part with nothing hoard â—p against a rainy day therefore saith God give freely for the merciful shall â—nd mercy Lastly let the present fears alarum â—ee to prepare for sad events go not without thy armour be not secure say â—ot the over-flowing scourge shall not â—ome nigh me But think with thy self â—hough I have been in the rear of â—ther judgements I may be in the â—ront of this Labour to be fitted to enâ—ertain terrible things When thou â—earest the Minister sound the Trumpet and say judgement is at hand the Lord is risen out of his holy place to â—udge the inhabitants of the earth When thou hearest what is done to others when wickedness is advanced and Godliness slighted and opposed then get those Graces that will fit theâ— for an evil day such as 1. Resignation of thy self and all thoâ— hast unto God be content that hâ— should dispose of thee as he pleaseth 2 Sam. 15.26 2. Faith which is a Grace will live iâ— hard times for Faith lays claim to thâ— fulness of Christ as its own Faitâ— hath two hands a working hand anâ— a receiving hand the receiving hanâ— relieves the working hand 3. Apply the promises of perseverance 4. Patience in both its Acts the bearing act and the waiting act and sâ— doing thou mayest be able to stanâ— in the evil day Which none of thesâ— five sorts of men will be able to do 1. They that slight God and Religioâ— in peace and prosperity will neveâ— suffer for God and Religion in adversity â— Those that will not witness for truth with their mouths will never for the truths sake lay down their lives 3. Those that serve God onely for the praise of men will leave the service of God when men disgrace them 4. Those that will not endure the smaller tryals will much less stand in the greater 5. They that will not suffer the power of Gods word to part them and their lusts and vain conversation will not seal the truth of Gods word with their blood §. 13. A few Motives to young persons to be Religious â—here was never more need for Ministers Parents Tutors Masters to season youth with piety and to improve their interest wisdom authority in this Work then in these days wherein there is such a general decay of Godliness that if God do not stir up the hearts of Governours and if they will not stir up themselves and those under their charge the next Generation are like to prove Banquerupts in Religion and to prove either Papists or Atheists To encourage young persons to look to themselves and to call them out of the tentâ— of wickedness I would earnestly intreat them to let these few considerations rest upon their minds 1. O young man or young woman consider the end of thy being Why God made thee and gave thee a reasonablâ— soul capable of eternal happiness why did God bestow upon thee many endowments of mind and body why he hath vouchsafed the cultivation and improvement of thy natural abilities by education and instruction Waâ—â—â— all this that thou mightest glorifie him and be serviceable in thy Generation to the great end of being and living Cansâ— thou imagine that so bright a lamp as aâ— â—mmortal soul was ever put into the â—arthen candlestick of thy body for â—ase and sensual ends meerly to serve â—y fleshly appetite the most deformed â—nd unsatiable monster that is in the â—orld Canst thou upon serious â—oughts conceive thy being is for â—ch poor low ends No remember â—od and men expect better things from â—ee You that are young the good â—d welfare of Church and State deâ—ends on you you are the Seed-plots â—â—d Nurseries of all Religion and Vertue 〈◊〉 Liberty Honour Trade either you â—ust transmit and hand these down to â—osterity or all these must dye and be â—xtinguished in your hands and are â—ou willing to be recorded in future â—istories for prodigals and betrayers of â—hem all Such a man by Religion and â—ertue raised his Family and such an â—eir such a Grand-child ruined it by â—is debauchery Stobeus relates that â—he Ephebi among the Athenians took â—n Oath not to leave their Country in a worse condition then they found iâ— but in a better Oh that it might be â— said of this Generation 2. Consider It is a monstrous thiâ— for young persons to be old sinners Tâ—â— Age in which sin is committed is so fâ— from excusing it that it aggravates it â— is a sad character of a man he was so aâ— so wicked of a Child he was a sweareâ— a lyar a scoffer an enemy to Godlineâ— from his long Coates God himself whâ— he would aggravate mans sin saith tâ— imaginations of mans heart hath beâ— evil from his youth Gen. 8.21 Aâ—gustine in his Confessions bewails hâ— boyish tricks Lord when I was a littâ— Boy I was a great sinner And Daviâ— begs pardon for the sins of his youth Psal 25.7 and mark how God brand the disobedience of Israel Jer. 22 2â— I spake unto thee in thy prosperity bâ— thou saidest I will not hear this has been thy manner from thy youth thaâ— thou obeydst not my voice And in Jerâ— 32.30 God aggravates the sin of Israel and Judah that they had done evil before him from their youth Take heed of calling sin tricks of youth and and thinking your age gives you a dispensation If ever you return to God those sins must be repented of and they will cost you dear as you may see in those Converts Jer. 3.25 We lye down in our shame and our confusion covereth us for we have sinned against the Lord we and our fathers from our Youth even to this day Consider therefore how dear you must pay for your youthful lusts they will prove dear bought pleasures they are but honey licked off from thorns Like that fruit in the West Indies the Spaniards call the Devils sweet meat a fruit very delicious but the place where it grows is so hot in the day and so infested with venemous insects in the night that none care for dwelling near them Your youthful pleasures expose you to the scorchings of Gods wrath to the bitings and stingings of your own conscience Your youthful lusts must be repented of either here or in hell where repentancâ— will do you no good Consider whaâ— these courses are none can prevail witâ— you now to leave and whither they tend they provoke God to hate youâ— good men are grieved for you and ashamed of you nay even wicked meâ— themselves in their cool thoughts would not have their children as bad aâ— themselves But O how few personâ— consider that by youthful lusts theâ— lay a foundation for old age miseries 3. Consider it is the greatest honouâ— to be good betimes It was the praise oâ— that good Courtier Obadiah he feareâ— the Lord from his youth It was the Glory of Josiah that while he was yeâ— young he began to seek after the God oâ— David his father 2
true piety thou art at the same time an enemy to charity For the promoting therefore true piety in young persons and comers in I have offered my endeavours in the ensuing Discourse That if this present Generation after all their cultivating should bring forth no fruit nor admit of any melioration yet the seedlings and young plants might draw in a more benigne juyce and shoot up and bring forth more and better fruits It is a general complaint that Relations prove so bad and indeed to find a man faithful in all Relations is to find a rare Jewel Nothing more honours God and the Gospel then when those that profess it live up to the duty commanded them in their Relations as nothing dishonours God more shames the Gospel ruines families then undutifulness and unfaithfulness in Relations No plainer proof of our sincerity in our Religion then this is Thou canst not be a good Christian if thou art not a good Child a good Servant a good Master or Mistris a good Subject a good Husband or Wife The same God that commands to be a good Christian commands thee to fill up the duties of the other also as he calls thee to them and one great cause of the neglect of these duties and the decay of them is the neglect of Catechizing in private families which till it be conscientiously practised all publick preaching and chatechizing will be the less successful Vpon whose account soever the neglect of this doth lie I am sure it will not be found light one day and one mans omitting his duty will be no excuse then for thy neglecting thine I have here offered a plain short Catechisme of the heads of second Table Duties I made choice of this Authour as one who lies liable as I know of to no exception the Catechism having been reprinted several times with good approbation and also because his answers are for the most part the words of Scripture pertinently quoted and applyed Vpon which account as the duties herein pressed come with more authority so the learner is accustomed to Scripture phrases and language for want of which and the unbounded libertie many give to their fancy we have so many uncouth wild extravagant and offensive expressions even in Religious performances Which however weak ones may account the height of devotion yet riper judgments and sober Christians know them to be nothing else but the statulency of fancy I exhort thee therefore Christian Reader to hold fast the form of sound words get thy heart stocked with sound knowledge and take heed of phraseologie in Religion which is a minting and coyning new expressions and differencing our selves from others by an affected stile or form of speaking and making people believe we have attained more light then others when as indeed when these notions come to be examined and weighed in the ballance of Truth they are worth no more then the trash and trumpery that the Cardinals Sumpter horses carried a story so well known it needs but naming And this is all will be found among the Enthusiasts of this Age the Behmenists Paracelsians Familists c. Thus I have in brief with plainness of heart given thee an account of this Work which I shall pray to God may be acceptable to his people and successfull to their spiritual edification in Knowledge Faith Love and obedience Amen Thine in the Lord Jos Church The Christians daily Monitor To the performance of personal and relative Duties c. §. 1. Of Humility HUmility is a foundation grace to encrease this grace compare thy self With the brute creatures that have onely sense yet they keep the Law of their Creation With the fallen Angels that sin only against Gods power thou sinnest against his Grace With thy self What thou shouldest have been if man had not fallen what thou art now by sin what thou mightest have been if thou hadst not neglected thy duty With others inferiour in means superiour in growth that have fewer mercies and more thankfulness With the Holy Angels who serve God chearfully readily sincerely fervently constantly With Jesus Christ Who was meek and lowly in heart who for our sakes humbled himself and was obedient to the death of the Cross and then thou wilt abhor thy self in dust and ashes §. 2. The best Physitian Christ our heavenly Physitian exceeds all earthly Physitians in seven things 1. He never leaves any work behind him for others 2. He never undertakes any cure but he finisheth it 3. He doth all freely without desert in us or reward from us 4. There is nothing in him but hath a healing vertue in it his eye his lips his hand his blood his garments c. 5. He cures Nations as well as Persons 6. He cures Death as well as Diseases 7. He alwayes makes his Patients the better not only after but by their sickness Oh! I am sick of sin Lord shew thy Art One touch of thine will break and heat my heart O rare Physician that shedst thy blood And givest thy life to do poor sinners good §. 3. Successfull begging The way to be heard in prayer and not to loose our labour is 1. To ask in faith Mark 11.24 that is believing God is able and willing to bestow good things on us 2. To ask in sincerity for right ends Jam. 4.3 3. To ask fervently as Jacob who wrestled with God and prevailed Gen. 32.28 4. Seasonably while the door is open Isa 55.6 Seek the Lord while he may be found 5. Constantly pray continually 1 Thes 5.17 or without ceasing 6. Patiently Psal 40.1 He that can pray to God withall this cost Is sure his labour never shall be lost Who asks in sound faith zeal fixt patience And season alwayes hath sure recompence Stay not at one or two or four or five But get all six and then be sure thou 'lt thrive §. 4. The Heavenly care From Dr. H. There are five things considerable in that Promise he careth for you 1 Pet. 5.7 There are five things considerable in that Promise he careth for you 1 Pet. 5.7 1. God cares for his people when they think he doth not 2. He so cares for them as he cares for none else comparatively 3. He cares for them when none else care for them 4. He cares for them when those that should care for them neglect them 5. He cares with others to bless their care and make it successfull Q. But must Gods Children cast off all care A. No they must use a care of prudence and providence a Godly care but they must take heed of worldly immoderate heart-breaking heart-corroding distrusting care Martha with many things distracts her mind Mary in one thing all content doth find Lord cure my cares that I thy word may hear Lord choose for me the troubles I shall bear §. 5. The Dutiful Aid God hath in wisdome so framed our bodies that one part cannot say to another I have no need of thee So it is in the Political
now it doth from consolation 2. Quest Who are they that are far from committing this sin The solution of this may serve as a remedy against this distress for whosoever finds in himself these things may be confident he is not guilty of this sin 1. They are far from committing this sin that do esteem Christ and desire to enjoy him and are willing to be subject to his Authority 2. They that do truly desire to honour Christ not only inwardly in their hearts but outwardly in their lives and conversations by words and actions 3. They whose illumination is attended with reformation who not onely know the Truth but love and obey it 4. Those who with well to the Kingdome and Gospel and people of Christ that for Sions sake cannot hold their peace 5. They who cleave to the Ordinances though they want comfort that wait upon the Lord who hides himself from the house of Jacob. 6. They who desire the efficacy of the ministry on the souls of others who can rejoyce when souls are converted and are glad to see that Grace in others they want and that grieve when the edification of souls is opposed and obstructed 7. They that aspire after a holy life that are students for piety and mourners for iniquity These have not committed the sin against the Holy Ghost 3. Qu. What are those Graces that are preservatives against this sin 1. A chearfulness in the service and wayes of Christ. Serve the Lord with gladness account not his Commands grievous 2. A sincere love to Father Son and Spirit This sin is committed out of malice and hatred 3. A daily desiring thirsting after Christ ever desiring Christ will keep us from ever despising him 4. A labouring to get heat unto our light that our knowledge may be attended with a change in heart and life 5. A daily care to persevere and hold on in Religion and Grace with a jealousie of our selves least we should be guilty of declining and back sliding 6. A pleading and standing up for the truth in our places and callings with courage and wisdom 7. A perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord avoiding not only all gross sins but also as much as we can keeping our selves from infirmities at least not allowing our selves in them §. 17. The spirituals mans aime or a resolution of an important and serious question concerning our aimes and intentions whether they be for God or the world Aims and intentions are secret things removed from the cognizance of others The rectitude of intention contributes so much to the acceptation of our services with God that without this nothing though never so materially good and plausible can denominate us sincere in his sight or prevail for any acceptance with him Now though others are not competent judges of our ends yet if we will deal faithfully and truly with our own souls we may know them by such plain things as these are 1. By our desires Try thy heart by this whether thou dost desire most to be with God or to be in the world That which is our end we would be in the fullest enjoyment of 2. By thy hopes What is it thou hopest for is it to grow great or rich in the world or is it that thou art approved of God and in favour with him That which is thy chiefest hope is thy end 3. By thy delights Dost thou so delight in the world that if that flow in and that thou hast any probable assurance of its continuance thou findest thou canst be contented without God or dost thou account thy self miserable whatsoever thou enjoyest except thou have some soul communion with God and canst find some tasts of his love even in outward mercies and those tasts carrying thy soul to delight more and more in God as the fountain of them 4. Examine how thy heart is affected upon the loss of outward things What is it grieves thee most the burning thy house loss of trade death of friends or the want of Gods presence the dishonour of his name the danger of losing the Gospel and the like that which is our end we are grieved for being disappointed of 5. If the world be thy darling thou wilt be affraid to own Religion when it exposes thee to danger shame and loss alwayes worldlings are for an easie creditable cheâ—p Religion But if God have thy heart thou art jealous least the world should draw thee from God and thou wilt account no pains too much for him thou wilt be diligent in the use of all means In the service of God thou wilt account losses gain and think thy self abundantly honoured in being accounted worthy to be dishonoured for Christ 6. That which is a man's end he will plead for We see prophane men plead for the world gross sins are with them small sins nay no sins nay sometimes commendable things or at least indifferent for ends will make men find cut many Topicks to argue from Monstrous apparel is but decency drunkenness is but good fellowship they can say much for unlawful gaming wanton dalliances stage-playes recreations on the Lords day Alas say they these are but innocent Divertisements for the body and mind But those that make God their end will plead for him they stand up for his Name â—is Word his People Wisdom is justified of her Children they have much to say for devotion for mortification for fasting and praying for holy conference for modest apparel for sobriety and temperance for circumspect walking and the like 7. He that serves the world will suffer much for it in his body by pinching it in his name and reputation by reproach for even a covetous miser shall have some scoffs he will make such pittiful complaints and such ridiculous excuses and do such base drudgery the world will laugh at him yet he suffers all this because it is his end So he that serves God is willing to suffer for God to part with all for him when he calls for it to endure scoffs and jeers for his not complying with the Vices of the world Lastly if God and the World call whom dost thou follow the Bell touls the Play-bill is set up whither dost thou go Here 's the Bible or a good Book there is the Tavern or the Gaming house God calls to the one the World to the other whom dost thou obey If a Lacquey follows two Gentlemen when they part he whom he follows we know is his Master that which a man follows from morning to night from week to week and leave other things to follow that is his Master that he serves and that is his end §. 18. How must we carry our selves to God aâ— our friend Trust him because he is faithful Prize him because he is so transcendently excellent Be advised by him for he is infinitely wise Suffer for him for Christ did so foâ— us Delight in him because he is amiable Be zealous for his Glory and grieved at his