is right but I do not well understand you I pray tell me what you mean by Titles Attributes Ordinances Word and Works Min. Friend I like this inquiring of yours well and I will tell you 1. By the title of God is meant Lord Jehovah Jah c. 2. An Attribute of God is that which is spoken of God as that he is a Spirit infinite eternal and unchangeable that God is Almighty most wise most holy most merciful just faithful c. 3. By Ordinances I understand every part of that worship which God hath appointed as Prayer Preaching Reading Hearing Singing Psalms the Sacraments c. 4. By the Word I mean the Scriptures wherein God revealeth his Will and maketh himself known to the children of men 5. By Works I understand the works of Creation and Providence whereby God revealeth much of himself to men who eye God in them Stranger What is it then to break this Commandment Minister It is to prophane or abuse any thing whereby God makes himself known Str. I hope Sir you will tell me something also out of the fourth Commandment Min. Friend why is that day we keep holy call'd the Lords day and the Sabbath for these are names which the Scriptures give that day Rev. 1.10 Gen. 2.23 Stranger Sir I never heard that question put before Minister Friend it is called the Lords day because the Lord appointed it to be kept holy and that in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ and the great work of Redemption wrought by him And it is called the Sabbath which signifieth rest because it is to be kept by us as an holy rest unto the Lord. Str. What must we do on the Sabbath day Min. Friend we must spend the whole day in worshipping God publickly and privately Str. Sir may not works of mercy and necessity be done that day Min. Yes Friend if they be indeed works of necessity and mercy and not so in pretence only Str. Sir you said the whole day must be kept holy what mean you by the whole day Min. Friend by the whole day I mean full Four and twenty hours for the Sabbath must be as long as any other day of the week besides Stranger I pray Sir what must we not do on the Sabbath Minister Friend we must not make that day 1. A day of idleness barely resting from labour as our Beasts do 2. Nor a day of worldly business in buying selling or the like 3. Nor a day of sports and recreations much less 4. Nor a day of sinning especially as in drunkenness stealing and the like 5. Nor a day only of outside devotions but we must labour to worship God in spirit also and to enjoy some spiritual communion with God in his holy Ordinances Str. Sir but am I not at liberty as to my thoughts and words that day Min. No Friend for God is a Spirit his day and worship spiritual so that we ought to lay aside all unnecessary thoughts and words that day as well as works about worldly employments and recreations Isa 58.13 Not speaking thine own words on the Sabbath Str. Sir I hope you will say something to me also concerning the other Commandments Minister Yes Friend but more briefly lest our time should fail us what think you is meant by Father and Mother in the fifth Commandment Stranger Sir I think my Father that begot me and my Mother that bore me Min. Friend that is true you say but there is more in it by Father and Mother we must understand Magistrates and Ministers and all our Superiours in any kind whatsoever Str. Sir and what is it to honour my Superiours Min. Friend it is to give them that inward and outward respect which is due to them and to obey the lawful commands of those who are over us Str. Sir doth this command require only our duty to Superiours Min. Yes it injoined also the duties of Superiours to Inferiours Str. Sir I pray tell me what the sixth seventh eighth and nine Commandments require of us Min. Briefly thus the sixth Commandment enjoineth all lawful endeavours for good of the life the seventh of the chastity the eighth of the wealth and outward estate the ninth of the good name of our selves and others each Commandment forbidding whatsoever is contrary or opposite thereunto Stranger The tenth Commandment also I pray Sir speak to Minister The tenth Commandment Thou shalt not covet c. requireth not only a full contentment with our own condition but a right and charitable frame of heart toward our Neighbour and all that is his Str. Sir I thank you for all this good discourse of yours I have rid many a mile with some Ministers and never had half so much from them Min. Friend it may be so but was not you your self much in fault did you put questions to them such as I have now put to you and you to me Str. No Sir to speak the truth and I am afraid I am much to blame for it Min. One word more before we part I presume Friend you have been at the Sacrament and received the Communion Stranger Yes many a time at Easter methinks I have a mind to it Minister Friend and why not at other times also Is your foul an hungry and doth the spiritual appetite come to you but once a year Str. Sir that is the time we use to go and then the rest of my Neighbours receive Min. Friend then it seems you go much for custom and company but tell me did you ever get any good by the Sacraments Str. Sir I hope no hurt Min. Friend they who live ignorantly or scandalously eat and drink unworthily are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and so eat and drink judgment or damnation to themselves 1 Cor. 11.27 29. Str. I hope I go better prepared than so Min. How do you prepare your self Str. Sir I give my name to the Minister aforehand I put on my best apparel I fast that morning lay the blessed bread and wine next my heart yea I am in love and charity with all men and forgive give those that have wronged me with all my heart Minister Friend that which in your answer fell last from you is quickly said not so soon done how can you say you are in love and charity with all men c. when your own heart tells you and all your Neighbours can testifie that for such and such a man you cannot give him a good word or a good look you express much joy when any evil befalls him or his where is your love then Stranger Sir you can't imagine what a deal of wrong he hath done me for many years together my heart cannot but rise against him whenever I see him but I hope to be eaven with him and to pay him all I owe him before I dye Min. Look you now Friend what is become of your charity and of forgiving with all your heart those words were but wind your
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
Person were rarely once only but twice in one day Thus this good man in labours more abundant in the morning sowes his seed and in the evening withholds not his hand so liberal he was of his spiritual Almes not knowing whether should prosper this or that or whether they both might not be alike good Eccl. 11.6 so that in imitation of the great Apostle by the power of the Spirit of God he even from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum fully Preached the Gospel of Christ So this excellent Minister of our Lord Jesus from Rickmersworth even round about unto the utmost borders of the County and into the neighbouring Counties also he was spending and being spent in the service of his great Lord and Master By all this the Reader may gather that our Doctor had not layne idle in the University 'till he was rusted and cankered away and fit for no further use in the house of God but as it was said of Joseph that his bow still abode in strength so it was with his parts memory and with his affections also and he was constant untill the act of uniformity imposed that general silence upon all nonconformist August 24. 1662. But yet neither after this time was he willing to be idle every week almost keeping one day as a private fast in his own or else in some other godly Ministers or Christian Family as to humble himself for his own sins so for the abominations that were in the midst of the land and it cannot be easily forgotten with what brokenness of spirit and with what a dissolved soul he would still take up some hours himself on those extraordinary occasions either in the word or prayer or both for indeed he was mighty in prayer as well as in the Scriptures as it is said of Apollo Having passed I think some two yeares his wife now labouring under some weaknesses and being weary with the burden of houshold affairs he retired to a Chamber or two in a private Family some miles distant where he was very useful he much inlightned and quickly leavened the habitation his Ministerial Gifts and graces were such as that indeed he perfumed the whole house As long as he lived there there was a Church alwayes in that house and I presume the govenour and children and servants do bless God for his presence and conference and exemplary conversation to this day and may they never loose the savour of the knowledg of Christ and the sense of the power of the world to come that he manifested and they were under during his abode with them From thence he removed to another private family and I believe his frequent removes were that he might have renewed opportunity of doing more good and God more service where he was entertained as an Angel of God This Family was near S. Albans in which Town from that time he was a great instrument in the hand of God for good to correct some extravagancies amongst some people there by his sober principles and great moderation of spirit and the noble exercises of self-denial and charity being no burden unto any but being crafty catching them with guile 2 Cor. 12.16 His last remove was to a place called Bovingden a little village and I question whether ever it had been mentioned in any story if this good man had not liv'd and ended his days there he was led thither by the invitation of a religious and very kind Gentleman freely accommodating him with all the conveniences of an habitation of his in that place But he once told me that whatsoever was saved that way he still expended proportionably in charitable uses making conscience to give it either in mony or books to the poor to this and the neighbouring places and I believe he hath destributed several hundreds of short Catechisms besides some dozens of little books of that great light of our age Entitled The call to the Vnconverted During his abode here he continued daily to attend the duty of the Family wherein he was instructing the souls belonging thereunto And if one or more of the poor of that place chanced to come in he would say they were welcome and that God came along with them and the poor have the Gospel preached unto them In this place he enjoy'd great privacy which he greatly priz'd and had be been born for himself alone he could alwayes have chosen to have liv'd thus alone How many worthy's in the world have prefer'd retirement to the greatest preferments in Church or State and have thought Scepters and Myters not worthy to be compared with it But he could not thus satifie himself that of Paul was often in his mouth Wo be to me if I preach not the Gospel he was of Calvins mind who would not his Lord should come and find him idle Wherefore he rode often to St. Albans or some other adjacent place and once or twice a year to London and Kingston and seeing he could not preach in a Church to many he would preach in a Chamber to a few T is not the place or company that commends our preaching to God What excellent Sermons have been preacht to despicable auditories and in very ordinary and contemptible places Pauls meeting place in Macedonia was the River side Acts 16.13 and his hearers a few of the weaker Sex Our Lord himself preacht a long Sermon once to one timorous man John c. 3. c. 4. and at another time in the open aire he preacht at large to one silly woman Thus this eminent servant of God like a torch or candle with lighting others consumed and wasted himself On the eighth of July Anno Dom. 1671. aetatis suae 71. he was seiz'd all on one side with the dead palsy by reason of which his speech much faild him so that he spake little and seldome A friend coming to visit him and asking him how he did he answered in the words of the Prophet In measure God debateth with me and in the day of the East-wind he stayeth his rough wind A while after he said to a friend that stood by him I neither fear death nor defire life but am willing to be at Gods disposal At another time he uttered these words very audibly I know that my redeemer liveth and by and by he repeated the fifth verse of the one and thirtieth Psalme in Meter Into thy hand Lord I commit My spirit which is thy due For why thou hast redeemed it Oh Lord my God most true He prest the by-standers so long as he was able to many wholsome duties As to make sure of Heaven in the time of health to keep their evidences fair and unblotted To remember and keep holy the Sabbath day of which he himself as you l find hereafter was a most careful observer When he could not speak himselfe he would desire others to read the Scriptures to him directing to the places which he most desired which were for the most part
2.34 He is set for the fall and for the rising again of many in Israel Rom. 9.2 Though the children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet a remnant onely shall be saved Str. I shall never be beaten off from it but that Christ dyed for me as well as others Min. Friend but what if Christ did not dye for you Your conceit that he did dye for you will not serve your turn can you be saved by believing that which is not true that 's but the presumption and vain confidence which you have no ground for for ought I can perceive by you Stranger Sir you are the strangest man that ever I met with in my life you tell me that to believe that Christ dyed for sinners will not save me and that to believe that Christ dyed for me in particular will not save me I pray for God's sake tell me what 's that faith which will save me Minister Friend it 's true I am a stranger to you but what I have spoken to you is nothing but the truth and the way the onely way to be saved is by faith true faith in Jesus Christ Str. Sir what 's that you call true faith whereby we are joined to Christ justified and saved Min. Friend I 'll tell you it 's not a believing that Christ dyed for sinners for that the Devils do it 's not a believing that Christ dyed for me in particular for that 1. Multitudes of ungodly men and reprobates do and may do in a way of presumption and 2. Many a doubting Believer wanting assurance dare not say I believe that Christ dyed for me in particular now that conceit or presumption which an ungodly man may have and a godly man may want can't possibly be that faith which is justifying and saving Stranger Pray what is it then Minister Faith is Friend a receiving of Christ as God the Father offers him in the Gospel as our King to rule us our Prophet to teach us as well as our Priest who made satisfaction and now makes intercession for us it is also out of a sense of our lost estate in our selves a resting on him alone for salvation John 1.12 As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Str. Why Sir do not I do all this Min. Friend I fear not for had you taken Christ as your King you would not dare to allow your self in sinful courses as Swearing and the like which you cannot deny but you are deeply guilty of had you taken Christ as a Prophet you would have been taught by Him by his Word and Spirit and have gotten some knowledge at least in these principles and fundamentals of Christianity Had you rested upon Christ alone for salvation you would not have told me as you did even now that you hoped to be saved by your serving God your good prayers and the like not mentioning a word of Jesus Christ which makes me fear that as yet you are a meer stranger to Christ and faith in Christ Stranger Sir you say enough to make me despair and drive me out of my wits Min. Friend Despairing Yea that 's it I would have I 'd have you to despair in your self that so you might come to believe and hope aright in Jesus Christ And whereas you speak of driving you out of your wits no Friend I would onely drive you out of your sins your vain presumptions and carnal confidences a man is never indeed in his right wits never comes to himself as the Prodigal did Luk. 15.7 till he repents and believeth aright in Jesus Christ Stranger Sir what would you have me to do Minister This is a good question indeed were you pricked in the heart as those Acts. 2.37 were you truly and throughly sensible of sin and misery were you troubled in mind but then you must unsay what you said before that you never in your life questioned your spiritual estate and that you have been alwayes of a strong faith towards God c. Str. Sir what if it should be so with me what if I should be troubled Min. I 'll tell you Friend what you should do and what you will certainly do if through the rich grace of God to you your troubles be in order to conversion and salvation Str. What I pray Sir Min. Friend were you troubled indeed to some good purpose you would put two questions to your self What have I done And what shall I do to be saved What have I done look backward upon the former part of your life with shame and sorrow for what you have done with an unfeigned purpose of heart of turning unto God as David saith Psal 119.59 I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies And Jer. 8.6 No man repented him of his wickedness saying What have I done Stranger Sir for that other question What shall I do what will that put me upon Minister Friend this question What shall I do looks forward and if it be in earnest will put you upon sollicitous and careful thoughts how you may get out of that state of sin and misery which you find your self intangled and involved in will put you upon going to good Ministers and experienced Christians inquiring of them the way to be saved will put you upon searching the Scriptures and the reading good Books upon casting off your old company and acquainting your self with the people of God whom before you hated and cared not for upon secret and earnest prayer to God according to your spiritual wants and necessities will indeed make you to be a new creature Stranger Well Sir I see then when all is done I must mend my life and become a new man Minister Friend you have said well hold there but do you think by your mending your life and becoming a new man to satisfie God for what 's past and that your good deeds shall make amends for your bad Str. I hope so Sir Min. See how you have forgot what even now I told you no Friend satisfaction for what is past or what is to come is made to God the Father onely by Jesus Christ by what he hath done and suffer'd not by any thing we can do or suffer When we have done all we must say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Luke 17.10 Str. But Sir how shall I come to have all this you speak of any part and share in the satisfaction made by Christ and how shall I become a new creature Minister Friend this is a good question I like it very well and will tell you how 1. You must know and acknowledge that you can do nothing of your self by your own strength neither believe nor repent or the like 2. You must by faith relie upon Christ and Christ alone who hath fulfilled the Law satisfied his Fathers justice and and paid the uttermost
heart deceives you you have expressed a great deal of malice and hatred in what you said last Str. Sir I am sorry if I have offended you Minister Alas Friend you do not offend me it troubles me indeed to see how you offend God and delude your own soul and how the Devil cheats you makes you to have better thoughts a great deal of your self than there is any cause for Stranger Sir I hope for all this that I live in charity and do as I would be done by Min. Friend it is well if your hope do not make you ashamed if any man had wronged you would you not have him to acknowledge his fault to you and to make restitution for all the wrong you sustained Str. Yes Sir you may be sure I think it all the reason in the world I should Min. Now Friend let Conscience speak out did not you at such and such a time defraud and go beyond such and such a man working upon his simplicity or necessity have you not put off bad wares and bad money many a time have not you spoken an untruth told many a lye in bargaining and did you ever yet go to them whom you wronged did you ever make them satisfaction and where is now your doing as you would be done by Stranger I must confess my heart smites me upon what you say Minister Friend if your heart condemns you God is greater than your heart and knoweth all things by you 1 John 3.20 And look to it least the Devil and your heart deceive you with shews and shadows of faith repentance love and charity instead of the graces themselves in truth and reality Str. I thank you Sir for the good counsel you give me and I pray God I may follow it Min. Friend I remember in the beginning of our discourse you told me of your saying over the Ten Commandments Lords Prayer and I believe in God c. every morning and every night Str. Sir I did so and would you would say something to me concerning the Lords Prayer and I believe in God c. as you have concerning the Ten Commandments Minister Say you so Friend I cannot withstand so good a motion tell me therefore do you think that the bare saying over these words Our Father c. is acceptable service to God Stranger Sir I hope so why else did our friends teach it us when we were children Min. Friend your Parents and friends did well to teach you to say the words by heart but it had been better if they had also taught you the meaning of them that so when you came to years of discretion you might have been able to go it over with understanding Str. That is true Sir and I hope I understand it Min. Friend what do you pray for or ask at Gods hands when you say Hallowed be thy Name Str. Why Thy Kingdom come Min. Friend Thy Kingdom come is another part of the Prayer but what is the thing you beg for and would have when you say Hallowed c. Str. Truly Sir I cannot tell you Minister Friend you have said over the words 100 and 100 times but it seems never said them with understanding and surely that is not right for Paul saith 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also That is so that others who join with us may understand us much more we understand our selves and our own meaning Stranger Sir what should I think of and pray for when I say those words Hallowed c Min. Friend you should pray and desire of God that he would order all things in the world for his own honour and glory and that he would enable you and others to glorifie and honour him in a due and right use of his Ordinances Word and Works or whatever he maketh himself known by Str. Truly Sir to deal plainly with you I never thought of or desired any such thing as oft as I have said those words Min. Friend I cannot conveniently go over the other Petitions in the Lords Prayer with you What hath been said already in discourse about the first Petition Hallowed c. may abundantly convince you of your saying you knew not what and in a very ignorant and formal way Stranger Truly Sir I am I confess ignorant yet I am willing to learn Minister Friend I believe you are or else you would not have held on the discourse so long and so freely with me for I fall in company with some upon the Road who will by no means speak one word with me concerning God and the things of God and if I motion such talk a little they are either altogether dumb and silent or shift out of my company saying They must ride faster that their business requireth haste or they will lagg behind or go out of the way to speak with a friend and some fall a quarrelling saying What have you to do to Catechize me I will not learn of you every Tub must stand upon its own bottom c. Str. Sir If I had in my younger dayes been so willing to learn as I should have been I had not been so far to seek in these things as now I am nor so ignorant as you find me to be Minister Well said Friend that was a savoury speech of yours I like it very well and therefore am willing to have a word or two with you about the Creed I believe in God c. before we part though much of our former discourse hath been about things to be believed Stranger I thank you Sir I pray speak on I will hear you Min. Friend I hope you remember what I told you even now that this form of words I believe in God c. is not Scripture though it be agreeable to the Word of God and that it is not a Prayer not to be said for a Prayer Let me now hear you say your Belief Str. I believe in God c. and I believe the Holy Catholick Holy-Church c. Min. Friend What is that you say Holy Catholick Holy-Church you mistake the words I fear therefore you know not the meaning of them it is not Holy Catholick Holy-Church but the word is Catholick and what mean you by Catholick Stranger Sir I cannot tell it is a hard word methinks Minister Friend it is so but you that say it over and over day by day should have asked the meaning of it that you might have known what you had said Str. I pray Sir what is meant by it Min. Friend it is originally a Greek word and signifieth Universal or General so that to believe the Catholick Church is to believe that there is an Universal Church and that God hath a people up and down scattered in several places and in all ages of the world Str. Sir I never understood so much before Min. Friend you perceive again by this that you have lived very ignorantly mindless of knowledge and
of the things of God and of the great concernments of your Soul and of Eternity Let me give you some good counsel before we part it may be you and I shall never meet again and as we never saw the faces one of another for ought we know before this day so possibly we never may see each other again till the day of Judgments that great and terrible day of the Lord. Let me advise you and the Lord persuade your heart 1. To make Conscience of secret Prayer begging of God for Christ his sake that he would make you sensible of the ignorance of the blindness of the mind of the hardness and impenitency of the heart of the carelesness and mindlesness of the spirit in the great things of grace and salvation be earnest with God to give you knowledge and consider that the soul be without knowledge is not good Prov. 19.2 As also for repentance from dead Works and a true saving faith in Jesus Christ Beg of God an heart to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and that you may be of those who strive to enter in at the strait gate and of those violent ones who take the Kingdome of Heaven by force c. 2. Be careful to hear good Ministers preach remembring what most concerneth you in what you hear 3. Be much in searching the Scriptures and reading of good Books Catechisms and such like 4. Make choice of good Company of such as fear God and walk precisely holily righteously and soberly in this present evil world and improve such acquaintance by good conference with them putting such questions to them as may make for your edification and they let me tell you will be as glad of your society as you of theirs 5. Be sure if you have a Family to set up the worship of God in your Family reading the Scriptures and praying morning and evening with the houshold Catechizing and instructing your Children and Servants if you have aâ—y 6. And lastly be strict in sanctifying the Sabbath spend that day well though the rest of the Neighbours be loose and careless therein and though men ungodly men hate you mock and persecute you it matters not so long as God loveth you Remember that 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution And that of Christ Matth. 5.10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of God And ver 11 12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you c. And now Friend fare you well and the Lord bless you Stranger And you also good Sir I hope I shall remember you and some of your words to me as long as I live onely let me desire one favour of you that I may know your name and where you live Minister That you shall Friend my name is so and so and I live at such a place and if your occasions call you thither I shall be glad to see you and let me know your name and where you live and possibly if I come that way I may see you Once more Farewell FINIS TREATISE OF Christian Conference MY design being to bear up the honour the necessity and usefulness of Christian Conference too much neglected even by the best of men it will not be wholly impertinent to bear down some of that unruliness and irregularity The Tongues Vnruliness which the Tongues of too many are too much guitly of The Apostle James as it were bores the black tongues of men with a red hot Iron of sharp but just rebuke vers 6. The Tongue is a Fire a world of iniquitie setteth on fire the course of Nature and it is set on fire of Hell For every kind of beasts and of birds and of Serpents and things in the Sea is tamed and hath been tamed of mankind But the Tongue can no man Tame it is an unruly evil full of deadly poyson It s untamedness and unruliness appears in its great miscarriage and that both in reference to God and man 1 In reference to God in speaking In reference to God we are too tongue tied in speaking both to God in Prayer Praises and Confessions and of God with others To God He was a great man 1 To God and you will say as good as great who being a man of few words and of much prayer was thought to speak more to God than men Possibly that man after Gods own heart was such a one who saith very truly though of himself Ps 119.164 109.4 Seven times a day do I praise thee and again I give my self unto prayer Possibly some Popish Votaries in a superstitious way possibly also a man may be found in our dayes who is very slow to speak but of a musing medirabundous spirit in holy ejaculations Colloquies and Soliloquies betwixt God and himself much also in prayer by himself and with others but such a man where-ever he dwells I believe he dwells alone by himself is a very great rarity one of many thousands who speaks more to God than to men Again 2 Of God and for God We are all born and live too much tongue-tied as to our Speech of God to and with others 1 Omission though we have a large and spacious field very pleasant Fragrant flowery and Odoriferous for our Discourse to walke up and down and expatiate it self in to wit God in his essence and subsistencies the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost God in his Decrees in his works of Creation and Providence God in his Covenants made with man that of Works and that of Grace God in his Word Law and Gospel in his commands promises and threatnings Againe touching Christ his person natures and offices his humiliation and Exaltation As also touching the Holy Ghost his beginning and carrying on the work of God in the Elect from the first to the last Adde hereunto the many and great priviledges and benefits which the effectually called ones are and shall be made partakers of by Christ in life at death at the Resurrection and to Eternity I might inlarge but one would think in what is said there were room enough and enough for all the nimble â—â—ngued in the world to busy tire and weary themselves in O how sad then is it to have so little of God in our Mouths to observe how people who have their faces Zion-ward can spend hour after hour together it may be day after day and yet scarce have a word concerning God Christ the Spirit or the great affairs of their soules and of Eternity from one end of the prattle to the other This fruit indeed is bad and bitter but yet the root is worse The true and onely reason The reason God is little in our hearts Mat. 12.34 35. I know of is this God is not much in our hearts and therefore but little in our Mouths for out of the
the wheat the barley and rie in their places saith his God doth instruct him to discretion Againe how the fitches are beaten out with a staff and the Cummin with a rod. How bread Corne is bruised He Concludes This also cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts which is wonderfull in Counsel and excellent in working And to make way for this ioyfull harvest husbandmen speak often of plowing and that soon enough and deep enough though in the cold winter season much very much if not too much of the Countrye mans discourse is harping upon these strings and shall not the generation of believers who themselves are Gods husbandry 1 Cor. 3.9 Mat. 13.4 5 7 8 19 20 21 22 23. be much in talking they cannot be well too much about those several grounds the highway the stony and thorny ground the good ground also mentioned by Christ in the parable with the interpretation thereof And how the Word of God in the plainness and power of it is the good the best seed faithful Ministers such and such are good seeds men this life and therein youth especially when Consciences are stirred by the good motions of the holy Spirit is the time the onely seed time with us and withall shall not believers speak often one to another about cutting down and plucking up by the roots the Cockel and the darnel the weeds and the twich errors in judgement unbeliefe spiritual pride earthly minededness and all disorderly passions and affections consuming and destroying them by that spirit of judgment and of burning And though the Christians harvest their full harvest come not till that last and great day when all the elect their souls and bodies being reunited as shocks of Corne fully ripe shall be gathered into those everlasting barnes and be housed in glory yet shall the husbandman all the year long rejoyce and solace himself in the hopes of a rich Crop when the harvest comes and shall not believers all their life time rejoyce in the hopes of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 Isa 9.3 and their joy be as the joy of harvest yea their joy be unspeakable and full of glory and in order to all this shall not believers in their Christian Conference together much and seriously mind each other to look to it that the plough of legal Convictions Compunctions and Humiliations hath gone deep enough in their hearts breaking up their fallow ground that they sowe not among thornes Jer. 4.3 Certainly all the reason imaginable excites the people of God to such kind of discourses as these are Again we see how all men who are dealers in the world will be talking how the market goeth what good commodities in one kind or in another they can buy and upon what easie rates and shall not believers speak freely and frequently among themselves rejoycing therein and giving glory to God onely what good penny worths they make if I may so express it how they have the choicest and the rarest commodities to be had and that upon the lowest terms Isa 55.12 Rev. 3.18 Waters to cool and cleanse them Wine to glad and chear up their spirits milk to nourish them bread to strengthen their hearts yea and Eye-salve that they may see Gold that they may be rich and white raiment that they may be clothed to wit Christ and his Spirit grace and glory and all this more than which is not to be had without price and without monies It is but ask and have but take by believing and its all yours surely such bargains as these are worth the having the thinking of and speaking of with the highest exultations and with all possible triumphing of spirits whatsoever Yet farther shall Scholars when they meet discourse it concerning the famous Schools they were bred in shall their Tongues run nimbly whiles speaking of Arts and Sciences of Logick or Philosophy or of Divinity dogmatical or polemical yea in all manner of humane learning whether Grammatical or Academical And shall not Christians when they meet tell one another how they were all trained up in one School it 's the best Ma. 4.38 a none-such the School of Christ how they were and still are his disciples his Scholars how Christ is their Master hath taught them to fear God Eccl. 12. Ro. 10.3 Eph. 1.2 and keep his Commandments to denie their own righteousness and to establish the righteousness of God in Christ hath taught them those hard lessons of Faith and repentance of loving their enemies so that they know how to want and how to abound how to be emptie and how to be full Mat. 5 44. Act. 5.31 yea how to live and how to die In a word That they can do all things through Christ strengthening the Phil. 4.11 12 13. Once more shall Lawyers talk much of their Cases and trials and why not Christians be putting of Cases of Consciences and of the trials of their faith in times of temptations persecutions and defertions when the very trial of their faith is more precious than of Gold that perisheth 1 Pet. 1. Shall Physitians and Chyrurgions with their Patients be continually talking of what wonderful Cures have been wrought by them or upon them I saith one was even wasted and worne even to nothing but skin and bone by pining sickness and a long lingering Consumption but such a Doctor cured cured me and I am now full and fleshy strong and hearty And I saith another was troubled with sore Eyes had almost quite lost my sight but such an Oculist healest me and I saith a third was grievously vexed and tormented with the stone for so many years together Oh the grinding pains of the stone how have they held me as upon the rack for weeks or months together but such a Chirurgion cut me fetched it away so bigge so ragged and now I am at ease and as well as ever and what shall not the generation of believers speak much and often of Christ their great Phesicion what strang yea miraculous Cures he hath wrought in them for and upon them how they were in their unregenerations pining away for and in their iniquities Eze. 24.23 a spiritual Consumption upon their soules being hereditarie from their fore-Fathers even as far as Adam yet Christ recovered them Hos 14.4 healed their backslidings How they were as to spiritual Eye-sâ—â—ht not onely dim-sighted but quite blind yea born blind Eph. 1.1 5. but now they see he annointed their Eyes so that they see yea are quick-sighted through grace in the things of God how they were born with a stone in their hearts Rev. 3.18 worse than those in the back or bladder but Christ hath graciously taken away that stony heart Ezek. 36. and given a heart of flesh to them Yea more than all this Christians can and do tell one another how they were born Lepers over-run with a noisome leprosie of sin from head to foot how that no sooner were they
deal with servants Charge them to obey their Masters in all things not with eye-service as men pleasers but in singleness of heart fearing God Not answering againe not purloining shewing all fidelitie Col. 3.22 Tit. 2.9 10. Yet again 15. Ignorance if you meet with them that are ignorant tell them That the soul be without knowledge is not good and the high aggravation of the gross ignorance of many is that they are willingly ignorant neither know nor desire or care to know the things of God Prov. 19.2 2 Pet. 3.5 If with men of knowledg 16. Knowing caution them to beware least their knowledg puffeth them up but rather being acted and managed by and with Charitie that it edifie being laid out for the good of others and their lips being the lips of the righteous let them feed many by Christian Conference and holy communication with others 1 Cor. 8. 1. Prov. 10.21 I might be very large and voluminous herein but to close up this direction be still furnished to speak to any persons whatsoever of such points as are of universal concernment as touching regeneration the absolute indispensable necessity of it to salvation as also touching our having a saving interest in Jesus Christ Christ told Nicodemus in plain terms Joh. 3.3 5. That except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdome of God And expresly as to the necessity of union with Christ He that hath the Son hath everlasting life and he that hath not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him vers 36. A third preparative direction 3 Direction for the promoting of Christian Conference in all places and companies where we come is to begin at home each Christian setting it up and keeping it up in his own house and Family that so wife Children and servants may gain an habit of good and savoury discourse to be acted and exercised when you or they go abroad as children mannerly or rude and unmannerly at home use so to carry themselves abroad also and such talk and discourse as is used at home by husbands and wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants is like to be their language abroad also The Lord by Moses gives his peremptory command as to good discourse in families These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and in thy lying down and rising up Deut. 6.6 7. Such was wise King Solomons practice which gave occasion to Sheba Queen of the South in her Princely visit to him to say unto him Happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdome c. Custome is another nature use legs and have legs use memory and have memory use good discourse and you will have good discourse I have seen Children boyes and girles had to neighbour houses upon occasion of feasting visits or the like and when their parents call upon them for manners saying sirra where 's your hat and your leg and girle where 's your Cursy but no hat off no leg or Cursy made why not used to it at home So when we come into Christian Company and we provoke our selves to carry on good discourse and say Awake my glory Answer is given no sleep at home must sleep abroad also Acts frequent beget habits acquired and strengthen infused A dexterity in the managing of Christian Confernece aright as to matter manner principles and ends is I presume an infused habit a special gift of God Isa 50.4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary Given me that is me the Prophet in his measure or rather given me is meant of Christ on whom the Spirit is poured without measure yet so as that every believer hath his proportion of the Spirit and so of this gift and habit of Christian Conference to be used and so improved and strengthen by a frequent and vigorous acting of it for the glory of God and the good of our selves and others with whom we have occasion to converse Let it be one of thy Christian exercises to act and strengthen this habit day by day in this language and communication A fourth preparative direction may be repentance and humiliation for our great failing in our great neglect of so great a duty as Christian Conference is 4 Humiliation We spend little of our time and strength in this duty to wit in such discourse as hath a proper and direct tendency to the conversion or edification of the hearers we are much if not too much upon this talk what newes abroad speaking of persons this body or that magnifying some too high vilifying and depressing others too low possibly erring in a way of flattery on the one hand or of envy and hatred on the other blameworthy in both A fifth Direction I would give 5 Prayer is the pouring out a prayer to God in faith and love every morning that he would guide thy discourse all the day long It was Davids prayer Ps 141.3 Set a watch O Lord before my Mouth keep the door of my lips And again Ps 51.15 O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise and that thou mayst pray in faith plead the promise The Tongue of the dumb shall sing Isa 35.6 fulfilled in the Gospel Corporally and Spiritually Christ made and still makes the dumb to speak and that to his and his Father's glory when they brought a dumb man to Christ possessed of a Devil Christ cast out the Devil and the dumb spake c. Mat. 9.32 33. Then the promise was made good in the very letter of it and in the spirit of it also when the Children in the Temple cried saying Hosanna to the Son of David Mat. 21.15 16. and so fulfil'd that prediction in Psal 8.2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praises Go to God in Christ and say what though a kind of dumb Devil possesseth me thou canst and do thou cast him out What though I be but a babe in Christ and a suckling in grace yet thou canst and O do thou out of the mouth of a babe and suckling as I am ordaine strength Pray in faith fervency and constancy and who knoweth but the gracious Lord thy God may loose and unty thy Tongue and create the fruits even of thy lips peace peace for his own glory the good of others and thy comfort here and for ever And in thy discourse let holy secret ejaculations be frequent and fervent also A sixth Direction is to be much in praises 6. In praises which also will make prayer more successful having found by sweet experience Optimum rogandi genus est gratia agere that God doth enable thee sometimes to let fall some good words in obedience to
cheerful giver 2 Cor. 9.7 and man also and a cheerful lender to cheerfulness in a child or servants obedience O how lovely is it It s so also between husbands and wives those offices of love they discharge each to other with readiness and chearfulness what a beauty doth it add thereunto But on the contrary when these or the like services are performed but unwillingly and by constraint with a sad look and a lowring countenance they are render'd ingrateful and unacceptable What 's a feast if no mirth there good looks and language are one of the best dishes at the Table Having spoken concerning the lawfulness and usefulness of civil mirth I proceed to lay down some cautions 3 Cautions to prevent disorders and irregularities therein 1 Vnseasonable 1. As to the timing of mirth it must be seasonable when Zion weeps and bleeds for the sons and daughters of Zion to be upon a merry pin I speak of common civil mirth especially if with constancy and some heights therein is â—s unseasonable as snow in harvest an high and heinous provocation When â—he Lord calls to weeping and mourning and if in that day behold joy and gladness and eating flesh and drinking wine and surely saith the Lord of hosts this iniâ—uitie shall not be purged from you till â—ou dye Is 22.12.13 14. True When the â—ord turnes againe the Captivity of Zion â—hen let our mouthes be fill'd with laughâ—er and our tongues with singing Psal 26.1 2. But when the Jewes are in Captivity then by the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept we hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof Psal 137 1 2. And yet by the way let me insert this that spiritual mirth and rejoycing in the Lord is alwayes a dutie and in the worst of times to be performed by the generation of believers Phil. 4.4 Hab. 3.17 18. Eccl. 10.19 A feast is made for laughter saith the Preacher but at a funeral sighing and mourning is more seasonable especially on a day set apart professedly for solemn humiliation even civil mirth seems abominably unseasonable Let me add also on the Lords day the Christian Sabbath our common civil mirth may well be spared the doing our own wayes the finding our own pleasures the speaking our own words Isa 58.13 Being under a special inhibition whereby the word own we understand not wayes pleasures or words in themselves sinful for such are unlawful at all times but such as are lawful on other dayes but on the Lords day unlawfull as concerning worldly imployments and recreations It s true it is a duty to call the Sabbath a delight but the more spirituâ—â— and heavenly our joy and rejoyâ—ings are the more in the Lord the â—ore agreeable with the day of the â—ord to the advancing of which holy â—irth there is by divine appointment 〈◊〉 Psalme for the Sabbath day Ps 92. 2 Immeasurable Voluptato commendat rarior usus 2. Civil mirth must not be immeasurable excessive and without measure The commendation of all our Civil â—leasures are the sparing use of them To be alwayes in a merry vain jesting and laughing is a swerving from the gravity and sanctity of Christianity â—leasantness of speech should not be â—sed as meat to feed the company with â—ests frollick frothy jokes are but windy not overwholsome they may be indeed as sauce to meat to quicken â—ppetites unto more solid and wholsome discourse or to fit our spirits for higher duties facetious speech is to a sober mind as whetting a sithe is to mowing too much whetting turns the edg of the Sithe and unfits it for service he who is alwayes whetting is an idle mower or rather mowes not at all and he that is alwayes jesting may go for a vain person or a vile one rather 1 Not with the sins of others 1. Not sporting our selves making our selves or others merry with our own sins or the sins of others such a man is one of Solomons fools It is sport to a fool to do mischief Prov. 10.23 And again Fools make a mock at siâ— Prov. 14.9 That is obdurate and hardened sinners having their Conscience seared and being past all sense of goodness take a kind of complacency and delight as in the acts of sinning so in their talking of it and making themselves and others merrie with it afterward Then to set men or Children oâ— fighting and to rejoyce in seeing them beat and hurt each other then witâ— many youngsters never so merry a feasâ— as where there is stoln venison rabbet hens or other provision To whom stolâ— waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant Prov. 9.17 as some quorish and therein theevish servantâ— though they have good food alloweâ— them and enough of it yet get somâ— dainties in a corner how pleasantly 〈◊〉 they go down or as adulterers anâ— adulteresses their secret uncleannesses are the stollen waters and bread in secret which the Spirit chiefly aimeth at as the Context sheweth It s sad to hear how some men will in a jocular way boast how many women and maidens they have defiled and how often So that woful generation of men who are mighty to drink wine and men of strength to mingle strong drink Isa 5.27 How they 'l merrily among their pot companions vaunt and brag it that so many quarts they took off at a sitting laid such a man asleep drunk another dead down laid him under the Table and glory in their shame So the Gamesters the Jewel of their mirth is many a time their cheating such and such an one who played with them how they fetched him over for so many pounds it may be hundreds so the malicious persons of a vindictive spirit how is it mirth and musick to them to boast how they have made even with such or such an one and hope they have given him his own and shall not die in his debt I might inlarge in this too copious a subject but in brief all this kind of mirth is madness and indeed monstrous for men to rejoyce in that for which they ought to mourn to laugh at that till their sides ake and their eyes water for which they should rather grieve till their hearts ake and rivers of Tears flow from their eyes as did Davids and Jeremiahs Those choice servants of the most high God Psal 119.136 Jer. 9.1 2 3. 4. 4 Not Scripture or matters of Religion Not the Scriptures or matters of Religion Jesting in Scripture phrases and the language of the Holy Ghost as Politian the Heathen and Julian the Apostate it 's a Character of profaness in any and in such as profess Christianity of profaneness with an accent of high aggravation and carrieth also much of danger with it if it be ill jesting with edged tools then surely with the Word of God which is the sword of the Spirit and sharper than any two edged sword Eph. 6.17 Heb. 4.12 Kings and Princes do not
of patience Rom. 15.5 whose name is by himself proclaimed to be the Lord the Lord God gracious and merciful slow to anger Exod. 34.6 Neh. 1.6 so highly as to pour out his fury like fire yea in fire to the laying wast of Englands Metropolis in three or four days and so to putting God yea forcing God as it were upon his strange work which he so unwillingly is ingaged in I would well hope that whilst England is England the Histories and Chronicles relating these signal tokens of Gods fierce indignation will have a benigne influence by the blessing of God upon our posterity to the worlds end that they may hear and fear and do no more such wickedness as we have done Deut. 13.11 4 Strangers meet Again 4ly Strangers meeting upon the high-way or else where might and should discourse it how all even the best of men Gods own Children are and have confessed themselves to be but strangers and pilgrims here and therefore as strangers and pilgrims we ought to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul 1 Pet. 2.11 Or when we ask others or others ask us the way to such or such a place why may not a question be put touching the way to heaven and happiness how Christ is the way purchased for believers and how in thankfulness to God for Christ and the benefits we have by Christ we should walk in yea run the way of his Commandements as holy David resolved to do Ps 119.32 Yet againe 5. When people marry 5 Marriages and matches are made possibly with some of the relations and you are guests also at the wedding feast surely it would not be unbecoming Christians to be thinking and speaking of the happy condition of such as are betrothed to Jesus Christ as all believers are and that for ever in righteousness in judgment in loving kindness and mercies Hos 2.19 20. And as John was commanded to write Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb Rev. 19.9 As also the sad and dolefull estate of all who being invited to the wedding feast as all are who live under the sound of the Gospel Come not but desire to be excused make light of it go their wayes one to his farme another to his merchandize Matt. 22.5 or if they come yet have not on the wedding garment are not clothed with the righteousness of Christ and graces of the spirit The Gentile hypocrite is that man to whom the King when he came to see his guests said Friend how earnest thou in hither not having a wedding garment vers 11 12. Both these fall and lie under an heavie doom and dreadful vengeance The slighters who came not to the feast probably the unbelieving Jews with them the King was wroth and he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers and burnt up their City This execution was done speedily by the Romans destroying Jerusalem firing and demolishing the Temple and the City and there was a dismal slaughter of eleven millions of men De belle Judaico women and Children as Josephus reports And for the man that came to the feast he made some Christian profession but had not the wedding garment which is the false unsound Professour the Gentile hypocrite the King deales or will deal severely with him also the man was speechless or muzzled not having a word to say for himself why he should not be condemned vers 12. but the King hath something to say to him which might make his heart to ake and tremble vers 13. Then said the King to the servants to wit the holy Angels ministring spirits bind him hand and foot that is make him sure as they use to do condemned persons he is disabled to sight for himself or by flight to make escape being bound hand and foot take him away O that 's a cutting word if when an angry Father sayeth concerning a froward child take it away away with it the Child screams and roars it 's worse to it then the rod or whipping If when the Judge upon the Bench having passed his sentence of death against a Malefactor saith Take him Jaylor away with him to Prison and from thence to the place of execution if these words be as swords and daggers piercing the hearts of the condemned O then how terrible and dreadful beyond all expression or imagination must it needs be when Christ the righteous Judge shall turne and cashire sinners for ever out of his gratious presence never to see the face of God never to be with the Lord this punishment of loss privative torment is not the least piecâ— of the misery of the damned and to compleat their woe and horror it follows Cast him into utter or outer darkness Joh. 3.19 They loved darkness rather then light the darkness of gross and wilful ignorance know not nor care to know the things of God but are willingly ignorant saying unto God Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes 2 Pet. 3.5 Job 21.14 Eph. 5.11 And love the deeds of darkness therefore the Lord justly casts them into darkness and they shall be filled with darkness as they who cutting the bloody Tyrants head threw it into a pail of bloud saying satiate thy self with bloud Whereas The inheritance of the Saints is in light Satio te Sanguine Col. 1.2 The portion of sinners shall be in blackness of darkness for ever Jude 13. And more it 's outer darkness as doggs without Rev. 22.15 When believers as the children of God are within doors housed in Heaven a place of light and glory the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof vers 23. And if here be not misery enough for what followes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 22.13 Now the sinner hath as he thinks a merry time of it but there 's a woe coming Wo unto you that laugh now for ye shall mourn and weep Luk. 6.25 Now the wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his teeth Psal 37.12 But let them know their black day is at hand wherein they will have gnashing for gnashing their gnashing upon the righteous in scorne and contempt shall be turned into a gnashing their teeth through extremitie of paine anguish and horrour for ever Having been large in this instance my words may seem to be words of digression or of diversion might they by the blessing of God prove to any words of Conversion or of Edification neither writer nor reader would have any cause to repent them of their labour 6 Conversion of a sinner If we hear of the conversion of a sinner it puts us upon rejoycing and praising God and expressing our thankfulness in words and actions It was meet we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again c. saith the Father of the returning Prodigal to his elder Brother Luk.