened in a Sermon at Pauls Church before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor Aldermenâ— c. March 28. 1652. the day before the lâ—â—e Solar Eclipse by Fulk Beller M. A. A Sermon Preached before the Honourable House of Commons at their late Monethly Fast being on Wednesday Iune 30. 1647. by Nath. Ward A Declaration of the Faith and Order owned and practised in the Congregational Churches in England agreed upon consented unto by their Elders Messengers in their meeting at the Savoy Oct. 12. 1658. Mesolabium Architectonicum that is a most rare and singular Instrument for the easie speedy and most certain measuring of Plaâ—ns and Solids by the foot invented long since by Mr. Tho. Bedwel Esq A Changlâ—ng no company for lovers of Loyalty or the Subjects Lesson in point of sacred submission to and humble compliance with God and the King The beauty of Magistracy in an Expositioo of the 82. Psalm where is set forth the Necessity Utility Dignity Duty and Morâ—lity of Magistrates by the labours of Tho Hall B. D. and Pastor of Kings Norton and George Swinock M. A. and Pastor of Great Kimbel Large Octavo's FOur profitable Treatises very useful for Christian practice viz. The killing power of the Law the spirâ—tual watch the New Birth of the Sabbath by the reverenâ— Fenneâ—â— late Minister of Rotchford in Essex Enchirid on Iudlâ—um or Iehoshaphats charge to his Judges together with the Catastrophe Magnatum or King Davids lamentâ—tâ—on at Prince Abners Incinerationâ— by Iames Livesey Minister of the Gospel at Atherton The greatest loss upon Mat. 15 26 by the same â—uthor Meditations Divine and Moral by Henry Tabb M. A. The Psalms of K. Davâ—d translated by K. Iames. Willâ—ul impenitency the greatest Self-murther by that able faithful and laborious Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. W. Fenner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Almost Christian discovered or the False professor tryed and cast by Matthew Mead. Spiritual Wisdom improved against Temptation by the same Author Pharonnida an Heroick Poem by VVill. Chamberlain The good old way of Perkins improved in a plain Exposition of Perkins Catechism by C. Broxholme A Treatise of Self-denial with the Necessity and Excellency of it by Thâ—â—philuâ— Polwheele The Hippocrâ—tes Ladder by John Sheffield The Christian compleatly armed by R. Robinson A practical discourse of prayer wherein is handled the nature and duty of prayer by T. Câ—bbet The Righteoâ—s mans tower by Ier. Dike Mount Ebal levelled or a redemption from the â—urse by El. Wales with Mr. Calamies Epistle Tentations their nature danger cure to which is added his Remains by R. Capel A Wedding-Ring fit for the finger â—ogether with the Non-such Professor by W. Secker The History of the Turkish Wars in Hungary Transilvania Austria Silesia and other Provinces of the German Empire from the first invasion of Amurath the second Anno. 1432. to this present year 1664. to which is prefixed a shorâ— discourse of the state and government of the said Provinces The spiritual taste described and a glimpse of Christ discovered in two parts grounded on Psalm 34. 8. and Mal. 4. 2. by Râ—b Dingley M. A. Small Octavo's CAtechizing Gods Ordinance in sundry Sermons by Mr. Zach. Crosâ—on A bridle for the tongue or a â—â—eatise of ten sins of the tongue viz. Cursing Swearing Slandering Scoffing Filthy Speaking Flattering Censuring Murmuring Lying and Boasting on Iam. â— 26. by W. Gearing The Pastor and the Clerk or a debate real concerning Infant Baptism by Iohn Ellis Habakkâ—k's prayer applied to the Churches present occasions on Hab. 3. 2. and Christs counsel to the Church of Philadelphia on Rev. 3. 11. by Sam. Balmford The Rudiments of Grammar The Rules composed in English verse for the great benefit and delight of young beginners by Iames Shirley The Ladies Dispensatory containing the Natures Vertues and Qualities of Herbs and Simples useful in Physick reduced into a methodical order for their more ready use in any sickness or other accident of the body The godly mans Ark in the day of his distress discovered in divers Sermons the first of which was preached at the Funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth Moor. Whereunto is annexed Mrs. Elizabeth Moors Evidences for Heaven composed and collected by her in the time of her health â—or her comfort in the â—ime of sickness by E. Calamy B. D. The Gale of Opportunity and the beloved Disciple by Thomas Froysal Sion in the house of mourning because of sin and suffering being an Exposition on the 5. Chap. of the Lamentations by D. S. Moses unvailed or those figures which served unto the pattern and shadow of
with their firebrands to burn up the good Corn As Simeon and Levi they are brethren in iniquity the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations Shall they as Ananias and Saphira agree together to tempt the Spiâ—it of the Lord and shall not Saints agree together to please the Spirit of the Lord Surely if sinners have their Come with us let us lay wait for blood let us all have one purse Saints may well â—ave their Come let us go up to the House of the Lord Come let us walk in the light of the Lord â—sa 2. 5. Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a Covenant not to be forgotten It is confiderable that though sinners differ never so much amongst themselves yet they can unite against the Lord and his chosen Herod and Pilate before at odds can comply as friends and joyn together against the Lord Christ. As Dogs of differing colours disagreeing bigness and of several kinds that sometimes for bones and scrapâ— fight and mangle and tear one another can with one voice and cry and consent pursue the poor innocent Hare So the Kennel of Sathans Hell-hounds though sometimes they quarrel among themselves about the honours and riches of this world and are ready to rent one another in peices yet can with open mouth and full cry all joyn to persecute the harmless Lambs of Christ. We read of such different mettal such a speckled rabble gathered together against Israel that one would think the diversity of their Countries Constitutions Customes Languages Lusts should have kept them from melting and running into one piece Yet Lo they all unite against Gods people They take crafty counsel against thy people They consult against thy hidden ones They have said Come let us cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance For they have consulted together with one consent they are confederate against thee The Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarens Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistines and the Inhabitants of Tyre Assur also is joyned with them and they have holpen the Children of Lot Psalm 83. 3 to 9. Shall such a cursed crew agree together to pull down Sion and not the blessed Company of Gods Children unite to build it up O! how shameful is it that Satans black Regiment should with one consent watch for us as the Dragon for the Man-child to devour us And as Herod for the Babes of Bethlehem to destroy us And that we should not watch over one another for our safety and defence It may well be our grief that the Children of this World are wiser in their Generation then the Children of Light T is true the combination of wicked men is no true union but rather a conspiracy against God and against their own souls Satan serving them by drawing them into this league and making them to be of one hellish heart infinitely worse then Scyron and Procrustes famous Robbers in Attica served the poor Travellers why by cutting short the taller and stretching out the lesser brought all to an even length with their bed of brass Yet such a confederacy may well move us to pity such distracted ones and doth too much reflect upon us for our dissentions Thirdly Consider the backwardness of our own hearts to any good and the need we have of all helps to quicken them towards heaven How averse are our souls to any thing that is spiritual How many excuses pretences delays will they make To sin man needs no Tutor he can ride post to Hell without a spur but how backward to do that work which he must do or be undone for ever The stone is not more untoward to flye nor lead to swim then our carnal hearts to exercise any grace or perform any duty incumbent on us Our head-strong passions hurry us our worldly interests byass us and our desperately wicked hearts draw us from God and Heaven If the wood be green there is need of constant blowing or the fire will go out when the iron is so dull it must go often to the Whetstone or little work can be done with it It s no wonder that the Spirit of God useth precept upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little when man is like the wilde Asses colt so blockish and dull to understand Gods way and so backward and heavy to walk in it How much are we in the dark about the ways and Word and Truths of God! and how apt through mistakes to stumble and fall calling evil good and good evill and do we not want their company who carry a light a lanthorn with them How often do we flatter our selves that we are rich in grace and in the favour of God when its little so looking on our selves through the false spectacles of self-love and doth it not behove us to be much in their society who will set before us a true looking-glass wherein we may behold the native countenance of our souls without any fraud or falshood We are full of doubts and want counsel and Physitians that are able themselves will in their own cases ask advice of others We are liable to many sorrows and want comfort and who can give it us better then those who fetch all their cordial waters out of Scripture We are apt to slumber and nod and neglect our spiritual watch the flesh is drowsie and the cares of the world fume up into our heads and incline us to sleep what then will become of us if we have none to jog and awaken us It will go but ill with the new man if whilst he hath so many enemies to hurt him he hath never a friend to help him Exhort one another daily lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3. 13. I have somewhere read of a King that having many servants some wise some indiscreet some profitable some unprofitable was asked why he would keep those foolish unprofitable fellows To which he answered I need the other and these need me and so I will have them all about me I am sure weak Christians need the strong its ill for a tottering house to have no prop and strong Christians may need the weak That knife which is best mettal may sometimes need a dull Whetstone The smallest wheel nay pin in a Watch is necessary and so each needing the other there is great need they should hold together While there is flesh and spirit combating within us and the worse so potent and likely to conquer we shall want all manner of Auxiliaries to relieve the better part Fourthly Consider The evil of neglecting Christian Communion I know the Children of God must sometimes be solitary there are some duties which cannot otherwise be performed and some callings which cannot otherwise be followed but as there are seasons for solitariness so also for society to forbear the society of Saints without
a necessary cause is a sin and bringeth great disadvantage both upon our selves and others 1. Upon our selves we lose those helps which God hath afforded for the edification of our souls Fire laid abroad qâ—ickly abateth nay goeth out when if it be raked up together it continueth and increaseth I suppose the Spirit of God is so exact in registring the absence of Thomas from the Apostles company when Christ vouchsafed them his personal and gracious presence and the sad fit of unbelief which he fell into upon it partly as a warning to all Christians that they lose not such seasons as they love their immortal souls Ioh. 20. 24 25. But Thomas one of the twelve was not there when Iesus came The other Disciples therefore said unto him We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them Except I shall see in his hands the print of the Nails and put my fingers into the print of the Nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe Had Thomas been present when the Lord appeared how strongly might he have withstood Satans assaults against his faith His senses had been sufficient to have confuted the father of lies and helpful to have quencht his fiery darts but by his absence how dangerously was he shaken in that fundamental truth Satan hath a wonderful advantage of that person whom he meets without any warrant from God alone If I travail alone between Sun and Sun I have the Law for my protection that if I be robbed I may recover my loss of the Country but if at other times it is at my own peril If I be alone at the call of my God either when secret duties or my particular calling require it and my grand enemy set upon me I may expect help from him whose work I am about but if when he commandeth me to associate with his people I needlesly wander from them and any hurt befal me I must thank my self and look for no reparation at his hands It is observable that the house of Iobs Eldest Son which was the grave wherein all his children were buried stood alone otherwise the wind from the Wilderness could not have smote the four corners thereof O t is dangerous to be solitary when God requires thy company amongst his chosen There is a wo to him that is alone such a man shall be sure to have Satan for his companion He is ever ready to assault when none is neer to assist Eve was tempted with too much success when she was alone without her Husband Dinah gadding from her fathers house was defiled Ioseph was then assaulted when the whole Family was gone save the instrument of the assault How soon are straglers snapt up when those that march with the body of the Army are safe Pyrates lye skulking to find a Vessel sailing alone when those that sail in company are a convoy to each other They who separate are soon seduced The Cormorant or Sea-Eagle hath this property that she will not seise upon the fish in the water when they are in sholes but when single she makes them her prey Solitude is not more hurtful to the body then to the soul and to nature then to grace When David was an exile from the society of the Israelites and wandred abroad he fell into diffidence and distrust nay into hard and blasphemous thoughts of God as if he had forgotten to be gracious as if he himself had cleansed his heart in vain He then said in his haste that all men even Samuel who had anointed him to the Kingdom and promised him from God that he should be King were lyars It is a disadvantage to others When Saints do not meet together their love cooleth nay contentions frequently follow to the hardening of the wicked and the discouraging of the weak The Temple or body of Christ is not built up with blows and Schismes The parts of the Temple were framed and squared in Lebanon at the rearing of it up in Zion there was no noise either of Axe or Hammer Babel it self could not be built by divided tongues muchless Sion by divided hearts When Christians divide and separate weak beginners know not what to do whom to follow but are ready to say with Cicero when Caesar and Pompey were at odds Quem fugiam scio quem sequar nescio I know whom to flie but I know not whom to follow O how dreadful are the consequents of such civil wars Discord is not without cause described by the great Italian to be cloathed with a garment of divers colours made up of patches and they rent cut and torn her lap fâ—ll of writs citations processes and arrests attended onely wiâ—h Clarks Scriveners Atturneys and Lawyers but she was followed with bitter clamours and diswal howlings Melancthon perswading the Protestants in his time to peace tells them a parabolical story of the Dogs and Wolves who were meeting to fight one against another The Wolves sent out their Scout to know the strength of their adversaries The Scout returns and tells the Wolves that indeed the Dogs exceeded them in number but they need not fear them for he had observed they were not like one another Besides they marched as if they were offended rather with themselves then their enemies grinning and snarling yea biting and tearing one another therefore let us not be discouraged but march on resolutely Dissention amongst men brings destruction on men A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand They who imbodied toâ—â—â—her may be able to overcome thousands divided and taken singly may be overthrown by a very few The hardest Adamant if once broken flieth into such small dust that its scarce discernable and so cometh to nothing The people of God have not seldom made themselves a prey to Persecutours by their heart burnings and divisions When the Town is once set on fire by the Granadoes shot in from them that besiege it the enemies hope to take it with the more ease Naturalists tell us that a Punice stone cast into the waters though it be never so big whilst it remains entire and the parts hold together t will swim above the water but break it once in peices and every part sinks to the bottom Truly such often times is the state of the faithful They who holding together are safe and as a bundle of stâ—ves not to be bowed when parted and taken singly are easily broken It is the Shepherds observation that when Sheep Butt one against another it s a sign of foul weather and of an approaching storm We have too much cause to fear that the Schismes and Contenâ—ions in the Church of God at this day do portend some heavy judgement to hang over our heads SECT III. I Shall now direct thee Reader how 〈◊〉 â—xercise thy self to godliness in Christian Company First I must give thee a Word of Caution Take heed of those sins which Christians when they accompany together are most prone to Saints are apt to