Should we not think that God had utterly forsaken us He suffered himself to be tempted also by men by the abuses and reproaches of his enemies by the desertion of his followers by the carnal counsel of Peter perswading him to put by the death which he was to undergo And he that made all Temptations serve to the triumph of his patience and conquering power will give the victory also to his Grace in the weakest soul. § 12. 9. It would be the greatest attractive to us to draw near to God and make the thoughts of him pleasant to us if we could but believe that he dearly loveth us that he is reconciled to us and taketh us for his children and that he taketh pleasure in us and that he resolveth for ever to glorifie us with his Son and that the dearest friend that we have in the world doth not Love us the thousandth part so much as he And all this in Christ is clearly represented to the eye of faith All this is procured for believers by him And all this is given to believers in him In him God is reconciled to us He is our Father and dwelleth among us and in us and walketh in us and is our God 2 Cor. 6. 16 17 18. Light and Heat are not more abundant in the Sun than Love is in Iesus Christ. To look on Christ and not perceive the Love of God is as to look on the Sun and not to see and acknowledge its light Therefore when ever you find your hearts averse to God and to have no pleasure in him look then to Iesus and observe in him the unmeasurable love of God that you may be able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the bredth and length and depth and height and to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge that you may be filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3. 18 19. Love and Goodness are that to the will which delicious sweetness is to the sensitive appetite Draw near then and taste the Feast of Love which God hath prepared and proposed by his Son Dost thou not see or feel the Love of God Come near and look upon God incarnate upon a crucified Christ upon the Covenant sealed in his blood upon all the benefits of his Redemption upon all the priviledges of the Saints and upon the glory purchased possessed and promised by him Put thy hand into his wounded side and be not faithless but believing and then thou wilt cry out My Lord and my God § 13. 10. So also when the soul would fain perceive in it self the flames of Love to God it is the beholding of Christ by faith which is the striking of fire and the effectual means of kindling love And this is the true approach to God and the true Communion and converse with him so far as we Love him so far do we draw near him and so far have we true communion with him O what would the soul of a Believer give that it could but burn in Love to God as oft as in prayer or meditation or conference his Name and Attributes are mentioned or remembred For this there is no such powerful means as believingly to look on Christ in whom such glorious Love appeareth as will draw forth the Love of all that by a lively faith discern it Behold the Love that God hath manifested by his Son and thou canst not but Love him who is the spring of this transcendent Love In the Law God sheweth his frowning wrath and therefore it breedeth the Spirit of bondage unto fear But in Christ God appeareth to us not only as Loving us but as Love it self and therefore as most lovely to us giving us the Spirit of Adoption or of filial Love by which we fly and cry to him as our Father § 14. 11. The actual undisposedness and disability of the soul to prayer meditation and all holy converse with the blessed God is the great impediment of our walking with him And against this our relief is all in Christ He is filled with the Spirit to communicate to his members He can quicken us when we are dull He can give us faith when we are unbelieving he can give us boldness when we are discouraged he can pour out upon us the Spirit of supplication which shall help our infirmities when we know not what to pray for as we ought Beg of him then the Spirit of prayer And look to his example who prayed with strong cryes and tears and continued all the night in prayer and spake a Parable to this end that we should alwayes pray and not wax faint Luke 18. 1. Call to him and he that is with the Father will reach the hand of his Spirit to you and will quicken your desires and lift you up § 15. 12. Sometime the soul is hearkning to temptations of unbelief and doubting whether God observe our prayers or whether there is so much to be got by prayers as we are told In such a case faith must look to Christ who hath not only commanded it and encouraged us by his example but also made us such plentiful promises of acceptance with God and the grant of our desires Recourse to these promises will animate us to draw nigh to God § 16. 13. Sometime the present sense of our vileness who are but dust and despicable worms doth discourage us and weaken our expectations from God Against this what a wonderful relief is it to the soul to think of our union with Christ and of the dignity and glory of our Head Can God despise the members of his Son Can he trample upon them that are as his flesh and bone Will he cut off or forsake or cast away the weakest parts of his body § 17. 14. Sometime the guilt of renewed infirmities or decayes doth renew distrust and make us shrink and we are like the Child in the Mothers arms that feareth when he loseth his holt as if his safety were more in his holt of her than in her holt of him Weak duties have weak expectations of success In this case what an excellent remedy hath faith in looking to the perpetual intercession of Christ Is he praying for us in the Heavens and shall we not be bold to pray and expect an answer â—â— remember that he is not weak when we are weak and that it concerneth us that he prayeth for us and that we have now an unchangeable Priest who is able to save them to the uttermost or to perpetuity that come sincerely to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Heb 7. â—4 25 If you heard Christ pray for you would it not encourage you to pray and perswade you that God will not reject you Undoubtedly it would § 18. 15. Sometimes weak Christians that have not gifts of memory or utterance are apt to think that Ministers indeed and able men are accepted of God but that he little valueth such as them It
I will not stand on it lest I speak in vain what you all know already and how Eli suffered for neglecting it you know 3 The Discipline of casting the wicked out of the family servants I mean who are separable members you may find Psal. 101. 2 3 7 8. I will walk within my house with a perfect heart I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight Prop. 4. Solemn Prayer and praises of God in and by Christian families iâ— of Divine appointment Prop. 4. 1. For proof of this I must desire you to look back to all the Arguments which proved the dueness of Worship in general for they will yet more especially prove this sort of Worship seeing Prayer and Praise are most immediately and eminently called Gods Worship of any Under praises I comprehend Psalms of Praises and under prayer Psalms of prayer Yet let us add some more Arg. 1. It is Gods will that Christians who have fit occasions and opportunities for Prayer and Praises should improve them but Christian Families have fit occasions and opportunities for Prayer and Praise therefore it is Gods will they should improve them The major is evident in many Scripture Precepts Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting 1 Thes. 5. 17 18. Pray without ceasing in every thing give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you Col. 4. 2. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving Col. 3. 16 17. teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord and whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Iesus giving thanks unto God and the Father by him Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in Prayer Eph. 6. 18. Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints And for me that utterance may be given me Many the like Texts might be named every one of which afford an Argument for Family praises most effectual 1. If men must pray every where that is convenient then sure in their Families But c. Erg. 2. If men must pray without ceasing then sure in their families 3. If men must in every thing give thanks then sure in Family-mercies and then according to the nature of them together 4. If men must continue in prayer and watch in it for fit advantages and against Impediments and in thanksgiving then doubtless they must not omit the singular advantages which are administred in Families 5. If we must continue instant in prayer and supplication c. then doubtless in family prayer in our families unless that be no place and no prayer Obj. But this binds us no more to pray in our families than any where else Answ. Yes it binds us to take all fit opportunities and we have more fit opportunities in our own families then in other mens or than in occasional meetings or than in any ordinary societies except the Church And here let me tell you that it is ignorance to call for particular express Scripture to require Praying in Families as if we thought the General commands did not comprehend this particular and were not sufficient God doth in much wisdom leave out of his Written Law the express determination of some of those circumstantials or the application of general precepts to some of those subjects to which common reason and the light of Nature sufficeth to determine and apply them The Scripture giveth us the general Pray alway with all manner of Prayer in all places that is Omit no fit advantages and opportunities for prayer What if God had said no more than this about Prayer in Scripture It seems some men would have said God hath not required us to pray at all when he requireth us to pray always because he tells us not when and where and how oft and with whom and in what words c. And so they would have concluded God no where bids us pray in secret nor pray in Families nor pray in Assemblies nor Pray with the Godly nor with the wicked nor pray every day nor once a week nor with a Book nor without a Book and therefore not at all As if the general Pray on all fit occasions were nothing But these men must know that nature also and reason is Gods light and providence oft determineth of such Subjects and Adjuncts And the general Law and these together do put all out of doubt What if God telleth you He that provideth not for his own especially those of his houshold hath denied the faith and is worse than an Infidel and do not tell you either who are your families and who not nor what provision you shall make for them what food what cloaths or how oft they must feed c. Will you say God hath not bid you feed or cloath this Child or that Servant It is enough that God chargeth you to provide for your Families in the Scripture and that in nature he tell you which are your Families and what Provision to make for them and how oft and in what quantity c. And so if God bid you Pray in all places and at all times on all occasions that are fit for Prayer and experience and common reason tell you that Families afford most fit times place and occasions for Prayer is not this enough that there are such seasons and opportunities and occasions for Family-prayer I refer you to the particular discoveries of them in the beginning where I proved the Dueness of Worship in General to be there performed And I refer you also to common reason it self not fearing the contradiction of any man whose impiety hath not made him unreasonable and prevailed against the common light of Nature This first general Argument were enough if men were not so averse to their duty that they cannot know because they will not But let us therefore add some more Arg. 2. If there be many blessings which the Family needeth and which they do actually receive from God then it is the will of God that the family pray for these blessings when they need them and give thanks for them when they have received them But there are many blessings which the family as conjunct needeth and receiveth of God Therefore the family conjunct and not only particular members secretly should pray for them and give thanks for them The Antecedent is past question 1. The continuance of the Family as such in Being 2. In Well being 3. And so the preservation and Direction of the essential members 4. And the prospering of all Family affairs are evident Instances and to descend to more particulars would be needless tediousness The Consequence is proved from many Scriptures which require those that want
clean and delectable and paved with mercies and fortified and secured by Divine protection and where Christ is your Conductor and so many have sped so well before you and the wisest and best in the world are your companions Live then as men that have changed their Master their end their hopes their way and work Religion layeth not men to sleep though it be the only way to Rest. It awakeneth the sleepy soul to higher thoughts and hopes and labours than ever it was well acquainted with before He that is in Christ is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. You never sought that which would pay for all your cost and diligence till now You never were in a way that you might make haste in without repenting of your haste till now How glad should you be that Mercy hath brought you into the right way after the wanderings of such a sinful life And your gladness and thankfulness should now be shewed by your cheerful diligence and zeal As Christ did not raise up Lazarus from the dead to do nothing or live to little purpose though the Scripture giveth us not the history of his life So did he not raise you from the death of sin to live idely or to be unprofitable in the world He that giveth you his Spirit to be a principle of heavenly life within you expecteth that you stir up the gift that he hath given you and live according to that heavenly principle Direction 16. ENgage thy self in the chearful constant use of the means and helps appointed by God Direct 16. for thy confirmation and salvation § 1. He can never expect to attain the end that will not be perswaded to use the means Of your selves you can do nothing God giveth his help by the means which he hath appointed and fitted to your help Of the use of these I shall treat more fully afterwards I am now only to name them to thee that thou maist know what it is that thou hast to do 1. That you must hear or read the Word of God and other good Books which expound it and How Paenitents of old did rise even from a particular sin judge by these words of Pacianus Paâ—â—â—â—â—â— ad Poeâ—â—t Bibl. Pat. To. 3. p. 74. You must not only do that which may be seen of the Priest and praised by the Bishop to weep before the Church to lament a lost or sinful life in a â—ordid garment to fast pray to role on the earth if any invite you to the Bath or such pleasures to refuse to go If any bid you to a Feast to say These things are for the happy I have sinned against God and am in danger to perish for ever What should I do at Banquets who have wronged the Lord Besides these you must take the poor by the hand you must beseech the Widdow lye at the feet of the Presbyters beg of the Church to forgive you and pray for you you must try all means rather than perish apply it I shewed you before The new born Christian doth encline to this as the new born child doth to the breast 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. Laying aside all malice and guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings as new born babes that desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Psal. 1. 2 3. The blessed mans delight is in the Law of the Lord and therein doth he meditate day and night § 2. 2. Another means is the publick worshipping of God in communion with his Church and people Besides the benefit of the word there preached the prayers of the Church are effectual for the members and it raiseth the soul to holy joyes to joyn with well ordered Assemblies of the Saints in the Praises of the Almighty The Assemblies of holy worshippers of God are the places of his delight and must be the places of our delight They are most like to the Celestial Society that sound forth the praises of the glorious Iebovah with purest minds and cheerful voice In his Temple doth every one speak of his glory Psal. 29. 9. In such a Chore what soul will not be rapt up with delight and desire to joyn in the consort and harmony In such a flame of united desires and praises what soul so cold and dull that will not be enflamed and with more than ordinary facility and alacrity fly up to God § 3. 3. Another means is private prayer unto God When God would tell Ananias that Paul was converted he saith of him Behold he prayeth Acts 9. 11. Prayer is the breath of the new creature The Spirit of Adoption given to every child of God is a Spirit of prayer and teacheth them to cry Abba Father and helpeth their infirmities when they know not what to pray as they ought and when words are wanting it as it were intercedeth for them with groans which they cannot express in words Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 15 26 27. And God knoweth the meaning of the Spirit in those groans The first workings of grace are in Desires after grace provoking the soul to servent prayer by which more grace is speedily obtained Ask then and ye shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened to you Luke 11. 9. § 4. 4. Another means to be used is Confession of sin not only to God for so every wicked man may do because he knoweth that God is already acquainted with it all and this is no addition to his shame He so little regardeth the eye of God that he is more ashamed when it is known to men But in three Cases Confession must be made also to Man 1. In case you have wronged man and are thus bound to make him satisfaction As if you have robbed him defrauded him slandered him or born false witness against him 2. In case you are Children or Servants that are under the government of Parents or Masters and are called by them to give an acount of your actions You are bound then to give a true account 3. In case you have need of the Counsel or Prayers of others for the setling of your consciences in peace In this case you must so far open your case to them as is necessary to their effectual help for your recovery For if they know not the disease they will be unfit to apply the remedy In these cases it is true that He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Prov. 28. 13. § 5. 5. Another Means to be used is the familiar company and holy converse with humble sincere experienced Christians The Spirit that is in them and breatheth and acteth by them will kindle the like holy flames in you Away with the company of idle prating sensual men that can talk of nothing but their worldly wealth or business or their reputations or their appetites and lusts
be ready to pour out to others and not be silent and lose his Time for want of matter or skill or zeal for in all these three your provision doth consist An ignorant empty person wants matter for his thoughts and words An Imprudent person wants skill to use it A careless cold indifferent person wants life to set his faculties on motion and oyl and poise to set the wheels of his soul and body a going Bethink you in the morning what company you are like to meet and what occasions of duty you are like to have and provide your selves accordingly before you go with matter and resolution Besides the general preparative of habitual Knowledge charity and zeal which is the chief you should also have your particular preparations for the duties of each day A workman that is strong and healthful and hath all his tools in readiness and Act. 6. 5. Matth. 7. 17. Luk. 6 45. Matth. 12 34. order will do more in a day than a sick man or one that wanteth tools or keeps them dull and unfit for use will do in many Psalm 37. 30 31. The mouth of the Righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgement And no wonder when The Law of his God is in his Heart none of his steps shall slide Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good Treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things Math. 12. 35. Every Scribe which is instructed to the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man that is an housholder that bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old Matth. 13. 52. § 47. Direct 8. Promise not long life to your selves but live as those that are allwaies uncertain of Direct 8. another day and certain to be shortly gone from hence The groundless expectation of long life is a very great hindrance to the Redeeming of our Time Men will spend prodigally out of a full purse who would be sparing if they knew they had but a little or were like to come to want themselves Young people and healthful people are under the greatest temptation to the loss of Time They are apt to think that they have Time enough before them and that though its possible that they may die quickly yet it is more likely that they shall live long and so putting the day of death far from them they want all those awakenings which the face of death doth bring to them that still expect it and therefore want the wisdom zeal and diligence which is necessary to the Redemption of their time Pray therefore as Psalm 90. 12. So teach us to number our daies that we may apply our hearts to wisdom Dream not of rest and plenty for many years when you have no promise to live till the next morning Luke 12. 19 20. When they perceive death is at hand and time is near an end allmost all men seem highly to esteem of Time and promise to spend it better if God would but try them once again Do you therefore continually perceive that death is even at hand and time near an end and then it will make you continually more wise then death maketh the most and to redeem your Time as others purpose to Redeem it when it is too late § 48. Direct 9. Sanctifie all to God that you have and do And let Holiness to the Lord be written Direct 9. upon all whether you eat or drink let it be intended and ordered ultimately to his Glory Make all 1 Cor. 10. 31. Zeâ—h 14. 20 21. Rom 6. 19 22. Luk. 1. 75. 1 Tim. 5. 5. 1 Tim. 4 5. 2 Tim. 2. 21. your civil relations possessions and employments thus Holy designing them to the service and pleasing of God and to the everlasting good of your selves or others and mixing holy meditation and prayer with them all in season And thus we are bid to pray continually and in all things give thanks 1 Thes. 5. 17 18. And in all things to make known our requests to God in prayer supplication and giving of thanks Phil. 4. 6. And all things are sanctified by the word and prayer This sacred Alchymie that turneth all our conversation and possessions and actions into Holy is an excellent part of the art of Redeeming Time § 49. Direct 10. Lastly be acquainted with the great Thieves that rob men of their Time and with Direct 10. the Devils methods in entising them to lose it and live in continual watchfullness against them It is a more necessary thriftiness to be sparing and saving of your Time than of your money It more concerneth you to keep a continual watch against the things which would rob you of your Time than against those Thieves that would break your house and rob you by the high-way Those persons that would tempt you to the loss of Time are to be taken as your enemies and avoided I shall here recite the names of these Thieves and Time-wasters that you may detest them and save your Time and souls from their deceits Tit. 4. The Thieves or Time-wasters to be watchfully avoided § 50. Th. 1. ONe of the greatest Time-wasting sins is idleness or sloth The slothful see their Thief 1. Time pass away and their work undone and can hear of the necessity of Redeeming it and yet they have not hearts to stir When they are convinced that duty must be done they are still delaying and putting it off from day to day and saying still I will do it to morrow or hereafter To morrow is still the sluggards working day and to day is his idle day He spendeth his Time in fruitless wishes He lyeth in bed or sitteth idly and wisheth Would this were labouring He feasteth his flesh and wisheth that this were fasting He followeth his sports and pleasures and wisheth that this were prayer and a mortified life He lets his heart run after lust or pride or Covetousness and wisheth that this were heavenly mindedness and a laying up a treasure above Thus the soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat Prov. 13. 4. Prov. 21. 25. The desire of the slothful killeth him for his hands refuse to labour Every little opposition or difficulty will put him by a duty Prov. 20. 4. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing Prov. 22. 13. The slothful man saith There is a Lyon without I shall be slain in the streets Prov. 26. 14 15 16. As the door turneth upon his hindges so doth the slothful upon his bed The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth And at last his sloth depraves his Reason and bribeth it to plead the cause of his negligence The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason Time will slide on and duty will be undone and
alloweth and requireth him to make the exercises of his mind on things sublime and holy and the affecting of his heart with them to be his principal business which taketh up the most of his time And we call that an Active obediential life when a mans state and calling requireth him to spend the chief part of his time in some external labour or vocation tending to the good of our selves and others As Artificers Tradesmen Husbandmen Labourers Physicions Lawyers Pastors and Preachers of the Gospel Soldiers and Magistrates all live an Active life which should be a life of Obedience to God Though among these some have much more time for contemplation than others And some few there are that are exempt from both these and are called to live a Passive obediential life that is such a life in which their obedient bearing of the Cross and patient suffering and submission to the chastising or trying will of God is the most eminent and principal service they can do him above Contemplation or Action § 2. Quest. 2. Must every man do his best to â—ast off all worldly and external labours and to retire Quest. 2. himself to a contemplative life as the most excellent Answ. No No man should do so without a special necessity or call For there are general precepts Gal. 6. 10. 2 Thess. 3. on all that are able that we live to the benefit of others and prefer the common good and as we have opportunity do good to all men and love our neighbours as our selves and do as we would be done by which will put us upon much action and that we labour before we eat And for a man unnecessarily to cast off all the service of his life in which he may be profitable to others is a burying or hiding his Masters talents and a neglect of charity and a sinning greatly against the Law of Love As we have Bodies so they must have their work as well as our souls § 3. Quest. 3. Is a life of Contemplation then lawful to any man and to whom Quest. 3. Answ. It is lawful and a duâ—y and a great mercy to some to live almost wholly yea all together Who are called to a contemplative life in contemplation and prayer and such holy exercises And that in these cases following 1. In case that Age hath disabled a man to be serviceable to others by an active life and when a man hath already spent his dayes and strength in doing all the good he can and being now disabled hath special reason to improve the rest of his decrepite age in more than ordinary preparations for his death and in holy communion with God 2. So also when we are disabled by sickness 3. And when imprisonment restraineth us from an active life or profitting others 4. And when persecution forceth Christians to retire into solitudes and Desarts to reserve themselves for better times and places or when prudence telleth them that their prayers in solitude may do more good than at that time their Martyrdom were like to do 5. When a Student is preparing himself for the Ministry or other active life â—o which a contemplative life is the way 6. When poverty or Wars or the rage of enemies disableth a man from all publick converse and driveth him into solitude by unavoidable necessity 7. When the number of those that are fit for action is so sufficient and the parts of the person are so insufficient and so the need and use of them in an active life so small that all things considered holy impartial prudence telleth him that the good which he could do to others by an active life is not like to countervail the losses which he should himself receive and the good which his very example of a holy and heavenly life might do and his occasional counsels and precepts and resolutions to those who come to him for advice being drawn by the estimation of his holy life in this case it is lawful to give up ones self to a contâ—mplâ—tiâ—â— life For that which maketh most to his own good and to others is past doubt lawful and a duâ—y Anna departed not from the Temple but served God with â—â—sting and prayer night and day Luke 2. 36 37. Whether the meaning be that she strictly kept the hours of prayer in the Temple and the fasting twice a Week or frequently or whether she took up her habitation in the houses of some of the Officers of the Temple devoting her self to the service of the Temple it is plain that either way she did something besides praying and fasting Even as the Widows under the Gospel who were also to continue in prayer and supplication night and day 1 Tim. 5. 5. and yet were employed in the service of the Church in over-seeing the younger and â—eaching them to be sober c. Tit. 2. 4. which is an active life But however Anna's practice be expounded if this much that I have granted would please the Monasticks we would not dâ—â—â—â—r with them § 4. Quest. 4. How far are those in an active life to use Contemplation Quâ—â—â—â— 4. Answ. With very great difference 1. According to the difference of their Callings in the world and the Offices in which they are ordinarily to serve God 2. And according to the difference of their Abilities and fitness for Contemplation or for Action 3. According to the difference of their particular opportunities 4. According to the difference of the necessities of others which may require their help 5. And of their own necessities of Action or Contemplation Which I shall more particularly determine in certain Rules § 5. 1. Every Christian must use so much contemplation as is necessary to the Loving of God Rule 1. above all and to the worshipping of him in Spirit and in truth and to a heavenly mind and conversation and to his due preparation for death and judgement and to the refâ—rring all his common works to the glory and pleasing of God that Holiness to the Lord may be written upon all and all that he hath may be sanctified or devoted with himself to God § 6. 2. The calling of a Minister of the Gospel is so perfectly mixt of contemplation and Rule 2. action that though Action denominate it as being the End and Chief yet he must be excellent in both If they be not excellent in contemplation they will not be meet to stand so much nearer to God than the people do and to sanctifie him when they draw near him and glorifie him before all the people nor will they be fit for the opening of the heavenly mysteries and working that on the peoples hearts which never was on their own And if they be not Excellent in an Active life they will betray the peoples souls and never go through that painful diligence and preaching in season and out of season publickly and from house to house day and night with tears which Paul
mercies to ask them and those that have received them to be thankful for them Obj. So they may do singly Answ. It is not only as single persons but as a society that they receive the meroy Therefore not only as single persons but as a society should they pray and give thanks Therefore should they do it in that manner as may be most fit for a society to do it in and that is together conjunctly that it may be indeed a family Sacrifice and that each part may see that the rest joyn with them And especially that the Ruler may be satisfied in this to whom the oversight of the rest is committed to see that they all joyn in Prayer which in secret he cannot see it being not fit that secret prayer should have Spectatours or Witness that is should not be secret But this I intended to make another Arment by it self which because we are faln on it I will add next Arg. 3. If God hath given charge to the Ruler of the Family to see that the rest do worship him in that Family then ought the Ruler to cause them solemnly or openly to joyn in that Worship But God hath given charge to the Ruler of the Family to see that the rest do worship him in that Family Therefore c. The reason of the Consequence is because otherwise he can with no convenience see that they do it For 1. It is not fit that he should stand by while they pray secretly 2. Nor are they able vocally to do it in most Families but have need of a leader it being not a thing to be expected of every Woman and Child and Servant that hath wanted good education that they should beable to pray without a Guide so as is fit for others to hear 3. It would take up almost all the time of the Ruler of many Families to go to them one after another and stand by them while they pray till all have done What man in his wits can think this to be so fit a course as for the Family to joyn together the Ruler being the mouth The Antecedent I prove thus 1. The fourth Commandment requireth the Ruler of the Family not only to see that himself sanctifie the Sabbath day but also that his Son and Daughter and Man servant and Maid servant his Cattle that is so far as they are capable yea and the Stranger that is within his gates should do it 2. It was committed to Abrahams charge to see that all in his Family were Circumcised So was it afterward to every Ruler of a Family insomuch as the Angel threatned Moses when his Son was uncircumcised 3. The Ruler of the Family was to see that the Passeover was kept by every one in his Family Exod. 12. 2 3 c. and so the Feast of Weeks Deut. 16. 11 12. All that is said before tendeth to prove this and much more might be said if I thought it would be denyed Arg. 4. If God prefer and would have us prefer the prayers and praises of many conjunct before the prayers and praises of those persons dividedly then it is his will that the particular persons of Christian Families should prefer conjunct prayer and praises before disjunct But the Antecedent is true Therefore so is the consequent Or thus take it for the same Argument or another If it be the Duty of Neighbours when they have occasion and opportunity rather to joyn together in praises of common concernment than to do it dividedly then much more is this the Duty of Families But it is the Duty of Neighbours Therefore In the former Argument the reason of the consequence is because that way is to be taken that God is best pleased with The reason of the consequence in the latter is because familie members are more nearly related than neighbours and have much more advantage and opportunity for conjunction and more ordinary reasons to urge them to it from the conjunction of their interests and affairs There is nothing needs proof but the Antecedent which I shall put past all Doubt by these Arguments 1. Col. 3. 16. Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord. Here is one Duty of praise required to be done together and not apart only I shall yet make further use of this text anon 2. Acts 12. 12. Many were gathered together praying in Maryes house when Peter came to the door this was not an Assembly of the whole Church but a small part They judged it better to pray together than alone 3. Acts 20. 36. Paul prayed together with all the Elders of the Church of Ephesus when he had them with him and did not choose rather to let them pray each man alone 4. Iames 5. 15 16. Iames commands the sick to send for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him and the prayer of the faithful shall save the sick c. He doth not bid send to them to pray for you but he would have them joyn together in doing it 5. Church prayers are preferred before private on this ground and we commanded not to forsake the Assembling of our selves together Heb. 10. 25. â—6 Striving together in prayer is desired Rom. 15. 30. 7. Matth. 18. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them 8. Therefore Christ came among the Disciples when they were gathered together after his resurrection And sent down the Holy Ghost when they were gathered together Acts 2. And they continued with one accord in prayer and supplication Acts 1. 14. 24. 2. 42. And When they had prayed the place was shaken where they had assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost c. Act. 4. 31. 9. Is not this implied in Christs directing his Disciples to pray in the plural number Our Father c. Give us this day c. 10. The very necessitie of the persons proves it in that few societies are such but that most are unable to express their own wants so largely as to affect their hearts so much as when others do it that are better stored with affection and expression And this is one of Gods ways for communion and communication of grace that those that have much may help to warm and kindle those that have less Experience telleth us the benefit of this As all the body is not an eye or hand so not a tongue and therefore the tongue of the Church and of the family must speak for the whole body not but that each one ought to pray in secret too But 1. There the heart without the tongue may better serve turn 2. They still ought to prefer conjunct prayer And 11. the communion of Saints is an Article of our Creed which binds us to acknowledge it fit to do as much as we can of Gods work in communion with the Saints not going
these houses yet Beza Grotius and many others acknowledge it to be meant of a family or dâ—mestick Church according to that of Tertullian ubi tres licet laici ibi Ecclesia yet I say not that such a family Church is of the same species with a particular organized Church of many families But it could not so much as Analogically be called a Church if they might not and must not pray together and praise God together for these therefore it fully concludeth Argument 10. If Rulers must teach their families the word of God then must they pray with them But they must teach them Therefore The Antecedent is fully proved by express Scripture already See also Psalms 78 4. 5. 6. Ministers must teach from house to house therefore Rulers themselves must do it Acts 5. 42. 20. 20. The Consequence is proved good 1. The Apostles prayed when they Preached or Instructed Christians in private Assemblies Acts 20. 36. and other places 2. We have special need of Gods Assistance in reading the Scriptures to know his mind in them and to make them profitable to us therefore we must seek it 3. The Reverence due to so holy a business requireth it 4. We are commanded in all things to make our requests known to God with Prayers Supplications and thanksgiving and that with all manner of prayer in all places without ceasing therefore specially on such occasions as the reading of Scriptures and instructing others And I think that few men that are convinced of the duty of reading Scripture and solemn instructing their families will question the duty of praying for Gods blessing on it when they set upon the work Yea a Christians own Conscience will provoke him reverently to begin all with God in the imploring of his acceptance and aid and blessing Argument 11. If Rulers of families are bound to teach their families to Pray then are they bound to Pray with them But they are bound to teach them to Pray Therefore In the foregoing Argument I speak of teaching in general Here I speak of teaching to Pray in special The Antecedent of the major I prove thus 1. They are bound to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6. 44. Therefore to teach them to Pray and Praise God For the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord containeth that 2. They are bound to teach them the fear of the Lord and train them up in the way that they should go and that is doubtless in the way of Prayer and Praising God The Consequence Appeareth here to be sound in that men cannot be well and effectually taught to Pray without Praying with them or in their hearing herefore they that must teach them to Pray must Pray with them It is like Musick which you cannot well teach any man without playing or singing to him seeing teaching must be by practising And in most practical Doctrines it is so in some degree If any question this I appeal to Experience I never knew any man that was well taught by man to pray without practising it before them They that ever knew any such may have the more colour to object but I did not Or if they did yet so rare a thing is not to be made the ordinary way of our Endeavouâ—s no more than we should forbear teaching men the most curious Artifices by ocular demonstration because some Wits have learnt them by few words or of their own Invention They are cruel to Children and Servants that teach them not to pray by practice and example Argument 12. From 1 Tim. 4. 3 4 5. Meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer Here mark That all our Meat is to be received with thanksgiving not only with a disposition of thankfulness 2. That this is twice repeated here together expresly yea thrice in sense 3. That God created them so to be received 4. That it is made a Condition of the goodness that is the blessing of the Creature to our use 5. That the Creature is said to be sanctified by Gods Word and Prayer and so to be unsanctified to us before 6. That the same thing which is called thanksgiving in the two former verses is called Prayer in the last Else the consequence of the Apostle could not hold when he thus argues It s good if it â—â— received with thanksgiving because it is sanctified by Prayer Hence I will draw these two Arguments 1. If families must with thanksgiving receive their meat as from God then is the thanksgiving of families a duty of Gods appointment But the former is true therefore so is the latter The Antecedent is plain All must receive their meat with thanksgiving Therefore families must They eat together therefore they must give thanks together And that Prayer is included in thanksgiving in this Text I manifested before 2. It is the Duty of families to use means that all Gods Creatures may be sanctified to them Prayer is the means to be used that all Gods Creatures may be sanctified to them Therefore it is the duty of families to use prayer Argument 13. From 1 Pet. 3. 7. Likewise ye Husbands dwell with them according to knowledge giving honour to the Wife as to the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindered That Prayer which is especially hindered by ignorant and unkind converse is it that is especially meant here in this Text. But it is conjunct Prayer that is especially so hindered Therefore c. I know that secret personal prayer is also hindered by the same causes but not so directly and notably as conjunct prayer is With what hearts can Husband and Wife joyn together as one soul in prayer to God when they abuse and exasperate each other and come hot from chidings and dissentions This seemeth the true meaning of the Text And so the conjunct prayer of Husband and Wife being proved a duty who sometime constitute a family the same reasons will include the rest of the family also Arg. 14. From Col 3. 16 17. to Col. 4. 4. Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord and whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Iesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him Wives submit your selves c. 4. 2. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving Hence I may fetch many arguments for family-prayers 1. It appeareth to be family prayers principally that the Apostle here speaketh of For it is families that he speaks to For in verse 16 17. he speaketh of prayer and thanksgiving and in the next words he speaketh to each family-relation Wives Husbands Children Parents Servants Masters And in the next words continuing his speech to the same
especially after the coming down of the Holy Ghost As they understood not many Articles of that faith till then so no wonder if they understood not many duties till then For Christ would have them thus suddenly instructed and fullyer sanctified by a Miracle that their Ministry might be more credible their Mission being evidently Divine and they being past the suspicion of forgery and deceit 2. And though it is evident that Christ did use to Bless the Meat and sing Hymns to God with his Disciples Luke 22. 17 18. Mar. 14. 22 23 26. Matth. 26. 27 28 30. and therefore it is very probable prayed with them often as Iohn 17. Yet it could not be expected that he should ordinarily be their mouth in such prayers as they daily needed His case and ours are exceedingly different His Disciples must daily confess their sins and be humbled for them and ask forgiveness but Christ had none of this to do They must pray for mortifying grace and help against sin but he had no sin to mortifie or pray against They must pray for the Spirit and the increase of their imperfect graces but Christ had fulness and perfection They must pray for many means to these ends and for help in using them and a blessing on them which he had no use for They must give thanks for pardon and conversion c. which Christ had no occasion to give thanks for So that having a High-Priest so much separate from sinners they had one that prayed for them but not one fit to joyn with them as their mouth to God in ordinary family-family-prayers such as they needed as Masters must do with their Families Obj. 3. God doth not require either vain or abominable prayers But family-prayers are ordinarily vain Object 3. and abominable Therefore c. The minor is proved thus The prayers of the wicked are abominable most families are wicked or have wicked persons Therefore c. Answ. 1. This is confessedly nothing against the Prayers of Godly families 2. The Prayers of a Godly master are not abominable nor vain because of the presence of others that are ungodly Else Christs prayers and blessings before-mentioned should have been vain or abominable because Iudas was there who was a Thief and Hypocrite And the Apostles and all Ministers Prayers should be so in all such Churches as that of Corinth Galatia Ephesus are described to have been 3. I refer you to my Method for Peace of Conscience how far the prayers of the wicked are or are not abominable The prayers of the wicked as wicked are abominable but not as they express their return to God and repenting of their wickedness It is not the abominable prayer that God commandeth but the faithful penitent prayer You mistake it as if the wicked man were not the person commanded to pray whereas you should rather say It is not the abominable prayer that is commanded him He is commanded to pray such prayers as are not abominable Even as Simon Magus Act. 8. to Repent and Pray and to seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near and to forsake his way c. Isa. 55. 6 7. Let the wicked pray thus and his prayer will not be abominable The command of praying implyeth the command of Repenting and departing from his wickedness For what is it to pray for Grace but to express to God their Desires of Grace It is not to tell God a lye by saying they desire that which they hate Therefore when we exhort them to pray we exhort them to such Desires Obj. 4. Many Masters of families cannot pray in their Families without a Book and that 's unlawful Object 4. Answ. 1. If their disability be Natural as in Ideots they are not fit to rule families If it be Moral and culpable they are bound to use the means to overcome it And in the mean time to use a Book or form rather than not to pray in their families at all Of the frequency and seasons of Family-Worship THE last part of my work is to speak of the fit Times of Family-Worship 1. Whether it should be every day 2. Whether twice a day 3. Whether Morning and Evening Answ. 1. Ordinarily it should be every day and twice a day and the Morning and Evening are ordinarily the fitest seasons 2. But extraordinarily some greater duty may intervene which may for that time disoblige us And the occasions of some Families may make that hour fit which is unfit to another For brevity I will joyn all together in the proof Arg. 1. We are bound to take all fit occasions and opportunities to worship God Families have daily Morning and Evening such occasions and opportunities therefore they are bound to take them Both Major and Minor are proved before Experience proveth that family-sins are daily committed and family mercies daily received and family-necessities daily do occur And Reason tells us 1. That it is seasonable every Morning to give God thanks for the Rest of the night past 2. And to beg direction protection and provisions and blessing for the following day 3. And that then our minds are freest from weariness and worldly care And so Reason telleth us that the Evening is a fit season to give God thanks for the mercies of the day and to confess the sins of the day and ask forgiveness and to pray for rest and protection in the night As nature and reason tell us how oft a man should eat and drink and how long he should sleep and what cloathing he should wear and Scripture need not tell you the particulars so if Scripture command you Prayer in General God may by providence tell you when and how oft you must pray Arg. 2. The Lords prayer directeth us daily to put up such prayers as belong to families Therefore c. Give us this day our daily bread It runs all in the plural number And the Reason of it will oblige families as well as individual persons Arg. 3. From 1 Thes. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing in all things give thanks â—l 4. 1 2. Masters give to your servants that which is just and equal knowing that ye also have a master in Heaven Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving Col. 3. 17. whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Iesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God It is easie for a man that is willing to see that less than twice a day doth not answer the command of praying without ceasing continually in every thing whatever ye do c. The phrases seeming to go much higher Arg. 4. Daniel prayed in his house thrice a day Therefore less than twice under the Gospel is to us unreasonable Arg. 5. 1 Tim. 4. 5. She that is a
Understandings and Charity to be both exceeding low § 7. Quest. 7. Must we alwayes pray according to the Method of the Lords Prayer and is it a sin Quest. 7. to do otherwise Answ. 1. The Lords Prayer is first a Rule for your Desires And it is a sin if your Desires follow not that Method If you do not begin in your Desires with God as your Ultimate End and if you first Desire not his Glory and then the flourishing of his Kingdom and then the Obeying of his Laws and herein the publick welfare of the world before and above your particular benefit And it is a sin if you desire not your Daily Bread or necessary support of Nature as a lower mercy in order to your higher spiritual mercies and if you desire not pardon of sin as a means to your future sanctity duty and felicity and if you desire not these as a means to the glory of God and take not his Praises as the highest part of your Prayers But for the Expressing of these Desires particular occasions may warrant you oft-times to begin in another order As when you pray for the sick or pray for directions or a blessing before a Sermon or some particular work you may begin and end with the subject that is before you as the prayers of holy men in all ages have done 2. You must distinguish also as between Desires and Expressions so between an Universal and a Particular Prayer The one containeth all the parts of prayer and the other is but about some one subject or part or but some few This last being but one or few particular Petitions cannot possibly be uttered in the Method of an Universal Prayer which hath all the parts There is no one Petition in the Lords Prayer but may be made a prayer it self and then it cannot have the other Petitions as parts 3. And you must distinguish between the even and ordinary case of a Christian and his extraordinary case when some special reason affection or accident calleth him to look most to some one particular In his even and ordinary case every universal prayer should be expressed in the Method of the Lords Prayer But in cases of special reason and inducement it may be otherwise § 8. Quest. 8. Must we pray alwayes when the Spirit moveth us and only then or as Reason guideeth Quest. 8. us Answ. There are two sorts of the Spirits motions The one is by extraordinary inspiration or impulse as he moved the Prophets and Apostles to reveal new Laws or precepts or events or to do some actions without respect to any other command than the Inspiration it self This Christians are not now to expect because experience telleth us that it is ceased or if any should pretend to it as not yet ceased in the prediction of events and direction in some things otherwise indifferent yet it is most certain that it is ceased as to Legislation For the spirit it self hath already given us those Laws which he hath declared to be perfect and unchangeable till the end of the world The other sort of the spirits working is not to make new Laws or Duties but to Guide and quicken us in the doing of that which is our Duty before by the Laws already made And these are the motions that all true Christians must now expect By which you may see that the Spirit and Reason are not to be here dis-joyned much less opposed As Reason sufficeth not without the spirit being dark and asleep so the spirit worketh not on the Will but by the Reason He moveth not a man as a beast or stone to do a thing he knoweth not why but by illumination giveth him the soundest Reason for the doing of it And Duty is first Duty before we do it And when by our own sin we forfeit the special motions or help of the spirit duty doth not thereby cease to be duty nor our omission to be sin If the spirit of God teach you to discern the meetest season for prayer by considering your affairs and when you are most free this is not to be denyed to be the work of the spirit because it is rational as phanatick enthusiasts imagine And if you are moved to pray in a crowd of business or at any time when Reason can prove that it is not your duty but your sin the same Reason proveth that it was not the spirit of God that moved you to it For the spirit in the heart is not contrary to the spirit in the Scripture Set upon the duty which the spirit in the Scripture commandeth you and then you may be sure that you obey the spirit otherwise you disobey it Yea if your hearts be cold prayer is a likelyer means to warm them than the omission of it To ask whether you may pray while your hearts are cold and backward is as to ask whether you may labour or come to the fire before you are warm Gods spirit is liker to help you in Duty than in the neglect of it § 9. Quest. 9. May a man pray that hath no Desire at all of the Grace which he prayeth for Quest. 9. Answ. No because it is no prayer but Dissembling and dissembling is no duty He that asketh for that which he would not have doth lye to God in his hypocrisie But if a man have but cold and common desires though they reach not to that which will prove them evidences of true grace he may pray and express those desires which he hath § 10. Quest. 10. May a man pray that doubteth of his interest in God and dare not call him Father Quest. 10. as his Child Answ. 1. There is a common Interest in God which all mankind have as he is Good to all and as Psal. 42. 9. 22. 1. â—on 2. 4. Jâ—r 31. 9. Luk. 15. 12 17 19. Mal. 2. 10. his mercy through Christ is offered to all And thus those that are not regenâ—rate are his Children by Creation and by participation of his mercy And they may both call him Father and pray to himself though yet they are unregenerate 2. God hath an interest in you when you have no special interest in him Therefore his command must be obeyed which bids you pray 3. Groundless doubts will not disoblige you from your duty else men might free themselves from almost all their obedience § 11. Quest. 11. May a wicked or unregenerate man pray and is he accepted Or is not his prayer Quest. 11. abominable to God Answ. 1. A wicked man as a wicked man can pray no how but wickedly that is he asketh only Act. 15. 17. 1â— 27. 8. 22. Isa. 55. 6. Psal. 14. 4. for things unlawful to be asked or for lawful things to unlawful ends and this is still abominable to God 2. A wicked man may have in him some good that proceedeth from common grace and this he may be obliged to exercise and so by prayer
for the edification of many persons At least those that cannot otherwise do so well Therefore those persons must use a form Full experience doth prove the Minor and nothing but strangeness to men can contradict it Quest. 72. Are Forms of Prayer or Preaching in the Church lawful Answ. YEs Most Ministers study the Methodical form of their Sermons before they preach God gave forms of preaching to Moses and the Prophets See a large form of prayer for all the people Deut. 26. 13 14 15. And so elsewhere there are many them And many write the very words or study them And so most Sermons are a form And sure it is as lawful to think before hand what to say in praying as in preaching 1. That which God hath not forbidden is lawful But God hath not forbidden Ministers to study their Sermons or Prayers either for matter method or words and so to make them many wayes a form 2. That which God prescribed is lawful if he reverse it not But God prescribed publick forms of prayer As the titles and matter of many of the Psalms prove which were daily used in the Jewish Synagogues Object Psalms being to be sung are more than Prayers Answ. They were Prayers though more They are called Prayers and for the Matter many of them were no more than prayers but only for the measures of words Nor was their singing like ours now but liker to our saying And there are many other prayers recorded in the Scripture 3. And all the Churches of Christ at least these thirteen or fourteen hundred years have taken publick forms for lawful which is not to be gainsayed without proof Quest. 73. Are publick Forms of mans Devising or Composing lawful Answ. YEs 1. The Ministers afore mentioned throughout the Christian world do devise and compose the form of their own Sermons and Prayers And that maketh them not unlawful 2. And who ever speaketh ex tempore his words are a form when he speaketh them though not a premeditated form 3. And when Scripture so vehemently commandeth us to search meditate study the Scriptures and take heed to our selves and unto doctrine c. What a person is that who will condemn prayer or preaching only because we before hand studied or considered what to say As if God abhorred diligence and the use of reason Men are not tyed now from thinking before hand what to say to the Judge at the Bar for estate or life or what to say on an Embassage or to a King or any man that we converse with And where are we forbidden to forethink what to say to God Must the people take heed how they hear and look to their foot when they go into the house of God And must not we take heed what we speak and look to our words that they be fit and decent Object Forms are Images of prayer and preaching forbidden in the second Commandment Answ. Prove it and add not to the Word of God 1. Then Scripture and Gods servants even Christ himself had broken the second Commandment when they used or prescribed forms 2. Forms are no more Images than extemporate words are as they signifie our minds Are all the Catechisms printed and written Sermons and Prayers Images or Idols All forms that Parents teach their children O charge not such untruths on God and invent not falshoods of his Word while you cry down mans inventions Quest. 74. Is it lawful to Impose Forms on the Congregation or the people in publick Worship YEs and more than Lawful It is the Pastors duty so to do For whether he fore-think what to pray or not his prayer is to them a form of words And they are bound in all the lawful parts to concur with him in Spirit or desire and to say Amen So that every Minister by Office is daily to impose a form of prayer on all the people in the Congregation Only some men impose the same form many times over or every day and others impose every day a new one Quest. 75. Is it lawful to use Forms Composed by man and imposed not only on the people but on the Pastors of the Churches Answ. THe question concerneth not the Lawfulness of Imposing but of using forms imposed And 1. It is not unlawful to use them meerly on that account because they are imposed or commanded without some greater reason of the unlawfulness For else it would be unlawful for any other to use imposed forms as for a Scholar or Child if the Master or Parent impose them or for the Congregation when the Pastor imposeth them which is not true 2. The using of Imposed forms may by other accidents be sometimes good and sometimes evil as the Accidents are that make it so 1. These accidents may make it evil 1. When the form is bad for matter or manner and we voluntarily prefer it before that which is better being willing of the imposition 2. When we do it to gratifie our slothfulness or to cover our wilful ignorance and disability 3. When we voluntarily obey and strengthen any unlawful usurping Pastors or powers that impose it without authority and so encourage Church-tyranny 4 When we choose a singular form imposed by some singular Pastor and avoid that which the rest of the Churches agree in at a time when it may tend to division and offence 5. When the weakness and offence of the Congregation is such that they will not joyn with us in the imposed form and so by using it we drive them from all publick Worship or divide them 2. And in the following circumstances the using of an imposed form is lawful and a duty 1. When the Minister is so weak that he cannot pray well without one nor compose so good a one himself 2. Or when the errors or great weakness of the generality of Ministers is such as that they usually corrupt or spoil Gods Worship by their own manner of praying and no better are to be had and thereupon the wise and faithful Pastors and Magistrates shall impose one sound and apt Liturgy to avoid error and division in such a distempered time and the Ablest cannot be left at liberty without the relaxing of the rest 3. When it is a means of the Concord of the Churches and no hinderance to our other prayers 4. When our hearers will not joyn with us if we use them not For error and weakness must be born with on one side as well as on the other 5. When obedience to just Authority requireth it and no command of Christ is crost by it 6. When the imposition is so severe that we must so worship God publickly or not at all and so all Gods publick Worship will be shut out of that Congregation Countrey or Nation unless we will use imposed prayers â—7 In a word when the good consequents of Obedience Union avoiding offence Liberty for Gods publick Worship and preaching the Gospel c. are greater than the bad consequents which are
â—3 Rom. 8. 9. 1 John 3. 24. John 3. 5 6. Many Romish Priests and others do so without the Ministry of man to preserve deliver translate expound and preach it to the people 5. And those that think it sufficient to sanctifie men without the concourse of the Spirits illumination vivification and inward operation to that end 6. And they that say that no man can be saved by the knowledge belief love and practice of all the substantial parts of Christianity brought to him by Tradition Parents or Preachers who tell him nothing of the Scriptures but deliver him the Doctrines as attested by Miracles and the Spirit without any notice of the Book 7. And those that say that Scripture alone must be made use of as to all the History of Scripture Times and that it is unlawful to make use of any other Historians as Iosephus and such others 8. And they that say no other Books of Divinity but Scripture are useful yea or lawful to be read of Christians or at least in the Church 9. And they that say that the Scriptures are so Divine not only in Matter but in Method and Style as that there is nothing of humane inculpable imperfection or weakness in them 10. And those that say that the Logical Method and the phrase is as perfect as God was able to make them 11. And they that say that all passages in Scripture historically related are Moral Truths And so make the Devils words to Eve of Iob to Christ c. to be all true 12. And they that say that all passages in the Scripture were equally obligatory to all other places and ages as to those that first received them As the kiss of peace the Vails of women washing feet anointing the sick Deaconesses c. 13. And they that make Scripture so perfect a Rule to our belief that nothing is to be taken for certain that cometh to us any other way As natural knowledge or historical 14. And those that think men may not translate the Scripture turn the Psalms into Metre tune them divide the Scripture into Chapters and Verses c. as being derogatory alterations of the perfect Word 15. And those that think it so perfect a particular rule of all the Circumstances Mâ—des Adjuncts and external expressions of and in Gods Worship as that no such may be invented or added by man 1 Cor. 14. 33 40. 26. that is not there prescribed As Time Place Vesture Gesture Utensils Methods Words and many other things mentioned before 16. And those that Jewishly feign a multitude of unproved mysteries to lye in the Letters Orders Numbers and proper Names in Scriptures though I deny not that there is much mysterie which we little observe 17. They that say that the Scripture is all so plain that there is no obscure or difficult passages in them which men are in danger of wresting to their own destruction 18. And they that say that All in the Scripture is so necessary to salvation even the darkest Prophecies Heb. 5. 10 11 12. that they cannot be saved that understand them not all or at least endeavour not studiously and particularly to understand them 19. And they that say that every Book and Text must of necessity to salvation be believed to be Canonical and true 20. And those that say that God hath so preserved the Scripture as that there are no various readings Of which see Lud. Capellus Crit. Saâ—â— and doubtful Texts thereupon and that no written or printed Copies have been corrupted when Dr. Heylin tells us that the Kings Printer printed the seventh Commandment Thou shalt commit adultery All these err in over-doing III. The dangers of the former detracting from the Scripture are these 1. It injureth the Spirit who is the author of the Scriptures 2 It striketh at the foundation of our faith by weakning the Records which are left us to believe And emboldneth men to sin by diminishing the authority of Gods Law And weakneth our Hopes by weakning the promises 3. It shaketh the universal Government of Christ by shaking the anthority or perfection of the Laws by which he governeth 4. It maketh way for humane Usurpations and Traditions as supplements to the holy Scriptures And leaveth men to contrive to amend Gods Word and Worship and make Co-ordinate Laws and Doctrines of their own 5. It hindereth the Conviction and Conversion of sinners and hardneth them in unbelief by questioning or weakning the means that should convince and turn them 6. It is a tempting men to the Cursed adding to Gods Word IV. The dangers of over-doing here are these 1. It leadeth to downright Infidelity For when men find that the Scripture is imperfect or wanting in that which they fansie to be part of its perfection and to be really insufficient e. g. to teach men Physicks Logick Medicine Languages c. they will be apt to say It is not of God because it hath not that which it pretends to have 2. God is made the Author of defects and imperfections 3. The Scripture is exposed to the scorn and confutation of Infidels 4. Papists are assisted in proving its imperfection But I must stop having spoke to this point before in Quest. 35. and partly Quest. 30. 31. 33. more at large Quest. 167. How far do good men now Preach and Pray by the Spirit Answ. 1. NOt by such Inspiration of new matter from God as the Prophets and Apostles had which indited the Scriptures 2. Not so as to exclude the exercise of Reason Memory or Diligence which must be as much and more than about any common things 3. Not so as to exclude the use and need of Scripture Ministry Sermons Books Conference Examples Use or other means and helps But 1. The Spirit indited that Doctrine and Scripture which is our Rule for prayer and for preaching 2. The Spirits Miracles and works in and by the Apostles seal that doctrine to us and confirm Heb. 2. 3 4. 1 Peâ— 1. 2 22. 2 Thess. 1. 13. John 3. 5 6. Rom. 8. 9. Rom. 8. 15 16 26 27. 2 Tim. 1. 7. Nehem. 9. 20. Isa. 11 â— Ezek. 36. 26. 37. 14. Gal. 4. 6. Zech. 12. 10. Ezek. 18. 31. 11. 19. Rom. 7. 6. John 4. 23 24. 7. 38 39. 1 Cor. 2 10 11. 1 Cor. 6. 11 17. 2 Cor. 4. 13. Gal. 5. 5 16 17 18 25. Ephes. 3. 16. 5. 9 18. 6. 18. 1 Thess. 5. 19. our faith in it 3. The Spirit in our faithful Pastors and Teachers teacheth us by them to pray and preach 4. The Spirit by Illumination Quickning and Sanctification giveth us an habitual acquaintance with our sins our wants with the word of precept and promise with God with Christ with Grace with Heaven And it giveth us a Habit of holy Love to God and Goodness and Thankfulness for mercy and faith in Christ and the life to come and desires of perfection and hatred of sin And he
that hath all these hath a constant Habit of prayer in him For prayer is nothing but the expression with the tongue of these Graces in the heart So that the Spirit of Sanctification is thereby a Spirit of Adoption and of Supplication And he that hath freedom of utterance can speak that which Gods Spirit hath put into his very heart and made him esteem his greatest and nearest concernment and the most necessary and excellent thing in all the world This is the Spirits principal help 5. The same Spirit doth incline our hearts to the diligent use of all those means by which our abilities may be increased As to read and hear and confer and to use our selves to prayer and to meditation self-examination c. 6. The same Spirit helpeth us in the use of all these means to profit by them and to make them all effectual on our hearts 7. The same Spirit concurreth with Means Habits Reason and our own endeavours to help us in the very act of praying and preaching 1. By illuminating our minds to know what to desire and say 2. By actuating our Wills to Love and holy desire and other affections 3. By quickning and exciting us to a liveliness and â—ervency in all And so bringing our former habits into acts the Grace of prayer is the heart and soul of gifts And thus the Spirit teacheth us to pray Yea the same Spirit thus by common helps assisteth even bad men in praying and preaching giving them common habits and acts that are short of special saving grace Whereas men left to themselves without Gods Spirit have none of all these forementioned helps And so the Spirit is said to intercede for us by exciting our unexpressible groans and to help our infirmities when we know what Rom. 8. 26. to ask as we ought Quest. 168. Are not our own Reasons Studies Memory Strivings Books Forms Methods and Ministry needless yea a hurtful quenching or preventing of the Spirit and setting up our own instead of the Spirits operations Answ. 1. YEs if we do it in a conceit of the sufficiency of our selves our reason memory John 15 1 3 4 5 7. studies books forms c. without the Spirit Or if we ascribe any thing to any of these which is proper to Christ or to his Spirit For such proud self-sufficient despisers of the Spirit cannot reasonably expect his help I doubt among men counted Learned and Rational there are too many such * Even among them that in their Ordination heard Receive yâ— the Holy Ghost and Oveâ— which the Holy Gâ—â—â—â—â—ath made you 〈…〉 that know not mans insufficiency or corruption nor the necessity and use of that Holy Ghost into whose name they were baptized and in whom they take on them to believe But think that all that pretend to the Spirit are but Phanaticks and Enthusiasts and self-conceited people when yet the Spirit himself saith Rom. 8 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his And Gal. 4. 6. Because we are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father 2. But if we give to Reason Memory Study Books Methods Forms c. but their proper place in subordination to Christ and to his Spirit they are so far from being quenchers of the Spirit that they are necessary in their places and such means as we must use if ever we will expect the Spirits help For the Spirit is not given to a Bruit to make him a man or rational nor to a proud despiser or idle neglecter of Gods appointed means to be instead of means nor to be a Patron to the vice of pride or idleness which he cometh chiefly to destroy But to bless men in the laborious use of the means which God appointeth him Read but Prov. 1. 20 c. 2. 3. 5. 6. 8. and you will see that knowledge must be laboured for and instruction heard And he that will lye idle till the Isa. 64. 7. Mat. 7. 13 14. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Spirit move him and will not stir up himself to seek God nor strive to enter in at the streight gâ—â—e nor give all diligence to make his Calling and Election sure may find that the Spirit of sloth hath destroyed him when he thought the Spirit of Christ â—ad been saving him He that hath but two Articles in his Creed must make this the second For he that cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. Quest. 169. How doth the Holy Ghost set Bishops over the Churches Answ. 1. BY making the Office it self so far as the Apostles had any hand in it Christ himself Acts 20. 28. having made their Office 2. The Holy Ghost in the Electors and Ordainers directeth them to discern the fitness of the persons Acts 1. 24. Act. 13. 2. 15. 28 c. 14. â—3 elected and ordained and so to call such as God approveth of and calleth by the Holy Ghost in them Which was done 1. By the extraordinary gift of discerning in the Apostles 2. By the ordinary help of Gods Spirit in the wise and faithful Electors and Ordainers ever since 3. The Holy Ghost doth qualifie them for the work by due Life Light and Love Knowledge Willingness and Active ability and so both enâ—lining them to it and marking out the persons by his gifts whom he would have elected and ordained to it Which was done 1. At first by extraordinary gifts 2. And ever since by ordinary 1. Special and saving in some 2. Common and only fitted to the Churches instruction in others So that who ever is not competently qualified is not called by the Holy Ghost When Christ ascended he gave gifts to men some Apostles Prophets and Evangelists 1 Cor. 12. 12 13 28 29. some Pastors and Teachers for the edifying of his body c. Eph. 4. 7 8 9 10. Quest. 170. Are Temples Fonts Utensils Church-lands much more the Ministers holy And what reverence is due to them as holy Answ. THe question is either de nomine whether it be fit to call them holy or de re whether they have that which is called Holiness I. The word Holy signifieth in God essential transcendent Perfection and so it cometh not into our question In creatures it signifieth 1. A Divine nature in the Rational Creature Angels and Men by which it is made like God and disposed to him and his service by Knowledge Love and holy Vivacity which is commonly called Real saving Holiness as distinct from meer Relative 2. It is taken for the Relation of any thing to God as his own peculiar appropriated to him so Mar. 6. 20. Col. 1. 22. Tit. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. 3. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 11. Exod. 22. 31. 1 Cor. 1. 1 2 3. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Heb. 12.
Servants 2. Masters p. 490 CHAP. III. Disput. Whether the solemn Worship of God in and by families as such be of Divine appointment Aff. proved against the Cavils of the prophane and some Sectaries p. 493. What solemn Worship is What a family Proof as to Worship in general Family-advantages for Worship The Natural obligation on families to worship God Families must be sanctified societies Instructing families is a duty Family discipline is a duty Solemn prayer and prâ—ise is a family duty Objections answered Of the frequency and seasons of family worship 1. Whether it should be every day 2. Whether twice a day 3. Whether Morning and evening CHAP. IV. General Directions for the holy Government of famili 〈…〉 How to keep up Authority Of skill in Governing Of holy Willingness p. 509 CHAP. V. Special Motives to perswade men to the holy Government of their families p. 512 CHAP. VI. Motives for a holy and careful Education of Children p. 515 CHAP. VII The Mutual Duties of Husbands and Wives towards each other p. 520. How to maintain due Conjugal Love Of Adultery Motives and Means against dissention Motives and means to further each others salvation Further duties CHAP. VIII The special duties of Husbands to their Wives p. 529 CHAP. IX The special duty of Wives to their Husbands p. 531 Q. How far may a Wife give without her Husbands Consent Q. Of Wives propriety Q Is a Wife guilty of her Husbands unlawful getting if she keep it And is she bound to reveal it as in robbing Q. May a Wife go hear Sermons when her Husband forbiddeth her Q. Must a woman proceed to admonish a wicked Husband when it maketh him worse Q. What she must do in Controverted Cases of Religion when her judgement and her Husbands differ p. 534. Q. How long or in what Cases may Husbands and Wives be distant p. 535. Q. May the bare Commands of Princes separate Husbands and Wives as Ministers Iudges Souldiers Q. May Ministers leave their Wives to go abroad to preach the Gospel Q. May one leave a Wife to save his life in case of personal persecution or danger Q. May Husband and Wife part by consent if they find it to be for the good of both Q. May they consent to be divorced and to marry others Q. Doth Adultery dissolve marriage Q. Is the injured person bound to divorce the other or left free Q. Is it the proper priviledge of the man to put away an adulterous Wife or is it also in the womans power to depart from an adulterous Husband Q. May there be putting away or departing without the Magistrates divorce or license Q. Is not Sodomy and Buggery as lawful a reason of divorce as Adultery Q. What if both parties be adulterous Q. What if one purposely commit adultery to be separated from the other Q. Doth Infidelity dissolve the relation Q. Doth the desertion of one party disoblige the other Q. Must a woman follow a malignant Husband that goeth from the Means of Grace Q. Must she follow him if it be but to poverty or beggary Q. What to do in case of known intention of one to murder the other Q. Or if there be a fixed hatred of each other Q What if a man will not suffer his Wife to hear read or pray or do beat her so as to unfit her for duty or a woman will rail at the Husband in prayer time c. Q. What to do in danger of life by the Pox or Leprosie c. Q Who may marry after parting or divorce p. 539. Q Is it lawful to suffer yea or contribute to the known sin materially of Wife Child Servant or other relations Where is opened what is in our Power to do against sin and what not p. 539. Q. If a Gentleman have a great Estate by which he may do much good and his Wife be so Proud Prodigal and pievish that if she may not waste it all in house keeping and pride she will dye or grow mad or give him no quietness What is his duty in so sad a case p. 542 CHAP. X. The Duties of Parents for their Children Where are twenty special Directions for their Education p. 543 CHAP. XI The Duties of Children towards their Parents p. 547 CHAP. XII The special Duties of Children and Youth towards God p. 552 CHAP. XIII The Duties of Servants to their Masters p. 554 CHAP. XIV Tit. 1. The Duty of Masters towards their Servants p. 556 Tit. 2. The Duty of Masters to Slaves in the Plantations p. 557 Q. 1. Is it lawful for a Christian to buy and use a man as a Slave Q. 2. Is it lawful to use a Christian as a Slave p. 558 Q. 3. What difference must we make between a Servant and a Slave Q. 4. What if men buy Negro's or other Slaves of such as we may think did steal them or buy them of Robbers and Tyrants and not by Consent p. 559 Q. 5. May I not sell such again and make my mony of them Q. 6. May I not return them to him that I bought them of CHAP. XV. The Duties of Children and fellow servants to one another p. 561 CHAP. XVI Directions for holy Conference of fellow servants and others p. 562 Q. May we speak good when the Heart is not affected with it Q. Is that the fruit of the Spirit which we force our tongues to CHAP. XVII Directions for every member of the family how to spend every ordinary day of the Week p. 565 CHAP. XVIII Directions for the holy spending of the Lords Day in families Whether the whole day should be kept holy p. 569 Tit. 2. More particular Directions for the Order of holy duties on that day p. 572 CHAP. XIX Directions for profitable Hearing Gods Word preached p. 573 Tit. 2. Directions for Remembring what you Hear p. 575 Tit. 3. Directions for Holy Resolutions and Affections in hearing p. 576 Tit. 4. Directions to bring what we hear into practice p. 577 CHAP. XX. Directions for profitable Reading the holy Scriptures p. 579 CHAP. XXI Directions for Reading other Books p. 580 CHAP. XXII Directions for right Teaching Children and Servants so as is most likely to have success The summ of Christian Religion p. 582 CHAP. XXIII Directions for Prayer in general p 587 A Scheme or brief Explication of the Exact Method of the Lords Prayer p. 590 Tit. 2. Cases about Prayer p. 591. Q. 1. Is the Lords Prayer to be used as a form of words or only as a Directory for Matter and Method Q. 2. What need is there of any other prayer if this he perfect Q. 3. Is it lawful to pray in a set form of words Q. 4. Are those forms lawful which are prescribed by man and not by God Q 5 Is free praying called extemporate lawful Q. 6. Which is the better Q. 7. Must we ever follow the Method of the Lords Prayer Q. 8. Must we pray only when the Spirit moveth us or as Reason guideth
us Q. 9. May be pray for Grace who desireth it not Q. 10. May he pray that doubteth of his interest in God and dare not call him Father as his Child Q. 11. May a wicked man pray or is he ever accepted Q. 12. May a wicked man use the Lords Prayer Q. 13. Is it Idolatry or sin alwayes to pray to Saints or Angels Q. 14. Must the same man pray secretly that hath before prayed in his family Q. 15. Is it best to keep set hours for prayer Q 16. May we joyn in family prayers with ungodly persons Q. 17 What if the Master or speaker be ungodly or a Heretick Q. 18. May we pray absolutely for outward mercies or only conditionally Q. 19. May we pray for all that we may lawfully desire Q. 20. How may we pray for the salvation of all the world Q. 21. Or for the Conversion of all Nations Q. 22. Or that a whole Kingdom may be converted and saved Q. 23. Or for the destruction of the enemies of Christ or the Kingdom Q. 24. What is to be judged of a particular faith Q. 25. Is every lawful prayer accepted Q. 26. With what faith must I pray for the souls or bodies of others Q. 27. With what faith may we pray for the Continuance of the Church or Gospel Q. 28. How to know when our prayers are heard Q. 29. How to have fulness and constant supply of matter in our prayers Q 30. How to keep up fervency in prayer Q 31. May we look to speed ever the better for any thing in our selves or our prayers Or may we put any trust in them Q. 32. How must that person and prayer be qualified which God will accept to p. 598 Tit. 3. Special Directions for family prayer ibid. Tit. 4. Special Directions for secret prayer p. 599 CHAP XXIV Directions fâ—r families about the Sacrament of the Lords Supper p. 600 What are the Ends of the Sacrament What are the Parts of it Q. 1. Should not the Sacrament have â—â—â—â— preparation than the other parts of worship Q 2. How oft should it be administred Q. 3. Must all members of the visible Church communicate Q. 4. May any man receive it that knoweth himself unsanctified Q. 5. May an ungodly man receive it that knoweth not himself to be ungodly Q. 6. Must a Christian receive who doubteth of his sincerity Q. 7. What if Superiours compell a doubting Christian to receive it by excommunication or imprisonment What should be choose Q. 8. Is not the case of an hypocrite that knoweth not himself to be an hypocrite and of the sincere who knoweth not himself to be sincere all one as to communicating Q. 9. Wherein lyeth the sin of an ungâ—dly person if he receive Q. 10. Doth all unworthy receiving make one lyable to damnation or what Q 11. What is the particular preparation needful to a fit Communicant p. 653. Marks of sincerity ibid. Preparing duties Q 1. May we receive from an ungodly Minister Q 2. May we communicate with unworthy persons in an undisciplined Church Q. 3. What if I cannot communicate unless I conform to an imposed gesture as sitting standing or kneeling Q. 4. What if I cannot receive it but as administered by the Common Prayer Q. 5. If my conscience be not satisfied may I come doubting Obj. Is it not a duty to follow conscience as Gods Officer What to do in the time of administration 1. What Graces must be exercised 2. On what objects 3. The Season and Order of Sacramental duties ad p. 610 CHAP. XXV Directions for fearful troubled Christians who are perplexed with doubts of their sincerity and justification Causes and Cure p. 612 CHAP. XXVI Directions for declining back-sliding Christians about perseverance p. 616 The way of falling into Sects and Heresies and Errors And of declining in Heart and Life Signs of declining Signs of a graceless state Dangerous signs of impenitency False signs of declining Motives against declining Directions against it p. 616 Tit. 2. Directions for perseverance or to prevent back-sliding p. 618 Antidotes against those doctrines of presumption which would binder our perseverance p. 623 CHAP. XXVII Directions for the poor The Temptations of the poor The special Duties of the poor p. 627 CHAP. XXVIII Directions for the Rich. p. 632 CHAP. XXIX Directions for the weak and aged p. 634 CHAP. XXX Directions for the sick p. 637 Tit. 1. Directions for a safe death to secure salvation I. For the unconverted in their sickness A sad case 1. For Examination 2. For Repentance 3. For faith in Christ 4. For a new heart love to God and resolution for obedience Q. Will â—ate Repentance serve the turn in such a case II. Directions to the Gâ—dly for a safe departure Their Temptations to be resisted p. 637 Tit. 2. How to profit by our sickness p 642 Tit. 3. Directions for a comfortable or peaceable Death p. 644. Directions for resisting the Temptations of Satan in time of sickness p. 648 Tit. 4. Directions for doing good to others in our sickness p. 651 CHAP. XXXI Directions to the friends of the sick that are about them p. 653 Q. Can Physick lengthen mens lives Q. Is it meet to make known to the sick their danger of death Q Must we tell bad men of their sin and misery when it may exasperate the disease by troubling them Q. What can be done in so short a time Q. What to do in doubtful cases Q. What order should be observed in counselling the ignorant and ungodly when time is so short Helps against excessive sorrow for the death of friends Yea of the worst A Form of Exhortation to be read in Sickness to the Ungodly or those that we justly fear are such p. 657 A Form of Exhortation to the Godly in Sickness For their comfort Their dying groans and joyes p. 662 TOME III. Christian Ecclesiasticks PART I. CHAP. I. OF the Worship of God in General The Nature and Reasons of it and Directions for it How to know right Ends in worship c. p. 673 CHAP. II. Directions about the Manner of worship to avoid all corruptions and false unacceptable worshipping of God p. 680. The disadvantages of ungodly men in judging of holy worship Q. How far the Scriptures are the Rule or Law of Worship and Discipline and how far not Instances of things undetermined in Scripture What Commands of Scripture are not universal or perpetual May danger excuse from duty and when Rules for the right manner CHAP. III. Directions about the Christian Covenant with God and Baptism p. 688. The Covenant what The Parties Matter Terms Forms necessary Modes Fruits c. External Baptism what Compleat Baptism what Of Renewing the Covenant CHAP. IV. Directions about the Profession of our Religion to others The greatness of the duty of open Profession VVhen and how it must be made p. 692 CHAP. V. Directions about Vows and particular Covenants with God p. 694 VVhat a Vow is The sorts of
or a member of a particular Church who liveth so far from it as to be uncapable of personal communion with them p. 843 Q. 66. If a man be injuriously suspended or Excommunicated by the Pastor or people which way shall he have remedy ibid. Q. 67. Doth presence always make us guilty of the â—vils or faults of the Pastor in Gods Worship or of the Church or In what cases are we guilty ibid. Q. 68. Is it lawful to communicate in the Sacrament with wicked men p. 844 Q. 69. Have all the members of the Church right to the Lords Table and is suspension Lawful ibid. Q. 70. Is there any such thing in the Church as a rank or Classis or species of Church-members at age who are not to be admitted to the Lords Table but only to the hearing the Word and Prayer between Infant members and adult-confirmed ones p. 845 Q. 71. Whether a form of Prayer be lawful p. 847 Q. 72. Are formes of prayer or Preaching in the Church Lawful ibid. Q. 73. Are publick forms of mans devising or composing Lawful ibid. Q. 74. Is it lawful to Impose forms on the Congregation or the people in publick Worship p. 848 Q. 75. Is it Lawful to use forms composed by man and imposed not only on the people but on the Pastors of the Churches ibid. Q. 76. Doth not the calling of a Minister so consist in the exercise of his own ministerial gifts that he may not officiate without them nor make use of other mens gifts instead of them p. 849 Q. Is it lawful to read a Prayer in the Church p. 850 Q. 77. Is it Lawful to Pray in the Church without a prescribed or premeditated form of words ibid. Q. 78. Whether are set forms of words or free praying without them the better way and what are the Commodities and Incommodities of each way p. 851 Q. 79. Is it Lawful to forbear the Preaching of some truths upon mans prohibition that I may have liberty to Preach the rest yea and to promise to forbear them or to do it for the Churches peace p. 853 Q. 80. May or must a Minister silenced or forbid to Preach the Gâ—spel go on still to Preach it against the Law p. 854 Q. 81. May we lawfully keep the Lords day as a fast p. 855 Q. 82. How should the Lords day be spent in the main ibid. Q. 83. May the people bear a vocal part in Worship or do any more than say Amen p. 856 Q. 84. Is it not a sin for our Clerks to make themselves the mouth of the people who are not ordained Ministers of Christ p. 857 Q. 85. Are repetitions of the same words in Churchpraâ—ers lawful p. 858 Q. 86. Is it lawful to bow at the name of Iesus ibid. Q. 87. Is it Lawful to stand up at the Gospel as we are appointed ibid. Q. 88. Is it lawful to kneel when the Deâ—alogue is read p. 859 Q 89. What Gestures are fittest in all the publick Worship ibid. Q. 90. What if the Pastor and Church cannot agree about singing Psalms or what Version or Translation to use or time or place of meeting c. ibid. Q. 91. What if the Pastor excommunicate a man and the people will not forbear his Communion as thinking him unjustly excommunicated p. 860 Q. 92. May a whole Church or the greater part be excommunicated ibid. Q. 93. What if a Church have two Pastors and one excommunicate a man and the other absolve him what shall the Church and the Dissenter do p. 861 Q. 94. For what sins may a man be denyed Communion or Excommunicated Whether for impenitence in every little sin Or For great sin without impenitence ibid. Q. 95. Must the Pastor examine the people before the Sacrament ibid. Q. 96. Is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper a Converting Ordinance p. 862 Q. 97. Must no man come to the Sacrament that is uncertain or doubtful of the sincerity of his faith and repentance ibid. Q. 98. Is it Lawful or a duty to joyn oblations to the Sacrament and how p. 863 Q. 99. How many Sacraments are there appointed by Christ ibid. Q. 100. How far is it lawful needful or unlawful for a man to afflict himself by external penances for sin p. 864 Q. 101. Is it lawful to observe stated times of fasting imposed by others without extraordinary occasions And particularly Lent p. 865 Q. 102. May we continue in a Church where some one Ordinance of Christ is wanting as Discipline Prayer Preaching or Sacraments though we have all the rest p. 866 Q 103. Must the Pastors remove from one Church to another when ever the Magistrate commandeth us though the Bishops contradict it and the Church consent not to dismiss us And so of other cases of disagreement p. 867 Q. 104. Is a Pastor â—bliged to his flock for life or is it Lawful so to oblige himself And may he remove without their Consent And so also of a Chuch member the same questions are put p. 868 Q. 105. When many men pretend at once to be the true Pastors of a particular Church against each others title through differences between the Magistrates the Ordainers and the flocks what should the people do and whom should they adhere to p. 869 Q. 106. To whom doth it belong to Reform a Corrupted Church To the Magistrates Pastors or People p 869 Q. 107. Who is to call Synods Princes Pastors or People ibid. Q. 108. To whom doth it belong to appoint dayes and Assemblies for publick Humiliation and Thanksgiving p. 870 Q. 109. May we omit Church Assemblies on the Lords day if the Magistrate forbid them ibid. Q. 110. Must we obey the Magistrate if he only forbid us Worshipping God in such a place or Countrey or in such numbers or the like circumstances p. 871 Q. 111. Must Subjects or Servants forbear weekly Lectures Reading or such helps above the Lords days worship if Princes or Masters do forbid them p. 871 Q. 112. Whether Religious Worship may be given to a Creature and what p. 872 Q. 113. What Images and what use of Images is Lawful or Unlawful p. 873 Q. 114 Whether Stage-plays where the virtuous and vitious are personated be lawful p. 877 Q. 115. Is it ever unlawful to use the known Symbols and badges of Idolatry p. 878 Q. 116. Is it unlawful to use the Badge or Symbol of any errour or sect in the Worship of God p. 879 Q. 117. Are all Indifferent things made unlawful to us which shall be abused to Idolatrâ—us Worship p. 879 Q. 118. May we use the names of week dayes which Idolatâ—rs honoured their Idols with â—s Sunday Munday Saturday and the rest And so the Months p. 880 Q. 119. Is it lawful to pray secretly when we come first into the Church especially when the Church is otherwise employed ibid. Q. 120. May a Preacher kneel down in the Pulpit and use his private prayers when he is in the Assembly p. 881
that will rule them and not â—e ruled by them that will not suffer them to take their pleasure nor enjoy their riches but hold them to a life which they cannot endure and even undo them in the world he is then no longer a guest for them Whereas if Christ had been received as Christ and Truth and Godliness deliberately entertained for their welldiscerned Excellency and Necessity the deep rooting would have prevented this Apostacie and cured such Hypocrifie § 4. But alas poor Ministers find by sad experience that all prove not Saints that flock to hear them and make up the crowd nor that for a season rejoyce in their light and magnifie them and take their parts The blossom hath its beauty and sweetness but all that blossometh or appeareth in the bud doth not come to perfect fruit Some will be blasted and some blown down some nipt with â—â—osts some eaten by Worms some quickly fall and some hang on till the strongest blasts do cast them down some are deceived and poysoned by false Teachers some by worldly cares and the deceitfulness of riches become unfruitful and are turned aside The lusts of some had deeper rooting then the Word And the friends of some had greater interest in them than Christ and therefore they forsake him to satisfie their importunity some are corrupted by the hopes of preferment or the favour of man some feared from Christ by their threats and frowns and choose to venture on damnation to scape persecution And some are so worldly wise that they can see reason to remit their zeal and can save their souls and bodies too and prove that to be their duty which other men call sin if the end will but answer their expectations And some grow weary of truth and duty as a dull and common thing being not supplyed with that variety which might still continue the delights of Novelty § 5. Yet mistake not what I have said as if all the affection furthered by Novelty and abated by Commonness and use were a sign that the person is but an Hypocrite I know that there is something in the Nature of man remaining in the best which disposeth us to be much more passionately affected with things when they seem New to us and are first apprehended than when they are old and we have known or used them long There is not I believe one man of a thousand but is much more delighted in the Light of Truth when it first appeareth to him than when it is trite and familiarly known and is much more affected with a powerful Minister at first than when he hath long â—ate under him The same Sermon that even transported them at the first hearing would affect them less if they had heard it preach'd an hundred times The same Books which greatly affected us at the first or second reading will affect us less when we have read them over twenty times The same words of Prayer that take much with us when seldom used do less move our affections when they are daily used all the year At our first conversion we have more passionate sorrow for our sin and love to the godly than we can afterwards retain And all this is the case of learned and unlearned the sound and unsound though not of all alike Even Heaven it self is spoken of by Christ as if it did participate of this when he saith that Joy shall be in Heaven over One sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance Luke 15. 7 10. And I know it is the duty of Ministers to take notice of this disposition in their hearers and not to dull them with giving them still the same but to profit them by a pleasant and profitable variety Not by preaching to them another Christ or a new Gospel It is the same God and Christ and Spirit and Scripture and the same Heaven the same Church the same faith and hope and repentance and obedience that we must preach to them as long as we live Though they say we have heard this an hundred times Let them hear it still and bring them not a new Creed If they hear so oft of God and Christ and Heaven till by Faith and Love and Fruition they attain them as their end they have heard well But yet there is a grateful variety of subordinate particulars and of words and methods and seasonable applications necessary to the right performance of our Ministry and to the profitting of the flocks Though the Physicion use the same Apothecaries Shop and Dispensatory and Drugs yet how great a variety must he use of compositions and times and manner of administration § 6. But for all this though the best are affected most with things that seem new and are dulled with the long and frequent use of the same expressions yet they are never weary of the substance of their Religion so as to desire a change And though they are not so passionately affected with the same Sermons and Books or with the thoughts or mention of the same substantial matters of Religion as at first they were Yet do their Iudgements more solidly and tenaciously embrace them and esteem them and their wills as Resolvedly adhere to them and use them and in their lives they practise them better than before Whereas they that take up their Religion but for Novelty will lay it down when it ceaseth to be New to them and must either change for a Newer or have none at all § 7. And as unsound are they that are Religious only because their education or their friends or the Laws or judgement of their Rulers or the Custom of the Countrey hath made it necessary to their Reputation These are Hypocrites at the first setting out and therefore cannot be saved by continuance in such a carnal Religiousness as this I know Law and Custom and education and friends when they side with Godliness are a great advantage to it by affording helps and removing those impediments that might stick much with carnal minds But truth is not your own till it be received in its proper evidence nor your faith divine till you believe what you believe because God is true who dâ—th reveal it nor are you the Children of God till you Love him for himself nor are you truly Religious till the Truth and Goodness of Religion it self be the principal thing that maketh you Religious It helpeth much to discover a mans sincerity when he is not only Religious among the Religious but among the prophane and the enemies and scorners and persecutors of Religion And when a man doth not pray only in a praying family but among the prayerless and the deriders of fervent constant prayer And when a man is heavenly among them that are earthly and temperate among the intemperate and riotous and holdeth the truth among those that reproach it and that hold the contrary When a man is not carried only by a stream of
modest some one shall drink a health or importune him and put the cup into his hand The thief with Achan shall see the bait and the sight will work a Coveteous desire The glutton shall have the Tempting dishes before him and be at a Table which by variety of delicious food is fitted to become his snare whereas if he had nothing set before him but the poor mans simple food which hath nothing in it fit to tempt him he might easily have escaped The fornicator shall have his beautiful dirt brought near him and presented to him in a tempting dress for at a sufficient distance there had been little danger The ambitious person shall have preferment offered him or brought so fair to his hand that with a little seeking it may be attained The fearful coward shall be threatned with the loss of estate or life and hear the report of the Cannons Guns and Drums of Satan Peter is half conquered when he is got among questioning company in the High-Priests Hall Thus David thus Lot thus ordinarily sinners are drawn into the snare § 34. Direct 5. As ever you would preserve your innocency and your souls fly as far from Direct 5. tempting objects as you can I say as you can without distrusting God in the neglect of a certain duty A Wife or a servant that are bound cannot fly nor must we leave undone our certain duty upon an uncertain danger which may otherwise be avoided But keep off from the Temptation at as great a distance as you can The safest course is the best when your souls lie at the stake If it be not Necessary plead not the Lawfulness of what you do when it is a Temptation to that which is unlawful You say It is lawful to wear such curious ornaments and set out your selves in the neatest dress But is it lawful to be Prowd or Lustful or to consume your time unprofitably If not tempt not your selves or others to it Keep away from the place where the snare is laid Look first to the end before thou meddle with the beginning Why should I eat that which I know I cannot digest but must cast it up again And why should I taste that which I must not eat And why should I desire to have that set before me and to look upon it which I must not taste Come not near if thou wouldst not be taken What dost thou at the ALE-house with a cup before thee if thou wouldst not be drawn to excess of drink If thou be subject to excess in eating make not thy own table thy Temptation Fly from the Temptation as thou wouldst do from Hell or from the Devil himself See not the bait of lust or come not near if thou be inclinable to lust saith Solomon Remâ—â—e thy way far from her and come not near the dore of her house Prov. 5. 8. For her end is biâ—er as wormwoâ—d sharp as a two edged sword Her feet go down to death her steps take hold on Hell verse 4 5. Her house inclineth to death and her paths unto the dead None that go to her return again neither take they â—old of the paths of Life Prov. 2. 18 19. Her house is the way to Hell going down to the chambers of Death Prov. 7. 27. Whoso is simple let him turn in hither and as for him that wanteth understanding she saith to him stolne waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant But he knoweth not that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depths of Hell Prov. 9. 16 17 18. Lust not after her beauty in thy heart neither let her take thee with her eye-lids Can a man take fire in his bosom and his cloaths not be burnt Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be hurt Prov. 6. 25 27 28. Remember that you pray daily Lead us not into Temptation And if you will run into it your selves are not your prayers hypocritical and an abuse of God If you would be saved from sin you must be saved in Gods way and that is by flying from Temptations and not drawing near and gazing on forbidden objects and tempting your selves Even as Gods holy means must be used by all that would come to holiness and Heaven so the Devils must be avoided by him that would would scape sin and Hell 2. But if you cannot remove far enough from the snare then double your fâ—â—r and watchfulness and resolution Fly with Ioseph from the sin if you cannot Gen. 39. 12. go out of the house How carefully should every foot be placed when we know that every step we tread is among snarâ—s Rule your senses if you cannot remove the bait Make Iobs covenant with your eyes that you look not on that which would allure Iob 31. 1. Let every sense have a constant watch § 35. Tempt 6. The next great work of the Tempter is to give us the fairest opportunities to sin Tempt 6. and to remove all impediments and shew men encouraging hopes and invitations He will shew the thief which way he may steal and shew the coveteous man which way he may thrive and deceive and over-reach and the ambitious man which way he may rise and the fornicator how he may obtain his desire and sin unknown and then he tells them how easie it is now no one seeth you you may do it without fear or shame It is the Devils great care to take all things out of the way that would affright or hinder sinners That they may have full opportunity to invite them Therefore he is very desirous that publick impediments should be all removed especially a godly Magistrate and Minister and that the common disgrace of sinning may be taken off and if it may be turned against Religion or fall on them that are the greatest adversaries to sin § 36. Direct 6. It is therefore a principal part of your wisdom and watchfulness to avoid the Direct 6. opportunities of sinning and keep out as many impediments as may be in your own way It is a most foolish and sinful thing in some men who think it a brave thing to have power to do hurt though they pretend that they abhor the doing of it He that saith he hateth oppression yet would have a Power to oppress To have all men at his will and mercy he thinks is brave so they that would not be gluttonous would have a tempting table still before them presuming that their own will is a sufficient preservative against the sin so they that would not be insnared with lust have yet a desire to appear as comly and lovely and desirable as may be and to be as much beloved that they may have others affections at command and also to have opportunity offered them that they may sin if they will And is thy will so well established mortified and unchangable as to be so far trusted O foolish sinner that no better knowest thy self nor
a duty As to commit Idolatry to blaspheam God to deny Christ to deny â—â—â—â—â—criptâ—râ—â— to hatâ— or râ—proach or oppose a holy life to be perjured to approve or justifie the â—â—â—â— oâ—â—thâ—râ— c. It can be no duty which cannot be done without the willful yielding to â—â— committing these or any known sin § 48. Rule 4. There are some Duties so great and clear and consâ—â—â—â—t to all that none but a prâ—fâ—â—gâ—â—e or 〈…〉 ne that is fearfully pâ—ysâ—ned with sin can make a doubt of it deliberately Tâ—â—â—â— therefore come not within the case before us § 49. Rule 5. Iâ— Mâ—â—al evil be compared only with Natural Good or Moral Good with Natuâ—â—â—â— Evil there iâ— no dâ—ubt to be made of the case the least sin having more evil in it than the Prospeâ—â—â—â—y or Lives of miâ—â—â—â—ns of men have Good considered in themselves as Natural good and the least â—uâ—â— tâ— God having more good in it than the death of millions of men as such hath evil For the God of duty and the evil of sin are greatned by their respect to God and the other lessened as being 〈…〉 only uâ—to men and with respect to them § 50. Rule 6. Where I am in an equal degree uncertain of the Duty to be omitted and of the sin 〈…〉 committed it is a Greater sin to venture doubtfully upâ—n the committing of a positive sin that is Great in case it prove a sin than upon the omitting a duty which in case it prove a â—uty 〈…〉 Aâ—d on the contrary it is worse to venture on the omitting of a Great duty than on the committing of a small positive sin As suppose my own or my neighbours house be on â—â—re and I am in doubt whether I may take another mans water to quench it against his will Oâ— if my own or my childs or neighbours life be in danger by famine and I doubt whether I may take another mans apples or pears or ears of corn or his bread against his will to save my own lâ—â—e or anothers Really the thing is allready made Lawful or Unlawful which I now determine not by the Law of God But in my unavoidable uncertainty if I be equally doubtful on both sâ—des it is a far greater sin if it prove a sin to omit the saving of the House or Life than to takâ— anâ—ther mans water or fruit or bread that hath plenty if this prove the sin So if King and Nobles were in a ship which would be taken and all destroyed by Pirates unless I told a lie and said They are other persons If I were equally in doubt which course to take to lie or not though sin have more evil than all our Lives have good yet a sinful omitting to save all their lives is a greater sin than a sinful telling of such a lie Suppose I am in doubt whether I may lawfully save an Ox or Asse or a Mans life by labour on the Sabbath day Or David had doubted whether he might eat the consecrated shew-bread in his necessity It 's clear that the sinful neglect of a mans life is worse than the sinful violation of a Sabbath or the sinful use of the consecrated bread If I equally doubt whether I may use a ceremony or disorderly defective form of prayer and whether I should preach the Gospel to save mens souls where there are not others enough to do it it 's clear that sinfully to use a ceremony or disorderly form of prayer is caeteris paribus a lesser sin than sinfully to neglect to preach the Gospel and to save mens souls On the other side suppose I dwelt in Italy and could not have leave to preach the Gospel there unless I would subscribe to the Trent confession or the canon third of Concil Lateran Sub Innocent 3. One of which requireth men to swear for Transubstantiation and to interpret the Scriptures only according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers who never unanimously consented in any exposition of the greatest part of the Scriptures at all The other dâ—â—râ—â—th the Popes deposing Temporal Lords and disobliging their subjects from their allegiance On one side I doubt whether by subscribing I become not guilty of justifying Idolatry Perjury and Rebellion and making my self guilty of the perjury of many thousand others On the other side I doubt whether I may disobey my Superiors who command me this subscription and may forbear preaching the Gospel when yet I apprehend that there are others to preach it and that my worth is not so considerable as that there should be any great loss in putting me out and putting in another and God needeth not me to do him service but hath instruments at command and that I know not how soon he may restore my liberty or that I may serve him in another Country or else in sufferings at home in such a case the sinful justifying of Perjury or Rebellion in whole Countries is a far greater sin than the sinful omission of my preaching for he that justifieth Perjury destroyeth the bonds of all societies and turneth loose the subjects against their Soveraigns Or if I being a Minister were forbidden to preach the Gospel where there is necessity unless I will commit some sin if I doubt on one side whether I should disobey my Superiors and on the other whether I should forbear my calling and neglect the souls of â—inners it is a lesser sin caeteris paribus to disobey a man sinfully than to disobey God and to be cruel to the souls of men to their perdition sinfully Or if I have made a vow and sworn that I will cast away a penny or a shilling and I am in doubt on one side whether I be not bound to keep it as a Vow and on the other whether it be not a sin to keep it because to cast away any of my talents is a sin in this case the sinful casting away of a penny or a shilling is not so great a sin as sinful Perjury If Daniel and the three witnesses had been in equal doubt whether they should obey the King or Pray to God as Daniel 6. and renounce the bowing to his Idol Daniel 3. The sinful forbearance of prayer as then commanded and the sinful bowing to the Idol had been a greater sin than a sinful disobeying the Kings command in such a case if they had mistaken § 51. Rule 7. If I cannot discern whether the Duty to be omitted or the sin to be committed be Rule materâ—ally and in other respects the greater then that will be to me the greater of the sins which my doubting Conscience doth most strongly suspect to be sin in its most impartial deliberation For if other things be equal certainly the sinning against more or less conviction or doubting must make an inequality As if I could not discern whether my subscription to the Trent confession or my forbearing to preach or my preaching though prohibited were the greater sin
in case they were all sinful but yet I am most strongly suspicious of sinfulness in the subscription and less suspicious of sinfullness in my forbearing in such a case to preach and least of all suspicious of sinfullness in my preaching though prohibited In this case to subscribe sinfully is the greatest sin and to forbear sinfully to exercise my office is the next and to preach unwarrantably is the least § 52. Rule 8. If I could perceive no difference in the degrees of evil in the Omission and the Rule Commission nor yet in the degrees of my suspicion or doubting then that is the greater sin which I had greater helps and evidence to have known and did not § 53. Rule 9. If both greater material evil be on one side than on the other and greater suspicion Rule or evidence of the sinfullness also then that must needs be the greater sin § 54. Rule 10. If the Greatness of the Material Evil be on one side and the greatness of the Rule suspicion and evidence be on the other then the former if sin will be materially and in it self considered the worst but the later will be formally the greater disobedience to God But the comparison will be very difficult As suppose that I swear to God that I will cast away a shilling or that I will forbear to pray for a week together Here I take perjury to be a greater sin than my casting away a shilling or forbearing to pray a week But when I question whether the Oath should be kept or not I have greater suspicion that it should not than that it should because no oath must be the bond of the least iniquity Here if the not keeping it prove a sin I shall do that which is the Greater sin in it self if I keep it not but I shall shew more disobedience in keeping it if it be not to be kept § 55. Rule 11. If it be a double sin that I suspect on one side and but a single one on the other Rule it maketh an inequality in the case As suppose that in my Fathers family there are Hereticks and Drunkards and I swear that in my place and calling I will endeavour to cast them out My Mother approveth my Vow My Father is against it and dischargeth me of it because I did it not by his advice On one side I doubt whether I am bound or may act against my Fathers will On the other side I as much doubt whether I am not perjured and disobedient to my Mother if I do it not and whether I disobey not God that made it my duty to endeavour the thing in my place and calling before I vowed it § 56. Rule 12. There is a great deal of difference between omitting the substance of a duty for Rule â—ver and the delaying it or altering the time and â—place and manner For instance that which will justifie or excuse me for shortning my prayer or for praying but once a day or at noon rather than in the morning or for defect in method or fervency or Expressions may not justifie or excuse me for denying renouncing or long forbearing prayer And that which may excuse an Apostle for not preaching in the Temple or Synagogues or not having the Emperors or the High-Priests allowance or consent or for not continuing in one City or Country would not excuse them if they had renounced their callings or totally as to all times and places and manner of performance have ceased their work for fear of men § 57. Rule 13. If the duty to be omitted and the sin to be committed seem equal in greatness and Rule our doubt be equal as to both it is commonly held safer to avoid the Commission more studiously than the â—mission For which there are many reasons given § 58. Rule 14. There is usually much more matter for fear and suspicion caeteris paribus of sins Rule to be committed than of Duties to be omitted when the Commission is made necessary to the doing of the duty Both because it is there that the fear beginneth For I am certain that the Good work is no Duty to me if the act be a sin which is its necessary Condition Therefore so far as I suspect the act to be sinful I must needs suspect the duty to be no duty to me at that time It is not possible I should be rationally more perswaded that the Duty is my duty than that the Condition is no sin If it were the saving of the lives of all the men in the Country I could no further take it to be my duty than I take that to be no sin by which it must be done it being a thing past controversie that we must not sin for the accomplishment of any good whatsoever And also because the sin is supposed to be allwaies sin but few duties are at all timeâ— duties And the sin is a sin to every man but the duty may be another mans duty and not mine For instance Charles the fifth imposeth the Interim upon Germany Some Paâ—â—â—â—rs yielded to it Others refused it and were cast out Those that yielded pleaded the Good of the Churches and the prevention of their utter desolation but yet confessed that if the thing imposed were sinful it was not their duty to do it for any Good whatsoever but to seek the Good of the Church as well as they could without it The other that were cast out argued that so far as they were confident the Interim was sinful they must be confident that nothing was their duty that could not be done without it and that God knew best what is Good for his Church and there is no accomplishing its good by sin and Gods displeasure and that they did not therefore forsake their Ministry but only lose the Rulers License for they resolved to preach in one place or other till they were imprisoned and God can serve himself by their imprisonment or death as well as by their preaching And while others took their places that thought the Interim lawful the Churches were not wholy destitute and if God saw it meet he could restore their fuller liberties again In the mean time to serve him as all Pastors did for three hundred years after Christ without the License of the Civil Magistrate was not to cast away their office Another instance The zealous Papists in the Reign of Hen. 3. in France thought that there was a Necessity of entring the League and warring against the King because Religion was in danger the preservation whereof is an unquestionable duty The Learned and moderate Lawyers that were against them said that there being no question but the King had the total soveraingty over them they were sure it was a sin to resist the Higher powers and therefore no preservation of Religion could be a duty or lawful to them which must be done by such a certain sin Sin is not the means to save
thy most comprehensive odious sin and observe this as the life of all thy particular sins and hate it above all the rest This is the very death and greatest deformity of the soul the absence of Gods Image and Spirit and objectively of himself I never lothe my heart so much as when I observe how little it loveth the Lord. Methinks all the sins that ever I committed are not so lothsome to me as this want of Love to God And it is this that is the venom and malignity of every particular sin I never so much hate my self as when I observe how little of God is within me and how far my heart is estranged from him I never do so fully approve of the Justice of God if he should condemn me and thrust me for ever from his presence as when I observe how far I have thrust him from my heart If there were any sin which proceeded not from a want of Love to God I could easilier pardon it to my self as knowing that God would easilier pardon it But not to Love the God of Love the Fountain of Love the felicity of souls is a sin unfit to be pardoned to any till it be repented of and partly cured Christ will forgive it to none that keep it And when it is uncurable it is the special sin of Hell the badge of Devils and damned souls If God will not give me a heart to Love him I would I had never had a heart If he will give me this he giveth me all Happy are the poor the despised and the persecuted that can but live in the Love of God O miserable Emperours Kings and Lords that are strangers to this Heavenly Love and love their lusts above their Maker Might I but live in the fervent Love of God what matter is it in what Countrey or what Cottage or what Prison I live If I live not in the Love of God my Countrey would be worse than banishment a Palace would be a Prison a Crown would be a miserable comfort to one that hath cast away his comfort and is going to everlasting shame and woe Were we but duly sensible of the worth of Love and the odiousness and malignity that is in the want of it it would keep us from being quiet in the daily neglect of it and would quicken us to seek it and to stir it up § 23. Direct 6. Improve the principle of self-love to the promoting of the Love of God by considering Direct 6. what he hath done for thee and what he is and would be to thee I mean not carnal inordinate self-love which is the chiefest enemy of the Love of God But I mean that rational Love of Happiness and self-preservation which God did put into innocent Adam and hath planted in mans nature as necessary to his Government This natural innocent self-love is that remaining principle in the Heart of man which God himself doth still presuppose in all his Laws and Exhortations and which he taketh advantage of in his works and word for the conversion of the wicked and the perswading of his servants themselves to their obedience This is the common principle in which we are agreed with all the wicked of the world that all men should desire and seek to be happy and choose and do that which is best for themselves or else it were in vain for Ministers to preach to them if we were agreed in nothing and we had not this ground in them to cast our seed into and to work upon And if self-love be but informed and guided by understanding it will compell you to Love God and tell you that nothing should be so much Loved Every one that is a man must Love himself We will not intreat him nor be beholden to him for this And every one that Loveth himself will Love that which he judgeth Best for himself And every wise man must know that he never had nor can have any good at all but what he had from God Why do men Love lust or wealth or honour but because they think that these are good for them And would they not Love God if they practically knew that he is the Best of all for them and instead of all Unnatural unthankful heart Canst thou Love thy self and not Love him that gave thee thy self and gives thee all things Nature teacheth all men to love their most entire and necessary friends Do we deserve a reward by loving those that love us when Publicans will do the like Matth. 5. 46. Art thou not bound to love them that hate thee and curse and persecute thee ver 44 45. What reward then is due to thy unnatural ingratitude that canst not love thy chiefest friend All the friends that ever were kind to thee and did thee good were but his messengers to deliver what he sent thee And canst thou love the bearer and not the giver He made thee a man and not a beast He cast thy lot in his visible Church and not among deluded Infidels or miserable Heathens that never heard unless in scorn of the Redeemers name He brought thee forth in a Land of light In a Reformed Church where Knowledge and Holiness have as great advantage as any where in all the world and not among deluded ignorant Papists where ambition must have been thy Governour and Pride and Tyranny have given thee Laws and a formal Ceremonious Image of Piety must have been thy Religion He gave thee Parents that educated thee in his fear and not such as were prophane and ignorant and would have restrained and persecuted thee from a holy life He spoke to thy Conscience early in thy childhood and prevented the gross abominations which else thou hadst committed He bore with the folly and frailties of thy youth He seasonably gave thee those Books and Teachers and company and helps which were fittest for thee and blest them to the further awakening and instructing of thee when he past by others and left them in their sins He taught thee to pray and heard thy prayer He turned all thy fears and groans to thy spiritual good He pardoned all thy grievous sins and since that how much hath he endured and forgiven He gave thee seasonable and necessary stripes and brought thee up in the School of affliction so moderating them that they might not disable or discourage thee but only correct thee and keep thee from security wantonness stupidity and contempt of holy things and might spoil all temptations to ambition worldliness voluptuousness and fleshly lust By the threatnings of great calamities and death he hath frequently awakened thee to cry to Heaven and by as frequent and wonderful deliverances he hath answered thy prayers and encouraged thee still to wait upon him He hath given thee the hearty prayers of many hundreds of his faithful servants and heard them for thee in many a distress He hath strangely preserved thee in manifold dangers He hath not made thee of the
will at first make you tremble But if you wilfully cast your self ordinarily into such Company by degrees your sense and tenderness will be gone and you will find a very great Hardning power in the company and frequent discourse and practices which your selves condemn § 13. Direct 10. Take heed of wilful sinning against knowledge much more of lying in such sin Direct 10. unrepented of It greatly hardneth to sin against knowledge and much more to commit such sins over and over This grieveth and driveth away the Spirit and dangerously provoketh God to leave men to themselves § 14. Direct 11. Take heed of being customary in the use of those means that must be the means of Direct 11. curing hardned hearts If once the lively preaching and holy living and fervent praying of the servants of God be taken by thee but as matters of course and thou go with them to Church and to prayers but as to eat or drink or kneel with them but for custom thou wilt be as the Smiths Dog that can sleep by the Anvile while the Hammers are beating and the Sparks are flying about his ears It is dangerous to grow Customary and dull under powerful lively helps § 15. Direct 12. Be often with the sick and in the house of mourning and read thy lesson in Direct 21. the Church-yard and let the grave and bones and dust instruct thee When thou seest the End of all the living perhaps thou wilt somewhat lay it to heart Sight will sometime do more than the hearing of greater things Fear may possibly touch the heart that hath not yet so much ingenuity as to be melted by the force of Love And ordinarily the humbling and softning of a hard impenitent heart begins in Fear and ends in Love The work of preparation is in a manner the work of Fear alone The first work of true Conversion is begun in a great measure of fear and somewhat of Love but so little as is scarce perceived because of the more sensible operations of Fear And as a Christian groweth his Love encreaseth till perfect Love in the state of perfection have cast out all tormenting fear though not our Reverence or filial fear of God Look therefore into the grave and remember man that thou must dye thou must dye it is past all controversie that thou must dye And dost thou know where thou must appear when death hath once performed its office Dost thou not believe that after Death comes Judgement Dost thou not know that thou art now in a life of tryal in order to endless Ioy or misery and that this life is to be lived but once and if thou miscarry now thou art undone for ever and that all the hope of preventing thy damnation is Now while this life of tryal doth continue Now is the accepted time this is the day of salvation If Hell be prevented it must be Now prevented If ever thou wilt pray if ever thou wilt be converted if ever thou wilt be made an heir of Heaven it must be Now O man how quickly will patience have done with thee and time be gone and then O then it will be too late Knowest thou not that all the care and labour and hope of the Devil for thy damnation is laid out this way if it be possible to find thee other work or take thee up with other thoughts or keep thee asleep with presumptuous hopes and carnal mirth and pleasures and company or quiet thee by delayes till time be gone and it be too late And wilt thou let him have his will and pleasure him with thy own perdition Dost thou think these are not things to be considered on Do they not deserve thy speediest seriousest thoughts At least use thy Reason and self-love to the awakening and moving and softning thy Hardned heart PART III. Directions against Hypocrisie § HYpâ—crisie is the acting the part of a Religious person as upon a stage by one that is not Religious 〈…〉 sin â—â—â—â— obseâ—â—aâ—eque cavâ—r◠〈◊〉 nequid de â—e meâ—â—â—â— quam sit coâ—mendaâ—e pâ—â— mu fu 〈…〉 aliqua mâ—â—a 〈◊〉 bâ—na quâ—â— insâ—nâ—â—pparâ—â—e facienâ—e ac â—ircumcidâ—â—e â—ociâ— on nem fâ—ctionem I â—â—â—â— iâ—â—â—â—â—â—â— Philosophia â—es adâ—o difficiliâ— est uâ—â—â—m veâ— sâ—mulare magna sit parâ— philosophiae Paâ—l â—â—â—â—g It was one of the Roman â—aws of the 12. tables Impiuâ—â—e audeto pâ—acaâ—e donis â—â—am Deâ—rum Let no ungodly person dare to goe about to appeale tâ—e â—â—spleasure of the Gods by guifts viz. He must appâ—ase them first bâ— râ—formation Boâ—a â—â—â—â—scienâ—ia pâ—odâ—re â—ult câ—nspâ—ci â—â—â—â—â— nequa 〈…〉 indeed A seeming in Religion to be what you are not or to do what you do not Or a dissâ—mâ—ling or câ—unterfeiting that piety which you have not To counterfeit a state of Godliness is the sin only of the unregenerate who at the present are in a state of misery To câ—â—terfeit some particular act of Godliness or some higher degree is an odious sin but such as a regenâ—â—â—â—â— person may be tempted into This act of Hypocrisie doth not denominate the person an Hypocrite but the state of Hypocrisie doth Every Hypocrite therefore is an ungodly person seeming Godly or one that indeed is no true Christian professing himself a Christian. Of Hypocrites there be two sorts some desire to deceive others but not themselves but know themselves to be but dissemblers and these are commonly called Gross Hypocrites And some deceive both themselves and others and think they are no Hypocrites but are as confident of their honesty and sincerity as if they were no dissemblers at all But yet they are as verily Hypocrites as the former because they seem to be Religious and sincere when indeed they are not though they think they are and profess themselves to be true Christians when they are nothing less These are called Close Hypocrites because they know not themselves to be Hypocrites though they might know it if they would This is the commonest sort of Hypocrites § 2. There are also two Degrees of Hypocrites Some of them have only a General profession of Christianity and Godliness which is the professed Religion of the Country where they live and these are Hypocrites because they profess to be what they are not And others make a greater and extraordinary profession of special strictness in their Religion when they are not sincere And these are Eminently called Hypocrites Such as the Pharisees were among the Jews and many Fryers and Jesuits and Nuns among the Papists who by their separating Vows and Orders and Habits profess extraordinarily an extraordinary measure of devotion while they want the life of Godliness § 3. In all Hypocrisie there is considerable 1. The thing pretended 2. The pretence or means of seeming or the cloke of their deceit 1. The thing pretended by common Hypocrites is to be true Christians and servants of God and heirs of Heaven though not to be so zealous in
are Christians but it is with a Mock-Christianity while their souls are strange to the true esteem and use of Christ. They are Believers but with a mock belief described Iames 2. They believe God should be loved above all but they love him not They believe that Holiness is better than all the pleasures of sin yet they choose it not but hate it They are Religious with a seeming vain Religion which will not so much as humble them nor bâ—idle their tongues Iam. 1. 26 They are wise with a mock-wisdom They are wise enough to prove their sins to be all lawfull or but venial sins And wise enough to cast away the Medicine that would â—eal them and to confuâ—e the Physicion and to answer the learnedst Preacher of them all and to scapâ— salvation and to secure themselves a place in Hell and keep themselves ignorant of it till they are there They are converted but with a mock-conversion which leaveth them as carnal and proud and worldly as before being born of Water but not of the Spirit and being sensual still Iohn 3. 5 6. Iude 19. They Repent but with a mock-repentance They Repent but they will not leave their sin nor confess and bewail it but hate reproof and excuse their sin They are Honest but with a mock honesty Though they swear and curse and rail and slander and backbite and scorn at piety it self yet they mean well and have honest hearts Though they receive not the Word with deep roâ—â—ing in their hearts but are abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate they are honest for all that â—uâ—e 8. 15. Tit. 1. 16. They Love God above all though they love not to think or speak of him seriously but hate his Holiness and Justice his Word and holy wayes and servants and are such as the Scripture calleth hâ—ters of God and keep nor his Commandments nor live not to his glory 〈…〉 â—5 4 6 â— 8 20 â— 3. Matâ—h 10 37. They Love the servants of God but they care not if the world were rid of them all and take them to be but a company of self conceited troublesome fellows and as very hypocrites as themselves And the poor Christians that are cruelly used by them think they are neither in good sadness nor in â—east when they profess to love the worshippers of God They love not their money nor lands noâ— lusts with such a kind of love I am sure They have also alwayes good desires but they are such mock-desires as those in Iames 2. 15. that wished the poor were sed and clothed and warmed but gave them nothing towards it And such good desires as the sluggard hath that lyeth in bed and wisheth that all his work were done Prov. 21. 25. The desire of the sluggard killeth him because his hands refuse to labour They pray but with mock-mock-prayers you would little think that they are speaking to the most holy God for no less than the saving of their souls when they are more serious in their very games and sports They pray for grace but they cannot abide it They pray for Holiness but they are resolved they 'll have none of it They pray against their sin but no entreaty can perswade them from it They would have a Mock-ministry a Mock-discipline a Mock-Church a Mock-Sacrament as they make a Mock-profession and give God but a Mock-obedience as I might shew you through all the particulars but for being tedious And all is because they have but a Mock-faith They believe not that God is in good earnest with them in his commands and threatnings and fore-telling of his judgements As Lâ—t to his Sons-in-law Gen. 19. 14. He seemeâ—â— to them as one that mocked and therefore they serve him as those that would mock him O wretched hypocrites Is this agreeable to your holy profession You call your selves Christians and profess to believe the doctrine of Christ Is this agreeable to Christianity to your Creed to the ten Commandments to the Lords Prayer and to the rest of the Word of God Had you none but The similitude of â—uperstition to Religion maketh â—t the more dâ—â—ormed And as who som meat corrupteth into little Worms so good forms and orders corrupt into a number of pâ—tty observances Lord Bacon Essay of Supeâ—st the holy Jealous God to make a mock of Had you nothing less than Religion and matters of salvation and damnation to play with Do you serve God as if he were a child or an Idol or a man of straw that either knoweth not your hearts or is pleased with toyes and complements and shews and saying over certain words or acting a part before him as on a stage Do you know what you offer and to whom His Power is Omnipotency his Glory is ten thousand fold above that of the Sun his Wisdom is infinite Millions of Angels adore him continually He is thy King and Judge he abhorreth hypocrites If thou didst but see one glimpse of his glory or the meanest of his Angels the sight would awake thee from thy dreaming and dallying and frighten thee from thy canting and trifling into a serious regard of God and thy everlasting sâ—ate Mal. 1. 8. Offer this now to thy Governour Will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hâ—sts If your servants set before you upon your Table the Feathers instead of the Fowl and the Hair and Wooll instead of the Flesh and the Scales instead of the Fish would you not think they rather mockt than served you How dear have some paid even in this life for mocking God Let the case of Aarons Sons Lev. 10. 1 2 3. and of Ananias and Saphira Acts 5. inform you If with the big-tree Matth. 21. 19. you offer God Leaves only instead of fruit you are nigh unto cursing and your end is to be burnt Do you not read what he saith to the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3. 15 16. I would thou were cold or hot Because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth that is either be an open Infidel or a holy downright zealous Christian But because thou callest thy self a Christian and hast not the life or zeal of a Christian but coverest thy wickedness and carnality with that holy name I will cast thee away as an abominable vomit It would make the heart of a believer ake to think of the Hypocrisie of most that usurp the name of Christians and how cruelly they mock themselves What a glory is offered them and they lose it by their dallying What a price is in their hands What mercy is offered them and they lose it by their dallying What danger is before them and they will fall into it by their dallying Doth not the weight of your salvation forbid this trifling You might better set the Town on fire and make a jeast of it than jeast your souls into the fire of Hell Then you
their opinion or sâ—ct We little consider how great a hand this Pride hath had in our desolations God hath been scattering the proud of all sorts in the imaginations of their own hearts â—â—ke 1. 51. § 88. Direct 7. Look to a humbled Christ to humble you Can you be proud while you believe Direct 7. that your Saviour was cloathed with flesh and lived in meanness and made himself of no reputation and was despised and scorned and spit upon by sinners and shamefully used and nailed as a malefactor to a cross The very incarnation of Christ is a condescension and humiliation enough to pose both â—â—th â—â—4 Mâ—â—â—â—0 men and Angels transcending all belief but such as God himself produceth by his supernatural testimony and spirit And can Pride look a crucified Christ in the face or stand before him Did God take upon him the form of a servant and must thou domineer and have the highest place Had Joâ—â— 1â— â—◠〈◊〉 2 â— 8 9 10. not Christ a place to lay his head on and must thou needst have thy adorned well-furnished rooms Must thou needs brave it out in the most fantastick fashion instead of thy Saviours seamless coat Doth he pray for his murderers And must thou be revenged for a word or petty wrong Is he patiently spit upon and buffeted And art thou ready through proud impatiencie to spit upon or busâ—â—t others Surely he that condemned sin in the flesh condemned no sin more than Pride § 89. Direct 8. Look to the examples of the most eminent saints and you will see they were all Direct 8. most eminent in humility The Apostles before the coming down of the Holy Ghost on them contended which of them should be the greatest which Christ permitted that he might most sharply rebuke it and leave his warning to all his Ministers and Disciples to the end of the world that they 〈◊〉 12. 7. 〈◊〉 44 13. that would be greatest must be the servants of all and that they must by conversion become as little children or never enter into the Kingdom of God But afterward in what humility did these Apostles labour and live and suffer in the world Paul made himself a servant unto all that he might gain the more though he was free from all men 1 Cor. 9. 19. They submitted themselves to all the injuries and affronts of men to be accounted the plagues and troublers of the world and as the scorn 1 Cor. 4. 12 13 14 15. Acts 24. 5. and off-scouring of all things and a gazing stock to Angels and to men And are you better than they If you are you are more humble and not more proud § 90. Direct 9. Look to the holy Angels that condescend to minister for man and think on the blessed Direct 9. souls with God how far they are from being proud And remember if ever thou come to Heaven how far thou wilt he from pride thy self Such a sight as Isaiahs would take doâ—n pride Isa. 6. 1 2 3. I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up and his train filled the Temple Above it stood the Sâ—raphims Each one had six wings with two he covered his face and with two he covered his feet and with two he fled signifying Humility Purity and obedience And one cryed unto another and said Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts His Glory is the fulness of the whole earth So Rev. 4. 8. and vers 10. The Elders fâ—ll down and â—ast down their Crowns before him that sitteth on the Throne Look up to Heaven and you 'l abhor your pride § 91. Direct 10. Look upâ—n the great imperfection of thy grace and duties Should that man be Direct 10. proud that hath so little of the spirit and image of Jesus Christ That believeth no more and feareth God no more And loveth him no more And can no better trust in him nor rest upon his word and love Nor no more delight in him nor in his holy laws and service One would think that the lamentable weakness of any one of all these graces should take down pride and abase you in your own eyes Is he a Christian that doth not even abhor himself when he perceiveth how little he loveth his God and how little all his meditations on the Love and blood of Christ and of the infinite Goodness of God and of the heavenly Glory do kendle the fire and warm his heart Can we observe the darkness of our minds and ignorance of God and strangness to the life to come and the woful weakness of our faith and not be abased to a loathing of our selves Can we choose but even abhor those hearts that can love a friend and love the toys and vanities of this life and yet can love their God no more That take no more pleasure in his name and praise and word and service when they can find pleasure in the accomodations of their flesh Can we choose but loath those hearts that are so averse to God so loth to think of him so loth to pray to him so weary of prayer or holy meditation or any duty and yet so forward to the business and recreations of the flesh Can we feel how coldly and unbelievingly we pray how ignorantly or carnalâ—y we discourse how confusedly and vainly we think and how slothfully we work and how unprofitably we live and yet be proud and not be covered with shame O for a serious Christian to feel how little of God of Christ of Heaven is upon his heart and how little appeareth in any eminent holiness and fruitfullness and heavenliness of life is so humbling a consideration that we have much ado to own our selves and not lie down as utterly desolate Should that soul admit a thought of pride that hath so little Grace as to be uncertain whether he have any at all in sincerity or not That cannot with assurance call God Father or plead his interest in Christ or in the promises nor knoweth not if he dye this hour whether he shall go to Heaven or Hell Should he be proud that is no readier to dye and no more assured of the pardon of sin nor willinger to appear before the Lord If one pained member will make you groan and walk dejectedly though all the rest do feel no pain a soul that hath this universal weakness a weakness that is so sinful and so dangerous hath cause to be continually humbled to the dust § 92. Direct 11. Look upon thy great and manifold sins which dwell in thy heart and have been Direct 11. committed in thy life and there thou wilt see cause for great humiliation If thy body were full of Toads and Serpents and thou couldst see or feel them crawling in thee wouldst thou then be proud Why so many sins are ten thousand fold worse and should make thee far viler in thy own esteem If thou were possessed with Devils and knewest it wouldst
because he gives God thanks for what he hath and asked it of God in prayer But if thou be a Lover of the world and make provision for the desires of the flesh it is but an aggravation of thy sin to desire God to be a servant to thy fleshly lusts and to thank him for satisfying thy sinful desires Thy prayers and thanks are prophane and carnal They were no service to God but to thy flesh As if a drunkard or a glutton should beg of God provision for their greedy throats and thank him for it when they have it Or a fornicator should pray God to be a pandor to his lusts and then thank him for it Or a wanton gallant should make fine clothes and gallantry the matter of his prayer and thansgiving § 13. 7. Another thinks he is no worldling because he hath some thoughts of Heaven and is loth to be damned when he can keep the world no longer and prayeth often and perhaps fasteth with the Pharisee twice a week and giveth alms often and payeth tythes and wrongeth no man But Luke 18. 11. 12 13. Mat. 6. 16 18. the Pharisees were covetous for all these Luke 16. 14. The question is not whether you think of Heaven and do something for it But whether it be Heaven or Earth which you seek first and make the end of all things else which all are referred to Every worldling knoweth that he must die and therefore he would have Heaven at last for a reserve rather than Hell But where is it that you are laying up your treasure and that you place all your Happiness and hopes And where are your hearts On earth or in Heaven Col. 3. 1 2 3. Mat. 6. 20 21. The question is not whether you give now and then an alms to deceive your Consciences and part with so much as the flesh can spare as a swine will do when he can eat no more But whether all that you have be devoted to the will of God and made to stoop to his service and the saving of your souls and can be forsaken rather than Christ forsaken Luke 14. 33. § 14. 8. Another thinks that he is not Covetous because it is but for his Children that he provideth And he that provideth not for his own is worse than an infidel 1 Tim. 5. 8. But the Text speaketh only of providing necessaries for our families and kindred rather than cast them on the Church to be maintained If you so overvalue the world that you think it the happiness of your children to be Rich you are worldlings and Covetous both for your selves and them It is for their Children that the Richest and Greatest make provision that their posterity may be great and wealthy after them and this maketh them the more worldlings and not the less because they are covetous for after ages when they are dead and not only for themselves § 15. 9. Another thinks he is no worldling because he can speak as hardly of covetous men as any other But many a one revileth others as covetous that is covetous himself Yea covetous men are aptest to accuse others of covetousness and of selling too dear and buying too cheap and giving too little because they would get the more themselves And many Preachers by their reading and knowledge may make a vehement sermon against worldliness and yet go to Hell at last for being worldlings Words are cheap § 16. 10. Another thinks he is not covetous because he purposeth to leave much to charitable uses when he is dead I confess that much is well I would more would do so But the flesh it self can spare it when it seeth that it must lie down in the grave If they could carry their riches with them and enjoy them after death they would do it no doubt To leave it when you cannot keep it any longer is not thank-worthy So the glutton and drunkard and whoremonger and the proud must all leave their pleasure at the grave But do you serve God or the flesh with your Riches while you have them And do you use them to help or to hinder your salvation Deceive not your selves for God is not mocked Gal. 6. 7. § 17. VI. Yet many are falsly accused of covetousness upon such grounds as these 1. Because they Luke 12. 48. 16. 9 10. Mat. 25. 2 Cor. 8. 14 15. possess much and are Rich For the poor take the Rich for worldlings But God giveth not to all alike He putteth ten talents into the hands of one servant and but one into anothers And to whom men commit much of them will they require the more Therefore to be entrusted with more than others is no sin unless they betray that trust § 18. 2. Others are accused as covetous because they satisfie not the covetous desires of those they deal with or that expect much from them and because they give not where it is not their duty but their sin to give Thus the buyer saith the seller is covetous and the seller saith the buyer is covetous because they answer not their covetous desires An idle beggar will accuse you of uncharitableness because you maintain him not in sinful idleness The proud look you should help to maintain their pride The drunkard and ryotous and gamesters expect their parents should maintain their sin No man that hath any thing shall scape the censure of being covetous as long as there is another in the world that coveteth that which he hath selfishness looketh to no rules but their own desires § 19. 3. Others are judged covetous because they give not that which they have not to give Those that know not anothers estate will pass conjectures at it And if their hansom apparel or deportment or the common fame do make men think them richer than they are then they are accounted covetous because their bounty answereth not mens expectations § 20. 4. Others are thought covetous because they are laborious in their callings and thrifty and saving not willing that any thing be lost But all this is their duty If they were Lords or Princes idleness and wastfullness would be their sin God would have all men labour in their several callings that are able And Christ himself said when he had fed many thousands by miracle yet Gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost The question is How they use that which they labour so hard for and save so sparingly If they use it for God and charitable uses there is no man taketh a righter course He is the best servant for God that will be laborious and sparing that he may be able to do good § 21. 5. Others are thought covetous because to avoid hypocrisie they give in secret and keep their works of charity from the knowledge of men These shall have their Reward from God and his wrath shall be the reward of their presumptuous censurers § 22. 6. Others are thought covetous because they lawfully and
understand thy self that thou hadst never lost one minutes Time and never known those sinful vanities and temptations which did occasion it O spend thy Time as thou wouldst review it § 12. Direct 5. Go hear and mark how other men at Death do set by Time and how they wish then Direct 5. that they had spent it It is hardly possible for men in health especially in prosperity and security to Imagine how pretious Time appeareth to an awakened dying man Ask them then whether liâ—e be too long and men have any Time to spare Ask them then whether slugging or working playing or praying be the better spending of our Time Both Good and Bad saints and sensualists do use then to be high esteemers of Time O then what would an ungodly unprepared sinner give for some of the Time which he used before as nothing worth Then the most Holy servants of Christ are sensible how they sinned in lâ—sing any of their Time O then how earnestly do they wish that they had made much of every minute And they that did most for God and their souls that they had done much more Now if they were to pray over their prayers again how earnestly would they beg And how much more good would they do if Time and talents were restored I knew familiarly a most holy grave and Râ—vâ—rend Divine who was so affected with the words of a Godly woman wâ—o at her death did often and vâ—â—â—â—mâ—ntly cry out O Call Time again O Call Time again that the sense of it seemed to remain on his heart and appear in his praying preaching and conversation to his death Now you have Time to cast away upon every nothing But then you will say with David Pâ—alm 89. 47. Remember how short my Time is And as Hagar sate down and wept when her water was spent Gen. 21. 15 16. So then you will lament when Time is gone or just at an end that you set no more by it while you had it O sleepy sinner Thy heart cannot now conceive how thou wilt set by Time when thou hearest the Physicion say You are a dead man and the Divine say you must prepare now for another world When thy heart saith All my daies are gone I must live on earth no more all my preparing time is at end Now what is undone must be undone for ever O that thou hadst now but the esteem of Time which thou wilt have then or immediately after Then O pray for me that God will recover me and try me once again O then how I would spend my time And is it not a most incongruous thing to see the same persons now idle and toy away their time and perhaps think that they do no harm who know that shortly they must cry to God O for a little more Time Lord to do the great work that 's yet undone A little more Time to make sure of my salvation May not God then tell you you had Time till you knew not what to do with it You had so much Time that you had many and many an hour to spare for idleness and vanity and that which you were not ashamed to call Pastime § 13. Direct 6. Remember also that when Iudgement comes God will call you to account both for Direct 6. every hour of your mispent Time and for all the Good which you should have done in all that time and did it not If you must give account for every idle word then sure for every idle hour Matth. 12. 36. And if we must be judged according to all the talents we have received and the improvement of them required of us then certainly for so precious a talent as our Time Mat. 25. And how should that man spend his Time that believeth he must give such account of all Even to the most just and Holy God who will judge all men according to their works and cause them all to reap as they have sowed O spend your Time as you would hear of it in Judgement § 14. Direct 7. Remember how much time you have lost already and therefore if you are not impenitent Direct 7. and insensible of your loss it will provoke you to redeem with the greater diligence the remnant which mercy shall vouchsafe you How much lost you in childhood youth and riper age How much have you lost in ignorance How much in negligence How much in fleshly pleasure and vanity How much in worldliness and many other sins O that you knew but what a loss it was if it had been but one year or week or day Do you think you have spent your Time as you should have done And as beseemed those that had such work to do If not do you repent of it or do you not If you do not you have no hope to be forgiven If you do Repent you will not sure go on to do the same Who will believe that he Repents of gaming revelling or other idle loss of time who doth so still while he professeth to Repent He that hath lost the beginning of the day must go the faster in the end if he will perform so great a journey Can you remember the hours and years that you have mispent in the follies of childhood and the vanities of inconsiderate youth and yet still trifle and not be provoked by penitent shame and fear to diligence Have you not yet cast away enough of such a precious treasure but you will vilifie also the little which remains § 15. Direct 8. Remember the swift and constant motion of your neglected Time What hast it Direct 8. makes And never stays That which was here while you spake the last word is gone before you can speak the next Whatever you are doing or saying or thinking of its passing on without delay It stayeth not while you sleep Whether you remember and observe it and make use of it or not it glides away It stayeth not your leisure It hasteth as fast while you play as while you work while you sin as when you repent No Monarch so potent as to command it a moment to attend his will We have no more Ioshuas to stop the Sun It is above the jurisdiction of the Princes of the earth It will not hear them if they command or request it to delay its hast but the smallest moment Crowns and Kingdoms would be no price to hiâ—e it to loiter but while you draw another breath Your lives are not like the cloaths of the Israelites in the wilderness that wax not old But like the provisions of the Gibeonites worn and wasted while you are passing but a little way And is Time so swift and you so slow Will you stand still and see it pass away as if you had no use for it no work to do nor no account to give § 16. Direct 9. Consider also how unrecoverable Time is when its past Take it now or it s lost for Direct 9. ever All
approved of by Christ who neglected all this to Redeem the Time for the good of her soul by sitting at his feet to hear his Word she chose the better part which shall not be taken from her Remember I pray you that One thing is necessary I hope I may have leave to tell you that if by you or your servants God and your souls and prayer and reading the Scriptures and the profitable labours of an honest Calling be all or any of them neglected while you or they are neatifying this room or washing out that little spot or setting strait Abundance of little things that have all their conveniences have all their inconvenices also and take up our time and sâ— would sâ—â—â—â— out greater things â—â— they be not caâ—â— aside themselves and would become great sins by such a consumption of our Time Luke 10. 42. the other wrinckle or are taken up with foeminine trifling proud curiosities this is a preferring of dust before Gold of the least before the greatest things And to say that decency is commendable is no excuse for neglecting God your souls or families or leaving undone any one greater work which you or your servants might have been doing that while I say any work that is greater all things considered O that you and your families would but live as those that see how fast Death cometh how fast Time goeth and what you have to do and what your unready souls yet want This is all that I desire of you And then I warrant you it would save you many a precious hour and cut short your works of curiosity and deliver you from your slavery to Pride and the esteem of vain Time-wasters § 54. Th. 5. Another Time-wasting sin is needless and tedious feastings gluttony and tipling Thief 5. which being of the same litter I set together I speak not against moderate seasonable and charitable Conâ—â—â—â—a quae dicunâ—ur â—um siâ—t commesâ—â—tionâ— modestia 〈…〉 mihi 〈…〉 sum inuâ—â—le ratus vocare vâ—cari c. Iâ—â—â—â— Feasts But alas in this luxurious sensual age how commonly do men sit two hours at a Feast and spend two more in attending it before and after and not improving the Time in any pious or profitable discourse yea the Rich spend an hour ordinarily in a common Meal while every Meal is a Feast indeed and they fare as their predecessor Luke 16. deliciously or sumptuously every day Happy are the poor that are free also from this temptation You spend not so much Time in the daily addresses of your souls to God and reading his Word and taking an account of the affairs of conscience and preparing for death as you do in stuffing your guts perhaps at one Meal And in Taverns and Ale-houses among their pots how much Time is wasted by Rich and poor O remember while you are eating and drinking what a corruptible piece of flesh you are feeding and serving and how quickly those mouths will be filled with dust and that a soul that is posting so fast unto eternity should find no Time to spare for vanity And that you have important work enough to do which if performed will afford you a sweeter and a longer Feast § 55. Th. 6. Another Time-wasting sin is idle Talk What abundance of precious Time doth Thief 6. this consume Hearken to most mens discourse when they are sitting together or working together or travelling together and you shall hear how little of it is any better than silence and if not better it is worse So full are those persons of Vanity who are empty even to silence of any thing that is good that they can find and feed a discourse of nothing many hours and days together and as they think with such foecundity and floridness of style as deserveth acceptance if not applause I have marvelled oft at some wordy Preachers with how little matter they can handsomly fill up an hour But one would wonder more to hear people fill up not an hour but a great part of their day and of their lives and that without any study at all and without any holy and substantial Subject with words which if you should write them all down and peruse them you would find that the sum and conclusion of them is nothing How self-applaudingly and pleasingly they can ex tempore talk idly and of nothing a great part of their lives I have heard many of them marvel at a poor unlearned Christian that can pray ex tempore many hours together in very good order and well-composed words But are they not more to be marvelled at that can very handsomly talk of nothing ten times as long with greater copiousness and without repetitions and that ex tempore when they have not that variety of great commanding Subjects to be the matter of their speech I tell you when Time must be reviewed the consumption of so much in idle talk will appear to have been no such venial sin as empty careless sinners now imagine § 56. Th. 7. Another Thief which by the aforesaid means would steal your Time is Vain and sinful Thief 7. company Among whom a spiritual Physicion that goeth to cure them or a holy person that is full and resolute to bear down vain discourse I confess may well employ his Time when he is cast upon it or called to it But to dwell with such or choose them as our familiars or causlesly or for complacency keep among them will unavoidably lose abundance of your time If you would do good they will hinder you If you will speak of good they will divert you or reproach you or wrangle and cavil with you or some way or other stop your mouths They will by a stream of vain discourse either bear down and carry you on with them or fill your ears and interrupt and hinder the very thoughts of your minds by which you desire to profit your selves when they will not let you be profitable to others § 57. Th. 8. Another notorious Time-wasting Thief is needless inordinate sports and games which Thief 8. are commonly stigmatized by the offenders themselves with the infamous name of PASTIMES Laertius saith of Solon that Thâ—spini tragedias agere docere prohibuit inuâ—â—lem eas falsiloquentiam vocaâ—â—â—â— and masked with the deceitful title of Recreations such as are Cards and Dice and Stage-plays and Dancings and Revellings and excesses in the most lawful sports especially in Hunting and Hawking and Bowling c. whether all these are lawful or unlawful in themselves is nothing to the present question but I am sure that the precious hours which they take up might have been improved to the saving of many a thousand souls that by the loss of Time are now undone and past recovery except malicious enemies of Godliness I scarce know a wretcheder sort of people on the earth and more to be lamented than those fleshly persons who through the love of sensual
You will not leave it nasty and unclean You will not leave it common to every dirty unsuitable companion to intrude at pleasure and disturb your friend So Love and Pleasure will be readily and composedly careful to keep clean the heart and shut out vain and filthy thoughts and say This room is for a better guest Nothing shall come here which my Lord abhorreth Is he willing so wonderfully to condescend as to take up so mean a habitation and shall I streighten him or offend him by letting in his noysome enemies Will he dwell in my heart and shall I suffer thoughts of pride or lust or malice to dwell with him or to enter in Are these fit companions for the spirit of grace Do I delight to grieve him I know as soon as ever they come in he will either resist them till he drive them out again or he will go out himself And shall I drive away so dear a friend for the love of a filthy pernicious enemy Or do I delight in warr Would I have a continual combat in my heart Shall I put the spirit of Christ to fight for his habitation against such an ignominous foe Indeed there is no true cure for sinful vain unprofitable thoughts but by the contrary by calling up the thoughts unto their proper work and finding them more profitable employment And this is by consecrating the Heart and them entirely to the Love and service of him that hath by the wonders of his Love and by the strange design of his purchase and merits so well deserved them Let Christ come in and deliver him the Key and pray him to keep thy heart as his own and he will cast out buyers and sellers from his temple and will not suffer his house of prayer to be a den of thieves But if you receive Christ with reserves and keep up designs for the world and flesh marvel not if Christ will be no partners with them but leave all to those guests which you would not leave for him Tit. 2. Directions to furnish the Mind with good Thoughts 〈…〉 TO have the mind well furnished with Matter for holy and profitable thoughts is necessary to all that have the use of Reason though not to all alike But I shall here present you only with such materials as are necessary to a holy life and to be used in our daily walk with God and not meddle with such as are proper to Pastors Magistrates or other special callings though I may give some general Directions also for Students in the End of this § 1. Direct 1. Understand well your own Interest and great Concernments and be well resolved what Direct 1. you live for and what is your true felicity and End and then this will command your Thoughts to 1. Our own Interest and End serve it The End is it that the Means are all chosen for and used for A mans estimation directeth his Intention and designs And his Intention and designs command his thoughts These will certainly have the first and chiefest the most serious and practical and effectual thoughts though some by thoughts may run out another way As the Miller will be sure to keep so much water as is necessary to grind his grist though he may let that run by which he thinks he hath no need of As you gather in all your Corn and Fruit for your selves at harvest though perhaps you will leave some scatterings which you do not value much for any that will to gather so whatever a man taketh for his ultimate end and true felicity will have the store and stream of his cogitations though he may scatter some few upon other things when he thinks he may do it without any detriment to his main design As a travellers face is ordinarily towards his journeys end though so far as he thinks it doth not stop him he may look behind him or on each side so our main end will in the main carry on our thoughts And therefore unholy souls that know not practically any higher end than the prosperity and pleasure of the flesh and the plenty and honour of the world cannot possibly exercise any holy Government over their thoughts but their minds and consciences are defiled and their thoughts made carnal as is their end Nor is there any possibility of curing their vicious wicked thoughts and of ordering them acceptably to God but by curing their worldly carnal minds and causing them to change their designs and ends And this must be by understanding what is their interest Know well but what it is that is most Necessary for you and Best for you and it will change your hearts and save your souls Know this and your Thoughts will never want matter to be employed on nor will they be suffered to wander much abroad Therefore it is that the expectation of death and the thought of coming presently to judgement do use more effectually to supply the mind with the wisest and most useful thoughts than the learnedst Book or ordinary means can That which tells a man best what he hath to do doth best tell him what he hath to think on But the approach of death and the appearance of eternity doth best tell a dull and fleshly sinner what he hath to do This tells and tells him roundly that he must presently search his heart and life and judge himself as one that is going to the final judgement and that it is high time for him to look out for the remedy for his sin and misery c. And therefore it will command his thoughts this way Ask any Lawyer Physicion or Tradesman what commands his Thoughts and you will find that his Interest and his Ends and work command them Know what it is to have an immortal soul that must live in Joy or Wo for ever and what it is to be alwayes so near to the irreversible determining sentence and what it is to have this short uncertain time and no more to make our preparation in and then its easie to foretell which way your thoughts will go A man that knoweth his house is on fire will be thinking how to quench it A man that knoweth he is entring into a mortal sickness will be thinking how to cure it There is no better way to have your Thoughts both furnished and acted aright than to know your Interest and right End § 2. Direct 2. Know God aright and behold him by the eye of an effectual faith and you shall never Direct 2. want matter for holy thoughts His Greatness and continual presence with you may command your 2. God thoughts and awe them and keep them from masterless vagaries His wisdom will find them continual employment upon the various excellent and delectable subjects of his natural and supernatural revelation but no where so much as upon himself In God thou maist find matter for thy cogitations and affections most high and excellent delighting the mind with
good Nor is he most beloved of God who hath rolled over the greatest number of good thoughts in his mind or of good words in his mouth no nor he that hath stirred up the strongest passions hereabouts but he that Loveth God and Heaven best and hateth sin most and whose will is most confirmed for Holiness of life He that goeth about his labour in obedience to God may have as much comfort as another that is meditating or praying But neither labour nor prayer is matter of comfort to an ungodly carnal heart Yea if decay of memory or natural ability take you off both Action and Conâ—â—mplation you may have as much acceptance and solid comfort in a patient bearing of the Cross and an obedient ☜ cheerful submission to the holy Will of God Tit. 5. Directions to the Melancholy about their Thoughts IT is so easie and ordinary a thing for some weak-headed persons to cast themselves into Melancholy Read more after Paâ—t 3. against Despair by over-straining either their Thoughts or their Affections and the case of such is so exceeding lamentable that I think it requisite to give such some particular Directions by themselves And the rather because I see some Persons that are unacquainted with the nature of this and other diseases exceedingly abuse the name of God and bring the profession of Religion into scorn by imputing all the affects and speeches of such Melancholy persons to some great and notable operations of the spirit of God and thence draw observations of the methods and workings of God upon the soul and of the nature of the legal workings of the spirit of bondage As some other such have divulged the prophecies the possessions and dispossessing of Hysterical Women as I have read especially in the Writings of the Fryars I do not call those Melancholy who are rationally sorrowful for sin and sensible of their misery and sollicitous about their recovery and salvation though it be with as great seriousness as the faculties can bear As long as they have sound Reason and the imagination fantasie or thinking faculty is not crazed or diseased But by Melancholy I mean this diseased crazynes hurt or errour of the imagination and consequently of the understanding which 〈◊〉 dicunt â—â—p entem nunquam sanitate mentis excâ—dere Incidere tamen aliquando in imaginationes absurdas propter atraebiâ—is redundantiam sive ob delâ—rationem non quidem deviatione rationis verum ex imbecilâ—itate naturae Laert. in Zâ—â—one is known by these following signes which yet are not all in every Melancholy person § 2. 1. They are commonly exceeding fearful causlesly or beyond what there is cause for every thing which they hear or see is ready to increase their fears especially if fear was the first cause as ordinarily it is 2. Their fantasie most erreth in aggravating their sin or dangers or unhappiness every ordinary infirmity they are ready to speak of with amazement as a heynous sin And every possible danger they take for probable and every probable one for certain and every little danger for a great one and every calamity for an utter undoing 3. They are still addicted to excess of sadness some weeping they know not why and some thinking it ought to be so and if they should smile or speak merrily their hearts smite them for it as if they had done amiss 4. They place most of their Religion in sorrowing and austerities to the flesh 5. They are continual self-accusers turning all into matter of accusation against themselves which they hear or read or see or think of quarrelling with themselves for every thing they do as a contentious person doth with others 6. They are still apprehending themselves forsaken of God and are prone to despair They are just like a man in a Wilderness forsaken of all his friends and comforts forlorn and desolate their continual thought is I am undone undone undone 7. They are still thinking that the day of Grace is past and that it is now too late to repent or to find mercy If you tell them of the tenour of the Gospel and offers of free pardon to every penitent believer they cry out still too late too late my day is past not considering that every soul that truly repenteth in this life is certainly forgiven 8. They are oft tempted to gather despairing thoughts from the doctrine of Predestination and to think that if God have reprobated them or have not elected them all that they can do or that all the world can do cannot saâ—e them and next they strongly conceit that they are not elected and so that they are past help or hope not knowing that God electeth not any man separatedly or simply to be saved but conjunctly to believe repent and to be saved and so to the end and means together and that all that will repent and choose Christ and a holy life are elected to salvation because they are elected to the means and condition of salvation which if they persevere they shall enjoy To Repent is the best way to prove that I am elected to Repent 9. They never read or hear of any miserable instance but they are thinking that this is their case If they hear of Cain of Pharaoh given up to hardness of heart or do but read that some are vessels of wrath fitted to destruction or that they have eyes and see not ears and hear not hearts and understand not they think This is all spoken of me or this is just my case If they hear of any terrible example of Gods judgements on any they think it will be so with them If any dye suddenly or a house be burnt or any be distracted or dye in despair they think it will be so with them The reading of Spira's case causeth or increaseth Melancholy in many the ignorant Author having described a plain Melancholy contracted by the trouble of sinning against Conscience as if it were a damnable despair of a sound understanding 10. And yet they think that never any one was as they are I have had abundance in a few weeks with me almost just in the same case and yet every one say that never any one was as they 11. They are utterly unable to Rejoyce in any thing They cannot apprehend believe or think of any thing that is comfortable to them They read all the threatnings of the word with quick sense and application but the Promises they read over and over without taking notice of them as if they had not read them or else say They do not belong to me The greater the mercy of God is and the riches of grace the more miserable am I that have no part in them They are like a man in continual pain or sickness that cannot rejoyce because the feeling of his pain forbiddeth him They look on husband wife friends children house goods and all without any comfort as one would do that is going to be executed for some
crime 12. Their Consciences are quick in telling them of sin and putting them upon any dejection as a duty but they are dead to all duties that tend to consolation as to Thanksgiving for mercies Praises of God meditating on his Love and grace and Christ and promises Put them never so hard on these and they feel not their duty nor make no conscience of it but think it is a duty for others but unsuitable to them 13. They alway say that they cannot believe and therefore think they cannot be saved Because that commonly they mistake the nature of faith and take it to be a Believing that they themselves are forgiven and in favour with God and shall be saved And because they cannot believe this which their disease will not suffer them to believe therefore they think that they are no believers whereas saving faith is nothing but such a Belief that the Gospel ☜ is true and Christ is the Saviour to be trusted with our souls as causeth our Wills to Consent that he be ours and that we be his and so to subscribe the Covenant of Grace Yet while they thus consent and would give a world to be sure that Christ were theirs and to be perfectly holy yet they think they believe not because they believe not that he will forgive or save them 14. They are still displeased and discontended with themselves just as a pievish froward person is apt to be with others see one that is hard to be pleased and is finding fault with every thing that they see or hear and offended at every one that comes in their way and suspicious of every body that they see whispering and just so is a Melancholy person against himself suspecting displeased and finding fault with all 15. They are much addicted to solitariness and weary of company for the most part 16. They are given up to fixed musings and long poring thoughts to little purpose so that deep musings and thinkings are their chief employments and much of their disease 17. They are much averse to the labours of their callings and given to idleness either to lye in bed or sit thinking unprofitably by themselves 18. Their thoughts are most upon themselves like the mill-stones that grind on themselves when they have no grist so one thought begets another Their thoughts are taken up about their thoughts when they have been thinking irregularly they think again what they have been thinking on They meditate not much on God unless on his wrath nor Heaven nor Christ nor the state of the Church nor any thing without them ordinarily but all their thoughts are contracted and turned inwards on themselves self-troubling is the sum of their thoughts and lives 19. Their thoughts are all perplexed like ravelled Yarn or Silk or like a man in a maze or wilderness or that hath lost himself and his way in the night He is poring and groping about and can make little of any thing but is bewildred and moithered and entangled the more full of doubts and difficulties out of which he cannot find the way 20. He is endless in his scruples afraid lest he sin in every word he speaketh and in every thought and every look and every meal he eateth and all the Cloaths he weareth And if he think to amend them he is still scrupling his supposed amendments He dare neither travel nor stay at home neither speak nor be silent but he is scrupling all as if he were wholly composed of self perplexing scruples 21. Hence it comes to pass that he is greatly addicted to superstition to make many Laws to himself that God never made Col. 2. 18 19 20 21 22 23. him and to ensnare himself with needless Vows and resolutions and hurtful austerities Touch not taste not handle not and to place his Religion much in such Outward self-imposed tasks to spend so many hours in this or that act of devotion to wear such cloaths and forbear other that are finer to forbear all dyet that pleaseth the appetite with much of the like A great deal of the Perfection of Popish devotion proceeded from Melancholy though their Government come from Pride and Covetousness 22. They have lost the power of Governing their thoughts by Reason so that if you convince them that they should cast out their self-perplexing unprofitable thoughts and turn their thoughts to other subjects or be vacant they are not able to obey you They seem to be under a necessity or constraint They cannot cast out their troublesome thoughts They cannot turn away their minds They cannot think of Love and mercy They can think of nothing but what they do think of no more than a man in the Tooth-ache can forbear to think of his pain 23. They usually grow hence to a disability to any private prayer or meditation Their thoughts are presently cast all into a confusion when they should pray or meditate They scatter abroad a hundred wayes and they cannot keep them upon any thing For this is the very point of their disease a distempered confused fantasie with a weak reason which cannot govern it Sometime terrour driveth them from Prayer they dare not hope and therefore dare not pray and usually they dare not receive the Lords Supper here they are fearfullest of all And if they do receive it they are cast down with terrours fearing that they have taken their own damnation by receiving unworthily 24. Hence they grow to a great aversness to all holy duty Fear and dispair make them go to prayer hearing reading as a Bear to the stake And then they think they are haters of God and Godliness imputing the effects of their disease to their souls when yet at the same time those of them that are Godly would rather be freed from all their sins and be perfectly holy than have all the riches or honour in the world 25. They are usually so taken up with busie and earnest thoughts which being all perplexed do but strive with themselves and contradict one another that they feel it just as if something were speaking within them and all their own violent thoughts were the pleadings and impulse of some other And therefore they are wont to impute all their fantasies either to some extraordinary actings of the Devil or to some extraordinary motions of the spirit of God And they are used to express themselves in such words as these It was set upon my heart or it was said to me that I must do thus and thus and then it was said I must not do this or that and I was told I must do so or so And they think that their own imagination is something talking in them and saying to them all that they are thinking 26. When Melancholy groweth strong they are almost alwayes troubled with hideous Blaspheamous temptations against God or Christ or the Scripture and against the immortality of the soul which cometh partly from their own fears which make them think most against their
not be sollicitous for pins or fool-gawds And the hopes of a Lordship or a Kingdom will cure the desire of little things A man that needeth a Physicion for the Dropsie or Consumption will scarce long for Childrens balls or tops And methinks a man that is going to Heaven or Hell should have somewhat greater than worldly things to long for O what a vain and doting thing is a carnal mind that hath pardon and grace and Christ and Heaven and God to think of and that with speed before it be too late and can forget them all or not regard them and eagerly long for some little inconsiderable trifle as if they said I must needs taste of such a dish before I dye I must needs have such a house or a Child or friend before I go to another world O study what need thy distressed soul hath of a Christ and of peace with God and preparation for Eternity and what need thy darkened mind hath of more knowledge and thy dead and carnal heart of more life and tenderness and Love to God and communion with him Feel these as thou hast cause and the eagerness of thy carnal Desires will be gone § 4. Direct 2. Remember how much your carnal Desires do aggravate the weakness of your spiritual Direct 2. Desires and make the sin more odious and unexcusable Are you so eager for a Husband a Wife a Child for wealth for preferment or such things while you are so cold and indifferent in your Desires after God and grace and glory Your desires after these are not so earnest They make you not so importunate and restless They take not up your thoughts both day and night They set you not so much on contrivances and endeavours You can live as quietly without more grace or assurance of salvation or communion with God as if you were indifferent in the business But you must needs have that which you desire in the world or there is no quiet with you Do you consider what a horrible contempt of God and grace and Heaven is manifested by this Either you are Regenerate or unregenerate If you are Regenerate all your instructions and all your experiences of the worth of spiritual things and the vanity of things temporal do make it a heynous sin in you to be now so eager for those things which you have so often called vanity while you are so cold towards God whose Goodness you have had so great experience of Do you know no better yet the difference between the creature and the Creator Do you yet no better understand your necessities and interest and what it is that you live upon and must trust to for your everlasting blessedness and content If you are unregenerate as all are that Love any thing better than God what a madness is it for one that is condemned in Law to endless torments and shall be quickly there if he be not regenerate and justified by Christ to be thirsting so eagerly for this or that thing or person upon earth when he should presently bestir him with all his might to save his soul from endless misery How incongruous are these Desires to the good and bad § 5. Direct 3. Let every sinful Desire humble you for the worldliness and fleshliness which it discocovereth Direct 3. to be yet unmortified in you and turn your Desires to the mortifying of that flesh and concupiscence which is the cause If you did not yet love the world and the things that are in the world you would not 1 Ioh. 2. 15. be so eager for them If you were not too carnal and did not mind too much the things of the flesh you would not be so earnest for them as you are It should be a grievous thing to your hearts to consider what worldliness and fleshliness this sheweth to be yet there That you should set so much by the creature as to be unable to bear the want of it Is this renouncing the world and flesh The thing you need is not that which you so much desire but a better heart to know the Vanity of the Creature to be dead to the world and to be able to bear the want or loss of any thing in it and a fuller mortification of the flesh mortifying and not satisfying it is your work § 6. Direct 4. Ask your hearts seriously whether God in Christ be enough for them or not If Direct 4. they say no they renounce him and all their hope of Heaven For no man takes God for his God that takes him not for his portion and as enough for him If they say yea then you have enough to stop the mouth of your fleshly desires while your hearts confess that they have enough in God Should that soul that hath a filial interest in God and an inheritance in eternal life be eager for any conveniences and contentments to the flesh If God be not enough for you you will never have enough Turn to him more and know him better if you would have a satisfied mind § 7. Direct 5. Remember that every sinful Desire is a rebelling of your wills against the will of Direct 5. God and that it is his will that must govern and dispose of all and your wills must be conform to his yea that you must take pleasure and rest in the will of God Reason the case with your hearts and say who is it that is the Governour of the World and who is to rule me and dispose of my affairs Is it I or God whose will is it that must lead and whose must follow whose will is better guided Gods or mine either it is his will that I shall have what I desire or not If it be I need not be so eager for I shall have it in his time and way If it be not his will is it fit for me to murmur and strive against him Remember that your discontents and carnal desires are so many accusations brought in against God As if you said Thou hast not dealt well or wisely or mercifully by me I must have it better I will not stand to thy will and government I must have it as I will and have the disposal of my self § 8. Direct 6. Observe how your eager Desires are condemned by your selves in your daily prayers Direct 6. or else they make your prayers themselves condemnable If you pray that the will of God may be done why do your wills rebell against it and your desires contradict your prayers And if you ask no more than your daily bread why thirst you after more But if you pray as you desire Lord let my will be done and my self ish carnal desire be fulfilled for I must needs have this or that then what an abominable Prayer is this Desire as you must Pray § 9. Direct 7. Remember what Covenant you have made with God that you renounced the world Direct 7. and the flesh and took him
thy man-hood deserveth punishment It s the saying of Basil Involuntary madness deserveth compassion but voluntary madness the sharpest whips Prov. 19. 29. Iudgements are prepared for scorners and stripes for the fools back especially for the voluntary fool He that will make himself a beast or a mad-man should be used by others like a beast or a mad-man whether he will or not § 33. 10. Thou makest thy self unfit for any thing that is good O how unfit art thou to read Of drunken Priests I am loath to speak but pray such to read Isa. 52. 12. 28. â— Mic. 2 11. 1 Tim 3. 3 8. Isa. 56. 11 12. Lev. 10 9. Jer. 35. Ezek. 44. 2â— Mat. 24 49. 1 Thes. 5. 7. Gal. 5. 21. or hear or meditate on the Word of God! how unfit to pray how unfit to receive the Holy Sacrament what a dreadful thing is it to think of a Drunken man speaking to God in Prayer Thy best posture till thou art sober is to be asleep for then thou dost least hurt and thou art made uncapable of doing good yea and of receiving any good from others Thou art not so much as capable of reproof or counsel He that should cast Pearls before such a Swine and offer to speak to thee for the good of thy soul would but dishonour the Name and Word of God As it is said of a drunkard that when one rebuked him saying Art thou not ashamed to be thus drunken replyed Art thou not ashamed to talk to a man that is drunken It is a shame to the man that would cure thee by Reason when thou hast thrown away thy Reason And if thou have but a merry cup and thinkest thy self the fitter for thy duty yea if thou do it well as to the outward appearance as the principle is false and base so thou deservest blame for casting thy work upon so great a hazzard As Sophocles said of an Orator that wrote well when he was half drunken Though he did it well he did it ignorantly and in uncertainty For thy levity weakeneth thy judgement and thou dost the good thou dost but at a venture as a Passionate man may speak well but its unlikely and uncertain and therefore no thanks to him that it fell not out to be worse § 34. 11. Thou disposest thy self to almost every sin Drunkenness breaketh every one of the See Prov. 23. 29 30 31 32 33. Commandments by disposing men to break them all It disableth them to the duties of the first Commandment above all viz. to know God and believe and trust and love him It utterly unfitteth men for the holy worship required in the second Commandment as I have shewed He that hateth the guilt of former sin in his Worshippers hateth present wickedness much more Prov. 21. 27. The Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind Idolatry and wantonness and excess in eating and drinking usually dispose to one another See 1 Cor. 10. 7. Sacrifices of mirth and jovialty and gluttony and drunkenness are fit for Idols and Devils but unfit for God And therefore commonly we find that it is the drunkards and riotous people in every Town that are the great enemies to the Preaching of the Gospel and to all holy exercises and to all Est certa constans plurimorum sententia frustra Iâ—dos Christianam religionem doceâ—â— quamdiu pestifera isthaec consuetudo inerti nostrorum dissimulatione retinetur saith Acosta speaking of duâ—kenness l. 3. c. 2 â— p 336. that fear God and will not be as mad as they When there is a Sacrifice to be offered to Bacchus and any merry meeting where potting and feasting and dancing and roaring is to be the game there it is that the Ministers and the Servants of Christ are slandered and scorned and railed at There it is that Hellish reproach of Godliness like the Devils Canons are let fly without controle Though through Gods mercy they have more powder than bullet and do little Execution There it is that the Devil fitteth as President in his Council plotting what to do against the people and wayes of Christ. And though it be drunken sottish Council it is the fitter for his business for it is a bruitish thunderbolt that he hath to cast a sensless furious work that he hath to do and no other instruments will serve his turn He hath a plot to blow up the Reputation and honour of serious Godliness but he that setteth fire to his train must withall blow up himself And none is so fit for this work as a Drunkard or a sensual Sot Few others will venture to cast their own souls into the fire of Hell that they may procure a little stinking breath to be blown into the faces of the godly Few others would set their own houses on fire that they may trouble Gods servants by the smoak Their very work is to do as those in Dan. 3. to cast the servants of Christ into those flames which must devour those that cast them in and must searce touch a thred of the garments or a hair of the head of those for whom it was prepared And who would do this that knew what he did and were well in his wits must he not be first made drunk that doth it Also drunkenness disposeth you to swearing and blaspheaming and pâ—rjury and speaking contemptuously and unreverently of God and to speak prophanely and jeastingly of the Scripture And thus fools make a mock of sin Prov. 14. 9. You are good for none 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and â—ustful sâ—nsuaâ—â—â—â— are prepared for Athâ—â—an â—â—fidâ—lâ—ty and any impâ—ous conâ—eâ—t â—or their wits are hurâ—ed in the dunghâ—ll oâ— then guts and drowned in the excrementitious humidity of their brain◠〈…〉 sicus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 and the vapours and â—â—mes of their bâ—â—â—â—ing luâ—ts do so 〈◊〉 and câ—â—ud theâ—â—rains that they have little use of their reason except to 〈◊〉 the service of their guâ—s and lusts Lege â—asiâ—ii Homil in â—brict Lux. Vide ipse ex taberna duos semicaptos vâ—no egressos vix oboli causa se muâ—uo uno â—odemque gladio conâ—ecisse quidem extracto bisâ—e percusâ—o corpore prae alterum feriendâ—â—â—â—â—ore â—â—a â—ue momento temporis ambo exaâ—â—mes corruerunt Ios. Acosta de proc Ind. salut l. 3. c. 21. p. 332. of the holy exercises of the Lords day That 's the day that you must deâ—â—â—â—le with your filthy sin The day in which God sendeth abroad his gracious invitations and the Devil his wicked incitations In which God giveth most of his Grace and the Devil infecteth most with sin In which God is best served by his sincere ones and the Devil is most served by his impious ones And you dispose your selves to sin against your Governours you have no old of tongue or action when you are drunken How many in their Drunkenness have reproached and abused Father and Mother and spoken
Direct 1. God in vain the first Direction must be this General one to use all the Directions given in Chap. 1. for a wicked mans attaining true Conversion and withal to observe how great an Evidence this sin is of a graceless ungodly miserable soul. For it is supposed to be an ordinary or frequent sin and therefore to have no effectual principle in the heart which is against it and therefore to have the principal room in the will and therefore to be unrepented of as to any saving renewing Repentance If thou hadst any true grace it would teach thee to fear and honour God more To make light of God is inconsistent with Godliness if it be in a predominant degree for they are directly contrary § 9. Direct 2. Get thy heart sensible of the intrinsick evil of thy sin It would never be so easily and Direct 2. familiarly committed by thee if thou didst not think it small That thou maist know it consider Saith Fitz Hâ—beâ—t l. 1. c â—3 â—n 17. I cannot but lament that so great an impiety as Blasphemy is being so common doth pass unpunished where as in other Countrâ—â—s the least blasphemies are severely chastened Insomuch that in Spain I have known a man set in the Market-place the greatest part of a day gaping with a gagg in his mouth for swearing only By the Life of God of these following aggravations § 10. 1. Consider who that God is whom thou abusest Is he not the Great and terrible Majesty See Jer. 5. 21 22. Job 42. 5 6. 38. 2 3 c. that made the world and upholdeth it and ordereth it by his will the Governour and Judge of all the earth infinitely excelling the Sun in glory A God most Holy and in holiness to be mentioned And wilt thou make a by-word of his Dreadful Name Wilt thou prophanely swear by this Holy Name and use the Name of God as thou wouldst scarce use the Name of thy Father or thy King Wilt thou unreverently and contemptuously toss it like a foot-ball Dost thou know no more difference between God and Man Know God and thou wilt sooner tremble at his Name than thus unreverently abuse it § 11. 2. Consider who thou art that thus venturest to prophane the holy Name of God Art thou not his creature and his subject bound to honour him Art thou not a Worm unable to resist him Can â—e not tread thee into Hell or ruine thee and be avenged on thee with a word or less He need to say no more but Thus I will have it to execute his vengeance on the greatest of his enemies If he will it it will be done And art thou then a person fit to despise this God and abuse his Name Is it not a wonder of condescension in him that he will give leave to such Worms as we to Pray to him and to praise and worship him and that he will accept it at our hands And yet canst thou venture thus to slight him and despise him I have oft heard the same impious tongue reproach the Prayers of the godly as if they were too bold and familiar with God and pleading against long or often praying because man must not be so bold with God and perswading others that God accepts it not which yet it self was bold familiarly to swear by his Name and use it lightly and in common talk And indeed Gods servants must take heed of rude and unreverent boldness even in prayer How much more then is the boldness of thy prophaning Gods holy Name to be condemned Must they take heed how they use it in prayer and praise and darest thou abuse it by Oaths and Curses and vain speech § 12. 3. Dost thou not sometime pray by that Name which thou prophanely swearest by If not thou seemest utterly to renounce God and art a miserable wretch indeed But it thou do what an Hypocrite dost thou shew thy self to be in all thy prayers that takest on thee to reverence that Name of God which thou canst toss unreverently and swear and curse by when thou art off thy knees It is part of Bishop Hall's Character of the Hypocrite that he boweth to the Name of Iesus and sweareth by the Name of God and prayeth to God at Church whom he forgets or sweareth by the rest of the Week Doth not thy conscience gripe thee for this Hypocrisie when in thy prayers thou thinkest of this abuse of God § 13. 4. Think man what use thou wilt have for that Holy Name in thy distress which thou now abusest When sickness and death cometh then thou wilt cry Lord Lord Then the Name of God will be called on more reverently And darest thou now make a foot-ball of it Dost thou nor fear lest it should be then thy terror to remember on thy death-bed when thou art calling upon God O this is the Name that I was wont to swear by or to take in vain § 14. 5. Remember that millions of Glorious Angels are magnifying that great and holy Name which thou art prophaning and taking in vain And dost thou not wonder that they do not some of them become the executioners of the vengeance of God against thee and that the earth doth not open and swallow thee up Shall a Worm on Earth be tossing that holy Name or swearing by it prophanely which a world of Glorious Angels are magnifying § 15. 6. Consider that thou art more impious than they that prophane things hallowed and consecrated to God Was Belshazzar punished with the loss of Kingdom and life for carousing in the Vessels of the Sanctuary Wouldst thou think him to be prophane that should make a Stable of the Church and should feed his Swine with the Communion Cup And dost thou not know that the Name of God himself hath a higher degree of Holiness than any place or utensils of his Worship have and therefore that it is a greater prophaneness to abuse his Name than to abuse any of these Doth not thy tongue then condemn thee of Hypocrisie when thou wouldst exclaim against any that should thus prophane the Church or Font or Communion Cup or Table and yet thy self dost ordinarily prophane the very Holy Name of God and use it as a common Name § 16. 7. Consider how unworthily thou requitest God for giving thee thy tongue and speech He gave thee this noble faculty to honour him by And is this thy thanks to use it to dishonour him by swearing and taking his Name in vain § 17. 8. Thy infectious breath corrupteth others It tendeth to bring God into common contempt among his own creatures when they hear his name contemptuously spoken of § 18. 9. Thou forgettest how tender and jealous God hath shewed himself to be of the honour Psal 20 2 〈…〉 â—sâ—l 66 2 68 4 34 3. 6 2 Isa 9 6 12 4 41. â—5 â—â—â—â— 34. 16 Ezek. 36 2â— 23. â— King 8. 16 18 19 29. 9. 3 7.
2 Sam. 7. 13 Deut. 14 23. Psal. 14â— 1 2. Isa. â—6 8 13. Psal. 86. 9 12. 135. 13. Cant. 1. 3. John 12. 28. of his holy Name and what terrible threatnings he hath denounced against the prophaneners of it and what judgements he hath executed on them Lev. 19. 12. Ye shall not swear by my Name falsly neither shalt thou prophane the Name of thy God I am the Lord. So Lev. 18. 21. And of the Priests it is said Lev. 21. 6. They shall be holy unto their God and not prophane the Name of their God So Lev. 22. 2. v. 31 32. Therefore shall ye keep my commandments and do them I am the Lord Neither shall ye prophane my holy Name but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel I am the Lord which hallow you Deut. 28. 58 59. If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this Law that are written in this Book that thou maist fear this glorious and fearful Name THE LORD THY GOD then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful and the plagues of thy seed Great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance Worshipping God and trusting in him is called A walking in his Name and calling upon his Name See Mic. 4. 5. Psal. 99. 6. The place of his publick Worship is called The place where he putteth or recordeth his Name Exod. 20. 24. Deut. 12. 5 11 21. Isa. 29. 23. They shall sanctifie my Name and sanctifie the holy One of Jacob and shall fear the God of Israel Isa. 48. 11. For how should my Name be polluted and I will not give my glory to another God telleth Moses and Moses telleth Aaron when his two Sons were slain I will be sanctified in them that come nigh unto me and before all the people I will be glorified Lev. 10. 3. So Lev. 24. 10 14. A man that in striving with another blasphemed and cursed was stoned to death And in the third Commandment it is terrible enough that God saith The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain § 19. 10. Dost thou not use to say the Lords Prayer and therein Hallowed be thy Name Matth. Luke 11. 2. 6. 9. And wilt thou prophane that Name which thou prayest may be Hallowed Is it Hallowing it to swear by it and use it unreverently and vainly in thy common talk Or will God endure such Hypocrisie as this or regard such Hypocritical prayers § 20. 11. Thy customary swearing is an uncharitable accusation of the hearers as if they were so incredulous that they would not believe a man without an Oath and so prophane that they delight in the prophanation of the Name of God which is the grief of every honest hearer § 21. 12. Thou accusest thy self as a person suspected of lying and not to be believed For among honest men a word is credible without an Oath Therefore if thou were but taken for an honest man thy bare word would be believed And by swearing thou tellest all that hear thee that thou supposest thy self to be taken for a person whose word is not to be believed And what need hast thou to tell this so openly to others if it be so § 22. 13. And by swearing thou declarest the suspicion to be true and that indeed thou art not to be believed so far art thou from making thy sayings more credible by it For he that hath so little conscience and fear of God as to swear prophanely can hardly be thought a person that makes any conscience of a lye For it is the same God that is offended by the one as by the other A swearer warranteth you to suspect him for a lyar § 23. 14. Both swearing and taking Gods Name in vain are the greater sins because you have no stronger a Temptation to them Commonly they bring no honour but shame They bring no sensual pleasure to the senses as gluttony and drunkenness and uncleanness do And usually they are committed without any profit to entice men to them You get not the worth of a penny by your sin so that it is hard to find what draweth you to it or why you do it unless it be to shew God that you fear him not and unless you intend to bid defiance to him and do that which you think will offend him in meer despight So that one would think a very little grace might serve to cure such a fruitless sin And therefore it is a sign of gracelesness § 24. 15. How terribly dost thou draw Gods vengeance upon thy self Cursing thy self is a begging for vengeance Prophane swearing is a prophane contemptuous appeal to the judgement of God And darest thou even in thy sins appeal to the Iudgement of God Dost thou fear it no more To this judgement then thou shalt go But thou wilt quickly have enough of it and find what it was for stubble to appeal to the consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. § 25. Direct 3. Remember Gods presence and keep his fear upon thy heart and remember his judgement Direct 3. to which thou art hastening and keep a tender conscience and a watch upon thy tongue and then thou wilt easily escape such a sin as this Darest thou abuse Gods Name before his face § 26. Direct 4. Write over thy doors or bed where thou maist oft read it the third Commandment or Direct 4. some of these terrible passages of holy Scripture Matth. 5. 34 35 36 37. I say unto you swear not at all neither by Heaven Nor by the Earth Nor by thy Head But let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil Jam. 5. 12. Above all things my brethren swear not neither by the Heavens neither by the earth nor any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into condemnation or hypocrisie as Dr. Hammond thinks it should be read Zech. 5. 3. Every one that sweareth shall be cut off Jer. 23. 10. Because of swearing the Land mourneth Hos. 4. 2. Think well on such Texts as these § 27. Direct 5. Love God and honour him as God and thou canst not thus despise and abuse his Direct 5. Name Thou wilt reverence and honour the name of that person that thou lovest and reverencest and honourest It is atheism and want of Love to God that makes thee so prophane his Name § 28. Direct 6. Punish thy self after every such Crime with such a voluntary mulct or penalty as Direct 6. may help to quicken thy observation and remembrance If none execute the Law upon thee which is twelve pence an Oath lay more on thy self and give it to the poor Though you are not bound to do justice on your selves you may medicinally help to cure your selves by that which hath a rational aptitude thereto Tit. 3. Special Directions against Lying and Dissembling § 1. THat you may know what Lying
trifling way of devotion as Christ sheweth of the very Heathen that used this way Matth. 6. 7. But when ye pray use not vain repetitions as the Heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking be ye not therefore like unto them 2. There is an Affectation of length that causeth idle words in prayer When men think that it is for the honour of their parts to spend so much time and speak so long together or when their superstitious consciences in secret tye them to hold on so long and have not matter or affection answerable to fill up the time no marvel if it be filled up with words that are too much guilty of vanity § 11. 5. Another kind of Idle talk is that which is purposely contrived to humour idle fancies and recreate vitious minds and pass away mens pretious time such are abundance of Love-books Romances Plays and Play-books volumes of Vanity and hours full of studied vanity and worse And such is much of the talk of feigned fools and jesters Vices which I can hardly express so odious as I apprehend them § 12. 6. Another sort is a custom of inordinate jesting This vein or disposition is so strong in some that when they have list to vent a jest they cannot hold but out it must come whatever it cost and be it never so frivolous and vain Eph. 5. 4. § 13. 7. Another sort is foolish talk that hath not wit enough to make it edifying Eph. 5. 4. And among Idle talkers how much of it is foolish How weary would it make a man to hear the talk of many bablers How insipid is it How sotâ—ish Like the talk of a mad man or a drunken man or a man in his sleep It 's far pleasanter not only to hear a bird chirp but a swine grunt than to hear much of their discourse See Prov. 10. 14. 12. 11. 28. 19. 1 Pet. 2. 15. Prov. 15. 2 14. § 14. Direct 2. Understand also the aggravations of idle words which of them are the greatest sins Direct 2. that they may be most carefully avoided Though all idle words are sins yet all are not equally sinful The Aggravations of it The worst are such as these that follow § 15. 1. When Idle words are frequent multiplied and made their common talk and custom which is the case of some men but of abundance of loquacious women whose natural disposition inclineth them thereto One that hath but little wit and much self-conceitedness and passion will have a torrent of words for a drop of sense If they meet but with a person so patient and idle as to give them the hearing they will sit a whole hour together with you yea many hours to tell you first how the Megabâ—zus a great Person Lord was told by Apâ—lles that whiâ—e he was silent they reverenced him for his gold and rich attire but when he talkt of what he understood not the boys in the shop laughed at him Pluâ—ark dâ— Transuiâ— Aâ—i pag. 154. affairs go between them and their husbands or children or servants and then talk of their cattle house or land and then tell you of news and enter into a long discourse of other mens matters which they neither understand nor have any thing to do with and next they talk of the weather and then of the market what 's cheap and what 's dear and they then tell you what this body said to them and what the other body said and then they tell you a story of the old times and how the world is changed and how much better the former times were than these then they tell you what wrong such a one did them and what he said of them and how bad this or that man is and what they said or did amiss and what the report of the country is of such and such then they tell you what cloaths such a one wears and how fine and gallant such a one is and who keepeth a good house and who is nigardly and sparing then they tell you what meat was at such a See Ezeck 33. 30. Sollius A â—llinaâ— Sidoâ— in his description of K. Thâ—â—doricus saith that at his feasts Maximum tunc pondus in verbis est quippe quum illic aut nulla narrantur aut sâ—ria table or feast and if they be at meat they have something to say about every dish and every sort of meat or drink especially news takes up much of their discourse And it 's well if in all this the Sermon of the Preacher or his Prayer or his Life be not brought in to fill up the empty places of the discourse and it may be the KING and his Council and his Laws and his doings shall be defiled by these Parrots unreverent pratlings as well as meaner things and persons So that as Theophrastus saith He that would not fall into a feaver let him run from them with all the hast he can I should rather think it would cast one into the sâ—urvy if weariness be so great a symptom of it as they say He that hath nothing to do in this world nor nothing to do for the world to come and that hath no use for his time or wit or tongue or hands but waketh as he sleepeth and liveth as he must lie when he is dead he that hath neither master work nor wages but thinks he is made to see leaves wag or hear flies buzze let him choose such a companion and let him sit and hear such people chat For my part I can easilier endure to to have them call me morese or proud or uncivil or any thing nay I had rather be digging or plowing or ridding chanels than endure the tediousness of their discourses Difficile est cum iis durare qui neque otii neque negotii tempora distinguere norunt Theophrastus Dionysius sent one to be put to death for finding fault with his poetry but called him again to try him once more and the man rose up in the midst of his recitation saying Come let me go the Gibbet as choosing to die rather than to be so wearied I am not so impatient but I should be glad if I could sleep well while I am tyed to such company And if I had one to send to school that were sick of the talking evil the morbus loquendi I would give as Isocrates required a double pay to the Schoolmaster willingly one part for teaching him to hold his tongue and the other half for teaching him to speak I should think many such men and women half cured if they were half as weary of speaking as I am of hearing them He that lets such twatling Swallows build in his chimney may look to have his pottage savour of their dung Nay though they may have some learning and goodness to season their discourse their too much loquacity will make ones stomach turn against it and the surfet may make
Ghost should dwell and Ephes. 4. 29. Ephes. 5. 4. work in so filthy a room and with such filthy company Darest thou go pray or read the Scripture or speak of any holy thing with those lips that talk of filthy ribaldry Dost thou find thy self fit to go to prayer after such discourse Or rather dost thou not allow all that hear thee to think that thou renouncest God and Godliness and never usest any serious Worship of God at all And if thou do pretend to Worship him with that filthy tongue what canst thou expect in answer to thy prayers but a vengeance worse than Nadab and Abihu's Lev. 10. 1 2 3. Shall sweet water and bitter come from the same fountain Jam. 3. 11. Dâ—st thou bless God and talk filthily with the same tongue and think he will not be avenged on thy hypocrisie § 7. Direct 7. Consider how thou bidst defiance also to common civility Thou dost that which civil Direct 7. Heathens would be ashamed of As if thou hadst a design to reduce England to the Customs of Cannibals and Savages in America that go naked and are past shame § 8. Direct 8. Observe what service thou dost the Devil for the corrupting of others as if he had Direct 8. hired thee to be a Tutor in his Academy or one of his Preachers to draw the minds of the hearers 1 Cor. 15. 33. from modesty and prepare them for the Stews Especially people can scarce have more dangerous Wild-fire cast into their fantasies than by hearing rotten filthy talk And wilt thou be one of Venus's Priests § 9. Direct 9. Remember how little need there is of thy endeavour Is not lust and filthiness so natural Direct 9. and the minds of all unsanctified and uncleansed ones so prone to it that they â—eed no Tutor nor instigator nor pander to their lusts This fire is easily kindled The Bellows of thy sâ—urrility are needless to make such Gunpowder burn § 10. Direct 10. Presently lament before God and man the filthiness that thy tongue hath been guilty Direct 10. of and wash heart and tongue in the blood of Christ and â—â—y from the company and converse of the obscene as thou wouldst do from a Pâ—st-house or any infectious pestilential â—ire And if thou hear such rotten talk râ—prove it or be gone and let them see that thou hatest it and fearest God § 11. Obj. But saith the filthy mouth I think no harm may we not jeast and be merry Obj. Answ. What! hast thou nothing to jeast with but dung and filth and sin and the defilement of Answ. souls and the offending of God Wouldst thou be unclean before the King or cast dung in mens faces and sâ—â— I think no harm but am in jeast § 12. Obj. But saith he those that art so demure are â—â— bad in secret and worse than we Obj. Answ. What! is a chaste tongue a sign of an unchaste life Then thou maist as equally take a Answ. meek and quiet tongue to be a sign of an angry man or a lying tongue to be a sign of a true man Would the King take that excuse from thee if thou talk Treason openly and say Those that do not are yet in secret as bad as I I trow he would not take that for an excuse Tit. 6. Directions against Prophane deriding scorning or opposing Godliness § 1. TO prevent the Replyes or excuses of the scorner I must here tell you 1. That by Godliness The Explication I mean nothing but an entire devotednes to God and living to him The doctrine and practice which is agreeable to the holy Scripture I mean no fansies of mistaken men nor the private opinions of any sect but the practice of Christianity it self § 2. 2. And yet I must tell you that it is the common practice of these scorners to fasten more upon the concrete than the abstract the person than the bare doctrine and to oppose Godly persons as such when yet they say that they oppose not Godliness The Reasons of this are these 1. Because they dare be bolder with the person than with the Rule and doctrine of God himself If they scorn at the Bible or at Godliness directly as such they should so openly scorn at God himself that the world would cry shame on them and Conscience would worry them But as Godliness is in such a neighbour or such a Preacher or such a man so they think they may reverence it less and that what they do is against the person and not the thing 2. In men they have something else to pretend to be the matter of their scorn Godliness in men is latent invisible unprovable as to the sincerity of it and obscure as to the exercise If he that scorneth a Godly man say He is not Godly but an Hypocrite in this world there is no perfect Justification to be had against such a calumny but the probable evidence of Profession and a Godly life is all that can be brought But Godliness as it is in Scripture lyeth open to the view of all and cannot be denyed there but by denying the Scriptures themselves 3. Godliness as in the Rule or holy Scripture is perfect without any blemish that may give a scorner a pretence But Godliness in men is very imperfect and mixt with sins with faults which the world may oft discern and the Godly themselves are forwardst to confess And therefore in them a scorner may find some plausible pretense And when he derideth these Professours of Godliness as being all Hypocrites he will not instance in their vertues but in their faults as in Noahs drunkenness and Lots incest and Davids Adultery and Murder and Peters denying Christ Yet so as the dart shall be cast at Piety it self and the Conclusion shall not be to drive men from drunkenness adultery or any â—in but from serious Godliness it self 4. Godliness as in the Rule is to them a more unobserved dormant thing and doth not so much annoy them for they can shut their Bibles or make nothing of it but as a few good words But Godliness in the Godly existent in their Teachers and Neighbours is more discernable to them and more active and more troublesome to them and so more hated by them In a dead letter or dead Saint that troubleth them not they can commend it but in the living they are molested by it And the nearer it is to them the more they are â—xasperated against it The word is the seed of Godliness which least offendeth them till it spring up and bring forth the fruit which condemneth their wicked lives § 3. 3. And as opposers and scorners do usually strike at Godliness through the person and his faults so they use to strike at the particular parts of Gods Worship through some modes or circumstances or imperfections of men in the performance It is not Preaching or Praying that they scorn if you believe
persons he bids them Continue in prayer and watch in the same c. 2. If neighbours are bound to speak together in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs with grace in their hearts to the Lord and to continue in prayer and thanksgiving then families much more who are nearlier related and have more necessities and opportunities as is said before 3. If whatever we do in word or deed we must do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks then families must needs joyn in giving thanks For they have much daily business in word and deed to be done together and asunder Argument 15. From Dan. 6. 10. When Daniel knew that the Writing was signed he went into his house and his window being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did afore time Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God Here note 1. The Nature of the duty 2. The necessity of it 1. If it had not been open family-family-prayer which Daniel here performed how could they have known what he said It is not probable that he would speak so lowd in secret nor is it like they would have found him at it So great a Prince would have had some servants in his ouâ—ward rooms to have stayed them before they had come so near 2. And the Necessity of this prayer is such that Daniel would not omit it for a few dayes to save his life Argument 16. From Josh. 24. 15. But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Here note 1. That it is a Houshold that is here engaged For if any would prove that it extendeth further to all Ioshuah's Tribe or inferiour kindred yet his houshold would be most eminently included 2. That it is the same thing which Ioshuah promiseth for his house which he would have all Israel do for theirs for he maketh himself an example to move them to it If Housholds must serve the Lord then housholds must pray to him and praise him But housholds must serve him Therefore c. The consequence is proved in that Prayer and Praise are so necessary parts of Gods service that no family or person can be said in general to be devoted to serve God that are not devoted to them Calling upon God is oft put in Scripture for all Gods Worship as being a most eminent part and Atheisis are described to be such as call not upon the Lord Psal. 14 c. Argument 17. The story of Cornâ—lius Acts 10. proveth that he performed family-worship For observe 1. That verse 2. he is said to be A devoâ—t man and one that feared God with all his house which gâ—ve much almes to the people and prayed to God alway And vers 30. he saith at the ninth hour I prayed in my house And ver 24. he called together his kindred and near friends So ver 11. 14. Thou and all thy house shall be savâ—d So that in ver 2. Fearing God comprehendeth Prayer and is usually put for all Gods Worship therefore when he is said to Fear God with all his house it is included that he worshipped God with all his house And that he used to do it conjunctly with them is iâ—plyed in his gathering together his Kindred and Friends when Peter came not mentioning the calling together his houshold as being usual and supposed And when it is said that he prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his house it may signifie his houshold as in Scrâ—pture the word is often taken However the circumstances shew that he did it Argument 18. From 1. Tim 3. 4 5 12. One that ruleth well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity For if a man know not how to rule his own house how shall he take care of the Church of God Let the Deacons be the Husbands of one Wife Ruling their Children and their own houses well Here mark that it is such a Ruling of their houses as is of the same nature as the Ruleing of the Church mutaâ—is mutandis and that is a training them up in the Worship of God and guiding them therein For the Apostle maketh the defect of the one to be a sure discovery of their unfitness for the other Now to Rule the Church is to teach and guide them as their mouth in prayer and praises unto God as well as to oversee their lives therefore it is such a Ruling of their houses as is pre-requisite to prove them fit They that must so Rule well their own houses as may partly prove them not unfit to Rule the Church must Rule them by holy instructions and guiding them as their mouth in the Worship of God But those mentioned 1 Tim. 3. must so Rule their houses Therefore c. The Pastors Ruling of the Church doth most consist in going before them and guiding them in Gods Worship Therefore so doth the Ruling of their own houses which is made a trying qualification of their fitness hereunto Though yet it reach not so high nor to so many things and the conclusion be not Affirmative He that ruleth his own house well is fit to rule the Church of God but Negative He that ruleth not his own house well is not fit to rule the Church of God But that is because 1. This is a lower degree of Ruling which will not prove him fit for a higher 2. And it is but one qualification of many that are requisite Yet it is apparent that some degree of aptitude is proved hence and that from a similitude of the things When Paul compareth Ruling the House to Ruling the Church he cannot be thought to take them to be wholly hetâ—rogeneous He would never have said He that cannot Rule an Army or Regiment or a City how shall he Rule the Church of God I conclude therefore that this Text doth shew that it is the duty of Masters of families to Rule well their own families in the right worshipping of God mutatis mutandis as Ministers must Rule the Church Argument 19. If families have special necessity of family-prayer conjunctly which cannot be supplyed otherwise then it is Gods will that family-prayer should be in use But families have such necessities Therefore c. The Consequent needs no proof The Antecedent is proved by instances Families have Family necessities which are larger than to be confined to a Closet and yet more private than to be brought still into the publick Assemblies of the Church 1. There are many worldly occasions about their Callings and Relations which its fit for them to mention among themselves but unfit to mentition before all the Congregation 2. There are many distempers in the hearts and lives of the members of the families and many miscarriages and differences and disagreements which must be taken up at home and which prayer must do much to cure and yet are not
fit to be brought to the ears of the Church-assemblies 3. And if it were fit to mention them all in publick yet the number of such cases would be so great as would overwhelm the Minister and confound the publick Worship nay one half of them in most Churches could not be mentioned 4. And such cases are of ordinary occurrence and therefore would ordinarily have all these inconveniences And yet there are many such cases that are not fit to be confined to our secret prayers each one by himself because 1. They often so sin together as maketh it fit that they consess and lament it together 2. And some mercies which they receive together its fit they seek and give thanks for together 3. And many works which they do together its fit they seek a blessing on together 4. And the presence of one another in Confession Petition and Thanksgiving doth tend to the increase of their fervour and warming of their hearts and engaging them the more to duty and against sin and is needful on the grounds laid down before Nay it is a kind of Family-schism in such cases to separate from one another and to pray in secret only as it is Church schism to separate from the Church-assemblies and to pray in families only Nature and Grace delight in Unity and abhor division And the Light of Nature and Grace engageth us to do as much of the work of God in Unity and Concord and Communion as we can Argument 20. If before the giving of the Law to Moses God was worshipped in families by his own appointment and this appointment be not yet reverst then God is to be worshipped in families still But the Antecedent is certain Therefore so is the consequent I think no man denyeth the first part of the Antecedent that before the flood in the families of the righteous and after till the establishment of a Priesthood God was worshipped in families or housholds It is a greater doubt whether then he had any other publick Worship When there were few or no Church assemblies that were larger than families no doubt God was ordinarily worshipped in families Every Ruler of a family then was as a Priest to his own family Cain and Abel offered their own Sacrifices so did Noah Abraham and Iacob If it be objected that all this ceased when the Office of the Priest was instituted and so deny the later part of my Antecedent I reply 1. Though sâ—me make a doubt of it whether the Office of Priesthood was instituted before Aarons time I think there is no great doubt to be made of it seeing we find a Priesthood then among other Nations who had it either by the light of Nature or by Tradition from the Church And Melchizedecks Priesthood who was a Type of Christ is expresly mentioned So that though family-worship was then the most usual yet some more publick worship there was 2. After the institution of Aarons Priesthood family worship continued as I have proved before yea the two Sacraments of Circumcision and the Passeover were celebrated in Families by the Master of the house Therefore Prayer was certainly continued in families 3. If that part of Worship that was afterward performed in Synagogues and publick Assemblies was appropriated to them that no whit proveth that the part which agreed to families as such was transferred to those Assemblies Nâ—y it is a certain proof that that part was left to families still because we find that the publick Assemblies never undertook it We find among them no prayer but Church-prayer and not that which was fitted to Families as such at all Nor is there a word of Scripture that speaketh of Gods reversing of his command or order for family-prayer or other proper family-worship Therefore it is proved to continue obligatory still Had I not been too long already I should have urged to this end the example of Iob in sacrificing daily for his Sons and of Esther's keeping a Fast with her Maids Hest. 4. 16. And Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury on the Heathen that know thee not and on the families that call not on thy name It s true that by families here is meant Tribes of people and by calling on his Name is meant their worshipping the true God But yet this is spoken of all Tribes without exception great and small And Tribes in the beginning as Abrahams Isaacs Iacobs c. were confined to families And the argument holdeth from parâ—ty of reason to a proper family And that calling on Gods Name is put for his Worship doth more confirm us because it proveth it to be the most eminent part of Worship or else the whole would not be signified by it At least no reason can imagine it excluded So much for the proof of the fourth Proposition Objections answered Object 1. HAd it been a duty under the Gospel to pray in families we should certainly have found Object 1. it more expresly required in the Scripture Answ. 1. I have already shewed you that it is plainly required in the Scripture But men must not teach God how to speak nor oblige him to make all plain to blind perverted minds 2. Those things which were plainly revealed in the Old Testament and the Church then held without any contradiction even from the persecutors of Christ themselves might well be past over in the Gospel and taken as supposed acknowledged things 3. The General Precepts to pray alway with all prayer in all places c. being expressed in the Gospel and the Light of Nature making particular application of them to Families what need there any more 4. This reason is apparent why Scripture speaketh of it no more expresly Before Christs time the Worship of God was less spiritual and more ceremonial than afterward it was And therefore you find ofter mention of Circumcision and sacrificing than of Prayer And yet Prayer was still supposed to concurr And after Christs time on earth most Christian families were disturbed by persecution and Christians sold up all and lived in Community And also the Scripture History was to describe to us the state of the Churches rather than of particular families Object 2. Christ himself did not use to pray with his family as appeareth by the Disciples asking Object 2. him to teach them to pray and by the silence of the Scripture in this point Therefore it is no duty to us Answ. 1. Scripture silence is no proof that Christ did not use it All things are not written which he did 2. His Teâ—ching them the Lords Prayer and their desire of a common Rule of Prayer might consist with his usual praying with them At least with his using to pray with them after that though at first he did not use it 3 But it is the Consequence that I principally deny 1. Because Christ did afterwards call his servants to many duties which he put them not on at first as Sacraments Discipline preaching frequenter Praying c.
Widow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day Night and day can be no less than Morning and Evening And if you say This is not Family-prayer I answer 1. It is all kind of Prayer belonging to her 2. And if it commend the less much more the greater Arg. 6. From Luk. 6. 14. 2. 37. 18. 17. Act. 26. 7. 1 Thes. 3. 10. 2 Tim. 1. 3. Rev. 7. 15. Nâ—h 1. 6. Psal. 88. 1. Josh. 1. 8. Psal. 1. 2. which shew that night and day Christ himself prayed and his servants prayed and meditated and read the Scripture Arg 7. Deut 6. 7. 11. 19. It is exprâ—sly commanded that Parents teach their Children the Word of God when they lye down and when they rise up And the parity of reason and conjunction of the word and prayer will prove that they should also pray with them lying down and rising up Arg. 8. For brâ—vity sake I offer you together Psal. 119. 164. David praised God seven times a day 145. 2. Every day will I bless thee Psal. 5. 3. my voiâ—e shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer to thee and will look up 59. 16. I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning 88. 13. In the morning shall my prayer prevent thee 92. 12. It is good to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises to thy name O mâ—st High to shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning and thy faithfulness every night 119. 147 148. I prevented the dâ—wning of the morning aâ—d cryed I hâ—ped in thy word mine eyes preveâ— the night watches that I might meditate on thy word 130. 6 My sâ—ul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning The Priests were to offer Sacrifices and thanks to God every morning 1 Chron. 23. 30. Exod 30. 7. 36. 3. Lev. 6. 12. 2 Chron. 13. 11. Ezek. 46. 13 14 15. Amos 4. 4. And Christians are a hâ—ly Priesthood to offer up sacrifices to God acceptable through Iesus Châ—ist 1 Pet. 2. 5 9. Expresly saith David Psal. 55. 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice So Morning and Evening were Sacrifices and Burnt offerings offered to the Lord and there is at least equal reason that Gospel worship should be as frequent 1 Chron. 16. 40. 2 Chron. 2. 4. 13. 11. 31. 3. Ezr. 3. 3. 2 King 16. 15. 1 King 18. 29 36. Ezra 9. 5. And no doubt but they prayed with the Sacrifices Which David intimateth in comparing them Psal. 141. 2. Let my Prayer be set forth before thee as Incense and the lifting up of my hands aâ— the Evening sacrifice And God calleth for Prayer and praise as better than sacrifice Psal. 50. 14 15 23. All these I heap together for dispatch which fully shâ—w how frâ—quently Gods servants have been wont to Worship him and how often God expecteth it And you will all confess that it is reason that in Gospel times of greater light and holiness we should not come behind them in the times of the Law especially when Christ himself doth pray all night that had so little need in comparison of us And you may observe that these Scriptures speak of Prayer in general and limit it not to secresie and therefore they extend to all prayer according to opportunity No reason can limit all these examples to the most secret and least noble sort of prayer If but two or three are gathered together in his name Christ is especially among them If you say that by this rule we must as frequently pray in the Church-assemblies I answer The Church cannot ordinarily so oft assemble But when it can be without a greater inconvenience I doubt not but it would be a good work for many to meet the Minister daily for prayer as in some rich and populous Cities they may do I have been more tedious on this subject than a holy hungry Christian possibly may think necâ—ssary who needeth not so many arguments to perswade him to â—east his soul with God and to delight himself in the frequent exercises of faith and Love And if I have said less than the other sort of Readers shall think necessary let them know that if they will open their eyes and recover their appetites and feel their sins and observe their daily wants and dangers and get but a heart that Loveth God these Reasons then will seem sufficient to convince them of the need of so sweet and profitable and necessary a work And if they observe the difference between Praying and Prayerless families and care for their souls and for communion with God much fewer words than these may serve their turn It is a dead and graceless carnal heart that must be cured before these men will be well satisfied A better appetite would help their reason If God should say in general to all men You shall eat as oft as will do you good the sick stomach would say once a day and that but a little is enough and as much as God requireth when another would say Thrice a day is little enough A good and healthful Heart is a great help in the expounding of Gods word especially of his General Commandments That which men love not but are aweary of they will not easily believe to be their duty The new nature and holy Love and desires and experience of a sound believer do so far make all these Reasonings needless to him that I must confess I have written them principally to convince the carnal hypocrite and to stop the â—â—ouths of wrangling enemies CHAP. IV. General Directions for the Holy Government of Families § 1. THE Principal thing requisite to the right governing of Families is the Fitness of the Governours and the Governed thereto which is spoken of before in the Directions for the Constitution But if persons unfit for their Relations have joyned themselves together in a Family their first duty is to Repent of their former sin and rashness and presently to turn to God and seek after that fitness which is necessary to the right discharge of the duties of their several places And in the Governours of Families thâ—se three things are of greatest necessity hereunto I. Authority II. Skill III. Holiness and readiness of Will § 2. I Gen. Dir. Let Governours maintain their Authority in their Families For if once that be lost Direct 1. and you are despised by those that you should rule your word will be of no effect with them How to keep up Authorâ—ty you do but ride without a Bridle your power of Governing is gone when your Authority is lost And here you must first understand the Nature Use and Extent of your Authority For as your Relations are different to your Wife your Children and your Servants so
of each other than you would be if they were your own Fall out no more with your wife for her faults than you do with your self for your own faults and than you would do if hers had been your own This will allow you such an anger and displeasure against a fault as tendeth to heal it but not such as tendeth but to fester and vex the diseased part This will turn anger into compassion and speedy tender diligence for the cure 5. Agree together before hand that when one is in the diseased angry fit the other shall silently and gently bear till it be past and you are come to your selves again Be not angry both at once When the fire is kindled quench it with gentle words and carriage and do not cast on Oyle or fuel by answering provokingly and sharply or by multiplying words and by answering wrath with wrath But remember that now the work that you are called to is to mollifie and not to exasperate to help and not to hurt to cure another rather than to right your self As if another fall and hurt him your business is to help him up and not to tread upon him 6. Look before you and remember that you must live together untill death and must be the companions of each others fortunes and the comforts of each others lives and then you will see how absurd it is for you to disagree and vex each other Anger is the principle of revenge and falling out doth tend to separation Therefore those that must not revenge should not give way to anger and those that know they must not part should not fall out 7. As far as you are able avoid all occasions of wrath and falling out about the matters of your Families some by their slothfulness bring themselves into want and then being unable to bear it they contract a discontented pievish habit and in their impatiency they wrangle and disquiet one another some plunge themselves into a multitude of business and have to do with so many things and persons that one or other is still offending them and then they are impatient with one another some have neither skill nor diligence to manage their businesses aright and so things fall cross and go out of order and then their impatiency turneth it self against each other Avoid these occasions if you would avoid the sin And see that you be not unfurnished of Patience to bear that which cannot be avoided 8. If you cannot quickly quench your passion yet at least refrain your tongues speak not reproachful or provoking words Talking it out hotly doth blow the fire and encrease the flame Be but silent and you will the sooner return to your serenity and peace Foul words tend to more displeasure As Socrates said when his Wife first railed at him and next threw a vessel of foul Water upon him I thought when I heard the thunder there would come rain so you may portend worse following when foul unseemly words begin If you cannot easily allay your wrath you may hold your tongues if you are truly willing 9. Let the sober party condescend to speak fair and to intreat the other unless it be with a person so insolent as will be the worse Usually a few sober grave admonitions will prove as water to the boyling pot say to your angry Wife or Husband You know this should not be betwixt us Love must allay it and it must be repented of God doth not approve it it and we shall not approve it when his heat is over This frame of mind is contrary to a praying frame and this language contrary to a praying language we must pray together anon let us do nothing contrary to prayer now sweet water and bitter come not from one spring c. Some calm and condescending words of Reason may stop the torrent and revive the Reason which Passion had overcome 10. Confess your fault to one another when passion hath prevailed against you and ask forgiveness of each other and joyn in prayer to God for pardon and this will lay a greater engagement on you the next time to forbear You will sure be ashamed to do that which you have so confessed and asked forgiveness for of God and man If you will but practice these ten Directions your conjugal and family peace may be preserved § 10. Direct 6. A principal duty between husband and wife is with special care and skill and Direct 6. diligence to help each other in the knowledge and worship and obedience of God in order to their salvation Because this is a duty in which you are the greatest helps and blessings to each other if you perform it I shall 1. Endeavour to quicken you to make Conscience of it and then 2. Direct you how to do it § 11. I. Consider 1. How little it can stand with Rational Love to neglect the souls of one another I suppose you believe that you have immortal souls and an endless life of joy or misery to live And then you cannot choose but know that your great concernment and business is to make sure provision for those souls and for the endless life Therefore if your Love do not help one another in this which is your main concernment it is little worth and of little use Every thing in this world is valuable as it is useful A useless or unprofitable Love is a worthless Love It is a trifling or a childish or a beastly Love which helpeth you but in trifling childish or beastly things Do you love your Wife and yet will leave her in the power of Satan or will not help to save her soul What! Love her and yet let her go to hell and rather let her be damned than you will be at the pains to endeavour her salvation If she were but in bodily pain or misery and you refused to do your part to succour her she would take it but for cold unprofitable love though you were never so kind to her in complements and trifles The Devil himself maketh shew of such a love as that He can vouchsafe men pleasures and wealth and honour so he may but see the perdition of their souls And if your love to your wife or husband do tend to no greater matters than the pleasures of this life while the soul is left to perish in sin bethink your selves seriously how little more kindness you shew them than the Devil doth O can you see the danger of one that you love so dearly and do no more to save them from it Can you think of the damnation of so dear a friend and not do all that you are able to prevent it would you be separated from them in the World that you are going to would you not live with them in Heaven for ever Never say you love them if you will not labour for their salvation If ever they come to Hell or if ever you see them there both they and you will then confess
them to contempt so that Servants and Children will be apt to sleight them and disobey them if the Husband interpose not to preserve their honour and authority Yet this must be done with such Cautions as these 1. Justifie not any error vice or weakness of your Wives They may be concealed and excused as far as may be but never owned or defended 2. Urge not obedience to any unlawful Command of theirs No one hath Authority to contradict the Law of God or disoblige any from his Government You will but diminish your own authority with persons of any understanding if you justifie any thing that is against Gods authority But if the thing commanded be lawful though it may have some inconveniences you must rebuke the disobedience of inferiours and not suffer them to sleight the commands of your Wives nor to set their own reason and wills against them and say We will not do it How can they help you in Government if you suffer them to be disobeyed § 5. Direct 4. Also you must preserve the Honour as well as the Authority of your Wives I◠they Direct 4. have any dishonourable infirmities they are not to be mentioned by Children or Servants As in the natural body we cover most carefully the most dishonourable parts for our comely parts have no need 1 Cor. 12. 23 24. So must it be here Children or Servants must not be suffered to carry themselves contemptuously or rudely towards them nor to despise them or speak unmannerly proud or disdainful words to them The Husband must vindicate them from all such injury and contempt § 6. Direct 5. The Husband is to excell the Wife in Knowledge and be her Teacher in the matters Direct 5. that belong to her salvation He must instruct her in the Word of God and direct her in particular duties and help her to subdue her own corruptions and labour to confirm her against temptations If she doubt of any thing that he can resolve her in she is to ask his resolution and he to open to her at home the things which she understood not in the Congregation 1 Cor. 14. 35. But if the husband be indeed an ignorant sot or have made himself unable to instruct his wife she is not bound to ask him in vain to teach her that which he understandeth not himself Those husbands that despise the word of God and live in wilful ignorance do not only despise their own souls but their families also and making themselves unable for their duties they are usually themselves despised by their inferiours For God hath told such in his message to Eli 1 Sam. 2. 30. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed § 7. Direct 6. The Husband must be the principal Teacher of the family He must instruct Direct 6. them and examine them and rule them about the matters of God as well as his own service and see that the Lords Day and Worship be observed by all that are within his gates And therefore he must labour for such understanding and ability as is necessary hereunto And if he be unable or negligent it is his sin and will be his shame If the wife be wiser and abler and it be cast upon her it is his dishonour But if neither of them do it the sin and shame and suffering will be common to them both § 8. Direct 7. The Husband is to be the mouth of the family in their daily conjunct prayers unto Direct 7. God Therefore he must be able to pray and also have a praying heart He must be as it were the Priest of the houshold and therefore should be the most Holy that he may be fit to stand between them and God and to offer up their prayers to him If this be cast on the Wife it will be his dishonour § 9. Direct 8. The Husband is to be the chief Provider for the family ordinarily It is supposed Direct 8. that he is most able for mind and body and is the chief disposer of the estate Therefore he must be specially careful that wife and children want nothing that is fit for them so far as he can procure it Direct 9. The Husband must be strongest in Family-patience bearing with the weakness and passions Direct 9. of the wife not so as to make light of any sin against God but so as not to make a great matter of any frailty as against himself and so so as to preserve the Love and Peace which is to be as the natural temper of their Relation Direct 10. The manner of all these Duties must also be carefully regarded As 1. That they Direct 10. be done in Prudence and not with folly rashness and inconsiderateness 2. That all be done in conjugal Love and tenderness as over one that is tender and the weaker vessel and that he do not teach or command or reprove a wife in the same imperious manner as a child or servant 3. That due familiarity be maintained and that he keep not at a distance and strangeness from his wife 4. That Love be confident without base suspicions and causless jealousies 5. That all be done in Gentleness and not in Passion roughness and sourness 6. That there be no unjust and causless concealment of secrets which should be common to them both 7. That there be no foolish opening of such secrets to her as may become her snare and she is not able to bear or keep 8. That none of their own matters which should be kept secret be made known to others His teaching and reproving her should be for the most part secret 9. That he be constant and not weary of his Love or duty This briefly of the Manner CHAP. IX The special Duties of Wives to Husbands THE Wife that expecteth comfort in a Husband must make conscience of all her own Duty to her Husband For though it be his duty to be kind and faithful to her though she prove unkind and froward yet 1. Men are frail and apt to fail in such difficult duties as well as women 2. And it is so ordered by God that comfort and duty shall go together and you shall miss of comfort if you cast off duty § 1. Direct 1. Be specially loving to your Husbands Your natures give you the advantage in his Direct 1. and Love feedeth Love This is your special requital for all the troubles that your infirmities put them to § 2. Direct 2. Live in a voluntary subjection and obedience to them If their softness or yieldingness Direct 2. cause them to relinquish their authority and for peace they are fain to let you have your wills yet remember that it is God that hath appointed them to be your Heads and Governours If they are so silly as to be unable you should not have chosen such to Rule you as are unfit but having chosen them you must assist them with your
them not tyrannically but in tenderness and love and command them nothing that is against the Laws of God or the good of their souls Use not wrath and unmanlike fury with them nor any over-severe or unnecessary rebukes or chastisements Find fault in season with prudence and sobriety when your passions are down and when it is most likely to do good If it be too little it will embolden them in doing ill If it be too much or frequent or passionate it will make them sleight it and despise it and utterly hinder their repentance They will be taken up in blaming you for your rashness and violence instead of blaming themselves for the fault § 2. Direct 2. Provide them work convenient for them and such as they are fit for Not such or Direct 2. so much as to wrong them in their health or hinder them from the necessary means of their salvation Nor yet so little as may cherish their idleness or occasion them to lose their pretious time It is cruelty to lay more on your horse than he can carry or to work your Oxen to skin and bones Prov. 12. 10. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast much more of his servant Especially put not your servants on any labour which hazardeth their health or life without true necessity to some greater end Pity and spare them more in their health than in their bare labour Labour maketh the body sound but to take deep colds or go wet of their feet do tend to their sickness and death And should another mans Life be cast away for your commodity Do as you would be done by if you were servants your selves and in their case And let not their labours be so great as shall allow them no time to pray before they go about it or as shall so tire them as to unfit them for Prayer or instruction or the Worship of the Lords day and shall lay them like blocks as fitter to lie to sleep or rest themselves than to pray or hear or mind any thing that is good And yet take heed that you suffer them not to be idle as many great men use their Serving men to the undoing of their souls and bodies Idleness is no small sin it self and it breedeth and cherisheth many others Their time is lost by it and they are made unfit for any honest employment or course of life to help themselves or any others § 3. Direct 3. Provide them such wholsome food and lodging and such wages as their service doth Direct 3. deserve or as you have promised them Whether it be pleasant or unpleasant let their food and Col. 4. 1. lodging be healthful It is so odious an oppression and injustice to defraud a servant or labourer of his wages yea or to give him less than he deserveth that methinks I should not need to speak much against it among Christians Read Iam. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. and I hope it will be enough § 4. Direct 4. Use not your servants to be so bold and familiar with you as may tempt them to Direct 4. despise you nor yet so strange and distant as may deprive you of opportunity of speaking to them for their spiritual good or justly lay you open to be censured as too magisterial and proud Both these extreams have ill effects but the first is commonest and is the disquiet of many families § 5. Direct 5. Remember that you have a charge of the souls in your family and are as a Priest Direct 5. and Teacher in your own house and therefore see that you keep them to the constant worshipping of God especially on the Lords day in publick and private and that you teach them the things that concern their salvation as is afterward Directed And pray for them daily as well as for your selves § 6. Direct 6. Watch over them that they offend not God Bear not with ungodliness or gross sin in Direct 6. your family Read Psal. 101. Be not like those ungodly masters that look only that their own work be done and bid God look after his work himself and care not for their servants souls because they care not for their own and mind not whether God be served by others because they serve him not unless with hypocritical lip-service themselves § 7. Direct 7. Keep your servants from evil company and from being temptations to each other as Direct 7. far as you can If you suffer them to frequent Alehouses or riotous assemblies or wanton or malignant company when they are infected themselves they will bring home the infection and all the house may fare the worse for it And when Iudas groweth familiar with the Pharisees he will be seduced by them to betray his Master You cannot be accountable for your servants if you suffer them to be much abroad § 8. Direct 8. Go before them as examples of holiness and wisdom and all those virtues and duties Direct 8. which you would teach them An ignorant or a swearing cursing railing ungodly Master doth actually teach his servants to be such and if his words teach them the contrary he can expect but little reverence or success § 9. Direct 9. Patiently bear with those tolerable fâ—ailties which their unskilfulness or bodily temperature Direct 9. or other infirmity make them lyâ—ble to against their wills A willing mind is an excuse for many frailties much must be put up when it is not from wilfulness or gross neglect make not a greater matter of every infirmity or fault than there is cause Look not that any should be perfect upon earth Reckon upon it that you must have servants of the progeny of Adam that have corrupted natures and bodily weaknesses and many things that must be born with Consider how faultily you serve your Heavenly Master and how much he daily beareth with that which is amiss in you and how many faults and oversights you are guilty of in your own employment and how many you should be overtaken with if your were in their stead Eph. 6. 9. And ye Masters do the same things to them forbearing threatning knowing that your master also is in Heaven neither is there respect of persons with him Col. 4. 1. Masters give unto your servants that which is just and equal c. § 10. Direct 10. See that they behave themselves well to their fellow servants of which I shall speak Direct 10. anon Tit. 2. Directions to those Masters in foraign Plantations who have Negro's and other Slaves being a solution of several Cases about them Direct 1. UNderstand well how far your Power over your slaves extendeth and what limits Direct 1. God hath set thereto As 1. Sufficiently difference between Men and Bruits Remember that they are of as good a kind as you that is They are reasonable Creatures as well as you and born to as much natural liberty If their sin have enslaved them to you yet Nature
the week IT somewhat tendeth to make a holy life more easie to us when we know the ordinary course and method of our duties and every thing falleth into its proper place As it helpeth the Husbandman or Tradesman to know the ordinary course of his work that he need not go out of it unless in extraordinary cases Therefore I shall here give you some brief Directions for the holy spending of every day § 1. Direct 1. Proportion the time of your sleep aright if it be in your power that you waste Direct 1. not your pretious morning hours sluggishly in your bed Let the time of your sleep be rationally fitted to your health and labour and not sensually to your slothful pleasure About six hours is meet for healthful people and seven hours for the less healthful and eight for the more weak and aged ordinarily The morning hours are to most the preitousest of all the day for all our duties especially servants that are scanted of time must take it then for prayer if possible leâ—t they have none at all § 2. Direct 2. Let God have your first awaking thoughts Lift up your hearts to him reverently Direct 2. and thankfully for the rest of the night past and briefly cast your selves upon him for the following day and use your selves so constantly to this that your consciences may check you when common thoughts shall first intrude And if you have a Bed-fellow to speak to let your first speech be agreeable to your thoughts It will be a great help against the temptations that may else surprize you and a holy engagement of your hearts to God for all the day § 3. Direct 3. Resolve that pride and the fashions of the times shall never tempt you into such a Direct 3. garb of attire as will make you long in dressing you in the morning but wear such cloathing as is soon put on It 's dear-bought bravery or decency as they will needs call it which must cost every day an hours or a quarter of an hours time extraordinary I had rather go as the wilde Indians than have those morning hours to answer for as too many Ladies and other gallants have § 4. Direct 4. If you are persons of quality you may employ a child or servant to read a Chapter Direct 4. in the Bible while you are dressing you and eating your breakfast if you eat any Else you may employ that time in some fruitful meditation or conference with those about you as far as your necessary occasions do give leave As to think or speak of the mercy of a nights rest and of your renewed time and how many spent that night in hell and how many in prison and how many in a colder harder lodging and how many in grievous pain and sickness aweary of their beds and of their lives and how many in distracting terrours of their minds and how many souls that night were called from their bodies to appear before the dreadful God And think how fast days and nights â—oul on and how speedily your last night and day will come And observe what is wanting in the readiness of your soul for such a time and seek it presently without delay § 5. Direct 5. If more necessary duties call you not away let secret prayer by your self alone or Direct 5. with your chamber-fellow or both go before the common prayers of the family and delay it not causlesly but if it may be let it be first before any other work of the day Yet be not formal and superstitious to your hours as if God had absolutely tyed you to such a time nor think it not your duty to pray once in secret and once with your chamber-fellow and once with the family every morning when more necessary duties call you off That hour is best for one which is worst for another To most private prayer is most seasonable as soon as they are up and cloathed To others some other hour may be more free and fit And those persons that have not more necessary duties may do well to pray at all the opportunities before-mentioned But reading and meditation must be allowed their time also And the labours of your callings must be painfully followed And servants and poor people that are not at liberty or that have a necessity of providing for their families may not lawfully take so much time for prayer as some others may especially the aged and weak that cannot follow a calling may take longer time And Ministers that have many souls to look after and publick work to do must take heed of neglecting any of this that they may be longer and oftener in private prayer Allwayes remember that when two duties are at once before you and one must be omitted that you prefer that which all things considered is the greatest And understand what maketh a duty greatest Usually that is greatest which tendeth to the greatest good yet sometime that is greatest at that time which cannot be done at another time when others may Praying in it self considered is better than Plowing or Marketting or Conference And yet these may be greater than it in their proper seasons because prayer may be done at another time when these cannot § 6. Direct 6. Let family-worship be performed constantly and seasonably twice a day at that hour Direct 6. which is freest in regard of interruptions not delaying it without just cause But whenever it is performed be sure it be reverently seriously and spiritually done If greater duty hinder not begin with a brief invocation of Gods name and craving of his help and blessing through Christ and then read some part of the holy Scripture in order and either help the hearers to understand it and apply it or if you are unable for that then read some profitable Book to them for such ends and sing a Psalm if there be enough to do it fitly and earnestly pour out your souls in Prayer But if unavoidable occasions will not give way to all this do what you can especially in prayer and do the rest another time but pretend not necessity against any duty when it is but unwillingness or negligence The lively performance of Family-duties is a principal means to keep up the power and interest of Godliness in the world which all decays when these grow dead and slight and formal § 7. Direct 7. Renew the actual intention and remembrance of your ultimate end when you set your Direct 7. selves to your days work or set upon any notable business in the world Let HOLINESS TO THE LORD be written upon your hearts in all that you do Do no work which you cannot entitle God to and truly say he set you about And do nothing in the world for any other ultimate end than to Please and Glorifie and Enjoy him And remember that whatever you do must be done as a means to these and as by one that is that way going
way but the scandal which is spoken against in Scripture is the laying a Temptation before men that are weak to make them sin 9. Take heed of that hypocritical and câ—nsorious temper which turneth the holy observation of the day into a Ceremonious abstinence from lawful things and censureth those as ungodly that are not of the same mind and forbear not such things as well as they Mark the difference between Christ and the Pharisees in this point Much of their contention with him was about the outward observation of the Sabbath because his disciples rubbed out Corn to eat on the Sabbath day and because he healed on the Sabbath and bid the healed man Take up his bed and walk And they said There are six dayes in which men ought to work they might come and be healed on them Luk 6. 1 5 6. 13. 12 14 15 16. Ioh. 5. 17 18. Mark 1. 21 24. 2. 23 24 25 26 27 28. 3. 2 3 5. 6. 2 5. Luk. 14. 1 3 5 6. Ioh. 5. 9 10 16. 7. 22 23 24. 9. 14 16. And a man that is of their spirit will think that the Pharisees were in the right No doubt Christ might have chosen another day to heal on But he knew that the works which most declared the power of God and honoured him before all and confirmed the Gospel were fittest for the Sabbath day Take heed therefore of the Pharisees Ceremoniousness and Censoriousness If you see a man walking abroad on the Lords day censure him not till you know that he doth it from prophaneness or negligence You know not but it may be necessary to his health and he may improve it in holy meditation If you hear some speak a word more than you think needful of common things or do more about meat and cloathing than you think meet censure them not till you hear their reason A scrupulousness about such outward observances when the holy duties of the day are no whit hindred by that thing and a censoriousness towards those that are not as scrupulous is too Pharisaical and Ceremonious a Religion for spiritual charitable Christians And the extreams of some Godly people in this kind have occasioned the Quakers and Seekers to take and use all daies alike and the prophane to contemn the sanctifying of the Lords day Tit. 2. More particular Directions for the order of holy duties § 1. Direct 1. REmember the Lords day before it cometh and prepare for it and prevent those Direct 1. disturbances that would hinder you and deprive you of the benefit For Preparation 1. Six daies you must labour and do all that you have to do Dispatch all your business that you may not have it then to hinder and disturb you And see that your Servants do the same 2. Shake off the thoughts of worldly things and clear your minds of worldly delights and cares 3. Call to mind the doctrine taught you the last Lords day and if you have servants cause them to remember it that you may be prepared to receive the next 4 Go seasonably to bed that you and your servants may not be constrained to lye long the next morning or be sleepy on the Lords day 5. Let your meditations be preparatory for the day Repent of the sins of the week past as particularly and seriously as you can and seek for pardon and peace through Christ that you come not with guilt or trouble upon your Consciences before the Lord. § 2. Direct 2. Let your first thoughts be not only Holy but suitable to the occasions of the day Direct 2. With gladness remember what a day of mercies you awake to and how early your Redeemer rose from the dead that day and what excellent work you are to be employed in § 3. Direct 3. Rise full as early that day as you do on other daies Be not like the carnal generation Direct 3. that sanctifie the Lords day but as a Swine doth by sleeping and idleness and fulness Think not your worldly business more worthy of your early rising than your spiritual imployment is § 4. Direct 4. Let your dressing time be spent in some fruitful meditation or conference Direct 4. or hearing some one read a Chapter And let it not be long to detain you from your duty § 5. Direct 5. If you can have leisure go first to secret prayer And if you are servants Direct 5. or have any necessary business to do dispatch it quickly that you may be free for better work § 6. Direct 6. Let Family-worship come next and not be slubbered over sleightly but be serious Direct 6. and reverent and suit all to the nature or end of the day Especially awaken your selves and servants to consider what you have to do in publick and to go with prepared sanctified hearts § 7. Direct 7. Enter the holy Assembly with reverence and joy and compose your selves as those Direct 7. that come thither to treat with the living God about the matters of Eternal life And watch your hearts that they wander not nor sleep not nor sleight the sacred matters which you are about And guard your eyes that they carry not away your hearts And let not your hearts be a moment idle but seriously employed all the Time And when hypocrites and distempered Christians are quarrelling with the imperfections of the speaker or congregation or mode of Worship do you rather make it your diligent endeavour to watch your hearts and improve what you hear § 8. Direct 8. As soon as you come home while dinner is preparing it will be a seasonable Direct 8. time either for secret prayer or meditation to call over what you heard and urge it on your hearts and beg Gods help for the improvement of it and pardon for your publick failings § 9. Direct 9. Let your time at meat be spent in the chearful remembrance or mention of the Direct 9. Love of your Redeemer or somewhat suitable to the company and the day § 10. Direct 10. After dinner call your families together and sing a Psalm of Praise and Direct 10. by examination or repetition or both cause them to remember what was publickly taught them § 11. Direct 11. Then go again to the Congregation to the beginning and behave your Direct 11. selves as before § 12. Direct 12. When you come home call your families together and first crave Gods assistance Direct 12. and acceptance and then sing a Psalm of Praise and then repeat the Sermon which â—â—u heard or if there was none read one out of some lively profitable book and then Pray and Praise God and all with the holy seriousness and joy which is suitable to the work and day § 13. Direct 13. Then while Supper is preparing betake your selves to secret prayer and meditation Direct 13. â—either in your Chambers or walking as you find most profitable And let your Servants have no
desired by qualifying our selves for it as if indeed they moved the mind of God to a real change Even as he that is in a Boat and by his hook layeth hold of the banck doth as truly by his labour get nearer the banck as if he drew the banck to him § 4. Direct 3. Labour above all to know that God to whom you pray To know him as your Maker Direct 3. your Redeemer and your Regenerater as your Owner your Ruler and your Father Felicity and End as All-sufficient for your relief in the infiniteness of his Power his Wisdom and his Goodness and to know your own dependance on him and to understand his Covenant or Promises upon what terms he is engaged and resolved either to give his mercies or to deny them He that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. He that calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved But how shall they call on him on whom they have not believed Rom. 10. 13 14. § 5. Direct 4. Labâ—ur when you are about to pray to stir uâ— in your souls the moâ—t lively Direct 4. and â—â—riâ—uâ— bâ—lief of thâ—se uâ—seen things that your Prayers have respect to and to pray as if you saw them all the while Even as if you saw God in his Glâ—ry and saw Heaven and Hell the glorified and the damned and Iesus Christ your Mediator interceding for you in the Heavens As you would pray if your eyes beheld all these so strive to pray while you believe them And say to your selves Are they not as sure as if I saw them Are they not made known by the Son and Spirit of God § 6. Direct 5. Labour for a constant aâ—cuaintance with your selves your sins and manifold Direct 5. wants and necâ—ssiâ—ies and also to take an actual special notice of your case when you go to prayer If you get not a former câ—â—stant acquaintance with your own case you cannot expect to know it aright upon a suddâ—n as you go to pray And yet if you do not actually survâ—y your hâ—â—â—â—ts and lives when you go to prayer your souls will be unhumbled and want that lively sense of your necessities which must put life into your prayers Know well what sin is and what Gods wrath and Hell and Iudgement is and whâ—t sin you have committed and what duty you have omitted and failed in and what wants and corruptions are yet within you and what mercy and grace you stand in need of and then all this will make you pray and pray to purpose with all your hearts But when men are wilful strangers to themselves and never seriously look backwards or inwards to see what is amiss and wanting nor look not forwards to see the danger that is before them no wonder if their hearts be dead and dull and if they are as unfit to pray as a sleeping man to work § 7. Direct 6. See that you hate hypâ—crisie and let not your lips go against or without your hearts Direct 6. but that your hearts be the spring of all your words That you love not sin and be not â—â—th to 〈…〉 quum navis tâ—â—pestaâ—e qâ—â—â—â—e eâ—uâ— 1 lique Dâ—â—s invocarent Sâ—lâ—te inquit neâ—vâ—s â—â—c illi nâ—â—igarâ— sâ—ntâ—ant 〈…〉 p 55. leave it when you seem to pray against it and that you truly desire the grace which you ask and ask not for that which you would not have And that you be ready to use the lawful means to get the mercies which you ask and be not like those lazy wishers that will pray God to give them increase at harvest when they lye in bed and will neither plow or sow or that pray him to save them from fire or water or danger while they run into it or will not be at the pains to go out of the way O what abundance of wretches do offer up hypocritical mock-mock-prayers to God! blaspheming him thereby as if he were an Idol and knew not their hypocrisie and searched not the hearts Alas how commonly do men pray in publick that the rest of their lives hereafter may be pure and holy that hate purity and holiness at the heart and deride and oppose that which they sâ—em to pray for As Austin confesseth of himself before he was converted that he prayed against his filthy sin and yet was afraid lest God should grant his prayers So many pray against the sins which they would not be delivered from or would not use the means that is necessary to their conquest and deliverance Let him that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me Psal. 66. 18. See Ezek. 14. 3 4 14. Alas how easie is it for anâ— ungodly person to learn to say a few words by rote and to run them over without any sense of what he speaketh while the tongue is a stranger to the heart and speaketh not according to its desires § 8. Direct 7. Search your hearts and watch them carefully lest some beloved Vanity alienate Direct 7. them from the work in hand and turn away your thoughts or prepossess your affections so that you want them when you should use them If the mind be set on other matters prayer will be a heartless lifeless thing Alas what a dead and pitiful work is the prayer of one that hath his heart ensnared in the Love of money or in any ambitious or covetous design The thoughts will easily follow the affections § 9. Direct 8. Be sure that you pray for nothing that is disagreeable to the will of God and Direct 8. that is not for the good of your selves or others or for the honour of God And therefore take heed lest an erring judgement or carnal desires or passions should corrupt your prayers and turn them into sin If men will ignorantly pray to God to do them hurt it is a mercy to them if God will but pardon and deny such prayers and a judgement to grant them And it is an easie thing for fleshly interest or partiality or passion to blind the judgement and consequently to corrupt mens prayers An Ambitious or Covetous man will easily be drawn to pray for the grant of his sinful desires and think it would be for his good And there is scarce an heretical or erroneous person but thinketh that it would be good that the world were all reduced to his opinion and all the opposers of it were born down There are few zealous Antinomians Anabaptists or any other Dividers of the Church but they put their Opinions usually into their prayers and plead with God for the interest of their Sâ—cts and Errors And its like that the Jews that had a persecuting Zeal for God Rom. 10. 2. did pray according to that Zeal as well as persecute as its like Paul himself
prayed against the Christians while he ignorantly persecuted them And they that think they do God service by killing his servants no doubt would pray against them as the Papists and others do at this day Be specially careful therefore that your Iudgements and Desires be found and holy before you offer them up to God in prayer For it is a most vile abuse of God to beg of him to do the Devils work and as most malitious and erroneous persons do to call him to their help against himself his servants and his cause § 10. Direct 9. Come alwayes to God in the humility that beseemeth a condemned sinner and in Direct 99. the faith and boldness that beseemeth a Son and a member of Christ Do nothing in the least conceit and confidence of a worthiness in your selves but be as confident in every lawful request as if you saw your Glorified Mediator interceding for you with his Father Hope is the Life of Prayer and all endeavour and Christ is the Life of Hope If you pray and think you shall be never the better for it your prayers will have little life And there is no hope of success but through our powerful intercessor Therefore let both a Crucified and Glorified Christ be alwayes before your eyes in prayer Not in a Picture but in the thoughts of a believing mind Instead of a Crucifix let some such sentence of holy Scripture be written before you where you use to pray as Iohn 20. 17. GO TO MY BRETHREN and SAY UNTO THEM I ASCEND UNTO MY FATHER and YOUR FATHER TO MY GOD and YOUR GOD. Or Heb. 4. 14. We have a great High-Priest that is passed into the Heavens Iesus the Son of God ver 15 16. that was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy c. Heb. 6. 9 20. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and that entreth into that within the vail whither the fore runner is for us entred Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them John 14. 13 14. If ye ask any thing in my name I will do it Christ and the Promise must be the ground of all your confidence and hope § 11. Direct 10. Labour hard with your hearts all the while to keep them in a reverent serious Direct 10. fervent frame and suffer them not to grow remiss and cold to turn prayer into lip-labour and lifeless formality or into hypocritical affected seeming fervency when the heart is senseless though the voice be earnest The heart will easily grow dull and customary and hypocritical if it be not carefully watcht and diligently followed and stirred up The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jam. 5. 16. A cold prayer sheweth a heart that is cold in desiring that which is prayed for and therefore is unfit to receive the mercy God will make you know that his mercy is not contemptible but worthy your most earnest prayers § 12. Direct 11. For the matter and order of your Desires and Prayers take the Lords Prayer Direct 11. Of the Method of the Lords Prayer see Ramus de Râ—lig Christ. l. 3. c. 3 Ludolphus de vita Christi par 1. c. 37. Peâ—kins iâ— orat dom Dr. Boys on the Liturgie p. 5 6 7. as your special Rule and labour to understand it well For those that can make use of so Brief an Explication I shall give a little help A Brief Explication of the Method of the LORDS PRAYER The Lords Prayer containeth I. The Address or Preface In which are described or implyed I. To whom the Prayer is made 1. Who he is GOD Not Creatures Saints or Angels 2. How Related to us He is OUR FATHER which comprehendeth fundamentally that he is 1. Our Creator And therefore 1. Our Owner or Absolute Lord. 2. Our Redeemer And therefore 2. Our Ruler or Supream King 3. Our Regenerater To the regenerate And therefore 3. Our Benefactor and Chief Good and so Our Felicity and Our End 3. What he is in his Attributes WHICH ART IN HEAVEN Which signifieth that therefore he is 1. Almighty and Able to grant all that we ask and to relieve and help us in every strait 2. All knowing Our hearts and wants and all things being open to his sight 3. Most Good from whom and by whom and to whom are all things the fountain the disposer and the End of all on whose bounty and influence all subsist And the present Tense ART doth intimate his Eternity In this one word is not only implyed all these Attributes of God but also our hearts are directed whither to look for their Relief and Directioâ— now and their Felicity for ever and called off from Earthly dependaâ—â—es and expectations of Happiness and Rest and to look for all from Heaven and at last in Heaven II. Who are the Petitioners Who are 1. Man as to his Being 2. By Relation Gods Children 1. By Creation So All are and therefore All may thus far call him Father 2. By Redemption As All are as to the sufficient Price and satisfaction 3. By Regeneration And so only the Regenerate are Children 1. His Own 2. His Subjects 3. His Beloved and Beneficiariâ—s that Live upon Him and to Him as their End 3. By Quality 1. Dependant on God 2. Necessitous 3. Sinners Yet 1. Loving God as their Father Yet 2. Loving themselves as Men Yet 3. Loving others as Brethren All which is signified in the word OUR II. The Prayer or Petitions In two Parts Of which I. The first Part is accoring to the Order of Estimation Intention and Desire and is 1. For the End simply which is GOD in the word THY repeated in every Petition 2. For the End respectively in the interest of GOD and that is in I. The Highest or Ultimate that is The Glory of God HALLOWED BE THY NAME II. The Highest Means of his Glory THY KINGDOM COME that is Let the World be subject to thee their Creator and Redeemer the Universal King III. The next Means being the effect of this THY WILL BE DONE that is Let thy Laws be fulfilled and thy disposals submitted to 3. For the Lower End even the subject of these Means which is the Publick Good of Mankind the World and Church IN EARTH that is Let the world be subjected to thee and the Church obey thee which will be the greatest blessing to them Our selves being included in the world And the measure and pattern is added AS IT IS IN HEAVEN that is Let the Earth be conformed as near as may be to the Heavenly pattern So that this Part of the Lords Prayer proceeding in the order of Excellency and Intention directeth us I. To make God our Ultimate Highest End and to desire his Interest first and
And it is no true Repentance when you say I am sorry that I have sinned but you know not or remember not Wherein you have sinned nor what your sin is and so repent not indeed of any one sin at all And so it is no true Desire that reacheth not to the particular necessary Graces which we must desire Though I know some few very quick comprehensive minds can in in a moment think of many particulars when they use but General words And I know that some smaller less necessary things may be generally past over and greater matters in a time of haste or when we besides those Generals do also use particular requests § 3. Quest. 3. Is it lawful to pray in a set form of words Quest. 3. Answ. Nothing but very great ignorance can make you really doubt of it Hath God any where forbid it You will say That it s enough that he hath not commanded it I answer That in general he See Selden â—bi supra proving that the Jeâ—s had a form of prayer since Ezra's time I herefore it was in Christs time Yet he and his Apostles joyned with them and never contradicted or blamed them for forms hath commanded it to all whose edification it tendeth to when he commandeth you that all be done to edification But he hath given no particular command nor prohibition No more he hath not commanded you to pray in English French or Latin nor to sing Psalms in this Tune or that nor after this or that Version or Translation nor to preach in this Method particularly or that nor alwayes to preach upon a Text nor to use written Notes nor to compose a form of words and learn them anâ— preach them after they are composed with a hundred such like which are undoubtedly lawful yea and needful to some though not to others If you make up all your prayer of Scripture sentences this is to pray in a form of prescribed words and yet as lawful and fit as any of your own The Pâ—alms are most of them forms of Prayer or Praise which the Spirit of God indited for the use of the Church and of particular persons It would be easie to fill many Pages with larger reasonings and answers to all the fallacious Objections that are brought against this But I will not so far weary the Reader and my self § 4. Quest. 4. But are those forms lawful which are prescribed by others and not by God Quest. 4. Answ. Yea Or else it would be unlawful for a Child or Scholar to use a form prescribed by his Parents or Master And to think that a thing lawful doth presently become unlawful because a Parent Master Pastor or Prince doth prescribe it or command it is a conceit that I will not wrong my Reader so far as to suppose him guilty of Indeed if an Usurper that hath no Authority over us in such matters do prescribe it we are not bound to formal Obedience that is to do it therefore because he commandeth it But yet I may be bound to it on some other accounts And though his command do not bind me yet it maketh not the thing it self unlawful § 5. Quest. 5. But is it lawful to pray ex tempore without a premeditated form of words Quest. 5. Answ. No Christian of competent understanding doubteth of it We must premeditate on our waâ—ts and sins and the graces and mercies we desire and the God we speak to and we must be able to express these things without any lothsome and unfit expressions But whether the words are fore-contrived or not is a thing that God hath no more bound you to by any Law than whether the speaker or hearers shall use Sermon Notes or whether your Bibles shall be written or in Print § 6. Quest. 6. If both wayes be lawful which is better Quest. 6. Answ. If you are to joyn with others in the Church that is better to you which the Pastor then useth For it is his Office and not yours to word the prayers which he puts up to God And if he choâ—se a form whether it be as most agreeable to his parts or to his people or for concord with other Churches or for obedience to Governours or to avoid some greater inconvenience you must joyn with him or not joyn there at all But if it be in private where you are the speaker your Three oâ— four of these Cases as to Church-prayers are laâ—geâ—er answered afterward Tom. 3. Part 2. Socâ—ates alius Couâ— deorum precaâ—iones invoâ—ationâ—sque conscâ—ipsiâ— Laâ—rt â—â— Socâ—ate self you must take that way that is most to your own edification and to others it you have Auditors joyning with you One man is so unused to prayer being ignorantly bred or of such unready memory or expression that he cannot remember the tenth part so much of his particular wants without the help of a form as with it nor can he express it so affectingly for himself or others nay perhaps not in tolerable words And a form to such a man may be a duty as to a dim-sighted man to read by spectacles or to an unready Preacher to use prepared words and Notes And another man may have need of no such helps Nay when he is habituated in the understanding and feeling of his sins and wants and hath a tongue that is used to express his mind even in these matters with readiness and facility it will greatly hinder the fervor of such a mans affections to tye himself to premeditated words To say the contrary is to speak against the common sense and experience of such speakers and their hearers And let them that yet deride this as uncertain and inconsiderate praying but mark themselves whether they cannot if they be hungry beg for bread or ask help of their Physicion or Lawyer or Landlord or any other as well without a learned or studied form as with it Who knoweth not that its true which the New Philosopher saith Cartes de Passion part 1. art 44. Et cum inter loquendum solum cogitamus de sensu illiâ—s rei quam dicere volumus id facit ut moveamus linguam labra celerius melius quam si cogitaremus ea movere omnibus modis requisitis ad prâ—ferenda eadem verba Quia habitus quem acquisivimus cum disceremus loqui c. Turning the thoughts too solicitously from the matter to the words doth not only mortifie the prayers of many and turn them into a dead form but also maketh them more dry and barren even as to the words themselves The heavy charge and bitter scornful words which have been too common in this age against praying without a set form by some and against praying with a Book or form by others is so dishonourable a symptome or diagnostick of the Churches sickness as must needs be matter of shame and sorrow to the sounder understanding part For it cannot be denyed but it proveth mens
to express his Desires so far as they are good 3. A wicked mans wicked prayers are never accepted but a wicked mans prayers which are for good things from common grace are so far accepted as that they are some means conducing to his reformation and though his person be still unjustified and these Prayers sinful yet the total omission of them is a greater sin 4. A wicked man is bound at once to Repent and Pray Act. 8. 22. Isa. 55. 6 7. And when ever Gods bids him ask for grace he bids him desire grace And to bid him Pray is to bid him Repent and be of a better mind Therefore those that reprove Ministers for perswading wicked men to Pray reprove them for perswading them to Repentance and good desires But if they Pray without that Repentance which God and man exhort them to the sin is theirs But all their labour is not lost â— their desires fall short of saving sincerity They are under obligations to many duties which tend to bring them nearer Christ and which they may do without special saving grace § 12. Quest. 12. May a wicked man pray the Lords Prayer or be exhorted to use it Quest. 12. Answ. 1. The Lords Prayer in its full and proper sense must be spoken by a Penitent believing Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 10. 14. justified person For in the full sense no one else can call him Our Father though in a limited sense the wicked may And they cannot desire the Glory of God and the coming of his Kingdom nor the dâ—ing of his will on Earth as it is in Heaven and this sincerely without true grace especially those enemies of holiness that think it too much strictness to do Gods will on Earth ten thousand degrees lower than it is done in Heaven Nor can they put up one Petition of that Prayer sincerely according to the proper sense no not to pray for their Daily bread as a means of their support while they are doing the will of God and seeking first his Glory and his Kingdom But yet it 's possible for them to speak these words from such common desires as are not so bad as none at all § 13. Quest. 13. Is it Idolatry to Pray to Saints or Angels Or is it alwayes sinful Quest. 13. Answ. I love not to be too quarrelsome with other mens devotions But 1. I see not how 〈…〉 65 â— Isâ— 6â— 16. Psal 145. 18. 1 Kâ—â—e 8. 3â— Aâ—â— 1. 24. Rom. 8. 27. 10. 14. Psal. 62. 8. Mat. 4. 9. Praying to an Angel or a departed Saint can be excused from sin Because it supposeth them to be every where present or to be Omniscient and to know the heart yea to know at once the hearts of all men or else the speaker pretendeth to know when the Saint or Angel is present and heareth him and when not And because the Scripture doth nowhere signifie that God would have us pray to any such Saints or Angels but signifieth enough to satisfie us of the contrary 2. But all prayer to them is not Idolatry but some is and therefore we must distinguish if we will judge righteously 1. To pray to Saints or Angels as supposed Omnipresent Omniscient or Omnipotent is flâ—t Idolatry 2. To pray to them to Forgive us our sins against God or to Justifie or Sanctifie or Redeâ—m or save us from Hell or any thing which belongeth to God only to do is no better than Idolatry 3. But to pray to them only to do that which belongeth to the guardian or charitable office that is committed to them and to think that though they are not Omnipresent nor Omniscient â—ev 22. 8 9. â—o 2. 18. nor you know not whether they hear you at this time or not yet you will venture your prayers at uncertainty it being but so much labour lost this I take to be sinfully superstitious but not Idolatry 4. But to pray to living Saints or Sinners for that which belongeth to them to give is no sin at all § 14. Quest. 14. Is a man bound to pray ordinarily in his family Quest. 14. Answ. I have answered this affirmatively before and proved it One grain of grace would answer it better than arguments can do § 15. Quest. 15. Must the same man pray secretly that hath prayed in his family or with others Quest. 15. Answ. 1. Distinguish between those that were the speakers and those that were not and 2. Between those that have leisure from greater or more urgent duties and those that have not And so 1. Those that are free from the urgency of all other duties which at that time are greater should pray both in the family and in secret especially if they were not themselves the speakers usually they will have the more need of secret Prayer because their hearts in publick may easilier flag and much of their case may be omitted 2. But those that have more urgent greater duties mâ—â— take up a Mark that Isay but At 〈…〉 at that time with family prayer alone with secret ejaculations especially if they were the Speakers having there put up the same requests as they would do in secret § 16. Quest. 16. Is it best to keep set hours for prayer or to take the time which is fittest at present Quest. 16. Answ. Ordinarily set times will prove the fittest times and to leave the time undetermined and uncertain will put all out of order and multiply impediments and hinder duty But yet when extraordinary cases make the ordinary time unfit a fitter time must be taken § 17. Quest. 17. Is it lawful to joyn in family or Church prayers with ungodly men Quest. 17. Answ. I joyn both together because the cases little differ For the Pastor hath the Government of the people in Church-worship as the Master of the family hath in family-worship You may choose at first whether you will be a member of the Church or family if you were not born to it as your priviledge But when you are a member of either you must be Governed as members And to the case 1. You must distinguish between Professed wicked men and those that sin against their profession 2. And between a family or Church that is totally wicked and that which is mixt of good and bad 3. And between those wicked men whose presence is your sin because you have power to remove them and those whose presence is not your sin nor the matter in your power 4. And between one that may yet choose of what family he will be and one that may not And so I answer 1. If it be the fault of the Master of the family or the Pastors of the Church that such wicked men are there and not cast out then it is their sin to joyn with them because it is their duty to remove them But that is not the case of the fellow-servants or people that have no power 2. If that wicked men profess
their wickedness after sufficient admonition you must professedly disown communion with them And then you are morally separated and discharged when you have not power locally to separate 3. It is your sin to fly from your duty because a wicked man is there whom you have no power to remove 4. There are many prayers that a wicked man is bound to put up to God And you must not omit your duty because he performeth his though faultily Me thinks you should more scruple joyning or conversing with one that forsaketh Prayer which is the greater sin than with one that prayeth 5. But if you are free to choose you are to be blamed if you will not choose a better family or Church other things being equal especially if all the company be wicked § 18. Quest. 18. But what if the Master of the family or Pastor be a Heretick or ungodly Quest. 18. Answ. You must distinguish between his personal faults and the faults of his performance or worship His personal faults such as swearing or drunkenness c. you must disown and must not choose a Master or Pastor that is such while you have your choice and may have better But otherwise it is lawful to joyn with him in doing good though not in evil But if the fault of his Duty it self be intolerable you must not joyn with him Now it is intolerable in these cases 1. In case he be utterly unable to express a prayer and so make it no prayer 2. In case he beâ—d his prayers against Godliness and known Truth and Charity and Peace and so make his prayers but the Instruments of mischief to vent heresie or malice and do more hurt than good to others § 19. Quest. 19. May we pray Absolutely for outward mercies or only Conditionally Quest. 19. Answ. You must distinguish 1. Between a condition spoken of the subject when we are uncertain whether it be a mercy or not and an extrinsick condition of the grant 2. Between a condition of prayer and a condition of expectation 3. Between submission to Gods will and a conditional desire or prayer And so I answer 1. It is necessary when we are uncertain whether the thing it self be Good or not that we pray with a subjective conditionality Grant this if it be good or If it be not Good I do not pray for it For it is presupposed in prayer that we know the thing prayed for to be good 2. But when we know the thing to be a mercy and good we may pray for it absolutely 3. But we may not believe that we shall receive all with an absolute expectation which we absolutely Pray for For Prayer being the expression of desire that which may be absolutely desired though not absolutely promised may be absolutely prayed for As our increase or strength of Grace or the Conversion of our relations c. 4. But yet all such must be asked with a submission to the will of God But that maketh it not properly a conditional form of praying For when the nature of Prayer is as it were to move the will of God it is not so proper to say Lord do this if it be thy will already or Lord be pleased to do this if it be thy pleasure as to say Lord grant this mercy But if thou deny it it is my duty to submit So Christ mentioneth both the subjective conditionality and the submission of his will Mat. 26. 39. If it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt As if he had said Nature requireth me with a simple nolition to be unwilling of the suffering and if it be consistent with the desired ends of my mediâ—torship to be desâ—rous to avoid it but seeing that cannot be my comparing will commandeth this simple will of self-preservation to submit to thy most perfect will But if any call this submission a condition the matter is not great § 20. Quest. 20. May we pray for all that we may lawfully desire Quest. 20. Answ. No for prayer is not only an expression of Desire but also a means to attain the thing desired And some things may be lawfully desired at least with a simple velleity which may not be sought because they must not be hoped for where God hath said that he will not grant them For it is vain to seek that which you have no hope to find As to desire to see the Conversion of the whole world or to pass to Heaven as Henoch without dying are lawful by a simple velleity But all things compared it is not lawful peremptorily to desire it without submission and therefore not to ask it It is the expression of a comparate determinate desire which is properly called prayer being the use of means for the obtaining of that desire And whatsoever I may so desire I may pray for For if there be no hope of it I may not so desire it But the desire by way of simple velleity may not be put into a proper prayer when there is no hope I must have a simple Desire with submission to attain a sinless perfection here even this hour But because there is no hope I may not let it proceed to a determinate peremptory desire upon a comparing judgement nor into a proper prayer And yet these velleities may be expressed in prayer though they have not the full nature of a prayer Obj. But was not Christs a prayer Matth. 26. 39. Answ. Either Christ as man was certain that the Cup must not pass from him or uncertain If you could prove him uncertain then it is a proper prayer with submission to his Fathers will But if he was certain that it was not to pass from him then it was analogically only a Prayer it being but a representing of his velleity to his father and not of his determinate will nor was any means to attain that end And indeed such it was As if he had said Father if it had stood with the ends of my office and thy will I would have asked this of thee â—ut because it doth not I submit And this much we may do § 21. Quest. 21. How then can we pray for the salvation of all the world must it be for all men Quest. 21. collectively or only for some excluding no numerical denominate person Answ. Just as Christ prayed here in this Text we must express our simple velleity of it to God as a thing that in it self is most desireable as the passing of the Cup was unto Christ But we cannot express a determinate volition by a full prayer such as hath any tendency as a means to attain that end because we are certain that Gods will is against it or that it will not be § 22. Quest. 22. May we pray for the Conversion of all the Nations of the World to Christianity with Quest. 22. a hopeful prayer Answ. Yes For we are not certain that every nation shall
not be so converted though it be improbable § 23. Quest. 23. May we pray in hope with a proper prayer as a means to attain it that a whole Quest. 23. Kingdom may be all truly converted and saved Answ. Yes For God hath no way told us that it shall not be Though it be a thing improbable it is not impossible And therefore being greatly desirable may be prayed for Though Christ hath told us that his flock is little and few find the way of life yet that may stand with the salvation of a Kingdom § 24. Quest. 24. May we pray for the destruction of the enemies of Christ or of the Gospel or of the Quest 24. King Answ. Not with respect to that which is called Gods antecedent will for so we ought first to pray for their Conversion and restraint till then But with respect to that called his Consequent will we may that is we must first pray that they may be restrained and converted and secondly that if not they may be destroyed § 25. Quest. 25. What is to be thought of that which some call a particular faith in prayer If Quest. 25. I can firmly believe that a lawful prayer shall be granted in kind may I not be sure by a divine faith that it shall be so Answ. Belief hath relation to a Testimony or Revelation Prayer may be warranted as lawful if the thing be desirable and there be any possibility of obtaining it though there be no certainty or flat promise But faith or expectation must be warranted by the Promise If God have promised you the thing prayed for you may believe that you shall receive it Otherwise your particular faith is a fancy or a believing of your selves and not a believing God that never promised you the thing Obj. Matth. 21 22. And all things whatsoever you ask in prayer believing ye shall receive Mar 11. 23 24. Answ. There are two sorts of Faith the one a Belief that is ordinary having respect to ordinary promises and mercies The Text can be understood of this in no other sense than this All things which I have promised you you shall receive if you ask them believingly But this is nothing to that which is not promised The other faith was extraordinary in order to the working of Miracles And this faith was a potent inward confidence which was not in the power of the person when he pleased but was given like an Inspiration by the Spirit of God when a Miracle was to be wrought And this seemeth to be it that is spoken of in the Text. And this was built on this extraordinary promise which was made not to all men in all ages but to those times when the Gospel was to be sealed and delivered by Miracles and specially to the Apostles So that in these times there is neither such a promise of our working Miracles as they had to believe nor yet a power to exercise that sort of extraordinary faith Therefore a strong conceit though it come in a fervent prayer that any thing shall come to pass which we cannot prove by any promise or prophecy is not to be called any act of Divine faith at all nor to be trusted to § 26. Quest. 26. But must we not believe that every lawful prayer is accepted and heard of God Quest. 26. Answ. Yes but not that it shall be granted in the very thing unless so promised But you may believe that your prayer is not lost and that it shall be a means of that which tendeth to your good Rom. 8. 28. Isa. 45. 19. § 27. Quest. 27. With what faith must I pray for the souls or bodies of other men for their conversion Quest. 27. or their lives Answ. A godly man may pray for wicked Relations or others with more hope than they can pray for themselves while they remain ungodly But yet not with any certainty of prevailing for the thing he asketh for it is not peremptorily promised him Otherwise Samuel had prevailed for Saul and Isaac for Esau and David for Absolom and the good people for all the wicked And then no godly Parents would have their children lost no nor any in the world would perish For godly persons pray for them all But those prayers are not lost to him that puts them up § 28. Quest. 28. With what faith may we pray for the continuance of the Church and Gospel to Quest. 28. any Nation Answ. The former answer serveth to this Our hope may be according to the degrees of probability But we cannot believe it as a certainty by Divine faith because it is not promised by God § 29. Quest 29. How may we know when our prayers are heard of God and when not Quest. 29. Answ. Two wayes Sometimes by experience when the thing it self is actually given us and alwayes by the Promise When we ask for that which God commandeth us to ask or promiseth to grant For we are sure Gods promises are all fulfilled If we ask for the objects of sense as food oâ— rayment or health c. sense will tell us whether our prayers be granted in the same kind that we asked for But if the questions be of the objects of Faith it is Faith that must tell you that your prayers are granted But yet Faith and Reason make use of Evidences or Signs As if I pray for pardon of sin and salvation the promise assureth me that this prayer is granted if I be a penitent believing regenerate person Otherwise not Therefore faith only assureth me that such prayers are granted supposing that I discern the Evidence of my regeneration repentance and faith in Christ. So if the question be whether my prayer for others or for temporal mercies be answered in some other kind and conduce to my good some other way faith only must tell you this from the promise by the help of evidences There are millions of prayers that will all be found answered at death and judgement which we knew not to be answered any way but by believing it § 30. Quest. 30. What should a Christian of weak parts do that is dry and barren of matter Quest. 30. and can scarce tell what to say in prayer but is ready to rise off his knees almost as soon as he hath begun Answ. 1. He must not be a stranger to himself but study well his heart and life and then he will How to have constant supply of matter â—ind such a multitude of inward corruptions to lament and such a multitude of wants to be supplyed and weaknesses to be strengthened and disorders to be rectified and actual sins to be forgiven that may find him work enough for confessions complaints and petitions many dayes together if expression be but as ready as matter 2. Let him study God and get the knowledge of his Nature Attributes and Works and then he will find matter enough to aggravate his sin and to furnish him
with the holy Praise of God from day to day As he that is acquainted with all that is in any Book can copiously discourse of it when he that knoweth not what is in it hath little to say of it so he that knoweth God and his works and himself and his sins and wants is acquainted with the best Prayer Book and hath alwayes a full heap of matter before him when ever he cometh to speak to God 3. Let him study the mysterie of mans Redemption and the Person and Office and Covenant and Grace of Christ and he need not want matter for prayer or praise A very Child if he see but a Pedlars pack opened where there are abundance of things which he desireth will learn Rev 3. 17 18. without-book to say O Father buy me this and give me that c. So will the soul that seeth the treasuries and riches of Christ. 4. Let him know the extent of the Law of God and the meaning of the ten Commandments If he know but what sins are forbidden in each Commandment and what duties are required he may find matter enough for Confession and Petition And therefore the view of such a brief Exposition of the Commandments as you may find in Mr. Brinsley's True-Watch and in Dr. Downams and Mr. Whateleys Tables will be a present furniture for such a use especially in dayes of humiliation So it will also to have a particular understanding of the Creed and the Lords Prayer which will furnish you with much matter 5. Study well the Temptations which you carry about you in your flesh and meet with in the world and are suggested by the Tempter and think of the many duties you have to do and the many dangers and sufferings to undergo and you will never be unfurnished for matter for your prayers 6. Observe the daily passages of Providence to your selves and others Mark how things go with your souls every day and hearken how it goeth with the Church of God and mark also how it goeth with your neighbours and sure you will find matter enough for prayer 7. Think of the Heavenly Joyes that you are going to and the Streets of the New Ierusalem will be large enough for faith to walk in 8. For words be acquainted with the phrase of Scripture and you will find provisions for all occasions Read Dr. Wilkins Book called The Gift of Prayer or Mr. Brinsleyes Watch or Mr. El. Par's Abba Father 9. Keep up the heart in a reverend serious lively frame and it will be a continual spring to furnish you with Matter When a dead and barren heart hath a dry and sleepy tongue 10. Ioyn as oft as you can with those that are full and copious in prayer For example and use will be very great helps 11. Quench not the Spirit of God that must assist you 12. In case of necessity use those Books or Forms which are more full than you can be your selves till you come to ability to do better without them Read further the Directions Tom. 1. Chap. 6. Tit. 2. for more § 31. Quest. 31. How should a Christian keep up an ordinary fervency in prayer Quest. 31. How to keep up fervency in prayer Answ. 1. See that knowledge and faith provide you Matter For as the fire will go out if there be not fewell so fervency will decay when you are dry and scarce know what to say or do not well believe what you understand 2. Clog not the body either with overmuch eating and drinking or over-tiring labours For an active body helpeth much the activity of the mind And the holiest person will be able but poorly to exercise his fervency under a dull or languishing body 3. Rush not suddenly upon prayer out of a crowd of other businesses or before your last worldly cares or discourses be washed clean out of your minds In Study and Prayer how certain a truth is it that Non bene fit quod occupato animo fit Hieron Epist. 143. ad Paulin. That work is not well done which is done with a mind that is prepossessed or busied about other matters That mind must be wholly free from all other present thoughts or business that will either Pray or Study well 4. Keep a tender heart and conscience that is not senseless of your own concernments For all your prayers must needs be sleepy if the heart and conscience be once hardned seared or fallen asleep 5. Take more pains with your hearts than with your tongues Remember that the success of your work lyeth most on them Bear not with their sluggishness Do by them as you would do by your Child or Servant that sleepeth by you at prayer You will not let them snort on but jog them till you have awakened them So do by your hearts when you find them dull 6. Live as in the continual presence of God but labour to apprehend his special presence when you are about to speak to him Ask your hearts how they would behave themselves if they saw the Lord or but the lowest of his holy Angels 7. Let faith be called up to see Heaven and Hell as open all the while before you and such a fight will surely keep you serious 8. Keep death and judgement in your continual remembrance and expectation Remember how all your prayers will be lookt back upon Look not for long life Remember that this prayer for ought you know may be your last but certainly you have not long to pray Pray therefore as a dying man should do 9. Study well the unspeakable iâ—cessity of your souls If you prevail not for pardon and grace and preservation you are undone and lost for ever Remember that necessity is upon you and Heaven or Hell are at the end and you are praying for more than a thousand lives 10. Study well the unspeakable excellency of those mercies which you pray for O think how blessed a life it would be if you could know God more and love him more and live a blameless heavenly life and then live with Christ in Heaven for ever Study these mercies till the flames of Love put life into your prayers 11. Study well the exceeding encouragements that you have to Pray and Hope If your Hope decay your fervour will decay Think of the unconceivable Love of God the astonishing mercy shewed to you in your Redeemer and in the helps of the Holy Spirit and how Christ is now interceding for you Think of these till faith make glad your heart And in this gladness let Praise and thanksgiving have ordinarily no small share in your prayers for it will tire out the heart to be alwayes poreing on its own distempers and discourage it to look on nothing but its infirmities And then a sad discouraged temper will not be so lively a temper as a thankful praiseful joyful temper is For Laetitia loquax res est atque ostentatrix sui Gladness is a very expressive thing and apt to shew
it self But tristes non eloquentes Symmach Epist. 31. l. 1. ad Aâ—so â— sunt maxime si ad aegritudinem animi accedat corporis aegritudo Hieron Epist. 31. ad Theoph. Alexand. Sad men are seldome eloquent especially if the body be sick as well as the mind 12. Let the Image of a Praying and a bleeding Christ and of his praying Saints be not on a wall before your eyes but engraven on your minds Is it not desirable to be conformed to them Had they more need to pray importunately than you 13. Be very cautelous in the use of forms lest you grow dull and customary and before you are aware your tongues use to go without your hearts The heart is apt to take its ease when it feeleth not some urgent instigation And though the presence of God should serve turn without the regard of man yet with imperfect men the heart is best held to its duty when both concurr And therefore most are more cautelous of their words than of their thoughts As children will learn their Lesson better when they know their Masters will hear them it than when they think he will not Now in the use of a form of Prayer a sleepy heart is not at all discerned by man but by God only For the words are all brought to your hand and may be said by the most dull and careless mind But when you are put to express your own desire without such helps you are necessitated to be so mindful of what you do as to form your desires into apt expressions or else your dulness or inattentiveness will be observed even by men and you will be like one that hath his Coach or Horse or Crutches taken off him that if he have legs must use them or else lye still And to them that are able it is often a great benefit to be necessitated to use the ability they have Though to others it is a loss to be deprived of their helps See Mr. Mayo's Directions on this â—aâ—e I speak not this against the lawfulness of a form of prayer but to warn you of the temptations which are in that way 14. Joyn oft with the most serious servent Christians For their servour will help your hearts to burn and carry you along with them 15. Destroy not fervency by adulterating it and turning it into an affected earnestness of speech and lowdness of voice when it is but an hypocritical cover for a frozen empty heart § 32. Quest. 32. May we look to speed ever the better for any thing in our selves or in our prayers Quest. 32. Is not that to trust in them when we should trust on Christ alone Answ. We must not trust in them for any thing that is Christs part and not theirs But for their own part it is a duty to trust in them however quarrelsome persons may abuse or cavil at the words And he that distrusteth Prayer in that which is its proper office will pray to little purpose And he that thinks that faithful servent importunate understanding prayer is no more effectual with God for mercy than the babling of the hypocrite or the ignorant careless unbelieving sleepy prayers of the negligent will either not care how he prayeth or whether he prayeth at all or not Though our persons and prayers have nothing that is meritorious with God in point of Commutative Iustice nor as is co-ordinate with the merits of Christ yet have they conditions without which God will not accept them and are meritorious in subordination to the Merit of Christ in point of paternal Governing Iustice according to the Covenant of Grace as an obedient child deserveth more Love See my Consession of this at large and Praise and Reward from his Father than the disobedient as the antient Fathers commonly used the word Merit § 33. Quest. 33. How must that person and prayer be qualified that shall be accepted of God Quest. 33. Answ. There are several degrees of Gods acceptance I. That which is but from common grace may be accepted as better than none at all II. That which hath a promise of some success especially as to pardon and salvation must be 1. From a penitent believing holy person 2. It must proceed from true Desire and be sincere and have renewed faith and repentance in some measure 3. It must be put up in confidence on the merit and intercession of Christ. 4. It must be only for things lawful 5. And to a lawful end III. That which is extraordinarily accepted and successful must be extraordinary in all these respects in the persons holiness and in renewed faith and fervent importunity and holy Love Tit. 3. Special Directions for Family-Prayer § 1. Direct 1. LEt it be done rather by the Master of the family himself than any other if Direct 1. he be competently able though others be more able But if be be utterly unfit let it rather be done by another than not at all And by such a one as is most acceptable to the rest and like to do most good § 2. Direct 2. Let prayer be suited to the case of those that joyn in it and to the condition of the Direct 2. family And not a few general words spoken by rote that serve all times and persons alike § 3. Direct 3. Let it neither be so short as to end before their hearts can be warm and their wants Direct 3. expressed as if you had an unwilling task to slubber over and would fain have done nor yet so tedious as to make it an ungrateful burden to the family § 4. Direct 4. Let not the coldness and dulness of the speaker rock the family sleep But keep Direct 4. waken your own heart that you may keep the rest awake and force them to attention § 5. Direct 5. Pray at such hours as the family may be least distracted sleepy tired or out of Direct 5. the way § 6. Direct 6. Let other duties concurr as oft as may be to assist in prayer as Reading and Direct 6. Singing Psalms § 7. Direct 7. Do all with the greatest reverence of God that possibly you can Not seeming Direct 7. Reverence but Real that so more of God than of Man may appear in every word you speak § 8. Direct 8. The more the bearers are concerned in it the more regard you must have to the Direct 8. fitness of your expressions For before others words must be regarded lest they be scandalized and God and Prayer be dishonoured And if you cannot do it competently without use a well composed form § 9. Direct 9. Let not family Prayer be used at the time of publick prayer in the Church nor Direct 9. preferred before it but prefer publick prayer though the manner were more imperfect than your own § 10. Direct 10. Teach your Children and Servants how to pray themselves that they may not Direct 10. be prayerless when they come
among those that cannot pray Iohn and Christ taught their Disciples Mat. 6. Luk. 11. to pray Tit. 4. Special Directions for secret Prayer § 1. Direct 1. LET it be in as secret a place as conveniently you can that you may not be Direct 1. disturbed Let it be done so that others may not be witnesses of it if you can avoid it and yet take it not for your duty to keep it unknown that you pray secretly at all for that will be a snare and scandal to them § 2. Direct 2. Let your voice be suited to your own help and benefit if none else hear you If it be Direct 2. needful to the orderly proceeding of your own thoughts or to the warming of your own affections you may use a voice But if others be within hearing it is very unfit § 3. Direct 3. In secret let the matter of your prayers be that which is most peculiarly your own Direct 3. concernment or those secret things that are not fit for publick prayer or are there passed by Yet never forgetting the highest interest of Christ and the Gospel and the World and Church § 4. Direct 4. Be less sollicitous about words in secret than with others and lay out your care about Direct 4. the heart For that 's it that God most esteemeth in your prayers § 5. Direct 5. Do not through carnal unwillingness grow into a neglect of secret prayer when you Direct 5. have time Nor yet do not superstitiously tye your selves to just so long time whether you are fit or at leisure from greater duties or not But be the longer when you are most fit and vacant and the shorter when you are not To give way to every carnal backwardness is the sin on one side and to resolve to spend so long time when you do but tire your selves and sleep or business or distemper maketh it a lifeless thing is a sin on the other side Avoid them both § 6 Direct 6. A melancholy person who is unfit for much solitariness and heart-searchings must be much Direct 6. short if not also seldomer in secret prayers than other Christians that are capable of bearing it And they must instead of that which they cannot do be the more in that which they can do As in joyning with others and in short ejaculations besides other duties but not abatâ—ing their piety in the main upon any pretence of curing melancholy CHAP. XXIV Brief Directions for Families about the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. OMitting those things which concern the publick administration of this Sacrament for the Reasons before intimated Tom 2. I shall here only give you some brief Directions for your private duty herein § 1. Direct 1. Understand well the proper ends to which this Sacrament was instituted by Direct 1. Christ and take heed that you use it not to ends for which it never was appointed The true ends Q. What are the Ends of the Sacramâ—nâ— Matth. 26. 28. Mar. 14. â—4 Luâ— â—2 â—0 1 Cor. 11. 25. Heb. 9. 15 16 â—â— 1â— 1 Cor. 10. 16 24. Joh. 6. 32 35 51 58. are these 1. To be a solemn commemoration of the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ to keep it as it were in the eye of the Church in his bodily absence till he come 1 Cor. 11. 24 25 26. 2. To be a solemn renewing of the holy Covenant which was first entred in Baptism between Christ and the Receiver And in that Covenant it is on Christs part a solemn delivery of Himself first and with Himself the Benefits of Pardon Reconciliation Adoption and right to life eternal And on mans part it is our solemn acceptance of Christ with his Benefits upon his terms and a Delivering up our selves to Him as his Redeemed ones even to the Father as our Reconciled Father and to the Son as our Lord and Saviour and to the Holy Spirit as our Sanctifier with Professed Thankfulness for so great a benefit 3. It is appointed to be a lively objective means by which the spirit of Christ should work to stir up and exercise and increase the Repentance Faith Desire Love Hope Ioy Thankfulness and new-obedience of Believers by a lively Representation of the evil of sin the infinite Love of God in Christ the firmness of the Covenant or promise the greatness and sureness of the mercy given and the blessedness purchased and promised to us and the great obligations that are laid upon us And that herein Believers might be solemnly called out to the most serious exercise of all these 1 Cor. 11. 27 28 29 31. 1 Cor. 10. 16 17 â—1 1 Cor. 11. 25 26. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Act 2 42 46. 20. 7. graces and might be provoked and assisted to stir up themselves to this Communion with God in Christ and to pray for more as through a sacrificed Christ. 4. It is appointed to be the solemn profession of Believers of their Faith and Love and Gratitude and obedience to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and of continuing firm in the Christian Religion And a badge of the Church before the world 5. And it is appointed to be a signe and means of the Unity Love and Communion of Saints and their readiness to communicate to each other § 2. The false mistaken ends which you must avoid are these 1. You must not with the Papists think that the end of it is to turn Bread into no bread and Wine into no wine and to make them Really the true Body and blood of Jesus Christ. For if sense which telleth all men that it is still Bread and wine be not to be believed then we cannot believe that ever there was a Gospel or an Apostle or a Pope or a man or any thing in the world And the Apostle expresly calleth it Bread three times in three verses together after the consecration 1 Cor. 11. 26 27 28. And he telleth us that the use of it is not to make the Lords Body really present but to shew the Lords death till be come that is As a visible representing and commemorating sign to be instead of his bodily presence till he come § 3. 2. Nor must you with the Papists use this Sacrament to sacrifice Christ again really unto the Father to propitiate him for the quick and dead and ease souls in Purgatory and deliver them out Rom. 6. 9. 1 Cor. 15. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Heb. 9. 26. 10. 12 26. Heb. 9. 24. of it For Christ having dyed once dyeth no more and without killing him there is no sacrificing him By once offering up himself he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and now there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin Having finished the sacrificing work on earth he is now passed into the Heavens to appear before God for his Redeemed ones § 4. 3. Nor is it any better than odious impiety to receive the Sacrament to
sects and parties and what divisions and contentions tend to as you have done And therefore it belongeth to your gravity and experience to call them unto Unity Charity and Peace and to keep them from proving fire-brands in the Church and rashly over-running their understandings and the truth § 8. Direct 8. Of all men you must live in the greatest contempt of earthly things and least entangle Direct 8. your selves in the Love or needless troubles of the world You are like to need it and use it but a little while A little may serve one that is so neer his journeys end You have had the greatest experience of its vanity You are so near the great things of another World that methinks you should have no leisure to remember this or room for any unnecessary thoughts or speeches of it As your bodies are less able for worldly employment than others so accordingly you are allowed to retire from it more than others for your more serious thoughts of the life to come It is a sign of the bewitching power of the world and of the folly and unreasonableness of sin to see the Aged usually as Covetous as the young and men that are going out of the world to love it as fondly and scrape for it as eagerly as if they never lookt to leave it You should rather give warning to the younger sort to take heed of Covetousness and of being ensnared by the world and while they labour in it faithfully with their hands to keep their hearts entirely for God § 9. Direct 9. You should highly esteem every minute of your time and lose none in idleness or unnecessary Direct 9. things but be alwayes doing or getting some good and do what you do with all your might For you are sure now that your time will not be long How little have you left to make all the rest of your preparation in for eternity The young may die quickly but the old know that their time will be but short Though Nature decay yet grace can grow in life and strength and when your outward man perisheth the inner man may be renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4. 16. Time is a most pretious commodity to all but especially to them that have but a little more to determine the question in Whether they must live in Heaven or Hell for ever Though you cannot do your worldly businesses as heretofore yet you have variety of holy exercises to be imployed in Bodily ease may beseem you but Idleness is worse in you than in any § 10. Direct 10. When the decay of your strength or memory or parts doth make you unable to read Direct 10. or pray or meditate by your selves so much or so well as heretofore make the more use of the more lively gifts and help of others Be the more in hearing others and in joyning with them in prayer that their memory and zeal and utterance may help to lift you up and carry you on § 11. Direct 11. Take not a decay of nature and of those gifts and works which depend thereon Direct 11. for a decay of grace Though your memory and utterance and fervour of affection abate as your Natural heat abateth yet be not discouraged but remember that you may for all this grow in grace if you do but grow in holy wisdom and judgement and a higher esteem of God and holiness and a greater disesteem of all the vanities of the world and a firmer resolution to cleave to God and trust on Christ and never to turn to the world and sin This is your growth in grace § 12. Direct 12. Be patient under all the infirmities and inconveniences of old age Be not discontented Direct 12. at them nor repine not nor grow pievish and froward to those about you This is a common temptation which the Aged should carefully resist You knew at first that you had a body that must decay If you would not have had it till a decaying age why were you so unwilling to dye If you would why do you repine Bless God for the dayes of youth and strength and health and ease which you have had already and grudge not that corruptible flesh decayeth § 13. Direct 13. Understand well that passive obedience is that which God calleth you to in your Direct 13. age and weakness and in which you must serve and honour him in the conclusion of your labour When you are unfit for any great or publick works and active obedience hath not opportunity to exercise it self as heretofore it is then as acceptable to God that you honour him by patient suffering And therefore it is a great errour of them that wish for the death of all that are impotent decrepit and bed-rid as if they were utterly unserviceable to God I tell you it is no small service that they may do not only by their prayers and their secret Love to God but by being examples of faith and patience and heavenly-mindedness and confidence and joy in God to all about them Grudge not then if God will thus imploy you § 14. Direct 14. Let your thoughts of death and preparations for it be as serious as if death were Direct 14. just at hand Though all your life be little enough to prepare for death and it be a work that should be done as soon as you have the use of Reason yet age and weakness call lowder to you presently to prepare without delay Do therefore all that you would fain find done when your last sickness cometh that unreadiness to die may not make death terrible nor your age uncomfortable § 15. Direct 15. Live in the joyful expectations of your change as becometh one that is so near to Direct 15. Heaven and looketh to live with Christ for ever Let all the high and glorious things which faith apprehendeth now shew their power in the Love and joy and longings of your soul. There is nothing in which the weak and aged can more honour Christ and do good to others than in joyful expectation of their change and an earnest desire to be with Christ. This will do much to convince unbelievers that the promises are true and that Heaven is real and that a holy life is indeed the best which hath so happy an end When they see you highest in your joyes at the time when others are deepest in distress and when you rejoyce as one that is entring upon his happiness when all the happiness of the ungodly is at an end this will do more than many Sermons to perswade a sinner to a holy life I know that this is not easily attained But a thing so sweet and profitable to your selves and so useful to the good of others and so much tending to the honour of God should be laboured after with all your diligence and then you may expect Gods blessing on your labours Read to this use the fourth part of my Saints Rest. CHAP.
the greatness of those sins which you before accounted small the benefit may be very great For it will help to a more deep and sound repentance and to a stronger Resolution against all sins if you recover And affliction is a very great help to us in this Many a man hath been ashamed and deeply humbled for that same sin when sickness did awake him which he could make his play-fellow before as if there had been neither hurt nor danger in it § 3. Direct 3. There is many a deep corruption in the heart which affliction openeth and discovereth Direct 3. which deceitfulness bid in the time of prosperity And the detecting of these is no small benefit to the soul. When you come to part with wealth and honour you shall better know how much you loved them than you could before Mark therefore what corruptions appear in your affliction and how the heart discloseth its deceits that you may know what to repent of and reform § 4. Direct 4. When affliction calleth you to the use and exercise of your graces you have a great Direct 4. help to be better acquainted with the strength or weakness of them When you are called so lowdly to the use of Faith and love and patience and heavenly-mindedness you may better know what measure of every one of these you have than you could when you had no such help Mark therefore what your hearts prove in the tryal and what each Grace doth shew it self to be in the exercise § 5. Direct 5. You have a very great help now to be throughly acquainted with the vanity of the Direct 5. world and so to mortifie all affections unto the things below Now judge of the value of wealth and honor of plenty and high-places Are they a comfort to a dying man that is parting with them Or is it any grief to a poor man when he is dying that he did not enjoy them Is it not easie now to rectifie your errors if ever you thought highly of these transitory things O settle it now in your firm Resolution that if God should restore you you would value this world at a lower rate and set by it and seek it but as it deserveth § 6. Direct 6. Also you have now a special help to raise your estimation of the happiness of Direct 6. the Saints in Heaven and of the necessity and excellency of a holy life and of the wisdom Luke 10. 42. Phil. 1. 19. 23. of the Saints on earth and to know who maketh the wisest choice Now you may see that it is nothing but Heaven that is worth our seeking and that is finally to be trusted to and will not fail us in the hour of our distress Now you may discern between the Righteous and the Wicked between those that serve God and those that serve him not Mal. 3. 17 18. Now judge whether a loose and worldly life or a holy heavenly life be better and resolve accordingly § 7. Direct 7. You have also now a very great help to discern the folly of a voluptuous life and Direct 7. to mortifie the deeds and desires of the flesh when God is mortifying its natural desires it may help you in mortifying its sinful desires Now judge what Lust and Playes and Gaming and Feasting and Drunkenness and Swaggering are worth You see now the end of all such pleasures Do you think them better than the Joyes of Heaven and worthy the loss of a mans salvation to attain them Or better than the pleasures of a holy life § 8. Direct 8. Also now you have a great advantage for the quickning of your hearts that have lost Direct 8. their Zeal and are cold in Prayer and dull in Meditation and regardless of holy conference If ever you will pray earnestly sure it will be now If ever you will talk seriously of the matters of salvation sure it will be now Now you do better understand the reason of servent prayer and serious Religion and circumspect walking than you did before And you can easily now confute the scorns or railings of the loose ungodly enemies of holiness even as you consute the dotage of a fool or the ravings of a man beside himself § 9. Direct 9. You have a great advantage more sensibly to perceive your Dependance upon God Direct 9. alone and what reason you have to please him before all the world and to regard his favour or displeasure more than all the things or persons upon earth Now you see how vain a thing is man and how little the favour of all the world can stand you instead in your greatest necessity Now you see that it is God and God alone that is to be trusted to at last And therefore it is God that is to be obeyed and pleased what ever become of all things in the world § 10. Direct 10. You have now a great advantage to discern the Pretiousness of Time and to see how Direct 10. carefully it should be redeemed and to perceive the distractedness of those men that can waste it in pastimes and curiosity of dressings and needless complements and visits and a multitude of such vanities as rob the world of that which is more pretious than Gold or treasure Now what think you of idling and playing away your Time Now do you not think that it is wiser to spend it in a holy preparation for the life to come than to cast it away upon childish fooleries or any unnecessary worldly things § 11. Direct 11. Also you have now a special help to be more serious than ever in your preparations for Direct 11. death and in your thoughts of Heaven and so to be readier than you were before And if sickness help you to be readier to dye and more to set your hearts above whether you live or dye it will be a profitable sickness to you § 12. Direct 12. Let your friends about you be the witnesses of your open Confessions and Resolutions Direct 12. and engage them if God should restore you to your health to remember you of all the promises which you have made and to watch over you and tell you of them when ever there is need By these means sickness may be improved and be a mercy to you § 13. I might next have given some special Directions to them that are Recovered from sickness Directions to them that recover But because I would not be needlesly tedious I refer such to what is here said already 1. Let them but look over these twelve Directions and see whether these benefits remain upon their hearts 2. Let them call to their lively remembrance the sense which they had and the frame they were in when they made these Resolutions 3. Let them remember that sickness will come again even a sickness which will have no cure And 4. Let them bethink themselves how terribly Conscience will be wounded and their souls dismayed
sacrilegum est quodcunque humano furore instituitur ut dispositio Divina violetuâ— Cyprian Eccles. 5. 1 2. â—ev 10. 1 2 3. Rom. 10. 2 3. § 21. Direct 10. See that you perform every part of Worship to the proper end to which it is appointed Direct 10. both as to the ultimate remote and nearest end The End is essential to these Relative duties If you intend not the right end you make another thing of it As the Preaching of a Sermon to edifie 1 Thes. 2. 4. Col. 1 10. Joh. 8. 29. 1 Cor. 7. 32. Heb. 11. 6. 1 Joh. 3. 22. the Church or putting up a prayer to procure Gods blessings is not the same thing as a Stage-players prophane repeating the same words in scorn of Godliness or an Hypocrites using them for commodity or applause The Ultimate end of all worship and all moral actions is the same even the Pleasing and Glorifying God 1 Cor. 10. 31. 2 Tim. 2. 4. Besides which every part of Worship hath its proper nearest end These must not only be distinctly known but actually intended It is God in Christ that a holy worshipper thirsteth after and seeketh for in every part of worship either to know more of God and of his will and blessings or to have some more Communion with him or some further grace communicated from him to receive his pardoning or cleansing or quickening or confirming Psal. 42. Psal. 84. or comforting or exalting grace to be honoured or delighted in his holy service or to make known his grace and Glory for the good of others and the honour of his name Here it is that God proclaimeth his name as Exod. 34. 6. The ordinances of Gods Worship are like the Tree in which Zacheus climbed up being of himself too low to have a sight of Christ. Here we come to learn the will of God for our salvation and must enter the Assembly with such resolutions as Cornelius and his Company met Act. 10. 33. We are all here met to hear all things commanded thee of God and as Act. 2. 37. and Act. 16. 30. to learn what we must do to be saved Hither we come for that holy light which may shew us our sin and shew us the grace which we have received and shew us the unspeakable love of God till we are humbled for sin and lifted up by faith in Christ and can with Thomas as it were put our fingers into his wounds and say in assurance My Lord and my God and as Psal. 48. 14. This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death Here we do as it were with Mary sit at the feet of Jesus to hear his word Luk. 10. 39. that fire from Heaven may come down upon our hearts and we may say Did not our hearts burn within us while he spake to us and while he opened to us the Scriptures Luk. 24. 32. Here we cry to him as the blind man Lord that I may Mark 10 51. receive my sight We cry here to the Watchmen Cant. 3. 3. saw ye him whom my soul loveth Here we are in his banqueting house under the banner of his Love Cant. 2. 4. We have here the sealing and quickenings of his spirit the mortification of our sin the increase of grace and a prospect into life eternal and a foresight of the endless happiness there See then that you come to the Worship of God with these intentions and expectations that if God or Conscience call to you as God did sometime to Elias what dost thou here you may truly answer I came to seek the Lord my God and to learn his will that I might do it And that your sweet delights may make you say Psal. 84. 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be still praising thee If thou come to the Worship of God in meer custome or to make thy carnal heart believe that God will forgive thee because thou so far servest him or to quiet thy Conscience with the doing of a formal task of duty or to be seen of men or that thou maist not be thought ungodly if these be thy ends thou wilâ— speed accordingly A Holy soul cannot live upon the air of mans applause nor upon the shell of Ordinances without God who is the kernel and the life of all It is the Love of God that brings them thither and it is Love that they are exercising there and the end of Love even the nearer approach of the soul to God which they desire and intend Be sure then that these be the true and real intentions of thy heart § 22. Quest. But how shall I know whether indeed it be God himself that I am seeking and that I How to know that we have right ends in Worship perform his worship to the appointed ends Answ. In so great a business it is a shame to be unacquainted with your own Intentions If you take heed what you do and look after your hearts you may know what you come for and what is your business there But more particularly you may discern it by these marks 1. He that hath right ends and seeketh God will labour to suit all his duties to those ends and will like that best which is best suited to them He will strive so to preach and hear and pray not as tends most to preferment or applause but as â—endeth most to please and honour God and to attain his grace And he will love that Sermon or that prayer best that is best fitted to bring up his soul to God and not that which tickleth a carnal ear Mark what you fit the means to and you may perceive what is your end 2. If it be God himself that you seek after in his Worship you will not be satisfied without God It is not the doing of the task that will satisfie you nor yet the greatest praise of men no not of the most Godly men But so far as you have attained your end in the cleansing or quickening or strengthening of the soul or getting somewhat nearer God or pleasing or honouring him so far only you will be contented 3. If God be your end you will be faithful in the use of that more private and spiritual worship where God is to be found though no humane applause be there to be attained 4. And you will love still the same substantial necessary truth and duty which is to your souls as bread and drink is to your bodies when those that have carnal ends will be looking after variety and change and will be weary of the necessary bread of life By observing these things you may discern what are your ends in Worship § 23. And here I must not let go this necessary Direction till I have driven on the Reader with some more importunity to the serious practice of it It is lamentable to see how many turn the Worship of God into vile hypocrisie
among them and defile them 7. It is the duty of the several members of the flock if a Brother trespass against them to tell him his faults between them and him and if he hear not to take two or three and if he hear not them to tell the Church 8. It is the Pastors duty to admonish the unruly and call them to Repentance and pray for their Conversion 9. And it is the Pastors duty to declare the obstinately impenitent uncapable of Communion with the Church â—nd to charge him to forbear it and the Church to avoid him 10. It is the peoples duty to avoid such accordingly and have no familiarity with them that they may be ashamed and with such no not to eat 11. It is the Pastors duty to Absolve the Penitent declaring the remission of their sin and re-admitting to the Communion of the Saints 12. It is the peoples duty to re-admit the absolved to their Communion with joy and to take them as Brethren in the Lord. 13. Though every Pastor hath a General power to exercise his office in any part of the Church where he shall be truly called to it yet every Pastor hath a special obligation and consequently a special power to do it over the flock of which he hath received the special charge and oversight 14. The Lords day is separated by Gods appointment for the Churches ordinary holy Communion in Gods Worship under the conduct of these their Guides 15. And it is requisite that the several particular Churches do maintain as much agreement among themselves as their capacity will allow them and keep due Synods and correspondencies to that end Thus much of Gods Worship and Church-order and Government at least is of Divine institution and determined by Scripture and not left to the will or liberty of man Thus far the Form of Government at least is of Divine Right § 21. But on the contrary 1. About Doctrine and Worship the Scripture is no Law in any of these following cases but hath left them undetermined 1. There are many natural Truths which the Scripture meddleth not with As Physicks Metaphysicks Logick c. 2. Scripture telleth not a Minister what particular Text or Subject he shall Preach on this day or that 3. Nor what method his Text or Subject shall be opened and handled in 4. Nor what day of the week besides the Lords day he shall preach nor what hour on the Lords day he shall begin 5. Nor in what particular place the Church shall meet 6. Nor what particular sins we shall most confess nor what personal mercies we shall at this present time first ask nor for what we shall now most copiously give thanks For special occasions must determine all these 7. Nor what particular Chapter we shall now read nor what particular Psalm we shall now sing 8. Nor what particular translation of the Scripture or version of the Psalms we shall now use Nor into what Sections to distribute the Scripture as we do by Chapters and Verses Nor whether the Bible shall be Printed or Written or in what Characters or how bound 9. Nor just by what sign I shall express my consent to the truths or duties which I am called to express consent to besides the Sacraments and ordinary words 10. Nor whether I shall use written Notes to help my memory in Preaching or Preach without 11. Nor whether I shall use a writing or book in prayer or pray without 12. Nor whether I shall use the same words in preaching and prayer or various new expressions 13. Nor what utensils in holy administrations I shall use as a Temple or an ordinary house a Pulpit a font a Table cups cushions and many such which belong to the several parts of Worship 14. Nor in what particular gesture we shall preach or read or hear 15. Nor what particular garments Ministers or people shall wear in time of Worship 16. Nor what natural or artificial helps to our natural faculties Of which I have spoke more fully in my Disput. 5. of Church-Government p. 400. c. we shall use as medicaments for the Voice tunes musical instruments spectacles hour-glasses These and such like are undetermined in Scripture and are left to be determined by humane prudence not as men please but as means in order to the proper end according to the General Laws of Christ. For Scripture is a General Law for all such circumstances but not a particular Law So also for Order and Government Scripture hath not particularly determined 1. What individual persons shall be the Pastors of the Church 2. Or of just how many persons the Congregations shall consist 3. Or how the Pastors shall divide their work where there are many 4. Nor how many every Church shall have 5. Nor what particular people shall be a Pastors special charge 6. Nor what individual persons he shall Baptize receive to Communion admonish or absolve 7. Nor in what words most of these shall be expressed 8. Nor what number of Pastors shall meet in Synods for the communion and agreement of several Churches noâ— how oft nor at what time or place nor what particular order shall be among them in their consultations with many such like § 22. When you thus understand how far Scripture is a Law to you in the Worship of God it will be the greatest Direction to you to keep you both from disobeying God and your Superiours that you may neither pretend obedience to man for your disobedience to God nor pretend obedience to God against your due obedience to your Governours as those will do that think Scripture is a more particular Rule than ever Christ intended it And it will prevent abundance of unnecessary scruples contentions and divisions § 23. Direct 12. Observe well in Scripture the difference between Christs Universal Laws which Direct 12. bind all his Subjects in all times and places and those that are but local personal or alterable Laws What commands of God are not universal noâ— perpetual lest you think that you are bound to all that ever God bound any others to The Universal Laws and unalterable are those which result from the Foundation of the universal and unalierable nature of persons and things and those which God hath supernaturally revealed as suitable constantly to all The particular local or temporary Laws are those which either resulted from a particular or alterable nature of persons and things as mutually related as the Law of nature bound Adams Sons to marry their Sisters which bindeth others against it or those which God supernaturally enacted only for some particular people or person or for a time If you should mistake all the Iewish Laws for universal Laws as to persons or duration into how many errours would it lead you So also if you mistake every personal mandate sent by a Prophet or Apostle to a particular man as obliging all you would make a snare of it Every man is not to abstain
from Vineyards and Wine as the Rechabites were nor every man to go forth to Preach in the garb as Christ sent the twelve and seventy Disciples Nor every man to administer or receive the Lords Supper in an upper room of a house in the Evening with eleven or twelve only c. nor every one to carry Pauls Cloak and Parchments nor go up and down on the messages which some were sent on And here in precepts about Worship you must know what is the thing primarily intended in the command and what it is that is but a subservient means For many Laws are universal and immutable as to the matter primarily intended which are but local and temporary as to the matter subservient and secondarily intended As the command of saluting one another with a holy Kiss and using Love feasts in their sacred Communion primarily intended the exercising and expressing holy Love by such convenient signes as were then in use and suitable to those times But that it be done by those particular signes was subservient and a local alterable Law as appeareth 1. In that it is actually laid down by Gods allowance 2. In that in other places and times the same signes have not the same signification and aptitude to that use at all and therefore would be no such expression of Love or else have also some ill signification So it was the first way of Baptizing to dip them overhead which was fit in that hot Countrey which in colder Countreys it would not be as being destructive to health and more against modesty Therefore it is plain that is was but a local alterable Law The same is to be said of not-eating things strangled and blood which was occasioned by the offence of the Jews and other the like This is the case in almost all precepts about the external worshipping gestures The thing that God commandeth universally is a humble reverent adoration of him by the mind and body Now the adoration of the mind is still the same but the bodily expression altereth according to the custome of Countreys In most Countreys kneeling or prostration are the expressions of greatest veneration and submission In some few Countreys it is more signified by sitting with the face covered with their hands In some it is signified best by standing kneeling is ordinarily most fit because it is the most common sign of humble reverence but where it is not so it is not fit The same we must say of other gestures and of habits The Women among the Corinthians were not to go uncovered because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11. 10. and yet in some places where long hair or covering may have a contrary signification the case may be contrary The very fourth Commandment however it was a perpetual law as to the proportion of time yet was alterable as to the seventh day Those which I call Universal Laws some call Moral But that 's no term of distinction but signifieth the common nature of all Laws which are for the Governing of our Manners Some call them Natural Laws and the other Positive But the truth is There are some Laws of Nature which are Universal and some that are particular as they are the Result of Universal or Particular Nature And there are some Laws of Nature that are perpetual ☜ which are the result of an unaliered foundation and there are some that are Temporary when it is See the Advertisement before my Book against Infidelity some Temporary alterable thing in Nature from whence the duty doth result So there are some Positive Laws that are Universal or unalterable during this World and some that are Local particular or temporary only § 24. Direct 13. Remember that whatever duty you seem obliged to perform the obligation still Direct 13. supposeth that it is not naturally impossible to you and therefore you are bound to do it as well as you can See Mr. Trumans book of Natural and Moral Impotency And when other mens force or your natural disability hindereth you from doing it as you would you are not therefore disobliged from doing it at all but the total omission is wâ—rse than the defective performance of it as the defective performance is worse than doing it more perfectly And in such a case the Defects which are utterly involuntary are none of yours imputatively at all but his that hindereth you unless as some other sin might cause that As if I were in a Countrey where I could have liberty to Read and Pray but not to Preach or to Preach only once a moneth and no more It is my duty to do so much as I can do as being much better than nothing and not to forbear all because I cannot do all Obj. But you must forbear no part of your duty Answ. True but nothing is my duty which is Object 1. naturally impossible for me to do Either I can do it or I cannot If I can I must supposing it a duty in all other respects but if I cannot I am not bound to it Obj. But it is not suffering that must deter you for that is a carnal reason and your suffering Object 2. may do more good than your preaching Answ. Suffering is considerable either as a pain to the flesh or as an unresistible hindrance of the work of the Gospel As it is meerly a pain to the flesh I ought not to be deterred by it from the work of God But as it forcibly hindereth me from that work as by Imprisonment death cutting out the tongue c. I may lawfully foresee it and by lawful means avoid it when it is sincerely for the work of Christ and not for the saving of the flesh If Paul foresaw that the Preaching of one more Sermon at Damascus was like to hinder his preaching any more because the Jews watcht the gates day and night to kill him it was Pauls duty to be let down by the wall in a basket and to escape and preach elsewhere Act. 9. 25. And when the Christians could not safely meet publickly they met in secret as Ioh. 19. 38. Act. 12. 12 c. whether Pauls suffering at Damascus for Preaching one more Sermon or his preaching more elsewhere was to be chosen the interest of Christ and the Gospel must direct him to resolve That which is best for the Church is to be chosen § 25. Direct 14. Remember that no material duty is formally a duty at all times that which Direct 14. is a duty in its season is no duty out of season Affirmative precepts bind not to all times except only to habits or the secret intention of our ultimate end so far as is sufficient to animate and actuate the means while we are waking and have the use of reason Praying and Preaching that are very great duties may be so unseasonably performed as to be sins If forbearing a prayer or Sermon or Sacrament one day or month be rationally like to procure
indeed preach Christ of envy and strife and some of good will The one preach Christ of contention not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds but the other of love c. Here is an odious vice in the publick Ministry even an endeavour to increase the sufferings of the Apostle yet it was lawful to hear such preachers though not to prefer them before better Most sects among Christians are possessed with a tang of envy and uncharitableness against dissenters which useth to break forth in their preaching and praying and yet it is lawful to joyn with such 2. It is not unlawful to joyn with a Minister that hath many defects and infirmities in his Ministration or manner of Worship As if he preach with some ignorance disorder unfit expressions or gestures unmeet repetitions or if he do the like in Prayer or in the Sacraments putting something last that should be first and leaving out something that should be said or praying coldly and formally These and such like are faults which we should do our best to reform and we should not prefer such a Ministry before a better but it is lawful and a duty to joyn with such when we have no better For all men are imperfect and therefore the manner of Worship as performed by them will be imperfect Imperfect men cannot be perfect in their Ministrations We must joyn with a defective and imperfect mode of Worship or joyn with none on earth And we must perform such or none our selves Which of you dare say that in your private prayers you have no disorder vain repetitions flatness or defects 3. It is not unlawful to joyn with a Minister that hath some material errour or untruth in his preaching or praying so be it we be not called to approve it or make it ours and so it be not pernicious and destructive to the ends of his Ministry For all men have some errour and they that have them may be expected sometime to vent them And it is not our presence that is any signification of our consent to their mistakes If we run away from all that vent any untruth or mistake in publick or private Worship we shall scarce know what Church or person we may hold Communion with The Reason of this followeth § 93. 3. The sense of the Church and all its members is to be judged of by their publick professions and not by such words of a Minister which are his own and never had their consent I am by Profession a Christian and the Scripture is the Professed Rule of my Religion And when I go to the Assemblies I profess to Worship God according to that Rule I profess my self a hearer of a Minister of the Gospel that is to Preach the Word of God and that hath promised in his Ordination out of the holy Scriptures to instruct the people committed to his charge and to teach nothing as required of necessity to eternal salvation but that which he shall be perswaded may be concluded and proved by the Scripture This he professed when he was ordained and I profess by my presence only to hear such a Preacher of the Gospel and Worship God with him in those Ordinances of Worship which God hath appointed If now this man shall drop in any mistake in Preaching or modifie his prayers or administrations amiss and do his part weakly and disorderly the hearers are no way guilty of it by their presence For if I must run away from Gods publick worship because of mens mis-performance 1. I should joyn with none on Earth For a small sin may no more be wilfully done or owned than a greater 2. And then another mans weakness may disoblige me and discharge me from my duty To order and word his Prayers and Preaching aright is part of the Ministers own work and not the peoples And if he do it well it is no commendation to me that am present but to himself And therefore if he do it amiss it is no fault of mine or dispraise to me but to himself If the Common-Council of London or the Court of Aldermen agree to Petition the King for the Renewing of their Charter and commit the expressing of their request to their Recorder in their presence If he Petition for something else instead of that which he was intrusted with and so betray them in the substance of his business they are openly to contradict him and disown his treachery or mistake But if he deliver the same Petition which he undertook with stammering disorder defectiveness and perhaps some mixture of untruths in his additional reasons and discourse this is his failing in the personal performance of his duty and no way imputable to them that sent him and are present with him though in modesty they are silent and speak not to disown it For how can it be their fault that a man is wanting in his personal sufficiency and duty unless it be that they chose not a better And whether he speak ex tempore or more deliberately in a written form or without in words that other men taught him or wrote for him or in words of his own devising it altereth not their case § 94. Obj. But if a man fail through weakness in his own performance I know not of that before Obj. Of imposed defective Liturgies hand But if his faulty manner of praying be prescribed and imposed on him by a Law then I know it before hand and therefore am guilty of it Answ. To avoid confusion fix upon that which you think is the thing sinful 1. Either it is because the Prayers are defective and faulty 2. Or because they are imposed 3. Or because you know the fault before hand But none of all these can prove your joyning with them sinful 1. Not â—â—â—â— hominâ—â— est facere quod potest â—â—aâ—rsi nâ—n â—aâ—â—at hâ—â— quod est â—â— gâ—â—â—â—â—â—â— because they are faulty for you may joyn with as faulty prayers you confess if not imposed 2. Not because imposed 1. Because that is an extenuation and not an aggravation For it proveth the Minister less-voluntary of the two than those are that do it without any command through the errour of their own judgements as most erroneous persons will 2. Because though lawful things oft become unlawful when superiours forbid them yet no reason can be given why a Lawful 〈◊〉 â—â— thing should become unlawful because a lawful superiour doth command iâ— Else superiours might take away all our Christian liberty and make all things unlawful to us by commanding thâ—m You would take it for a wilde conceit in your Children or servants if they say when you bid them learn a Catechism or use a form of Prayer It was lawful to us till you commanded us to do it but because you bid us do it it is unlawful If it be a duty to obey Governours in all lawful things then it is not a sin to obey them 3. And it is not your
a quarrelsome disposition but only as evidence constraineth you to dissent And then remember that we are all imperfect and faulty men must needs perform a faulty worship if any For it cannot be better than the agent Direct 8. When you meet with a word in a Sermon or Prayer which you do not like let it not Direct 8. stop you and hinder your fervent and peaceable proceeding in the rest as if you must not joyn in that which is good if there be any faulty mixture in it But go on in that which you approve and thank God that pardoneth the infirmities of others as well as your own Direct 9. Conform your selves to all the Lawful gestures and customes of the Church with which Direct 9. you joyn You come not thither proudly to shew the Congregation that you are wiser in the circumstances of worship than they nor needlesly to differ from them much less to harden men into a scorn of strictness by seeing you place Religion in singularities in lawful and indifferent things But you come to exercise Love peace and Concord and with one mind and mouth to glorifie God Stand when the Church standeth sit when the Church sitteth kneel when the Church kneeleth in cases where God doth not forbid it Direct 10. Take heed of a customary formal sensless heart that tolerateth it self from day to day Direct 10. to do holy things in a common manner and with a common dull and careless mind For that is to prophane them Call in your Thoughts when they attempt to wander stir up your hearts when you feel them dull Remember what you are about and with whom it is that you have to do and that you tread on the dust of them who had such opportunities before you which are now all gone and so will yours You hear and pray for more than your lives Therefore do it not as in jeast or as asleep Direct 11. Do all in faith and Hope Believe what you may get of God in prayer and by an Direct 11. obedient hearing of his word Would you not go cheerfully to the King if he had promised you to grant whatever you ask Hath not God promised you more than Kings can give you Oh it is an unbelieving and a despairing heart that turneth all into dead formality Did you but Hope that God would do all that for you which he hath told you he will do and that you might get more by prayer than by your trades or projects or all your friends you would go to God with more earnestness and more delight Direct 12. Apply all the Word of God to your selves according to its usefulness Ask as you Direct 12. go How doth this concern me this reproof this mark this counsel this comfort this exhortation this direction Remember as much as you can but especially the most practical useful parts Get it home so deep upon your hearts that it may not easily slide away Root it by close application as you go that affection may constrain you to remember it Direct 13. Above all Resolve to obey what God shall make known to be his will Take heed lest Direct 13. any wilful sin should escape the power of the Word and should ordinarily go away with you as it Act. 10. 33. 1 Sam. 3. 9 10. Prov. 8. 34. Ezek. â—3 4. Psal. 66. 18. Psal. 5. 5. Dan. 4. 27. Prov. 10. 29. 28. 9. Psal. 50. 16 17 18. 125. 5. 1 Sam. 15. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Mat. 7. 23 Luk. 13. 2â— Joh. 1â— 3 4 27. came Careless hearing and careless living tend most dangerously to a hardened heart and a forsaken state If you regard iniquity in your heart God will not hear your prayers The sacrifice of the wicked is abominable to him The foolish shall not stand in his sight he hateth all the workers of iniquity He that turneth away his ear from hearing that is obeying the Law even his prayer is abominable To the wicked saith God What hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and hast cast my words behind thee Obedience is better than sacrifice He that nameth the name of Christ must depart from iniquity or else God will not find his mark upon him nor take him to be one of his Christs sheep know his voice and follow him and to them he will give eternal life But if you had Preacht or done miracles in his name he will say to you Depart from me I know you not if ye be workers of iniquity Look therefore to your foot to your heart and life when you go to the house of God and be more ready to hear his Law that must govern you that you may know his will and do it than to offer the sacrifice of fools that is disobedient sinners that think by sacrifices and outside worship to get pardon for an unholy life and to reconcile God to them in their sins not knowing that thus they add sin to sin Eccleâ— â— â— 2 3 4. If you seek God daily and delight to know his wayes as a Nation that did righteousness and forsook not the ordinance of their God If you ask of him the ordinances of justice sound doctrine regular worship strict discipline and take delight in approaching to God If you humble your Isa. 5â— 1 2 3. souls with frequent fasts and yet live in a course of wilful disobedience you labour in vain and aggravate your sins and Preachers had need to lift up their voices and be lowder Trumpets to tell you of your sins than to other men But if ye will wash you and make you clean and put away the evil of your doings cease to do evil learn to do well seek judgement relieve the oppressed c. Isa. 1. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. You may then come with boldness and confidence unto God Otherwise to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices your oblations will be vain and your incense abominable If ye be wilâ—ing and obedient you shall be blessed but if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be destroyed for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it If you do well shall you not be accepted but if ye do evil Gen. 4. 7. Prov. 14. 34. Num. 32. 23. sin lyeth at the door Let your profession be never so great and your parts and expressions never so Scraphical sin is a reproach to any people And if you would hid your selves from justice in the purest Church among the holiest people and the most numerous and longest prayers be sure that your sin will find you out Your secret lust your covetous over-reaching your secret gluttony or Jam 1. 22. â—â—m 2. 13. tipling much more your crimson sins will surely find you out Alas what â—hen will those miscreants do whose sins are scarlet bloody persecutions under pretence Ezek. 7. 19. Jâ—r 7. 23. 11. 4
7. 26. 13. Mat. 23. 14. Mar. 1â— 40. Exod. 6. 30. Deuâ— 7. 12. 11. 13. 13. 18. 15. 5. 26. 17. 28. 1. Psal. 81. 8 9 10 11 12. of promoting unity and obedience and the Catholick Church while the Cloak or Cover of it is but the thin transparent Spider-web of humane Traditions and numerous Ceremonies and childish complementing with Goâ— And when they have nothing but the prayers of a long Liturgie to cover the effects of their earthly sensual and diabolical zeal and wisdom as St. Iames calls it 3. 15 16. and to concâ—ct the Widdows houses which they devour and to put a reverence upon the office and work which they labour all the week to render reproachful by a sensual luxurious idle life and by perfidious making merchandize of souls As ever you care what becometh of your souls take heed lest sin grow bold under Prayers and grow familiar and contemptuous of Sermons and holy speeches and lest you keep a custome of Religious exercises and wilful sins For oh how doth this harden now and wound hereafter He is the best hearer that is the holiest liver and faithfullest obeyer Direct 14. Be not a bare hearer of the Prayers of the Pastor whether it be by a Liturgie or Direct 14. without For that is but hypocrisie and a sin of omission You come not thither only to hear prayers but to pray And kneeling is not praying but it is a profession that you pray And will you be prayerless even in the house of Prayer and when you profess and seem to pray and so add hypocrisie to impiety I fear many that seem Religious and would have those kept from the Sacrament that Pray not in their Families do very ordinarily tolerate themselves in this gross omission and mocking of God and are Prayerless themselves even when they seem to Pray Direct 15. Stir up your hearts in a special manner to the greatest alacrity and joy in speaking Direct 15. and singing the Praises of God The Lords day is a day of Joy and Thanksgiving and the Praises of God are the highest and holyest employment upon Earth And if ever you should do any thing with all your might and with a joyful and triumphing frame of soul it is this Be glad that you may joyn with the Sacred Assemblies in heart and voice in so Heavenly a work And do not as some humersome pievish persons that know not the danger of that proud disease fall to quarreling with Davids Psalms as unsuitable to some of the hearers or to nauseate every failing in the Metâ—â— so as to turn so holy a duty into neglect or scorn for alas such there are near me where I dwell nor let prejudice against melody or Church-musick if you dwell where it is used possess you with a spleneâ—ick disgust of that which should be your most joyful work And if you know how much the incorporate soul must make use of the body in harmony and in the joyful praises of Iehovah do not then quarrel with lawful helps because they are sensible and corporeal Direct 16. Be very considerate and serious in Sacramental renewings of your Covenant with God Direct 16. O think what great things you come thither to Receive And think what a holy work you have to See Mâ— Rawlâ—â—s Book of Sacramental Covenanting do And think what a Life it is that you must promise So solemn a Covenanting with God and of so great importance requireth a most holy reverent and serious frame of soul. But yet let not the unwarrantable differencing this Ordinance from Gods praises and the rest seduce you into the common errours of the times I mean 1. Of those that hence are brought to think that the Sacrament should never be received without a preparatory day of humiliation above the preparation for an ordinary Lords days work 2. And therefore receive it seldom whereas the primitive Churches never spent a Lords day together without it 3. Those that turn it into a perplexing terrifying thing for fear of being unprepared when it should be their greatest comfort and when they are not so perplexed about their unpreparâ—dness to any other duty 4. Those that make so great a difference betwixt this and Church-prayers praises and other Church-woâ—ship as that they take this Sacrament only for the proper work and priviledge of Church-members And thereupon turn it into an occasion of our great contentions and divisions while they fly from Sacramental Communion with others more than from Communion in the other Church-worship O what hath our subtle enemy done against the Love Peace and Unity of Christians especially in England under pretence of Sacramental purity Direct 17. Perform all your Worship to God as in heart-Communion with all Christs Churches Direct 17. upon Earth Even those that are faulty though not with their faults Though you can be present but with one yâ—â— consent as present in spirit with all and separate not in heart from any one any further than they separate from Christ. Direct 18. Accordingly let the Interest of the Church of Christ be very much upon your heart Direct 18. and pray as hard for it as for your self Direct 19. Yâ—â— remember in all what Relation you have to the Heavenly Society and Chore and Direct 19. think how they Worship God in Heaven that you may strive to imitate than in your degree Of which more anâ—n Direct 20. Let your whole course of life after savour of a Church-frame Live as the servants of Direct 20. that God whâ—m you Worship and as ever before him Live in the Love of those Christians with whom you have Communion and do not quarrel with them at home nor despise nor persecute them with whom you joyn in the Worshipping of God And do not needlesly open the weaknesses of the Minister to prejudice others against him and the Worship And be not Religious at the Church alone for then you are not truly Religious at all CHAP. X. Directions about our Communion with Holy Souls Departed and now with Christ. THE oversight and neglect of our duty concerning the souls of the blessed now with Christ I have said more of â—his since in my â—â—â—â—e of Faith doth very much harden the Papists in their erroneous excesses here about And if we will ever reduce them or rightly confute them it must be by a judicious asserting of the Truth and observing so much with them as is our duty and commending that in them which is to be commended and not by running away from truth and duty that we may get for enough from them and errour For errour is an ill way of confuting errour The practical Truth lyeth in these following Precepts § 1. Direct 1. Remember that the departed souls in Heaven are part and the noblest part of the Body Direct 1. of Christ and family of God of which you are inferiour members and therefore that you owe
to its capacity therefore a Believers child is supposed to be Virtually not actually dedicated to God in his own dedication or Covenant as soon as his child hath a being 3. Being thus Virtually and Implicitly first dedicated he is after Actually and regularly dedicated in Baptism and Sacramentally receiveth the badge of the Church And this maketh him a visible member or Christian to which the two first were but introductory as Conception is to humane Nativity Object 2. But the seed of Believers as such are in the Covenant and therefore Church-members Answ. The word Covenant here is ambiguous Either it signifieth Gods Law of Grace or prescribed terms for salvation with his immediate offer of the benefits to accepters called the single Covenant of God or it signifieth this with mans Consent called the Mutual Covenant where both parties Covenant In the former sense the Covenant only offereth Church-membership but maketh no man a Church-member till Consent It is but Gods conditional promise If thou believe thou shalt be saved c. If thou give up thy self and children to me I will be your God and you shall be my people But it is only the Mutual Covenant that maketh a Christian or Church-member Object The promise is to us and our children as ours Answ. That is that you and your children dedicated to God shall be received into Covenant â—â—t not otherwise Believing is not only bare Assenting but Consenting to the Covenant and delivering up your selves to Christ And if you do not consent that your child shall be in the Covenant and deliver him to God also you cannot expect acceptance of him against your wills nor indeed are you to be taken for true believers your selves if you dedicate not your selves to him and all that are in your power Object This offer or Conditional Covenant belongeth also to Infidels Answ. The offer is to them but they accept it not But every believer accepteth it for himself and his or devoteth to God himself and his children when he shall have them And by that virtual dedication or Consent his children are Virtually in the Mutual Covenant And Actually upon actual Consent and dedication Object But it is Profession and not Baptism that makes a visible member Answ. That 's answered before It is profession by Baptism For Baptism is that peculiar act of profession which God hath chosen to this use when a person is absolutely devoted resigned and engaged to God in a solemn Sacrament this is our regular initiating profession And it is but an irregular Embrio of a profession which goeth before baptism ordinarily Prop. 3. The time of Infant membership in which we stand in Covenant by our Parents Consent cannot be determined by duration but by the insufficiency of Reason through immaturity of age or continuing ideots to choose for ones self Prop. 4. It is not necessary that the doctrine of the Lords Supper be taught Catechumens before Baptism nor was it usual with the antients so to do though it may very well be done Prop. 5. It is needful that the nature of the Lords Supper be taught all the baptized before they receive it As was opened before else they must do they know not what Prop. 6. Though the Sacrament of the Lords Supper seal not another but the same Covenant that baptism sealeth yet are there some further truths therein expressed and some more particular exercises of faith in Christs Sacrifice and coming c. and of Hope and Love and Gratitude c. requisite Therefore the same qualifications which will serve for Baptism Justification and Adoption and Salvation are not enough for the right use of Church communion in the Lords Supper the one being the Sacrament of initiation and our new birth the other of our Confirmation Exercise and Growth in Grace 7. Whether persons be baptized in Infancy or at age if they do not before understand these higher mysteries they must stay from the exercise of them till they understand them And so with most there must be a space of time between their Baptism and fuller Communion 8. But the same that we say of the Lords Supper must be said of other parts of Worship Singing Psalms Praise Thanksgiving c. men must learn them before they can practise them And usually these as Eucharistical acts concur with the Lords Supper 9. Whether you will call men in this state Church-members of a middle rank and order between the Baptized and the Communicants is but a lis de nomine a verbal Controversie It is granted that such a middle sort of men there are in the Church 10. It is to be maintained that these are in a state of salvation even before they thus communicate And that they are not kept away for want of a stated Relation-title but of an immediate capacity as is aforesaid 11. There is no necessity but upon such unfitness that there should be one dayes time between baptism and the Sacrament of the Lords Supper nor is it desirable For if the baptized understand those mysteries the first day they may communicate in them 12. Therefore as men are prepared some may suddenly communicate and some stay longer 13. When persons are at age if Pastors Parents and themselves be not grosly negligent they may and ought to learn these things in a very little time so that they need not be setled in a lower Learning state for any considerable time unless their own negligence be the cause 14. And in order to their Learning they have right to be Spectators and Auditors at the Eucharist and not to be driven away with the Catechumens as if they had no right to be there For it is a thing best taught by the practice to beholders 15. But if any shall by scandal or gross neglect of piety and not only by Ignorance give cause of questioning their title and suspending their possession of those sacred priviledges these are to be reckoned in another rank even among those whose title to Church-membership it self becometh controverted and must undergo a tryal in the Church And this much I think may serve to resolve this considerable question Quest. 71. Whether a Form of Prayer be lawful Answ. I Have said so much of this and some following questions in many Books already that to avoid repetition I shall say very little here The question must be out of question with all Christians I. Because the Scripture it self hath many forms of prayer which therefore cannot be unlawful Object They were lawful then but not now Answ. He that saith so must prove where God hath since forbidden them Which can never be Object They may lawfully be read in Scripture for instruction but not used as prayers Answ. They were used as prayers then and are never since forbidden Yea Iohn and Christ did teach their Disciples to pray and Christ thus prefaceth his form When ye pray say II. All things must be done to Edification But to use a form of prayer is
like to follow the using of such forms The preponderating accidents must prevail 8. And iâ— a mans own judgement and Conscience cannot be satisfied to do Gods work comfortably and quietly any other way it may go far in the determination And the common good of many Churches must still be preferred before a less Quest. 76. Doth not the Calling of a Minister so consist in the exercise of his own Ministerial Gifts that he may not officiate without them nor make use of other mens Gifts instead of them Answ. 1. THe Office of the Ministry is an Obligation and Authority to do the Ministerial work by those personal competent abilities which God hath given us 2. This obligation to use our own abilities forbiddeth us not to make use of the helps gifts and abilities of others either to promote our own abilities and habits or to further us in the act or the exercise of them For 1. There is no such prohibition in Scripture 2. All men are insufficient for themselves and Nature and Scripture require them to use the best help they can get from others 3. Gods service must be done in the best manner we can But many Ministers cannot do it so well consideratis considerandis without other mens help as with it 3. We may use other mens gifts to help us 1. For Matter 2. Method 3. Words and so for a threefold form of preaching or prayer 4. He that useth a Scripture form of Matter Method or Words useth his own abilities no more than if he used a form out of another Book But it is lawful to use a Scripture form Therefore it is lawful so far to take in assistance in the use of our own abilities 5. He that useth a form useth his own abilities also not only perhaps at other times but in the use of it He useth his understanding to discern the true sense and aptitude of the words which he useth He useth his holy Desires in putting up those prayers to God And his other Graces as he doth in other prayers He useth his Utterance in the apt and decent speaking of them 6. A Minister is not alwayes bound to use his own gifts to the utmost that he can and other mens as little as he can For 1. There is no such Command from God 2. All things must be done to the Churches edification But sometimes the greater use of another mans gifts and the less use of his own may be to the Churches greater edification Instances of the lawful use of other mens gifts are such as these 1. For Matter an Abler Minister may tell a young man what subjects are fittest for him in preaching and prayer and what is the sense of the Scriptures which he is to open and what is the true solution of several doubts and cases A Minister that is young raw or ignorant yea the best may be a Learner while he is a Teacher But he that is a Learner maketh use so far of the gifts of others And indeed all Teachers in the world make use of the gifts of others For all teach what they learn from others 2. For Method it is lawful to learn that as well as matter from another Christ taught his Disciples a Method of prayer And other men may open that method to us All Tutors teach their Pupils Method as well as matter For Method is needful to the due understanding and using of the Matter A Method of Divinity a Method of Preaching and a Method of Praying may be taught a Preacher by word and may be written or printed for his use 3. For Words 1. There is no more prohibition in Gods Word against learning or using another mans Words than his Method or Matter Therefore it is not unlawful 2. A Tutor or Senior Minister may teach the Scripture words to a Pupil or Junior Minister yea and may set them together and compose him a Sermon or Prayer out of Scripture in its words For he that may use an ill-composed Scripture form of his own gathering may use a well-composed form of anothers 3. All the Books in our Libraries are forms of words and it is lawful sure to use some of all those words which we read or else our Books would be a snare and limitation to our Language 4. All Preachers ordinarily use Citations Testimonies c. in other mens words 5. All Ministers use Psalms in the Metre of other mens composing and usually imposing too And there is no more prohibition against using other mens words in a Prayer than in a Psalm 6. Almost all Ministers use other mens gifts and form of words in reading the Scriptures in their Vulgar Tongues For God did not write them by his Apostles and Prophets in English French Dutch c. but in Hebrew Chaldee and Greek Therefore the wording them in English c. is a humane form of words And few Ministers think they are bound to translate all the Bible themselves lest they use other mens words or abilities 7. If a young Minister that can pray but weakly hear more apt expressions and sentences in another Ministers prayers than his own are he may afterward make use of those sentences and expressions And if of one sentence why not of two or ten when God hath not forbidden it So also in preaching 8. It is lawful to read another mans Epistles or Sermons in the Church as the primitive Churches did by Clements and some others 9. An imposition may be so severe that we shall not use our own words unless we will use some of other mens 10. All Churches almost in the world have consented in the use of Creeds Confessions and Prayers and Psalms in the words of others But yet 1. No Minister must on these pretences stifle his own gifts and grow negligent 2. Nor consent to Church-tyranny or Papal usurpations 3. Nor do that which tendeth to eat out seriousness in the Worship of God and turn all into dead Imagery or Formality Quest. Is it lawful to Read a Prayer in the Church Answ. 1. THat which is not forbidden is lawful But to Read a prayer is not forbidden as such though by accident it may 2. The Prayers in the Scripture Psalms were usually Read in the Jewish Synagogues lawfully For they were written to that end and were indeed the Jewish Liturgy Therefore to Read a Prayer is not unlawful 3. He that hath a weak memory may Read his own Sermon Notes Therefore he may Read his Prayers 4. I add as to this case and the former together that 1. Christ did usually frequent the Jewish Synagogues 2. That in those Synagogues there were forms of Prayer and that ordinarily Read At least Scripture forms And if either the Jewish Rabbins cited by Scaliger Selden in Eutych Alexandr c. or the strongest probability may be credited there were also humane forms For who can imagine that those Pharisees should have no humane forms 1. Who are so much accused of formality and following
Traditions 2. And used long and frequent prayers But if indeed they had no such forms then long and frequent extemporate prayers are not so great a sign of the Spirits gifts as is imagined when such Pharisees abounded in them But there is little probability but that they used both wayes 3. That Christ did not separate from the Synagogues for such prayers sake 4. Yea that we never read that Christ medled in the Controversie it being then no Controversie nor that he once reproved such forms or Reading them or ever called the Jews to repent of them If you say His general reproof of Traditions was enough I answer 1. Even Traditions he reproved not as such but as set before or against the Commands of God 2. He named many of their particular Traditions and Corruptions Matth. 15. 23 c. and yet never named this 3. His being usually present at their Assemblies and so joyning with them in their Worship would be such an appearance of his approbation as would make it needful to express his disallowance of it if indeed he thought it sinful So that who ever impartially considereth all this that he joyned with them that he particularly reproved other corruptions and that he never said any thing at all against forms or reading prayers that is recorded will sure be moderate in his judgement of such indifferent things if he know what moderation is Quest. 77. Is it lawful to Pray in the Church without a prescribed or premeditated form of Words Answ. THere are so few sober and serious Christians that ever made a doubt of this that I will not bestow many words to prove it 1. That which is not forbidden is lawful But church-Church-prayer without a premeditated or prescribed form of words is not forbidden by God Therefore as to Gods Laws it is not unlawful 2. To express holy desires understandingly orderly seriously and in apt expressions is lawfull praying But all this may be done without a set form of words Therefore to pray without a set form of words may be lawful 3. The Consent of the Universal Church and the experience of godly men are arguments so strong as are not to be made light of 4. To which Scripture instances may be added Quest. 78. Whether are set Forms of Words or free praying without them the better way And what are the Commodities and Incommodities of each way Answ. I Will first answer the later question because the former dependeth on it I. The Commodities of a set form of words and the discommodities of free-praying are these following 1. In a time of dangerous Heresie which hath infected the Pastors a set form of prescribed words tendeth to keep the Church and the consciences of the joyners from such infection offence and guilt 2. When Ministers are so weak as to dishonour Gods Worship by their unapt and slovenly and unsound expressions prescribed or set forms which are well composed are some preservative and cure When free praying leaveth the Church under this inconvenience 3. When Ministers by faction passion or corrupt interests are apt to put theseâ—ices into their prayers to the injury of others and of the Cause and Church of God free praying cherisheth this or giveth it opportunity which set forms do restrain 4. Concordant set forms do serve for the exactest Concord in the Churches that all at once may speak the same things 5. They are needful to some weak Ministers that cannot do so well without them 6. They somewhat prevent the laying of the reputation of Religious Worship upon the Ministers abilities when in free praying the honour and comfort varieth with the various degrees of Pastoral abilities In one place it is excellently well done in another but drily and coldly and meanly In another erroneously unedifyingly if not dishonourably tending to the contempt of holy things Whereas in the way of set Liturgies though the ablest at that time doth no better yet the weakest doth for words as well and all alike 7. And if proud weak men have not the composing and imposing of it all know that words drawn up by study upon sober premeditation and consultation have a greater advantage to be exact and apt then those that were never thought on till we are speaking them 8. The very fear of doing amiss disturbeth some unready men and maketh them do all the â—est the worse 9. The Auditors know before hand whether that which they are to joyn in be sound or unsound having time to try it 10. And they can more readily put in their consent to what is spoken and make the prayers their own when they know before hand what it is than they can do when they know not before they hear it It being hard to the duller sort of hearers to concur with an Understanding and Consent as quick as the speakers words are Not but that this may be done but not without great difficulty in the duller sort 11. And it tendeth to avoid the pride and self-deceit of many who think they are good Christians and have the Spirit of Grace and Supplication because by learning and use they can speak many hours in variety of expressions in prayer which is a dangerous mistake II. The Commodities of Free extemporate prayers and the discommodity of prescribed or set forms are these following 1. It becometh an advantage to some Proud men who think themselves wiser than all the rest to obtâ—ude their Compositions that none may be thought wise enough or fit to speak to God but in their words And so introduce Church-tyranny 2. It may become a hinderance to able worthy Ministers that can do better 3. It may become a dividing snare to the Churches that cannot all Agree and Consent in such humane impositions 4. It may become an advantage to Hereticks when they can but get into power as the Arrians of old to corrupt all the Churches and publick Worship And thus the Papists have corrupted the Churches by the Mass. 5. It may become an engine or occasion of persecution and silencing all those Ministers that cannot consent in such impositions 6. It may become a means of depraving the Ministry and bringing them to a common idleness and ignorance if other things alike concur For when men perceive that no greater abilities are used and required they will commonly labour for and get no greater and so will be unable to pray without their forms of words 7. And by this means Christian Religion may decay and grow into contempt For though it be desirable that its own worth should keep up its reputation and success yet it never hitherto was so kept up without the assistance of Gods eminent gifts and graces in his Ministers But where ever there hath been a learned able holy zealous diligent Ministry Religion usually hath flourished And where ever there hath been an ignorant vicious cold idle negligent and reproached Ministry Religion usually hath dyed and been reproached And we have now no reason to look for
and then they that think it most decent may do it without scruple or just offence 5. But as a mans heart may put up a short ejaculation as he walketh up the Church without losing what else he might hear so a man may on his knees be so brief as that his loss shall be but small And whether his profit preponderate that little times loss he can judge better than another Therefore though I like best keeping to Concord with the Assembly in our devotion yet these are things in which it ill beseemeth Christians to judge or despise each other And I shall take on either side the judging and despising of those that differ from us to be a far greater sin than the doing or not doing of the thing Object Is it not called in Eccles. 5. 1 2. the sacrifice of fools who know not they do evil Answ. No I have wondered to hear that Text so ordinarily thus perverted The Text is Keep â—by foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools Which is no more than that it is the imagination and custome of fools to think to please God by their sacrifices and bringing somewhat to him while they refuse or neglect to hear his commands and obey him Whereas Obedience is better than Sacrifice and the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord And he that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law his prayer is abominable And because they hate instruction they shall cry and Good will not hear them Therefore be first careful to hear what God saith to thee and to learn his will and do it and then bring thy sacrifice to him Leave thy gift at the Altar and go and be reconciled to thy brother Obey first and then come and offer thy gift This is all the meaning of the Text. See also Psal. 50. 8. and compare these cited Texts 1 Sam. 15 22. Prov. 15. 8. 21. 17. Mat. 5 c. But whether we should begin with Prayer or Hearing when we enter into the Church God hath left to prudence to be decided by the General rules Quest. 120. May a Preacher kneel down in the Pulpit and use his private Prayers when he is in the assembly Answ. THis will have the same answer with the former and therefore I shall trouble the Reader with no more Quest. 121. May a Minister Pray publickly in his own name singly for himself or others Or only in the Churches name as their mouth to God Answ. IT is good to be as exact in order and decency as we can But they that would not have other mens Ceremonies brought in on that pretence should not bring in their own made doctrines 1. It is certain that all the Assembly come thither not only to hear a prayer but to pray as well as the Minister And therefore the practice of all Churches in the world as is seen in all the Liturgies is for the Minister to speak in the plural number and usually to pray in the Churches name And so he is both their Guide and mouth in prayer Therefore even when he prayeth for himself it is usually fittest or very fit for him rather to say We beseech thee give the speaker thy assistance c. than I beseech thee 2. And even subjectively it is not inconvenient to speak of himself in the third person Give him or Give the speaker thy help instead of Give me 3. But they that will place a necessity in either of these and make the contrary a sin must have more knowledge than I have to be able to prove it For 1. In the latter case the Minister doth not pray in his own person but only for his own person when he saith We beseech thee give me thy help c. 2. And I know no word of God that saith either that the Minister is only the mouth of the people 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. Isa. 59. 16. Jer. 27. 18. 7. 16. 29. 7. 37. 3. 42. 2 4 20. 1 Sam. 7. 5. 12 19 23. 2 Cor. 13. 7. Phil. 1. 9. Col. 1. 9 3. 1 Thess. 5. 23. 2 Thess. 1. 11. 1 Thess. 3. 10. or that he is to speak only in their names or that he may not pray for himself or them in his Ministerial capacity in the first person For 1. He is a Minister of Christ for the Church and not the Minister of the Church properly And he is subordinate to Christ in his Priestly Office as well as in his Teaching and Ruling Office And the Priests did alwayes take it for their Office not only to speak as the Peoples mouth but as Sub-mediators or Intercessors for them to God And as then they were Types of Christ by standing between God and the people so they were his Officers as well as Types And so they are his Officers to this day And as they Teach and Rule in his Name by Office so do they intercede in his Name All men confess that they may do this in private And where is it forbidden to be done in publick 2. And there are some cases in which it is fittest that it should be so That is when it is supposed that the Congregation doth not joyn with him As 1. When the whole Church is fallen into some error of judgement as who hath not many and he knoweth that they differ from him It is fitter for him to pray as a Sub-intercessor for them in his own person than to speak as in their persons who he knoweth joyn not with him For that hath a plain untruth in it 2. If the whole Church be fallen into some little sin which seduction yet hindereth them from Repenting of he were better confess it and profess sorrow for it in his own person than in theirs that joyn not with him in it 3. When he prayeth for somewhat for himself and them that is above their understanding as for direction in some difficult Controversies c. I know not that he is bound to speak in their names that understand him not Therefore this is no business for Christians that are not possest with a proud pievish self-conceited â—uarâ—elsome humour to censure or despise a Minister for Nor should any introduce that false doctrine of mans invention into the Church that the Minister is only to pray in publick as the peoples mouth But the power of prejudice is great Quest. 122. May the name Priests Sacrifice and Altars be lawfully now used instead of Christs Ministers Worship and the Holy Table Answ. 1. HE that useth them in design to bring in the Popish Transubstantiation and Real Sacrifice of the Mass doth heinously sin in such a design and use 2. In a time and place where they may not be used without scandal or tempting or encouraging any to their errors the scandal will be a grievous sin 3. The New Testament useth all the Greek names which we translate Priests
them speedily Luk. 18. 7 8. what need you be so forward to justifie and avenge your selves Obj. If God will have their names to rot and spoken evil of when they are dead why may I not do it while they are alive Answ. There is a great deal of difference between a true Historian and a self-avenger in the reason of the thing and in the effects To dishonour bad Rulers while they live doth tend to excite the people to rebellion and to disable them to govern But for Truth to be spoken of them when they are dead doth only lay an odium upon the sin and is a warning to others that they follow them not in evil And this no wicked Prince was ever so Great and powerful as to prevent For it is a part of Gods resolved judgement Yet must Historians so Sâ—rt Aâ—râ—l Victor de Calig De quo nescio an decuerit memoriae prodi nisi forte quia juvat de principibus nosse omnia ut improbi saltem famae metu talia declinent open the faults of the person as not to bring the office into contempt but preserve the reverence due to the authority and place of Governours § 29. Direct 7. By all means overcome a selfish mind and get such a Holy and a publick spirit as Direct 7. more regardeth Gods honour and the publick interest than your own It is SELFISHNESS that is the great Rebel and Enemy of God and of the King and of our Neighbour A selfish private spirit careth not what the Common-wealth suffereth if he himself may be a gainer by it To revenge himself or to rise up to some higher place or increase his riches he will betray and ruine his King his Countrey and his nearest friends A selfish ambitious covetous man is faithful to no man longer than he serveth his ends nor is he any further to be trusted than his own interest will allow Self-denyal and a publick spirit are necessary to every faithful subject § 30. Direct 8. Wish not evil to your Governours in your secret thoughts but if any such thought Direct 8. would enter into your hearts reject it with abhorrence Eccles. 10. 20. Curse not the King no not in thy thought and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber for a bird of the air shall carry the voice and that which hath wings shall tell the matter A feaverish misguided Zeal for Religion and a passionate discontent for personal injuries do make many greatly guilty in this point They would be much pleased if God would shew some grievous judgement upon persecutors and take no warning by Christs rebukes of Iames and Iohn but secretly are wishing for fire from Heaven not knowing what manner of spirit they are of They cherish such thoughts as are pleasing to them though they dare not utter them in words And he that dare wish hurt is in danger of being drawn by temptation to do hurt Obj. But may we not pray for the cutting off of persecutors And may we not give God thanks for it if he do it himself without any sinful means of ours Answ. Every Ruler that casteth down one sect or party of Christians and setteth up another perhaps as true to the interest of Christianity as they is not to be prayed against and his destruction wished by the suffering party 2. If he be a persecuter of Christianity and Piety it self as Heathens and Infidels are yet if his Government do They are dangerous passages which Petrarch hath though a good and learned and moderate man Dial. 49. Non tot passim essent Domini nec tam late â—urerent nisi populi insanirent cuique civium pro se charior â—oret res privata quam publica voluptas quam gloria pecunia quam libertas Vita quam Virtus Et statim Et sane si vel unum patria civem bonum habeat malum Dominum diutius non habebit The meaning is too plain Abundance of the most learned writers have such passages which must be read with caution Though I would draw none to the other extream Pâ—trarchs 68. Dial 85. Dialog de boâ—o Domino is as smart as the former but yet speaketh not all that contra Reges which be doth contra Dominos However he say that Inter Regem Tyrannum non discernunt Gâ—aii c. So Sr. Thoâ— More in his Poems Regibus è multis Regnum bene qui â—egat unum Vix tamen unus erit si tamen unus erit And that of Senec. Trag. ult Tantum ut noceat cupit esse potens more good than his persecution doth harm you may not so much as wish his downfall 3. If he were a Nero or a Iulian you must pray first for his conversion and if that may not be then next for his restraint and never for his destruction but on supposition that neither of the former may be attained which you cannot say 4. You must pray for the deliverance of the persecuted Church and leave the way and means to God and not prescribe to him Hurtful desires and prayers are seldom of God 5. You may freelyer rejoyce afterwards than desire it before because when a Iulian is cut off you know that Gods righteous will is accomplished when before you knew not that it was his will Yet after it is the deliverance of the Church and not the hurt of a persecuter as such that you must give thanks for Be very suspicious here lest partiality and passion blind you § 31. Direct 9. Learn how to suffer and know what use God can make of your sufferings and think Direct 9. not better of prosperity and worse of suffering than you have cause It is a carnal unbelieving heart that maketh so great a matter of poverty imprisonment banishment or death as if they were undone Bias interrogatus quidnam esset difficile Ferre inquit fortiter mutationem rerum in deterius Laert. p. 55. if they suffer for Christ or be sent to Heaven before the time As if Kingdoms must be disturbed to save you from suffering This better beseems an infidel and a worldling that takes his earthly prosperity for his portion and thinks he hath no other to win or lose Do you not know what the Church hath gained by suffering How pure it hath been when the fire of persecution hath refined it and how prosperity hath been the very that that hath polluted it and shattered it all to pieces by letting in all the ungodly world into the visible Communion of the Saints and by setting the Bishops on contending for superiority and overtopping Emperours and Kings Many thousands that would be excellent persons in adversity cannot bear a high or prosperous state but their brains are turned and pride and contention maketh them the scorn of the adversaries that observe them § 32. Direct 10. Trust God and live by faith and then you will find no need of rebellions or any Direct 10. sinful means
Consider the great temptations of the Rich and great and pity them that stand Direct 16. in so dangerous a station instead of murmuring at them or envying their greatness You little know what you should be your selves if you were in their places and the world and the flesh had so great a stroke at you as they have at them He that can swim in a calmer water may be carryed down a violent stream It is harder for that bird to fly that hath many pound weights tyed to keep her down than that which hath but a straw to carry to her nest It is harder mounting Heaven-wards with Lordships and Kingdoms than with your less impediments Why do you not pity them that stand on the top of barren mountains in the stroke of every storm and wind when you dwell in the quiet fruitful vales Do you envy them that must go to Heaven as a Camel through a needles eye if ever they come there And are you discontented that you are not in their conâ—â—tion will you rebel and fight to make your salvation as difficult as theirs Are you so unthankful to God for your safer station that you murmur at it and long to be in the more dangerous place § 40. Direct 17. Pray constantly and heartily for the spiritual and corporal welfare of your Governours Direct 17. And you have reason to believe that God who hath commanded you to put up such prayers will not suffer them to be wholly lost but will answer them some way to the benefit of them that perform the duty 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. And the very performance of it will do us much good of it self For it will keep the heart well disposed to our Governours and keep out all sinful desires of their hurt or controll them and cast them out if they come in Prayer is the exercise of Love and good desires And exercise increaseth and confirmeth habits If any ill wishes against your Governours should stâ—al into your minds the next time you pray for them conscience will accuse you of hypocrisie and either the sinful desires will corrupt or end your Prayers or else your prayers will cast out those ill desires Certainly the faithful fervent prayers of the Righteous do prevail much with God And things would go better than they do in the world if we prayed for Rulers as heartily as we ought § 41. Obj. For all the prayers of the Church five parts of six of the World are yet Idolaters Heathens Object Infidels and Mahometans And for all the prayers of the Reformed Churches most of the Christian part of the world are drowned in Popery or gross ignorance and superstition and the poor Greek Churches have Mahometane or tyrannical Governours and carnal proud usurping Prelates domineer over the Roman Church and there are but three Protestant Kings on the whole earth And among the Israelites themselves who had Priests and Prophets to pray for their Princes a good King was so rare that when you have named five or six over Judah and never a one after the division over Israel you scarce know where to find the rest What good then do your Prayers for Kings and Magistrates Answ. 1. As I said before they keep the hearts of subjects in an obedient holy frame 2. Were Answ. it not for prayers those few good ones would be fewer or worse than they are and the bad ones might be worse or at least do more hurt to the Church than they now do 3. It is not to be expected that all should be granted in kind that believers pray for For then not only Kings but all the world should be converted and saved For we should pray for every one But God who knoweth best how to distribute his mercies and to honour himself and refine his Church by the malice and persecution of his enemies will make his peoples prayers a means of that measure of good which he will do for Rulers and by them in the world And that 's enough to encourage us to pray 4. And indeed if when Proud ungodly worldlings have sold their souls by wicked means to climb up into places of power and command and domineer over others the Prayers of the faithful should Obj. Si id jâ—ris obâ—ineat status religionis eâ—â—t instabilis Mutato regis animo religio muta bitur presently convert and save them all because they are Governours this would seem to charge God with respect of persons and defect of Justice and would drown the world in wickedness treasons bloodshed and confusion by encouraging men by flatteries or treacheries or murders to usurp such places in which they may both gratifie their lusts and after save their souls while the godly are obliged to pray them into Heaven It is no such hearing of prayers for Governours which God hath promised 5. And yet I must observe that most Christians are so cold and formal in their Prayers for the Rulers of the world and of the Church that we have great reason to impute the unhappiness Resp. Unicum hic solatium in Divina est providentia Omnium animos Deus in potestate sua habet sed speciali quodam modo Cor Regis in manu Domini Deus per bonos per malos Reges opus suum operatur Interdum tranquillitas interdum tempestas ecclesiae utilior Nempe si pius est qui imperat si diligens lector sacrae scripturae si assiduus in precibus si Ecclesiae Catholicae reverens si peritos attente audiens multum per illum proficit veritas Sin distorto est corrupto judicio pejus id ipsi cedit quam ecclesiae Nam ipsum grave manet judicium Regis ecclesiae qui ecclesiam inultam non sinet Grotius de Impeâ— p. 210. Joh. 18. 36. of Governours very much to their neglect Almost all men are taken up so much with their own concernments that they put off the publick concernments of the world and of the Church and State with a few customary heartless words and understand not the meaning of the three first Petitions of the Lords Prayer and the Reason of their precedency or put them not up with that feeling as they do the other three If we could once observe that the generality of Christians were more earnest and importunate with God for the Hallowing of his name through all the world and the coming of his Kingdom and the obeying of his will in Earth as it is in Heaven and the Conversion of the Kings and Kingdoms of the world than for any of their personal concernments I should take it for a better prognostick of the happiness of Kings and Kingdoms than any that hath yet appeared in our dayes And those that are taken up with the expectations of Christs visible reign on earth would find it a more lawful and comfortable way to promote his Government thus by his own appointed officers than to rebell against Kings and seek
serious Direct 5. words about their souls and the life to come in such a plain familiar manner as tendeth most to the awakening of their Consciences and making them perceive how greatly what you say concerneth them A little such familiar serious discourse in an interlocutory way may go to their hearts and never be forgotten when meer forms alone are lifeless and unprofitable Abundance of good might be done on Children if Parents and Schoolmasters did well perform their parts in this § 6. Direct 6. Take strict account of their spending the Lords day How they hear and what they Direct 6. remember and how they spend the rest of the day For the right spending of that day is of great importance to their souls And a custome of play and idleness on that day doth usually debauch them and prepare them for much worse Though they are from under your eye on the Lords day yet if on Munday they be called to account it will leave an awe upon them in your absence § 7. Direct 7. Pray with them and for them If God give not the increase by the dews of Heaven Direct 7. and shine not on your labours your planting and watering will be all in vain Therefore prayer is as suitable a means as Teaching to do them good and they must go together He that hath a heart to pray earnestly for his Scholars shall certainly have himself most comfort in his labours and it is likely that he shall do most good to them § 8. Direct 8. Watch over them by one another when they are behind your backs at their sports or Direct 8. converse with each other For it is abundance of wickedness that Children use to learn and practise which never cometh to their Masters ears especially in some great and publick Schools They that came thither to learn sobriety and piety of their Masters do oftentimes learn profaneness and ribaldry and cursing and swearing and scorning deriding and reviling one another of their ungracious School-fellows And those lessons are so easily learnt that there are few Children but are infected with some such debauchery though their Parents and Masters watch against it and perhaps it never cometh to their knowledge So also for gameing and robbing Orchards and fighting with one another and reading Play-books and Romances and lying and abundance other vices which must be carefully watcht against § 9. Direct 9. Correct them more sharply for sins against God than for their dulness and failing at their Direct 9. books Though negligence in their learning is not to be indulged yet smart should teach them especially to take heed of sinning that they may understand that sin is the greatest evil § 10. Direct 10. Especially curb or cashier the leaders of impiety and rebellion who corrupt the rest Direct 10. There are few great Schools but have some that are notoriously debauched that glory in their wickedness that in filthy talking and fighting and cursing and reviling words are the infecters of the rest And usually they are some of the bigger sort that are the greatest fighters and master the rest and by domineering over them and abusing them force them both to follow them in their sin and to conceal it The correcting of such or expelling them if incorrigible is of great necessity to preserve the rest For if they are suffered the rest will be secretly infected and undone before the Master is aware This causeth many that have a care of their Childrens souls to be very fearful of sending them to great and publick Schools and rather choose private Schools that are freer from that danger It being almost of as great concernment to Children what their companions be as what their Master is CHAP. VII Directions for Souldiers about their duty in point of Conscience THough it is likely that few Souldiers will read what I shall write for them yet for the sake of those few that will I will do as Iohn Baptist did and give them some few necessary Directions and not omit them as some do as if they were a hopeless sort of men § 1. Direct 1. Be careful to make your peace with God and live in a continual readiness to dye Direct 1. This being the great duty of every rational man you cannot deny it to be especially yours whose calling setteth you so frequently in the face of death Though some Garrison Souldiers are so seldom if ever put to fight that they live more securely than most other men yet a Souldier as such being by his place engaged to fight I must fit my Directions to the ordinary condition and expectation of men in that employment It is a most irrational and worse than beastly negligence for any man to live carelesly in an unpreparedness for death considering how certain it is and how uncertain the time and how unconceivably great is the change which it inferreth But for a Souldier to be unready to dye who hath such special reason to expect it and who listeth himself into a state which is so near it this is to live and fight like beasts and to be Souldiers before you understand what it is to be a Christian or a Man First therefore make sure that your souls are regenerate and reconciled unto God by Christ and that when you dye you have a part in Heaven and that you are not yet in the state of sin and nature An unrenewed unsanctified soul is sure to go to Hell by what death or in what cause soever he dyeth If such a man be a Souldier he must be a coward or a mad man If he will run upon death when he knoweth not whither it will send him yea when Hell is certainly the next step he is worse than mad But if he know and consider the terribleness of such a change it must needs make him tremble when he thinks of dying He can be no good Souldier that dare not dye And who can expect that he should dare to dye who must be damned when he dyeth Reason may command a man to venture upon death but no reason will allow him to venture upon Hell I never knew but two sorts of valiant Souldiers The one was Boyes and bruitish ignorant sots who had no sense of the concernments of their souls and the other who only were truly valiant were those that had made such preparations for Eternity as at least perswaded them that it should go well with them when they dyed And many a debauched Souldier I have known whose Conscience hath made them Cowards and shift or run away when they should venture upon death because they knew they were unready to dye and were more afraid of Hell than of the Enemy He that is fit to be a Martyr is the fittest man to be a Souldier He that is regenerate and hath laid up his treasure and his hopes in Heaven and so hath overcome the fears of death may be bold as a Lyon and ready for
few men can but get money enough to purchase all the Land in a County they think that they may do with their own as they list and set such hard bargains of it to their Tenants that they are all but as their servants yea and live a more troublesome life than servants do when they have laboured hard all the year they can scarce scrape up enough to pay their Landlords rent Their necessities are so urgent that they have not so much as leisure to pray Morning or Evening in their families or to read the Scriptures or any good Book nor scarce any room in their thoughts for any holy things Their minds are so distracted with necessities and cares that even on the Lords Day or at a time of prayer they can hardly keep their minds intent upon the sacred work which they have in hand If the freest minds have much adoe to keep their thoughts in seriousness and order in meditation or in the worshipping of God how hard must it needs be to a poor oppressed man whose body is tired with wearisome labours and his mind distracted with continual cares how to pay his rent and how to have food and rayment for his family How unfit is such a troubled discontented person to live in thankfulness to God and in his joyful praises Abundance of the Voluptuous great ones of the world do use their Tenants and servants but as their Beasts as if they had been made only to labour and toil for them and it were their chief felicity to fulfil their will and live upon their favour § 9. Direct 1. The principal means to overcome this sin is to understand the Greatness of it For Direct 1. the flesh perswadeth carnal men to judge of it according to their self ish interest and not according to the interest of others nor according to the true principles of Charity and Equity and so they justifie themselves in their oppression § 10. 1. Consider That Oppression is a sin not only contrary to Christian Charity and Self-denyal but even to Humanity it self We are all made of one earth and have souls of the same kind There is as near a kindred betwixt all mankind as a specifical identity As between one Shâ—ep one Dovâ— one Angel and another As between several drops of the same water and several sparks of the same fire which have a natural tendency to Union with each other And as it is an inhumane thing for one brother to oppress another or one member of the same body to set up a proper interest of its own and make all the rest how painfully soever to serve that private interest So is it for those men who are children of the same Creator Much more for them who account themselves members of the same Redeemer and brethren in Christ by grace and regeneration with those whom they oppress Mal. 2. 10. Have we not all one Father Hath not one God created us Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother By profaning the Covenant of our Fathers If we must not lye to one another because we are members one of another Ephes. 4. 25. And if all the members must have the same care of one another 1 Cor. 12. 25. Surely then they must not oppress one another § 11. 2. An Oppressor is an Anti-christ and an Anti-god He is contrary to God who delighteth to do good and whose bounty maintaineth all the world Who is kind to his enemies and causeth his Psal. 145. Matth. 5. Lam. 3. Sun to shine and his rain to fall on the just and on the unjust and even when he afflicteth doth it as unwillingly delighting not to grieve the Sons of men He is contrary to Jesus Christ who gave himself a ransome for his enemies and made himself a curse to redeem them from the curse and condescended in his incarnation to the nature of man and in his passion to the Cross and suffering which they deserved and being rich and Lord of all yet made himself poor that we by his poverty might be made rich He endured the Cross and despised the shame and made himself of as no reputation accounting it his honour and joy to be the Saviour of mens souls even of the poor and despised of the world And these Oppressors live as if they were made to afflict the just and to rob them of Gods mercies and to make crosses for other men to bear and to tread on their brethren as stepping stones of their own advancement The Holy Ghost is the Comforter of the just and faithful And these men live as if it were their Calling to deprive men of their comfort § 12. 3. Yea an Oppressor is not only the Agent of the Devil but his Image It is the Devil that is the destroyer and the devourer who maketh it his business to undo men and bring them into misery and distress He is the grand Oppressor of the world Yet in this he is far short of the malignity of men-devils 1. That he doth it not by force and violence but by deceit and hurteth no man till he hath procured his own consent to sin whereas our Oppressors do it by their brutish force and power 2. And the Devil destroyeth men who are not his brethren nor of the same kind But these oppressors never stick at the violating of such relations § 13. 4. Oppression is a sin that greatly serveth the Devil to the damning of mens souls as well as to the afflicting of their bodies And it is not a few but millions that are undone by it For as I shewed before it taketh up mens Minds and Time so wholly to get them a poor living in the world that they have neither mind nor time for better things They are so troubled about many things that the one thing needful is laid aside All the labours of many a worthy able Pastor are frustrated by oppressors To say nothing of the far greatest part of the world where the tyranny and oppression of Heathen Infidel and Mahometane Princes keepeth out the Gospel and the means of life nor yet of any other Persecutors If we exhort a Servant to read the Scriptures and call upon God and think of his everlasting state he telleth us that he hath no time to do it but when his weary body must have rest If we desire the Masters of families to instruct and catechise their children and servants and pray with them and read the Scriptures and other good Books to them they tell us the same that they have no time but when they should sleep and that on the Lords Day their tired bodies and careful minds are unfit to attend and ply such work So that necessity quietteth their consciences in their ignorance and neglect of heavenly things and maketh them think it the work only of Gentlemen and rich men who have leisure but are further alienated from it by prosperity than these are by their poverty And
called Love of benevolence But properly it is only to be called A will to make Paul good and lovely It being only God himself who is the original and ultimate end of that will and purpose and himself only which he then loveth there being nothing but himself to Love till in that instant that Paul is existent and so really lovely For Paul in esse cognito is not Paul Yet no reality doth oriri de novo in God but a new respect and denomination and in the creature new effects Of which elsewhere Quest. 4. Must I love every one as much as my self in degree or only some Quest. 4. Answ. You must love every one impartially as your self according to his goodness and you must wish as well to every one as to your self But you must love no man complacentially so much as your self who is not or seemeth not to have as much loveliness that is as much goodness or as much of God as your self Quest. 5. Must I love any one more than my self Quest. 5. Answ. Yes every one that is and appeareth better that your self Your sensitive Love to another cannot be as much as to your self And your beneficence ordinarily must be most to your self because God in nature and his Laws hath so appointed it And your benevolence to your self and to others must be alike But your rational estimation and Love or complacence with the honour and praise attending it must be more to every one that is better than your self For that which is best is most amiable and that which hath most of God Quest. 6. Will it not then follow that I must love another mans wife and children better than my own Quest. 6. when they are really better Answ. Yes no doubt but it is only with that rational estimative Love But there is besides a Love to Wife and Children which is in some measure sensitive which you are not obliged to give to others And rationally they are more amiable to you in their peculiar relations and respects though others are more amiable in other respects And besides though you value and rationally love another more yet the expressions must not be the same For those must follow the Relation according to Gods command You may not cohabite nor embrace nor maintain and provide for others as your own even when you rationally love them more The common good requires this order in the expressive part as well as Gods command Quest. 7. Who is my neighbour whom I must love as my self Quest. 7. Answ. Not Devils nor damned souls who are under justice and from under mercy and are none of our society But 1. Every natural man in via being a member of Gods Kingdom in the same world is to be loved as my natural self And every spiritual man as a member of the same Kingdom of Christ must be loved as my spiritual self And every spiritual man as such above my natural self as such And no natural man as such so much as my spiritual self as such so that no man on earth is excluded from your love which must be Impartial to all as to your self but proportioned to their goodness Quest. 8. Is not Antichrist and those that sin against the Holy Ghost excepted out of this our Love and Quest. 8. out of our prayers and endeavours of their good Answ. Those that with Zanchy think Mahomet to be Antichrist may so conclude because he is dead and out of our Communion Those that take the Papacy to be Antichrist as most Protestants do cannot so conclude Because as there is but one Antichrist that is one Papacy though an hundred Popes be in that seat so every one of those Popes is in via and under mercy and recoverable out of that condition And therefore is to be loved and prayed for accordingly And as for those that blaspheam the Holy Ghost it is a sin that one man cannot certainly know in another ordinarily at least and therefore cannot characterize a person unfit for our love and prayers and endeavours Quest. 9. May we not hate the enemies of God How then must we love them as our selves Quest. 9. Answ. We may and must hate sin in every one And where it is predominant as God is said to hate the sinner for his sin so must we And yet still love him as our selves For you must hate sin in your selves as much or more than in any other And if you are wicked you must hate your selves as such Yea if you are Godly you must secundum quid or in that measure as you are sinful abhor and loath and hate your selves as such And yet you must Love your selves according to the measure of all that Natural and Moral Goodness which is in you And you must desire and endeavour all the good to your selves that you can Just so must you hate and love another Love them and hate them impartially as you must do your selves Quest. 10. May I not wish hurt sometimes to another more than to my self Answ. You may wish a mediate hurt which tendeth to his good or to the good of others but you Quest. 10. must never wish any final hurt and misery to him You may wish your friend a vomit or blood-letting for his cure And you may wish him some affliction when it is needful and apt to humble him and do him good or to restrain him from doing hurt to others And on the same accounts and for the publick good you may desire penal Justice to be done upon him yea sometimes unto death But still with a desire of the saving of his soul. And such hurt you may also wish your self as is necessary to your good But you are not to wish the same penalties to your self 1. Because you have somewhat else hisâ— to wish and do even to repent and prevent it 2. Because you are not bound ordinarily to do execution upon your self It is more in your power to repent your self and make penalty less necessary by humble confession and amendment than to bring another to repentance Yet I may add also that hypothetically you may wish that destruction to the enemies of God in this life which absolutely you may not wish That is you must desire first that they may repent and secondly that they may be restrained from hurting others But if neither of these may be attained that they may be cut off Tit. 2. Directions for Loving our Neighbours as our selves Direct 1. TAke heed of selfishness and Covetousness the two great Enemies of Love of which I have Direct 1. spoken more at large before Direct 2. Fall out with no man or if you do be speedily reconciled For passions and dissentions Direct 2. are the extinguishers of love Direct 3. Love God truly and you will easily Love your Neighbour For you will see Gods Image Direct 3. on him or interest in him and feel all his precepts and mercies
to God who needeth fewest things for himself and doth most good to others And Christ telleth us that universal charity extending even to them that hate and persecute us doth make us as his Children like our heavenly Father Matth. 5. 44 45 46 48. As Hating and Hurting their neighbours is the mark of the Children of the Devil Iohn 8. 44. so Loving and Doing Good is the mark of the Children of God And it is observable that no one treateth so copiously and pathetically of Love both of Christs love to us and ours to him as the blessed Disciple whom Jesus is said to have eminently Loved as Iohn 13. 14 15 16. 17. 1 Iohn shew It hath often pleased me to hear how dearly you were beloved by that exceeding great and populous Parish where lately you were Preacher for your eminent Charity to their souls and bodies And to see that still you take it for your work and calling to be a provoker of others to Love and to Good Works Heb. 10. 24. whilest many that are taken for good Christians do deal in such works as Rarities or Recreations only a little now and then upon the by and whilest Satans Ministers are provoking others to Hatred and to Hurtfulness Your Labour is so amiable to me that it would contribute to my comforts if I were able to contribute any thing to your assistance You desire me to give you my judgement of the quota pars What proportion it is meet for most men to devote to Charitable uses Whether the Tenth Part of their increase be not ordinarily a fit proportion The reason why I use not to answer such Questions without much distinguishing when lazy impatient Readers would have them answered in a word is because the real difference of particular cases is so great as maketh it necessary unless we will deceive men or leave the matter as dark and unresolved as we found it I. Before I answer your Question I shall premise that I much approve of the way which you insist upon of setting so much constantly apart as is fit for us to give that it may be taken by us to be as a devoted or consecrated thing And methinks that there is much of a Divine Direction for the time in 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. together with the practice of the antient Church That upon the first day of the week every one lay by him in store as God hath prospered him And it will do much to cure Pharisaical Sabbatizing when the Lords Day is statedly used in this with holy works and will teach Hypocrites to know what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice Matth. 9. 13. and 12. 7. And that works of Charity are an odour a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God who of the riches of his Glory in Christ will supply all the need of such as bring forth such fruit to abound unto their account Phil. 4. 17 18 19. So it be done without any ensnaring vows or rash engagements to unnecessary things this constant setting apart a certain proportion for pious and charitable uses will have these advantages 1. Our distribution will be made deliberately and prudently when before-hand we study a due proportion and determine accordingly whereas they that give only occasionally as some object suddenly inviteth them will do it at randome without due respect to their own accounts whether the proportion given be answerable to their own estate and duty 2. This stated way will make mens charity much more extensive When objects of charity are not in their sight they will inquire after them and they will seek for the needy if the needy seek not unto them because they have so much by them to dispose of which is devoted to God But those who give but as occasional objects draw it from them will give to none but those that crave or will pass by many as needy whom they see not while they relieve only those few that they hap to see 3. And it will make mens charity also to be more constant and done obediently as a Christians daily work and duty when occasional charity will be more rarely and unconstantly exercised In a word as the observation of the Lords Day which is a stated proportion of time secureth the holy improvement of our time much better than if God be served but occasionally without a stated time and as a constant stated course of Preaching excelleth meer occasional exhortations even so a constant course of Giving wisely stated will find out objects and overcome temptations and discharge our Duty with much more integrity and success And if we can easily perceive that occasional Praying will not so well discharge the duty of prayer as a constant stated course will do why should we not think the same of occasional Giving if men did but perceive that Giving according to our ability is as sure and great a duty as Praying Now to your Question of the Proportion of our gifts II. We must distinguish 1. Between them that have no more than will supply their own and their families true necessities and those that have more 2. Between them that have a stock of money which yieldeth them no increase and those that have more increase by their labour but little stock 3. Between them whose increase is like to be constant and theirs that is uncertain sometime more and sometime less 4. Between them that have many children or near kindred that nature casteth upon them for relief and those that have few or no children or have a competent provision for them and have few needy kindred that they are especially obliged to relieve 5. Between those that live in times and places where the necessities of the poor are very great or some great works of Piety are in hand and those that live where the poor are in no great necessity and no considerable opportunity for any great work of Piety or Charity doth appear These distinctions premised I answer as followeth 1. It is certain that every true Sanctified Christian hath Devoted himself and all that he hath to God to be used in obedience to his will and for his glory 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. 1 Cor. 10. 31. Luke 18. 33. The Question therefore is not Whether the Tenth part of our estate should be devoted to and employed in the service of God one way or other as he directeth us For it is out of Question that all is his and we are but his stewards and must give account of our stewardship and of all our receivings Matth. 25. But the Question is only what proportion is best pleasing to God in our giving to others 2. A Christian being unseignedly thus resolved in the General to lay out that he hath or shall have as God would have him and to his glory as near as he can his next enquiry must be for finding out the will of God to know in the ordinary course of his distribution where
is not For 1. All the punishment is not removed 2. The final absolving sentence is to come 3. The pardon which we have is as to its continuance but conditional And the tenour of the Covenant would cease the pardon even of all sins past if the sinners faith and repentance should cease I speak not de eventu whether ever any do fall away but of the tenour of the Covenant which may prevent falling away Now a pardon which hath much yet to be done as the condition of its continuance is not so perfect as it will be when all those things are performed Quest. 10. May Pardon or Iustification be reversed or lost Quest. 10. Answ. Whether God will eventually permit his true servants to fall so far as to be unjustified is a Controversie which I have written of in a fitter place 2. But quoad robur peccatoris it is alas too easie to fall away and be unjustified 3. And as to the tenour of the Covenant it continueth the promise and threatning conditionally and supposing the sinner defectible doth threaten damnation to them that are now justified if they should not persevere but apostatize Col. 1. 33. Rom. 11. 22. Iohn 15. 9. Quest. 11. Is the pardon of my own sins to be believed fide divina And is it the meaning of that Quest. 11. Article of the Creed I believe the pardon of my sins Answ. I am to believe fide divina that Christ hath purchased and enacted a conditional pardon which is universal and therefore extendeth to my sins as well as to other mens And that he commandeth his Ministers to offer me this and therein to offer me the actual pardon of all my sins to be mine if I truly repent and believe And that if I do so my sins are actually pardoned And I am obliged accordingly to believe in Christ and take him for my Saviour for the pardon of my sins But this is all the meaning of the Creed and Scripture and all that is of Divine belief 2. But that I am actually pardoned is not of Divine faith but only on supposition that I first believe which Scripture telleth not whether I do or not In strict sense I must first believe in Christ for pardon And next in a larger sense I must believe that I am pardoned that is I must so conclude by an act of reason one of the premises being de fide and the other of internal self-knowledge Quest. 12. May a man trust in his own faith or repentance for his pardon and justification in Quest. 12. any kind Answ. Words must be used with respect to the understanding of the hearers And perilous expressions must be avoided lest they deceive men But de re 1. You must not trust to your faith or repentance to do that which is proper to God or to Christ or to the Gospel or for any mâ—re than their own part which Christ hath assigned them 2. You must trust to your faith and repentance for that which is truly their own part And should you not trust them at all you must needs despair or trust presumptuously to you know not what For Christ will not be instead of faith or repentance to you Quest. 13. What are the several causes and conditions of pardon Quest. 13. Answ. 1. God the Father is the principal efficient giving us Christ and pardon with and through him 2 Christs person by his Sacrifice and Merits is the Meritorious Cause 3. The Gospel Covenant or Promise is the Instrumental Cause or Gods pardoning Act or Grant 4. Repentance is the Condition sine qua non necessary directly gratiâ finis in respect to God to whom we must turn 5. Faith in Christ is the Condition sine qua non directly gratiâ medii principalis in respect to the Mediator who is thereby received 6. The Holy Ghost worketh us to these conditions Tit. 2. Directions for obtaining Pardon from God Direct 1. UNderstand well the Office of Iesus Christ as our Redeemer and what it is that he Direct 1. hath done for sinners and what he undertaketh further to do For if you know not Christs Office and undertaking you will either be ignorant of your true remedy or will deceive your selves by a presumptuous trust that he will do that which is contrary to his Office and Will Direct 2. Understand well the tenour of the Covenant of Grace for there it is that you must Direct 2. know what Christ will give and to whom and on what terms Direct 3. Understand well the nature of true faith and repentance or else you can neither tell how Direct 3. to obtain pardon nor to judge of it Direct 4. Absolutely give up your selves to Christ in all the Office of a Mediator Priest Prophet Direct 4. and King And think not to be justified by one act or part of Christianity by alone believing in Christ as a sacrifice for sin To be a true Believer and to be a true Christian is all one and is the faith in Christ which is the condition of justification and salvation Study the Baptismal Covenant For the Believing in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost there meant is the true faith which is the condition of our pardon Direct 5. Be sure that your Repentance contain in it a Desire to be perfectly holy and free from all Direct 5. sin and a Resolution against all known and wilful sinning and particularly that you would not commit the same sins if you had again the same temptations supposing that we speak not of such infirmities as good men live in which yet you must heartily desire to forsake Direct 6. Pray earnestly and believingly for pardon through Christ Even for the continuance of Direct 6. your former pardon and for renewed pardon for renewed sins For prayer is Gods appointed means and included in faith and repentance which are the summary conditions Direct 7. Set all right between you and your neighbours by forgiving others and being reconciled Direct 7. to them and confessing your injuries against them and making them restitution and satisfaction For this also is included in your repentance and expresly made the condition of your pardon Direct 8. Despise not the Sacramental delivery of pardon by the Ministers of Christ For this belongeth Direct 8. to the full investiture and possession of the benefit Nor yet the spiritual consolation of a skilful faithful Pastor nor publick absolution upon publick repentance if you should fall under the need of such a remedy Direct 9. Sin no more I mean Resolvedly break off all that wilful sin of which you do repent Direct 9. For repentings and purposes and promises of a new and holy life which are uneffectual will never prove the pardon of your sins but shew your Repentance to be deceitful Direct 10. Set your selves faithfully to the use of all those holy means which God hath appointed Direct 10. for the overcoming of
1 Pet. 2. 21 22 23 24. Isa. 53. cast down who never despised or envied man nor never feared man who never was over-merry or over-sad who being reviled reviled not again but was dumb as a lamb before the shearers § 21. Direct 17. Keep as far from all occasions of your passions as other duties will allow you And Direct 17. contrive your affairs and occasions into as great an opposition as may be to the temptation Run not into temptation if you would be delivered from evil Much might be done by a willing prudent man by the very ordering of his affairs God and Satan works by means let the means then be regarded § 22. Direct 18. Have a due care of your bodies that no distemper be cherished in them which causeth Direct 18. the distemper of the soul. Passions have a very great dependance on the temperament of the body And much of the cure of them lieth when it is possible in the bodyes emendation § 23. Direct 19. Turn all your passions into the right chanel and make them all Holy using them for Direct 19. God upon the greatest things This is the true cure The bare restraint of them is but a palliate cure like the easing of pain by a dose of opium Cure the fear of man by the fear of God and the Love of the creature by the Love of God and the cares for the body by caring for the soul and earthly fleshly desires and delights by spiritual desires and delights and worldly sorrow by profitable godly sorrow § 24. Direct 20. Controul the effects and frustrate your passions of what they would have and that Direct 20. will ere long destroy the cause Cross your selves of the things which carnal Love and desire would have Forbear the things which carnal mirth or anger would provoke you to and the fire will go out for want of fewel Of which more in the particulars Tit. 2. Directions against sinful Love of Creatures § 1. LOve is the Master Passion of the soul because it hath the chiefest Object even Goodness which Solus Amor facit hominem bonum vel malum Paul Sâ—aliger Thes. p. 721. is the object of the will And simple Love is nothing but Complacencie which is nothing but the simple Volition of Good And it is a Passionate Volition or Complacencie which we call the Passion of Love When this is Good and when its sinful I shewed before But yet because the one half of the cure here lieth in the conviction and it is so hard a thing to make any Lover perceive a sinfullness in his Love I shall first help you in the tryal of your Love to shew the sinfullness of it when I have first named the objects of it § 2. Any creature which seemeth Good to us may possibly be the object of sinful Love As Honor Greatness authority praises money houses lands cattle meat drink sleep apparel sports friends relations and life it self As for Lustful Love I shall speak of it anon Helps for discovering of sinful Love § 3. Direct 1. Make Gods interest and his word the standard to judge of all affections by That Direct 1. which is against the Love of God and would abate or hinder it yea which doth not directly or indirectly tend to further it is certainly a sinful Love And so is all that is against his word For the Love of God is our final act upon our ultimate end and therefore all that tends not to it is a sin against our very end and so against our nature and the use of our faculties § 4. Direct 2. Therefore whatever creature is Loved ultimately for it self and not for a higher end Direct 2. even for God his service his honour his relation to it or his excellencie appearing in it is sinfully loved For it is made our God when it is Loved ultimately for it self § 5. Direct 3. Suspect all Love to creatures which is very strong and violent and easily kindled and Direct 3. hardly moderated or quieted Though you might think it is for some spiritual end or excellencie that you Love any person or any thing yet suspect it if it be so easie and strong Because that which is truly and purely spiritual is against corrupted nature and comes from Grace which is but weak we find no such easiness to Love God and scripture and prayer and holiness nor are our affections so violent to these It s well if all the fewel and blowing we can use will keep them alive It s two to one that the flesh and the Devil have put in some of their fewel or gunpouder if it be fierce § 6. Direct 4. Suspect all that Love which selfishness and fleshly-interest have a hand in Is it some Direct 4. bodily pleasure and delight that you love so much Or is it a good book or other help for your soul We are so much apter to exceed and sin in carnal fleshly mindedness than in Loving what is good for our souls that there we should be much more suspicious If it be violent and for the body it s ten to one there is sin in it § 7. Direct 5. Suspect all that Love to creatures which your Reason can give no good account of nor Direct 5. shew you a justifiable cause If you Love one place or person much more than others and know not why but Love them because you cannot choose this is much to be suspected Though God may sometime kindle a secret Love between friends from an unexpressible unity or similitude of minds beyond what reason will undertake to justifie yet this is rare and commonly fansie or folly or carnality is the cause However it is more to be suspected and tryed than Rational Love § 8. Direct 6. Suspect all that fervent Love to any Creature which is hasty before sufficient tryal for Direct 6. commonly both persons and things have the best side outward and seem better at the first appearance than they prove Not but that a moderate Love may be taken up upon the first appearance of any excellency especially spiritual But so as to allow for a possibility of being deceived and finding more faultiness upon a fuller tryal than we at first perceive Have you dwelt in the house with the persons whom you so much admire and have you tryed them in their conversations and seen them tryed by crosses losses injuries adversity prosperity or the offers of preferment or plenty in the world you would little think what lurketh undiscovered in the hearts of many that have excellent parts till tryal manifest it § 9. Direct 7. Try your affections in prayer before God whether they be such as you dare boldly pray Direct 7. God either to increase or continue and bless and whether they be such as Conscience hath no quarrel against If they endure not this tryal be the more suspicious and search more narrowly The name and presence
of God in Prayer doth much dispel the frauds of carnal reasonings Yet persons who by Melancholy are cast into diseased fears and scrupulosities are uncapable of this way of tryal § 10. Direct 8. Consult with wise impartial persons and open your case to them without deceit Direct 8. before affection have gone so far as to blind you or leave you uncapable of help In this case if in any case the judgement of a stander by that 's faithful and impartial is usually to be preferred before your own For we are too near our selves and judgement will be bribed and byassed even in the best and wisest persons § 11. Direct 9. Yet cast not away all because you discover much excess or carnality in your affections Direct 9. For frequently there is a mixture both in the cause of Love and in the Love it self of good and evil And when you have but taken out all that was selfish and carnal and erroneous in the cause the carnal violent Love will cease but not all Love For still there will and must remain the moderate rational and holy Love which is proportioned to the creatures worth and merit and is terminated ultimately on God The separation being made this part must be preserved § 12. Direct 10. Meer Natural appetite in it self is neither morally good or evil But as it is well Direct 10. placed and ordered it is good and as unruled or ill-ruled it is evil Helps to mortifie sinful Love § 13. Direct 1. The greatest of all means to cast out all sinful Love is to keep the soul in the Love Direct 1. of God Jud. 21. wholly taken up in admiring him serving him praising him and rejoycing in him Nâ—â—â—â—â—â— Love maketh manâ—â—â—â— â—riendly Love perfectâ—th it much more Divine Love but waâ—â—on Love corrupteth and embaseth it Lord Bacoâ— â—â—â—â— 10. of which see Chap. 3. Dir. 11. we see that they that are taken up in the Love and Service of one person are not apt to be taken much with any other But it is not only by diversion nor only by prepossessing and employing all our Love that the Love of God doth cure sinful Love but besides these there is also a Majesty in his objective presence which aweth the soul and commandeth all things else to keep their distance And there is an unspeakable splendour and excellency in him which obscureth and annihilateth all things else though they are more neer and clearly seen and known And there is a celestial kind of sweetness in his Love which puts the soul that hath tasted it out of relish with transitory inferiour goâ—d As he that hath conversed with wise and learned men will no more admire the wit of fools And as he that hath been employed in the Government of a Kingdom or the sublimest studies will be no more in love with Childrens games and paddling in the dirt § 14. Direct 2. The next help is to see that the Creature deceived you not and therefore that you be Direct 2. not rash and hasty but stay while you come neerer it and see it uncloathed of borrowed or affected 〈…〉 â—iâ— Ita amandum quaâ—â— odâ—o fi mu habâ—uâ—â— plutimos enim esse malos Quam tamen â—â—â—â—â—ntiam Cicero in Lâ—â—io sapiente dâ—cit pâ—ane indignum Amâ—cos seqâ—eâ—e quos â—on â—udeaâ—â—lâ—gâ—sâ—◠〈…〉 ornaments and see it not only in the dress in which it appeareth abroad which often covereth great deformities but in its homely habit and night attire Bring it to the light and if it may be also see it when it hath endured the fire which hath taken off the paint and removed the dress Most of your inordinate Love to creatures is by mistake and rashness The Devil tricks them up and paints them that you may fall in love with them or else he sheweth you only the outside of some common good and hideth the emptiness or rottenness within Come nearer therefore and stay longer and prevent your shame and disappointments Is it not a shame to see you dote on that place or office or thing this year which you are weary of before the next Or to see two persons impatiently fond of each other till they are marryed and then to live in strife as aweary of each other How few persons or things have been too violently loved that were but sufficiently first tryed § 15. Direct 3. The next great help is to destroy self-love as carnâ—l and inordinate For this is the Parent life and root of all other sinful love whatever Why doth the Worldling over-love his wealth and the proud man his greatness and repute and the sensualist his pleasures but because they Direct 3. first over-love that flesh and self which all these are but the provision for Why doth a dividing Sectary over-value and over-love all the party or sect that are of his own opinion but because he first over-valueth and over-loveth himself why do you love those above their worth who think Sâ—â— before Chap. 4 Pa â— 7 highly of you and are on your side and use to praise you behind your back or that do you a good turn but because you first over-love your selves Why doth Lustful Love enflame you or the Love of meat and drink and sport and bravery carry you into such a gulf of sin but that first you over-love your fleshly pleasure what ensnareth you in fondness to any person but that you think they love you or are suitable to your carnal ends See therefore that you mortifie the flesh § 16. Direct 4. Still remember how jealous God is of your Love and how much he is wronged when Direct 4. any creature encroacheth upon his right 1. You are his own by Creation and did he give you Love to lay out on others and deny it to himself 2. He daily and hourly maintaineth you he giveth you every breath and bit and mercy that you live upon and will you love the creature with his part of your love 3. How dearly hath he bought your Love in your Redemption 4. He hath adopted you and brought you into the nearest relation to him that you may love him 5. He hath pardoned all your sins and saved you from Hell if you are his own that you may Love him 6. He hath promised you eternal glory with himself that you may Love him 7 His excellency best deserveth your love 8. His creatures have nothing but from him and were purposely sent to bespeak your love for him rather than for themselves And yet after all this shall they encroach upon his part If you say It is not Gods part that you give them but their own I tell you All that Love which you give the creature above its due you take from God But if it be such a Love to the creature as exceedeth not its worth and is intended ultimately for God and maketh you not Love him the less but the more it is not it that I am speaking