not exclusive of mirth natural and civil for there was feasting The Jewes had joy Est 8.17 Neh. 8.10 and gladness a feast and a good day and in their feasts did eat the fat and drink the sweet And let me adde this that even civil mirth well ordered and regulated is a good natural preparative for rejoycing in a more sublime and holy manner And the reason is because of the Spirits which are in men natural animal and vital spirits ingendred in the Livers heads and hearts of men which being kept up lively and agil by civil mirth are as wings to the Souls even of Saints in their sublimer higher and nobler operations And herein I may appeal to the experience of the choicest servants of God who find when their spirits are down and low an indisposition in them thereby for holy duties The disciples themselves when they should have been watching and praying Jesus Christ found them sleeping for sorrow But when our Spirits are up lively Luk. 22.45 and cheary they dispose for duty and our heads and hearts as wheels oyled move more nimbly 2. As for the usefulness and expediency of mirth and lightsomness I say not levity of spirit 2 Vseful 1. Preservation of the bodies health It 's not only serviceable to the soul in its gracious actings and operations as I said before but to the body also for the preservation of health and strength vigor and activity by the multiplying and refining of spirits in us A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance It doth good indeed to the whole body Prov. 15.13 but the good it doth appears and shewes it self especially in the Countenance as being made thereby more amiable and lovely the eye more lively and sharp-slighted the Cheeks more ruddy the bloud more pure and sparkling Though the countenance onely is mentioned yet the whole body is to be understood as receiving good by the hearts cheeriness for though the soul and body differ in substance as spirit and flesh yet God having joyn'd them together in so close a union as to the making up of one person they mutually sympathize each with other a sickly body makes a sad heart and a wounded spirit makes a crasie bodie and I think the body is less able to bear the souls burdens then the soul is the bodys To return to what is in hand that a merry heart countenance appears by the example of Esau none of the best whose heart being gladded by the present sent by Jacob when they met his countenance was so cheerful that Jacob said Gen. 33.10 I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God And by Daniel and his associates none of the worst who though they did eat pulse onely and had nothing but water to drink yet their countenances were fair and fat Deut. 12.15 Why they had merry hearts quiet consciences in their breasts and bosomes arising from their reconciliation and peace with God It 's not choice meats and drinks much less painting or dawbing with vermilions but a good conscience that makes a merry heart and so a cheerful countenance To the same purpose vers 15. He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast By a merry heart he means not carnal mirth and jollity in eating drinking singing musick dancing this he elsewhere calls madness but the merry heart he commendeth is a good conscience sprinkled with the bloud of Christ his righteousness being imputed to us for our justification and so having peace with God Ecc. 2.2 and peace of Conscience which the Apostle expresseth by a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 Once agâ—â—â—e the wise King tells us That a merry 〈◊〉 doth good like a medicine Prov. 17.22 and that because cheaâ—ness of spirit helps Nature's operations with its food and Physick whereas sadness and heaviness of heart hinders both I 'le close up this with a true story I was once in company at dinner where kindred and friends were met and among the rest one a learned and godly man was very merry in telling Tales breaking jests harmless and inoffensive Yet I was somewhat troubled to see and hear it and in some heat break out and asked him saying Sir I pray what is the meaning of those words of the Apostle Let your communication be that which is good to the use of edifying Eph. 4.29 to which he answered me to this purpose we have bodies to edifie as well as soules and harmless mirth doth good to both and so it doth if it be well and wisely ordered 2 Honour to Religion 2. This cheariness of spirit in Company hath its usefulness in reference to others even those without who are strangers to the work of grace and wâ—â—es of Christianity and are apt to 〈◊〉 up prejudices against the people of God as a morose and sour people and that the life they lead is but an uncomfortable life full of melancholy and they verily think that when any set their faces this way Zion-ward that they never have a merry day after but live mopishly and disconsolately all their dayes Now the harmless mirth and merriment in the communications and conversations of Christians is a practicall and reall confutation of this mistake and so is a removing of that stumbling block in their way and withall a fair invitation and allurement of them to come in and to ingage in a stricter and higher profession of Saintship when they are eye and eare-witnesses of its consistency with all possible civil mirth and merriment which is lawfull and commendable Instance Let me back this from my own experience I knew a Lawyer of good parts and practice who being naturally of a lepid and chearful spirit and possest with hard thoughts touching Religion in the strictness of it and exactness therein as necessitating the professors thereof to lay quite aside that kind of mirth which he was addicted to was thereby kept off from ingaging himself in any forwardness in Christianity but afterwards observing the carriage of some Ministers of note and eminency for piety and Ministerial abilities how pleasant they were how facetious in their discourse yet still keeping within the bounds which God in his Word had set them he changed his opinion embraced the Societie of the Saints walked with them in the wayes of God and died I believe a true servant of God and of his Christ our Jesus and that he is now in glory To strengthen this argument The mirth of a Christian life by Zac. Bogan printed at Oxford 1653. I 'le commend to the reading a little Treatise made by a learned holy man whom I knew both in his life and death 3. This cheariness of spirit hath this commendable vertue in it that it puts a shine and lustre upon duties and offered of love performed to men 3 Alustre upon duties and that in the eyes both of God and man God loveth a
he had constantly in his eye When he came among persons of Quality being himself well born well educated of a generous spirit and a chearful temper his company and converse was usually very acceptable to them which gave him an advantage to tell them as he would plainly though prudently of what he saw amiss in them to mind them of the vanity of the World of better things above and to put them as he often would upon good designs to shew their thankfulness to God for his mercy to them Nor was there a person so mean but he could and would readily and humbly condescend to him as knowing what precious souls dwell in the poorest houses of clay He spake to such alwayes in their own dialect and in a phrase they well understood trying their knowledge and feeling the pulse of their souls if he found them ignorant or unsensible he would endeavour to awaken them by laying plain Texts of Scripture before them for their conviction If he met with humbled and burdened souls or such as were babes in Christ he would gather them as lambs in his arms and gently lead them to the Wells of Salvation If at any time there hapned to be a mixt company at the Table with him some serious Christians some Professors at large his manner was to be very free and pleasant in discourse with them which caused them all to give great attention to him then might you have seen how ever and anon the honey dropt from his lips while the company were hanging on them how skilful he was in dividing the Word aright to every one his portion and how wise in winning of souls If he observed any to take the boldness from his innocent mirth and pleasant humour to incline to vain and frothy discourse he would very dexterously turn to some more profitable matter and as occasion was given afford a serious reproof tempered with much kindness and love to their souls which was usually well taken at his hand If his occasions required his stay a day or two at any place he seldom departed before he had Preached to the People He found by much and long experience that a plain way of Preaching was most effectual to the ends for which that Ordinance was appointed and therefore he constantly used it even in the College and Vniversity though he could easily have appeared in another strain had he preferred an aiery Reputation with some before the Work of his Master and the real advantage of others To conclude I hope that many who some time were and some who yet are members of that Society having felt his fatherly care heard his sound and pious instructions and seen his godly examples do and will endeavour to hold a conformity thereunto If any neglect or despise them let them know assuredly that God will require it at their hands A Dialogue OR A DISCOURSE BETWEEN A Minister and a Stranger As they were On the High-way together ABOUT Soul Affairs By Edmund Staunton D. D. LONDON Printed for Tho Parkhurst and are to be Sold at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel And at the Gilded Bible on London-bridge under the Gate 1673. A Dialogue or Discourse between a Minister and a Stranger as they were on the High-way together Minister FRiend Good morrow to you How far Travel you this way Stranger To such or such a place Min. I shall be glad of your company Str. And I Sir of yours Min. Little thought you in the Morning of meeting me or I of meeting you Str. True Sir Min. Well Friend since by the Providence of God we are brought together and must be accountable to God at death and judgment how we spend our time whil'st we be together shall we talk of what concerns the good of our Souls and of the Things of God Stranger Yes Sir with all my heart if you please Minister Friend What think you then that your Soul is Str. I think that my Soul is my breath because when a man's breath is gone then he dyeth and his Soul is gone also Min. True Friend when the breath departeth the Soul departeth also yet the Soul of a man is not his breath because 1. Beasts and the Fowls of the Air breathe also and yet you do not think they have reasonable immortal Souls as we have 2. Our breath is but the Air drawn in and cast out again and can you reasonably imagine first that the Air thus sucked in and blown out again should be the Soul or Souls of men or secondly that the whole Region of the Air should be the rational and immortal Souls of men or thirdly that our Souls come in and go out of our bodies as the Air we breathe in doth Stranger Truly Sir you have convinced me that the Soul is not breath whatever it be Minister What else do you think it is Str. I think it is my blood most likely Not so because 1. Beasts and Birds have blood in them as well as Men and yet you do not think they have reasonable immortal Souls as we Men have 2. If our Souls were blood then when our Noses bleed to speak familiarly with you our Souls would even out at our Noses or when we cut our fingers our Souls would run out at our fingers ends Min. Friend guess once more what your Soul is Str. Sir Is it not my Conscience Min. No Friend the understanding will conscience and affections as love hatred are the faculties and endowments of the Soul but not the Soul it self Str. You say well Sir I pray tell me then what my Soul is Minister Friend not to trouble you with any curious definitions the Soul of man is a spiritual substance endowed with reason immortal created and infused into man informeth inliveneth the body doth and acteth all in man the Soul seeth in the eye heareth in the ear speaketh in the tongue c. zach 12.1 God formeth the spirit of man within him Stranger I thank you Sir this is more than ever I heard of before Min. Well Friend having spoken something concerning our Souls shall we speak a little concerning God Str. Yes Sir I like your talk very well Min. What do you think God is Is he an old man or a young Str. An old man surely he hath been a long time Min. No God is neither a young man nor an old man Str. If God be not a man why do the Scriptures speak of God as having eyes ears hands and feet c Min. This kind of speaking is not proper but figurative speaking of God after the manner of men stooping to our understandings and capacities but the Scripture speaking plainly and properly saith God is a Spirit John 4.24 Stranger You say right Sir God is a Spirit Minister Well Friend Are not the Angels spirits too They are called ministring spirits Hebr. 1.13 What then is the difference between God and the Angels Str. God is the greatest and highest of all the
30 31. He went in to tarrie with them sat at meat with them took bread and blessed it and brake and gave to them and their eyes were opened and they knew him and he vanished out of their sight How they came to know him and how he vanished I 'le not curiously enquire It is enough to my purpose that Christ gave so ample testimony of his approbation of the two disciples ingaged in their holy talke and conference 3 The Holy Ghost 3. That the Holy Ghost also is well pleased with Christian Conference among believers as occasionally they meet together there 's no question Are not good thoughts the motions good words the language of the Spirit in believers and can it be imagined that the blessed Spirit is not delighted in and well pleased with his own work with the thoughts he himself puts into the hearts and words he puts into the mouthes of his Saints and Servants Again the Spirit of God all along in Scripture setting a Crown of honour and highest commendations upon the head of Holy Conference is sufficient demonstration of that delight and contentment which he takes therein take a few expressions among many Pro. 10.20 21. The Tongue of the just is as choice Silver Gartwright in locum The lips of the righteous feed many These metaphorical expressions are significant and emphatical as Choice Silver Silver refined again and again seven times refined Silver in it self is precious but the more purified the more precious Feed many alluding to famous house-keepers men of renowned hospitality who keep open house feed many so the lips of the righteous by words of sound doctrine of correction of instruction feed the souls of others which is the best hospitality There is Gold saith Solomon Prov. 20.15 and a multitude of rubies but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel And our dear Lord Jesus Christ setting forth the graces of the Church saith Thy lips are like a thred of scarlet and thy speech is comely Song of Solomon 4.3 11. Once more in that glorious eminent and promised effusion of the Spirit upon the Apostles Act. 2.3 Why was the apparition in Cloven Tongues like as of fire which sat upon each of them so that they were filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance The main and principal design no doubt was the publication and propagation of the Gospel among the Nations for every man heard the Apostles speak in his own language vers 5.8 9 10 11. Yet a subordinate design might be to provoke all believers who though they have not the miraculous gift of Tongues as the Apostles had yet they all have their measure of the Spirit and should speak with other Tongues new Tongues be a people of a pure language or lip Zeph. 3.9 and their Tongues should be Cloven Tongues dividing in their talk between truth and error good and evill administring comfort to whom comfort and terrour to whom terrour belongeth Severing between the precious and the vile Jer. 15.19 Not sadding the hearts of the Righteous whom God would not have sadded nor yet strengthning the hands of the wicked by promising them life Ezek. 13.22 Yea fiery Tongues also inflamed with love to God zeal for his glory indignation against sin in our selves or others as that because unto God it is so highly displeasing Surely this heavenly fire of love and zeale in our communication and conference is kindled from above by the Spirit and therefore must of nenessity be very grateful unto and acceptable with that blessed Spirit And so much for the second argument enforcing Christian Conference upon this ground because it is so delightful to the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost 3 Argument Remuner ation of it 3. This duty of Christian Conference finds great remuneration from God and that both here and hereafter First in general as it is the keeping of a command of God for in keeping them is great reward not onely upon and after but in keeping them 1 Inward peace Obedience to the commands is an evidence of grace and for glory carries with it in the very act oftentimes an holy and heavenly tranquillity and serenity of spirit a cheariness of heart as it were wages in the work Hannah prayeth 1 Sam. 1.15 18. that 's her duty and her countenance was no more sad that 's her reward in hand presently I knew a young Minister who being at a wedding feast Instance where was much mirth and Musick also the Fidlers singing Songs lascivious scurrilous and profane enough the young man being sensible that God was thereby highly dishonoured had great trouble in his spirit wonder'd that none would stand up and appeare to rebuke and give check to that disorder still the jolly Fidler plays and sing on and the young mans perploxity and indignation goes on still and was as a fire in his bones whereupon he whispered in the care a Minister by him of more gravity then himself and one that had more relation to and authority with the company then he himself had intreating him to stop that prophaness but in vaine the Aged Minister held his peace the young mans troubles within increased as fire kindling and then he break out to this purpose You Musicians I am not against your Musick by instruments or by voices but the matter of your songs is such as dishonours God may probably corrupt and debauch some of the hearers and doth sad others he said moreover still with some heat and fervour probably zeal for God I do not see any body giving you any thing for your Musick but if you will be still and gone I 'le give you something for your silence whereupon the Musicians withdrew and the young man had tides and flouds of peace and comfort flowing in upon his spirit the impressions whereof were as I have heard him say more then once a refreshing to him many yeares after and possibly are if he be yet alive to this very day Yea the same Minister oft professed and is to be believed so far as humane Faith and Charity which believeth all things will carrie us 1 Cor. 13.7 that he found such delight and contentment in Christian Conference that when upon the Road he fell into company which was willing to discourse and though ignorant yet were willing to learn it was as pleasing to him as theives or high-way-men please themselves when they meet with a prey or booty and seldome mentioned he this but he gave God alone all the glory This is a great and a good reward which the Lord oft gives into the breasts and bosomes of such as speak oft one to another concerning the things of God even joy and peace That peace which the world cannot give nor take away a kind of touch or tast of that peace which passeth all understanding Phi. 4.7 And thus this good man is satisfied from himself
that of the Apostle drawn from a body natural in which each member hath its proper gift not for it self onely but for the whole and every other member in particular thus the Eye sees the ear heares the Tongue speaks the hands work the feet walk not each for it self onely but for each other member and the whole body so in the Church of Christ which is one body mystical Can. 6.9 My dove my undefiled is but one one body Can. 6.9 Eph. 4.4 Yet in that one body there are variety of members and God by his Spirit distributeth gifts and graces variously dividing to every one severaily as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 But to what end He answers it vers 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall So in a body politick Perkins Reformed Catholick Of Tradit a Kingdome or Commonwealth all are not Peeres but some Peasants all are not rich but some poore the Peer and the Rich have as much need of the poore Peasant in some cases as they of them in other cases So in the world several Countries have their several commodities and all to maintain mutual Trade Commerce and converse among men but all for the good of the whole What another Apostle speaks in another case in regard of hospitality is here by way of illustration fairely applicable 1 Pet. 4.9 10. As every man hath received the gift so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God There 's much very much of the wisdome and goodness of God in laying up rich treasures of knowledge and gracious experiences in the heads and hearts of some not onely for their own use but for the guiding and leading of others also No member in the body natural or mystical but is designed to be and ought to be usefull and serviceable to the whole The way to compasse our end with God which is to be everlastingly glorified by him and with him in the full enjoyment of him is to give him his ends here on us 1 Cor. 10.31 which is that we should glorify him and that in laying out all our talents to the best advantage of our Master and the use of his family which is his Church and people here below and this end is abundantly advanced by the wise and frequent exercise of Christian Conference The 5th Argument in reference to God 5 Argument propagation of the Gospel which pleads hard for Christian Conference is that it is powerfully efficacious by the blessing of God for the propagation of the Gospel and for the bearing up of the Name Worship and glory of God in the World from generation to generation How was the worship of God transmitted from Adam to Moses but by Oral Tradition and that in Conference Fathers declaring to their Children and so from Children to Children age after age God at first revealed his will to Adam by word of mouth and renewed the the same to the Patriarks not by writings but by speech by dreams and other inspirations and thus the word of God went from man to man for the space of two thousand and four hundred years unto the time of Moses who was the first penman of the Holy Scriptures and all this while men worshipped God and held the Articles of their Faith by tradition not from men but immediately from God himself And the History of the new Testament probably for the space of twenty years at least went from hand to hand by tradition 'till penned by the Apostles or being penned by others it was approved by them And now the Canon of Scriptures being compleated and by the infinite wisdome power and goodness of God kept pure and entire we must to the law and to the Testimony Isa 8.20 Eph. 2.20 2 Tim. 3.16 to the Scripture the written word of God for our guidance and direction in matters of Faith and practice But as for the way and manner of Conveyance and propagation of the heavenly and blessed truths contained in the Scriptures that is authoratively by Ministers and by Preaching hearing reading and holy Conference which is common to all who having Tongues to speak should delight to be speaking of God and for God that so religion the knowledge and fear of God might run down all along through the whole race of mankind even from Adam to the end of the world The Psalmist is warme in this argument Psal 78.3 4 5 6 7. That saith he which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us we will not hide it from their Children shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done For he established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children That the generation to come might know them even the Children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their Children That they might set their hope in God and not forget the work of God but keep his Commandments We pray Thy kingdome come and that 's our duty but we must work also and labour to our uttermost by good Conference by doing or suffering that the kingdome of grace may be advanced more and more in the world that God in Christ may be more known believed in and be loved obeyed owned and honoured by our selves and all others from the rising of the Sun to the setting of the same and this in a perpetual succession from time to time 'till time runs up into Eternity It s reported to be one of the Olympick games that they have a set company of Racers if I mistake not the story each whereof had his stage or Race-post as it were the first takes a great burning torch or blazing link in his hand and away he runs with it with all possible speed to the end of the race then another takes it of him and away way he posts with it might and maine and so a third and a fourth and so one Racer after another 'till the link or light went out I allude onely to it So one generation runneth with the light of the Gospel to another generation and so from generation to generation I cannot say till the light goeth out for it 's an everlasting Gospel and never goeth out but 'till the light of grace be heightned unto or swallowed up in the light of glory The necessity and usefulness of Christian Conference in order to the preservation of the Gospel amongst us and the propagation of it to posterity may sufficiently be evinced if we go a little to School to Priests and Jesuites to all Arch hereticks and seducers do not they spread their opinions and practices even among ignorant ones and illiterate meerly or mainly by discourse and conference do not common swearers adulterers scoffers and the like rabble òf men by their evil