of others do speak aloud in thine ears that health and rest are mercies O how shouldst thou adore that God who distinguisheth thee thus graciously from others Mayst thou not think with thy self Here is a person full of pain the day is full of darkness to him and wearisome nights are appointed to him Lo his Wife and Children and Friends are weeping about him but cannot relieve or redress him all the comforts of this life are unâ—avoury to him His aches and grief and diseases hinder him much in spiritual performances and in the prosecution of a better life how much aâ— I bound to the Lord that it is not so with me I can relliâ—h outward mercies and am refreshed with bodily comforts I have no such distemper or pain to take me off from prayer or Scripture but I may be as frequent and as urgent as I will about my soul and eternal concernments Bless the Lord O my soul and all within me praise his holy name Surely health is the Prince the first-born of outward blessings Though foolish men deprive themselves frequently of it for the satisfaction of a sensual wanton appetite yet it s more worth then a thousand of those brutish transitory delights A Stomach is of more value then meat and a good digestion then raiment Men think not much to part with much of their wealth in their sickness for a little health O it deserves thy prayers to God for it with submission to his will when thou wantest it and thy praysing of God for it with enlarged affections when thou hast it 3. In observing the necessity of a timely repentance and its difficulty on a dying bed How unfit is a man to begin to live when he is wracked with pain and going to die The dolour and trouble of his body are great impediments to the good of his soul. When the outward man is in great distress and the inner man sympathizing with it the best words are often wasted and thrown away and the mind is unfit either to receive counsel or comfort Further How irrational is it to give Satan our prime our health or strength and God our weak and consumptionate and dying parts to present our enemy with our quick and nimble and active faculties and members and to put off our best friend with a body full of sores and a soul full of sin Besides the longer men continue in sin the more difficult their conversion will be He that hath wandred or travelled out of the right way all day will hardly be perswaded to go back all the way and set out again at night Where Satan hath dwelt long he will hardly be removed A Ship the longer it leaketh the harder it is to be emptied The fâ—rther a nail is driven in the more trouble to get it out The longer my soul continueth in disobedience the harder it will be to bring it to repentance The more sin is riveted and habituated in me the more pains and toyl and grief it will cost to get it subdued and slain 4. In learning more the excellency of grace and an interest in Christ and God which will do a man good in a day of â—ickness and an hour of death He is a friend indeed that is a friend in a day of adversity The sinners folly in neglecting durable riches teacheth the Christian wherein true wisdom consisteth and the worth of it That it consisteth not in heaping up such treasures or getting such friends as will be useless and unprofitable in a time of need but in laying up a treasure in Heaven and ensuring eternal comforts Cold â—harp weather sheweth the value of an healthy constitution A storm will speak the worth of a sure Anchor and a skilful Pilot. The excellency of grace and holiness and Christ and God are not fully known till we come into the other world where all sublunary comforts are wanting But the more any condition in this world resembleth that and the nearer we approach that the more visible is the value of divine and lasting blessings A Cordial is not esteemed till we come to fainting fits A soul that in time of health and wealth and outward prosperity made the fear and ways of God and the estate of the godly the object of his scorn and contempt when he comes to be awakened by the alarum of death and to look into the other world will make them the object of his choice and give a world if he had it for them A Good Wish about the visitation of the sick wherein the former heads are applied THe righteous Lord and God of all grace who for sin afflicteth man with sickness yet in the midst of judgement remembreth mercy intending his instruction not his destruction by it having designed such afflictions as rods to whip men to himself to make them out of love with sin the spring of all their sufferings and sorrows and to wean them from the earth who otherwise would make it their Heaven and hath also appointed men to be the means through which these mercies shall be conveyed and sicknesses sanctified to them I Wish in general that I may never omit to visit those Neighbours with pity whom God hath visited in fury muchless insult as the Edomites over the afflicted Israelites and persecute them whom God hath smitten drawing blood from those wounds which are already blew with the blows of the Almighty but may be faithful to the precept and purpose of my God in this particular and adopt my second table duties into the Family of the first table by visiting the sick not out of common civility but out of charity and in obedience to the God of my health It is my priviledge that my Almes may become Sacrifice my Courtesies worship and in paying that debt of love which I owe to my Neighbour I may pay that duty which I owe to my Maker O that in all my common transactions I might move upon principles of reason and especially in works that have a tendency Godward act upon grounds of Religion Lord thou hast an eye to my good in all thy providences and dealings why should not I have an eye to thy glory in all my practices and actings Cause thy fear so to possess my heart that I may visit the sick out of conscience and let thy grace so assist and accompany my endeavours that thou mayst visit them to their eternal comfort I Wish that the Command of my God may be a sufficient Motive and warrant to make me set about the practice of this work It is my duty to visit them that are sick as I am the Lords Servant I disown his authority I deny his Image if I do not sympathize with others in misery Nature it self commandeth me to be affected with the conditions of such as are afflicted All creatures will commiserate those of their rank and order that are in misery Bees will rather stay and starve with those of their kind that
great mercy to our selves The Oyl of grace like the Widows 2 King 4. 6. increaseth by powring out an opportunity is a special season which God affordeth us for the benefit of our own and others souls When time and helps meet and marty their off-spring is opportunity Thou dealest with those at one time whom thou mayst never see again possibly their hearts being big with sin they bring forth in thy presence either swearing or slandering or mocking at holiness now God gives thee an opportunity by a prudent affectionate reproof and by serious savoury advice to kill those brats of Hell as soon as they are born and to make the Parents barren in regard of such a cursed brood for ever after which if thou neglectest thou shalt never have again The Bird of opportunity is usually upon the wing she flieth away of a sudden and we never fee her again therefore whilst thou hast her make the best use of her Thou thinkest it may be that thy counsel to such men would be but cast away as pure water in a nasty sink but do thy work which is to endavour their conversion and leave the success which is Gods work to him Benhadads Souldier drew a Bow at a venture and his Arrow pierced within the joynts of the Harness and slew Ahab the man shot the Arrow at he knew not who but God levelled it at the King amongst all the company Do thou draw the Bow according to thy duty and God may so direct the Arrow of admonition as to make it enter the sinners heart and let out the very life of his sin Sometimes things are done best on a sudden Tiberius was happier in his extempore speeches then those which he made upon study and premeditation Thou mayst as Philip to the Eunuch fall in with a person on a sudden whom thou never sawest before nor shalt ever see again and by seasonable counsel be instrumental to his eternal comfort It may be thou meetest with such as do believe then thy care must be to build them up Saints must be Land-markâ— to direct others in the way to life Apollos was a stranger to Aquila and Priscilla but coming into his company they expounded to him the way of God more perfectly Act. 18. 25. The members of the mystical body must be helpful to one another Christians with whomsoever they converse ought to endeavour either their gaining to or growing up in Jesus Christ. Alexanders body was of so exact and rare a constitution saith the Historian that it perfumed every place where he came The gracious soul being it self filled with spikenard and Calamus and Cassia and all sweet spices may well leave a sweet savour among the persons with whom he converseth They are dead and withered grains of Corn out of which there doth not one ear spring up A Good Wish of a Christian in Relation to his dealings with all men wherein the former Heads are applied THe Living and Eternal God whose I am and whom I am infinitely bound to serve whose unquestionable dominion over me calleth for universal subjection from me having commanded me in his word to be holy as he is holy in all manner of conversation and to walk by rule in my commerce with men as well as in my immediate converses with his glorious Majesty I wish in general that I may make Religion my business not onely in my sacred duties but also in my civil dealings that I may trade with God in divine performances as if men saw me and traffique with men in humane affairs as knowing that God beholdeth me and herein dayly exercise my self to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and towards all men I Wish in particular that my earthly actions may never clash with or incroach upon my heavenly calling that I may not endanger the loss of Religion in the throng and crowd of outward dealings but may be so limitted and directed therein by Gods Law that all my works may be â—orship and when I am labouring for my body and family I may be furthering the good of my soul and my eternal felicity that as my chief natural quality Reason commandeth in my lower actions of eating and drinking so my supernatural excellency Religion may bear sway in every passage of my life Lord who hast given me a perfect rule and appointed me to order my life in all things according to it be pleased to write all thy laws in my heart that I may be tender of both Tables love thee with all my soul and strength and love my Neighbour as my self for thy sake If one link of the golden chain of thy commands be broken the whole is dissolved they love one another too well to part company where one precept is wilfully despised all are disobeyed Thou hast said it He that breaks one is guilty of all O enable me to be as universal in my conformity and duty as thou art in thy mercy and bounty for then shall I not be ashamed when I shall have respect to all thy Commandements I Wish that the soundness and integrity of my heart may appear in the cleaneness and purity of my hands The sound will speak what Mettal the Bell is of the Flowers that shew themselves above ground will declare the nature of the root which lieth hid How often doth the face discover the faults of the vital parts If my tongue and speech be double my spirit cannot be single If my actions be unrighteous my inward man must needs be irreligious How grossely do I delude my self if I presume that I am holy because I mind the first Table if I be dishonest and live in the breach of the second when there is so much Religion in the duties of the second Table that there can be no Religion without them My deceitful heart is apt to suggest that it s but a small matter If I should supplant my Brother and that there is no such need of care in my ordinary outward carriage But my Soveraign to whom I have sworn Allegiance hath told me in the word of truth Mat. 23. 23. that justice and mercy are the weighty matters of the Law and hath commanded me Micah 6. 8. to do justly and to love mercy throughout my whole life O that I might never allow my self in the breach of those precepts which in the worlds blind judgment are the least of his commands and by my pattern teach men so lest I be found at last the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Lord thou hast enjoyned me to keep thy Law as the Apple of mine eye Prov. 7. I know a small thing will pain a little dust will offend mine eye but thy Law is infinitely more tender thy Word forbids and condemneth the smallest wandring the very conception of sin in a vain thought much more its birth in an unrighteous action is abominable and odious to it Thou hast commanded me to keep thy
defence Though others like the old world are drowned are destroyed in these waters yet thou shouldst ride safely in a well pitcht Ark and to free thee from any fear of miscarrying the Lord himself would shut thee in When others are in the open air on whom storms and tempests have their full force thou shouldst be housed in Gods presence-chamber and kept secret by his side As Gideons fleece thou shouldst be dry when all about thee are wet The whale of destruction may digest thousands of Mariners but one godly Ionah is too hard for him The torrent of fire that ran from AEtna and consumed the Country yet parted it self to safeguard them that releived their aged parents When the Grecians had taken Troy and given every man liberty to carry out his burden they were so taken with the devotion of AEneas in carrying out first his houshold gods and upon a second licence his old Father Anchises and his Son Ascanius instead of treasures which others carried out that they permitted him to carry what he would without any disturbance Ieremiah in the Babylonish captivity was tendered and regarded highly by the King of Babylon When Sodom was destroyed Lot was preserved It was storied of Troy that so long as the Image of Pallas stood safe in it that City should never be won It is true of godliness so long as the fear and love of thy God are within thee so long as thou makest religion thy business nothing shall hurt thee every thing shall help thee godliness will bring in all gain and at all times No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly A Child of God by adoption is in some sense like the Son of God by eternal generation heir of all things 1 Cor. 3.30 31. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or Life or Death or things present or things to come all is yours and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's Nay the Christians riches are not onely unsearchable Ephes. 3. 8. but also durable Prov. 8. 15. When a wicked man dieth all his riches dye with him His treasue is laid up on earth therefore when he leaves the earth he leaves his treasure Psa. 49. 17. When a godly man dyeth his riches follow him Rev. 14. 13. His treasure is in heaven and so when he dyeth he goeth to his gains O Reader what an argument is here to provoke thee to piety godliness is profitable in all conditions in all relations in both worlds In prosperity t will be a sun to direct thee in adversity a shield to protect thee in life t will be thy comfort and which is infinitely more in death that hour of need 't will be thy enlivening cordial The smell of Trefoil is stronger in a cloudy dark season then in fair weather The refreshing savour of the sweet spices of grace is strongest in the Saints greatest necessities When Death the King of terrors comes to enter the list and fight with thee for thy soul and eternal salvation for thy God and Christ and Heaven and happiness when all thy Riches and Honours and Friends and Relations would leave thee in the lurch to shift for thy self as Dogs leave their Master when he comes to the water Godliness would be thy shield to secure thee against its shot and make thee more then a conquerour over it Thou mightest call thy dying bed as Iacob the place through which he travailed Mahanaim a Camp for there Angels would meet thee to convey thee safe through the Air the enemies country of which Satan is Lord and Prince to thy Fathers houses where thou shouldst be infinitely blessed in the vision and fruition of thy God and Saviour for ever Godliness would be the Pilot to steer the vessel of thy soul aright through those boysterous waters to an happy port The Arabick Fable mentions one that carried an Hog a Goat and a Sheep to the City the Hog roared hideously when the other two were still and quiet and being asked the reason gave this account of her crying The Sheep and Goat have no such cause to complain for they are carried to the City for their Milk but I am carried thither to be killed being good for nothing else The Ungodly person may well cry out sadly when sickness comes for then guilt flyeth in his face and conscience tells him death will kill him he is good for nothing but to be killed with death Rev. 2.25 he never honoured God in this world and God will force honour out of him in the other world He may well screech out dreadfully at the approach of death whose body death sends to the grave and his souls to intolerable and unquenchable flames but the godly man may bid death welcom knowing it will be his exceeding gain and advantage Reader When others like the Israelites are afraid and start back at the sight of this Goliah thou mightest like little David encounter him in the name of the Lord and overcome him Thou mightest triumphantly sing in the ears of death O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The Lord of life would sweeten death to thee and subdue it for thee nay make it at peace with thee that thou mightest say to death as Iacob to Esau I have seen thy face as if it had been the face of God who hath made thee to meet me with smiles instead of frowns Death would help thee to that sight to that knowledge to that state and degree of holiness for which thou hast prayed and wept and fasted and watched and laboured and waited many a day as it s said of Iob there was none like him in the earth so I may say of this calling there is none like it upon the face of the earth the very enemies of it in their hours of extremity being judges Ah who would not work for God with the greatest diligence and walk with God in the exactest obedience and wait upon God with the greatest patience when he is assured that in the doing of his commands there is such great reward and those that sow to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting The Conclusion Reader I have now ended this Treatise but whether thou if a stranger to this calling wilt put an end to thy carnal fleshly ways and begin this high and heavenly work or no I know not If thou art ambitious thou hast here encouragement sufficient godliness will ennoble thee and render thy blood not only honourable but royal If thou art voluptuous here is a bait which may take thee godliness will bring thee to a river of pleasures to such dainties and delights as take the hearts of perfect and glorious Angels If thou art covetous here is a golden weight to turn the scales of thy desires and endeavours godliness is profitable unto all things it hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come when thy house and lands and honours and neighbours and
and life to the bitter in soul Job 3. 20. Light is one of the most excellent things that God hath made and is therefore used by the Holy Ghost to set out not onely the Word of God and the Work of Godliness Psa. 119. 105. 1 Iohn 1. 7. but also Christ and Heaven and God himself 1 Ioh. 9. 1 Colos. 12. 1 Iohn 1. 5. Life is the Apex the highest stair the top-stone the choisest of all temporal mercies There is no flower in natures garden for beauty or excellency comparable to it therefore men if brought to the pinch will part with all to redeem this Skin for skin all that a man hath will he give for his life The loss of life is the chiefest outward loss and esteemed the greatest satisfaction to justice or nature The desire of life is indeed the greatest earthly blessing the most loyal people can desire for their loving Prince Let the King live but light and life as precious pearls as they are become burdens most toylsom and tedious to men without comfort Joy to life is as the form to the matter which animates and actuates it and makes it spâ—ightful and lively Why is light given to one in misery and life to the bitter in soul Now Reader It is Religion that is the comfort of thy life by bringing thee to him who is the life of all thy comforts Other things can never suâ—e and so can never satisfie and therefore can never truly refresh or rejoyce the soul of man The body may sooner be fed and preserved with Air and Wind as the soul filled with the whole world They who swim down with a full stream of outward good things who have waters of a full cup wrung out to them and have more then heart can wish though they be Masters of hidden and bottomless mines as the Spanish Ambassadour boasted of his Soveraigns treasures in the Indies though they have thousands and millions of heads bare and knees bowing to them and are mounted to the loftiest pinacle of honour and fame and renown though their garments are of finest silk sented with the sweetest perfumes embroydered by the most skilful Artist and enamelled with the richest jewels though their food be the most choice and luscious delicates the most mellifluous Nectar that earth air and water can afford and though their bodies be in the most perfect state of health and thereby enabled to extract the quintessence of all this and so rellish it in the highest degree yet all this is not able to give them the least dram of true delight the smallest crum of true comfort In the midst of their sufficiency such Monarchs are in straights They may possess much but enjoy nothing Their faces someâ—times are featured with laughter when at the same time their souls are in little ease In the midst of mirth their hearts are sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness As some Plumbs that are sweet and luscious in the outward part but have bitter kernels so the most rich and honourable sinners in the midst of their mirth and gigling and sports have inward gripes which like Leaven sowreth the whole lump of their enjoyments Haman though exalted to the highest seat next the Throne in the Persian Court and had the command of him who commanded one hundred and twenty seven Provinces yet had an aking heart and a worm gnawing his inwards that he cryeth out All this avails me nothing c. The Worlds greatest darlings whom she dandleth most upon her knees and to whom she granteth her sweetest kisses are but at best like a curious marble chimney-piece glorious and shining without but full of soot and blackness within God did at first for mans fall judge the earth to bring forth Briars and Thorns and all the fruit it beareth will be piercing and paining what ever men fancy to themselves But Reader though the curse of the earth be Thistles and Thorns yet the blessing of Heaven is light and joy Though the World be empty and vain and vexatious yet Religion is full and filling the soul with content and comfort Observe the very formal nature of it The Kingdom of God i. e. Religion consisteth not in meats and drinks but in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. Peace and joy is the heart-chearing wine which groweth upon this vine A good conscience is a continual feast Natural things must be brought to their center before they can enjoy rest and how can it be expected that spiritual beings can enjoy true repose but in their centre the Father of spirits That peace which passeth all understanding that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory are the true and legitimate children of the power of godliness Outward things and formes like Glow-worms may be glistering but they are not warming T is the power of Religion like the Sun that brings refreshing light and enlivening heat along with it The wicked is snared in his wickedness but the righteous sing rejoyce 2. Is not that worthy to be made thy business in which thou hast to do with an insinite glorious and jealous Majesty If men are serious about the concernments of a Father or Master or Noble-man or King how serious should they be about the concernments of a God I must tell thee Reader that thou hast every moment of thy life to do with the great God Whether thou art eating or drinking or walking or buying or selling or ploughing or sowing or reaping as well as when thou art praying or hearing or reading or meditating thou haste still to do with God In all companies in all thy relations in all natural actions in all civil transactions at all seasons thou haste more to do with God then with any creature then with all the creatures And is his work to be slighted or dallied with or slubbered over Is it good playing or toying with his interest and concerns in whose hand is thy breath and life and all that thou hast Dost thou not know that his eyes is ever upon thee that his arm is able to reach and revenge him on thee when he pleaseth that he looks on himself as worthy to be observed and pleased in all thy thoughts and words and deeds and wilt thou dare him to his face and provoke him before his eyes and cast him behind thy back as not deserving to be minded or regarded Is his fury so light a burden or his favour so little a blessing that thou art so indifferent unto either Ah didst thou but know what a God thou hast to deal with in every part and passage and moment of thy life how sweet his love is far better then life how bitter his wrath is more dreadful then death didst thou know how great a good how blessed a friend how high an honour how choice an happiness how rich a cordial how vast a treasure he is to them that make his service their business didst
as in his Gods presence and in all aimeth at his praise As the Sap of a Tree riseth up from the root not onely to the body but also to the branches of the smallest twigs so grace in a Saint springeth up from his heart and floweth out not only in his spiritual and higher but also in his civil and lower actions How the Saint may make godliness his business in Religious Actions as in praying hearing receiving the Lords Supper and Sanctification of the Lords day in natural Actions in his recreations in his particular calling and in the government of his family I have largely discovered in the First Part of The Christian-Mans Calling The Second Part will help believers in the Relations of Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants and in the Conditions of Prosperity and Adversity Reader The design of this Treatise is to direct thee further in this continual exercise of Piety it divideth it self into these particulars I shall herein First Endeavour to discover wherein the nature of Godliness consisteth 1. In thy Dealings with all men 2. In all Companies whether Good or Bad and therein I shall speak both to thy Choice of Companions and Carriage in Company 3. In Solitariness 4. On a Week-day from morning to night 5. In Visiting the sick 6. On a Dying Bed Secondly I shall offer thee some Means which will be helpful to thee in this business Thirdly I shall annex some Motives to stir thee up to this high and gainful Calling I begin with the first CHAP. I. How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness in his Dealings with all men As also a Good Wish about that Particular FIrst Thy duty is to make Religion thy business in thy Dealings with all men True Godliness payeth its dues to men as well as its duty to God nay it cannot do the latter without the former Upon these two poles all Religion turnes and upon these two feet it walketh That Mans holiness is lame which always keeps home and doth not walk abroad and visit his Neighbours It s a sign of a sickly temper for a man to sit always brooding in a Chimney-Corner and not to dare to stir out of doors Sure I am thy Religion is of a sad distempered constitution whatsoever hopes it may give of healthiness in Family duties if it goeth no farther and doth not appear in the open air of thy converses with strangers Religion bindeth the Christian to his good behaviour towards all men True holiness will provide things honest not onely in the sight of God but also in the sight of all men 2 Cor. 8. 21. The Kings Coin hath his superscription without the ring as well as his Image within it The Saints civil as well as his spiritual actions have divine impression stamped on them and he is walking with God in his trading with men As thy heart must be pure so thy hands must be clean or thou canst never reach heaven Psa. 24. 3 4. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place He that hath clean hands and a pure heart To be voyd of conscience in thy civil actions speaks thee to have no right to the beatifical vision he that comes short of Heathens must needs come short of Heaven And truly to be careless in making Godliness thy business in them will very much hinder thy progress in holiness If all the passages of the body be not open there is no thriving in health The Ostrich is very swift and said to outrun the horse He mocketh the Horse and the Rider but what is the reason truly this he hath two helps of speed his Wings and his Feet whereas other creatures have but one the Hawk hath wings the Hare and Horse have feet but he hath and useth both Wings and Feet and hence is so nimble in his flight The right Christian maketh haste and runneth the way of Gods commandments because he doth use not only the wings of Religious performances for that end but also the feet of his ordinary actions When some are only for holy duties and others onely for honest dealings he outstrips them all marrying them both together and making them like Husband and Wife serviceable each to other T is true his piety is the Husband which hath the command and dominion but his dealings with men as a dutiful wife further his weal by their obedience and subjection No Christian ever made more haste in Heavens way then Paul I laboured more abundantly then they all saith he but how came it about VVhy through divine assistance he exercised himself to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards all men The stream must needs be the swifter for the meeting and uniting of the waters of grace out of both those channels The bark which covereth the tree seemeth to be of little worth compared with the body of the tree yet if that be peeled off the tree dyeth Though righteous dealings seem to be but the bark and outside of Religion yet if once thou castest them off thy Religion as thriving as thou thoughtst it to be will quickly wither and come to nothing the heart-blood of thy godliness may be let out by a wound in thy hand I shall lay down a Motive or two to quicken thee to conscienciousness in thy dealings with all men and then acquaint thee wherein it consisteth SECT I. FIrst Consider It s a sure sign of Hypocrisie to be unrighteous and careless in civil dealings how consciencious soever thou mayst seem to be in sacred duties He that seems righteous towards men and is irreligious towards God is but an honest Heathen and he that seems religious towards God and unrighteous towards men is but a dissembling Christian To make Conscience of one duty and not of another is to make true conscience of neither The soul that ever had Communion with God above comes down like Moses out of the Mount with both Tables in his hands the second as well as the first and the first as well as the second One stone in a Mill one oare in a Boat will do little good there must be two or no work can be done A perfect man consisteth of two essential parts a Soul and a body though the soulâ— be the principal and doth specificate the compound yet the body is so necessary that without it none can be a compleat man A Christian that is evangelically perfect is also made up of these two parts Holiness and Righteousness though holiness be the chief as that which doth difference the Saint yet righteousness is so requisite that there can be no true Christian without it The holy Apostle argueth the purity of his conscience from the honesty of his conversation We trust that we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly The goodness of the Fruit will commend the Tree 1. Their honesty was visible
which is so great a friend to me Can I be so unworthy as to cause others to trample this great favourite at heavens Court under their feet Hath not the polluting thy name been the argument which I have sometimes used for the perdition of thine enemies I have cried to thee Remember this that the enemy hath reproached O Lord and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name and shall I be guilty of that which I plead as a reason for others ruine Again My dayly prayer is Hallowed be thy name and shall my practices give my prayer the lye and prophane it Should I cheat and cozen as the men of the world my great profession would cause my sin like a Cart heavy laden to make deep furrows into which many might trip and fall How ordinary is it for Egyptians to follow the dark side of the Israelites Pillar to their perdition Foolish man that I am is not the burthen of my own sins already intolerable and shall I add to them by being partaker of other mens sins Is the River of wrath due to me so low so little that I must invite streams from every place to swell it into an Ocean O that for my own sake for the sake of other men and especially for thy sake I may order all my ways by thy word Lord preserve me by thy Spirit that I may never lay a stumbling block before the wicked nor as the unbeleiving spies by my distrust of thy providence and using indirect courses to releive my family bring an ill report upon the good Land Assist me that I may look not onely to the power of Religion but also the honour of Religion Let thy grace ever accompany me and enable me to keep a conscience void of guile before thee and a conversation so void of guilt before men that whereas they speak against me as an evil doer they may be ashamed at this day and may by my good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation I Wish that I may look to the righteousness of my actions as well as to the righteousness of my person and never think that my house can be firm if it be built upon the rotten foundation of injustice My God hath said Wo be to him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness and his Chambers by wrong As high as my house is raised and as sure as it is seated the breath of this curse will blow it down Though my estate seem never so fair yet how easily and how speedily may this scorching curse cause it to fade and to wither in my hand as a flower Have not mine eyes beheld the ruines of some stately dwellings which have been built upon rapine Unrighteousness like Rabbits in some Countrys hath undermined the foundations and overturned the buildings and shall mine escape Whether I will believe it or no â— My God hath spoken that unjust gain will prove my own loss and he will see it accomplished Whatsoever fine terms I may call my cheating by as an Art in my Trade or the Mystery of my Calling yet my God counts it Theft and me for it but a Thief Though I may put a fair colour upon my false dealing yet he forbids it under the plain censure of stealing Thou shalt not steal And O how great a Theif am I if I be guilty of this in my ordinary dealings I wrong my Neighbours that trade with me and that most Hypocritically under the pretence of doing them right To kill a man in the field by force is wicked but to poison him at my Table by fraud is worse because in this latter I pretend friendship To rob on the High-way by open power is greivous but to rob in my Shop by this hellish policy is more odious for I wrong one that is my friend and in such a way that he hath no means to help himself The Righteous God saith My hands are full of blood not onely when I murther a mans person and take away his life but also when I injure a mans portion and take away his lively-hood Such unjust persons must expect sore punishments The Law of man punisheth Cheats in some measure but the Law of the jealous God is more severe to such Iuglers as endeavour to unglue the whole worlds frame knit together onely by commerce and contracts I rob my own family as well as my Neighbours He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house False dealing like Fire consumes what comes near it My Children were better be left beggars then heirs of those riches which I have got by robbery What is well gotten will faâ—e the worse for the Neighbourhood of my ill gotten wealth This as a rotten sheep will infect the sound flock Whilst I am digging deep to lay the foundation of my house sure I do but lay in barrels of powder to blow it up I rob my own soul most of all by my unrighteousness How ill is that gain which causeth the loss of my God! How cheap do I sell those wares with which I buy endless and intollerable wo How dear do I buy that silver for which I sell my inestimable soul and salvation Ah what an ill Market doth he make that puts off his soul at any price If it be unprofitable to gain the whole world and lose my own soul what a fool what a mad man am I to set my soul to sale for a very small part of the world Into what a miserable Dilemma doth my deceitful dealing bring me Either I must repent and vomit it up which will tear and wrack my very heart or else I must burn for ever in hell O that I might never â—e so bereaved of my wits as to touch or meddle with such distracting wealth Lord thou hast informed me that A little which the righteous man hath is better then the possessions of many wicked that better is a little with righteousness then great revenues without right I know that the comfort of my life doth not depend upon a confluence of outward good things but upon thy love and good-will towards me Let me rather choose the greatest want then riches from Satans hands and in Hells way Be thou pleased to sparkle my little with the precious diamond of thy love and then t will be better indeed then the riches of many wicked yea more worth then all the World I Wish that in my buying and selling I might ever have an eye to the ballance of the Sanctuary My person must be tried by Scripture at the last day for my everlasting life and death and shall not my actions be squared by it at this day How sad a bargain should I make if I should buy my own bane What a dreadful trade should I drive to sell like that Son of Perdition the incomparable Saviour for a little corruptible silver Is that wealth worth getting which will make way for eternal want Though my heapes
not another though my reins be consumed within me Though thou art sown in dishonour thou shalt be raiâ—ed in glory though thou art sown in weakness thou shalt be raised in power though thou art sown a natural body thou shalt be raised a spiritual body and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ himself Thy dust shall live and thou shalt arise and be joyned to this soul and both joyn with the great assembly of the sirst-born in singing the praises of thy Master and Husband The Souldier is glad when he is called to receive his pay though the ways be deep and dirty through which he travelleth to the the place of Muster The Husbandman rejoyceth when his Fields are white to Harvest and with piping and shouting accompanieth his last load 〈◊〉 the barn O that my life might be so sanctified 〈◊〉 devoted to my God that at my death he may be my solace Ah Lord it matters not who be failing to visit me on my sick bed so thou be present with me Nay though mine enemies come and say When shall he dye and his name perish An evil disease cleaveth to him now that he lyeth down he shall rise up no more If thou pleasest to visit me with thy saving health I shall not be afraid when I walk in the valley of the â—hadow of death O when the Sun of my life shall be setting let the Sun of righteousness so arise upon me that I may be delivered from the power curse and sting of death and may find it through his merits to be my haven of rest after all my foul weather a bed of ease after my sore labour a release out of prison and my Iubilee to give me possession of an inheritance undefiled incorruptible that fadeth not away which is reserved in heaven for me Amen CHAP. IX Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to Godliness A good Foundation Lâ—ving by Faith Setting God always before our eyes I Come now to the second thing promised namely to lay down the Means whereby Christians may come to make Religion their business First If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness be sure that thou layest a good foundation in a renewed heart and nature I begin with this because it is the chiefest requisite and the baâ—is of all Godliness must first spring up in the heart before it can overflow in the life Other means are like those parts of the body the want of which may be supplied by others but this is like the heart which if wanting nothing can make up its want A dead man will as soon arise and walk as an unsanctified person make Religion his business Every thing will act according to that principle which is predominant in it Though for a time it may by violence work contrary to its natural inclination yet it will endeavour the removal of that force and return to its old course Fire moveth upwards and earth downwards both strâ—ving to overturn what standeth in their way because the place of fire is above of earth beneath A river may be stopped and hindred in its current but it will never cease till it hath overborn the dam and attained its former passage Water that is naturally sweet may be made brackish by the over-flowing of salt water but it will not leave till it hath workt out that saltness and returneth to his natural sweetness so every man whether good or bad will act according to his nature whether gracious or vicious A good man may be hindred in his holy course by temptations and the violence of the flesh but because his nature is gracious he will never be at rest till he hath forcibly broke through those impediments and got into his former way of Godliness An evil man may step into the path of piety through the example of others or good education or some slender convictions of a natural conscience but he will quickly be weary he will not hold out in it he will break through those obstacles because his nature the stream of his heart runs another way The Heart of man is like the Spring of the Clock which causeth the wheels to move right or wrong well or ill Hence it is that Gods precept is to this Make you a new heart and a new spirit and his promise of this I will put my fear into their hearts and they shall never depart away from me The fear of God in the heart will bind thee fast to God in thy life If the heart be throughly drawn to him the tongue and hand will not depart from him If the heart once set forward for God all the members will follow after the mouth will praise the ears will attend to him the eye will watch him the seet will go after him all the parts like dutiful handmaids in their places will wait on their Mistris There was a great Master among the Jews which bid his Schollars to consider and tell him What was the best thing or the best way in which a man should always keep One said A good Companion was the best thing in the world another said A good Neighbour was the best thing he could wish A third said A wise man or one that could for esee future things A fourth said A good eye that is a liberal disposition At last came one Eleazer and he said A good heart is better then them all True said the Master thou hast comprehended in two words all that the rest have said For a good heart will make a man both contented and a good companion and a good neighbour and help him to foresee things that are to come that he may know what is on his part to be done Indeed without this there can be no godliness all professions and performances are but a shew a shadow and where there is this there is all godliness in all manner of conversation As the King of France said of Dover that it was the key of England and if his son who then invaded the Britains had not that he had nothing So it may be said of the heart It is the key of the whole man it opens and shuts the door to Godliness and Wickedness and if grace hath not this it hath nothing The Philosopher when he would perswade the King to settle his residence in the midst of his Dominions and thereby keep all his people the better in subjection took a Bulls hide ready tanned upon which when he stood on any side of it still it rose up on the other but when he stood on the middle he kept down all alike The onely way to subdue sin is to do it in the heart that commands all otherwise though one unruly passion may be kept down another will rise up The Heart is the great Work-house where all sin is wrought before it s exposed to open view It s the Mint where evil thoughts are coyned before they are currant in our words or actions Out of the heart proceed
by the roots All that these can do is to make a man like a grave green and flourishing on the surface and superficies when within there is nothing but noisomness and corruption It hath often appeared that those means which the great Moralists have used to bridle their lusts and passions have rather like strong sents to Epileptick bodies raised them then recovered them Indeed if the cheif fault were not in the vital parts then outward applications might be effectual but when the heart and lungs and inwards are all corrupted Plaisters applied to the face or hands or thighs or sides will do little good When the fault is in the foundation of an house it cannot be mended by Plaistering or rough-cast A Leopard may be flea'd but he is spotted still because the spots are not onely in the skin but in the flesh and bones and sinews and most inward parts When the disease is accidental as to lose the sight by the Small-Pox or the like there the Physick of morality may be advantagious but where the disease is natural as in the man that was born blind there Physick will do no good a miracle alone must restore such a one to his sight Unsanctified persons at best act from themselves and therefore for themselves As the Kite they may spread their wings and soar aloft as if they touched Heaven when at the highest their eyes are upon their prey upon earth Lucullus told his guests when he had feasted them liberally and they had admired his bounty in their costly entertainment Something my Friends is for your sakes but the greatest part is for Lucullus his own sake An unconverted person may do something some small matter for the sake of Religion from common gifts of illumination c. but the most that he doth is for his own sake for that credit or profit which he expecteth thereby If any thing be enjoyned which thwarteth his interest he will reply with Ajax when commanded to spare Vlysses In other things I will obey the Gods but not in this Reader Make sure of this inward change otherwise though thy conversation may be specious it can never be gracious nor thy profession durable If the house be built on loose earth it will never stand long When the principles are variable and uncertain so will the practices be If the arguments upon which thou takest upon thee the livery of Christ and the grounds of thy engagement in his service be not firm and constant the love of God and hope of eternal life c. such as the world and flesh cannot over-top thou wilt throw up thy profession and leave thy Master when thou art offered in thy blind judgment a better service though it be but the pleasures of sin for a season with eternal pains at the end of them for thy soul and Saviour and eternal salvation How well may he prove a Bankrupt who is worse then naught when he first sets up I wonder not that many pofessors disown the Lord Jesus when they were ignorant why they at any time owned him He that takes up Religion on trust will lay it down when it brings him into trouble As the Celendine springeth and floweth at the comming of the Summer birds but withereth at their departure And the Corn that promiseth a good Harvest in the Blade is blasted in the Ear because its root is withered and naught So the person that hath no sound foundation though he seem to look high will never hold out The Turnsel makes a shew for a time with white velvet leaves and yellow flowers but fadeth away without bringing forth any fruit Christ tells us some which heard the word though for a season they rejoyced in it when tribulation came because of the word were offended at it because they had no root To prevent that sad Apostacy which many are guilty of to their eternal undoing Friend consider serionsly beforehand what it will cost thee to be a Christian indeed A foolish builder that undertakes to raise a structure as high as Heaven and pondereth not the charge thereof gives over before he hath half finished it and so loseth all his expence and labour As in marriage one that is wise and considereth the person his portion and his precepts with the cares and burdens that are incident to that condition for such must have trouble in the flesh and after this upon mature deliberation accepteth him for an Husband will stick and cleave to him loyally and faithfully whatever befalls him whereas a foolish Maid that hudleth up a match in haste hand over head promising her self nothing but delight and pleasure when she comes to suffer poverty or imprisonment or disgrace with her Husband repenteth of her bargain and forsakes the guide of her youth So the Christian that hath duly pondered the excellencies in Christ his misery without Christ absolute necessity of Christ what love and joy and peace and endless bliss God offereth with his Son what Christ expecteth from all that will be married to him even the denyal of themselves the taking up of their Cross the contempt of Father Mother Wife Children Estate Life and all for him and after he hath duly considered all this gives himself up to Christ will be faithful unto death and own the Lord Jesus Christ whatever it may cost him when the man that followeth Christ for the loaves or for fashion or on a sudden strikes a league with him expecting nothing but comforts and joy in his contract will quickly leave him if called to suffer with him He that followeth Christ he knoweth not why will forsake him he knoweth not how If thou art Reader to begin this work of entering thy self into Christs Army I would advise thee to bethink thy self upon what grounds thou engagest in his quarrel For Christians are not called to their spiritual war for love of fighting as Cocks that fall to it upon sight of each other Consider the enemies thou art to fight against how potent and crafty and cruel they are continually seeking thy destruction the Captain thou art to fight under how wise he is to direct and command thee how able to protect and defend thee how faithful and bountiful to crown and reward thee the excellency of the cause it is for thy soul thy God thy Saviour thy salvation the dangers thou must encounter and hardships thou willt be called to endure the certainty of thy conquest how impossible it is to miscarry in so just a quarrel under suchâ— an Almighty Captain and then list thy self to fight the good fight of faith and fear not but thou shalt be more then a conqueror through him that loves thee Secondly If thou wouldst exercise thy self to godliness Live by Faith The life of Faith it s the onely life of holiness and unbelief is the mother of all Apostacy When God would perswade Abraham to sincere and singular godliness he doth it by offering him sure footing for his faith I am
Treatise A CHristians should Admonish one another 285 How ibid. Afflictions tend to a Christians advantage 814,815 Anger resteth in the bosome of fools 44,45 B Backbiting to be avoided 271 The great danger and evil of it 272 to 275 A Backbiter wounds three wiâ—h one arrow 274 Christians must bear with one another 288 A threefold burthen Christians must bear for each other 289 Their Civil Spiritual and Natural burthens ibid. The Beasts of the field may teach men 453 Beasts teach man six lessons Thankefulness to God Dependance on God The dread of God Diligence in our callings Innocency Wisdom 453 454 Birds of the Air teach man eight Lessonsâ— 454 to 457 Christians must use a conscience in buying 17 C CHristians should be diligent in their particular Callings 511 Christians must avoid censuring 266 The great evil of censuring 267 How to apply our selves to civil men in sickness 577 Saints must be careful in the choice of their Companions 90 133 The benefit of Company 86 87 to 90 138 139 The great danger of evil Company to draw men to sin 9â— to 95. 133 to 135 to draw men to suffering 95 to 99 136 The Great advantage of good Company 98 to 101. 241 to 247 A mans Company will discover him 101 102 139 Christians should Company with them that are godly 109,110,140,141 because they are godly 116,117 Whether a Christian may not be more intimate with some godly Companions then others 119 Two Cautions about it 120,121 Christians should endeavour the spiritual good of their Companions 121 to 125,182 Saints may sometimes use but should not chuse the Company of sinners 109,110 Objections against it answered 124 to 128 Evil Company infectioâ—sâ— 156 157 Saints may be the better for evil Company when they are called to it 158 159 177 Wherein 179 to 182 Christians must guard their souls in evil Company 160,161 not needlesly expose themselves to sufferings 167 Saints must not disown Christ in any Company 172 to 175 Saints should endeavour the Conversion of sinners 182 183 How 183 to 189 By good Company pious souls have been confirmed 245 Erring Saints recovered ibid. Dull Christians quickened 246 Much sin prevented 248 Christians must watch themselves in good Company â—62 What sins Saints are most prone to in good Company 263 The Communion of Saints the most excellent Communion 236 250 257 Wherein the Communion of Saints consisteth 275 In a mutual communication of their gifts and graces ibid. In joyning in the Ordinances of God ibid. In serviceableness each to other 276 Wherein 280 to 287 A Contented spirit a great help to godlinessâ— 809 Nine Arguments to Contentedness in the most afflicted condition 813 Christians should receive Counsel 301 Penitent Christians should be comforted 283 It s a duty to be courteous 39 Courtesie is an ornament to Christianity 40,41 D EVery day to be begun with duty 496 Arguments to it ib. to 499 Christians should exercise themselves to godliness in their dealings with all men 5 It s a sign of hypocrisie to be careless in dealings with men 7 to 10 The credit of Religion is much engaged in our Dealings with others 11 to 14 In our dealings with others we must be righteous 15 Courteous 39 Meek 42 The Principle of a Christian in his dealings must be gracious 51 52 The end of a Christian in his dealings must be minded 53 54 A daily performance of holy duties to be minded 756 The necessity and benefit of daily duties 757 to 760 Christians should exercise themselves to Godliness on a dying bed 611,612 What it is to dye in the Lord. 612 Three things in it ib. In what respects Christ was obedient to the death 6â—5 Death is a serious thing 619 Death will try men 620 At death man is stated for eternity 622 Satan is busie to assault at death ib. 623 A death bed is a special season to honour God 624 It s the last opportunity 627 How Christians should honour God on a dying bed 628 In commending God and godliness to others 629 In commending our selves to God 633 In praying for our Relations the Church our Benefactours and our Enemies 634 to 637 In exercising grace on a dying bed 637 What graces Saints should especially exercise on a dying bed Faith Courage Repentance Charity Patience 637 to 647 Our whole life should be a preparation for Death 633 634 In what respects or how a Saint may dye with comfort 658 to 662 Meditation of death a special help to holiness 745 to 753 The great mischif of discontent 811 812 E CHristians must spiritualize earthly things 372,373 Several examples hereof 374 to 380 The earth teacheth man four lessons 457 Earthly things unsutable unsatisfying vexatious deceitful and uncertain 828 to 840 Ejaculations profitable 435 Christians must look to their ends in their actions 53 54 Frequent Examination of our selves and our ways a duty 523 786 The great advantage thereof 524 to 727.781 to 786 Examples helpful to encourage us heaven-ward 841 F FAith necessary if we would exercise our selves unto godliness 706 The excellency of Faith 707 Faith destroyeth sin 708 Overcometh the world 712 Faith overcometh the affrightments of the World 713 714 Faith overcometh the allurements of the world 716 717 Faith enableth to overcome Satan 720 the flesh 722 Faith deriveth grace from Christ. 724 Faith sets all other graces at work 725 Faith makes Ordinances profitable 727 Nine Questions to them that neglect Family duties 508 to 511 Fear sinful when 179 There can be no true Friendship betwixt a godly and a wicked man 105 to 108 Who is thy best friend 303 345 G SEtting God always before our eyes a great help to godliness 729 to 737 The knowledge of God a great help to holiness 801 to 809 Gods Omniscience 493 494 Gods Patience Vide Patience Gods word Vide word Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to Godliness 695. Vide Means Godliness the most excellent Calling 844 The most honourable ib. The most comfortable 849 The most profitable Calling 858 Twelve serious thoughts to quicken all to Exercise themselves to Godliness Vide Epistle to the Reader H THe heart the great work-house of thoughts words and actions 698 The necessity of a new heart in all that would make religion their business 699 700 The heart of man backward to good 255 prone to evil 364 must be watched 369 Holiness is honourable 844 Humility an help to holiness 792 The Excellency of humility 793 794 Vnrighteousness a sign of Hypocrisie 7 8 I THe evil of Idleness 820 The great mischief of Ignorance 806 The Ignorant should be instructed 280 281 A serious consideration of the day of judgement a special help to godliness 765 Dreadfulness of the day of judgement to wicked men 767 776 The day of judgement will be comfortable to Saints 772 Their godliness will be mentioned ibid. Their names vindicated 773 Persons publiquely acquitted ib. Their happiness will be perfected 774 Justice to what resembled 39