the Lord by Christ our great High-Priest Such should all our Holy Meditations and Communications be the Spirit of God being as firelight in our heads and heat in our hearts would make our Tongues run as the Pens of ready writers talking and discoursing of God and of the great concernments of our soules and of eternity Heads fill'd with the knowledg of God his Christ our Jesus and hearts filled with Faith and affiance in Christ and so with warm affections to Christ would provoke us to speak freely and frequently to others imparting our spiritual experiences to them carrying Christ to the Children of men inviting and drawing others to Christ exerting and putting out to our uttermost that strength of grace which we have by grace received thus laying out our talents for our Masters use 2 Special matter 2. And particularly it is a good preparative for Christian Conference to be well stockt and furnished with special matter of discourse for special occasions as to times and persons and the condition of those with whom we do or may converse If with young people 1 Young wishing them to remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth 2 Tim. 2.22 If with aged persons 2 Old advising them to look to it that their hoary heads be found in a way of righteousness Prov. 16.31 and telling them that a sinner though of an hundred years is accursed Isa 65.20 asking them whithey have found that promise made good to them and in them how that they shall bear fruit in their old age and shall be fat and flourishing Ps 92.14 15. to wit in knowledge grace and holiness If with afflicted ones in any kind 3 Afflicted minding them how the time of being afflicted is a time to be much in prayer Jam. 5.13 Call upon me saith the Lord in a day of trouble Psal 50.15 Though we must pray continually 1 Th. 5.17 yet then in an especial manner and repent also as good King Hezekiah did in his sickness he prayed and wept sore Isa 38.2 3. If with persons full of wisdome and policy 4 Prosperous mighty men for strength and souldiery wealthy thy men full of Monies and Treasures mind them of the Prophets advise and Counsel Jer. 9.23 24. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome neither the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches but let him that gloryeth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exerciseth loving kindness judgment and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. Tell the strongest sturdiest and stoutest men you talk with that as lustie as they are a few fits of an ague may soon weaken them and bring them low enough or that a Consumption or any pining sickness may bring them to be bare skin and bones very Skeletons or Anatomies and to be sure in old age if they live to it The keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves and the hoary head will hang down the grave must be their house and their long home and their faces bound in secret wish them to remember the dayes of darkness for they shall be many Ec. 12.3 5. Job 17.13 Job 40.13 Eccl. 11.8 If you meet with rich men Charge them to be rich in good works 5 Rich. and to honour God with their substance and to make them friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness 1 Tim. 6.17 18. Pro. 3.9 Luk. 16.9 If with poor people first relieve them 6 Poor and then charge them not to steal not to take the name of God in vain to get poverty of spirit and then they are blessed to be rich in faith and so heirs of the Kingdome Prov. 30.9 Mat. 5.31 Jam. 2.5 Here 's a large field before me but I 'le run and hasten If you discourse with Magistrates 7 Magistrates be their humble remembrancer that Gods great ends in his constitution of civil powers are that they should be a terror not to good works but to the evil be able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousness Rom. 13.3 Exo. 18.21 If with Ministers advise them 8 Ministers to take heed to themselves and to their Doctrine continue in them c. to be examples to believers in word and conversation 1 Tim. 4.12 16. Tell them they are in a special manner the salt of the earth Mat. 5.13 to season the places wherein and the persons among whom they live with soundness of Doctrine and integritie of life and conversation your Doctrine giving the people the Rule and your lives the example but if the salt hath lost it's savour it 's good for nothing no not for the dunghill Luk. 14.34 35. It 's true not alone of Scandalous Ministers but of Apostate Christians and backsliding professors If you discourse with married persons husbands and wives 9 Married Luk. 1.6 advise them to be as Zacharie and Elizabeth both righteous before God walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blameless and in particular the husband to love his wife even as himself and the wife to see that she reverence her husband Eph. 5.33 10 Vnmarried If with unmarried ones counsel them to care for the things of the Lord how they may please the Lord 1 Co. 7.32 but if they think good to marry let them marry onely in the Lord vers 34 39. If you meet with parents 11 Parents advise them to bring up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6.4 To bring them up that is naturall birds and beasts bring up their young In the nurture keeping them in awe and order that 's moral men as men being rationall and prudent do it in the admonition of the Lord that 's Christian and spiritual If with Children enjoyn them to obey their Parents in the Lord for this is right Eph. 6.11 12 Children And to prevent their stubborness and disobedience mind them of that terrible commination The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the ravens of the vally shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it And how that under the Law Deut. 21.18 19 20 21. The stubborn and rebellious son which would not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother was to be stoned to death If you discourse with governors of Families Masters or Mistresses mind them 13 Governors of Families how they must give unto their servants that which is just and equall knowing that they also have a Master in Heaven Col. 4.1 And how they must look to it that their men-servants and maid-servants as well as themselves and their Children sanctifie the Sabbath according to the Fourth Commandment not suffering them to idle it or to wander abroad vainly upon the Lords day 14 Servants If you have occasion to
and savoury Aaron in his ointments going about was as a Pillar or Cloud of perfumes walking leaving a sweet scent and smell behind him such are Christians indeed in their Communications and Conversations in all places and companies into which the hand of Providence leadeth them The other similitude is also very elegant and expressive As the dew of Hermon c. vers 3. The dew on the earth is a refreshing makes it moist soft and fruitfull full such in an higher nobler and more spiritual way is Christian Conference well and wisely managed to hearers who are humble conscientious attentive docil and tractable A second argument moving to Christian Conference 2 Arg. The day of Judgment in relation to the Creed and things to be believed is fairly and strongly deducible from that great and dreadful day of judgment wherein an account must be given as well of words as of actions before that righteous Judge the Lord Jesus Christ who hath foretold us Mat. 12.26 27. that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment for by thy words thou shalt be condemned An idle word is that which in it self hath no tendency to the edification of speaker or hearer to profit men Par. in loc or honour God Christ our great Lord and Master entrusteth men as stewards with much treasure to be laid out for their Masters use part whereof is that of the Tongue and language which certainly he will call men to an account for and if for idle words then surely for reviling bitter and slandering words against the righteous ones his servants and Children Ministers or people Now some ungodly men think that the worst words of their mouths are too good for them calling them hypocrites dissemblers factious seditious traytors rebels and what not sepaking all manner of evil against them falsly or lying and reproachfully Mat. 5.11 But they will be of another mind another day when Christ cometh 1 Pet. 4.14 And behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude 14.15 By the way observe that what evil is done to or spoken against Christs little ones he looketh upon as done to or spoken against himself but that which is principally to our purpose is that Christ will then convince sinners force them to know and acknowledge that their speeches of and against the righteous were hard speeches and that conviction will be a dreadful and terrible Conviction he will convince them with a witness before all the world convince them with a vengeance convince them by the flames of Hell a dreadful dismal and everlasting conviction indeed but very just and righteous They would not be convinced by the cleare sweet and pleasant light of the word Law or Gospel to their humiliation therefore they shall be convinced by the fire of Hell though to their terrour and confusion As some letters writ with joyce of Lemons or Onions are not legible by common day light but held to the fire and a little scorched are legible enough so sin and guilt in the Consciences of some wretched sinners are never read by the common-light of the word but when their Consciences are held close to the flames of Hell and well scorched then will they nill they their sins and guilt are made clearly legible and visible unto them filling them with everlasting horror with shame and confusion of face for ever O the sad and doleful reckoning that sinners will make before that dreadfull Tribunal and Judgment seat of Jesus Christ for words onely to pass by thoughts and actions then Conscience throughly awaken'd and terrified will be forced to speak and speak out accusing poor lost sinners Imprimis for idle words multitudes multitudes even innumerable Item for lying scoffing slandering defaming words against the Saints of the most high God Item for Cursing Swearing yea blasphemous words against the most High God himself taking his Name in vaine all the day long and each of these by hundreds thousands yea possibly millions O What will the total sum amount unto tremble sinner tremble to imagine To Close up this we read in the parable of Dives and Lazarus Luk. 16.24 That the rich man in Hell complains particularly and especially of his Tongue how that was tormented in the flame An ancient Writer gives this reason his Tongue was that member which most sinned and therefore that had the sharpest torment Thus we see how the bad words of wicked men will be remenbred and repeated to their shame and anguish at the last day and no question the good words of the righteous shall not be forgotten They shall be had in everlasting remembrance Psal 112.6 and their words also as the Prophet testifieth Mal. 3.16 They that feared the Lord spake often one to another and a book of remembrance was written with him God booked down every word they said O what great encouragement should this give to all that fear God to be much in speaking of God and for God to and with one another What shall the great and glorious good and gracious Lord God Almighty vouchsafe to write down every good word which droppeth from us and shall not our lips drop apace and that as the Hony-comb the sweetest words imaginable tending to the glory of God and good of men did we indeed believe this one truth O how would it set all our Tongues a going how would every one strive who should talke most and speak fastest vying as it were and contending which of us should have the most words in Christs book at the day of his appearance It s unbelief friends it 's unbelief which makes us so Tongue-tied tieth up the strings both of hearts and Tongues Let 's get yea the Lord give us more faith and then we shall be more talkative in a good sense and to good purpose and so God will be more honoured and our neighburs edified we and they shall have more heights of grace here and weights of glory hereafter I will Close up this argument with Johns Vision Rev. 20.12 I saw the dead saith he small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Alluding I suppose to the manner of judiciarie proceedings by Judges who have depositions upon record Judge according to the Laws of the Land and matters of fact cleared to them by allegations and proofs this still remembring God needeth none of these records or books but condescending to our capacities he is pleased to speak of himself after the manner of men What the books are that shall be opened is not
communications corrupt good manners and so propagate profaneness to Children and Childrens Children and what shall Antichristian and unchristian Conference build up the Devils kingdom in the World even-before our eyes and under our noses and shall not Christians indeed real Saints bethink themselves and bestir themselves in promoting and advancing the interest and Kingdome of Christ by conferring and discoursing upon all occasions and faire opportunities and that with good and bad for the building up the one and gathering in of the other and edifying of both It 's pitty a thousand pitties that England should run the hazard at least of loosing the Gospel for want of such Conference and Communication as is by God himself injoyned and well becomes the Professors of the Gospel Will not our Forefathers rise up in judgment against this present generation and condemn it saying we primitive Christians and we their successors have by our Holy Conference as well as by our Prayers and practice transmitted and handed down the Gospel to you of this Age Yea the Martyrs and Confessors may say we have sent the Gospel purified and refined by and through our flames and swimming to you in our blood and have you now fooled away the Gospel by sinful silence as to edifying discourse and by sinfull talkativeness as to vaine disputations tending to strife to the multiplying of rents and divisions How shall we answer it to God to conscience or to the Children yet unborne if this should be their doleful discourse hereafter Had not England once the Gospel O yes in such a Kings and such a Queens Reigns c. and what 's now become of the Gospel how comes it to pass that we their sad posterity are thus left in the dark why it was not the Lion and the Bear the Turke or the Pope that cut down or destroyed the Gospel but it was the little Foxes the subtile Jesuites and their Agents and Factors simple and silly ones by them deluded yet witty and active enough to divide the Professors in England and break them in pieces Now let each believer presently put on the whole armour of God praying alwayes Eph. 6.13 to 18. Prayers and Tears are good weapons and among the rest fall roundly upon and buckle close to this great duty of Christian Conference let every one of us say with that Holy man Awake up my glory I my self will awake early Psal 57.8 Let our sleepy Tongues that instrument whereby God may so much be glorified awake arise get up and be doing in this great work of Christian Conference which if well ordered and managed might be a Compendious way by the blessing of God to win all the World to Jesus Christ which to design and attempt would be one of the best projects imaginable Let families begin set up Religion in their Houses instruct their Children and so their Childrens Children that the knowledge faith and fear of God may run in a bloud in a line or pedigree as unfeigned faith in young Timothy but first in his Grandmother Lois and then in his Mother Eunice 2 Tim. 1.5 and from Families to Parishes from Parishes to Counties and so to Kingdoms and so throughout the World And this Christian Conference well managed and Conscienciously improved would contribute something to the impletion of that blessed prediction Rev. 11.15 When the seventh Angel sounded saying the kingdomes of this World are become the kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever The sum of what hath been hitherto laid down to demonstrate the necessity of Christian Conference in reference to God cometh to this That which God commandeth delighteth in rewardeth and makes for the propagation of his Name and Gospel in the World is of great necessity and usefulness as to our practice But Christian Conference is all this commanded delighted in rewarded by God and doth advance and propagate the glory of God and the Gospel Therefore Christian Conference is much to be used and practised The reasons and arguments in reference to men especially enforcing this great duty of Christian Communication Arg. in reference to men wherein I designe more brevity 1. It is profitable The first Argument I take ab utili from the profit that hath been is and may be gained thereby And this kind of Argument from profit useth to be a very taking prevailing Argument There be many that say who will shew us any good Psal 4.6 And it is very taking in temporals and Carnals and should be I am sure much more in spirituals which are an higher a nobler good To instance in some particulars 1 To the head 1. It doth the head good by the augmentation of our parts and heightning our intellectuals and that partly in a way of natural and moral causality and partly in a way of benediction from the Father of lights who willingly and freely gives in light more abundantly to such as give out of their light received to others for their good Those of an higher forme in the School of Christ may get something from them of a lower form by Conference each with other those of the stronger sex may be beholden to them of weaker Apollo was an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures yet Priscilla the Woman as well as Aquila the man instructed him in the way of God more perfectly Acts 18.24 26. And it is one of the good properties of that vertuous Woman so commended by Solomon Gartwright and Dod in loc That she openeth her mouth with wisdome and in her Tongue is the law of kindnesse Pro. 31.26 It is the judgement of two men of God now with God that her speech consisted not about the things of this life so much which may be in Infidels as about holy and heavenly matters In her Tongue is the Law of kindness Which seemeth to declare both Covenants of works and of grace whereof in the one the bounty of God towards us doth stand and in the other our love both towards God and towards our neighbour for Gods sake is required for she is not onely a hearer and reader of the word of God but also she conferreth thereof with her Children with her maides and with her Husband Yet farther that the law of kindness is said to be in her Tongue plainly declareth how that she often used such good speech and that it dwelt richly and plentfully in her house There is that scattereth and yet increaseth saith Solomon Prov. 11.24 The man that is liberal gets by giving And the faithfull Servant in the Parable who made his five Talents ten hath the eleventh Talent given him Matth. 25.28 Christ adds the reason vers 29. for to every one that hath shall be given and he shall have more abundance To Trade with our parts gifts and graces for the spiritual good of others will be for our own gaine and advantage also By kindling and blowing up zeale in others
deal with servants Charge them to obey their Masters in all things not with eye-service as men pleasers but in singleness of heart fearing God Not answering againe not purloining shewing all fidelitie Col. 3.22 Tit. 2.9 10. Yet again 15. Ignorance if you meet with them that are ignorant tell them That the soul be without knowledge is not good and the high aggravation of the gross ignorance of many is that they are willingly ignorant neither know nor desire or care to know the things of God Prov. 19.2 2 Pet. 3.5 If with men of knowledg 16. Knowing caution them to beware least their knowledg puffeth them up but rather being acted and managed by and with Charitie that it edifie being laid out for the good of others and their lips being the lips of the righteous let them feed many by Christian Conference and holy communication with others 1 Cor. 8. 1. Prov. 10.21 I might be very large and voluminous herein but to close up this direction be still furnished to speak to any persons whatsoever of such points as are of universal concernment as touching regeneration the absolute indispensable necessity of it to salvation as also touching our having a saving interest in Jesus Christ Christ told Nicodemus in plain terms Joh. 3.3 5. That except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdome of God And expresly as to the necessity of union with Christ He that hath the Son hath everlasting life and he that hath not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him vers 36. A third preparative direction 3 Direction for the promoting of Christian Conference in all places and companies where we come is to begin at home each Christian setting it up and keeping it up in his own house and Family that so wife Children and servants may gain an habit of good and savoury discourse to be acted and exercised when you or they go abroad as children mannerly or rude and unmannerly at home use so to carry themselves abroad also and such talk and discourse as is used at home by husbands and wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants is like to be their language abroad also The Lord by Moses gives his peremptory command as to good discourse in families These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and in thy lying down and rising up Deut. 6.6 7. Such was wise King Solomons practice which gave occasion to Sheba Queen of the South in her Princely visit to him to say unto him Happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdome c. Custome is another nature use legs and have legs use memory and have memory use good discourse and you will have good discourse I have seen Children boyes and girles had to neighbour houses upon occasion of feasting visits or the like and when their parents call upon them for manners saying sirra where 's your hat and your leg and girle where 's your Cursy but no hat off no leg or Cursy made why not used to it at home So when we come into Christian Company and we provoke our selves to carry on good discourse and say Awake my glory Answer is given no sleep at home must sleep abroad also Acts frequent beget habits acquired and strengthen infused A dexterity in the managing of Christian Confernece aright as to matter manner principles and ends is I presume an infused habit a special gift of God Isa 50.4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary Given me that is me the Prophet in his measure or rather given me is meant of Christ on whom the Spirit is poured without measure yet so as that every believer hath his proportion of the Spirit and so of this gift and habit of Christian Conference to be used and so improved and strengthen by a frequent and vigorous acting of it for the glory of God and the good of our selves and others with whom we have occasion to converse Let it be one of thy Christian exercises to act and strengthen this habit day by day in this language and communication A fourth preparative direction may be repentance and humiliation for our great failing in our great neglect of so great a duty as Christian Conference is 4 Humiliation We spend little of our time and strength in this duty to wit in such discourse as hath a proper and direct tendency to the conversion or edification of the hearers we are much if not too much upon this talk what newes abroad speaking of persons this body or that magnifying some too high vilifying and depressing others too low possibly erring in a way of flattery on the one hand or of envy and hatred on the other blameworthy in both A fifth Direction I would give 5 Prayer is the pouring out a prayer to God in faith and love every morning that he would guide thy discourse all the day long It was Davids prayer Ps 141.3 Set a watch O Lord before my Mouth keep the door of my lips And again Ps 51.15 O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise and that thou mayst pray in faith plead the promise The Tongue of the dumb shall sing Isa 35.6 fulfilled in the Gospel Corporally and Spiritually Christ made and still makes the dumb to speak and that to his and his Father's glory when they brought a dumb man to Christ possessed of a Devil Christ cast out the Devil and the dumb spake c. Mat. 9.32 33. Then the promise was made good in the very letter of it and in the spirit of it also when the Children in the Temple cried saying Hosanna to the Son of David Mat. 21.15 16. and so fulfil'd that prediction in Psal 8.2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praises Go to God in Christ and say what though a kind of dumb Devil possesseth me thou canst and do thou cast him out What though I be but a babe in Christ and a suckling in grace yet thou canst and O do thou out of the mouth of a babe and suckling as I am ordaine strength Pray in faith fervency and constancy and who knoweth but the gracious Lord thy God may loose and unty thy Tongue and create the fruits even of thy lips peace peace for his own glory the good of others and thy comfort here and for ever And in thy discourse let holy secret ejaculations be frequent and fervent also A sixth Direction is to be much in praises 6. In praises which also will make prayer more successful having found by sweet experience Optimum rogandi genus est gratia agere that God doth enable thee sometimes to let fall some good words in obedience to
his Commandment eyeing his glory and the good of the hearers telling them what God hath done for thy soul Ps 66.16 Be sure to offer up to God the Calves of thy lips a sacrifice of praises on that behalf In the evening look back on the day past and say what have my words bin this day if vain and idle be humbled and lye low before the Lord if at all gracious and savoury lift up thy heart to God in praises giving him all the glory Thus farr concerning our habitual preparations for Christian Conference Now touching actual execution when we are in company take these following directions which may fall under two heads Negative directions and positive 1. Negatives to be cautioned against and carefully avoided 1. As to the outward man that the body be not distempered and so indisposed for so spiritual a piece of service as Christian Conference is as by intemperance or excess in eating and drinking which hath a spice of gluttony or drunkenness in it when it unfits for duty or this duty among the rest Meats and drinks immoderately taken in fill the head with fumes and vapors and incline to sleep rather then discourse if the mouth take in too much the tongue is likely to send out too little as to Conference heavenly and spiritual The body is to soul as the instrument to the Musician let the Musician be never so skilful yet if the instrument be out of tune there 's like to be but little melody Though the head be full of good notions clear and strong the heart stored with grace and good affections yet a disordered body marrs the musick of holy discourse and Conference 2. 2 Inward man 1. Passion As to the inward man 1. Beware of irregular passions disturbances in the affections the lower part of the soul of man To instance only in anger griefe and fear Anger disposeth a man to speak too much and grief too little and fear not to speak at all or else in an abrupt and broken manner I remember in university disputations if the opponent could put the respondent or the respondent the opponent into a flame of anger or into a damp of pannick fear he would soon non-plus and gravel the Antagonist It 's much so in Conference though about matters of Religion violent passions obstruct and impede the understanding faculty in its clear and distinct actions and operations Passions when boiled up to an undue heat and height do no more befriend the intellect in it's reasonings and argumentations then foggs mists and clouds do the Sun in its shinings not at all they obscure and much darken the Sun and so doth passion reason 2. 2 Pride Beware of Pride high overhigh thoughts and conceits of our selves our sufficiency and ability 1. Pride usually is a great ingrosser takes up all the time and all the talk as if he were the only Rabby the Teacher Master all the rest fit only to be hearers and his Disciples inverting or perverting the words of the Apostle who bids us be swift to hear slow to speak Jam. 1.19 The proud man is slow to hear swift to speak 2. Pride is a deceiver speaking beside the condition or above the Capacity of the Company The reason is because the proud man is a self-seeker carried and acted by a principle of vain-glory and ostentation and therefore speaks what he apprehends himself best able to speak as what he hath lately heard or read though impertinent as to his present auditory or so sublime as to matter and language in School-distinctions and metaphysical notions and speculations as that the Company know not what he sayth or whereof he affirmeth An evil found among some publick Preachers sometimes who though they speak English preach as it were in an unknown Tongue much above the Capacities of the people who go away fill'd with admiration or the mans parts and gifts though nothing at all benefited as to edification or salvation yet wit and eloquence is good even in Conference provided it be without vain affection be clearly to be understood be disswasive from evil and perswasive unto good 3. 3 In reference to the whole man In reference to the whole man Beware of losing time precious time whilst you be in company not trifling or squandring it away in sinful silence or in vain and worldly talk much less in sinful and corrupt Communication the least minute of time being too good to be spent in idle words not tending at all to the glory of God or to the spiritual advantage of our selves or others A Heathen by the light of Nature could say Solius temporis sacra avaritia that of time alone there 's a sacred covetousness And the Apostle by the light of the Spirit saith that the redemption of time is a considerable part of our Christian wisdome walk circumspectly Eph. 5.15 18. not as fools but as wise how so he adds redeeming the time c. redemption of time is laudable yea necessary for self-examination soul humiliation secret prayer reading and searching the Scriptures meditation when alone and for good discourse when we are with others 2. For positive directions take them then 1. Common discourse 1. Common discourse may be introductory to special and spiritual and interjectory cast in by the by as sauce to meat For instance it 's lawful in some cases a duty to discourse of things natural as of diet physick medicines for the preserving or restoring of health and strength in our selves or others to discourse of things civil and moral buying selling manuring of Land plowing sowing family concernments publick affairs of Nations and even this discourse may be in a sence spirituall in regard of principle and ends when it 's done with an eye to Gods commands receiving directions for the ordering and guiding of affairs with discretion one property of a man fearing God Ps 112.1 5. And to discourse touching the stateof Zion at home or abroad is not only lawful but an high and holy duty provided we doe not discourse it barely as Newes for so it leaves us as it found us but to provoke us to suitable affections of rejoycing with the sons and daughters of Zion when they rejoyce and weeping with them when they weep and to excite us to such holy duties as the present providence calls for at our hands as good Nehemiah asked Hanani Neh. 1.2 3. and the men of Judah concerning the Jews lost in the captivity and concerning Jerusalem and hearing that they were in great affliction and reproach and how the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and the gates thereof burnt with fire O how deeply was he affected therewith how did he lay it to heart when I heard these words I sat down and wept mourned certain dayes and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven vers 4. His prayer is upon record vers 5. to the end of the Chapter And withal when the