of thy glorious Majesty and the place where thine honour dwelleth There thou makest the largest discoveries of thy self and grantest the fullest communications of thy grace O let me take sweet counsel with thy people and go to serve and honour thee in their company I Wish that the Confederacy of the wicked in sin may provoke me to a league with the Israel of God for a free trade and commerce in holiness Shall they whose lusts are often contrary and set them at variance unite against God and his holy ways and shall not we whose graces are ever alike and of a cementing nature not joyn together for God and his Worship Do they conspire to defile and destroy each others souls as if vitiated nature did not lead them fast enough to sin or as if they could not run singly quick enough to Hell and shall not we encourage one another in the Worship of the living God and provoke one another to love and to good works O how much do the servants of Satan by their conjunctions in evil shame the Children of God for their backwardness in good Their Master is the Prince of darkness a cruel Tyrant a roaring Lyon that goeth about seeking whom he may devour Their work is far worse then any Turkish slavery its bondage to corruptionâ— the service of unrighteousness the diversity and contrariety of their Lords their lusts tearing them as it were in peâ—â—es for the promoting of their particular interests Their wages is the vengeance of the eternal fire the worm that never dieth and the fire that never goeth out after all their vassallage to their barbarous Masters and hardships which they have been put to in making provision for and gratifying such opposite furies they are recompenced with extremity and eternity of torments yet they can unite their hearts and hands and heads for the advancement of so hellish a Lord about the prosecution of so base and divelish a work and to earn so miserable a reward when the Souldiers of Christ whose Captain is the Lord of Hosts the most courteous and compassionate General whose combats and contests which they are called to are Noble and Heroick and whose Crown and Garland will be beyond all comparison and apprehension blessed and glorious do rather fight against themselves then against their enemies or for their endless happineâ— Ah foolish Christians who hath bewitched us May we not well blush that Satan should even out-boast the living God in the unity of his Subjects that the children of this world should be wiser in their generation then the children of light Alas is it a time for Mariners to be quarreling when their enemies are joyned in discharging their Cannons against them and the Bullets flie thick amongst them Is it a time for Christians to be wrangling when their Adversaries are united in a confederacy to destroy them all Lord thou hast promised that thy people in the days of the Gospel shall no more envy one another that the Wolf and the Laâ—b shall feed together and the Lion shall eat straw like the Bullock and dust shall be the Serpents meat that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all thy holy mountain Thy dear Son when leaving an ungrateful World left Peace as one legacy to his Children not onely peace with thee but also among themselves thou knowest how much his heart was set upon it when he begd so hard so earnestly so affectionately of thee this blessing a little before he went to lay down the price of it Let it please thee for thy Promise sake to make all thine of one heart and one way for because thou hast spoken it therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer before thee this day Let it please thee for thy Sons sake whom thou hearest always to take away all envyings and wrath and emulation and strife out of the hearts of thy people and heal thy Sion in its breaches for thou seest it shaketh I Wish that the injury I do my self by unnecessary solitariness may make me the more in love with good society My God hath told me Wo to him that is alone David was alone when Satan drew him to defile his Neighbours Wife Whilst the Sheep flock together they are safe as being under the Shepherds eye but if one stragle from the rest it s quickly a prey to the ravenous Wolf It s no hard matter to rob that house that stands far from Neighbours The cruel Pyrate Satan watcheth for those Vessels that sail without a convoy The order is observable in the narration of Demas his Apostacy Demas hath left us and hath embraced this present World He first left the Company of the faithful and then openly denyed the faith Christian conference is a good help to perseverance but they that forsake the communion of Saints will quickly disown the profession of sanctity If Rabbits keep within the Pales amongst their fellows there is Law to secure them against the violence of strangers but if any wander from the Warren they are a lawful prize for any man and prey to any Dog What an ill case is he in that travelling in a dark night falls and hath none to help him up that wanders and hath none to shew him the right way that is set upon by Theives and Murderers and hath none near him to defend and secure him Such is the condition of those that neglect the communion of Saints Hence it is that our great and sworn enemy raiseth the dust of dissention and strife amongst Christians to make them keep aloof from each other knowing that much of their welfare and safety doth depend upon their keeping together He knoweth its best fishing in troubled waters O my soul Now thou beholdest in these wicked days the high winds of divisions and passions amongst the Children of God how ready they are to Martyr one anothers names and it s to be feared to Murther one anothers bodies if infinite power did not over-rule and prevent it thou mayst gather assuredly that Satan was the Conjurer to raise them I have read of a Tree that if some of the boughs of it be cast into a Ship they cause a mutiny betwixt the Passengers and Mariners to the ruine of both Dost thou not think that Satan hath cast some such branches into the Vessel of the Church at this day that instead of uniting their strength against him and his Kingdom and instead of joyning their power to improve every gale for their furtherance towards their blissful Haven they might fall together by the ears destroy one another and save their enemies a labour O that for the divisions of Sion I could have great searchings great sorrows of heart Lord thy Saints in the Primitive times were famous for their love to each other Their very enemies would with admiration cry out See how the Christians love one another Thy Jerusalem heretofore was a City compact together at unity within
home when thou art neither Master of thy time nor reason nor of thy natural abilities much less of supernatural grace which is indispensably requisite to this great work O that since I must dye once for sin I might dye daily to sin and as the Philistines that they might the better deal with Sampson cut off his Hair wherein his great strength lay so that I may the better deal with death I may by faith and repentance daily cut off and destroy sin wherein the strength of death lieth May I not say to thee O my soul as Joshua to Israel Prepare ye victuals for within three days ye shall pass over this Iordan to go to possess the Land which the Lord your God giveth you Prepare the spiritual food the flesh of Christ which is meat indeed and the blood of Christ which is drink indeed an heart weaned from the world longing to be with God for within a few days thou shalt go in to possess the land of promise Lord I know nothing more certain then death Sin hath deserved it my brittle body inforceth it thou hast decreed it and none can prevent it I know nothing more uncertain then the time when or the manner how Thou hast many ways and means to bring me to my grave not onely ordinary distempers of my body but thousands of casual dangers I cannot promise my self freedom from it in any place or condition Death may seise me abroad at home in company in solitude at bed at board Why should I not always provide for that extremity that enemy which I cannot avoid Why should I not ever be ready for that which may come at any time and will come at some time or other Surely I do not hasten my death by preparing for it but sweeten it exceedingly I â—hall not dye a moment the sooner but infinitely the better Should death overtake me in my sins alas where am I what will become of me for ever I may well salute it as Ahab Elijah with Hast thou found me O mine enemy for t will come to me as the Prophet to that King with doleful dreadful tidings T will bring me news of a dismal dungeon of darkness to be my habitation of Lyons and Scorpions and Dragons to be my companions of a never dying worm an unquenchable fire pure wrath without mixture full torments without measure to be my portion for ever and ever O teach me so to live above this vain empty life so to be crucified to this world so to make my peace with thy Majesty through the great peace-maker and Prince of Peace my Lord Iesus so to set my heart and house my spiritual and temporal concernments in order that I may be delivered from the paw of the Lyon from the teeth of this monster from the sting of this Serpent and though my body be destroyed yet my soul may escape as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler and mount up to thy self to enjoy that happy life which shall know no death I Wish that all the days of my appointed time I may exercise my self herein to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and towards all men There are but two which can afford me real comfort in a dying hour which always take the same side and joyn together God and my conscience Humane friends often stand afar off when they should be most near and I have most need Some of them are loth to come to a sick mans chamber Mournful objects must not disturb their jollity and mirth They are sworn enemies to sorrowful occasions and baniâ—h such foes their quarters or themselves from such coasts Others if they come to visit me love not to see my gastly countenance like not to hear my deep and deadly groans But be they never so full of pity they can onely sympathize with me they cannot relieve refresh me The most they can do is to accompany me to my grave and there they leave me But O the comfort which a loving God and a conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ and purged from dead works will afford me in a dying hour The smiles of a God and chearings of a good conscience will be musick indeed to welcom me to the shoar after all my tumblings and tossings in this tempestuous Ocean They will make my bed in my sickness help me to lye easie hearten me in my sighs and groans be my feast at my funeral bid me Be of good chear for my sins are forgiven me tell me that my Redeemer liveth and because he liveth I shall live also lodge my body in a grave as in a Bed of Spices and convey my soul into my Saviours Bosome and Embraces when my Houses Lands Honours Friends Wife Children leave me they will cleave to me nay when my breath life heart flesh forsake me they will not fail me yea when faith hope patience repentance shall bid me farewel weeping as Orpah did Ruth these like Naomi will stick to me go with me and seek rest for me O that my heart may be so upright in the service of my God that when I â—hall receive the sentence of death I may be able to say with good Hezekiah Remember now I beseech thee O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight O my soul what a friend shouldst thou be to thy God thy conscience how faithful to their warnings now in life if thou wouldst have them thy friends at death Hereby thou mayst be able to triumph in that hour of temptation to defie death it self and bid it do its worst Though it be the common gate through which the sinner goeth into prison where he meets with Chains and Fetters and cold and all sorts of miseries yet thou shalt go through it into the Kings Pallace where thou shalt have rivers of pleasures and 〈◊〉 entertainment If Jacob went down so joyfully 〈◊〉 Egypt when God had said to him fear not to go down for I will go down with thee and I will bring thee up again What needest thou fear to go down into the Grave when thy God hath undertaken to go down with thee thither and to bring thee up again Thy body may be turned into dust but thy God is in Covenant with thy dust and thy head the blessed Redeemer will not suffer one muscle or nerve or artery or vein of any of his members to be lost With what chearfulness mayst thou take thy leave of thy body Farewel sweet body thou hast been in some measure faithful to thy soul in the service of thy Lord Farewel I must bid thee goodâ—night till the morning of the resurrection Be thou content to go to bed and sleep in the dust and rest in hope for though after the skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh â—hall I see God Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold him and
must be first minded and then Charity It may be thou chearest thy heart with the thoughts of an honourable burial it delights thee to think how when thy Will is open people will applaud thee for the large provision thou makest therein for thy children with what a great Company thou shalt be attended to thy grave and what a costly Monument shall be erected to thy Memory Well! since thou art so much joyed with a curious Tomb I shall take the pains to write thine Epitaph and if thou hast a spark of true love to thy soul thou wilt think of it whilst thou livest Here lies Interred one that to make his Children Gentlemen on earth for a few days made himself a Beggar in Hell to all eternity He was one that to gain a little earthly treasure of which he hath now taken an everlasting farewel sold his precious soul and the endless blisseful fruition of the blessed God Did ever fool buy so dear or sell so cheap O look on him and learn to be righteous SECT IV. SEcondly Be righteous in thy Words and Expressions as well as in thy Works The Christians tongue should be his hearts interpreter and reveal its mind and meaning and the Christians hand should justifie his tongue by turning his words into deeds Though the right Christian is not a worshipper of Mercury to whom tongues were only offered in sacrifice yet with the Athenians he doth speak well as with the Lacedemonians do well The Burgesse of the new Ierusalem is known by this livery He walketh uprightly worketh righteousness and speaketh the truth in his heart He sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not Psal. 15. 2 4. First He speaketh the truth in his heart His speech is the genuine and natural off-spring of his heart there is a great resemblance between the Child and the Parent That language which is confused and not to be understood speaks not a Citizen of Sion but a builder of Babel or Babylon When the words are spurious and not the hearts own like Abimelech they destroy the Family of which they descend sometimes that tongue cuts the owners throat The getting of treasure by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death Prov. 21. 6. The deceitful tongue seeketh death though not intentionally yet euentually The Saints words and thoughts are univocal they speak as they think and are like clarified honey clear to the bottom his heart is the Mine his mind frameth the matter and his tongue is the shop that exposeth it to publique view Secondly He sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not His hand will make good his lawful promises how much soever they shall be to his prejudice There is a Symmetry between his hand and his tongue he is slow to promise not hasty to enter into bonds but being once engaged he will be sure to perform He dares not falsifie his word knowing that his God was an earwitness It was the saying of Lysander That if the Lyons skin would not serve to cozen with the foxes must be sowed to it and that Children were to be deceived with toyes and men with Oaths but this Fox himself was at last taken in a trap and slain at the foot of the Theban Walkes The Justice of God will some time or other seize upon such unjust men False conceptions are as dangerous to the souls of men as to the bodies of women The Romans built a Temple to the Goddess Fidelity and offered sacrifice to her image so highly did they esteem of faithfulness Attilius Regulus their General against the Carthaginians being taken Prisoner and sent to Rome with conditions of peace upon his word to return if the Terms were not accepted judging the conditions dishonourable he disswaded the Romans from embracing them and went back to his enemies according to his promise though he knew beforehand that upon his return they would presently put him to death The Prisoner that got from Hannibal by eluding his Oath was by the Senate apprehended and sent back again saith Livie Attica â—â—des was free or sure hold and Atticus testis one that keeps touch because the Athenians were so faithful to their words What a shame is it then for Christians to regard their Promises and Oaths no more then their old cloaths which they throw by when they have made what use of them they desire Such men do much wound their Credit that after a little knowledge of such Nullifidians none will trust them but much more their consciences The deceitful and bloody are joyned together Psa. 5. 6. He that is deceitful to others is bloody to himself he may rase others skin but he wrongs his own soul and draweth his own heart-blood Machiavel as bad as he was would not allow fraud to lodge save in Souldiers Tents The jealous God hath made himself known to be a God of truth in accomplishing his threatings on those that have affirmed and attested such lyes One Ann Averies Widow in the days of Queen Elizabeth having bought six pound of Tow in a Shop in Woodstreet falsly said that she had paid for it and swore to it but she presently fell down and dyed to the terrour of all such unrighteous and perjured persons The trade indeed of lying hath crept almost into all trades as if it were the only way to get a livelyhood when it hath deprived some of their lives Act. 5. 7 8. A lying tongue is one of the six things which the Lord hates Prov. 6. 17. The Scripture speaks of such persons that their own tongues shall fall upon them meaning to destroy them as Benaiah fell on Ioab and Davids Souldier on the Amalekite for so the Phrase is frequently taken Psa. 64. 8. 1 King 2. 29 30. 2 Sam. 1. 15. Reader Be so true to thy own soul as to put away lying and to speak the truth to thy Neighbors Eph. 4. 25. Do not delude thy self with mental Reservations or Iesuitical AEquivocation but let thy words and thoughts joyn in consort A Christian should be like Chrystal the same all over and visible throughout As our cloaths represent the proportion of our bodies so should our words the proportion of our minds T was an unpolitique precept which Lewis the eleventh of France gave his Son when he charged him to learn no more Latine then what would teach him to dissemble Deceit is a gin that men set often to catch serpents which when they have caught sting themselves Cleomenes King of Lacedemonia who making Truce with the Argives for seven days and fell upon their Quarters in the night was repelled by the Argive Women and afterwards banished into Egypt where he miserably slew hiself Promises are as it were the Connection and Ligaments of the several parts in the body Politique if they be once broken asunder and losed the whole will quickly be dissolved Such men are like to some fruits which by their luscious smell
endeavour to revive me When I fall he will do his utmost to recover me He will rejoyce with me in my joys and sympathize with me in my sufferings in every condition to his power be a futable consolation O that the value and vertue of this Pearl may make me esteem it at an high price and the more wary that I be not cheated in my Choice Lord thou hast ordained the communion of Saints to be for mutual comfort and counsel let me choose those for my friends that will be faithful to their own and to my soul. I Wish that I may manifest to my own conscience the truth of my conversion by my Companions and that I am passed from death to life because I joyn with and love the brethren Beasts flock together Sinners joyn hand in hand and Saints are of the same heart and walk together towards the same Heaven My Associates will discover my nature whether Vertue or Vice be my Master My Comrades will speak to what Captain I belong If I joyn with the black Regiment of the Prince of Darkness it s a sign I am an enemy to the Lord of Hosts The members of Christs Mystical Body go in company It s presumed they are unchast Women who company with known Harlots and it s supposed they are dishonest men who are familiar with Theives If Christ and grace be predominant in me I cannot like and love their enemies An holy soul cannot delight in prophane sinners goldâ— will unite it self with the substance of gold but not incorporate with dross An heart truly good cannot brook those that are evil All creatures desire to joyn with such as are of the same nature Fish Fowls Birds Beasts all every one strive to be with them that are of the same species Confederacy in sin is the livery by which the black guard of Hell is distinguished from the rest of the rational creatures True friendship is the Cognisance of true Christians By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Love is the badge of the houshold of faith which witnesseth to what Lord they appertain Where love is in truth to their persons there will be a delight in their presence For what is love but a motion of the soul towards and its complacency in the object beloved In vain do I pretend my self a Disciple without sincere love which is the life of a Disciple Love to my God is the soul of Religion which keeps it in being in motion without this the whole body of it decayeth and dyeth All my performances if this be lacking are but as an unsavoury Corpse without either loveliness or life Love to my brethren is the sign of Religion which ever sheweth it self at the door where the substance is within He that loveth him that begetteth must needs love him also that is begotten The Child is acceptable for the Fathers sake The Picture is amiable because of the Person it representeth O how grossely do they delude their souls that think they love the Head when they hate and despise the Members that say they affect and prize Christ above their lives when they reject and persecute Christians to the very death Lordâ— thou hast told me He that loveth not his Brother abideth in death All thy Children are my Brethren they have the same Father the same Mother O suffer me not to give conscience cause to witness against me that I am in a state of death of damnation for want of this brotherly affection but grant that the hot beams of thy love may so warm my heart that I may be always reflecting back love to thy self and thy Saints as an evidence of my eternal salvation I Wish that I may consider whom I choose for my Companions least I be disappointed in the ends of Company My God intendeth society to be helpful to his people in the best things But they are never likely to further me in holiness who walk in the broad way that leadeth to Hell Satans Servants will not teach me to do the Lords work That friendship is ill made which is soon broken no band can hold him who is a stranger to Religion Where there is no fear of God in the heart there can be no true friendship They who are two in disposition will scarce be one in affection Where there is no true likeness there can be no true love Can two walk together unless they be agreed Grace is the onely Cement which conglutinates hearts and maketh true friends A brutish Sinner and a Beleiver are contrary each to other An unjust man is abominable to the just and he that is upright in his way is abominable to the wicked the Eagle hath perpetual emnity with Serpents and Dragons and their seed So hath the Eagle-eyed Christian with the seed of the Serpent Beasts hate fire and so do those whom God calleth Foxes and Lions and Bulls the fire of grace that burneth in a Saints heart and flameth out in his life Lambs and Wolves Doves and Ravens cannot unite Jerusalem and Babylon Sion and Sodom can never be compact and at unity togeâ—her Can I expect love from that person that hath none for his own soul nor for the blessed God Can contraries meet and not fight Is there any hope of an amicable conjunction betwixt them that are not onely differing but opposite I am born of God he is of his Father the Devil My work is to do the will of my Father in Heaven his work is to do the lusts of the wicked one Self is the Byass by which he moveth Scripture iâ— the Compass by which I sail I am travailing towards heaven he is hastening to hell and is it possible for us to have one heart O that no worldly advantage might make me ever strive to strike a Covenant with them to whom I am thus contrary They must needs be false to me that are made up of unfaithfulness A true friend is another self a vicious man cannot be a true friend because he is never himself Sometimes he is drunk with passion and so loseth his guide and leaveth the dictates of reason those servants are often in rebellion and thâ—n like the troubled Sea he casteth up mire and dirt In his fury he will strike at friends or foes and discover what he knows and more many times Passion is an high Feaver wherein men talk idly therefore the wise man gives a special Caution against such Companions Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not go Sometimes he is overcome with wine and then the Beast in him puts the curb into the mouth of reason and hath the command of it A Drunken man hath Nebuchadnezzars brutish heart and is fit onely to graze with Cattel Clitus is killed by his drunken Master and such a one speaketh and doth he knows not what He speaks what he should forget and forgets what he hath
to see their beauty and let my soul be so ravished with that comliness in them which thy Spirit hath put upon them that those which are a Royal Priesthood a chosen generation a peculiar people higher then the Kings of the Earth the glory of Christ and a Royal Diadem in thine hand may be the delight of mine eyes the joy of my heart and my fellow-travailers towards that house not made with hands but eternal in the heavens I Wish that the Commands of my God may be the warrant of my election and the beautiful Image of my God may be the onely Motive of my affection to his chosen Should I shew favour to the Saints and not with respect to the fear of my God in them I manifest no sanctity It is possible for me to love the man and yet hate the Christian in the same person How frequent is it to love men that are godly and yet not to love godliness Potiphar respected Joseph a good man but not for his goodness sake he preferred him as a good servant to him not as a good Subject to God The Children of Heth honoured Abraham for the sake of his riches or courtesie not upon the account of his righteousness and piety Abimelech struck a Covenant with Isaac as a good Neighbour not as a Believer It is one thing to love peace and another thing to love purity this latter is proper to a Christian the former competible to Heathen O that my love might never as Labansâ—o â—o Jacob be mercenary carried out towards any of Gods people more for the good I get by them then for the good that is in them How unsuitable is such a love to the Divine nature and how unworthy of my profession If I love them for their wealth or their bounty I love their riches not them or rather I love my self and neither them nor any thing of theirs This is self-love not Saint-love If their persons were stript of those Ornaments wherewith they are now cloathed such love would languish and dye Should these be the wheels upon which my love moves when they are wanting my love will stand still such friendship is but like a fire of straw which burns brightly whilst it hath matter to feed upon but that being neglected it is extinguished and turned into ashes O my soul consider what foundation thy love is built on lest it appear to be feighned If thou lovest men for their parts or for thy own profit thou dost not love thy Saviour in them but thy carnal self and thereby dost evidence thine Hypocrisie more then thy sincerity It is not all kindness to Saints nor all joyning with Christian society which is aâ— act or sign of sanctity The Baptist had fair respect from Herod and yet the King could take off his Head The Barbarians shewed great courtesie to Paul and his companions but not the least Christianity Thy God commandeth thee to love the brotherhood that is to love them as brethen not as kind or wise or great or wealthy and to love the whole fraternity and brood of thy Father not this or that brother O do thou in the choice of thy familiars look over those natural or civil excellencies which inâ—inite wisdom bestoweth onely upon some and mind chiefly that super-natural quality which is truly praise-worthy and inherent in all Thy God hath chosen the poor of the World and he is no respecter of persons O do thou follow his honourable pattern and let the poor the mean the lowest members of Christ be lovely and amiable in thine eye Choose godliness in all and then thou wilt refuse none but choose all that are godly Though the holiness of some be but as the smoaking flax do not thou choak but cherish it Lord thou hast a tender respect for thy little children and babes in Christ it is thy pleasure that thy little ones should not be offended thâ—t such as are weak in the faith should be received cause thy servant to love all thy Saints and to be able to say with that man after â—hine own heart I am a Companion of all that fear thee and keep thy Sâ—atutes Psa. 119. 63. I Wish that my end in the Choice of my Companions may be principally to further my own and their everlasting peace If I use any company upon other accounts I frustrate my God I cozen my own soul For me and others to unite in sin would be a conspiracy against Heaven and too lively a reâ—semblance of those Governours of Hell whose only work is to draw others to and to encourage them in wickedness For us to joyn in gratifying the flesh and purveying for our appetites and passing away the time that it may be less tedious would be a confederacy against the Spirit and but a more cleanly and neat acting of the part of Beasts who understand no other happiness then to feed and sport together For us to accompany onely about worldly imployments to get an insight into commodities and callings that we might be wiser to buy and sell or to hear and tell news this would become a Turk and were but a cutting time the most precious commodity of all to waste For us to associate barely to increase our knowledge and widen the windows of our understandings or to quicken and raise our fancies and enlarge our natural parts and endowments even this would be but a transcript of the lives of the most refined Heathen who were ignorant of the true weight and worth of eternal concernments But to meet together as Christ did with his Apostles to discourse about the things appertaining to the Kingdom of God to provoke one another to love and to good works to admonish advise encourage and comfort and to build up one another in the most holy faith this is a work worthy of a Christian and becoming them that are called to be Saints O that my Gods end may be much in my mind when I converse with any of his chosen that all our conjunctions may be fruitful in holiness Christians are choice Tutors and rare Masters by whom many precious things may be learned my God hath lent them me for a little while and intendeth shortly to send for them home why should I loyter or trifle with them when such excellent Lessons are given me by them Lord I know within a few days I shall be deprived of these and all other helps O help thy most unworthy creature in that little time that he doth enjoy them to make the most the best improvement of them to love them as my own soul and to do them the greatest service I can enable both them and me to be fellow-workers and fellow-helpers unto thy Kingdom that when we come thither they may bless thee for me and I may bless thee for them and all of us may bless thee for thy dear Son and thy blessed self for ever and ever Finally I Wish that I who am a Pilgrim
as never to reproach the sinner when I reprove the sin lest I break their heads instead of their hearts and make them flie in my face instead of falling down at Gods feet Bone-setters must deal very warily and Physick is given with great advice and in dangerous diseases not without a consultation I would distinguish between crimes and not fall upon any as the Syrians did on Gilead Amos. 1. 3. with a flail of Iron when a small wand may do the work nor as Jeroboam threatened Israel chastise them with Scorpions who may be reformed with Whips It was not the heat but the cool of the day when my God came down to reprove Adam The wrath of man workeâ—h not the righteousness of God It s in vain to undertake to cast out Satan with Satan or sin with sin I must turn anger out of my nature but I must not turn my nature into anger Yet let me be serious not light in all my admonitions It s ill playing or jesting with one that is destroying and damning himself Would it not stick close to me another day should I laugh at them at this day that are going into the place of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth My frothy carriage would as Hazaels cloth dipt in water instead of recovering stifle my brother to death Physick works best when its warm I must love my Neighbour as my self True self-love will throw the first stone at its own sin I may not suffer sin in my self therefore not in my neighbour Lord thou hast commanded me in any wise to rebuke my neighbour and not to suffer sin upon him I confess it s an unpleasing work to rake into sores and ulcers If I lance festred wounds I make the Patients angry by putting them to pain and O how averse is my wicked heart to such a task I am prone to fear their ill-will more then thine and rather to let them rot in the hony of flattery then preserve and save them by faithful admonition How backward is my cowardly spirit to undertake the work how many excuses will it plead for its neglect When through grace I have overcome those lets and hinderances how flatteringly and unfaithfully do I go about it rather stroaking the sinner then striking the sin O pardon my omissions of this duty and all my falseness in the performance of it Let thy Spirit so encourage me that I may not fear the faces of men so direct me that affectionately prudently and zealously I may admonish them that go astray and O do thou so prosper and bless that I may bring them home to thy flock and fold I Wish that I may unfaignedly bewail others wickedness and lament that dishonour to my God which I cannot hinder It s an ill sign of my Sonship for others to blaspheme the name of my father and me to be insensible Adoption is ever accompanied with filial affection If I expect the priviledges I must ensure the properties of a Child Nature will teach me to be troubled for affronts that are offered to the Father of my flesh and will not grace enable me to be greived at the dirt which wicked men throw in the â—ace of the Father of Spirits Again I must not look for freedom from others sufferings unleâ—â— I lay to heart their sins The mourners in Sion are those that in a common calamity are markt for safety Ezek. 9. The destroying Angel will take me to be as guâ—lty as others if it fixd me without grief and so wrap me up in their punishments my God himself judgeth me infected with those sins for which I am not afflicted and can I then think to escape O that my head were water and mine eyes fountains of tears that I might weep day and night for the iniquity and misery of dying gasping sinners Lord thou canst fetch water out of this rocky heart and open the sluces of my eyes Break my heart because others break thy Commands When others kindle the fire of thine anger help thy servâ—nt to draw water and poure it out before thee Let me be so far from seeing others provoke the eyes of thy glory without sorrow that when ever I remember the transgressours I may be greived because they forsake thy statutes Let rivers of tears run down mine eyes when the wicked forsake thy Law I cannot for my life so carry my self but I shall sometimes fall amongst wicked men Whilst I am amongst them I endanger my soul either by complying with or conniving at them in their evil actions There is no safety in evil society Such Pitch is apt to defile my conscience Who can expect to come off without loss from such Cheats and Juglers It is the peevish industry of wickedness to find or make a fellow Besides they are Children of the world whose friendship is enmity against my God they are Children of disobedience therefore contrary to my new nature and so must needs be uncomfortable to me Children of the Devil therefore Traytors against Christ and so abominable to my God I cannot be certain not to meet with evil companions but I will be careful not to be their consorts I would willingly sort my self with such as should either teach me vertue or learn of me to avoid vice And if my Companion cannot make me better nor I him good let me rather leave him ill then he should make we worse Though if I depart from â—hem the world will judge me proud yet should I stay with them needlesly my God would count me prophane and is it not better that men accuse me falsly then God condemne me justly What need I care what men think so God approve T is to his judgement that I must stand or fall for ever It is likely that those who cannot defile my conscience will injure my credit and publish to their fellows that I am a precise fool But this is my comfort there is a time coming when innocency will cause the greatest boldness and freedom from sin will do me more service and be infinitely more worth then the highest renown that ever mortal acquired Lord thy people in this world are as Lillies among Thorns The Canaanites of the Land are Thornes in the eyes and Pricks in the sides of thy true Israelites Wo is me that I dwell in Meshech and my habitation is in the Tents of Kedar My soul hath long dwelt with them that hate peace They like not me because I am not like to them and count my Company not good because it is not bad and I dare not sin with them They are mine enemies because I follow the thing that good is O how black are their tongues with railing and their hearts with rage against them who dare not provoke thee as much as themselves I am ready to say now upon the view of their abominations and the hearing their Oaths and Curses and Blasphemies Cursed be their anger for it is fierce and their rage
a necessary cause is a sin and bringeth great disadvantage both upon our selves and others 1. Upon our selves we lose those helps which God hath afforded for the edification of our souls Fire laid abroad qâ—ickly abateth nay goeth out when if it be raked up together it continueth and increaseth I suppose the Spirit of God is so exact in registring the absence of Thomas from the Apostles company when Christ vouchsafed them his personal and gracious presence and the sad fit of unbelief which he fell into upon it partly as a warning to all Christians that they lose not such seasons as they love their immortal souls Ioh. 20. 24 25. But Thomas one of the twelve was not there when Iesus came The other Disciples therefore said unto him We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them Except I shall see in his hands the print of the Nails and put my fingers into the print of the Nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe Had Thomas been present when the Lord appeared how strongly might he have withstood Satans assaults against his faith His senses had been sufficient to have confuted the father of lies and helpful to have quencht his fiery darts but by his absence how dangerously was he shaken in that fundamental truth Satan hath a wonderful advantage of that person whom he meets without any warrant from God alone If I travail alone between Sun and Sun I have the Law for my protection that if I be robbed I may recover my loss of the Country but if at other times it is at my own peril If I be alone at the call of my God either when secret duties or my particular calling require it and my grand enemy set upon me I may expect help from him whose work I am about but if when he commandeth me to associate with his people I needlesly wander from them and any hurt befal me I must thank my self and look for no reparation at his hands It is observable that the house of Iobs Eldest Son which was the grave wherein all his children were buried stood alone otherwise the wind from the Wilderness could not have smote the four corners thereof O t is dangerous to be solitary when God requires thy company amongst his chosen There is a wo to him that is alone such a man shall be sure to have Satan for his companion He is ever ready to assault when none is neer to assist Eve was tempted with too much success when she was alone without her Husband Dinah gadding from her fathers house was defiled Ioseph was then assaulted when the whole Family was gone save the instrument of the assault How soon are straglers snapt up when those that march with the body of the Army are safe Pyrates lye skulking to find a Vessel sailing alone when those that sail in company are a convoy to each other They who separate are soon seduced The Cormorant or Sea-Eagle hath this property that she will not seise upon the fish in the water when they are in sholes but when single she makes them her prey Solitude is not more hurtful to the body then to the soul and to nature then to grace When David was an exile from the society of the Israelites and wandred abroad he fell into diffidence and distrust nay into hard and blasphemous thoughts of God as if he had forgotten to be gracious as if he himself had cleansed his heart in vain He then said in his haste that all men even Samuel who had anointed him to the Kingdom and promised him from God that he should be King were lyars It is a disadvantage to others When Saints do not meet together their love cooleth nay contentions frequently follow to the hardening of the wicked and the discouraging of the weak The Temple or body of Christ is not built up with blows and Schismes The parts of the Temple were framed and squared in Lebanon at the rearing of it up in Zion there was no noise either of Axe or Hammer Babel it self could not be built by divided tongues muchless Sion by divided hearts When Christians divide and separate weak beginners know not what to do whom to follow but are ready to say with Cicero when Caesar and Pompey were at odds Quem fugiam scio quem sequar nescio I know whom to flie but I know not whom to follow O how dreadful are the consequents of such civil wars Discord is not without cause described by the great Italian to be cloathed with a garment of divers colours made up of patches and they rent cut and torn her lap fâ—ll of writs citations processes and arrests attended onely wiâ—h Clarks Scriveners Atturneys and Lawyers but she was followed with bitter clamours and diswal howlings Melancthon perswading the Protestants in his time to peace tells them a parabolical story of the Dogs and Wolves who were meeting to fight one against another The Wolves sent out their Scout to know the strength of their adversaries The Scout returns and tells the Wolves that indeed the Dogs exceeded them in number but they need not fear them for he had observed they were not like one another Besides they marched as if they were offended rather with themselves then their enemies grinning and snarling yea biting and tearing one another therefore let us not be discouraged but march on resolutely Dissention amongst men brings destruction on men A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand They who imbodied toâ—â—â—her may be able to overcome thousands divided and taken singly may be overthrown by a very few The hardest Adamant if once broken flieth into such small dust that its scarce discernable and so cometh to nothing The people of God have not seldom made themselves a prey to Persecutours by their heart burnings and divisions When the Town is once set on fire by the Granadoes shot in from them that besiege it the enemies hope to take it with the more ease Naturalists tell us that a Punice stone cast into the waters though it be never so big whilst it remains entire and the parts hold together t will swim above the water but break it once in peices and every part sinks to the bottom Truly such often times is the state of the faithful They who holding together are safe and as a bundle of stâ—ves not to be bowed when parted and taken singly are easily broken It is the Shepherds observation that when Sheep Butt one against another it s a sign of foul weather and of an approaching storm We have too much cause to fear that the Schismes and Contenâ—ions in the Church of God at this day do portend some heavy judgement to hang over our heads SECT III. I Shall now direct thee Reader how 〈◊〉 â—xercise thy self to godliness in Christian Company First I must give thee a Word of Caution Take heed of those sins which Christians when they accompany together are most prone to Saints are apt to
Thus the children of God should bespeak each other If the world be too hard for thee I will endeavour to assist thee by discovering the vanity of its shallow allurements and the foolery of its skin deep affrightments If the Devil or Flesh be too hard for me thou shalt do thy utmost to succour me in withstanding their batterieâ— and repelling their poisonous and fiery darts Onely let us be of good courage let us watch stand fast in the faith quit our selves like men for our God and our Redeemer and our souls and our eternal salâ—ations and the Lord will be found faithful who hath assured us that he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able 3. By comforting the sorrowful Christians should have a Cordial in store for them that are fainting a cup of wine for the heavy in heart and be able to speak a word in season to him that is weary Comâ—fort the feeble i. e. the sick at heart such as are ready to sink under the weight of sin and are frighted with the apprehension of the eternal fire 1 Thess. 5. 14. Amalek is branded with a mark of infamy and was followed with a curse and slaughter from God for falling upon the faint and feeble ones of Israel Deut. 25.18 God cannot endure it he cannot bear it that his weak sickly ones should be wronged He is tender of them himself he carrieth his lambs in his arms Isa. 40. 11. and others must do so too or he will make them rue it The world doth as the herd push the wounded Deer out of their company but Saints endeavour to bind up the broken in heart to comfort them as Paul commands his Corinthians lest they be swallowed up of too much sorrow 1 Cor. 2.14 The Husbandman doth mind his young tender trees in a special manner above them that are grown up and strong because such are in more danger of breaking and bruising and other hurt then grown trees so that besides the wall or common fence aâ—bout the Orchard he makes a special fence with bushes and stakes about these and gives them more choice nourishment and more frequent watering God is most choice of his little ones his weak children When Israel was a child I loved him I drew him with the cords of love and with the bands of a man Hos. 11. 1 3. Christians must imitate God in thisâ— and be followers of him as dear children Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees Hebr. 12.12 The Martyrs in prison by discoursing on the promises shook off their carnal seâ—ters Holy Bradford made his dark dungeon by this means lightsom to his fellow-prisoners Luther profest Melancthon very helpful to him against his inward doubts as he was to Melancthon against his frights about the publick state of the Church A friend is born for the day of adversity And t is pity he was ever born that denieth to do that for which he was born It appertaines especally to the office of a friend saith Seneca to asswage his friends grief by speech to drive away his sadness by chearfulness and to refresh him with his very presence When women travail they carry frequently with them strong waters and if one fainteth or is sick she that hath those cordial waters prayeth her to take some for her ease and comfort The Apostle prepareth for the Christian choice and rare cordials in 1 Thess. 4. about the six last verses and then wisheth them to make use of them for their mutual good Wherefore comfort one another with these words 4. By admonishing the sinful Saints like Clocks made up of curious wheels and engines are soon discomposed and therefore often want some workman to set them in order again A good man if his friend follow vertue will be a Father to encourage him if he be full of doubts will be a Minister to direct him but if he follow vice will be a Magistrate to correct him Christians must allow one another for their infirmities but not allow one another in their infirmities If a brother be overtaken with a fault restore such a one with the spirit of meekness Gal. 6.1 Which words are very emphatical and point to us 1. The nature of his fall he is overtaken with a fault he doth not overtake the fault He is rather passive of it then active in it A sinner like Ahab sells himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord but a brother like Paul is sold under sin It s proper to the wicked to be voluntiers in this unholy war against God Saints fight not except they be prest The Christian is drawn to iniquity by cords of vanity the other draweth iniquity with cords of vanity 2. The duty of his friend restore such a one It s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an allusion to Chirurgions who set bones out of joynt though they put their Patients to pain and make them angry at present So must Christians endeavour the joynting of their brethren whose souls are out of order though at present they have little thanks for their labour This courtesie we owe to our brothers Ox or Ass much more to his Soul Exod. 22. 4. It s a strict command warn the unruly 1 Thes. 5. 14. though most men draw back when they are called to this burthen that fallen brethren lie under the same misery that Travellers do to find many Hosts but few Friends and may cry out as Lewis the eleventh of France I have plenty of all things but such as will tell me my faults 3. The manner how this friendly part must be performed with the spirit of meekness The bitterness of reprehension is much sweetness by the pleasingness of our expressions Gentle sores are but anguisht with too hard a pressure Though Swine are driven with violence yet Children that wander are gently led home According to the wound must the plaister be more or less searching Christ reproves Martha mildly Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things but he rebuked Peter sharply Get thee behind me Satan The Apostle writing to the Romans commendeth them highly that they were able to admonish one another Rom. 15. 14. They had piety and grace enough to perform the duty notwithstanding the arguments of ill will or loss in estate or other evils which the flesh suggested to the contrary and they had prudence and discretion enough to perform the duty so as it might most probably be profitable But how unlike are Christians in our days to those in the Primitive times Admonition is a Lyon which few dare come near for fear it will tear them in peices We carry our selves rather like Machiavels Scholars who taught his followers if their friend were up to the knees in water to lend him their hand to help him out and so if he were up to the waste but if he were up to the chin then to lay their hand on his head and duck
that they all speak the same thing they are one in affection one in opinion aud one in expression There Christs prayer is granted Father that they may be one as we are one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they may be one in us If it be so good and pleasant a thing for brethren here to dwell together in unity and it be as a precious Oyntment and as the Dew which descended upon the Mountains of Sion where the Lord commanded his blessing even life for ever How good and pleasant will it be for those to dwell together in perfect unity there where the consolation of Christ is perfect the fellowship of the Spirit entire the comfort of love compleat no crying no complaining no angry word no frowning look no suspicious thought But as old Gryneus said There Zwinglius and Luther are well agreed Our Communion here is but with a few we are acquainted but with few and our communion is not so large as our acquaintance we have seen but few we have heard but of few and we have discoursed with fewer There are but few in the Counties in the Kingdom where we live and many of them are wholly unknown to us But There is a glorious Company of Patriarchs Prophets Apostles a noble Army of Martyrs a numberless number of Saints of all Countries Callings Conditions Relations a thousand thousand are before him and ten thousand times ten thousand minister to him If Peter when he saw but two of the Children of God in glory with Christ on Earth cryed out Master It is good to be here How good will it be to be There where there shall be a great multitude which no man can number of all Nations and Kindreds and People and Tongues standing before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white robes and Palmes in their hands and crying with a loud voice Salvation unto our God that sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb for ever O what a blessed time or rather eternity will that be when I shall fully understand what the Communion of Saints meaneth If Solomon could say of militant Saints As Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart so doth the sweetness of a mans friend by hearty counsel How much better might he speak it of Saints triumphant What is the sweetness and joy of that societyâ— where every soul is a bed of spices an Orchyard of Pomgranats a Cabinet of perfumes for their mutual delight and refreshment If David was so taken with the beauty of the Church in this World notwithstanding her blackness by reason of corruption and affliction that he saith If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I prefer not Ierusalem before my chief joy How much is he taken with the Spouse of Christ There where it is granted unto her to be arrayed in fine linnen pure and white which is the righteousness of the Saints not onely imputed but also inherent to be cloathed with the embroydered graces of the holy spirit perfect knowledge perfect love perfect joy and all the beauties of holiness without the least spot or wrinkle or any such thing there indeed he prefers Jerusalem before his chief joy whâ—lst he beholds her all fair compleatly conformed to Christ with such a peculiar resemblance of his glory as if the name of Christ was written on her fore-head and her spiritual affinity and kindred manifested thereby Surely it is a lovely communion when Saints sit down together at the Lords Table in this world and partake of his last Supper when they see and hear and taste the true pledges of their Fathers infinite grace and read their Redeemers boundless love written by himself in his own blood Their hearts have many a time been so ravished therewith that they have wished the ordinance might have lasted longer and that Christ would have lain so all night between their breasts But O how infinitely short is this Communion of that which â—hey shall have in glory when they shall be called to the Marriage supper of the Lamb when they shall eat of the hidden Manna and drink of the new wine in their Fathers Kingdom then then indeed every one may say I sit under his shadow with great delight and his fruit is sweet unto my taste without question that Communion which Adam had with Eve that short time which they continued in innocency was exceeding sweet She was to him as a Crown of glory a meet help and the delight of his eyes What a â—air Bride was she whom God himself drest and deckt with all the ornaments of grace What joy must there needs be at that Wedding which was celebrated in Paradise covered with the curious Tapestry of thâ—se pleasant trees which the very hanâ— of the most High had planted and delighted with the raâ—ishing noats of those pretty Quitisters which Infinite Wisdom had taught to sing at the Marriage feastâ— where there was a perfect likeness and love between the Maried Persons where there was not the least evil or shew of evil to allay their joy and especiaâ—â—y where the God of all consolation was fully and fâ—â—ourably present as Master of the Feast Adam could not but esteem her his loving Hind and pleasant Râ—e his sweet yoke-fellow and pleasant play-fellow the partner and sweetner of all his comforts he could not but he satisfied with her breasts and ravished with her love But even this is far inferiour to the communion of the Saints above There in heaven are more glorious bands and sweeter knots of loving fellowship then that of Marriage the attire of the Bride is far richer the beauty of the Bride far greater the wedding chamber is the heavenly Paradise the melody made there will be by celestial Courtiers Angels themselves and there the Fountain whence all joy floweth will run more freely and he will turn that water which Adam had below into the richest wine Lord I acknowledge to thy glory that I have sometimes been refreshed with the company of thy chosen in this world I have seen thee in them and heard thee by them yet how little good have I got by them in comparison of what I might and ought Pardon all my weaknesses and do thou so supply my spiritual wants that I may both love more and improve better the society of thy Saints here that so when thou callest me from this imperfect communion with some few I may be carried to Abrahams bosome and enjoy perfect fellowship with those thousands that are before thee where thou art visible in all every one being thy temple and every heart being the altar upon which the fire of thy love is ever burning O let me praise thee in that great congregation and my glory sing of thee before much people for there shall those that mourned for Sion be filled with comfort and rejoyce for
be is not Psa. 19. 7. It s promissory part is holy both formaliter in its own nature and effective in its end and fruit It s Historical part is holy other books are properly called prophane Histories in distinction from this The Scriptures expressions are pure of the most impure actions He knew her no more men with men doing what is unseemly Gen. 38. 26. Rom. 1. 27. 2. It is powerful As fire it can melt the hardest mettal As an Hammer it can break the most stony heart Ier. 23. 29. 1. It is powerful for Conviction It sets mens sins before their eyes and makes them behold their ugliness and deformity whether they will or no It tells the sinner as Elisha concerning the Syrian King to the King of Israel what he doth and saith in his bed-â—hamber in the retiring room of his heart It makes the spirit of the stoutest sinner to treâ—ble as the leaves with the wind and though he strives to put off his quaking fits by some humane cordials yet he finds his soul-Ague still continuing upon him Sturdy Murderers of Christ spring in trembling and an earthly Felix quakes under the power of this word This voice of the Lord is powerful it â—hakes the Cedars of Lebanon The batteries of the word have shaken the sensless conscience and shattered the flinty hâ—art in peices 2. It is powerful for conversion It is able to change the nature and turn an heart of stone into an heart of flesh It hath many a time inlightned dark minds to see the things which they never saw enlivened dead souls and enabled them to stand up from the dead The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul It hath dispossessed the strong man cast him out of his strong holds wherein he had raigned many years and subdued the soul to another Lord and Soveraign What hath been said of God may be said of the Word in the hand of the Spirit Who ever resisted its will How powerful is that word which can make the proudest creature that scorned former reproofs and precepts threatnings and judgements to cry and weep bitterly like a child under the rod that can create the new creature the choicest of Gods works By the word of the Lord are the new Heavens wherein dwelleth righteousness made and all the glorious host thereof of sparkling graces by the breath of his mouth 3. It s powerful for conquering spiritual enemies The noble victories atchieved by the Lords Worthies are most of them obtained by this sword of the Spirit Whole armies of sins have been discomfited and forced to flie before the face of this weapon God hews these by his Prophets and slays them by the word of his mouth This word like the rod in the hand of Moses worketh wonderfully for the destruction of such Egyptian enemies Satan is another enemy of the Christians but as powerful and as politique as he is he falls down like lightening from heaven before the preaching of the word This sword hath so wounded that Leviathan that destroyer of souls that he can never recover himself They overcame him i. e. the Devil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony Rev. 12. 11. In a word it must needs be strong for it is the power of God to salvation The rod of his strength Rom. 1. 16. Psa. 110. 2. 3. It is perfect It contains in it all that is necessary and sufficient for our eternal salvation It is a full and compleat rule and measure both of things to be believed and practised it will admit no addition because it is defective in nothing it will suffer no diminution for it is redundant in nothing If any man shall add unto it God shall add anto his plagues If any man shall take away from the words of this book God shall take away his part out of the book of life Jesus Christ who was the great Teacher sent from God was faithful in his office and gave his Church whatsoever Precepts or Doctrines were needful for her in order to her endless good He tells us Whatsoever I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you Joh. 15. 15. And his Apostle speaks to the same purpose Act. 20. 21. I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God Besides it is able to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished unto every good word which it could never do if it were not perfect it self Nil dat quod non habet Nothing can give that which it hath not in it self either formally or virtually Traditions are no way necessary to compleat the Canon of Scripture Since God did reveal his will in writing every age had that revealed to it which was sufficient for that age to make such as then lived wise to salvation but as God was pleased to reveal more the latter did assist us in the understanding of the former â—herefore so long as any truth was necessary to be more fully known he inspiâ—ed holy men to do it and the compleating of the divine Canon was reserved for Christ and his Apostles Ioh. 15. 15. and 7. 8. and 6. 13. Act. 20. 27. Gal. 1. 6 7 8. 4. It is true and certain Not a tittle of it shall fail It is calâ—ed truth the truth thy truth the Scripture of truth the word of truth the Gospel of truth a more sure word the comparative for the superlative the most sure word Christ prefers it before information from the dead the Apostle before Revelation from Angels or auy other way whatsoever 1. The Precepts of it are true they are perfectly agreeable to the mind of the speaker Thou art near O Lord and all thy commandments are truth Psa. 119. 5. The words of men may be true but the word of God onely is truth There is no error no mixture in it t is therefore called sincere milk 1 Pet. 2. 2. 2. The Promises of it are true They are accomplished to the least particle of them Hence they are called the sure mercies of David The Promises of God are unquestionable because their speaker is unchangeable and one for whom it is impossible to lie They are sure hold and will eat their way through all the Alpes of opposition Not one good thing haâ—h failed of all that the Lord our God hath promised Joshua 21. 45. 3. The Histories of it are true Whatsoever is written in it of the first or second Adam of any persons or nations is exactly true â—here never was fuch an impartial historian as the inditer of the word This is the Book which hath no Errata's in it 4. The threatnings are true The sinner shall as certainly feel them as he reads or hears them He shall as surely be damned as if he were already damned therefore he is said to be condemned already to speak its certainty He shall find the gnawing worm and the eternal fire as unquestionably as if he felt them at
Satan for the advancement of Christ and holiness but thou hast excelled them all Thou hast changed Lions into Lambs Ravens into Doves Beasts into Men and Men into Angels thou hast subdued head-strong passions mortified natural and riveted corruptions tore up old and sturdy lusts by the roots conquered Principalities and Powers led captivity captive and turned the world upside down By thee wonders are wrought the blind restored to their sight the dead raised the deaf hear the dumb speak the Lepers are cleansed and the poor have the Gospel preached to them and are changed into the nature of it where thou ridest conquering and to conquer the whole world runneth after thee Thy neck is like the Tower of David builded for an Armoury wherein there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men Thy weapons are not carnal but spiritual and mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. By thee poor weak and contemptible men have subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained the promises stopped the mouths of roaring lions quenched the violence of hellish fire escaped the edge of Hereticks and persecutors sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in sight turned to flight Armies of the Aliens Thou hast not onely like Saul slain thy thousands but with David thy ten thousands thou hast broken the serpents head destroyed the great Leviathan tramplest on Scorpions and Vipers and nothing can hurt thee Thou bringeth heaven down to earth and carriest earth up to heaven Thou are the joyful message from a far country the river whose streams make glad the City of God Infinite Wisdom contrived thee Infinite Truth proclaimed thee and infinite Goodness discovered thee The Father indited thee the Son confirmed thee and the Spirit revealed thee to the children of men The Countries and Kingdoms of the earth were overwhelmed with worse then Egyptian darkness till thou didst arise upon them and with thy glorious beams enlighten and enliven them by thee fools have been made wise sinners made Saints ignorant men have been instructed wandring men reduced weak ones confirmed and lost ones saved By thee the heavens were established the foundations of the earth formed the sorrowful are comforted the scandalous reformed the needy relieved and the righteousness of God revealed Thou art eyes to the blind and â—eet to the lame and food to the hungry and rest to the weary and physick to the sick and life to the dying The ablest Historian will infinitely fall short in describing thy heroick deeds None can declare thy noble acts or display half thy praise Angels may well pry into thee with admiration and astonishment and make the contents of thy Chapters the subject of their songs and substance of their Halelujahâ— to all eternity When that heavenly host preached on earth thou wert their Text be thou their triumph in heaven for ever O thou savour of life thou living water thou well of salvation thou tidings of great joy to all Nations thou ministration of righteousness thou mystery of godliness thou mine of unsearchable riches thou way of holiness thou word of the kingdom that thou wert written on the tables of my heart and graven with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond on that rock for ever Thou wast once written on tables of stone with the hand of God himself how precious was that book wherein every leaf was immediately of Gods making and every line in it of Gods writing My heart is an heart of stone I find it by too much experience but if thou wert engraven on it 't would be a precious stone its price would be far above Rubies the Onyx and the Saphire should not be valued with it the Gold and the Chrystal should not equal it neither should it be exchanged for Coral or Pearls O that I were manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God known and read of all men O that my soul were the house and thou the inhabitant for ever O that the word of Christ might dwell richly within me that I were able to say with holy David I delight to do thy will O God thy law is within my heart or in the midst of my bowels Thou art the Oracles of God all thy sayings are faithful and true and worthy of all acceptation when O when shall I give it them Thou art worthy of the eye Blessed is he that readeth the words of this Prophesie Rev. 1. 3. Thou art worthy of the ear Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Thou art worthy of the heart O that I could hide thee in mine heart that I might not sin against the Lord Thou art a counsellor to the doubting a comforter to the distressed Thou art health to the navel and marrow to the bones an ornament of grace unto the head and a chain of gold about the neck They that walk in thy ways are safe and their feet do not stumble Thou teachest in the ways of wisdom and thou leadest in right paths O that my ways were directed to keep all thy commandements for thy steps tend to holiness and thy Paths take hold of Heaven O my soul is it possible for thee to hear the excellency of Scripture thus opened to thee and not to burn in love to it Hast thou been all this while in such an hot bath and still cold and shivering Hast thou felt its power tasted its savour seen its beauty often heard its awakening voice and known its universal vertue and dost thou yet doubt its divinity or question its excellency Surely if ever thou shouldst again through unbelief belief ask it the same question which the Scribes did Christ when they beheld his miraculous actions By what authority dost thou these things or who gave thee this authority thou mayst answer thy self in the words of the man born blind and then seeing to the Jews Is it not strange or This is a marvellous thing that thou knowest not whence it is yet it hath opened thine eyes Joh. 9. 30. Was there not a night of dread and horror with thee when thou didst sit in darkness and in the shadow of death till this sun did arise with light and life under its wings O cry out with the Psalmist I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickened me I was wallowing in my filth weltring in my blood rotting in the grave of corruption till thou didst say unto me Live yea till thou didst say unto me Live Thy voice is powerful overcoming all opposition The love revealed in thee is wonderful far surpassing the love of woman Thy promises are exceeding great and precious more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold Thy Maker may well prevail for thine acceptance Who
savour of it So if godliness and the immediate worship of God do first in the morning possess my soul my natural and civil affairs will probably rellish of it Again Mens hearts are generally upon that in the morning which they esteem their happiness and portion The covetous Muck-worm no sooner openeth his eyes but his â—eart is tumbling in his heaps The voluptuous beast no sooner wakes but he is sporting in sensual waters The ambitious Peacock no sooner is able to think but his gay Feathers and gaudy dress for that day come into his mind and why should not my heart send its first thoughts into Heaven Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire in comparison of thee The Birds early in the morning salute the rising Sun with their sweet notes and shall not I the Sun of righteousness Further My wants my mercies call for morning duties I walk in the midst of deaths of dangers every day and shall I dare to travail without my defence Men cloath their bodies against the sharpness of the weather and why not their souls against the assaults of the flesh the world and the wicked one There is no safety without this breast-work If Satan take me out of my trenches and strong holds as Joshua did the men of Ai it will be no wonder if he roâ—t and ruine me If I do not bless God in the morning how can I expect that he should bless me in the day Is any earthly Prince so prodigal of his favours as to throw them away upon those that esteem them unworthy to be desired If I do not serve the Precepts of God I am presumptuous to look that his providence should serve meâ— Should I undertake my affairs on earth before I have dispatched my business with heaven I am a notorious Cheat and Theif I am a Theif to God by robbing him of his glory and that natural allegiance which I owe to my Maker I am a Theif to my self in robbing my self of that blessing which I might have on my callings and undertakings O that prayer might be the girdle to compass in the whole body of my natural and civil dealings and concernments And that I could every day of my life forestal the worlds market by setting early about closet and family duties Suitors find it fittest to wait upon and dispatch their business with great persons betimes in the morning Lord freedom of access to thy throne of grace is an unspeakable favour Access is hard to earthly Princes No worldly Court is so open as to admit all comers Those that with much difficulty present their Petitions are often against all reason denyed Thy gates are open night and day all that will may come and be welcome Thou invitest souls to come into thy presence and delightest to hear and grant their prayers Thine eares are more open and ready to hear then their mouths to ask Thou pressest upon many undesired blessings but denyest none who ask not stones instead of bread Importunity never angers thee the more fervent and frequent my soul is with thee the more prevalent Thou fillest the hungry with good things and dost not send any that desire thy grace empty away from thy gate What care I how little notice or knowledge the Nobles of the earth will take of me when I can speak so freely to their better their Soveraign and not fear a repulse O teach me the right art of begging and then I need not be afraid of poverty If I be but skilful to follow that trade my returns will be both â—â—re and large Thy mercies are renewed upon me every morning so are my necessities O let my prayses and prayers be as frequent and early I will bless the Lord at all times his praise â—hall be continually in my mouth O God my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee in a dry and barren Wilderness where no water is My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up I Wiâ—h that having done with the more immediaâ—e service of my God in Praying and Reading both in my Closet and Family I may proceed to serve him in my Shop and Particular Calling When God saith Man is born to labour I must not sing with the fool Soul take thine ease An idle person is like Caterpillars and Mice that devour Gods creatures and do no good to others It s pity he ever lived the book of whose life is filled up with nothing but Cyphers Nature never intended men to be drones to feed on others labours nor bats to spend their lives in the company of sleep the brother of death My God my soul my family my country do all call upon me to be diligent in that calling whereto he hath called me My God is a pure act himself and hath capacitated all his creatures for action He created all men but never made a sluggard The idle person wholly degenerates from the end of his being and receiveth his faculties in vain The command for civil labour hath the same divine stamp as that for sacred rest I have also his pattern for my encouragement as well as his precept for my warrant Hitherto my father worketh and I work My soul also stands in as much need of exercise as my body Idleness is the door at which diseases enter into both Rust eats up vessels that are laid by and unused The mind is never more bright then when it is in imployment from doing nothing we proceed to do evil Idleness is not onely a vice it self but also hath this unhappiness to usher in all other This is the least advantage of industry that it gives the soul no leasure to play with sin or to entertain the wicked one Standing waters do not sooner putrifie then lazy souls T is action that preserves the â—oul in health As Gâ—ats dance up and down in the Sun and then sit down and sting the next hand they seize upon So they who have no time to work have much to imploy in slandering and backbiting others One sin never goeth alone Again my Family may well rouze me out of the bed of laziness If I expect supply of their wants it must come in with Gods blessing at the door of diligence I am stealing from my wife and children all the while I am loytering The Heavens may cause seed sown to ripen into a joyful Harvest but untilled land will afford no crop save of weeds or stones Once more My Country commands me to my calling I am but an ill member in the body Politique if as a diseased part I take of its nourishment but rather hinder its growth then contribute to its health A jarring string is not more prejudicial to the rarest Viol in the hands of a skilful artist then an idle person to the musick and composure of the universe The most venemous
are unable to flie to their Hives by reason of the weakness of their wings then stir from them or forsake them The Swine are so sensible of their fellows sufferings that if one of the Company be lugd all the rest will after their manner condole it If a Beast be slain and its blood spilt others of that sort will â—hew their love and pity by scraping earth on the blood burying their fellow and solemnizing his funeral with a kind of lamentation Grace doth much more enjoyn me to be sick in others sickness poor in others poverty and to remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them that suffer adversity as being my self also in the body David speaking of his enemies that sought his destruction saith But as for me when they were sick my cloathing was sack-cloth I humbled my soul with fasting and my prayer returned into mine own bosome I behaved my self as though he had been my friend or brother I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his Mother Psa. 35. 11 to 15. My God hath said To him that is afflicted pity should be shewn Sickness is one of the greatest outward afflictions it renders all the comforts of this life uncomfortable The largest Houses Revenues Honours the most loving Acquaintants Friends Relations are all unsavoury to them that are under great sickness To visit the prosperous and healthy is courtesie but to visit the distressed and sick is charity The sweetest showres should fall on the lower grounds Lord thou art the Father of mercies and art afflicted in all the afflictions of thy Children thy soul is greived for the miseries of Israel How sutable is it for them who expect mercy another day to shew mercy at this day Make me a follower of thee as a dear child to put on bowels of compassion and to be merciful in heart tongue and hand as thou my Father in Heaven art merciful I Wish that as a wise Merchant I may make the use of this price which is put into my hand for the furtherance of my own and my neighbours peace Sickness is a special opportunity wherein I may advantage others souls The most poisonous Viper is at such a season benummed with cold and so may be handled without much danger The strength of the body of sin is much abated at least in regard of act and exercise by the weakness of the natural body They who counted holiness a fancy and holy ones Phanaticks in their health and power will beg hard for purity and desire the Saints prayers in their sickness The waters of those passions which in a Summer of prosperity did overflow their bounds and threatned to over-whelm and over-throw all that was near are frozen up in a Winter of adversity and kept within their banks There are many nicks in time as we see in a Clock which if they hit the work goeth on well The hardened hearts of sinners are often melted when their persons are confined to their warm Chambers As Tinder when dry easily takes fire by the least spark that falls on it so when the souls of ungodly men are made soft by sickness and their thoughts of the evil of sin in the pain it brings on their bodies makes their affections combustible it will be much the easier to kindle the fire of repentance in them Affliction boareth or openeth the ear and then its seasonable to drop some wholsom counsel into it Though a load on the ground be hard to be stirred yet a load on the wheels is easie to be drawn The illness and aches and distempers of sinners bodies do as it were set the work of conversion and minding the good of their souls upon the wheel and therefore such opportunities ought to be diligently improved Sickness is a good time when charity is in season T is a grace to have an opportunity for the service of my God but a greater to improve it The Eastern people do Plow and sow their grounds when the former Rain hath softned it and why should not I endeavour to Plow up the fallow ground of my Neighbours heart and to sow in it the seeds of savoury instructions when it is made tender by sickness Lord thou layest hold of every opportunity to bless me with mercy answerable to my necessities make me both wise to discern time and judgement and faithful to make use of all such seasons to do thee service I Wish that the opportunity I have thereby of doing good to my own soul may move me to be the more careful and consciencious in visiting the sick It is the wise mans speech It is better to go into the house of mourning then to go to the house of feasting for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to heart It is better as it is most sutable to my present state T is not proper for Pilgrims to spend their time in Pleasure Sorrow is becoming in a valley of tears An house of mourning agrees well with the mourners in Sion This world is a Sea I am a Mariner and Mariners rejoyce in the Haven not in the Tempestuous Ocean This life is a warfare I am a Souldier T is too soon to be joyful whilst I am fighting it will be time enough when all my Enemies are foyld O how harsh is it for a child to be jocond when he is far from home Weeping is good language for them that sit down by the River of Babylon How can I sing the Lords songs in a strange Land Again It is better to go into the house of mourning as it is most profitable to my precious soul. Grace thrives best in a wet soyl By the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better The inner man is best when clad in mourning Trees planted by the water-side hang with clusters and bring forth fruit in due season The sick bed is a Pulpit and though there be a wicked man in it he may teach me rare instructions If he be wholly silent his condition Preacheth to me that sin is the greatest evil that the world is a cheat and impostour and that grace is the most desireable created good His dark chamber weeping friends watered couch aking head trembling heart pale lips quivering loyns all call aloud to me to consider of and prepare for such an hour Abel being dead yet speaketh My sick my dead Neighbour speaketh Prepared be to follow me Some have been raised to life by beholding the dead O that I were wise to observe and improve the opportunities which free grace affordeth me for my own and others welfare If I lose a good Market for the furtherance of my outward estate I befool and bewail my self Ah why should I not be as much affected with the loss of opportunities for my inner man Sinners observe their seasons for the gratifying their Loves and the satisfying their lusts The Thief waiteth for the full Purse till the Market is
I love them how can I manifest it better then by commending them to God in prayer Should I leave them thousands of silver and gold if I were able it would not all amount to the price of one fervent prayer My riches might wrong them through the deceitfulness of their hearts and cause them to be contented short of Heaven but my prayers cannot prejudice them but may much further their eternal welfares Men whose natures are crabbed and cruel have granted the requests of their dying children when they have been contrary to their own humours How much more will God the Father of mercies whose nature is Love whose bowels are infinite satisfie the desire of his dying children when they fall in with his own design and desire If Joab had hopes to speed in his supplication for Absolom because he knew the Kings heart was more for it then his own may not I be confident to speed when I beg that he would pay my debts in spirituals with interest to those who have bestowed carnals on me for his sake when I ask that my Children and Relations may love and fear and worship his Majesty and be his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works and when I intreat that he would accomplish all the great and good things which he hath promised to his Church the purchase of his Christ knowing that his heart is infinitely more for these things then mine can be Lord when I dye I shall no more put up prayers for my self or other particular persons My natural obligations to my Kindred and Relations my civil ingagements to my Friends and Benefactours besides my spiritual bonds to them and thy whole Israel may well provoke me to be fervent and instant with thy Majesty at such an hour on their behalves My Redeemer before his death wrought hard at this duty He offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears Ah how should I pray for my self and others when I am taking my leave of prayer O let thy spirit of supplication be so poured down on me that I may poure out my spirit in supplication unto theeâ— for my own and others souls through thy Son with the greatest success I Wish that the night of my death may shine gloriously with the sparkling stars of divine and heavenly graces In particular I desire that when the time of my combat with my last enemy and my last combat with any enemy shall come I may above all take the shield of Faith whereby I shall be sheltered against the sting of death and quench the fiery darts of the wicked one The wise Mariner perceiving a storm approaching makes hast to fasten his Vessel with Anchors that it may be steady and not altogether at the mercy of the winds I must expect the greatest tempest when I am entering into my eternal Haven then all the powers of darkness will conjure up their strongest winds if possible to shipwrack the vessel of my soul Ah how much doth it concern me to put forth this grace the anchor of my soul both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the vail and thereby to fasten on the rock of Ages If I fail in this I fall I miscarry for ever God is a severe judge to condemn all guilty Malefactours Without his Son I am cloathed with guilt and so under his boundless wrath When Adam had disrobed himself of original righteousness by disobeying the law he fled from God and dreaded the summons of offended justice There is no appearing in the Fathers sight with acceptance but in the garments of his Son None can have boldness to enter into the holy of holies but by the blood of Iesus It s Faith onely that interesteth in this blood I know that through the red Sea of this blood I pass may safely though enemies pursue me hard into the Land of promise Lord I confess through an evil heart of unbeleif I have many a time departed away from the living God yet Lord I believe help mine unbeleif O Lord of life be not far from me when Devils and death are near me Help me with thy servant Stephen to see Heaven open by faith and the Son of man at thy right hand Enable me to disclaim whatsoever duties I have performed or graces I have exercised and to rely alone on a crucified Christ for pardon and life Though thou killest me let me dye trusting and clinging on and cleaving to Iesus Christ Let this Pilgrims staff of faith be never out of my hand till I come to my joâ—rneys end Thou art the Lord of Hosts and the Captain of my salvation O help me to put on the whole armour of God grant me such skill to use it that I may be able to stand in the evil day Teach thou my hands to war and my fingers to fight that through thee I may do valiantly and through thee may tread down mine enemies Grant me so to finish my course to fight the good fight of faith that at death I may receive the crown of righteousness which the righteous judge shall give to all that love his appearing I Wish that my faith may ripen into full assurance that thereby I may depart with joy and an abundant entrance may be ministred unto me into the Kingdom of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Moses and Simeon could sing at their own funerals The great Apostle could call to be put to Bed expecting thereby his sweetest eternal rest How many Martyrs have gone more joyfully to dye then ever Epicure did to dine and leaped when they drew near the Stake believing that they drew near their home their happiness their heaven What is it O my soul that makes thee start and flinch back at the sight of this bug-bear What is there in death that is so dreadful to thee Is it the sweetness of life or the pain of death or thy future estate after death Consider them all seriously and then judge rationally whether any of these should make the sigh so loath to depart First The love of life need not make thee so backward to obey the call of death If all thy time were made up of Holy-days death would bring thee greater advantage The Garlick and Onions of Egypt are nothing comparable to the Clusters of Canaan But alas its far otherwise thy whole life is a civil death Thou art born to sorrow as the sparks flye upward Thy days are few but full of trouble The earth to thee is a valley of tears the cross is thy daily companion which accompanieth thee where-ever thou goest The sufferings of thy flesh are neither few nor small How many diseases in thy body losses in thy estate how much disgrace ignominy slander oppression art thou liable to The sufferings of thy spirit are more and greater Thine own sins the provocations of others the dishonour of thy God the wants and weaknesses and oppression and persecution of the Church