so troubled with distractions in holy duties 1. Because there is corruption in the best which clogs and shackies us in our best duties Remainders of sin will be hinderers of our close communion with God these dogs will be barking though their teeth be pulled out 2. Because Satan stands at our right â—and to withstand us when we appear beâ—â—re God and to disturb us in our worâ—â—ipping of him 3. To shew unto us our need of Jesus â—hrist to be our High Priest to bear the â—niquity of our holy things 4. To teach us that when we do seem â— be most dutiful yet even then we â—ave need to be most humble 5. To be a touchstone of our spirituality and growth in Grace The more spiâ—ituality we arrive at the fewer distraâ—tions in Gods service we shall meet with 6. To teach us to watch as well as pray to keep our hearts with all diligence Every Christian in duty must fight as well as work 7. To teach us not to make our selves the fountain of assistance and strength in holy duties 8. To make us strive to be more fervent in spirit in serving the Lord. When the flame arises the smoak decreases 9. To stir us up to delight in Gods service Our hearts will abide there wherâ— they do delight 10. To make us long after heaven that blessed state where no distraction are The remedies against them are of twâ— sorts by way of prevention by way of care 1. By way of prevention remembeâ— these three things 1. Holy retirement sometimes of body alwayes of mind Esau went in the field to meditate Enter into thy Closet saith our Saviour But in publicâ— there must be a retirement of spirit calâ— off thy heart from the world and from external objects It was a saying of Bernard it is not unusual for men of untamed fancies to be surrounded with multitudes when alone nor is it impossible for a man of a sound spirit to be alone among multitudes 2. Come to holy duties armed with â—ly resolution say with David Ps 71. â—6 I will go in the strength of the â—rd Resolve not to be taken off 3. Supplication There must come â—ower from above and prayer fetches in And in prayer against distractions â—earnest with God for 1. The sanctification of thy fancy and â—agination That grace that sanctifies â—r minds confines them grace sets â—r hearts upon the right object and â—kes them move orderly and regularâ— 2. Beg a fixed heart Psal 86.11 â—avid prays unite my heart make it â—e and he often speaks of this my â—art is fixed or prepared 3. The spirit of love The soul lives â—here it loves and causes an immoraâ—on on the object the more love to â—od the fewer distractions and the â—ore composedness of mind 4. The grace of holy fear In thy fear â—ill I worship saith David Psal 5. Pray to God to possess thy soul with an awâ— of his Glorious Majesty 5. Beg holy Zeal Let thy heart bâ— seething hot Flies use not to come â— the boiling pot Zealous Christian complain least of distractions 2. By way of Cure 1. Get indignation at the first rise â— them If they be injected by Satan throâ— out the fire-ball if thy heart haâ— been the mother to conceive and brinâ— them forth let it not be the nurse â— bring them up 2. Be humbled for them Gracioâ— souls cannot but be grieved at then but vain thoughts never trouble vaâ— men but walk humbly with God â— the sense how little thy heart is witâ— him 3. Exercise faith in Christ for tâ— pardon of them and power against them when thou art troubled with these fieâ— Serpents look to the brazen Serpeâ— Christ Jesus §. 16 â— brief consideration of that common distress of conscience arising from fear that a man hath sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost in three questions 1. Shewing what are the reasons why God suffers some to be exercised with this â—emptation 2. Who are they that are far from â—mmitting this sin 3. What are those Graces that are â—eservatives against this sin 1. Q. What are the reasons that God â—ffers some to be troubled with this tenâ—ation It is a thing of common observation â—mong those to whom distressed souls â—o open their maladies that they find â—any sore pressed with this tentation â—he reasons with submission to better â—udgements may be such as these 1. It many times ariseth from ignorance â—ant of right and sound information of the nature and ingredients of this sin Many poor Christians charge them selves with it before they understand what it is 2. Because they have not made â— right application of the word to theiâ— own hearts but have been censoriouâ— and uncharitable to others and noâ— they are forced by a Divine hand whether they will or no to make application to themselves and this is God carrosive to eat out uncharitableness 3. It may be they have been secuâ— and formal in Religion and neglecteâ— the duties of it against the conviction oâ— the Word and Conscience and abateâ— in their affections to God to the Ordinances to the Children of God Sin against light and back-sliding thougâ— in such and such a degree they do noâ— constitute this sin yet they look too likâ— it 4. It is to make others fear and takâ— more heed to their wayes When we seâ— God as it were letting our brotheâ— upon the rack this is to check our negligence to be a bridle to our looseness 5. It is to exercise the gifts and graces of others both Ministers and Christians to put them upon the exercise of prayer consolation pitty charity labour brotherly kindness and the like 6. They may be exercised with it to fit them for some eminent service and imployment as to make some open confession of the Faith or to make them experimental comforters of others with the comforts wherewith they themselves have been comforted of God or to prepare them for undergoing some heavy outward affliction which seems â—ight to those that have had a wounded spirit or to make them live a more strict and exemplary life or to possess some greater measure of spiritual joy or to â—ortifie them against the assaults of some beloved sin or to undergo some fierce conflict with Satan some or all these may be the condition of the party hereafter and God is now fitting and preparing them by this trouble for it They may think they have committed this sin by Gods leaving them to hearken to Satans perswasion They failed in believing God who spoke for their good and now they believe Satan who speaks for their ruine they did not hearken to the motions of Gods spirit for their consolation and now they hearken to the false reasonings of an unbelieving heart prompted by Satan for their vexation Satan was not formerly more diligent to draw them on to sin then he is now to keep them from comfort and their own perversness did not then make them further from instruction then
and Ecclesiastical body The Prince cannot say to the Subject he hath no mind of him nor the Subject to the Prince he hath no need of him for he is the Minister of God to us for good The like may be said of Ministers if they need our Temporals we need their Spirituals Know therefore that Superiours need the prayers of Inferiours because They resemble God more then others They have a greater charge lies upon them They have more tentations standing on higher ground They have more influence to do good they set the lesser wheels in motion They commit more faults and seldome sin alone They have more opportunities They must give a greater account at the last day The best assistance that can be given them by Inferiours is to pray that the special presence of God may be with them Let inferiours remember these things and it will keep them from envy murmuring ambition reviling c. §. 6. Of the Love of God A True Christian loves God no more with the world to boot then though he were all alone without the World It is God a Christian loves in the creature and he loves them for God as the Fisherman loves the fish for the pearle that is in it He that loves not God above all loves him not at all Joseph loves his Mistriss his Master and God but when his Mistris's love rose up against his Duty and love to his Master away he runs as he would have forsaken his Masters had it been contrary to God For a True Christian stands alwayes ready to forgo all for the love of God True love to God is sincere supream universal constant Our obedience to Christ is a sure ground of our love to him If you love me keep my Commandments Joh. 14.15 Or love to Christ is a sign We are beloved of Christ 1 Joh. 4.19 From Christs love to us spring all the blessings of time and eternity §. 7. A Dialogue between a Minister and a Christian Chr. Pray Sir which is the way to Heaven Min. Your ready way lies in the Ordinances which is the King of Heavens high-way Chr. Which are they Min. The Ordinances of God are 1. The Word both read by us and heard from Ministers The Duties here to be observed are before it Preparation at it Attention after it Practise 2. The Sacraments and seals of the Covenant which are 1. Baptism the type Circumcision the duties going before it Prayer following after the care of a new life 2. The Lords Supper the Type the Pass-over duties herein going before examination at it the use of faith to apprehend and apply Christ after it a tryal what benefit we have received an amendment of life a care to keep our Covenant with God 3. Prayer the Key of Heaven the type incense Duties before it are searching and emptying our hearts in it fervency of Spirit and Faith after it care to walk worthy of Mercy past present future Take the Spirit for your guide you cannot miss the way there be no turnings to the right hand or the left Follow your Leader doubt not By an unknown Authour §. 8. How to preserve Love among Christians 1. Avoid groundless suspitions and jealousies which will be the break-neck of true Charity 2. Keep down thy natural passions and in fighting with them be sure to watch the first rise of them and fight with that that thou knowest the strongest Passions are an unnatural heat that prey upon brotherly love and charity 3. Be courteous in thy salutations This draws out and strengthens love 4. Bear one anothers infirmities 5. Stand for thy Christian friends when they be spoken against 6. Pray for one another heartily 7. Visit the afflicted in their misery 8. Hold fast to the Truth 9. At some times part with that which is thy right Do nothing to make any hate thee suffer something to make them love thee 10. Interpret doubtfull things in the most charitable way 11. Take not all advantages for gaine or opportunities to rise and get preferment in the world be contented others should out-shine thee 12. Ever remember the three great supporters of love Humility which wins others Diligence which helps others â—â—d quietness which pleases others Be good with quietness do good with chearfulness and receive good with thankfulness This is the way to promote and increase love §. 9. The Spiritual Touch-stone Twelve Graces that distinguish a true Saint from a counterfeit one 1. Brokenness of heart for and from all sin 2. Mourning for other mens sins as Lot David Jeremy Ezra Nehemiah Paul did This is an argument of great sincerity for we never read any in Scripture did this but Godly men 3. The grace of self-denyal in the extent of it to be able to deny natural worldly religious self this is a grace none but a true Christian can attain to 4. To love God for himself not onely because he is our good but because he is the chief good not onely to make our Heaven our God buâ—â—o know and believe God himself is our heaven and happiness 5. To love a child of God because he is a child of God and the more eminent he is in grace the more to love him to love all the Godly as well as some to love their company and to take their reproofs kindly is the distinguishing character of a true Saint 6. To advance the Glory of God in thought word and deed and to rejoyce that Christ is magnified whatever becomes of us 7. To prize Jesus Christ for himself as well as his rewards to prize his Kingly and Propheticall as well as his Priestly Office to prize him above all things and at all times is a sure note of a child of God 8. Every branch in Christ bringeth forth fruit every true Saint is a growing and a fruitfull Saint A picture of a Child doth not grow but a living Child doth 9. A true Saint is heavenly-minded his thoughts his affections his hope joy desire his speech his conversation are all heavenly 10. A true Saint is careful to redeem his time Natural men make no conscience of idle thoughts idle words and idle time 11. He is known by the Uniformity and universality of his obedience to the will of God he hath respect to all Gods Commandments he is holy and honest A true Christian makes conscience to abstain from the sins of both Tables and to do the duties of both Tables that he may keep a conscience void of offence towards God and Man 12. Every true Saint hath a thankfull heart a thankfull tongue and a thankfull life §. 10. The seven last words of Christ The first was a word of mercy for his persecutors Luke 23.34 Father forgive them they know not what they do The second was a word of free-grace to the penitent thief Luke 23.43 This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise The third a word of care and affection for his dear Mother Joh. 19.26 27. Behold thy Son
now it doth from consolation 2. Quest Who are they that are far from committing this sin The solution of this may serve as a remedy against this distress for whosoever finds in himself these things may be confident he is not guilty of this sin 1. They are far from committing this sin that do esteem Christ and desire to enjoy him and are willing to be subject to his Authority 2. They that do truly desire to honour Christ not only inwardly in their hearts but outwardly in their lives and conversations by words and actions 3. They whose illumination is attended with reformation who not onely know the Truth but love and obey it 4. Those who with well to the Kingdome and Gospel and people of Christ that for Sions sake cannot hold their peace 5. They who cleave to the Ordinances though they want comfort that wait upon the Lord who hides himself from the house of Jacob. 6. They who desire the efficacy of the ministry on the souls of others who can rejoyce when souls are converted and are glad to see that Grace in others they want and that grieve when the edification of souls is opposed and obstructed 7. They that aspire after a holy life that are students for piety and mourners for iniquity These have not committed the sin against the Holy Ghost 3. Qu. What are those Graces that are preservatives against this sin 1. A chearfulness in the service and wayes of Christ. Serve the Lord with gladness account not his Commands grievous 2. A sincere love to Father Son and Spirit This sin is committed out of malice and hatred 3. A daily desiring thirsting after Christ ever desiring Christ will keep us from ever despising him 4. A labouring to get heat unto our light that our knowledge may be attended with a change in heart and life 5. A daily care to persevere and hold on in Religion and Grace with a jealousie of our selves least we should be guilty of declining and back sliding 6. A pleading and standing up for the truth in our places and callings with courage and wisdom 7. A perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord avoiding not only all gross sins but also as much as we can keeping our selves from infirmities at least not allowing our selves in them §. 17. The spirituals mans aime or a resolution of an important and serious question concerning our aimes and intentions whether they be for God or the world Aims and intentions are secret things removed from the cognizance of others The rectitude of intention contributes so much to the acceptation of our services with God that without this nothing though never so materially good and plausible can denominate us sincere in his sight or prevail for any acceptance with him Now though others are not competent judges of our ends yet if we will deal faithfully and truly with our own souls we may know them by such plain things as these are 1. By our desires Try thy heart by this whether thou dost desire most to be with God or to be in the world That which is our end we would be in the fullest enjoyment of 2. By thy hopes What is it thou hopest for is it to grow great or rich in the world or is it that thou art approved of God and in favour with him That which is thy chiefest hope is thy end 3. By thy delights Dost thou so delight in the world that if that flow in and that thou hast any probable assurance of its continuance thou findest thou canst be contented without God or dost thou account thy self miserable whatsoever thou enjoyest except thou have some soul communion with God and canst find some tasts of his love even in outward mercies and those tasts carrying thy soul to delight more and more in God as the fountain of them 4. Examine how thy heart is affected upon the loss of outward things What is it grieves thee most the burning thy house loss of trade death of friends or the want of Gods presence the dishonour of his name the danger of losing the Gospel and the like that which is our end we are grieved for being disappointed of 5. If the world be thy darling thou wilt be affraid to own Religion when it exposes thee to danger shame and loss alwayes worldlings are for an easie creditable cheâ—p Religion But if God have thy heart thou art jealous least the world should draw thee from God and thou wilt account no pains too much for him thou wilt be diligent in the use of all means In the service of God thou wilt account losses gain and think thy self abundantly honoured in being accounted worthy to be dishonoured for Christ 6. That which is a man's end he will plead for We see prophane men plead for the world gross sins are with them small sins nay no sins nay sometimes commendable things or at least indifferent for ends will make men find cut many Topicks to argue from Monstrous apparel is but decency drunkenness is but good fellowship they can say much for unlawful gaming wanton dalliances stage-playes recreations on the Lords day Alas say they these are but innocent Divertisements for the body and mind But those that make God their end will plead for him they stand up for his Name â—is Word his People Wisdom is justified of her Children they have much to say for devotion for mortification for fasting and praying for holy conference for modest apparel for sobriety and temperance for circumspect walking and the like 7. He that serves the world will suffer much for it in his body by pinching it in his name and reputation by reproach for even a covetous miser shall have some scoffs he will make such pittiful complaints and such ridiculous excuses and do such base drudgery the world will laugh at him yet he suffers all this because it is his end So he that serves God is willing to suffer for God to part with all for him when he calls for it to endure scoffs and jeers for his not complying with the Vices of the world Lastly if God and the World call whom dost thou follow the Bell touls the Play-bill is set up whither dost thou go Here 's the Bible or a good Book there is the Tavern or the Gaming house God calls to the one the World to the other whom dost thou obey If a Lacquey follows two Gentlemen when they part he whom he follows we know is his Master that which a man follows from morning to night from week to week and leave other things to follow that is his Master that he serves and that is his end §. 18. How must we carry our selves to God aâ— our friend Trust him because he is faithful Prize him because he is so transcendently excellent Be advised by him for he is infinitely wise Suffer for him for Christ did so foâ— us Delight in him because he is amiable Be zealous for his Glory and grieved at his