his head His clothing you may read of at his crucifying when they parted it As for money he was fain to send Petâ—r to a â—â—â—â—h for some to pay their tribute If Christ did scrape and care for Riches then so do thou Iâ— he thought it the happiest life do thou think so too But if he contemned it do thou contemn it If his whole life was directed to give thee the most perfect example of the contempt of all the prosperity of this world then learn of his example if thou take him for thy Saviour and if thou love thy self Though he was rich yet for our sakes he became poor that you through his poverty might be rich 2 Cor. 8 9. § 31. Direct 10. Think on the example of the primitive Christians even the best of Christs servants Direct 10. and see how it condemneth worldliness They that by miracle in the name of Christ could give limbs to the lame yet tell him Silver and Gold have we none Acts 3. 6. Those that had possessions sold them and laid the money at the Apostles feet and they had all things common to shew that faith overcometh the world by contemning it and subjecting it to charity and devoting it entirely to God Read whether the Apostles did live in sumptuous houses with great attendance and worldly Cheâ—â—â—â—stome saith his enemies â—harged him with many crimes but never with Covâ—tousness or Wantonâ—ess And so it was with Christ and his enemies plenty and prosperity And so of the rest § 32. Direct 11. Remember to what ends all worldly things were made and given you and what a Direct 11. happy advantage you may make of them by renouncing them as they would be provision for your lusts and by devoting your selves and them to God The use of their sweetness is to draw your souls to taste Et siâ—uâ— in patria Deâ—s est speculum in quo reiucent creaturae sic è converso in via creaturae sunt speculum quo creator videtur Paul Scaâ—iger in Ep. Câ—th l. 14. Thes. 123. p. 689. by faith the heavenly sweetness They are the Looking-glass of souls in flesh that are not yet admitted to see things spiritual face to face They are the provender of our bodies our travelling furniture and helps our Inns and solacing company in the way they are some of Gods Love-tokens some of the lesser pieces of his Coin and bear his Image and superscription They are drops from the Rivers of the eternal pleasures to tell the mind by the way of the senses how good the Donor is and how amiable and what higher Delights there are for souls and to point us to the better things which these foretell They are messengers from Heaven to testifie our Fathers care and love and to bespeak our thankfulness love and duty and to bear witness against sin and bind us faster to obedience They are the first Volume of the Word of God The first Book that man was set to read to acquaint him fully with his Maker As the Word which we read and hear is the Chariot of the Spirit by which it maketh its accesses to the soul so the delights of sight and taste and smell and touch and hearing were appointed as an ordinary way for the speedy access of heavenly love and sweetness to the Heart that upon the first perception of the goodness and sweetness of the creature there might presently be transmitted by a due progression or deep impression of the goodness of God upon the soul That the creature being the Letters of Gods Book which are seen by our eye the sense even the Love of our great Creator might presently be perceived by the mind and no letter might once be lookt upon but for the sense no creature ever seen or tasted or heard or felt in any delectable quality without a sense of the Love of God That as the touch of the hand upon the strings of the Lute do cause the melody so Gods touch by his mercies upon our hearts might presently tune them into Love and Gratitude and Praise They are the Tools by which we must do much of our Masters work They are means by which we may refresh our brethren and express our love to one another and our love to our Lord and Master in his servants They are our Masters stock which we must trade with by the improvement of which no less than the Reward of endless Happiness may be attained These are the Uses to which God gives us outward mercies Love them thus and Delight in them and Use them thus and spare not yea seek Even Dyonisius the Tyrant was bountiful to Philosophers To Plato he gave above fourscore Talents Laert. in Platoâ—e and much to Aristippus and many more and he offered much to many Philosophers that refused it And so did Croesus them thus and be thankful for them But when the creatures are given for so excellent a use will you debase them all by making them only the fuell of your lusts and the provisions for your flesh And will you love them and dote upon them in these base respects while you utterly neglect their noblest use You are just like children that cry for Books and can never have enouw but its only to play with them because they are fine but when they are set to learn and read them they cry as much because they love it not Or like one that should spend his life and labour in getting the finest clothes to dress his Dogs and Horses with but himself goeth naked and will not wear them § 33. Direct 12. Remember that God hath promised to provide for you and that you shall want Direct 12. nothing that is good for you if you will live above these worldly things and seek first his Kingdom and the righteousness thereof And cannot you trust his promise If you truly believe that he is God Matth. 10. 30. Luke 12. 7. and that he is true and that his particular providence extendeth to the very numbring of your hairs you will sure trust him rather than trust to your own forecast and industry Do you think his provision is not better for you than your own All your own care cannot keep you alive an hour nor cannot prosper any of your labours if you provoke him to blast them And if you are not content with his provisions nor submit your selves to the disposals of his love and wisdom you disoblige God and provoke him to leave you to the fruits of your own care and diligence And then you will find that it had been your wiser way to have trusted God § 34. Direct 13. Think often on the dreadful importance and effects of the Love of Riches or a Direct 13. worldly mind 1. It is a most certain sign of a state of death and misery where it hath the upper The mischiefs of a worldly mind Look upon the face of the calamitous world and enquire
us Q. 9. May be pray for Grace who desireth it not Q. 10. May he pray that doubteth of his interest in God and dare not call him Father as his Child Q. 11. May a wicked man pray or is he ever accepted Q. 12. May a wicked man use the Lords Prayer Q. 13. Is it Idolatry or sin alwayes to pray to Saints or Angels Q. 14. Must the same man pray secretly that hath before prayed in his family Q. 15. Is it best to keep set hours for prayer Q 16. May we joyn in family prayers with ungodly persons Q. 17 What if the Master or speaker be ungodly or a Heretick Q. 18. May we pray absolutely for outward mercies or only conditionally Q. 19. May we pray for all that we may lawfully desire Q. 20. How may we pray for the salvation of all the world Q. 21. Or for the Conversion of all Nations Q. 22. Or that a whole Kingdom may be converted and saved Q. 23. Or for the destruction of the enemies of Christ or the Kingdom Q. 24. What is to be judged of a particular faith Q. 25. Is every lawful prayer accepted Q. 26. With what faith must I pray for the souls or bodies of others Q. 27. With what faith may we pray for the Continuance of the Church or Gospel Q. 28. How to know when our prayers are heard Q. 29. How to have fulness and constant supply of matter in our prayers Q 30. How to keep up fervency in prayer Q 31. May we look to speed ever the better for any thing in our selves or our prayers Or may we put any trust in them Q. 32. How must that person and prayer be qualified which God will accept to p. 598 Tit. 3. Special Directions for family prayer ibid. Tit. 4. Special Directions for secret prayer p. 599 CHAP XXIV Directions fâ—r families about the Sacrament of the Lords Supper p. 600 What are the Ends of the Sacrament What are the Parts of it Q. 1. Should not the Sacrament have â—â—â—â— preparation than the other parts of worship Q 2. How oft should it be administred Q. 3. Must all members of the visible Church communicate Q. 4. May any man receive it that knoweth himself unsanctified Q. 5. May an ungodly man receive it that knoweth not himself to be ungodly Q. 6. Must a Christian receive who doubteth of his sincerity Q. 7. What if Superiours compell a doubting Christian to receive it by excommunication or imprisonment What should be choose Q. 8. Is not the case of an hypocrite that knoweth not himself to be an hypocrite and of the sincere who knoweth not himself to be sincere all one as to communicating Q. 9. Wherein lyeth the sin of an ungâ—dly person if he receive Q. 10. Doth all unworthy receiving make one lyable to damnation or what Q 11. What is the particular preparation needful to a fit Communicant p. 653. Marks of sincerity ibid. Preparing duties Q 1. May we receive from an ungodly Minister Q 2. May we communicate with unworthy persons in an undisciplined Church Q. 3. What if I cannot communicate unless I conform to an imposed gesture as sitting standing or kneeling Q. 4. What if I cannot receive it but as administered by the Common Prayer Q. 5. If my conscience be not satisfied may I come doubting Obj. Is it not a duty to follow conscience as Gods Officer What to do in the time of administration 1. What Graces must be exercised 2. On what objects 3. The Season and Order of Sacramental duties ad p. 610 CHAP. XXV Directions for fearful troubled Christians who are perplexed with doubts of their sincerity and justification Causes and Cure p. 612 CHAP. XXVI Directions for declining back-sliding Christians about perseverance p. 616 The way of falling into Sects and Heresies and Errors And of declining in Heart and Life Signs of declining Signs of a graceless state Dangerous signs of impenitency False signs of declining Motives against declining Directions against it p. 616 Tit. 2. Directions for perseverance or to prevent back-sliding p. 618 Antidotes against those doctrines of presumption which would binder our perseverance p. 623 CHAP. XXVII Directions for the poor The Temptations of the poor The special Duties of the poor p. 627 CHAP. XXVIII Directions for the Rich. p. 632 CHAP. XXIX Directions for the weak and aged p. 634 CHAP. XXX Directions for the sick p. 637 Tit. 1. Directions for a safe death to secure salvation I. For the unconverted in their sickness A sad case 1. For Examination 2. For Repentance 3. For faith in Christ 4. For a new heart love to God and resolution for obedience Q. Will â—ate Repentance serve the turn in such a case II. Directions to the Gâ—dly for a safe departure Their Temptations to be resisted p. 637 Tit. 2. How to profit by our sickness p 642 Tit. 3. Directions for a comfortable or peaceable Death p. 644. Directions for resisting the Temptations of Satan in time of sickness p. 648 Tit. 4. Directions for doing good to others in our sickness p. 651 CHAP. XXXI Directions to the friends of the sick that are about them p. 653 Q. Can Physick lengthen mens lives Q. Is it meet to make known to the sick their danger of death Q Must we tell bad men of their sin and misery when it may exasperate the disease by troubling them Q. What can be done in so short a time Q. What to do in doubtful cases Q. What order should be observed in counselling the ignorant and ungodly when time is so short Helps against excessive sorrow for the death of friends Yea of the worst A Form of Exhortation to be read in Sickness to the Ungodly or those that we justly fear are such p. 657 A Form of Exhortation to the Godly in Sickness For their comfort Their dying groans and joyes p. 662 TOME III. Christian Ecclesiasticks PART I. CHAP. I. OF the Worship of God in General The Nature and Reasons of it and Directions for it How to know right Ends in worship c. p. 673 CHAP. II. Directions about the Manner of worship to avoid all corruptions and false unacceptable worshipping of God p. 680. The disadvantages of ungodly men in judging of holy worship Q. How far the Scriptures are the Rule or Law of Worship and Discipline and how far not Instances of things undetermined in Scripture What Commands of Scripture are not universal or perpetual May danger excuse from duty and when Rules for the right manner CHAP. III. Directions about the Christian Covenant with God and Baptism p. 688. The Covenant what The Parties Matter Terms Forms necessary Modes Fruits c. External Baptism what Compleat Baptism what Of Renewing the Covenant CHAP. IV. Directions about the Profession of our Religion to others The greatness of the duty of open Profession VVhen and how it must be made p. 692 CHAP. V. Directions about Vows and particular Covenants with God p. 694 VVhat a Vow is The sorts of
When ever the Spirit of God knocks at thy door thou art so taken up with other company or other business that thou canst not hear or wilt not open to him Many a time he hath been ready to teach thee but thou wast not at leisure to hear and learn Many a time he secretly jog'd thy conscience and checkt thee in thy sin and called thee aside to consider soberly about thy spiritual and everlasting state when the noise of foolish mirth and pleasures or the busles of encumbring cares and business have caused thee to stop thy ears and put him off and refuse the motion And if the abused Spirit of God depart and leave thee to thy beloved mirth and business and to thy self it is but just And then thou wilt never have a serious effectual thought of Heaven perhaps till thou have lost it nor a sober thought of Hell till thou art in it unless it be some despairing or some dull uneffectual thought § 2. O therefore as thou lovest thy soul do not love thy pleasure or business so well as to refuse to treat with the Spirit of God who comes to offer thee greater pleasures and to engage thee in a more important business O lay by all to hear a while what God and conscience have to say to thee They have greater business with thee than any others that thou conversest with They have better offers and motions to make to thee than thou shalt hear from any of thy old companions If the Devil can but take thee up a while with one pleasure one day and another business another day and keep thee from the work that thou camest into the world for till time be gone and thou art slipt unawares into damnation then he hath his desire and hath the end he aimed at and hath won the day and thou art lost for ever § 3. It 's like thou settest some limits to thy folly and purposest to do thus but a little while But when one Pleasure withereth the Devil will provide a fresh one for thee and when one business is over which caused thee to pretend Necessity another and another and another will succeed and thou wilt think thou hast such Necessity still till time is gone and thou see too late how grosly thou wast deceived Resolve therefore that whatever company or pleasure or business would divert thee that thou wilt not be befooled out of thy salvation nor taken off from minding the One thing Necessary If Company plead an interest in thee know of them whether they are better company than the Spirit of God and thy Conscience If Pleasure would detain thee enquire whether it be more pâ—re and durable pleasures than thou maist have in Heaven by hearkening unto grace If business still pretend Necessity enquire whether it be a greater business than to prepare thy soul and thy accounts for judgement and of greater Necessity than thy salvation If not let it not have the precedency If thou be wise do that first that must needs be done and let that stand by that may best be spared What will it profit thee to win all the world and lose thy soul. At least if thou durst say that thy Pleasure and business is better than Heaven yet might they sometime be forborn while thou seriously thinkest of thy salvation Direction 7. IF thou wouldst be converted and saved be not a malicious or pievish enemy to those Direct 7. that would convert and save thee Be not angry with them that tell thee of thy sin or duty as if they did thee wrong or hurt § 1. God worketh by instruments When he will convert a Cornelius a Peter must be sent for and willingly heard When he will recall and save a sinner he hath usually some publick Minister or private friend that shall be a messenger of that searching and convincing truth which is fit to awaken them enlighten them and recover them If God furnish these his instruments with compassion to your souls and willingness to instruct you and you will take them for your enemies and pievishly quarrel with them and contradict them and perhaps reproach them and do them a mischief for their good will what an inhumane barbarous course of ingratitude is this Will you be angry with men for endeavouring to save you from the fire of Hell Do they endeavour to make any gain or advantage by you or only to help your souls to Heaven Indeed if their endeavours did serve any ambitious 1 Pet. 5. 2 3 4. 2 Cor. 10. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. 2 Cor. 1. 24. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 2 Cor. 3 6. 11. 23. Joel 1. 9 13. 2 Cor 4. 5. Mark 10 44. Matth. 10. 27. â—uke 22. 24 25 26. design of their own to bring the world as the Pope and his Clergy would do under their own jurisdiction you had reason then to suspect their fraud But the truth is Christ hath purposely appointed his greatest Church-Officers to be but Ministers even the servants of all to rule and save men as Volunteers without any coercive Power by the Management of his powerful Word upon their consciences and to beseech and intreat the poorest of the flock as those that are not Lords over Gods heritage nor masters of their faith but their servants in Christ and helpers of their joy that so when ever we deliver our message to them they may see that we exercise not dominion over them and aim at no worldly honours or gain or advantage to our selves but at the meer conversion and saving of their souls whereas if he had allowed us to exercise authority as the Kings of the Gentiles and to be called Gracious Lords and to incumber our selves with the affairs of this life our doctrine would have been rejected by the generality of the world and we should alwayes have come to them on this great disadvantage that they would have thought that we sought not them but theirs and that we preached not for them but for our selves to make a prize of them As the Jesuites when they attempt the conversion of the Indians do still find this their great impediment the Princes and people suppose them to pretend the Gospel but as a means to subjugate them and their Dominions to the Pope because they tell them that they must be all subject to the Pope if they will be saved Now when Christ hath appointed a poor self-denying intreating Ministry against whom you can have none of these pretences to sloop to your feet with the most submissive intreaties that you would but turn to God and live you have no excuse for your own barbarous ingratitude if you will fly in their faces and use them as your enemies and be offended with them for endeavouring to save you You know they can hold their Tythes and Livings by smoothing and cold and general preaching as well as by more faithful dealing if not better You know they can get no worldly advantage by
should be perfectly conformed to the will of God and that you might know him and love him and enjoy him more you are void of Godliness and true Christianity For this is the very Covenant which you make in Baptism which you call your Christening Matth. 28. 19 20. 2 Cor. 8. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 17. Iohn 1. 10 11 12. Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 14 15. § 13. I Have now plainly shewed you and fully proved from the Word of God by what infallible Atque haud scio an Pieâ—aâ—e adversus Deos sublatâ fides etiam societas humani generis unâ— excellentissima virtus Justitia tollatur Cicero de Nat. Dâ—oâ— pag. 4. signs an ungodly man may know that he is Ungodly if he will May you not know whether it be thus with you if you are willing to know May you not know if you will whether your desire and design of life be more for this world or that to come and whether Heaven or Earth be preferred and sought first and whether your fleshly prosperity and pleasure or your souls be principally cared for and regarded May you not know if you will whether you love or loath the serious worshippers of God and whether you had rather be delivered from your sins or keep them and whether your wills be more against them or for them and whether you love a holy life or not and whether you had rather be perfect in Holiness and Obedience to God or be excused from it and please the flesh and whether you had rather be such a one as Paul or as Caesar a persecuted Saint in poverty and contempt or a persecuting Conquerour or King May you not know if you will whether you love a searching Ministry that telleth you of the worst and would not deceive you May you not know whether you are resolvedly devoted and given up to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as your Father and felicity your Saviour and your Sanctifier and whether the scope design and business of your lives is more for God or for the flesh for Heaven or Earth and which it is that bears the sway and which it is that comes behind and hath but the leavings of the other or only so much as it can spare Certainly these are things so near you and so remarkable in your hearts that you may come to the knowledge of them if you will But if you will not who can help it § 14. What a soâ—â—ish cavill is it then of those ignorant men that ask us when we tell them of these things whether ever we were in Heaven or ever saw the Book of Life and how we can tell who shall be saved and who shall be damned If it were about a May-game this jesting were more seasonable but to talk thus distractedly about the matters of salvation and damnation and to make such a jeast of the damning of souls is a kind of foolery that hath no excuse What though we never were in Heaven and never saw the Book of Life Dost thou think I never saw the Scriptures Why wretched sinner dost thou not know that Christ came down from Heaven to tell us who they be that shall come thither and who they be that shall be shut out And did he not know what he said Is God the Governour of the world and hath he not a Law by which he governeth them And can I not tell by the Law who they be that the Judge will condemn or save What else is the Law made for but to be the Rule of Life and the Rule of Iudgement Read Psal. 1. 15. Matth. 5. 7. 25. and all the Texts which I even now cited and see in them whether God hath not told you who they be that shall be saved and who they be that shall be condemned Nay see whether this be not the very business of the Word of God And do you think that he hath written it in vain But some men have loved ignorance and ungodliness so long till the Spirit of grace hath cast them off and left them to the sottishness of their carnal minds so that they have eyes and see not and ears and hear not and hearts and understand not But those that are Willing and Diligent to know their sin and duty in order to their recovery God will not let them search in vain nor hide the remedy from their eyes Direction 9. WHen you have found your selves in a state of sin and death Understand and Consider Direct 9. what a state that is § 1. It may be you will think it a tolerable condition and linger in it as if you were safe or delay your Repentance as if it were a matter of no great haste unless you open your eyes and look round about you and see in how slippery a place you stand Let me name some instances of the misery of an unregenerate graceless state and then judge of it as the Word of God directs you 1. As long as you are unconverted you must needs be loathsome and abominable to God His holy nature Mira Ciâ—eroâ—is fictio in li. de Universit p. 358. Aâ—que ille qui â—ecte honeste curriculum vivendi à natura datum confecerit ad illud astrum quo cum aptus fuerit reverteâ—ur Qui autem immoderate intemperate vixerit eum secundus ortus in figuram muliebrem transferet si ne tum quidem finem viâ—iorum faciet gravius etiam jactabitur in suis moribus simillâ—mas figuras recâ—dum ferarum transferâ—tur neque maloâ—um terminum prius alpiciet quam illam sequâ—â—xperit conversionem quam habebat in se c. cum ad prâ—â—nam optimam affectionem animi pervenerit is unreconcilable to sin and would be unreconcilable to sinners if it were not that he can cleanse and purifie them Did you know what sin is and know Gods holiness you would understand this much better Your own aversness to God and your dislike of the holiness of his Laws and servants might tell you what thoughts he hath of you He hateth all the workers of iniquity Psal. 5. 5. Indeed he taketh you for his enemies and as such he will handle you if you be not converted I know many persons that are most deeply guilty especially men of honour and esteem in the world would scorn to have this title given to themselves But verlly God is not fearful of offending them nor so tender of their deâ—â—led honour as they are of their own or as they expect the Preacher should be If those be the Kings enemies that refuse his Government and set up another then those are the enemies of God and of the Redeemer and of the Holy Ghost that set up the base concupiscence of their flesh and the honour and prosperity of this world and the will of man and refuse the Government of God their Creator and Redeemer and refuse the sanctifying teachings and operations of the
Holy Ghost Read Luke 19. 27. Some think it strange that any men should be called Haters of God And I believe you will find it hard to meet with that man that will confess it by himself till converting Grace or Hell constrain him And indeed if God himself had not charged men with that sin and called them by that name we should scarce have found belief or patience when we had endeavoured to convince the world of it Intreat but the worst of men to repent of Hating God and try how they will take it Yet they may read that name in Scripture Rom. 1. 30. Psal. 81. 15. Luke 19. 14. Did not the Iews hate Christ think you when they murdered him and when they hated all his followers for his sake Matth. 10. 22. Mar. 13. 13. And doth not Christ say that they shall be hated for his sake not only of the Jews but also of all Nations and all men Matth. 24. 9. 10. 22. Even by the world Iohn 17. 14. 15 17 18 19 c. And this was a hating both Christ and his Father Iohn 15. 23 24. But you will say It is not possible that any man can hate God I answer How then come the Devils to hate him Yea every ungodly man hateth God Indeed no man hateth him as Good or as Merciful to them But they hate him as Holy and Iust as one that will not let them have the pleasure of sin without damning them as one engaged in justice to cast them into Hell if they dye without conversion and as one that hath made so pure and precise a Law to govern them and convinceth them of sin and calls them to that repentance and Holiness which they hate Why did the world hate Christ himself He tells you John 7. 7. The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie against it that the works thereof are evil John 3. 19. This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Nay it is a wonder of blindness that this God-hating world and age should not perceive that they are God-haters while they hate his servants to the death and implacably rage against them and hate his holy wayes and Kingdom and bend all their power and interest in most of the Kingdoms of the world against his interest and his people upon earth While the Devil fighteth his battels against Christ through the world by their hands they will yet confess the Devils malice against God but deny their own as if he used their hands without their hearts Well poor wretched worms instead of denying your enmity to him lament it and know that he also taketh you for his enemies and will prove too hard for you when you have done your worst Read Psal. 2. and tremble and submit This is especially the case of persecutors and open enemies but in their measure also of all that would not have him to reign over them And therefore Christ came to Reconcile us unto God and God to us and it is only the sanctified that are Reconciled to him See Col. 1. 21. Phil. 3. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 25. Rom. 5. 10. The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be Rom. 8. 7. Mark that Text well § 2. 2. As long as you are unsanctified you are unjustified and unpardoned you are under the guilt of all the sins that ever you committed Every sinful thought word and deed of which the least deserveth Hell is on your score to be answered for by your self And what this signifieth the threatnings of the Law will tell you See Acts 26. 18. Mar. 4. 12. Col. 1. 14. There is no sin forgiven to an impenitent unconverted sinner § 3. 3. And no wonder when the unconverted have no special interest in Christ. The pardon and life that is given by God is given in and with the Son God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 John 5. 10 Rom. 8. 9. 11 12. Till we are members of Christ we have no part in the pardon and salvation purchased by him And ungodly sinners are not his members So that Jesus Christ who is the hope and life of all his own doth leave thee as he found thee and that is not the worst for § 4. 4. It will be far worse with the impenitent rejecters of the grace of Christ than if they had never heard of a Redeemer For it cannot be that God having provided so precious a Remedy for sinful miserable souls should suffer it to be despised and rejected without encreased punishment Was it not enough that you had disobeyed your Great Creator but you must also set light by a most Gracious Redeemer that offered you pardon purchased by his blood if you would but have come to God by him Yea the Saviour that you despised shall be himself your judge and the Grace and Mercy which you set so light by shall be the heaviest aggravation of your sin and misery For how shall you escape if you neglect so great salvation Heb. 2. 3. And of how much sorer punishment then the despisers of Moses Law shall they be thought worthy who have trodden under foot the Son of God c. Heb. 10. 29. § 5. 5. The very prayers and sacrifice of the wicked are abominable to God except such as contain their returning from their wickedness So that terror ariseth to you from that which you expect should be your help See Prov. 15. 8. 21. 27. Isa. 1. 13. § 6. 6. Your common Mercies do but increase your sin and misery till you return to God Your carnal hearts turn all to sin Tit. 1. 15. Unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled § 7. 7. While you are unsanctified you are impotent and dead to any holy acceptable work when you should redeem your time and prepare for eternity and try your states or pray or meditate or do good to others you have no heart to any such spiritual works your minds are byassed against them Rom. 8. 7. And it is not the excusable impotency of such as would do good but cannot but it is the malicious impotency of the wicked the same with that of Devils that cannot do good because they will not and will not because they have blind malicious and ungodly hearts which makes their sin so much the greater Tit. 1. 16. § 8. 8. While you have unsanctified hearts you have at all times the seed and disposition unto every sin And if you commit not the worst it is because some providence restraining the Tempter hindereth you No thanks to you that you do not daily commit Idolatry Blasphemy Theft
As the Athenians that condemned Socrates to death and then lamented it and erected a Braâ—en Statue for his Memorial Acosta saith that he that will be a Pastor to the Indians must not only resist the Devil and the flesh but must resist the custome of men which is grown powerful by time and multitude and must oppose his breast to receive the darts of the envious and malevolent who if they see any thing contrary to their prophane fashion they cry out A Traytor an Hypocrite an Enemy Li. 4. c. 15. p. 404. It seems among Papists and Barbarians the Serpents seed do hiss in the same manner against the good among themselves as they do against us dye Or think whether they will not change their minds when death hath sent them into that world where there is none of these deceits And think whether thou shouldst be moved with that mans words that will shortly change his mind himself and wish he had never spoke such words § 7. 3. Observe well whether their own Profession do not condemn them and whether the very thing that they hate the godly for be not that they are serious in Practising that which these malignants themselves profess as their Religion And are they not then notorious Hypocrites To profess to believe in God and yet scorn at those that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. To profess faith in Christ and hate those that obey him To profess to believe in the Holy Ghost as the Sanctifier and yet hate and scorn his sanctifying work To profess to believe the day of Judgement and everlasting torment of the ungodly and yet to deride those that endeavour to escape it To profess to believe that Heaven is prepared for the Godly and yet scorn at those that make it the chief business of their lives to attain it To profess to take the holy Scriptures for Gods Word and Law and yet to scorn those that obey it To pray after each of the Ten Commandments Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts to keep this Law and yet to hate all those that desire and endeavour to keep them What impudent hypocrisie is joyned with this malignity Mark whether the greatest diligence of the most godly be not justified by the formal profession of those very men that hate and scorn them The difference between them is that the Godly Profess Christianity in good earnest and when they say what they believe they believe as they say But the ungodly customarily and for company take on them to be Christians when they are not and by their own mouths condemn themselves and hate and oppose the serious Practice of that which they say they do themselves believe PART II. The Temptations whereby the Devil hindereth mens Conversion with the proper Remedies against them § 1. THE Most Holy and Righteous Governour of the world hath so restrained Satan and all our enemies and so far given us Free-will that no man can be forced to sin against his will It is not sin if it be not positively or privatively voluntary All our enemies in Hell or Earth cannot make us miserable without our selves nor keep a sinner from true Conversion and Salvation if he do it not himself no nor compell him to one sinful thought or word or deed or omission but by tempting and entising him to be willing All that are Graceless are wilfully Graceless None go to Hell but those that chose the way to Hell and would not be perswaded out of it None miss of Heaven but those that did set so light by it as to prefer the world and sin before it and refused the holy way that leadeth to it And surely man that naturally loveth himself would never take so mad a course if his reason were not laid asleep and his understanding were not wofully deluded And this is the business of the Tempter who doth not drag men to sin by violence but draw and entice them by Temptations I shall therefore take it for the next part of my work to open these Temptations and tell you the Remedies § 2. Tempt 1. The first endeavour of the Tempter is in General to keep the sinner asleep in sin so that Tâ—â—pt 1. â—e shall be as a dead man that hath no use of any of his faculties that hath eyes and seeth not and ears but heareth not and a heart that understandeth not nor feeleth any thing that concerneth his peace The light Ephes 2. 1. Col 2 13. 1 Coâ— 15. 35. 1 Tim. 5. 6. Joeâ— 1. 5. that shineth upon a man asleep is of no use to him His work lyeth undone His friends and wealth and greatest concernments are all forgotten by him as if there were no such things or persons in the world You may say what you will against him or do what you will against him and he can do nothing in his own defence This is the case that the Devil most laboureth to keep the world in even in so dead a sleep that their Reason and their Wills their fear and hope and all their powers shall be of no use to them That when they hear a Preacher or read the Scripture or good Books or see the holy examples of the godly yea when they see the Grave and know where they must shortly lie and know that their souls must stay here but a little while yet they shall hear and see and know all this as men asleep that mind it not as if it concerned not them at all never once soberly Considering and laying it to heart § 3. Direct 1. For the Remedy against this deadly sin 1. Take heed of sleepy opinions or Doctrines Direct 1. and conceits which tend to the Lethargie of Security 2. Sit not still but be up and doing Stirring tends to shake off drowziness 3. Come into the light Live under an awakening Minister and in wakening company that will not sleep with you nor easily let you sleep Agree with them to deal faithfully with you and promise them to take it thankfully 4. And meditate oft on wakening considerations Think whether a sleepy soul beseem one in thy dangerous condition Canst thou sleep with such a load of sin upon thy soul Canst thou sleep under the thundering threatnings of God and the Curse of his Law with so many wounds in thy Conscience and Ulcers in thy soul If thy body were sick or in the case of Iob yea if thou hadst but an aking Tooth it would not let thee sleep And is not the guilt of sin a thing more grievous If Thorns or Toads and Adders were in thy Bed they would keep the waking And how much more odious and dangerous a thing is sin If thy body want but meat or drink or covering it will break 2 Tim. 2. 26. thy sleep And is it nothing for thy soul to be destitute of Christ and Grace A condemned man will be easily kept awake And if thou be unregenerate thou art already condemned
to hear an Atheist proving that there is no God You may believe the Scripture to be the Word of God and Christ to be the Saviour and the soul to be immortal long before you will be fit to manage or study Controversies hereupon For nothing is so false or bad which a wanton or wicked Wit may not put a plausible gloss upon And your raw unfurnished understandings will scarce be able to see through the pretence or escape the cheat When you cannot answer the Arguments of Seducers you will find them leave a doubting in your minds For you know not how plain the answer of them is to wiser men And though you must prove all things you must do it in due order and as you are able and stay till your furnished minds are capable of the tryal If you will need read before you know your Letters or pretend to judge of Greek and Hebrew Authors before you can read English you will but become ridiculous in your undertaking § 2. II. When you do come to smaller Controverted points let them have but their due proportion of your time and zeal And that will not be one hour in many dayes with the generality of private Christians By that time you have well learned the more necessary truths and practised daily the more necessary duties you will find that there will be but little time to spare for lesser Controversies Opinionists that spend most of their Time in studying and talking of such points do steal that time from greater matters and therefore from God and from themselves Better work is undone the while And they that here lay out their chiefest zeal divert their zeal from things more necessary and turn their natural heat into a Feavor § 3. III. The Essential necessary Truths of your Religion must imprint the Image of God upon your hearts and must dwell there continually and you must live upon them as your bread and drink and daily necessary food All other points must be studied in subserviency to those All lesser duties must be used as the exercise of the Love of God or man and of a humble heavenly mind The Articles of your Creed and points of Catechism are fountains ever running affording you matter for the continual exercise of Grace It is both plentiful and solid nourishment to the soul which these great substantial points afford To know God the Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier the Laws and Covenant of God and his Judgement and Rewards and Punishments with the parts and method of the Lords Prayer which must be the daily exercise of our desires and Love this is the Wisdom of a Christian and in these must he be continually exercised You 'l say perhaps that the Apostle saith Heb. 6. 1. Leaving the Principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on to perfection not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works c. Answ. 1. By leaving he meaneth not passing over the practice of them as men that have done with them and are past them But his leaving at that time to discourse of them or his supposing them taught already Though he lay not the foundation again yet he doth not pluck it up 2. By Principles he meaneth the first points to be taught and learnt and practised And indeed Regeneration and Baptism is not to be done again But the Essentials of Religion which I am speaking of contain much more especially to live in the love of God which Paul calls the more excellent way 1 Cor. 12. 13. 3. Going on to perfection is not by ceasing to believe and Love God but by a more distinct knowledge of the mysteries of salvation to perfect our Faith and Love and Obedience The points that Opinionists call Higher and think to be the principal matter of their growth and advancement in understanding are usually but some smaller less necessary truths if not some uncertain doubtful questions Mark well 1 Tim. 1. 4. 6. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 23. Tit. 3. 9. compared with Iohn 17. 3. Rom. 13. 8 9 10. 1 Cor. 13. 1 Iohn 3. 1 Cor. 1. 23. 15. 1 2 3. 2. 2. Gal. 6. 14. Iames 2. 3. 1. Direct 5. BE very thankful for the great mercy of your Conversion but yet overvalue not your Direct 5. first degrees of knowledge or holiness but remember that you are yet but in your infancy and must expect your growth and ripeness as the consequent of Time and Diligence § 1. You have great reason to be more glad and thankful for the least measure of true Grace than if you had been made the Rulers of the Earth it being of a far more excellent nature and entitling you to more than all the Kingdoms of the world See my Sermon called Right Rejoycing on those words of Christ Rejoyce not that the Spirits are subject to you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven Luke 10. 20. Christ will warrant you to Rejoyce though enemies envy you and repine both at your victory and triumph If there be joy in Heaven in the presence of the Angels at your Conversion there is great reason you should be glad your selves If the Prodigals Father will needs have the best Robe and Ring brought forth and the fat Calf killed and the Musick to attend the Feast that they may eat and be merry Luke 15. 23. there is great reason that the Prodigal Son himself should not have the smallest share of joy though his Brother repine § 2. But yet take heed lest you think the measure of your first endowments to be greater than it Fear is a cautelous preserving grace I aâ—rt saith of Cleanthes Cum aliquando probro illi daretur quod esset timidus At ideo inquit parum pecco is Grace imitateth Nature in beginning usually with small Degrees and growing up to maturity by leisurely proceeding We are not new born in a state of manhood as Adam was created Though those Texts that liken the Kingdom of God to a grain of Mustard-seed and to a little leaven Matth. 13. 31 33. be principally meant of the small beginnings and great encrease of the Church or Kingdom of Christ in the world yet it is true also of his Grace or Kingdom in the soul. Our first Stature is but to be New born babes desiring the sincere milk of the word that we may grow by it 1 Pet. 2. 2. Note here that the new birth bringeth forth but babes but growth is by degrees by feeding on the Word The Word is received by the heart as seed into the ground Matth. 13. And seed useth not to bring forth the blade and fruit to ripeness in a day § 3. Yet I deny not but that some men as Paul may have more Grace at their first Conversion than many others have at their full growth For God is free in the giving of his Own and may give more or less as pleaseth himself But yet in Paul himself
snares are grievous to you blame not God but your selves that made them § 11. 5. Another of Satans wayes to make Religion burdensome and grievous to you is by overwhelming â— By overwhelming fears and sorrows you with fear and sorrow Partly by perswading you that Religion consisteth in excess of sorrow and so causing you to spend your time in striving to trouble and grieve your selves unprofitably as if it were the course most acceptable to God And partly by taking the advantage of a â—imorous passionate nature and so making every thought of God or serious exercise of Religion to be a torment to you by raising some overwhelming fears For fear hath torment 1 John 4. 18. In some faeminine weak and melancholy persons this Temptation hath so much advantage in the body that the holiest soul can do but little in resisting it so that though there be in such a sincere Love to God his wayes and servants yet fear so playeth the Tyrant in them that they perceive almost nothing else And it is no wonder if Religion be grievous and unpleasant to such as thâ—se § 12. But alas it is you your selves that are the causes of this and bring the matter of your grievance with you God hath commanded you a sweeter work It is a life of Love and joy and cheerful progress to eternal joy that he requireth of you and no more fear or grief than is necessary to separate you from sin and teach you to value and use the remedy The Gospel presenteth to you such abundant matter of joy and peace as would make these the very complexion and temperature of your souls if you received them as they are propounded Religious fears when they are inordinate and hurtful are sinful and indeed against Religion and must be resisted as other hurtful passions Be better acquainted with Christ and his promises and you will find enough in him to pacifiâ— the soul and give you confidence and holy boldness in your access to God Heb. 4. 16. Ephes. 3. 12. Heb. 10. 19. The Spirit which he giveth is not the Spirit of bondage but the Spirit of Adoption of Love and Confidence Rom. 8. 15. Heb. 2. 15. § 13. 6. Another thing that maketh Religion seem grievous is retaining unmortified sensual desires 6. By unmâ—â—tified lusts If you keep up your lusts they will strive against the Gospel and all the works of the Spirit which strive against them Gal. 5. 17. And every duty will be so far unpleasant to you as you are carnal because it is against your carnal inclination and desire Away therefore with your beloved sickness and then both your food and your Physician will be less grievous to you Mortifie the flesh and Rom. 8 7 8. you will less disrelish the things of the Spirit For the carnal mind is enmity against God For it is not subject to his Law nor can be § 14. 7. Another cause of confounding and wearying you is the mixture of your actual sins 7. By actus sin dealing unfaithfully with God and wounding your Consciences by renewed guilt especially of sins against knowledge and consideration If you thus keep the bone out of joint and the wound unhealed no marvel if you are loth to work or travail But it is your sin and folly that should be grievous to you and not that which is contrary to it and would remove the cause of all your troubles Resolvedly forsake your wilful sinning and come home by Repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ Acts 20. 21. and then you will find that when the thorn is out your pain will cease and that the cause of your trouble was not in God or Religion but in your sin § 15. 8. Lastly To make Religion unpleasant to you the Tempter would keep the substance of 8 By ignorance of the renor of the Gospel the Gospel unknown or unobserved to you He would hide the wonderful Love of God revealed in our Redeemer and all the riches of saving grace and the great deliverance and priviledges of believers and the certain hopes of life eternal And the Kingdom of God which consisteth in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost shall be represented to you as consisting in errors only or in triâ—â—es in shadows and shews and bodily exercise which profitteth little 1 Tim. 4. 8. If ever you would know the pleasures of faith and holiness you must labour above all to know God as revealed in his infinite Love in the Mediator and read the Gospel as Gods Act of Oblivion and the Testament and Covenant of Christ in which he giveth you life eternal and in every duty draw near to God as a reconciled Father the object of your everlasting Love and Joy Know and use Religion as it is without mistaking or corrupting it and it will not appear to you as a grievous tedious or confounding thing Direct 14. BE very diligent in mortifying the desires and pleasures of the flesh and keep a continual Direct 14. watch upon your senses appetite and lusts and cast not your selves upon temptations occasions or opportunities of sinning remembring that your salvation lyeth on your success § 1. The lusts of the flâ—sh and the pleasures of the world are the common enemy of God and souls and the damnation of those souls that perish And there is no sort more lyable to temptations of this kind than those that are in the flower of their youth and strength When all the senses are in their vigour and lust and appetite are in their strength and fury how great is the danger and how great must your diligence be if you will escape The appetite and lust of the weak and sick are weak and sick as well as they and therefore they are no great temptation or danger to them The desire and pleasure of the senses do abate as natural strength and vigour doth abate To such there is much less need of watchfulness and where nature hath mortified the flesh there is somewhat the less for grace to do There needs not much grace to keep the aged and weak from fornication uncleanness excessive sports and carnal mirth and gluttony and drunkenness also are sins which youth is much more lyable to Especially some bodies that are not only young and strong but have in their temperature and complexion a special inclination to some of these as lust or sport or foolish mirth there needeth a great deal of diligence resolution and watchfulness for their preservation Lust is not like a corrupt opinion that surprizeth us through a defect of Reason and vanisheth as soon as truth appeareth But it is a brutish inclination which though Reason must subdue and govern yet the perfectest Reason will not extirpate but there it will still dwell And as it is constantly with you it will be stirring when objects are presented by the sense or fantasie to allure And it is like a torrent or a
head-strong Horse that must be kept in at first and is hardly restrained if it once break loose and get the head If you are bred up in temperance and modesty where there are no great temptations to gluttony drinking sports or wantonness you may think a while that your natures have little or none of this concupiscence and so may walk without a guard But when you come where baits of lust abound where Women and Playes and Feasts and Drunkards are the Devils snares and tinder and bellows to enflame your lusts you may then find to your sorrow that you had need of watchfulness and that all is not mortified that is asleep or quiet in you As a man that goeth with a Candle among Gunpowder or near Thatch should never be careless because he goeth in continual danger so you that are young and have naturally eager appetites and lusts should remember that you carry fire and Gunpowder still about you and are never out of danger while you have such an enemy to watch § 2. And if once you suffer the fire to kindle alas what work may it make ere you are aware James 1. 14 15. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Little knoweth the Fish when he is catching or nibling at the bait that he is swallowing the hook which will lay him presently on the bank When you are looking on the cup or gazing on alluring beauty or wantonly dallying and pleasing your senses with things unsafe you little know how far beyond your intentions you may be drawn and how deep the wound may prove how great the smart or how long and difficult the cure As you love your souls observe Pauls counsel 2 Tim. 2. 22. Flee youthful lusts Keep at a full distance Come not near the bait If you get a wound in your consciences by any wilful heinous sin O what a case will you be in How heartless unto secret duty afraid of God that should be your joy deprived of the comforts of his presence and all the pleasure of his wayes How miserably will you be tormented between the tyranny of your own concupiscence the sting of sin the gripes of conscience and the terrors of the Lord How much of the life of faith and love and heavenly zeal will be quenched in a moment I am to speak more afterwards of this and therefore shall only say at present to all young Converts that care for their salvation Mortifie the flesh and alwayes watch and avoid temptations Direct 15. BE exceeding wary not only what Teachers you commit the guidance of your souls unto Direct 15. Nam si falsi solo nomine tumidi non modo non consulendi sed vitandi sunt quibus nihil est importunius nihil insu siâ—s c. Pâ—tâ—a câ— Dâ—al 117. li. 2. but also with what company you familiarly converse That they be neither such as would corrupt your minds with error or your hearts with viciousness profâ—neness lukewarmness or with a feavorish factious zeal But choose if possible judicious holy heavenly humble unblameable self-denying persons to be your ordinary companions and familiars but especially for your near Relations § 1. It is a matter of very great importance what Teachers you choose in order to your salvation In this the free grace of God much differenceth some from others For as poor Heathens and Infidels have none that know more than what the Book of Nature teacheth if so much so in the several Nations of Christians it is hard for the people to have any but such as the Sword of the Magistrate forceth on them or the stream of their Countreys Custom recommendeth to them And it is a wonder Scientiâ— est posse dâ—cere Provâ—â—b Sub indocto tamen doctus evadâ—re potes â—fflaâ—u aliquo divino ut Ciâ—â—ro loquitur Augustinus de seipso testatur cui non omnia credere nefas est quod Aristotelicas Categorias quae inter difficillima numerantur artes liberales quas singulas a praeceptoribus didicisse magnum dicitur nullo tradeâ—te omnes intellexit â—â—â—â—ardus item vir doctrina sanctitate clarissimus omnes suas literas quarum inter cunctos sui temporis abundantissimus fuâ—â— in sâ—lvis in agris didicit non hominum magisterio sed meditando orando nec ullos unquam alios praeceptores habuit quam quercus sagos Pâ—trâ—â—ch li. 2. Dialog 40. if pure Truth and Holiness be countenanced by either of these But when and where his mercy pleaseth God sendeth wise and holy Teachers with compassion and diligence to seek the saving of mens souls so that none but the malignant and obstinate are deprived of their help § 2. Ambitious proud covetous licentious ungodly men are not to be chosen for your Teachers if you have your choice In a Nation where true Religion is in credit and hath the Magistrates countenance or the Major Vote some graceless men may joyn with better in preaching and defending the purity of doctrine and holiness of life And they may be very serviceable to the Church herein especially in expounding and disputing for the truth But even there more experienced spiritual Teachers are much more desirable They will speak most feelingly who feel what they speak And they are fittest to bring others to faith and love who believe and love God and holiness themselves They that have life will speak more lively than the dead And in most places of the world the ungodliness of such Teachers makes them enemies to the Truth which is according to godliness Their natures are at enmity to the life and power of the doctrine which they should preach And they will do their worst to corrupt the Magistrates and make them of their mind And if they can but get the Sword to favour them they are usually the cruellest persecutors of the sincere As it is notorious among the Papists that the baits of Power and Honour and Wealth have so vitiated the body of their Clergy that they conspire to uphold a worldly Government and Religion and in express contradiction to Sense and Reason and to Antiquity and the judgement of the Church and to the holy Scriptures they captivate the ignorant and sensual to their tyranny and false worship and use the seduced Magistrates and multitude to the persecuting of those that will not follow them to sin and to perdition Take heed of proud and worldly Guides § 3. And yet it is not every one that pretendeth Piety and Zeal that is to be heard or taken for a Teacher But 1. Such as preach ordinarily the substantial Truths which all Christians are agreed in 2. Such as make it the drift of their preaching to raise your souls to the Love of God and to a holy heavenly life and are zealous against confessed sins 3. Such as contradict not the
decent and editying determination of the outward circumstances of Religion and the right ordering of Worship is a needless thing or sinful or that a form of prayer in it self or when imposed is unlawful But let the Soul and Body of Religion go together and the alterable adjuncts be used as things alterable while the life of Holiness is still kept up Direct 19. PRomise not your selves long life or prosperity and great matters in the world lest it entangle Direct 19. your hearts with transitory things and engage you in ambitious or covetous designs and steal away your hearts from God and destroy all your serious apprehensions of Eternity § 1. Our own experience and the alterations which the approach of death makes upon the most doth sensibly prove that the expectation of a speedy change and reckoning upon a short life doth greatly help us in all our preparation and in all the work of Holiness through our lives Come to a man that lyeth on his death-bed or a prisoner that is to dye to morrow and try him with Nemini exploratum potest esse quomodo seâ—e habiturum sit corpus non dico ad annum sed ad vesperum Câ—ceâ—o 2. de fit Dii boni quid est in hominis vita diu Mihi ne diuturnum quidem quicquam videtur in quo est aliquid extremum Cum enim id advenit tum illud praeterâ—it eâ—fluxit tan tum remanet quod virtute recte factis fit consecutus hoâ—ae quidem â—edunt diâ—â— meâ—ses anni nec praeteritum tempus unquam revertitur nec quid sequatur sciri potest Cic. in Cat. Maj. Quem saepe transit casus aliquando invenâ— discourse of riches or honours or temptations to lust or drunkenness or excess and he will think you are mad or very impertinent to tell him of such things If he be but a man of Common Reason you shall see that he will more easily vilifie such temptations than many religious persons will do in their prosperity and health O how serious are we in repenting and perusing our former lives and casting up our accounts and asking What we shall do to be saved when we see that death is indeed at hand and time is at an end and we must away Every sentence of Scripture hath then some life and power in it Every word of Exhortation is savoury to us Every reproof of our negligence and sin is then well taken Every thought of sin or Christ or Grace or Eternity goes then to the quick Then time seems precious and if you ask a man whether it be better spent in Cards and Dice and Playes and Feastings and needless recreations and idleness or in prayer and holy conference and reading and meditating on the Word of God and the life to come and the holy use of our lawful labours How easily will he be satisfied of the truth and confute the Cavils of voluptuous time-wasters Then his judgement will easilier be in the right than Learning or Arguments before could make it In a word the expectation of the speedy approach of the soul into the presence of the Eternal God and of our entring into an unchangeable endless life of joy or torment hath so much in it to awaken all the powers of the soul that if ever we will be serious it will make us serious in every thought and speech and duty And therefore as it is a great mercy of God that this life which is so short should be as uncertain and that frequent dangers and sicknesses call to us to look about us and be ready for our change so usually the sickly that look for death are most considerate and it is a great part of the duty of those that are in youth and health to consider their frailty and the shortness and uncertainty of their lives and alwayes live as those that wait for the coming of their Lord. And we have great reason for it when we are certain it will be ere long and when we have so many perils and weaknesses to warn us and when we are never sure to see another hour and when time is so swift so quickly gone so unrecoverable and Nothing when it is past Common reason requireth such to live in a constant readiness to dye § 2. But if youth or health do once make you reckon of living long and make you put away the Nihil tam sirmum câ—â— periculum 〈◊〉 sâ—â— etiam â—â—â—â—vilido day of your departure as if it were far off this will do much to deceive and dull the best and take away the power of every truth and the life of every good thought and duty and all will be apt to dwindle into customariness and form You will hardly keep the faculties of the soul awake if you do not still think of death and judgement as near at hand The greatest Certainty of the greatest Change and the greatest Joy or Misery for ever will not keep our stupid hearts awake unless we look at all as near as well as certain This is plain in the common difference that we find among all men between their thoughts of death in health and when they see indeed that they must presently dye They that in health could think and talk of death with laughter or lightly without any awakening of soul when they come to dye are oftentimes as much altered as if they had never heard before that they are mortal By which it is plain that to live in the house of mirth is more dangerous than to live in the house of mourning and that the expectation of long life is a grievous enemy to the operations of grace and the safety of the soul. § 3. And it is one of the greatest strengtheners of your temptations to luxury ambition worldliness and almost every sin When men think that they shall have many years leisure to repent they are apt the more boldly to transgress when they think that they have yet many years to live it tempteth them to pass away Time in idleness and to loiter in their race and trifle in all their work and to over-value all the pleasures and honours and shadows of felicity that are here below He that hath his life in his House or Land or hath it for inheritance will set more by it and bestow more upon it than if he thought he must go out of it the next year To a man that thinks of liveing many years the favour of great ones the raising of his estate and name and family and the accommodations and pleasing of his flesh will seem great matters to him and will do much with him and will make self-denyal a very hard work § 4. Therefore though Health be a wonderful great mercy as Enabling him to duty that hath a heart to use it to that end yet it is by accident a very great danger and snare to the heart it self to turn it from the way of duty The best life
his Wisdom Clemency and Justice 3. And effectively on his Subjects and Servants who are by his Laws reduced to a Conformity to his mind As a man may first cut his Arms or Image on his seal and then by that seal imprint it on the wax and though it be perfectly cut on the seal it may be imperfectly printed on the wax so Gods Image is naturally perfect in his Son and Regularly or expressively perfect on the seal of his holy Doctrine and Laws but imperfectly on his subjects according to their reception of it in their several degrees § 6. Therefore it is easie to discern their error that tell men the Light or Spirit within them is their Rule and a perfect Rule yea and that it is thus in all men in the world when Gods Word and experience flatly contradict it telling us that Infidels and enemies of God and all the ungodly are in Darkness and not in the Light and that all that speak not according to this Word the Law and Testimony have No Light in them and therefore no perfect Light to be their Rule Isa. 8. 20. The Ministry is sent to bring them from darkness to Light Therefore they had not a sufficient Light in them before Acts 26. 17 18. Wo to them that put darkness for light and light for darkness Isa. 5. 20. telling the children of darkness and the haters of the Light that they have a perfect Light and Rule within them when God saith They have no Light in them See 1 John 1. 5. 4 6 7 8. He that saith he is in the Light and hateth his brother is in darkness even till now 1 John 2. 9 10 11. The Light within a wicked man is darkness and blindness and therefore not his Rule Matth. 6. 23. Ephes. 5. 8. Even the Light that is in godly men is the knowledge of the Rule and not the Rule it self at all nor ever called so by God Our Rule is perfect our knowledge is imperfect for Paul himself saith We know in part But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away Now we see through a glass darkly 1 Cor. 13. 9 10 12. The Gospel is bid to them that are lost being blinded by Satan 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. § 7. There is an admirable unsearchable concurrence of the Spirit and his appointed means and the will of man in the procreation of the new creature and in all the exercises of grace as there is of Male and Female in natural generation and of the Earth the Sun the Rain the industry of the Gardiner and the seminal vertue of Life and specification in the production of Plants with their flowers and fruits And as wise as it would be to say It is not the Male but the Female or the Female but the Male that generateth or to say It is not the Earth but the Sun or not the Sun but the Rain or not the Rain but the seminal Vertue that causeth Plants with Flowers and Fruits So wise is it to say It is not the Spirit but the Word and Means or it is not the Word and Means but the Spirit or it is not the Reason and Will and industry of man but the Spirit Or if we have not wisdom enough to assign to each cause its proper interest in the effect that therefore we should separate what God hath conjoyned or deny the truth of the causation because we comprehend not the manner and influence this is but to choose to be befooled by Pride rather than confess that God is wiser than we § 8. 2. You may here discern also how the Spirit assureth and comforteth believers and how palpably they err that think the Spirit comforteth or assureth us of our salvation without the use of its Evidencing grace The ten things mentioned § 4. is all that the Spirit doth herein But to expect his Comforts without any measure of discerning his graces which can only rationally prove our right to the blessings of the Promise this is to expect that he should comfort a Rational Creature not as Rational but darkly cause him to rejoyce he knoweth not why and that he should make no use of faith to our comfort For faith resteth understandingly upon the Promise and expecteth the performance of it to those that it is made to and not to others Indeed there is a common encouragement and comfort which all men even the worst may take from the universal conditional Promise and there is much abatement of our fears and troubles that may be fetcht from probabilties and uncertain hopes of our own sincerity and interest in the Promise But to expect any other assurance or comfort from the Spirit without Evidence is but to expect immediate revelations or inspirations to do the work which the Word of promise and faith should do The souls Consent to the Covenant of ☜ Grace and fiducial Acceptance of an offered Christ is justifying saâ—ing faith Every man hath an object in the Promise and offer of the Gospel for this act and therefore may rationally perform it Though all have not hearts to do it This may well be called Faith of adherence and is it self our evidence from which we must conclude that we are true Believers The discerning of this Evidence called by some the Reflex act of faith is no act of faith at all it being no believing of another but the act of Conscience knowing what is in our selves The discerning and concluding that we are the children of God participateth of faith and conscientious knowledge which gave us the premises of such a conclusion § 9. 3. You may hence perceive also how we are said to be sealed by the Spirit Even as a mans Eph. 1. 13. Rom. 8. 9. Ephes. 4 30. seal doth signifie the thing sealed to be his own So the Spirit of holiness in us is Gods seal upon us signifying that we are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. Every one that hath the Spirit is sealed by having it and that is his Evidence which if he discern he may know that he is thus sealed § 10. 4. Hereby also you may see what the earnest and first fruits of the Spirit is The Spirit is 2 Coâ— 1. 22. given to us by God as the earnest of the Glory which he will give us To whomsoever he giveth the Spirit of Faith and Love and Holiness he giveth the seed of life eternal and an inclination thereto which is his earnest of it § 11. 5. Hereby also you may see how the Spirit witnesseth that we are the children of God The word Witness is put here principally for Evidence If any one question our adoption the Witness or Evidence which we must produce to prove it is the Spirit of Iesus sanctifying us and dwelling in us This is the chief part at least of the sense of the Text Rom. 8. 16. Though it is true that the same Spirit witnesseth by 1. Shewing us the
above in a Heavenly conversation and then your souls will be alwayes Direct 11. in the light and as in the sight of God and taken up with those businesses and delights which put them out of rellish with the baits of sin § 43. Direct 12. Let Christian watchfulness be your daily work And cherish a preserving though Direct 12. not a distracting and discouraging fear § 44. Direct 13. Take heed of the first approaches and beginnings of sin Oh how great a matter Direct 13. doth a little of this fire kindle And if you fall rise quickly by sound repentance whatever it may cost you § 45. Direct 14. Make Gods Word your only Rule and labour diligently to understand it Direct 14. § 46. Direct 15. In doubtful Cases do not easily depart from the unanimous judgement of the generality of the most wise and godly of all ages § 47. Direct 16. And in doubtful Cases be not passionate or rash but proceed deliberately and Direct 15. prove things well before you fasten on them § 48. Direct 17. Be acquainted with your bodily temperature and what sin it most enclineth you Direct 16. to and what sin also your Calling or converse doth lay you most open to that there your watch may be the stricter Of all which I shall speak more fully under the next Grand Direction § 49. Direct 18. Keep in a life of holy Order such as God hath appointed you to walk in For Direct 18. there is no preservation for straglers that keep not Rank and File but forsake the order which God commandeth them And this order lyeth principally in these points 1. That you keep in Union with the Universal Church Separate not from Christs body upon any pretence whatever With the Church as Regenerate hold spiritual communion in faith love and holiness with the Church as Congregate and Visible hold outward Communion in Profession and Worship 2. If you are not Teachers live under your particular faithful Pastors as obedient Disciples of Christ. 3. Let the most godly if possible be your familiars 4. Be laborious in an outward Calling § 50. Direct 19. Turn all Gods Providences whether of prosperity or adversity against your sins If Direct 19. he give you health and wealth remember he thereby obligeth you to obedience and calls for special service from you If he afflict you remember that it is sin that he is offended at and searcheth after and therefore take it as his Physick and see that you hinder not but help on its work that it may purge away your sin § 51. Direct 20. Wait patiently on Christ till he have finished the cure which will not be till this Direct â—â— trying life be finished Persevere in attendance on his Spirit and Means for he will come in season and will not tarry Hos. 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord His going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come unto us as the rain as the later and former rain upon the earth Though you have oft said There is no healing Jer. 14. 19. He will heal your back-slidings and love you freely Hos. 14. 4. Unto you that fear his name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2. And blessed are all they that wait for him Isa. 30. 18. Thus I have given such Directions as may help for Humiliation under sin or hatred of it and deliverance from it DIRECT IX Spend all your dayes in a skilful vigilant resolute and valiant War against the Flesh Gr. Dir. 9. Our Warfare under Christ against the Tempter the World and the Devil as those that have covenanted to follow Christ the Captain of your Salvation § 1. THe Flesh is the End of Temptation for all is to please it Rom. 13. 14. and therefore is Sâ—e my Trea 〈…〉 the greatest enemy The world is the Matter of Temptation And the Devil is the first mover or efficient of it and this is the Trinity of enemies to Christ and us which we renounce in Baptism and must constantly resist Of the world and flesh I shall speak Chap. 4. Here I shall open the Methods of the Devil And first I shall prepare your understanding by opening some presupposed truths § 2. 1. It is presupposed that there is a Devil He that believeth not this doth prove it to others by shewing how grosly the Devil can befool him Apparitions Witchcrafts and Temptations are full proofs of it to sense besides what Scripture saith § 3. 2. It is supposed that he is the deadly enemy of Christ and us He was once an Angel and â—f the Temptations to hinder Conversion see before Chap. 1. sell from his first estate by sin and a world of evil Spirits with him and it is probable his envy against mankind might be the greater as knowing that we were made to succeed him and his followers in their state of glory For Christ saith that we shall be equal with the Angels Luke 20. 36. He shewed his enmity to man in our innocency and by his temptation caused our fall and misery But aâ—ter the fall God put an enmity into the nature of man against Devils as a merciful preservative against temptation so that as the whole nature of man abhorreth the nature of Serpents so doth the soul abhor and dread the diabolical nature And therefore so far as the Devil is seen in a temptation now so far it is frustrated till the enmity in nature be overcome by his deceits And this help nature hath against temptation which it seems our nature had not before the fall as not knowing the malice of the Devil against us § 3. There is a Natural enmity to the Devil himself put into all the womans natural seed But the moral enmity against his sinful temptations and works is put only into the spiritual seed by the Holy Ghost except what remnants are in the light of Nature I will be brief of all this and the next having spoken of them more largely in my Treatise against Infidelity Part. 3. page 190. § 13 c. § 4. The Devils names do tell us what he is In the Old Testament he is called 1. The Serpent Gen. 3. 2. The Hebrew word translated Devils in Levit. 17. 7. and Isa. 13. 21. signifieth Viâ— Pools Sy 〈…〉 Levit. 1. 77 Iâ—â—hese later 〈…〉 th the 〈◊〉 disposition which Satan as a Tempter causeth and so he is known by it as his Off-spring â—â—iâ—y as Satyrs are described and sometime Hee-goats Because in such shapes he oft appeareth 3. He is called Satan Zech. 3. 1. 4. An evil Spirit 1 Sam. 18. 10. 5. A lying Spirit 1 Kings 22. 22. For he is a lyar and the Father of it John 8. 44. 6. His off-spring is called A Spirit of uncleanness Zech. 13. 2. 7. And he or his Spawn is called A Spirit of fornication Hos. 4. 12. that is
destroying the Kingdom of the Devil and next the purifying his peculiar people and calling home all that are ordained to eternal life § 60. But more particularly he looketh principally at the heart to plant there 1. Holy Knowledge 2. Faith 3. Godlyness or holy devotedness to God and Love to him above all 4. Thankfulness 5. Obedience 6. Humility 7. Heavenly-mindedness 8. Love to others 9. Self-denial and Mortification and contentment 10. Patience And in all these 1. sincerity 2. tenderness of heart 3. â—eal and holy strength and resolution And withal to make us actually serviceable and diligent in our masters work for our own and others salvation § 61. II. Christs order in working is direct and not backward as the Devils is He first revealeth saving truth to the understanding and affecteth the will â—â— shewing the Goodness of the things revealed And these employ the Thoughts and Passions and Senses and the whole body reducing the inferiour faculties to obedience and casting out by degrees those images which had deceived and prepossessed them § 62. The matter which Christ presenteth to the Soul is 1. Certain Truth from the Father of Lights set up against the Prince and Kingdom of darkness ignorance error and deceit 2. Spiritual and everlasting Good even God himself to be seen and Loved and Enjoyed for ever against the Tempters temporal corporal and seeming good Christs Kingdom and work are advanced by Light He is for the promoting of all useful knowledge and therefore for clear and convincing Preaching for reading the Scriptures in a known tongue and meditating in them day and night and for exhorting one another daily which Satan is against § 63. III. The Means by which he worketh against Satan are such as these 1. Sometime he maketh use of the very temper of the body as a preparative and being Lord of all he giveth such a temperature as will be most serviceable to the soul As a sober deliberate meek quiet and patient disposition But sometime he honoureth his Grace by the conquest of such sins as even bodily disposition doth entertain and cherish § 64. 2. Sometimes by his providence he withdraweth the matter of temptations that they shall not be too strong for feeble souls But sometimes his Grace doth make advantage of them all and leave them for the magnifying of its frequent victories § 65. 3. Sometimes he giveth his cause the major vote among the people so that it shall be a matter of dishonourable singularity not to be a professed Christian and somtime but exceeding rarely it is so with the life of Godliness and practice of Christianity also But ordinarily in the most places of the world Custom and the Multitude are against him and his grace is honoured by prevailing against these bands of Satan § 66. 4. He maketh his Ministers his principal Instruments qualifying disposing and calling them to his work and helping them in it and prospering it in their hands § 67. 5. He maketh it the duty of every Christian to do his part to carry on the work and furnisheth them with Love and Compassion and Knowledge and Zeal in their several measures § 68. 6. He giveth a very strict charge to Parents to devote their Children with themselves to God encouraging them with the promise of his accepting and blessing them and commandeth them to teach them the word of God with greatest diligence and to bring them up in the nurture and fear of God § 69. 7. He giveth Princes and Magistrates their power to promote his Kingdom and protect his servants and encourage the good and suppress iniquity and further the obedience of his Laws Though in most of the world they turn his enemies and he carrieth on his work without them and against their cruel persecuting opposition § 70. 8. His Light detecteth the nakedness of the Devils cause and among the Sons of Light it is odious and a common shame And as wisdom is justified of her children so the judgement of holy men condemning sin doth much to keep it under in the world § 71. 9. His providence usually casteth the sinner that he will do good to into the bosome and communion of his holy Church and the familiar company and acquaintance of the Godly who may help him by instruction affection and example § 72. 10. His providence fitteth all conditions to their good but especially helpeth them by seasonable quickning afflictions These are the means which ordinarily he useth But the powerful inward operations of his Spirit give efficacy to them all Tit. 2. Temptations to particular sins with Directions for preservation and Remedy IN Chapter 1. Part 2. I have opened the Temptations which hinder sinners from Conversion to God I shall now proceed to those which draw men to particular sins Here Satans Art is exercised 1. In fitting his baits to his particular use 2. In applying them thereto § 1. Tempt 1. The Devil fitteth his Temptations to the sinners age The same bait is not suitable Tempt 1. to all Children he tempteth to excess of playfullness lying disobedience unwillingness to learn the things that belong to their salvation and a senselesness of the great concernments of their souls He tempteth youth to wantonness rudeness gulosity unruliness and foolish inconsiderateness In the beginning of manhood he tempteth to lust voluptuousness and luxury or if these take not to designs of worldliness and ambition The aged he tempteth to covetousness and unmoveableness in their error and unteachableness and obstinacy in their ignorance and sin Thus every age hath its peculiar snare § 2. Direct 1. The Remedy against this is 1. To be distinctly acquainted with the Temptations of Direct 1. your own age and watch against them with a special heedfullness and fear 2. To know the special duties and advantages of your own age and turn your thoughts wholly unto those Scripture hath various precepts for the various ages study your own part The young have more time to learn their duty and less care and business to divert them Let them therefore be taken up in obedient learning The middle age hath most vigor of body and mind and therefore should do their masters work with the greatest vigor activity and zeal The Aged should have most judgement and experience and acquaintedness with Death and Heaven and therefore should teach the younger both by word and holy life § 3. Tempt 2. The Tempter also fitteth his Temptations to mens several bodily tempers as I Tempt â— shewed § 22. The hot and strong he tempteth to lust The sad and fearful to discouragement and continual self-vexations and to the Fear of Men and Devils Those that have strong appetites to Gluttony and Drunkenness Children and Women and weak-headed people to Pride of Apparel and trifling Complement And masculine wicked-unbelievers to Pride of Honour Parts and Grandeur and to an ambitious seeking of Rule and Greatness The meek and gentle he tempteth to a yieldingness unto the perswasions
it § 52. Direct 14. If God so much regard us as to make us and preserve us continually and to become Tempt 14. our Governour and make a Law for us and judge us and Reward his servants with no less than Heaven than you may easily see that he so much regardeth us as to observe whether we obey or break his Laws He that so far careth for a Clock or Watch as to make it and wind it up doth care whether it go true or false What do these men make of God who think he cares not what men do Then he cares not if men beat you or râ—b you or kill you for none of this hurteth God And the King may say if any murder your friends or children why should I punish him he hurt not me But Iustice is to keep order in the world and not only to preserve the Governour from hurt God may be wronged though he be not hurt And he will make you pay for it if you hurt others and smart for it if you hurt your self § 53. Tempt 15. The Tempter laboureth to extenuate the sin and make it seem a little one and if Tempt 15. every little sin must be made such a matter of you 'll never be quiet § 54. Direct 15. But still remember 1. There is deadly poyson in the very nature of sin as Direct 15. there is in a Serpent be he never so small The least sin is worse than the greatest pain that ever man selt and would you choose that and say its little The least sin is odious to God and had a hand in the death of Christ and will damn you if it be not pardoned and should such a thing be made light of And many sins counted small may have great aggravations such as the knowing deliberate wilful committing of them is To love a small sin is a great sin specially to love it so well that the remembrance of Gods Will and Love of Christ and Heaven and Hell will not suffice to resolve you against it Besides a small sin is the common way to greater James 1. 14 15. When lust hath conceived it brings forth sin and sin when it is finished brings forth death James 3. 5. Behâ—ld how great a matter a little fire kindleth The horrid sins of David and Peter had small beginnings Mortal sicknesses seem little matters at the first Many a thousand have sinned themselves to Hell that began with that which is accounted small § 55. Tempt 16. Also the Devil draweth on the sinner by promising him that he shall sin but once Tempt 16. or but a very few times and then do so no more He tells the Thief and the Fornicator that if they will do it but this once they shall be quiet § 56. Direct 16. But O consider 1. That one stab at the heart may prove uncurable God may Direct 16. deny thee time or grace to repent 2. That it is easier to forbear the first time than the second For one sin disposeth the heart unto another If you cannot deny the first temptation how will you deny the next When you have lost your strength and grieved your helper and strengthened your enemy and your snare will you then resist better wounded then now when you are whole § 57. Tempt 17. But when the Devil hath prevailed for once with the sinner he makes that an argument Tempt 17. for a second He saith to the Thief and Drunkard and Fornicator It is but the same thing that thou hast done once already and if once may be pardoned twice may be pardoned and if twice why not thrice and so on § 58. Direct 17. This it is to let the Devil get in a foot A spark is easier quenched than a flame Direct 17. but yet remember that the longer the worse the oftner you sin the greater is the abuse of the Spirit of God and the contempt of grace and the wrong to Christ and the harder is repentance and the sharper if you do repent because the deeper is your wound Repent therefore speedily and go no further unless you would have the Devil tell you next It 's now too late § 59. Tempt 18. The Tempter maketh use of the greater sins of others to perswade men to venture Tempt 18. upon less Thou hearest other men curse and swear and rail and dost thou stick at idle talk How many in the world are enemies to Christ and persecute his Ministers and Servants and dost thou make so great a matter of omitting a Sermon or a prayer or other holy duty § 60. Direct 18. As there are degrees of sin so there are degrees of punishment And wilt thou Direct 18. rather choose the easiest place in Hell than Heaven How small soever the matter of sin be thy wilfulness and sinning against conscience and mercies and warnings may make it great to thee Are great sinners so happy in thy eyes that thou wouldst be as like them as thou darest § 61. Tempt 19. Also he would embolden the sinner because of the Commonness of the sin and Tempt 19. the multitude that commit either that or worse as if it were not therefore so bad or dangerous § 62. Direct 19. But remember that the more examples you have to take warning by the more Direct 19. unexcusable is your fall It was not the number of Angels that fell that could keep them from being Devils and damned for their sin God will do Justice on many as well as on one The sin is the greater and therefore the punishment shall not be the less Make the case your own Will you think it a good reason for any one to abuse you beat you rob you because that many have done so before He should rather think that you are abused too much already and therefore he should not add to your wrongs If when many had spit in Christs face or bufletted him some one should have given him another spit or blow as if he had not enough before would you not have taken him to be the worst and cruellest of them all If you do as the most you 'll speed as the most § 63. Tempt 2â— â—â— is a dangerous Temptation when the Devill propâ—seth some very good end and â—â—â—â—t 2â— mâ—kâ—t◠〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 or the necessary means to accomplish it when he blindâ—th men sâ— farr as tâ—â—â—â—â—k tâ—â—â—â— it is necessary tâ— their salvation or to other mens or to the wellfare of the Church or pro 〈…〉 oâ— the pleasing of God then sâ—n will be commited without regret and continued in â—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 Oâ— this account it is that â—â—reâ—â—e and will-worship and superstition are kept up â—â—â—â— 2. 18 21 22 23. Having a shew of wisdom in will-worship and humility and neglecting the body It is for God that much of the wickedness of the world is done against God It s for the Church aâ—â— Truth that Papists have murdered and persecuted so
20. Insomuch as it sâ—â—mâ—th one of the greatest impediments to the Conversion of the Heathen and Mahomâ—tan world and the chiefest means of confirming them in their Iâ—â—â—â—delity and making them hate and scorn Christianity that the Romish and the Eastern and Southern Churches within their view do worship God so dishonourably as they do as if our God were like a little Child that must have pretty toyes bought him in the Fair and brought home to please him Whereas it the unreformed Churches in the East West and South were Reformed and had a Learned Pious Able Ministry and clearly preached and seriously applyed the Word of God and worshipped God with understanding gravity reverence and serious spirituality and lived a holy heavenly mortified self-denying conversation this would be the way to propagate Christianity and win the Infidel world to Christ. § 43. Direct 12. If you will glorifie God in your lives you must be above a selfish private narrow Direct 12. mind and must be chiefly intent upon the publick good and the spreading of the Gospel through the world A selfish private narrow soul brings little honour to the cause of God It s alwayes taken up about it self or imprisoned in a corner in the dark to the interest of some Sect or Party and seeth not how things go in the world Its desires and prayers and endeavours go no further than they can see or travel But a larger soul beholdeth all the earth and is desirous to know how it goeth with the Cause and Servants of the Lord and how the Gospel gets ground upon the unbelieving Nations and such are affected with the state of the Church a thousand miles off almost as if it were at hand as being members of the whole body of Christ and not only of a Sect. They pray for the Hallowing of Gods Name and the coming of his Kingdom and the doing of his will throughout the Earth as it is in Heaven before they come to their own necessities at least in order of esteem and desire The prosperity of themselves or their Party or Countrey satisfieth them not while the Church abroad is in distress They live as those that know the Honour of God is more concerned in the welfare of the whole than in the success of any party against the rest They pray that the Gospel may have free course and be glorified abroad as it is with them and the Preachers of it be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men 2 Thess. 3. 1 2. The silencing the Ministers and suppressing the interest of Christ and souls is the most grievous tydings to them Therefore they pray for Kings and all in authority not for any carnal ends but that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. Thus God must be glorified by our Lives DIRECT XVI Let your life on Earth be a conversation in Heaven by the constant work of Gr. Dir. 16. Faith and Love even such a faith as maketh things future as now present and the unseen world as if it were continually open to your sight and such a Love as makes you long to see the glorious face of God and the glory of your dear Redeemer and to be taken up with blessed Spirits in his perfect endless Love and Praise MY Treatise of The Life of Faith and the fourth Part of The Saints Rest being written wholly or mostly to this use I must refer the Reader to them and say no more of it in this Direction DIRECT XVII As the soul must be carried up to God and devoted to him according to all the Gr. Dir. 17. foregoing Directions so must it be delivered from carnal selfishness or flesh-pleasing I pass not this by as a small matter to be passed by also by the Reader For I take the Love of God kindled by Faith in Christ with the full Denyal of our carnal selves to be the sum of all Religion But because I would not injure so great a duty by saying but a little of it And therefore desire the Reader who studieth for Practice and needeth such helps to peruse the mentioned Books of Self-denyal and Crucifying the World which is the grand enemy to God and Godliness in the world and from the three great branches of this Idolatry viz. the Love of sensual pleasures the Love of worldly wealth and the proud desire and Love of worldly honour and esteem And the mortifying of these must be much of the labour of your lives OF this also I have written so much in a Treatise of Self-denyal and in another called The Crucifying of the World by the Cross of Christ that I shall now pass by all save what will be more seasonable anon under the more Particular Directions in the fourth Tome when I come to speak of Selfishness as opposed to the Love of others I Have now given you the General Grand Directions containing the very Being and Life of Godliness and Christianity with those particular sub-directions which are needful to the performance of them And I must tell you that as your life and strength and comfort principally depend on these so doth your success in resisting all your particular sins And therefore if you first obey not these General Directions the more particular ones that follow will be almost useless to you even as branches cut off from the Stock of the Tree which are deprived thereby of their support and life But upon supposition that first you will maintain these Vital parts of your Religion I shall proceed to Direct you first in some particulars most nearly subordinate to the forementioned duties and then to the remoter branches APPENDIX The true Doctrine of LOVE to GOD to HOLINESS to OUR SELVES and to OTHERS opened in certain Propositions Especially for resolving the Questions what self-love is lawful What sinful Whether God must be loved above our own felicity And how Whether to Love our felicity more than God may stand with a state of saving grace Whether it be a middle state between sensuality and the Divine nature to Love God more for our selves than for Himself Whether to Love God for our selves be the state of a Believer as he is under the promise of the New Covenant And whether the spirit and sanctification promised to Believers be the Love of God for himself and so the Divine nature promised to him that chooseth Christ and God by him out of self-love for his own felicity How God supposeth and worketh on the principle of self-love in mans Conversion With many such like To avoid the tediousness of a distinct debating each Question THough these things principally belong to the Theorie and so to another Treatise in hand called Methodus Theologiae yet because they are also Practical and have a great influence upon the more Practical Directions and the right understanding of them may help the Reader himself to determine a multitude of Cases of Conscience the
it We must not only contemn it as compared to the approbation and favour of God but we must value it but as other transitory things in it self considered estimating it â—s a means to some higher end the service of God and our own or other mens greater â—â—â—â—d And further than it conduceth to some of these it must be allmost indifferent to us what men â—â—â—â—â— or say of us And the displeasure of all men if unjust must be reckâ—ned with our light afâ—flâ—â—â—â—iâ—ns § 17. 6. One truth of God and the smallest duty must be preferred before the pleasing and favor of all the men in the world Though yet as a means to the promoting of a greater truth or duty the favor and plâ—â—sing of men must be preferred before the uttering of a lesser truth or doing a lessâ—r â—â—od at that â—â—â—â— because it is no duty then to do it § 18. 7. Our hearts are so â—â—lâ—â—sh and deceitful naturally that when we are very sollicitous about â—â—â—◠〈…〉 we must carefully watch them lest self be intended while God is pretended And w◠〈◊〉 take special care that we be sure it be the honour of God and Religion and the good of soulâ—â—◠〈◊〉 greater benefit than honour it self that we value our honour and reputation for § 19. 8. Mans nature is so prone to go too far in valuing our â—steem with men that we should more fâ—â—r â—â—â—â— we â—rr on that hand than on the other in undervaluing it And it is far safer to do too little than too much in the vindicating of our own reputation whether by the magistrates justice or by dâ—sâ—uting or any contentious means § 20. 9. Wâ— must not wholy rest on the judgement of any about the state of our souls nor take their judgement of us for inâ—â—llible but use their help that we may know our selves § 21. 10. If Ministers or Councils called General do err and contradict the word of God we must do our best to discern it and discerning it must desert their error rather than the truth of God As Calvin and after him Paraeus on 1 Cor. 4. 3. say We must give an account of our doctrine to all men that require it especially to Ministers and Councils But when a faithful Pastor perceiveth himself oppressed with unrighteous and perverse designs and factions and that there is no place for equity and truth he â—ught to be careless of mans esteem and to appeal to God and fly to his tribunal And if we see our selves condemned our cause being unpleaded and judgement passed our cause being unheard let us lift up our minds to this magnanimity as despising mens judgement to expect with boldness the judgement of God and say with Paul With me it is a smal matter to be judged of you or of mans judgement I have one that judgeth me even the Lord. § 22. 11. God must be enough for a gracious soul and we must know that in his favour is life Psalm 30 5. Psalm 63. 3. 2 Câ—â— â— 9. Rom. 8. 33 34. and his loving kindness is better than life it self and this must be our care and labour that whether living or dying we may be accepted of him and if we have his Approbation it must satisfie us though all the world condemn us Therefore having faithfully done our duty we must leave the matter of our reputation to God who if our waies please him can make our enemies to be at peace with us or be harmless to us as if they were no enemies As we must quietly leave it to him what measure of wealth we shall have so also what measure of honour we shall have It is our duty to Love and Honor but not to be beloved and honoured § 23. 12. The prophesie of our Saviour must be still believed that the world will hate us and his Mâ—â— 10. â—â—â—â—n 15. Maâ— 27. Hâ—b 12. 1 2 3. â— Pet. 2. 21 22. example must be still before our eyes who submitted to be spit upon and scorned and buffeted and slandered as a traytor or usurper of the Crown and made himself of no reputation and indured the Cross and despised the shame leaving us an example that we should fâ—llow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but câ—mmitted all to him that judgeth righteously This is the usage that must be the Christians expectation and not to be well spoken of by all nor to have the applause and honor of the world § 24. 13. It is not only the approbation of the ignorant and ungodly that we must thus set light We must go further than Sâ—â—â—â—ca who said Maâ—e dâ— mâ— loqâ—â—â—â—â— â—ed mâ—lâ—â— mâ—â—eâ—er si de me Mâ—â— Caâ—e si â—â—â—â—s sapiens si duo Scipioâ—es ista loquerentur nunc malis disâ—â—â—â—ceâ—e â—audari est by but even of the most Learned and Godly themselves so as to bear their censures as an easie burden when God is pleased this way to try us and to be satisfied in God alone and the expectation of his final judgement § 25. Direct 2. Remember that the favour and pleasing of man is one of your snares that would Direct 2. prevail against your pleasing God Therefore watch against the danger of it as you must do against other earthly things § 26. Direct 3. Remember how silly a creature man is and that his favour can be no better than Direct 3. himself The thoughts or words of a mortal worm are matters of no considerable value to us § 27. Direct 4. Remember that it is the judgement of God alone that your life or death for ever Direct 4. doth depend upon and how little you are concerned in the judgement of man 1. An humbled soul that hath felt what it is to have displeased God and what it is to be under his curse and what it is to be reconciled to him by the death and intercession of Jesus Christ is so taken up in seeking the favour of God and is so troubled with every fear of his displeasure and is so delighted with the sense of his Love as that he can scarce have while to mind so small a matter as the favour or displeasure of a man Gods favour is enough for him and so precious to him that if he find that he hath this so small a matter as the favour of a man will scarce be mist by him § 28. 2. God only is our supream judge and our Governors as Officers limited by him But for others if they will be usurpers and set themselves in the throne of God and there let fly their censures upon things and persons which concern them not why should we seem much concerned in it If a beggar step up into a seat of judicature and there condemn one and fine another will you fear him or laugh at him Who art thou that judgest another mans servant To
his own Master doth he stand or fall Men may step up into the throne of God and there presume to judge others according to their interests and passions but God will quickly pull them down and teach them better to know their places How like is the common censure of the world to the game of boyes that will hold an Assize and make a Judge and try and condemn one another in sport And have we not a greater Iudge to fear § 29. 3. It is God only that passeth the final sentence from whom there is no appeal to any other See Dr â—â—â—â—s 〈◊〉 pag. 42 43. Ma 〈…〉 â—â— 1 Coâ— 4. 3. But from humane judgement there lyeth an appeal to God Their judgement must be judged of by him Things shall not stand as now men censure them Many a bad cause is now judged good through the Multitude or Greatness of those that favour it And many a good cause is now condemned Many a one is taken as a Malefactor because he obeyeth God and doth his duty But all these things must be judged over again by him that hath denounced a Woâ— to them that call evil Isa â— 20. good and good evil that put darkness for light and light for darkness He that saith to the wicked thou art Righteous peâ—ple shall curse him nations shall abhor him Prov. 24. 24. It were ill with the best of the servants of Christ if the judgement of the world must stand who condemn them as fools and hypocrites and what they list Then the Devils judgement would stand But he is the wise man that God will judge to be wise at last and he only is the happy man that God calls happy The erring judgement of a creature is but like an ignorant mans writing the names of several things upon an Apothecaries boxes If he write the names of Poysons upon some and of Antidotes on others when 〈…〉 〈…〉 dâ—th nâ—t 〈◊〉 the Maâ—quâ—â— and Mummeâ—â—â—â— and triumphâ—â—f the â—oâ—â—d haâ—â—o stately and gallanâ— as candlâ—-light doâ—h Lord 〈◊〉 Eâ—â—â—â—y of Tâ—â—â—â— Why Lâ—â—s are Loved there are no such things within them they are not to be estimated according to those names How different are the names that God and the world do put upon things and persons now And how few now approve of that which God approveth of and will justifie at last How many will God judge heterodox and wicked that men judged orthodox and worthy of applause And how many will God judge orthodox and sincere that were called Hereticks and Hypocrites by men God will not verifie every word against his servants which angry men or contentious disputants say against them The learning or authority or other advantages of the contenders may now bear down the reasons and reputations of more wise and righteous men than they which God will restore and vindicate at last The names of Luther Zuinglius Calvin and many other excellent servants of the Lord are now made odious in the writings and reports of Papists by their impudent lies But God judgeth otherwise with more righteous judgement O what abundance of persons and causes will be justified at the dreadful day of God which the world condemned And how many will be there condemned that were justified by the world O blessed day most desirable to the just most terrible to the wicked and every Hypocrite How many things will be then set strait that now are crooked And how many innocents and saints will then have a resurrection of their murdered names that were buryed by the world in a heap of lies and their enemies never thought of their reviving O look to that final judgement of the Lord and you will take mens censures but as the shaking of a leaf § 30. 4. It is God only that hath power to execute his sentence to our Happinâ—ss or Misery There is one Lawgivâ—r that is able to save and to destroy Iam. 4. 12. If he say to us Come ye blessed we shall be happy though Devils and men should curse us For those that he blesseth shall be blessed If he condemn to hell the applause of the world will â—etch no man out nor give him ease A great name on earth or histories written in their applause or a guilded monument over their bones are a poor relief to damned souls And the barking of the wicked and their scorns on earth are no diminution to the joy or glory of the souls that shine and triumph with Christ. It is our Lord that hath the keys of death and Hell Rev. 1. 18. Please him and you are sure to scape though the Pope and all the wicked of the world should thunder out against you their most direful curses Woe to us if the wicked could execute all their malicious censures Then how many Saints would be in Hell But if it be God that justifie us how inconsiderable a matter is it who they are that condemn us Or what be their pretenses Rom 8. 33. § 31. Direct 5. Remember that the judgement of ungodly men is corrupted and directed by the Devil Direct 5. And to be over-ruled by their censures or too much to fear them is to be ovâ—r-ruled by the Devil and to be afraid of his censures of us And will you honour him so much Alas it is he that puts those thoughts into the minds of the ungodly and those reproachful words into their mouths To prefer the judgement of a man before Gods is odious enough though you did not prefer the Devils judgement § 32. Direct 6. Consider what a slavery you choose when you thus make your selves the servants of Direct 6. every man whose censures you fear and whose approbation you are ambitious of 1 Cor. 7. 23. Yee are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men that is Do not needlesly enthrall your selves Jam. 4. 4. What a task have men-pleasers They have as many Masters as beholders No wonder if it take them off from the service of God For the friendship of the world is enmity to God and he that will thus Oâ—â—â—â—n let â—e supâ—â—bus contemptuâ— diâ—â—s 〈◊〉 peâ—â—laâ—s â—â— urâ—a 〈…〉 malignitate pugnax contentione ventosus mendax vanitaâ—e non â—â—res a suspicioso timâ—râ— a pertiâ—ace vinci a deâ—â—caâ—o fâ—stâ—â—irs Secec dâ— Iâ—aâ— 3. c. 8. be a friend of the world is in enemy to God They cannot serve two Masters God and the world You know men will condemn you if you be true to God It therefore you must needs have the favour of men you must take it alone without Gods favour A man pleaser cannot be true to God because he is a servant to the enemies of his service The wind of a mans mouth will drive him about as the chasâ— from any duty and to any sin How servile a person is a Man-pleaser How many Masters hath he and how mean ones It perverteth the course of your hearts and lives and turneth all from God to this
with him and about Pope Ioan and many the like cases where you may read scores of Historians on one side and on the other § 53. 18. Remember that the holiest Saints or Apostles could never please the world nor escape their censures slanders and cruelties no nor Iesus Christ himself And can you think by honest means to please them better than Christ and all his Saints have done You have not the wisdom that Christ had to please men and to avoid offence You have not the perfect innocency and unblameableness that Christ had You cannot heal their sicknesses and infirmities and do that good to them to please and win them as Jesus Christ did You cannot convince them and constrain them to reverence you by manifold miracles as Jesus Christ did Can you imitate such an excellent pattern as is set you by the holy patient charitable unwearied Apostle Paul Acts 20. 1 Cor. 4. 9. 2 Cor. 4. 5. 6. 10. 11. 12. If you cannot how can you please them that would not be pleased by such unimitable works of love and power The more Paul loved some of his hearers the less he was beloved 2 Cor. 12. 15. They used him as an enemy for telling them the truth Gal. 4. 16. Though he became all things to all men he could save but some nor please but some 1 Cor. 9. 22. And what are you that you should better please them § 54. 19. Godliness vertue and honesty it self will not please the world and therefore you cannot Aâ—â—stiâ—â—s having gâ—t the Sâ—â—name oâ— Iâ—st was hatâ—d by the Aâ—â—â—â—iais who decreed to bâ—â—ish him and every one that voted against him being to write down his Name a Clown that could not write came to Aristides to desire him â—o wrâ—te down Aâ—istiâ—â—s name He asked him wheâ—her he knew Aristidis and the man answered no but he would vote against him because his name waâ— Iâ—st Aristides concealing himself fulfilled the mans desire and wrote his own Name in the Roll and gave it hâ—m so â—asily did he bear it to be condemned of the world for being Iust Plutarch iâ— Aristide It was not only Socraâ—s that was thus used saiâ—h Laertius Nam Homerum velut insanientem drachmâ—s quinquaginta mulctarunt Tyâ—â—aeumque mentis impotem dixeâ—â—â—â— â— Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted Maâ—th 23. hâ—pe to please them by that which is not pleasing to them Will men be pleased by that which they hate and by the actions which they think accuse them and condemn them And if you will be Ungodly and Vicious to please them you sell your souls your Conscience and your God to please them God and they are not pleased with the same wayes And which do you think should first be pleased Iâ— you displease him for their favour you will buy it dear § 55. 20. They are not pleased with God himself yea no man doth displease so many and so much as he And can you do mâ—re than God to please them or can you deserve their favour more than he They are daily displeased with his works of providence One would have rain when another would have none One would have the winds to serve his voyage and another would have them in a contrary end One party is displeased because another is pleased and exalted Every enemy would have his cause succeed and the victory to be his Every contender would have all go on his side God must be ruled by them and fit himself to the interest of the most unjust and to the will of the most vicious and do as they would have him and be a servant to their lusts or they will not be pleased with him And his Holy Nature and his Holy Word and Holy Wayes displease them more than his ordinary providence They are displeased that his Word is so precise and strict and that he commandeth them so holy and so strict a life and that he threatneth all the ungodly with damnation He must alter his Laws and make them more loose and fit them to their fleshly interest and lusts and speak as they would have him without any difficulties before they will be pleased with them unless he alter their minds and hearts And how do you think they will be pleased with him at last when he fulfills his threatnings When he killeth them and turneth their bodies to dust and their guilty souls to torment and despair § 56. 21. How can you please men that cannot please themselves Their own desire and choice will please them but a little while Like children they are soon weary of that which they cryed for They must needs have it and when they have it it is naught and cast away They are neither pleased with it nor without it They are like sick persons that long for every meat or drink they think of and when they have it they cannot get it down For the sickness is still within them that causeth their displeasure How many do trouble and torment themselves by their passions and folly from day to day And can you please such self-displeasers § 57. How can you please all others when you cannot please your selves If you are persons fearing God and feel the burden of your sins and have life enough to be sensible of your diseases I dare say there are none in the world so displeasing to you as you are to your selves You carry that about you and feel that within you which displeaseth you more than all the enemies you have in the world Your passions and corruptions your want of Love to God and your strangeness to him and the life to come the daily faultiness of your duties and your lives are your daily burden and displease you most And if you be not able and wise and good enough to please your selves can you be able and wise and good enough to please the world As your sins are nearest to your selves so are your graces and as you know more evil by your selves than others know so you know more good by your selves That little fire will not warm all the room which will not warm the hearth it lyeth on § 58. Direct 10. Remember what a life of unquietness and continual vexation you choose if you place your peace or happiness in the good will or word of man For having shewed you how impossible a â—ask you undertake it must needs follow that the pursuit of it must be a life of torment To engage Viâ— esse in munâ—o Contemâ—â— tâ—mnâ—re disce Abr. Buâ—holtzâ—r your selves in so great cares and be sure to be disappointed To make that your end which you cannot attain To find that you labour in vain and daily meet with displeasure instead of the favour you expected must needs be a very grievous life You are like one that dwelleth on the top of a mountain and yet cannot endure the wind to blow upon him Or like him that dwelleth in a
Hereticks called Misericordes Merciful men And Origen was led hereby into his errors When they think of Hell fire and the number of the miserable and the fewness of the saved they consult with their ignorant compassion and think that this is below the Love and Mercy which is in themselves and that they would not thus use an enemy of their own and therefore they censure the holy Scripture and Pride inclineth them strongly to unbelief while they forget the narrowness and darkness of their souls and how unfit they are to censure God and how many truths may be unseen of them which would fully satisfie them if they knew them and how quickly God will shew them that which shall justifie his Word and all his Works and convince them of the folly and arrogancy of their unbelief and censures § 18. Sign 8. Pride makes men pretend to be more Just than God and to think that they could Sign 8. more justly Govern the world and to censure Gods threatnings and the sufferings of the good and the prosperity of the wicked as things so unjust as that they thereby incline to atheism So Iames and Iohn would be more just than Christ and call down fire on the rejecters of the Gospel And the Prodigals Brother Luke 15. repined at his Fathers lenity § 19. Sign 9. Pride maketh men sleight the authority and commands of God and despise his Sign 9. messengers and choose to be ruled by their own conceits and lusts and interests when the humble â—â—r 13. 15 17. 43. 2 3. tremble at his Word and readily obey it Isa. 57. 15. Neh. 9. 16. 29. Isa. 9. 9. § 20. Sign 10. A proud man in power will expect that his will be obeyed before the will of God Sign 10. and that the subjects of God displease their Master rather than him He will think it a crime for a man to enquire first what God would have him do or to plead conscience and the commands of the God of Heaven against the obeying of his unjust commands If he offer you preferment as Balack did Balaam he looketh you should be more taken with it than with Gods offer of eternal life If he threaten you as Nebuchadnezzar did the three Witnesses he looks that you should be more afraid of him than of God who threatneth your damnation and is angry if you be not § 21. Sign 11. A proud man is more offended with one that would question his authority or speak Sign 11. diminutively of his power or displease his will or cross his interest than with one that sinneth against the authority and will and interest of God He is much more zealous for himself and his own honor than for Gods and grieved more for his own dishonour and hateth his own enemies more than Gods and can tread down the interest of God and souls if it seem but necessary to his honor or revenge He is much more pleased and delighted with his own applause and honor and greatness than with the glory of God or the fulfilling of his will § 22. Sign 12. Proud men would fain steal from God himself the honor of many of his mosâ— excellent Sign 12. works If they are Rulers they are more desirous that the thanks for the order and peace of Quicquid â—onâ—â—geris in deos refer Bias in Laâ—â—t Societies be given by the people to them than unto God If they are Preachers they would fain have more than their due of the honour of mens Conversion and Edification If they are Pastors they would encroach upon Christs part of the Government of his Church If they be bountiful to the poor and do any good works they would have more of the praise than belongeth to a Steward or Messenger that delivereth the gifts of God If they be Physicions they would have the real honor of the Cure and have God to have but a barren complement Like the Atheistical Physicion that reviled and beat his Patient for thanking God that he was well when saith he it was I that cured you and do you thank God for it § 23. Sign 13. A proud man will give more to his Honour than to God His estate is more at the Sign 13. command of his Pride than of God He giveth more in the view or knowledge of others than he could perswade himself to do in secret He is more bountiful in gifts that tend to keep up the credit of his liberality than he is to truly indigent persons It is not the good that is done but the honor which he expecteth by it which is his principal motive He had rather be scant in works of greatest secret charity than in apparel and a comely port and the entertaining of friends or any thing that is for ostentation and for himself § 24. Sign 14. A proud man would have as great a dependance of others upon him as he can He Sign 14. would have the estates and lives and welfare of all others at his will and power That he might be much feared and loved and thanked and that many may be beholden to him as the God or great Benefactor of the world He is not contented that good is done and mens wants supplyed unless he have the doing of it that so he may have the praise If he save his enemy it is but to make him beholden to him and be said to have given him his life Fain he would be taken to be as the Sun to the world which mankind cannot be without § 25. Sign 5. A proud man is very patient when men ascribe to him that which he knoweth to Sign 15. be above his due though it be to the injury of God He can easily forgive those that value and love him more than he deserveth though they sin in doing it He is seldom offended with any for over-praising him nor for reverencing or honouring him too much nor for setting him too high or for giving or ascribing too much power to him nor for obeying him before God himself He careth not how much love and honour and praises and thanks he hath when a humble soul saith as Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the glory And as the Angel to Iohn that would have worshipped him See thou do it not for I am thy fellow servant They Psal. 22. 6. Gen. 32. 10. Iâ—phâ—l 3. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15. know God will not give his glory to another Isa. 42. 8. In his Temple every one speaketh of his glory Psal. 29. 9. But of themselves they say I am a worm and no man I am less than the least of all thy mercies less than the least of all Saints the chiefest of sinners How unfit am I for so much love and praise and honour § 26. Sign 16. A proud man would have his Reason to be the Rule of all the world or at least of Sign 16.
Direct 14. Remember how base a sin it is and how dishonourable and debasing to the mind of Direct 14. man If earth be baser than Heaven and money than God than an earthly mind is baser than a heavenly mind As the Serpents feeding on the dust is a baser life than that of Angels that are employed in admiring and obeying and praising the Mâ—st Holy God § 36. Direct 15. Call your selves to a daily reckoning how you lay out all that God committeth to Direct 15. your trust and try whether it be so as you would hear of it at judgement If you did but use to sit Pecunia apud cum nunquam mansâ—â—â—â—e probatur nisi 〈◊〉 hora oâ—â—eraâ—ur quando sol â—â—â—â— expâ—â—ans cursum nâ—cturnis tenebris daret locum Victor ut de Eugen. Epise Caâ—th Plato compareth our life to a Game at Tables We may wish for a good throw but what ever it be we must play it as well as we can Plutarch dâ— tranquil anim in judgement daily upon your selves as those that believe the judgement of God it would make you more careful to use well what you have than to get more And it would quench your thirst after plenty and prosperity when you perceived you must give so strict an account of it The flesh it self will less desire it when it finds it may not have the use of it § 37. Direct 16. When you find your Covetousness most eager and dangerous resolve most to cross Direct 16. it and give more to pious or charitable uses thoâ—â—â—â—t another time For a man hath reason to fly furthest from that sin which he is most in danger of And the acts tend to the encrease of the habit Obeying your Covetousness doth increase it And so the contrary acts and the disobeying and displeasing it do destroy it This course will bring your Covetousness into a despair of attaining its desires and so will make it sit down and give over the pursuit It is an open protesting against every covetous desire and an effectual kind of repenting and a wise and honest disarming sin and turning its motions against it self to its own destruction Use it thus oft and Covetousness will think it wisdom to be quiet § 38. Direct 17. Above all take heed that you think not of reconciling God and Mammon and Direct 17. mixing Heaven and Earth to be your felicity and of dreaming that you may keep Heaven for a reserve at last when the world hath been loved as your best so long as you could keep it Nothing so much defendeth worldliness as a cheating hope that you have it but in a subdued pardoned degree and that you are not worldlings when you are And nothing so much supports this hope as because you confess that Heaven only must be your last refuge and full felicity and therefore you do something for it on the by But is not the world more loved more sought more delighted in and â—aster Luke 14. 26 27 30 33. held Hath it not more of your hearts your delight desire and industry If you cannot let go all for Heaven and forsake all this world for a treasure above you cannot be Christs true Disciples § 39. Direct 18. If ever you would overcome the love of the world your great care must be to mortifie Direct 18. the Flesh for the world is desired but as its provision A mortified man hath no need of that which is a sensualists felicity Quench your hydropical feavorish thirst and then you will not make Socrates saepe cum eorum quae publice vendebantur multitudinem intueretur secum ista volvebat Quam multis ipse non egeo Laert. in Socr. Pecuniam perdidisti Bene si te illa non peâ—didit quod jam multis possessoribus suis fecit Gaude tibi ablatum unde infici posses teque illaesum inter pericula transivisse Petrarch l. 2. Dial. 13. such a stir for drink Cure the disease which enrageth your appetite and that is the safest and cheapest way of satisfying it Then you will be thankful to God when you look on other mens wealth and gallantry that you need not these things And you will think what a trouble and burden and interruption of your better work and comfort it would be to you to have so much land and so many servants and goods and business and persons to mind as rich men have And how much better you can enjoy God and your self in a more retired quiet state of life But of this more in the next Part. § 40. Did men but know how much of an ungodly damnable state doth consist in the Love of the world and how much it is the enemy of souls and how much of our Religion consisteth in Exod. 18. 21 2 Pet. 2. 14. 1 Tim. 3. â— Col. 3. 5. the contempt and conquest of it and what is the meaning of their renouncing the World in their baptismal Covenant and how many millions the Love of the world will damn for ever they would not make such a stir for nothing and spend all their dayes in providing for their perishing flesh nor think them happiest that are richest nor boast themselves of their hearts desire and bless the Covetous whom the Lord abhorreth Psal. 10. 3. They would not think that so small a sin which Christians should not so much as name but in detestation Ephes. 5. 3. When God hath resolved that the covetous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 10. Ephes. 5. 5. And a Christian must not so much as eat with them 1 Cor. 5. 11. Did Christ say in vain Take heed and beware of Covetousness Luke 12. 15. Wo to him that coveteth an evil Covetousness to his house that he may set his nest on high that he may be delivered from the power of evil Hab. 2. 9. O what deserving servants hath the world that will serve it so diligently so constantly and at so dear a rate when they before hand know that besides a little transitory deluding pleasure it will pay them with nothing but everlasting shame O wonderful deceiving power of such an empty shadow or rather wonderful folly of mankind That when so many ages have been deceived before us and almost every one at death confesseth it did but deceive them so many still should be deceived and take no warning by such a world of examples I conclude with Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee PART VII Directions against the Master sin SENSUALITY FLESH-PLEASING or Voluptuousness § 1. I Shall be the shorter on this also because I have spoken so much already in my Treatise of Self-denyal Before we come to more particular Directions it is needful that we discern the nature and evil of the sin which we speak against I shall therefore 1. Telly you what
of as it is a Means or an Expression of the good or evil of the mind 14. Sometime the present time must be most regarded herein and sometimes the future For when some great sin or judgement or other reason calls us to a Fast when it becomes needful to the ends of that present day we must do it though the Body were so weak that it would be somewhat the worse afterward so be it that the Good which we may expect by it that day be greater than the good which it is like to deprive us of afterward otherwise the after loss if greater is more to be avoided 15. Many things do Remotely fit us for our main end which neerly and directly seem to have no tendency to it As those that are only to furnish us with natural strength and vigor and alacrity or to prevent impediments As a Travellers hood and cloak and other carriage seem rather to be hinderances to his speed but yet are necessary for preventing the cold and wet which else might hinder him more yea a possible uncertain danger or impediment if great may be prevented with a certain small impediment So it is meet that our Bodies be kept in that health and alacrity which is ordinarily necessary to our duty and in eating and drinking and lawfull recreations it is not only the next or present duty which we prepare for but for the duty which may be very distant 16. Ordinarily it is safest to be more fearful of excess of fleshly-pleasure than of defect For ordinarily we are all very prone to an excess and also the excess is usually more dangerous When excess is the Damnation of all or most that ever perish and Defect is but the Trouble and hinderance but never or rarely the Damnation of any it 's easie then to see on which side we should be most fearful cautelous and vigilant 17. Yet excessive scrupulousness may be a greater sin and a greater hinderance in the work of God than some small excesses of flesh-pleasing which are committed through ignorance or inadvertency When an honest heart which preferreth God before the Flesh and is willing to please him though it displease the flesh shall yet mistake in some small particulars or commit some daily errors of infirmity or heedlessness it is a far less hinderance to the main work of Religion than if that man should daily perplex his mind with scruples about every bit he eats whether it be not too pleasing or too much and about every word he speaks and every step he goes as many poor tempted melancholy persons do thereby disabling themselves not only to Love and Praise and Thankfulness but even all considerable service In sum All pleasing of the senses or flesh which is lawful must have these qualifications 1. Gods Glory must be the ultimate end 2. The matter must be lawful and not forbidden 3. Therefore it must not be to the hinderance of duty 4. Nor to the drawing of us to sin 5. Nor to the hurt of our health 6. Nor too highly valued or too dearly bought 7. The measure must be moderate where any of these are wanting it is sin And where flesh-pleasing is Habitually in the bent of Heart and Life preferred before the Pleasing of God it proves the soul in captivity to the flesh and in a damnable condition § 6. III. I am next to shew you the evil or malignity of predominant Flesh-pleasing For if the The Greatness of the sin greatness of the sin were known it would contribute much to the cure And 1. Understand that it is the sin of sins the end of all sin and therefore the very sum and Life of all All the evil wicked men commit is ultimately to please the flesh The love of flesh-pleasing is the cause of all Pride and Covetousness and Whoredom and wantonness and gluttony and drunkenness and all the rest are but either the immediate works of sensuality and Flesh-pleasing or the distant service of it by laying in provision for it And all the malicious enmity and opposition to God and Godliness is from hence because they cross the interest and desires of the flesh The final cause is it for which men invent and use all the Means that tend to it Therefore all other sin being nothing but the means for the pleasing of our fleshly appetites and fancies its evident that flesh-pleasing is the common cause of them all and is to all other sin as the spring is to the watch or the poise to the clock the weight which giveth them all their motion Cure this sin and you have taken off the poise and curâ—d all the positite sins of the soul Though the privative sins would be still uncured if there were no more done Bâ—cause that which makes the clock stand still is not enough to make it go right But indeed nothing but the Love of Pleasing God can truly cure the Love of flesh-pleasing and such a cure is the cure of every sin both positive and privative active and defective § 7. 2. Flesh-pleasing is the Grand Idolatry of the world and the Flesh the greatest Idol that ever wâ—s set up against God Therefore Paul saith of sensual worldlings that their Belly is their God and thence it is that they mind earthly things and glory in their shame and are enemies to the cross of Christ that is to sufferings for Christ and the doctrine and duties which would cause their sufferings That is a mans God which he taketh for his chief Good and Loveth best and trusteth in most and is most desirous to please And this is the flesh to every sensualist He loveth pleasure more than God 2 Tim. 3. 2 4. He savoureth or mindeth the things of the flesh and liveth to it and walketh after it Rom. 8. 1 5 6. 7. 8. 13. He maketh provision for it to satisfie its appetite or lusts Rom. 13. 14. H soweth to the flesh Gal. 6. 8. and fullfilleth his lust when it lusteth against the spirit Gal. 5. 16 17. And thus while concupiscence or sensuality hath dominion sin is said to have dominion over them and they are servants to it Rom. 6. 14 20. For to whom men yield themselves servants to obey his servants they are whom they serve or obey Rom. 6. 16. It is not bowing the knee and praying to another that is the chief Idolatry As Loving and Pleasing and Obeying and Trusting and Seeking and Delighting in him are the chiefest parts of the service of God which he preferreth before a thousand sacrifices or complements So Loving the flesh and Pleasing it and Obeying it and Trusting in it and Seeking and Delighting in its pleasures are the chief service of the Flesh and more than if you offered sacrifice to it and therefore is the Grand Idolatry And so the flesh is the great enemy of God which hath the chiefest Love and Service which is due to him and robs him of the Hearts of all mankind that are
carnal and unsanctified All the Baals and Iupiters and Apolloes and other Idols of the world set together have not so much of the Love and Service due to God as the Flesh alone hath If other things be Idolized by the sensualist it is but as they subserve his flesh and therefore they are made but inferior Idâ—ls He may Idolize his wealth and Idolize men in power and worldly greatness but it is but as they can help or hurt his Flesh This hath his Heart By the interest of the flesh he judgeth of his condition by this he judgeth of his friends By this he chooseth his actions or refuseth them and by this he measureth the words and actions of all others He takes all for Good which pleaseth his Flesh and all for bad that is against his pleasure § 8. 3. The flesh is not only the common Idol but the most devouring Idol in all the world It hath not as subservient flattered Idolâ— have only a knee and complement or now and then a sacrifice or ceremonie but it hath the heart the tongue the body to serve it the whole estate the service of friends the use of wit and utmost diligence in a word it hath All. It is loved and served by the sensualist as God should be loved and served by his own even with all the Heart and Soul and Might They honour it with their substance and the first fruits of their increase It is as faithfully served as Christ requireth to be of his disciples Men will part with Father and Mother and Brother and Sister and nearest friends and all that is against it for the pleasing of their flesh Nay Christ required men to part with no greater matter for him than transitory earthly things which they must shortly part with whether they will or no but they do for the flesh ten thousand thousand fold more than ever they were required to do for Christ They forsake God for it They forsake Christ and Heaven and their Salvation for it They forsake all the solid comforts oâ— this life and all the joys of the life to come for it They sell all that they have and lay down the price at its feet Yea more than all they have even all their Hopes of what they might have to all eternity They suffer a martyrdom in the flames of Hell for ever for their flesh All the pains they take is â—or â—â— All the wrong they do to others and all the stirs and ruines that they make in the world is for it And all the time they spend is for it and had they a thousand years more to live they would spend it all accordingly If any thing seem excepted for God it is but the bones or crums or leavings of the flesh Or rather its nothing For God hath not indeed the hours which he seems to have He hath but a few fair words and complements when the flesh hath their hearts in the midst of their hypocritical worship and on his holy day And they serve him but as the Indians serve the Devil that he may serve their turns and do them no hurt § 9. 4. How base an Idol is the Flesh If all the derision used by Elijah and the Prophets against the Heathenish Idolatry be due is not as much due against the Idolatry of all the sensual Is it so great a madness to serve an Idol of silver or gold or stone or wood What better is it to serve an Idol of flesh and blood A paunch of gutts That 's full of filth and excrements within and the skin it self the cleanest part is ashamed to be uncovered We may say to the Carnal worldling as Elijah to the Baalists and more Call upon your God in the hour of your distress Cry aloud Perhaps he is asleep or he is blowing his nose or vomiting or purging Certainly he will be shortly rotting in the grave more loathsom than the dirt or dung upon the earth And is this a God to sacrifice all that we can get to And to give all our time and care and labour and our souls and all to O judge of this Idolatry â—â— God will make you judge at last § 10. 5. And here next consider how impious and horrid an abasement it is of the eternal God to prefer so vile a thing before him And whether every ungodly sensual man be not a constant practical Blaspheamer What dost thou but say continually by thy practice This dunghil nasty flesh is to be preferred before God to be more loved and obeyed and served It deserveth more of my time than he It is more worthy of my delight and love God will be judge and judge in righteousness ere long whether this be not the daily language of thy life though thy tongue be taught some better manners And whether this be Blasphemy judge thy self Whether thou judge God or the flesh more worthy to be pleased and which thou thinkest it better to please ask thy own heart when Cards and Dice and Eating and Drinking and Gallantry and Idleness and Greatness and Abundance do all seem so sweet unto thee in comparison of thy thoughts of God and his holy word and service And when morning and night and whenever thou art alone those thoughts can run out with unweariedness or pleasure upon these provisions for thy flesh which thou canst hardly force to look up unto God a quarter of an hour though with unwillingness § 11. 6. Think also what a contempt of Heaven it is to prefer the pleasing of the flesh before it There is but two ends which all men aym at the pleasing of the flesh on earth or the enjoying of God in Heaven unless any be deluded to think that he shall have a sensual life hereafter too as well as here And these two stand one against the other And he that sets up one doth renounce or as good as renounce the other If yee sow to the flesh of the flesh ye shall reap corruption But if ye sow to the spirit of the spirit ye shall reap everlasting life Gal. 6. 8. Your wealth and honour and sports and pleasures and appetites are put in the scales against Heaven and all the Joys and Hopes hereafter To say you hope to have them both is the cheat of infidelity that believes not God And is not Heaven most basely esteemed of by those that prefer so base a thing before it § 12. 7. Remember that flesh-pleasing is a great contempt and treacherie against the soul. It is a great contempt of an immortal soul to prefer its corruptible flesh before it and to make its servant to become its master and to ride on horseback while it goes as it were on foot Is the flesh worthy of so much time and cost and care and so much ado as is made for it in the world and is not a never dying soul worth more Nay it is a betraying of the soul You set up its enemy before it and
for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed The night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light let us walk honestly as in the day not in ryoting and drunkeness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying but put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof 3. Time must be Redeemed from things indifferent and lawful at another time when things necessary do require it He that should save mens lives or quench a fire in his house or provide for his family or do his Masters work will not be excused if he neglect it by saying that he was about an indifferent or a lawful business Natural rest and sleep must be parted with for Time when necessary things require it Paul Preached till midnight being to depart on the morrow Act. 20. 7. The Lamenting Church calling out for Prayer saith Arise cry out in the night in the beginning of the watches pour out thy heart like water before the fac◠of the Lord Lam. 2. 19. Cleanthes Lamp must be used by such whose Sun-light must be otherwise employed 4. Time must be Redeemed from worldly business and commodity when matters of greater weight and commodity do require it Trades and Plow and profit must stand by when God calls us by necessity or otherwise to greater things Martha should not so much as trouble her self in providing meat for Christ and his followers to eat when Christ is offering her food for her soul and she should with Mary have been hearing at his feet Luk. 10. 42. Worldlings are thus called by him Isa. 55. 1 2 3. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the water Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfyeth not hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fatness 5. Time must be Redeemed from smaller Duties which in their season must be done as being no duties when they hinder Greater duty which should then take place It is a duty in its time and place to shew respect to neighbours and superiours and to those about us and to look to our family affairs but not when we should be at Prayer to God or when a Minister should be Preaching or at his necessary studies Private Prayer and Meditation and visiting the sick are duties But not when we should be at Church or about any greater duty which they hinder The Directions contemplative for Redeeming Time § 8. Direct 1. Still keep upon thy Heart by Faith and Consideration the lively sense of the Greatness Direct 1. and absolute necessity of that work which must command thy Time remembring who setteth thee on work and on what a work he sets thee and on what terms and what will be the end It is God that calleth thee to labour And wilt thou stand still or be doing other things when God expecteth duty from thee Moses must go to Pharaoh when God bids him go Ionas must go to Nineve when God bids him go yea Abraham must go to Sacrifice his Son when God bids him go And may you go about your fleshly pleasures when God commandeth you to his service He hath appointed you a work that is worth your Time and all your labour to know him and serve him and obey him and to seek everlasting life How diligently should so excellent a work be done and so blessed and glorious a master be served especially considering the unutterable importance of our diligence we are in the race appointed us by our Maker and are to Run for an immortal Crown It 's Heaven that must be now won or lost And have we Time to spare in such a race We are fighting against the enemies of our salvation The question is now to be resolved whether the Flesh the World and the Devil or We shall win the day and have the victory And Heaven or Hell must be the issue of our warfare And have we Time to spare in the midst of such a fight when our very loss of Time is no small part of the enemies conquest Our most wise Omnipotent Creator hath been pleased to make this present life to be the trying preparation for another resolving that it shall go with us all for ever according to our preparations here And can we play and loyter away our Time that have such a work as this to do O miserable sensless souls do you believe indeed the Life everlasting and that all your lives are given you now to resolve the question whether you must be in Heaven or Hell for ever Do you believe this Again I ask you Do you believe this I beseech you ask your Consciences over and over whether you do indeed believe it Can you believe it and yet have Time to spare what find Time to play away and game away and idle and prate away and yet believe that this very Time is given you to prepare for life eternal and that salvation or damnation lyeth on the race which now even now you have to run Is not such a man a Monster of stupidity If you were asleep or mad it were the more excusable to be so sensless But to do thus awake and in your wits O where are the brains of those men and of what metal are their hardened hearts made that can idle and play away that Time that little Time that only Time which is given them for the everlasting saving of their souls Verily firs if sin had not turned the ungodly part of the world into a Bedlam where it is no wonder to see a man out of his wits people would run out with wonder into the Streets to see such a monster as this as they do to see mad men in the Country where they are rare and they would call to one another Come and see a man that can trifle and sport away his Time as he is going to Eternity and is ready to enter into another world Come and see a man that hath but a few dayes to win or lose his soul for ever in and is playing it away at Cards and Dice or wasting it in doing nothing Come and see a man that hath hours to spare and cast away upon trifles with Heaven and Hell before his eyes For thy souls sake consider and tell thy self If thy estate in the world did lye upon the spending of this day or week or if thy life lay on it so that thou must live or dye or be poor or rich sick or well as thou spendest it wouldst thou then waste it in dressings or complement or play and wouldst thou find any to spare upon impertinent triflings Or rather wouldst thou not be up betime and about thy business and turn by thy games and thy diverting company and disappoint thy idle visiters
the Love of God we must be content to be shut out from the Love of God § 47. Inst. 9. Thus also the vulgar separate the Mercy and the Iustice of God! As if God knew Instance 9. not better than man to whom his mercy should extend And as if God be not merciful if he will be a righteous Governour and unless he will suffer all the world to spit in his face and blaspheme him and let his enemies go all unpunished § 48. Inst. 10. Thus many separate Threatnings and Promises Fear and Love a perfect Law and a pardonining Instance 10. Gospel As if he that is a man and hath both fear and Love in his nature must not make use of both for God and his salvation and the Law-giver might not fit his Laws to work on both As if Hell may not be feared and Heaven loved at once § 49. Inst. 11. Thus hypocrites separate in conceit their seeming Holiness and devotion to God from Instance 11. duties of Iustice and Charity to men As if they could serve God acceptably and disobey him wilfully Or as if they could love him whom they never saw and not love his Image in his works and children whom they daily see As if they could hate and persecute Christ in his little ones or at least neglect him and yet sincerely love him in himself § 50. Inst. 12. Thus by many Scripture and Tradition Divine faith and humane faith are commonly Instance 12. opposed Because the Papists have set Tradition is a wrong place many cast it away because it fits not that place When mans Tradition and Ministerial Revelation is necessary to make known and bring down Gods Revelation to us And a subservient Tradition is no disparagement to Scripture though a supplemental Tradition be And man must be believed as man though not as God! And he that will not believe man as man shall scarce know what he hath to believe from God § 51. Inst. 13. Thus many separate the sufficiency of the Law and Rule from the usefulness of an Instance 13. Officer Minister and Iudge As if the Law must be imperfect or else need no Execution and no Iudge for execution Or as if the Iudges execution were a supplement or addition to the Law As if the Question Who shall be the Iudge Did argue the Law of insufficiency and the promulgation and execution were not supposed § 52. Inst. 14. Thus also many separate the necessity of a publick Iudge from the lawfulness and Instance 14. necessity of a private judgement or discerning in all the rational subjects As if God and man did govern only Brutes or we could obey a Law and not judge it to be a Law and to be obeyed and not understand the sense of it and what it doth command us As if fools and mad men were the only subjects As if our learning of Christ as his Disciples and meditating day and night in his Law and searching for Wisdom in his Word were a disobeying him as our King As if it were a possible thing for subjects to obey without a private judgement of discretion Or as if there were any repugnancy between my judging what is the Kings Law and his judging whether I am punishable for disobeying it or as if judging our selves contradicted our being judged of God! § 53. Inst. 15. So many separate between the operation of the Word and Spirit the Minister and Instance 15. Christ As if the Spirit did not usually work by the Word and Christ did not preach to us by his Ministers and Embassadors And as if they might despise his Messengers and not be taken for despisers of himself Or might throw away the dish and keep the milk § 54. Inst. 16. Thus many separate the special Love of Saints from the common Love of man as man Instance 16. As if they could not Love a Saint unless they may hate an enemy and despise all others and deny them the Love which is answerable to their Natural Goodness § 55. Inst. 17. Thus many separate Universal or Catholick Union and Communion from particular Instance 17. And some understand no Communion but the Universal and some none but the particular Some say we separate from them as to Catholick Communion if we hold not local particular Communion with them yea if we joyn not with them in every mode As if I could be personally in ten thousand thousand Congregations at once or else did separate from them all Or as if I separated from all mankind if I differed from all men in my visage or complexion Or as if I cannot be absent from many thousand Churches and yet honour them as true Churches of Christ and hold Catholick communion with them in Faith Hope and Love Yea though I durst not joyn with them personally in Worship for fear of some sinful condition which they impose Or as if I need not be a member of any ordered worshipping Congregation because I have a Catholick faith and Love to all the Christians in the world § 56. Inst. 18. Thus are the outward and inward worship separated by many who think that all Instance 18. which the Body performeth is against the due spirituality or that the spirituality is but fansie and contrary to the form or outward part As if the heart and the knee may not fitly bow together nor decency of order concur with Spirit and truth § 57. Inst. 19. Thus many separate faith and obedience Pauls Iustification by faith without the Instance 19. works of the Law from Iames's Iustification by works and not by faith only and Christs Justification by our words Matth. 12. 37. And thus they separate free Grace and Iustification from any necessary condition and from the rewardableness of obedience which the Antients called Merit But of this at large elsewhere § 58. Inst. 20. And many separate Prudence and zeal meekness and resolution the wisdom of the Instance 20. Serpent and the innocency of the Dove yielding to no sin and yet yielding in things lawful maintaining our Christian liberty and yet becoming all things to all men if by any means we may save some These Instances are enow I will add no more § 59. Direct 18. Take heed of falling into factions and parties in Religion be the party great or Direct 18. small high or low in honour or dishonour and take heed lest you be infected with a factious censorious uncharitable hurting zeal For these are much contrary to the interest Will and Spirit of Christ Therefore among all your readings deeply suck in the doctrine of charity and peace and read much Reconciling moderating Authors Such as Drury Hall Davenant Crocius Bergius Martinius Amyraldus Dallaeus Testardus Calixtus Hottonus Junius Paraeus and Burroughs their Irenicons § 60. The reading of such Books extinguisheth the consuming flame of that infernal envious zeal described Iames 3. and kindleth charity and meekness and mellowness and
now abroad in the world Of the millions of Heathens and Mahometanes and other strangers or enemies to Christ Of the obstinate Jews of the dark corrupted lamentable state of the Greek Armenian Ethiopian and Roman Churches where Religion is so wofully obscured and dishonoured by ignorance error superstition and prophaneness Of the Papal tyranny and usurpation and of the divided state of all the Churches and the prophaness and persecution and uncharitableness and contentions and mutual reproaches and revilings which make havock for the Devil among the members of Christ. Tit. 5. Directions against sinful Hopes HOPE is nothing but a Desirous expectation Therefore the Directions given before against sinful Dâ—â—h any man doubt that if there were taken out of mens minds vain opinions flattering hopes false valuations imaginations c. but it would leave the minds of a number of men poor shrunken things full of melancholy and indisposition and uncomfortable to themselves Lord Bacoâ— Essay of Lâ—es Love and Desire may suffice also against sinful Hopes save only for the expecting part Hope is sinful 1. When it is placed ultimately upon a forbidden object as to Hope for some evil to your selves which you mistakingly think is good To hope for felicity in the creature or to hope for more from it than it can afford you To hope for the hurt of other men for the ruine of your enemies for the hindrance of the Gospel and injury to the Church of Christ. 2. When you hope for a Good thing by evil means as to Hope to please God or to come to Heaven by persecuting his servants or by ignorance or superstition or schism or Heresie or any sin 3. To Hope ungroundedly for that from God which he never promised 4. To Hope deceitfully for that from God which he hath declared he will never give All these are sinful Hopes But it is not these last that I shall here say much to because I have said so much already of them in many other writings § 2. Direct 1. Hope for nothing from God against faith or without faith that is for nothing Direct 1. which he hath said he will not give nor for any thing which he hath not promised to give or given you some reason to expect To hope for that which God hath told us he will not give or that which is against the Holiness and Iustice of God to give this is but to Hope that God will prove a lyer or unholy or unjust which are wicked and blaspheaming hopes Such are the Hâ—pes which abundance of ignorant and ungodly persons have who hope to be saved without regeneration and without true Holiness of heart or life and hope to be saved in their willful impenitence and beloved sins who hope that God forgiveth them those sins which they hate not nor will not be perswaded to forsake And hope that the saying over some words of prayer or doing something which they call a good work shall save them though they have not the spirit of Christ Or that hope to be saved though they are unsanctified because they are not so bad as some others and live not in any notorious disgraceful sin All these believe the Devil who tells them that an unholy person may be saved and believe that the Gospel is false which saith without Holiness none shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. and they Hope that God will prove unholy unjust and false to save them and yet this they call a Hoping in God Hope for that which God hath promised and spare not but not for that which he hath said he will not do yea protested cannot be Iohn 3. 3 5. § 3. Direct 2. When thou Hopest for any evil to others or thy self remember what a monstrous thing Direct 2. it is to make evil the object of thy Hope and how those Hopes are but thy hastning unto chosen misery and contradict themselves For thou Hopest for it as Good and to be greedy for evil on supposition that its good doth shew thy folly that wilt try no better the objects of thy Hopes Like a sick man that longs and hopeth for that which if he take it will be his death Thus sinners hope for the poysoned bait § 4. Direct 3. Understand how much of the root of worldliness consisteth in your worldly Hopes Direct 3. Poor worldlings have little in possession to delight in but they keep up a Hope of more within them Many a covetous or ambitious wretch that never reacheth that which he desireth yet liveth upon the Hopes of it And Hope is it that setteth and keepeth men at work in the service of the world the flesh and the Devil as Divine Hope doth set and keep men at work for Heaven for their souls and for Jesus Christ. And many an Hypocrite that loseth much upon the account of his Religion yet sheweth his rottenness by keeping up his worldly hopes and going no further than will stand with those § 5. Direct 4. Hath not the world deceived all that have hoped in it unto this day Consider what is Direct 4. become of them and of their Hopes What hath it done for them and where hath it left them And wilt thou place thy Hopes in that which hath deceived so many generations of men already § 6. Direct 5. Remember that thy worldly Hopes are a sin so fully condemned by natural demonstration Direct 5. that thou art utterly left without excuse Thou art certain before-hand that thou must die Thou knowest how vain the world will be then to thee and how little it can do for thee And yet art thou Hoping for more of the world § 7. Direct 6. Consider that the world declareth its vanity in the very Hopes of worldlings In that it Direct 6. is still drawing them by Hopes and never giveth them satisfaction and content Almost all the life of a worldlings pleasure is in his Hopes The very thing which he hopeth for doth not prove so sweet to him in the possession as it was in his hopes A Hoping and Hoping still for that which they never shall attain is the worldlings life § 8. Direct 7. O turn your souls to those blessed Hopes of life eternal which are sent you from Heaven Direct 7. by Iesus Christ and set before you in the holy Scriptures and proclaimed to you by the messengers of grace Doth God offer you sure well-grounded hopes of living for ever in his Ioy and Glory And do you neglect them and lie hoping for that felicity in the world which cannot be attained and which will give no content when you have attained it This is more foolish than to toyl and impoverish your selves in Hope to find the Philosophers stone and refuse a Kingdom freely offered Tit. 6. Directions against sinful Hatred Aversation or Backwardness towards Of Hatred to men I shall speak anon God § 1. THe hatred to God and backwardness to his service which is
inimicus sed tu veritaâ—i Hieron i. Gal. 5. Godliness in the world Gods Laws condemn the very life and pleasure of the fleshly man Godliness is unreconcileable to concupiscence and the carnal interest Lay by thy fleshly mind and interest or as sure as thou art a man thou wilt be judged and damned as an enemy to God Dost thou not feel that this is the cause of thy enmity that God putteth thee on unpleasing holy courses and will not let thee please thy flesh but affrighteth thee with the threatnings of Hell Rom. 8. 6 7 8. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God ver 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks Acts 9. 5. Wo to him that striveth with his Maker Isa. 45. 9. Read Luke 19. 27. § 15. Direct 6. Draw neâ—r and accustome thy soul to serious thoughts of God For it is strangeness Direct 6. that maketh thee the more averse to him We have less pleasure in the company of strangers than of familiar acquaintance Reconciliation must be made by coming nearer and not by keeping at a distance still § 16. Direct 7. Study well the wonderful Love and Mercy which he hath manifested to thy soul in Direct 7. the Redemption wrought by Iesus Christ in the Covenant of Grace in all the patience he hath exercised towards thee and all his offers of mercy and salvation entreating thee to turn and live Canst thou remember what God hath done for thee all thy life and how patiently and mercifully he hath dealt with thee and yet canst thou hate him or thy Heart be against him § 17. Direct 8. Iudge not of God or Holiness by the faults of any men that have seemed holy Direct 8. No more than you will censure the Sun because Thieves rob by the light of it or because some men are purblind God hateth sin in them and you where ever he findeth it Judge of God and holiness by his proper nature and true effects and by the holy Scripture and not by the crimes of sinners which he condemneth who if they had been more Holy had less offended § 18. Direct 9. Come among the godly and try a holy life a while and judge not of it or them Direct 9. that use it by the reports of the Devil and wicked men Malice will speak ill oâ— God himself and of his holiest servants Can worse be said than was said of Christ himself and his Apostles The Devil was not ashamed to belye Iob to Gods own face and tell God that he was such a one as that a little tryal to his flesh would turn him from his Godliness But those that come near and try the wayes and servants of God do find that the Devil did belye them § 19. Direct 10. Remember thy near approaching end and how dreadful it will be to be found and Direct 10. judged among the malignant enemies of Holiness And if the Righteous be scarcely saved where then shall the ungodly and the sinner appear 1 Pet. 4. 18. Then what wouldst thou give to be one of those holy ones that now thou hatedst and to be judged as those that lived in that holiness which thy malignant heart could not abide Then thou wilt wish that thou hadst lived and dyed as the righteous that thy latter end might have been like his Tit. 7. Directions against sinful Wrath or Anger § 1. AS Anger is against the Love of our neighbour I shall speak of it afterwards As it is against the soul it self I shall speak of it in this place Anger is the rising up of the heart in passionate displicency against an apprehended evil which would cross or hinder us of some desired good It is given us by God for Good to stir us up to a vigorous resistance of those things which within us or without us do oppose his Glory or our salvation or our own or our neighbours real good § 2. Anger is Good when it is thus used to its appointed end in a right manner and measure But it is sinful 1. When it riseth up against God or any Good as if it were evil to us As wicked men are angry at those that would convert and save them and that tell them of their sins and hinder them from their desires 2. When it disturbeth Reason and hindereth our judging of things Duo maxime contraria sunt consilio Ira â—â—stinatio Bias in Laert. aright 3. When it casteth us into any unseemly carriage or causeth or disposeth to any sinful words or actions when it enclineth us to wrong another by word or deed and to do as we would not be done by 4. When it is mistaken and without just cause 5. When it is greater in measure than the cause alloweth 6. When it unfitteth us for our duty to God or man 7. When it tendeth to Read Sexeca de Ira and be ashamed to come short of a Heathen the abatement of Love and brotherly kindness and the hindering of any good which we should do for others Much more when it breedeth malice and revenge and contentions and unpeaceableness in societies oppression of inferiours or dishonouring of superiours 8. When it stayeth too long and ceaseth not when its lawful work is done 9. When it is selfish and carnal stirred up upon the account of some carnal interest and used but as a means to a selfish carnal sinful end As to be angry with men only for crossing your Pride or profit or sports or any other fleshly will In all these it is sinful Directions Meditative against sinful Anger § 3. Direct 1. Remember that immoderate anger is an injury to humanity and a rebel against the Direct 1. Government of Reason It is without reason and against reason Whereas in man all Passions should be obedient to Reason It is the misery of madness and the crime of drunkenness to be the suppressing and dethroning of our Reason And sinful Anger is a short madness or drunkenness Remember that thou art a man and scorn to subject thy self to a bestial fury § 4. Direct 2. It is also against the Government of God for God governeth the Rational powers first Direct 2. and the inferiour by them If you destroy the Kings Officers and Judges you oppose the Government of the King Is a man in passion fit to obey the commands of God that hath silenced his Reason § 5. Direct 3. Sinful Passion is a pain and malady of the mind And will you love or cherish your Direct 3. disease or pain Do you not feel your selves in pain and diseased while it is upon you I do not think you would take all the world to live
a costly sin and consumeth more than would serve to many better purposes How great a part of the riches of most Kingdoms are spent in Luxury and Excess § 28. 13. It is a sin that is a great enemy to the common good Princes and Common-wealths have reason to hate it and restrain it as the enemy of their safety Men have not money to defray the publick charges necessary to the safety of the Land because they consume it on their Guts Armies and Navies must be unpaid and Fortifications neglected and all that tendeth to the glory of a people must be opposed as against their personal interest because all is too little for the throat No great works can be done to the honour of the Nation or the publick good no Schools or Almshouses built and endowed no Colledges erected no Hospitals nor any excellent work because the Guts devour it all If it were known how much of the Treasure of the Land is thrown down the Sink by Epicures of all degrees this sin would be frowned into more disgrace § 29. 14. Gluttony and Excess is a sin greatly aggravated by the Necessities of the poor Whâ—â— an incongruity is it that one member of Christ as he would be thought should be feeding himself deliciously every day and abounding with abused superfluities whilst another is starving and pining in a Cottage or begging at the door and that some families should do worse than cast their delicates and abundance to the Dogs whilst thousands at that time are ready to famish and are fain to feed on such unwholsome food as killeth them as soon as Luxury kills the Epicure Do these men believe that they shall be judged according to their feeding of the poor Or do they take themselves Matth â—5 â— to be members of the same body with those whose sufferings they so little feel 1 Cor. 12 26. It may be you 'll say I do relieve many of the poor But are there not more yet to be relieved As long as there are any in distress it is the greater sin for you to be luxurious Deut. 15. 7. If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren in thy land thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thy hand against thy poor brother but thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him c. Nay how often are the poor oppressed to satisfie luxuâ—iâ—us appetites Abundance must have hard bargains and hard usage and toil like Horses and scarce be able to get bread for their families that they may bring in all to belly-god Landlords who consume the fruit of other mens labours upon their devouring flesh § 30. 15. And it is the heinouser sin because of the common calamities of the Church and Servants of Christ throughout the world One part of the Church is oppressed by the Turk and another by the Pope and many Countreys wasted by the cruelties of Armies and persecuted by proud impious enemies and is it fit then for others to be wallowing in sensuality and gluttony Amos 6. 1 3 4 5 6. Wo to them that are at ease in Zion Ye that put far away the evil day and cause the seat of violence to come near That lye upon beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon their couches and eat the Lambs out of the flock and the Calves out of the midst of the stall that châ—unt to the sound of the Viol That drink Wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the chief oyntments but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph It is a time of great humiliation and are you now given up to fleshly luxury Read Isa. 22. 12 13 14. And in that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning and to baldness and to girding with sackcloth and behold joy and gladness slaying Oxen and killing Sheep eating Flesh and drinking Wine let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye dye saith the Lord of Hosts § 31. 16. Luxury is a sin most unseemly for men in so great misery and incongruous to the state of the Gluttonous themselves O man if thou hadst but a true sight of thy sin and misery of death and judgement and of the dreadful God whom thou dost offend thou wouldst percieve that fasting and prayer and tears become one in thy condition much better than glutting thy devouring flesh What a man unpardoned unsanctified in the power of Satan ready to be damned if thus thou dye for so I must suppose of a Glutton for such a man to be taking his fleshly pleasure For a Dives to be faring sumptuously every day that must shortly want a drop of water to cool his tongue is as foolish as for a Thief to feast before he goeth to hanging yea and much more For you might yet prevent your misery and another posture doth better beseem you to that end Fasting and crying mightily to God is fitter to your state See Ionah 3. 8. Ioel 1. 14. Ioel 2. 15. § 32. 17. Gluttony is a sin so much the greater by how much the more Will and Delight you have in the committing of it The sweetest most voluntary and beloved sin is caeteris paribus the greatest And few are more pleasant and beloved than this § 33. 18. Those are the worst sins that have least Repentance But Gluttony is so far from being truly Repented of by the luxurious Epicure that he loveth it and careth and contriveth how to commit it and buyeth it with the price of much of his estate § 34. 19. It is the greater sin because it is so frequently committed Men live in it as their daily practice and delight They live for it and make it the end of other sins It is not a sin that they seldom fall inâ—â— â—ut it is almost as familiar with them as to eat and drink Being turned into Beasts they live like Beasts continually § 35. 20. Lastly It is a spreading sin and therefore is become common even the sin of Countreys of rich and poor For both sorts love their bâ—llies though both have not the like provision for them And they are so far from taking warning one of another that they are encouraged one by another and the sin is scarce noted in one of a hundred that daily liveth in it Nor is there almost any that reprove it or help one another against it unless by impoveâ—â—shing each other but most by perswasions and examples do encourage it though some much more than others So that by this time you may see that it is no rare noâ— venial little sin § 36. And now you may see also that it is no wonder if no one of the Commandments expresly forbid this sin not only because it is a sin against our selves directly but also because it is against every one almost of the Commandments And think not that either Riches or Poverty will excuse it when even
Laert. in Aristip. a man is such are his speeches such his works and such his life Therefore by vain or sinful words you tell men the vanity and corruption of your minds § 4. 3. Mens works have a great dependance on their words Therefore if their deeds be regardable their words are regardable Deeds are stirred up or caused by words Daily experience telleth us the power of speech A speech hath saved a Kingdom and a speech hath lost a Kingdom Great actions depend on them and greater consequents § 5. 4. If the men that we speak to be regardable words are regardable For words are powerful instruments of their good or hurt God useth them by his Ministers for mens conversion and salvation And Satan useth them by his Ministers for mens subversion and damnation How many thousand souls are hurt every day by the words of others Some deceived some puffed up some hardned and some provoked to sinful passions And how many thousand are every day edified by words either instructed admonished quickned or comforted Paul saith The weapons of our warfare are 2 Cor. 10. 4. mighty through God And Pythagoras could say that Tongues cut deeper than swords because they reach even to the soul Tongue sins and duties therefore must needs be great § 6. 5. Our Tongues are the Instruments of our Creators praise purposely given us to speak good of Psal. 66. 2. â—â— 2 135. 3. 148. 13. â—9 2. 100. his Name and to declare his works with rejoycing It is no small part of that service which God expects from man which is performed by the Tongue nor a small part of the end of our Creation The use of all our highest faculties parts and graces are expressively by the Tongue Our Wisdom and Knowledge our Love and Holiness are much lost as to the Honour of God and the good of others if not expressed The tongue is the Lanthorn or Casement of the soul by which it looketh out and shineth unto others Therefore the sin or duty of so noble an instrument are not to be made light of by any that regard the honour of our Maker § 7. 6. Our words have a great reflection and operation upon our own hearts As they come from them so they recoil to them as in prayer and conference we daily observe Therefore for our own good or hurt our words are not to be made light of § 8. 7. Gods Law and Iudgement will best teach you what regard you should have to words Christ telleth you that by your words you shall be justified and by your words you shall be condemned Matth. Matth. 12. 32. They who use but few words need not many Laws said Charyllus when he was asked why â—yâ—â—â—â—gus made so few Laws Pâ—â—t Apophâ—hâ—g p. 423. 12. 37. And it is words of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which are the unpardonable sin Jam. 3. 2. If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body v. 6. The tongue is a fire a world of iniquity so is the tongue amongst our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature and it is set on fire of Hell Jam. 1. 26. If any man among you seem to be Religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans Religion is vain 1 Pet. 3. 10. For he that will love life and see good dayes let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile Matth. 12. 36. But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement The third Commandment telleth us that God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain And Psal. 15. 1 2 3. Speaking the truth in his heart and not backbiting with the tongue is the mark of him that shall abide in Gods Tabernacle and dwell in his holy Hill And the very work of Heaven is said to be the perpetual praising of God Rev. 14. 11. Judge now how God judgeth of your words § 9. 8. And some conjecture may be made by the judgement of all the world Do you not care your selves what men speak of you and to you Do you not care what language your children or servants or neighbours give you Are not words against the King treasonable and capital as well as deeds The wheel of affairs or course of nature is set on fire by words Jam. 3. 6. I may conclude then with Prov. 18. 21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue and Prov. 21. 23. Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from trouble § 10. Direct 2. Understand well and remember the particular duties of the Tongue For the meer Direct 2. restraint of it from evil is not enough And they are these 1. To glorifie God by the magnifying of The Duties of the Tongue his Name To speak of the praises of his Attributes and Works 2. To sing Psalms of Praise to him and delight our souls in the sweet commemoration of his excellencies 3. To give him thanks for the mercies already received and declare to others what he hath done for our souls and bodies for Plato Rectâ— diceâ—e in quatuor scindit 1. Quid dicere oportet 2. Quam multa dicere 3. Ad quos 4. Quando sit dicendum Ea oportet dicere quae sint utilia dicenti auditori Nec nimis multa nec pauciora quam satis est Sâ—ad peccâ—ntes seniores dicendum sit verba illi aetati congrua loquamur sin vero ad juniores dicâ—ndum sit majore autoritate uâ—amur in dicendo Laâ—rt in Plat. his Church and for the world 4. To pray to him for what we want and for our brethren for the Church and for the conversion of his and our enemies 5. To appeal to him and swear by his Name when we are called to it lawfully 6. To make our necessary Covenants and Vows to him and to make open profession of our belief subjection and obedience to him before men 7. To preach his Word or declare it in discourse and to teach those that are committed to our care and edifie the ignorant and erroneous as we have opportunity 8. To defend the truth of God by conference or disputation and consute the false doctrine of deceivers 9. To exhort men to their particular duties and to reprove their particular sins and endeavour to do them good as we are able 10. To confess our own sins to God and man as we have occasion 11. To crave the advice and help of others for our souls and enquire after the will of God and the way to salvation 12. To praise that which is good in others and speak good of all men superiours equals and inferiors so far as there is just ground and cause 13. To bear witness to the truth when we are called
souls to do their undertaken work § 1. Motive 1. Consider that the Holy Government of Families is a considerable part of Gods own Government Motive 1. of the world and the contrary is a great part of the Devils Government It hath pleased God to settle as a natural so a Political order in the world and to honour his creatures to be the instruments of his own operations And though he could have produced all effects without any interior causes and could have Governed the world by himself alone without any instruments he being not as Kings constrained to make use of Deputies and Officers because of their own natural confinement and insufficiency yet is he pleased to make inferiour causes partakers in such excellent effects and taketh delight in the frame and order of causes by which his will among his creatures is accomplished So that as the several Justices in the Countries do govern as Officers of the King so every Magistrate and Master of a family doth govern as an Officer of God And if his government by his Officers be put down or neglected it is a contempt of God himself or a rebellion against him What is all the practical Atheism and Rebellion and ungodliness of the world but a rejecting of the Government of God It is not against the Being of God in it self considered that his enemies rise up with malignant rebellious opposition But it is against God as the Holy and Righteous Governour of the world and especially of themselves And as in an Army if the Corporals Sergeants and Lieutenants do all neglect their offices the Government of the General or Colonels is defeated and of little force so if the Rulers of Families and other Officers of God will corrupt or neglect their part of Government they do their worst to corrupt or cast out Gods Government from the earth And if God shall not Govern in your families who shall The Devil is always the Governour where Gods Government is refused The world and the flesh are the instruments of his Government Worldliness and Fleshly living are his service Undoubtedly he is the Ruler of the family where these prevail and where Faith and Godliness do not take place And what can you expect from such a Master § 2. Motive 2. Consider also that an ungoverned ungodly family is a powerful means to the damnation Motive 2. of all the members of it It is the common Boat or Ship that hurrieth souls to Hell that is bound for the devouring gulf He that is in the Devils Coach or Boat is like to go with the rest as the Driver or the Boatman pleaseth But a well-governed family is an excellent help to the saving of all the souls that are in it As in an ungodly family there are continual temptations to ungodliness to swearing and lying and railing and wantonness and contempt of God so in a Godly family there are continual provocations to a holy life to faith and love and obedience and heavenly mindedness Temptations to sin are fewer there than in the Devils Shops and Workhouses of sin The Authority of the Governours the conversation of the rest the examples of all are great inducements to a holy life As in a well ordered Army of valiant men every coward is so linked in by order that he cannot choose but fight and stand to it with the rest and in a confused rowt the valiantest man is born down by the disorder and must perish with the rest even so in a well ordered holy family a wicked man can scarce tell how to live wickedly but seemeth to be almost a Saint while he is continually among Saints and heareth no words that are profane or filthy and is kept in to the constant exercises of Religion by the authority and company of those he liveth with O how easie and clean is the way to Heaven in such a gratious well ordered family in comparison of what it is to them that dwell in the distracted families of prophane and sensual worldlings As there is greater probability of the salvation of souls in England where the Gospel is preached and professed than in Heathen or Mahometane countrys so is there a greater probability of their salvation that live in the houses and company of the Godly than of the Ungodly In one the advantages of instruction command example and credit are all on Gods side and in the other they are on the Devils side § 3. Motive 3. A holy well-governed Family tendeth not only to the safety of the members but also Motive 3. to the ease and pleasure of their lives To live where Gods Law is the principal Rule and where you may be daily taught the mysteries of his Kingdom and have the Scriptures opened to you and be led as by the hand in the paths of life where the praises of God are daily celebrated and his name is called upon and where all do speak the heavenly language and where God and Christ and Heaven are both their daily work and recreation where it is the greatest honour to be most holy and heavenly and the greatest contention is who shall be most humble and godly and obedient to God and their superiors and where there is no reviling scornes at Godliness nor no prophane and scurrilous talk what a sweet and happy life is this Is it not likest to Heaven of any thing upon earth But to live where worldliness and prophaneness and wantonness and sensuality bear all the sway and where God is unknown and holiness and all religious exercises are matter of contempt and scorn and where he that will not swear and live prophanely doth make himself the hatred and derision of the rest and where men are known but by their shape and speaking-faculty to be men nay where men take not themselves for men but for bruits and live as if they had no rational souls nor any expectations of another life nor any higher employments or delights than the transitory concernments of the flesh what a sordid lothsom filthy miserable life is this made up by a mixture of BEASTLY and DEVILISH To live where there is no communion with God where the marks of Death and Damnation are written as it were upon the doors in the face of their impious worldly lives and where no man understandeth the holy language and where there is not the least foretast of the Heavenly everlasting joys what 's this but to live as the Serpents seed to feed on dust and to be excommunicated from the face and favour of God and to be chained up in the prison of concupiscence and malignity among his enemies till the judgement come that is making haste and will render to all men according to their works § 4. Motive 4. A holy and well-governed family doth tend to make a Holy Posterity and so to propagate Motive 4. the fear of God from Generation to Generation It is more comfortable to have no children than to beget
and breed up children for the devil Their natural corruption is advantage enough to Satan to engage them to himself and use them for his service But when Parents shall also take the Devils part and teach their children by precepts or example how to serve him and shall estrange them from God and a holy life and fill their minds with false conceits and prejudice against the means of their salvation as if they had sold their children to the Devil no wonder then if they have a black posterity that are trained up to be heirs of Hell He that will train up children for God must begin betimes before sensitive objects take too deep possession of their hearts and custom increase the pravity of their nature Original sin is like the arched Indian Fig-tree whose branches turning downwards and taking root do all become as trees themselves The acts which proceed from this habitual viciousness do turn again into vicious habits And thus sinful nature doth by its fruits increase it self And when other things consume themselves by breeding all that sin breedeth is added to it self and its breeding is its feeding and every act doth confirm the habit And therefore no means in all the world doth more effectually tend to the happiness of souls than wise and holy education This dealeth with sin before it hath taken the deepest root and boweth nature while it 's but a twig It preventeth the increase of natural pravity and keepeth out those deceits corrupt opinions and carnal fantasies and lusts which else would be serviceable to sin and Satan ever after It delivereth up the heart to Christ betime or at least doth bring him a Disciple to his School to learn the way to life eternal and to spend those years in acquainting himself with the ways of God which others spend in growing worse and in learning that which must be again unlearned and in fortifying Satans garrison in their hearts and defending it against Christ and his saving grace But of this more anon § 5. Motive 5. A holy well-governed family is the preparative to a holy and well-governed Church If Masters of families did their parts and sent such polished materials to the Churches as they ought to Motive 5 do the work and life of the Pastors of the Church would be unspeakably more easie and delightful It would do one good to Preach to such an auditory and to Catechise them and instruct them and examine them and watch over them who are prepared by a wise and holy education and understand and love the doctrine which they hear To lay such polished stones in the building is an easie and delightful work How teachable and tractable will such be And how prosperously will the labours of their Pastors be laid out upon them And how comely and beautiful the Churches be which are composed of such persons And how pure and comfortable will their communion be But if the Churches be sties of unclean beasts if they are made up of ignorant and ungodly persons that savour nothing but the things of the flesh and use to worship they know not what we may thank ill-governed families for all this It is long of them that Ministers preach as to idiots or barbarians that cannot understand them and that they must be always feeding their auditors with milk and teaching them the principles and Catechizing them in the Church which should have been done at home Yea it is long of them that there are so many Wolves and Swine among the Sheep of Christ and that holy things are administred to the enemies of holiness and the godly live in communion with the haters of God and Godliness and that the Christian Religion is dishonoured before the heathen world by the worse-than-heathenish lives of the Professors and the pollutions of the Churches do hinder the conversion of the unbelieving world whilest they that can judge of our Religion no way but by the people that profess it do judge of it by the lives of them that are in heart the enemies of it when the haters of Christianity and Godliness are the Christians by whose conversations the Infidel world must judge of Christianity you may easily conjecture what judgement they are like to make Thus Pastors are discouraged the Churches defiled Religion disgraced and Infidels hardned through the impious disorder and negligence of families What Universities were we like to have if all the Grammar-Schools should neglect their duties and send up their scholars untaught as they received them and if all Tutors must teach their pupils first to spell and read Even such Churches we are like to have when every Pastor must first do the work which all the Masters of families should have done and the part of many score or hundreds or thousands must be performed by one § 6. Motive 6. Well-governed Families tend to make a happy State and Commonwealth A good Motive 6. education is the first and greatest work to make good Magistrates and good Subjects because it tends to make good men Though a good man may be a bad Magistrate yet a bad man cannot be a very good Magistrate The ignorance or worldliness or sensuality or enmity to godliness which grew up with them in their youth will shew it self in all the places and relations that ever they shall come into When an ungodly family hath once confirmed them in wickedness they will do wickedly in every state of life when a perfidious Parent hath betrayed his Children into the power and service of the Devil they will serve him in all relations and conditions This is the School from whence come all the injustice and cruelties and persecutions and impieties of Magistrates and all the murmurings and rebellions of subjects This is the soil and seminary where the seed of the Devil is first sown and where he nurseth up the plants of Covetousness and Pride and Ambition and Revenge Malignity and Sensuality till he transplant them for his service into several Offices in Church and State and into all places of inferiority where they may disperse their venome and resist all that is good and contend for the interest of the flesh and Hell against the interest of the Spirit and of Christ. But O what a blessing to the world would they be that shall come prepared by a holy education to places of Government and Subjection And how happy is that Land that is ruled by such superiours and consisteth of such prepared subjects as have first learnt to be subject to God and to their Parents § 7. Motive 7. If the Governours of Families did faithfully perform their duties it would be a Motive 7. great supply as to any defects in the Pastors part and a singular means to propagate and preserve Religion in times of publick negligence or persecution Therefore Christian Families are called Churches because they consist of holy persons that worship God and learn and love and obey his word If you lived among
in my Saints Rest Part 3. Chap. 14. Sect. 11. c. and therefore shall be here omitted yet something shall be inserted lest the want here should appear too great § 1. Motive 1. Consider how deeply Nature it self doth engage you to the greatest care and diligence Motive 1. for the holy education of your children They are as it were parts of your selves and those that Nature teacheth you to Love and provide for and take most care for next your selves And will you be regardless of their chief concernments and neglective of their souls Will you no other way shew your love to your children than every Beast or Bird will to their young to cherish them till they can go abroad and shift for themselves for corporal sustenance It is not Dogs or Beasts that you bring into the world but Children that have immortal souls And therefore it is a care and education suitable to their natures which you owe them Even such as conduceth most effectually to the happiness of their souls Nature teacheth them some natural things without you as it doth the Bird to flye But it hath committed it to your trust and care to teach them the greatest and most necessary things If you should think that you have nothing to do but feed them and leave all the rest to Nature then they would not learn to speak And if Nature it self would condemn you if you teach them not to speak it will much more condemn you if you teach them not to understand both what they ought to speak and do They have an everlasting inheritance of happiness to attain and it is that which you must bring them up for They have an endless misery to escape and it is that which you must diligently teach them If you teach them not to escape the flames of Hell what thanks do they owe you for teaching them to speak and go If you teach them not the way to Heaven and how they may make sure of their salvation what thanks do they owe you for teaching them how to get their livings a little while in a miserable world If you teach them not to know God and how to serve him and be saved you teach them nothing or worse than nothing It is in your hands to do them the greatest kindness or cruelty in all the world Help them to know God and to be saved and you do more for them than if you helped them to be Lords or Princes If you neglect their souls and breed them in ignorance worldliness ungodliness and sin you betray them to the Devil the enemy of souls even as truly as if you sold them to him You sell them to be slaves to Satan you betray them to him that will deceive them and abuse them in this life and torment them in the next If you saw but a burning Fornace much more the flames of Hell would you not think that man or woman more fit to be called a Devil than a Parent that could find in their hearts to cast their Child into it or to put him into the hands of one that would do it What Monsters then of inhumanity are you that read in Scripture which is the way to Hell and who they be that God will deliver up to Satan to be tormented by him and yet will bring up your children in that very way and will not take pains to save them from it What a stir do you make to provide them food and rayment and a competent maintenance in the world when you are dead And how little pains take you to prepare their souls for the heavenly inheritance If you seriously believe that there are such Ioyes or Torments for your children and your selves as soon as death removeth you hence is it possible that you should take this for the least of their concernments or make it the least and last of your cares to assure them of an endless happiness If you Love them shew it in those things on which their everlasting welfare doth depend Do not say you Love them and yet lead them unto Hell If you love them not yet be not so unmerciful to them as to damn them It is not your saying God forbid and we hope better that will make it better or be any excuse to you What can you do more to damn them if you studied to do it as maliciously as the Devil himself You cannot possibly do more than to bring them up in ignorance carelessness worldliness sensuality and ungodliness The Devil can do nothing else to damn either them or you but by tempting to sin and drawing you from Godliness There is no other way to Hell No man is damned for any thing but this And yet will you bring them up in such a life and say God forbid we do not desire to damn them But it is no wonder when you do by your children but as you do by your selves Who can look that a man should be reasonable for his child that is so unreasonable for himself Or that those Parents should have any mercy on their childrens souls that have no mercy on their own You desire not to damn your selves but yet you do it if you live ungodly lives And so you will do by your children if you train them up in ignorance of God and in the service of the flesh and world You do like one that should set fire on his house and say God forbid I intend not to burn it or like one that casteth his child into the Sea and saith he intendeth not to drown him or traineth him up in robbing and thievery and saith he intendeth not to have him hanged But if you intend to make a Thief of him it is all one in effect as if you intended his hanging for the Law determineth it and the Iudge will intend it So if you intend to train up your children in ungodliness as if they had no God nor souls to mind you may as well say you intend to have them damned And were not an enemy yea is not the Devil more excusable for dealing thus cruelly by your children than you that are their Parents that are bound by Nature to love them and prevent their misery It is odious in Ministers that take the charge of souls to betray them by negligence and be guilty of their everlasting misery but in Parents it is more unnatural and therefore more unexcusable § 2. Motive 2. Consider that God is the Lord and Owner of your children both by the title of Creation and Motive 2. Redemption Therefore in justice you must resign them to him and educate them for him Otherwise you rob God of his own Creatures and rob Christ of those for whom he dyed and this to give them to the Devil the enemy of God and them It was not the world or the flesh or the Devil that created them or redeemed them but God And it is not possible for any Right to be built upon a
to have their own wills speak often with great disgrace of self-willedness and stubbornness and tell others in their hearing what hath befâ—ln self-willed Children § 4. Direct 4. Make them neither too bold with you nor too strange or fearful and govern them Direct 4. no as servants but as Children making them perceive that you dearly love them and that all your commands restraints and corrections are for their good and not meerly because you will have it so They must be ruled as Rational Creatures that Love themselves and those that Love them If they perceive that you dearly love them they will obey you the more willingly and the easilier be brought to repent of their disobedience and they will as well obey you in heart as in outward actions and behind your back as before your face And the Love of you which must be caused by your Love to them must be one of the chiefest means to bring them to the Love of all that good which you commend to them and so to form their wills sincerely to the will of God and make them holy For if you are too strange to them and too terrible they will fear you only and not much love you And then they will love no Books no practices that you commend to them But like hypocrites they will seek to please you to your face and care not what they are in secret and behind your backâ— Nay it will tempt them to loath your government and all that good which you perswade them to and make them like birds in a Cage that watch for an opportunity to get away and get their liberty They will be the more in the company of servants and idle Children because your terrour and strangeness maketh them take no delight in yours And fear will make them lyars as oft as a lye seemeth necessary to their escape Parents that shew much love to their Children may safely shew severity when they commit a fault For then they will see that it is their fault only that displeaseth you and not their persons and your Love reconcileth them to you when they are corrected When less correction from Parents that are allway strange or angry and shew no tender love to their Children will alienate them and do no good Too much boldness of Children leadeth them before you are aware to contempt of Parents and all disobedience And too much fear and straâ—geness depriveth them of most of the benefits of your care and government But tender love with severity only when they do amiss and this at a reverend convenient distance is the only way to do them good § 5. Direct 5. Labour much to possess their hearts with the Fear of God and a reverence of the Direct 5. holy Scriptures and then whatsoever duty you command them or whatever sin you forbid them shew them sâ—me plain and urgent Texts of Scripture for it and cause them to learn them and oft repeat them that so they may find reason and Divine authority in your commands Till their obedience begin to be Rational and Divine it will be but formal and hypocritical It is Conscience that must watch them in private when you see them not And Conscience is Gods officer and not yours and will say nothing to them till it speak in the name of God This is the way to bring the Heart it self into subjection and also to reconcile them to all your commands when they see that they are first the commands of God of which more anon § 6. Direct 6. In all your speech of God and of Iesus Christ and of the Holy Scripture or the life Direct 6. to come or of any holy duty speak alwaies with gravity seriousness and reverence as of the most great and dreadful and most sacred things For before Children come to have any distinct undâ—rstanding of particulars it is a hopeful beginning to have their hearts possest with a general reverence and high esteem of holy matters For that will continually awe their Consciences and help their judgements and settle them against prejudice and prophane contempt and be as a seed of holiness in them For the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom Psal. 111 10. Prov. 9. 10. 1. 7. And the very manner of the Parents speech and carriage expressing great reverence to the things of God hath a very great power to leave the like impression on a Child Most Children of Godly Parents that ever came to good I am perswaded can tell you this by experience if their Parents did their duty in this point that the first good that ever they felt upon their hearts was a reverence to holy things which the speech and carriage of their Parents taught them § 7. Direct 7. Speak alwayes before them with great honour and praise of Holy Ministers and Direct 7. Isa. 3. 7 8 9 11 Psal. 15. 4. Psal. 101. Psal. 10. 2 3 4. people and with dispraise and loathing of every sin and of ungodly men For this also is a thing that Children will quickly and easily receive from their Parents Before they can understand particular doctrines they can learn in general what kind of persons are most happy or most miserable and they are very apt to receive such a liking or dâ—slâ—king from their Parents judgement which hath a great hand in all the following good or evil of their lives If you possess them with good and honourable thoughts of them that fear God they will ever after be enclined to think well of them and to dislike those that speak evil of them and to hear such Preachers and to wâ—sh themselves such Christians so that in this and the foregoing point it is that the first stirrings of grace in Children are ordinarily felt And therefore on the other side it is a most pernicious thing to Children when they hear their Parents speak contemptuously or lightly of holy things and persons and irreverently talk of God and Scripture and the life to come or speak dispraisingly or scornfully of Godly Ministers or people or make a jeast of the particular duties of a religious life These Children are like to receive that prejudice or prophane contempt into their hearts bâ—times which may bolt the doors against the love of God and holiness and make their salvation a work of much greater difficulty and much smaller hope And therefore still I say that wicked Parents are the most notable servants of the Devil in all the world and the bloodiest enemies to their Childrens souls More souls are damned by ungodly Parents and next them by ungodly Ministers and Magistrates than by any instruments in the world besides And hence it is also that whole Nations are so generally carryed away with enmity against the wayes of God The Heathen Nations against the true God and the Infidel Nations against Christ and the Papist Nations against Reformation and spiritual Worshippers Because the Parents speak evil to the Children of all
and run greedily after the the errours of Balaam And 2 Pet. 2. 3 14 15. Through Covetousness they make mer handize of you An heart they have exercised with covetous practices Cursed Children or Children of a Curse which have for saken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the Son of Bosor who loved the wages of unrighteousness but was rebuked for his iniquity the duâ—b Asse speaking with mans voice forbad the madness of the Prophet When you shall every one hear Thou foâ—l this night shall thy soul be required of thee and then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Luke 12. 19 20 21. will it not then cut deep in your perpetual torments to remember that you got that little pelf by betraying so many souls to hell What men in the World doth Iames speaks to if not to you Jam. 5. 1 2 3 4. Go to now ye Rich men weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten your gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire ye have heaped treasure together for the last dayes Behold the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your fields which is of you kept back by fraud cryeth and the cryes of them which have reaped have entred into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath How much more the cry of betrayed souls And here we may seasonably answer these cases Quest. 1. Is it lawful for a Christian to buy and use a man as a slave Quest. 2. Is it lawful to use a Christian as a slave Quest. 3. What difference must we make between a free servant and a slave To Quest. 1. I answer There is a slavery to which some men may be Lawfully put and there is a slavery to which none may be put And there is a slavery to which only the criminal may be put by way of penalty 1. No man may be put to such a slavery as under the first Direction is denyed that is such as shall injure Gods interest and service or the mans salvation 2. No man but as a just punishment for his crimes may be so enslaved as to be deprived of those liberties benefits and comforts which brotherly love obligeth every man to grant to another for his good as far as is within our power all things considered That is the same man is a servant and a brother and therefore must at once be used as both 3. Though poverty or necessity do make a man consent to sell himself to a life of lesser misery to escape a greater or death it self yet is it not lawful for any other so to take advantage by his necessity as to bring him into a condition that shall make him miserable or in which we shâ—â— not exercise so much love as may tend to his sanctification comfort and salvation Because no Iustice is beseeming a Christian or a Man which is not conjoyned with a due measure of Charity But 1. He that deserveth it by way of penalty may be penally used 2. He that stole and cannot restore may be forced to work it out as a servant And in both these cases more may be done against anothers ease or liberty than by meer contract or consent He that may hang a flagitious offender doth him no wrong if he put him to a slavery which is less penal than death 3. More also may be done against Enemies taken in a lawful War than could be done against the innocent by necessitated consent 4. A certain degree of servitude or slavery is lawful by the necessitated consent of the innocent That is so much 1. As wrongeth no interest of God 2. Nor of mankind by breaking the Law of Nations 3. Nor the person himself by hindering his salvation or the needful means thereof nor those comforts of life which nature giveth to man as man 4. Nor the Common-wealth or society where we live Quest. 2. To the 2 Quest. I answer 1. As men must be variously Loved according to the various Quest. 2. degrees of amiableness in them so various degrees of Love must be exercised towards them Therefore good and real Christians must be used with more Love and brotherly tenderness than others 2. It is meet also that infidels have so much mercy shewed them in order to the saving of their souls as that they should be invited to Christianity by fit encouragements And so that they should know that if they will turn Christians they shall have more priviledges and emoluments than the enemies of truth and piety shall have It is therefore well done of Princes who make Laws that Infidel slaves shall be free men when they are duly Christened 3. But yet a nominal Christian who by wickedness forfeiteth his Life or freedom may penally be made a slave as well as Infidels 4. And a poor and needy Christian may sell himself into a harder state of servitude than he would choose or we could otherwise put him into But 5. To go as Pirats and catch up poor Negro's or people of another Land that never forfeited Life or Liberty and to make them slaves and sell them is one of the worst kinds of Thievery in the world and such persons are to be taken for the common enemies of mankind And they that buy them and use them as beasts for their meer commodity and betray or destroy or neglect their souls are fitter to be called incarnate Devils than Christians though they be no Christians whom they so abuse Quest. 3. To the 3 Quest. I answer That the solution of this case is to be gathered from what Quest. 3. is said already A Servant and a Voluntary slave were both free men till they sold or hired themselves And a criminal person was a freeman till he forfeited his life or liberty But afterward the difference is this that 1. A free servant is my servant no further than his own Covenant made him so Which is supposed to be 1. To a certain kind and measure of labour according to the meaning of his contract 2. For a limited time expressed in the contract whether a year or two or three or seven 2. A Slave by meer Contract is one that 1. Usually selleth himself absolutely to the will of another as to his labour both for kind and measure where yet the limitations of God and nature after and before named are supposed among Christians to take place 2. He is one that selleth himself to such labour during life 3. A Slave by just penalty is lyable to so much servitude as the Magistrate doth judge him to which may be 1. Not only such labour as aforesaid as pleaseth his master to impose 2. And that for life 3. But it may be also to stripes and severities which might not lawfully be inflicted on another 1. The Limitations of a
satisfaction for our sins and Risen from the dead and conquered death and Satan and is ascended and Glorified in Heaven and that he is the King and Teacher and High Priest of the Church That he hath made a new Covenant of Grace and pardon and offered it in his Scriptures and by his Ministers to the World and that those that are sincere and faithful in this Covenant shall be saved and those that are not shall remedilâ—sly be damned because they reject this Christ and Grace which is the last and only remedy And here open to them the nature of this Covenant that God doth offer to be our Reconciled God and Father and Felicity and Christ to be our Saviour to forgive our sins and reconcile us unto God and renew us by his spirit and the Holy Spirit to be our sanctifier to illuminate and regenerate and confirm us and that all that is required on our part is such an unfeigned consent as will appear in the performance in our serious endeavours Even that we wholly give up our selves to be renewed by the holy spirit to be justified taught and Governed by Christ and by him to be brought again to the Father to Love him as our God and End and to live to him and with him for ever But whereas the temptations of the Devil and the allurements of this deceitful world and the desires of the flesh are the great enemies and hinderances in our way we must also consent to renounce all these and let them go and deny our selves and take up with God alone and what he seeth meet to give us and to take him in Heaven for all our portion And he that consenteth unfeignedly to this Covenant is a member of Christ a justified reconciled Child of God and an heir of Heaven and so continuing shall be saved and he that doth not shall be damned This is the Covenant that in Baptism we solemnly entred into with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as our Father and Felicity our Saviour and our Sanctifier This in some such brief explication you must familiarly open to them again and again § 10. Direct 10. When you have opened the Baptismal Covenant to them and the Essentials of Direct 10. Christianity cause them to learn the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments And tell them the Uses of them that man having three Powers of soul his Understanding his Will and his Obediential or executive power all these must be sanctified and therefore there must be a Rule for each And that accordingly the Creed is the summary Rule to tell us what our Understandings must Believe and the Lords Prayer is the summary Rule to direct us what our wills must desire and our tongues must ask and the Ten Commandments is the summary Râ—le of our Practice And that the Holy Scripture in general is the more large and perfect Rule of all And that all that will be taken for true Christians must have a General implicite Belief of all the Holy Scriptures and a particular explicite Belief Desire and sincere practice according to the Creeds Lords Prayer and ten Commandments § 11. Direct 11. Next teach them a short Catechism by memory which openeth these a little Direct 11. more fully and then a larger Catechism The shorter and larger Catechism of the Assembly are very well fitted to this use I have published a very brief one my self which in eight Articles or Answers containeth all the essential points of Belief and in One Answer the Covenant-consent and in four Articles or Answers more containeth all the substantial parts of Christian duty The answers are some of them long for Children But if I knew of any other that had It is in my 〈…〉 and by it self so much in so few words I would not offer this to you because I am conscious of its imperfections But there are very few Catechisms that differ in the substance Which ever they learn let them as they go have your help to understand it and let them keep it in memory to the last § 12. Direct 12. Next open to them more distinctly the particular part of the Covenant and Catechism Direct 12. And here I think this Method most profitable for a family 1. Read over to them the best expositions that you can get on the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments which are not too large to confound them nor too brief so as to be hardly understood For a summary Mr. Brinsleyes True watch is good but thus to read to them such as Mr. Perkins on the Creed and Dr. King on the Lords Prayer and Dod on the Commandments are fit so that you may read one Article one Petition and one Commandment at a time And read these over to them divers times 2. Besides this in your familiar discourse with them open to them plainly one Head or Article of Religion at a time and another the next time and so on till you come to the end And here 1. Open in one discourse the nature of man and the Creation 2. In another or before it the nature and attributes of God 3. In another the fall of man and especially the Corruption of our nature as it consisteth in an inordinate inclination to earthly and fleshly things and a backwardness or averseness or enmity to God and Holiness and the Life to come and the nature of sin and the impossibility of being saved till this sin be pardoned and these natures renewed and restored to the Love of God and Holiness from this Love of the world and fleshly pleasures 4. In the next discourse open to them the doctrine of Redemption in general and the Incarnation and natures and person of Christ particularly 5. In the next open the Life of Christ his fulfilling the Law and his overcoming the Tempter his humble life and contempt of the world and the end of all and how he is exemplary and imitable unto us 6. In the next open the whole Humiliation and suffering of Christ and the pretenses of his persecutors and the Ends and Uses of his suffering death and burial 7. In the next open his Resurrection the proofs and the Uses of it 8. In the next open his Ascension Glory and Interâ—ession for us and the Uses of all 9. In the next open his Kingly and Prophetical offices in General and his making the Covenant of Grace with man and the nature of that Covenant and its effects 10. In the next open the Works or Office of the Holy Ghost in General as given by Christ to be his Agent in men on earth and his great witness to the world and particularly open the extraordinary gift of the spirit to the Prophets and Apostles to plant the Churches and indite and seal the holy Scripture and shew them the authority and use of the holy Scriptures 11. In the next open to them the ordinary works of the Holy Ghost as the Illuminater Renewer
that you must there exercise II. What there is objectively presented before you in the Sacrament to exercise all these Graces III. At what seasons in the administration each of these inward works are to be done § 47. I. The Graces to be exercised are these besides that holy fear and reverence common to all Worship 1. A humble sense of the odiousness of sin and of our undone condition as in our selves and a displeasure against our selves and loathing of our selves and melting Repentance for the sins we have committed as against our Creator and as against the Love and Mercy of a Redeemer and against the holy Spirit of Grace 2. A hungring and thirsting desire after the Lord Jesus and his Grace and the favour of God and communion with him which are there represented and offered to the soul. 3. A lively faith in our Redeemer his death resurrection and intercession and a trusting our miserable souls upon him as our sufficient Saviour and help And a hearty Acceptance of him and his benefits upon his offered terms 4. A Ioy and gladness in the sense of that unspeakable mercy which is here offered us 5. A Thankful heart towards him from whom we do receive it 6. A fervent Love to him that by such Love doth seek our Love 7. A triumphant Hope of life eternal which is purchased for us and sealed to us 8. A willingness and resolution to deny our selves and all this world and suffer for him that hath suffered for our Redemption 9. A Love to our Brethren our neighbours and our enemies with a readiness to relieve them and to forgive them when they do us wrong 10. And a firm Resolution for future obedience to our Creator and Redeemer and Sanctifier according to our Covenant § 48. II. In the naming of these Graces I have named their Objects which you should observe as distinctly as you can that they may be operative 1. To help your Humiliation and Repentance you bring thither a loaden miserable soul to receive a pardon and relief And you see before you the sacrificed Son of God who made his soul an offering for sin and became a Curse for us to save us who were accursed 2. To draw out your Desires you have the most excellent gifts and the most needful mercies presented to you that this world is capable of Even the Pardon of sin the Love of God the Spirit of Grace and the hopes of Glory and Christ himself with whom all this is given 3. To exercise your Faith you have Christ here first represented as crucified before your eyes and then with his benefits freely given you and offered to your Acceptance with a Command that you refuse him not 4. To exercise your Delight and Gladness you have this Saviour and this Salvation tendered to you and all that your souls can well desire set before you 5. To exercise your Thankfulness what could do more than so great a Gift so dearly purchased so surely sealed and so freely offered 6. To exercise your Love to God in Christ you have the fullest manifestation of his attractive Love even offered to your eyes and taste and heart that a soul on earth can reasonably expect in such wonderful condescension that the greatness and strangeness of it surpasseth a natural mans belief 7. To exercise your Hopes of Life Eternal you have the price of it here set before you you have the Gift of it here sealed to you and you have that Saviour represented to you in his suffering who is now there reigning that you may remember him as expectants of his Glorious Coming to judge the world and glorifie you with himself 8. To exercise your self-denyal and resolution for suffering and contempt of the world and fleshly pleasures you have before you both the greatest Example and Obligation that ever could be offered to the world when you see and receive a Crucified Christ that so strangely denyed himself for you and set so little by the world and flesh 9. To exercise your Love to Brethren yea and enemies you have his example before your eyes that Loved you to the death when you were enemies And you have his holy servants before your eyes who are amiable in him through the workings of his Spirit and on whom he will have you shew your Love to himself 10. And to excite your Resolution for future Obedience you see his double Title to the Government of you as Creator and as Redeemer and you feel the obligations of Mercy and Gratitude and you are to renew a Covenant with him to that end even openly where all the Church are witnesses So that you see here are powerful objects before you to draw out all these Graces and that they are all but such as the work requireth you then to exercise § 49. III. But that you may be the readier when it cometh to practice I shall as it were lead you by the hand through all the parts of the administration and tell you when and how to exercise every grace and those that are to be joyned together I shall take together that needless distinctness do not trouble you 1. When you are called up and going to the Table of the Lord exercise your Humility Desire and Thankfulness and say in your hearts What Lord dost thou call such a wretch as I What! me that have so oft despised thy mercy and wilfully offended thee and preferred the filth of this world and the pleasures of the flesh before thee Alas it is thy wrath in Hell that is my due But if Love will choose such an unworthy guest and Mercy will be honoured upon such sin and misery I come Lord at thy call I gladly come Let thy will be done and let that mercy which inviteth me make me acceptable and gratiously entertain me and let me not come without the wedding garment nor unreverently rush on holy things nor turn thy mercies to my bane § 50. 2. When the Minister is confessing sin prostrate your very souls in the sense of your unworthiness and let your particular sins be in your eye with their heinous aggravations The whole need not the Physicion but the sick But here I need not put words into your mouths or minds because the Minister goeth before you and your hearts must concurr with his Confessions and put in also the secret sins which he omitteth § 51. 3. When you look on the Bread and Wine which is provided and offered for this holy use remember that it is the Creator of all things on whom you live whose Laws you did offend and say in your hearts O Lord how great is my offence who have broken the Laws of him that made me and on whom the whole Creation doth depend I had my Being from thee and my daily bread and should I have requited thee with disobedience Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son § 52. 4. When the
thing in it steal again into your hearts and seem Direct 7. too sweet to you If your friends or dwellings or lands and wealth or honours begin to grow too pleasant and be over-loved your thoughts will presently be carryed after them and turned away from God and all holy affection will be damped and decay and grace will fall into a consumption It is the Love of money that is the root of all evil and the love of this world which is the mortal enemy of the Love of God Keep the world from your hearts if you would keep your graces § 19. Direct 8. Keep a strict Government and watch over your fleshly appetite and sense For the Direct 8. loosing of the reins to carnal lusts and yielding to the importunity of sensual desires is the most ordinary Rom. 8. 13. Rom. 13. 13 14. way of wasting grace and falling off from God § 20. Direct 9. Keep as far as you can from Temptations and all occasions and opportunities of sinning Direct 9. Trust not to your own strength And be not so fool-hardy as to thrust your selves into needless danger No man is long safe that standeth at the brink of ruine If the fire and straw be long near together some spark is like to catch at last § 21. Direct 10. Incorporate your selves into the Communion of Saints and go along with Direct 10. them that go towards Heaven and engage your selves in the constant use of all those means which God hath appointed you to use for your perseverance Especially take heed of an idle slothful unprofitable life And keep your graces in the most lively exercise For the slothful is Brother to the waster And idleness consumeth or corrupteth our spiritual health and strength as well as our bodily Set your selves diligently to work while it is day and do all the good in your places that you are able For it is acts that preserve and increase the habits And a Religion which consisteth only in doing no hurt is so lifeless and corrupt that it will quickly perish § 22. Direct 11. Keep alwayes in thine eye the doleful case of a Backslider which I opened Direct 11. before O what horror is waiting to seize on their consciences How many of them have we known that on their death-beds have lain roaring in the anguish of their souls crying out I am utterly forsaken of God because I have forsaken him There is no mercy for such an apostate wretch O that I had never been born or had been any thing rather than a man Cursed be the day that ever I hearkned to the counsel of the wicked and that ever I pleased this corruptible flesh to the utter undoing of my soul O that it were all to do again Take warning by a mad besotted sinner that have lost my soul for that which I knew would never make me satisfaction and have turned from God when I had found him to be good â—nd gracious O prepare not for such pangs as these or worse than these in endless desperation § 23. Direct 12. Make not a small matter of the beginnings of your backsliding There are very Direct 12. few that fall quite away at once the misery creepeth on by insensible degrees You think it a small matter to cut short one duty and omit another and be negligent at another and to entertain some pleasing thoughts of the world or first to look on the forbidden fruit and then to touch it and then to taste it but these are the way to that which is not small A thought or a look or a taste or a delight hath begun that with many which never stopt till it had shamed them here and damned them for ever CHAP. XXVII Directions for the Poor THere is no condition of life so low or poor but may be sanctified and fruitful and comfortable to us if our own misunderstanding or sin and negligence do not pollute it or imbitter it to us If we do the Duty of our condition faithfully we shall have no cause to murmurr at it Therefore I shall here direct the Poor in the special Duties of their condition and if they will but conscionably perform them it will prove a greater kindness to them than if I could deliver them from their poverty and give them as much riches as they desire Though I doubt this would be more pleasing to the most and they would give me more thanks for money than for teaching them how to want it § 1. Direct 1. Understand first the use and estimate of all earthly things that they were never made Direct 1. to be your portion and felicity but your provision and helps in the way to Heaven And therefore they Prov. 28. 6. Jam. 2. 5. are neither to be estimated nor desired simply for themselves for so there is nothing good but God but only as they are Means to the Greatest Good Therefore neither Poverty nor Riches are simply to be rejoyced in for themselves as any part of our happiness But that condition is to be desired and rejoyced in which affordeth us the greatest helps for Heaven and that condition only is to be lamented and dislikt which hindereth us most from Heaven and from our duty § 2. Direct 2. See therefore that you really take all these things as matters in themselves indifferent Direct 2. and of small concernment to you and as not worthy of much love or care or sorrow further than they conduce to greater things We are like runners in a race and Heaven or Hell will be our End and therefore woe to us if by looking aside or turning back or stopping or trifling about these matters or burdening our selves with worldly trash we should lose the race and lose our souls O Sirs what greater matters than poverty or riches have we to mind Can those souls that muâ—â— shortly be in Heaven or Hell have time to bestow any serious thoughts upon these impertinencies Shall we so much as look at the temporal things which are seen instead of the things eternal that are unseen 2 Cor. 4. 18. Or shall we whine under those light afflictions which may be so improved as to work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory v. 17. Our present life is not in the abundance of the things which we possess Much less is our eternal life Luke 12. 15. § 3. Direct 3. Therefore take heed that you judge not of Gods Love or of your happiness or misery by Direct 3. your riches or poverty prosperity or adversity as knowing that they come alike to all and Love or hatred Eccles. 2. 14. 9. 2. 9. 3. is not to be discerned by them except only Gods Common Love as they are common mercies to the body If a Surgeon is not to be taken for a hater of you because he letteth you blood nor a Physicion because he purgeth his Patient nor a Father because he
the poorest people and their children They never teach them to read nor teach them any thing for the saving of their souls and they think that their poverty will be an excuse for all When reason telleth them that none should be more careful to help their children to Heaven than they that can give them nothing upon earth § 21. Direct 9. Be acquainted with the special Duties of the poor and carefully perform them Direct 9. They are these 1. Let your sufferings teach you to contemn the world It will be a happy poverty if it do but help Duty 1. to wean your affections from all things below that you set as little by the world as it deserveth 2. Be eminently Heavenly-minded The less you have or hope for in this life the more fervently Duty 2. seek a better You are at least as capable of the heavenly treasures as the greatest Princes God purposely Phil. 3. 18 20 21. 2 Cor. 5. 7 8. straitneth your condition in the world that he may force up your hearts unto himself and teach you to seek first for that which indeed is worth your seeking Matth. 6. 33 19 20 21. 3. Learn to live upon God alone Study his Goodness and faithfulness and all-sufficiency When Duty 3. you have not a place nor a friend in the world that you can comfortably betake your selves to for relief Gal. 2. 20. Psal. 73. 25. 26 27 28. 2 Cor. 1. 10. retire unto God and trust him and dwell the more with him If your poverty have but this effect it will be better to you than all the Riches in the world 4. Be laborious and diligent in your Callings Both precept and necessity call you unto this And Duty 4. if you cheerfully serve him in the labour of your hands with a heavenly and obedient mind it will Ephes 4. 28. Prov. 21. 25. 1 Sam. 15. 22. 2 Thes. 3. 8 10 be as acceptable to him as if you had spent all that time in more spiritual exercises For he had rather have Obedience than Sacrifice and all things are pure and sanctified to the pure If you cheerfully serve God in the meanest work it is the more acceptable to him by how much the more subjection and submission there is in your obedience 5. Be humble and submissive unto all A poor man proud is doubly hateful And if Poverty Duty 5. cure your Pride and help you to be truly humble it will be no small mercy to you 〈…〉 1â— 23. 〈…〉 uty 6 6. You are specially obliged to mortifie the flesh and keep your senses and appetites in subjection because you have greater helps for it than the Rich You have not so many baits of lust and wantonness and gluttony and voluptuousness as they 7. Your corporal wants must make you more sensibly remember your spiritual wants and teach Duty 7. you to value spiritual blessings Think with your selves If a hungry cold and naked body be so great a calamity how much greater is a guilty graceless soul a dead or a diseased heart If bodily food and necessaries are so desirable O how desirable is Christ and his Spirit and the Love of God and life eternal 8. You must above all men be careful Redeemers of your Time Especially of the Lords Day Duty 8. Your labours take up so much of your time that you must be the more careful to catch every opportunity for your souls Rise earlier to get half an hour for holy duty and meditate on holy things in your labours and spend the Lords Day in special diligence and be glad of such seasons and let scarcity preserve your appetites 9. Be willing to dye Seeing the world giveth you so cold entertainment be the more content to Duty 9. let it go when God shall call you For what is here to detain your hearts 10. Above all men you should be most fearless of sufferings from men and therefore true to God Duty 10. and Conscience For you have no great matter of honour or riches or pleasure to lose As you fear not a Thief when you have nothing for him to rob you of 11. Be specially careful to fit your children also for Heaven Provide them a portion which is better Duty 11. than a Kingdom For you can provide but little for them in the world 12. Be exemplary in Patience and Contentedness with your state For that grace should be the Duty 12. strongest in us which is most exercised And Poverty calleth you to the frequent exercise of this § 22. Direct 10. Be specially furnished with those Reasons which should keep you in a chearful contentedness Direct 10. with your state and may suppress every thought of anxiety and discontent As 1. Consider as aforesaid that that is the best condition for you which helpeth you best to Heaven Phil. 4. 11 12 13. Maâ—â—h â— â— 1 Sam. 2. 7. Matth. â— 2â— c. 〈…〉 8. 2◠〈…〉 14. 11. 〈…〉 16. 9. 〈…〉 3 15. 〈…〉 9 〈…〉 30 31. 〈…〉 3â— 25. 〈…〉 1â— 14. 〈…〉 5. 22. 〈…〉 9. 20. 〈…〉 4. â— 10. Rom. 8. 28. Heb. 13. 5. and God best knoweth what will do you good or hurt 2. That it is rebellion to grudge at the Will of God which must dispose of us and should be our Rest. 3. Look over the life of Christ who chose a life of poverty for your sakes and had not a place to lay his head He was not one of the Rich and voluptuous in the world and are you grieved to be conformed to him Phil. 3. 7 8 9. 4. Look to all his Apostles and most holy Servants and Martyrs Were not they as great sufferers as you 5. Consider that the Rich will shortly be all as poor as you Naked they came into the world and naked they must go out And a little time makes little difference 6. It is no more comfort to dye Rich than poor but usually much less because the pleasanter the world is to them the more it grieveth them to leave it 7. All men cry out that the world is vanity at last How little is it valued by a dying man and how sadly will it cast him off 8. The time is very short and uncertain in which you must enjoy it We have but a few dayes more to walk about and we are gone Alas of how small concernment is it whether a man be rich or poor that is ready to step into another world 9. The Love of this world drawing the heart from God is the common cause of mens damnation And is not the world liker to be over-loved when it entertaineth you with prosperity than when it useth you like an enemy Are you displeased that God thus helpeth to save you from the most damning sin and that he maketh not your way to Heaven more dangerous 10. You little know the troubles of the Rich He that hath much hath much to do with it and
upon a Cross at the will of proud malitious persecutoâ—s You shall there see that Person whom God hath Chosen to advance above the whole Creation and in John 17. â—4 Phil. 2 7 8 9 10. whom he will be more glorified than all the Saints The wonderful condescension of his Incarnation and the wonderful Mysterie of the Hypostatical Union will there be better understood And which is all in all you shall see the most Blessed God himself whether in his Essence or not yet undoubtedly in his Glory in that state or place which he hath prepared to reveal his Glory in Matth. 5. 8. Heb. 12. 14. for the Glorifying of holy Spirits You shall see him whose sight will perfect your understandings and Love him and feel the fulness of his Love which is the highest felicity that any created Being can attain Though this will be in different measures as souls are more or less amiable and capacious or else the humane nature of Christ would be no happier than we yet none shall have any sinful or trouble some imperfection and all their capacities shall be filled with God O dear friend I am even confounded and ashamed to think that I mention to you such high and glorious things with no more sense and admiration and that my soul is not drawn up in the flames of a more â—ervent Love nor lifted up in higher joyes nor yet drawn out into more longing desires when I speak of such transcendent happiness and joy O had you and I but a glimpse with Acts 7. 56. 2 Cor. 12. 3 4 5. Gal. 1. 4. blessed Stephen or Paul of these unutterable pleasures how deeply would it affect us and how should we abhorr this life of sin and be aweary of this dark and distant state and be glad to be gone from this Prison of flesh and to be delivered from this present evil world This is the life that you are going to live Though a painful Death must open the Womb of Time and let you into eternity how quickly will the pain be over And though Nature make Death dismal to you and sin have made it penal and you look at it now with backwardness and fear yet this will all be quickly past and your souls will be born into a world of joy which will make you forget all your fears and sorrows It is meet that as the Birth of Nature had its pains and the Birth of Grace hads its penitent John 16. 21. John 3. 3 5 7 8. sorrows so the Birth of Glory should have the greatest difficulties as it entreth us into the happiest state O what a change will it be to a humbled fearful soul to find it self in a moment dislodged from a sinful painful flesh and entred into a world of Light and Life and holy Love unspeakably above all the expressions and conceptions of this present life Alas that our present ignorance and fear should make us draw back from such a change That whilst all our brethren that dyed in faith are triumphing in these Joyes with Christ our trembling souls should be so loth to leave this flesh and be afraid to be called to the same felicity O what an enemy is the remnant of Unbelief to our imprisoned and imperfect souls That it can hide such a desirable Glory from our eyes that it should no more affect us and we should no more desire it but are willing to stay so long from God How wonderful is that Love and Mercy that brings such backward souls to Happiness and will drive us away from this beloved world by its afflicting miseries and from this beloved flesh by pain and weariness and will draw us to our joyful blessedness as it were whether we will or not and will not leave us out of Heaven so long till we are willing our selves to come away You seem now to be almost at your journeys end But how many a foul step have those yet to go whom you leave behind you in this dirty world You have fought a good fight and kept the faith and shall never be troubled with an enemy or temptation when this one concluding brunt is over You shall never be so much as tempted to unbelief or pride or worldly mindedness or fleshly lusts or to any defects in the service of your Lord But how many temptations do you leave us encompassed with and how many dangers and enemies to overcome And alas how many falls and wounds may we receive You seem to be near the end of your race when those behind you have far to run You are entring into the harbour and leave us tossed by Tempests on the Waves Flesh will no more entice or clog your soul You will no more have unruly senses to command nor an unreasonable appetite to govern nor a stragling fantasie or wandering thoughts or headstrong lusts or boistrous passions to restrain You will no longer carry about a root of corruption nor a principle of enmity to God! It will no more be difficult or wearisome to you to do good Your service of God will no more be mixed and blemished with imperfections You shall never more have a cold or hard or backward heart or a careless customary duty to lament That primitive Holiness which consisteth in the Love of God and the exercise and delights thereof will be perfected And those subservient duties of Holiness which consist in the use of Recovering means will cease as needless Preaching and Studying and Books will be necessary no more Sacraments and Church Discipline and all such means have done their work Repentance and Faith have attained their end As your bodies after the Resurrection 2 Cor. 3. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 13. 12. will have no need of food or rayment or care or labour so your souls will be above the use of such Creatures and Ordinances as now we cannot be without For the Glass will be unnecessary when you must see the Creator face to face Will it not be a joyful day to you when you shall know God as much as you desire to know him and love him as much as you desire to love him and be loved by him as much as much as you can reasonably desire to be loved and rejoyce in him as much as you desire to rejoyce Yea more than you can now desire I open you but a Casement into the everlasting mansions and shew you but a dark and distant prospect of the promised Land the Heavenly Ierusalem The satisfying sight is reserved for the time when thereby we shall have that satisfying fruition And is there any such thing to be hoped for on earth Will health or wealth will the highest places or the greatest pleasures make man happy You know it will not Or if it would the happiness would be so short as maketh it little worthy of our regard Have you not seen an end of all perfection Have you not observed and tryed what a deluding dream
and shadow of felicity the world puts off its followers with How they act their parts as Players on a stage and they that in a dream or Mask did yesterday seem Princes Lords or Conquerours to day are buryed in a darksome grave And they that yesterday seemed great and rich to day have no more of their furniture or possessions than a Coffin and a Winding-sheet and a place to hide their lothesome flesh And they that yesterday were merry and jovial and in health and honour to day lye groaning in painful misery and are leaving their dear bought beloved riches never to be delightful to them any more How little doth it concern them that must dwell in Heaven or Hell for ever whether they live in wealth or poverty in honour or shame in a Palace or a Cottage in pain or pleasure for so short a time as this transitory life which is almost at an end as soon as it is begun How many millions of dying Parents have cryed out of the world as VANITY and VEXATION and yet their besotted posterity admire it and through the love of it lose their souls and everlasting hopes They boast or rejoyce in the multitude of their Riches as if their houses would continue for ever though in their honour they abide not but are like the beasts that perish and death feedeth on them when like sheep they are laid in the grave And though this their way is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings and follow them by the same sin to the same Perdition Psal. 49. 6 7 10 11 12 13 14 17 19 20. And is this a world for a holy soul to be in love with Hath it merited our affections Doth it love us so much or use us so well that we should be lothe to leave it Iohn 15. 18 19 20. As it loved our Lord it will love his followers As it used him it will use us if he restrain it not Is a blinded Bedlam world a malitious cruel and ungodly world a false perfidious deceitful world a place for 1 John 2. 15. John 15. 17 18 19 20. a Saint to be lothe to leave O blessed be that Love that Blood that Grace which hath provided better for us And shall we be unwilling to go to so sweet a Feast and to partake of a happiness which cost so dear Come on then Dear Friend and faint not at the last and fear not to encounter with the King of Post illam pugnâ—m tâ—â—umphabimus Victoâ—es eâ—m nostro Signiâ—ero in vita aeterna Diu in Christum credidi Desidero jam finem fide ut non â—mplius credam in eum sed videam eum in quem credidi ut gustem quam suavis sit Dominus palpem manibus Dominum meum Deum meum Ibi vocabor Abraham qui laetatur videns diem Christi Exper us sum quod in â—âc vitâ peccatum sit omnia in omnibus Experiar etiam aliam vitam ubi est Dominus omnia in omnibus Abr. Bâ—choltze rfâ—â—â—â—ate Abr. Scâ—lâ—eto ia Cuâ—ic vitae suae pag. 15. fears It is the last enemy and it is a conquered enemy Conquer this and you have no more to conquer Lift up your head and look to your Victorious Reigning Lord Gird up the loins of your mind and let faith and patience hold out yet a little while and play well this last part and all 's your own If the Tempter now assault your faith and sinking flesh do give him any advantage abhorr his blasphemies and cry for help to him that conquered him Do you think yonder high and spacious 1. mansions are uninhabited When every part of Sea and Land hath its inhabitants Why have those blessed Angels been so long employed in ministring for you but to let you know that your souls are not so distant from them but that they are glad of familiarity with you and you may be like them Luke 20. 26. or equal with them in felicity Nature hath put you out of doubt that there is a God of Infinite Eternal Being Power Wisdom and Goodness who is the Efficient Dirigent and Final Cause of all the Creator and Governour of the world And the same Nature hath put you out of doubt that All that his Creatures have or can do is due to him from whom they have it and that so far as you are capable to Know and Love and Serve him that you should employ your faculties herein And nothing is more undenyable to you than that it is our Duty to Love and Serve our God with all our heart and soul and might And it is as clear to you that neither are these Powers given us in vain nor this Duty required of us in vain nor yet that mans Natural highest Duty is made to be the way of his misery and undoing And sure that way which turneth the mind from sensual pleasures and casteth a man on the 2. malice and cruelty of the world and engageth him in so much duty which both the flesh and the world are utter enemies to would be his misery and torment if there were no Rewards and Punishments hereafter and no future Judgement to set all strait that seemed crooked in the judgements of men If all the intrinsick evidences of credibility in the Sacred Word were not sufficient If all the cntecedent Evidences of Prophecy were too little If the concomitant Evidence of all the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles and other of his servants with his own Resurrection and Ascension did seem too distant from you yet mark what subsequent continued Evidences it hath pleased God to bring even to your very sense to assure you of the truth of his Gospel and of the life to come Whence 3. cometh that Universal unreasonable enmity which in all Generations and Nations of the world from Cain and Abel till this day is found in the Carnal against the Spiritual holy seed Even a Seneca telleth us of it among Heathens against that remnant of vertue and temperance and sobriety that was found in the better sort of men Could all mankind be thus infected and hate a Saint that never hurt them much more than those that themselves confess to be most vitious if the fall of Adam were not true Have we a whole world before our eyes that are visibly polluted with that irrational Leprosie and yet shall we doubt whether our common Father was sick of that disease And do you not see that 4 the Gospel where ever it is heartily entertained doth renew the soul and change the life and make the man to be another man not only amending some little things that were amiss but making us new creatures and turning the bent of heart and life another way Though the carnal nominal Christian that never heartily received the Gospel do differ from a Heathen but in opinion and formality yet serious Christians are other men and so transformed as that their holy desires
sight the same industry that is necessary to a thorough acquaintance with other History is necessary to the same acquaintance with this 4. That the common beginning of receiving all such historical truths is first by Believing our Teachers so far as becometh Learners and in the mean time going on to Learn till we come to know as much as they and upon the same historical Evidence as they 5. That if any man be here necessitated to take more than others upon the trust or belief of their Teachers it is long of their Ignorance and therefore if such cry out against their taking things on trust it is like a mad mans raving against them that would order him or as if one should reproach a Nurse for feeding Infants and not letting them feed themselves Oportet discentem credere He that will not believe his Teacher will never learn If a Child will not believe his Master that tells him which are the Letters the Vowels and Consonants and what is their power and what they spell and what every word signifieth in the Language which he is teaching him will he be ever the better for his teaching 6. That he that knoweth these historical matters no otherwise than by the belief of his particular Teacher may nevertheless have a Divine and saving faith For though he believe by a humane faith that these things were done that this is the same Book c. yet he believeth the Gospel it self thus brought to his knowledge because God is true that hath attested it Even as it was a saving faith in Mary and Martha that knew by their eyes and ears and not only by Belief that Lazarus was raised and that Christ preached thus and thus to them but believed his Doctrine to be true because of Gods Veracity who attested it 7. That it is the great wisdom and mercy of God to his weak and ignorant people to provide them Teachers to acquaint them with these things and to â—ou chsafe them such a help to their salvation as to make it a standing Office in his Church to the end of the world that the Infants and ignorant might not be cast off but have Fathers and Nurses and Teachers to take care of them 8. But specially mark that yet these Infants have much disadvantage in comparison of others that know all these matters of fact by the same convincing evidence as their Teachers And that he that followeth on to learn it as he ought may come to prove these subservient matters of fact by such a concurrence of evidences as amounteth to an infalibility or moral certainty beyond meer humane faith as such As e. g. an illiterate person that hath it but from others may be certain that it is indeed a Bible which is ordinarily read and preached to him and that it is so truly translated as to be a sufficient Rule of faith and life having no mistake which must hazard a mans salvation Because the Bible in the Original tongues is so commonly to be had and so many among us understand it and there is among them so great a contrariety of judgements and interests that it is not possible but many would detect such a publick lye if any should deal falsly in so weighty and evident a case There is a Moral certainty equal to a Natural that some actions will not be done by whole Countreys which every individual person hath power and natural liberty to do As e. g. there is no man in the Kingdom but may possibly kill himself or may fast to morrow or may lye in bed many dayes together And yet it is certain that all the people in England will do none of these So it is possible that any single person may lye even in a palpable publick case as to pretend that this is a Bible when it is some other Book or that this is the same Book that was received from the Apostles by the Churches of that age when it is not it c. But for all the Countrey and all the world that are competent witnesses to agree to do this is a meer impossibility I mean such a thing as cannot be done without a Miracle yea an universal Miracle And more than so it is impossible that God should do a Miracle to accomplish such an universal wickedness and deceit whereas it is possible that natural causes by a Miracle may be turned out of course where there is nothing in the nature of God against it as that the Son should stand still c. We have a certainty that there was a Iulius Caesar a William the Conquerour an Aristotle a Cicero an Augustine a Chrysostome and that the Laws and Statures of the Land were really enacted by the Kings and Parliaments whose names they bear because the Natural and Civil interestâ— of so many thousands that are able to detect it could never be reconciled here to a deceit When Judges and Counsellors Kings and Nobles and Plaintiffs and Defendants utter enemies are all agreed in it it is more certain to a single person than if he had seen the passing of them with his eyes So in our case when an Office was stablished in the Church to read and preach this Gospel in the Assemblies and when all the Congregations took it as the Charter of their salvation and the Rule of their faith and life and when these Pastors and Churches were dispersed over all the Christian world who thus worshipped God from day to day and all Sects and enemies were ready to have detected a falsification or deceit it is here as impossible for such a Kind of History or Tradition or testimony to be false in such material points of fact as for one mans senses to deceive him and much more § 29. Thus I have at once shewed you the true order of the Preaching and proofs and receiving of the several matters of Religion and how and into what our Faith must be resolved and how far your Teachers are to be Believed And here you must specially observe two things 1. That there can be no danger in this Resolution of faith of derogating either from the work of the Holy Ghost or the Scriptures self-evidence or any other cause what ever Because we ascribe nothing to History or Tradition which was ascribed to any of these causes by the first Christians but only put our Reception by Tradition instead of their Reception immediately by sense Our receiving by infallible history is but in the place of their receiving by sight and not in the place of the self-evidence of Scripture or any testimony or teaching of the Spirit The method is exactly laid down Heb. 2. 3 4. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by them that heard him God also â—earing them witness both with signs and wonders and divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will
how contrary soever among themselves but they all pretended Gods authority and entitled him to their sin and called it his service and censured others as ungodly or less godly that would not do as bad as they St. Iames is put to confute them that thought this wisdom was from above and so did glory in their sin and lye against the truth when their wisdom was from beneath and no better than earthly sensual and deviliish For the wisdom from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated full of mercy c. James 3. 17. § 78. 12. Church divisions are unlike to our Heavenly state and in some regard worse than the Kingdom of the Devil for he would not destroy it by dividing it against it selâ— Matth. 12. 26. O what a blessed harmony of united holy souls will there be in the Heavenly Ierusalem where we hope to dwell for ever There will be no discords envyings Sideings or contendings one being of this party and another of that but in the Unity of perfect Love that world of Spirits with joyful Eph. 4. 13 14 16. praise will magnifie their Creator And is a snarling envy or jarring discord the likely way to such an end Is the Church of Christ a Babâ—l of confusion Should they be divided party against party here that must be one in perfect Love for ever Shall they here be condemning each other as none of the children of the Most High who there must live in sweetest concord If there be shame in Heaven you will be ashamed to meet those in the delights of Glory and see them entertained by the Lord of Love whom you reviled and cast out of the Church or your communion causelesly on earth § 79. Remember now that Schism and making parties and divisions in the Church is not so small a sin as many take it for It is the accounting it a duty and a part of Holiness which is the greatest cause that it prospereth in the world And it will never be reformed till men have right apprehensions of the evil of it Why is it that sober people are so far and free from the sins of swearing drunkenness fornication and lasciviousness but because these sins are under so odious a character as helpeth them easily to perceive the evil of them And till Church-divisions be rightly apprehended as whoredom and swearing and drunkenness are they will never be well cured Imprint therefore on your minds the true Character of them which I have here laid down and look abroad upon the effects and then you will fear this confounding sin as much as a consuming Plague § 80. The two great causes that keep Divisions from being hated as they ought are 1. A charitable Two Hinderances of our true apprehensions of Schisme respect to the good that is in Church-dividers carrying us to overlook the evil of the sin judging of it by the Persons that commit it and thinking that nothing should seem odious that is theirs because many of them are in other respects of blameless pious conversations And indeed every Christian must so prudently reprehend the mistakes and faults of pious men as not to asperse the piety which is conjunct and therefore not to make their persons odious but to give the person all his just commendations for his piety while we oppose and aggravate his sin Because Christ himself so distinguisheth between the good and the evil and the person and the sin and loveth his own for their good while he hateth their evil and so must we And because it is the grand design of Satan by the faults of the godly to make their Persons hated first and their Piety next and so to banish Religion from the world And every friend of Christ must shew himself an enemy to this design of Satan But yet the sin must be disowned and opposed while the person is Loved according to his worth Christ will give no thanks for such Love to his children as cherisheth their Church-destroying sins There is no greater enemy to sin than Christ though there be no greater friend to souls Godliness was never intended to be a fortress for iniquity or a battery for the Devil to mount his Cannons on against the Church nor for a blind to cover the Powder-mines of Hell Satan never opposeth Truth and Godliness and Unity so dangerously as when he can make Religious men his instruments Remember therefore that all men are vanity and Gods interest and honour must not be sacrificed to theirs nor the most Holy be abused in reverence to the holiest of sinful men § 81. The other great hinderance of our due apprehension of the sinfulness of divisions is our too deep sense of our sufferings by superiours and our looking so much at the evil of persecutions as not to look at the danger of the contrary extream Thus under the Papacy the people of Germany at Luthers Reformation were so deeply sensible of the Papal cruelties that they thought by how many wayes soever men fled from such bloody persecutors they were very excusable And while men were all taken up in decrying the Roman Idolatry corruptions and cruelties they never feared the danger of their own divisions till they smarted by them And this was once the case of many good people here in England who so much hated the wickedness of the Prophane and the Haters of Godliness that they had no apprehensions of the evil of Divisions among themselves And because many prophanâ— ones were wont to call sober godly people Schismaticks and Factious therefore the very names begâ—n with many to grow into credit as if they had been of good signification and there had been really no such sin as schism and factiâ—n to be feared Till God permitted this sin to break in upon us with such fury as had almost turned us into a Babel and a desolation And I am perswaded God did purposely permit it to teach his people more sensibly to know the evil of that sin by the efâ—â—cts which they would not know by other means And to let them see when they had reviled and ruined each other that there is that in themselves which they should be more afraid of than of any enemy without § 82. Direct 5. Own nâ—t any cause which is an enemy to Love And pretend neither Truth nor Holiness Direct 5. nor Unity nor Order nor any thing against it The Spirit of Love is that one Vital Spirit which 〈…〉 9 〈…〉 4. 〈…〉 2. 〈…〉 19. â—â— 1 〈…〉 1 â—â—â—â— 5 〈…〉 2 â—â—â—â— 1. 7. Heb. 10. 24. 〈…〉 5. 6 13. doth animate all the Saints The increase â—f Love is the powerful Balâ—â—me that healeth all the Churches wounds Though loveless lifeless Physicions think that all these wounds must be healed by the Sword And indeed the Weapon-salve is now become the proper cure It is the Sword that must be medicated that the wounds made by it may be healed The decayes of
men were before when once they converse together and grow acquainted they are more reconciled The reason is partly because they find less evil and more good in one another than before they did believe to be in them and partly because uncharitableness and malice being an ugly monster is bolder at a distance but ashamed of it self before your face And therefore the pens of the Champions of malice are usually more bitter than their tongues when they speak to you face to face Of all the furious adversaries that have raged against me in the later part of my life I remember not one enemy that I have or ever had that was ever familiar or acquainted with me And I have my self heard ill reports of many which by personal acquaintance I have found to be all false Keep together and either silence your differences or gently debate them yea rather chide it out than withdraw asunder Familiarity feedeth Love and Unity § 106. Direct 23. When ever you look at any corruption in the Church look also at the contrary exâ—râ—am Direct 23. and see and avoid the danger of one as well as of the other Be sure every error and Church-corruption hath its extream And if you do not see it and the danger of it you are the liker to run into it Look well on both sides if you would be safe § 107. Direct 24. Worship God your selves in the purest manner and under the most edifying Ministry Direct 24. that lawfully you can attain but be not too forward to condemn others that reach not to your measure or attain not so much happiness And deny not personal communion sometimes with Churches that are more blemished and fit for Communion And when you cannot joyn locally with them let them have the communion of your Hearts in faith and charity and prayer for each other I fear not here openly to tell the world that if I were turned loose to my own liberty I would ordinarily worship God in that manner that I thought most pure and agreeable to his Will and Word but I would sometimes go to the Churches of other Christians that were fit for Christian communion if there were such about me Sometime to the Independants sometime to the moderate Anabaptists sometime to such as had a Liturgie as faulty as that of the Greek or the Ethiopian Churches to shew by my practice what communion my heart hath with them all § 108. Direct 25. Take heed that you interess not Religion or the Church in Civil differences This Direct 25. error hath divided and ruined many famous Churches and most injuriously made the holy truth and worship of God to be a reproach and infamy among selfish partial carnal men When Princes and Since the writing of this I have published a Book called The Curt of Church-Divistoâ—s and a Defence of it which handle these things more fully States fall out among themselves they will needs draw the Ministers to their sides and then one side will certainly condemn them and call them all that self-interest and malice can invent And commonly when the controversie is only in point of Law or Politicks it is Religion that bears the blame of all and the differences of Lawyers and Statesmen must be charged upon Divines that the Devil may be able to make them useless as to the good of all that party that is against them and may make Religion it self be called Rebellion And O that God would maintain the Peace of Kingdoms and Kings and Subjects were all Lovers of peace the rather because the differences in States do cause so commonly divisions in the Church It would make a man wonder and a lover of History to lament to observe in the differences between the Pope and Henry the fourth and other Emperours how the Historians are divided one half commending him that the other half condemneth and how the Bishops and Churches were one half for the Pope and the other for the Emperour and one half still accounted Rebels or Schismaticks by the other though they were all of one Religion It is more to ruine the Church than Kingdoms that Satan laboureth so much to kindle Warrs and breed Civil differences in the world And therefore let him that loveth the Churches Peace be an obedient Subject and an enemy of Sedition and a Lover and defender of the Civil Peace and Government in the place that God hath set him in For this is pleasing unto God § 109. I know there are some that with too bloody and calamitous success have in most ages given other kind of Directions for the extirpation of Error Heresie and Schism than I have here given But God hath still caused the most wise and holy and charitable and experienced Christians Bâ—â—a Hist. Ecâ—lâ—sâ—â—ib 1. cap. 26. Didicerat enim Rex Edilberth a Doctoribut auctoribusque suae salutis servitium Christi voluntarium non coactitium debeâ—e esse to bear their testimony against them And he hath ever caused their way of cruelty to turn to their own shame And though like Treasons and Robberies it seem for the time present to serve their turn it is bitterness in the end and leaveth a stinking memorial of their names and actions to posterity And the Treatises of Reconcilers such as our Halls Ushers Bergius Burroughs and many other by the delectable savour of Unity and Charity are sweet and acceptable to prudent and peaâ—â—able persons though usually unsuccessful with the violent that needed them Besides the fore-cited witness of Sr. Francis Bacon c. I will here add one of the most antient and one or two of this age whom the contrary-minded do mention with the greatest honour Iustin Martyr Dial. cum Tryph. doth at large give his judgement that a Judaizing Christian who thinketh it best to be circumciâ—â—d and keep the Law of Moses be suffered in his opinion and practice and admitted to the communion and priviledges of the Church and loved as one that may be saved in that way so be it he do not make it his business to perswade others to his way and teach it as necessary to salvation or communion For such he doth condemn King Iames by the Pen of Is. Causabone telleth Cardinal du Perron that His Majesty thinketh that for Concord there is no nearer way than diligently to separate things necessary from the unnecessary and to bestow all our labour that we may agree in the things necessary and that in things unnecessary there may be place given for Christian Liberty The King calleth these things simply necessary which either the Word of God expresly commandeth to be believed or done or which the antient Church did gather from the Word of God by necessary consequence Grotius Annot. in Matth. 13. 41. is so full and large upon it that I must intreat the Reader to peruse his own words where by arguments and authority he-vehemently rebuketh the Spirit of fury cruelty and uncharitableness which
Si quisquam Dei cultâ—rum pepercit Apostatis sint vera quae dicis de nobis and so he heapeth up as many Texts for rough dealing with offending Kings I give this one instance to shew the fruits of violence as pretended for peace and unity Of the persecutions of the faithful in most ages even by professed Christians themselves and Gods disowning that Spirit of Cruelty by his special Providences all Church History maketh mention And how the names of such persecuting hypocrites have stunk in the nostrils of all sober men when their tragoedy was fully acted and understood Especially the poor Churches called Waldenses Piccards and Albigenses have felt the grievousest effects of this tyranny and yet have the Testimony of the best and wisest men to have been the purest and nearest to the Apostlick simplicity in all the world and the memory of their enemies and persecutors is an abhorrence to the Sons of Charity and Peace Read Lasitius and Commenius of their Discipline and Bishop Usher de Eccles. succes statu I will recite one notable passage mentioned by Thuanus and Commenius the one Hist. l. 36. the other de Bono Unit. Ord. Discipl p. 59. Maximilian that good and moderate Emperour being one day in the Coach with Ioh. Crato only his chief Physicion and a learned Protestant lamenting the divisions of Christians asked Crato which sort he thought came nearest to the Apostolick simplicity He answered He thought that honour belonged to the Brethren called Picards The Emperour said He thought so too which Crato acquainting them with encouraged them to dedicate to him a Book of part of their devotions For the year before God had thus marvellously saved him from having a hand in their blood Ioachimus a Nova Domo Chancellor of Bohemia went to Vienna and gave the Emperour no rest till he had procured him to subscribe a Mandate for the reviving of a former persecuting Mandate against them Having got his Commission and passing just out of the Gates of Vienna as he was upon the Bridge over the Danubius the Bridge brake under him and he and all his retinue fell into that great and terrible water and all were drowned except six horsemen and one young Nobleman who seeing his Lord in the Waves catcht hold of his Gold Chain and hold him till some Fishermen came in Boats but found him dead and his Box with the Commission sunk past recovery This Noble man who survived was sensible of Gods judgement and turned to the Brethren in Religion and the Mandate was no further prosecuted Such another story Bishop Usher was wont to tell how Ireland was saved from persecution in Queen Mary's dayes But it is the most heinous cruelty when as in Daniels case there are Laws of impiety or iniquity made of purpose to intrap the innocent by them that confess We shall find no fault against this Daniel except it be concerning the Law of his God And then men must be taken in these Spiders webs and accused as schismatical or what the contrivers please And especially when it is real Holiness which is hated and Order Unity Concord Peace or Obedience to our Pastors is made the pretence for the malitious oppression of it Gildas and Salvian have told Church Governours of this at large And many of the persecuted Protestants have more largely told the Roman Clergy of it It is a smart complaint of him that wrote the Epist. de malis Doctoribus ascribed to P. Sixtus 3. Hujus doctrinae causa pro sanctitate scilicet paucos amicos conquirunt plures inimicos Necesse est enim eos qui peccatorum vitia condemnant tantos habere contrarios quantos exercere vitia delectat In de est etiam quod iniquis impiis factionibus opprimuntur quod criminibus falsis appetuntur quod haeresis etiam perfunduntur infamia quod hic omnis inimicorum suorum sermo ab ipsorum sumit obtrectatione materiam Sed quid mirum ut flagitiosis haeresis videatur doctrina justitiae Quibus tamen haeresis Ipsorum secretum patet tantum inimicis cum si fides dictis inesset amici illud potius scire potuissent c. The cause is saith Prosper de vit contempl l. 1. cap. 20. ex eo Hilitgarius Camarac l. 5. c. 19. Sed nos praesentibus delectati dum in hac vita commoda nostra honores inquirimus non ut meliores sed ut ditiores non ut sanctiores sed ut honoratiores sunus caeteris festinamus Nec gregem domini qui nobis pascendus tuendusque commissus est sed nostras voluntates dominationem divitias caetera blandimenta carnaliter cogitamus Pastores dici volumus nec tamen esse contendimus Officii nâ—s vitamus laborem appetimus dignitatem Immundorum spirituum feras a grege dilacerandâ— non pellimus quod eis remanserat ipsi consumimus Quando peccantes divites vel potentes non solum nâ—â— arguimus sed etiam veneramur ne nobis aut munera solita offensi non dirigant aut obsequia desiderata subducant ac sic muneribus eorum obsequiis capti immo per haec illis addicti loqui eis de peccato suo aut de futuro judicio formidamus Ad hoc tantum Potentes effecti ut nobis in subjectos dominationem tyrannicam vindicemus non ut afflictos contra violentiam potentum qui in eos serarum more saeviunt defendamus Inde est quod tam a Potentibus hujus mundi quam a nobis quod pejus est nonnulli graviter fatigati deperâ—uâ—t quos se de manu nostra Dominus requisiturum terribiliter comminatur Sulp. Severus also toucheth the sore when he saith Hist. l. 2. Certatim gloriosa in certamina ruebatur multoque avidius tum martyria gloriosis mortibus quaerebantur quam nunc Episcopatus pravis ambitionibus appetuntur But when he saith ibid. after Constantines delivery of the Church Neque ulterius persecutionem fore â—redimus nisi eam quam sub fine jam saeculi Antichristus exercebit either he was very grosly mistaken or else those are the instruments of Antichrist that are not thought so It is a most notable instance to our purpose which Severus ends his History with of the mischievous zeal of Orthodox Ithacius and Idacius against Priscillian and his Gnosticks and worthy of the study of the Prelates of the Church Idacius sine modo ultra quam oportuit Istantium sociosque ejus lacessens facem nascenti incendio subdidit ut exasperaverit malos potius quam compresserit In summ they got the Magistrate to interpose and banish the Gnosticks who quickly learned by bribing Court Officers to turn the Emperour against the Orthodox for themselves Till the zeal of Idacius and Ithacius grew so hot as to accuse even the best men yea St. Martin himself of favouring the Gnosticks And at last got another Tyrannical Emperour to put Priscillian and many other Gnosticks to death Though they
more congruously and it seems with less offence than we Saith the Geographia Nubiensis aptly There is a certain King dwelling at Rome called the Pope c. when he goeth to describe him Nothing well suites with our function but the pure Doctrine of Salvation Let States-men and Lawyers mind the rest Two things I must apologize for in this Part 1. That it 's maimed by defect of those Directions to Princes Nobles Parliament-men and other Magistrates on whose duty the happiness of Kingdoms Churches and the World dependeth To which I answer that those must teach them whom they will hear while my Reason and experience forbid me as an unacceptable person to speak to them without a special invitation I can bear the Censures of Strangers who knew not them or me I am not so proud as to expect that men so much above me should stoop to read any Directions of mine much less to think me fit to teach them Every one may reprove a poor servant or a beggar It 's part of their priviledge But Great men must not be so much as admonished by any but themselves and such as they will hear At least nothing is a duty which a man hath reason to think is like to do much more harm than good And my own judgement is much against pragmatical presumptuous Preachers who are over-forward to meddle with their Governours or their affairs and think that God sendeth them to reprove persons and things that are strange to them and above them and vent their distastes upon uncertain reports or without a Call 2. And I expect to be both blamed and mis-understood for what I hear say in the Confutation of Mr. Richard Hooker his Political Principles and my Citation of B. Bilson and such others But they must observe 1. That it is not all in Mr. Hookers first and eighth Book which I gainsay but the principle of the Peoples being the fountain of Authority or that Kings receive their Office it self from them with the consequents hereof How far the people have in any Countrys the power of Electing the Persons Families or Forms of Government or how far nature giveth them propriety and the consequents of this I meddle not with at all 2. Nor do I choose Mr. Hooker out of any envy to his name and honour but I confess I do it to let men know truly whose Principles these are And if any causelesly question whether the eighth imperfect Book be in those passages his own let them remember that the sum of all that I confute is in his first Book which is old and highly honoured by you know whom And I will do him the honour and my self the dishonour to confess that I think the far greater number of Casuists and Authors of Politicks Papists and Protestants are on his side and fewest on mine But truth is truth On the subjects duty I am larger because if they will not hear at least I may boldly and freely instruct them If in the later part there be any useful Cases of Conscience left out it is because I could not remember them Farewell A Christian Directory TOM IV. Christian Politicks CHAP. I. General Rules for an Upright Conversation § 1. SOLOMON saith Prov. 10. 9. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely And Perfection and Uprightness are the characters of Iob Chap. 1. 1 8. 2. 3. And in the Scripture to be Upright or Righteous and to walk uprightly and to do righteously are the titles of those that are acceptable to God And by Uprightness is meant not only sincerity as opposed to Hypocrisie but also Rectitude of Heart and Life as opposed to crookedness or sin and this as it is found in various Degrees of which we use to call the lowest degree that is saving by the name of sincerity and the highest by the name of Perfection § 2. Concerning Uprightness of life I shall I. Briefly tell you some of those blessings that should make us all in love with it and II. Give you some necessary Rules of practice § 3. I. Uprightness of heart and life is a certain fruit of the Spirit of Grace and consequently a mark of our Union with Christ and a proof of our acceptableness with God Psal. 7. 10. My defence is of God who saveth the upright in heart Psal. 11. 7. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness and his countenance doth behold the upright It is a title that God himself assumeth Psal. 25. 8. Good and upright is the Lord. Psal. 92. 15. To shew that the Lord is upright He is my rock and no unrighteousness is in him And God-calleth himself the Maker the Director the Protector and the Lover of the upright Eccl. 7. 29. God made man upright Psal. 1. 6. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Psal. 25. 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord him will he teach in the way that he shall choose Prov. 2. 7. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly 2. The Upright are the Pillars of humane society that keep up Truth and Iustice in the world without whom it would be but a company of lyers deceivers robbers and enemies that live in constant rapine or â—ostility There were no Trust to be put in one another further than self-interest did oblige men Psal. 15. 1 2. Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle Who shall dwell in thy holy hill He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness and speaketh the truth in his heart Therefore the wicked and the enemies of Peace and destroyers of Societies are still described as Enemies to the upright Psal. 11. 2 3. For lo the wicked bend their bow they make ready their arrow upon the string that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do Job 12. 4. The just and upright man is laughed to scorn Psal. 37. 14. The wicked have drawn out the sword to slay such as be of upright conversation And indeed it is for the uprights sake that societies are preserved by God as Sodom might have been for ten Lots At least they are under the protection of Omnipotency themselves Isa. 33. 15 16. He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his ear from hearing of blood that shutteth his eyes from seeing evil He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty they shall behold the Land that is very far off Prov. â—8 10. The upright shall have good things in possession Prov. 14. 11. The house of the wicked shall be overthrown but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish 3. Uprightness affordeth Peace of Conscience and quietness and holy security to the soul. This was Pauls rejoycing the testimony
will be governed on no other terms But if the contract limit them not but they be chosen simply to be the summae Potestates without naming any particular powers either by concession or restraint than as to Ruling they are Absolute as to men and limited only by God from whose highest Power they can never be exempt who in Nature and Scripture restraineth them from all that is impious and unjust against his Laws and honour or against the publick happiness and safety And here also remember that if any shall imagine that God restraineth a Magistrate when it is not so and that the commands of their Governours are contrary to the Word of God when it is no such matter their error will not justifie their disobedience Though I have answered these Passages of this Reverend Author it is not to draw any to undervalue his learned Writings but to set right the Reader in the Principles of his Obedience on which the Practice doth so much depend And I confess that other Authors of Politicks say as much as Mr. Hooker saith both Papists and Protestants but not all nor I think the soundest I will instance now in Alstedius only an excellent person but in this mistaken who saith Encyclop l. 23. Polit. c. 3. p. 178. Populus Universus dignior potior est tum magistratu tum Ephoris Hinc recte docent Doct. Politici populum obtinere regnum jura Majestatis proprietate dominio Principem Ephoros Usu administratione whereas the people have not the Regnum vel jura Majestatis any way at all Si administratores efficium suum facere nolint si impia iniqua mandent si contra dilectionem Dei proximi agant populus propriae salutis curam arripiet imperium male utentibus abrogabit in locum eorum alios substituet Porro Ephori validiora ipso Rege imperia obtinent Principem enim constitâ—â—nt deponunt id quod amplissimum est praeeminentiae argumentum Atque haec prerogativa mutuis pactis stabilitur Interinâ— princeps summam potestatem obtinere dicitur quatenus Ephori administrationem imperii cumulum potestatis ipsi committunt Denique optimatum universorum potestas non est infinita absoluta sed certis veluti rhetris clathris definita utpote non ad propriam libidinem sed ad utilitatem salutem populi alligata Hinc illorum munia sunt Regem designare constituere inaugurare constitutum consiliis auxiliis juvare sine consensu approbatione Principis quamdiu ille suum officium facit nihil in Reipublicae negotiis suscipere Nonnâ—â—quam conventum inscio Principe agere necessitate reipublicae exigente Populum contra omnis generis turbatores violatores defendere I suppose Mr. Hookers Principles and Alstedius's were much the same I will not venture to recite the Conclusion cap. 12. pag. 199. R. 5. de resistendo Tyranno Many other Authors go the same way and say that the people have the Majestas Realis both Papists and Protestants and Heathens But I suppose that what I have said against Hooker will serve to shew the weakness of their grounds Though it is none of my purpose to contradict either Hooker or any other so far as they open the odiousness of the sin of Tyranny which at this day keepeth out the Gospel from the far greatest part of the world and is the greatest enemy to the Kingdom of Christ nor yet as they plead for the just Liberties of the People But I am not for their Authority § 24. Direct 2. Begin with an Absolute Universal resolved Obedience to God your Creator and Redeemer Direct 2. who is your Soveraign King and will be your final righteous Iudge As he that is no loyal Subject to the King can never well obey his Officers so he that subjecteth not his soul to the Original Power of his Creator can never well obey the Derivative Power of earthly Governours Object But you may say experience teacheth us that many ungodly people are obedient to their superiours as well as others I answer Materially they are but not Formally and from a right principle and to right ends As a Rebel against the King may obey a Justice of Peace for his own Ends as long as he will let him alone or take his part But not formally as he is the Kings Officer So ungodly men may flatter Princes and Magistrates for their own ends or on some low and by account but not sincerely as the Officers of God He is not like to be truly obedient to man that is so foollish dishonest and impious as to rebel against his Maker nor to obey that authority which he first denyeth in its Original and first efficient cause What ever Satan and his servants may say and however some hypocrites may contradict in their practices the Religion which they profess yet nothing is more certain than that the most serious godly Christians are the best subjects upon earth As their principles themselves will easily demonstrate § 25. Direct 3. Having begun with God obey your Governours as the Officers of God with an obedience Direct 3. ultimately Divine All things must be done in Holiness by the Holy That is God must be Greg. Nazianz. cited by Bilson of Subject p. 361. Thou reignest together with Christ Thou rulest with him Thy Sword is from him Thou art the Image of God discerned obeyed and intended in all And therefore in Magistrates in a special manner In two respects Magistrates are obeyed or rather flattered by the ungodly First as they are men that are able to do them corporal good or hurt As a Horse or Dog or other Bruit will follow you for his belly and loveth to be where he fareth best Secondly As the Head of his Party and encourager of him in his evil way when he meets with Rulers that will be so bad Wicked men Love wicked Magistrates for being the servants of Satan But faithful men must Honour and Obey a Magistrate as an Officer of God Even a Magistrate as a Magistrate and not only as Holy is an Officer of the Lord of all Therefore the fifth Commandment is as the hinge of the two Tables Many of the Antients thought that it was the last Commandment of the first Table and the Moderns think it is the first Comandment of the last Table For it commandeth our duty to the noblest sort of men but not meerly as men but as the Officers of God They debase Magistrates that look at them meerly as those that master other men as the strongest Beast doth by the weaker Nothing will make you sincere and constant in your honouring and obeying them but taking them as the Officers of God and remembring by whose commission they rule and whose work they do that They are Ministers of God to us for good Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4 5. If you do not this 1. You wrong God whose servants they are For he
Consider the great temptations of the Rich and great and pity them that stand Direct 16. in so dangerous a station instead of murmuring at them or envying their greatness You little know what you should be your selves if you were in their places and the world and the flesh had so great a stroke at you as they have at them He that can swim in a calmer water may be carryed down a violent stream It is harder for that bird to fly that hath many pound weights tyed to keep her down than that which hath but a straw to carry to her nest It is harder mounting Heaven-wards with Lordships and Kingdoms than with your less impediments Why do you not pity them that stand on the top of barren mountains in the stroke of every storm and wind when you dwell in the quiet fruitful vales Do you envy them that must go to Heaven as a Camel through a needles eye if ever they come there And are you discontented that you are not in their conâ—â—tion will you rebel and fight to make your salvation as difficult as theirs Are you so unthankful to God for your safer station that you murmur at it and long to be in the more dangerous place § 40. Direct 17. Pray constantly and heartily for the spiritual and corporal welfare of your Governours Direct 17. And you have reason to believe that God who hath commanded you to put up such prayers will not suffer them to be wholly lost but will answer them some way to the benefit of them that perform the duty 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. And the very performance of it will do us much good of it self For it will keep the heart well disposed to our Governours and keep out all sinful desires of their hurt or controll them and cast them out if they come in Prayer is the exercise of Love and good desires And exercise increaseth and confirmeth habits If any ill wishes against your Governours should stâ—al into your minds the next time you pray for them conscience will accuse you of hypocrisie and either the sinful desires will corrupt or end your Prayers or else your prayers will cast out those ill desires Certainly the faithful fervent prayers of the Righteous do prevail much with God And things would go better than they do in the world if we prayed for Rulers as heartily as we ought § 41. Obj. For all the prayers of the Church five parts of six of the World are yet Idolaters Heathens Object Infidels and Mahometans And for all the prayers of the Reformed Churches most of the Christian part of the world are drowned in Popery or gross ignorance and superstition and the poor Greek Churches have Mahometane or tyrannical Governours and carnal proud usurping Prelates domineer over the Roman Church and there are but three Protestant Kings on the whole earth And among the Israelites themselves who had Priests and Prophets to pray for their Princes a good King was so rare that when you have named five or six over Judah and never a one after the division over Israel you scarce know where to find the rest What good then do your Prayers for Kings and Magistrates Answ. 1. As I said before they keep the hearts of subjects in an obedient holy frame 2. Were Answ. it not for prayers those few good ones would be fewer or worse than they are and the bad ones might be worse or at least do more hurt to the Church than they now do 3. It is not to be expected that all should be granted in kind that believers pray for For then not only Kings but all the world should be converted and saved For we should pray for every one But God who knoweth best how to distribute his mercies and to honour himself and refine his Church by the malice and persecution of his enemies will make his peoples prayers a means of that measure of good which he will do for Rulers and by them in the world And that 's enough to encourage us to pray 4. And indeed if when Proud ungodly worldlings have sold their souls by wicked means to climb up into places of power and command and domineer over others the Prayers of the faithful should Obj. Si id jâ—ris obâ—ineat status religionis eâ—â—t instabilis Mutato regis animo religio muta bitur presently convert and save them all because they are Governours this would seem to charge God with respect of persons and defect of Justice and would drown the world in wickedness treasons bloodshed and confusion by encouraging men by flatteries or treacheries or murders to usurp such places in which they may both gratifie their lusts and after save their souls while the godly are obliged to pray them into Heaven It is no such hearing of prayers for Governours which God hath promised 5. And yet I must observe that most Christians are so cold and formal in their Prayers for the Rulers of the world and of the Church that we have great reason to impute the unhappiness Resp. Unicum hic solatium in Divina est providentia Omnium animos Deus in potestate sua habet sed speciali quodam modo Cor Regis in manu Domini Deus per bonos per malos Reges opus suum operatur Interdum tranquillitas interdum tempestas ecclesiae utilior Nempe si pius est qui imperat si diligens lector sacrae scripturae si assiduus in precibus si Ecclesiae Catholicae reverens si peritos attente audiens multum per illum proficit veritas Sin distorto est corrupto judicio pejus id ipsi cedit quam ecclesiae Nam ipsum grave manet judicium Regis ecclesiae qui ecclesiam inultam non sinet Grotius de Impeâ— p. 210. Joh. 18. 36. of Governours very much to their neglect Almost all men are taken up so much with their own concernments that they put off the publick concernments of the world and of the Church and State with a few customary heartless words and understand not the meaning of the three first Petitions of the Lords Prayer and the Reason of their precedency or put them not up with that feeling as they do the other three If we could once observe that the generality of Christians were more earnest and importunate with God for the Hallowing of his name through all the world and the coming of his Kingdom and the obeying of his will in Earth as it is in Heaven and the Conversion of the Kings and Kingdoms of the world than for any of their personal concernments I should take it for a better prognostick of the happiness of Kings and Kingdoms than any that hath yet appeared in our dayes And those that are taken up with the expectations of Christs visible reign on earth would find it a more lawful and comfortable way to promote his Government thus by his own appointed officers than to rebell against Kings and seek
pernicious underminers of Monarchy it self For what readier way to set all the world against it than to make them believe that it standeth at enmity to all that is good These secret enemies would set up a Lâ—viâ—than to be the butt of common enmity and opposition The other sort are the professed enemies of Monarchy who in their zeal for Popular Government do bring in all that is excellent as if it were adverse to Monarchy 1. They would both set it at enmity with Politicians 2. With Lawyers 3. With History 4. With Learning 5. With Divines 6. With all Christian Religion 7. And with Humanity it self § 73. Obj. 1. The Painters of the Leviathan scorn all Politicks as ignorant of the power of Monarchs Object 1. except the Atheistical inventions of their own brains And the adversaries of Monarchy say The reading of Politicks will satisfie men against Monarchy For in them you ordinarily find that the Majestas Realis is in the people and the Majestas personalis in the Prince that the Prince receiveth all his power from the people to whom it is first given and to whom it may be forfeited and esâ—heat with much more of the like as is to be sâ—en in Politicians of all Religions Answ. Answ. 1. It is not all Politicks that go upon those principles and one mistake in writers is no disgrace to the true doctrine of politicks which may be vindicated from such mistakes 2. As almost all Authors of Politicks take Monarchy for a lawful species of Government so most or very many especially of the moderns do take it to be the most excellent sort of unmixt Government Therefore they are no enemies to it Object 2. § 74. Obj. 2. For Lawyers they say that 1. Civilians set up reason so high that they dangerously Leg. quae de Grotio post p. 731. measure the power of Monarchs by it In so much that the most famous pair of zealous and learned defenders of Monarchy Barclay and Grotius do assign many cases in which it is lawful to resist Princes by arms and more than so 2. And the Common-Lawyers they say are all for the Law and ready to say as Hooker Lex facit Regem and what power the King hath he hath it by Law the bounds are known p. 218. he is Singulis major universis minor c. Answ. 1. Sure the Roman Civil Laws were not against Monarchy when Monarchs made so many Answ. of them And what Power Reason truly hath it hath from God whom none can over-top and that which reason is abused unjustly to defend may be well contradicted by Reason indeed 2. And what power the Laws of the Land have they have by the Kings Consent and Act And it is strange impudency to pretend that his own Laws are against him If any mis-interpret them he may be confuted § 75. Obj. 3. For Historians say they Be but well verst in ancient History Greek and Roman Object 3. and you shall find them speak so ill of Monarchy and so much for popularity and liberty and magnifying so much the defenders of the peoples liberty against Monarchs that it will secretly steal the So Hollingshead maketh Parliaments so mighty as to take down the greatest Kings c. dislike of Monarchy and the Love of popular liberty into your minds Answ. It must be considered in what times and places the ancient Greek and Roman Historians did Answ. live They that lived where popular Government was in force and credit wrote acording to the time and Government which they lived under yet do they extol the virtues and heroick acts of Monarchs and often speak of the vulgar giddiness and unconstancy And for my part I think he that readeth in them those popular tumults irrationalities furies unconstancies cruelties which even As Augustus Trajan the Antonines c. in Rome and Athens they committed and all Historians record will rather find his heart much alienated from such Democratical confusions And the Historians of other times and places do write as much for Monarchy as they did for Democracy It is confessed that most Historians write much for Liberty against Tyranny But the Heathens do it much more than the Christians § 76. Obj. 4. Some of them revile at Aristotle and all Universities and say that while multitudes Object 4. must be tasters and pretenders to the learning which they never throughly can attain they read many dangerous Laâ—gius saith that in his own hearing Iodocus praeses Senat. Mechlin Magnâ contentione tuebatur neminem posse vel unius legis intelligentiam consequi qui quicquam â—sciret in bonis literis addebat vix esse tres in orbe qui leges Caesareas intelligerent books and receive false notions and these half-witted men are the disturbers of all societies Do you not see say they that the two strongest Kingdoms in the world are kept up by keeping the subjects ignorant The Greek and Latine Empires were ruined by the contention of men that did pretend to learning The Turk keepeth all in quiet by suppressing it And the Pope confineth it almost all to his Instruments in Government and keepeth the common people in ignorance which keepeth them from matter of quarrel and disobedience Ans. I hope you will not say that Rome or Athens of old did take this course And we will not Answ. deny but men of knowledge are more subject to debates and questionings and quarrels about right and wrong than men of utter ignorance are Beasts fall not out about Crowns or Kingdoms as men do Dogs and Swine will not not scramble for Gold as men will do if you cast it among them And it is easier to keep Swine or Sheep quiet than men And yet it is not better to be Swine or Sheep thâ—n men nor to be Governours of beasts than men Dead men are quieter than the living and blind men will submit to be led more easily than those that see And yet it is not better to be a King of bruits or blind men or dead men than of the living that have their sight A King of men that have many disagreements is better than a King of beasts that all agree And yet true knowledge tendeth to concord and to the surest and constantest obedience § 77. Obj. 5. But their chief calumniations are against Divines They say that Divines make a trade Object 5. of Religion and under pretence of Divine Laws and Conscience and Ecclesiastical discipline they subjugate Read B. Andrâ—ws Tort. Tort. B. Bilson of Christ. sâ—bjâ—ctioâ— â—â—b Aâ—hoâ—s Iewel Fâ—â—ld c. who will â—ully shew that true Church-power is no way injurious to Kings De Regum authoritate quod ex jure divino non sit Tortus probat Asseri enim scriptorum sententià communi At nec omnium nec optimorum Andrews Tort. Tort. p. 384. both Princes and people to their will and set up Courts which
see a poor sinner have a little prosperity and ease who must lye in everlasting flames But the truth is malitious men are ordinarily Atheists and never think of another world and therefore desire to be the avengers of themselves because they believe not that there is any God to do it or any future Judgement and execution to be expected § 19. Consid. 13. And remember how near both he and you are to death and judgement when God Consid 13. will judge righteously betwixt you both There are few so cruelly malitious but if they both lay dying they would abate their malice and be easily reconciled as remembring that their dust and bones will lye in quietness together and malice is a miserable case to appear in before the Lord Why then do you cherish your vice by putting away the day of death from your remembrance Do you not know that you are dying Is a few more dayes so great a matter with you that you will therefore do that because you have a few more dayes to live which else you durst not do or think of O hearken to the dreadful trumpet of God which is summoning you all to come away and methinks this should sound a retreat to the malitious from persecuting those with whom they are going to be judged God will shortly make the third if you will needs be quarrelling Unless it be mastâ—â—â—â— Dogs or fighting Cocks there are scarce any creatures but will give over fighting if man or beast do come upon them that would destroy or hurt them both § 20. Consid. 14. Wrathful and hurtful creatures are commonly hated and pursued by all and loveing Consid. 14. gentle harmless profitable creatures are commonly beloved And will you make your selves like wild Beasts or Vermine that all men naturally hate and seek to destroy If a Wolf or a Fox or an Adder do but appear every man is ready to seek the death of him as a hurtful creature and an enemy to mankind But harmless creatures no one medleth with unless for their own benefit and use So if you will be malicious hurtful Serpents that hiss and sting and trouble others you will be the common hatred of the world and it will be thought a meritorious work to mischief you Whereas if you will be loving kind and profitable it will be taken to be mens interest to love you and desire your good § 21. Consid. 15. Observe how you unfit your selves for all holy duties and communion with God Consid. 15. while you cherish wrath and malice in your hearts Do you find your selves fit for Meditation Conference or Prayer while you are in wrath I know you cannot It both undisposeth you to the duty and the guilt affrighteth you and telleth you that you are unfit to come near to God As a Feavor taketh away a mans appetite to his meat and his disposition to labour so doth wrath and malice destroy both your disposition to holy duties and your pleasure in them And conscience will tell you that it is so terrible to draw near God in such a case that you will be readier were it possible to hide your selves as Adam and Eve or fly as Cain as not enduring the presence of God And therefore the Common-Prayer Book above all other sins enableth the Pastor to keep away the malicious from the Sacrament of Communion and conscience maketh many that have little conscience in any thing else that they dare not come to that Saâ—rament while wrath and malice are in their breasts And Christ himself saith Matth. 5. 23 24 25. If thou bring thy gift unto the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into prison c. § 22. Consid. 16. And your sin is aggravated in that you hinder the good of those that you are Consid. 16. offended with and also provoke them to add sin to sin and to be as furious and uncharitable as your selves If your neighbour be not faulty why are you so displeased with him If he be Why will you make him worse Will you bring him to amendment by hatred or cruelty Do you think one vice will cure another Or is any man like to hearken to the counsel of an enemy Or to love the words of one that hateth him Is malice and fierceness an attractive thing Or rather is it not the way to drive men further from their duty and into sin by driving them from you who pretend to reform them by such unlikely contrary means as these And as you do your worst to harden them in their faults and to make them hate what ever you would perswade them to so at present you seek to kindle in their breasts the same fire of malice or passion which is kindled in your selves As Love is the most effectual way to cause Love so passion is the most effectual cause of passion and malice is the most effectual cause of malice and hurting another is the powerfullest means to provoke him to hurt you again if he be able And weak things are oft times able to do hurt when injuries boyle up their passions to the height or make them desperate If your sinful provocations fill him also with rage and make him curse or swear or rail or plot revenge or do you a mischief you are guilty of this sin and have a hand in the damnation of his soul as much as in you lyeth § 23. Consid. 17. Consider how much fitter means there are at hand to right your self and attain Consid. 17. any ends that are good than by passion malice or revenge If your end be nothing but to do mischief and make another miserable you are to the world as mad Dogs and Wolves and Serpents to the Countrey and they that know you will be as glad when the world is rid of you as when an Adder or a Toad is killed But if your end be only to right your selves and to reclaim your enemy or reform your brother fury and revenge is not the way God hath appointed Governours to do justice in Common-wealths and Families and to those you may repair and not take upon you to revenge your selves And God himself is the most righteous Governour of all the world and to him you may confidently referr the case when Magistrates and Rulers fail you and his judgement will be soon enough and severe enough And if you would rather have your neighbour reclaimed than destroyed it is Love and gentleness that are the way with peaceable convictions and such reasonings as shew that you desire his Good Overcome him with kindness if you would melt him into
Son and Holy Ghost when they have in Baptism vowed themselves unto his service Of all men on earth these men will have least to say for their sin or against their condemnation § 22. 12. Lastly Remember that Christ taketh all that is done by persecutors against his servants for his cause to be done as to himself and will accordingly in judgement charge it on them So speaketh he to Saul Acts 9. 5 6. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I am Iesus whom thou persecutest And Matth. 25. 41. to 46. Even to them that did not â—eed and clothe and visit and relieve them he saith Verily I say unto you in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me What then will he say to them that impoverished and imprisoned them Remember that it is Christ reputatively whom thou dost hate deride and persecute § 23. Direct 3. If you world escape the guilt of persecution the cause and interest of Christ in the Direct 3. world must be truly understood He that knoweth not that Holiness is Christs end and Scripture is his Word and Law and that the Preachers of the Gospel are his messengers and that preaching is his appointed means and that sanctified believers are his members and the whole number of them are his mystical body and all that profess to be such are his visible body or Kingdom in the world and that sin is the thing which he came to destroy and the Devil the world and the flesh are the enemies which he causeth us to conquer I say He that knoweth not this doth not know what Christianity or Godliness is and therefore may easily persecute it in his ignorance If you know not or believe not that serious Godliness in heart and life and serious preaching and discipline to promote it are Christs great cause and interest in the world you may fight against him in the dark whilst ignorantly you call your selves his followers If the Devil can but make you think that Ignorance is as good as Knowledge and Pharisaical formality and hypocritical shews are as good as spiritual worship and rational service of God and that seeming and lip-service is as good as seriousness in Religion and that the strict and serious obeying of God and living as we profess according to the principles of our Religion is but hypocrisie pride or faction that is that all are hypocrites who will not be hypocrites but seriously Religious I say if Satan can bring you once to such erroneous malignant thoughts as these no wonder if he make you persecutors O value the great blessing of a sound understanding For if Error blind you either impious error or factious error there is no wickedness so great but you may promote it and nothing so good and holy but you may persecute it and think all the while that you are doing well John 16. 2. They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service What Prophet so great or Saint so holy that did not suffer by such hands Yea Christ himself was persecuted as a sinner that never sinned § 24. Direct 4. And if you would escape the guilt of persecution the cause and interest of Christ Direct 4. must be highest in your esteem and preferred before all worldly carnal interests of your own Otherwise the Devil will be still perswading you that your own interest requireth you to suppress the interest of Christ For the truth is the Gospel of Christ is quite against the interest of carnality and concupiscence It doth condemn ambition covetousness and lust It forbiddeth those sins on pain of damnation which the proud and covetous and sensual love and will not part with And therefore it is no more wonder to have a proud man or a covetous man or a lustful voluptuous man to be a persecutor than for a Dog to fly in his face who takes his bone from him If you love your pride and lust and pleasures better than the Gospel and a holy life no marvel if you be persecutors For these will not well agree together And though sometimes the providence of God may so contrive things that an ambitious hypocrite may think that his worldly interest requireth him to seem religious and promote the preaching and practice of godliness this is but seldome and usually not long For he cannot choose but quickly find that Christ is no Patron of his sin and that Holiness is contrary to his worldly lusts Therefore if you cannot value the Cause of Godliness above your lusts and carnal interests I cannot tell you how to avoid the guilt of persecution nor the wrath and vengeance of Almighty God § 25. Direct 5. Yea though you do prefer Christs interest in the main You must carefully take Direct 5. beed of stepping into any forbidden way and espousing any interest of your own or others which is contrary to the Laws or interest of Christ. Otherwise in the defence or prosecution of your cause you will be carryed into a seeming Necessity of persecuting before you are aware This hath been the ruine of multitudes of great ones in the world When Ahab had set himself in a way of sin the Prophet 1 Kings 22. 8 27. 1 King 13. 2 4. must reprove him and then he hateth and persecuteth the Prophet because he prophesied not good of him but evil When Ieroboam thought that his interest required him to set up Calves at Dan and Bethel and to make Priests for them of the baâ—est of the people the Prophet must speak against his sin and then he stretcheth out his hand against him and saith Lay hold on him If Asa sin and 2 Chron. 16. 10. the Prophet tell him of it his rage may proceed to imprison his reprover If Amaziah sin with the Idolaters the Prophet must reprove him and he will silence him or smite him And silenced he is 2 Chron. 15. 16. and what must follow 2 Chron. 15 16. The King said to him Art thou made of the Kings counsel forbear why shouldst thou be smitten This seemeth to be gentle dealing Then the Prophet forbore and said I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not hearkned to my counsel It Pilate do but hear If thou let this man go thou art not Caesars friend he thinketh John 19. 12. it his interest to crucifie Christ As Herod thought it his interest to kill him and therefore to kill so many other Infâ—nts when he heard of the birth of a King of the Jews Because of an Herodias Matth. 2. 16 17 18. Matth. 14. 6 7 8 9. Mar. 6. 19. 21 22. Acts 12. 2 3 4. and the honour of his word Herod will not stick to behead Iohn Baptist And another Herod will kill Iames with the Sword and imprison Peter because he seeth that it pleaseth
Body of Christ not of the body of the Pope Let Christian and Catholick be all your titles as to your Religion Mark those that cause divisions and offences and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. § 31. Direct 11. To this end Overvalue not any private or singular opinions of your own or Direct 11. others For if once spiritual pride and ignorance of your own weakness hath made you espouse some particular opinion as peculiarly your own you will dote on the brats of your own brains and will think your conceits to be far more illuminating and necessary than indeed they are as if mens sincerity lay in the embracing of them and their salvation on the receiving of them And then you will make a party for your opinion and will think all that are against it deserve to be cast out as enemies to reformation or to the truth of God or to the Church And perhaps twenty years after experience may bring you to your wits and make you see either the falshood or the smalness of all those points which you made so great a matter of and then what comfort will you have in your persecutions § 32. Direct 12. Obey not the solicitations of selfish passionate disputers Bishops and Divines falling Direct 12. out among themselves and then drawing Princes to own their quarrels when they find their arguments will not serve hath been the distraction division and ruine of the Christian world And he that falleth in with one of the parties to bear out that by the ruines of the other is lost himself in their contentions Would Rulers let wrangling Bishops and Disputers alone and never lend them their Swords to end their differences unless the substance of Religion be endangered they would be weary of quarrelling and would chide themselves friends and no such tragical consequents would follow as do when the Sword interposeth to suppress the discountenanced party and to end their Syllogisms and wranglings in blood § 33. Direct 13. Take heed lest an uncharitable hurting spirit do prevail under the name of holy Direct 13. Zeal As it did with Iames and Iohn when they would have fire from Heaven to have revenged the contempt of their Ministry To whom Christ saith Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of Luke 9. 55. The difference between a Christian zeal and an envious contentious censorious hurtful zeal is excellently described by the Apostle Iames Chap. 3. throughout Where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work The wisdom from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good works without partiality and hypocrisie § 34. Direct 14. The Catholick Church and Particular Churches and our Communion with each Direct 14. must be distinguished and a man must not be cast out of our Catholick Communion because by some tolerable difference he is uncapabable of Communion with some particular Church If a man be impenitent in any Heresie or sin which is contrary to the common nature of Christianity or Godliness and so unfit for Catholick Communion he is to be cast out of Christian Communion But if some particular Church do impose any unnecessary doctrine or practice and he dare not approve it or joyn in it be it right or wrong yea or if he withdraw himself from one Church through the badness of the Minister or through any falling out between them and joyn to another that hath a Minister more suitable to his case these are not crimes to be punished with ejection from Catholick Communion He that is not fit for Communion with some one particular Church may be fit for Communion with many others that give him no such occasion of difference or distaste Without Catholick principles persecution will not be avoided § 35. Direct 15. Let Church Union and Communion be laid upon none but Catholick terms which Direct 15. are possible and fit for all to be agreed in Common Reason will tell any impartial man that there See my Treatise of A True Catholick and Cath. Church can be no more effectual engine to divide the Churches and raise contentions and persecutions than to make Laws for Church-communion requiring such conditions as it is certain the members cannot consent to If any man knew that my opinion is against the doctrine of Transubstantiation or of the Dominicans Predetermination and he would make a Law that no man shall have Communion with that Church who subscribeth not to these he unavoidably excludeth me Unless I be such a Beast as to Believe nothing soundly and therefore to say any thing If ever the Churches agree and Christians be reconciled it must be by leaving out all dividing impositions and requiring nothing as necessary to Communion which all may not rationally be expected to consent in Now these Catholick principles of Communion must be such as these 1. Such points of faith only as constitute Christianity and which every upright Christian holdeth and therefore only such as are contained in our Baptismal Covenant or Profession which maketh us Christians And not those other which only some stronger Christians believe or understand Because the weak are not to be cast out of the family of Christ. 2. Such points as the Primitive Churches did agree in and not innovations which they never Sâ—e Viâ—cent Lâ—â—iaens practised or agreed in For they are our pattern and were better than we and no more can be necessary to our Concord and Communion than was to theirs 3. Such points as all the Church hath sometime or other at least agreed in For what reason can we have to think that the Churches should now agree in that which they never hitherto agreed in 4. Such points as all the true Christians in the world are now agreed in For otherwise we shall exclude some true Christians from our Christian Communion 5. No points of Worship much less of Modes and Circumstances which are not necessary and more necessary to the Churches good than is the Communion of all those persons who by dissenting are like to be separated or cast out and whose omission would not do more hurt than this separation and division is like to do 6. Especially no such things must be made necessary to communion as the most conscientious are ordinarily fearful of and averse to and may be forborn without any great detriment to godliness § 36. Object But it will be said that Catholick Communion indeed requireth no more than you say Object But particular Churches may require more of their members For that may be necessary or fit for a member of this particular Church which is not to at all Answ. Catholick Communion is that which all Christians and Churches have with one another and the terms of it are such as all Christians may agree in Catholick Communion is principally existent and exercised in particular Churches as there is no existent Christianity or faith which existeth not in
rend us Much more if it be some potent enemy of the Church who will not only rend us but the Church it self if he be so provoked Reproving him then is not our duty 3. Particularly When a man is in a passion or drunk usually it is no season to reprove him 4. Nor when you are among others who should not be witnesses of the fault or the reproof or whose presence will shame him and offend him except it be only the shaming of an incorrigible or malicious sinner which you intend 5. Nor when you are uncertain of the fact which you would reprove or uncertain whether it be a sin 6. Or when you have no witness of it though you are privately certain with some that will take advantage against you as slanderers a reproof may be omitted 7. And when the offenders are so much your superiours that you are like to have no better success than to be accounted arrogant A groan or tears is then the best reproof 8. When you are so utterly unable to manage a reproof that imprudence or want of convincing reason is like to make it a means of greater hurt than good 9. When you foresee a more advantageous season if you delay 10. When another may be procured to do it with much more advantage which your doing it may rather hinder In all these cases that may be a sin which at another time may be a duty § 18. But still remember 1. That pride and passion and slothfulness is wont to pretend such reasons falsly upon some sleight conjectures to put by a duty 2. That no man must account another Gen. 20. 36. a Dog or Swine to excuse him from this duty without cogent evidence And it is not every wrangling opposition nor reproach and scorn which will warrant us to give a man up as remediless Job 31. 13. Heb. 13. 22. 2 Pet. 1. 13. 2 Tâ—m 2. 25 26. and speak to him no more but only such 1. As sheweth a heart utterly obdurate after long means 2. Or will procure more suffering to the reprover than good to the offender 3. That when the thing is ordinarily a duty the reasons of our omission must be clear and sure before they will excuse us § 19. Quest. Must we reprove Infidels or Heathens What have we to do to judge them that are without Answ. Not to the ends of excommunication because they are not capable of it which is meant Deut. 22. 1. 1 Cor. 5. But we must reprove them 1. In common compassion to their souls What were the Apostles and other Preachers sent for but to call all men from their sins to God 2. And for the defence of truth and godliness against their words or ill examples CHAP. XVII Directions for keeping Peace with all men § 1. PEace is so amiable to Nature it self that the greatest destroyers of it do commend it and those persons in all times and places who are the cause that the world cannot enjoy it will yet speak well of it and exclaim against others as the enemies of peace as if there were no other name but their Own sufficient to make their adversaries odious As they desire salvation so do the ungodly desire Peace which is with a double error one about the Nature of it and another about the Conditions and other Means By Peace they mean the quiet undisturbed enjoyment of their honours wealth and pleasures that they may have their lusts and will without any contradiction And the Conditions on which they would have it are the complyance of all others with their opinions and wills and humble submission to their domination passions or desires But Peace is another thing and otherwise to be desired and sought Peace in the mind is the delightful effect of its internal harmony as Peace in the body is nothing but its pleasant health in the natural position state action and concord of all the parts the humours and spirits And Peace in Families Neighbourhoods Churches Kingdoms or other Societies is the quietness and pleasure of their order and harmony and must be attained and preserved by these following means § 2. Direct 1. Get your own hearts into a humble frame and abhor all the motions of Pride and Direct 1. self exalting A humble man hath no high expectations from another and therefore is easily pleased or quieted He can bow and yield to the pride and violence of others as the Willow to the impetuous winds His language will be submissive his patience great he is content that others go before him He is not offended that another is preferred A low mind is pleased in a low condition But Pride is the Gun-powder of the mind the family the Church and State It maketh men ambitious and setteth them on striving who shall be the greatest A proud mans Opinion must alwayes go for truth and his will must be a Law to others and to be sleighted or crossed seemeth to him an unsufferable wrong And he must be a man of wonderful complyance or an excellent artificer in man-pleasing and flâ—ttery that shall not be taken as an injurious undervaluer of him He that overvalueth himself will take it ill of all that do not also overvalue him If you forgetfully go before him or overlook him or neglect a complement or deny him something which he expected or speak not honourably of him much more if you reprove him and tell him of his faults you have put fire to the Gun-powder you have broke his peace and he will break yours if he can Pride broke the Peace between God and the apostate Angels but nothing unpeaceable must be in Heaven and therefore by self-exâ—lting they descended into darkness And Christ by self-humbling ascended unto Glory It is a matter of very great difficulty to live peaceably in family Church or any society with any one that is very Proud They expect so much of you that you can never answer all their expectations but will displease them by your omissions though you never speak or do any thing to displease them What is it but the lust of Pride which causeth most of the wars and bloodshed throughout the World The Pride of two or three men must cost many thousands of their subjects the loss of their Peace Estates and Lives Delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi What were the Conquests of those Emperours Alexander Caesar Tamerlane Machumet c. but the pernicious effects of their infamous Pride Which like Gun-powder taking fire in their breasts did blow up so many Cities and Kingdoms and call their Villanies by the name of Valour and their Murders and Robberies by the name of War If one mans Pride do swell so big that his own Kingdom cannot contain it the Peace of as much of the World as he can conquer is taken to be but a reasonable sacrifice to this infernal vice The lives of thousands both Subjects and Neighbours called enemies by this malignant spirit must be cast
few men can but get money enough to purchase all the Land in a County they think that they may do with their own as they list and set such hard bargains of it to their Tenants that they are all but as their servants yea and live a more troublesome life than servants do when they have laboured hard all the year they can scarce scrape up enough to pay their Landlords rent Their necessities are so urgent that they have not so much as leisure to pray Morning or Evening in their families or to read the Scriptures or any good Book nor scarce any room in their thoughts for any holy things Their minds are so distracted with necessities and cares that even on the Lords Day or at a time of prayer they can hardly keep their minds intent upon the sacred work which they have in hand If the freest minds have much adoe to keep their thoughts in seriousness and order in meditation or in the worshipping of God how hard must it needs be to a poor oppressed man whose body is tired with wearisome labours and his mind distracted with continual cares how to pay his rent and how to have food and rayment for his family How unfit is such a troubled discontented person to live in thankfulness to God and in his joyful praises Abundance of the Voluptuous great ones of the world do use their Tenants and servants but as their Beasts as if they had been made only to labour and toil for them and it were their chief felicity to fulfil their will and live upon their favour § 9. Direct 1. The principal means to overcome this sin is to understand the Greatness of it For Direct 1. the flesh perswadeth carnal men to judge of it according to their self ish interest and not according to the interest of others nor according to the true principles of Charity and Equity and so they justifie themselves in their oppression § 10. 1. Consider That Oppression is a sin not only contrary to Christian Charity and Self-denyal but even to Humanity it self We are all made of one earth and have souls of the same kind There is as near a kindred betwixt all mankind as a specifical identity As between one Shâ—ep one Dovâ— one Angel and another As between several drops of the same water and several sparks of the same fire which have a natural tendency to Union with each other And as it is an inhumane thing for one brother to oppress another or one member of the same body to set up a proper interest of its own and make all the rest how painfully soever to serve that private interest So is it for those men who are children of the same Creator Much more for them who account themselves members of the same Redeemer and brethren in Christ by grace and regeneration with those whom they oppress Mal. 2. 10. Have we not all one Father Hath not one God created us Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother By profaning the Covenant of our Fathers If we must not lye to one another because we are members one of another Ephes. 4. 25. And if all the members must have the same care of one another 1 Cor. 12. 25. Surely then they must not oppress one another § 11. 2. An Oppressor is an Anti-christ and an Anti-god He is contrary to God who delighteth to do good and whose bounty maintaineth all the world Who is kind to his enemies and causeth his Psal. 145. Matth. 5. Lam. 3. Sun to shine and his rain to fall on the just and on the unjust and even when he afflicteth doth it as unwillingly delighting not to grieve the Sons of men He is contrary to Jesus Christ who gave himself a ransome for his enemies and made himself a curse to redeem them from the curse and condescended in his incarnation to the nature of man and in his passion to the Cross and suffering which they deserved and being rich and Lord of all yet made himself poor that we by his poverty might be made rich He endured the Cross and despised the shame and made himself of as no reputation accounting it his honour and joy to be the Saviour of mens souls even of the poor and despised of the world And these Oppressors live as if they were made to afflict the just and to rob them of Gods mercies and to make crosses for other men to bear and to tread on their brethren as stepping stones of their own advancement The Holy Ghost is the Comforter of the just and faithful And these men live as if it were their Calling to deprive men of their comfort § 12. 3. Yea an Oppressor is not only the Agent of the Devil but his Image It is the Devil that is the destroyer and the devourer who maketh it his business to undo men and bring them into misery and distress He is the grand Oppressor of the world Yet in this he is far short of the malignity of men-devils 1. That he doth it not by force and violence but by deceit and hurteth no man till he hath procured his own consent to sin whereas our Oppressors do it by their brutish force and power 2. And the Devil destroyeth men who are not his brethren nor of the same kind But these oppressors never stick at the violating of such relations § 13. 4. Oppression is a sin that greatly serveth the Devil to the damning of mens souls as well as to the afflicting of their bodies And it is not a few but millions that are undone by it For as I shewed before it taketh up mens Minds and Time so wholly to get them a poor living in the world that they have neither mind nor time for better things They are so troubled about many things that the one thing needful is laid aside All the labours of many a worthy able Pastor are frustrated by oppressors To say nothing of the far greatest part of the world where the tyranny and oppression of Heathen Infidel and Mahometane Princes keepeth out the Gospel and the means of life nor yet of any other Persecutors If we exhort a Servant to read the Scriptures and call upon God and think of his everlasting state he telleth us that he hath no time to do it but when his weary body must have rest If we desire the Masters of families to instruct and catechise their children and servants and pray with them and read the Scriptures and other good Books to them they tell us the same that they have no time but when they should sleep and that on the Lords Day their tired bodies and careful minds are unfit to attend and ply such work So that necessity quietteth their consciences in their ignorance and neglect of heavenly things and maketh them think it the work only of Gentlemen and rich men who have leisure but are further alienated from it by prosperity than these are by their poverty And
your selves their Riches their health their Honours their Lordships their Kingdoms yea more their knowledge and learning and grace and happiness are partly to you as your own As the comforts of Wife and Children and your dearest friends are And as our Love to Christ and the blessed Angels and Saints in Heaven doth make their joyes to be partly ours How excellent and easie and honest a way is this of making all the world your own and receiving that benefit and pleasure from all things both in Heaven and Earth which no distance no malice of enemies can deny you If those whom you truly Love have it you have it Why then do you complain that you have no more health or wealth or honour or that others are preferred before you Love your neighbours as your selves and then you will be comforted in his health his wealth and his preferment and say Those have it whom I love as my self and therefore it is to me as mine own When you see your neighbours Houses Pastures Corn and Cattle Love will make it as good and pleasant to you as if it were your own Why else do you rejoyce in the portions and estates of your children as if it were your own The covetous man saith O how glad should I be if this House this Land this Corn were mine But love will make you say It is all to me as mine own What a sure and cheap way is this of making all the world your own O what a mercy doth God bestow on his servants souls in the day that he sanctifieth them with unfeigned love How much doth he give us in that one grace And O what a world of blessing and comforts do the ungodly the malitious the selfish and the censorious cast away when they cast away or quench the love of their neighbours And what abundance of calamity do they bring upon themselves In this one summary instance we may see how much Religion and obedience to God doth tend to our own felicity and delight And how easie a work it would be if a wicked heart did not make it difficult And how great a plague sin is unto the sinner And how fore a punishment of it self And by this you may see what it is that all fallings-out divisions and contentions tend to And all temptations to the abatement of our love And who it is that is the greater loser by it when love to our neighbour is lost And that backbiters and censurers who speak ill of others come to us as the greatest enemies and thieves to rob us of our chiefest jewel and greatest comfort in this world And accordingly should they be entertained CHAP. XXVIII Special Cases and Directions for Love to Godly persons as such Tit. 1. Cases of Conscience about Love to the Godly WHom we must take for Godly I answered before Chap. 24. Tit. 1. Quest. 5. Quest. 1. How can we love the Godly when no man can certainly know who is sincerely Quest. 1. godly Answ. Our love is not the love of God which is guided by infallibility but the love of man which is guided by the dark and fallible discerning of a man The fruits of piety and charity we infallibly see in their lives But the saving truth of that grace which is or ought to be the root we must judge of according to the probability which those signs discover and love men accordingly Quest. 2. Must we love those as godly who can give no sensible account of their conversion for the Quest. 2. time or manner or evidence of it Answ. We must take none for godly who shew no credible evidence of true conversion that is of true faith and Repentance But there is many a one truly godly who through natural defect of understanding or utterance are not able in good sense to tell you what Conversion is not to describe the manner in which it was wrought upon them much less to define exactly the time or Sermon when it was first wrought which few of the best Christians are able to do especially of them who had pious education and were wrought on in their childhood But if the Covenant of Grace be wisely opened to them according to their capacity and they deliberately and soberly and voluntarily profess their present assent and consent thereto they do thereby give you the credible evidence of a true conversion till you have sufficient contrary evidence to disprove it For none but a converted man can truly repent and believe in God the Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier according to the Baptismal Covenant Quest. 3. But what if he be so ignorant that he cannot tell what faith or repentance or redemption or Quest. 3. sanctification or the Covenant of Grace is Answ. If you have sufficient evidence that indeed he doth not at all understand the essentials of the Sacramental Covenant you may conclude that he is not truly godly Because he cannot consent to what he knoweth not Ignorantis non est consensus And if you have no evidence of such knowledge you have no evidence of his godliness but must suspend your judgement But yet many a one understandeth the essentials of the Covenant who cannot tell another what they are Therefore his mind in case of great disability of utterance must be fished out by Questions to which his Yea or No will discover what he understandeth and consenteth to You would not refuse to do so by one of another language or a dumb man who understood you but could answer you but by broken words or signs And verily ill education may make a great many of the phrases of Scripture and religious language as strange to some men though spoken in their native tongue as if it were Greek or Latin to them who yet may possibly understand the matter A wise Teacher by well composed questions may without fraud or formality discern what a man understandeth though he say but Yea or No when an indiscreet unskilful man will make his own unskilfulness and uncharitableness the occasion of contemptuous trampling upon some that are as honest as himself If a mans desires and endeavours are to that which is good and he be willing to be taught and use the means it must be very gross ignorance indeed and well-proved that must disprove his profession of faith If he competently understand what it is to believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost the Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier he understandeth all that is absolutely necessary to salvation And his Yea or No may sometime signifie his understanding it Quest. 4. Must I take the visible members of the Church because such for truly godly Quest. 4. Answ. Yes except when you have particular sufficient proof of their hypocrisie Certainly no man doth sincerely enter into the Baptismal Covenant but he that is sincerely a penitent believer if at age For that Covenant giveth actual pardon and adoption to those that sincerely enter into it the very
Honour for uncharitableness And the voice of Pride is the voice of the Devil contrary to him who made himself of no reputation Phil. 2. 7 8. and submitted to be arrayed in a garb of mockery and led out with scorn like a fool and bowed to and buffetted and spit upon and crucified who calleth to us to learn of him to be meek and lowly and to deny our selves and take up the Cross which is shameful suffering if we will be his disciples Matth. 11. 28 29. Luke 14. 30 32 33. To every Christian it is the greatest honour to be like Jesus Christ and to excell in Charity It is a greater dishonour to want Love to an enemy than to fly from him or not resist him He that teacheth otherwise and maketh sin honourable and the imitation and obedience of Christ to be more dishonourable doth preach up Pride and preach down Charity and doth preach for the Devil against Jesus Christ and therefore should neither call himself a Jesuite nor a Christian. Yea more if the person that would hurt or kill you be one that is of more worth and usefulness as to the publick good you should rather suffer by him or be slain by him than you should equally hurt him or kill him in your own defence As if the King of another Kingdom that hath no authority over you for of your own there is no question should assault you Or any one whose death would be a greater loss than yours For the publick good is better than your own And it will not alwayes hold that you may wish another as much hurt as you may do him For in defending your self you may sometime blamelesly do more hurt than you were willing to do And you must never wish your enemies hurt as such but only as a necessary means of good as of preservation of himself or you or others Quest. 7. Must Kings and States Love their enemies How then can War be lawful Quest. 7. Answ. Kings and States are bound to it as much as private men And therefore must observe the foresaid Laws of Love as well as others Therefore they must raise no War unnecessarily nor for any cause be it never so just in it self when the benefits of the War are not like to be a greater good than the War will bring hurt both to friends and foes set together A lawful offensive War is almost like a true General Council On certain suppositions such a thing may be But whether ever the world saw such a thing or whether ever such suppositions will come to existence is the question Tit. 2. Motives to Love and do good to Enemies Motive 1. GOd loveth his enemies and doth them good and he is our best exemplar Mot. 1. Matth. 5. 45 46 But I say unto you Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you that ye may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven For he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Mot. 2. Jesus Christ was incarnate to set us a pattern especially of this vertue He sought the Mot. 2. salvation of his enemies he went up and down doing good among them He dyed for his enemies He prayeth for them even in his sufferings on the Cross He wept over them when he foresaw their ruine When he was reviled he reviled not again This is the pattern which we must imitate Mot. 3. God loved even us our selves when we were his enemies Or else what had become of Mot. 3. us And Christ dyed even for us as enemies to reconcile us by his death to God Rom. 5. 9 10. Therefore we are specially obliged to this duty Mot. 4. To be Gods Enemies is to be wicked and unlovely so that in such God could see nothing Mot. 4. amiable but our Nature and those poor remainders of virtue in it and our capacity of being made better by his grace and yet he then loved us But to be an enemy to you or me is not to be ungodly or wicked as such It is an enmity but against a vile unworthy Worm and therefore is a smaller fault Mot. 5. We do more against our selves than any Enemy or Devils and yet we love our selves why Motive 5. then should we not love another who doth less against us Mot. 6. All that is of God and is good must be loved But there may be much of God and much Motive 6. natural and moral good in some enemies of ours Mot. 7. To Love an enemy signifieth a mind that is impartial and loveth purely on Gods account Motive 7. and for Goodness sake But the contrary sheweth a selfish mind that loveth only on his own account Mot. 8. If you love only those that love you you do no more than the worst man in the world may Motive 8. do But Christians must do more than others Mat. 5. 47. or else they must expect no more than others Mot. 9. Loving and doing good to enemies is the way to win them and to save them If there be any Motive 9. spark of true humanity left in them they will love you when they perceive indeed that you love them A man can hardly continue long to hate him whom he perceiveth unfeignedly to love him And this will draw him to love Religion for your sake when he discerneth the fruits of it Mot. If he be implacable it will put you into a condition fit for God to own you in and to judge Mot. 10. you accordingly to your innocency These two together contain the sense of heaping coals of fire on his head that is q. d. If he be not implacable you will melt and win him and if he be implacable you will engage God in your cause who best knoweth when and how to revenge Tit. 3. Directions for Loving and doing good to Enemies Direct 1. MAke no man your enemy so far as you can avoid it For though you may pretend to Love Direct 1. him when he is your enemy you have done contrary to Love in making him your enemy For thereby he is deprived of his own Love to you And if his Charity be his best commodity then he that robbeth him though he be never so culpable himself hath done that which belongeth to the worst of enemies It is a thousand times greater hurt and loss to him to lose his own Love to others than to lose anothers love to him And therefore to make him hate you is more injurious or hurtful to him than to hate him Direct 2. Take not those for your enemies that are not and believe not any one to be your enemy Direct 2. till cogent evidence constrain you Take heed therefore of ill suspicious and ungrounded censures except defensively so far only as to secure your selves
works of charity both because the Tythes are now more appropriate to the maintenance of the Clergy and because as is aforesaid the people give them not out of their own I confess if we consider how Decimation was used before the Law by Abraham and Iacob and established by the Law unto the Iews and how commonly it was used among the Gentiles and last of all by the Church of Christ it will make a considerate man imagine that as there is still a Divine Direction for one day in seven as a necessary proportion of Time to be ordinarily consecrated to God besides what we can spare from our other dayes so that there is something of a Divine Canon or direction for the Tenth of our revenews or increase to be ordinarily consecrated to God besides what may be spared from the rest And whether those Tythes that are none of your own and cost you nothing be now to be reckoned to â—rivate men as any of their Tenths which they themselves should give I leave to your consideratiâ—â— Amongst Augustines works we find an opinion that the Devils were the Tenth part of the Angels and that man is now to be the Tenth order among the Angels the Saints filling up the place that the Devils fell from and there being nine orders of Angels to be above us and that in this there is some ground of our paying Tenths and therefore he saith that Haec est Domini justissima consuetudo ut si tu illi decimam non dederis tu ad decimam revocaberis id est daemonibus qui sunt decima pars angelorum associaberis Though I know not whence he had this opinion it seemeth that the devoting of a tenth part ordinarily to God is a matter that we have more than a humane Direction for 15. In times of extraordinary necessities of the Church or State or Poor there must be extraordinary bounty in our Contributions As if an enemy be ready to invade the Land or if some extraordinary work of God as the Conversion of some Heathen Nations do require it or some extraordinary persecution and distress befall the Pastours or in a year of famine plague or war when the necessities of the poor are extraordinary The tenths in such cases will not suffice from those that have more to give Therefore in such a time the Primitive Christians sold their possessions and laid down the price at the feet of the Apostles In one word an honest charitable heart being presupposed as the root or fountain and prudence being the discerner of our duty the Apostles general Rule may much satisfie a Christian for the proportion 1 Cor. 16. 2. Let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him And 2 Cor. 8. 12. According to that a man hath though there be many intimations that ordinarily a Tenth part at least is requisite III. Having thus resolved the question of the quota pars or proportion to be given I shall say a little to the question Whether a man should give most in his life time or at his Death Answ. 1. It is certain that the best work is that which is like to do most good 2. But to make it best to us it is necessary that we do it with the most self-denying holy charitable mind 3. That caeteris paribus all things else being equal the present doing of a good work is better than to defer it 4. That to do good only when you dye because then you can keep your wealth no longer and because then it costeth you nothing to part with it and because then you hope that this shall serve instead of true Repentance and Godliness this is but to deceive your selves and will do nothing to save your souls though it do never so much good to others 5. That he that sinfully neglecteth in his life time to do good if he do it at his death from true repentance and Conversion it is then accepted of God though the sin of his delay must be lamented 6. That he that delayeth it till Death not out of any selfishness backwardness or unwillingness but that the work may be the better and do more good doth better than if he hastened a lesser good As if a man have a desire to set up a Free School for perpetuity and the money which he hath is not sufficient if he stay till his Death that so the improvement of the money may increase it and make it enough for his intended work this is to do a greater good with greater self-denial For 1. He receiveth none of the increase of the money for himself 2. And he receiveth in his life time none of the praise or thanks of the work So also if a man that hath no Children have so much Land only as will maintain him and desireth to give it all to charitable uses when he dyeth this delay is not at all to be blamed because he could not sooner give it and if it be not in vain-glory but in love to God and to good works that he leaveth it it is truly acceptable at last So that all good works that are done at death are not therefore to be undervalued nor are they rejected of God but sometimes it falleth out that they are so much the greater and better works though he that can do the same in his life time ought to do it IV. But though I have spent all these words in answering these Questions I am fully satisfied that it is very few that are kept from doing good by any such doubt or difficulty in the case which stalls their judgements but by the power of sin and want of grace which leaveth an unwillingness and backwardness on their hearts Could we tell how to remove the impediments in mens wills it would do more than the clearest resolving all the cases of Conscience which their judgements seem to be unsatisfied in I le tell you what are the impediments in your way that are harder to be removed than all these difficulties and yet must be overcome before you can bring men to be like true Christians rich in good works 1. Most men are so sensual and so selfish that their own flesh is an insatiable gulf that devoureth all and they have little or nothing to spare from it to good uses It is better cheap maintaining a family of temperate sober persons than one fleshly person that hath a whole litter of vices and lusts to be maintained So much a year seemeth necessary to maintain their pride in needless curiosity and bravery and so much a year to maintain their sensual sports and pleasures and so much to please their throats or appetites and to lay in provision for Feavers and Dropsies and Coughs and Consumptions and an hundred such diseases which are the natural progeny of gluttony drunkenness and excess and so much a year to maintain their Idleness and so of many other vices But if one of these persons have the Pride
that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up Therefore be ye also ready For in such an hour as ye think not the son of man cometh Mar. 13. 33. Take ye heed watch and pray for ye know not when the time is § 19. Direct 12. Never forget what attendance thou hast while thou art idling or sinning away thy Direct 12. Time How the patience and mercy of God are staying for thee And how Sun and Moon and all the creatures are all the while attending on thee And must God stand by while thou art yet a little longer abusing and offending him Must God stay till thy Cards and Dice and Pride and worldly unnecessary cares will dismiss thee and spare thee for his service Must he wait on the Devil and the world and the flesh to take their leavings and stay till they have done with thee Canst thou marvel if he make thee pay for this If he turn away and leave thee to spend thy time in as much vanity and idleness as thou desirest Must God and all his creatures wait on a careless sinner while he is at his fleshly pleasures Must life and time be continued to him while he is doing nothing that is worthy of his Life and time The long suffering of God did wait on the disobedient in the days of Noah 1 Pet. 3. 20. But how dear did they pay for the contempt of this forbearance § 20. Direct 13. Consider soberly of the ends for which thy life and Time are given thee by God Direct 13. God made not such a creature as man for nothing He never gave thee an hours Time for nothing The life and time of bruits and plants is given them to be serviceable to thee But what is thine for Dost thou think in thy Conscience that any of thy Time is given thee in vain When thou art sluging or idling or playing it away dost thou think in thy Conscience that thou art wisely and honestly answering the ends of thy Creation and Redemption and hourly preservation Dost thou think that God is so unwise or disregardful of thy Time and thee as to give thee more than thou hast need of Thou wilt blame thy Tailor if he cut out more cloath than will make thy garments meet for thee and agreeable to thy use And thou wilt blame thy Shoomaker if he make thy shoos too big for thee And dost thou think that God is so lavish of Time or so unskillful in his works of providence as to cut thee out more Time than the work which he hath cut thee out requireth He that will call thee to a reckoning for all hath certainly given thee none in vain If thou canst find an hour that thou hast â—othing to do with and must give no account for let that be the hour of thy pastime But if thou knewest thy need thy danger thy hopes and thy work thou wouldst never dream of having Time to spare For my own part I must tell thee if thou have Time to spare thy case is very much different from mine It is the daily trouble and burden of my mind to see how slowly my work goes on and how hastily my Time and how much I am like to leave undone which I would fain dispatch How great and important businesses are to be done and how short that life is like to be in which they must be done if ever Methinks if every day were as long as ten it were not too long for the work which is every day before me though not incumbent on me as my present duty for God requireth not impossibilities yet exceeding desirable to be done It is the Work that makes the Time a mercy The Time is for the Work If my work were done which the good of the Church and my soul requireth what cause had I to be glad of the ending â—â— my Time and to say with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Remember then that God never gave thee one minute to spend in vain but thy very ease and rest and recreations must be but such and so much as fit thee for thy work and as helps it on and do not hinder it He redeemed and preserveth us that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our lives Luke 1. 74 75. § 21. Direct 14. Remember still that the Time of this short uncertain life is all that ever you shall Direct 14. have for your preparation for your endless life When this is spent whether well or ill you shall have no more God will not try those with another life on earth that have cast away and mispent See mâ— Book called Now or Never this There is no returning hither from the dead to mend that which here you did amiss What good you will do must Now be done And what Grace you would get must Now be got And what preparation for Eternity you will ever make must Now be made 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold now is the accepted time Behold now is the day of salvation Heb. 3. 7 13. Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts But exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned by the deceitfulness of sin Have you but one life here to live and will you lose that one or any part of it Your Time is already measured out The glass is turned upon you Rev. 10. 5 6. And the Angel lifted up his hand to Heaven and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever that Time should be no longer Therefore whatever thy â—and findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor devise nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Eccles. 9. 10. What then remaineth but that the Time being short and the fashion of these things passing away you use the world as if you used it not and redeem this Time for your eternal happiness 1 Cor. 7. 29. § 22. Direct 15. Remember still that sin and Satan will lose no time and therefore it concerneth Direct 15. you to lose none The Devil your adversary goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober therefore and vigilant to resist him V. 7 9. If he be busie and you be idle if he be at work in spreading his Nets and laying his snares for you and you be at play and do not mind him it is easie to fore-tell you what will be the issue If your enemies be fighting while you sit still or sleep it is easie to prognosticate who will have the Victory The weeds of corruption are continually growing sin like a constant spring is still running The world is still enticing and the flesh is still inclining to it
s prohibited delights None of these Enemies will make a Truce or a Cessation with you to sit still as long as you sit still So far are they from forbearing you while you are idle or gratifying the flesh that even this is the fruit and evidence of their industry and success Lose no Time then and admit of no interruptions of your work till you can perswade your enemies to do the like § 23. Direct 16. Consider what a sensless contradiction it is of you to over-love your Lives and Direct 16. yet to cast away your Time What is your Time but the duration of your lives You are loth to dye and loth your Time should be at an end and yet you can as prodigally cast it away as if you were weary of it or longed to be rid of it Is it only the last hours that you are loth to lose Are not the middle parts as precious and to be spared and improved Or is it only to have Time and not to use it that you desire No means is good for any thing but to further the attainment of the end It is not good to you if it do you no good To have food or rayment without any use of them is as bad as not to have them If you saw a man tremble with fear lest his purse be taken from him and yet take out his money himself and cast it away or give it all for a straw or feather what would you think of that mans wit And do not you do the like and worse when you are afraid lest Death should end your Time and yet you your selves will idle it away and play it away and give it for a little worldly pelf But I know how it is with you It is for the present pleasure of the flesh and for the sweetness of life it self that you value life and are so loth to dye and not for any higher ends But this is to be bruitish and to unman your selves and simply to vilifie your lives while you idolize them Such mad contradictions sin infers You make your Life your ultimate end and desire to Live but for Life it self or the pleasures of life and so you make it instead of God and Heaven which should be intended as your proper end And yet while you refer it not to these higher ends and use it but for the present pleasure you vilifie your selves and it as if man did differ from a Dog or other Brute but in some poor degree of present pleasure § 24. Direct 17. Consider that in your loss of Time you lose all the mercies of that time For Direct 17. Time is pregnant with great unvaluable mercies It is the Cabinet that containeth the Iewels If you throw away the purse you throw away the money that is in it O what might you get in those precious hours which you cast away How much better a treasure than money might you win How much sweeter a pleasure than all your Games and Sports might you enjoy You might be soliciting God for life eternal You might be using and increasing grace You might be viewing by faith the blesâ—â—d place and company in which you may abide for ever All this and more you are loâ—ing while you are losing time You choose as a pleasure that heavy curse Levit. 26. 20. Your strength shall â—e spent in vain Why do you not also take it for a pleasure to cast away your gold or health I tell you a very little time is wâ—rth a great deal of Gold and Silver You cast away a more precious commodity § 25. Direct 18. Think seriously how Christ and his Apostles and holiest servants in all ages Direct 18. spent their Time They spent it in praying and preaching and holy conference and in doing good and in the works of their outward callings in subserviency to these But not in Cards or Dice or Dancing or Stage-playes or pampering the flesh nor in the pursuit of the profits and honours of the world I read where Christ was all night in praying Luke 6. 12. but not where he spent an hour in pâ—aying I know you will say that you expect not to reach their degree of holiness But let me remember you that he is not sincere that desireth not to be perfect And that he is graceless who wilfully keepeth any beloved sin which he had not rather be delivered from and that wilfully refuseth any duty and had not rather perform it as he ought And that you are the more needy though Christ and his Apostles and Servants were the more Holy And that the poor have moâ—e need to beg and work and be sparing of what they have than the rich And therefore if Christ and his holiest servants were spâ—ring of their time and spent it in works of holâ—nâ—ss and obedience have not you greater need to do so than they Have not you more need to pray and learn Gods Word and prepare for death than Christ and his Apostles Are you not more behind hand as having lost much time Let your wants instruct you § 26. Direct 19. Forget not that a spending time may come when you will think all too little Direct 19. that now you can provide by the most diligent redeeming of your time If a Garrison expect a Siege so sharp and long as will spend up their provisions they will prepare accordingly that they perish not by famine Temptations may be stronger and then you will find that you should now have gathered strength to overcome them and have bestirred you in the getting day that you might be able to stand in the evil day Ephes. 6. 13. It is those that now loyter and lose their time and gather not knowledge and strength of grace who fall in tryal when sufferings for righteousness â—ake shall be as a â—iege to you and when poverty wrongs provocations sickness and the face of death shall be as a â—iege to you then you will find all your faith and hope and love and comfort to be too little and then you will wish that you had now bestir'd you and laid in better provision and laid up a good foundation or treasure in store for the time to come 1 Tim. 6. 19. § 27. Direct 20. Lasâ—ly Forget not how Time is esteemed by the damned whose time and hope is Direct 20. gone â—or ever and how thâ—u wilt value it thy self if thou sin thy soul into that woful state What thinkest thou would those miserable creatures now give if they had it but for one dayes time Moâ—â— iâ—â—â—â—â—ribi iâ— eâ—â— quorum cum vita omnia extinguâ—â—â—â—uâ— Ciâ—â—â—â—o â—a a. l. 1. upon those terms of mercy which thou dost now enjoy it Would they sleep it away or be at their games and meâ—riments while God is offering them Christ and Grace Dost thou think they set not a higher price on Time and mercy than sinners upon earth Doth it not tear their very hearts for ever to
sin to disobey it while the thing is lawful Else servants and children must prove all to be needful as well as lawful which is commanded them before they must obey Or the command may at the same time be evil by accident and the obedience good by accident and per se very good accidents consequence or effects may belong to our Obedience when the accidents of the command it self are evil I could give you abundance of instances of these things § 68. Direct 36. Yet is not all to be obeyed that is evil but by accident nor all to be disobeyed Direct 36. that is so but the accidents must be compared and if the obedience will do more good than harm we must obey if it will evidently do more harm than good we must not do it Most of the sins in the world are evil by accident only and not in the simple act denuded of its accidents circumstances or It was one of the Roman Laws of the twelve Tables Justa imperia sunto iisque cives modesâ—e ac sine recusatione parento consequents You may not sell poyson to him that you know would poyson himself with it though to sâ—ll poyson of it self be lawful Though it be lawful simply to lend a Sword yet not to a Traytor that you know would kill the King with it no nor to one that would kill his Father his neighbour or himself A command would not excuse such an act from sin He wâ—â— slain by David that killed Saul at his own command and if he had but lent him his Sword to do it it had been his sin Yet some evil accidents may be weighed down by greater evils which would evidently follow upon the not doing of the thing commanded § 69. Direct 37. In the question whether Humane Laws bind Conscience the doubt is not of that nature Direct 37. as to have necessary influence upon your practice For all agree that they bind the subject to obedience and that Gods Law bindeth us to obey them And if Gods Law bind us to obey mans Law and so to disobey them be materially a sin against Gods Law this is as much as is needful to resolve you in respect of practice No doubt mans Law hath no primitive obliging power at all but a Derivative from God and under him And what is it to bind the Conscience an improper Speech but to bind the person to judge it his duty conscire and so to do it And no doubt but he is bound to judge it his duty that is immediately by Humane Law and remotely by Divine Law and so the contrary to be a sin prâ—ximatâ—ly against man and ultimately against God This is plain and the rest is but logomachy § 70. Direct 38. The question is much harder whether the violation of every Humane Penal Law be Direct 38. a sin against God though a man submit to the penalty And the desert of every sin is death Mr. Rich. Hoâ—kers last Book unhappily ended before he gave us the full reason of his judgement in Eccl. Pol. l. 8. p. 2â—4 this case these being his last words Howbeit too rigorous it were that the breach of every Humane Law should be a deadly sin A mean there is between those extremities if so be we can find it out Amesius hath diligently discust it and many others The reason for the affirmative is because God bindeth us to obey all the lawful commands of our Governours And suffering the penalty is not obeying the penalty being not the primary intention of the Law-giver but the Duty and the penalâ—y only to enforce the duty And though the suffering of it satisfie man it satisfieth not God whose Law we break by disobeying Those that are for the Negative say that God binding us but to obey the Magistrate and his Law binding but aut ad obedientiam an t ad poenam I fulfill his will if I either do or suffer If I obey not I please him by satisfying for my disobedience And it is none of his will that my choosing the penalty should be my sin or damnation To this it is replyed that the Law bindeth ad poenam but on supposition of disobedience And that disobedience is forbidden of God And the penalty satisfieth not God though it satisfie man The other rejoyn that it satisfieth God in that it satisfieth man because Gods Law is but to give force to mans according to the nature of it If this hold then no disobedience at all is a sin in him that suffereth the penalty In so hard a case because more distinction is necessary to the explication than most Readers are willing to be troubled with I shall now give you but this brief decision On second thoughts this case is fullier opened afterward There are some penalties which fulfil the Magistrates own will as much as obedience which indeed have more of the nature of a Commutation than of Penalty As he that watcheth not or mendeth not the High-wayes shall pay so much to hire another to do it He that shooteth not so oft in a year shall pay so much He that eateth flesh in Lent shall pay so much to the poor He that repaireth not his Hedges shall pay so much and so in most amercements and divers Penal Laws in which we have reason to judge that the penalty satisfieth the Law-giver fully and that he leaveth it to our choice In these cases I think we need not afflict our selves with the conscience or fear of sinning against God But there are other Penal Laws in which the penalty is not desired for it self and is supposed to be but an imperfect satisfaction to the Law-givers will and that he doth not freely leave us to our choice but had rather we obeyed than suffered only he imposeth no greater a penalty either because there is no greater in his power or some inconvenience prohibiteth In this case I should fear my disobedience were a sin though I suffered the penalty Still supposing it an act that he had Power to command me § 71. Direct 39. Take heed of the perâ—icious design of those Atheistical Politicians that would make Direct 39. the world believe that all that is excellent among men is at enmity with Monarchy yea and Government it self And take heed on the other side that the most excellent things be not turned against it by abuse Here I have two dangers to advertise you to beware The first is of some Machiavellian pernicious principles and the second of some erroneous unchristian practices § 72. I. For the first there are two sorts of Atheistical Politicians guilty of them The first sort are some Atheistical flatterers that to engage Monarchs against all that is good would make them believe that all that is good is against them and their interest By which means while their design is to steal the help of Princes to cast out all that is good from the world they are most