things for the salvation of thy soul Almighty God hath from everlasting ordained both the ends and the means not the ends without the means nor the means without the ends but both of them All lawfull means may well stand with Gods providence and faith therein yea by not divorcing the means from the end we both declare our sincere obedience in using such weak means as are subordinate thereunto and decline security and presumption two main enemies of our most holy faith 45. BY daily prayer and practice stir up the gifts of the Holy Ghost in thee lest in the end thou lose thy store with stock and all constantly keep on rowing against the stream of thy naturall corruption against which if thou do not strive continually but stand at a stay it will carry thee away and all thy merchandize as a boat standing loose upon the river is carryed backward if it be not wafted forward is by the sway of the water driven downward unless it be stil labouring to go upwards 46. OBserve diligently what adversaries be abroad and warily watch that there be no traitours at home All that hurt thee are not without thee there are enemies too within thee and such as may do thee more harm than all the rest look upon thy outward senses and reflect upon thy inward affections lest by the former evills enter and lest by the later evills conquer 47. TAke heed to thy mouth that thou speak not unadvisedly and to thy hands that they act not unpreparedly but especially and above all things look to the inward affections of thy heart for as the fountain is such is the river that runneth from it If the fountain be sweet the river that floweth from it will not be sowre as the Wood is so the Fire will be unsavoury wood will make unwholsome fire but pure Frankincense or dry Juniper will yield a pleasant perfume so if the soul be sanctified the lips will be seasoned but if the thoughts and affections be ungodly they will bring forth lewd words and wicked actions for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh said the God of Truth who knew the heart [h] Matth. 12.34 what the heart readeth the mouth repeateth 48. COnsider thy proper and personall sins whereunto by the corruption of thy nature thou art most inclined from which thou can'st hardliest abstain as beeing more strong and more working in thee than some others are and against them make thy spiritual compacts and barricadoes most durable and most guard thy walls with Redoubts and outworks where the hedge is lowest every beast will seek to enter and where we are weakest Sathan that beast will be strongest his temptations will be thickest where our defence is slenderest 49. STand to thy watch looke to thy wayes keep a continuall guard over thy self in all occurrences and not only beware of personall sins towards which thy nature most bends but of those also which are incident to thy present estate whatsoever it is In wealth beware of high-mindedness in health of wantoness in mirth of forgetfulnes in want to distrustfulness in loss of pensiveness and in death of fearfulness 50. ABstain as farr as thou canst not only from every sin but also from every baite that may be a means to bring thee unto it Look not thou upon the wine saith the Holy Ghost by the mouth of Salomon when it is red when it giveth his colour in the cup when it mooveth it self aright [i] Prov. 23.31 and accordingly look not upon the meat that may betray thy appetite and then thy affections young Daniel refused the meat that was allotted unto him by Nebuchadnezzar which of it self was lawfull to be received with thanksgiving because the King should not intice him thereby to forsake his own God or to leane to the others Religion [k] Dan. 1.8 51. CHeck not Gods Word with the licentious Antinomian give not Gods Spirit the lie who in every place warneth us that the Morall Law is not abolished by the Law of faith but established [l] Marth 5.17 18 19 20. In the uprightness integrity of thy heart endeavour to walk still in the old way of Gods Commandements if ever thou mean to come to Heaven by the new and living way Christ Jesus For every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure [m] 1 Joh. 3.3 Examin and proove thou still and fashion thy works by the Law as by a right levell which God hath left to be a rule of righteousnes to remain in full strength power and vertue for ever Although thou canst not fulfill it yet put it not out of thy sight or care stray from it as little as thou canst though thou canst not obey it so fully as thou wouldst 52. HOwsoever thou fall through infirmity or human frailty into sin as who is free from falling It is not possible for any meer man to be without all offence [n] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom Howsoever being surprized by Sathan inveigled by slights inticed by sinners thou be taken and upon a sudden overtaken in a fault for it were a proud perswasion above mans state and against-Gods Truth to think thy self safe from sin yet be not so insolent and impudent stand not in justification of it for that sheweth less grace and more corruption while men though otherwise badly disposed blush and are touched with some bashfulness though they cannot contain themselves yet there is hope of them some signe of salvation is the acknowledgment of sin [o] Signum salut is agnitio peccati Bern. but when they justify their bad doings and boldly defend what they have done they are almost desperate and give small hope of amendment without speciall grace To sin is human weakness but to plead for it wilfull wickednes Defence of a fault doubles it and is a forerunner of obduration Thy sin perhaps was small as thou didst commit it but surely 't will be great if thou strive to maintain it for that cuts off all repentance Nay it makes thy sin grow up into a wicked height of scandall and so it may be not only a snare to thy selfe but an unhappy seducement to other warranting many more to be sinfull 53. THere are many things evill in themselves of which thou mayest speak without any evill as of stealing killing which are wicked to be practized not wicked to be published but there are other things lawfull to be done which are non dicendas unlawfull and unhonest to be plainly spoken of and therefore forbear unless it be upon good cause and with great modestie so much as to mention them Let no corrupt communication proceed out of thy mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers grieve not the Holy Spirit of God [p] Ephes 4.29 30. Neither give him occasion touching his comfortable and defensive presence to depart
shewed any other than Christ himself think not when Saint Paul said that he was made all things to all men [l] 1 Cor. p. 22. that therefore he did at his pleasure that which God had directly forbidden to be done that therefore he did make himself a libertine or establish libertinism or purchase a protection for every man to do what seemeth good in his own eyes but that in matters free and indifferent and undetermined which were not iepugnant to the Word which were neither forbidden nor commanded by God such as may indifferently be either used or not used with a good conscience according as the rules of godly discretion circumstances duely considered shall direct he without hurting the faith or offending the righteous changed himself into all fashions and applyed himself to the conditions of all that by all means hee might save some 9. FRom particular privileges in Scripture appointed by Almighty God for some singular choice purposes as from the Israelites spoiling the AEgyptians of their Jewels [m] Exod. 12.36 or Samsons pulling down the house upon himself and others [n] Judg. 16.30 as from Elias his calling of fire from heaven [o] 2 Kings 1.10 or Elisha his cursing the children [p] 2 Kings 2.24 or the like collect not generall precepts or perpetuall directions for the Church extraordinary facts are no ordinary rules every example is not a Law to bind every man to equall practice thy argument taken from example is naught unless thy warrant be alike good 10. SUch allegories as thou findest expounded in the holy Scriptures imbrace as rules of Gods worship matters of faith and parts of religion necessary to salvation but such as mens severall devices frame out of them and commend to the world as hidden senses newly found out neither believe them nor desire to know them but leave them to such as love a hidden divinity and a secret religion devised in their own conceits which will not abide the triall of the light such pleasing various fancies without sacred evidence of Gods certaine approbation are but plausible allusions and no probative allegations can never work in the heart a full Theologicall perswasion Conceive not with some passionate Papists in the heat of their disputations that Gods Word is a potentiall onely no active rule that the Scriptures are not authenticall without the authority of the Church that the authority of the Scriptures dependeth upon the authority of the Church necessarily Not go for advice to the Church necessarily but to the Law and to the testimony saith the Prophet Isaiah [q] Isaiah 8.20 at that least examin and try the truth Not what saith the Church but what is written in the Law how readest thou saith our Saviour [r] Luke 10.26 Not the Church but the Scripture is the sole and supreme Judge of all questions and Controversies of religion The Church cannot give thee faith whereby thou believest in Christ and layest hold of eternall life It is the Scripture that worketh it by the inspiration of the holy Spirit Thou mayest set the diall by the Sun Thou canst not set the Sun by the diall Thou mayest appeal from the judgment of the Church to the Scriptures Not from the Scriptures to the Church 12. AS the wisemen stretched not their course beyond the direction of the star [Å¿] Matth. 2.9 10 11. so wander not thou in thy discourse beyond the direction of the word so much knowledge of divine mysteries as God hath revealed in his sacred volumes content thy self with and offer not thy self to prie any further into them Be sure thou make a resting place where God hath placed a full point resigne thy self up to his wisedom adore his Counsels and be not overcurious in any of his doings Neither suffer any within thy walk and power to make any superfluous questions about them If any do out of infidelity or too much curiosity Answer him briefly with that holy and judicious Father Saint Austin than whom few could better resolve doubts Do thou dispute it I will believe it Do thou reason it I will admire it [t] Tu disputa ego credam tu ratiocinare ago mirabar and rather seriously adore the worker than curiously inquire the manner 13. GIve free eares of body and full regard of mind to whatsoever God speaketh in a plain form and frame of words but give an excellent heedfulnes to the Lord where he useth a singular manner of speaking There conceive some speciall thing is to be marked there think thou art called to that speciall parenthesis of our Saviour who so readeth let him understand [u] Matth. 24.15 where the Lord speaketh strictly and artificially be sure to add to thy accustomed diligence a strict and artificiall diligence set thy attention where he setteth his words 14. WHatsoever scriptures thou readest or hearest attend them carefully and apply them usefully some way or other unto thy self for whatsoever was written afore time was written not at all adventures or as histories to heare or read for pleasure but for our learning that we thorough patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope [w] Rom. 15.4 What shall a salve do be it never so soveraigne if it be not layd to the sore or what can the medicine availe if it be not applyed to the disease We do not find it written of David in particular that he should do the will of God and yet in the volume of the book it is written of me saith he that I should do thy will O God I am content to do it [x] Psal 40.7 and yet he applies it in particular to himself as if it had been spoken to him by name 15. BE not like those bare-tonguy Christians in these dayes whose mouths are full of religion but their hearts altogether empty who shew their faith by words not by works who think to be perfectly trusted for their pure talking Ty not Gods Word to thy tongue but bind it to thy fingers not onely profess it with thy lips but express it also yea chiefly in thy life write it not in a scroul as the Romanists do Saint John's Gospell tying it about their necks for externall preservation or as the Pharisees did the Decalogue between their browes for externall signe of holiness but write it in the table of thine heart that thou mayest the better remember to put it in practise 16. TO Countenance sin allege not examples hope not to stand upon the fall of others conclude not thy self safe if thou canst produce some holy men that have gon before thee in the same sins we may not imitate the vices but the vertues of good men sanctity goes not by presidents but by precepts we are not to live by examples but by the Word whereby our actions must be guided as by a rule and by no example without it Examples in Scripture are not all written for our imitation that we may learne what
learning and grow in grace set thine ears to harken to the Word if thou wouldst not have thy prayers despised despise not the Word to heare the Word come thou never careless lest thou depart fruitless come thou never with any contempt least thou reape condemnation whosoever busieth himself in other things as gazing here and there observing clothes and countenances remooving talking beckning nodding and such like gestures whil'st he is hearing heareth but with half an ear if with half an ear whereas both are too little for so high a work whereas all the powers both of soul and body should for that time wait upon the voice of the Preacher 33. WHensoever thou art resolved to hear be an humble suter to God for a blessing both upon thy self and the preacher upon the preacher to prepare his speech upon thy self to perswade thy soul For though hearing of necessity go before faith yet faith doth not of necessity follow after hearing The fowler catcheth not every bird he calleth neither doth the preacher win every soule he wooeth whom the Holy Ghost teacheth not inwardly they return unlearned [p] Quos Spiritus Sanctus non intus docet indocti redeunt August in epist Johan tract 3. It is not mans words that maketh man understand Gods Words It is God that maketh him to understand [q] Non ver bi hominis fit ut intelligatur verbum Dei facit Deus ut intelligatis Aug. He hath his chaire in heaven that mooveth hearts on earth [r] Cathedram in coele habet qui corda movet Aug. 34. COme not to the house of God onely to heare others taught but to learn thy self too come not to refresh thy self but to reform thy life Affect not such teaching as appeareth to be most plausible but such as is most profitable not that which may please the ear but that which may pierce the heart Attend not so much what well digested order what eloquence what learning the preacher sheweth as what mis-opinions he detecteth what schismes or heresies he convinceth what sins he reprooveth that so thou mayest the sooner come to repentance There is danger in not hearing and no less daunger in hearing and not profiting It is not more wicked not to come to hear than to come and hear and mind to be wicked Better not come to hearing than not come by hearing to be better 35. HEar not the Word by parts and parcels by clauses or cantels onely so farr as it agreeth with thy humor and keepeth fair and far off from medling with thy offences but attend and hear as well the judgments of God thundered out against thee in the Law as the sweet promises pronounced and offered in the Gospell as well the laying open of thy own sins as the publishing of the sins of other men we are ready to hear all things that are commanded thee of God saith Cornelius [Å¿] Acts 10.33 when Peter came to preach at his house not to hear only such things as we like but to hear all things that are commanded thee of God though thou be charged to press most earnestly upon us to turn from our most pleasing ways O who commeth to hear now adayes with the like mind And yet as he must be reformed whosoever will be saved so he must with a calme and subdued heart intertain all just reproofs whosoever desireth to be reformed 36. SUbmit thy self unto thy Minister with reverence and patience not onely when thou hearest pleasing things precious promises and gracious comforts but when thou hearest him according to Gods Word sounding an alarm in thine ears uttering reproofs delivering threatnings and denouncing judgments against the prevailing sins of the time and therefore perhaps thine amongst the rest as lying slandering murmuring and treason pride and oppression malice and cruelty The which howsoever it seem as bitter potions and very distastfull to flesh and bloud yet is it very wholesom for the soul and spirit may help to purge away the gross humours of sin and preserve from eternall death No wickeder man than he who being hardened in sin hateth to be reprooved who cannot without raging indure to hear him by whom he is meekly and wisely rebuked for his sins 37. THat thou mayest not perish but profit by the threatnings of God know that the denunciations of Gods Judgments are for the most part conditionall not absolute towards his people and to be undestood with this exception except they repent [t] Luke 13.3.5 Apoc. 2.5 If we be hereupon stirred up to repentance and new obedience even in the greatest and most fearfull threatnings of Gods heavy Judgments there is comfort remaining and hope of grace mercy to be found there is health in sickness and life in death 38. NEither read nor hear as travailers by the Law might ear grapes [u] Deut. 23.25 that is eat some for the present time but carry none away with them but whatsoever good thou readest or hearest learn to remember it and remember to follow it remember it love it practise it remember it that thou mayest earnestly love it love it that thou mayest continually practise it and persevere in it to read it or hear it and not to remember it is ridiculous to remember it and not to love it is vain to love it and not to practise it is absurd but to remember it love it practise it and persevere in it is the way to everlasting blessedness 39. UNderstand this and mark it that outward service separated from inward obedience is not respected but rejected of God If thou keep from him the one he careth not for the other naked hearing is but a needless halting in Gods sight which God cannot abide bare receiving of the holy Sacrament without faith without love without conscience is but a base deceiving of thy own soul 40. KNowledge and practice of Gods will are as two wings whereby we must flie up to heaven there is no flying with the one alone It is not enough to know what to do unless we labour to do what wee know knowledge without obedience and imployment is not a vertue for good but a venom for hurt and in such an unthrifty steward the more increase of science the more increase of sorrow For what can he look for in the end but an equall number of stripes according to the measure of his unfruitfull understanding Even ignorance thorough want of the means shall exempt no person from offence or condemnation He that knowes not his masters will shall not altogether escape unpunished though his case be more tolerable though his censure shall be the less though he be beaten with fewer strips but on him to whom the Lord hath vouchsafed the means of knowledge will he be sure to powr down the greater vengeance but that servant that knew his Masters will and prepared not himself neither did according to his [w] Luke 12.47 48. will shall be beaten with many stripes the better
and their roomes rather than their company who have forsaken God and whom God hath forsaken with the which loathsom and despicable men more virulent and contagious than the breath of a Basilisk we may neither eat nor drink that is not familiarly converse Evill words corrupt good manners [w] 1 Cor. 15.33 and what then doth evill company do Oh what dangerous infection hath evill conversation often brought and wrought in those who had made no small progress in Christianity conversation breedeth that in continuance that is not beaten off in any continuance 69. ARe they onely now adayes held complete and furnished cap-a-pe that can sort themselves to all companies that can indifferently converse with all manner of persons yea though they know their ill qualities as well as if they were stamped in their foreheads yet consider with all diligence whom thou admittest into thy house or in whose house thou betakest thy self to dwell avoid all private and customary conversation with the wicked though not publick commerce [x] Malorum consortia fugere debemus quoad privatam consuetudinem non quo ad publicam conversationem Ambrosius offic lib. 1. cap. 18. Decline their very presence as much as thou mayest except thou be to discerne their diseases and minister medicines to cure them or necessity of some duty of religion or of thy vocation or love or humanity command thee to be with them What man in his right wits would wittingly and wilfully thrust himself into the hands of thieves having no less charge than the precious graces of Gods Spirit about him Enter not into the path of the wicked saith Salomon and go not in the way of evill men avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away [y] Prov. 4.14 15. what an heap of words doth he use and to what serve so many repetitions but to shew the exceeding danger of communicating with the wicked and how hardly we are drawn to leave them 70. BEtter others by thy company or by thy company better thy self Either alwayes learn some good of others or be teaching some good thing to others Hath thy neighbour any resplendent grace make it thine Hast thou any rare gift make it his what rather should be the center of all our conversation and conference than to help and further one another in knowledge and the practice thereof than to make those that are bad good and those which are good better 71. FLatter not thy self that any sin is the less the more commit it walk not on the bolder in any sin because thou seest a multitude of fellowes in it For what is an unregenerate and unsanctified company but a rout of Rebells and an heap of confederates conspiring together against God Even the learnedst heathen thought it not the least part of their glory to steer a course like the Antipodes clean opposite to the liking of the vulgar How much more though thou hast multitudes wilfully to go before thee shouldst thou know whom they follow before thou willingly follow and joyn thy self with them If thou offend with others thou shalt be punished with others and if thou sin with great troupes thou shalt suffer with great troupes canst thou think it will be any consolation unto thee in the end that as thou hast not sinned alone so thou shalt not be punished alone what profit hath the thief that is going to the place of execution to see a train of many others bear him company Is his judgment any whit the soster or is his comfort any whit the sounder 72. PUll up thy spirits and excite thy self not onely to do good but to be chief in doing good but to labour like S. Paul more abundantly than others (z) 1 Cor. 15.10 Hasten and strive in any good course to run before others to lead them the way that thou mayest have the greater and better reward in that great day The chief and principall in any good work that draw on and encourage others in the way of godlyness by their earnest example their reward no doubt shall be exceeding great they shall have a chief and principall compensation the wages shall be sure to be according to the works 73. ADmire not all the fayings and doings of worshipfull wealthy men Neither think that all that have power and titles are surely wise but rather more especially pray for them that they may be wise for it is good yea necessary for them who have gotten the greatest inheritances to get the greatest wisdom that will make their possessions yet better and that will bring them to a better use of their possessions that will incite them to prayer and thankfulness that will moove them to compassion and mercy and make them able and ready to exercise every good duty in their calling As on the other side their wealthyness without wisdom will be a ginne and temptation to lewdness and but as a sword in a madd mans hand 74. LEt not the dew of Heaven and the store of the Earth become snares unto thee and occasions of falling If thou be hedged about with outward blessings and God have given thee great abundance to enjoy If riches increase though by never so honest means though never so well gotten or well saved or well imployed yet trust not in them boast not of them set not thy heart upon them set thy eyes and hands and marks and seals upon them but not thy heart at least settle not thy heart upon them settle that wholy and soly upon God settle not the least piece of it upon any other delight whatsoever God loveth indeed a broken heart as the Psalmist saith (a) Psal 51.17 but not broken into pieces between him and the world but a wounded heart he meanes lanced and torn with anguish for sins because it is guilty of much undutifull and offensive carriage towards God 75. SEarch not so much after pedegrees as after piety which is the chiefest ornament of a Christian Neither respect so much first and noble birth in the world as second and new birth in Christ what is the best bloud worth without the best belief what boots it to be well descended if thou be ill disposed to be before others in greatness if thou be behind them in grace what avail ancient progenitors without answerable duties and goodness according what shall it profit thee to come of nobles according to the flesh if thou nothing resemble them in the Spirit He is Noble who is the Child of God who is born from above he is honorable being son to a King brother to a King Heb. 2.11 heire to a King Rom. 8.17 yea to the King of glory Psal 24.7 to the King of all Kings higher than the highest Ecclesiast 5.7 If thou esteem true nobility labour by faith to be engraffed into Christ and to be invested into the vertues of a Christian to have thy name written in the book of life and to be reckoned in the
thy malignant humour for such suffering can neither merit thanks of God nor praise of men Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake (a) Matth. 5.10 not for superstition self-will and singularity but for righteousness sake our sufferings are no argument of our righteousness but our righteousness an ornament of our sufferings (b) Non ex passione certa est justitia sed ex justitia passio gloriosa est Aug. cont epi. Parmen lib. 1. cap. 7. A red colour is not beautifull if it be not grounded on a fair white The paine hath no grace if the suffering have no truth where the saith is not true there is no true Martyrdom 37 DElight not in brawles and controversies which are easily begun not so soon ended seek no credit by opposition pick no quarrells nor desire to fall out with any man strive not at any time though never so meekly but when a just necessity presseth thee to stir when sin is not to be connived at but contended against when the truth is not to be forsaken but contended for when thou canst not undergo the wrong without great damage to thy estate nor otherwise but by that course in joy thy right 38. IF thou knowest not how to pacify man to bring him to a firm and unfeigned reconciliation to obtain and injoy a sound and well-grounded peace with him seek more and more to be at amity with God to appease and please the Lord by thy holy obedience to his Commandements Hide Gods Word within thy heart that thou mayest not sin against him (c) Psal 119.11 refrain thy feet from every evill way that thou mayest keep his Word (d) Psal 119.101 when a mans wayes please the Lord He maketh even his enemyes to be at peace with him (e) Prov. 16.7 He that hath the hearts of all men in his own hands be they in never so great places or have they never so great spirits He in whose only power it is to turn all hearts which way he will who is not only a searcher of hearts but a worker and changer of them as seemeth best to his godly wisedom He will not only make his friends to be more faithfull unto him but even his enemies to be at peace with him if their favour and friendship be expedient for him He will be sure either to remoove his enemies malice or restrain their mischief either to make them not willing or not able to hurt him 39. BE not to be carryed away with every little puff of vain perswasion be not to be bandyed by the racket of other mens tongues into what Hazard they please be not so unskilfull and unstable as lightly to believe every thing that is idlely or cunningly told thee or unadvisedly to yield to every thing imposed upon thee but use thy best skill and pains in hearing more inquiring further searching and trying before thou give any credit or assent to it yea though a multitude joyn in perswading thee (f) Non statim multitudinis acquiescamus judicio Hieron comment in Isaiah cap. 3. How common is it in these dayes to spread the nets of humility and weave them with the knots of subtilty till men have effected their policy and then they bewray their hypocrisy be not so subtil as to be guile others not so simple as to be beguiled by others be not taken at the first sight and offer with never so fair words or shewes though they seem to bring an honest meaning along with them be circumspect for thy safety as well as sincere for thy innocency loath the venom and poyson of the Serpent but learn his wisdom follow the harmelesness of the Dove but flie her simplicity 40. SOme carry themselves sincerely but not wisely some order themselves wisely but not sincerely but approove thy self as far as thou art able both before God and men before God in bearing thy self sincerely before men demeaning thy self wisely perhaps for all thy wariness some may be offended with thee which by thee are not offended but such offences being not given of thee but taken of them are not thy faults but their follies woe indeed to that man by whom offences come that is come justly but an offence fondly taken not justly given intangleth no man besides the taker 41. IN this subtill vizard age in these times every day more and more degenerating from the former goodness truth and honest plainess In these dangerous and dissolute intercourses wherein faithfull friends are for the most part gon to God and their return is not to be expected wherein we live amongst so many serpentine and subtill so many malicious and mischievour men with whom we may unawares be compelled to traffique be conscionable but circumspect keep not only lawfull but wise demeanours God requireth wisdom but simple and simplicity but wisedom If thou have wariness mingled with true sincerity having thy spirit without guile and thy actions without dissimulation It is both lawfull and expedient to set wisdom against wisdom and policy against policy and care against care and understanding against understanding that so by the enemies subtilty and thy simplicity thou be not surprized in the cunning traps and crafty wiles which are laid for thee 42. LAbour to have peace always with God and if it be possible with men to the great glory of thy Heavenly Father the profitable example of all beholders and the abundant comfort of thy own heart yea though it cost thee some temporall profit as meek Abraham with worldly loss procured it betwixt his Nephew Lot and himself [g] Gen. 13.11 learn and labour to cut off all occasions of contention even from those that seek occasions but with the World Flesh Devill at no time admit either peace or parley call not Sathan to thy company consult not with flesh and blood contemn familiarity with the world lest they suddenly get some advantage and overcome thee Fight always with all thy courage against all these clad with the whole armour of God and do thy best to vanquish them yea this warr is no warr to the peace thou oughtest to keep but that peace is preserved by this warr and the more painfully thou thus warrest the more peacefully thou still walkest 43. CAre not and yet care for to morrow care not out of distrustfulness but care out of duty care not as relying upon the means without Gods blessing which is an humor that cannot dwell in Gods Children but care as trusting to Gods favour upon thy indeavour labouring both under a tender and heavenly Father whose blessing no Counsell can hinder no curse can take away too little care is want of grace too much care is want of faith too little care is presumption too much care is desperation 44. EXclude not God at any time resting on thy self and second causes neither cast all upon God neglecting the means either in temporall things for the saving of thy body or in spirituall
serve him to believe his truth and walk in his Commandments Him will God love most who shall winne most to the love of God (f) Is in amore Dei major erit qui plurimos ad ejus amorem trahit Greg. in hom wherefore hath God given thee light but that thou shouldst give light to others How canst thou be sure of thy own calling if thou hast no delight to call others Thou art not turned to God thy self if thou bear not that heart that thou wouldst even think thy self happy mightest thou be a means to turn another unto God The Prophet Isaiah that Evangelical Prophet and Prophetical Evangelist prophecying of the Kingdom of Christ bringeth in the people so full of zeal that they stir up one another saying Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in in his paths (g) Isaiah 2.3 And Zachariah saith They that dwell in one City shall go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts (h) Zachar. 8.21 74. BE not wise to thy self Be not a niggard of thy knowledge but communicate thy knowledge to others Cover not thy candle with a vessel neither put it under a bed but set it on a candlestick that they which enter in may see the light (i) Luke 8.16 So shalt thou perform the intent of thy stewardship so shalt thou be of the number of those who profiting teach and by teaching profit knowledge may fitly be resembled to the Widows oyl which the more it was powred out the more it increased knowledge may be well likened to the five loaves which the more they were distributed the more they multiplyed As contrariwise if knowledge be not imparted it will be impaired If we keep it private we shall be deprived of it 75. ARt thou learned and able to teach others yet disdain not that any should teach thee what mortal meer man ever attained to that depth of judgment as not to be yet ignorant in many profitable concernments Even in the same profession that may be hidden from one which is known to another to attend is no hinderance but that a man may speak to speak is no hinderance but that a man may hear therefore Job matcheth them together saying Let a man of understanding tell me there is he prepared to learn let a wise man harken to me (k) Job 34.34 there is he provided to speak speaking and hearing amongst all that are wise-hearted cannot be prejudicial one to another 76. ATtend as often and as carefully as thou mayest to all wholesome and convenient directions Be more desirous to harken to others than to hear thy self but especially when thou meetest with such as excell in knowledge as are filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisedom and spiritual understanding by whom in many things thou mayest exactly cure thy ignorance by learning in silence who are as profitable Well-springs plentifull and perpetual such as fail not nor can be drawn dry at any time whose hearts feed their mouths and thereout excellent observations in one usefull respect or other readily flow as a free stream from a full fountain 77. COntemn not neither lightly pass over such things as thou seest but seriously search and seek not only what temporal but especially what spiritual use thou canst draw from them that may enrich thy soul and help to build thee up in Christ Jesus learn wich the Bee to gather celestial honey as well from the weed as from the flower learn by the Dust thy baseness by the Grass thy frailty by the Ant diligence by the Sheep patience by the Oxe thankfulness by the Clouds bountifulnes learn by the Darknes the time of thy ignorance by the Light the time of the Gospel by every thing something that may wean thee from earth and win thee to Heaven 78. COmmune often with thy own heart and let thy spirit make diligent search wherein thou hast offended in thought word deed by sins of omission or commission against God thy neighbour and thy self stand not in thine own light be not partial but examin thy self earnestly thoroughly uprightly Neither only examin but upon examination condemn thy self fall at Gods feet and humbly cry for mercy Thus if thou judge thy self before thy self in this thy day thou shalt not be condemned in the last day before the Judgment Seat of Christ in the presence and audience of all the world 79. DIscover to thy Surgeon thy sores to thy Physician thy disease to Almighty God thy sins It is a good disgrace that procureth grace He preventeth his cure that doth not publish his cause (l) Ipse sibi denegat curam qui suam medico non publicat causam Aug. epist 188. The Lord indeed knoweth all things but yet requireth thy confession is acquainted with all thy wishes and all the volutations of thy mind but nevertheless expecteth thy words (m) Novit Deus omnia vocem tatamen tuam expectat Ambros de poenit l. 1. cap. 23. 80. THink not thy self immediately made clean from all thy iniquity transgression and sin if thou shed a few tears and bewail them but be sorrowful for them and sorrowful that thou canst be no more sorrowful considering that if a river were turned into tears flowing from thine eyes thou couldst never sufficiently be grieved for thy offences if God should in his Justice only require it and yet dispair not but take a true and comfortable and fast hold upon God by a lively faith who is gracious and abundant in mercy whose mercy hath neither bottom nor measure who will not the death of a sinner but rather that he should repent and live disliking himself for his manifold misdemeanors and cleaving to God for his manifold mercyes 81. BE not so cast down in the sight of thy own unworthyness as to think because thou deservest not Gods mercy therefore thou shalt never be partaker of it For how plentiful are his gracious promises every where of favour and compassion the which though there be no cause in thee why he should confirm yet is there cause enough in himself why he should perform who whatsoever he will he can and whatsoever he hath promised he will who alwayes useth to be as good as his word who is infinite in his mercy and infallible in his truth 82. IF thou wouldst repent truly and thoroughly pray earnestly to the Lord that it would please him of his infinite compassion to look upon thee with the eyes of his grace The most merciful God is the only giver of repentance unto life n (m) Act. 11.18 It is not in mans power to repent when he will but when God will It is not thy own or any others indeavour that can do any thing in this way till God put to his help untill Christ did