rejoycing and yet neither ought our mourning to exclude a humble rejoycing in God nor our rejoycing shut out a holy mourning The Men of Issachar are recorded as famous on this account 1 Chron. 12.32 That they had understanding of the time to know what Israel ought to do And herein we are oftentimes at a great loss like those children Matth. 11.17 that complained of their fellows they had piped unto them and yet not been answer'd with dancing that they had mourned to them but they had not lamented Holy Wisdom would teach us to accommodate the present frame of our hearts to Gods present dispensations Providence does not teach us new duties but how to single out those that God has made our duties Secondly We need wisdom that we be not deluded with shadows instead of substances that we take not appearances for realities for want of which O how often are we cheated out of our interests our real concerns our integrity of heart and peace of Conscience We account him a weak and foolish Man who is imposed upon by Copper for Gold that would warm his hands by painted fire or hope to satisfie his craving appetite with painted food yet such are we who spend our mony for that which is not bread and our labor for that which profits us not Isa 55.2 who set our affections on those things that are not Prov. 23.5 Thirdly Another point of wisdom which we need to be instructed in is the worth of Time and what a weight of eternity depends on these short and flitting moments but we weak and silly ones count a day for no more than it stands for in the Calender an hour no more than so much time measured by the hourglass when one hour to repent in a moment to make our Calling and Election sure in may come to be more worth than all the World can be to us Fourthly Wisdom would teach us the due order and method of all things what first what last ought to be our study and our concern wisdom would teach us to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness Matth. 6.33 And then if there be time to spare to bestow some small portion of it for those other things which God in his bounty will not deny and in his wisdom knows in what measure to bestow Fifthly Wisdom would teach us the true worth and value of all things to labour pray and strive for them proportionable to their true intrinsick dignities to think that Heaven cannot be too dear what-ever we pay for it nor Hell cheap how easily soever we come by it wisdom would instruct us that we cannot lay out too much of our time strength contrivance upon Eternals nor too little upon these perishing Temporals that Earth deserves very little of our Hand less of our Head and nothing at all of our Heart little of our pains less of our plotting and least of all of our love and affections III. Le ts pray and strive strive in the due and diligent use of § 3 means and pray for a blessing upon them that we may be filled with a spiritual understanding A carnal heart will carnalize the most spiritual Mercies and a carnal mind will debase the most spiritual Truths the Manna was design'd to feed the Souls as well as the Bodies of the Jews but they ate the spiritual meat and drank the spiritual drink 1 Cor. 10.23 with very carnal Heads and Hearts so that they needed the Spirit of God to instruct them in the right use of it Nehem. 9.10 Thou gavest thy good Spirit to instruct them and with-heldest not the Manna from their mouth They might then have eaten their own condemnation as well as we under the Gospel by that Symbol John 3.3 Christ had deliver'd a great and necessary Truth except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven but Nicodemus tho' a great Rabbi turns it into a gross and carnal interpretation How can a Man be born when he is old Can he enter the second time into his Mothers womb and be born again And at the same pass were his rude and carnal hearers John 6.51 I am the living bread says Christ that came down from Heaven if any Man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh that I will give for the life of the world but his Capernatical hearers conceive of nothing but a literal and oral Manducation of his natural flesh vers 52. The Jews therefore strove among themselves saying How can this Man give us his flesh to eat And yet Christ had said enough to obviate that gross mistake vers 35. I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst One Man hears the great Duties of the Gospel pressed upon his Conscience and either sitting down despondeth at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else undertakes them in his own strength and the power of his free will not considering that there is Covenant grace to answer Covenant duties and Covenant pardon for those imperfections that attend them Another perhaps hears the curse thundred out against Every one that continues not in all things written in the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 he hears that the primitive end of the Law was to justifie a righteous person that had perfectly observed it and he falls upon the observation of that Law as the condition of the Covenant of works hoping to drudge out a righteousness thereby that shall present him blameless before God not knowing that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 Let us therefore pray for a spiritual understanding that we may know every Truth as it is in Jesus Ephes 4.21 that every line every letter of the Old and New Testament has its center in a Redeemer § 4 IV. Let 's pray again and strive that we may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing knowing that all our services all our sacrifices are nothing unless our God smell a sweet savour in them nor can we fill the sails of our Souls with a more noble and generous ambition than to be accepted of God This was the height of the Apostles ambition 2 Cor. 5.9 We labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him which was the glorious frame of our blessed Saviours heart John 8.29 That he always did the things that pleased his Father It s a common delusion of Professors that if they can get the work of their hands not to regard whether ever it comes upon Gods heart or no But what are our Prayers if God receives them not Our Praises if God accepts them not Our Obedience if God regards it not Now that we may reach this great end we must walk worthy of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There ought to be a suitableness between the frame of our hearts and
by the Sword of the Spirit all his force was repelled Christians are to look upon the Evil one as an Enemy that Christ has conquer'd and this should encourage them in their conflicts with him they are to despise his offers they are not to be perswaded by his misapplication of Scripture to any thing that is unjustifiable and irregular The Word of God should abide in them that they may be strong and overcome the wicked one 1 Joh. 2.14 The Head always resisted shall the Members yield to this Destroyer Let not your hearts be filled with Satan let not your heads and hands be employed by him who works in the Children of disobedience 4. Christ is to be followed in his contempt of the worlds glory and contentment with a mean and low estate in it Never was the world so set forth in such an alluring dress as when the God of it in a moment of time shew'd unto our Lord Jesus all the Kingdoms of the world and all the glory of them Luk. 4.5 yet the heavenly Mind of Christ is not taken with the sight he knew he saw nothing but what was Vanity and his Kingdom which was not of this world was a far better thing than the worlds best Kingdom Instead of pursuing he flees from a Crown which the people were ready to force upon his head Ambition and covetousness after worldly grandeur and gain which make us so unlike to Christ should be far from us If the world be the great thing with us Mammon will have us at command and Christ will have but little service from us Why should that be high in the esteem and affection of your hearts which Christ so little minded Love not the world neither the things that are in the world 1 Joh. 2.15 Set your affection on things above not on things that are on earth Col. 3.2 If you have the worlds riches let not your minds be high nor your hearts set upon them and be rich in good works if you are in a meaner estate be satisfied remember who said The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head The best men in the world that have done most good in the world have least cared for the world and have been most willing to leave the world and go to a better 5. Christ is to be followed in his living a life so very beneficial doing good being his perpetual business The Apostle Peter who was one of his greatest and most constant attendants says that he went about doing good Act. 10.38 to do thus was meat and drink to him How great was his Kindness and Compassion to Souls how much Mercy does he shew to the Bodies of Men You that are Christians be very active in the best sence the true Members of Christ have the Spirit of the Head in them whose fruit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth Eph. 5.9 What have you Faith for but that it may work by Love Why are you created in Christ Jesus but that you may be employed in good works which God hath before ordained that you should walk in them Eph. 2.10 Be sure to do justly be injurious to none render unto all their dues and do not only consult the dues of others but their needs also and love to be merciful and let the perishing Souls as well as the distressed Bodies of others have a great share in your Compassions As you have opportunity do good unto all men and good of as many sorts as may be especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6.10 The Apostle speaks with great authority and asseveration when he presses Christian practice This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they who have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men Tit. 3.8 A Christian by Profession who lives wickedly is not a true Member but a Monster in the Church and will not be endured long but is near to be cut off and destroy'd It 's a true Saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death does not destroy the Soul but 't is an ill Life that ruins it 6. Christ is to be followed in his most profitable and edifying Communication We read Psal 45.2 That grace was poured into his Lips the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth were the wonder of the hearers Luk. 4.22 Exact truth always accompanied his Speeches he never spake a word that was offensive to God or injurious to any man Was he chargeable with guile or when he was reviled did he revile again No no he gave a better example he speaks words to awaken Sinners to search Hypocrites and how does he comfort the mourners calling all the weary and heavy laden to come to him for rest He takes occasion almost from every thing to discourse of the heavenly kingdom His parables of the sower of leaven of the Merchant man seeking goodly pearls and such like plainly shew that the most ordinary things may spiritually be improved unto great usefulness All Professours and especially you of London set a watch before the door of your lips and let your words be like the words of Christ Jesus Your lying and corrupt communication your slanderous and backbiting words your passionate and angry speeches and revilings are these like Christs language An unbridled tongue though it utters many a falshood yet it speaks one certain truth that your Religion is but vain Jam. 1.26 Let Conscience be tender and purpose with the Psalmist that your mouths shall not transgress Let the word of Christ be more in your Hearts for out of the abundance of the Heart the mouth speaks Let your speech be always with Grace Col 4.6 Discourse as those who do believe you are debtors of edifying words one to another that idle words are heard by him that is in Heaven and an account must be given of them in the day of judgement 7. Christ is to be followed in his manner of performing holy duties never was He negligent in an Ordinance His cries were strong his tears many Heb 5.7 and how does he wrestle with his Heavenly Father Christians should take heed of doing the work of God deceitfully they should be fervent in Spirit when serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 Look to your Hearts in all your performances for Gods eye is fixed upon them and if they are not present and right with him your duties are but dead duties and dead duties are really dead works so far from being acceptable that they are an abomination When Christ was here upon the Earth as he taught in other places so he went to the Temple and to the Synagogues though there was much corruption in the Jewish Church Christians should learn so much moderation as to own what is good even in them in whom there are mixtures of much that is bad and there should be a
When men are upright in their Hearts and also in their Way they may be confident Solomon saith The Righteous is as bold as a Lion And well he may for though he may be faced and environ'd by many dangers from men yet his defence is of God And that may well be reckon'd enough to secure him from sinkings and discomposures of mind What is the matter though poisoned Arrows and fiery Darts flie thick So long as God is a mans shield He will quench them all And as God will defend them so he will put a Glory upon them and maintain their Glory 1 Sam. 3.30 Them that Honour me I will Honour He is resolved upon it Those Persons that Honour him by the Holiness of their walking Those Professors that Honour him by owning him and his Truths and ways in times of furious Opposition and Persecution and those Rulers that Honour him by a faithful Execution of Justice punishing those that dishonour him them God will Honour and He will make them great and honourable in the eyes of others Their Government shall be highly commended their Persons shall be greatly esteemed and their Memory shall be blessed whereas in the same place He tell us they that despise him shall be lightly esteemed not only by himself but by all Yea and God will see to it that things shall go well with them as he said when speaking to Jehojachin that wicked Son of famous Josiah Jer. 22.15 Did not thy Father eat and drink and do Judgment and Justice and then it was well with him He began to Reign betimes when he was very young But he began and went on well He was a Religious Gracious and Righteous Prince in his days Religion was in it's Beauty and the Righteous did flourish and it was well with him good for him he tasted the sweetness of it and reap'd the advantage He did eat and drink not to gluttony and drunkenness as is the fashion of too many but he did Reign in Peace and Plenty God furnished his Table and filled his Cup. The Lord blest him so that there was nothing wanting to the Comfort of his Life or the supporting of his Royal State He was not negligent in his duty nor God sparing of his Mercy and Kindness to him Thus I have given many Reasons why Magistrates should be careful to suppress prophaneness I proceed to the last thing propounded viz. To shew what means ought to be used in order hereunto In general I would say this those that go about it will certainly find that a little matter will not do Wickedness is so natural to fallen man and his Heart is so set in him to do evil and oftentimes Sin is grown to such a prodigious height in a Land and so exceedingly overspread the face of it and those who take pleasure in committing it are arrived at that pitch of resolution and daring boldness that it is no easie thing to give an effectual check As the doing of it will be greatly acceptable to God and issue in the everlasting Honour of Rulers so to set upon it and go thorow with it doth necessarily require heighth of courage fixedness of Resolution strength of Zeal utmost industry and constant care And when they set Heart and Hand to it they will find both Heart and Hands full But for the answering of this Question I shall humbly propound and offer to the serious Consideration and due Practice of all those that are in Authority from our Dread and Dear Sovereigns the King and Queen who sit upon the Throne to the petty Constables and Head-burroughs who walk up and down the Streets these following particulars which I desire may be minded and done by all according to their several places and those various parts of Power and Government with which they are intrusted First It will be highly conducing hereunto if they all would in their own Persons and Conversations make it their business to set good Examples For that old saying doth carry a great deal of Truth in it Regis ad exemplum totus componitur Orbis The manners of the People are much squared by and conformed to those of the Prince The experiences of most if not all Ages and Countreys do afford abundant proofs of this Though you need go no further than the sacred History of the Kings of Israel and Judah We see it to be thus in smaller Societies Children will not question the doing of that which they have known done by their Parents before them and usually Servants will conclude that lawful which they have seen practised by their Masters and so the generality of Subjects will not stick at what they observe in the Life and Carriage of their Sovereign so that it be not too high for them and out of their reach as perhaps some have found in these Cities to their cost and ruine All examples have certainly in them a very attractive Power exempla cogunt specially those that are bad The worst have the strongest influence because they meet in others that see or hear of them with a wretched principle of Corruption that likes and approves of them a vile Nature which delights sequi deteriorem partem to follow the worst part But of all bad Examples those that are set by great Persons are the most prevalent and therefore it becomes them to walk circumspectly and be very curious The Lord Jesus was without controversie the greatest Person that ever the World had for he thought it no Robbery to be equal with God which thought was no errour or mistake and St. John in Rev. 1.5 calls him the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Now his whole Life was no other than the setting of a most exact and excellent Copy for the Children of Men to write after more particularly all those that are called by his Name and profess themselves to be in the number of his Disciples And surely the great men of the Earth chiefly those that are and would be counted Christians are obliged as in other his imitable Actions so in this to resemble him that they may be able without any stinging Reflection to say to others in a lower Sphere Do as you see me do and live as you see I live Why will you prophane the Name of God by your Oaths and Curses or the Day of God by your Pastimes and Sports or abuse the Mercies and good Creatures of God to Gluttony and Drunkenness do you see any such thing in me It was a brave and noble Resolution that holy David took up betimes when he was ready to ascend the Royal Throne or newly seated in it Psalm 101.2 I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way I will walk within mine House with a perfect Heart Observe how extensive his care was reaching both to his Heart and Way To his Heart as one that had to do with God who searched it And to his Way as one that had to do with Men who observed it He would
weights of this depressing you And go to Jesus Christ without Farms and Oxen and Wives haling you back Haling you as they do hale away multitudes before your Eyes and as they will ere long be haling your selves If now ye will not come unto him that ye may have Life if you will not now begin running your Race toward the Redeemer what do you do Truly just as a Man that is to run for his Life but cannot be perswaded to stir a foot till he has gotten many more Sheets of Lead upon his back and many more Fetters upon his feet Rise Sinner rise If not these Words shall be thy Souls Eternal Loads R. 6. The Providence of God lendeth you more Physicians and kinder ones than it doth lend Old Diseased Sinners and then it will lend you if you live much longer Especially if you live Vnconvert True it is Gods Love and Mercy unto all is wonderful God sends abundance of Helpers unto all poor sinful Creatures Every Baptized Professor is obliged to be his Brothers Keeper All Believers are bound to be Charitative Ministers unto each other Ministers of Reproof Counsel Comfort In Christ's Body no Member should be all for himself or for less than the good of all But a double Portion of Spiritual help is ordinarily vouchsafed unto you Young People Of Soul-Physicians you have more than two for Old Peoples one They have Ministers so have you or may have if you please They have Religious Friends so have you I hope But then you have Parents which they have not You have Masters and Tutors which they have not And be it considered the Aged People have few or none that will deal so boldly with them as almost all deal with you Ministers and Friends do mostly either fear to offend or despair and think impossible to benefit old Sinners with any Counsels They think it the same thing to give Advice to an Old Body and Physick to a dead one And if they give any 't is as cold as Elie's rebukes But both come more couragiously upon you They less fear your Displeasure and more hope your Reformation And therefore with more frequency and acrimonie deal with you Besides your Parents Love and your Masters and Tutors Interest and the Comfort and Credit of both do engage them to follow you close And to do more than Ministers and Friends are ordinarily capable of doing for the Conversion of your Souls Upon all hands 't is best with you You have the help of most Physicians in number and of all the number you have most of their help Incomparably more than Old Folk have and then you must look to have in your evil days approaching But you will still delay will you not I doubt many will And will as 't were in so many words shew us this is their mind Sick they think themselves Sinners they confess it they are A store of Spiritual Physicians now they have they own it But of these Physicians and Helpers some will by and by die others decay and none be so helpful hereafter as now Nevertheless Live Soul or Dye they will not till hereafter engage in any serious care of their Spiritual Cure and Recovery They will stay till they have Helpers fewer in Number more Chill in their Affection and Care and less capable of taking pains for their Salvation Sad Infatuation A wondrous Will to get out of Probability unto bare Possibility of Life if so much C. 7. You have special Encouragements to Convert now from all general Observation and Experience such as Old People are past and you will e're long be past I must remember my bounds and therefore will name but three One would think they should be enough to move any thing not twice dead And to pull out your Folly unless it be extraordinarily bound up in you Young People 1. God Regenerates the most of his chosen in Early Years If that Early Risers were mostly the Men that grew Rich and lived long in the World who of you would not leave lying late in Bed Truly They that rise in the Morning of their Days and turn unto God be mostly the Men that ever overcome the Devil They that continue in the Bed of their security late are in danger of having their Bed in Hell for ever A Young Saint and an Old Devil is a Proverb which was certainly hatched in Hell God and Men break Colts when they are Young 2. God doth Regenerate most easily those Souls whom he turneth early Know it Sirs Pain is necessary thank Sin for it Had not Sin entred never had we known Pain Grief Fear or Shame But now there is a very natural necessity for it Sin is a painful grievous fearful shameful thing Nor can I see how the Honour of God's Justice could possibly have excused Repentance Spiritually as well as Naturally we are born in Sorrow Both sorts of Children cry before they laugh All New Creatures be first Mourners But all are not in the same degree so Nor are all equally long sowing in Tears before they do reap in Joy Some Sinners are Launced more deeply than others and God keeps open the Wounds of some of his Children longer than others as he pleaseth But ordinarily we see young Timothies be not struck down like Sauls Or if they be they be not kept so many days in frightful darkness And is this a small thing Think of it and say If my Body had a Sore of easie and speedy cure if the Chirurgeon were applyed quickly unto I should not suffer a little matter to hold me from him My Soul and Body is all Spiritual Wounds God alone can heal them Those he doth heal easiest and soonest they be of first Comers most commonly Tardie and late Comers are healed rarely and so as by Fire when they be What should ail me Why should I not presently arise and go to my Father Why should I buy dearly God's hardest blows 3. God doth honour Singularly and Reward with Grace extraordinary his Early Converts If any they be those that have two Heavens Great Service and Sweet Assurance on Earth and greater degrees of Glory also than others above Most Divines think so Late Converts too much imitate the Indians that eat the Hony themselves and offer but the Wax unto their Deities They give God but the Bran of their Life when Satan has had the Flower as some have exprest themselves None so much honour God and none are so honoured by him as those who give Honour to him and accept it from him in your early days Infer you then my Young Folk You must Convert presently or delay with Loss Even with certain danger of Hell and certain loss of much of Heaven And may I not now suppose the Objections of your minds against my Doctrine in good measure removed O that the Oppositions of your Wills were but as much overpowred I conclude that your own Hearts do tell you by this time unless they be