and savoury Aaron in his ointments going about was as a Pillar or Cloud of perfumes walking leaving a sweet scent and smell behind him such are Christians indeed in their Communications and Conversations in all places and companies into which the hand of Providence leadeth them The other similitude is also very elegant and expressive As the dew of Hermon c. vers 3. The dew on the earth is a refreshing makes it moist soft and fruitfull full such in an higher nobler and more spiritual way is Christian Conference well and wisely managed to hearers who are humble conscientious attentive docil and tractable A second argument moving to Christian Conference 2 Arg. The day of Judgment in relation to the Creed and things to be believed is fairly and strongly deducible from that great and dreadful day of judgment wherein an account must be given as well of words as of actions before that righteous Judge the Lord Jesus Christ who hath foretold us Mat. 12.26 27. that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment for by thy words thou shalt be condemned An idle word is that which in it self hath no tendency to the edification of speaker or hearer to profit men Par. in loc or honour God Christ our great Lord and Master entrusteth men as stewards with much treasure to be laid out for their Masters use part whereof is that of the Tongue and language which certainly he will call men to an account for and if for idle words then surely for reviling bitter and slandering words against the righteous ones his servants and Children Ministers or people Now some ungodly men think that the worst words of their mouths are too good for them calling them hypocrites dissemblers factious seditious traytors rebels and what not sepaking all manner of evil against them falsly or lying and reproachfully Mat. 5.11 But they will be of another mind another day when Christ cometh 1 Pet. 4.14 And behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude 14.15 By the way observe that what evil is done to or spoken against Christs little ones he looketh upon as done to or spoken against himself but that which is principally to our purpose is that Christ will then convince sinners force them to know and acknowledge that their speeches of and against the righteous were hard speeches and that conviction will be a dreadful and terrible Conviction he will convince them with a witness before all the world convince them with a vengeance convince them by the flames of Hell a dreadful dismal and everlasting conviction indeed but very just and righteous They would not be convinced by the cleare sweet and pleasant light of the word Law or Gospel to their humiliation therefore they shall be convinced by the fire of Hell though to their terrour and confusion As some letters writ with joyce of Lemons or Onions are not legible by common day light but held to the fire and a little scorched are legible enough so sin and guilt in the Consciences of some wretched sinners are never read by the common-light of the word but when their Consciences are held close to the flames of Hell and well scorched then will they nill they their sins and guilt are made clearly legible and visible unto them filling them with everlasting horror with shame and confusion of face for ever O the sad and doleful reckoning that sinners will make before that dreadfull Tribunal and Judgment seat of Jesus Christ for words onely to pass by thoughts and actions then Conscience throughly awaken'd and terrified will be forced to speak and speak out accusing poor lost sinners Imprimis for idle words multitudes multitudes even innumerable Item for lying scoffing slandering defaming words against the Saints of the most high God Item for Cursing Swearing yea blasphemous words against the most High God himself taking his Name in vaine all the day long and each of these by hundreds thousands yea possibly millions O What will the total sum amount unto tremble sinner tremble to imagine To Close up this we read in the parable of Dives and Lazarus Luk. 16.24 That the rich man in Hell complains particularly and especially of his Tongue how that was tormented in the flame An ancient Writer gives this reason his Tongue was that member which most sinned and therefore that had the sharpest torment Thus we see how the bad words of wicked men will be remenbred and repeated to their shame and anguish at the last day and no question the good words of the righteous shall not be forgotten They shall be had in everlasting remembrance Psal 112.6 and their words also as the Prophet testifieth Mal. 3.16 They that feared the Lord spake often one to another and a book of remembrance was written with him God booked down every word they said O what great encouragement should this give to all that fear God to be much in speaking of God and for God to and with one another What shall the great and glorious good and gracious Lord God Almighty vouchsafe to write down every good word which droppeth from us and shall not our lips drop apace and that as the Hony-comb the sweetest words imaginable tending to the glory of God and good of men did we indeed believe this one truth O how would it set all our Tongues a going how would every one strive who should talke most and speak fastest vying as it were and contending which of us should have the most words in Christs book at the day of his appearance It s unbelief friends it 's unbelief which makes us so Tongue-tied tieth up the strings both of hearts and Tongues Let 's get yea the Lord give us more faith and then we shall be more talkative in a good sense and to good purpose and so God will be more honoured and our neighburs edified we and they shall have more heights of grace here and weights of glory hereafter I will Close up this argument with Johns Vision Rev. 20.12 I saw the dead saith he small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Alluding I suppose to the manner of judiciarie proceedings by Judges who have depositions upon record Judge according to the Laws of the Land and matters of fact cleared to them by allegations and proofs this still remembring God needeth none of these records or books but condescending to our capacities he is pleased to speak of himself after the manner of men What the books are that shall be opened is not
Conference with them I say their abundant experience of good success may save me the labour of farther enlargements herein Yet let me drop my mites and give an instance or two in the case Though I have been very very remiss and negligent in taking and improving opportunities in this kind for which I desire to be humbled in the sight of God and men yet my being through grace sometimes a little active herein hath not been altogether in vain I have had occasionally discourse with Papists about Justification by works with more touching Salvation by living up to the light within them with more yet who hoped to be saved by their good Prayers serving of God leading a good life doing as they would be done by and the like several of them in each sort well-meaning people I hope yet all split upon the same rock works works whereas the Scriptures say expresly By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight Rom. 3.20 And again By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works least any man should boast Eph. 2.8 9. Not to multiply quotations so well known to all who search the Scriptures take but one more Tit. 3.5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost It is by as the way not for as the deserving and meritorious cause of salvation that is Christ and none but Christ Act. 4.12 But to instance a little for Papists I know not any by me reduced I hope many are by others and I rejoyce therein and bless the Lord for it For the second sort who expect Salvation by living up to the light within them a generation of men as much to be pittied prayed for and tenderly dealt with as any who by reason of some opinions and practices lie under the wrath of men and for others without breach of Charity we may say lie under the wrath of God onely one I can speak of a fellow passenger with my self and others in an hackny Coach from St Albans to London who after long and warme disputes at length ingeniously confessed that no righteousness but the righteousness of Christ imputed to us could availe for satisfaction to God the Father nor for our justification and salvation or to this effect For the third sort those who hope to be saved by their good prayers their serving God and so forth think and profess they think their repentance and good deeds for time to come will make amends for their bad deeds in time past and make satisfaction to God for all that formerly hath been done amiss by them I hope by the good hand of God upon weak endeavours the whole of glory be the Lords many have been plucked out of this snare of the Divel I perceive this work groweth upon my hands take but one instance therefore There was some few years since a young gentlewoman who waited on a Lady in a Noble mans family who passing by Coach with others and my self from Barnet to London upon discourse I soon found that this young woman had a devotion and a zeale for God cared not for vain frothy Company gave her self to reading Scriptures and good Books she was well read talked willingly and understandingly at last discoursing with her and putting questions to her touching Justification I perceived she built much upon works and a legall righteousness whereupon my bowels yerned towards her and I told her in plain termes I feared she was not yet in the way of life and Salvation and I spake as seriously and pertinently as I could shewing the insufficiency of all our own righteousnesses and the impossibility of justification life and salvation to be had by the deeds of the Law and withall opened the Covenant of grace to her how that it was Christ and he alone that was made under the Law to redeem them who were under the Law of the fulness and sufficiency and also willingness and readiness in him to save us and to this effect I discoursed about half an hour together and perceiving that she had pulled her hood over her face and was weeping I held my peace dropping a few words sometimes at length she breaks out in expressions to this purpose Now Sir I see the mind of God towards me this day which is to bring me off from that sandy foundation of works which I have been building upon this many a day and to bring me to free grace in Jesus Christ so setting me upon that rock which is higher then I and I bless the Lord that I saw your face this day that I fell into your company the good I hope I have received from you will stick by me and comfort me as long as I live I hear and believe that her Conversation ever since hath not been a dishonour to her profession and that she hath not hinder'd the advance of Religion at all in that noble family but a means to promote it rather 3 Rebellious converted 3. That Christian Conference may be useful and availeable even for the Conversion of obstinate and rebellious sinners I make no question the place forecited aboundantly proves it for whereas the Apostle saith Jam. 15.19 20. He that converteth a sinner from the errour of his way by sinner we must needs take in such as are vicious and flagitious in life and conversation as well as one erring from the truth persons erronious and Heretical Again Pauls injuction Eph. 4.29 Let no rotten communication proceed out of your mouth but such as may Minister grace to the hearers and why not Converting grace ministred and regeneration work wrought even by Christian Conference This I may safely say that the Ministers of Christ have been not only by the publick Preaching of the word but by private Conference very instrumental under God in the converting many souls to righteousness and the ground hereof to me is plain and abvious because Christ setteth them apart on purpose for that work and gave gifts to men Eph. 4.11 12 13. He received gifts even for the rebellious that the Lord God might dwell among them Ps 68 18. And though private Christians and Ministers speak the same words yet there 's this difference that what private Christians say in Conference comes from fraternal Charity what the messengers of Christ say comes from speciall ministerial authority and their discoursing about matters of Religion is properly enough preaching and hath been eminently instrumental for the Conversion of many from darkness to light and from the Kingdome of Satan unto God Experiments herein I believe are frequent and usual through the blessing of God and his Christ who by promise hath freely and graciously engaged himself to be with his Gospel-ministery to the worlds end Mat. 28.19 20. Let me leave you but one instance which may by the Lords
how shall this be helped he answereth but exhorting one another c. Christian Conference well ordered is an excellent preservative of truth and peace in the Church or Churches of Christ and good talke be it Table-talke or High-way talk hath been is and by the blessing of a gracious God will be as a golden Pipe of Conveyance of much spiritual good from one to another until time run up into Eternity and grace into glory Having somewhat largly discovered the profitableness of Christian Conference in that thereby believers abundantly Communicate spiritual good things one to another let me add 3 Arg. It 's peaceableness 3. It 's peaceableness It 's a teeming Mother bringing forth peace at home and abroad within doores and without 1 Peace at home 1. Peace at home Christian Conference is attended usually with sweet inward peace and an heavenly tranquillity of spirit I appeal to your Consciences herein When you lie down in an evening and reflect upon your selves look inward and make inquiry what have the thoughts of my heart the words of my mouth and the actions of my hands been this day as I presume they who keep their watch do and some Heathens by Natures light have done when you find your language and discourse hath been to this person or that holy and spirituall and that upon this design to edifie and minister grace to the hearers surely the fruit thereof hath been a Calme in thy soule and serenity in thy spirits Peace also not alone at the end of each day but at the end of life It was a chearing a reviving Cordial to that good King Hezekiah when he lay as he thought a dying to be able to say Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I walked before thee in truth Isa 38.1 2 3. And so to be able to say and that from the heart sincerely Remember O Lord how I have talked before thee and for thee in thy despised truths ordinances and Ministers how I have in discourse at least and by example also contended for thy holy Sabboths so profaned by a sinfull generation and in brief I have as all sanctified ones and called of God are exhorted earnestly contended for the faith or doctrine of faith once delivered to the saints Jude v. 3. The word is emphaticall and imports such eagerness in contention as is among wrestlers and racers striving for victory Remember O Lord how I have contended with thee by Faith in Prayer for that faith the true Christian faith by thee delivered and how I have contended with erronious persons and Hereticks by arguments an by practice bearing up those truths and ordinances which they pull down surely the remembrance hereof when we go to bed night after night or when we are going to make our beds in the durst to be no more seen will speak much peace and comfort to us And the reason hereof is strong and weighty because good conference if right in the spring flowing from an heart fired with zeal for God and love to my neighbour and right in the ends it designes Gods glory and the good of the hearers is a cleare evidence of a good and gracious heart and grace makes way for peace as the needle for the thred so that those who much lay out themselves in Christian Conference have or may expect to have yea be sure first or last shall have much inward peace and tranquility of spirit Who would not sow good seed when he knows it will grow who would not be scattering words of grace when he knoweth that every such word hath a seed of peace yea of eternal peace in it 2. 2 Peace abroad Christian Conefrence not onely brings forth inward peace and quiet in our breasts and bosomes but also outward peace with men and safety in all places and companies whatever Set you on foot good discourse or run it on and whoever is present there 's no great danger unless it be of a taunt or flout from a prophane Esau or a scoffing Ishmael and that a good honest soul may weare as a Crown of honour as Job speaks of himself Job 31.35 36. My desire is that my adversary had written a book surely I would take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a Crown to me Vpon my shoulder not as a burden but as an honour as standard-bearers carry their ensignes and colours that all may see them Tongue-persecution such as Ismael's was of Isaac breaks no bones but brings under the blessing of God and the promise of a great reward Gal. 4.29 Gen. 21.9 Mat. 5.11 12. No no the danger in discourse is not whilest we are talking of God or of Christ or of the Spirit or of regeneration and the like but the danger comes when you begin to talk of persons this body or that either highly and hyperbolically praising one and that smells of flattery and is possibly by some who are present so accounted or dispraising another and that 's presently suspected of uncharitableness if not of malice The danger is farther heightned when in your discourse course you 'l needs be medling with Authority and State-affairs how soon then may the Tongue be found tripping and you thereby but trip up your own heels and catch a fall possibly such a fall as may break your bones if not your neck So the wisest of Kings tels us Pro. 13.3 21 23. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction Wherein he seemeth to compare man to a City besieged with enemies round about the safety whereof consisteth much in the well ordering the gates duly and wisely opening and shutting them Man is this City his mouth the gate prudently open'd by speech or shut by silence is his protection and safety negligence and imprudence therein oft proves his ruin and destruction That natural principle of self-love should make this argument from self-preservation and safety to be of force and prevalency with us The better and more spiritual our discourses and conferences are the more 's our safety It concernes us at all times to weigh our words well but especially when the company we are in is bad or somewhat dubious and to be suspected Ps 39.1 Thus holy David I said I will take heed to my ways that I sinne not with my Tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle or a Muzzle while the wicked is before me To conclude this Argument Ainsw I have heard of a Sect called Trapanners unknown I presume to our honest Forefathers both name and thing men skilful and active to intangle and ensnare others in their talke I would hope that they are now dead and gone but if hundreds of them should be yet alive and with you and me in a room and hear us discoursing of nothing but faith repentance love and good works and the like methinks we need not much to fear them innocence would be our protection
fully agreed upon some think the Books of the Old and New Testament wherein God hath prescribed what was to be done by men and what not to be done and that because the Apostle saith Rom. 2.16 In that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Others by the books understand the Consciences of men which shall then be fully opened and the secrets of all hearts be revealed so that none shall be able to complain of injury done him or injustice in God Because every mans Conscience shall excuse or accuse absolve or condemn him and give him clear and full information whether he did indeed or did not believe in Jesus Christ Faith in Jesus Christ being the only condition of the New-Covenant Mar. 16.16 He that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall he damned To preach this is to preach the Gospel Which of these two Books shall be opened I dare not determine why not both Scriptures and Consciences but there 's ' mention of another book to be opened which is expresly called The Booke of Life to wit in which God from Eternity hath written the names of those who shall be saved by Jesus Christ which is frequently spoken of in the Revelations Rev. 3.5.13.8 chap. 17.8 Not that God needs or hath a Book it would be simplicity and blasphemy to fancy it but it is so expressed after the manner of men to shew the certainty of Predestination immutability of Election and the Infallibility of the Salvation of Gods Elect. But I forget what I have in hand Can we rationally immagine that when the book of Conscience is opened words will not he as legible as works yea not only works and words but thoughts also and every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil wherein Scripture is so express Eccl. 12.14 2 Cor. 5.10 O let us remember and lay to heart that at the last day it will be known to all the world what good Communication the Saints have had and what bad the sinners it 's matter of Consolation to the one but of Terror to the others Let us all fear and tremble before this great and glorious Lord our God who taketh most exact notice of every word we speak and will no question call us to an account for what good or hurt we have done by our words and communications as well as by our works and actions let this be as a bitt orbridle in out mouths to curb and restraine us from vaine and sinful language and yet be as a spur in our sides to put on quicken and mend out pace in holy heavenly and Christian Conference I have been much larger than I intended yet I would well hope not too large in arguing for the advance and increase of Christian Conference amongst such as profess Christianitie Let my closing Argument be drawn from the vulgar example Lust Arg. vulgar practice and popular practice of the men of this World in their several ways and imployments how they manage and promote their affairs by discoursing and conferring together The Merchants on the Exchange how do their Tongues run by Sea and Land to the Indies East and West to both the Poles North and South yea all the world over where any thing is to be got by trade and merchandize and shall not Christians who if Christians indeed are wise Merchants speak freely and rejoycingly of the goodly Pearls which they have bought Mat. 13.45 46. and of that Pearl of great price Jesus Christ which they have have found through grace and mercie and of their spiritual merchandize better than that of Gold and Silver shall your Heirs to Nobles and Princes talke and love to talke of what is theirs in reversion of Earledomes Dukedomes Crowns and Kingdomes and shall not Christians discourse and love to discourse of what is theirs in reversion of Crowns of Glory of that heavenly Kingdome how they bring Children are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ Rom. 8.17 and of their inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for them 1 Pet. 1.4 This is to have our Conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 For heavenly Communication is usually a fruit of heavenly Meditations and affections and the language of Canaan if not forced and hypocritical is a Comfortable evidence of our interest in that Celestial Canaan and heavenly Jerusalem which is above Again shall Countrymen in a strange place delight to be speaking of their native soile their Fathers house the good Company and Society there 1 Pet. 2.21 and shall not believers who are strangers and Pilgrims here delight to be speaking of Heaven willingly and readily with a kind of supernatural naturalness as being their native Country because born from above Joh. 3.3 Heaven born delight to be speaking of their Fathers house where are many mansions Joh. 14.2 and of that sweet invaluable sweet society of Saints and Angels yea of Jesus Christ himself which they shall then and there enjoy and that for ever we know fellow-travellers love to be talking of their way making that sure that they are right Jer. 50.4 5. and shall not Christians who are journying together with their faces Zion-ward Joh. 14.6 going though possibly weeping as they go talke of Christ the way Heb. 12.14 and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord 2 Cor. 13.5 Make Christ sure that they are in Christ and Christ in them making their Callings and Elections sure giving all diligence thereunto 2 Pet. 1.10 Surely it is all the reason in the World that they should be much in thinking and much in speaking of such high such holy and happy things as these are None is ignorant how good Yeomen Farmers and Husbandmen when they meet at Markets or Faires at home or in the Fields delight to discourse it about grounds good or bad the best seed seedmen and seedtime about weeding their Corne in due time casting out the Cockel and darnel burning the twich and when harvest comes O how they work it with both hands and their Tongues are going as fast as their hands in talking laughing whistling and singing and when it is harvest home with them O what shoutings and acclamations what hooping and hollowings so loud and shrill as that the Hills and Dales ring again and Eccho it unto them and to make up the Solemnities of their joy the Horns are winded trumpets sounded yea the fidlers also are sometimes playing with boyes and girles dancing And when harvest is come home the grain housed then the same husbandmen will be talking as fast as ever touching their threshing fanning sifting and so forth and their skill and wisedome in managing these their affairs is the gift of God as the Prophet plainly and fully acknowledgeth speaking of the Plowmans plowing all day Isa 28.24 25 26 27 28 29. his Casting abroad the fitches and scattering the Cummin his ordering