any righteousnesse of his owne the other that he hath received the grace of Gods spirit to leade an holy life either of which alone can give no sound rejoycing but both must goe together Rom. 5. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Gal. 6. 14. 2. No Christian professor can have any sound comfort of his faith if hee finde no such matter in the remembrance of Christs comming as doth rejoyce his heart and so in some measure stirre up in him a longing after his appearance for howsoever a true faith may bee without some other effects yet this being the very principall of all cannot be wanting the want whereof shewing the want of faith is the cause of that little profiting and so of that little comfort which is to bee found in many whereas if this were more laboured for and so more attained to it would soone cause a great change in any mans profession and hereby indeed the face of our profession would be even almost renewed the alteration would be so great in all respects publick and private 3. There is no well ordered course in Christianitie where godly sorrow and joy be not continuall companions for severed wee runne into some extremitie 4. Whatsoever is the matter of true joy ought to bee a matter of thanksgiving to the Lord. 5. This is much to bee lamented that even among such as make some good profession very few finde that comfort in the Lord as to serve him with delight and so rejoyce in their portion as might draw others to desire the like This comes to passe by our security contenting our selves with our course of living without open reproach and our slothsulnesse loath to straine our selves any further The remedie must be by considering better our state how short wee come and be wanting as in many duties so in many comforts and finde not that full contentment in the Lord for this life and that to come which others do and so leese the sweet and have the sowre of our profession Iudge 1. It s not safe to judge of our selves or others for one action but to waite Gods leasure in revealing the truth 2. For the most part hard judging and false is the fountain of all breaches betweene Christians Iudgements 1. The Lord will spare his judgements in them in whom he seeth a true love of true religion for they that love religion will heare and hearing the word will not lie long in any knowne sinne 2. It s the greatest judgement that can bee to thrive in sinne 3. Let the wicked rebell as they will and think how by their subtilties they may escape Gods threatened judgements for a while yet they shall be pursued from farre and shall tast the heavie hand of God both fearefully and wonderfully as came to passe in Ahad 2 Chron. 18. 33. 4. In denouncing Gods judgements against any we ought to be so affected that we earnestly pray for them that they may bee delivered from them 5. The carefull beholding of Gods judgements on others is very profitable as whereby observing the causes thereof we may warily avoide them lest the like fall on us 6. The not observing of Gods judgements maketh so little either to feare them or love his mercies 7. Who so maketh not conscience to walke uprightly I will not free him from povertie from sicknesse from heresie for as well can and will the Lord punish the minde as the body Knowledge KNowledge must goe before obedience obeeience must follow knowledge apace Law 1. THe Law is often taken for the morall Law of God his precepts for the ceremoniall his judgements or righteousnesse for the sanctions of the Law whether the Lord either accomplish his promises to his children or executeth his wrath on his enemies 2. In these dayes offecurity the preaching of the Law is the neerest way to draw men to Christ out of themselves Learning The greatest Scholars have often most unstable mindes fullest of doubting and least staid in that they know and not able to keepe themselves from foule fallings or being fallen to comfort themselves or others Therefore the greatest Divinity is in teaching or learning the word of God as the word of God comparing spirituall things with spirituall things Love I. All our travaile in Religion to know God to beleeve in him to love and feare him and all our prayers exercises in the word and the like are referred to this to doe all good to our neighbour in our severall callings agreeable to that He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law Rom. 13. 8. and Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is to visit the fatherlesse c. Iames 1. 27. Therefore as we are to bee carefull of all those duties we owe to ourselves so to others good or bad for all zeale in Gods service and profession of our love to God is vaine unlesse it make us carefull for the salvation and bodily preservation of our neighbour 2. There are no stronger meanes to make man and wife or two brethren or sisters living together in peace and love then to joyne together often in prayer and christian conference 3. By musing upon that which often the Scripturesdoe teach us concerning love that it is the fulfilling of the Law and to give all we have to the poore without love is nothing and especially that when our faith and hope shall cease love shall remaine most flourish in the life to come I doe grow to an admiration of the excellencie thereof the sense whereof I most feele when as by some good meanes as some sweet conference my affection is enlarged to any of Gods Saints me thinkes I tast of the happinesse to come then which what more delectable How great therefore is our folly and sinne who provide no better for our selves by encreasing this pleasure 4. The Lord doth often so work that the good affection wee beare to others doth breed the like love in them to us and so the contrary they of whom we thinke hardly have in like manner an heart burning against us 5. Wee must beware that we never further sin but if we love God wee must love them whom God loveth hate them whom God hateth Psal 15. 3. and 139. 21 22. how dare they then in whom are some good things hand over head be friends with Gods enemies Prov. 29. 27. The Lords day 1. Seeing by the appointment of the holy Ghost the Apostles did change the Jewish Sabbath on the seaventh day unto the next day for the memoriall of the Resurrection therefore wee are bound especially on that day to keepe a memoriall of Christs resurrection with thankes unto God for the same 2. There be two things specially needfull to bee much every Lords day in our mindes to uphold us in a conscionable sanctification thereof 1. The gaine to
offered thee despise not but blesse God for the same accordingly making use thereof to his glory and thine owne good Farewell A. SYMSON THE AVTHOVRS PRAYER AT the writing of this Booke MOst gratious God and loving Father pardon forgive all my sinnes and write those things in my heart by thine holy Spirit which shall be written in this booke that as this booke shall through thy grace helpe my memorie so thy Spirit may sanctifie my meditatious that thorow this grace I may heare to understand understand to be moved in my affections and not for a time but for ever to remember meditate and practise thy word with an holy and humble perseverance thorow thy deare Sonne and our only Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen THe lips of the righteous feed many Prov. 10. 21. Hee that winneth soules is wise Prov. 11. 30. The Preacher was wise hee still taught the people knowledg yea hee gave good heed and sought out and set in order many proverbs Eccles 12. 9. I will meditate also of all thy workes and talke of all thy doings Psal 77. 12. O how love I thy Law it is my meditation all the day Psal 119 97. Who so is wise and will observe those thâ—ngs even they shal understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Psal 107. 43. Preach the word bee instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort 2 Tim. 4. 2. THE PRINCIPAL heads of all things contained in this book A. ADmonition Page 1 Affections Page 2 Affliction Page 3 Angels Page 11 Anger Page ibid. Assurance of Gods favour Election and salvation Page 12 Atheisme Page 24 B. Baptisme Page 24 Benefits or blessings Page 26 Birth-day Page 31 Buying and selling Page ibid. C. Calling Page 33 Christ Page 34 Christian Page 36 Christianity Page 36 A Civill life Page 40 Comforts Page ibid. Communion Page 46 The Commnnion of Saints Page 48 Compassion Page ibid. Complaint Page 49 Concupiscence Page ibid. Conference Page 50 Confidence Page 53 Conscience Page 54 Consent Page 57 Contempt of grace Page ibid. Contentation Page 59 Contracts Page 60 Corruption Page 62 Good Counsels Page 63 D. Holy Dayes Page 64 Death Page ibid. Decay in grace Page 68 Delay Page 73 Delight Page ibid. Devils Page ibid. Discerning Page 77 Discipline Page 78 Despaire Page 79 Distrust Page 80 Doctrine Page 82 Doubting Page ibid Dreames Page 99 Dulnesse and deadnesse Page 100 Duty Page 102 E. Earnestnesse Page 102 Ease Page 103 Elect and Reprobate Page ibid. Evills Page 104 Excuse Page ibid. Examples Page 105 Exercise Page ibid. F. Failings Page 106 Faith Page ibid. Falls Page 133 Familiarity Page 135 Fasts Page 136 Feare Page 137 Feasts Page 139 Feeling Page 140 Fellowship with the wicked Page ibid The Flesh Page 141 Flock Page 142 Friends Page 142 G. Gift Page 143 Gods favour Page ibid. Gods goodnesse Page 144 Gods glory Page ibid. Gods mercy Page 147 Gods patience and long-suffering Page 148 Gods providence Page 149 Gods will Page 150 Godly Page 151 Godlinesse Page 153 Gospell Page 158 Grace with the growth therein Page 159 Griefe Page 182 H. The Heart Page 184 Helpe Page 185 Hereticks and Heresies Page ibid. An Holy life Page 187 Hope Page 188 Humiliation Page 189 Humility Page 193 Hypocrisie Page ibid. I. Ignorance Page 193 Indifferent Things Page 196 Infirmities Page 197 Ioy. Page 198 Iudge Page 202 Iudgements Page ibid. K. Knowledge Page 205 L. Law Page 205 Learning Page 206 Love Page ibid. The Lords day Page 210 M. Magistrate Page 211 Man Page ibid. Mariage Page 213 Meanes Page ibid. Meditations Page 214 Memory Page 218 Mercies Page 219 Ministers or preachers Page 220 Mirth Page 230 Mistrust Page ibid. Mortification Page ibid. Motions Page 231 N. A good Name Page 231 Nurcery of the Church Page 240 O. Offences Page 240 P. Parents Page 241 Patience Page 242 Peace and joy Page ibid. To please God Page 246 Poore Page 248 Popery Page 249 Praise and dispraise Page 250 Prayer Page ibid. Pride Page 260 Priviledges of the Saints Page ibid. Profession and professors Page 263 Promises Page 265 Punishment of sinne Page ibid. R Reconciliation Page 267 Regeneration Page 269 The Regenerate and unregenerate Page ibid. Remembrance of good Page 277 Renewing Page 278 Repentance Page ibid. Reports Page 279 Reproofe Page 280 Riches Page 282 S. Sacrament Page 282 Saints Page ibid. Salvation Page 283 Satans courses subtilty and temptations Page 285 The Scriptures Page 295 Selfe-love Page ibid. Sicknesse Page 299 Sinne. Page ibid. Slander Page 304 Sorrow for sinne Page ibid Soule and b 〈…〉 Page 318 Spirituall decay Page 319 Disquiet Sp 〈…〉 rit 320 Godly Strife Page ibid. Students Page ibid. Suffering Page 321 Selfe-Suspition Page 322 T. Table-talke Page 323 Teares Page 323 Temptations Page 324 Thankes Page 328 Thoughts Page 329 Tryall of a mans selfe Page 331 The truth Page 335 Time Page 336 Y. Vertue Page 337 Visions Page 339 W. Warfare Page 340 Watchfulnesse Page ibid. Wishes Page 341 The word of God Page ibid. Worldly mindednesse Page 346 Worldly wisedome Page 347 V. Young children Page 349 Z. Zeale Page 350 TIME WELL SPENT Admonition 1. MAny can stirre up themselves which cannot admonish others much lesse they which admonish not themselves can admonish others 2. Having admonished our brother in meeknesse and not prevailing its good to require him to trie his conscience after his sleepe what peace he hath in refusing our admonition 3. To speake to the consciences of others to rip up secret smnes a man must marke diligently his owne heart whereby hee shall see the secret corruptions of flesh and blood which are in all men Affections 1. An excellent tryall of our affection of anger grief joy c. is by this whether they make us fit to serve God or not 2. It s a notable point of wisedome to make our affections knowne in company as little as may be as did Ioseph and not to be extraordinarie at the table either in joy or sorrow without speciall cause but privately with some godly friend or onely with the Lord to powre out our hearts 3. Every excessive affection bringeth his owne punishment anger griefe love jealousie and the rest as daily experience sheweth Affliction 1. The onely way to moderate and sanctifie our earthly and naturall sorrow which in it selfe is not unlawfull but necessarie as a meanes to make us seeke to the Physitian of our soules is this so oft as we feele the prickes thereof which bee in none continuall but have their fits so oft wee should consider of the end why the Lord hath sent them and so continueth them that so by labouring to make the right use of them not only our mindes may bee withdrawne from vaine discoursing of our losse but also by making some profitable use of them wee may sooner attaine to the end why they were sent which alone
the great benefit of our deliverance from the Spaniards in 88. and from the Gun-powder-treason on the 5. of November by meanes wherof wee enjoy those blessings wee daily partake of 2. As our hearts must rejoyce in Gods benefits so we must be perswaded that the same flow from Gods fatherly love in Christ else can wee not give spirituall thankes but either none at all or only carnall 3. Being perswaded that Gods benefits towards us proceede from his love the same should so kindle our love that we should heate thereby all that come neere us as fire doth the want whereof shewes our great unthankfulnesse 4. Whereas the most professors bee in nothing more hindered from growth in grace yea and most from true happiness then by the abusing of those earthly blessings they enjoy health wealth beauty strength wit learning credit friends which through their sinne further their miserie and shall witnesse against them this must be accounted an high favour to a true beleever to have grace so to use those that they all may become his friends to further his happinesse whereby hee shall become more assured of Gods everlasting favour and have so many witnesses of the same 5. This right use stands either tovvard God 1. That they bee received thankfully so as every vvay they bind us more to him more to love him rest upō him seeke to him serve him 2. That they be all used to his glory Man Our selves Temperatly so as they no vvay hinder our proceeding but make us fitter Providently Soule Body Neighbours Justly Psal 15 Mercifully Prov 6. Whereas there is no one thing which more hinders our spirituall life then our care for earthly it s the speciall favour of our Lord Jesus to free us from this care and to shew us a way how we may bee abundantly provided for of all things necessarie for this present life that so wee may more seeke spirituall this he doth by teaching us thus to pra◠Give us this day our daily bread whereby he puts as it were a privy key into our hāds to open all Gods treasures that by prayer of faith we may fetch from God 7. Many times the Lord above all meanes doth bestow a blessing upon his children even more then they could looke for that they should not stay too much upon the meanes but acknowledge every good gift to come from him and therefore stay themselves on him and to the same end also many times he crosseth them in the meanes that either they cannot use them or using them they prevaile not even to humble them that he may be God above all 8. When God bestoweth any good gift upon us its good to feele some crosse to seale and season it in us 9. We often want outward blessings because we so little esteeme inward graces 10. It s a common thing with the Lord to blesse before he punish Birth-day The celebration of a mans birth-day may bee used of some and at some times without pompe superstition or carnall pleasure Buying and Selling. 1. In buying and selling wee must bee carefull that every one may have benefit and in selling rather to bee under the market then otherwise 2. In buying and selling this may bee a good rule to guide us to doe as wee would be done unto for example when wee sell consider wee whether knowing the marketable price and goodnesse of the thing wee would gladly give so much as wee demand if wee would not wee deale not justly so in buying but herein take wee heede that our hearts deceive us not whereto we be very prone 3. It s a sore disease cōmon dangerous among the best professors that they for love of gaine doe many wayes injure their neighbour and allow themselves many practises contrary to love as buying a thing deare to sell for more then its worth when they sell it and so casting their losse on their neighbour 4. In buying and selling this is a sure rule to be sure our neighbour gaines by us Calling 1. IF earthly men in earthly things do swallow up great troubles and with cheerefulnesse undertake and accordingly undergoe many hard travells for the satisfying of their desires in pleasure or profit how much more ought wee which be Christians especially Ministers to cheere up our hearts with the hope of our gaine that with glad hearts we might studie pray preach and performe the like exercises 2. They who have double allowance of food and wages should doe double service therefore the rich should more pain fully labour in their vocations 3. No troubles unlesse they bee in case of meere ungodlinesse may make us forsake our callings which are never free from trouble 4. Whensoever we be out of our calling Satan hath fit occasion of tempting us Christ 1. Two things are necessarily required to espouse us to Christ the one to use the pure meanes the other to use these meanes with pure hearts 2. The onely way to come to and receive Christ is upon good knowledge of his excellencie to desire him and by the free offer and faithfull promise of himselfe to us poore sinners to give credit to his word taking him for our Lord and Saviour to give our selves wholly body and soule to him to be his faithfull Spouse and servants for ever 3. By this among many other notes may one know whether he indeed hath received Christ If he finde such affection to Christ in heaven as is in a betrothed virgin to one whom shee dearly loveth being beyond sea thinking the time long till shee enjoy his sweet fellowship This is too too rare Christian It were a very profitable labour for our selves and others to have the whole Anatomie of a Christian laid forth distinctly in all the vertues pertaining to him in all the corruptions cleaving to him with all the promises of God and priviledges both in this life and the life to come for encouragement as in like manner all the threats and miseries of the wicked here and hereafter to enforce abstinence from sin every of them gathered cleerly out of the Scripture with the quotations Christianitie 1. It may be justly complained that if the whole course of our best professors except very rare men ministers and people here and there one were rightly examined that they are so far off from that course which is by precept and example laid out to us in the Scriptures that the most have neede to begin all againe and to lay a better foundation in the assurance of their salvation for want whereof wofull effects follow generally such a contentednesse in their estate because of some conscience of duty remaining in them that there is no sighing after a better life and therefore no great endeavouring for it which breeds an uncōfortable reckoning in the end and
our selves with better esteeming and love of those which have more grace and an hunger after more 3. In our whole life to approve prove our selves to God more then unto men 4. Not to rest in the deed but to have more care of the right manner how we doe any thing 5. To make conscience to be the same in secret by our selves which we be before others 6. To make conscience of leaving our dearest sinnes and doing such duties as the flesh most shunnes 21. This is the exceeding mercy of God with encrease of temptation to encrease our faith as with decrease of faith to decrease also the temptation 22. Experience sheweth that we prove our selves to have faith when we mourne for want of it and thirst after it and then our faith may be least when we seeme to have most for then we least feare and suspect our selves and so are in greatest danger lying open to Satans temptations this is an excellent comfort for such as are grieved through want of faith which groweth partly through feeling of the word and humble thankes and by humbling our selves before God 23. Though sometimes we feele small or no faith in us yet we must retaine a reverend estimation of Gods mercie and most vile account of our sinnes and wretchednesse for to him that thinks nothing more vile then his sinne nothing so pretious as Gods mercie assuredly there is no sinne but is pardonable 24. When God afflicteth our mindes if wee have received knowledge then must wee bee thankfull for it and pray for faith and though we have no feeling yet must wee waite for it and that long time for in the end God will surely send it to those that waite for it which cannot bee without great faith for the greatest faith is where there is least feeling for it is more easie in glorious feelings to beleeve Falls 1. No man can promise unto himselfe but he may fall foullie and be so sore shaken from his comfort which soonest befals them that least thinke of it therefore feare watch pray alwayes 2. Seeing the Lord in these our dayes exerciseth his displeasure in so grievous manner upon many who have seemed long sincere professors that many are given up to adulterie and other grievous sinnes yea even to Apostasie and sundrie to madnesse and so to wofull ends it ought to be an earnest admonition to us all to looke to our state that wee deceive not our selves nor provoke God to humble us so low being his 3. Seeing the deare children of God Noah Moses Ezekiah and many other excellent men did fall in their later dayes every Christian ought to use all meanes most carefully and be admonished hereby lest he in like mander fall 4. There is no man so good but that the Lord sometimes letteth him slip that he may be humbled nor so evill but that sometimes the Lord convaies goodnesse into him that his condemnation may be the juster 5. It hardly falleth out that a Christian effectually called and of sound knowledge should fall twice into one grosse sinne Familiaritie 1. The familiaritie with sinne bringeth punishment of sinne for this ought to feare us that if the wicked which be without the tuition of God and stand onely upon his long-suffering and every minute of an houre lye open and subject to Gods curse and vengeance bee our companions that when they are punished we shall not escape 2. Wee may have familiarity with some in whom though there be no great love of religion yet there is no misliking of religion nor love of heresies yet must our acquaintance be in outward things and we be warie lest theirs draw us from our familiarity with God Fasts 1. Wee must not come to fast untill the Trumpet be blowne the bell bee rung but we must fall downe at the trumpet of Gods word at the bell of our guiltie conscience for without this private exercise we are but hypocrites in publique fasts 2. By fasting though we have not obtained all our desires yet have wee had some mitigation of those evills which have beene laid upon us and if no reformation yet continuance of the Gospell and especially to our selves a recoverie of our losse in grace Feare 1. Feare and mistrust of our false hearts is painefull but safe presumption of our care to be good is pleasant but dangerous 2. The children of God often feare those things which never come topasse the which is very profitable for thereby God gives us to see our hearts as if the things feared came to passe indeed and hereby wee have experience of his graces and of our owne corruptions and hereby we are prepared to suffer the like when they come which will not so much afflict us when they were before feared so that we are not to account those frivolous feares which have not their event but to regard the use of them seeing that by these the Lord humbling his children before hand keepeth many times the plague away which was feared and on the other side hee often both more suddenly and more violently bringeth punishment upon those who never feared them yet herein we must beware of the other extream immoderate feare which rather hinders faith then beates downe securitie and the meane is to bee embraced that is to feare and forethinke of evill to come not of necessitie to fall upon us because either God could not or would not deliver us but acknowledging our just desert thereof doe humbly submit our selves to Gods hand resting in his fatherly love that as he is able so he is most willing even then to succour us when we most feare for as a wise father doth the Lord make his hand heavier in correcting according to the stubbornenesse of his childe Feasts At such meetings wee ought to consider the bountifulnesse of God to wards us in comparison of many of his deare Saints neither when wee are fed must we kick against our owner Lord and master but be more thankfull and obedient considering we partake of those and all other blessings in the right of Christ for the comforting of our hearts Feeling Wee must not cease to pray against want of feeling but stay ourselves by faith on Christ till he send feeling seeing that God maketh the sense of sinne by degrees they are to be suspected which are much moved with every little sinne Fellowship with the wicked 1. The nature of the wicked is that there growes their love where they be not gainesaid and reproved for sinne and where they bee admonished there groweth their hatred 2. Great inconveniences follow the joyning of our selves in affinitie with the vvicked as appeareth by Iehosaphat who made affinitie with Ahab 3. The friendship of the wicked is such that to save themselves they will endanger their friend so did Ahab