nââ renewed by the Holy Ghâât and will not be pleased with you unless you will sin against your Lord and do as they dâ 1 Pet. 4. 3 4 5. Walking in lasciviâusness luâts excâss of wine revellings banquettings and abominable idâlâtries wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same exâess of riot speaking evil of you who shall give accâunt to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead You must be counted as Lot among the Sodâmites a busie fellow that comes among them to make himself their Judge and to controll them if you tell them of their sin You shall be called a preâise hypocriticâl Coxcomb or somewhat much worse if you will not be as bad as they ând iâ by your abstinence though you say nothing you seem to reprehend their sensuality and contempt of God Among Bedlams you must play the Bedlam if you will escape the fangs of their revilings And can you hâpe to pleasâ such men as these § 41. 6. You shall have Satanical God-haters and men of seared and desperate consciences to please that are malicious and âruel and will be pleased with nothing but some horrid iniquity and the damning of your own souls and dââwing âthers to damnation Like that Monster of Millan that when he had got down his enemy made him Blaspheme God in hope to save his life and then stabd him calling it a noble revenge that killed the body and damned the soul at once There are such in the world Inter haec quid agant quibus loquendi a Christo officium mandatur Deo displicent si taceânt hominibus si loquanâur Saââââas ad Eââle Cath. â 4. that will so visibly act the Devils part that they would debâuch your Consciences with the most horrid perjuries perfidiousness and impiety that they may triumph over your miserable souls And if you think it worth the wilful damning of your souls its possible they may be pleased If you tell them we cannot please you unless we will be dishonâst and displease God and sin against our knowledge and consciences and hazard our salvation they will make but a jeast of such arguments as thâse and expect you should venture your souls and all upon their opinions and care as little for God and your souls as they do Desperate sinners are loth to go to Hell alone It is a torment to them to sâe others better than themselves They that are cruâl and unmerciful to themselves and have no pity on their own souls but will sell them for a Whore or for preferment and honour or sensual delights will scarce have mercy on the souls of others Matth. 27. 25. His blood be on us and on our children § 42. 7. You will have rigorous captious uncharitable and unrighteous men to please who will make a man an offender for a word and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate and turn aside the just for a thing of nought and watch for iniquity Isa. 29 20 21. That have none of that charity Even for the greatness of your services you may perish by the sââpâion and eâây of those great ones whom you served As iâ proved by the case of Saul and David ãâã Naââââs Boâifacius the two Sons of Hââiades imprisoned and one ââain and ãâã âââââ like which covereth faults and interpreteth words and actions favourably nor none of that justice which causeth men to do as they would be done by and judge as they would be judged but judging without mercy are like to have judgement without mercy And are glad when they can find any matter to reproach you And if once they meet with it true or false they will never forget it but dwell as the Flie on the ulcerated place § 43. S. You will have passionate persons to please whose judgements are blinded and are not capable of being pleased Like the sick and âore that are hurt with every touch and at last saith Senecâ with the very conceit that you touched them How can you please them when Displeasedness is their disease that abideth within them at the very heart § 44. 9. You will find that Censâriousness is a commân Vice and though few are competent judges of your actions as not being aâquainted with all the case yet every one almost will be venturing to ââst in his censure A proud presumptuous understanding is a very common vice which thinks it self presently capable of judging as soon as it heareth but a piece of the case and is not conscious of its own fallibility though it have daily experience of it Few are at your elbow and none in your heart and therefore know not the circumstances and reasons of all that you do nor hear what you have to say for your selves and yet they will presume to censure you who would have absolved you if they had but heard you speak It is rare to meet even with professors of greatest sincerity that are very tender and fearful of sinning in this point of rash ungrounded judging without capacity or call § 45. 10. You live among unpeaceable twatlers and tale-carryers that would please others by accusing you Who is it that hath ears that hath not not such Vermine as these Earwigs busie at them Except here and there an upright man whose angry countenance hath still driven away such backbiting tongues And all shall be said behind your backs when you are uncapable of answering for your selves And if it be a man that the hearers think well of that accuseth or backbiteth you they think it lawful than to believe them And most that are their friends and of their party and for their interest shall be sure to be thought so honest as to be credible And it is not strange for a learned ingenious yea a godly person to be too forward in uttering from the mouths of others an evil report And then the hearer thinks he is fully justified for believing it and reporting it again to others David himself by the temptation of a Ziba is drawn to wrong Mephiââsheth the Son of his great deserving friend 2 Sam. 16. 3 4. No wonder then if Saul do hearken do hearken to a Doeg to the wrong of David and murder of the Priests Prov. 18. 8. The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds Prov. 26. 20. Where no wood is the fire goeth out so where there is no tale-bearer the strife ceaseth And when these are still near men and you far off it is easie for them to continue the most odious representation of the most laudable persons actions in the world § 46. 11. The imperfection of all mens understandings and godliness is so great that the differences of judgement that are among the best will tend to the injury and undervaluing of their brethren One is confident that his way is right and another as confident of the contrary And to how great contendings and injuries such differences may proceed he that
confused 5. They will differ in spiritual health and soundnâss one will be more Orthodox and another more erroneous one will have a better appetite to the wholsome word than others 15. 1. 1 Cor. 8 7 10 12. that are inclining to novelties and vain janglings one will walk more blamelesly than another some are full of Joy and peace and others full of grief and trouble 6. They differ much in usefulness 9. 22. Act. 20. 35. Luk. 1. 6. Phil. 2. 15. Gal. 2. 9 11 13 14. and service to the Body some are Pillars to support the rest and some are burdensome and troublers of the Church 7. It is the will of Christ that they differ in Office and employment some being Pastors and Teachers to the rest 8. There may be much difference in the manner of their worshipping God some observing dayes and difference of meats and drinks and forms and other 1 Thes. 5 4. 1 Cor. 3. 1 4. 5. Eph. 4. 11 12 13. Ceremonies which others observe not And several Churches may have several modes 9. These differences may possibly by the temptation of Satan arise to vehement contentions and not only to the censuring and despisâng of each other but to the rejecting of each other from the Communion Rom. 14. 15. Col. 2. 18 22. Phil. 2. 20 21. 1 Cor. 12. 22 24. of the several Churches and forbidding one another to Preach the Gospel and the banishing or imprisoning one another as Constantine himself did banish Athanasius and as Chrysostom and many another have felt 10. Hence it followeth that as in the Visible Church some are the members of Christ and some are indeed the Children of the Devil some shall be saved and some be damned 1 Sam. 2. 30. Mat. 23. 11. Luk. 22. 26. Mat. 20. 23. Luk. 20. 3â Mat. 19. 30. Mat. 20. 16. even with the âorest damnation the greatest difference in the World to come being betwixt the visible members of the Church so among the Godly and sincere themselves they are not all alike amiable or happy but they shall differ in Glory as they do in Grace All these differences there have been are and will be in the Church notwithstanding its unity in other things § 11. III. The word Schism cometh from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã disseco lacero and signifieth any sinful Division Schism what and of how many sorts The true placing the Bonds of Unity importeth exceedingly Which will be done if the points fundamental and of substance in Religion were truly discerned and distinguished from points not meerly of faith but of Opinion Order or good intention This is a thing that may seem to many a matter trivial and done already but if ât were done less partially it would be embraced more generally L. Baâon Essay 3. among Christians some Papists as Iohnson will have nothing called Schism but a Dividing ones self from the Catholick Church Others maintain that there is nothing in Scripture called Schism but making divisions in particular Churches The truth is obvious in the thing it self that there are several sorts of Schism or Division 1. There is a causing Divisions in a particular Church when yet no party divideth from that Church much less from the Universal Thus Paul blameth the Divisions that were among the Corinthians while one said I am of Paul and another I am of Apâllo c. 1 Cor. 3. 3. And 1 Cor. 11. 18. I hear that there be divisions among you not that they separated from each others Communion but held a disorderly Communion Such divisions he vehemently disswadeth them from 1 Cor. 1. 10. And thus he perswadeth the Romans 16. 17. to mark them which cause Divisions and offences among them contrary to the doctrine which they had learned and avoid them which it seems therefore were not such as had avoided the Church first He that causeth differences of judgement and practice and contendings in the Church doth cause Divisions though none separate from the Church 2. And if this be a fault it must be a greater fault to cause Divisions from as well as in a particular Church which a man may do that separateth not from it himself As if he perswade others to separate or if he sow those tares of errour which cause it or if he causlesly excommunicate or cast them out 3. And then it must be as great a sin to make a causeless separation from the Church that you are in your self which is another sort of Schism If you may not Divide in the Church nor Divide others from the Church then you may not causelesly Divide from it your selves 4. And it is yet a greater Schism when you Divide not only from that one Church but from many because they concur in opinion with that one which is the common way of Dividers 5. And it is yet a greater Schism when whole Churches separate from each other and renounce due Communion with each other without just cause as the Greeks Latines and Protestants in their present distance must some of them whoever it is be found guilty 6. And yet it is a greater Schism than this when Churches do not only separate from each other causelesly but also unchurch each other and endeavour to cut off each other from the Church-Universal by denying each other to be true Churches of Christ. It is a more grievous Schism to withdraw from a true Church as no-Church than as a corrupt-Church that is to cut off a Church from Christ and the Church-Catholick than to abstain from Communion with it as a scandalous or offending Church 7. It is yet caeteris paribus a higher degree of Schism to Divide your selves a person or a Church from the Universal Church without just cause though you separate from it but secundum quid in some accidental respect where unity is needfull For where Unity is not required there dis-union is no sin Yet such a person that is separate but secundum quid from something accidental or integral but not essential to the Catholick Church is still a Catholick Christian though he sin 8. But as for the highest degree of all viz. to separate from the Universal-Church simpliciter or in some Essential respect this is done by nothing but by Heresie or Apostacie However the Papists make men believe that Schismaticks that are neither Hereticks nor Apostates do separate themselves wholly or simply from the Catholick Church this is a meer figment of their brains For he that separateth not from the Church in any thing essential to it doth not truly and simply separate from the Church but secundum quid from something separable from the Church But whatever is A Heretick and Apostate what essential to the Church is necessary to salvation And he that separateth from it upon the account of his denying any thing necessary to salvation is an Heretick or an Apostate that is If he do it as dânying some one or more Essential point of
decent and editying determination of the outward circumstances of Religion and the right ordering of Worship is a needless thing or sinful or that a form of prayer in it self or when imposed is unlawful But let the Soul and Body of Religion go together and the alterable adjuncts be used as things alterable while the life of Holiness is still kept up Direct 19. PRomise not your selves long life or prosperity and great matters in the world lest it entangle Direct 19. your hearts with transitory things and engage you in ambitious or covetous designs and steal away your hearts from God and destroy all your serious apprehensions of Eternity § 1. Our own experience and the alterations which the approach of death makes upon the most doth sensibly prove that the expectation of a speedy change and reckoning upon a short life doth greatly help us in all our preparation and in all the work of Holiness through our lives Come to a man that lyeth on his death-bed or a prisoner that is to dye to morrow and try him with Nemini exploratum potest esse quomodo seâe habiturum sit corpus non dico ad annum sed ad vesperum Câceâo 2. de fit Dii boni quid est in hominis vita diu Mihi ne diuturnum quidem quicquam videtur in quo est aliquid extremum Cum enim id advenit tum illud praeterâit eâfluxit tan tum remanet quod virtute recte factis fit consecutus hoâae quidem âedunt diââ meâses anni nec praeteritum tempus unquam revertitur nec quid sequatur sciri potest Cic. in Cat. Maj. Quem saepe transit casus aliquando invenâ discourse of riches or honours or temptations to lust or drunkenness or excess and he will think you are mad or very impertinent to tell him of such things If he be but a man of Common Reason you shall see that he will more easily vilifie such temptations than many religious persons will do in their prosperity and health O how serious are we in repenting and perusing our former lives and casting up our accounts and asking What we shall do to be saved when we see that death is indeed at hand and time is at an end and we must away Every sentence of Scripture hath then some life and power in it Every word of Exhortation is savoury to us Every reproof of our negligence and sin is then well taken Every thought of sin or Christ or Grace or Eternity goes then to the quick Then time seems precious and if you ask a man whether it be better spent in Cards and Dice and Playes and Feastings and needless recreations and idleness or in prayer and holy conference and reading and meditating on the Word of God and the life to come and the holy use of our lawful labours How easily will he be satisfied of the truth and confute the Cavils of voluptuous time-wasters Then his judgement will easilier be in the right than Learning or Arguments before could make it In a word the expectation of the speedy approach of the soul into the presence of the Eternal God and of our entring into an unchangeable endless life of joy or torment hath so much in it to awaken all the powers of the soul that if ever we will be serious it will make us serious in every thought and speech and duty And therefore as it is a great mercy of God that this life which is so short should be as uncertain and that frequent dangers and sicknesses call to us to look about us and be ready for our change so usually the sickly that look for death are most considerate and it is a great part of the duty of those that are in youth and health to consider their frailty and the shortness and uncertainty of their lives and alwayes live as those that wait for the coming of their Lord. And we have great reason for it when we are certain it will be ere long and when we have so many perils and weaknesses to warn us and when we are never sure to see another hour and when time is so swift so quickly gone so unrecoverable and Nothing when it is past Common reason requireth such to live in a constant readiness to dye § 2. But if youth or health do once make you reckon of living long and make you put away the Nihil tam sirmum cââ periculum ãâã sââ etiam ââââvilido day of your departure as if it were far off this will do much to deceive and dull the best and take away the power of every truth and the life of every good thought and duty and all will be apt to dwindle into customariness and form You will hardly keep the faculties of the soul awake if you do not still think of death and judgement as near at hand The greatest Certainty of the greatest Change and the greatest Joy or Misery for ever will not keep our stupid hearts awake unless we look at all as near as well as certain This is plain in the common difference that we find among all men between their thoughts of death in health and when they see indeed that they must presently dye They that in health could think and talk of death with laughter or lightly without any awakening of soul when they come to dye are oftentimes as much altered as if they had never heard before that they are mortal By which it is plain that to live in the house of mirth is more dangerous than to live in the house of mourning and that the expectation of long life is a grievous enemy to the operations of grace and the safety of the soul. § 3. And it is one of the greatest strengtheners of your temptations to luxury ambition worldliness and almost every sin When men think that they shall have many years leisure to repent they are apt the more boldly to transgress when they think that they have yet many years to live it tempteth them to pass away Time in idleness and to loiter in their race and trifle in all their work and to over-value all the pleasures and honours and shadows of felicity that are here below He that hath his life in his House or Land or hath it for inheritance will set more by it and bestow more upon it than if he thought he must go out of it the next year To a man that thinks of liveing many years the favour of great ones the raising of his estate and name and family and the accommodations and pleasing of his flesh will seem great matters to him and will do much with him and will make self-denyal a very hard work § 4. Therefore though Health be a wonderful great mercy as Enabling him to duty that hath a heart to use it to that end yet it is by accident a very great danger and snare to the heart it self to turn it from the way of duty The best life
they shall be sure to be accounted Proud and Hypocrites And yet they accuse not that child or servant of Pride who excelleth all the rest in pleasing them and doing their work Nâr do they take a sick man to be proud if he be carefuller than others to recover his health But he that will do mosâ for Heaven and most carefully avoideth sin and Hell and is most serious in his Religion and most industrious to please his God this man shall be accounted Proud 3. He that will not forsake his God and betray the truth and wound his conscience by willful sin but will do as Daniel and the three confessors did Dan. 6. 3. and answer as they answered will be accounted Proud But it is no Pride to prefer God before men and to fear damnation more than imprisonment or death The army of Martyrs did not in Pride prefer their own judgements before their superiors that condemned them but they did it in obedience to God and truth when that was revealed to babâs which was hid from the wise and prudent and great and noble of the world 4. When those that are faithful to the honour of Christs soverainty dare not approve of Papâl usurpations against his Laws and over his Church and the Consciences of his Subjects they shall by the Popish usurpers be called Proud and despisers of Government as if a Usurper of the Kingly power should call us proud because we dare not consent to his pride or call us Traytors for not being Traytors as he is himself 5. When a man that hath the sense of the matters of God and mens salvation upon his heart is zealous and diligent to teach them to others and if he be a Minister be servent and laborious in his ministry he is called Proud as one that must needs have all men of his mind Though compassion to souls and aptness to teach and Preaching instantly in season and out of season be his necessary duty required of God And what is the Ministry for but to change mens minds and bring them to the full obedience of the truth 6. If a man understandeth the truth in any point of Divinity better than most others and holdeth any truth which is not there in credit or commonly received he shall be accounted Proud for presuming to be so singular and seeming wiser than those that think they are wiser than he But Humility teacheth us not to err for company nor to grow no wiser when once we arrive at the common stature nor to forsake the truth which others understand not nor to forbear to teach it because it is not known allready If some of the Pastors in Abassia Syria Armenia Russia Greece or Italy or Spain were as wise as the Ministers in England are it were no evidence of their Pride 7. If a man that understandeth any thing contrary to the judgement of another cannot forsake it Siquid agere instituis lenâe progredere in eo autem quod elegeââs firmiter persiste Bias in Laârt and think or say as another would have him especially if you contradict him in disputation he will take it to be your pride and overvaluing your own understanding and being too tenacious of your own conceits Erroneous men that in their Pride are over eager to have others of their mind will call you Proud because you yield not to their pride They think that the evidence is so clear on their side that if you were not Proud you could not choose but think as they do 8. Some humble men are naturally of a warm and earnest manner of discourse and their natural Pertinaâior tamen erat Chrysanthius nec de sententia âacile discedebat inquit Eunapius humilitatem ejus laudans heat and eagerness of speech is frequently mis-judged to come from pride till fuller acquaintance with their humble lives do rectifie the mistake It is written of Bishop Hooper the Martyr that those that visited him once condemned him of over-austerity they that repaired to him twice only suspected him of the same those that conversed with him constantly not only acquitted him of all morosity but commended him for sweetness of manners So that his ill nature consisted in other mens little acquaintance with him Tho. Fullers Church Hist. lib. 7. pag. 402. and Godwin in Glocest. Bishops The same is true of very many worthy men Bullingero ob eruditionem non contemnendam morumque tam sanctitatem quam suavitatem percharus fuit pag 591. 9. If we zealously contend for the saith or the Peace of the Church against Heretical or Dividing persons and their dangerous waies they will call us Proud though God command it us Iud. 2. 3. especially if we avoid them and bid them not Good speed Tit. 3. 10. 2 Joh. 10. 10. When a man of understanding openeth the ignorance of another and speaketh words of pity concerning him though it be no more than truth and charity command they will be taken to be the words of supercilious pride 11. That plain dealing in reproof which God commandeth especially to his Ministers towards high and low great and small and which the Prophets and Servants of God have used will be misjudged as arrogancie and Pride Amos 7. 12 13. 2 Chron. 25. 16. Acts 23. 4. As if it were Pride to Gen. 19. 8 9 10. be true to God and to pity souls and seek to save them and tell them in time of that which conscience will more closely and terribly tell them of when it is too late 12. Self-idolizing Papists accuse their inferiors for Pride if they do but modestly exercise a judgement Cum humilitatis causa mentiris si non eras peccator antequam mentiris mentiendo efficiens quod evitaâas Augustin de Verb. Apost of discretion about the matters that their salvation is concerned in and do not implicitly believe as they believe and forbear to prove or try their sayings and swallow not all without any chewing and offer to object the commands of God against any unlawful commands of men As if God were contented to suspend his Laws when ever mens commands do contradict them or humility required us to please and obey men at the price of the loss of our salvation They think that we should not busy our selves to enquire into such matters but trust them with our souls and that the Scriptures are not for the laity to read but they must wholly relie upon the clergie And if a lay man enquire into their Doctrine or Commands they say as Davids brother to him 1 Sam. 17. 28. With whom hast thou left the sheep in the wilderness I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thy heart 13. If a zealous humble preacher of the Gospel that preacheth not himself but Christ be highly esteemed and honoured for his works sake and crowded after and greatly followed by those that are 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. edified by him it is ordinary for the envious
therefore you must go further A Souldier taken by the enemy may tell the truth when he is asked in things that will do no harm to his King and Country but he must conceal the rest which would advantage the enemy against them § 8. Quest. 4. Is it alwayes a sin to speak a Logical falshood that is to speak disagreeably to the thing which I speak of Answ. Not alwayes For you may sometimes believe an untruth without sin Quest. 4. For you are to believe things according to their evidence and appearance Therefore if the deceit be unavoidably caused by a false appearance or evidence without any fault of yours it is not then your fault to be mistaken But then your expressions must signifie no more certainty than you have nor no more confidence than the evidence will warrant When you say such a thing is so the meaning must be but I am perswaded it is so For if you say I am certain it is so when you are not certain you offend § 9. Quest. 5. Is it alwayes a sin to speak falsly or disagreeably to the matter when I know it to be Quest. 5. false that is Is it alwayes a sin to speak contrary to my judgement or mind Answ. Yes for God hath forbidden it and that upon great and weighty Reasons as you shall hear anon § 10. Quest. 6. Is it a sin when I speak not a known untruth nor contrary to my opinion nor with Quest. 6. a purpose to deceive Answ. Yes it is oft a sin when there is none of this For if it be your Duty to know what you say and to deliberate before you speak and your duty to be acquainted with the truth or falshood which you are ignorant of and your duty to take heed that you deceive not another negligently and yet you neglect all these duties and by a culpable ignorance and negligence deceive both your selves and others then this is a sin as well as if you knowingly deceived them § 11. Quest. 7. But though it be a sin it remaineth doubtful whether it be a lye Answ. This is Quest. 7. but liss de nomine a Controversie about the Name and not the Thing As long as we are agreed that is a sin against God and to be avoided whether you call it a Lye or by another name is no great matter But I think it is to be called a Lye Though I know that most definers follow Cicero and say that a Lye is A falshood spoken with a purpose to deceive yet I think that where the Will is culpably neglective of not deceiving an untruth so negligently uttered deserveth the name of a Lye § 12. Quest. 8. Must my words to free them from falshood be alwayes true in the proper literal Quest. 8. sense Answ. No Augustin's determination in this case is clear truth Quod figurate dicitur non est mendacium i. e. eo nomine To speak Ironically Metonymically Metaphorically c. is not therefore to lye For the truth of words lying in that aptitude to express the thing and mind which is suited to the intellect of the hearers they are True words that thus express them whether properly or figuratively But if the words be used figuratively contrary to the hearers and the common sense of them with a purpose to deceive then they are a lye not withstanding you pretend a Figure to verifie them § 13. Quest. 9. Must my words be used by me in the common sense or in the hearers sense Answ. No Quest. 9. doubt but so far as you intend to inform the hearer you are to speak to him in his own sense If he have a peculiar sense of some word differing from the common sense and this be known to you you must speak in his peculiar sense But if it be in a case that you are bound to conceal from him the question is much harder Some think it an untruth and sinful to speak to him in words which you know he will use to his own deceit Others think that you are not bound to fit your selves to his infirmity and speak in his dialect contrary to common sense And that it is not your fault that he misunderstandeth you though you foresee it where it will not profit him to understand you nor your selves are obliged to make him understand you but the contrary The next will open this § 14. Quest. 10. Is it lawful by speech to deceive another yea and to intend it Supposing it be by Quest. 10. truth Answ. It is not a sin in all cases to contribute towards another mans error or mistake For Acts 23. 6 7 8 9. Licitum est aliquando salva veritate illa verba proferre ex quibus probabiliter novimus auditores aliquid conclusuâos falsi Hoc enâm non est mentiri vel falsum testaâi sed tantum occasionem alteri praebere errandi non ad peccatum committendum sed potius vitandum Ames Cas. Conse l. 5. c. 53. See Luke 24. 28. John 7. 8 10. 1. There are many cases in which it is no sin in him to mistake nor any hurt to him Therefore to contribute to that which is neither sin or hurt is of it self no sin yea there are some cases in which an error though not as such may be a duty As to think charitably and well of an hypocrite as long as he seemeth to be sincere Here if by charitable reports I contribute to his mistake it seemeth to be but my duty For as he is bound to believe so I am bound to report the best while it is probable 2. There are many cases in which a mans ignorance or mistake may be his very great benefit His life or estate may lye upon it and I may know that if he understood such or such a thing he would make use of it to his ruine 3. There are many cases in which a mans innocent error is necessary to the safety of others or of the Commonwealth 4. It is lawful in such cases to deceive such men by Actions as an Enemy by Military Stratagems or a Traytor by signs which he will mistake And words of truth which we fore-know he will mistake not by our fault but by his own do seem to be less questionable than actions which have a proper tendency to deceive 5. God himself hath written and spoken those words which he fore-knew that wicked men would mistake and deceive themselves by and he hath done those works and giveth those mercies which he knoweth they will turn to a snare against themselves And his Dominion or Prerogative cannot here be pleaded to excuse it if it were unholy And in this sense as to Permitting and Occasioning it is said Ezek. 14. 9. And if the Prophet be deceived I the Lord have deceived that Prophet Yet must we not think with Plato that it is lawful to lye to an enemy to deceive him For 1. All deceit that is against
their happiness to live idly and take that for the best Service where they have least work But have you nothing to do for your selves for soul nor body If you have leisure from your Masters service you should thankfully improve it in Gods service and your own § 31. Direct 3. Settle your selves in a lawful Calling which will keep you under a necessity of ordinary Direct 3. and orderly employment As we cannot so easily bring our minds to a close attendance upon God in the Week days when we have our common businesses to divert us as we can do on the Lords Day which is purposely set apart for it and in which we have the use of his stated Ordinances to assist us even so a man that is out of a stated course of labour cannot avoid idleness so well as he that hath his ordinary time and course of business to keep him still at work It is a dangerous life to live out of a Calling § 32. Direct 4. Take heed of excess of meat and drink and sleep For these drown the senses and Direct 4. dull the spirits and load you with a burden of flesh or humours and greatly undispose the body to all diligent useful labours A full Belly and drowsie Brain are unfit for work It will seem work enough to such to carry the load of flesh or flegm which they have gathered A pampered body is more disposed to lust and wantonness than to work § 33. Direct 5. A man-like Resolution is an effectual course against sloth Resolve and it will be Direct 5. done Give not way to a slothful disposition Be up and doing you can do it if you will but resolve To this end be never without Gods quickning motives before-mentioned on your minds Think what a sin and shame it is to waste your Time to live like the dead to bury a rational soul in flesh to be a slave to so base a thing as sloth to neglect all Gods work while he supporteth and maintaineth you and looketh on to live in sloth with such miserable souls so neer to judgement and Eternity Such thoughts well set home will make you stir when a drowsie soul makes an idle body § 34. Direct 6. Take pleasure in your work and then you will not be slothful in it Your very Direct 6. Horse will go heavily where he goeth unwillingly and will go freely when he goeth thither where he would be Either your work is Good or bad If it be bad avoid it If it be good why should you not take pleasure in it It should be pleasant to do good § 35. Direct 7. To this end be sure to do all your work as that which God requireth of you Direct 7. and that which he hath promised to reward and believe his acceptance of your meanest labours which are done in obedience to his will Is it not a delightful thing to serve so great and good a master and to do that which God accepteth and promiseth to reward This interest of God in your lowest and hardest and servilest labour doth make it honourable and should make it sweet § 36. Direct 8. Suffer not your fancies to run after sensual vain delights for these will make you Direct 8. weary of your callings No wonder if foolish youths be idle whose minds are set upon their sports nor is it wonder that sensual Gentlemen live idly who glut themselves with corrupting pleasures The idleness of such sensualists is more unexcusable than other mens because it is not the labour it self that they are against but only such labour as is honest and profitable For they can bestow more labour in playing or dancing or running or hunting or any vanity than their work required And it is the folly and sickness of their minds that is the cause and not any disability in their bodies The busiest in evil are slothfullest to good § 37. Direct 9. Mortifie the flesh and keep it in an obedient dependance on the soul and you will Direct 9. not be captivated by sloth For idleness is but one way of Flesh-pleasing He that is a sensual slave to his flesh will please it in the way that it most desireth One man in Fornication and another in ambition and another in Ease But he that hath overcome and mortified the flesh hath mastered this with the rest of its Concupiscence § 38. Direct 10. Remember still that Time is short and Death makes haste and judgement will be just Direct 10. and that all must be judged according to what they have done in the body and that your souls are pretious and Heaven is Glorious and Hell is terrible and work is various and great and hinderances are many and that it is not idleness but labour that is comfortable in the reviews of time and this will powerfully expell your sloth § 39. Direct 11. Call your selves daily or frequently to account how you spend your time and what Direct 11. work you do and how you do it Suffer not one hour or moment so to pass as you cannot give your Consciences a just account of it § 40. Direct 12. Lastly Watch against the slothfulness of those that are under your charges as well Direct 12. as against your own Some persons of honour and greatness are diligent themselves and bestow their time for the Service of God their King and Countrey and their souls and Families and I would we had more such But if in the mean time their Wives and Children and many of their Servants spend most of the day and year in idleness and they are guilty of it for want of a through endeavour to reform it their burden will be found greater at last than they imagined In a word though the labour and diligence of a believing Saint and not that of a Covetous Worldling is it that tends to save the soul and diligence in doing evil is but a making haste to Hell yet sloth in it self is so great a nourisher of vice and deadly an enemy to all that 's good and idleness is such a course and swarm of sin that all your understandings resolution and authority should be used to cure it in your selves and others Tit. 3. Directions against Sloth and Laziness in things spiritual and for zeal and Diligence § 1. ZEal in things spiritual is contrary to sloth and coldness and remissness and Diligence is contrary to Idleness Zeal is the fervour or earnestness of the soul Its first subject is the will Rev. 3. 15 â9 and affections excited by the judgement and thence it appeareth in the Practice It is not a distinct Grace or Affection but the vigor and livelyness of every grace and their fervent operations § 2. Direct 1. Be sure that you understand the nature and use of zeal and diligence and mistake Direct 1. The kinds of false zeal not a carnal degenerate sort of zeal for that which is spiritual and
judgement about the controverted part is not much to be regarded God is not so likely to direct profane ones and false hearted hypocrites and bless them with a sound judgement in holy things where their Lives shew that their practical judgements are corrupt as the sincere that obey him in that which he revealeth to them We are all agreed that Gods Word must be your daily meditation and delight Psal. 1. 2. and that you should speak of it lying down and rising up at home and abroad Deut. 6. 6 7 8. and that we must be constant and fervent and importunate in prayer both in publick and private 1 Thess. 5. 17. Luke 18. 1. Iames 5. 16. Do you perform this much faithfully or not If you do you may the more confidently expect that God should further reveal his will to you and resolve your doubts and guide you in the way that is pleasing to him But if you omit the duty which all are agreed on and be unfaithful and negligent in what you know how unmeet are you to dispute about the controverted circumstances of duty To what purpose is it that you meddle in such controversies Do you do it wilfully to condemn your selves before God and shame your selves before men by declaring the hypocrisie which aggravateth your ungodliness What a lothesome and pitiful thing is it to hear a man bitterly reproach those that differ from him in some circumstances of worship when he himself never seriously worshippeth God at all When he meditateth not on the Word of God and instead of delighting in it maketh light of it as if it little concerned him and is acquainted with no other prayer than a little customary lip service Is such an ungodly neglecter of all the serious worship of God a fit person to fill the world with quarrels about the Manner of his worship § 3. Direct 3. Differ not in Gods worship from the common sense of the most faithful godly Christians Direct 3. without great suspicion of your own understandings and a most diligent tryal of the case For if in such practical cases the common sense of the faithful be against you it is to be suspected that the teaching of Gods Spirit is against you For the Spirit of God doth principally teach his servants in the matters of worship and obedience There are several errors that I am here warning you to avoid 1. The error of them that rather incline to the judgement of the ungodly multitude who never knew what it was to worship God in The disadvantages of ungodly men in judging of holy worship Spirit and truth Consider the great disadvantages of these men to judge aright in such a case 1. They must judge then without that teaching of the Spirit by which things spiritual are to be discerned 1 Cor. 2. 13 15. He that is blind in sin must judge of the mysteries of godliness 2. They must judge quite contrary to their natures and inclinations or against the diseased Habits of their Wills And if you call a drunkard to judge of the evil of drunkenness or a whoremonger to judge of the evil of fornication or a covetous or a proud or a passionate man to judge of their several sins how partial will they be And so will an ungodly man be in judging of the duties of godliness You set him to judge of that which he hateth 3. You set him to judge of that which he is unacquainted with It 's like he never throughly studyed it but its certain he never seriously tryed it nor hath not the experience of those that have long made it a great part of the business of their lives And would you not sooner take a mans judgement in Physick that hath made it the study and practice of his life than a sick mans that speaketh against that which he never studyed or practised meerly because his own stomach is against it Or will you not sooner take the judgement of an antient Pilot about Navigation than ones that never was at Sea The difference is as great in the present case § 4. 2. And I speak this also to warn you of another error that you prefer not the judgement of a Sect or Party or some few godly people against the common sense of the generality of the faithful For the Spirit of God is liklier to have forsaken a small part of godly people than the generality in such particular opinions which even good men may be forsaken in Or if it be in greater things it is more unreasonable and more uncharitable for me to suspect that most that seem godly are hypocrites and forsaken of God than that a party or some few are so § 5. Direct 4. Yet do not absolutely give up your selves to the judgement of any in the worshipping Direct 4. of God but only use the advice of men in a due subordination to the Will of God and the Teaching of Iesus Christ. Otherwise you will set man in the place of God and will reject Christ in his Prophetical Office as much as using co-ordinate Mediators is a rejecting him in his Priestly Office None must be called Master but in subordination to Christ because he is our Master Matth. 23. 8 9 10. § 6. Direct 5. Condemn not all that in others which you dare not do your selves and practise not Direct 5. all that your selves which you dare not condemn in others For you are more capable of judging in See Rom. 14. 15. 1. Cor. 8. 13. your own cases and bound to do it with more exactness and diligent enquiry than in the case of others Oft-times a rational doubt may necessitate you to suspend your practice as your belief or judgement is suspended when yet it will not allow you to condemn another whose judgement and practice hath no such suspension Only you may doubt whether he be in the right as you doubt as to your self And yet you may not therefore venture to do all that you dare not condemn in him for then you must wilfully commit all the sins in the world which your weakness shall make a doubt or controversie of § 7. Direct 6. Offer God no worship that is clearly contrary to his nature and perfections but such Direct 6. as is suited to him as he is revealed to you in his Word Thus Christ teacheth us to worship God as Lev. 19. 2. 20. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 16. he is and thus God often calleth for Holy worship because he is Holy 1. God is a Spirit therefore they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth which Christ opposeth to meer external Ceremony or shadows John 4. 23 24. for the Father seeketh such to worship him 2. God is Incomprehensible and Infinitely distant from us Therefore worship him with Admiration and make not either visible or mental Images of him nor debase him not by undue resemblance of him The 2d Commandment Cââââo de Nat.
you do evil with double violence and with blasphemous fathering your sins on God and with impenitence and justification of your sin This made Paul mad in persecuting the Church Prov. 15. 21. Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom but a man of understanding walketh uprightly No man can do that well which he understandeth not well Therefore you must study and take unwearied pains for knowledge Wisdom never grew up with idleness though the conceit of wisdom doth no where more prosper This age hath told us to what desperate precipices men will be carryed by ignorant zeal 2. And the understanding must be large or it cannot be solid When many particulars are concerned in an action the over-looking of some one may spoil the work Narrow minded men are turned as the weather-cock with the wind of the times or of every temptation and they seldome avoid one sin but by falling into another It is Prudence that must manage an upright life And Prudence seeth all that must be seen and putteth every circumstance into the ballance For want of which much mischief may be done while you seem to be doing the greatest good The prudent man looketh well to his going Prov. 14. 15 See therefore that ye walk circumspectly at a hairs breadth not as fools but as wise 6. But because you will object that alas few even of the upright have wits so strong as to be fit Psal. 119. 98. Prov. 1 6 7. 8. 12. 15 18. 13. 1. 14 20. 15. 2. 7 12. 31. 22. 17. 25. 12. Eccles. 12. 11. Dan. 12. 3 10. Matth. 24. 45. Psal. 37. 30. Eccles. 2. 13. Isa. 33. 6. Matth. 12. 42. Luke 1. 17. 21. 15. Acts 6. 3. 2 Pet. 3. 15. Mal. 2. 6 7. 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. Heb. 13. 7 17. Tit. 1. 9 13. 2. 1 8. 2 Tim. 4. 3. for this I add that he that will walk uprightly must in the great essential parts of Religion have this foresaid knowledge of his own and in the rest at least he must have the conduct of the wise And therefore 1. He must be wise in the great matters of his salvation though he be weak in other things 2. And he must labour to be truly acquainted who are indeed wise men that are meet to be his guides And he must have recourse to such in Cases of Conscience as a sick man to his Physicion It is a great mercy to be so far wise as to know a wise man from a fool and a Counsellor from a deceiver 7. He that will walk uprightly must be the master of his passions not stupid but calm and sober Though some passion is needful to excite the understanding to its duty yet that which is Prov. 14. 29. Col. 3. 8. inordinate doth powerfully deceive the mind Men are very apt to be confident of what they passionately apprehend And passionate judgements are frequently mistaken and ever to be suspected It being exceeding difficult to entertain any passion which shall not in some measure pervert our reason which is one great reason why the most confident are ordinarily the most erroneous and blind Be sure therefore when ever you are injured or passion any way engaged to set a double guard upon your judgements 8. He that will walk uprightly must not only difference between simple Good and Evil but between a greater Good and a less For most sin in the world consisteth in preferring a Lesser Good before Matth. 9. 13. 12. 7. Psal. 40. 6. 51. 16. 1 Sam. 15. 22. a Greater He must still keep the ballance in his hand and compare good with good Otherwise he will make himself a Religion of sin and preferr Sacrifice before mercy and will hinder the Gospel and mens salvation for a ceremony and violate the bonds of love and faithfulness for every opinion which he calleth Truth and will tythe Mint and Cummin while he neglecteth the great things of the Law When a lesser good is preferred before a greater it is a sin and the common way of sinning It is not then a duty when it is inconsistent with a greater good 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. Rom. 15. 2. 14. 19. 1 Cor. 14. 26. 2 Cor. 12. 19. Rom. 3. 8. Eph. 4. 12 c. 1 Cor. 12. 9. He must ever have a conjunct respect to the Command and the End The good of some actions is but little discernable any where but in the Command and others are evidently good because of the good they tend to We must neither do evil and break a Law that good may come by it Nor yet pretend obedience to do mischief as if God had made his Laws for Destruction of the Church or mens souls and not for Edification 10. He must keep in Union with the Universal Church and preferr its interest before the interest of any party whatsoever and do nothing that tendeth to its hurt 11. He must love his neighbour as himself and do as he would be done by and love his enemies and Matth. 22 39. 5. 43 44. 7. 12. forgive wrongs and hear their defamations as his own 12. He must be Impartial and not lose his Iudgement and Charity in the opinion or interest of a Jam. 3. 15 16 17 18. Party or Sect Nor think all right that is Held or Done by those that he best liketh nor all wrong that is held or done by those that are his adversaries But judge of the Words and Deeds of those Gal. 2 13 14. Deut. 25. 16. 1 Cor. 6. 9. that are against him as if they had been said or done by those of his own side Else he will live in slândering backbiting and gross unrighteousness 13. He must be deliberate in judging of Things and Persons not rash or hasty in believing reports Matth. 7. 1 2. John 7. 24. Râ 14. 10 13. 1 Pet. 1. 17. or receiving opinions not judging of Truths by the first appearance but search into the naked evidence Nor judging of persons by prejudice fame and common talk 14. He must be willing to receive and obey the Truth at the dearest rate especially of laborious Luke 14. 26. 33. 1â 4. Prov. 23. 23. Matth. 1â 3. Prov. 26. 12. 16 28 11. 1 Cor. 3. 18 Prov. â 7. study and a self-denying life Not taking all to be Truth that costeth men dear nor yet thinking that Truth indeed can be over-prized 15. He must be Humble and self-suspicious and come to Christs School as a little child and not have a proud over-valuing of himself and his own understanding The proud and selfish are blind and cross and have usually some opinions or interests of their own that lye cross to duty and to other mens good 16. He must have an eye to posterity and not only to the present time or age and to other Nations Judg. 8. 27. 1 Cor. 7. 35. 1 King 14. 16. 15. 26.
When ever the Spirit of God knocks at thy door thou art so taken up with other company or other business that thou canst not hear or wilt not open to him Many a time he hath been ready to teach thee but thou wast not at leisure to hear and learn Many a time he secretly jog'd thy conscience and checkt thee in thy sin and called thee aside to consider soberly about thy spiritual and everlasting state when the noise of foolish mirth and pleasures or the busles of encumbring cares and business have caused thee to stop thy ears and put him off and refuse the motion And if the abused Spirit of God depart and leave thee to thy beloved mirth and business and to thy self it is but just And then thou wilt never have a serious effectual thought of Heaven perhaps till thou have lost it nor a sober thought of Hell till thou art in it unless it be some despairing or some dull uneffectual thought § 2. O therefore as thou lovest thy soul do not love thy pleasure or business so well as to refuse to treat with the Spirit of God who comes to offer thee greater pleasures and to engage thee in a more important business O lay by all to hear a while what God and conscience have to say to thee They have greater business with thee than any others that thou conversest with They have better offers and motions to make to thee than thou shalt hear from any of thy old companions If the Devil can but take thee up a while with one pleasure one day and another business another day and keep thee from the work that thou camest into the world for till time be gone and thou art slipt unawares into damnation then he hath his desire and hath the end he aimed at and hath won the day and thou art lost for ever § 3. It 's like thou settest some limits to thy folly and purposest to do thus but a little while But when one Pleasure withereth the Devil will provide a fresh one for thee and when one business is over which caused thee to pretend Necessity another and another and another will succeed and thou wilt think thou hast such Necessity still till time is gone and thou see too late how grosly thou wast deceived Resolve therefore that whatever company or pleasure or business would divert thee that thou wilt not be befooled out of thy salvation nor taken off from minding the One thing Necessary If Company plead an interest in thee know of them whether they are better company than the Spirit of God and thy Conscience If Pleasure would detain thee enquire whether it be more pâre and durable pleasures than thou maist have in Heaven by hearkening unto grace If business still pretend Necessity enquire whether it be a greater business than to prepare thy soul and thy accounts for judgement and of greater Necessity than thy salvation If not let it not have the precedency If thou be wise do that first that must needs be done and let that stand by that may best be spared What will it profit thee to win all the world and lose thy soul. At least if thou durst say that thy Pleasure and business is better than Heaven yet might they sometime be forborn while thou seriously thinkest of thy salvation Direction 7. IF thou wouldst be converted and saved be not a malicious or pievish enemy to those Direct 7. that would convert and save thee Be not angry with them that tell thee of thy sin or duty as if they did thee wrong or hurt § 1. God worketh by instruments When he will convert a Cornelius a Peter must be sent for and willingly heard When he will recall and save a sinner he hath usually some publick Minister or private friend that shall be a messenger of that searching and convincing truth which is fit to awaken them enlighten them and recover them If God furnish these his instruments with compassion to your souls and willingness to instruct you and you will take them for your enemies and pievishly quarrel with them and contradict them and perhaps reproach them and do them a mischief for their good will what an inhumane barbarous course of ingratitude is this Will you be angry with men for endeavouring to save you from the fire of Hell Do they endeavour to make any gain or advantage by you or only to help your souls to Heaven Indeed if their endeavours did serve any ambitious 1 Pet. 5. 2 3 4. 2 Cor. 10. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. 2 Cor. 1. 24. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 2 Cor. 3 6. 11. 23. Joel 1. 9 13. 2 Cor 4. 5. Mark 10 44. Matth. 10. 27. âuke 22. 24 25 26. design of their own to bring the world as the Pope and his Clergy would do under their own jurisdiction you had reason then to suspect their fraud But the truth is Christ hath purposely appointed his greatest Church-Officers to be but Ministers even the servants of all to rule and save men as Volunteers without any coercive Power by the Management of his powerful Word upon their consciences and to beseech and intreat the poorest of the flock as those that are not Lords over Gods heritage nor masters of their faith but their servants in Christ and helpers of their joy that so when ever we deliver our message to them they may see that we exercise not dominion over them and aim at no worldly honours or gain or advantage to our selves but at the meer conversion and saving of their souls whereas if he had allowed us to exercise authority as the Kings of the Gentiles and to be called Gracious Lords and to incumber our selves with the affairs of this life our doctrine would have been rejected by the generality of the world and we should alwayes have come to them on this great disadvantage that they would have thought that we sought not them but theirs and that we preached not for them but for our selves to make a prize of them As the Jesuites when they attempt the conversion of the Indians do still find this their great impediment the Princes and people suppose them to pretend the Gospel but as a means to subjugate them and their Dominions to the Pope because they tell them that they must be all subject to the Pope if they will be saved Now when Christ hath appointed a poor self-denying intreating Ministry against whom you can have none of these pretences to sloop to your feet with the most submissive intreaties that you would but turn to God and live you have no excuse for your own barbarous ingratitude if you will fly in their faces and use them as your enemies and be offended with them for endeavouring to save you You know they can hold their Tythes and Livings by smoothing and cold and general preaching as well as by more faithful dealing if not better You know they can get no worldly advantage by
John 3. 18. 3. 5. Thou sleepest in Irons in the captivity of the Devil among the walking judgements of God in a life that is still expecting an end in a Boat that is swiftly carried to eternity just at the entrance of another world and that world will be Hell if Grace awake thee not Thou art going to see the face of God to see the world of Angels or Devils and to be a companion with one of them for ever And is this a place or case to sleep in Is thy Bed so soft thy dwelling so safe God standeth over thee man and dost thou sleep Christ is coming and death is coming and judgement coming and dost thou sleep Didst thou never read of the foolish Virgins that slept out their time and knockt and cryed in vain when it was too late Matth. 25. 5. Thou mightest wiselyer sleep on the Pinnacle of a Steeple in a Storm than have a soul asleep in so dangerous a case as thou art in The Devil is awake and is rocking thy Cradle How busie is he to keep off Ministers or Conscience or any that would awake thee None of thy enemies are asleep and yet wilt thou sleep in the thickest of thy foes Is the battle a sleeping time or thy race a sleeping time when Heaven or Hell must be the End While he can keep thee asleep the Devil can do almost what he liât with thee He knows that thou hast now no use of thy eyes or understanding or power to resist him The Learnedst Doctor in his sleep is as unlearned actually as an Ideot and will dispute no better than an unlearned man This makes many learned men to be ungodly they are asleep in sin The Devil could never have made such a drudge of thee to do his work against Christ and thy soul if thou hadst been awake Thou wouldst never have followed his whistle to the Ale-house the Play-house the Gaming-house and to other sins if thou hadst been in thy wits and well awake Read Prov. 7. 23. 24. I cannot believe that thou longest to be damned or so hatest thy self as to have done as thou hast done to have a lived Godless a Graceless a Prayerless and yet a merry careless life if thy eyes had been opened and thou hadst known and feelingly known that this was the way to Hell Nature it self will hardly go to Hell awake But it 's easie to abuse a man that is asleep Thou hast Reason but didst thou ever awake it to one hours serious Consideration of thy endless state and present case O dreadful judgement to be given over to the Spirit of slumber Rom. 11. 8. Is it not high time now to awake out of sleep Rom. 13. 11. When the light is arisen and shines about thee When others that care for their souls are busily at work When thou hast slept out so much precious time already Many a mercy and perhaps some Ministers have been as Candles burnt out to light thee while thou hast slept How oât hast thou been called already How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard Prov. 6. 9. 10. Yet thou hast thundering calls and allarums to awake thee God calls and Ministers call Mercies call and judgements call and yet wilt thou not awake The voice of the Lord is powerful full of Majesty breaketh the Cedars shaketh the Wilderness and yet cannot it awake thee Thou wilt not sleep about far smaller matters at meat or drink or in common talk or Market But O how much greater business hast thou to keep thee awake Thou hast yet an unholy soul to be renewed an ungodly life to be reformed an offended God to be reconciled to and many thousand sins to be forgiven Thou hast death and judgement to prepare for thou hast Heaven to win and Hell to scape Thou hast many a needful Truth to learn and many a holy duty to perform and yet dost thou think it time to sleep Paul that had less need than thou did watch and pray and labour day and night Acts 20. 31. 1 Thess. 3. 10. O that thou knewest how much better it is to be awake While thou sleepest thou losest the benefit of the Light and all the mercies that attend thee The Sun is but as a clod to a man asleep The world is as no world to him The beauty of Heaven and Earth are nothing to him Princes friends and all things are forgotten by him So doth thy sleep in sin make nothing of health and patience time and help Ministers Books and daily warnings O what a day hast thou for everlasting if thou hadst but a heart to use it What a price hast thou in thine hand Prov. 10. 5. Sleep not out thy day thy harvest time thy tide time They that sleep sleep in the night 1 Thess. 5. 7. Awake and Christ will give thee light Rom. 13. 12. Ephes. 5. 14. Awake to righteousness and sin not 1 Cor. 15. 34. O when thou seest the Light of Christ what a wonder will it possess thee with at the things which thou now forgettest What joy will it fill thee with and with what pity to the sleepy world But if thou wilt needs sleep on be it known to thee sinner it shall not be long If thou wilt wake no sooner death and vengeance will awake thee Thou wilt wake when thou seest the other world and seest the things which thou wouldst not believe and comest before thy dreadful Judge Thy damnation slumbereth not 2 Pet. 2. 3. There are no sleepy souls in Heaven or Hell all are awake there and the day that hath awakened so many shall waken thee Watch then if thou love thy soul lest thy Lord come suddenly and find thee sleeping Mark 13. 34 35 36 37. What I say to one I say to all Watch. § 4. Tempt 2. If Satan cannot keep the soul in a sleepy careless inconsiderate forgetfulness he would Tempt 2. make the unregenerate soul believe that there is no such thing as Regenerating Grace but that it is a fancied thing which no man hath experience of and he saith as Nicodemus How can these things be John 3. 4. He thinks that natural conscience is enough § 5. Direct 2. But this may be easily refuted by observing that Holiness is but the very Health and Direct 2. rectitude of the soul and is no otherwise supernatural than as Health to him that is born a Leper See 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. Gal. 4. 19. Joh. 3. 3. 5. 6. Matth. 18. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 23. It is the rectitude of Nature or its disposition to the use and end that it was made for Though Grace be called supernatural 1. Because it is not born with us and 2. Corrupted Nature is against it 3. And the End of it is the God of Nature who is above Nature 4. And the Revelation and other means are supernatural as Christs incarnation resurrection c. Yet both Nature and Scripture and experience tell you
understood which is the chief the other cannot be referred to it When two things materially good come together and both cannot be done the greater must take place and the lesser is no duty at that time but a sin as preferred before the greater Therefore it is one of the commonest difficulties among Cases of Conscience to know which duty is the greater and to be preferred Upon this ground Christ healed on the Sabbath day and pleaded for his Disciples rubbing the ears of corn and for Davids eating the shew bread and telleth them that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath and that God will have mercy and not Sacrifice Divinity is a curious well composed frame As it is not enough that you have all the parts of your Watch or Clock but you must see that every part be in its proper place or else it will not go or answer its end so it is not enough that you know the several parts of Divinity or duty unless you know them in their true order and place You may be confounded before you are aware and led into many dangerous errors by mistaking the Order of several Truths And you may be misguided into heinous sins by mistaking the Degrees and Order of Duties As when duties of Piety and Charity seem to be competitors And when you think that the commands of men contradict the commands of God and when the substance and the circumstances or modes of duty are in question before you as inconsistent or when the means seemeth to cease to be a means by crossing of the end and in abundance of such cases you cannot easily conceive what a snare it may prove to you to be ignorant of the Methods and Ranks of duty § 2. Object If that he so what man can choose but be confounded in his Religion when there be so few that observe any Method at all and few that agree in Method and none that hath published a Scheme or Method so exact and clear as to be commonly approved by Divines themselves What then can ignorant Christians do Answ. Divinity is like a Tree that hath one Trunk and thence a few greater arms or boughs and Stoici dââunt virtutes sibi invicem ita esse connexas ut qui unam habuerit omnes habâat âââââius ân ãâã thence a thousand smaller branches Or like the veins or nervs or arteries in the body that have first one or few trunks divided into more and those into a few more and those into more till they multiply at last into more than can easily be seen or numbered Now it is easie for any man to begin at the chief trunk and to discern the first divisions and the next though not to comprehend the number and order of all the extream and smaller branches So is it in Divinity It is not very hard to begin at the Unity of the Eternal God-head and see there a Trinity of Persons and of Primary attributes and of Relations and to arise to the principal attributes and works of God as in these Relations and to the Relations of man to God and to the great Duties of these Relations to discern Gods Covenants and chiefest Laws and the duty of man in obedience thereto and the Judgement of God in the execution of his sanctions though yet many particular truths be not understood And he that beginneth and proceedeth as he ought doth know methodically so much as he knoweth And he is in the right way to the knowledge of more And the great Mercy of God hath laid so great a necessity on us to know these few points that are easily known and so much less need of knowing the many small particulars that a mean Christian may live uprightly and holily and comfortably that well understandeth his Catechism or the Creed Lords Prayer and ten Commandments and may find daily work and consolation in the use of these § 3. A sound and well composed Catechism studied well and kept in memory would be a good measure of knowledge to ordinary Christians and make them solid and orderly in their understanding and in their proceeding to the smaller points and would prevent a great deal of ârror and miscarriage that many by ill teaching are cast upon to their own and the Churches grief Yea it were to be wished that some Teachers of late had learnt so much and orderly themselves Direct 4. BEgin not too early with Controversies in Religion and when you come to them let them Direct 4. have but their due proportion of your time and zeal But live daily upon these certain great substantials which all Christians are agreed in § 1. I. Plunge not your selves too soon into Controversies For 1. It will be exceedingly to your loss by diverting your souls from greater and more necessary things You may get more encrease of holiness and spend your time more pleasingly to God by drinking in deeper the substantials of Religion and improving them on your hearts and lives 2. It will corrupt your minds and instead of humility charity holiness and heavenly mindedness it will feed your Pride and kindle faction and a dividing zeal and quench your charity and possess you with a wrangling contentious Spirit and you will make a Religion of these sins and lamentable distempers 3. And it is the way to deceive and corrupt your judgements and make you erroneous or heretical to your own perdition and the disturbance of the Church For it 's two to one but either you presently err or else get such an itch after Notions and Opinions that will lead you to error at the last Because you are not yet ripe and able to judge of those things till your minds are prepared by those truths that are first in order to be received When you undertake a work that you cannot do no wonder if it be ill done and must be all undone again or worse Perhaps you will say That you must not take your Religion upon trust but must prove all things and held fast that which is good Answ. Though your Religion must not be taken upon trust there are many controverted smaller Opinions that you must take upon trust till you are capable of discerning them in their proper evidence Till you can reach them your selves you must take them on trust or not at all Though you must believe all things of common necessity to salvation with a Divine faith yet many subservient truths must be received first by a humane faith or not received at all till you are more capable of them Nay there is a humane faith necessarily subservient to the Divine faith about the substance of Religion and the Officers of Christ are to be trusted in their Office as helpers of your faith Nay let me tell you that while you are young and ignorant you are not fit for Controversies about the fundamentals of Religion themselves You may believe that there is a God long before you are fit
hold it with any that will drive us from it unless we will commit some sin Statedly we must hold it with the Church which regularly we are joyned to and live with and Occasionally we must hold it with all others where we have a call and opportunity who in the substance worship God according to his Word and force us not to sin in conformity to them It is not Schism to lament the sins of any Church or of all the Churches in the world The Catholick Church on earth consists of sinners It is not Schism to refuse to be partaker in any sin of the purest Church in the world Obedience to God is not Schism It is not Schism that you joyn not Bodily with those Congregations where you dwell not nor have any particular call to joyn with them Nor that you choose the pureââ and most edifying Society rather than one that is less pure and profitable to you âaeteris paribus supposing you are at liberty nor that you hold not Bodily Communion with that Church that will not suffer you to do it without sinning against God Nor that you joyn not with the purest Church when you are called to abide with one less pure But it is worse than Schism to separate from the Universal Church To separate from its Faith iâ Apostasie to infidelity To separate from it in some one or few essential Articles while you pretend to hold to Christ the Head is Heresie To separate from it in Spirit by refusing Holiness and not loveing such as are truly holy is damning ungodliness or wickedness To differ from it by any error of judgement or life against the Law of God is sin To magnifie any one Church or party so as to deny due Love and Communion to the rest is Schism To limit all the Church to your Party and deny all or any of the rest to be Christians and parts of the Universal Church is Schism by a dangerous breach of Charity And this is the principal Schism that I here admonish you to avoid It is Schism also to condemn unjustly any particular Church as no Church And it is Schism to withdraw your Bodily Communion from a Church that you were bound to hold that Communion with upon a false supposâtion that it is no Church or is not lawfully to be communicated with And it is Schism to make Divisions or parties in a Church though you divide not from that Church Thus I have briefly told you what is Schism § 4. 1. One pretence for Schism is Usurped Authority which some one Church may claim tâ Command others that owe them no subjection Thus Pride which is the Spirit of Hell having crepâ into the Church of Christ and animated Usurpations of Lordship and Dominion and contending for superiority hath caused the most dangerous Schisms in the Church that ever it was infested with The Bishop of Rome advantaged by the Seat and Constitution of that Empire having claimed the Government of all the Christian world condemneth all the Churches that will not be his subjects And âo hath made himself the Head of a Sect and of the most pernicious Schism that ever did rend the Church of Christ And the Bishop of Constantinople and too many more have followed the same Method in a lower degree exalting themselves above their Brethren and giving them Laws and then condemning and persecuting them that obey them not And when they have imposed upon other Churches their own usurped Authority and Laws they have laid the plot to call all men Schismaticks and Sectaries that own not their tyrannical Usurpation and that will not be Schismaticks and Sectaries with them And the cheat lyeth in this that they confound the Churches Unity with their pretended Authority and Schism with the refusal of subjection to them If you will not take them for your Lords they cry out that you divide from the Church As if we could hold Communion with no Churches but those whose Bishops we obey Communion with other Churches is maintained by Faith and Charity and Agreement in things necessary without subjection to them As we may hold all just Communion with the Churches in Armenia Arabia Russia without subjection to their Bishops so may we with any other Church besides that of which we are members Division or Schism is contrary to Unity and Concord and not to a Usurped Government Though disobedience to the Pastârs which God hath set over us is a sin and dividing from them is a Schism Both the Pope and all the lower Usurpers should do well first to shew their Commission from God to be our Rulers before they call it Schism to refuse their Government If they had not made better advantage of Fire and Sword than of Scripture and Argument the world would but have laughed them to scorn when they had heard them say All are Schismaticks that will not be our Subjects Our Dominion and will shall be necessary to the Unity of the Church The Universal Church indeed is One united under One Head and Governour but it is only Jesus Christ that is that Head and not any Usurping Vicar or Vice-Christ The Bishops of particular Churches are his Officers but he hath Deputed no Vicar to his own Office as the Universal Head Above all Sects take heed of this pernicious Sect who pretend their Usurped Authority for their Schism and have no way to promote their Sect but by calling all Sectaries that will not be Sectaries and Subjects unto them § 5. 2. Another pretence for Schism is the Numbers of the Party This is another of the Papists motives As if it were lawful to Divide the Church of Christ if they can but get the greater party They say We are the most and therefore you should yield to us And so do others where by the Sword they force the most to submit to them But we answer them As many as they are they are too few to be the Universal Church The Universal Church containing all true professing Christians is much more than they The Papists are not a third part if a fourth of the whole Church Papists are a corrupted Sect of Christians I will be against Dividing the Body of Christ into any Sects rather than to be one of that Sect or divided party which is the greatest § 6. 3. Another pretence for Schism is the soundness or Orthodoxness of a Party Almost all Sects pretend that they are wiser and of sounder judgement than all the Christian World besides yea those that most palpably contradict the Scriptures as the Papists in their half-communion and unintelligible service and have no better reason why they will so Believe or Do but because others have so Believed and Done already But 1. The greatest pretenders to Orthodoxness are not the most Orthodox 2. And if they were I can value them for that in which they excell without abating my due respect to the rest of the Church 3. For the whole Church is Orthodox in
would frighten the world out of their wits no doubt but other Bishops also would make use of it and say All are damned that will not be subject to us But if you would see the folly and mischief of Popery both in this and other points I refer you to my Treatise of the Catholick Church and my Key for Catholicks and my Safe Religion and my Disput at against Johnson and my Winding-sheet for Popery § 8. 3. Another temptation to confound you in your Religion is by filling your heads with practical 3 By Sârupuloâiây scrupulosity so that you cannot go on for doubting every step whether you go right and when you should cheerfully serve your Master you will do nothing but disquiet your minds with scruples whether this or that be right or wrong Your remedy here is not by caââing away all care of pleasing God or fear of sinning or by debauching conscience but by a cheerful and quiet obedience to God so far as you know his will and an upright willingness and endeavour to understand it better and a thankful receiving the Gospel-pardon for your failings and infirmities Be faithful in your obedience but live still upon Christ and think not of reaching to any such obedience as shall set you above the need of his merits and a daily pardon of your sins Do the best you can to know the will of God and do it But when you know the Essentials of Religion and obey sincerely let no remaining wants deprive you of the comfort of that so great a Mercy as proves your ââght to life âââânal In your sââking further for more knowledge and obedience let your care be such as tendeth to your profitting and furthering you to your end and as doth not hinder your joy and thanks for what you have received But that which destroyeth your joy and thankfulness and doth but perplex you and not further you in your way is but hurtful scrupulosity and to be laid by When you are right in the main thank God for that and be further solicitous so far as to help you on but not to hinder you It you send your servant on your message you had rather he went on his way as well as he can than stand scrupling every step whether he should set the right or left foot forward and whether he should step so far or so far at a time c. Hindering scruples please not God § 9. 4. Another way to confound you in your Religion is by setting you upon overdoing by inventions of your own when a poor soul is most desirous to please God the Devil will be Religious and set him upon some such taâk of Voluntary humility or Will-worship as the Apostle speaks of Col. 2. 18 20 21 22 23. or sât him upon some ensnaring unnecessary Vows or Resolutions or some Popâsh works of conââited supârerogation which is that which Solomon calleth being righte us overmuch Eccles. 7. 16. Thus many have made duties to themselves which God never made for them and taken that for sin which God never forbad them The Popish Religion is very much made up of such Commandments of their own and Traditions of men As if Christ had not made us work enough men are forward to make much more for themselves And some that should teach them the Laws of Christ do think that their Office is in vain unless they may also prescribe them Laws of their own and give them new Precepts of Religion Yea some that are the bitterest enemies to the strict observance of the Laws of God as if it were a tedious needless thing must yet needs load us with abundance of unnecessary Precepts of their own And thus Religion is mad both wear some and uncertain and a door set open for men to enlarge it and increase the burden at their pleasure Indeed Popeây is fitted to delude and quiet sleepy consciences and to torment with uncertainties the consciences that are awaked And there is something in the corrupted nature of man that inclineth him to some additions and voluntary service of his Own inventions as an offering most acceptable unto God Hence it is that many poor Christians do rashly intangle their consciences with Vows of circumstances and things unnecessary as to give so much to observe such dayes or hours in fasting and prayer not to do such or such a thing that in it self is lawful with abundance of such things which perhaps some change of providence may make accidentally their duty afterwards to do or disable them to perform their Vows And then these snares are ââââtârs on their pârplâxâd consciences perhaps as long as they live Yea some of the Autonomians teach the people that things Indifferent are the fittest matter of a Vow as to live single to pâssâss nothing to live in solitude and the like Indeed all things lawful when they are vowed must be performed But it is unfit to be Vowed if it be not first profitable and best for our selves or others and that which is best is not indifferent it being every mans duty to choose what is best Vows are to bind us to the performance of that which God had bound us to by his Laws before They are our expression of consent and resolution by a self-obligation to obey his will And not to make new duties or Religion to our selves which eâse would never have been our duty § 10. To escape these snares it is necessary that you take hâed of corrupting your Religion by burdens and mixtures of your own devising You are called to Obey Gods Laws and not to make Laws for your selves You may be sure that his Laws are just and good but yours may be bad and foolish When you obey him you may expect your reward and encouragement from him but when you will obey your selves you must reward your selves You may find it enough for you to keep his Laws without devising more work for your selves or feigning duties which he commanded not or sins which he forbad not Be not rash in making Vows Let them reach but unto necessary duties And let them have their due exceptions when they are about alterable things Or if you are entangled by them already consult with the most judicious able impartial men that you may come clearly âff without a wound There is a great deal of judgement and sincerity necessary in your Counsellors and a great deal of submission and self-denyal in your selves to bring you safely out of such a snare Avoid sin what ever you do for sinning is not the way to your deliverance And for the time to come be wiser and lay no more snares for your selves and clog not your selves with your own inventions but cheerfully obey what God commandeth you who hath Wisdom and Authority sufficient to make you perfect Laws Christs yoke is easie and his burden light Matth. 11. 30. and his Commandments are not grievous 1 John 5. 3. But if your mixtures and self-devised
of honour than of obscurity and contempt of mens praises and applause than of their disprââses slanders and repââââh of preâerment and greatness than of a low and mean condition of a delicious than of lâss tempting meats and drinks of curious costly than of mean and cheap and plain attire Let those that have hired out their reason to the service of their fleshly lusts and have delivered the Crown and Sâepter to their appetites think otherwise No wonder if they that have sold the birthright of their intellects to their senses for a meâs of Pottage for a Whore or a high place or a domineering power over others or a belly full of pleasant Meats or Liquors do deride all this and think it but a melancholy conceit more suitable to an Eremiâe or Anchorite than to men of society and business in the world As Heaven is the portion of serious believers and mortified Saints alone so it shall be proper to them alone to understand the doctrine and example of their Saviour and practically to know what it is to deny themselves and forsake all they have and take up their Cross and follow Christ and by the Spirit to mortifiâ the deeds of the body Luke 14. 26 27 28 29 33. Rom. 8. 5 6 7 13. Col. 3. 1 2 3 4. Such know that millions part with God for Pleasures but none for Griefs and that Hell will be stored with those that preferred Wealth and Honour and Sports and gluttony drink and filthy lusts before the Holiness and happiness of believers but none will be damn ed for preferring poverty and disgrace and abstinence hunger and thirst and chastity before them It must be something that seemeth good that must entice men fâom the chiefest Good Apparent Evil is no fit bait for the Devils hook Men will not displease God to be themselves displeased nor choose present sorrows instead of everlasting joyes but for the pleasures of sin for a season many will despise the endless pleasures § 23. Direct 10. Meet every motion to disobedience with an Army of holy Graces with wisdom and Direct 10. fear and hatred and resolution with Love to God with Zeal and courage and quench every spark that falls upon your hearts befâre it break out into a flame When sin is little and in its infancy it is weak and easily resisted It hath not then turned away the mind from God nor quenched grace and disablâd it to do its office But when it s grown strong then grace grows weak and we want its help and want the sense of the presence and Attributes and truths of God to rebuke it O stay not till your hearts are gone out of hearing and stragled from God beyond the observance of his Calls The Habit of Obedience will be dangerously abated if you resist not quickly the acts of sin § 24. Direct 11. Labour for the clearest understanding of the Will of God that doubtfulness about Direct 11. your duty do not make you flag in your obedience and doubtfulness about sin do not weaken your detestation and resistance and draw you to venture on it When a man is sure what is his Duty it is a great help against all temptations that would take him off And when he is sure that a thing is sinful it makes it the easier to resist And therefore it is the Dâvils Method to delude the understanding and make men believe that duty is no duty and sin is no sin and then no wonder if duty be neglected and sin committed And therefore he raiseth up one false Prâphet or other to say to Ahab Go and prosper or to say There is no hurt in this To dispute for sin and to dispute against Duty And it is almost incredible how much the Devil hath got when he hath once but made it a matter of Controversie Then every hypocrite hath a cloke for his sin and a dose of Opium for his Conscience when he can but say It is a Controversie some are of one mind and some of another you are of that Opinion and I am of this Especially if there be wise and learned on both sides and yet more if there be Religious men on both sides And more yet if he have an equal number on his side And most of all if he have the major Vote as error and sin have commonly in the world If Ahab have but four hundred lying flattering Prophets to one Micaiah he will think he may hate him reproach him and persecute him without any sââââple of Conscience If it be made a Controversie whether Bread be Bread and Wine be Wine when we see and taste it some will think they may venture to subscribe or swear that they hold the Negative if their credit or livings or lives lie upon it much more if they can say It is the judgement of the Church If it be once made a Controversie whether perjury be a sin or whether a Vow materially lawful bind or whether it be lawful to equivocate or lye with a mental reservation for the truth or to do the greatest evil or speak the falsest thing with a true and good intent and meaning almost all the hypocrites in the Countrey will be for the sinful part if their fleshly interest require it And will think themselves wronged if they are accounted hypocrites lyârs or perjured as long as it is but a Point of Controversie among learned men If it be once made a Controversie whether an Excommunicate King become a private man and it be lawful to kill him and whether the Pope may absolve the subjects of Temporal Lords from their Allegiance notwithstanding all their Oaths and if such Learned men as Zuarez Bellarmine Perron c. are for it to say nothing of Santarellus Mariana c. you shall have a Clement a Ravilliack a Faux yea too great choice of instruments that will be satisfied to strike the blow If many hold it may or must be dâne some will be found too ready to do it especially if an approved General Council Lateran sub Innâc 3. Can. 3. be for such Papal absolution We have seen at home how many will be emboldned to pull down Government to sit in Judgement on their King and condemn him and to destroy their Brethren if they can but say that such and such men think it lawful If it were but a Controversie once whether drunkenness whoredom swearing stealing or any villany be a sin or not it would be committed more commonly and with much less regret of conscience Yea good men will be ready to think that modesty requireth them to be less censorious of those that commit it because in controverted cases they must suspect their own understandings and allow something to the judgement of dissenters And so all the Rules of Love and Peace and Moderation which are requisite in Controversies that are about small and difficult points the Devil will make use of and apply them all to the patronage of
be improved Keep thus a just account of your Receivings and what Goods of your Masters is put into your hands And make it a principal part of your study to know what every thing in your hand is good for to your Masters use and how it is that he would have you use it § 9. Direct 6. Keep an account of your expences at least of all your most considerable talents and Direct 6. bring your selves daily or frequently to a reckoning what good you have done or endeavoured to do Every day is given you for some good work Keep therefore accounts of every day I mean in your conscience not in papers Every mercy must be used to some good Call your selves therefore to account for every mercy what you have done with it for your Masters vse And think not hours and minutes and little mercies may be past without coming into the account The servant that thinks he may do what his list with Shillings and Pence and that he is only to lay out greater summs for his Masters use and lesser for his own will prove unfaithful and come short in his accounts Less summs than pounds must be in our reckonings § 10. Direct 7. Take special heed that the common Thief your carnal-self either Personal or in your Direct 7. Relations do not rob God of his expected due and devour that which he requireth It is not for nothing that God calleth for the first fruits Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase so shall thy Barns be filled with plenty and thy Presses shall burst forth with new wine Prov. 3. 9 10. So Exod. 23. 16 19. 34. 22 26. Lev. 2. 12 14. Nehem. 10. 35. Ezek. 20. 40. 44. 30. 48. 14. For if carnal self might first be served its devouring greediness would leave God nothing Though he that hath Godliness with contentment hath enough if he have but food and rayment yet there will be but enough for themselves and children where men have many hundreds or thousands a year if once it fall into this Gulf. And indeed as he that begins with God hath the promise of his bountiful supplyes so he whose flesh must first be served doth catch such an hydropick thirst for more that all will but serve it And the Devil contriveth such necessities to these men and such Uses for all they have that they have no more to spare than poorer men and they can allow God no more but the leavings of the flesh and what it can spare which commonly is next to nothing Indeed though Holy uses in particular were satisfied with first fruits and limited parts yet God must have all and the flesh inordinately or finally have none Every penny which is laid out upon your selves and children and friends must be done as by Gods own appointment and to serve and please him Watch narrowly or else this thievish carnal self will leave God nothing § 11. Direct 8. Prefer greater duties caeteris paribus before lesser and labour to understand Direct 8. well which is the greater and to be preferred Not that any real duty is to be neglected But we call that by the name of Duty which is materially good and a duty in its season But formally indeed it is no duty at all when it cannot be done without the omission of a greater As for a Minister to be praying with his family or comforting one afflicted soul when he should be preaching publickly is to do that which is a duty in its season but at that time is his sin It is an unfaithful servant that is doing some little charâ when he should be saving a Beast from drowning or the house from burning or doing the greater part of his work § 12. Direct 9. Prudence is exceeding necessary in doing good that you may discern good from evil Direct 9. discerning the season and measure and manner and among divers duties which must be preferred Therefore labour much for Wisdom and if you want it your self be sure to make use of theirs that have it and ask their counsel in every great and difficult case Zeal without Iudgement hath not only entangled souls in many heinous sins but hath ruined Churches and Kingdoms and under pretence of exceeding others in doing good it makes men the greatest instruments of evil There is scarce a sin so great and odious but ignorant zeal will make men do it as a good work Christ told his Apostles that those that killed them should think they did God service And Paul bare record to the Sell all and give to the poor and follow mâ But sell not aâl except thou follow me that is Except thou have a vocation in which thou maist do as much good with little means as with great Lord Bacon Essay 13. the murderous persecuting Jews that they had a zeal of God but not according to knowledge Rom. 10. 2. The Papists murders of Christians under the name of Hereticks hath recorded it to the world in the blood of many hundred thousands how ignorant carnal zeal will do good and what Sacrifice it will offer up to God § 13. Direct 10. In doing good prefer the souls of men before the body caeteris paribus To convert Direct 10. a sinner from the error of his way is to save a soul from death and to cover a multitude of sins Jam. 5. 20. And this is greater than to give a man an alms As cruelty to souls is the most heinous cruelty as persecutors and soul-betraying Pastors will one day know to their remediless wo so mercy to souls is the greatest mercy Yet sometime Mercy to the Body is in that season to be preferred For every thing is excellent in its season As if a man be drowning or famishing you must not delay the relief of his body while you are preaching to him for his conversion but first relieve him and then you may in season afterwards instruct him The greatest duty is not alwayes to go first in time Sometimes some lesser work is a necessary preparatory to a greater And sometimes a corporal benefit may tend more to the good of souls than some spiritual work may Therefore I say still that PRUDENCE and an HONEST HEART are instead of many Directions They will not only look at the immediate benefit of a work but to its utmost tendency and remote effects § 14. Direct 11. In doing good prefer the good of many especially of Church or Common-wealth before Direct 11. the good of one or few For many are more worth than one And many will honour God and serve him more than one And therefore both piety and charity requireth it Yet this also must be Absurdum est unum âaâte vivere cum multi âsuriant Quanto enim gloriosâuâ est multis benefacere quam magnifice habitate Quanto prudentius in homines quam in lapides in auâum impânsas facere
Unbelief is one of the Causes of them and the sinfullest Cause § 2. And that the Article of Remission of sin is to be Believed with application to our selves is certain The Article of Remission of sin to be believed applyingly But not with the application of Assurance Perswasion or Belief that we are already pardoned but with an applying Acceptance of an offered pardon and Consent to the Covenant which maketh it ours We believe that Christ hath purchased Remission of sin and made a Conditional Grant of it in his Gospel to all viz. if they will Repent and Believe in him or take him for their Saviour or become Penitent Christians And we consent to do so and to accept it on these terms And we believe that all are actually pardoned that thus consent § 3. By all this you may perceive that those troubled Christians which doubt not of the truth of the Word of God but only of their own sincerity and consequently of their Justification and Salvation do ignorantly complain that they have not faith or that they cannot believe For it is no act of unbelief at all for me to doubt whether my own heart be sincere This is my ignorance of my self but it is not any degree of unbelief For Gods Word doth no where say that I am sincere and therefore I may doubt of this without doubting of Gods Word at all And let all troubled Christians know that they have no more unbelief in them than they have doubting or unbelief of the truth of the Word of God Even that despair it self which hath none of this in it hath no unbelief in it iâ there be any such I thought it needful thus far to tell you what unbelief is before I come to give you Directions against it And though the meer doubting of our own sincerity be no unbelief at all yet real unbelief of the very truth of the Holy Scriptures is so common and dangerous a sin and some degree of it is latent in the best that I think we can no way so much further the work of Grace as by destroying this The weakness of our faith in the truth of Scriptures and the remnant of our unbelief of it is the principal cause of all the languishings of our Love and Obedience and every Grace and to strengthen faith is to strengthen all What I have âullier written in my Saints Rest Part 2. and my Treatise against Infidelity I here suppose § 4. Direct 1. Consider well how much of Religion Nature it self teacheth and Reason without Direct 1. supernatural Revelation must needs confess as that there is another life which man was made for and that he is obliged to the fullest Love and Obedience to God and the rest before laid down ãâ¦ã in the world are perpetual visible Evidences in my eyes of the truth of the Holy Scriptures 1 That there should be so Universal and implacable a hatred against the godly in the common sort âf unrenewed men in all Agââ and Nations of the Earâh when thâse men deserve so well of them and do them no wrong âs a visible proof of Adams fall and he ãâã of a Saviour and a Sanctifier 2 That all those who are seriously Christians should be so far renewed and recovered from the common corruption as their heavenly âinds and lives and their wonderful difference from other men sheweth this is a visible proof that Christianity is of God 3. That God doth âo âlainly shew a particular special Providence in the converting and confirming souls by differencing Grace and work on the soul as the sanctified feel doth shew that indeed the work is his 4. That God doth so plainly grant many of his Servants prayers by special Providences doth prove his owning them and his ãâã 5. That God suffereth his Servants in all times and places ordinarily to suffer so much for his Love and Service from the world and flâsh dââh shew that there is a Judgement and Rewards and Punishments hereafter Or else our highest duty would be our greatest losâ and thân how should his Government of men be just 6. That the Renewed Nature which maketh men better and therefore is of God doth wholly look at the life to come and lead us to ât and live upon it this sheweth that such a life there is or else this would be delusory and vain and Goodness it self would be a deceit 7. When it is undenyable that de facto esse the world is not Governed without the Hopes and Fears of another life almost all Nations among the Heathens believing iâ and shewing by their very worshipping their dead Heroes as Gods that they believed that their soulâ did live and even the wicked generally being restrained by those hopes and fears in themselves And also that de posse it is not pââââible the world should be governed agreeably to mans rational nature without the hopes and fears of another life But men would be wââse than Beasts and all Villanies would be the allowed practice of the world As every man may feel in himself what he were like to be and do if he had no such restraint And there being no Doctrine or Life comparable to Christianity in their tendency to the life to come All these are visible staâding evidences assisted so much by common sense and reason and still apparent to all that they leave Infidelity without excuse and are ever at hand to help our faith and resist temptations to unbelief 8. And if the world had not had a Beginning according to the Scriptures 1. We should have found Monuments of Antiquity above sâx thousand years old 2. Arts and Sciences would have come to more perfection and Printing Guns c. not have been of so late invention 3. And so much of America and other parts of the world would not have been yet uninhabited unplanted or undiscovered Of Aâheâsm I have spoken before in the Introduction and Nature so clearly revealeth a God that I take it as almost needless to say much of it to sober men in the Introduction And then observe how congruously the doctrine of Christ comes in to help where Nature is at a loss and how exactly it suits with Natural Truths and how clearly it explaineth them and fully containeth so much of them as are necessary to salvation and how suitable and proper a means it is to attain their Ends and how great a testimony the Doctrines of Nature and Grace do give unto each other § 5. Direct 2. Consider that mans End being in the life to come and God being the righteous and Direct 2. merciful Governour of man in order to that End it must needs be that God will give him sufficient means to know his will in order to that end And that the clearest fullest means must needs demonstrate most of the Government and Mercy of God § 6. Direct 3. Consider what full and sad experience the world hath of its pravity and great
inspirations of their own So that the people were not left to the credulity of naked unproved assârtions of any one that would say that he was sent of God 7. There were some signs given by some of the Prophets to confirm their word As Isaiahs predictions of Hezekiahs danger and remedy and recovery and of the going back of the shadow on Ahaz dyall ten degrees c. And more such there might be which we know not of 8. All Prophecies were not of equal obligation The first Prophecies of any Prophet who brought no attestation by Miracles nor had yet spoken any Prophecie that had been fullfilled might be a merciful revelation from God which might oblige the hearers to a reverent regard and an enquiry into the authority of the Prophet and a waiting in suspense till they saw whether it would come to pass And the fullfilling of it increased their obligation Some Prophecies that foretold but temporal things captivities or deliverances might at first before the Prophets produced a Divine attestation be rather a bare prediction than a Law and if men believed them not it might not make them guilty of any damning sin at all but only they refused that warning of a temporal judgement which might have been of use to them had they received it 9. But our obligation now to believe the same Scripture Prophecies is greater because we live in the ages when most of them are fullfilled and the rest are attested by Christ and his Apostles who proved their attestations by manifold Miracles 10. When the Prophets reproved the known sins of the people and called men to such duties as the Law required no man could speed ill by obeying such a Prophet because the Matter of his Prophecies was found in Gods own Law which must of necessity be obeyed And this is the chief part of the recorded Prophecies 11. And any man that spake against any part of Gods Law of natural or super-natural revelation was not to be believed Deut. 13. 18. Because God cannot speak contrary to himself 12. But the Prophets themselves had another kind of obligation to believe their own Visions and Inspirations than any of their hearers had For Gods great extraordinary Revelation was like the Light which immediately revealed it self and constrained the understanding to know that it was of God And such were the Revelations that came by Angelical apparitions and Visions Therefore Prophets themselves might be bound to more than their bare word could have bound their hearers to As to wound themselves to go bare to feed on dung c. And this was Abrahams case in offering Isaack Yet God did never command a Prophet or any by a Prophet a thing simply evil but only such things as were of a mutable nature and which his will could alter and make to be good And such was the case of Abraham himself if well considered PART II. Directions against Hardness of Heart § 1. IT is necessary that some Christians be better informed what Hardness of Heart is who most complain of it The Metaphor is taken from the Hardness of any matter which a workman would make an impression on And it signifieth the passive and active Resistance of the heart against the Word and Works of God When it receiveth not the impressions which the Word should make and obâyeth not Gods Commands but after great and powerful means remâineth as it was before unmoved unaffected and disobedient So that Hardness of heart is not a distinct sin but the habitual power of every sin or the deadness unmoveableness and obstinacy of the heart in any sin So many duties and sins as there be so many wayes may the heart be hardned against the Wârd which forbiddeth those sins and commandeth those duties It is therefore an exâor that hath had very ill consequents on many persons to think that Hardness of Heart is nothing but a want of passionate feeling in the matters which concern the soul especially a want of sorrow and tears This hath made them over-careful for such tears and grief and passions and dangerously to make light of the many greater instances of the Hardness of their Hearts Many beginners in Religion who are taken up in penitential duties do think that all Repentance is nothing but a change of opinion except they have those passionate griefs and tears which indeed would well become the penitent And hereupon they take more pains with themselves to affect their hearts with sorrow for sin and to wring out tears than they do for many greater duties But when God calleth them to Love him and to Praise him and to be Thankful for his Mercies or to love an enemy or forgive a wrong when he calleth them to mortifie their earthly mindedness their carnality their pride their passion or their disobedience they yield but little to his call and shew here much greater Hardness of Heart and yet little complain of this or take notice of it I intreat you therefore to observe that the greater the Duty is the worse it is to Hardeâ the Heart against it And the greater the sin is the worse it is to Harden the heart by obstinacy in it And that the great duties are The Love of God and man with a mortified and heavenly mind and life and to resist Gods Word commanding these is the great and dangerous Hardning of the Heart The life of grace lyeth 1. In the preferring of God and Heaven and Holiness in the Estimation of our minds before all worldly things 2. In the Choosing them and Resolving for them with our Wills before all others 3. In the Seeking of them in the bent and drift of our Endeâvours These three make up a state of Holiness But for strength of parts or memory or expression and so for passionate affections of sorrow or joy or the tears that express them all these in their time and place and measure are desireable but not of necessity to salvation or to the life of grace They follow much the temperature of the body and some have much of them that have little or no grace and some want them that have much grace The work of Repentance consisteth most in lothing and falling out with our selves for our sins and in forsaking them with abhorrence and turning unto God And he that can do this without tears iâ truly penitent and he that hath never so many tears without this is impenitent still Non tamen ideo beatus est quia patienter mââer est Aâââââ âe âiââââl 14 c. 25 And that is the hard hearted sinner that will not be wrought to a love of Holiness nor let go his sin when God commandeth him but after all exhortations and mercies and perhaps afflictions is still the same as if he had never been admonished or took no notice what God hath been saying oâ doing to reclaim him Having thus told you what Hardness of heart is you may see that I have given you Directions
act Keep your hearts with all diligence for from thence are the issues of life Prov. 4. 23. Make the tree good and the fruit will be good But the viperous generation that are evil cannot speak good for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Math. 12. 33 34. Till the spirit have regenerated the soul all outward Religion will be but a dead and pittiful thing Though there is something which God hath appointed an unregenerate man to do in order to his own conversion yet no such antecedent act will prove that the person is justified or reconciled to God till he be converted To make up a Religion of doing or saying something that is good while the heart is void of the spirit of Christ and sanctifying grace is the Hypocrites Religion Rom. 8. 9. § 8. Direct 3. Make conscience of the sins of the thoughts and the desire and other affections or passions Direct 3. of the mind as well as of the sins of tongue or hand A lustful thought a malicious thought a proud ambitious or covetous thought especially if it proceed to a wish or contrivance or consânt is a sin the more dangerous by how much the more inward and neer the heart as Christ hath shewed you Mat. 5. 6. The Hypocrite who most respecteth the eye of man doth live as if his Thoughts were free § 9. Direct 4. Make conscience of secret sins which are committed out of the sight of men and may Direct 4. be concealed from them as well as of open and notorious sins If he can do it in the dark and secure his reputation the Hypocrite is bold But a sincere believer doth bear a reverence to his conscience and much more to the all-seeing God § 10. Direct 5. Be faithful in secret duties which have no witness but God and Conscience As meditation Direct 5. and self-examination and secret prayer And be not only Religious in the sight of men § 11. Direct 6. In all publick worship be more laborious with the heart than with the tongue or knee Direct 6. and see that your tongue over-run not your heart and leave it not behind Neglect not the due composure of your words and due behaviour of your bodys But take much more pains for the exercise of holy desires from a believing loving fervent soul. § 12. Direct 7. Place nât more in the externals or modes or circumstances or ceremonies of worship Direct 7. than is due and lay not out more zeal for indifferent or little things than cometh to their share but ãâ¦ã ed mââââad of hurt fuâââânes ceremonies be obâiteraââd by ceremoniâs Let the Prââsts perswade the novââââ that holy water Images âoâaââââ ãâã and âoâches and the rest which the Church alloweth and uââth are very âit for them and let them exââl them with many praises in their popular Sermons that instead of the old superstition they may be used to new and religious signs This is to quenth the âiâe with oyl let the great substantials of Religion have the precedencie and be far preferred before them Let the Love of God and man be the sum of your obedience And be sure you learn well what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice And remember that the great thing which God requireth of you is to do Iustice and love mercy and walk humbly with your God Destroy not him with your meat fâr whom Christ dyed Call not for fire from Heaven upon dissenters and think not every man intollerable in the Church that is not in every little matter of your mind Remember that the hypocrisie of the Pharisees is described by Christ as consisting in a zeal for their own traditions and the inventions of men and the smallest matters of the Ceremonial Law with a neglect of greatest moral duties and a furious cruelty against the spiritual worshipers of God Math. 15. 2. Why do thy disciples transgress the Tradition of the Elders for they wash not their hands when they eat bread v. 7. Ye Hypocrites well did Esaias prophesie of you saying This people draweth niââântâ me with their mouth and hââââureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me but in vain do they worship me teaching fâr doctrines the commandments of men Math. 23. 4 5 6 13 14 c. They bind heavy burdens which they touch not themselves All their works they do to be seen of men They make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the burdens of their garments and love the uppermost rooms at feasts and the chief sâats in the Synagogues and greetings in publick and to be called Rabbi But they shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men and were the greatest enemies of the entertainment of the Gospel by the people They tythed mint and annise and cummin and omitted the great matters of the Law Iudgement and Mercy and Faith They streined at a gnat and swallowed a Camel They had a great veneration for the dead Prophets and Saints and yet were persecuters and murderers of their successors that were living v. 23 c. By this description you may see which way Hypocrisie doth most ordinarily work even to a blind and bloody zeal for opinions and traditions and ceremonies and other little things to the treading down the interest of Christ and his Gospel and a neglect of the life and power of Godliness and a cruel persecuting those servants of Christ whom they are bound to love above their ceremonies I marvel that many Papists tremble not when they read the Character of the Pharisees But that hypocrisie is a hidden sin and is an enemy to the light which would discover it § 13. Direct 8. Make conscience of the duties of obedience to superiors and of justice and mercy Direct 8. towards men as well as of acts of piety to God Say not a long mass in order to devour a widows house or a Christians life or reputation Be equally exact in justice and mercy as you are in prayers And labour as much to exceed common men in the one as in the other Set your selves to do all the good you can to all and do hurt to none And do to all men as you would they should do to you § 14. Direct 9. Be much more busie about your selves than about others and more censorious of Direct 9. your selves than of other men and more strict in the Reforming of your selves than of any others For this is the character of the sincere When the Hypocrite is little at home and much abroad and is a sharp reprehender of others and perniciously tender and indulgent to himself Mark his discourse in all companies and you shall hear how liberal he is in his censures and bitter reproach of others How such men and such men that differ from him or have opposed him or that he hates are thus and thus faulty and bad and hateful Yea he is as great an accuser of his
adversaries for Hypocrisie as if he were not an Hypocrite himself Because he can accuse them of a Heart-sin without any visible control If he called them Drunkards or Swearers or Persecutors or Oppressors all that know them could know that he belyeth them but when he speaks about matters in the It is one of Thaâes sayings in Laâât Q. Quomodo optime ac justissime vâvemus Resp. si quae in aliis reprehendimâs ipsi non faciamus To judge of our selves as we judge of others is the way of the since re dark he thinks the reputation of his lies have more advantage Many a word you hear from him how bad his adversaries are but if such hypocritical talk did not tell you he would not tell you how bad he is himself § 15. Direct 10. Be impartial and set your selves before your consciences in the Case of others Direct 10. Think with your selves How should I Judge of this in such and such a man that I use to blame What should I say of him if my adversary did as I do And is it not as bad in me as in him Is not the sin most dangerous to me that is nearest me And should I be more vigilant over any mans faults than my own My damnation will not be caused by his sin but by my own it may Instead of seeing the gnat in his eye I have more cause to cast out a gnat from my own than a camel from his § 16. Direct 11. Study first to be whatever judiciously you desire to seem Desire a thousand Direct 11. times more to be Godly than to seem so and to be liberal than to be thought so and to be blameless Cato homo virtuââ simillimus qui nunquam rectè fecit ut facere videretur sed quia aliter faceâe non poterat cuique id solum visum est rationem habere quod haberet justitiam Veleâus Patârââl l. 2. from every secret or presumptuous sin than to be esteemed such And when you feel a desire to be accounted good let it make you think how much more necessary and desirable it is to be good indeed To be godly is to be an heir of Heaven Your salvation followeth it But to be esteemed Godly is of little profit to you § 17. Direct 12. Overvalue not man and set no more by the approbation or applause of his thoughts Direct 12. or speeches of you than they are worth Hypocrisie much consisteth in overvaluing man and making too great a matter of his thoughts and words The Hypocrites Religion is Divine in Name but Humane Jâm in ecclesiis ista quâtuntur omissa Apâsâolicorum simplicitaâe puritate verborum quasi ad Athenaeânâ ad auditoria converitus ut plauâus circumstantiuâ suscitentur ut oratio rhâtoâicae artis facata mendacio quasi quaedam meretricula procedaâ in publiâum non tam eâudâtura populos quam favorem populi quaesiâuâa Hi. oâ iâ prâs l. 3. in Galat. in deed It is man that he serveth and observeth most and the shame of the world is the evil which he most studiously avoideth And the high esteem and commendation of the world is his Reward O think what a silly worm is man And of how little moment are his thoughts or speeches of you in comparison of the Love of God His thoughts of you make you not the better or the worse And if they either lift you up or trouble you it is your proud and foolish fantasie that doth it when you might choose If you have not lost the key and government of your hearts shut you the door and keep all thence and let mens reproaches go no further than your ears and then what the worse will you be for all the liyâs and slanders of the world And besides the pleasing of an effeminate mind what the better are you for their applause § 18. Direct 13. Look upon all men that you converse with as ready to die and turn to dust and Direct 13. passing into that world where you will be little concerned in their censure or esteem of you If you do any thing before an infant you little care for his presence or observation of you Much less if it be before the dead If you knew that a man were to die to morrow though he were a Prince you would not be much sollicitous to avoid his censure or procure his applause because his thoughts all perish with him and it is a small matter what he thinks of you for a day Seeing therefore that all men are hasting to their dust and you are certain that all that applaud or censure you will be quickly gone how little should you regard their judgement Look that man in the face whose applause you desire or whose censure you fear and remember that he is a breathing clod of clay and how many such are now in the grave whose thoughts you once as much esteemed and this will make you more indifferent in the case § 19. Direct 14. At least remember that you are passing out of the world your selves and look every Direct 14. moment when you are called away and certainly know that you shall be here but a little while And is it any great matter what strangers think of you as you are passing by You can be contented that your name and worth and vertues be concealed in your Inn where you stay but a night and that they be unknown to travellers that meet you on the road The foolish expectation of more time on earth than God hath given you warrant to expect is the cause that we overvalue the judgement of man as well as other earthly things and is a great maintainer of every sensual vice § 20. Direct 15. Set your selves to the mortifying of Self-love and Pride For Hypocrisie is but Direct 15. the exercise of these Hypocrisie is dead so far as Pride is dead and so far as self-denial and humility prevail Hypocrisie is a proud desire to appear better than you are Be throughly humbled and vile in your own eyes and Hypocrisie is done § 21. Direct 16. Be most suspicious of your hearts in cases where self-interest or Passions are engaged Direct 16. For they will easily deal deceitfully and cheat your selves in the smoke and dust of such distempers Interest and Passion so blind the mind that you may verily think you are defending the truth and serving God in sincerity and zeal when all the while you are but defending some error of your own and serving your selves and fighting against God The Pharisees thought they took part with Gods Law and truth against Christ The Pope and his Cardinal and Prelates think as in charity I must think that it is for Christ and Unity and Truth that they endeavour to subject the world to their own power And what is it but Interest that blindeth them into such Hypocrisie So passionate disputers do ordinarily deceive themselves and think verily
that they are zealous for the faith when they are but contending for their honour or conceits Passion covers much deceit from the passionate § 22. Direct 17. Suspect your selves most among the great the wise the learned and the godly or Direct 17. any whose favour opinion or applause you most esteem It is easie for an arrant Hypocrite to despise the favour or opinion of the vulgar of the ignorant of the prophane or any whose judgement he contemneth It is no great honour or dishonour to be praised or dispraised by a child or fool or a person that for his ignorance or prophaness is become contemptible But Hypocrisie and Pride do work most to procure the esteem of those whose judgement or parts you most admire One most admireth worldly greatness and such a one will play the Hypocrite most to flatter or please the great ones he admireth Another that is wiser more admireth the judgement of the wise and learned and he will play the Hypocrite to procure the good esteem of such though he can sleight a thousand of the ignorant and his pride it self will make him sleight them Another that is yet wiser is convinced of the excellency of Godly men above all the Great and Learned of the world And this man is more in danger of Pride and Hypocrisie in seeking the good opinion of the Godly and therefore can despise the greatest multitudes of the ignorant and prophane Yea pride it self will make him take it as an addition to his glory to be vilified and opposed by such miscreants as these § 23. Direct 18 Remember the perfections of that God whom you worship that he is a Spirit and Direct 18. therefore to be worshipped in Spirit and in truth and that he is most great and terrible and therefore to be worshipped with sâri usnâss and reverence and not to be dallyed with or served with toyes or lifeless lip-service and that he is most holy pure and jealous and therefore to be purely worshipped and that âe is still present with you and all things are naked and open to him with whom we have to do The knowledge of God and the remembrance of his all-seeing presence is the most powerful means against Hypocrisie Christ himself argueth from the Nature of God who is a Spirit against the hypocritical ceremoniousness of the Samaritans and Iews Iohn 4. 23 24. Hypocrites offer that to God which they know a man of ordinary wisdom would scorn if they offered it to him If a man knew their hearts as God doth would he be pleased with words and complements and gestures which are not accompanied with any suitable seriousness of the mind Would he be pleased with affected histrionical actions One that seeth a Papist Priest come out in his Formalities and there lead the people in a Language which they understand not to worship God by a number of Ceremonies and canting repeated customary words would think he saw a Stage-player acting his part and not a wise and holy people seriously worshipping the most holy God And not only in worship but in private duties and in converse with men and in all your lâves the remembrance of Gods presence is a powerful rebuke for all hypocrisie It is more foolish to sin in the sight of God because you can hide it from the world than to steal or commit adultery in the open Market-place before the crowd and be careful that Dogs and Crows discern it not If all the world see you it is not so much as if God in secret see you Be not deceived God is not mocked Gal. 6. 7. § 24. Direct 19. Remember how Hypocrisie is hated of God and what punishment is appointed for Direct 19. Hypocrites They are joyned in torment with unbelievers and as wicked mens punishment is aggravated by their being condemned to the fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels so the punishment of ordinary ungodly persons is aggravated by this that their portion shall be with hypocrites and unbelievers How oft find you the Lamb of God himself denouncing his thundering Woes against the hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees How oft doth he inculcate to his Disciples Be not as the Hypocrites Matth. 6. 2 5 16. And no wonder if Hypocrites be hateful to God when they and their services are lifeless Images and have nothing but the Name and outside of Christianity and some antick dress to set them off and humane ornaments of Wit and Parts as a Corpse is more drest with Flowers than the living as needing those Ceremonies for want of life to keep them sweet And a Carrion is not amiable to God And the Hypocrite puts a scorn on God as if he thought that God were like the Heathens Idols that have eyes and see not and could not discern the secret dissemblings of his heart or as if he were like fools and children that are pleased with fair words and little toyes God must needs hate such abuse as this § 25. Direct 20. Come into the Light that your hearts and lives may be throughly known to you Direct 20. Love the most searching faithul Ministry and Books and be thankful to reprovers and plain dealing friends Permanent tepidi âgnavi neglâgântes Vaââ leves voluptââsi delâcaââ commoda corporis supersâua sectantur suâm compendium in omnibus quaeâunt ubicunque honoâem existimationem nominis sui integra seâvaâe possunt Iââus prâpriae voluntaââ perâânacâter addââââ irreââgnââ minime abnegati superbi curiosi contumaces sunt in omnibuâ licet ââterne coram hominibus bene mââati videantur In tentationibus impatientes amari procaces iracundi ârisâes aliis molestâ verbis tamen ingenioque seââââ In prosperis nimium eâaâi hilaâes In adversis nâmâum turbaâi sunt pusilâanimes Aâiorum temeraââââ sunt judices aliorum vitia accuratissime perscrutari de aliorum defectibus frequenter gaââââre aâ gloââari egregium putant Ex istis simiââbus operibus facillime cognosci poterunt nam moribus gestibusque suis câu sorex quispiam suopte sâmet judicio produââ Thaâle âloâ pag. 65 66. Darkness is it that cherisheth deceit It is the office of the Light to manifest Justly do those wretches perish in their hypocrisie who will not endure the light which would undeceive them but fly from a plain and powerful Ministry and hate plain reproof and set themselves by excuses and cavils to defend their own deceit § 26. Direct 21. Be very diligent in the examining of your hearts and all your actions by the Word Direct 21. of God and call your selves often to a strict account Deceit and guilt will not endure strict examination The Word of God is quick and powerful discovering the thoughts and imaginations of the heart There is no Hypocrite but might be delivered from his own deceits if by the assistance of an able Guide he would faithfully go on in the work of self-trying without partiality oâ sloth § 27. Direct
liberty were it as long as we live if it be necessary to the saving of our brethrens souls by removing the offence which hindereth them by prejudice We mâst not seek our own carnal ends but the benefit of others and do them all the good we can § 6. 3. As our neighbour is commanded to Love us as himself we are bound by all lawful means to render our selves amiable to him that we may help and facilitate this his Love as it is more necessary to him than to us For to help him in obeying so great a command must needs be a great duty And therefore if his very sin possess him with prejudice against us or cause him to distaste us for some indifferent thing we must as far as we can lawfully remove the cause of his prejudice and dislike Though he that hateth us for obeying God must not be cured by our disobeying him we are so far from being obliged to displease men by surliness and morasity that we are bound to pleasing gentleness and brotherly kindness and to all that carriage which is necessary to care their sinful hatred or dislike § 7. 4. We must not be self-conceited and prefer a weak unfurnished judgement of our own before the greater wisdom of another but in honor must prefer each other and the ignorant must honour the knowledge and parts of others that excel them and not be stiff in their own opinion nor wise in their own eyes nor undervalue another mans reasons or judgement but be glad to learn of any that can teach them in the humble acknowledgement of their own insufficiency § 8. 5. Especially we must reverence the judgement of our able faithful Teachers and not by pride set up our weaker judgement against them and resist the truth which they deliver to us from God Neither must we set light by the censures or admonitions of the lawful Pastors of the Church When they are agreeable to the word and judgement of God they are very dreadful As Tertullian Gal. 5. 10. 1 Cor. 5. saith If any so offend as to be banished from communion of prayer and assembly and all holy commerce it is a judgement foregoing the great judgement to come Yea if the Officers of Christ should wrong you in their censures by passion or mistake while they act in their own charge about matters belonging to their cognisance and judgement you must respectfully and patiently bear the wrong so as not to dishonour and contemn the authority and office so abused § 9. 6. If sober godly persons that are well acquainted with us do strongly suspect us to be faulty where we discern it not our selves it should make us the more suspitious and fearful and it judicious persons fear you to be Hypocrites and no sound Christians by observing your temper and course of life it should make you search with the greater fear and not to disregard their judgement And if judicious persons especially Ministers shall tell a poor fearful doubting Christian that they verily think their state is safe it may be a great stay to them and must not be sleighted as nothing though it cannot give them a certainty of their case Thus far mans judgement must be valued § 10. 7. A good name among men which is the reputation of our integrity is not to be neglected as a thing of naught for it is a mercy from God for which we must be thankful and it is a useful means to our succesful serving and honouring God And the more eminent we are and the more the honour of God and Religion is joyned with ours or the good of mens souls dependeth Qui ãâ¦ã Non solem veritas in hac parte sed etiam opinio studiose quaerenda est ut te hypoââââam agere interdum mânâme poeââtâat said ãâ¦ã harshly enough to Acosta âââi 4. c. 17. p. 413. on our reputation the more careful we should be of it and it may be a duty sometimes to vindicate it by the Magistrates justice against a slander Especially Preachers whose success for the saving of their hearers depends much on their good name must not despise it § 11. 8. The censurers of the most petulant and the scorns of enemies are not to be made light of as they are their sins which we must lament nor as they may provoke us to a more diligent search and careful watchfullness over our waies Thus far mans judgement is regardable § 12. But 1. We must know how frail and erroneous and unconstant a thing man is and therefore not be too high in our expectations from man We must suppose that men will mistake us and wrong us and slander us through ignorance passion prejudice or self-interest And when this befals us we must not account it strange and unexpected § 13. 2. We must consider how far the enmity that is in lapsed man to holiness and the ignorance 1 Pet. 4 1â 13 c. 1 Cor. 4. 12 13. Acts ââ â2 Acts 24 5 6. Mat. 5. 10. ââ 1â prejudice and passion of the ungodly will carry them to despise and scorn and slander all such as seriously and zealously serve God and cross them in their carnal interest And therefore if for the sake of Christ and righteousness we are accounted as the scorn and off-scouring of all things and as pestilent fellows and movers of sedition among the people and such as are unworthy to live and have all manner of evil spoken of us falsly it must not seem strange or unexpected to us nor cast us down but we must bear it patiently yea and exceedingly rejoyce in hope of our reward in Heaven § 14. 3. Considering what remnants of pride and self-conceitedness remain in many that have true grace and how many Hypocrites are in the Church whose Religion consisteth in Opinions and their several modes of worship we must expect to be reproached and abused by such as in Opinions and Modes and Circumstances do differ from us and take us therefore as their adversaries A great deal of injustice sometime by slanders or reproach and sometimes by greater violence must be expected from contentious professors of the same Religion with our selves especially when the interest of their faction or cause requireth it and especially if we bring any truth among them which seemeth new to them or crosseth the opinions which are there in credit or would be Reformers of them in any thing that is amiss § 15. 4. No men must be Pleased by sin nor their favour preferred before the pleasing of God Mans favour as against God is to be despised and their displeasure made light of It doing our duty will displease them let them be displeased we can but pitty them § 16. 5. We must place none of our happiness in the favor or approbation of men but account it as to our selves to be a matter of no great moment neither worth any great care or endeavour to obtain it or grief for losing
knoweth not in this age shall not know for me We need not go to Paul and Barnabas for an instance that was a far lighter case Nor to Epiphanius Hierom and Chrysostome nor to those Agâs and Tragedies of contending Bishops that in the Eastern and Western Churches have been before us Every one thinking his cause so plain I may aâd that you have ãâ¦ã to ãâ¦ã Aâd th ãâ¦ã are ãâ¦ã speaks like onâ that âaâh an Uââââr that at first is hurt with every touch and at last even with the suspicion of a touch Tutuâ aliqua âes in ãâ¦ã praestat nulla securum Putat enim eâiamsi non deprehenditur se posse deprâhendi inter somnos moveâur ãâ¦ã loquitur de suo cogâtat Sen. Epis. 106. Et. Ep. 97. Prima maxima peccantium poena est peccassâ Hââââ âââândâ poenâ prâmunt sequuntur tââere sempeâ expavescere securitaâi diffidere Tyraâno amici quoque saepe âââââctâ suââ Tu eâgo si tyrannâdâm tuto tenere cupâs atque in ea constabiliri civitatis principes tolle sive illi amicâ sive inimici vâdâantur ãâ¦ã iâââââst Pââiaâd iâ Laârtio Pleâoâumque ingenium est ut errata aliorum vel minima persââutentur beâeâacta vââo vel in pâopatulo posita praeteâeant sicuâ Vultures corpora viva saâa non sentiunt morticina vero cadavera tamâââââenge remota odore persequuntur Gaââââdus iâ Aâcan Iâsuit p. 55. as to justifie himself in all that he saith and doth against those that presume to differ from him And surely you may well expect some displeasure even from good and learned men when the Churches have felt such dreadful concussions and bleedeth to this day by so horrid divisions through the remnants of that Pride and Ignorance which her Reverend Guides have still been guilty of § 47. 12. You have men of great Mutability to please That one hour may be ready to worship you as Gods and the next to stone you or account you as Devils as they did by Paul and Christ himself What a Weather-cock is the mind of man especially of the vulgar and the temporizers When you have spent all your dayes in building your reputation on this Sand one blast of Wind or Storm at last doth tumble it down and all your ââst and labour is lost Serve men as submissively and carefully as you can and after all some accident or failing of their unrighteous expectations may make all that ever you did forgotten and turn you out of the world with Wolsey's groans If I had served God as faithfully as man I had been better rewarded and not forsaken in my distrâss How many have fallen by the hands or frowns of those whose favour they had dearly purchased perhaps at the price of their salvation If ever you put such confidence in a friend as not to consider that it is possible he may one day prove your enemy you know not man and may perhaps be better taught to know him to your cost § 48. 13. Every man living shall unavoidably be engaged by God himself in some duties which are very lyable to misconstruction and will have an outside and appearance of evil to the offence of those that know not all the inside and circumstances And hence it comes to pass that a great part of History is little worthy of regard Because the actions of publick persons are discerned but by the halves by most that write of them They write most by hearsay or know but the outside and seemings of things and not the Spirit and life and reality of the case Men have not the choosing of their own duties but God maketh them by his Law and Providence And it pleaseth him oft to try his servants in this kind Many of the circumstances of their actions shall remain unknown to men that would justifie them if they knew them and account them as notorious scandalous persons because they know them not How like to evil was the Israelites taking the goods of the Egyptians and how likely to lay them open to their censure So was Abrahams attempt to sacrifice his Son And so was Davids eating the Shew-bread and dancing almost naked before the Ark Christs eating and drinking with publicans and sinners Pauls circumcising Timothy and purifying in the Temple with abundance such like which fall out in the life of every Christian. No wonder if Iâseph thought once of putting Mary away till he knew the evidence of her miraculous conception And how lyable was she to censure by those that knew it not O therefore how vain is the judgement of man And how contrary are they frequently to the truth And with what caution must History be read And O how desirable is the great day of God when all humane censure shall be justly censured § 49. 14. The perversness of many is so great that they require contradictions and impossibilities of you to tell you that they are resolved never to be pleased by you If Iohn use fasting they say He hath a Devil If Christ come eating and drinking they say behold a gluttonous person and a wine-bibber a Matth. 11 18 19. friend of publicans and sinners If your judgement and practice be conformable to superiours especially if it have admitted of a change you shall be judged meer Knaves and Temporizers If it be not you shall be judged disobedient refractory and seditious If you speak fair and pleasingly they will call you flatterers and dissemblers If you speak more freely though in a necessary case they will say you rail Iâ I accept of prefârment they will say I am ambitious proud and worldly If I refuse it how modestly soever they will say I am discontented and have seditious designs If I preach not when I am forbidden I shall be accused as forsaking the Calling I undertook and obeying man against God Iâ I do preach I shall be accounted disobedient and seditious If a friend or kinsman desire me to help him to some place or preferment which he is not âit for or which would tend to anothers wrong if I should grant his desire I shall be taken for dishonest that by partiality wrong another If I deny it him I shall be called unnatural or unfriendly and worse than an Infidel If I give to the poor as long as I have it I shall be censured for ceasing when I have no more They that know not whether you have it to give or not will be displeased if you do not And if many years you should maintain them freely it is all as nothing as soon as you cease either because your stock is spent or because some other is made the necessary object of your Charity If you be wronged in your estate if you go to Law they will say you are contentious If you let go your estate to avoid contention they will say you are silly fools or ideoâs If you do any good works of charity to the knowledge of men they will
than they are 11. He is one that is not subject to the passions of men which blind their minds and carry them to injustice 12. He is one that will not be moved by tale-bearers whisperers or false-accusers nor can be perverted by any misinformation § 61. Consider also the Benefits of taking up with the Pleasing of God 1. The Pleasing of him is your Happiness it self The matter of pure and full and constant comfort which you may have continually at hand and no man can take from you Get this and you have the end of man Nothing can be added to it but the perfection of the same Which is Heaven it self § 62. 2. What abundance of disappointments and vexations will you scape which tear the very hearts of man-pleasers and fill their lives with unprofitable sorrows § 63. 3. It will guide and order your cares and desires and thoughts and labours to their right and proper end and prevent the perverting of them and spending them in sin and vanity on the creature § 64. 4. It will make your lives not only to be Divine but this Divine life to be sweet and easy while you set light by humane censures which would create you prejudice and difficulties When others glory in wit and wealth and strength you would glory in this that you know the Lord. Jer. 9. 23 § 65. 5. As God is above man thy heart and life is highly ennobled by having so much respect to God and rejecting inordinate respect to man This is indeed to walk with God § 66. 6. The sum of all graces is contained in this sincere desire to please thy God and contentedness in this so far as thou findest it attained Here is faith and humility and love and holy desire and trust and the fear of God concentered You sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and make him your fear and dread and Sanctuary Isa. 8. 13 14. § 67. 7. If humane approbation be good for you and worth your having this is the best way to it for God hath the disposal of it If a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16. 7. Appeasing their wrath or restraining them from intended evil or doing us good by that which they intend for hurt § 68. See therefore that you live upon Gods approbation as that which you chiefly seek and will suffice Signs you Which you may discover by these signs 1. You will be most careful to understand the Scripture to know what doth please and displease God 2. You will be more careful in the doing of every duty to fit it to the pleasing of God than man 3. You will look to your Hearts and not only to your actions To your ends and thoughts and the inward manner and degree 4. You will look to secret duties as well as publick and to that which men see not as well as unto that which they see 5. You will reverence your consciences and have much to do with them and will not slight them When they tell you of Gods displeasure it will disquiet you When they tell you of his approbation Non est idonâuâ Philosopââae discipuluâ quâ sâultum pudââem nân possit contemnâre Id. ioâd p. 728. it will comfort you 6. Your pleasing men will be charitable for their good and pious in order to the pleasing of God and not proud and ambitious for your honour with them nor impious against the pleasing of God 7. Whether men be pleased or displeased or how they judge of you or what they call you will seem a small matter to you as to your own interest in comparison of Gods judgement You live not on them You can bear their displeasure censures and reproaches if God be but pleased These will be your evidences PART V. Directions against Pride and for Humility § 1. PRIDE being reputed the great sin of the Devil by which he sell is in the name and Of this subject read the preface to my Book of self-denial and Chap. 41. to Chap. 51. general notion of it infamous and odious with allmost all but the nature of it is so much unknown and the sin so undiscerned by the most that it is commonly cherished while it is commonly spoke against Therefore the chief Directions for the conquering of it are those that are for the full discovery of it For when it is seen it is shamed and to shame it is to destroy it § 2. Direct 1. Understand aright the nature of Pride that you may neither ignorantly retain it nor Direct 1. oppose your duty as supposed to be Pride Here I shall tell you 1. What Pride is and what commandment it is against And what Humility is which is its contrary 2. Some seemings or appearances like Pride which may make men censured as Proud for that which is not Pride 3. The counterfeits of Humility which may make a Proud man seem to himself or others to be Humble § 3. I. PRIDE is an inordinate self-exalting or a lifting up our selves above the state or degree Pride what appointed us It is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã because it is an appearing to our selves and a desire to appear to others above what we are or above others of our quality It is a branch of SELFISHNESS and containeth man-pleasing as before described and produceth Hypocrisie and is its original and life It containeth in it these following acts or parts 1. A will to be higher or greater than God would have us be 2. An overvaluing of our selves or esteeming our selves to be Greater Wiser or Better than indeed we are 3. A desire that others should think of us and speak of us and use us as greater or wiser or better than we are 4. An endeavour or seeking to rise above our appointed place or to be overvalued by others 5. An ostentation of our inordinate self-esteem in outward signs of speech or action Every one of these is an act of Pride The three first are the inward acts of it in the Mind and Will and the two last are its external acts § 4. As the Love of God and man are the comprehensive duties of the Decalogue expressed most Against what Commandment in the first and last Commandment but yet extending themselves to all the rest so SELFISHNESS and PRIDE which is a principal part of it are the opposite sins forbidden principally in the first and last Commandment as contrary to the Love of God and man but so as it is contrary to the rest They are sins against the very Relation it self that God and man do stand in to us and not only against a particular Law They are against the very constitution of the Kingdom of God and not only against the Administration It is Treason or Idolatry against God and a setting up our selves in some part of his prerogative And it is a monstrous extuberancie in the Body and a rising of one
thou be proud Why Devils possessing thy body are not so bad or hurtful to thee as sin in thy soul. The sight of a sin should more take down thy pride than the sight of a Devil Should that man be proud that hath lived as thou hast lived and sinned as thou hast sinned from thy childhood untill now that hath lost so much time and abused so much mercy and neglected so much means and omitted so many duties to God and man and been guilty of so many sinful thoughts and so many false or foolish words and hath broken See my Treatise of Self-ignorance all the Laws of God Should not he be deeply humbled that hath yet so much ignorance error unbelief hypocrisie sensuality worldliness hard-heartedness security uncharitableness lust envy malice impatience and selfishness as is in thee Should not thy very Pride it self be matter of thy great humiliation to think that so odious a sin should yet so much prevail Look thus on thy leprous defiled soul and turn thy very Pride against it self Know thy self and thou canst not be Proud § 93. Direct 12. Look also to the desert of all thy sins even unto Hell it self and try if that will Direct 12. bring thee low Though Pride came from Hell effectively yet Hell objectively may afford thee a remedy against it Think on the worm that never dyeth and the fire that never shall be quenched and consider whether Pride become that soul that hath deserved these Wilt thou be proud in the way to thy damnation Thou mightest better be proud of thy Chains and Rope when thou art going to the Gallows Think whether the miserable souls in Hell are now minding neat and well set attire or seeking for dominion honour or preferment or contending who shall be the greatest or striving for the highest rooms or setting out themselves to the admiration and applause of men or quarrelling with others for undervaluing or dishonouring them Do you think there is any place or matter there for such works of Pride when God abaseth them § 94. Direct 13. Look to the day of Iudgement when all proud thoughts and looks shall be taken Direct 13. down and to the endless misery threatned to the proud Think of that world in which your souls must ere long appear before the Great and Holy God whose Presence will abase the proudest sinner When the Tyrants and Gallants and Wantons of the Earth must with trembling and amazement give up their accounts to the most righteous Judge of all the world then where are their lofty looks and language Then where is their glory and gallantry and proud imperious domineering and their scornful despising the humble lowly ones of Christ Would you then think that this is the same man that lately could scarce be seen or spoken with that looked so big and swaggered it out in wealth and honour Is this he that could not endure a scorn or to be slighted or undervalued or plainly reproved that must needs have the honour and precedency in wit and greatness and command Is this the man that thought he was perfect and had no sin or that his sins were so small as not to need the humiliation renovation and holy diligence of the Saints Is this the woman that spent half the day in dressing up her self and house and furniture for the view of others and must needs be in the newest or the neatest fashion that was wont to walk in an artificial pace with a wandring eye in a wanton garb as if she were too good to tread on the earth Oh then how the case will be altered with such as these Can you believe and consider how you must be judged by God and yet be Proud § 95. Direct 14. Look to the Devils themselves that tempt you to be Proud and see what Pride Direct 14. hath brought them to and remember that a proud man is the Image of the Devil and Pride is the Devils special sin He that envyeth your happiness knoweth by sad experience the way to misery and therefore tempteth you to be proud that you may come by the same Way to the same End that he himself is come to The Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgement of the great day Jude 6. § 96. Direct 15. Look well upon thy self both body and soul and think whether thou be a person Direct 15. fit for Pride God hath purposely clothed thine immortal soul in the course attire of corruptible flesh and placed it in so poor and ruinous a Cottage that it might be kept from pride yea he made this frail and corruptible body to be a constitutive part of our very persons that in knowing it we may know our selves Some will have a dead mans skull stand by them in their Studies or Chambers as an Antidote against pride But God hath fastned us yet closer to mortality Death dwelleth Fama est fictilibus caenasse Agathoclea Regem Atque abacum Samio saepe onerasse luâo Fercula gemmatis cum pokerât aurea vasis Et misceret opes pauperiemque simul Quaerenti causam respondit Rex ego qui sum Sicaniae figulo sum gânitore satus Fortunam reverenter habe quicunque repente Dives ab exili progrediere loco Auson li. Epi. ram in our bowels We are apt to marvel that so noble a soul should be lodged in so mean a body made of the earth to which it must return A Stone is durable and clean but my flesh is corruptible and must turn to lothesome filth and rottenness A Marble Pillar will stand firm and beautiful from age to age but I must perish and consume in darkness The Seats we sit upon the Pillars we lean to the Stones we tread upon will be here when we are turned to dust The house that I build may stand when I am rotten in the Grave A Tree will live when he that planted it is dead Our bodies are of no better materials than the Brutes Our substance is in a continual flux or waste and loseth something every day and if it were not repaired and patched up by daily air and nourishment it would soon be spent and our Oyle consumed If you were chained to a dead carkass which you must still carry about with you it were not a matter so fit to humble you as to be united so nearly to so vile a body of your own We carry a dunghill continually within us Alas how silly a piece is the greatest the strongest and the comeliest of you all What is that flesh which you so much pamper but a skin full of corruption a bag of filth of flegm or choller or such like excrements Iâ the curiousest Dames had but a sight of the flegm in their heads and bowels the choller about their liver and galls the worms or filâh in other parts they would go near to vomit at
through a Needles eye than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God And they that heard it said Who then can be saved And he said The things which are impossible with men are possible with God So Luke 6. 24 25. But wo unto you that are rich for you have received your consolation Wo unto you that are full for ye shall hunger Make but sense of these and many such like Texts and you can gather no less than this from them that Riches make the way to Heaven much harder and the salvation of the â rich to be more difficult and rare proportionably than of other men And Paul saith 1 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called And the Lovers of riches though they are poor must remember that it is said 1 Tim. 6. 10. That the Love of money is the root of all evil And 1 John 2. 15. Love not the world nor the things that are in the world For if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Do you believe that here lyeth the danger of your souls and yet can you so love and choose and seek it Would you have your salvation more difficult and doubtful and impossible with men You had rather choose to live where few dye young than where most dye young and where sicknesses are rare than where they are common If you were sick you had rather have the Physicion and Medicines and Dyet which cure most than those which few are cured by If the Countrey were beset with Thieves you had rather go the way that most scape in than that few scape in And yet so it may but please your flesh you will choose that way to Heaven that fewest scape in and you will choose that state of life which will make your salvation to be most hard and doubtful Doth your Conscience say that this is wisely done I know that if God put Riches into your hand by your Birth or his blessing on your honest labours you must not cast away your Masters talents because he is austere but by a holy improvement of them you may further his service and your salvation But this is no reason why you should ovâr-love them or desire and seek so great a danger Believe Christ heartily and it will quench your Love of Riches § 28. Direct 7. Remember that the more you have the more you have to give account for And Direct 7. âf the day of Judgement be dreadful to you you should not make it more dreadful by greatning your own accounts If you desired Riches but for the service of your Lord and have used them for him and can tâuly give in this account that you laid them not out for the needless pleasure or pride of the flâsh but âo furnish your selves and families and others for his service and as near as you ââuld employ them according to his will and for his use then you may expect the reward of good and faithful servants But if you desired and used them for the pride and pleasure of your selves while you lived and your posterity or kindred when you are dead dropping some inconsiderable ârâms for God you will then find that Mammon was an unprofitable Master and Godliness with content Pââv 3. 14 1 ââm 6 â 6. would have been greater gain § 29. Direct 8. Remember how dear it costeth men thus to hinder their salvation and greaten their Direct 8. danger and accounts What a deal of precious Time is lost upon the world by the Lovers of it which might have been improved to the getting of Wisdom and Grace and making their calling and election ãâ¦ã 2 sure If you had believed that the gain of holy wisdom had been so much better than the gaining of Gold as Solomon saith Prâv 3. 14. you would have laid out much of that time in labouring to understand the Scriptures and preparing for your endless life How many unnecessary Thoughtâ have you cast away upon the world which might better have been laid out on your greater concernments How many âares and vexations and passions doth it cost men to overload themselves with worldly provisions Like a foolish travellâr who having a dayes journey to go doth spend all the day in gathering together a load of mâat and clothes and money more than he can carry for fear of wanting by the way or like a foolish runner that hath a race to run for his life and spends Saith Plutarâh ãâ¦ã âââân Alexanâer wept because he was not Lord of the world when Câatâs having but a Wall ââ and a thred-bare Cloke spent his whole life in mârâh and joy as if it had been a continual festival holy-day Psal. 37. 16. Prov 16. 8. the time in which he should be running in gathering a burden of pretended necessaries You have all the while Gods work to do and your souls to mind and judgement to prepare for and you are tiring and vexing your selves for unnecessary things as if it were the top of your ambition to be able to say in Hell that you dyed rich 1 Tim. 6. 5 6 7 8 9 10. Godliness with contentment is great gain For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain that we can carry nothing out And having food and raiment let us be therewith content But they that will be Rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition For the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred or been seduced from the âaith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows Piercing sorrows here and damnation hereafter are a very dear price to give for money For saith Christ himself What shall it profit a man to gain all the world and lose his own soul Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul that is What money or price will recover it if for the love of gain he lose it Mark 8. 36 37. Prov. 15. 27. He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house but he that hateth gifts shall live Do you not know that a godly man contented with his daily bread hath a far sweeter and quietter life and death than a self-troubling worldling You may easily perceive it Prov. 15. 16. Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith § 30. Direct 9. Look much on the life of Christ on earth and see how strangely he condemned worldliness Direct 9. by his example Did he choose to be a Prince or Lord or to have great possessions lands or money or sumptuous buildings or gallant attendance and plentiful provisions His housing you âuke 9 58. may read of Matth. 8. 20. Fâxes have holes and the Birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay
into the causes of all the oppressions rapines cruelties and inhumanity which have made men so like to Devils Look into the corrupted lacerated Churches and enquire into the cause of their contentions divisions usurpations malignity and cruelty against each other And you will find that Pride and Worldliness are the Causes of all When men of a Proud and Worldly mind have by fraud and friendship and Simony Usurped the Pastorship of the Churches according to their Minds and Eâds they turn it into a Malignant Domination and the Carnal worldly part of the Church is the great enemy and Persecutor of the spiritual part and the fleshly Hypocrite as Cain against Abel is filled with envy against the serious believer even out of the bitter displeasure of his mind that his deceitful Sacrifice is less respected What Covetousness hath done to the advancement of the pretended Holy Catholick Church of Rome I will give you now but in the words of an Abbot and Chronicler of their own Abbas Urspergens Chron. p. 3ââ Vix remansit aliquis Episcopatus sive dignitas Ecclesiastica vel etâam Parochialis Ecclesiae quae ron fieâet litigâosa Romam deduceretur ipsa causa sed non manu vacua Gaude mater nostra Roma quonâam aperiuntur cataractae thesaurorum in teâra ut ad te consâuant rivi aggeres nummoâum in magna copia Laetare super iniquitate filiorum hominum quonâam in recompensationem tantorum malorum datur tibi precâum Jocundare super adjutrice tua discordia quia erupit de puteo infernalis abyssi ut accumulentur tibi multa pecuniaâum praemia Habes quod semper sitisti decanta Canticum quia per malitiam hominum non pââ tuam Religionem orbem vicistâ Ad te trahit homines non ipsorum devotio aut pura Conscientia sed sââlerum multiplicium perpetratio litium decisio precio comparata Foâtun Galindas speaking of Pope Paul the fifth his love to the Iesuites for helping him to money saith Adeo praestat acquirendarum pecuniarum quam animarum studiosum peritum esse apud illos qui cum animarum Christi sanguine redemptarum in se curam receperint vel quid anima sit nesciunt vel non pluris animam hominis quam piscis faciunt quod credo suum officium Piscatum quendam esse aliquando per strepitum inaudierint quibus propterea gratior fuerit qui Animam auri cum Paracelso quam animam Saxoniae Electoris invenisse nuntiet Arcan Soci Iesu. pag. 46. Lege ibid. Iâstruct secret de Iesuitarum pâaxi Et Ioh. Sarisbur l. 7. c. 21. de Monach. Potentiores ditiores favore vel mercede recepta facilius absolutione exânerant peccatis alienis humeros supponentes jubent abire in tunicas vestes pullas quicquid illi se commisisse deplorant Si eis obloquetâs Religionis inimicus veritatis diceris impugnator hand It is the departing of the heart from God to creatures See the malignity of it before Good men have been overtaken with heinous sins but its hard to find where Scripture calleth any of them Covetous A heart secretly cleaving most to this present world and its prosperity is the very killing sin of every hypocrite yea and of all ungodly men 2. Worldliness makes the Word unprofitable and keepeth men from believing and repenting and coming home to God and minding seriously the everlasting world What so much hindereth the Conversion of sinners as the love and caâes of earthly things They cannot serve God and Mammon Their treasure and hearts cannot be chiefly be both in Heaven and Earth They will not yield to the terms of Christ that love this world They will not forsake all for a treasure in Heaven In a word as you heard The love of money is the root of all evil and the Love of the Father is not in the lovers of the world 3. It destroyeth holy meditation and conference and turneth the thoughts to worldly things And it corrupteth Prayer and maketh it but a means to serve the flesh and therefore maketh it odious to God 4. It is the great hinderance of mens necessary preparation for death and judgement and stealeth away their hearts and time till it is too late 5. It is the great cause of contentions even among the nearest relations and the cause of the Wars and calamities of Nations and of the woful divisions and persecutions of the Church when a worldly generation think that their worldly interest doth engage them against self-denying and spiritual principles practices and persons 6. It is the great cause of all the injustice and oppression and cruelty that rageth in the world They would do as they would be done by were it not for the love of money It maketh men perfidious and false to all their friends and engagements No vows to God nor obligations to men will hold a Lover Iâm â 1. 2 3 4 5. 1 Iohn â ââ of the world The world is his God and his worldly interest is his rule and law 7. It is the great destroyer of Charity and Good works No more is done for God and the poor because the Love of the world forbids it 8. It disordereth and proâaneth families and betrayeth the souls of Children and Servants to the Devil It turneth out prayer and reading the Scripture and good books and all serious speeches of the liâe to come because their hearts are taken up with the world and they have no relâsh of any thing but the provisions of their flesh Even the Lords own Day cannot be reserved for holy works nor a duty performed but the world is interposing or diverting the mind 9. It tempâeth mân to sin against their knowledge and to forsake the truth and fit themselves to the rising side and save their bodies and estates whatever become of their souls It is the very price that the Dâvil gives for souls With this he bought the soul of Iudas who went to the Pharisâes with a What will you give me and I will deliver him to you With this he attempted Christ himself 2 Tim 4. 10. Matth. 4. 9. All these will I give thee if thâu wilt fall down and worship me It is the cause of Apââââacy and unfaithfulness to God And it s the price that sinners sell their God their Conscience and their salvation for 10. It depriveth the soul of holy communion with God and comfort from 1 âim 6. 17 1â him and of all foretaste of the life to come and finally of Heaven it self For as the Love of the world keepeth out the Love of God and Heaven it must needs keep out the hopes and comforts Christs Sheep mark is ãâã on the Sheep that are shorâ When the Hâece groweth long the Mark wears out which should arise from holy love It would do much to cure the love of money and of the world if you knew how pernicious a sin it is § 35.
understand thy self that thou hadst never lost one minutes Time and never known those sinful vanities and temptations which did occasion it O spend thy Time as thou wouldst review it § 12. Direct 5. Go hear and mark how other men at Death do set by Time and how they wish then Direct 5. that they had spent it It is hardly possible for men in health especially in prosperity and security to Imagine how pretious Time appeareth to an awakened dying man Ask them then whether liâe be too long and men have any Time to spare Ask them then whether slugging or working playing or praying be the better spending of our Time Both Good and Bad saints and sensualists do use then to be high esteemers of Time O then what would an ungodly unprepared sinner give for some of the Time which he used before as nothing worth Then the most Holy servants of Christ are sensible how they sinned in lâsing any of their Time O then how earnestly do they wish that they had made much of every minute And they that did most for God and their souls that they had done much more Now if they were to pray over their prayers again how earnestly would they beg And how much more good would they do if Time and talents were restored I knew familiarly a most holy grave and Râvârend Divine who was so affected with the words of a Godly woman wâo at her death did often and vââââmântly cry out O Call Time again O Call Time again that the sense of it seemed to remain on his heart and appear in his praying preaching and conversation to his death Now you have Time to cast away upon every nothing But then you will say with David Pâalm 89. 47. Remember how short my Time is And as Hagar sate down and wept when her water was spent Gen. 21. 15 16. So then you will lament when Time is gone or just at an end that you set no more by it while you had it O sleepy sinner Thy heart cannot now conceive how thou wilt set by Time when thou hearest the Physicion say You are a dead man and the Divine say you must prepare now for another world When thy heart saith All my daies are gone I must live on earth no more all my preparing time is at end Now what is undone must be undone for ever O that thou hadst now but the esteem of Time which thou wilt have then or immediately after Then O pray for me that God will recover me and try me once again O then how I would spend my time And is it not a most incongruous thing to see the same persons now idle and toy away their time and perhaps think that they do no harm who know that shortly they must cry to God O for a little more Time Lord to do the great work that 's yet undone A little more Time to make sure of my salvation May not God then tell you you had Time till you knew not what to do with it You had so much Time that you had many and many an hour to spare for idleness and vanity and that which you were not ashamed to call Pastime § 13. Direct 6. Remember also that when Iudgement comes God will call you to account both for Direct 6. every hour of your mispent Time and for all the Good which you should have done in all that time and did it not If you must give account for every idle word then sure for every idle hour Matth. 12. 36. And if we must be judged according to all the talents we have received and the improvement of them required of us then certainly for so precious a talent as our Time Mat. 25. And how should that man spend his Time that believeth he must give such account of all Even to the most just and Holy God who will judge all men according to their works and cause them all to reap as they have sowed O spend your Time as you would hear of it in Judgement § 14. Direct 7. Remember how much time you have lost already and therefore if you are not impenitent Direct 7. and insensible of your loss it will provoke you to redeem with the greater diligence the remnant which mercy shall vouchsafe you How much lost you in childhood youth and riper age How much have you lost in ignorance How much in negligence How much in fleshly pleasure and vanity How much in worldliness and many other sins O that you knew but what a loss it was if it had been but one year or week or day Do you think you have spent your Time as you should have done And as beseemed those that had such work to do If not do you repent of it or do you not If you do not you have no hope to be forgiven If you do Repent you will not sure go on to do the same Who will believe that he Repents of gaming revelling or other idle loss of time who doth so still while he professeth to Repent He that hath lost the beginning of the day must go the faster in the end if he will perform so great a journey Can you remember the hours and years that you have mispent in the follies of childhood and the vanities of inconsiderate youth and yet still trifle and not be provoked by penitent shame and fear to diligence Have you not yet cast away enough of such a precious treasure but you will vilifie also the little which remains § 15. Direct 8. Remember the swift and constant motion of your neglected Time What hast it Direct 8. makes And never stays That which was here while you spake the last word is gone before you can speak the next Whatever you are doing or saying or thinking of its passing on without delay It stayeth not while you sleep Whether you remember and observe it and make use of it or not it glides away It stayeth not your leisure It hasteth as fast while you play as while you work while you sin as when you repent No Monarch so potent as to command it a moment to attend his will We have no more Ioshuas to stop the Sun It is above the jurisdiction of the Princes of the earth It will not hear them if they command or request it to delay its hast but the smallest moment Crowns and Kingdoms would be no price to hiâe it to loiter but while you draw another breath Your lives are not like the cloaths of the Israelites in the wilderness that wax not old But like the provisions of the Gibeonites worn and wasted while you are passing but a little way And is Time so swift and you so slow Will you stand still and see it pass away as if you had no use for it no work to do nor no account to give § 16. Direct 9. Consider also how unrecoverable Time is when its past Take it now or it s lost for Direct 9. ever All
think how madly they consumed their lives and wasted the only Time that was given them to prepare for their salvation Do those in Hell now think them wise that are idling or playing away their time on earth O no! their feeling and experience sufficiently confuteth all that Time-wasters now plead for their âottish prodigality I do not believe that thou canst at once believe the Word oâ God concerning the state of damned souls and yet believe that thy idle and vain expence of Time would not vex thy conscience and make thee even rage against thy self if ever sin should bring thee thither O then thou wouldst see that thou hadst greater matters to have spent thy time in and that it deserved a higher estimation and improvement O man beseâch the Lord to prevent such a conviction and to give thee a heart to prize thy time before it is gone and to know the worth of it bââore thou know the want of it Tit. 2. Directions Contemplative for Redeeming Opportunity Seâ the many aggravaâions oââinâul Dâlay in my Dirâctions for âound Convââsion § 28. OPportunity or Season is the flower of Time All Time is precious but the season is most precious The present Time is the season to works of present necâssity And for others they have all their particular seasâns which must not be let slip Direct 1. Remember that it is the great difference between the happy Saint and the unhappy world Direct 1. that one is wise in time and the other is wise too late The godly know while knowledge will do good The wicked know when knowledge will but torment them All those that you see now so exceedingly contrary in their judgement to the godly will be of the very same opinion shortly when it will do them no good Bear with their difference and contradiction for it will be but a very little while There is not one man that now is the furious enemy of holiness but will confess ere long that Holiness was best Do they now despise it as tedious fantastical hypocrisie They will shortly know that it was but the cure of a distracted mind and the necessary duty to God which Religion and right reason do command Do they now say of sin What harm is in it They will shortly know that it is the poyson of the soul and worse than any misery or death They will think mâre highly of the worth of Christ of the necessity of all possible diligence for our souls of the preciousness of Time of the wisdom of the Godly of the excellencies of Heaven and of the Word of God and all holy Means than any of those do that are now reproached by them for being of this mind But what the better will they be for this No more than Adam for knowing good and evil No more than it will profit a man when he is dead to know of what disease he dyed No more than it will profit a man to know what is poyson when he hath taken it and is past remedy The Thief will be wise at the Gallows and the Spendthrift-prodigal when all is gone But they that will be safe and happy must be wise in Time The godly know the worth of Heaven before it is lost and the misery of damnation before they feel it and the necessity of a Saviour while he is willing to be a Saviour to them and the evil of sin before it hath undone them and the preciousness oâ Time before it is gone and the worth of mercy while mercy may be had and the need of praying while praying may prevail They sleep not till the door is shut and then knock and cry Lord open to us as the foolish ones Matth. 25. They are not like the miserable world that will not believe till they come where Devils believe and tremble nor Repent till torment force them to repent As ever you would escape the dear-bought experience of fools be wise in time and leave not Conscience to answer all your cryes and moans and fruitless wishes with this doleful peal Too late Too late Do but know now by an effectual faith what wicked men will know by feeling and experience when it is too late and you shall not perish Do but live now as those enemies of Holiness will wish they had lived when it is too late and you will be happy Now God may be found Seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will âave mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Isa. 55. 6 7. Read but the doleful lamentation of Christ over Ierusalem Luke 19. 41 42. and then bethink you what it is to neglect the season of mercy and salvation He beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at lest in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace But now they are hidden from thine eyes § 29. Direct 2. Remember that the neglecting of the season is the frustrating and destroying of the Direct 2. work When the season is past the work cannot be done If you sow not in the time of sowing it will be in vain at another time If you reap not and gather not in harvest it will be too late in Winter to hope for fruit If you stay till the Tide is gone or take not the Wind that fits your turn it may be in vain to attempt your Voyage All works cannot be done at all times Christ himself saith I must walk while it is day the night cometh when none can work John 9. 4. Say not then The next day may serve the turn The next day is for another work and you must do both § 30. Direct 3. Consider that if the work should not be impossible yet it will be difficult out of Direct 3. season when in its season it might be done with ease How easily may you swim with the Tide and sail with the Wind and form the Iron if you hammer it while it is hot How easily may many a disease be cured if it be taken in Time which afterwards is uncurable How easily may you bend a tender Twig and pluck up a Plant which will neither be pluckt up nor bended when it is grown up to be a Tree When you complain of difficulties in Religion bethink you whether your loss of the fittest season and acquainting your selves no sooner with God be not the cause § 31. Direct 4. Consider that your work out of season is not so good or acceptable if you could Direct 4. do it Every thing is beautiful in its season Eccles. 3. 11. To speak a word in season to the weary Numb 9. 2 3 7 13. Exod. 13. 10. is the skill of the faithful messengers of peace Isa. 50. 4. When out of season good may be turned into
evil Who will thank you for giving Physick or food or clothing to the dead Or pitying the poor when it is too late In Time all this may be accepted § 32. Direct 5. Remember that if thou omit the season thou art left to uncertainties both for time Direct 5. and means and grace Lose this Time and for ought thou knowest thou losest all Or if thou have Time it may be curst with barrenness and never fruit may more grow on it Preachers may be taken from thee and gracious company may be taken from thee Helps and means may be turned into hinderances and opposition and strong temptations And then you will find what it was to neglect the season Or if you have the continuance of all helps and means how know you that God will set in by his grace and bless them to you and move your hearts He may resolve that if you resist him now his Spirit shall strive with you no more If while it is called to day you will harden your hearts he may resolve to leave you to the hardness of Pharaoh and to get himself a name upon you and use you as vessels of wrath prepared by your neglect and obstinacy for destruction § 33. Direct 6. Bethink you how all the Creatures keep their proper seasons in the service which Direct 6. God hath appointed them for you The Sun riseth and setteth in its season and keepeth its diary and Deut. 28. 12. Jer. 5. 24. Jer. 33. 20. annual course and misseth not a minute So do the other Coelestial motions You have day and night and seed time and harvest Summer and Winter Spring and Fall and all exactly in their seasons Jer. 8. 7. Yea the Stork in the Heavens knoweth her appointed time and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. Shall only man neglect his season § 34. Direct 7. Consider how you know and observe the season for your worldly labours and should Direct 7. you not much more do so in greater things You will not Plow when you should Reap nor do the work of the Summer in the Winter You will not lye in bed all day and go about your business in the night You will be inquisitive that you may be skilful in the seasons for your benefit or safety in the world and should you not much more be so for a better world Matth. 16. 3. O ye hypocrites ye can discern the face of the skie but can ye not discern the signs of the times As at Harvest you look Luk. 10. 10 for the fruit of your Land so doth God in season expect fruit from you Mark 12. 2. The godly are like a tree a Tree that 's planted by the Rivers side which bringeth forth its fruit in season Psal. 1. 3. shall worldlings know their season and shall not we § 35. Direct 8. Consider how vigilant the wicked are to know and take their season to do evil And Direct 8. how much more should we be so in doing good Seducers will take the opportunity to deceive The Thief and the Adulterer will take the season of secresie and darkness The Ambitious and Covetous will take the season for profit and preferment The Malicious watch their seasons of revenge And have we not more need and more encouragement than they Is it Time for them to be building their Hag. 1 2 3. own houses and growing great by covetousness and oppression and is it not Time for you to be honouring God and providing for your endless life They cannot sleep unless they do Evil Prov. 4. 16. and can you sleep securely while your Time passeth away and your work is undone § 36. Direct 9. Remember that the Devil watcheth the season of Temptation to destroy you He Direct 9. prevaileth much by taking the time when he seeth you disarmed forgetting God in secure prosperity fittest to hearken to his temptations The same temptations out of season might not prevail And will you let your enemy out do you § 37. Direct 10. Consider how earnest you are with God in your necessities and distress not only to relieve Direct 10. and help you but to do it speedily and in season You would rather have him prevent the season 1 Sâm 13 8 9. than to let it pass You are impatient till deliverance come and can hardly stay the time till it be ripe When you are in pain and sickness you would be delivered speedily you are ready to cry How long Lord how long And as David Psal. 102. 13. The time yea the set time is come Psal. 40. 17. Psal. 70. 5. Lev. 26. 4. Jer. 5. 24. Make no long tarrying O my God! It would not satisfie you if God should say I will ease you of your pain the next year Why then should you neglect the Time of duty and use so many delays with God He giveth you all your mercies in their season why then do you not in season give up your selves to his love and service when you have his promise that you shall reap in due season if you do not saint Gal. 6. 9. Tit. 3. Directions Practical for Redeeming Time § 38. Direct 1. THE first point in the art of Redeeming Time is to dispatch first with greatest Direct 1. care and diligence the greatest works of absolute necessity which must be done or else we are undone for ever First see that the great work of a sound conversion or sanctification be certainly wrought within you Make sure of your saving interest in Christ get proof of your adoption and peace with God and right to everlasting life Be able to prove to your Consciences from the word of God and from your Regenerate Heavenly hearts and lives that your souls are justified and safe and may comfortably receive the news of death when ever it shall be sent to call you hence And then when you have done but this much of your work you will incur no such loss of Time as will prove the loss of your souls or happiness Though still there is much more work to do for your selves and others yet when this much is soundly done you have secured the main If you lose the Time in which you should be renewed by the spirit of Christ and in which you should lay up your treasure in Heaven you are lost for ever Be sure therefore that you look first to this And then if you lose but the Time in which you might have grown rich or got preferment your loss is tolerable you know the worst of it You may see to the end of it Yea if you lose the Time in which you should increase in Holiness and edifie others the loss is grievous but yet it will not lose you Heaven Therefore as Solomon directeth the Husbandman Prov. 24. 27. Prepare thy work without and make it fit for thy self in the
of Christs Body and Blood aright But besides all these what a deal of duty have you to perform to Magistrates Pastors Parents Masters and other superiours to subjects people children servants and other inferiours to every neighbour for his soul his body his estate and name and to do to all as you would be done by And besides all this how much have you to do directly for your selves for your souls and bodies and families and estates Against your ignorance infidelity pride selfishness sensuality worldliness passion sloth intemperance cowardize lust uncharitableness c. Is not here matter for your thoughts § 15. Direct 15. Overlook not that life full of particular mercies which God hath bestowed on your Direct 15. selves and you will find pleasant and profitable matter for your thoughts To spare me the labour of 15. All our particular Mercies repeating them look back to Chap. 3. Dir. 14. Think of that mercy which brought you into the world and chose your Parents your place and your condition which brought you up and bore with you patiently in all your sins and closely warned you of every danger which seasonably afflicted you and seasonably delivered you and heard your Prayers in many a distress which hath yet kept the worst of you from death and Hell and hath Regenerated justified adopted and sanctified those that he hath fitted for eternal life How many sins he hath forgiven How many he hath in part subdued How many and suitable helps he hath vouchsafed you From how many Enemies he hath saved you how oft he hath delighted you by his word and grace what comforts you have had in his Servants and ordinances in your relations and callings His mercies are innumerable and yet do your meditations want matter to supply them If I should but recite the words of David in many thankful Psalms you would think Mercy found his Thoughts employment § 16. Direct 16. Foresee that exact and righteous judgement which shortly you have to undergo Direct 16. and it will do much to find you employment for your thoughts A man that must give an account to 16. The account at Judgement God of all that he hath done both good and evil and knoweth not how soon for ought he knows before to morrow me thinks should find him something better than vanity to think on Is it nothing to be ready for so great a day To have your justification ready your accounts made up Your Consciences cleansed and quietted on good grounds To know what answer to make for your selves against the accuser To be clear and sure that you are indeed Regenerate and have a part in Christ and are washed in his blood and reconciled to God and shall not prove hypocrites and self-deceivers in that trying day when it is a sentence that must finally decide the question whether we shall be saved or damned and must determine us to Heaven or Hell for ever and you have so short and uncertain a time for your preparation will not this administer matter to your Thoughts If you were going to a Judgement for your lives or all your estates you would think it sufficient to provide you matter for your thoughts by the way How much more this final dreadful judgement § 17. Direct 17. If all this will not serve the turn it 's strange if God call not home your thoughts Direct 17. by sharp afflictions and methinks the improvement of them and the removal of them should find some 17. Our Afflictions employment for your thoughts It 's time then to search and try your ways and turn again unto the Lord Lam. 3. 4. To find out the Achan that troubleth your peace and know the voice of the rod and what God is angry at and what it is that he calleth you to mind To know what root it is that beareth these bitter fruits and how they may be sanctified to make you conformable to Christ and partakers of his holiness Heb. 12. 10. Besides the exercise of holy patience and submission there is a great deal of work to be done in sufferings to exercise faith and honour God and the good cause of our suffering and to humble our selves for the evil cause and to get the benefit And if you will not meditate of the Duty you shall meditate of the pain whether you will or not and say as Lam. 3. 17 18 19 20. I forgate prosperity and I said My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord Remembring mine affliction and my misery the wormwood and the gall My soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me Put not God to remember you by his spur and help your meditations by so sharp a means Psal. 78. 33 34 35. Therefore did he consume their days in vanity and their years in trouble when he âlew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God and they remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer § 18. Direct 18. Be diligent in your callings and spend no time in idleness and perform your labours Direct 18. with holy minds to the glory of God and in obedience to his commands and then your thoughts will 18. The business of your Calling have the less leisure and liberty for vanity or idleness Employments of the body will employ the Thoughts They that have much to do have much to think on For they must do it prudently and skillfully and carfully that they may do it successfully and therefore must think how to do it And the urgency and necessity of business will almost necessitate the thoughts and so carry them on and find them work Though some employments more than others And let none think that these Thoughts are bad or vain because they are about worldly things For if our Labours themselves be not bad or vain then neither are those thoughts which are needful to the well-doing of our work Nor let any worldling please himself with this and say My thoughts are taken up about my calling For his calling it self is perverted by him and made a carnal work to carnal ends when it should be sanctified That the thoughts about your labours may be good 1. Your Labours themselves must be good performed in obedience to God and for the good of others and to his glory 2. Your Labours and thoughts must keep their bounds and the higher things must be still preferred and sought and thought on in the first place And your Labours must so far employ your thoughts as is needful to the well-doing of them but better things must be thought on in such labours as leave a vacancy to the Thoughts But diligence in your calling is a very great help to keep out sinful thoughts and to furnish us with thoughts which in their place are good § 19. Direct 19. You have all Gods spiritual helps and holy ordinances to feed your meditations Direct 19. and
and despairing thoughts and blasphemous temptations as it is for a man to talk idly in a feaver when his understanding faileth or to think of and desire drink when his Feaver kindleth vehement thirst And how much would you have a man in a feaver accuse himself for such a thirst or such thoughts desire or talk If you had those hideous thoughts in your dreams which you have when you are awake would you think them unpardoned sins or rather unavoidable infirmities why your distemper makes them to be to you but almost as dreams § 22. Direct 18. Be sure that you keep your self constantly employed as far as your strength will Direct 18. bear in the diligent labours of a lawful calling and spend none of your pretious time in idleness Idleness is the tide time of the Tempter when you are idle you invite the Devil to come and vex you Then you can have while to hearken to him and think on all that he will put into your minds and then to think over all those thoughts again when you have nothing else to do the Devil will find you such work Then you must sit still and muse and your thoughts must be stirring in the mud of your own distempers as children lye padling in the dirt And Idleness is a sin which God will not favour He hath commanded you to Labour six dayes and in the sweat of your brows to eat your bread and he that will not labour is unworthy to eat 2 Thes. 3. Remember that Time is pretious and doth haste away and God hath given you none in vain Therefore as you are troubled for other sins make Conscience of this sin and waste not one quarter of an hours time in your idle unprofitable musings It is just with God to make your sin it self to be your punishment and your own idle Thoughts to chastise you daily when you will not get up and go about your lawful business Nor will pretenses of Prayer or any devotion excuse your idleness for it is against the Law of God Above all that I have said to you let me intreat you therefore to obey this one Direction I have known despairing Melancholy persons cured by setting themselves resolutely and diligently about their callings and changing air and company and riding abroad If you will sit musing in a corner and sin against God by idleness and loss of time and increase your own miseries withall rather than you will rowze up your self and ply your business your calamity is just Say not that you have little or nothing to do For God hath made it the duty of all be they never so rich to labour in such employment as is suitable to their place and strength § 23. Direct 19. Do but mark well how much the Devil gets by keeping you in sad despondent Direct 19. thoughts and then you may easily see that it cannot be your duty nor best for you which is so gainful and pleasing to the Devil By keeping you in these self-perplexing doubts and fears he robs God of the Thanks and Praise which you owe him for all his mercies These highest duties you cast aside as if they did not belong to you You give not God the honour of his most miraculous mercy in our Redemption nor do you study or relish or admire or magnifie the riches of Grace in Jesus Christ you have poor low thoughts of the infinite Love of God and are unfit to judge of it or perceive it being like a cholerick stomach which puts a continual bitterness in the mouth which hinders it from tasting any sweetness in their meat It hereby unfitteth you for the Love of God and more enclineth you to hate him or fly from him as an enemy while the Devil representeth him to you as one that hateth you It loseth your Time It depriveth you of all your willingness to duty and delight in duty and maketh all Gods service a burden and vexation to you It is very contrary to the spirit of adoption and to the whole frame of Evangelical worship and obedience And will you under pretense of being more humbled and sorrowful and sensible thus gratifie Satan and wrong God and your selves § 24. Direct 20. Trust not to your own judgement in your melancholy state either as to the Direct 20. condition of your souls or the choice and conduct of your Thoughts or ways but commit your selves to the judgement and direction of some experienced faithful guide You are no fit judges of your own condition nor of the way of your duty in this dark distempered condition that you are in Either your mind and imagination is well or ill If it be well why complain you of all those disturbances and confusions and disability to meditate and pray If it be ill why will you be so self-conceited as to think yourselves able to judge of your selves with such a distempered fantasie or mind It is one of the worst things in Melancholy persons that commonly they are most wise in their own eyes and stiff in their own conceits when their brains are sickest and their understanding weakest And that they are confident and unruly and unperswadable as if they were proud of those pittiful understandings and thought no body knows so well as they O say they you know not my case Am not I liker to know your case who have seen so many score in that case than you are that never knew any in it but your self A man that stands by may better know the case of a man that is in a dream than he can know his own You say that others feel not what you feel no more doth the Physicion feel what a man in a Feaver or Falling sickness or distraction feeleth and yet by the report of what you say you feel and by what he seeth he far better knoweth your disease the nature and the cure of it than you that feel it Therefore as a wise man when he is sick will trust himself under God to the direction of his Physicion and the help of his friends about him and not lye wrangling against their help and counsel and wilfully refuse it because they advise him contrary to his feeling so will you do if you are wise Trust your self with some fit director and despise not his judgement either about your state or about your duty You think you are lost and there is no hope Hear what he saith that is now fitter to judge Set not your weak wit too wilfully against him Do you think he is so foolish as to mistake should not humility make you rather think so of your self Be advised by him about the matter of your thoughts the manner and length of your secret duties and all your scruples that you need advise in Will you answer me this one question Do you know any body that is wiser than your self and fitter to judge of your condition and advise you If you say No how proud are
them no harm while they can but keep themselves ignorant of it Which makes the opposed Truth have so few entertainers or Students among the Papists or any that persecute or reproach it And others discerning this extream do run into the contrary and under pretence of the loveliness of Truth and the need of liberty of judging do think the edifying way is first to pull down all that others have built before them and little regard the judgement of their predecessors but think they must take nothing on trust from others but begin all from the very ground themselves And usually their pride makes them so little regard the most approved Authors that they have not patience to read them till they throughly understand them but reject that which is received before they understand it meerly because it was the received way And while they say that nothing must be taken upon trust they presently take upon trust themselves that very opinion and with it the other opinions of those Novelists that teach them this And believing what such say in disgrace of others withal they believe what they hold in opposition to those that they have disgraced But it is easie to see how sad a case mankind were in if every man must be a fabricator of all his knowledge himself and posterity should be never the better for the discoveries of their ancestors and the greatest labours of the wisest men and their highest attainments must be no profit to any but themselves Why do they use a Teacher if they must do all themselves If they believe not their Tutors and take nothing on trust it seems they must know every Truth before they will learn it And what difference is there between believing a Tutor and an Author And is not that more credible which upon long experience is approved by many Nations and Ages than that which is recommended to you but by one or few These Students should have made themselves an Alphabet or Grammer and not have taken the common ones on trust It is easier to add to other mens inventions than to begin and carry on all our selves By their course of study the world would never grow wiser but every age and person be still beginning and none proceed beyond their rudiments § 33. Direct 16. Be sure you make choice of meet Teachers and companions for your studies and your Direct 16. lives That they be such as will assist you in the holy practice of what you know as well as in your knowledge And shun as a plague the familiarity 1. Of sensual idle brutish persons 2. And of carnal ambitious ones who know no higher end than preferment and applause 3. And of proud hereticall contentious wits whose wisdom and Religion is nothing but censuring reproaching and vilifying them that are wiser and better than themselves § 34. Bad company is the common ruine of youth Their own sensuality is easily stirred up by the temptations of the sensual and their consciences over-born by the examples of other mens voluptuous lives It emboldneth them to sin to see others sin before them as Cowards themselves are drawn on in an Army to run upon the face of death by seeing others do it and to avoid the reproach of cowardize And the noise of mirth and ranting language are the Drums and Trumpets of the Devils by which their ears are kept from hearing the cryes of wounded dying men the lamentations of those that have found the error of that way And there is in corrupted nature so strong an inclination to the prosperity and vain-glory of the world that makes them quickly take the bait especially when the Devil doth offer it them by a fit instrument which shall not deter them as it would do if he had offered it them himself It is a pleasant thing to flesh and blood to be rich and great and generally applauded and a grievous thing to be poor and despised and afflicted The rawness also and unsetledness of youth who want well furnished understandings and experience is a great advantage to Hereticks and deceivers who still sweep many such away whereever they come Sana consultatio est ex eruditia multarumque rerum peritia experientia Plato in Laârt and have but opportunity Children are easily tost up and down and carried to and froâ with every wind of doctrine by the cunning slight and subtility of them that lye in wait to deceive Ephes. 4. 14. Deceivers have their Methods and Methods are the common instruments of deceit which are not easily detected by the unexperienced On the contrary the benefit of wise and staid and sober and peaceable meek humble holy heavenly companions is exceeding great especially to youth Such will lead them in safe paths and be still preserving them and promoting the most necessary parts of knowledge and quickning them to holy practice which is the End of all § 35. Direct 17. In all your studies be jealous of both extreams and distinctly discern which are the Direct 17. extreams that you run not into one while you avoid the other And be specially careful that you imagine not co-ordinates or subordinates to be opposites and throw not away every truth which you Cum opiniones tam variae sint inter se dissidentes alterum âieri potest ut earum nulla alterum certe non potest ut plus una vera sit Cicero de Nat. Dâoâ pag. 5. cannot presently place rightly in the frame and see it fall in agreeably with the rest For a further insight into true Method attained but by very few may reconcile you to that which now offendeth you What God hath joyned together be sure that you never put asunder though yet you cannot find their proper places § 36. There is scarce any error more common among Students than supposing those Truths to be inconsistent which indeed have a necessary dependance on each other and a casting truth away as error because they cannot reconcile it to some other truth And there is nothing so much causeth this as want of a true Method He that hath no Method considerable or after much curious labour hath fallen upon a false Method or a Method that in any one considerable point is out of joynt will deal thus by many certain truths As an ignorant person that is to set all the scattered parts of a Clock or Watch together if he misplace one will be unable rightly to place all the rest and then when he finds that they fit not the place which he thinks they must be in he casteth them away and thinks they are not the right and is searching for or making something else to fit that place False Method rejecteth many a truth § 37. And unless it be in Loving God or other acts of the superiour faculties about their ultimate end and highest object there is scarce any thing in morality but hath its extreams And where they are not discerned they are seldom well
of the Discerning of it some having but little holiness and some but little discerning of it in themselves yet the least may afford much comfort to the soul upon justifiable grounds though not so much as the greater degrees of grace and clearer discerning of it may do § 8. The foundation being thus laid it must be our next endeavour to build upon it a setled Peace of Conscience and quietness of soul For till we can attain to Ioy it is a great mercy to have Peace and to be free from the accusations fears and griefs which belong to the unjustified And Peace must be the temper more ordinary than much joy to be expected in this our frail condition § 9. Thirdly Peace being thus setled we must endeavour to rise up daily into Ioy as our great duty and our great felicity on earth It being frequently and earnestly commanded in the Scriptures that we Rejoyce in the Lord always and shout for joy all that are upright in Heart Psalm 33. 1. Phil. 3. 1. 4. 4. Deut. 12. 12 18. 27. 7. Thus he that proveth his own work may have Rejoycing in himself Gal. 6. 4. even in the testimony of his Conscience of his own simplicity and godly-sincerity 2 Cor. 1. 12. And this all believers should maintain and actuate in themselves § 10. Fourthly with this Rejoycing in God our lawful natural mirth must be taken in as subordinate or sanctified that is we must further our holy joy by natural mirth and cheerfulness and by the comforts of our Bodys in Gods lower mercies promote the service and the comforts of our souls And this is the right Place for this mirth to come in and this is the true Method of rejoycing § 11. Direct 4. Mark well the usefulness and tendencie of all thy Mirth and if it be useful to fit thee Direct 4. for thy duty and intended by thee to that end though you alway observe not that intention at the time and if it tend to do thee good or help thee to do good without a greater hurt or danger then cherish and promote it But if it tend to carry thee away from God to any creature and to unfit thy soul for the dutys of thy place and to carry thee into sin then avoid it as thy hurt Still remembring that the necessary support of nature must not be avoided by good or bad A Christian that hath any acquaintance with himself and with the work of holy watchfulness may discern what his mirth is by the tendency and effects and know whether it doth him good or harm § 12. Direct 5. Take beed that the flesh defile not your mirth by dropping in any obscene or ribbald Direct 5. talk or by stirring up fleshly lust and sin Which it will quickly do if not well watcht and holy mirth and cheerfulness is very apt to degenerate on a sudden into sinful mirth § 13. Direct 6. Consider what your mirth is like to prove to others as well as to your selves If it be Direct 6. like to stir up sin in others or to be offensive to them you must the more avoid it in their presence or manage it with the greater caution If it be needful to cheer up the drooping minds of those you converse with or to remove their prejudice against a holy life you must the more give place to it For it is good or bad as it tendeth unto good or bad § 14. Direct 7. Never leave out Reason or Godliness from any of your mirth Abhor that mirth Direct 7. that maketh a man a fool or playeth the fool And take heed of that ungodliness which maketh a man merriest when he is furthest from God like the Horse or Ox that leapeth and playeth for gladness when he is unyoaked or loosed from his labour Something of God and Heaven should appear or be dropped into all our mirth to sweeten and to sanctifie it § 15. Direct 8. Watch your tongues in all your mirth for they are very apt to take liberty then Direct 8. to sin Mirth is to the tongue as Holydays and Playdays to idle scholars who are glad of them as a time in which they think they have liberty to game and fight and do amiss § 16. Direct 9. If a word break forth from your selves or your companions to the wrong of others Direct 9. in your mirth as of backbiting evil speaking jearing scorning defaming yea though it be your enemy rebuke it and cast it out as dirt or dung that falleth into your dish or cup. § 17. Direct 10. If Prophaness intrude and any make merry with jeasting at Scripture Religion Direct 10. or the slanders or scorns of godly persons with a tendencie to make Religion odious or contemptible if they are such as you may speak to reprove them with reverent seriousness to their terror if they are not then shew your abhorrence of it by turning your backs and quitting the place and company of such devillish enemies of God Be not silent or seemingly-consenting witnesses of such odious mirth against your maker § 18. Direct 11. If the mirth of others in your company begin to grow insipid frothy foolish wanton Direct 11. or impious or otherwise corrupt drop in some holy salt to season it and something that is serious and divine to awe it and repress it As to remember them of Gods presence or to recite such a text as Ephes. 5. 3 4. But fornication and all uncleaneness or covetousness let it not be once named amongst you as becometh saints neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jeasting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks § 19. Direct 12. If mirth grow immoderate and exceed in measure and carry you away from God Direct 12. and duty by the very carnal pleasure of it have always at hand these following considerations to repress Considerations to repress excessive mirth it 1. Remember that God is present and levity is not comely in his sight 2. Remember that Death and judgement are at hand when all this levity will be turned into seriousness 3. Remember that your souls are yet under a great deal of sin and wants and danger and you have a great deal of serious work to do 4. Look on Iesus Christ and remember what an example he gave you upon earth Whether he laught and plaid and jested and taught you immoderate or carnal mirth And whether you live like the Disciples of a crucified Christ. 5. Think on the ordinary way to Heaven described in Scripture which is through many tribulations afflictions fastings temptations humiliation sufferings and mortification And think whether a wanton jesting playful life be like to this 6. Think of the course of the ancient and excellent Christians who went to Heaven through labour and watchings and fasting and poverty and cruel persecutions and not through carnal mirth and sport 7. Think of the many calamitous objects of sorrow that are
hoc enim sceleri juncta justitia est malo magno bonum ingens In illo autem scelus impunitas quae nescio an sceleâe ipso pejot sit Petrarch Dial. 66. li. 2. matter If it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Fornace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King But if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy Gods c. Dan. 3. 16 17 18. Daniel would not cease praying thrice a day openly in his house for fear of the King or of the Lyons Moses forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for be endured as seeing him that is invisible Heb. 11. 27. So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me Heb. 13. 6. § 19. Direct 19. Remember the dangers which you have been saved from already Especially from Direct 19. Sin and Hell And is an uncircumcised Philistine more invincible than the Lyon and the Bear § 20. Direct 20. Remember the great approaching day of Iudgement where great and small will Direct 20. be equal before God and where God will right all that were wronged by men and be the full and final avenger of his children He hath promised though he bear long to avenge them speedily Luke 18. 7 8. Can you believe that day and yet not think that it is soon enough to justifie you fully and finally and to make you reparations of all your wrongs Cannot you stay till Christ come to judge the quick and the dead You will then be loth to be found with those that as Saul made haste to sacrifice because he could not stay till Samuel came whose souls drew back because they could not live by faith Matth. 10. 26. Fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known 2 Thess. 2. 6 7 8 9 10. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance c. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that do believe § 21. Direct 21. Remember that the fearful and unbelieving shall be shut out of Heaven Rev. 21. 8. Direct 21. that is Those that fear men more than God and cannot trust him with their lives and all but will rather venture upon his wrath by sin than on the wrath of man § 22. Direct 22. Turn your fear of the instruments of the Devil into pity and compassion to men in Direct 22. such lamentable misery and pray for them as Christ and Stephen did Foresee now the misery that is near them When you begin to be afraid of them suppose that just now were the day of Judgement and you saw how they will then tremble at the Bar of God as conscience sometimes makes some of them do at the hearing or remembring of it as Felix before Paul See them as ready to be sentenced to the fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels as Matth. 25. Can you fear him that is near such endless misery whom you should condole and pity as the antient Martyrs used to do 1 Pet. 4. 17. What shall the end of the persecutors be and where shall the ungodly sinners appear if judgement begin at the house of God and the righteous be saved with so much ado About the fear of Death I have written largely already in my Treatise of Self-denyal and in the See after To. 3. c. 29. Tit. 3. c. 30. Saints Rest and in The last Enemy Death c. and in The Believers Last Work Therefore I shall here pass it by Tit. 9. Directions against sinful Grief and Trouble § 1. SOrrow is planted in Nature to make man a subject capable of Government by making him capable of punishment that he might be kept from sin by the fear or sense of that which Nature hath made its punishment And that the beginnings of pain might help to prevent the sin that would bring more and might drive the wounded soul to its remedy or by sympathie might condole the misery of others § 2. Sorrow or grief in it self considered is neither Morally Good nor Evil but it is a Natural Passion and Evil that is hurtful to him that hath it but Good that is an apt conducible means to the Universal or higher Ends of Government to which the Creator and Universal King hath planted it in man The same may be said of all capacity of pain and natural misery § 3. Meer Sorrow in it self considered is a thing that God commandeth not nor taketh pleasure in Sorrow for our natural or penal hurt is in it self no duty but a necessary thing God doth not command it but threaten it Therefore there is no moral good in it God will not command or intreat men to feel when they are hurt or mourn under their torment but will make them do it whether they will or no Therefore humble souls must take heed of thinking they merit or please God meerly by sorrowing for their sufferings But yet sorrow for misery may accidentally become a duty and a moral good 1. Ratione principii by respect to the Principle it proceedeth from As when it is 1. The Even sorrow that profitteth not may testifie a just affection It is said by Laertius that when Solon was reproved for mourning for his Son with a Nihil proficis He answered At propter hoc ipsum illachrymor quia nihil proficio Belief of Gods threatnings which causeth the sorrow 2. When it cometh from a Love to God 2. Ratione materiae for the matters sake when it is the absence of God and his favour and his Spirit and Image which is the misery that we lament which therefore savoureth of some Love to God and not meer fleshly sensitive suffering 3. Ratione finis in respect of the end when we sorrow with intent to drive our hearts to Christ our Saviour and to value mercy and grace and to recover us to God 4. Ratione effecti in respect of the effect when these fore-mentioned Ends become the fruits of it § 4. Sorrow for sin is a duty and moral good 1. Formally in it self considered For to be sorrowful for offending God and violating his Law essentially containeth a will to please God and obey his Law 2. It must be also made good by a good principle that is by faith and Love 3. By a right end that it be to carry us from the sin to God 4. And by a right Guide and matter that it be sin indeed and not a mistaken seeming sin that is it we sorrow for But sorrow for sin materially may be made sinful 1. By an ill end and formal
hurt And of this there be many degrees He that hath in the least degree disturbed his Reason and disabled or hindred it from its proper office is Drunken in that degree And he that hath overturned it or quite disabled it is stark drunk or drunk in a greater degree § 4. All excess of Drink is sinful Gulosity or sensuality of the same nature with Gluttony and falls under all my last Reproofs and Directions And in some persons that can sât it out and bear much drink without intoxication the sin may be greater than in some others that by a smaller quantity are drunk by a surprize before they are aware But yet caeteris paribus the overthrow of the understanding maketh the sin to be much the greater For it hath all the evil that the other degrees have with more It is A voluptuous excess in drink to the depravation of Reason Gulosity is the general nature of it Excess is the Matter Depravation of Reason is its special form § 5. It is Excess of drinking when you drink more than according to the judgement of sound Reason doth tend to fit your body mediately or immediately for its proper duty without a greater hurt Sometime the immediate benefit is most to be regarded As if a man had some present duty of very great moment to perform The present benefit consisteth 1. In the abatement of such a troublesom thirst or pain as hindreth you from doing your duty 2. In adding that refocillation and alacrity to the spirits as maketh them fitter instruments for the operations of the mind and body That measure which doth one or both of these without greater hurt is not too great I say without greater hurt because if any one should in a Dropsie or a Feaver prefer a little present ease and alacrity before his health and life it were excess Or if any man ordinarily drink more than nature will well digest and which causeth the incoction of his meat and consequently crudities and consequently a dunghil of flegm and vitious humours fit to engender many diseases this is excess of drinking though he feel it ease him and make him cheerful for the present time And this is the common case of most Bibbers or Tiplers that are not stark Drunkards They feel a present ease from thirst and perhaps a little alacrity of spirits and therefore they think that measure is no excess which yet tendeth to crudities and diseases and the destruction of their health and life § 6. Therefore except in some great extraordinary case of necessity it is not so much the present as the future foreseen effects which must direct you to know your measure Reason can foresee though Appetite cannot Future effects are usually Great and long when present effects may be small and short He that will do that which tendeth to the hurt of his health for the present easing or pleasing of his thirsty appetite doth sin against Reason and play the beast You should be so well acquainted with your Bodies and the means of your own health as to know first whether the enduring of the thirst or the drinking to quench it is like to be the more hurtful to your health and more a hindrance to your duty § 7. And for the present Alacrity which strong drink bringeth to some you must foresee that you purchase it not at too dear a rate by a longer dullness or disablement afterwards And take heed that you take not an alien counterfeit hilarity consisting in meer sensual delight for that serenity and just alacrity of the spirits as doth fit you for your duty For this also is a usual and wilful self-deceit of sensualists They make themselves believe that a cup of sack or strong drink giveth them a true assistant alacrity when it only causeth a sensual delight which doth more hinder and corrupt the mind than truly further it in its duty and differeth from true alacrity as paint from beauty or as a feaver doth from our natural heat § 8. You see then that Intemperance in drinking is of two sorts 1. Bibbing or drinking too much 2. Drunkenness in various degrees And these Intemperate Bibbers are of several sorts 1. Those that when they have over-heated themselves or are seaverish or have any ordinary diseased thirst will please their appetites though it be to their hurt and will venture their health rather than endure the thirst Though in Feavers Dropsies Coughs it should be the greatest enemy to them yet they are such beastly servants to their appetites that drink they must whatever come of it Though Physicions forbid them and friends disswade them they have so much of the bruit and so little of the man that Appetite is quite too hard for Reason with them These are of two sorts One sort keep the soundness of their Reason though they have lost all the strength and power of it for want of a Resolved will And these confess that they should abstain but tell you They cannot They are not so much men The other sort have given up their very Reason such as it is to the service of their Appetites and these will not believe till the Cough or Gout or Dropsie c. make them believe it that their measure of drinking is too much or that it will do them hurt but say that it would hurt them more to forbear it Some through real ignorance and some made willingly ignorant by their appetites § 9. 2. Another sort of Bibbers their are much worse than those who have no great diseased thirst to excuse their gulosity but call it a Thirst when ever their Appetite would have drink and use themselves ordinarily to satisfie such an Appetite and drink almost as oft as the throat desireth it and say It is but to quench their thirst and never charge themselves with Intemperance for it These may be known from the first sort of Bibbers by the quality of their drink It is cold small beer that the first sort desire to quench a real thirst when Reason bids them endure it if other means will not quench it But it is Wine or Strong-Drink or some drink that hath a delicious gust which the second ââ non solum ãâ¦ã seculares ãâ¦ã sed ip ãâ¦ã x domiâi ãâ¦ã que pasâo ãâ¦ã quâ exâm ãâ¦ã omni pâebi dâbuerirt ebrierâte quam plurimi quasi vino mâdidi torpebant resoluti animositatum tumore juâgiorum contentione ãâ¦ã ae rapââââbus ungulis indiscreto boni malique judicio carpebantur Gildas sort of Bibbers use to please the Appetite which they call their Thirst. And of these Luxurious Tiplers next to stark Drunkards there are also divers degrees some being less guilty and some more § 10. 1. The Lowest degree are they that will never ordinarily drink but at meels But they will then drink more than nature requireth or than is profitable to their health § 11. 2. The second degree are they that use to drink between meels
I remember so much to grudge at Gods natural ordering of man in any thing as that we are fain to waste so much of our little time in sleep nor was I ever tempted to grudge at my weakness so much on any account as this that it deprived me of so much pretious time which else might have been used in some profitable work The pretiousness of Time makes excessive sleeping to be a great sin according to the measure of the excess § 8. 2. It is a neglect of all our powers and parts which should all that time be exercised Reason is idle and buryed all that while All your wisdom and knowledge is of no use to you All the Doâmâens nemo uâlius pretâi est Plato in Laert. learning of the greatest Scholar in the world is of no more service than if he were illiterate nor all the prudence and pollicy of the wisest than if they were meer Ideots All the strength and health or the strongest is of no more service than if they were sick nor the skill of the greatest artist than if he had never learnt his art nor any of your limbs or senses than if you were lame or blind of deaf or senseless And I leave it to any mans consideration and judgement whether if Drunkenness be so odious a sin because it depriveth a man voluntarily of the use of his Reason and parts it must not be a very great sin to do the same by sleeping by frequent voluntary excessive sleeping For no man I think is Drunk so often as the sluggard is dead in sleep Sluggards quite kill their Reason when most Drunkards do but maim it or make it sick Sluggards bury their wits and parts usually ten times as long in the year as the filthiest drunkards do And hath God given you Reason and parts and strength for no better use than to bury it for so considerable a part of your lives § 9. 3. Excess of sleep is guilty of all the omissions of those Duties which should all that time have been performed Of the omission of every holy thought and word and deed which should have been then exercised And of the omission of all the duties of your Callings Of the omission of every prayer you should have then prayed and every Chapter you should have read and all the good which you should have got to your selves or done to others to Wife Husband Children Parents Servants Neighbours And you know that omissions are one half and the greater half of the sins of the world And that God will condemn the wicked at last for their omissions Matth. 25. for not feeding the poor not clothing them not visiting and that he requireth the improvement of all his talents and that it is his terrible sentence Matth. 25. 26 30. Thou wicked and slothful servant c. Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth What then shall we think of the wilful omission not of one duty but of all duty whatsoever not now and then but constantly for an hour or two or three once in four and twenty hours No Love of God no desires towards him no good is exercised all that time § 10. Quest. Can the Love of sleep alone be the mortal reigning sin in any one The reason of the Quest. Whether love of sleep may be a mortal sin doubt is because that the mortal sin is a sin of mistaken interest that is such as hath a mans chiefest Love and is preferred before God which it seems so small a thing as sleep or ease cannot be but it seems a meer neglect or remisness in the way of duty and not to be chosen as any mans felicity Answ. The sin that is set up against the Love of God as a mans ultimate end and happiness is Answ. flesh-pleasing in the General or Carnal self-love And he that is guilty of this can hardly be imagined to exercise his sensual desire only in the way of sloth and sleep It is certain that he preferreth the greatest Pleasure of his flesh which he can attain before the less and therefore as to the Habit or Inclination he is as much addicted to Covetousness Gluttony Ambition or other wayes of sensuality And if they are within his reach that he can hope to attain them he will actually desire such greater pleasures more than this For there is no man that is an unregenerate sensualist that hath mortified Covetousness Luxury and Pride and yet is captivated only by sleep or sloth The same grace which truly mortifieth the Greater would mortifie the less But it is possible that a Beggar or some such person that hath no other sensual pleasure but Idleness in view or hope may exercise his sensuality principally this way Not but that radically he preferreth riches and honour before his beggarly sloth and ease but those desires having no matter to work upon do not stirr in him because he hath no hope of reaching such a thing The sum is 1. Carnal self-love is the great opposite to the Love of God 2 This self-love worketh towards carnal pleasure and to the greatest most 3. Habitually therefore the Love of Riches honour and voluptuousness is stronger than the Love of ease 4. Actually the love of ease may be the strongest in some 5. But if those persons were as capable of the higher fleshly pleasures they would love them actually more 6. It is not the omitting of some particular duties through the love of ease which proveth such a sensual unsanctified state of soul but the preferring of mens ease before a Holy life in the main As when men so far love their ease that they will not make it the chief of their desires and employments to seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness Matth. 6. 33. The overcoming of excessive sleep is easie if you be but throughly willing § 11. Direct 1. The first thing to be done is to correct that sluggish flegmatick temper of body Direct 1. which inclineth you to it which is chiefly to be done by such an abstinence or temperate dyet as I gave directions for before A full belly is fit for nothing else but sleep or lust Reduce your dyet to that measure which is needful to your health and eat not any more to please your appetites And let fasting cure you when you have exceeded § 12. Direct 2. Labour hard in your Callings that your sleep may be sweet while you are in it Direct 2. or else you will lye in bed on pretence of necessity because you cannot sleep well when you are there Then you will say you must take it out in the morning because you sleep not in the night But see that this be not caused by Idleness Weary your bodies in your daily labours For the sleep of the labouring man is sweet Eccles. 5. 12. § 13. Direct 3. See that thou have a Calling which will find thee
full exposition what we ascribe to it But as some scrupulous Brethren in Scotland gratifie the Papists by rejecting the Oath of Supremacy which is the most thorny hedge against them and this while they cry out against Popery so others would gratifie the Papists by suggesting that we give too much to the Bible and adore it when the very sum of Englands Protestantism is their just ascribing to the Holy Scriptures its sufficiency as to all things necessary to salvation Thus Satan undoeth still by overdoing IV. Object Laying on the hand and kissing the Book seem of the same nature with the Cross in Object Baptism and other significant Ceremonies And an Oath is part of the Worship of God Therefore not to be taken with these Ceremonies or else will seem to justifie the other Answ. 1. Significant words gestures or actions are not therefore evil because they are significant Answ. unless bruitishness be a Vertue Nor because any call them by the name of Ceremonies else that name might be put on any thing by an enemy to deprive us of our liberty Therefore I can judge of no Ceremony by that General name alone till it be named it self in specie 2. Of the Cross in Baptism see my Disputations of Church-Government of Ceremonies written long ago There are these notorious differences in the Case 1. The Cross is an Image used in Gods Worship Though not a Permanent yet a Transient Image and used as an Image of the Cross of Christ though but in Water or Oyle And God hath more specially forbidden Images used in his Worship than he hath done a Professing significant Word Gesture or Action which is no Image nor used as such 2. The Cross seemeth to be a third Sacrament of the Covenant of Grace while it is used as a Symbol of Christianity and a dedicating Sign as the Canon calleth it by which before the Church there is made a solemn self-obligation as Sacramentally to Renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh and manfully to fight under Christs banner as his faithful servants and souldiers to our lives end Implying our trust and hope in Christ crucified for the benefits of his death So that if it be not a compleat third Sacrament it hath so much of that which is proper to a Sacrament like the Sacramentum Militare whence the name came into the Church that for my part I dare not use it though I presume not to censure those that do nor to condemn all other uses of the Cross which the Antients abounded in as sudden particular professing Signs much below this solemn covenanting use And as I think the King would not take it well when he hath made the Star the Badge of the Knights of the Garter if any Subject will presume to make another Symbolum Ordinis though yet many a significant Gesture or Act may be used without offence So I fear Christ would not take it well of me if I presume to make or use another Symbole or Tessera of Christianity Especially with so much of a Covenanting Sacramental Nature But what 's this to things or Gestures significant of no such kind You see then the difference of these Cases But if you were able to prove the Cross as harmless as the Swearing Ceremony I would be for the Cross and not against the laying the hand on the Book and kissing it For 1. I am not of their mind that form their judgment of other particulars to suit with their preconceived opinions of things of the same rank or quality nor make the Interest of my former conceptions to be the measure of my after judging 2. Nor do I think it so great an honour to be strict in my opinions as dishonour to be superstitious and to add to Gods Law by saying that he forbiddeth what he doth not or to be affectedly singular in denying lawful things with a Touch not taste not handle not c. Nor do I esteem him to be the wisest best or holiest person who is narrowest or strictest in his opinions but who is Rightest nor him that maketh most things to be sins but him that committeth least sin which is such indeed nor him that maketh most Laws to himself and others but him that best obeyeth Gods Laws Quest. 1. MAy one that scrupleth thus swearing himself yet Commissioned give an Oath thus to another Quest. that scrupleth it not Answ. 1. If the thing be as is proved lawful his scruple will not make him innocent in neglecting Answ. the duty of his place 2. If the substance of the Oath were lawful and only the Mode or Ceremony were sinful as suspected then 1. If the Commissioner must himself particularly command that Mode it were unlawful for him to do it 2. But if he only command and give the Oath as an Oath leaving the Mode without his Approbation or Command to the Taker and the Law he may so give the Oath And thus Christians in all Ages have taken it for Lawful to make Covenants even with Infidels and Idolaters and to take a Turks Oath by Mahomet when it is only the Oath that we demand and the Mode is his own which we had rather be without and give no approbation of And if a King may thus demand an Infidels or Idolaters Oath as God himself doth mens duty when he knoweth that they will sin in doing it much more may one do so in case of a doubtful Ceremony which he is neither the author nor approver of But I think this in question is lawful fit and laudable § 7. III. As to the case of Taking Gods Name in vain which for brevity I joyn with swearing How Gods Name is taken in vain it is done 1. Either in the grossest and most hainous sort 2. Or in a lower sort 1. The grossest sort of taking Gods Name in vain is by Perjury or calling him in for witness to a lye For among the Jews Vanity and a Lye were words frequently taken in the same signification 2. But the lower sort of taking Gods Name in vain is when it is used lightly unreverently contemptuously jeastingly or See Dr. Haââoâds Pract. Catâch on the thârd Commandment Jer. 5. 2. Lev. 19. 12. without just cause And in these also there is prophaneness and a very great sin which is aggravated according to the Degree of the contempt or prophanation It is a great sin unreverently in common talk to make a by-word of saying O Lord or O God or O Iesus or God help us or Lord have mercy on us or God send this or that or any way to take Gods Name in vain But to use it in jears and scorns at Religion or make Play-books or Stage-playes with such prophane contemptuous jears is one of the greatest villanies that mans tongue can be guilty of against his Maker Of which anon § 8. IV. Direct 1. For the avoiding of all this prophaneness in swearing and taking the Name of
all their labour and suffering To think of the blessed end of all their pains and patience and how far they are now from repenting of it methinks should stir us up to zeal and diligence § 24. 8. To foresee what thoughts all the world will have of holy diligence at last how the best will wish they had been better and had done much more for God and their salvation and how the worst will wish when it is too late that they had been as zealous and diligent as the best How earnestly they will then knock and cry Lord open to us when it is all in vain and say to the watchful diligent souls Give us of your Oyle for our Lamps are gone out Matth. 25. To think how glad the most ungodly would then be if they might but have dyed the death of the righteous and their latter end might be Num. 23. 10. as his And what heart-tearing grief will seize upon them for ever to think how madly they lost their souls and sluggishly went to Hell to spare their pains of that sweet and holy work that should have prevented it Will not such forethoughts awaken the most sluggish stupid souls that will but follow them till they can do their work § 25. 9. Remember that thou must be zealous and diligent in this or nothing For there is nothing else that is worth thy seriousness in comparison of this To be earnest and laborious for perishing vanities is the disgrace of thy mind and will prove thy disappointment and leave thee at last in shame and sorrow when holy diligence will recompence all thy pains § 26. 10. Remember also that thou hast been slothful and negligent too long And how dost thou repent of thy former sloth if thou wilt be as slothful still Art thou grieved to think how many duties slothfulness hath put by and how many it hath murdered and frustrated and made nothing of and how much Grace and Mercy and Comfort it hath already deprived thee of and how much better thy case were if thou hadst lived in as much holy diligence as the best thou knowest And yet wilt thou be slothful still § 27. 11. Remember that thou hast thy Life and health and wit and parts for nothing else but by thy present duty to prepare for everlasting joyes that all Gods mercies bind thee to be diligent and every Ordinance and all his helps and means of grace are given to further thee in the work and Sun and Moon and Air and Earth and all attend thee with their help And yet wilt thou be cold and slothful and frustrate all these means and mercies § 28. 12. Remember how diligent thy Enemy is Satan goeth about even night and day like a 1 Pet. 5. â roaring Lyon seeking to devour And wilt thou be less diligent to resist him § 29. 13. Think what an example of diligence Christ himself hath left thee And how laboriously blessed Paul and all the holy Servants of Christ did follow their Masters work Did they Pray and watch and work as slothfully as thou dost § 30. 14. Remember how hot and earnest thou wast formerly in thy sin And wilt thou now be cold and negligent in thy duty when God hath set thee in a better way § 31. 15. Observe how eager and diligent worldlings are for the world and flesh-pleasers for their sports and pleasures and proud persons for their greatness and honour and malignant persons to oppose the Gospel of Christ and their own and other mens salvations Look on them and think what a shame it is to thee to be more cold and remiss for God § 32. 16. Observe how an awakening pang of Conscience or the sight of death when it seems to be at hand can waken the very wicked to some kind of serious diligence at the present so that by their confessions and cryes and promises and amendments while the fit was on them they seemed more zealous than many that were sincere And shall not saving grace do more with you than a fit of fear can do with the ungodly § 33. 17. Remember of how sad importance it is and what it signifieth to be cold and slothful If it be predominant so as to keep thee from a holy life it is damnable The spirit of slumber is a most dreadful judgement But if it do not so prevail yet though thou be a Child of God it signifieth a great debility of soul and foretelleth some sharp affliction to befall thee if God mean to do thee good by a recovery The decay of natural heat is a sign of old age and is accompanied with the decay of all the powers And sicknesses and pains do follow such decays of life And as you will make your Horse feel the rod or spur when he grows dull and heavy expect when you grow cold and dull to feel the spur of some affliction to make you stir and mend your pace § 34. 18. Remember that thy sloth is a sinning against thy knowledge and against thy experience and against thy own Covenants promises and profession and therefore an aggravated sin These and such like serious thoughts will do much to stir up a slothful soul to Zeal and Diligence § 35. Direct 4. Drown not your hearts in worldly business or delights for these breed a Direct 4. loathing and aversness and weariness of holy things They are so contrary one to the other that Luk. 8. 14. the mind will not be eagerly set on both at once but as it relisheth the one it more and more disrelisheth the other There is no heart left for God when other things have carryed it away § 36. Direct 5. Do all you can to raise your hearts to the Love of God and a delight in holy things Direct 6. and then you will not be slothful nor weary nor negligent Love and Delight are the most excellent remedy against a slow unwilling kind of duty Know but how good it is to walk with God and do his work and thou wilt do it chearfully § 37. Direct 6. A secret root of unbelief is the mortal enemy of zeal and diligence Labour for a Direct 7. well-grounded belief of the word of God and the world to come and stir up that belief into exercise when you would have your slothful hearts stird up When there is a secret questioning in the heart What if there should be no life to come What if the grounds of Religion are unsound This blasteth the vigor of all endeavors and inclineth men to serve God only with hypocritical halving and reserves and maketh men resolve to be no further Religious than stands with present fleshly happiness § 38. Direct 7. Take heed of debauching Conscience by venturing upon doubtful things much more Direct 7. by known and willful sin For when once Conscience is taught to comply with sin and is mastered in Rom. 14 21. 22. 1 Cor. 5. 6. Eph. 4. 29 30. one thing
understand the true nature and use of Recreations Labour to be acquainted Direct 2. just how much and what sort of Recreation is needful to your selves in particular In which you must have respect 1. To your bodily strength 2. To your minds 3. To your labours And when you have resolved on 't what and how much is needful and fit to help you in your duty allow it its proper time and place as you do your meals and see that you suffer it not to encroach upon your duty § 51. Direct 3. Ordinarily joyn profit and pleasure together that you lose no time I know not one Direct 3. person of an hundred or of many hundred that needeth any Game at all there are such variety of better exercises at hand to recreate them And it is a sin to idle away any time which we can better improve I confess my own nature was as much addicted to playfullness as most and my judgement alloweth me so much recreation as is needful to my Health and Labour and no more But for all that I find no need of any game to recreate me When my mind needeth recreation I have variety of recreating Books and Friends and business to do that And when my body needeth it the hardest Labour that I can bear is my best recreation walking is instead of games and sports as profitable to my body and more to my mind If I am alone I may improve that time in meditation If with others I may improve it in profitable cheerful conference I condemn not all sports or games in others but I find none of them all to be best for my self And when I observe how far the temper and life of Christ and his best servants was from such recreations I avoid them with the more suspition And I see but few but distaste it in Ministers even Shooting Bowling and such more healthful games to say nothing of Chess and such other as fit not the end of a recreation Therefore there is somewhat in it that nature it self hath some suspition of That student that needeth Chess or Cards to please his Mind I doubt hath a carnal empty mind If God and all his books and all his friends c. cannot suffice for this there is some disease in it that should rather be cured than pleased And for the Body it is another kind of exercise that profits it § 52. Direct 4. Watch against inordinate sensual Delight even in the Lawfullest sport Excess Direct 4. of pleasure in any such vanity doth very much corrupt and befool the mind It puts it out of relish with spiritual things and turneth it from God and Heaven and duty § 53. Direct 5. To this end keep a watch upon your thoughts and fantasies that they run not after Direct 5. sports and pleasures Else you will be like children that are thinking of their sport and longing to be at it when they should be at their Books or business § 54. Direct 6. Avoid the company of revellers gamesters and such time-wasters Come not Direct 6. among them lest you be ensnared Accompany your selves with those that delight themselves in God 2 Tim. 2. 22. § 55. Direct 7. Remember death and judgement and the necessities of your souls Usually these Direct 7. Eccles. 2. 2. sports seem but foolishness to serious men And they say of this mirth as Solomon it is madness And it is great and serious subjects which maketh serious men Death and the world to come when they are soberly thought on do put the mind quite out of rellish with foolish pleasures § 56. Direct 8. Be painful in your honest Callings Laziness breedeth a love of sports when Direct 8. you must please your slothful flesh with ease then it must be further pleased with vanities § 57. Direct 9. Delight in your relations and family duties and mercies If you love the company Direct 9. and converse of your Parents or Children or Wives or Kindred as you ought you will find more pleasure in discoursing with them about holy things or honest business than in foolish sports But Adulterers that love not their Wives and unnatural Parents and Children that love not one another and ungodly Masters of Families that love not their duty are put to seek their sport abroad § 58. Direct 10. See to the sanctifying of all your Recreations when you have chosen such as are Direct 10. truly suited to your need and go not to them before you need nor use them not beyond your need See also that you lift up your hearts secretly to God for his blessing on them and mix them all along as far as you can with holy things as with holy Thoughts or holy Speeches As for Musick which is a lawful pleasure I have known some think it prophaness to use it privately or publickly with a Psalm that scrupled not using it in common mirth When as all our mirth should be as much sanctified as is possible All should be done to the Glory of God And we have much more in Scripture for the Holy Use of Musick publick and private than for any other use of it whatever And it is the excellency of Melody and Musick that they are recreations which may be more aptly and profitably sanctified by application to holy uses than any other And I should think them little worth at all if I might not use them for the holy exhilerating or elevating of my soul or affecting it towards God or exciting it to duty Direct 11. § 59. Direct 11. The sickly and the Melancholy who are usually least inclined to sport have much more need of Recreation than others and therefore may allow it a much larger time than those that are in health and strength Because they take it but as Physick to recover them to health being to abate again when they are recovered § 60. Direct 12. Be much more severe in regulating your selves in your recreations than in censuring Direct 12. others for using some sports which you mislike For you know not perhaps their case and reasons and temptations But an idle Time-wasting sensual sporter every one should look on with pity as a miserable wretch PART III. Directions about Apparel and against the Sin therein committed § 1. Direct 1. FItness is the first thing to be respected in your Apparel to make it a means to Direct 1. the end to which it is appointed The Ends of Apparel are 1. To keep the body warm 2. To keep it from being hurt 3. To adorn it soberly so far as beseemeth the common dignity of humane nature and the special dignity of your places 4. To hide those parts which nature hath made your shame and modesty commandeth you to cover § 2. The Fitness of Apparel consisteth in these things 1. That it be fitted to your Bodies as your Shoo to your foot your Hat to your head c. 2. That it be suited to your
Virgin doth well So then he that marrieth doth well but he that marrieth not doth better And mark Christs own words Matth. 19. 11. His Disciples say unto him If the case of a man be so with his wife it is not good to marry But he said unto them All men cannot receive this saying save they to whom it is given He that is able to receive it let him receive it § 30. 10. The business of a married state doth commonly devour almost all your time so that little is left for holy contemplations or serious thoughts of the life to come All Gods service is contracted and thrust into a corner and done as it were on the by The world will scarce allow you time to meditate or pray or read the Scripture You think your selves as Martha under a greater necessity of dispatching your business than of sitting at Christs feet to hear his Word O that single persons knew for the most part the pretiousness of their leisure and how free they are to attend the service of God and learn his Word in comparison of the married § 31. 11. There is so great a diversity of temperaments and degrees of understanding that there are scarce any two persons in the world but there is some unsuitableness between them Like stones that have some unevenness that maketh them lye crooked in the building some crossness there will be of opinion or disposition or interest or will by nature or by custome and education which will stir up frequent discontents § 32. 12. There is a great deal of duty which Husband and Wife do owe to one another As to instruct admonish pray watch over one another and to be continual helpers to each other in order to their everlasting happiness and patiently to bear with the infirmities of each other And to the weak and backward heart of man the addition of so much duty doth add to their weariness how good soever the work be in it self And men should feel their strength before they undertake more work § 33. 13. And the more they Love each other the more they participate in each others griefs And one or other will be frequently under some sort of suffering If one be sick or lame or pained or defamed or wronged or disquieted in mind or by temptation fall into any wounding sin the other beareth part of the distress Therefore before you undertake to bear all the burdens of another and suffer in all anothers hurts it concerneth you to observe your strength how much more you have than your own burdens do require § 34. 14. And if you should marry one that proveth ungodly how exceeding great would the affliction be If you loved them your souls would be in continual danger by them They would be the powerfullest instruments in the world to pervert your judgements to deaden your hearts to take you off from a holy life to kill your prayers to corrupt your lives and to damn your souls And if you should have the grace to scape the snare and save your selves it would be by so much the greater difficulty and suffering as the temptation is the greater And what a heart-breaking would it be to converse so nearly with a child of the Devil that is like to lye for ever in Hell The daily thoughts of it would be a daily death to you § 35. 15. Women especially must expect so much suffering in a Married life that if God had not put into them a natural inclination to it and so strong a love to their children as maketh them patient under the most annoying troubles the world would ere this have been at an end through their refusal of so calamitous a life Their sickness in breeding their pain in bringing forth with the danger of their lives the tedious trouble night and day which they have with their children in their nursing and their childhood besides their subjection to their husbands and continual care of family affairs being forced to consume their lives in a multitude of low and troublesome businesses All this and much more would have utterly deterred that Sex from marriage if Nature it self had not enclined them to it § 36. 16. And O what abundance of duty is incumbent upon both the Parents towards every child for Art thou discontented with thy childless state Remember that of all the Roman Kings noâ one of them left the Crown to his Son Plutarch de âranq anim the saving of their souls What uncessant labour is necessary in Teaching them the Doctrine of Salvation Which made God twice over charge them to teach his word diligently or sharpen them unto their children and to talk of them when they sit in their houses and when they walk by the way and when they lye down and when they rise up Deut. 6. 6 7. 11. 19. What abundance of obstinate rooted corruptions are in the hearts of Children which Parents must by all possible diligence root up O how great and hard a work is it to speak to them of their sins and Saviour of their God their souls and the life to come with that reverence gravity seriousness and unwearied constancy as the weight of the matter doth require and to suit all their actions and carriage to the same ends Little do most that have Children know what abundance of care and labour God will require of them for the sanctifying and saving of their Childrens souls Consider your fitness for so great a work before you undertake it § 37. 17. It is abundance of affliction that is ordinarily to be expected in the miscarriages of Children when you have done your best much more if you neglect your duty as even godly Parents too often do After all your pains and care and labour you must look that the foolishness of some and the obstinacy of others and the unthankfulness of those that you have loved best should even pierce your hearts You must look that many vices should spring up and trouble you and be the more grievous by how much your children are the more dear And O what a grief it is to breed up a Child to be a servant of the Devil and an enemy of God and godliness and a persecutor of the Church of God! And to think of his lying in Hell for ever And alas how great is the number of such 18. And it is not a little care and trouble that servants will put you to so difficult is it to get those that are good much more to make them good so great is your duty in teaching them and minding them of the matters of their salvation so frequent will be the displeasures about your work and worldly business and every one of those displeasures will hinder them for receiving your instructions that most families are houses of correction or affliction § 39. 19. And these marriage Crosses are not for a year but during life They deprive you of all hope of relief while you live
and temperature of your children which is a great advantage for the choosing and applying of the best remedy 8. You have opportunity of watching over them and discerning all their faults in time But if a Minister speak to them he can know no more what fault to reprehend than others tell him or the party will confess You may also discern what success your former exhortations had and whether they amend or still go on in sin and whether you should proceed to more severe remedies 9. You have opportunity of speaking to them in the most familiar manner which is better understood than the set speech of a Minister in the Pulpit which few of them mark or understand You can quicken their attention by questions which put them upon answering you and so awaken them to a serious regard of what you say 10. You are so frequently with them that you can repeat your instructions and drive them home that what is not done at one time may be done at another Whereas other men can seldom speak to them and what is so seldome spoken is easily neglected or forgotten 11. You have power to place them under the best means and to remove many impediments out of their way which usually frustrate other mens endeavours 12. Your example is near them and continually in their sight which is a continual and powerful Sermon By all these advantages God hath enabled you above all others to be instruments of your Childrens good and the first and greatest promoters of their salvation § 6. Motive 6. Consider how great a Comfort it would be to you to have your children such as you Motive 6. may confidently hope are the children of God being brought to know him and love and serve him through your own endeavours in a pious education of them 1. You may love your children upon an higher account than as they are yours even as they are Gods adorned with his Image and quickned with a divine celestial life And this is is to love them with a higher kind of Love than meer Natural affection is It would rejoyce you to see your children advanced to be Lords or Princes But O how much greater cause of joy is it to see them made the members of Christ and quickned by his Spirit and sealed up for life eternal 2. When once your children are made the children of God by the Regeneration of the Spirit you may be much more free from care and trouble for them than before Now you may boldly trust them on the care of their heavenly Father who is able to do more for them than you are able to desire He loveth them better than you can love them He is bound by promise to protect them and provide for them and to see that all things work together for their good He that clotheth the Lillies of the fields and suffereth not the young Lions or Ravens to be unprovided for will provide convenient food for his own children though he will have you also do your duty for them as they are your children While they are the children of Satan and the servants of sin you have cause to fear not only lest they be exposed to miseries in this world but much more lest they be snatched away in their sin to Hell Your children while they are ungodly are worse than among Wolves and Tygârs But when once they are renewed by the Spirit of Christ they are the charge of all the blessed Trinity and under God the charge of Angels Living or dying they are safe For the Eternal God is their portion and defence 3. It may be a continual comfort to you to think what a deal of drudgery and calamity your child is freed from To think how many Oaths he would have sworn and how many lyes and curses he would have uttered and how bâaftly and fleshly a life he would have lived how much wrong he would have done to God and men and how much he would have pleased the Devil and what torments in Hâll he must have endured as the reward of aââââ and then to think how mercifully God hath prevented all this and what service he may do God in the world and finally live with Christ in glory What a joy is this to a considering believing Parent that taketh the mercies of his children as his own 4. Religion will teach your children to be more dutiful to your selves than Nature can teach them It will teach them to Love you even when you have no more to give them as well as if you had the wealth of all the world It will teach them to honour you though you are poor and contemptible in the eyes of others It will teach them to obey you and if you âall into want to relieve you according to their power It will âit them to comfort you i st the time of your sickness and distress when ungodly children will be as thorns in your feet or eyes and cut your hearts and prove a greater grief than any enemies to you A gracious child will bear with your weaknesses when a Châm will not cover his Fathers nakedness A gracious Child can pray for you and pray with you and be a blessing to your house when an ungodly Child is fitter to curse and prove a curse to those he liveâ with 5. And is it not an exceeding joy to think of the everlasting happiness of your Child and that you may live togâther in Heaven for ever When the foresâen misâry of a gracâlâss Child may grieve you when ever you look him in the face 6. Lastly It will be a great addition to your joy to think that God blessed your diligent instructions and made you the instrument of all that good that is done upon your children and of all that good that is done by them and of all the happiness they have for ever To think that this was conveyed to them by your means will give you a larger share in the delights of it § 7. Motive 7. Remember that your Childrens Original sin and misery is by you and therefore in Motive 7. juââice you that have undone them are bound to do your best to save them If you had but conveyed a leprosiâ or some hereditary Disease to their bodies would you not have done your best to cure them O that you could do them but as much good as you do them hurt It is more than Adamâ sin that runneth down into the natures of your Children yea and that bringeth judgements on them And even Adams sin cometh not to them but by you § 8. Motive 8. Lastly Consider what exceeding great need they have of the utmost help you can afford Motive 8. them It is not a corporal disease an easie enemy a tolerable that we call unto you for their helpââ But it is against Sin and Satan and Hell fire It is against a body of sin not one but many âoâ small but pernicious having seized upon the heart
take these for their greater business And speak not lightly or unreverently or in a rude and wrangling manner but with gravity and sobriety as those that are advising together about the greatest matter that ever they had to do in the world § 17. Direct 3. When either Husband or Wife is speaking seriously about holy things let the other Subdirect 3. be careful to cherish and not to extinguish and put an end to the discourse There are two wayes to cherish such discourse The first is by taking your turn and bearing a due proportion in the discourse with wisdom and gravity But all cannot do this some are but learners and those must take the second way which is to ask for resolution in matters of which they doubt or are uninstructed and to draw on more by pertinent Questions The two wayes by which such discourse is silenced are these The first is by the constant silence of the hearer When a man talketh as to a post that giveth him no answer nor putteth any pertinent question he will be wearyed out at last and will give over The second is by a cross contradicting cavilling wrangling against what is spoken or by interruptions and diversions when you come in presently with some worldly or impertinent talk and winde about from sober conference to something that is unedifying And some that will not seem meerly profane and vain and worldly will destroy all holy fruitful conference even by a kind of Religious talk presently carrying you away from Heart-searching and Heavenly discourse to some Controversie or doctrinal or formal or historical matter that is sufficiently distant from the Heart and Heaven Take heed of these courses if you would help each other § 18. Direct 4. Watch over the hearts and lives of one another and labour to discern the state of Subdirect 4. one anothers souls and the strength or weakness of each others sins and graces and the failings of each others lives that so you may be able to apply to one another the most suitable help What you are unacquainted with you cannot be very helpful in you cannot cure unknown diseases you cannot Matth 27. 19. give wise and safe advice about the state of one anothers souls if you are mistaken in them God hath placed you nearest to each other that you might have so much interest in each other as to quicken you to a loving care and so much acquaintance with each other as to keep you from misunderstanding and so from neglecting or deceiving one another And you should be alwayes provided of those fit remedies that are most needful and suitable to each others case If that Preacher be like to be dull and unsuccessful that is all upon meer Doctrine and little or nothing in close and lively application you may conceive that it will be so also with your familiar conference § 19. Direct 5. See that you neither flatter one another through fond and foolish love nor exasperate Subdirect 5. one another by a passionate or contemptuous kind of reprehension Some persons are so blinded with fond affection that they can scarce see in Husband Wife or Children any aggravated sin or misery but they think all is well that they do or not so ill as in another they would perceive it But this is the same course that self-loving sinners take with their own souls to their delusion and perdition This flattering of your selves or others is but the Devils charm to keep you from effectual repentance and salvation And the ease of such Anodynes and Narcoticks doth endure but a little while On the other side some cannot speak to one another of their faults without such bitterness of passion or contempt as tendeth to make the stomach of the receiver to lothe the Medicine and so to refuse it or to cast it up If common reproofs to strangers must all be offered in Love much more between the nearest relations § 20. Direct 6. Be sure that you keep up true Conjugal love to one another and that you grow not to Subdirect 6. disaffect the persons of each other For if you do you will despise each others counsels and reproofs They that slight or loath or are weary of each other will disdain reproofs and scorn advice from one another When entire affection greatly disposeth to the right entertainment of instruction § 21. Direct 7. Discourage not each other from instruction or reproof by taking it ill or by churlish Subdirect 7. reflections or by obstinate unreformedness When you will not learn or will not amend you discourage your instructer and reprover Men will be apt to give over when they are requited with ingratitude and snappish retortions or when they perceive that their labour is all in vain And as it is the heaviest judgement of God that befalleth any upon earth when he withdraweth his advice and help and leaveth sinners wholly to themselves so it is the saddest condition in your relations when the ignorant and sinning party is forsaken by the other and left to their own opinons and wayes Though indeed it should not be so because while there is life there is hope § 22. Direct 8. So far as you are able to instruct or quicken one another call in for better helps Subdirect 8. Engage each other in the reading of the most convincing quickning Books and in attendance on the most powerful Ministry and in profitable converse with the holiest persons Not so as to neglect your duty to one another ever the more but that all helps concurring may be the more effectual When they find you speak to them but the same things which Ministers and other Christians speak it will be the more easily received § 23. Direct 9. Conceal not the state of your souls nor hide not your faults from one another You Subdirect 9. are as one flesh and should have one heart And as it is most dangerous for a man to be unknown to himself so is it very hurtful to Husband or Wife to be unknown to one another in those cases wherein they have need of help It is foolish tenderness of your selves when you conceal your disease from your Physicion or your helpful friend And who should be so tender of you and helpful to you as you should be to one another Indeed in some few cases where the opening of a fault or secret will but tend to quench affection and not to get assistance from another it is wisdom to conceal it But that is not the ordinary case The opening your hearts to each other is necessary to your mutual help § 24. Direct 10. Avoid as much as may be contrariety of opinions in Religion For if once you Subdir 10. be of different judgements in matters which you take to be of great concernment you will be tempted to disaffect contemn or undervalue one another and so to despise the help which you might receive And if you fall into several
to have their own wills speak often with great disgrace of self-willedness and stubbornness and tell others in their hearing what hath befâln self-willed Children § 4. Direct 4. Make them neither too bold with you nor too strange or fearful and govern them Direct 4. no as servants but as Children making them perceive that you dearly love them and that all your commands restraints and corrections are for their good and not meerly because you will have it so They must be ruled as Rational Creatures that Love themselves and those that Love them If they perceive that you dearly love them they will obey you the more willingly and the easilier be brought to repent of their disobedience and they will as well obey you in heart as in outward actions and behind your back as before your face And the Love of you which must be caused by your Love to them must be one of the chiefest means to bring them to the Love of all that good which you commend to them and so to form their wills sincerely to the will of God and make them holy For if you are too strange to them and too terrible they will fear you only and not much love you And then they will love no Books no practices that you commend to them But like hypocrites they will seek to please you to your face and care not what they are in secret and behind your backâ Nay it will tempt them to loath your government and all that good which you perswade them to and make them like birds in a Cage that watch for an opportunity to get away and get their liberty They will be the more in the company of servants and idle Children because your terrour and strangeness maketh them take no delight in yours And fear will make them lyars as oft as a lye seemeth necessary to their escape Parents that shew much love to their Children may safely shew severity when they commit a fault For then they will see that it is their fault only that displeaseth you and not their persons and your Love reconcileth them to you when they are corrected When less correction from Parents that are allway strange or angry and shew no tender love to their Children will alienate them and do no good Too much boldness of Children leadeth them before you are aware to contempt of Parents and all disobedience And too much fear and straâgeness depriveth them of most of the benefits of your care and government But tender love with severity only when they do amiss and this at a reverend convenient distance is the only way to do them good § 5. Direct 5. Labour much to possess their hearts with the Fear of God and a reverence of the Direct 5. holy Scriptures and then whatsoever duty you command them or whatever sin you forbid them shew them sâme plain and urgent Texts of Scripture for it and cause them to learn them and oft repeat them that so they may find reason and Divine authority in your commands Till their obedience begin to be Rational and Divine it will be but formal and hypocritical It is Conscience that must watch them in private when you see them not And Conscience is Gods officer and not yours and will say nothing to them till it speak in the name of God This is the way to bring the Heart it self into subjection and also to reconcile them to all your commands when they see that they are first the commands of God of which more anon § 6. Direct 6. In all your speech of God and of Iesus Christ and of the Holy Scripture or the life Direct 6. to come or of any holy duty speak alwaies with gravity seriousness and reverence as of the most great and dreadful and most sacred things For before Children come to have any distinct undârstanding of particulars it is a hopeful beginning to have their hearts possest with a general reverence and high esteem of holy matters For that will continually awe their Consciences and help their judgements and settle them against prejudice and prophane contempt and be as a seed of holiness in them For the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom Psal. 111 10. Prov. 9. 10. 1. 7. And the very manner of the Parents speech and carriage expressing great reverence to the things of God hath a very great power to leave the like impression on a Child Most Children of Godly Parents that ever came to good I am perswaded can tell you this by experience if their Parents did their duty in this point that the first good that ever they felt upon their hearts was a reverence to holy things which the speech and carriage of their Parents taught them § 7. Direct 7. Speak alwayes before them with great honour and praise of Holy Ministers and Direct 7. Isa. 3. 7 8 9 11 Psal. 15. 4. Psal. 101. Psal. 10. 2 3 4. people and with dispraise and loathing of every sin and of ungodly men For this also is a thing that Children will quickly and easily receive from their Parents Before they can understand particular doctrines they can learn in general what kind of persons are most happy or most miserable and they are very apt to receive such a liking or dâslâking from their Parents judgement which hath a great hand in all the following good or evil of their lives If you possess them with good and honourable thoughts of them that fear God they will ever after be enclined to think well of them and to dislike those that speak evil of them and to hear such Preachers and to wâsh themselves such Christians so that in this and the foregoing point it is that the first stirrings of grace in Children are ordinarily felt And therefore on the other side it is a most pernicious thing to Children when they hear their Parents speak contemptuously or lightly of holy things and persons and irreverently talk of God and Scripture and the life to come or speak dispraisingly or scornfully of Godly Ministers or people or make a jeast of the particular duties of a religious life These Children are like to receive that prejudice or prophane contempt into their hearts bâtimes which may bolt the doors against the love of God and holiness and make their salvation a work of much greater difficulty and much smaller hope And therefore still I say that wicked Parents are the most notable servants of the Devil in all the world and the bloodiest enemies to their Childrens souls More souls are damned by ungodly Parents and next them by ungodly Ministers and Magistrates than by any instruments in the world besides And hence it is also that whole Nations are so generally carryed away with enmity against the wayes of God The Heathen Nations against the true God and the Infidel Nations against Christ and the Papist Nations against Reformation and spiritual Worshippers Because the Parents speak evil to the Children of all
seduced to think all proper Communion of Churches lyeth in that Sacrament and to be more prophanely bold in abusing many other parts of worship 5. There are better means by Teaching and Discipline to keep the Sacrament from contempt than the omitting or displacing of it 6. Every Lords Day is no ofter then Christians need it 7. The frequency will teach them to Live prepared and not only to make much ado once a Moneth or Quarter when the same work is neglected all the year beside Even as one that liveth in continual expectation of death will live in continual preparation when he that expecteth it but in some grievous sickness will then be frightned into some seeming preparations which are not the habit of his soul but laid by again when the disease is over 2. But yet I must add that in some undisciplin'd Churches and upon some occasions it may be longer omitted or seldomer used No duty is a duty at all times And therefore extraordinary cases may raise such impediments as may hinder us a long time from this and many other priviledges But the ordinary faultiness of our imperfect hearts that are apt to grow customary and dull is no good reason why it should be seldome Any more than why other special duties of Worship and Church-communion should be seldome Read well the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians and you will find that they were then as bad as the true Christians ââe now and that even in this Sacrament they were very culpable and yet Paul seeketh not to cure them by their seldomer communicating § 21. Quest. 3. Are all the members of the visible Church to be admitted to this Sacrament or Quest. 3. communicate Answ. All are not to seek it or to take it because many may know their own unfitness when the Church or Pastors know it not But all that come and seek it are to be admitted by the Pastors except such Children Ideots ignorant persons or Hereticks as know not what they are to receive and do and such as are notoriously wicked or scandalous and have not manifested their repentance But then it is presupposed that none should be numbered with the adult members of the Church but those that have personally owned their Baptismal Covenant by a Credible Profession of true Christianity § 22. Quest. 4. May a man that hath knowledge and civility and common gifts come and Quest. 4. take this Sacrament if he know that he is yet void of true Repentance and other saving Grace Answ. No For he then knoweth himself to be one that is uncapable of it in his present state § 23. Quest. 5. May an ungodly man receive this Sacrament who knoweth not himself to be Quest. 5. ungodly Answ. No For he ought to know it and his sinful ignorance of his own condition will not make his sin to be his duty nor excuse his other faults before God § 24. Quest. 6. Must a sincere Christian receive that is uncertain of his sincerity and in continual Quest. 6. doubting Answ. Two preparations are necessary to this Sacrament The general preparation which is a state of grace and this the doubting Christian hath And the particular preparation which consisteth in his present actual fitness And all the question is of this And to know this you must further distinguish between Immediate duty and more Remote and between the degrees of doubtfulness in Christians 1. The nearest immediate duty of the doubting Christian is to use the means to have his doubts resolved till he know his case and then his next duty is to receive the Sacrament And both these still remain his duty to be performed in this order And if he say I cannot be resolved when I have done my best yet certainly it is some sin of his own that keepeth him in the dark and hindereth his assurance and therefore Duty ceaseth not to be duty the Law of Christ still obligeth him both to get assurance and to receive and the want both of the knowledge of his state and of Receiving the Sacrament are his continual sin if he lye in it never so long through these scruples though it be an infirmity that God will not condemn him for For he is supposed to be in a state of grace But you will say What is still he cannot be resolved whether he have true faith and Repentance or not What should he do while he is in doubt I answer It is one thing to ask what is his duty in this case and another thing to ask Which is the smaller or less dangerous sin Still his duty is both to get the knowledge of his heart and to communicate But while he sinneth through infirmity in failing of the first were he better also omit the other or not To be well resolved of that you must discern 1. Whether his judgement of himself do rather incline to think and hope that he is sincere in his repentance and faith or that he is not 2. And whether the consequents are like to be good or bad to him If his hopes that he is sincere be as great or greater than his fears of the contrary then there is no such ill consequent to be feared as may hinder his communicating but it is his best way to do it and wait on God in the use of his Ordinance But if the perswasion of his gracelesness be greater than the hopes of his sincerity then he must observe how he is like to be affected if he do communicate If he find that it is like to clear up his mind and increase his hopes by the actuating of his grace he is yet best to go But if he find that his heart is like to be overwhelmed with horror and sunk into despair by running into the supposed guilt of unworthy Receiving then it will be worse to do it than to omit it Many such fearful Christians I have known that are fain many years to absent themselves from the Sacrament because if they should receive it while they are perswaded of their utter unworthiness they would be swallowed up of desperation and think that they had taken their own damnation As the twenty fifth Article of the Church of England saith the unworthy receivers do So that the chief sin of such a Doubting Receiver is not that he receiveth though he doubt for doubting will not excuse us for the sinful omission of a duty no more of this than of Prayer or Thanksgiving But only Prudence requireth such a one to forbear that which through his own distemper would be a means of his despair and ruine As that Physick or food how good soever is not to be taken which would kill the taker Gods Ordinances are not appointed for our destruction but for our edification and so must be used as tendeth thereunto Yet to those Christians who are in this case and dare not communicate I must put this Question How dare you so long refuse it He that
consenteth to the Covenant may boldly come and signifie his Consent and receive the sealed Covenant of God For Consent is your preparation or the necessary condition of your Right If you Consent not you refuse all the mercy of the Covenant And dare you live in such a state Suppose a Pardon be offered to a condemned Thief but so that if he after cast it in the dirt or turn Traytor he shall dye a sorer death will he rather choose to dye than take it and say I am afraid I shall abuse it To refuse Gods Covenant is certain death but to Consent is your preparation and your life § 25. Quest. 7. But what if Superiours compell such a Christian to communicate or else they will excommunicate Quest. 7. and imprison him What then should he choose Answ. If he could do it without his own souls hurt he should obey them supposing that it is nothing but that which in it self is good that they command him But they have their power to 2 Cor. 13. 10. Matth. 10. 28. edification and not to destruction and he must value his soul above his body and therefore it is past question that it is a smaller hurt to be excommunicated and lye and dye in Prison than to cast his soul into despair by doing that which he thinketh is a grievous sin and would be his damnation But all means must be used to cure the mistake of his own understanding § 26. Quest. 8. Is not the case of an Hypocrite that knoweth not himself to be an hypocrite and of Quest. 8. a sincere Christian that knoweth not himself to be sincere all one as to communicating when both are equally in doubt Answ. No For Being and Seeing are things that must be distinguished The one hath grace in Being though he see it not and therefore hath a Right to the blessings of the Covenant and therefore at once remaineth obliged both to Discern his Title and to Come and take it And therefore if he come doubtingly his sin is not that he Receiveth but in the Manner of receiving that he doth it doubtingly And therefore it will be a greater sin not to receive at all unless in the last mentioned case wherein the consequents are like to be worse to him But the other hath no true Repentance or Faith or Love in Being and therefore hath no Right to the blessings of the Covenant and therefore at present is obliged to discern that he is graceless and to Repent of it and it is not his sin that he doubteth of his title but that he demandeth and taketh what he hath no title to And therefore it is a greater sin in him to Take it than to delay in order to his recovery and preparation Yea even in point of Comfort there is some disparity For though the true Christian hath far greater terrors than hypocrites when he taketh himself to be an unworthy Receiver as being more sensible and regardful of the weight of the matter yet usually in the midst of all his fears there are some secret testimonies in his heart of the Love of God which are a Cordial of hope that keep him from sinking into despair and have more life and power in them than all the hypocrites false perswasions of his own sincerity § 27. Quest. 9. Wherein lyeth the sin of an hypocrite and ungodly person if he do receive Quest. 9. Answ. His sin is 1. In lying and hypocrisie in that he professeth to Repent unfeignedly of his sin and to be resolved for a holy life and to Believe in Christ and to Accept him on his Covenant-terms and to give up himself to God as his Father his Saviour and his Sanctifier and to forsake the flesh the world and the Devil when indeed he never did any of this but secretly abhorreth it at his heart and will not be perswaded to it And so all this profession and his very Covenanting it self and his Receiving as it is a professing-Covenanting-sign is nothing but a very lye And what it is to lye to the Holy Chost the case of Ananias and Sapphira telleth us 2. It is usurpation to come and lay claim to those Benefits which he hath no title to 3. It is a prophanation of these holy mysteries to be thus Commandment 2. 3. Lev. 10. 2 3. used and it is a taking of Gods Name in vain who is a jealous God and will be sanctified of all that draw near unto him 4. And it is a wrong to the Church of God and the Communion of Saints and the honour of the Christian Religion that such ungodly hypocrites intrude as members As it is to the Kings Army when the enemies spies creep in amongst them or to his Marriage-feast to have a guest in rags Matth. 22. 11 12. Object But it is no Lye because they think they say true in their profession Answ. That is through their sinful negligence and self-deceit And he is a lyar that speaks a falshood which he may and ought to know to be a falshood though he do not know it There is a Lyar in Rashness and Negligence as well as of set purpose § 28. Quest. 10. Doth all unworthy receiving make a man lyable to damnation Or what unworthiness Quest. 10. is it that is so threatned 1 Cor. 11. 28 29. Answ. There are three sorts of unworthiness or unfitness and three sorts of judgement answerably to be feared 1. There is the utter unworthiness of an Infidel or Impenitent ungodly hypocrite And damnation to Hell fire is the punishment that such must expect if conversion prevent it not 2. There is an unworthiness through some great and scandalous crime which a regenerate person falleth into and this should stop him from the Sacrament for a time till he have repented and cast away his sin And if he come before he rise from his fall by a particular Repentance as the Corinthians that sinned in the very use of the Sacrament it self they may expect some notable Vid. Synod Doââdraâ suffrag Theol. Brittan in Artic 5. temporal judgement at the present and if Repentance did not prevent it they might fear eternal punishment 3. There is that measure of unworthiness which consisteth in the ordinary infirmities of a Saint and this should not at all deterr them from the Sacrament because it is accompanied with a greater worthiness yea though their weakness appear in the time and manner of their Receiving But yet ordinary corrections may follow these ordinary infirmities The grosser abuse of the Sacrament it self I joyn under the second rank Quest. 11. What is the particular preparation needful to a fit Communicant Quest. 11. Answ. This bringeth me up to the next Direction § 29. Direct 5. Let your Preparation to this Sacrament consist of these particulars following Direct 5. 1. In your duty with your own consciences and hearts 2. In your duty towards God 3. And in your duty towards your neighbour
of soul and Body have special need of help and counsel As 1. The Doubting troubled Christian. 2. The Declining or Backsliding Christian 3. The See Tom. 1. Ch. 7. Tit. 10. Of despair Poor 4. The Aged 5. The Sick 6. And those that are about the sick and dying Though these might seem to belong rather to the first Tome yet because I would have those Directions lye here together which the several sorts of persons in Families most need I have chosen to reserve them rather to this place The special duties of the Strong the Rich and the Youthful and Healthful I omiâ because I find the Book grow big and you may gather them from what is said before on several such subjects And the Directions which I shall first give to doubting Christians shall be but a few brief memorials because I have done that work already in my Directions or Method for Peace of Conscience and spiritual comfort And much is here said before in the Directions against Melancholy â and Despair § 2. Direct 1. Find out the special cause of your doubts and troubles and bend most of your endeavours Direct 1. to remove that cause The same Cure will not serve for every doubting soul no nor for every one that hath the very same doubts For the Causes may be various though the doubts should be the same and the doubts will be continued while the cause remaineth § 3. 1. In some persons the chief cause is a timerous weak and passionate temper of body and mind which in some especially of the weaker Sex is so Natural a disease that there is no hope of a total cure Though yet we must direct and support such as well as we are able These persons have so weak a Head and such powerful passions that Passion is their life and according to Passion they judge of themselves and of all their duties They are ordinarily very high or very low full of joy or sinking in despair But usually Fear is their predominant Passion And what an enemy to quietness and peace strong fears are is easily observed in all that have them Assuring evidence will not quiet such fearful minds nor any Reason satisfie them The Directions for these persons must be the same which I have before given against Melancholy and Despair Especially that the Preaching and Books and means which they make use of be rather such as tend to inform the judgement and settle the will and guide the Life than such as by the greatest servency tend to awaken them to such passions or affections which they are unable to manage § 4. 2. With others the Cause of their Troubles is Melancholy which I have long observed to be the commonest cause with those godly people that remain in long and grievous doubts Where this is the cause till it be removed other remedies do but little But oâ this I have spoken at large before § 5. 3. In others the Cause is a habit of discontent and pievishness and impatiency because of some wants or crosses in the world Because they have not what they would have their Minds grow ulcerated like a Body that is sick or sore that carryeth about with them the pain and smart And they are still complaining of the pain which they feel but not of that which maketh the sore and causeth the pain The cure of these is either in Pleasing them that they may have their will in all things as you rock children and give them that which they cry for to quiet them ãâ¦ã or rather to help to cure their impatiency and settle their minds against their childish sinful discontents of which before § 6. 4. In others the Cause is errour or great ignorance about the tenour of the Covenant of Grace and the Redemption wrought by Jesus Christ and the work of Sanctification and evidences thereof They know not on what terms Christ dealeth with sinners in the pardoning of sin nor what are the infallible signes of Sanctification It is sound Teaching and diligent learning that must be the cure of these § 7. 5. In others the cause is a careless life or frequent sinning and keeping the wounds of Conscience still bleeding They are still fretting the sore and will not suffer it to skin either they live in railing and contention or malice or some secret lust or fraud or some way stretch and wrong their Consciences And God will not give his peace and comfort to them till they reform It is a mercy that they are disquieted and not given over to a seared Conscience which is past feeling § 8. 6. In others the Cause of their doubts is Placing their Religion too much in humiliation and in a continual poreing on their hearts and overlooking or neglecting the high and chiefest parts of Religion even the daily studies of the Love of God and the riches of Grace in Iesus Christ and hereby stirring up the soul to Love and Delight in God When they make this more of their Religion and business it will bring their souls into a sweeter relish § 9. 7. In others the Cause is such weakness of parts and confusion of thoughts and darkness of mind that they are not able to examine themselves nor to know what is in them When they ask themselves any question about their Repentance or Love to God or any grace they are fain to answer like strangers and say they cannot tell whether they do it or not These persons must make more use than others of the judgement of some able faithful guide § 10. 8. But of all others the commonest cause of uncertainty is the weakness or littleness of Grace When it is so little as to be next to none at all no wonder if it be hardly and seldome discerned Therefore § 11. Direct 2. Be not neglecters of self-examination but labour for skill to manage aright so Direct 2. great a work But yet let your care and diligence be much greater to get grace and use it and increase it than to try whether you have it already or not For in examination when you have once taken a right course to be resolved and yet are in doubt as much as before your over-much poreing upon these trying questions will do you but little good and make you but little the better but the time and labour may be almost lost whereas all the labour which you bestow in Getting and Using and Increasing grace is bestowed profitably to good purpose and tendeth first to your safety and salvation and next that to your easier certainty and comfort There is no such way in the world to be certain that you have grace as to get so much as is easily discerned and will shew it self and to exercise it much that it may come forth into observation When you have a strong Belief you will easily be sure that you believe When you have a fervent Love to Christ and Holiness and to the word and wayes and servants
of God are seldomer and shorter than they were wont to be 2. And at the same time the thoughts of God do grow less serious and pleasing and more dead and lifeless 3. And then the means which should kindle love are used with more dulness and remissness and indifferency 4. And then Conscience being galled with the guilt of wilful omissions and commissions being acquainted with the fleshly designs of the heart doth raise a secret fear of Gods displeasure and this being not strong enough to restrain the man from sin doth make his sin greater and maketh him very backward to draw near to God or seriously to think of him or call upon him and turneth Love into terror and aversation 5 And if God do not stop and recover the sinner he will next grow quite aweary of God and out of love with a holy life and change him for his worldly fleshly pleasures 6. And next that he will entertain some Infidel or Atheistical or Libertine Doctrine which may quiet him in his course of sin by justifying it and will conform his judgement to his heart 7. And next that he will hate God and his wayes and servants and turn a persecutor of them Till vengeance lay him in Hell where pain and desperation will increase his hatred but his fleshly pleasure and malitious persecution shall be for ever at an end § 11. 3. Backsliders in Life and Practice do receive the first infection at the heart and the life declineth no further than the Heart declineth But yet I distinguish this sort from the other as the effect from the cause And the rather because some few do much decline in heart that yet seem to keep much blamelessness of life in the eye of Men. And it is usually done by these degrees § 12. 1. In the mans backsliding into positive sin as sensuality or worldliness the heart being prepared as before 1. The judgement doth reason more remisly against sin than it did before And the Will doth oppose it with less resolution and with greater faintness and indifferency 2. Then the sinner tasteth of the bait and first draweth as near to sin as he dare and embraceth the occasions and opportunities of sinning while yet he thinketh to yield no further And in this case he is so long disputing with the Tempter and hearkning to him and gazing on the bait till at last he yieldeth and having long been playing at the pits brink his violent lust or appetite doth thrust him in 3. When he hath once sinned against knowledge he is troubled a while and this he taketh for true Repentance And when he is grown into some hope that the first sin is forgiven him he is the bolder to venture on the like again and thinketh that the second may be as well forgiven as the first 4. In the same order he falleth into it again and again till it come to a custome 5. And by this time he Loveth it more and wisheth it were lawful and there were no danger by it 6. And then he thinketh himself concerned to prove it lawful to quiet conscience that it may not torment him and therefore he gladly heareth what the justifiers of his sin can say for it and he maketh himself believe that the Reasons are of weight 7. And then he sinneth without remorse § 13. 2. So in mens backsliding from the practice of Religion 1. The Heart is alienated and undisposed as aforesaid 2. And then the Life of the duty doth decay and it dwindleth towards a dead Formality Like a body in a Consumption the vivid complexion and strength and activity decay 3. Next this he can frequently omit a duty especially in secret where no man knoweth it till by degrees he grow more seldome in it 4. All this he taketh for a pardoned infirmity which consisteth with a state of grace and therefore he is little troubled about it 5. Next this he loseth all the life and comfort of Religion and misseth not any duty when he hath omitted it but is glad that he scapeth it and when it is at an end as an Oxe is when he is out of the yoke 6. Next he beginneth to hearken to them that speak against so much ado in Religion as if it were a needless unprofitable thing 7. And if God forsake him he next repenteth of his former diligence and settleth himself either in a dead course of such customary lip-service as doth cost him nothing or else in utter worldliness and ungodliness and perhaps at last in malignity and persecution § 14. III. Though the Signs or Symptomes of declining may be gathered from what is said already I shall add some more 1. You are declining when you grow bolder with sin or with the 1 Tim. 1. 19. occasions of it and temptations to it than you were in your more watchful state 2. When you Signs of declining make a small matter of those inward corruptions and infirmities which once seemed grievous to you and almost intollerable 3. When you settle in a course of Profession oâ Religiousness that putteth your flesh to little cost in labour reproach or suffering from the ungodly but leave out the hard and costly part and seem to be very Religious in the rest 4. When you are quiet and contented in the daily customary use of Ordinances though you find no profit or increase in grace by it or communion with God 5. When you grow strange to God and Jesus Christ and have little converse with him in the Spirit and your thoughts of him are few and cold and lifeless and your Religion lyeth all in conversing with good men and good Books and outward duties 6. When you grow neglecters of your hearts and strangers to them and find little work about them from day to day either in trying them or watching them or stirring them up or mortifying their corruptions but your business in Religion is most abroad and in outward exercises 7. Yea though your own hearts and duties be much of your care and thoughts you are on the losing hand if the Wonders of Love and Grace in Christ have not more of your thoughts or if you set not your selves more to the study of a Crucified and Glorified Christ than of your own distempered hearts 8. All is not well with you when spiritual helps and advantages are less relished and valued and you grow more indifferent to the Sermons and Prayers and Sacraments which once you could not live without And use them but as bare Duties for necessity and not as Means with any great hope of benefit and success 9. When you grow too regardful of the eye of man and too regardless of the eye of God and are much more careful about the words and outside of your Prayers and discourses than the Spirit and inward part and manner of them and dress your selves accurately when you appear abroad as those that would seem very good to men but go at home in the
conference or meditation or reading or hearing as formerly they had But though they are as much as ever Resolved for God against sin and Vanity yet they are colder and duller and have less zeal and fervency and delight in holy exercises 4. When age or weakness or melancholy hath decayed or confounded their Imaginations and ravelled their Thoughts so that they cannot order them and command them as formerly they could 5. And when age or melancholy hath weakened their parts and gifts so that they are of flower understandings and unabler in prayer or preaching or conference to express themselves than heretofore All these are but bodily changes and such hinderances of the soul as depend thereon and not to be taken for signs of a soul that declineth in holiness and is less accepted of God § 18. Direct 2. When you know the Marks of a Backslider come into the light and be willing to Direct 2. know your selves whether this be your condition or not and do not foolishly cover your disease Enquire whether it be with you as in former times when the light of God did shine upon you and you delighted in his wayes when you hated sin and loved holiness and were glad of the company of the heirs of life when the Word of God was pleasant to you and when you poured out your souls to him in prayer and thanksgivings When you were glad of the Lords day and were quickned and confirmed under the teaching and exhortation of his Ministers when you took worldly wealth and pleasures as childish toyes and fooleries in comparison of the contents of holy souls when you hungred and thirsted after Christ and righteousness and had rather have been in Heaven to enjoy your God and be free from sinning than to enjoy all the pleasures and prosperity of this World And when it was your daily business to prepare for death and to live in expectation of the everlasting Rest which Christ hath promised If this were once your case enquire whether it be so still or what alterations are made upon your hearts and lives § 19. Direct 3. If you find your selves in a Backsliding case by all means endeavour the awakening of your souls by the serious consideration of the danger and misery of such a state To which end I shall here set some such awakening thoughts before you For security is your greatest danger § 20. 1. Consider that to fall back from God was the sin of the Devils They are Angels that Direct 3. kept not their first estate but left their own habitations and are now reserved in chains under darkness to the judgement of the great day Jud. 6. And shall they entise you into their own condemnation § 21. 1. It was the sin of our first Parents Adam and Eve to revolt from God and lose their holiness And is there any sin that we should more carefully avoid than that which all the world hath so much suffered by Every one of the Creatures that you look on and every pain and misery you feel doth mind you of that sin and and call to you to take heed by the warning of your first Parents that you suffer not your hearts to be drawn from God § 22. 3. It is a part of Hell that you are choosing upon earth Depart from me ye cursed is the sentence on the damned Matth. 25. 41. 7. 23. And will you damn your selves by departing from God and that when he calleth you and obligeth you to him To be separated from God is one half the misery of the damned § 23. 4. You are drawing back toward the case that you were in in the dayes of your unconverted state And what a state of darkness and folly and delusion and sin and misery was that Iâ it were good or tolerable why turned you from it and why did you so lament it and why did you so earnestly cry out for deliverance But if it were as bad as you then apprehended it to be why do you again turn towards it Would you be again in the case you were would you perish in it or would you have all those heart-breakings and terrours to pass through again May I not say to you as Paul to the Galatians O foolish sinners who hath bewitched you that you are so soon turned back who have seen that of sin and of God and of Christ and of Heaven and of Hell as you have done Gal. 3. 1 2 3 4. § 24. 5. Yea it is a far more doleful state that you are drawing towards than that which you were in before For the guilt of an Apostate is much greater than if he had never known the truth And his recovery is more difficult and of smaller hope Because he is twice dead and pluckt up by the root Jud. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 20 21 22. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ they are again entangled therein and overcome the later end is worse with them than the beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb The Dog is turned to his own vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Heb. 10. 26 27. For if we sin wilfully by Apostacy after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries I know this speaketh only of total apostacy from Christ such being worthy of fâr sorer punishment than he that despised Moses Law v. 28 29. But it is a terrible thing to draw towards so desperate a state A habit is easier introduced upon a negation than a privation in him that never had it than in him that hath totally lost it § 25. 6. What abundance of Experience do you sin against in your Backsliding You have had experience of the evil of sin and of the smart of repentance and of the deceitfulness of all that can be said for sinning and of the goodness of God and of the safety and sweetness of Religion And will you sin against so great experience If your horse fall once into a quicksand he will scarce be forced into it again And will you be less wise § 26. 7. What abundance of promises and Covenants which you have made to God do you violate in your backsliding How often in your fears and dangers and sicknesses at Sacraments and dayes of humiliation have you bound your selves afresh to God! And will you forget all these and sin against them § 27. 8. By what multitudes of mercies hath God obliged you mercies before your repentance and mercies that drew you to repent and mercies since How mercifully hath he kept
sects and parties and what divisions and contentions tend to as you have done And therefore it belongeth to your gravity and experience to call them unto Unity Charity and Peace and to keep them from proving fire-brands in the Church and rashly over-running their understandings and the truth § 8. Direct 8. Of all men you must live in the greatest contempt of earthly things and least entangle Direct 8. your selves in the Love or needless troubles of the world You are like to need it and use it but a little while A little may serve one that is so neer his journeys end You have had the greatest experience of its vanity You are so near the great things of another World that methinks you should have no leisure to remember this or room for any unnecessary thoughts or speeches of it As your bodies are less able for worldly employment than others so accordingly you are allowed to retire from it more than others for your more serious thoughts of the life to come It is a sign of the bewitching power of the world and of the folly and unreasonableness of sin to see the Aged usually as Covetous as the young and men that are going out of the world to love it as fondly and scrape for it as eagerly as if they never lookt to leave it You should rather give warning to the younger sort to take heed of Covetousness and of being ensnared by the world and while they labour in it faithfully with their hands to keep their hearts entirely for God § 9. Direct 9. You should highly esteem every minute of your time and lose none in idleness or unnecessary Direct 9. things but be alwayes doing or getting some good and do what you do with all your might For you are sure now that your time will not be long How little have you left to make all the rest of your preparation in for eternity The young may die quickly but the old know that their time will be but short Though Nature decay yet grace can grow in life and strength and when your outward man perisheth the inner man may be renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4. 16. Time is a most pretious commodity to all but especially to them that have but a little more to determine the question in Whether they must live in Heaven or Hell for ever Though you cannot do your worldly businesses as heretofore yet you have variety of holy exercises to be imployed in Bodily ease may beseem you but Idleness is worse in you than in any § 10. Direct 10. When the decay of your strength or memory or parts doth make you unable to read Direct 10. or pray or meditate by your selves so much or so well as heretofore make the more use of the more lively gifts and help of others Be the more in hearing others and in joyning with them in prayer that their memory and zeal and utterance may help to lift you up and carry you on § 11. Direct 11. Take not a decay of nature and of those gifts and works which depend thereon Direct 11. for a decay of grace Though your memory and utterance and fervour of affection abate as your Natural heat abateth yet be not discouraged but remember that you may for all this grow in grace if you do but grow in holy wisdom and judgement and a higher esteem of God and holiness and a greater disesteem of all the vanities of the world and a firmer resolution to cleave to God and trust on Christ and never to turn to the world and sin This is your growth in grace § 12. Direct 12. Be patient under all the infirmities and inconveniences of old age Be not discontented Direct 12. at them nor repine not nor grow pievish and froward to those about you This is a common temptation which the Aged should carefully resist You knew at first that you had a body that must decay If you would not have had it till a decaying age why were you so unwilling to dye If you would why do you repine Bless God for the dayes of youth and strength and health and ease which you have had already and grudge not that corruptible flesh decayeth § 13. Direct 13. Understand well that passive obedience is that which God calleth you to in your Direct 13. age and weakness and in which you must serve and honour him in the conclusion of your labour When you are unfit for any great or publick works and active obedience hath not opportunity to exercise it self as heretofore it is then as acceptable to God that you honour him by patient suffering And therefore it is a great errour of them that wish for the death of all that are impotent decrepit and bed-rid as if they were utterly unserviceable to God I tell you it is no small service that they may do not only by their prayers and their secret Love to God but by being examples of faith and patience and heavenly-mindedness and confidence and joy in God to all about them Grudge not then if God will thus imploy you § 14. Direct 14. Let your thoughts of death and preparations for it be as serious as if death were Direct 14. just at hand Though all your life be little enough to prepare for death and it be a work that should be done as soon as you have the use of Reason yet age and weakness call lowder to you presently to prepare without delay Do therefore all that you would fain find done when your last sickness cometh that unreadiness to die may not make death terrible nor your age uncomfortable § 15. Direct 15. Live in the joyful expectations of your change as becometh one that is so near to Direct 15. Heaven and looketh to live with Christ for ever Let all the high and glorious things which faith apprehendeth now shew their power in the Love and joy and longings of your soul. There is nothing in which the weak and aged can more honour Christ and do good to others than in joyful expectation of their change and an earnest desire to be with Christ. This will do much to convince unbelievers that the promises are true and that Heaven is real and that a holy life is indeed the best which hath so happy an end When they see you highest in your joyes at the time when others are deepest in distress and when you rejoyce as one that is entring upon his happiness when all the happiness of the ungodly is at an end this will do more than many Sermons to perswade a sinner to a holy life I know that this is not easily attained But a thing so sweet and profitable to your selves and so useful to the good of others and so much tending to the honour of God should be laboured after with all your diligence and then you may expect Gods blessing on your labours Read to this use the fourth part of my Saints Rest. CHAP.
your help or liberty to do it afterward when that once or few times doing it were like to hinder you from doing it any more it would be your duty then to forbear it for that time unless in some extraordinary case For even for the life of an Oxe or an Asse and for Mercy to mens bodies the rest and holy work of a Sabbath might be interrupted much more for the souls of many Again I warn you as you must not pretend the interest of the end against a peremptory absolute command of God so must you not easily conclude a command to be absolute and peremptory to that which certainly contradicts the End nor easily take that for a Duty which certainly is no means to that good which is the end of duty or which is against it Though yet no seeming aptitude as a means must make that seem a duty which the prohibition of God hath made a sin § 26. Direct 15. It is ever unseasonable to perform a lesser duty of Worship when a greater Direct 15. should be done Therefore it much concerneth you to be able to discern when two duties are inconsistent which is then the greater and to be preferred In which the Interest of the end must much direct you that being usually the greatest which hath the greatest tendency to the greatest good § 27. Direct 16. Pretend not one part of Gods Worship against another when all in their Direct 16. place and order may be done Set not Preaching and Praying against each other nor publick and private Worship against each other nor internal Worship against external but do all § 28. Direct 17. Let not an inordinate respect to man or common custome be too strong a byas to Direct 17. pervert your judgements from the Rule of Worship nor yet any groundless prejudice make you distaste that which is not to be disliked The errour on these two extreams doth fill the World with corruption and contentions about the Worship of God Among the Papists and Russians and other ignorant sort of Christians abundance of corruptions are continued in Gods Worship by the Majus fidei impedimentum ex inveâeraââ consuetudine proficiscitur Ubique consuetudo magnas vires habet sed in barbaris longe maximas quippe ubi rationis est minimum ibi consueâudo radices profundiââimas agit In omni natura motio eò diuturnioâ ac vehemenâior quo magis est ad unum determinaâa Ios. Acosta de Iâd l. 2. p. 249. meer power of custome tradition and education and all seemeth right to which they have been long used and hence the Churches in South East and West continue so long overspread with ignorance and refuse reformation And on the other side meer prejudice makes some so much distaste a prescribed form of Prayer or the way of Worship which they have not been used to and which they have heard some good men speak against whose judgements they highlyest esteemed that they have not room for sober impartial reason to deliberate try and judge Factions have engaged most Christians in the World into several parties whereby Satan hath got this great advantage that instead of Worshipping God in Love and Concord they lay out their zeal in an envious bitter censorious uncharitable reproaching the manner of each others Worship And because the interest of their Parties requireth this they think the interest of the Church and Cause of God requireth it and that they do God service when they make the Religion of other men seem odious when as among most Christians in the World the errours of their modes of Worship are not so great as the adverse parties represent them except only the two great crimes of the Popish Worship 1. That it 's not understood and so is See Bishop Ier. Tailours late Book against Popery souleless 2. They Worship bread as God himself which I am not so able as willing to excuse from being Idolatry Judge not in such cases by passion partiality and prejudice § 29. Direct 18. Yet judge in all such Controversies with that reverence and charity which Direct 18. is due to the universal and the Primitive Church If you find any thing in Gods Worship which the primitive or universal Church agreed in you may be sure that it is nothing but what is consistent with acceptable Worship For God never rejected the Worship of the primitive or universal Church And it is not so much as to be judged erroneous without great deliberation and very good proof We must be much more suspicious of our own understandings § 30. Direct 19. In circumstances and modes of Worship not forbidden in the Word of God affect Direct 19. not singularity and do not easily differ from the practice of the Church in which you hold Communion nor from the commands or directions of your lawful Governours It 's true if we are forbidden with Dan. 3. Act. 4. 17 18. 5. 28. Daniel to Pray or with the Apostles to speak any more in the name of Christ or are commanded as the three witnesses Dan. 3. to Worship Images we must rather obey God than man and so in case of any sin that is commanded us But in case of meer different modes and circumstances and order of Worship see that you give authority and the consent of the Church where you are their due § 31. Direct 20. Look more to your own hearts than to the abilities of the Ministers or the Ceremonies Direct 20. or manner of the Churches Worship in such lesser things It is Heart-work and Heaven-work that the sincere believer comes about and it is the corruption of his heart that is his heaviest burden which he groaneth under with the most passionate complaints A hungry soul enflamed with Love to God and man and tenderly sensible of the excellency of common truths and duties would make up many defects in the manner of publick administration and would get nearer God in a defective imperfect mode of Worship than others can do with the greatest helps When Hypocrites find so little work with their Hearts and Heaven that they are Jam. 3. 15 16 17. taken up about words and forms and ceremonies and external things applauding their own way and condemning other mens and serving Satan under pretence of Worshipping God CHAP. III. Directions about the Christian Covenant with God and Baptism § 1. THough the first Tome of this Book is little more than an explication of the Christian Covenant with God yet being here to speak of Baptism as a part of Gods Worship it is needful that I briefly speak also of the Covenant it self § 1. Direct 1. It is a matter of great importance that you well understand the nature Direct 1. of the Christian Covenant what it is I shall therefore here briefly open the nature of it and then speak of the Reasons of it and then of the solemnizing it by Baptism and next of our Renewing it
by God only And that man hath a power to oblige himself is discerned by the light of Nature and is the ground of the Law of Nations and of humane Converse And though this is no Divine Obligation yet is it not therefore none at all 2. But moreover he that voweth doth induce upon himself a New Divine obligation by making himself the subject of it For example God hath said Honour the Lord with thy substance This command obligeth me to obey it whether I vow it or not The same God hath said Pay thy Vows to the Most High Psal. 50. 14. And When thou vowest a Vow to God defer not to pay it Eccles. 5. 4. This layeth no obligation on me till I vow but when I have vowed it doth so that now I am under a double Divine obligation one to the matter of the duty and another to keep my Vow and under a self-obligation of my own Vow Whence also a greater penalty will be due if I now offend then else would have been § 5. Hence you may see what to think of the common determination of Casuists concerning Vows materially sinful when they say A man is not obliged to keep them It is only thus far true that God obligeth â him not to do that particular thing which he voweth For God had before forbidden it And he changeth not his Laws upon mans rash Vowings But yet there is a self-obligation which he laid upon himself to do it And this self-obligation to a sinful act was it self a sin and to be repented of and not performed but it bringeth the person under a double obligation to penalty as a perjured person even Gods obligation who bindeth the perjured to penalty and the obligation of his own consent to the punishment if there was any Oath or imprecation in the Vow If it were true that such a person had brought himself under no kind of obligation at all then he could not be properly called Perjured nor punished as Perjured But he that sweareth and voweth to do evil as the Jews to kill Paul though he ought not to do the thing because God forbiddeth it yet he is a perjured person for breaking his Vow and deserveth the penalty not only of a rash Vower but of one perjured Thus Error may make a man sinful and miserable though it cannot warrant him to sin § 6. Direct 2. Tây well the matter of your Vows and venture not on them till you are sure that they Direct 2. are not things forbidden Things sinful or doubtful are not fit matter for a Vow In asserting subscribing and witnessing you should take care that you know assuredly that the matter be True and âenture not upon that which may prove false Much more should you take care that you venture not Vid. Sanderson de Juram Praelect 7. Sect. 14. Iuramentum oblatum reluctante vel dubitante conscientia non est suscipiendum 1. Quia quod non est ex fide peccatum est 2. Quia jurandum est in judicio quod certè is non facit qui contra conscientiae suae judicium facit c. ad finem doubtingly in Vows and Oaths They are matters to be handled with dread and tenderness and not to be played with and rashly ventured on as if it were but the speaking of a common word Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God Eccles. 5. 2. It is a grievous snare that men are oft brought into by ignorant and rash Vows As the case of Iephtha and Herod and many another tell us for our warning An error in such cases is much more safely and cheaply discerned before than afterward To have a rash vow or perjury to repent of is to set a bone in joynt or pull a thorn out of your very eye and who would choose such pain and smart Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say thou before the Angel that it was an error Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thy hands Eccles. 5. 6. It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy and after vows to make enquiry Prov. 20. 25. Be careful and deliberate to prevent such snares § 7. Direct 3. Vow not in a Passion Stay till the storm be over whether it be anger or desire Direct 3. or what ever the Passion be delay and deliberate before you Vow For when Passion is up the judgement is upon great disadvantage In your Passion you are apt to be most peremptory and confident when you are most deceived If it be your Duty to Vow it will be your duty to morrow when you are calm If you say that Duty must not be delayed and that you must do it while the Spirit moveth you I answer Was it not as much a duty before your passion was kindled as now It is no sinful delaying of so great a duty to stay till you have well proved whether it be of God If it be the Spirit of Christ that moveth you to it he will be willing that you deliberate and try it by that Word which the same Spirit hath endited to be your rule Gods Spirit worketh principally upon the judgement and the will by setled convictions which will endure a rational tryal It is liker to be your own Spirit which worketh principally on the passion and will not endure the tryal nor come into the light Iohn 3. 18 19. Isa. 8. 20. § 8. Direct 4. Make not a Vow of things indifferent and unnecessary If they be not good in a true Direct 4. comparing practical judgement which considereth all accidents and circumstances they are no fit matter for a Vow Some say Things indifferent are the fittest matter both for Vows and humane Laws But either they speak improperly or untruly and therefore dangerously at the best If an idle word be a sin then an idle action is not a thing to be vowed because it is not a thing to be done being as truly a sin as an idle word And that which is wholly indifferent is idle For if it be good for any thing it is not wholly indifferent And because it is antecedently useless it is consequently sinful to be done § 9. Object 1. But those that say things Indifferent may be Vowed mean not things useless or unprofitable Object 1. to any good end but only those things that are Good and Useful but not commanded such as are the matter of Gods Counsells and tend to mans perfection as to Vow Chastity Poverty and absolute obedience Answ. There are no such things as are morally Good and not commanded This is the fiction of men that have a mind to accuse Gods Laws and Government of imperfection and think sinful man See the fourteenth Article of the Church of ãâ¦ã against Voluntary Works over and above Gods Comâandments as imâion can do better than he is
If it be not then it is a sin to swear or promise to it and here there is no case of error But if it be really lawful and the vowing of it lawful then the obligations that lye upon this man are these and in this order 1. To have a humble suspicion of his own understanding 2. To search and learn and use all means to discern it to be what it is 3. In the use of these means to acknowledge the truth 4. And then to promise and obey accordingly Now this being his duty and the order of his duty you cannot say that he is not obliged to any one part of it though he be obliged to do it all in this order and therefore not to do the last first without the former For though you question an hundred times What shall he do as long as he cannot see the truth the Law of God is still the same and his error doth not disoblige him Nemini debetur commodum ex sua culpa So many of these acts as he omitteth so much he sinneth It is his sin if he obey not the Magistrate and it is his sin that he mis-judgeth of the thing and his sin that he doth not follow the use of the means till he be informed So that his erring conscience entangleth him in a necessity of sinning but disobligeth him not at all from his obedience 2. But yet this is certain that in such a case he that will swear because man biddeth him when he taketh it to be false is a perjured prophane despiser of God but he that forbeareth to swear for fear of sinning against God is guilty only of a pardonable involuntary weakness § 26. Direct 14. Take heed lest the secret prevalency of carnal ends or interest and of fleshly wisdom Direct 14. do byas your judgement and make you stretch your consciences to take those vows or promises which otherwise you would judge unlawful and refuse Never good cometh by following the reasonings and interest of the flesh even in smaller matters much less in cases of such great importance Men think it fitteth them at the present and doth the business which they feel most urgent but it payeth them home with troubles and perplexities at the last It is but like a draught of cold water in a Feavor You have some present charr to do or some straight to pass through in which you think that such an Oath or Promise or Profession would much accommodate you and therefore you venture on it perhaps to your perdition It is a foolish course to cure the parts yea the more ignoble parts with the neglect and detriment of the whole It is but like those that cure the Itch by anointing themselves with Quicksilver which doth the charr for them and sendeth them after to their graves or casteth them into some far worse Disease Remember how deceitful a thing the heart is and how subtilly such poyson of carnal ends will insinuate it self O how many thousands hath this undone that before they are aware have their Wills first charmed and inclined to the forbidden thing and fain would have it to be lawful and then have brought themselves to believe it lawful and so to commit the sin and next to defend it and next to become the champions of Satan to fight his battels and vilifie and abuse them that bâ holy wisdom and tenderness have kept themselves from the deceit Tit. 2. Directions against Perjury and Perfidiousness and for keeping Vows and Oaths § 1. Direct 1. BE sure that you have just apprehensions of the Greatness of the sin of Perjury Direct 1. Were it seen to men in its proper shape it would more affright See Tom. 1. Ch. 9. Tit. 2. 3. them from it than a sight of the Devil himself would do I shall shew it you in part in these particulars § 2. 1. It containeth a Lye and hath all the malignity in it which I before shewed to be in The heinousness of Perjury Lying with much more 2. Perjury is a denyal or contempt of God He that appealeth to his Iudgement by an Oath and doth this in falshood doth shew that either he believeth not that there is See Causaââons Exercââ 202. * Cotta iâ Cic. de Nat. Deor. l. 1. to prove that some hold there is no God saith Quid de sacââkgis de impiis de perjuris dicâmus si Carbo c. âu aslet esse Deos tam perjurus aut impius non fuâsset pag. 25 26. a God or that he believeth not that he is the righteous Governour of the world who will justly determine all the causes that belong to his Tribunal The Perjured person doth as it were bid defiance to God and setteth him at nought as one that is not able to be avenged on him 3. Perjury is a calling for the vengeance of God against your selves You invite God to plague you as if you bid him do his worst you appeal to him for judgement in your guilt and you shall find that he will not hold you guiltless Imprecations against your selves are implyed in your Oaths He that sweareth doth say in effect Let God judge and punish me as a perjured wretch if I speak not the truth And it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Heb. 10. 31. For Vengeance is his and he will recompence v. 30. And when he judgeth the wicked he is a consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. 4. Perjury and perfidiousness is a sin that leaveth the conscience no ease of an extenuation or excuse but it is so heinous a villany that it is the seed of self-tormenting desperation Some sins conscience can make shift a while to hide by saying It is a Controversie and Many wise men are of another mind But perjury is a sin which Heathens and Infidels bear as free a testimony against in their way as Christians do Some sins are shifted off by saying They are little ones But â Onâ of Canutus Laws 26. was that Perjured person with Sorcerers Idolaters Strumpets breakers of Wedlock be banished the Realm cited by Bilson of Subject p. 202. How few would be left in some lands if this were done Christians and Heathens are agreed that Perjury is a sin almost as great as the Devil can teach his servants to commit Saith Plutarch * Plut. in Lysaâd Cicer. de Leg. l. 3. Cuât l. 7. Arist. Rhât c. 17. He that deceiveth his enemy by an Oath doth confess thereby that he feareth his enemy and despiseth God Saith Cicero The penalty of Perjury is destruction from God and shame from man Saith Q. Curtius Perfidiousness is a crime which no merits can mitigate Read Cicero de Offic. l. 3. Saith Aristotle He that will extenuate an Oath must say that those villanous wretches that think God seeth not do think also to go away with their perjury unpunished In a word the Heathens commonly take the revenge of Perjury
bound the sense 2. Because God acquainteth not man with all the reasons of his Laws 3. Because there may be special reasons for an indulgence to the weaker Sex in such a weighty case And though still there is a probability it may extend to Sons it is good keeping Dr. Sanders Prâlect 4. sect 5. p 104 105. limiteth it to D his rebus in quibus subest in those same things in which one is under anothers Government Adding Sect. 6. a double exception O which oâe respecteth thâ person of the swearer the other the consent of the superiour The first is that As to the person of the swearer there is sâaââ any oâe that hath the usâ of reason that is so fully under anothers power but that in some things he is sui juris at his own âowââ And thââââ every one may do as pââââse himself without coâsâlâing his superiour so as that by his own act without his superiours liceâse he âay âind himself 2. As ãâ¦ã of a superiour A tacite consent antecedent or consequent sufficeth Quasi diceret si dissensum suum vel uno die dissimulet votum in perpetuum stabilivit to Certainties in matters of such dreadful importance as Oaths and Vows to God 2. It is uncertain whether this power of disanulling Vows do belong also to other Superiours to Princes to inferiour Magistrates to Pastors to Masters to Commanders as to their Souldiers as well as to Parents and Husbands some think it doth because there is say they a parity of reason Others think it is dangerous disanulling Oaths and Vows upon pretences of parity of reason when it is uncertain whether we know all Gods reasons and they think there is not a parity and that it extendeth not to others 1. Because Parents and Husbands are so emphatically named in the Contents in the end v. 16. 2. Because it had been as easie to God to name the rest 3. Because there is no instance in Scripture of the exercise of such a power when there was much occasion for it 4. Because else Vows signifie no more in a Kingdom than the King please and in an Army than the General and officers please and among servants than the master please which is thought a dangerous doctrine 5 Because there will be an utter uncertainty when a Vow bindeth and when it doth not to almost all people in the world For one superiour may contradict it and another or an hundred may be silent The King and most of the Magistrates through distance will be silent when a Master or a Justice or a Captain that is at hand may disanul it one officer may be for it and another against it A master or a Pastor may be for it and the Magistrate against it and so Perjury will become the most controverted sin and a matter of jeast 6. Because Publick Magistrates and Commanders and Pastors have not the neer and natural interest in their Inferiours as Parents and Husbands have in their Children and Wives And therefore Parents have not only a restraining power as Husbands here also have but also a disposing power of the Relation of their infant Children and may enter them in Baptism into the Vow and Covenant of Christianity the will and act of the Parents standing for the Child 's till he come to age But if you say that upon a Parity of Reason all Princes and Rulers and Pastors may do so with all that are their inferiours it will seem incredible to most Christians 7. Because publick Magistrates are justly supposed to be so distant from almost all their individual subjects as not to be capable of so speedy a disowning their personal Vows Whatever this Text doth it is certain that other Texts enough forbid Covenants and Combinations against the Persons or power or rights of our Governours and not only against them but without them in cases where our place and calling alloweth us not to act without them But it is certain that God who commanded all Israel to be entered sucessively into the Covenant of Circumcision with him would not have held them guiltless for refusing that Covenant if the Prince had been against it And few Divines think that a subject or Souldier or servant that hath vowed to forbear wine or feasting or marriage is discharged if his Prince or Captain or Masters be against it Ionathan and David were under an Oath of friendship called the Lords oath 2 Sam. 21. 7. Saul as a Parent could not discharge Ionathan as being a man at full age Quaere whether Saul as a King being against it did null the oath to David and Ionathan No the Scripture sheweth the contrary 8. Because else that benefit which God extendeth only to a weaker sort would extend to any the wisest and most learned persons through the world whose Vows to God even for the afflicting of their own souls may be nulled by the King or other superiours Many such reasons are urged in this case 3. It is uncertain whether this Chapter extend to assertory or testimonial oaths if not certain that it doth not It speaketh but of binding their souls in vows to God which is to offer or do something which by errour may prove prejudicial to them But if a Parent or Husband much more a King or General might nullifie all the testimonial Oaths of their inferiours that are given in judgement or discharge all their Subjects from the guilt of all the Lyes or false oaths which they shall take it would make a great change in the morality of the World 4. It is not past all Controversie how far this Law is yet in for force seeing the Mosaical Law as such is abrogated this can be now no further in force than as it is the Law of nature or some way confirmed or revived by Christ. The equity seemeth to be natural § 53. Rule 31. It is certain that whoever this power of disanulling Vows belongeth to and to whomsoever Rule 31. it may be given that it extendeth not to discharge us from the promise or Vow of that which is antecedently our necessary duty by the Law of God Else they should dispense with the Law of God when none but the Law-giver can relax or dispense with his Laws unless it be one Superiour to the Law-giver Therefore none can dispense with the Laws of God But I speak this but of a Duty necessary also as a means to our salvation or the good of others or the honouring of God For otherwise as to some smaller things the Duty may be such as man cannot dispense with and yet a Vow to do that duty may be unnecessary and sinful As if I swear to keep all the Law of God and never to sin or never to think a sinful thought To do this is good but to Vow it is bad because I may foreknow that I shall break it § 54. Rule 32. In some cases a Vow may oblige you against that which would have been
upon Justification c. which I have seen de nomine and neither of them seemed to take notice of it Be sure as soon as you peruse the terms of your question to sift this throughly and dispute verbal controversies but as verbal and not as real and material We have real differences enow we need not make them seem more by such a blind or heedless manner of Disputing § 22. Direct 11. Suffer not a rambling mind in study nor a rambling talker in Disputes to interrupt Direct 11. your orderly procedure and divert you from your argument before you bring it to the natural issue Both deceiving Sophisters and giddy headed praters will be violent to start another game and spoil the chase of the point before you But hold them to it or take them to be unworthy to be disputed with and let them go except it be where the weakness of the Auditors requireth you to follow them in their Wild-goose Chase. You do but lose time in such rambling studies or disputes § 23. Direct 12. Be caâtelous of admitting false suppositions or at least of admitting any inference Direct 12. that dependeth upon them In some cases a supposition of that which is false may be made while it no way tends to infer the truth of it But nothing must be built upon that falshood as intimating it to be a truth False suppositions cunningly and secretly workt into arguments are very ordinary instruments of deceit § 24. Direct 13. Plead not uncertainties against certainties But make certain points the measure Direct 13. to try the uncertain by Reduce not things proved and sure to those that are doubtful and justly controverted But reduce points disputable to those that are past doubt § 25. Direct 14. Plead not the darker Texts of Scripture against those that are more plain Direct 14. and clear nor a few texts against many that are as plain For that which is interpreted against the most plain and frequent expressions of the same Scripture is certainly mis-interpreted § 26. Direct 15. Take not obscure Prophecies for Precepts The obscurity is enough to make Direct 15. you cautelous how you venture your self in the Practice of that which you understand not But if there were no obscurity yet Prophecies are no warrant to you to fulfill them no though they be for the Churches good Predictions tell you but de eventu what will come to pass but warrant not you to bring it to pass Gods Prophesies are oft-times fulfilled by the wickedest men and the wickedest means As by the Jews in killing Christ and Pharaoh in refusing to let Israel go and Iehu in punishing the house of Ahab Yet many self-conceited persons think that they can fetch that out of the Revelations or the Prophecies of Daniel that will justifie very horrid crimes while they use wicked means to fulfil Gods Prophecies § 27. Direct 16. Be very cautelous in what cases you take mens practice or example to be instead of Direct 16. precept in the sacred Scriptures In one case a Practice or example is obligatory to us as a Precept and that is when God doth give men a commission to establish the form or orders of his Church and Worship as he did to Moses and to the Apostles and promiseth them his Spirit to lead them into all truth in the matters which he employeth them in here God is engaged to keep them from miscarrying for if they should his work would be ill done his Church would be ill constituted and framed and his servants unavoidably deceived The Apostles were authorized to constitute Church officers and orders for continuance and the Scripture which is written for a great part historically acquaints us what they did as well as what they said and wrote in the building of the Church in obedience to their commission at least in declaring to the World what Christ had first appointed And thus if their practice were not obligatory to us their words also might be avoided by the same pretenses And on this ground at least the Lords day is easily proved to be of Divine appointment and obligation Only we must see that we carefully distinguish between both the Words and Practices of the Apostles which were upon a particular and temporary occasion and obligation from those that were upon an universal or permanent ground § 28. Direct 17. Be very cautelous what Conclusions you raise from any meer works of Providence Direct 17. For the bold and blind exposition of these hath lead abundance into most heynous sins No providence is instead of a Law to us But sometimes and oft-times providence changeth the Matter of our duty and so occasioneth the change of our obligations As when the husband dyeth the Wise is disobliged c. But men of worldly dispositions do so over-value worldly things that from them they venture to take the measure of Gods Love and hatred and of the causes which he approveth or disapproveth in the World And the wisdom of God doth seem on purpose to cause such wonderful unexpected mutations in the affairs of men as shall shame the principles or spirits of these men and manifest their giddiness and mutability to their confusion One year they say This is sure the cause of God or else be would never own as he doth Another year they say If this had been Gods cause he would never have so disowned it Just as the Barbarians judged of Paul when the Viper seized on his hand And thus God is judged by them to own or disown by his prospering or afflicting more than by his Word § 29. Direct 18. In controversies which much depend on the sincerity or experience of Godly men take Direct 18. heed that you affect not singularity and depart not from the common sense of the Godly For the workings of Gods spirit are better judged of by the ordinary tenour of them than by some real or supposed case that is extraordinary § 30. Direct 19. In Controversies which most depend on the testimony of Antiquity depart not from Direct 19. the judgement of the ancients They that stood within View of the dayes of the Apostles could better tell what they did and what a condition they left the Churches in than we can do To appeal to the Ancients in every cause even in those where the later Christians do excell them is but to be fools in reverence of our fore-fathers wisdom But in points of History or any thing in which they had the advantage of their posterity their testimony is to be preferred § 31. Direct 20. In Controversies which depend on the Experience of particular Christians or of the Direct 20. Church regard most the judgement of the most experienced and prefer the judgement of the later ages of the Church before the judgement of less experienced ages except the Apostolical age that had the greater help of the spirit An ancient experienced Christian or Divine is
more to be regarded in many points which require experience than many of the younger sort that are yet more zealous and of quicker understanding and expression than the elder So those that we call the Fathers or Ancients were indeed in the younger ages of the Church and we that are faln into the later and more exprienced age have all the helps of the wisdom and experience of the Ages that were before us And therefore God will require at our hands an account of these greater talents which we have received As it were unexcusable now in a Physicion that hath the help of such Voluminous institutions observations and experiments of former ages to know no more than those former times that had no such helps so would it be as unexcusable for this present age of the Church to be no wiser than those former ages When Aquinas Scotus Ariminensis and other Schoolmen delivered the Doctrine of Christianity to the Church in a dress so far different from Ignatius Irenaeus Tertullian Cyprian or any of those former ages they certainly thought that they had attained to a far greater excellency and accurateness in the Knowledge of Divinity than those their Ancestors had attained And whatever they swear in the Trent Oâth of not expounding any Scripture otherwise than the Fathers do I doubt not but Suarez and Vasquez and others of their modern Schoolmen thought so too and would have been loth to be accounted wise in the measure only of those ancients The later and elder ages of the Church have had abundant experience e. g. of the tendâncy of Ambition and Papal aspirings and usurpations of the mischiefs of composing and imposing the Popish Missals and numerous ceremonies and of their implicite faith and their concealment of the Scriptures from the Vulgar and many such points And if we are never the wiser for all this experience we are the more unexcusable and may be judged as the neglâcters of our greater helps § 32. Direct 21. In Controversies which depend most upon skill in the Languages Philosophy or other Direct 21. parts of common learning prefer the judgement of a few that are the most Learned in those matters before the judgement of the most ancient or the most Godly or of the greatest numbers even whole Churches that are unlearned In this case neither Numbers nor Antiquity nor Godliness will serve turn but as one clear eye will see further then ten thousand that are purblind so one Hierome or Origen may judge better of a translation or the Grammatical sense of a Text than a hundred of the other Fathers could One man that understandeth a Language is fitter to judge of it than a whole Nation that understand it not One Philosopher is fitter to judge of a philosophical question than a thousand illiterate persons Every man is most to be regarded in the matters which he is best acquainted with § 33. Direct 22. In Controversies of great difficulty where Divines themselves are disagreed and a Direct 22. clear and piercing wit is necessary regard more the judgement of a few acute judicious well studied Divines that are well verst in those Controversies than of a multitude of dull and common wits that think to carry it by the reputation of their number It is too certainly attested by experience that Judicious Satis triumphât Vâritas si apud paucos bonosque accepta nec indoles ejus est placere multis Lipsius men are very few and that the multitude of the injudicious that have not wit enough to underderstand them nor humility enough to confess it and to learn of them have yet pride and arrogoncy enough to contradict them and often malice enough to vilifie them In such differences it is not only a sign of a wise man to be content with the approbation of a few but also to have but few approvers except where the injudicious do implicitly believe those few that are judicious Commonly a very few that are wiser than the multitude are fain to stand by and compassionate not only the World but the Church and see the disease and the easie remedy and all in vain while they are but neglected or despised by the rest that will not be made wiser by them § 34. Direct 23. In all contentions hold close to that which all sides are agreed in There is so Direct 23. much agreed on even between the Papists and the Protestants as would certainly save them all if all of them did sincerely believe Love and Practise it For they all confess that the whole Canonical Scripture is true Therefore be more studious sincerely to hold and improve those common truths which they all profess than to oppose the particular opinions of any further than that common truth requireth it See that the Articles of the common Creed which all profess be unfeignedly believed by you and that the Petitions in the Lords Prayer be sincerâly and earnestly put up to God and that the ten Commandments be heartily and entirely obeyed and then no errour or difference will be damning to you § 35. Direct 24. Take nothing as necessary to salvation in point of faith nor as universally necessary Direct 24. in point of practice which the universal Church in every age since Christ did not receive For if any thing be necessary to salvation which the Church received not in every age then the Church it self of that age could not be saved and then the Church was indeed no Church For Christ is the Saviour of his body But certainly Christ had in every age a Church of saved-ones who openly professed all that was of common necessity to salvation An opinion may be true which accuseth the generality in the Church of some errour or imperfection For it is most certain that the Church on Earth is composed of none that have the use of reason but erring and imperfect members But no opinion can be true that condemneth all the Church to Hell in any one age For the Head and Husband of the Church must be her Judge § 36. Direct 25. Be not born down by the censoriousness of any to overrun your own understanding Direct 25. and the truth and to comply with them in their errours and extreams But hold to the truth Thus Peter and Barâabas erred Gal. 2. and keep your station Jer. 15. 19. Let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them It is too usual for the younger and more injudicious sort of Christians to be most zealous about some little Opinions Ceremonies and Words and to censure all those that differ from them with such bitter censures as ungodly flashearted c. that hereupon some of the more judicious forsake the truth and simplicity of the Gospel to comply with these censurers meerly to escape them or as some say that they may keep an interest in them to do them good But such carnal compliances though with the most zealous men will bring
to believe it To the first I say 1. There are many Antichrists And we must remove the ambiguity of the name before we can resolve the question If by Antichrist be meant One that usurpeth the Office of a Universal Vicar of Christ and Constitutive and Governing Head of the whole Visible Church and hereby layeth the ground of Schisms and Contentions and Bloodshed in the world and would rob Christ of all his members who are not of the Popes Kingdom and that formeth a multifarious Ministry for this service and corrupteth much of the Doctrine Worship and Discipline of the Church in this sense no doubt but the Pope is Antichrist But if by Antichrist be meant him particularly described in the Apocalyps and Thessalonians then the controversie de re is about the exposition of those dark Prophecies Of which I can say no more but this 1. That if the Pope be not He he had ill luck to be so like him 2. That Dr. Moors Moral Arguments and Bishop Downhams and many others expository arguments are such as I cannot answer 3. But yet my skill is not so great in interpreting those obscure Prophecies as that I can say I am sure that it is the Pope they speak of and that Lyra learned Zanchy and others that think it is Mahomet or others that otherwise interpret them were mistaken II. But to the second Question I more boldly say 1. That every one that indeed knoweth this to be the sense of those Texts is bound to believe it 2. But that God who hath not made it of necessity to salvation to understand many hundred plainer Texts nor absolutely to understand more than the Articles and fundamentals of our Religion hath much less made it necessary to salvation to understand the darkest Prophecies 3. And that as the suspicion should make all Christians cautelous what they receive from Rome so the obscurity should make all Christians take heed that they draw from it no consequences destructive to Love or order or any truth or Christian duty And this is the advice I give to all Quest. 5. Whether we must hold that a Papist may be saved THis question may be resolved easily from what is said before 1. A Papist as a Papist that is by Popery will never be saved no more than a mans life by a Leprosie 2. If a Papist be saved he must be saved against and from Popery either by turning from the opinion Viâ Hââ Eââl Rom. not est Christiana ãâã A Papist cannot go beyond a Reprobate and then he is no Papist or by preserving his heart from the power of his own opinions And the same we may say of every error and sin He that is saved must be saved from it at least from the Power of it on the heart and from the guilt of it by forgiveness 3. Every one that is a true sincere Christian in Faith Love and true Obedience shall be saved what error soever he hold that doth consist with these 4. As many Antinomians and other erroneous persons do hold things which by consequence subvert Christianity and yet not seeing the inconsistence do hold Christianity first and faster in heart and sincere practice and would renounce their error if they saw the inconsistence so is it with many Papists And that which they hold first and fastest and practically doth save them from the power operations and poyson of their own opinions As an Antidote or the strength of nature may save a man from a small quantity of poyson 5. Moreover we have cause to judge that there are millions among the Papists corrupted with many of their lessor errors who yet hold not their greater that believe not that none are Christians but the Popes subjects and that Christs Kingdom and the Popes are of the same extent or that he can remit mens pains in another world or that the Bread and Wine are no Bread and Wine or that men merit of God in point of Commutative Justice or that we must adore or worship the Bread or yet the Cross or Image it self c. Or that consent to abundance of the Clergies tyrannical usurpations and abuses And so being not properly Papists may be saved if a Papist might not And we the less know how many or few among them are really of the Clergies Religion and mind because by terror they restrain men from manifesting their judgement and compell them to comply in outward things 6. But as fewer that have Leprosies or Plagues or that take poyson scape than of other men so we have great cause to believe that much fewer Papists are saved than such as escape their errors And therefore all that love their souls should avoid them 7. And the trick of the Priests who perswade people that theirs is the safest Religion because we say that a Papist may be saved and they say that a Protestant cannot is so palpable a cheat that it should rather deterr men from their way For God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God And all men must know us to be Christs Disciples by loving one another And he that saith he loveth God and loveth not his Brother is a lyar And charity believeth all things credible That Religion is likest to be of God which is most charitable and not that which is most uncharitable and malicious and like to Satan To conclude no man shall be saved for being no Papist much less for being a Papist And all that are truly holy heavenly humble lovers of God and of those that are his servants shall be saved But how many such are among the Papists God only knoweth who is their Judge THe Questions whether the Greeks Abassines Nestorians Eutychians Antinomians Anabaptists c. may be saved must be all resolved as this of the Papists allowing for the different degrees of their corruption And therefore I must desire the Reader to take up with this answer for all and excuse me from unnecessary repetition As for such disputers as my Antagonist Mr. Iohnson who insisteth on that of Tit. 3. 10. A man that is an Heretick is condemned of himself when he hath proved that the word Heretick hath but one signification I will say as he doth Till then if he will try who shall be damned by bare equivocal words without the definition let him take his course for I will be none of his imitators Quest. 6. Whether those that are in the Church of Rome are bound to separate from it And whether it be lawful to go to their Mass or other Worship THese two also for brevity I joyn together I. To the first we must distinguish of separation 1. It is one thing to judge that evil which is evil and separate from it in Judgement 2. It is another thing to express this by forbearing to subscribe swear or otherwise approve that evil 3. And another thing to forbear communion with them in the Mass and Image Worship and gross or known
by decisive Iudicial âentence Nor any Universal Civil Monarch of the world 2. The publick Governing Decisive judgement obliging others belongeth to publick persons or Officers Eph. 4. 7 13 14 15 16. of God and not to any private man 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. 17. 3. The publick decision of Doubts or Controversies about Faith it self or the true sense of Gods Word and Laws as obliging the whole Church on Earth to believe that decision or not gainsay it Acts 15. See my Key for Catholicks because of the Infallibility or Governing authority of the Deciders belongeth to none but Jesus Christ Because as is said he hath made no Universal Governour nor Infallible Expositor It belongeth to the Law-giver only to make such an Universally obliging Exposition of his own Laws 4. True Bishops or Pastors in their own particular Churches are Authorized Teachers and Guides in Expounding the Laws and Word of Christ And the people are bound as Learners to reverence their Teaching and not contradict it without true cause yea and to believe them fide humanâ in things pertinent to their Office For oportet discentem credere 5. No such Pastors are to be Absolutely believed nor in any case of notorious Error or Heresie where the Word of God is discerned to be against them 6. For all the people as Reasonable creatures have a judgement of private discerning to judge what they must Receive as Truth and to discern their own duty by the help of the Word of God and of their Teachers 7. The same power of Governing-Iudgement Lawful Synods have over their several flocks as a Pastor over his own but with greater advantage 8. The power of Judging in many Consociate Churches who is to be taken into Communion as Orthodox and who to be refused by those Churches as Hereticks in specie that is what Doctrine they will judge sound or unsound as it is Iudicium discernendi belongeth to every one of the Council âingly As it is a Iudgement obliging themselves by Contract and not of Governing each other it is in the Contracters and Consenters And for peace and order usually in the Major Vote But with the Limitations before expressed 9. Every true Christian believeth all the Essentials of Christianity with a Divine faith and not by a meer humane belief of his Teachers though by their Help and Teaching his faith is generated and confirmed and preserved Therefore no essential Article of Christianity is left to any obliging decision of any Church but only to a subservient obliging Teaching As whether there be a God a Christ a Heaven a Hell an Immortality of souls whether God be to be believed loved feared obeyed before man Whether the Scripture be Gods Word and true Whether those that contradict it are to be believed therein Whether Pastors Assemblies publick Worship Baptism Sacrament of the Lords Supper be Divine institutions And the same I may say of any known Word of God No mortals may judge in partem utramliâet but the Pastors are only Authorized Teachers and helpers of the peoples faith And so they be partly to one another 10. If the Pope or his Council were the Infallible or the Governing Expositors of all Gods Laws and Scriptures 1. God would have enabled them to do it by an Universal Commentary which all men should be obliged to believe or at least not to contradict For there is no Authority and Obligation given to men yea to so many successively to do that for the needful decision of Controversies which they never have Ability given them to do For that were to oblige them to things impossible 2. And the Pope and his Council would be the most treacherous miscreants on earth that in so many hundred years would never write such an Infallible nor Governing Commentary to end the differences of the Christian world Indeed they have judged with others against Arrius that Christ is true God and one with the Father in substance c. But if they had said the contrary must we have taken it for Gods truth or have believed them 11. To judge who for Heresie or Seandal shall be punished by the Sword belongeth to none but the Magistrate in his own dominions As to judge who shall have Communion or be excommunicated from the Church belongeth as aforesaid to the Pastors And the said Magistrate hath first as a man his own Iudgement of discerning what is Heresie and who of his subjects are guilty of it in order to his publick Governing Judgement 12. The Civil Supream Ruler may Antecedently exercise this Judgement of Discerning by the Teaching of their proper Teachers in order to his consequent sentences on offenders And so in his Laws may tell the subjects what Doctrines and practices he will either Tolerate or punish And thus may the Church Pastors do in their Canons to their several flocks in relation to Communion or non-communion 13. He that will condemn particular persons as Hereticks or offenders must allow them to speak for themselves and hear the proofs and give them that which justice requireth c. And if the Pope can do so at the Antipodes and in all the world either per se or per alium without giveing that other his essential claimed power let him prove it by better experience than we have had 14. As the prime and sole-universal Legislation belongeth to Jesus Christ so the final Judgement universal and particular belongeth to him which only will end all Controversies and from which there is no appeal Quest. 29. Whether a Parents power over his Children or a Pastor or many Pastors or Bishops over the same Children as parts of their flock be greater or more obliging in matters of Religion and publick Worship THis being toucht on somewhere else I only now say 1. That if the case were my own I would 1. Labour to know their different Powers as to the matter commanded and obey each in that which is proper to his place 2. If I were young and ignorant Natural necessity and natural obligation together would give my Parents with whom I lived such an advantage above the Minister whom I seldome see or understand as would determine the case de eventu and much de jure 3. If my Parents commanded me to hear a Teacher who is against Ceremonies or certain Forms and to hear none that are for them natural necessity here also ordinarily would make it my duty first to hear and obey my Parents And in many other cases till I came to understand the greater power of the Pastors in their own place and work 4. But when I come to Church or know that the judgement of all Concordant Godly Pastors condemneth such a thing as damnable Heresie or Sin which any Father commandeth me to receive and profess I would more believe and follow the Judgement of the Pastors and Churches Quest. 30. May an Office Teacher or Pastor be at once in a stated Relation of a Pastor and a
Church it is done by a double consent to the double relation By baptism he professeth his consent to be a member of Christ and his universal Church and additionally he consenteth to be guided by that particular Pastor in that particular Church which is another Covenant or Consent Quest. 33. Whether Infants should be Baptized I have answered long agoe in a Treatise on that Subject Also What Infants should be Baptized And who have Right to Sacraments And whether Hypocrites are univocally or equivocally Christians and Church-members I have resolved in my Disput. of Right to Sacraments Quest. 34. Whether an unbaptized person who yet maketh a publick profession of Christianity be a member of the Visible Church And so of the Infants of Believers unbaptized Answ. 1. SUch persons have a certain Imperfect irregular kind of profession and so of Membership Their Visibility or Visible Christianity is not such as Christ hath appointed As those that are Marryed but not by Legal Celebration and as those that in cases of necessity are Ministers without Ordination so are such Christians as Constantine and many of old without Baptism 2. Such persons ordinarily are not to be admitted to the Rights and Communion of the Visible Church because we must know Christs sheep by his own mark But yet they are so far visible Christians as that we may be perswaded nevertheless of their salvation As to visible Communion they have but a remote and incompleat jus âd rem and no jus in re or legal investiture and possession 3. The same is the case of unbaptized Infants of believers because they are not of the Church meerly as they are their natural seed but because it is supposed that a person himself devoted to God â doth also devote his Children to God Therefore not nature only but this supposition arising from the true nature of his own dedication to God is the reason why believers Children have their right to Baptism Therefore till he hath Actually devoted them to God in Baptism they are not legally members of the Visible Church but only in fieri and imperfectly as is said Of which more anon Quest. 35. Is it certain by the Word of God that all Infants Baptized and dying before actual sin are undoubtedly saved Or what Infants may we say so of Answ. I. 1. WE must distinguish between certainty objective and subjective or plainlyer the Since the writing of this there is come forth an excellent Book for Infant Baptism by Mr. Ioseph Whistoâ in which the Grounds of my present Solutions are notaâây cleared Reality or Truth of the Thing and the certain apprehension of it 2. And this certainty of apprehension sometime signifieth only the Truth of that apprehension when a man indeed is not deceived or more usually that clearness of apprehension joyned with Truth which fully quieteth the mind and excludeth doubting 3. We must distinguish of Infants as Baptised Lawfully upon just title or unlawfully without title 4. And also of Title before God which maketh a Lawful claim and Reception at his bar and Title before the Church which maketh only the Administration lawful before God and the Reception lawful only in foro ecclesiae or externo 5. The word Baptism signifieth either the external part only consisting in the words and outward action or the Internal Covenanting of the heart also 6. And that internal Covenant is either sincere which giveth right to the benefits of Gods Covenant or only partial reserved and unsound such as is common to hypocrites Conclus 1. God hath been pleased to speak so little in Scripture of the case of Infants that modest men will use the words Certainly and Undoubtedly about their case with very great Caution And many great Divines have maintained that their very Baptism it self cannot be Certainly and undoubtedly proved by the Word of God but by Tradition Though I have endeavoured to prove the contrary in a special Treatise on that point 2. No man can tell what is objectively certain or revealed in Gods Word who hath not subjective certainty or knowledge of it 3. A mans apprehension may be True when it is but a wavering opinion with the greatest doubtfulness Therefore we do not usually by a Certain apprehension mean only a True apprehension but a clear and quieting one 4. It is possible to baptize Infants unlawfully or without any Right so that their Reception and baptizing shall be a great sin as is the misapplying of other Ordinances For instance one in America where there is neither Church to receive them nor Christian Parents nor Sponsors may take up the Indians Children and Baptize them against the Parents wills Or if the Parents consent to have their Children outwardly Baptized and not themselves as not knowing what Baptizing meaneth or desire it only for outward advantages to their Children Or if they offer them to be Baptized only in open derision and scorn of Christ such Children have no Right to be received And many other instances neerer may be given 5. It 's possible the person may have no Authority at all from Christ who doth Baptize them And Christs part in Reception of the person and Collation and Investiture in his benefits must be done by his Commission or else how can we say that Christ doth it But open Infidels Women Children madmen scorners may do it that have none of his Commission 6. That all Infants baptized without title or right by mis-application and so dying are not undoubtedly saved nor any word of God doth certainly say so we have reason to believe on these following grounds 1. Because we can find no such Text nor could ever prevail with them that say so to shew us such an ascertaining Word of God 2. Because else gross sin would certainly be the way to salvation For such mis-application of Baptism by the demanders at least would certainly be gross sin as well as mis-applying the Lords Supper 3. Because it is clean contrary to the tenour of the new Covenant which promiseth salvation to none but penitent Believers and their seed What God may do for others unknown to us we have nothing to do with But his Covenant hath made no other promise that I can find ãâ¦ã d we are âertain of no mans salvation by Baptism to whom God never made a promise of it If by the Children of the faithful be meant not only their Natural seed but the Adopted or bought also of which they are true Proprietors yet that is nothing to all others 4. To add to Gods words Especially to his very Promise or Covenant is so terrible a presumption as we dare not be guilty of 5. Because this tyeth Grace or salvation so to the outward washing of the body or opus operatum as is contrary to the nature of Gods Ordinances and to the tenour of Scripture and the judgement of the Protestant Divines 6. Because this would make a strange disparity between the two Sacraments of the same
Covenant of Grace When a man Receiveth the Lords Supper unworthily in scorn in drunkenness or impenitency much more without any right as Infidels he doth eat and drink damnation or judgement to himself and maketh his sin greater Therefore he that gets a Child Baptized unworthily and without right doth not therefore infallibly procure his salvation 7. Because the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7. 14. Else were your Children unclean but now are they holy and the Scripture giveth this priviledge to the Children of the faithful above others whereas the contrary opinion levelleth them with the seed of Infidels and Heathens as if these had right to salvation by meer Baptism as well as the others 8. Because else it would be the greatest act of Charity in the world to send Souldiers to catch up all Heathens and Infidels Children and Baptize them which no Christians ever yet thought their duty Yea it would be too strong a temptation to them to kill them when they had done that they might be all undoubtedly saved Obj. But that were to do evil that good might come by it Answ. But God is not to be so dishonoured as to be supposed to make such Laws as shall forbid men the greatest good in the World and then to tempt them by the greatness of the benefit to take it to be no evil As if he said If Souldiers would go take up a million of Heathens Children and Baptize them it will put them into an undoubted state of salvation But yet I forbid them doing it And if they presently kill them lest they sin after they shall undoubtedly be saved but yet I forbid them doing it I need not aggravate this temptation to them that know the power of the Law of nature which is the Law of Love and good works and how God that is most Good is pleased in our doing good Though he tryed Abraham's obedience once as if he should have killed his Son yet he stopt him before the execution And doth he ordinarily exercise mens obedience by forbidding them to save the souls of others when it is easily in their power Especially when with the adult the greatest labour and powerfullest Preaching is frequently so frustrate that not one of many is converted by it 9. Because else God should deal with unaccountable disparity with Infants and the Adult in the same ordinance of Baptism It is certain that all Adult persons Baptised if they dyed immediately should not be saved Even none that had no right to the Covenant and to Baptism such as Infidels Heathens Impenitent persons Hypocrites that have not true Repentance and faith And why should Baptism save an Infant without title any more than the Adult without title I still suppose that some Infants have no title and that now I speak of them alone Obj. But the Church giveth them all right by Receiving them Answ. This is to be farther examined anon If you mean a particular Church perhaps they are Baptized into none such Baptism as such is a Reception only into the Universal Church as in Eunuchs case Act. 8. appeareth If you mean the Universal Church it may be but one single ignorant man in an Infidel Countrey that Baptizeth And he is not the Universal Church Yea perhaps is not a lawfully called Minister of that Church However this is but to say that Baptism giveth Right to Baptism For this Receiving is nothing but Baptizing But there must be a Right to this Reception if baptism be a distinguishing Ordinance and all the world have not right to it Christ saith Matth. 28. 19. Disciple me all Nations baptizing them They must be initially made Disciples first by Consent and then be Invested in the visible state of Christianity by Baptism 10. If the Children of Heathens have right to baptism and salvation thereby it is either 1. As they are men and all have right or 2. Because the parents give them right 3. Or because remote ancestors give them right 4. Or because the universal Church gives them right 5. Or because a particular Church giveth them right 6. Or because the Sponsors give them right 7. Or the Magistrate 8. Or the Baptizer But it is none of all these as shall anon be proved II. But as to the second question I answer 1. It will help us to understand the case the better if we prepare the way by opening the case of the Adult because in Scripture times they were the most famous subjects of Baptism And it is certain of such 1. That every one outwardly Baptized is not in a state of salvation That no hypocrite that is not a true penitent believer is in such a state 2. That every true penitent believer is before God in a state of salvation as soon as he is such And before the Church as soon as he is baptized 3. That we are not to use the word Baptism as a Physical term only but as a moral Theological term Because words as in Law physick c. are to be understood according to the art or science in which they are treated of And Baptism taken Theologically doth as Essentially include the Wills consent or Heart-Covenanting with God as Matrimony includeth marriage consent and as a man containeth the soul as well as the body And thus it is certain that all truly Baptized persons are in a state of salvation that is All that sincerely consent to the Baptismal Covenant when they profess consent by Baptism but not hypocrites 4. And in this sense all the Ancient Pastors of the Churches did concur that Baptism did wash away all sin and put the baptized into a present right to life eternal as he that examineth their Writings will perceive not the outward washing and words alone but when the inward and outward parts concur or when by true faith and repentance the Receiver hath right to the Covenant of God 5. In this sense it is no unfit language to imitate the Fathers and to say that the truly baptized are in a state of Justification adoption and salvation unless when mens misunderstanding maketh it unsaâe 6. The sober Papists themselves say the same thing and when they have said that even ex opere operato Baptism saveth they add that it is only the meet Receiver that is the penitent believer and no other of the adult So that hitherto there is no difference 2. Now let us by this try the case of Infants concerning which there are all these several opinions among Divines 1. Some think that all Infants baptized or not are saved from Hell and positive punishment but are not brought to Heaven as being not capable of such joyes 2. Some think that all Infants dying such are saved as others are by actual felicity in Heaven though in a lower degree Both these sorts suppose that Christs death saveth all that reject ãâ¦ã not and that Infants reject it not 3. Some think that all unbaptized Infants do suffer the poenam damni and are shut out
of Heaven and happiness but not sensibly punished or cast into Hell For this Iansenius hath wrote a Treatise and many other Papists think so 4. Some think that all the Children of sincere believers dying in infancy are saved that is Glorified whether baptized or not and no others 5. Some think that God hath not at all revealed what he will do with any Infants 6. Some think that he hath promised salvation as aforesaid to believers and their seed but hath not at all revealed to us what he will do with all the rest 7. Some think that only the Baptized Children of true believers are certainly by promise saved 8. Some think that all the adopted and bought Children of true Christians as well as the natural are saved if baptized say some or if not say others 9. Some think that Elect Infants are saved and no other but no man can know who those are And of these 1. Some deny Infant Baptism 2. Most say that they are to be baptized and that thereby the non-elect are only received into the visible Church and its priviledges but not to any promise or certainty of Justification or a state of salvation 10. Some think that all that are baptized by the Dedication of Christian Sponsors are saved 11. Some think that all that the Pastor Dedicateth to God are saved because so dedicated by him say some or because baptized ex opere operato say others And so all baptized Infants are in a state of salvation 12. Some think that this is to be limited to all that have right to Baptism coram Deo which some think the Churches reception giveth them of which anon 13. And some think it is to be limited to those that have right ãâ¦ã m Ecclesia or are rightfully baptized ex parte Ministrantis where some make the Magistrates command sufficient and some the Bishops and some the baptizers will Of the title to Baptism I shall speak anon Of the salvation of Infants it is too tedious to confute all that I dissent from not presuming in such darkness and diversity of opinions to be peremptory nor to say I am certain by the Word of God who are undoubtedly saved nor yet to deny the undoubted certainty of wiser men who may know that which such as I do doubt of but submitting what I say to the judgement of the Church of God and my superiours I humbly lay down my own thoughts as followeth 1. I think that there can no promise or proof be produced that all unbaptized Infants are saved either from the poena damni or sensus or both 2. I think that no man can prove that all unbaptized Infants are damned or denyed Heaven Nay I think I can prove a promise of the contrary 3. All that are rightfully baptized in foro externo are visible Church members and have Ecclesiastical right to the priviledges of the visible Church 4. I think Christ never instituted Baptism for the collation of these outward Priviledges alone unless as on supposition that persons culpably fail of the better ends 5. I think Baptism is a solemn mutual contract or Covenant between Christ and the Baptized person And that it is but one Covenant even the Covenant of Grace which is the sum of the Gospel which is sealed and received in baptism And that this Covenant essentially containeth our saving relation to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and our Pardon Justification and Adoption or right to life everlasting And that God never made any distinct Covenant of outward Priviledges alone to be sealed by Baptism But that outward mercies are the second and lesser gift of the same Covenant which giveth first the great and saving blessings 6. And therefore that whoever hath right before God to claim and Receive Baptism hath right also to the benefits of the Covenant of God and that is to salvation Though I say not so of every one that hath such right before the Church as that God doth require the Minister to Baptize him For by Right before God or in foro coeli I mean such a Right as will justifie the claim before God immediately the person being one whom he commandeth in that present state to claim and receive baptism For many a one hath no such right before God to claim or receive it when yet the Minister hath right Mark 16. 16. Act. 2. 37 38. Act. 22. 16. 1 Cor 6. 11. Tit. 3. 3 5 6. Heb. 10. 22. Eph. 5. 26. Rom. 6. 1 4. Col. 2. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 21 22. Eph. 4. 5. Act. 8. 12 13 16 36 38. to give it them if they do claim it The case stands thus God saith in his Covenant He that believeth shall be saved and ought to be Baptized to profess that belief and be invested in the benefits of the Covenant And he that Professeth to believe whether he do or not is by the Church to be taken for a visible believer and by Baptism to be received into the Visible Church Here God calleth none but true believers and their seed to be Baptized nor maketh an actual promise or Covenant with any other and so I say that no other have right in foro coeli But yet the Church knoweth not mens hearts and must take a serious Profession for a credible sign of the faith professed and for that outward title upon which it is a duty of the Pastor to Baptize the claimer So that the most malignant scornful hypocrite that maketh a seemingly serious profession hath right coram Ecclesia but not coram Deo save in this sense that God would have the Minister Baptize him But this I have largelyer opened in my Disputations of Right Act. 9. 18. 16. 15 33. 19 5. Gal. 3. 27. to Sacraments 7. I think therefore that all the Children of true Christians do by Baptism receive a publick Investiture by Gods appointment into a state of Remission Adoption and right to salvation at the present Though I dare not say that I am undoubtedly certain of it as knowing how much is said against it But I say as the Synod of Dort Art 1. that Believing Parents have no cause to doubt of the salvation of their Children that dye in infancy before they commit actual sin that is not to trouble themselves with fears about it The Reasons that move me to be of this judgement though not without doubting and hesitancy are these 1. Because whoever hath right to the present Investiture delivery and possession of the first and great benefits of Gods Covenant made with man in Baptism hath right to Pardon and Adoption and everlasting life But the Infants of true Christians have right to the present investiture delivery and possession of the first and great benefits of Gods Covenant made with man in Baptism Therefore they have right to pardon and everlasting life Either Infants are in the same Covenant that is are subjects of the same promise of God with their believing Parents
and hypocrite God-fathers will offer him 6. And that thus the seed of Heathens and Christians should be levelled and yet an ignorant bold undertaker to carry away the priviledge of saving persons from them both All this is but mens unproved imaginations He that never commandeth God-fathers but forbiddeth the Usurping sort and only alloweth humane prudence to use the Lawful sort did never put the souls of all children Christians and Heathens into their hands no more than into the hands of the Priest that baptizeth them VI. I do not find that remote ancestors that are dead or that are not the proprietors of the children are the performers of the Condition by which they have right to baptism or salvation 1. Because God hath put that power and work in the hands of others even the Parents which they cannot nullifie 2. Because the promise of mercy to thousands is no supposition that the successors make no intercision 3. Else the threatnings to the seed of the wicked would signifie nothing nor would any in the world be excluded from right but all be levelled Because Noah was the common Father of mankind And if you lay it on dead Ancestors you have no rule where to stop till you come to Noah VII I conclude therefore that it is elearly the Immediate Parents both or one and probably any true domestick Owner of the Child who hath the power to Choose or Refuse for him and so to enter him into Covenant with God and so by Consent to perform the Condition of his Right For 1. Abundance of promises are made to the faithful and their seed of which I have spoke at large in my Book of Infant Baptism And besides the punishment of Adams sin there is scarce a Parent infamous for sin in Scripture but his posterity falleth under the punishment as for a secondary Original sin or guilt As the case of Cain Cham the Sodomites the Amalekites the Jews Achan Gehezi c. shew And 1 Cor. 7. 14. it is expresly said Else were your children unclean but now are they holy of the sense of which I have spoke as aforecited Object But if Owners may serve one may buy multitudes and a King or Lord of slaves whose Own the people are may cause them all to be baptized and saved Answ. 1. Remember that I say that the Christian Parents Right is clear but I take the other as more dark For it is principally grounded on Abraham and the Israelites circumcising their children born to them in the house or bought with money And how far the parity of reason here will reach is hard to know All that I say is that I will not deny it because favores sunt ampliandi 2. If such a Prince be an hypocrite and not a sincere Christian himself his faith or consent cannot save others that cannot save himself 3. It is such a propriety as is conjunct with a Divine Concession only that giveth this power of Consenting for an Infant Now we find clear proof of Gods Concession to Natural Parents and probable proof of his Concession of it to Domestick Owners but no further Deut. 29 10 11 12 13. that I know of For 1. It is an Act of Gods Love to the child for the Parents sake and therefore to such children as we are supposed to have a special Nearness to and Love for 2. And it is a Consent and Covenanting which he calls for which obligeth the promiser to consequent pious education which is a domestick act 3. They are comprized in the Name of Parents which those that adopt them and educate them may be called 4. And the Infants are their Children not their Slaves But now if the Emperour of Moscovy Indostan c. had the propriety in all his people as slaves this would not intimate paternal interest and love but tyranny nor could he be their domestical educater Therefore I must limit it to a pro-parent or domestical educating proprietor Quest. 41. Are they really baptized who are baptized according to the English Liturgie and Canons where the Parent seemeth excluded and those to Consent for the Infant who have no power to do it Answ. I Find some puzled with this doubt Whether all our Infants baptism be not a meer Nullity For say they the outward washing without Covenanting with God is no more baptism than the body or Corpse is a man The Covenant is the chief essential part of baptism And he that was never entered into Covenant with God was never baptized But Infants according to the Liturgie are not entered into Covenant with God which they would prove thus They that neither ever covenanted by themselves or by any authorized person for them were never entred into Covenant with God For that 's no act of theirs which is done by a stranger that hath no power to do it But c That they did it not themselves is undenyable That they did it not by any person empowred by God to do it for them they prove 1. Because God-fathers are the persons by whom the Infant is said to promise But God-fathers have no power from God 1. Not by Nature 2. Not by Scripture 2. Because the Parents are not only not inâluded as Covenanters but positively excluded 1. In that the whole Office of Covenanting for the child from first to last is laid on others 2. In that the twenty ninth Canon saith No Parent shall be urged to be Present nor admitted to Answer as God-father for his own child by which the Parent that hath the power is excluded Therefore our children are all unbaptized To all this I answer 1. That the Parents Consent is supposed though he be absent 2. That the Parent is not required to be absent but only not to be urged to be present but he may if he will 3. That the reason of that Canon seems to be their jealousie lest any would exclude God-fathers 4. While the Church hath no where declared what person the Sponsors bear nor any further what they are to do than to speak the Covenanting words and promise to see to the pious education of the child the Parents may agree that the God-fathers shall do all this as their deputies primarily and in their steads and secondarily as friends that promise their assistance 5. While Parents really consent it is not their silence that nullifieth the Covenant 6. All Parents are supposed and required to be themselves the choosers of the Sponsors or Sureties and also to give notice to the Minister before hand By which it appeareth that their Consent is presupposed And though my own judgement be that they should be the principal Covenanters for the child expresly yet the want of that expressness will not make us unbaptized persons Quest. 42. But the great Question is How the Holy Ghost is given to Infants in Baptism And whether all the Children of true Christians have inward sanctifying Grace Or whether they can be said to be justified and to be
in a state of salvation that are not inherently sanctified And whether any fall from this Infant state of salvation Answ. OF all these great difficulties I have said what I know in my Appendix to Infant Baptism to Mr. Bedford and Dr. Ward and of Bishop Davenants judgement And I confess that my judgement agreeth more in this with Davenants than any others saving that he doth not so much appropriate the benefits of baptism to the children of sincere believers as I do And though by a Letter in pleading Davenants cause I was the occasion of good Mr. Gatakers printing of his answer to him yet I am still most inclined to his judgement Not that all the baptized but that all the baptized seed of true Christians are pardoned justified adopted and have a title to the Spirit and salvation But the difficulties in this case are so great as driveth away most who do not equally perceive the greater inconveniencies which we must choose if this opinion be forsaken that is that all Infants must be taken to be out of the Covenant of God and to have no promise of salvation Whereas surely the Law of Grace as well as the Covenant of Works included all the seed in their capacity 1. To the first of these Questions I answer 1. As all true believers so all their Infants do receive initially by the promise and by way of obsignation and Sacramental Investiture in Baptism a Ius Relationis a right of peculiar Relation to all the three persons in the blessed Trinity As to God as Matth. 28. 19 20. their reconciled Adopting Father and to Jesus Christ as their Redeemer and actual Head and Justifier so also to the Holy Ghost as their Regenerater and Sanctifier This Right and Relation 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. adhereth to them and is given them in order to future actual operation and communion As a Marriage Covenant giveth the Relation and Right to one another in order to the subsequent Communion Eph. 4. 4 5. and duties of a married life And as he that sweareth allegiance to a King or is listed into an Army or is entred into a School receiveth the Right and Relation and is so correlated as obligeth to the mutual subsequent Offices of each and giveth right to many particular benefits By this Right and Relation God is his own God and Father Christ is his own Head and Saviour and the Holy Spirit is his own Sanctifier without asserting what operations are already wrought on his soul but only to what future ends and uses these Relations are Now as these Rights and Relations are given immediately so those Benefits which are Relative and the Infant immediately capable of them are presently given by way of communion He hath presently the pardon of Original sin by virtue of the Sacrifice Merit and Intercession of Christ. He hath a state of Adoption and Right to Divine Protection Provision and Church-communion according to his natural Capacity and Right to everlasting life 2. It must be carefully noted that the Relative Union between Christ the Mediator and the baptized persons is that which in Baptism is first given in order of nature and that the rest do flow from this The Covenant and Baptism deliver the Covenanter 1. From Divine Displicency by Reconciliation with the Father 2. From Legal Penalties by Justification by the Son 3. From sin it self by the operations of the Holy Ghost But it is Christ as our Mediator-Head that is first given us in Relative Union And then 1. The Father Loveth us with Complacency as in the Son and for the sake of his first beloved 2. And the Spirit which is given us in Relation is first the Spirit of Christ our The Spirit is not given radically or immediately to any Christian but to Christ our Head alone and from Him to us Head and not first inherent in us So that by Union with our Head that Spirit is next united to us both Relatively and as Radically Inherent in the Humane Nature of our Lord to whom we are united As the Nerves and Animal Spirits which are to operate in all the body are Radically only in the Head from whence they flow into and operate on the members as there is need though there may be obstructions So the Spirit dwelleth in the Humane Nature of our Head and there it can never be lost And it is not necessary that it dwell in us by way of Radication but by way of Influence and Operation These things are distinctly and clearly understood but by very few and we are all much in the dark about them But I think however doctrinally we may speak better that most Christians are habituated to this perilous misapprehension which is partly against Christianity it self that the Spirit floweth immediatly from the Divine Nature of the Father and the Son as to the Authoritative or Potestative conveyance unto our souls And we forget that it is first given to Christ in his Glorified Humanity as our Head and radicated in Him and that it is the Office of this Glorified Head to send or communicate to all his members from Himself that Spirit which must operate in them as they have need This is plain in many Texts of Scripture Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but gave him up for us all how shall be not also with him freely give us all things when he giveth him particularly to us 1 John 5. 11 12. And this is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath the life and he that hath not the Son hath not the life Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Eph. 1. 22 23. And gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all John 15. 26. The Advocate or Comforter whom I will send unto you from the Father c. John 16. 7. If I depart I will send him unto you John 14. 26. The Comforter whom the Father will send in my Name Gal. 4. 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me I know that is true of his Living in us Objectively and Finally but that seemeth not to be all Col. 3. 3 4. For ye are dead and your life is bid with Christ in God when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in Glory I know that in verse 3. by Life is meant Felicity or Glory But not only as appeareth by verse 4. where Christ is called Our Life Matth. 28. 19. All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth ver 20. I am with you allwayes Joh. 13. 3. The Father hath given all things into his hands Joh. 17. 2
of Religion and under the Pastors care But in two respects the External power is only the Kings or Civil Magistrates 1. As it is denominated from the sword or mulcts or Corporal penalties which is the external means of execution As Bishop Bilson of Obed. useth still to distinguish them with many others See B. Carlton of Jurisdiction Though in this respect the distinction were far more intelligibly exprest by The Government by the sword and by the sacred word 2. But the principal sense of their distinction is the same with Constantines who distinguished of a Bishop without and within or of our common distinction of Intrinsick and Extrinsick Government And though Internal and External have the same signification use maketh Intrinsick and Extrinsick more intelligible And by Internal is meant that power which Intrinsecally belongeth to the Pastors âffice as Instituted by Christ and so is Intrinsecal to the Pastorship and the Church as preaching praying â sacraments the Keyes of Admission and Exclusion Ordination c. And by External is meant that which is Extrinsecal to the Pastorship and the Church which Princes have sometimes granted them but Christ hath made no part of their office In this sense the assertion is good and clear and necessary that the disposal of all things Circa Sacra all accidents and circumstances whatsoever which by Christs Institution are not Intrinsecal to the Pastorship and Church but extrinsecal do belong to the power of Kings and Magistrates Quest. 62. Is the tryal judgement or consent of the Laity necessary to the admittance of a member into the Universal or particular Church Answ. 1. IT is the Pastors office to bear and exercise the Keyes of Christs Church Therefore by office he is to Receive those that come in and consequently to be the tryer and Iudge of their fitness 2. It belongeth to the same office which is to Baptize to Iudge who is to be baptized Otherwise Ministers should not be rational Judges of their own actions but the executioners of other mens judgement It is more the Iudging who is to be baptized which the Ministers office consisteth in than in the bare doing of the outward act of Baptizing 3. He that must be the ordinary Judge in Church-admissions is supposed to have both Ability and Leisure to make him fit and Authority and Obligation to do the work 4. The ordinary body of the Laity have none of all these four qualifications much less all 1. They are not ordinarily Able so to examine a mans faith and resolution with judgement and skill as may neither tend to the wrong of himself nor of the Church For it is great skill that is required thereunto 2. They have not ordinarily Leisure from their proper callings and labours to wait on such a work as it must be waited on especially in populous places 3. They are not therefore obliged to do that which they cannot be supposed to have Ability or Leisure for 4. And where they have not the other three they can have no Authority to do it 5. It is therefore as great a crime for the Laity to usurp the Pastors office in this matter as in preaching baptizing or other parts of it 6. And though Pride often blind men both people and Pastors so as to make them overlook the burden and look only at the Authority and honour yet is it indeed an intolerable injury to the Laity if any would lay such a burden on them which they cannot bear and consequently would make them responsible for the omissions or misdoing of it to Christ their Judge 7. There is not so much as any fair pretence for the Laity having power to judge who shall be received into the Universal Church For who of the Laity should have this power Not All nor the Major Vote of the Church For who ever sought the Votes of all the Christians in the World before he baptized a man Not any one particular Church or persons above the rest For they have no Right Joh. 20 21 22 23. 21. 15 16 17 Mat 28. 19 20. 1 Cor. 4. 1 2. 1 Tim. 5 17. Heb. 13. 7 17. 1 Cor. 5. 3 4 5 6 11. 2 Thes. 3 6 10 14. Tit. 3. 10. 2 Joh. Mar. 13 9 23 33. Mar. 4 â4 Mat. 7. 15 16. Mat. 16. 6. 11 12. Mar. 12. 38. 8 15. Phil. 3. 2 3. Col. 2. 8. 1 Pet. 3. 17. Mat 24. 4. to shew for it more than the rest 8. It is not in the power of the Laity to keep a man out of their own particular Church Communion whom the Pastor receiveth Because as is said it is his Office to judge and bear the Reyes 9. Therefore if it be ill done and an unworthy person be admitted the Consciences of the people need not accuse themselves of it or be disturbed because it is none of their employment 10. Yet the Liberty of the Church or people must be distinguished from their Governing power and their Executing duty from the power of Iudging And so 1. The people are to be Guided by the Pastors as Volunteers and not by Violence And therefore it is the Pastors duty in all doubtful cases to give the people all necessary satisfaction by giving them the Reasons of his doings that they may understandingly and quietly obey and submit 2. And in case the people discern any notable appearance of danger by introducing Hereticks and grosly impious men to corrupt the Church and by subverting the order of Christ they may go to their Pastors to desire satisfaction in the case 3. And if by open proof or notoreity it be certain that by Ignorance fraud or negligence the Pastors thus corrupt the Church the people may seek their due Remedy from other Pastors and Magistrates 4. And they may protest their own dissent from such proceedings 5. And in case of extremity may cast off Heretical and Impious and Intolerable Pastors and commit their souls to the conduct of fitter men As the Churches did against the Arrian Bishops and as Cyprian declareth it his peoples duty to do as is aforesaid Quest. 63. What power have the people in Church Censures and Excommunication Answ. THis is here adjoined because it requireth but little more than the foregoing answer 1. As it is the Pastors office to judge who is to be received so also to judge who is to be excluded 2. But the Execution of his sentence belongeth to the people as well as to himself It is they that 1 Cor 5. 3 6 11. either hold Communion with the person or avoid him 3. Therefore though ordinarily they must acquiesce in the Pastors judgement yet if he grosly offend 2 Joh. ââââ 3. 10. against the Law of God and would bring them e. g. to communion with hereticks and openly impious and excommunicate the Orthodox and Godly they may seek their remedy as before Quest. 64. What is the peoples remedy in case of the Pastors male-administration Answ. THis also
in his office and be satisfied that he hath discharged his own duty and leave them under the guilt of their own faults 3. But if it be an intolerable wickedness or Heresie as Arrianism Socinianism c. and the people own the errour or sin as well as the person the Pastor is then to admonish them also and by all means to endeavour to bring them to Repentance And if they remain impenitent to renounce Communion with them and desert them 4. But if they own not the crime but only think the person injured the Pastor must give them the proof for their satisfaction And if they remain unsatisfied he may proceed in his office as before Quest. 92. May a whole Church or the greater part be Excommunicated Answ. 1. TO excommunicate is by Ministerial Authority to pronounce the person unmeet for Christian Communion as being under the guilt of impenitence in heynous sin and to charge the Church to forbear Communion with him and avoid him and to bind him over to the bar of God 2. The Pastor of a particular Church may pronounce all the Church uncapable of Christian Communion and salvation till they repent e. g. If they should all be impenitent Arrians Socinians Blaspheamers c. For he hath authority and they deserve it But he hath no Church that he is Pastor of whom he can command to avoid them 3. The neighbour Pastors of the Churches about them may upon full proof declare to their own Churches that such a neighbour Church that is faln to Arrianism c. is unmeet for Christian Communion and to be owned as a Church of Christ and therefore charge their flocks not to own them nor to have occasional Communion with their members when they come among them For there is Authority and a meet object and necessity for so doing And therefore it may be done 4. But a single Pastor of another Church may not usurp authority over any neighbour Church to judge them and excommunicate them where he hath neither call nor 2 Joh. 10 11. 3 Joh 9. 10. Rev. 2. 5 16. 3. 3â 15 6. full proof as not having had opportunity to admonish them all and try their repentance Therefore the Popes Excommunications are rather to be contemned than regarded 5. Yet if many Churches turn Hereticks notoriously one single neighbour Pastor may renounce their Communion and require his flock for to avoid them all 6. And a Pastor may as lawfully excommunicate the Major part of his Church by charging the Minor part to avoid them as he may do the Minor part Except that accidentally the inconveniences of a division may be so great as to make it better to forbear And so it may oft fall out also if it were the minor part Quest. 93. What if a Church have two Pastors and one Excommunicate a man and the other absolve him what shall the Church and the dissenter do Answ. IT was such cases that made the Churches of old choose Bishops and ever have but one Bishop in one Church But 1. He that is in the wrong is first bound to repent and yield to the other 2. If he will not the other in a tolerable ordinary case may for peace give way to him though not Consent to his injurious dealing 3. In a dubious case they should both forbear proceeding till the case be cleared 4. In most cases each party should act according to his own judgement if the Counsel of neighbour Pastors be not able to reconcile them And the people may follow their own judgements and forbear obeying either of them formally till they agree Quest. 94. For what sins may a man be denied Communion or Excommunicated Whether for impenitence in every little sin Or for great sin without impenitence Answ. 1. I Have shewed before that there is a suspension which is but a forbearance of giving a man the Sacrament which is only upon an Accusation till his cause be tryed And an Innocent person may be falsly accused and so tryed 2. Some sins may be of so heynous scandal that if the person repent of them this day his absolution and reception may be delayed till the scandal be removed 1. Because the publick good is to be preferred before any mans personal good 2. And the Churches or Enemies about cannot so suddenly know of a mans repentance If they hear of a mans Murder Perjury or Adultery to day and hear that he is absolved to morrow they will think that the Church consisteth of such or that it maketh very light of sin Therefore the ancient Churches delayed and imposed penances partly to avoid such scandal 3. And partly because that some sins are so heynous that a sudden profession is not a sufficient Evidence of repentance unless there be also some evidence of Contrition 3. But ordinarily no man ought to be Excommunicate for any sin whatsoever unless Impenitence be Luk. 13. 3 5. Act. 2. 37 38 39 c. added to the sin Because he is first to be admonished to Repent Matth. 18. 15 16. Tit. 3. 10. And Repentance is the Gospel condition of pardon to believers 4. A man is not to be excommunicated for every sin which he repenteth not of Because 1. Else all men should be Excommunicated For there are in all men some errours about sin and duty and so some sins which men cannot yet perceive to be sins 2. And Ministers are not Inâallible and may take that for a sin which is no sin and so should excommunicate the innocent 3. And daily unavoidable infirmities though repented of yet awaken not the soul sometimes to a notable contrition Gâl 6. 1 2 3 4. Jam. 3. 1 2 3. nor are they fit matter for the Churches admonition A man is not to be called openly to repentance before the Church for every idle word or hour 4. Therefore to Excommunication these two must concur 1. A heynousness in the sin 2. Impenitence after due admonition and patience Quest. 95. Must the Pastors examine the people before the Sacrament Answ. 1. REgularly they should have sufficient notice after they come to age that they own their Baptismal Covenant and that they have that due understanding of the Sacrament and the Sacramental work and such a Christian Profession as is necessary to a due participation 2. But this is fitlyest done at their solemn transition out of their Infant-Church-state into their adult And it is not necessarily to be done every time they come to the Lords Table unless the person desire help for his own benefit but only once before their first communicating if it be the satisfaction of the Pastor or Church that is intended by it Quest. 96. Is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper a Converting Ordinance Answ. YOu must distinguish 1. Between the Conversion of Infidels without the Church and of Hypocrites within it 2. Between the primary and the secondary intention of the Instituter 3. Between the primary duty of the receiver and the
order to our Absolution and Communion 4. Especially so far as is necessary to subdue our fleshly lusts and tame our bodies and bring them into a due subjection to our faith and to avoid our sin for the time to come And also by 2 Cor. 7. 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 9 27. Col. 1. 5 6. Rom. 13 13 14. the exercise of sober mortification prudently to keep under all our worldly phantasies and love of this present world without unfitting our selves for duty 5. And so far as is needful by such mortification to fit us for fervent prayer especially by fasting on dayes of humiliation and to help us in our meditations of death and judgement and to further our heavenly contemplations and conversation 6. The greatest difficulty is Whether any self-revenge be lawful or due which is answered by Psal. 69. 10. Lev. 16. 29 31. â3 27 32. Numb 29. 7. 30. 13. Ezra 8. 21. what is said already None such as disableth us for Gods service is lawful But true Repentance is an anger or great displeasure with our selves for sin and a hatred of sin and loathing of our selves for it And to judge condemn and afflict our own souls by a voluntary self-punishing is but that exercise of justice on our selves which is fit for pardoned sinners that are not to be condemned by the Lord and indeed the just exercise of Repentance and displeasure against our selves On which accounts of sober self-revenge we may cherish such degrees of godly sorrow fasting course cloathing as Sackcloth and denying our selves the pleasures of this world as shall not be hurtful but helpful to our duty And if great and heinous sinners have of old on these terms exceeded other men in their austerities and self-afflictings we cannot condemn them of superstition unless we more particularly knew more cause for it But popishly to think that self-afflicting without respect to Isa. 58. 5. such causes or necessities is a meritorious perfection fit for others is superstition indeed And âo think as many of the Melancholy do that self-murder is a lawful self-revenge is a heinous sin and leadeth to that which is more heinous and dangerous Quest. 101. Is it lawful to observe stated times of fasting imposed by others without extraordinary occasion And particularly Lent Answ. REmember that I here meddle not with the question how far it is lawful for Rulers to 2 Chron. 20 3. Ezâa 8. 21. Jonah 3. 5. Zech. 8. 19. Joel 2. 15. Read Dallaeus Treatise de Iejuniis impose such Fasts on others save only to say 1. That it is undoubtedly fit for Kings to do it by Precepts and Churches by Consent in extraordinary cases of defection sin or judgements 2. That it is undoubtedly sinful usurpation for either Pope or any pretended Ecclesiastical Universal Rulers to impose such on the Universal Church Because there are no Universal Rulers Or for a neighbour Bishop by usurpation to impose it on a neighbour Church 3. And that it is sinful in all or many Churches to make by their Agreements such things to be necessary to their Union or Communion with their neighbour Churches so that they will take all those for Schismaticks that differ from them in such indifferent things But as to the Using of such fasts omitting the imposing I say I. 1. Thââ so great and extraordinary a duty as holy fasting must not be turned into a meer Isa. 58. 3 5 6 7 8. formality oâ ceremony 2. No particular man must be so observant of a publick commanded anniversary fast as for it to neglect any duty commanded him by God which is inconsistent with it As to rejoyce or keep a day of Thanksgiving in Lent upon an extraordinary obliging cause To keep the Lords day in Lent as a day of Thanksgiving and Rejoycing To preserve our own health c. It is not lawful in obedience to man to fast so much or use such dyet as is like to destroy our lives or health These being not so far put into the power of man Nor can man dispence with us as to the duty of self-preservation If God himself require us not to offer him our lives and health needlesly as an acceptable Sacrifice nor ever maketh self-destruction our duty no nor any thing that is not for mans own good then we are not to believe without very clear proof that either Prince or Prelates have more power than ever God doth use himself 3. Such an Anniversary fast as is meet for the remembrance of some sin or judgement if commanded is to be kept both for the Reason of it and for the Authority of the Commander For 1. It is not unlawful as Anniversary For 1. It is not forbidden and 2. There may be just occasion Some arbitrarily keep an anniversary fast on the day of their Nativity as I have long done and some on the day that they fell into some great sin and some on the day of the death of a friend or of some personal domestick or National Calamity and none of this is forbidden 2. And that which is not unlawful in it self is not therefore unlawful to be done because it is commanded seeing obedience to superiours is our duty and not our sin unless in sinful things 4. Whether it be lawful or meet to commemorate Christs sufferings by anniversary fasts is next to be considered II. As for Lent in particular We must distinguish 1. Between the antient Lent and the later Lent 2. Between keeping it on a Civil account and on a Religious 3. Between true fasting and change of dyet 4. Between the Imitation of Christs fourty dayes fasting and the meer Commemoration of it Which premised I conclude 1. The keeping a true Fast or Abstinence from food for fourty dayes on what account soever being impossible or self-murder is not to be attempted 2. The Imitation of Christ in his fourty dayes fasting is not to be attempted or pretended to Because his miraculous works were not done for our imitation And it is presumption for us to pretend to such a power as is necessary to Miracles or yet to make any Essayes at such an imitation any more than at the raising of the dead 3. The pretending of a fast when men do but change their dyet Flesh for Fish Fruit Sweet-meats c. is but hypocritical and ridiculous Most poor labourers and temperate Ministers do live all the year on a more flesh-denying dyet and in greater abstinence than many Papists do in Lent or on their fasting dayes And what a ridiculous dispute is it to hear e. g. a Calvin that never eateth but one small meal a day for many years to plead against the keeping of the Popish fasts and their Clergy call him voracious and carnal and an Epicure and plead for fasting as holy mortification who eat as many meals and as much meat on a Lent day or fasting day as Calvin did in three feasting dayes and drink as much Wine in
uncertain searchable and unsearchable revealed and unrevealed And lay the first as your foundation yea rather keep the knowledge of them as your Science of Physick by it self and let no obscurity in the rest cause you to question certain things nor ever be so perverse as to try things known by things unknown and to argue à minùs notis Lay no stress on small or doubtful things § 13. Direct 9. Metaphysicks as now taken is a mixture of Organical and Real Knowledge And part of it belongeth to Logick the Organical part and the rest is Theologie and Pneumatologie and the highest parts of Ontologie or Real Science § 14. Direct 10. In studying Philosophy 1. See that you neither neglect any helps of those that have gone before you under pretence of taking nothing upon trust and of studying the naked Things themselves For if every man must begin all a new as if he had been the first Philosopher knowledge will make but small proficiency 2. Nor yet stick not in the bare Belief of any Author whatsoever but study all things in their naked natures and proper evidences though by the helps that are afforded you by others For it is not science but humane belief else whoever you take it from § 15. Direct 10. So certain are the numerous errours of Philosophers so uncertain a multitude of their assertions so various their sects and so easie is it for any to pull down much which the rest have built and so hard to set up any comely structure that others in like manner may not cast down that I cannot perswade you to fall in with any one sort or sect who yet have published their sentiments to the World The Platonists made very noble attempts in their enquiries after spiritual beings But they run into many unproved fanaticisms and into divers errours and want the desirable helps of true method The wit of Aristotle was wonderful for subtility and solidity His knowledge vast His method oft accurate But many precarious yea erroneous conceptions and assertions are so placed by him as to have a troubling and corrupting influence into all the rest The Epicureans or Democratists were still and justly the contempt of all the sober sects And our late Somatists that follow them yea and Gassendus and many that call themselves Cartesians yea Cartesius himself much more Berigardus Regius and Hobbes do give so much more to meer Matter and Motion than is truly due and know or say so much too little of Spirits Active Natures Vital Powers which are the true principles of motion that they differ as much from true Philosophers as a Carkass or a Clock from a living man The Stoicks had noble Ethical principles and they and the Platonists with the Cynicks were of the best lives But their writings are most lost and little of their Physicks fully known to us and that also hath its errours Patricius is but a Platonist so taken with the nature of Light as insisting on that in Phanatical terms to leave out a great deal more that must be conjoyned Telesius doth the like by Heat and Cold Heaven and Earth and among many observable things hath much that is unsound and of ill consequence Campanella hath improved him and hath many hints of better Principles especially in his Primalities than all the rest But he phanatically runs them up into so many unproved and vain yea and mistaken superstructures as that no true Body of Physicks can be gathered out of all his works The attempt that pious Commenius hath made in his small Manual hath much that is of worth but far short of accurateness The Hermetical Philosophers have no true method of Philosophy among them And to make their three or five Principles to be so many Elements or simple bodies constituting all compounds and form up a systeme of Philosophy on their suppositions will be but to trifle and not to satisfie judicious minds especially considering how defective their Philosophy is made by their omissions Lullius and his followers fit not their Method to the true order of the Matter Scaliger Scheggius Wendeline and Sennertus especially in his Hypomnemata were great men and have many excellent things But too much of Aristotles goeth for currant with them My worthy Learned and truly pious friend Mr. Sam. Gott in his new Book on Gen. 1. hath many excellent notions and much that is scarce elsewhere to be met with But the tedious paragraphs the defect of method and several unproveable particulars make it like all humane works imperfect Therefore if I must direct you according to my judgement I must advise you 1. To suppose that Philosophers are all still in very great darkness and there is much confusion defectiveness errour and division and uncertainty among them 2. Therefore addict not your selves absolutely to any Sect of them 3. Let your first studies of them all leave room for the changing of your judgement and do not too hastily fix on any of their sentiments as sure till you have heard what others say and with ripened understandings have deeply and long studied the Things themselves 4. Choose out so much of the Certainties and Useful parts of Physicks as you can reach to and make them know their places in subserviency to your holy principles and ends and rather be well content with so much than to lose too much time in a vain fatigation of your brains for more I have made some attempt to draw out so much especially de Mundo de Homine in my Methodus The logiae though I expect it should no more satisfie others than any of theirs have satisfied me § 16. Direct 11. When you have well stated your Ontologie or Real Science then review your Logick and Organical part of Metaphysicks and see Verba rebus aptentue Fetch then your words and Organical notions from the Nature of the Things Abundance are confounded by taking up Logical Notions first which are unsuitable to true Physical beings § 17. Direct 12. Somewhat of Ethicks may be well learnt of Philosophers but it 's nothing to the Scriptures Christian Ethicks § 18. Direct 13. Somewhat of artificial Rhetorick and Oratory should be known But the Oratory which is most natural from the evidence of things well managed by a good understanding and elocution which hath least of appearing art or affectation is ever the most effectual and of best esteem § 19. Direct 14. The doctrine oâ Politicks especially of the Nature of Government and Laws in General is of great use to all that will ever understand the Nature of Gods Government and Laws that is of Religion Though there be no necessity of knowing the Government and Laws of the Land or of other Countreys and further than is necessary to our obedience or our outward concernments yet so much of Government and Laws as Nature and Scripture make common to all particular forms and Countreys must be known by him that will understand Morality or Divinity or
of his conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity he had had his conversation in the world and not in fleshly wisdom 2 Cor. 1. 12. And this was Davids comfort 2 Sam. 22. 22 23 24. For I have kept the wayes of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God For all his judgements were before me and as for his Statutes I did not depart from them I was also upright before him and have kept my self from mine iniquity Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness with the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful and with the upright thou wilt shew thy self upright Yea peace is too little exceeding joy is the portion and most beseeming condition of the upright Psal. 32. 11. Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Psal. 33. 1. Rejoyce in the Lord O ye righteous for praise is comely for the upright Psal. 64. 10. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord and trust in him and all the upright in heart shall glory Psal. 97. 11. Light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart The Spirit that sanctifieth them will comfort them 4. As the Upright so their upright life and duties are specially delightful and acceptable to God Prov. 15. 8. The prayer of the upright is his delight Psal. 15. 2. Therefore God blesseth their duties to them and they are comforted and strengthened by experience of success Prov. 10. 29. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity Mic. 2. 7. Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly 5. No carnal policies no worldly might no help of friends nor any other humane means doth put a man in so safe a state as Uprightness of heart and life To walk uprightly is to walk surely because such walk with God and in his way and under his favour and his promise And if God be not sufficient security for us there is none Psal. 140. 13. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name the upright shall dwell in thy presence Prov. 11. 3 6. The integrity of the upright shall guide them but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness 6. Lastly The failings and weaknesses of the Upright are pardoned and therefore they shall certainly be saved Rom. 7. 24 25. 8. 1. The upright may say in all their weaknesses as Solomon 1 Chron. 29. 17. I know also my God that thou tryest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightness As for me in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things God will do good to them that are good and to them that are upright in their hearts Psal. 125. 4. The Upright love him Cant. 1. 4. and are loved by him No good thing will he withhold from them Psal. 84. 11. The way to right comforting the mind of man is to shew to him his uprightness Job 33. 23. And who so walketh uprightly shall be saved Prov. 28. 18. For the high way of the upright is to depart from evil and he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul Prov. 16. 17. I conclude with Psal. 37. 37. Mark the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace § 4. II. The true Rules of an Upright life are these that follow Psal. 73. 25. 63. 3. 1 Cor. 4 3 4. Phil. 3. 8 9 18 19. Psal. 4. 7 8. Luke 12. 4. Mat. 6. 1 2 3. 1. He that will walk uprightly must be absolutely devoted and subjected unto God He must have a God and the true God and but one God not notionally only but in sincerity and reality He must have a God whose word shall be an absolute Law to him A God that shall command himself his time his estate and all that he hath or that he can do A God whose will must be his will and may do with him what he please and who is more to him than all the world whose Love will satisfie him as better than life and whose approbation is his sufficient encouragement and reward Luke 14. 26 27 33 34. Luke 18. 22. Mat. 6. 19 20. 1 John 2. 15. Phil. 3. 18 21. 2. His Hope must be set upon Heaven as the only felicity of his soul He must look for his Reward and the End of all his labours and patience in another world and not with the Hypocrite dream of a felicity that is made up first of worldly things and then of Heaven when he can keep the world no longer He that cannot that doth not in heart quit all the world for a heavenly treasure and venture his all upon the Promise of better things hereafter and forsaking all take Christ and everlasting happiness for his portion cannot be upright in heart or life 3. He must have an Infallible Teacher which is only Christ and the encouragement of pardoning John 12. 16. Joh. 15. 1 c. grace when he faileth that he sink not by despair And therefore he must live by faith on a Mediator And he must have the fixed principle of a Nature renewed by the Spirit of John 3. 5 6. Rom. 8. 8 9. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Isa. 8. 20. 1 Thess. 5. 12. Isa. 33. 22. James 4 12. Heb. 8. 10 16. Neh. 9. 13 14. Psal. 19. 7. 119. 1 2 3. Christ. 4. He that will walk uprightly must have a certain just infallible Rule and must hold to that and try all by it And this is only the Word of God The teachings of Men must be valued as helps to understand this Word and the judgements of our Teachers and those that are wiser than our selves must be of great authority with us in subordination to the Scripture But neither the Learned nor the Godly nor the Great must be our Rule in co-ordination with the Word of God 5. He that will walk uprightly must have both a solid and a large understanding to know things truly as they are and to see all particulars which must be taken notice of in all the cases which he must determine and all the actions which his integrity is concerned in 1. There is no walking uprightly Prov. 1. 5. 10. 23. 17. 27. 3. 4. Psal. 111. 10. Ephes. 1. 18. Acts 26. 18. Col. 1. 9. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 14 15 20. Luke 24. 45. Mat. 15. 16. Ephes. 5. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 7. Prov. 8. 5. John 12. 40. 2 Pet. 2. 12. Rom. 3. 11. Mat. 13. 19 23 Isa. 52. 13. Hos. 14. 9. Prov. 14. 15 18. 18. 15. 22. 3. 8. 12. Ephes. 5. 15. Psalm 101. 2. in the dark Zeal will cause you to go apace but not at all to go Right if Judgement guide it not Erroneous zeal will make
quae nemo possit reprehendere Cicero de fin Read Plutarks Precepts of Policy and that Old men should be Rulers given you from above Joh. 19. 11. Remember therefore that as Constables are your officers and subjects so you are the officers and subjects of God and the Redeemer and are infinitely more below him than the lowest subject is below you And that you owe him more obedience than can be due to you And therefore should study his Laws in Nature and Scripture and make them your daily meditation and delight Iosh. 1. 3 4 5. Psal. 1. 2 3. Deut. 17. 18 19 20. And remember how strict a judgement you must undergo when you must give account of your Stewardship and the greater have been your dignities and mercies if they are abused by ungodliness the greater will be your punishment Luk. 16. 2. 12. 48. § 2. Memorand 2. Remember therefore and watch most carefully that you never own or espouse any Memor 2. Interest which is adverse to the Will or Interest of Christ and that you never fall out with his interest Read often Psalm 2. Psalm 101. or his ordinances and that no temptation ever perswade you that the Interest of Christ and the Gospel and the Church is an enemy to you or against your real interest and that you keep not up suspicions against them But see that you devote your selves and your power wholly to his Will and Service and make all your interest stand in a pure subservience to him as it stands in a real dependance on him § 3. Memorand 3. Remember that under God your End is the publick good Therefore desire Memor 3. nothing to your selves nor do nothing to others which is really against your End § 4. Memorand 4. Remember therefore that all your Laws are to be but subservient to the Laws Memor 4. of God to promote the obedience of them with your Subjects and never to be either contrary to them nor co-ordinate or independant on them But as the By Laws of Corporations are in respect to the Laws and will of the soveraign power which have all their Life and power therefrom § 5. Memorand 5. Let none perswade you that you are such terrestrial animals that have nothing Memor 5. to do with the Heavenly concernments of your subjects For if once men think that the end of your office is only the bodily prosperity of the people and the End of the Ministry is the good of their souls it will tempt them to prefer a Minister before you as they prefer their souls before their bodies And they that are taught to contemn these earthly things will be ready to think they must contemn your office seeing no means as such can be better than the end There is no such thing as a temporal Happiness to any people but what tendeth to the happiness of their souls and must be thereby measured and thence be estimated Though Ministers are more immediately employed about the soul yet your office is ultimately for the happiness of souls as well as theirs though bodily things rewards or punishments are the means by which you may promote it which Ministers as such may not meddle with Therefore you are custodes utriusque tabulae and must bend the force of all your Government to the saving of the peoples souls And as to the objection from Heathen Read Bilson of subject p. 129. to the end of the second part specially p. 140 141 142. the Laws of Charles the Great And Grotius de Imperio sum Pot. circa sacrá cap. 1. per totuâ Governours distinguish between the Office and an Aptitude to exercise it The Office consisteth 1. In an Obligation to do the duty 2. And in Authority to do it Both these a Heathen Ruler hath else the omission were a duty and not a sin But it is the Aptitude to do the duty of his place which a Heathen wanteth and he wanteth it culpably and therefore the omission is his sin Even as it is the sin of an insufficient Minister that he doth not Preach For the Question is of the like nature and will have the like solution Whether an ignorant Minister be bound to Preach who is unable or Heretical It is Aptitude that he wanteth and neither Authority nor Obligation if he be really a Minister But he is obliged in this Order first to get Abilities and then to Preach so is it in the present case § 6. Memorand 6. Encourage and strengthen a Learned Holy self denying serious laborious Memor 6. Ministry as knowing that the same Lord hath commissioned them in the institution of their office who instituted yours and that it is such men that are suited to the work for which their office was appointed And that souls are precious and those that are the Guides and Physicions of souls can never be too well furnished nor too diligent And the Church hath no where prospered on earth but in the prosperity of the abilities holiness and diligence of their Pastors God hath alwayes built by such and the Devil hath pulled down by pulling down such § 7. Memorand 7. Remember that the people that are seriously Religious that Love and Worship Memor 7. and Obey the Lord with all their heart are the best of your subjects and the honour of your Dominions I ãâ¦ã saith of the Anâo ãâ¦ã that they would not be saââted by filthy persons And âamprid of Alâxand ãâã that Nâsââh nâstos borae âamae homines ad salutationem non admiât Jussââque ut nemo ingrediatur nisi qui se innocentem novit Per praeconem edixit ut nemo salutaret principem qui se furem esse nosset ne aliquando detectus capââali supplieââ subâeretur Read Sebastian Foxius de Regno Regisâ institutione see therefore that serious Godliness be every where encouraged and that the prophane and ignorant rabble be never encouraged in their enmity and opposition to it And that true Fanaticism Hypocrisie and Schism be so prudently discountenanced and supprest that none may have encouragement to set themselves against Godliness under the slander or pretension of such names If Christianity be better than Heathenism those Christians then are they that must be * Even Croesus Dionysius and Iâliaâ were liberal to Philosophers and ambitious of their converse Vera civitatis foelicitas est ut Dei sit amans amata Deo illum sibi regem se illius populum agnoscat August de civiâ Dei l. 5. c. 14. countenanced who go further in Holiness and Charity and Justice than Heathens do rather than those that go no further besides Opinions and Formalities than a Cato a Plato or Socrates have done If all Religion were a deceit it were fit to be banished and Atheism professed and men confess themselves to be but bruits But if there be a God there must be a Religion And if we must be Religious we must sure
be guilty of the blood and calamities of an unjust War that a wise man will rather be abused as a Neuter than run himself into the danger of such â case § 4. Direct 4. When Necessity forceth you to go forth in a just War do it with such humiliation Direct 4. and unwillingness as beseemeth one that is a Patient a Spectator and an Actor in one of the sorest of Gods temporal judgements Go not to kill men as if you went to a Cock-fight or a Bear-baiting Make not a sport of a common calamity Be not insensible of the displeasure of God expressed in so great a judgement What a sad condition is it to your selves to be imployed in destroying others If they be good how sad a thought is it that you must kill them If they are wicked how sad is it that by killing them you cut off all their hopes of mercy and send them suddenly to Hell How sad an employment is it to spoil and undo the poor inhabitants where you come To cast them into terrors to deprive them of them of that which they have long been labouring for To prepare for famine and be like a consuming pestilence where you come Were it but to see such desolations it should melt you into compassion much more to be the executioners your selves How unsuitable a work is it to the grace of Love Though I doubt not but it is a service which the Love of God our Countrey and our Rulers may sometimes justifie and command yet as to the Rulers and Masters of the business it must be a very clear and great necessity that can warrant a War And as to the Souldiers they must needs go with great regret to kill men by thousands whom they Love as themselves He that Loveth his neighbour as himself and blesseth and doeth good to his persecuting enemy will take it heavily to be employed in killing him even when necessity maketh it his duty But the greatest calamity of War is the perniciousness of it to mens souls Armies are commonly that to the soul as a City infected with the Plague is to the body The very Nurseries and Academies of pride and cruelty and drunkenness and whoredome and robbery and licentiousness and the bane of Piety and common Civility and Humanity Not that every Souldier cometh to this pass the hottest Pestilence killeth not all But O how hard is it to keep up a life of faith and godliness in an Army The greatness of their business and of their fears and cares doth so wholly take up their minds and talk that there is scarce any room found for the matters of their souls though unspeakably greater They have seldome leisure to hear a Sermon and less to pray The Lords Day is usually taken up in matters that concern the lives and therefore can pretend necessity So that it must be a very resolute confirmed vigilant person that is not alienated from God And then it is a course of life which giveth great opportunity to the Tempter and advantage to temptations both to errors in judgement and vitiousness of heart and life He that never tryed it can hardly conceive how difficult it is to keep up piety and innocency in an Army If you will suppose that there is no difference in the Cause or the Ends and Accidents I take it to be much more desirable to serve God in a Prison than in an Army and that the condition of a Prisoner hath far less in it to tempt the foolish or to afflict the wise than a military Excepting those whose life in Garrisons and lingring Wars doth little differ from a state of peace I am not simply against the lawfulness of War Nor as I conceive Erasmus himself though he saw the sinfulness of that sort of men and use to speak truly of the horrid wickedness and misery of them that thirst for blood or rush on Wars without necessity But it must be a very extraordinary Army that is not constituted of Wolves and Tygers and is not unto common honesty and piety the same that a Stews or Whore-house is to chastity And O how much sweeter is the work of an honest Physicion that saveth And though I ignore not that it is a much more fashionable and celebrated practice in young Gentlemen to kill men than to cure them and that mistaken mortals think it to be the noblest exercise of vârtue to destroy the noblest workmanship of nature and indeed in some few cases the requisiteness and danger of destructive vaâouâ may makâ its actions become a virtuous Patriot yet when I consider the character given of our great Master and Exemâlar that he went ab uâ doing good and healing all manner of sicknesses I cannot but think such an employment worthy of the very noblest of lââ Discipâes Mr. Boyles Experiment Philos p. 303 304. mens lives than of a Souldier whose vertue is shewed in destroying them Or a Carpenters or Masons that adorneth Cities with comely buildings than a Souldiers that consumeth them by fire § 5. Direct 5. Be sure first that your cause be better than your lives and then resolve to venture Direct 5. your lives for them It is the hazarding of your Lives which in your Calling you undertake And therefore be not unprepared for it but reckon upon the worst and be ready to undergo what ever you undertake A Souldiers life is unfit for one that dare not dye A Coward is one of the most pernicious murderers He verifieth Christs saying in another sense He that saveth his life shall lose it While men stand to it it is usually but few that dye because they quickly daunt the enemy and keep him on the defensive part But when once they rowt and run away they are slain on heaps and fall like leaves in a windy Autumn Every Coward that pursueth them is emboldned by their fear and dare run them through or shoot them behind that durst not so near have looked them in the face and maketh it his sport to kill a fugitive or one that layeth down his weapons that would flye himself from a daring presence Your cowardly fear betrayeth the cause of your King and Countrey It betrayeth the lives of your fellow Souldiers while the running of a few affrighted dastards lets in ruine upon all the rest And it casteth away your own lives which you think to save If you will be Souldiers resolve to conquer or to dye It is not so much skill or strength that conquereth as boldness It is Fear that loseth the day and fearlesness that winneth it The Army that standeth to it getteth the Victory though they fight never so weakly For if you will not run the enemy will And if the lives of a few be lost by courage it usually saveth the lives of many Though wisdom still is needful in the Conduct And if the cause be not worth your lives you should not meddle with it § 6. Direct 6. Resolve
and that all strict Religion is but hypocrisie or at least to refuse their help and counsels Even Plutark noted that It so comes to pass that we entertain not virtue nor are âapt into a desire of imitating it unless we highly honour and love the person in whom it is discerned And if they see or think the Preacher to be himself of a loose and careless and licentious life they will think that the like is very excusable in themselves and that his doctrine is but a form of speech which his office bindeth him to say but is no more to be regarded by them than by himself Two wayes is mens damnation thus promoted 1. By the ill lives of hypocritical ungodly preachers who actually bring their own persons into disgrace and thereby also the persons of others and consequently their sacred work and function 2. By wicked Preachers and people who through a malignant hatred of those that are abler and better than themselves and an envy of their reputation do labour to make the most zealous and faithful Preachers of the Gospel to be thought to be the most hypocritical or erroneous or factious and schismatical § 5. 5. The neglect of Ministerial duties is a common cause of sin and of mens damnation When they that take the charge of souls are either unable or unwilling to do their office when they teach them too seldome or too unskilfully in an unsuitable manner not choosing that doctrine which they most need or not opening it plainly and methodically in a fitness to their capacities or not applying it with necessary seriousness and urgency to the hearers state When men preach to the ungodly who are neer to damnation in a formal pase like a School-boy saying his lesson or in a drowsie reading tone as if they came to preach them all asleep or were afraid of wakening them When they speak of sin and misery and Christ of Heaven and Hell as if by the manner they came to contradict the matter and to perswade men that there are no such things The same mischief followeth the neglect of private personal inspection When Ministers think that they have done all when they have said a Sermon and never make conscience of labouring personally to convince the ungodly and reclaim offenders and draw sinners to God and confirm the weak And the omission much more the perversion and abuse of sacred Discipline hath the like effects When the Keys of the Church are used to shut out the good or not used when they ought to rebuke or to shut out the impenitent wicked ones nor to difference between the precious and the vile it hardeneth multitudes in their ungodliness and perswadeth them that they are really of the same family of Christ as the Godly are and have their sins forgiven because they are partakers of the same Holy Sacraments Not knowing the difference between the Church mystical and visible nor between the judgement of ministers and of Christ himself § 6. 6. Parents neglect of instructing Children and other parts of holy education is one of the greatest causes of the perdition of mankind in all the World But of this elsewhere § 7. 7. Magistrates persecution or opposition to Religion or discountenancing those that preach it or most seriously practise it tendeth to deceive some who over-reverence the judgement of superiours and to affright others from the obedience of God § 8. 8. Yea the negligence of Magistrates Masters and other Superiours omitting the due rebuke of sinners and due correction of the offenders and the due encouragement of the good is a great cause of the wickedness and damnation of the World § 9. 9. But above all when they make Laws for sin or for the contempt or dishonour or suppression of Religion or the serious practice of it this buildeth up Satans Kingdom most effectually and turneth Gods Ordinance against himself Thousands under Infidel and ungodly Princes are conducted by Obedience to damnation and their Rulers damn them as honourably as the Physicion kill'd his Patients who boasted that he did it secundum artem according to the rules of art § 10. 10. The vulgar example of the multitude of the ungodly is a great cause of mens impiety and damnation They must be well resolved for God and holiness who will not yield to the major Vote nor be carryed down the common stream nor run with the rabble to excess of ryot When Christianity is a Sect which is every where spoken against it proveth so narrow a way that Act. 2. 8. few have a mind to walk in it Men think that they are at least excusable for not being wiser and better than the multitude Singularity in honour or riches or strength or health is accounted no crime but singularity in godliness is at least thought unnecessary What! will you be wiser than all the Town or than such and such superiours is thought a good reprehension of Godliness where it is rare Even by them who hereby conclude their superiours or all the Town to be wiser than God § 11. 11. Also the vulgars scorning and deriding Godliness is a common cause of Murdering souls Because the Devil knoweth that there cannot one Word of solid Reason be brought against the Reason of God and so against a Holy life he therefore teacheth men to use such weapons as they have A Dog hath teeth and an Adder hath a sting though they have not the Weapons of a man A fool can laugh and jeer and rail and there is no great wit or learning necessary to smile or grin or call a man a Puritan or precisian or Heretick or Schismatick or any name which the malice of the age shall newly coin Mr. Robert Bolton largely sheweth how much the malignity of his age did vent it self against Godliness by the reproachful use of the word Puritan When Reason can be bribed to take the Devils part either natural or literate reason he will hire it at any rate But when it cannot he will make use of such as he can get Barking or hissing may serve turn where talking and disputing cannot be procured Drum and Trumpets in an Army serve the turn instead of Oratory to animate cowards and drown the noise of dying mens complaints and groans Thousands have been mocked out of their Religion and salvation at once and jeered into Hell who now know whether a scorn or the fire of Hell be the greater suffering As Tyrants think that the Greatest and Ablest and wisest men must either be drawn over to their party or destroyed so the Tyrant of Hell who ruleth in the Children of disobedience doth think that if Reason Learning and wit cannot be hired to dispute for him against God they are to be suppressed silenced and disgraced which the noise of rude clamours and foolish jeers is fit enough to perform § 12. 12. Also idle sensless prating against Religion as a needless thing doth serve turn to deceive the simple Ignorant people
that are yet to recieve their deepest impressions § 9. Direct 9. Keep them from the most dangerous baits opportunities and temptations to sensuality Direct 9. Withdraw the Tinder and Gunpowder from the fire There is no curing a drunkard ordinarily in an Ale-house or Tavern or a Fornicator while he is near the objects of his lust nor a Glutton at a full enticing table Set them at a farther distance from the danger if you would have them safe Nemo diu tutus periculo proximus Senec. § 10. Direct 10. Take the advantage of their personal afflictions or any other notable warnings that Direct 10. are near them Keep them oft in the house of mourning where death may be as in their sight And keep them out of the house of foolish mirth The time of sickness is an awakening time and powerfully openeth the ear to counsel The fight of the dead or dying persons the hearing of sick mens wishes and complaints the sight of Graves and dead mens bones if not too oft to make it customary doth often force the most foolish and obstinate to some man-like profitable thoughts When the noise of foolish mirth and sports at rabble meetings and Stage-playes and May-games and ryotings or immoderate rude or tempting Playes do kill all sober saving motions and undispose the mind to all that 's good Though seasonable and useful delights are lawful yet such as are unseasonable immoderate ensnaring scandalous or unprofitable are pernicious and poyson to the soul. § 11. Direct 11. Engage them in the reading of the holy Scriptures and of such Books of practical Direct 11. Divinity as do at once most plainly acquaint them with the Principles of Religion and piercingly set them home upon the conscience that judgement and affection head and heart may be edified at once Such suitable Books may be daily their companions and it is a great advantage to them that they may have a powerful Sermon when they please and read over the same things as oft as the frailty of their memories do require Such private innocent companions have saved many a soul. § 12. Direct 12. Engage them in a constant course of prayer whether it be with a Book or Direct 12. form or without according to the parts and condition of the person For the often approaching to God in so holy a work will affright or shame a man from sin and stir him up to serious thoughts of his salvation and engage him to a godly life § 13. Direct 13. If you would have all these means effectual to mens conversion and salvation shew Direct 13. them all hearty love and kindness and do them all the good you can Men are naturally more easily sensible of the good of their bodies than of their souls And a kindness to the body is thankfully received and may prepare them to receive a greater benefit What you are unable to do for them your selves solicite those that are able to do Or if you cannot do that neither at least shew your pity and good will Love is the most powerful Preacher in the world § 14. Direct 14. Be sure that you have no fallings-out or quarrels with any that you would do good upon Direct 14. And to that end usually it is the best way to have as little to do with them in buying and selling or any worldly matters where Mine and Thine may come into competition as possibly as you can Or if you cannot avoid it you must be content to part with somewhat of your right and suffer some wrongs for fear of hurt to your neighbours soul. Even godly persons yea Parents and Children Brethren and Sisters usually fall out about Mine and Thine And when self-interest hath bred the quarrel they usually think ill of the person who is supposed to injure them And then they are made uncapable of receiving any spiritual good by him And if he seem Religious they are oft alienated from Religion for his sake And all unconverted persons are selfish and usually look that you should fulfill their desires and suit your selves to their interest without respect to right or wrong or to your own sufferings Yet such as these must be pitied and helpt And therefore it is usually best to avoid all chaffering or worldly dealings with them left you lose them And when that cannot be you must judge a little departing from your own right to be a very cheap price to procure the good of a neighbours soul. § 15. Direct 15. See that in matters of Religion you neither run too far from such men in things Direct 15. lawful nor yet do any thing sinful in complyance with them By concurring with them in any sin you will harden them and hinder their conversion And so you will by singular or violent opposition in things indifferent Those persons are quite mistaken who think that Godly men must go as far from the ungodly as ever they can in lawful things and say The ungodly do thus and therefore we must do otherwise Paul was of another mind and practice when he circumcised Timothy and became all things to all men to save some To place Religion in things indifferent and to cry out against lawful things as sinful or to fly from others by needless singularities is a great cause of the hardning and perdition of multitudes turning their hearts against Religion and making them think that it is but unnecessary scruple and that Religious persons are but self-conceited brainsick people that make to themselves a duty of their superstition and condemn all that be not as humorous as they Lay not such stumbling blocks before any whose souls you desire to save CHAP. XVI Special Directions for Christian Conference Exhortation and Reproof Tit. 1. Motives to Christian Conference and Exhortation THE right use of Speech being a duty of so great importance as I have before shewed about the Government of the Tongue and it being a way of Communication by which we are all obliged to exercise our Love to one another even in the greatest matter the saving of souls I shall first endeavour to perswade them to this duty who make too little conscience of it and that by these following considerations § 1. Mot. 1. Consider that it is the exercise of our Humanity Reason and Speech do difference us from Bruites If by being Reasonable we are men then by using Reason we live as men And the first communicative use of Reason is by speech By thinking we exercise Reason for our selves By speaking we exercise it first for others Therefore if our Reason be given us for the highest uses to our selves to know God and eternal life and the Means thereto then certainly our Speech is also given us for the same highest uses by way of Communication unto others Use therefore your tongues to those nobles Ends for which they were given you Use them as the tongues of men to the Ends which humane nature is
openly Because it is but the concealing from him the event which you foresee As e. g. you have intelligence that a Ship is lost at Sea or is like to be shortly taken by Pyrates which the Robber expecteth shortly to come safe into the harbour You may promise him to deliver up your self his prisoner when that Ship cometh home Or you know a person to be mortally sick and will dye before the next Week you may oblige yourself to marry or serve that person two months hence For it is implyed If he or she be then alive But with equal Contractors this is unlawful with whom you are obliged not only to Verity but to Justice as in the following cases will be further manifested Tit. 3. Special Cases about Iustice in Buying and Selling. § 1. Qu. 1. AM I bound to endeavour that he whom I deal with may be a gainer by the bargain Quest. 1. as well as I Answ. Yes It you be equally in want or in the like condition But if he be very poor and you be rich Charity must be so mixt with Justice that you must endeavour that it be more to his commodity than yours if he be indeed one that you owe Charity to And if you be poor and he be rich you may be willing to be the only gainer your self so be it you covet not anothers nor desire that he be wronged For when he hath power to deal charitably you may be willing of his charity or kindness § 2. Quest. 2. May I desire or take more than my labour or goods are worth if I can get it Quest. 2. Answ. 1. Not by deceit perswading another that they are worth more than they are 2. Not by extortion working upon mens ignorance error or necessity of which more anon 3. Not of any one that is poorer than your self or of any one that intendeth but an equal bargain 4. But if you deal with the rich who in generosity or liberality stick not at a small matter and are willing another should be a gainer by them and understand what they do it is lawful to take as much as they will give you § 3. Quest. 3. May I ask in the Market more than my goods are truly worth Quest. 3. Answ. In the case last mentioned you may when you are selling to the Rich who are willing to shew their generosity and to make you gainers But then the honest way is to say It is worth but so much but if you will give so much more because I need it I will take it thankfully Some think also where the common custome is to ask more than the worth and people will not buy unless you come down from your first demand that then you may lawfully ask more because else there is no trading with such people My judgement in this case is this 1. That ordinarily it is better to ask no more at all than a just gain And that the inconveniences of doing otherwise are greater than any on the other side For he that heareth you ask unjustly may well think that you would take unjustly if you could get it and consequently that you are unjust 2. But this just gain lyeth not alwayes just in an indivisible quantity or determinate price A man that hath a family to maintain by his trade may lawfully take a proportionable moderate gain Though if he take less he may get something too To be alwayes just at a word is not convenient For he that may lawfully get two or three shillings or more in the pound of the rich may see cause to let a poorer person have it for less But never ask above what its reasonable to take 3. And if you once peremptorily say I will take no less then it is not fit to go from your word 4. And if you do meet with such fools or proud Gallants who will not deal with you unless you ask dear it is just that when they have given you more than it is worth you tell them so and offer them the overplus again And for them that expect that you abate much of your asking it is an inconvenience to be born which will be ever to your advantage when you are once better known § 4. Quest. 4. How shall the worth of a commodity be judged of Quest. 4. Answ. 1. When the Law setteth a rate upon any thing as on bread and drink with us it must be observed 2. If you go to the Market the Market-price is much to be observed 3. If it be in an equal contract with one that is not in want you may estimate your goods as they cost you or are worth to you though it be above the common price seeing the buyer is free to take or leave them 4. But if that which you have to sell be extraordinary desirable or worth to some one person more than to you or another man you must not make too great an advantage of his convenience or desire but be glad that you can pleasure him upon equal fair and honest terms 5. If there be a secret worth in your commodity which the Market will take no notice of as it is usual in a Horse it is lawful for you to take according to that true worth if you can get it But it is a false Rule of them that think their commodity is worth as much as any one will give § 5. Quest. 5. Is it lawful to make a thing seem better than it is by trimming adorning or setting Quest. 5. the best side outward or in sight or to conceal the faults of what I am to sell. Answ. It is lawful to dress polish adorn or set out your commodity to make it seem as it is indeed but not to make it seem better than it is except in some very few unusual cases As if you deal with some phantastical fool who will not buy it nor give you the true worth except it be so set out and made in some respects to seem better than it is It is lawful so far to serve their curiosity or humour as to get the worth of your commodity But if you do it to get more than the worth by deceiving it is a sin And such glossing hath so notable an appearance of deceit that for that scandal it should be avoided 2. And as for concealing the fault the case is the same You ought not to deceive your neighbour but to do as you would be done by And therefore must not conceal any fault which he desireth or is concerned to know Except it be when you deal with one who maketh a far greater matter of that fault than there is cause and would wrong you in the price if it were known Yea and that exception will not hold neither except in a case when you must needs sell and they must buy it Because 1. You may not have another mans money against his will though it be no more than the thing is worth 2.
thus oppression destroyeth Religion and the peoples souls as well as their estates § 14. 5. Oppression further endangereth both the souls of men and the publick peace and the safety of Princes by tempting the poor multitude into discontents sedition and insurrections Every man is naturally a lover of himself above others And the poor as well as the rich and Rulers have an interest of their own which ruleth them And they will hardly honour or love or think well of them by whom they suffer It is as natural almost for a man under oppression to be discontented and complain as for a man in a Feavor to complain of sickness heat and thirst No Kingdom on earth is so holy and happy as to have all or most of the subjects such confirmed eminent Saints as will be contented to be undone and will love and honour those that undo them Therefore men must be taken as they are If oppression maketh wise men mad Eccles. 7. 7. much more the multitude who are far from wisdom Misery maketh men desperate when they think that they cannot be much worse than they are How many Kingdoms have been thus fired as wooden wheels will be when one part rubbeth too hard and long upon the other Yea if the Prince be never so good and blameless the cruelty of the Nobles and the rich men of the Land may have the same effects And in these combustions the peace of the Kingdom the lives and souls of the seditious are made a sacrifice to the lusts of the Oppressors § 15. Direct 2. Consider with fear how Oppression turneth the groans and cryes of the poor to the Direct 2. God of revenge against the Oppressors And wo to that man that hath the tears and prayers of oppressed innocents sounding the alarm to vindictive Justice to awake for their relief And shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night to him though he bear long with them I tell you that he will avenge them speedily Luke 18. 7 8. The Lord will be a refuge to the oppressed Psal. 9. 9. To judge the fatherless and the oppressed that the man of the earth may no more oppress Psal. 10. 18. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed Psal. 103. 6. 146. 7. Yea God is doubly engaged to be revenged upon oppressors and hath threatned a special execution of his judgement against them above most other sinners Partly as it is an act of mercy and relief to the oppressed So that the matter of threatning and vengeance to the oppressor is the matter of Gods promise and favour to the sufferers And partly as it is an act of his Vindictive Iustice against such as so heinously break his Laws The oppressor hath indeed his time of Power and in that time the oppressed seem to be forsaken and neglected of God as if he did not hear their cryes But when his patience hath endured the tyranny of the proud and his wisdom hath tryed the patience of the sufferers to the determined time how speedily and terribly then both vengeance overtake the oppressors and make them warnings to those that follow them In the hour of the wicked and of the power of darkness Christ himself was oppressed and afflicted Isa. 53. 7. and in his humiliation his judgement taken was away Acts 8. But how quickly did the destroying revenge overtake those bloody Zealots and how grievous is the ruine which they lye under to this day which they thought by that same murder to have scaped Solomon saith Eccles. 4. 1. he considered all the oppressions that are under the Sun and behold the tears of such as were oppressed and they had no comforter and on the side of the oppressors there was power but they had no comforter Which made him praise the dâad and the unborn But yet he that goeth with David into the Sanctuary and seeth the end of the oppressors shall perceive them set in slippery places and tumbling down to destruction in a moment Psal. 37. 73. The Israelites in Aegypt seemed long to groan and cry in vain But when the determinate time of their deliverance came God saith I have surely seen the affliction of my people and have heard their cry by reason of their task-masters for I know their sorrows and I am come down to deliver them Behold the cry of the children of Israel is come up unto me and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Aegyptians oppress them Exod. 3. 7 8 9. Deut. 26. 6 7. The Aegyptians evil intreated us and afflicted us and laid upon us hard bondage and when we cryed to the Lord God of our Fathers the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labour and our oppression See Psal. 107. 39 40 41 42. So Psal. 12. 5 6. For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him or would ensnare him Thou shalt keep them O Lord thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever Trust not therefore in oppression Psal. 62. 10. for God is the avenger and his plagues shall revenge the injuries of the oppressed § 16. Direct 3. Remember what an odious name Oppressors commonly leave behind them upon earth Direct 3. No sort of men are mentioned by posterity with greater hatred and contempt For the interest of mankind directeth them hereunto and may prognosticate it as well as the Iustice of God However the power of proud oppressors may make men afraid of speaking to their faces what they think yet those that are out of their reach will pour out the bitterness of their souls against them And when once death hath tyed their cruel hands or any judgement of God hath cast them down and knockt out their teeth how freely will the distressed vent their grief and same will not be afraid to deliver their ugly picture to posterity according to their desert Methinks therefore that even Pride it self should be a great help to banish oppression from the world What an honourable name hath a Trajan a Titus an Antonine an Alexander Severus And what an odious name hath a Nero a Caligula a Commodus a D' Alva c. Most proud men affect to be extolled and to have a glorious name survive them when they are dead and yet they take the course to make their memory abominable So much doth sin contradict and disappoint the sinners hopes § 17. Direct 4. Be not strangers to the condition or complaints of any that are your inferiours It Direct 4. is the misery of many Princes and Nobles that they are guarded about with such as keep all the lamentations of their Subjects and Tenants from their cars or represent them only as the murmurings of unquiet discontented men So that Superiours shall know no more of their inferiours case than their attendants please nor no
gatherers themselves § 18. Quest. 11. Is every one bound to labour in a Calling Quest. 11. Answ. This is answered before in its due place Tom. 1. Every one that is able rich or poor must live in some profitable course of pains or labour § 19. Quest. 12. Is it a duty to desire and endeavour to get and prosper and grow rich by our labours Quest. 12. when Solomon saith Labour not to be rich Prov. 23. 4. Answ. It is a sin to desire Riches as worldlings and sensualists do for the provision and maintenance of fleshly lusts and pride But it is no sin but a duty to labour not only for labour sake formally resting in the act done but for that honest increase and provision which is the end of our labour And therefore to choose a gainful calling rather than another that we may be able to do good and relieve the poor Eph. 4. 28. Let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good that he may have to give to him that needeth § 20. Quest. 13. Can one be prodigal in giving to the Church Quest. 13. Answ. Yes if it be in a blind zeal to maintain a useless pomp or superstition Or if he give Reâd Eâas us Collo â Pâregrin Relig. Ergo. that which should be used or given otherwise But this is a sin that few in these dayes are in much danger of § 21. Quest. 14. Can one be prodigal in giving to the poor Quest. 14. Answ. Yes when it is blindly done to cherish idleness in wandring beggars or with a conceit of meriting in point of Commutative Justice from God Or when that is given to the poor which should be given to other uses as in publick tribute maintenance of children furtherance of the Gospel c. But this is a sin that few have need to be restrained from § 22. Quest. 15. May a rich man expend any thing upon otherwise lawful pomp or conveniences Quest. 15. or pleasures at such a time when there are multitudes of poor families in extremity of want As now when the flames which consumed London have left many thousands in distress Answ. Doubtless every man should spare as much for the relief of others as he can And therefore should not only forbear all needless expences but those also that are needful but to such conveniences and accommodations as may be spared without a greater hurt than is the want of such as that charges would relieve To save the lives of people in want we must spare any thing from our selves which our own lives can spare And to relieve them in their deep poverty we must abate much more than our superfluities To expend any thing on pride and lust is a double sin at such a time when Lazarus is at our doors in want If that Luke 16. were well studied wherein it was that the Rich mans sin and danger lay in being clothed in Purple and Silk and faring sumptuously every day while Lazarus wanted it would make some sensualists wiser than they are But yet it must be confessed that some few persons may be of so much worth and use to the Common-wealth as Kings and Magistrates and some of so little that the maintaining of the honour and succours of the former may be more necessary than the saving of the lives of the later But take heed lest Pride or Cruelty teach you to misunderstand this or abuse it for your selves § 23. There are divers other wayes of Prodigality or sinful waste which I pass by because they are such as few are concerned in And my purpose is not to say all that may be said but all that is needful As in needless Musick Physick Books which Seneca handsomely reproveth Gifts to Servants which need not in meer ostentation of pride to be well spoken of and many the like And in unlawful Wars which is the greatest sinful waster in all the world And as for expences in debauchery and gross wickedness as Whoredome Revenge in sinful Law Suits c. I here pretermit them § 24. Direct 2. Understand well the Aggravations of this sin of Prodigality viz. Direct 2. 1. It is a wasting of that which is none of our own and a robbing God of the use or service due to him in the improvement of his gifts They are his and not ours and according to his pleasure only must be used 2. It is a robbing the poor of that which the common Lord of the world hath appointed for them in his Law And they will have their Action in Heaven against the prodigal 3. It is an inhumane vice to waste that upon pleasures pride and needless things which so many distressed persons stand in need of 4. It is an injury to the Common-wealth which is weakned by the wasteful And the covetous themselves that are not oppressors are much better members of publick societies than the prodigal 5. It seedeth a life of other vice and wickedness It is a spending Gods gifts to feed those lusts which he abhorreth 6. It usually engageth many others in Trades and labours which are unprofitable that they may serve the lusts of these sensual prodigals 7. And in the conclusion it prepareth a sad account for these wretches when they must answer at the Bar of God how they have used all his gifts and talents Remember all these aggravations § 25. Direct 3. Carefully mortifie that greedy fancy and fleshly lusts which is the wasting sin and Direct 3. the devouring gulf Quench the fire and you may spare all this fuell Cure the Feavor or Dropsie and you may spare both your drink and life A greedy throat and a diseased fancy are never satisfied till they have wasted the peace of your consciences with your estates and brought you to the end of brutish sinners Wisdome and duty and real benefit are contented with a little But lust is unsatiable The voluptuous bruit saith I must have my cups my lusts my pleasure And the effeminate vicious fancy of those empty souls that mind no great and solid things is still ranging after some vanity or other and like children crying for every thing that they see another have And the most needless yea burdensome things seem necessary to such They say I must needs have this and I must needs have that there is no being without it when nothing needeth it but a diseased mind which much more needeth a Cure by grace and true mortification Subdue pride and sensuality and fancy and you may escape prodigality § 26. Direct 4. Remember the nearness of your account and ask your consciences what way of expences Direct 4. will please you best in the review Whether at death and judgement it will be to your comfort to find on your account So much laid out on needless bravery to set out this carkass which is now turning into dust Item So much upon proud entertainments of great ones Item So much on Cards
instruments of the Devil § 4. III. The Evil of Unrighteous Judgements 1. An unrighteous Judge doth condemn the Cause of God himself For every righteous cause is his 2. Yea he condemneth Christ himself in his members For in that he doth it to one of the least of those whom he calleth Brethren he doth it to himself Matth. 25. It is a damnable sin Not to relieve the innocent and imprisoned in their distress when we have power What is it then to oppress them and unrighteously condemn them 3. It is a turning of the remedy into a double misery and taking away the only help of oppressed innocency What other defence hath innocency but Law and Justice And when their refuge it self doth fall upon them and oppress them whither shall the righteous flye 4. It subverteth Laws and Government and abuseth it to destroy the ends which it is appointed for 5. Thereby it turneth humane society into a state of misery like the depredations of hostility 6. It is a deliberate resolved sin and not done in a passion by surprize It is committed in that place and in that form as acts of greatest deliberation should be done As if he should say Upon full disquisition evidence and deliberation I condemn this person and his cause 7. All this is done as in the Name of God and by his own Commission by one that pretendeth to be his Officer or Minister Rom. 3. 3 4 5 6. For the Iudgement is the Lords 2 Chron. 19. 8 10. 19. 5 6 7. And how great a wickedness is it thus to blaspheme and to represent him as Satan an enemy to truth and righteousness to his servants and himself As if he had said God hath sent me to condemn this Cause and person If false Prophets sin so heinously who belye the Lord and say He hath sent us to speak this which is untruth the sin of false Judges cannot be much less 8. It is sin against the fullest and frequentest prohibitions of God Read over Exod. 23. 1 2 3 c. Lev. 10. 15. Deut. 1. 16 17. 16 18. Isa 1. 17 20 23. Deut. 24. 17. 27. 19. Cursed be he that perverteth the judgement of the stranger the fatherless and widow and all the people shall say Amen Ezra 7. 26. Psal. 33. 5. 37. 28. 72. 2. 94. 15. 106. 3. 30. Prov. 17. 27. 19. 28. 20. 8. 29. 4. 31. 5. Eccles. 5. 8. Isa. 5. 7. 10. 2. 56. 1 2. 59. 14 15. Ier. 5. 1. 7. 5. 9. 24. Ezek. 18. 8. 45. 9. Hos. 12. 6. Amos 5 7 15 24. 6. 12. Mic. 3 9. Zech. 7. 9 8. 16. Gen. 18. 19. Prov. 21. 3 7 15. I cite not the words to avoid prolixity Scarce any sin is so oft and vehemently condemned of God 9. False Judges cause the poor to appeal to God against them and the cryes of the afflicted shall not be forgotten Luke 18. 5 6 7 8. 10. They call for Gods Judgement upon themselves and devolve the work into his hands How can that man expect any other than a judgement of damnation from the righteous God who hath deliberately condemned Christ himself in his cause and servants and sate in judgement to condemn the innocent Psal. 9. 7 8 9. The Lord hath prepared his throne for judgement and he shall judge the world in righteousness he shall minister judgement to the people in uprightness he will be a refuge for the oppressed Psal. 37. 6. He will bring forth righteousness as the light and thy judgement as the noon day Psal. 89. 14. Iustice and judgement are the habitation of his throne Psal. 103. 6. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed Psal. 146. 7. In a word the sentence of an unjust Judge is passed against his own soul and he calleth to God to condemn him righteously who unrighteously condemned others Of all men he cannot stand in judgement nor abide the righteous doom of Christ. § 5. Direct 2. When you well understand the greatness of the sin find out and overcome the root Direct 2. and causes of it in your selves Especially selfishness covetousness and passion A selfish man careth not what another suffereth so that his own ends and interest be promoted by it A covetous man will contend and injure his neighbour when ever his own commodity requireth it He so much loveth his money that it can prevail with him to sin against God and cast away his own soul much more to hurt and wrong his neighbour A proud and passionate man is so thirsty after revenge to make others stoop to him that he careth not what it cost him to accomplish it Overcome these inward vices and you may easily forbear the outward sins § 6. Direct 3. Love your neighbours as your selves For that is the universal remedy against all Direct 3. injurious and uncharitable undertakings § 7. Direct 4. Keep a tender conscience which will not make light of sin It is those that have Direct 4. seared their consciences by infidelity or a course of sinning who dare venture with Iudas or Gehezi for the prey and dare oppress the poor and innocent and feel not nor fear not whilst they cast themselves on the revenge of God § 8. Direct 5 Remember the day when all these causes must be heard again and the righteous God Direct 5. will set all strait and vindicate the cause of the oppressed Consider what a dreadful appearance that man is like to have at the Bar of Heaven who hath falsly accused or condemned the just in the Courts of men What a terrible inditement accusation conviction and sentence must that man expect If the hearing of righteousness and the judgement to come made Faelix tremble surely it is infidelity or the plague of a stupified heart which keepeth contentious persons perverters of justice false witnesses and unjust Judges from trembling § 9. Direct 6. Remember the presence of that God who must be your final Iudge That he seeth Direct 6. all your Pride and Covetousness and all your secret contrivances for revenge and is privy to all your deceits and injuries You commit them in his open sight § 10. Direct 7. Meddle not with Law Suits till you have offered an equal arbitration of indifferent Direct 7. men or used all possible means of love to prevent them Law Suits are not the first but the last remedy Try all others before you use them § 11. Direct 8. When you must needs go to Law compose your minds to unfeigned love towards him Direct 8. that you must contend with and watch over your hearts with suspicion and the strictest care lest secret disaffection get advantage by it And go to your neighbour and labour to possess his heart also with love and to demulce his mind that you may not use the Courts of Iustice as Souldiers do their weapons to do the
not every one that committeth a sin after admonition who is here to be understood but such as are impenitent in some mortal or ruling sin For some may sin oft in a small and controverted point for want of ability to discern the truth and some may live in daily infirmities as the best men do which they condemn themselves and desire to be delivered from And even the most impenitent mans sins must not be medled with by every one at his pleasure but only when you have just cause Quest. 9. What if it be one whom I cannot speak to face to face Quest. 9. Answ. You must let him alone till you have just cause to speak of him Quest. 10. When hath a man a just cause and call to open anothers faults Quest. 10. Answ. Negatively 1. Not to fill up the time with other idle chatt or table-talk 2. Not to second any man how good soever who backbiteth others no though he pretend to do it to make the sin more odious or to exercise godly sorrow for other mens sin 3. Not when ever interest passion faction or company seemeth to require it But Affirmatively 1. When we may speak it to his face in love and privacy in due manner and circumstances as is most hopeful to conduce to his amendment 2. When after due admonition we take two or three and after that tell the Church in a case that requireth it 3. When we have a sufficient cause to accuse him to the Magistrate 4. When the Magistrate or the Pastors of the Church reprove or punish him 5. When it is necessary to the preservation of another As if I see my friend in danger of marrying with a wicked person or takeing a false servant or trading and bargaining with one that is like to over-reach him or going among cheaters or going to hear or converse with a dangerous Heretick or Seducer I must open the faults of those that they are in danger of so far as their safety and my charity require 6. When it is any treason or conspiracy against the King or Common-wealth where my concealment may be an injury to the King or damage or danger to the Kingdom 7. When the person himself doth by his self-justification force me to it 8. When his reputation is so built upon the injury of others and slanders of the just that the justifying of him is the condemning of the innocent we may then indirectly condemn him by vindicating the just As if it be in a case of contention between two if we cannot justifie the right without dishonour to the injurious there is no remedy but he must bear his blame 9. When a mans notorious wickedness hath set him up as a spectacle of warning and lamentation so that his crimes cannot be hid and he hath forfeited his reputation we must give others warning by his fall As an excommunicate person or malefactor at the Gallows c. 10. When we have just occasion to make a bare narrative of some publick matters of fact as of the sentence of a Judge or punishment of offenders c. 11. When the crime is so heinous as that all good persons are obliged to joyn to make it odious as Phinehas was to execute judgement As in cases of open Rebellion Treason Blasphemy Atheism Idolatry Murders Perjury Cruelty Such as the French Massacre the Irish far greater Massacre the Murdering of Kings the Powder Plot the Burning of London c. Crimes notorious should not go about in the mouths or ears of men but with just detestation 12. When any persons false reputation is a seducement to mens souls and made by himself or others the instrument of Gods dishonour and the injury of the Church or State or others though we may do no unjust thing to blast his reputation we may tell the truth so far as justice or mercy or piety requireth it Quest. 11. What if I hear dawbers applauding wicked men and speaking well of them and extenuating Quest. 12. their crimes and praising them for evil doing Answ. You must on all just occasions speak evil of sin But when that is enough you need not meddle with the sinner no not though other men applaud him and you know it to be false For you are not bound to contradict every falshood which you hear But if in any of the twelve fore-mentioned cases you have a call to do it as for the preservation of the hearers from a snare thereby as if men commend a Traytor or a wicked man to draw another to like his way in such cases you may contradict the false report Quest. 12. Are we bound to reprove every backbiter in this age when honest people are grown to Quest. 12. make little conscience of it but think it their duty to divulge mens faults Answ. Most of all that you may stop the stream of this common sin Ordinarily when ever we can do it without doing greater hurt we should rebuke the tongue that reporteth evil of other men causelesly behind their backs For our silence is their encouragement in sin Tit. 2. Directions against Backbiting Slandering and Evil Speaking Direct 1. MAintain the life of brotherly Love Love your neighbour as your self Direct 1. Direct 2. Watch narrowly lest interest or passion should prevail upon you For Direct 2. where these prevail the tongue is set on fire of Hell and will set on fire the course of nature Iam. 2. Selfishness and passion will not only prompt you to speak evil but also to justifie it and think you do well yea and to be angry with those that will not hearken to you and believe you Direct 3. Especially involve not your selves in any faction Religious or Secular I do not mean Direct 3. that you should not love and imitate the best and hold most intimate communion with them But that you abhor unlawful divisions and sidings and when error or uncharitableness or carnal interest hath broken the Church into pieces where you live and one is of Paul and another of Apollo and another of Cephas one of this party and another of that take heed of espousing the interest of any party as it stands cross to the interest of the whole It would have been hardly credible if sad experience had not proved it how commonly and heinously almost every Sect of Christians do sin in this point against each other And how far the interest of their Sect which they account the interest of Christ will prevail with multitudes even of zealous people to belye calumniate backbite and reproach those that are against their opinion and their party Yea how easily will they proceed beyond reproaches to bloody persecutions He that thinketh that he doth God service by killing Christ or his Disciples will think that he doth him service by calling him a deceiver and one that hath a Devil a blasphemer and an enemy to Caesar and calling his Disciples pestilent fellows and movers of
judging And if you knew how bad you are you would not be so forward to condemn your neighbours So that here is together the effect of much self-estrangedness hypocrisie and pride Did you ever well consider of the mind of Christ when he bid them that accused the adulterous woman John 8. 7. He that is without sin among you let him first cast a stone at her Certainly adultery was a heinous crime and to be punished with death and Christ was no Patron of uncleanness But he knew that it was an hypocritical sort of persons whom he spake to who were busie in judging others rather than themselves Have you studied his words against rash censurers Matth. 7. 3 4. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye Or how wilt thou say to thy brother Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote which is in thy brothers eye I know well that impenitent sinners do use to pervert all these words of Christ against any that would bring them to repentance for their sin and account all men rash censurers who would make them acquainted with their unsanctified hearts and lives But it is not their abuse of Scripture which will justifie our overpassing it with neglect Christ spake it not for nothing and it must be studied by his Disciples § 5. 5. Censoriousness is injustice in that the censurers would not be so censured themselves You will say Yes if we were as bad and did deserve it But though you have not that same fault have you no other And are you willing to have it aggravated and be thus rashly judged You do not as you would be done by yea commonly censurers are guilty of false judging and whilest they take things hastily upon trust and stay not to hear men speak for themselves or to enquire throughly into the cause they commonly condemn the innocent and call good evil and put light for Isa. 5. 20. darkness and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him when God hath cursed such with a woe § 6. 6. And false censuring is the proper work of the Devil the accuser of the brethren Rev. 12. 10. Who accuseth them before God day and night And Christians should not bear his Image nor do his work § 7. 7. Censoriousness is contrary to the Nature and Office of Jesus Christ He came to pardon sin and cover the infirmities of his servants and to cast them behind his back and into the depth of the Sea and to bury them in his grave And it is the censurers work to rake them up and to make them seem more and greater than they are and to bring them into the open light § 8. 8. Censoriousness causeth uncharitableness and sinful separations in the censurers when they have conceited their brethren to be worse than they are they must then reproach them or have no communion with them and avoid them as too bad for the company of such as they Or when they have usurped the Pastors work in judging they begin the execution by sinful separation § 9. 9. Censoriousness is an infectious sin which easily taketh with the younger and prouder sort of Christians and so setteth them on vilifying others And at this little gap there entereth all uncharitableness backbitings revilings Church-divisions and Sects yea and too often rebellious and bloody Wars at last § 10. 10. Censoriousness is a sore temptation to them that are censured either to contemn such as censure them and go on the other hand too far from them or else to comply with the errors and sinful humours of the censurers and to strain their consciences to keep pace with the censorious And here I must leave it on record to posterity for their warning that the great and lamentable actions changes and calamities of this age have arisen next to gross impiety from this sin of â censoriousness producing these two contrary effects and thereby dividing men into two contrary parties The younger sort of Religious people and the more ignorant and many women having more zeal than judgement placed too much of their Religion in a sharp opposition to all Ceremonies Formalities and Opinions which they thought unlawful and were much inclined to Schism and unjust separations upon that account and therefore censured such things as Antichristian and those that used them as superstitious or temporizers And no mans learning piety wisdome or laboriousness in the Ministry could save him from these sharp reproachful censures Hereupon one party had not Humility and Patience enough to endure to be so judged of nor love and tenderness enough for such pievish Christians to bear with them in pity as Parents do with froward Infants but because these professed holiness and zeal even holiness and zeal were brought under suspicion for their sakes and they were taken to be persons intolerable as unfit to lye in any building and unmeet to submit to Christian Government and therefore meet to be used accordingly Another sort were so wearied with the prophaneness and ungodliness of the vulgar rabble and saw so few that were judiciously religious that they thought it their duty to love and cherish the zeal and piety of their censorious weak ones and to bear patiently with their frowardness till ripeness and experience cured them And so far they were right And because they thought that they could do them no good if they once lost their interest in them and were also themselves too impatient of their censure some of them seemed to please them to be more of their opinion than they were and more of them forbore to reprove their petulancy but silently suffered them to go on especially when they fell into the Sects of Antinomians Anabaptists and Separatists they durst not reprove them as they deserved lest they should drive them all out of the Hive to some of these late swarms And thus censoriousness in the ignorant and self-conceited drove away one part to take them as their enemies and silenced or drew on another party to follow them that led the Vann in some irregular violent actions and the wise and sober moderators were disregarded and in the noise of these tumults and contentions could not be heard till the smart of either party in their suffering forced them to honour such whom in their exaltation again they despised or abused This is the true summ of all the Tragoedies in Britain of this Age. Tit. 4. Directions for those that are rashly censured Direct 1. REmember when you are injured by Censures that God is now trying your Humility Direct 1. Charity and Patience And therefore be most studious to exercise and preserve these three 1. Take heed lest Pride make you disdainful to the censurers A humble
man can bear contempt Hard censures hurt men so far as they are proud 2. Take heed lest imbecillity add to your impatience and concur with pride Cannot you bear greater things than these Impatience will disclose that badness in your selves which will make you censured much more And it will shew you as weak in one respect as the censurers are in another 3. Take heed lest their fault do not draw you to overlook or undervalue that serious godliness which is in many of the censorious And that you do not presently judge them Hypocrites or Schismaticks and abate your charity to them or incline to handle them more roughly than the tenderness of Christ alloweth you Remember that in all ages it hath been thus The Church hath had pievish children within as well as persecuting enemies without Insomuch as Paul Rom. 14. giveth you the copy of these times and giveth them this counsel which from him I am giving you The weak in knowledge were censorious and judged the strong The strong in knowledge were weak in Charity and contemned the weak Just as now one party saith These are superstitious persons and antichristian The other saith What giddy Schismaticks are these But Paul chideth them both one sort for censuring and the other for despising them Direct 2. Take heed lest whilest you are impatient under their censures you fall into the same sin Direct 2. your selves Do they censure you for differing in some Forms or Ceremonies from them Take heed lest you over-censure them for their censoriousness If you censure them as hypocrites who censure you as superstitious you condemn your selves while you are condemning them For why will not censuring too far prove you hypocrites also if it prove them such Direct 3. Remember that Christ beareth with their weakness who is wronged by it more than you Direct 3. and is more against it He doth not quit his title to them for their frowardness nor cease his love not turn every Infant out of his family that will cry and wrangle nor every Patient out of his Hospital that doth complain and groan And we must imitate our Lord and love where he loveth and pity where he pitieth and be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful Direct 4. Remember how amiable a thing the least degree of Grace is even when it is clouded and Direct 4. blotted with infirmities It is the Divine Nature and the Image of God and the seed of Glory And therefore as an Infant hath the noble nature of a man and in all his weakness is much more honourable than the best of Bruits so that it is death to kill an Infant but not a Beast So is the most infirm and froward true Christian more honourable and amiable than the most splendid Infidel Bear with them in love and honour to the image and interest of Christ. Direct 5. Remember that you were once weak in Grace your selves And if happy education under Direct 5. peaceable Guides did not prevent it it s two to one but you were your selves censorious Bear therefore with others as you bear with crying children because you were once a child your self Not that the sin is ever the better but you should be the more compassionate Direct 6. Remember that your own strength and iudgement is so great a mercy that you should the Direct 6. easilier bear with a censorious tongue The Rich and Noble can bear with the envious remembring that it is happy to have that worth or felicity which men do envy You suffer fools gladly seeing you your selves are wise If you are in the right let losers talk Direct 7. Remember that we shall be shortly together in Heaven where they will recant their censures Direct 7. and you will easily forgive them and perfectly love them And will not the foresight of such a meeting cause you to bear with them and forgive and love them now Direct 8. Remember how inconsiderable a thing it is as to your own interest to be judged of man Direct 8. and that you stand or fall to the judgement of the Lord. 1 Cor. 4. 3 4. What are you the better or the worse for the thoughts or words of a man When your salvation or damnation lyeth upon Gods judgement It is too much hypocrisie to be too much desirous of mans esteem and approbation and too much troubled at his disesteem and censure and not to be satisfied with the approbation of God Read what is written against Man-pleasing Tom. 1. Direct 9. Make some advantage of other mens censures for your own proficiency If good men Direct 9. censure you be not too quick in concluding that you are innocent and justifying your selves But be suspicious of your selves lest they should prove the right and examine your selves with double diligence If you find that you are clear in the point that you are censured for suspect and examine lest some other sin hath provoked God to try you by these censures And if you find not any other notable fault let it make you the more watchful by way of prevention seeing the eyes of God and men are on you and it may be Gods warning to bid you take heed for the time to come If you are thus brought to repentance or to the more careful life by occasion of mens censures they will prove so great a benefit to you that you may bear them the more easily CHAP. XXV Cases and Directions about Trusts and Secrets Tit. 1. Cases of Conscience about Trusts and Secrets Quest. 1. HOw are we forbidden to put our Trust in man And how may it be done Quest. 1. Answ. 1. You must not trust man for more than his proportion and what belongs to man to do You must not expect that from him which God alone can do 2. You must not trust a bad unfaithful man to do that which is proper to a good and faithful man to do 3. You must not trust the best man being imperfect and fallible as fully as if you supposed him perfect and infallible But having to do with a corrupted world we must live in it with some measure of distrust to all men For all that Cicero thought this contrary to the Laws of friendship But especially ignorant dishonest and fraudulent men must be most distrusted As Bucholtzer said to his friend that was going to be a Courtier Commendo tibi fidem diabolorum Crede Contremisce He that converseth with diabolical men must believe them no further than is due to the children of the Father of Lyes But we must trust men as men according to the principles of Veracity that are left in corrupted nature And we must trust men so far as reason sheweth us cause from their skill fidelity honesty or interest So a Surgeon a Physicion a Pilot may be trusted with our lives And the skilfuller and faithfuller any man is the more he is to be trusted Quest. 2. Whom should
you should perform your trust or would discharge you of it If it be some great and unexpected dangers which you think upon good grounds the Parent would acquit you from if he were living you fulfill your trust if you avoid them and do that which would have been his will if he had known it Otherwise you must perform your promise though it be to your loss and suffering Quest. 16. But what if it was only a trust imposed by his desire and will without my acceptance or promise Quest. 16. to perform it Answ. You must do as you would be done by and as the common good and the Laws of love and friendship do require Therefore the quality of the person and your obligations to him and especially the comparing of the consequent good and evil together must decide the case Quest. 17. What if the surviving kindred of the Orphane be nearer to him than I am and they censure Quest. 17. me and calumniate me as injurious to the Orphane may I not ease my self of the trust and cast it upon them Answ. In this case also the measure of your suffering must first be compared with the measure of the Orphanes good And then your Conscience must tell you whether you verily think the Parent who entrusted you would discharge you if he were alive and knew the case If he would though you promised it is to be supposed that it was not the meaning of his desire or your promise to incur such sufferings And if you believe that he would not discharge you if he were alive then if you promised you must perform But if you promised not you must go no farther than the Law of love requireth Quest. 18. What is a Minister of Christ to do if a penitent person confess secretly some heynous or Quest. 18. capital crime to him as Adultery theft robbery murder Must it be concealed or not Answ. 1. If a purpose of sinning be antecedently confessed it is unlawful to farther the crime or give opportunity to it by a concealment But it must be so far opened as is necessary for the prevention of anothers wrong or the persons sin Especially if it be Treason against the King or Kingdom or any thing against the common good 2. When the punishment of the offender is apparently necessary to the good of others especially to right the King or Countrey and to preserve them from danger by the offender or any other it is a duty to open a past fault that is confessed and to bring the offender to punishment rather than injure the innocent by their impunity 3. When Restitution is necessary to a person injured you may not by concealment hinder such Restitution but must procure it to your power where it may be had 4. It is unlawful to promise universal secresie absolutely to any penitent But you must tell him before he confesseth If your crime be such as that opening it is necessary to the preservation or righting of King or Countrey or your Neighbour or to my own safety I shall not conceal it That so men may know how far to trust you 5. Yet in some rare cases as the preservation of our Parents King or Countrey it may be a duty to promise and perform concealment when there is no hurt like to follow but the loss or hazard of our own lives or liberties or estates And consequently if no hurt be like to follow but some private loss of another which I cannot prevent without a greater hurt 6. If a man ignorant of the Law and of his own danger have rashly made a promise of secresie and yet be in doubt he should open the case in hypothesi only to some honest able Lawyer enquiring if such a case should be what the Law requireth of the Pastor or what danger he is in if he conceal it that he may be able farther to judge of the case 7. He that made no promise of secresie virtual or actual may caeteris paribus bring the offender to shame or punishment rather than fall into the like himself for the concealment 8. He that rashly promised universal secresie must compare the penitents danger and his own and consider whose suffering is like to be more to the publick detriment all things considered and that must be first avoided 9. He that findeth it his duty to reveal the crime to save himself must yet let the penitent have notice of it that he may flye and escape unless as aforesaid when the Interest of the King or Countrey or others doth more require his punishment 10. But when there is no such necessity of the offenders punishment for the prevention of the hurt or wrong of others nor any great danger by concealment to the Minister himself I think that the Crime though it were capital should be concealed My reasons are 1. Because though every man be bound to do his best to prevent sin yet every man is not bound to bring offenders to punishment He that is no Magistrate nor hath a special call so to do may be in many cases not obliged to it 2. It is commonly concluded that in most cases a capital offender is not bound to bring himself to punishment And that which you could not know but by his free Confession and is confest to you only on your promise of concealment seemeth to me to put you under no other obligation to bring him to punishment than he is under himself 3. Christs words and practice in dismissing the Woman taken in Aduâtery sheweth that it is not alwayes a duty for one that is no Magistrate to prosecute a capital offender but that sometime his repentance and life may be preferred 4. And Magistrates pardons sheweth the same 5. Otherwise no sinner would have the benefit of a Counsellor to open his troubled Conscience to For if it be a duty to detect a great crime in order to a great punishment why not a less also in order to a less punishment And who would confess when it is to bring themselves to punishment 11. In those Countries where the Laws allow Pastors to conceal all crimes that penitents freely confess it is left to the Pastors judgement to conceal all that he discerneth may be concealed without the greater injury of others or of the King or Common-wealth 12. There is a knowledge of the faults of others by Common âame especially many years after the committing which doth not oblige the hearers to prosecute the offender And yet a crime publickly known is more necessarily to be punished lest impunity embolden others to the like than an unknown crime revealed in Confession Tit. 2. Directions about Trusts and Secrets Direct 1. BE not rash in receiving secrets or any other trusts But first consider what you are thereby Direct 1. obliged to and what difficulties may arise in the performance and foresee all the consequents as far as is possible before you undertake the trust that you cast not
your selves their Riches their health their Honours their Lordships their Kingdoms yea more their knowledge and learning and grace and happiness are partly to you as your own As the comforts of Wife and Children and your dearest friends are And as our Love to Christ and the blessed Angels and Saints in Heaven doth make their joyes to be partly ours How excellent and easie and honest a way is this of making all the world your own and receiving that benefit and pleasure from all things both in Heaven and Earth which no distance no malice of enemies can deny you If those whom you truly Love have it you have it Why then do you complain that you have no more health or wealth or honour or that others are preferred before you Love your neighbours as your selves and then you will be comforted in his health his wealth and his preferment and say Those have it whom I love as my self and therefore it is to me as mine own When you see your neighbours Houses Pastures Corn and Cattle Love will make it as good and pleasant to you as if it were your own Why else do you rejoyce in the portions and estates of your children as if it were your own The covetous man saith O how glad should I be if this House this Land this Corn were mine But love will make you say It is all to me as mine own What a sure and cheap way is this of making all the world your own O what a mercy doth God bestow on his servants souls in the day that he sanctifieth them with unfeigned love How much doth he give us in that one grace And O what a world of blessing and comforts do the ungodly the malitious the selfish and the censorious cast away when they cast away or quench the love of their neighbours And what abundance of calamity do they bring upon themselves In this one summary instance we may see how much Religion and obedience to God doth tend to our own felicity and delight And how easie a work it would be if a wicked heart did not make it difficult And how great a plague sin is unto the sinner And how fore a punishment of it self And by this you may see what it is that all fallings-out divisions and contentions tend to And all temptations to the abatement of our love And who it is that is the greater loser by it when love to our neighbour is lost And that backbiters and censurers who speak ill of others come to us as the greatest enemies and thieves to rob us of our chiefest jewel and greatest comfort in this world And accordingly should they be entertained CHAP. XXVIII Special Cases and Directions for Love to Godly persons as such Tit. 1. Cases of Conscience about Love to the Godly WHom we must take for Godly I answered before Chap. 24. Tit. 1. Quest. 5. Quest. 1. How can we love the Godly when no man can certainly know who is sincerely Quest. 1. godly Answ. Our love is not the love of God which is guided by infallibility but the love of man which is guided by the dark and fallible discerning of a man The fruits of piety and charity we infallibly see in their lives But the saving truth of that grace which is or ought to be the root we must judge of according to the probability which those signs discover and love men accordingly Quest. 2. Must we love those as godly who can give no sensible account of their conversion for the Quest. 2. time or manner or evidence of it Answ. We must take none for godly who shew no credible evidence of true conversion that is of true faith and Repentance But there is many a one truly godly who through natural defect of understanding or utterance are not able in good sense to tell you what Conversion is not to describe the manner in which it was wrought upon them much less to define exactly the time or Sermon when it was first wrought which few of the best Christians are able to do especially of them who had pious education and were wrought on in their childhood But if the Covenant of Grace be wisely opened to them according to their capacity and they deliberately and soberly and voluntarily profess their present assent and consent thereto they do thereby give you the credible evidence of a true conversion till you have sufficient contrary evidence to disprove it For none but a converted man can truly repent and believe in God the Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier according to the Baptismal Covenant Quest. 3. But what if he be so ignorant that he cannot tell what faith or repentance or redemption or Quest. 3. sanctification or the Covenant of Grace is Answ. If you have sufficient evidence that indeed he doth not at all understand the essentials of the Sacramental Covenant you may conclude that he is not truly godly Because he cannot consent to what he knoweth not Ignorantis non est consensus And if you have no evidence of such knowledge you have no evidence of his godliness but must suspend your judgement But yet many a one understandeth the essentials of the Covenant who cannot tell another what they are Therefore his mind in case of great disability of utterance must be fished out by Questions to which his Yea or No will discover what he understandeth and consenteth to You would not refuse to do so by one of another language or a dumb man who understood you but could answer you but by broken words or signs And verily ill education may make a great many of the phrases of Scripture and religious language as strange to some men though spoken in their native tongue as if it were Greek or Latin to them who yet may possibly understand the matter A wise Teacher by well composed questions may without fraud or formality discern what a man understandeth though he say but Yea or No when an indiscreet unskilful man will make his own unskilfulness and uncharitableness the occasion of contemptuous trampling upon some that are as honest as himself If a mans desires and endeavours are to that which is good and he be willing to be taught and use the means it must be very gross ignorance indeed and well-proved that must disprove his profession of faith If he competently understand what it is to believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost the Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier he understandeth all that is absolutely necessary to salvation And his Yea or No may sometime signifie his understanding it Quest. 4. Must I take the visible members of the Church because such for truly godly Quest. 4. Answ. Yes except when you have particular sufficient proof of their hypocrisie Certainly no man doth sincerely enter into the Baptismal Covenant but he that is sincerely a penitent believer if at age For that Covenant giveth actual pardon and adoption to those that sincerely enter into it the very
Love is holy and from God whereas the same Love may be of God as to the principle motives and ends in the main and yet may have great mixtures of passionate weakness and sinful excess which may tend to their great affliction in the end Some that have been converted by the writings of a Minister a hundred or a thousand miles off must needs go see the Author some must needs remove from their lawful dwellings and callings to live under the Ministry of such a one yea if it may be in the house with him some have affections so violent as proveth a torment to them when they cannot live with those whom they so affect some by that affection are ready to follow those that they so value into any errour And all this is a sinful Love by this mixture of passionate weakness though pious in the main Quest. 9. Why should we restrain our Love to a bosome friend contrary to Cicero's doctrine and what Quest. 9. sin or danger is in loving him too much Answ. All these following 1. It is an errour of judgement and of will to suppose any one Better than he is yea perhaps than any creature on earth is and so to Love him 2. It is an irrational act and therefore not fit for a Rational creature to Love any one farther than reason will allow us and beyond the true causes of regular Love 3. It is usually a fruit of sinful selfishness For this excess of Love doth come from a selfish cause either some strong conceit that the person greatly Loveth us or for some great kindness which he hath shewed us or for some need we have of him and fitness appearing in him to be useful to us c. Otherwise it would be purely for Amiable worth and then it would be proportioned to the nature and measure of that worth 4. It very often taketh up mens minds so as to hinder their Love to God and their desires and delights in holy things While Satan perhaps upon Religious pretences turneth our affections too violently to some person it diverteth them from higher and better things For the weak mind of man can hardly think earnestly of one thing without being alienated in his thoughts from others nor can hardly love two things or persons fervently at once that stand not in pure subordination one to the other And we seldom Love any fervently in a pure subordination to God For then we should Love God still more fervently 5. It oft maketh men ill members of the Church and Commonwealth For it contracteth that Love to one over-valued person which should be diffused abroad among many and the common good which should be loved above any single person is by this means neglected as God himself which maketh Wives and Children and bosome friends become those gulfs that swallow up the estates of most rich men so that they do little good with them to the publick state which should be preferred 6. Overmuch friendship engageth us in more duty than we are well able to perform without neglecting our duty to God the Commonwealth and our own souls There is some special duty followeth all special acquaintance but a bosome friend will expect a great deal You must allow him much of your Time in conference upon all occasions and he looketh that you should be many wayes friendly and useful to him as he is or would be to you When alas frail man can do but little our Time is short our strength is small our estates and faculties are narrow and low And that Time which you must spend with your bosome friend where friendship is not moderated and wisely managed is perhaps taken from God and the publick good to which you first owed it Especially if you are Magistrates Ministers Physicions Schoolmasters or such other as are of publick usefulness Indeed if you have a sober prudent friend that will look but for your vacant hours and rather help you in your publick service you are happy in such a friend But that is not the excess of Love that I am reprehending 7. This inordinate friendship prepareth for disappointments yea and for excess of sorrows Usually experience will tell you that your best friends are but uncertain and imperfect men and will not answer your expectation And perhaps some of them may so grosly fail you you as to set light by you or prove your Adversaries I have seen the bonds of extraordinary dearness many ways dissolved One hath been overcome by the flesh and turned drunkard and sensual and so proved unfit for intimate friendship who yet sometime seemed of extraordinary uprightness and zeal Another hath taken up some singular conceits in Religion and joyned to some sect where his bosome friend could not follow him And so it hath seemed his duty to look with strangeness contempt or pity on his ancient friend as one that is dark and low if not supposed an adversary to the truth because he espouseth not all his mis-conceits Another is suddenly lifted up with some preferment dignity and success and so is taken with higher things and higher converse and thinks it is very fair to give an embrace to his ancient friend for what he once was to him instead of continuing such endearedness Another hath changed his place and company and so by degrees grown very indifferent to his ancient friend when he is out of sight and converse ceaseth Another hath himself chosen his friend amiss in his unexperienced youth or in a penury of wise and good men supposing him much better than he was and afterward hath had experience of many persons of far greater wisdom piety and fidelity whom therefore reason commanded him to preser All these are ordinary dissolvers of these bonds of intimate and special friendship And if your Love continue as hot as ever its excess is like to be your excessive sorrow For 1. You will be the more grieved at every suffering of your friend as sickness losses crosses c. whereof so many attend mankind as is like to make your burden great 2. Upon every removal his absence will be the more troublesome to you 3. All incongruities and fallings out will be the more painful to you especially his jealousies discontents and passions which you cannot command 4. His death if he die before you will be the more grievous and your own the more unwellcome because you must part with him These and abundance of sore afflictions are the ordinary fruits of too strong affections And it is no rare thing for the best of Gods servants to profess that their sufferings from their friends who have over-loved them have been ten times greater than from all the enemies that ever they had in the world And to those that are wavering about this case Whether only a common friendship with all men according to their various worth or a bosome intimacy with some one man be more desirable I shall premise a free confession of my
would be more offended Therefore I shall only give you these general intimations 1. Nature is content with a little but Appetite is never content till it have drowned Nature 2. It is the perfection of concoction and ãâ¦ã Senec. goodness of the nutriment that is more conducible to health than the quantity 3. Nature will easilier overcome twice the quantity of some light and passable nourishment than half so much of gross and heavy meats Therefore those that prescribe just twelve Ounces a day without differencing meats that so much differ do much mistake 4. A healthful strong body must have more than the weak and sickly 5. Middle aged persons must have more than old folks or children Juvenum viâtus est Nihil ââââus Soââat 6. Hard Labourers must have more than easie Labourers and these more than the idle or Students or any that stir but little 7. A body of close Pores that evacuateth little by sweat or transpiration must have less especially of moisture than another 8. So must a cold and flegmatick constitution 9. So must a stomach that corrupteth its food and casteth it forth by periodical bilious evacuations 10. That which troubleth the stomach in the digestion is too much or too bad unless with very weak sickly persons 11. So is that too much or bad which maketh you more dull for study or more heavy and unfit for labour unless some disease be the principal cause 12. A body that by excess is already filled with crudities should take less than another that nature may have time to digest and waste them 13. Every one should labour to know the temperature of their own bodies and what diseases they are most enclined to and so have the judgement of their Physicion or some skilful person to give them such directions as are suitable to their own particular temperature and diseases 14. Hard Labourers err more in the quality than the quantity partly through poverty partly through ignorance and partly through appetite while they refuse that which is more wholsome as meer Bread and Beer if it be less pleasing to them 15. If I may presume to conjecture ordinarily very hard Labourers exceed in quantity about a fourth part Shop-keepers and persons of easier Trades do ordinarily exceed about a third part Voluptuous Gentlemen and their Servingmen and other servants of theirs that have no hard labour do usually exceed about half in half But still I except persons that are extraordinarily temperate through weakness or through wisdom And the same Gentlemen usually exceed in Variety Costliness Curiosity and Time much more than they do in quantity so that they are Gluttons of the first magnitude The Children of those that govern not their appetites but let them eat and drink as much and as often as they desire it do usually exceed above half in half and lay the foundation of the diseases and miseries of all their lives All this is about the truth though the Belly believe it not § 48. When you are once grown wise enough to know what in measure and time and quality is Venter praecepta non audit Senec. fittest for your health go not beyond that upon any importunity of Appetite or of friends For all that is beyond that is Gluttony and sensuality in its degree § 49. Direct 8. If you can lawfully avoid it make not your Table a snare of Temptation to your Direct 8. selves or others I know a greedy appetite will make any Table that hath but necessaries a snare to iâ If you will not take this counsel at least use after meat to set before your guests a Bason and a âeather oâ a Provang to vomit it up again that you may shew some mercy to their bodies if you will shew none to their souls self But do not you unnecessarily become Devils or tempters to your selves or others 1. For Quality study not Deliciousness too much unless for some weak distempered stomachs the best meat is that which leaveth behind it in the mouth neither a troublesome loathing nor an eager appetite after more for the tastes sake But such as Bread is that leaveth the Palate in an indifferent moderation The curious inventions of new and dilicious dishes meerly to please the Appetite is Gluttony inviting to greater Gluttony Excess in Quality to invite to excess in Quantity § 50. Object But you 'll say I shall be thought niggardly or sordid and reproached behind my back if my Table be so fitted to the temperate and abstinent Answ. This is the pleading of Pride for Gluttony Rather than you will be talkt against by belly-gods A Sensualist craving to be admitted of Cato among his familiars Cato answered him I cannot live wiâh one whose Palate is wiser than his brain Erâs or ignorant fleshly people you will sin against God and prepare a Feast or Sacrifice for Bacchus or Venus The antient Christians were torn with Beasts because they would not cast a little Frankincense into the fire on the Altar of an Idol And will you feed so many Idol bellies so liberally to avoid their censure Did not I tell you that Gulosity is an irrational vice Good and temperate persons will speak well of you for it And do you more regard the judgement and esteem of belly-gods § 51. Object But it is not only riotous luxurious persons that I mean I have no such at my Table But it will be the matter of obloquy even to good people and those that are sober Answ. I told you some measure of Gluttony is become a common sin and many are tainted with it through custome that otherwise are good and sober But shall they therefore be left as uncurable or shall they make all others as bad as they And must we all commit that sin which some sober people are grown to favour You bear their censures about different opinions in Religion and other matters of difference and why not here The deluded Quakers may be witnesses against you that while they run into the contrary extream can bear the deepest censures of all the world about them And cannot you for honest Temperance and Sobriety bear the censures of some distempered or guilty persons that are of another mind Certainly in this they are no Temperate persons when they plead for excess and the baits of sensuality and intemperance § 52. 2. For variety also make not your Table unnecessarily a snare Have no greater variety than the weakness of stomachs or variety of Appetites doth require Unnecessary variety and pleasantness of meats are the Devils great instruments to draw men to Gluttony And I would wish no good people to be his Cooks or Caterers When the very brutish Appetite it self begins to say of one dish I have enough then comes another to tempt it unto more excess and ââother after that to more All this that I have said I have the concurrent judgement of Physicion ãâ¦ã n who condemn fulness and variety as
the great enemies of health and nurseries of diseases And is not the concurrent judgement of Physicions more valuable about matters of health than your private opinions or appetites Yet when sickness requireth Variety it is necessary § 53. 3. Sit not too long at meat for besides the sin of wasting time it is but the way to tice down a little and a little more And he that would be Temperate if you sate but a quarter of an hour which is ordinarily enough will exceed when he hath the temptation of half an hour which is enough for the entertainment of strangers much more when you must sit out an hour which is too much of all conscience Though greedy eating is not good yet sober feeding may satisfie Nature in a little time § 54. 4. See that your provisions be not more costly than is necessary Though I know there must be The old fashion in Country-mens houses was not amiss where the story of this Rich Glutton and Lazarus was wont to be painted over their Tables on their Walls a difference allowed for Persons and Times yet see that no cost be bestowed unnecessarily And let sober Reason and not Pride and Gluttony judge of the necessity we commonly call him the Rich Glutton Luke 16. that fared sumptuously every day It is not said that he did eat any more than other men but that he fared sumptuously You cannot answer it comfortably to God to lay that out upon the belly which might do more good another way It s a horrid sin to spend such store of wealth unnecessarily upon the belly as is ordinarily done The cheapest dyet caeteris paribus must be preferred § 55. Object But the scandal of Covetousness must be avoided as well as Gluttony Folks will say that all this is done meerly from a miserable worldly mind Answ. 1. It is easier to bear that censure than the displeasure of God 2. No scandal must be avoided by sin It is a scandal taken and not given 3. With Temperate persons your excess is much more scandalous 4. I 'll teach you a cure for this in the next Direction § 56. Object But what if I set variety and plenty on my Table May not men choose whether they will eat too much Do you think men are Swine that know not when they have enough Answ. Yes we see by certain experience that most men know not when they have enough and do exceed when they think they do not There is not one of many but is much more prone to exceed than to come short and abundance sin in excess for one that sinneth by defect And is sin so small a matter with you that you will lay snares before men and then say They may take heed So men may choose whether they will go into a Whore-house and yet the Pope doth scarce deal honestly to license them at Rome much less is it well to prepare them and invite men to them Will you excuse the Devil for tempting Eve with the forbidden fruit because she might choose whether she would meddle with it What doth that on your Table which is purposely cooked to the tempting 1 Cor â 9. Lev. 19 14. Rom. 14. 13. Rom. 11 9. Rev. 2. 14. of the appetite and is fitted to draw men to Gulosity and Excess and is no way needful Wo to him that layeth a stumbling block before the blind Let no man put a stumbling block in his brothers way It is the wickeds curse Let their Table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling block And it was Balaams sin that he taught Balaack to tempt Israel or lay a stumbling block before them § 57. Direct 9. Resolve to bestow the cost of such superfluities upon the poor or some other charitable Direct 9. use that so it become not a sacrifice to the belly Let the greatest and needfullest uses be first served It is no time for you to be glutting your appetites and wallowing in excess when any yea so many about you do want even clothes and bread If you do thus lay out all upon the poor which you spare from feeding your own and other mens excess then none can say that your sparing is through covetous nigardize and so that reproach is taken off The price of one Feast will buy bread for a great many poor people It s small thanks to you to give to the poor some leavings when your bellies are first glutted with as much as the appetite desired This costeth you nothing A Swine will leave that to another which he cannot eat But if you will a little pinch your flesh or deny your selves and live more sparingly and thriftily that you may have the more to give to the poor this is commendable indeed § 58. Direct 10. Do not over-perswade any to eat when there is no need but rather help one Direct 10. another against running into excess by seasonable discourses of the sinfulness of Gluttony and of the excellency of abstinence and by friendly watchings over and warning one another Satan and the flesh and its unavoidable baits are temptation strong enough we need not by unhappy kindness to add more § 59 Direct 11. When you feel your appetites eager against reason and conscience check them and Direct 11. resolve that they shall not be pleased Unresolvedness keepeth up the temptation If you would but Resolve once you would be quiet But when the Devil findeth you yielding or wavering or unresolved he will never give you rest Prov. 23. 1 2 3. When thou fittest to eat with a Ruler consider diligently what is before thee and put a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to appetite Be not desirous of his dainties for they are deceitful meat The words translated If thou be a man given to appetite agreeable to the Septuagint and the Arabick are translated by Montanus and in the Vulgar Latin and the Chaldee Paraphrase If thou have the power of thy own soul or be master of thy soul Compos animae Shew that thou art master of thy self by thy abstinence Instead of Put a knife to thy throat that is Threaten thy self into abstinence the Syriack and divers Expositors translate it Thou Prov. 2â 2â dost or lest thou dost put a knife to thy throat that is Thou art as bad as cutting thy throat or destroying thy self when thou art gluttonously feeding thy self Keep up Resolution and the power of Reason § 60. Direct 12. Remember what thy Body is and what it will shortly be and how lothesome and Direct 12. vile it will be in the dust And then think how far such a Body should be pampered and pleased and See 1 Cor. 6 13. at what rates Pay not too dear for a feast for Worms Look into the grave and see what is the end of all your pleasant meats and drinks of all your curious costly fare You may see there the Qâi Châistââ ãâã
knowing before hand that maketh it unlawful For 1. I know in general before hand that all imperfect men will do imperfectly And though I know not the particular that maketh it never the lawfuller if fore knowledge it sâlâ did make it unlawful 2. If you know that e. g. an Antinomian or some mistaken Preacher would constantly drop some words for his errour in Prayer or Preaching that will not make it unlawful in your own judgement for you to joyn if it be not a flat Heresie 3. It is an ther mans errour or fault that you forâknow and not your own and therefore fore-knowledge maketh it not your own 4. God himself doth as an Universal Cause of Nature concur with men in those acts which he foreknoweth they will sinfully do and yet God is not to be judged either an Author or approver of the sin because of such concurrence and fore-knowledge Therefore our fore-knowledge maketh us no approvers or guilty of the failings of any in their sacred Ministrations unless there be some other guilt If you say that it is no one of these that maketh it unlawful but all together you must give us a distinct argument to prove that the concurrence of these three will prove that unlawful which cannot be proved so by any of them alone for your affirmation must not serve the turn and when we know your argument I doubt not but it may be answered One thing I still confess may make any defective Worship to be unlawful to you and that is When you prefer it before better and may without a greater inconvenience enjoy an abler Ministry and purer Administration but will not § 95. Obj. But he that sitteth by in silence in the posture as the rest of the Congregation seemeth to Object consent to all that is said and done and we must avoid all appearance of evil Answ. The appearance of evil which is evil indeed mâst be alway avoided But that appearance of Answ. evil which is indeed good must not be avoided We must not forsake our duty lest we seem to sin that were but to prefer hypocrisie before sincerity and to avoid appearances more than realities The omission of a duty is a real sin and that must not be done to avoid a seeming sin And whom doth it appear so to If it appear evil to the blind or prejudiced it is their eyes that must be cured But if it appear so to the wise then it 's like it is evil indeed For a wise man should not judge that to be evil that is not But I confess that in a case that is altogether indifferent even the mistakes of the ignorant may oblige us to forbear But the Worship of God must not be so âorb ââââ It is an irrational fancy to think that you must be Uncivil by contradicting or covering your heads or doing something âffââââive to the Congregation when any thing is said or done which you disallow Your presânâ signifieth your Consent to all that you prâfess even to Worship God according to his Word and not to all the humane imperfections that are there expââssâd § 96. Direct 13. Distinguish carefully between your personal private duties and the duty of the Direct 13. Pastor ââ Church with which you must concurr And do not think that if the Church or Pastor do not their duty that you are bouâd to do it for them To cast out an obâââânate impenitent sinner by sentence from the Communion of the Church is the Pastors or Churches duty and not yours unless in concurrence or subâerviency to the Church Therefore if it be not done enquire whether you did your duty towards it If you did the sin is noâe of yours For it is not in your power to cast out all that are unworthy from the Church But private familiarity is in your power to refuse and with such ââââ not to ââââ § 97. Direct 14. Take the measure of your accidental duties more from the Good or hurt of the Direct 14. Church or fââm my than from the immediate good or hurt that cometh to your self You are not to take that for the station of your duty which you feel to be most to the commodity of your souls but that in which you may do God most service If the service of God for the good of many require you to stay with a weaker Minister and defective administrations you will find in the end that this was not only the place of your duty but also of your benefit For your life is in Gods hands and all your comforts and that is the best way to your peace and happiness in which you are most pleasing unto God and have his Promise of most acceptance and grace I know the least advantage to the soul must be preferred before all earthly riches but not before the publick good Yea that way will prove most advantageous to us in which we exercise most obedience § 98. Direct 15. Take heed of suffering prejudice and fansie to go for reason and raise in your Direct 15. minds unjustifiable distastes of any way or mode of Worship It is wonderful to see what fansie and prejudice can do Get once a hard opinion of a thing and your judgements will make light of all that is said for it and will see nothing that should reconcile you to it Partiality will carry you away from equity and truth Abundance of things appear now false and evil to men that once imagine them to be so which would seem harmless if not laudable if they were tryed by a mind that 's clear from prejudice § 99. Direct 16. Iudge not of doctrines and worship by Persons but rather of persons by their doctrine Direct 16. and worship together with their lives The world is all prone to be carryed by respect to persons I confess where any thing is to be taken upon trust we must rather trust the intelligent experienced honest and credible than the ignorant and incredible But where the Word of God must be our Rule it is perverse to judge of Things by the Persons that hold them or oppose them Sometimes a bad man may be in the right and a good man in the wrong Try the way of the worst men before you reject it in disputable things And try the opinions and way of the best and wisest before you venture to receive them § 100. Direct 17. Eâslave not your selves to any Party of men so as to be over-desirous to please Direct 17. them nor over fearful of their consare Have a respect to all the rest of the world as well as them Most men that once engage themselves in a party do think their honour and interest is involved with them and that they stand or fall with the favour of their party and therefore make them before they are aware the masters of their Consciences § 101. Direct 18. Regard more the judgement of aged ripe experienced men that have
seen the Direct 18. fruits of the various courses of professors of Religion than of the young unripe unexperienced hot-headed sort Zeal is of great use to execute the resolutions of a well-informed man And the Zeal of others is very useful to warm the hearts of such as do converse with them But when it comes to matter of Iudgement once to decide a case of difficulty aged experience hath far the advantage And in no cases more than in those where Peace and Concord are concerned where rash hot-headed youth is very prone to precipitant courses which must be afterward repented of § 102. Direct 19. When fervent self conceited people would carry down all by censoriousness and passion Direct 19. it is time for the Pastââs and the aged and riper sort of Christians openly to rebuke them and appear against them and stand their ground and not to comply with the mis-guided sort to escape their censures Nothing hath more caused schisms in the Church except the Pride and ambition of the Clergie than that the riper and more judicious sort of people together with the Ministers themselves have been so loth to lye under the bitter censures of the unexperienced younger hotter sort and to avoid such censures and keep in with them they have followed those whom they should have led and have been drawn quite beyond their own understandings God hath made WISDOM to be the Guiâe of the Church and ZEAL to follow and diligently execute the commands of Wisdom Let ignorant well-meaning people censure you as bitterly as they please yet keep your ground and be not so proud or weak as to prefer their good esteem before their benefit and before the pleasing of God Sin not against your knowledge to escape the censure of the ignorant If you do God will make those men your scourges whom you so much over-valued And they shall prove to their spiritual Fathers as cockered children like Absalom do to their natural fathers and perhaps be the breaking of your hearts But if the Pastors and the riper experienced Christians will stand their ground and slick together and rebuke the exorbitancies of the censorious younger-ones they will maintain the credit of the Gospel and keep the truth and the Churches Peace and the hott spurs will in time either repent and be sober or be shamed and disabled to do much hurt § 103. Direct 20. Take heed how you let loose your zeal against the Pastors of the Church lest you Direct 20. bring their persons and next their effice into contempt and so break the bânds of the Churches Unity and Peace There is no more hope of maintaining the Churches Unity and Concord without the Ministry than of keeping the strength or Unity of the members without the Nerves If these nerves be weak or labour of a Convulsion or other disease it is curing and strengthening them and not the cutting them asunder that mâst prove to the welfare and safety of the body Middle with the faults of the Ministry only so far as tendeth to a cure of them or of the Church but not to bring them into disgrace and weaken their interest in the people and disable them from doing good Abhor that proud rebellious spirit that is prone to set up it self against the officers of Christ and under pretence of greater Wisdom or Holiness to bring their Guides into contempt and is picking quarrels with them behind their back to make them a scorn or odious to the hearers Indeed a Minister of Satan that doth more harm in the Church than good must be so detected as may best disable him from doing harm But he that doth more good than hurt must so be disswaded from the hurt as not to be disabled from the Good My brethren be not many Masters or Teachers knowing that ye shall receive the greater Jam. 3. 1. condemnation § 104. Direct 21. Look more with an eye of Charity on what is Good in others and their worship of Direct 21. God than with an eye of malice to carp at what appeareth evil Some men have such distempered eyes that they can see almost nothing but faultiness in any thing of another party which they look at envy and faction maketh them carp at every word and every gesture And they make no Conscience of aggravating every failing and making Idolatry of every mistake in Worship and making Heresie or Blaspheamy of every mistake in judgement and making Apostacy of every fall nay perhaps the truth it self shall have no better a representation As Dr. H. More well noteth It would do much more good in the world if all parties were forwarder to find out and commend what is good in the doctrine and worship of all that differ from them This would win them to heaâken to reforming advice and would keep up the credit of the common truths and duties of Religion in the world when this envious snarling at all that others do doth tend to bring the world to Aâhâism and banish all reverence of Religion together with Christian Charity from the Earth § 105. Direct 22. Keep not strange to those from whom you differ but be acquainted with them Direct 22. and placidly hear what they have to say for themselves Oâ else converse with them in Christian Love in Read the next Chap. 24. Sect. 20. all thâse duties in which you are agreed and this if you never talk of your differences will do much to reconcile you in all the rest It is the common way of division uncharitableness yea and cruelty â at last to receive hard reports of those that differ from us behind their backs and to believe and aggravate Prince Frederick of Moâpelgard being instructed into a distaste of the Reformed Protestants when he had been at Cââââa and Hââvâtia was went to far Gââââ ââ Hâlvetia viâi multa de qâibus nihil paââ coâââââ quibus sââe aââââââât Tossaâus ad ââââlium ââââte Sâult to iâ Curric p 26. all and proceed to detraction and contention at a distance and in the dark and never be familiarly acquainted with them at all There is something in the apprehension of places and persons and things by the eye sight which no reports are able to match And so there is that satisfaction about men by familiar acquaintance which we cannot attain by hearsay from any how judicious soever All factions commonly converse together and seek no familiar converse with others but believe them to be any thing that 's naught and then report them to be so before they ever knew the persons of whom they speak I am perswaded this is one of the greatest feeders of enmity uncharitableness contention and slanders in the world I speak it upon great observation and experience I have seldom heard any man bitterly oppose the servants of Christ but either the grosly wicked or those that never had much acquaintance with them And I see commonly how bitter soever