revealed Will. I hope thou art satisfied in the weight of the Reasons already delivered what canst thou say why thou shouldst not presently set upon the work Thou hast heard it is the great end of thy being and continuance in this world That it is an employment of the greatest concernment How it is Soul work God-work Eternity-work That it must of necessity be made the main business or otherwise all thy labour will be lost â—anst thou easily break this threefold cord let conscience judge between God and thee whether such a work as this is doth not deserve all thy time and strength thine utmost care and greatest diligence and ten thousand times more then thou canst possibly give it Thou hast also read how fiery and furious Worldlings Formalists Sinners are for their Dalilahs and Minions Oh why art thou so slothful to go in and possess the land Judg. 18.3 Themistocles seeing two Cocks fight Aelianâ— 2 Va. Hâ—st c. 28. when he was going to a battel pointed his Souldiers to them and said Do you see â—onder Combatants how valiantly they deal their blows with what fury they fight and yet they fight not for their Country nor for their Gods nor for the honour of their Ancestors nor for Glory nor Liberty nor Children What courage then my brave Countrymen should this put into our hearts on whose resolution all these depend and by whose valour they subsist So say I to thee Reader Dost thou see yonder Worldling how he rideth runneth toileth moileth sweateth wasteth his strength wrongeth his body makes a very pack-horse of it and will searce allow it time to eat or sleep Dost thou see yonder Superstitious person how zealous he is for the inventions of men laying his Estate Limbs Laberty and Life at the feet of his own Idol 〈◊〉 how like one upon a fiery Steed full of mettle he rides post out of Gods way and from Gods Word Nay dost thou see yonder Sinner what time he spends what miseries he endures what Wealth he wastes how hard he labours to gratifie his Lust And yet these work not for the Blood of Christ nor for the Love of the Father nor for the Graces of the Spirit nor from freedom from the Curse of the Law the slavery of Satan the torments of Hell nor for their Souls nor for their God nor for fulness of joy and the pleasures that are at Gods right hand for evermore What Zeal and Fervency should this put into our hearts Dear Friends and what diligence and industry into our hands when we work and trade for all these and if we make them our business our labour shall not be invain in the Lord. Exercise thy self to Godliness not to Superstition As the Ivy in time eats up the very heart of the Oake it groweth about so doth Formality and Superstition the very heart and life of Religion Let Gods Laws not thy own or others Lusts be the rule whereby thou governest thy heart and life Superstition saith an eminent Divine is to true Holiness Gurnal Christ incomp arm part 2. edit 2. p. 224. what the Concubine is to the true Wife who is sure to draw the Husbands love from her this Brat the Devil hath long put out to nurse to the Romish Church which hath taken a great deal of pains to bring it up for him and no wonder when she is so well paid for its maintenance it having brought her in so much worldly treasure and riches What some observe of Horse hairs that though liveless yet lying nine days under water they turn to Snakes may pertinently be applyed to superstitious Ceremonies which though at first dead or held at most but indifferent yet in continuance of time have quickened and done much mischeif There is a simplicity in the Word and Worship of God which I would intreat thee to look after I fear least your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 not as simplicity is opposed to wisdom but as simplicity is opposed to mixtures Compositions do but diminish and abate the vertue of Simples The more natural and simple the Wine is the more pure it is mixtures do but adulterate it The more simple the Worship of God is I speak of Gospel simplicity and order the more pure it is humane inventions and mixtures may abase it they cannot adorn it Gods Altar under the law must be of earth If thou lift up a tool upon it thou hast polluted it Exod. 20.24 25. Men are apt to think that by lifting up tools on Gods altar they polish it but God himself saith they pollute it When the Church was in her infancy she was drest in the swadling clothes of Ceremonies but since she is grown up God hath provided her other attire To the Jews the Sun of righteousness was behind and therefore the shadow of those Ceremonies was before They were in force and power but to us Gentiles the Sun of righteousness is before and therefore the shadow of ceremonies is behind When Christ came those shadows seemed to say as the Angels to Jacob Let us go for the day breaketh Gen. 32.26 at the death of Christ the Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom to acquaint us that the Jewish Ceremonies must then vanish Mat. 27.51 Reader I would not be mistaken I do not advise thee against that order and decency which is commanded in the Worship of God nor against active obedience to authority in things that are circumstantial or not directly nor consequentially forbidden in Scripture but I would counsel thee to beware least like the Dog in the Fable whilst thou art snapping at any shadow thou dost not lose the substance and withal I must tell thee that as when the shadows grow long it s a sign the Sun is declining so when those shadows those even indifferent things increase usually the substance the light of holiness decreaseth When Corn runs out into straw and chaff those that feed on it may well be thin and lean but when it runs into ear and kernel thou mayst expect such as eat of it to be fat and well favourd when Religion runs into Formalities and Ceremonies her followers can never be thriving spiritually they may starve for all the gaudy flowers wherewith the several dishes on her table are decked and set forth it is the power of godliness alone which like wholsom and substantial food will distribute nourishment and strength to the inner man I expect nourishment from bread not from straw or stones because God hath annext his blessing to the former not to the latter I look for spiritual strength from divine institutions not from humane inventions because Gods promise is made to word-worship not to will-worship one would think the sparks of that fire wherewith Aarons Sons were consumed should fly in the faces of men and make them affraid to offer up to the Lord what he commanded them not Lev.
dead yet he speaketh to thee to take heed how thou touchest the Ark. A Prince may be pleased if his Kitchin be but indifferent neat and handsom but he looks that in his Parlour where he gives entertainment to his friend all things should be in Print Where Gods special walk is amongst his Candlesticks and amidst his Myrtle Trees there Godliness must be our special work Holiness becometh thy house O Lord for ever Psa 93. ult Godliness doth always sute the back of a Saint This gracious garment is a glorious ornament to him whatever he is doing or where ever he is going but the apparel doth become him best in his approaches to the holy God No Hangings no Tapestry becomes Gods house so well as Holiness and no place is so proper as the House of God for this costly comely furniture God is more honored or dishonoured in our Religious actions then in all the actions of our lives in them we do directly and immediately pretend his Honor and Service and therefore if we do not walk in them watchfully and intend them seriously the greater is our sin For a trespass committed against holy things the Jews were to bring a Ram to be valued by the shekel of the Sanctuary for a trespass against their brethren a Ram was required but no such valuation expressed whence Origen infers Aliud est peccare in sanctis aliud extra sancta It is one thing to sin in holy things another thing to sin beside them and he urgeth that place in Samuel 1 Sam. 2.25 If a man sin against another man the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him Lev. 5.15 and 6.6 When men are some way off in a Kings eye they will be comely in their carriage but when they come into his Presence-chamber to speak with him they will be most careful Because Saints are always in Gods sight their constant deportment must be pious and seemly I have kept thy precepts for all my ways are before thee Psal 119.68 But because the Ordinances of God are the very face of God and they who worship him therein do solemnly appear before him therefore at such seasons they are bound to be most holy and serious Exod. 23 17. Psal 42.2 The saying of the Sage Orator hath some weight Isocrat ad Demon Worship the gods at all times especially in publick that is in their sacrifices God is very curious how men carry themselves in his Courts and commandeth thee Reader be to eminently pious when thou appearest in his presence Do but observe under the Law how choyce he was about all things relating to his Worship the Tabernacle must be made of the best wood the purest gold the finest linnen and every part and pin of it done exactly according to Gods own precept the persons called to set it up must be rarely gifted and singularly endowed for that very purpose He that offereth sacrifice must be without blemish For whatsoever man he be that hath any blemish he shall not approach a blinde man or a lame man or he that hath any thing superfluous or a flat nose or he that is broken faced or broken handed or crooked backt or a Dwarf or that hath any blemish in his eye or the scurvy or is scabbed no man that hath any blemish of the Sons of Aaron the Priest shall come nigh to offer the Offerings of the Lord made by fire he hath a blemish he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God Levit. 21.17 18 19 20. So the sacrifice also must be perfect without spot If it were blind or broken or maimed had a wen the scurvy or were scabbed Levit. 22.19 21 22 24. It must not be offered it must be a male without blemish of the best of the flocks nay the best of these beasts the fat even all the fat which covereth the Inwards Lev. 3.3 And what is the substance of all these shadows but this That God will be served by holy men in the purest holiest manner that we must be very exact both as to our persons and performances when we are in his presence that he expects the best of living Sacrifices the hearts and spirits of men nay the best of the best all the heart and all the soul and all the strength Prov. 23. Joh. 4.24 Matth. 22.37 O how much is an ordinary slight performance below and unsucable to so great and glorious a Prince Religion is as tender a thing as the apple of thine eye by playing with the eye it may be put out by dallying with duties thou mayst spoil all If the Egyptians did reverence Mercurius Trismegistus so much that they did forbear out of respect to him to pronounce his name rashly what respect shouldst thou bear to Ordinances which are the name of God Exod. 20.24 How fearful shouldst thou be of taking the name of God in vain The blind Heathen were choyce and devout in the service of dumb Idois they served them in white an embleme of purity They thought nothing too good for those false Gods for whom the worst was not bad enough Solon the Athenian Law-giver enacted that none should serve the Gods Obiter or by the by that their sacrifices should be all select and chosen and that the Sacrificers should purifie themselves some days before hand Lycurgus had made a law that no man should be at any great charge in a sacrifice least he should grow weary of Divine service yet when Phidias the famous carver advised the Athenian to make the statute of Minerva of marble rather then Ivery 1. Because it was more durable this reason was approved 2. Because less chargeable at the mention hereof with much rage and wrath they commanded him silence They had an higher respect for those lies and falshoods then many have for the true God Eras praef in adag When they were going to offer sacrifice their Priest cryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is here Those present answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many and good Were they so choice and chary in the service of their dunghil deities and wilt not thou friend be circumspect and consciencious in the service of the living God did they think nothing costly enough for inanimate creatures and wilt thou offer to the Lord thy God that which cost thee nothing Can thy box of precious oyntment though it be worth never so much be bestowed better then on thy dearest Saviour and can thy care and caution thy love and labour be employed better then in his service Or dost thou think that the false Gods were more affected with their dishonour or more to be feared in their displeasure then the living true God Dost thou not know that he will be sanctified in them that draw nigh to him Lev. 10.3 great persons are impatient of contempts and affronts especially when they are offered to them in their own houses God will sooner overlook thy forgetfulness
we to serve him with fear and trembling in every ordinance In a word Let us have grace whereby we may serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming sire Heb. 12.28 29. Mark the way to serve God acceptably is to serve him reverently As the Quaver addeth a grace to the Musick and makes it more acceptable to us so an holy trembling graceth our performances and makes them more acceptable to God 2. Perform religious duties with Faith as well as Fear Fear will keep the heart awful and Faith will make it chearful in the service of God Let us draw nigh to God with full assurance of faith Heb 10 2â— In Ordinances man draweth nigh to God but if he would do it with acceptance he must do with affiance with faith By Faith Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain Heb. 11.4 Faith doth instrumentally justifie both our persons and performances because it looks up to and lays hold on Christ who justifieth both meritoriously God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity now there are many sins in our best services we must therefore carry all our sacrifices as the Israelites did Exod. 28.38 to our High Priest who will take away the inuqitie of our holy things and procure their acceptance with the Lord He shall purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness then shall the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord Mal. 3.2 3 4. It is a prophefie of Christ He shall purge away the dross from our duties and then they shall be pleasing to God It was a sacred Law among the Molossians that whosoever came to the King with his son in his arms should be pardoned whatsoever offence he were guilty of The Athenian General therefore when banished his Country fled to Admetus King of the Molossians his deadly enemy and prostrated himself before him with his Son in his arms and found favour God and man are enemies there is no appearing before this dreadful King without his Son in our arms and with him there is no fear of a repulse In him we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Ephes 3.12 As God and man are angry Christ is medium reconciliationis he makes them friends as God and man are reconciled Christ is medium communionis he is the means of their fruition of each other Therefore Reader whatever thou dost whether thou prayest or hearest or singest or readest do all in the name of Christ Col. 3.17 Consider thy admission into Gods presence is by Christ No man cometh to the Father but by the Son Joh. 14.6 Through him we have access unto the Father Eph. 2.18 It is his blood which hath purchased thee this gracious priviledge He alone hath turned the seat of Justice into a Throne of Grace When thou approachest God he would be a fire to consume thee not a Father to imbrace thee were it not for his Son Consider also thy assistance in duties is from Christ Without him thou canst do nothing Joh. 15.3 O how dull and dead is thy heart in the most solemn duty unless this Lord of life quicken it Though thou hast a real principle of spiritual life yet unless Christ draw thee give the quickning and enciting Grace thou canst not run after him in a duty Further Thine acceptance in the Ordinances of God is through Christ O how unsavoury would thy best duties be were it not for the odors of his most sweet sacrifice The golden Censor and the Incense under the Law typified that all our performances must be perfumed and presented by Christ before they can be accepted with God The smoke of the Incense must ascend with the Saints prayers before they can be pleasing The incense which signified the merits of Christ is the pillar of smoak in which the beleevers performances mount up to Heaven Rev. 8.3 4. No wonder that David begged so hard Let my prayers come before thee like incense The Priests when they went into the Tabernacle to sacrifice were commanded to put off their own and to put on the holy garments provided for them Exod. 28.43 intimating that none must approach God in the rags of their own but in the robes of Christs Righteousness The Ark which was a special type of Christ without of Shittim wood speaking his Humanity within of wrought gold typifying his Deity did signifie thus much to us it covered the two Tables so Christ the Law there God gave his gracious answers and was propitious to his people so God accepteth the persons and prayers of men in Christ Ephes 1.6 If the Patriachs were welcome to Pharoah it was for Josephs sake and if the people of God are welcome at any time to him it is for Jesus sake Faith in Christ is the eye which ravisheth the heart of God Thou hast stoln away mine heart with one of thine eyes Cant. 4. Of all the Virgin-Graces none find such favour in his sight This this is the Hester on whose head he sets the Crown when she appears before him though it be contrary to the Law of Works he constantly holds out the golden Scepter of Grace He is so delighted with her beauty so ravished with her comeliness that he granteth her request be it to the half or whole of his Kingdom Therefore Reader when thou goest to God be sure to take Christ along with thee as ever thou wouldst speed Let thy prayers and petitions be in his name with an eye to his promise Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name I will do it Joh. 14.13 Let thy Prayses and thankâ—givings be in his name according to his precept Giving thanks always and in all things unto God and our Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes 5.20 To be short As an holy Priest offer up all thy spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Thirdly If thou wouldst make Religion thy bufiness in holy duties Perform them to give God glory by them and to receive grace through them Ordinances must be used both as a testimony of our subjection to God and as the way of communion with God God is present in his Ordinances 1. In majesty and beauty and in that respect our end in them must be to give him glory 2. In communication and bounty and in that respect our end in them must be to receive Grace from him Psal 27.4 Rev. 2.3 6. Exod. 20.24 Gods eye is very much on our ends in duties he takes notice when he is neglected and self exalted When ye fasted and mourned even these seventy years did ye all fast unto me even to me And when ye did eat and when ye did drink did ye not eat for your selves and drink for your selves Zich 7.6 7. God seeth when self-credit or self-profit is the end of a performance Matth. 6 1 2. Hos 7.14 He weigheth all our actions by
thy best friend in the World was so inhumanely used so barbarously but chered thou shouldst cry out as David in a holy passion As the Lord liveth the man the sin that hath done this thing shall surely be put to death When Antonius after Caesar was Murdered in the Senate house brought forth his Coat all bloody cut and mangled and laying it open to the view of the people said Look here is your Emperors Coat and as the bloody-minded Conspirators have dealt by it so have they dealt with Caesars body Upon this they were in an uprore and cryed out to slay the Murderers and took Brands and ran to the Houses of the Conspirators and burnt them down to the ground and as they apprehended the Murderers put them to death Reader thou seest at the Sacrament the wounds and blood of thy blessed Redeemer the dreadful painful death which thy Soveraign underwent O what canst thou do less then vow to be revenged on his Murderers thy corruptions and in an holy anger endeavour their speedy execution if thou wouldst have a full sight of sins filth and sinfulness go to Mount Calvary and behold thy Saviour hanging upon the Cross and good Lord what thoughts wilt thou have of thy lusts Physitians in unseemly convulsions advise their Patients to look into a glass that beholding their deformity they may strive the more against it The world never had such a glass as the sufferings of Jesus Christ for the discovery of sins loathsom ugly features and its horrid hideous hellish face now how should this light provoke thee to loath and hate sin O what Child would not abhor those weapons which murdered his dearest Father It was the glory of Alexander that as soon as ever he had opportunity he slew the Murderers of his Father upon his fathers Tomb. Truely Reader a Sacrament day is a special opportunity and thou wilt shew but little love to thine everlasting Father if thou dost not now put his Murderers to death upon those Monuments of his passion Now thou art at the Table think of thy unthankfulness ambition hypocrisie covetousness irreligion and infidelity and the rest how these crucified the Lord of glory and resolve through the strength of Christ that these Hamans shall be all hanged that these sins shall be condemned and crucified CHAP. XX. What a Christian ought to do after a Sacrament I Shall speak to thy duty after the Supper Thirdly Which consisteth mainly in these two things Thankefulness and Faithfulness 1. Thankefulness After such a Banquet as this is thou mayst well give thanks The Jews at their Passover did sing the hundred and thirteenth Psalm with the five following Psalmes which they called the Great Hallelujah A Christian should in every thing and at all times give thanks but at a Sacrament the great Hallelujah must be sung then God must have great thanks then we must with our souls bless the Lord and with all within us paise his holy name O Reader call upon thy self as Barak and Deborah did Awake awake Deborah Awake awake Barak utter a song and lead captivity captive thou son of Abinoam Judg. 5. Awake my love awake my joy utter a song a feast is made for laughter and wine rejoyceth the heart of man Friend is not this a rare feast where is thy chearful face Is not here good wine a cup of Nectar indeed the blood of the Son of God what mirth what musick hast thou to this Banquet of Wines Antiently it was the beginning and ending of Letters Gaudete in Domino Rejoyce in the Lord. It will be an excellent conclusion of this Ordinance to rejoyce in the Lord. O let thy soul magnisie the Lord and thy spirit rejoyce in God thy Saviour Luk. 1.46 47. The cup in the Sacrament is called the Eucharistical cup or the cup of blessing let it be so to thee Let thy heart and mouth say Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited and redeemed his people Luk. 2. Canst thou think of that infinite love which God manifested to thy soul without Davids return VVhat shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits His heart was so set upon thy salvation His Love was so great to thy soul that he delighted in the very death of his Son because it tended to thy good It pleased the Lord to bruise him Isa 53.10 Valde delectatus est Junius reads it He was exceedingly delighted in it Surely the mind of God was infinitely set upon the recovery of lost sinners in that whereas other Parents whose love to their children in comparison of his to Christ is but as a drop to the Ocean follow their children to their graves with many tears especially when they dye violent deaths he delighted exceedingly in the barbarous death of his onely Son in the bleeding of the head because it tended to the health and eternal welfare of the members Friend what manner of love hath the father loved thee with He gave his own Son to be apprehended that thou mightest escape his own Son to be condemned that thou mightest be acquitted his own Son to be whipped and wounded that thou mightest be cured and healed yea his own Son to dye a shameful cursed death that thou mightest live a glorious blessed life for ever Glory to God in the highest peace on earth and good will to men Alass how unworthy art thou of this inestimable mercy Thou art by nature a child of wrath as well as others and hadst been now wallowing in sin with the worst in the World if free grace had not renewed thee nay thou hadst been roaring in Hell at this hour if free grace had not repreived thee Thy conscience will tell thee that thou dost not deserve the bread which springeth out of the earth and yet thou are fed with the bread which came down from heaven with Angels food O infinite love Mayst not thou well say with Mephibosheth to David VVhat is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am For all my fathers house were as dead men before my Lord yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own Table Lord I was a lost dead damned sinner before thee liable to the unquenchable fire and yet thou hast been pleased to set me among them that eat at thine own Table and feed on thine own Son O what is thy servant that thou shouldst take such notice of such a dead dog as I am Look abroad in the World and thou mayst see others refused when thou art chosen others past by when thou art called others polluted when thou art sanctified others put off with common gifts when thou hast special grace others fed with the scraps of ordinary bounty when thou hast the finest of the floor even the fruits of saving mercy As Elkanah gave to Peninnah and to all her sons and Daughters portions but to Hannah he gave a worthy portion because he loved her
10.1 2. Exercise thy self to this Worshipping the true God according to his revealed will Do not dally and trifle at it be not cold and careless about it Take heed of the Worldlings politique principles Fair and softly goeth far Too much of one thing is good for nothing It s good to be Religious but not too conscientious A little moderation would not do amiss These men would serve thee as ignorant Montebanks do their Patients that whilst they go about to cool the liver least it should set the blood in a flame kill the stomach and thereby necessarily destroy the body They pretend some fear that thou mayst work too hard even to thy hurt when thou canst never do enough much less too much for thy God and thine everlasting good I must needs tell thee that there is an impossibility of dividing thy service betwixt thy sins and thy Saviour and of parting thy heart and work between the world and the word No man can serve two Masters Mat. 6.24 If like a Meteor thou hangest between heaven and earth haltest between Christ and the flesh as a hunting Dog between too Hares running sometime after this sometime after that thou wilt be sure at last to lose both Those creatures under the Law which did both move in the waters and hover up and down in the Air were unclean in Gods account Lev. 11.10 There is a story of a Bastard Eagle which hath one foot close like a Goose with which she swims in the waters and dives for fish and another foot open and armed with talons with which she soareth in the Air and seiseth her prey but she participating of both natures is weak in either and at last becomes a prey to every ordinary Vulture The am bodexter in Religion who is both for the flesh and the Spirit for Riches and Righteousness is all his time a servant of sin and will at last become a prey to Satan Wherefore I must intreat thee Reader to make godliness thy sole design and delight thy main occupation and recreation If thou find not the golden veins upon the surface or just under the skin of the earth do not throw off thy trade nor cast away thy Tools but delve and dig lower thou shalt certainly at length come to the rich treasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The vertuous man in Greek is denominated from a word that signifieth industrious and diligent Labour is the way to get and increase vertue and the more vertuous thou art the more laborious thou wilt be frequent use must keep thy spiritual arms from rust It is a more worthy thing to abound in work In operibus sit abundantia mea div tiis per me lâ—cet abundet quisquis volue rit then to abound in wealth Melancthon spake nobly Let others take Riches give me Labour They who have been busie about much meaner studies have yet pursued them with incredible pleasure and extraordinary pains Plutarch Endymion spent whole nights on Rocks and Mountains in contemplating the motions of the Stars It is said of Crisippus That he was so intent on his Book that he had starved his Body had not his maid put meat into his mouth Cicer Ep. lib. 9. Cicero profest He would part with all he was worth that he might but live and dye among his Books did they reckon Humane Knowledge that curious piece of vanity at so high a rate that they would trample on their possessions take any pains to procure it to promote it What a price shouldst thou set upon Godliness upon Divine Knowledge which is the very seed of eternal life Joh. 17.3 shouldst not thou undervalue thy estate and strength for it shouldst not thou spend all thy time imploy all thy talents and improve all thy opportunities for the furthering of it O that holy Paul might be thy pattern Herein I exercise my self to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and Men Act. 24.16 Here is Pauls precious cabinet and his care to preserve it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me exerceo laboro â—otus sum in hac re ut inculpate deo serviam nec homines offendam his Cabinet was his conscience void of offence a treasure of inestimable value in this Cabinet were all the jewels of Divine Graces His Faith and Love his Hope and Humility his Patience and Heavenly mindedness were glistering in it gloriously like so many costly and sparkling Diamonds but observe Pauls care of this Cabinet I exercise my self to keep a conscience void of offence Paul knew many subtle theives were abroad and therefore he must make it his business to keep his pearls or otherwise they would be stoln from him He knew if he were robbed he were ruined nay if but a flaw were made in the jewel of his conscience it would be of exceeding ill consequence to him therefore he did exercise himself to keep a conscience void of offence Again Exercise thy self to Godliness make it thy business in the whole course of thy life nay in every passage of thy conversation As the blood runs through the whole body and every vein of the body so Godliness must run through our whole conversation and every particular action of it Godliness must be like the Sun though its scituation be in Heaven and that the main place of its residence enlighten and warm the whole body of the air and all the earth by its influence shine on all thy natural civil and spiritual works nothing must be hid from the heat thereof Reader observe the command Be ye holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latin word conversatio for conversation come of a verb that signifieth to turn to note that which way soever a Christian turneth himself he must be holy he must be holy in his closet alone holy among company holy at home holy abroad holy in his shop holy among his sheep holy in the Church holy in his chamber holy at his table holy in his travails holy in prosperity holy in adversity holy in every relation and in every condition in all manner of conversation As oyl is laid over all colours to make them durable so Godliness must be laid on every part and practice of our conversation and thereby they will be permanent to our comfort and run parallel with the line of Eterity We lay gold because excellent on all sorts of mettals Godliness which is more precious then fine gold must be laid on our Naturals Morals Intellectuals all of them must have their vertue and value from it The truth is they all like Cyphers stand for nothing unless this figure be joyned with them and put before them Beleevers are commanded to be holy men Exod. 22. ult In the Original it is men of holiness and ye shall be men of holiness unto me that is all over holy As Christ is called a man of sorrows because his whole man body