in the sense of your natural sin and misery to stir up the lively sense of the wonderful Love of God and our Redeemer and to spend all the day in the special exercises of Faith and Love And seeing it is the Christian weekly festival or day of Thanksgiving for the greatest mercy in the world spend it as a day of Thanksgiving should be spent especially in Ioyful Praises of our Lord and let the huâ—bling and instructing exercisâ—s of the day he all subordinate to these laudatory exercises I know that much time must be spent in teaching and warning the ignorant and ungodly because their poverty and labours hinder them from other such opportunities and we must speak to them then or not at all But if it were not for their meer necessity and if we could as well speak to them other dayes of the Week the Churches should spend all the Lords Day in such praises and thanksgivings as are suitable to the ends of the institution But seeing that cannot be expected methinks it is desirable that the antient custome of the Churches were more imitated and the morning Sermon being fuited to the state of the more ignorant and unconverted that the rest of the day were spent in the exercises of Thanksgiving to the Joy and encouragement of believers and in doctrine suited to their state And yet I must add that a skilfull Preacher will do both together and so declare the Love and Grace of our Redeemer as by a meet application may both draw in the ungodly and comfort those that are already sanctified and raise their hearts in Praise to God § 4. Direct 4. Remember that the Lords day is appointed specially for publick worship and personal Direct 4. Communion of the Churches therein see therefore that you spend as much of the day as you can in this publick worship and Church-communion especially in the celebration of that Sacrament which is appointed for the memorial of the death of Christ untill his coming 1 Cor. 11. 25 26. This Sacrament in the Primitive Church was celebrated every Lords day yea and ofter even ordinarily on every other day of the week when the Churches assembled for Communion And it might be so now without any hinderance to Preaching or Prayer if all things were ordered as they should be For those Prayers and instructions and exhortations which are most suited to this Eucharistical action would be the most suitable Prayers and Sermons for the Church on the Lords dayes In the mean time sâ—e that so much of the day as is spent in Church-communion and publick worship be accordingly improved by you and be not at that time about your secret or family services but take only those hours for such private duties in which the Church is not assembled And remember how much the Love of Saints is to be exercised in this Communion and therefore labour to keep alive that Love without which no man can celebrate the Lords day according to the end of the institution § 5. Direct 5. Understand how great a mercy it is that you have leave thus to wait upon God for the receiving and exercise of grace and to cast off the distracting thoughts and businesses of the world and Direct 5. what an opportunity is put into your hand to get more in one day than this world can affâ—rd you all your lives And therefore come with gladness as to the receiving of so great a mercy and with desire after it and with hope to speed and not with unwillingness as to an unpleasant task as carnal hearts that Love not God or his Grace or Service and are aweary of all they do and glâ—d when it is done as the Ox that is unyoaked Isa. 58. 13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a Delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own waies nor finding thine own pleasuâ—e nor speaking thine own words then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord The affection that you have to the Lords day much sheweth the temper of the heart A holy person is glad when it cometh as loving it for the holy exercises of the day A wicked carnal heart is glad of it only for his carnal ease but weary of the spiritual duties § 6. Direct 6. Avoid both the extreams of Prophaneness and Superstition in the point of your external rest And to that end Observe 1. That the work is not for the day but the day for the holy Direct 6. work As Christ saith Mark 2. 27. The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath It is appointed for our good and not for our hurt 2. The outward rest is not appointed for it self but as a means to the freedom of the mind for inward and spiritual employments And therefore all those outward and common labours and discourses are unlawful which any way distract the mind and hinder either our outward or inward attendance upon God and our edification 3. And whatever it was to the Jews no common words or actions are unlawful which are no hinderance to this communion and worship and spiritual edification 4. Yea those things that are necessary to the support of nature and the saving of the Life or health or estate and goods of our selves or our neighbours are needful duties on that day Not all those works which are truly charitable for it may be a work of mercy to build Hospitals or make Garments for the poor or Till their ground but such works of mercy as cannot be put off to another day and such as hinder not the duties of the day 5. The same word or action on the Lords day which is unlawful to one man may be lawful to another as being no hinderance yea a duty to him As Christ saith The Priests in the Temple break or prophane the Sabbath that is the outward rest but not the command and are blameless Matth. 12. 15. And the Cook may lawfully be employed in dressing meat when it were a sin in another to do it voluntarily without need 6. The Lords day being to be kept as a day of Thanksgiving the dressing of such meat as is fit for a day of Thanksgiving is not to be scrupled The primitive Christians in the Apostles time had their Love-feasts constantly with the Lords Supper or after on the Evening of the day And they could not feast without dressing meat 7. Yet that which is lawful in it self must be so done as consisteth with care and compassion of the souls of servants that are employed about it that they may â—e deprived of no more of their spiritual benefit than needs 8. Also that which is lawful must sometimes be forborn when it may by scandal tempt others that are loose or weak to do that which is unlawful not that the meer displeasing of the erroneous should put us out of the right
back from him as a stranger to thee and lookest away from him as an unsuitable good § 19. Direct 3. Imagine not God to be far away from thee but think of him as alwayes near thee Direct 3. and with thee in whose present Love and Goodness thou dost subsist Nearness of Objects doth excite the faculties we hear no sound nor smell no odour nor taste no sweetness nor see no colours that are too distant from us And the mind being limited in its activity neglecteth or reacheth not things too distant and requireth some Nearness of its object as well as the sense Especially to the excitation of affections and bodily action A distant danger stirreth not up such fears nor a distant misery such grief nor a distant benefit such pleasure as that which is at hand Death doth more deeply affect us when it seemeth very near than when we think we have yet many years to live So carnal minds are so drowned in flesh and captivated to sense that they take little notice of what they see not and therefore think of God as absent because they see him not They think of him as confined to Heaven as we think of a friend that is in the East Indies or at the Antipodes who is if not out of mind as well as out of sight yet too distant for us delightfully to converse with Remember alwayes O my soul that none is so near thee as thy God A Seneca could say of good men that God is with us and in us Nature taught Heathens that in him we live and move and have our being Thy friend may be absent but God is never absent from thee He is with thee when as to men thou art alone The Sun is sufficient to illuminate but one part of the earth at once and therefore must leave the rest in darkness But God is with thee night and day and there is no night to the soul so far as it enjoyeth him Thy life thy health thy Love and Joy is not nearer to thee than thy God He is now before thee about thee within thee moving thee to good restraining thee from evil marking and accepting all that is well disliking and opposing all that is ill The light of the Sun doth not more certainly fill the room and compass thee about than God doth with his goodness He is as much at leisure to observe thee to converse with thee to hear and help thee as if thou wert his only creature As the Sun can as well illuminate every Bird and Fly as if it shined unto no other creature Open the eye of Faith and Reason and behold thy God Do not forget him or unbelievingly deny him and then say he is not here Do not say that the Sun doth not shine because thou winkest O do not quench thy Love to God by feigning him to be out of reach and taken up with other converse Turn not to inferiour delights by thinking that he hath turned thee off to these And love him not as an absent friend But as the friend that is always in thy sight in thy bosome and in thy heart the fewel that is nearest to the flames of love § 20. Direct 4. All other Graces must do their part in assisting Love and all be exercised in subservience Direct 4. to it and with an intention directly or remotely to promote it Fear and watchfulness must keep away the sin that would extinguish it and preserve you from that Guilt which would frighten away the soul from God Repentance and mortification must keep away diverting and deceiving objects which would steal away our Love from God Faith must shew us God as present in all his blessed attributes and perfections Hope must depend on him for nearer access and the promised felicity Prudence must choose the fittest season and means and helps from our special approaches to him and teach us how to avoid impediments And obedience must keep us in a fit capacity for communion with him The mind that is turned loose to wander after vanity the rest of the day is unfit in an hour of prayer or meditation to be taken up with the Love of God It must be the work of the day and of our lives to walk in a fitness for it though we are not alwayes in the immediate lively exercise of it To sin wilfully one hour and be taken up with the love of God the next is as unlikely as one hour to abuse our Parents and provoke them to correct us and the next to find the pleasure of their love or one hour to fall and break ones bones and the next to run and work as pleasantly as we did before § 21. And we must see that all other Graces be exercised in a just subserviency to Love and none of them degenerate into noxious extreams to the hinderance of this which is their proper end When you set your selves to Repent and Mourn for sin it must be from Love and for Love That by ingenuous lamentation of the injuries you have done to a gracious God you may be cleansed from the filth that doth displease him and being reconciled to him in Christ may be fit to return to the exercises and delights of Love When you Fear God let it be with a Filial fear that comes from Love and is but a preservative or restorative for Love Avoid that slavish fear as a sin which tendeth to hatred and would make you fly away from God Love casteth out this tormenting fear and freeth the soul from the Spirit of bondage The Devil tempteth melancholy persons to live before God as one that is still among Bears or Lyons that are ready to devour him For he knoweth how much such a fear is an enemy to Love Satan would never promote such fears if they were of God and tended to our good You never found him promoting your Love or Delight in God! But he careth not how much he plungeth you into distracting terrors If he can he will frighten you out of your Love and out of your comforts and out of your wits A dull and sluggish sinner he will keep from fear lest it should awaken him from his sin But a poor melancholly penitent soul he would keep under perpetual terrors It is so easie to such to fear that they may know it is a sinful inordinate fear For gracious works are not so easie And resist also all humiliation and grief that doth not immediately or remotely tend to help your Love A Religion that tendeth but to grief and terminateth in grief and goeth no further hath too much in it of the malice of the enemy to be of God No tears are desirable but those that tend to clear the eyes from the filth of sin that they may see the better the loveliness of God § 22. Direct 5. Esteem thy want of Love to God with the turning of it unto the creature to be Direct 5. the Heart of the old man
acceptance of their work O that we would do that honour and right to true Religion as to shew the world the nature and use of it by living in the cheerful Praises of our God and did not â—each them to blaspheme it by our mis-doings I have said the more of the excellency and benefits of this work because it is one of your best helps to perform it to know the Reasons of it and how much of your Religion and Duty and comfort consisteth in it and the forgetting of this is the common cause that it is so boldly and ordinarily neglected or slubbered over as it is § 23. Direct 2. The keeping of the heart in the admiration and glorifying o◠〈◊〉 according to Direct 2. the forâ—-going Directions is the principal help to the right praising of him with 〈…〉 ps For out of the hearts abundance the mouth will speak And if the Heart do not bear itâ— part no praise is mâ—lâ—dious to God § 24. Direct 3. â—ead much those Scriptures which speak of the praises of God especially the Psalms Direct 3. and furnish your memories with store of those holy expressions of the excellencies of God which he himself hath taught you in his Word None knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God who teacheth us in the Scriptures to speak divinely of things divine No other diâ—lâ—ct so well becometh the work of praise God that best knoweth himself doth best teach us how to know and praise him Every Christian should have a treasury of these sacred materials in his memory that he may be able at all times in Conference and in Worship to speak of God in the words of God § 25. Direct 4. Be much in singing Psalms of praise and that with the most heart-raising cheerfulness Direct 4. and melody especially in the holy assemblies The melody and the conjunction of many serious holy souls doth â—end much to elevate the heart And where it is done intelligibly reverently in conjunction with a rational spiritual serious Worship the use of Musical Instruments are not to be scrupled or refused any more than the Tunes and Melody of the Vâ—ic◠§ 26. Direct 5. Remember to allow the praises of God their due prâ—portion in all your prayers Direct 5. Use not to shut it out or forget it or cut it short with two or three words in the conclusion The Lords Prayer begins and ends with it and the three first Petitions are for the glorifying the Name of God and the coming of his Kingdom and the doing oâ— his Will by which he is glorified and all this before we ask any thing directly for our selves Use will much help you in the Praise of God § 27. Direct 6. Especially let the Lords Day be principally spent in Praises and Thanksgiving for the Direct 6. work of our Redemption and the benefits thereof This day is separated by God himself to this holy work And if you spend it ordinarily in other Religious duties that subserve not this you spend it not as God requireth you The thankful and praiseful Commemoration of the work of mans Redemption is the special work of the day And the celebrating of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ which is therefore called the Eucharist was part of these laudatory exercises and used every Lords Day by the Primitive Church It is not only a holy day separated to Gods Worship in general but to this Eucharistical Worship in special above the rest as a day of Praises and Thanksgiving unto God And thus all Christians ordinarily should use it § 28. Direct 7. Let your holy conferâ—â—ce with others be much about the glorious Excellencies Direct 7. Works and Mercies of the Lord in way â—f praise and admiration This is indeed to speak to Edification and as the Oracles of God Eph. 4. 29. that God in all things may be glorified 1 Pet. 4. 11. Psal. 29. 9. In his Temple doth every one speak of his glory Psal. 35. 28. My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praises all the day long Psal. 145. 6 11 21. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts They shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power to make known to the Sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdom My mouth shall speak of the praises of the Lord and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever Psal. 105. 2 3. Talk ye of all his wondrous works glory ye in his holy name § 29. Direct 8. Speak not of God in a light unreverent or common sort as if you talkt of common Direct 8. things but with all possible seriousness gravity and reverence as if you saw the Majesty of the Lord. A common and a holy manner of speech are contrary That only is holy which is separated to God from common use You speak prophanely in the manner how holy soever the matter be when you speak of God with that careless levity as you use to speak of common things Such speaking of God is dishonourable to him and hurts the hearers more than silence by breeding in them a contempt of God and teaching them to imitate you in sleight conceits and speech of the Almighty Whereas one that speaketh reverently of God as in his presence doth ofttimes more affect the hearers with a reverence of his Majesty with a few words than unreverent Preachers with the most accurate Sermons delivered in a common or affected strain When ever you speak of God let the hearers perceive that your hearts are possessed with his Fear and Love and that you put more difference between God and man than between a King and the smallest Worm so when you talk of death or judgement of Heaven or Hell of holiness or sin or any thing that nearly relates to God do it with that gravity and seriousness as the matter doth require § 30. Direct 9. Speak not so unskilfully and foolishly of God or holy things as may 〈…〉 pt the hearers Direct 9. to turn it into a matter of scorn or laughter Especially understand how your p 〈…〉 are suited to the company that you are in Among those that are more ignorant some weak discourses may be tolerable and profitable For they are most affected with that which is delivered in their own Dialect and Mode but among judicious or captious hearers unskilful persons must be very sparing of their words lest they do hurt while they desire to do good and make Religion sâ—em ridiculous We may rejoyce in the scorns which we undergo for Christ and which are bent against his holy Laws or the substance of our duty But if men are jeered for speaking ridiculously and foolishly of holy things they have little reason to take comfort in any thing of that but their honest meanings and intents Nay they must be humbled for being a dishonour to the name of godliness
your souls undone if impious slothfulness be predominant Prov. 15. 19. The way of the slothful man is as a hedge of thorns but the way of the righteous is made plain You seem still to go through so many difficulties that you will never make a successful journey of it Yea when he is in duty the slothful is still losing Time He prayeth as if he prayed not and laboureth as if he laboured not as if the fruit of holiness past away as hastily as worldly pleasures He is as slow as a Snail and rids so little ground and doth so little work and so poorly resisteth opposition that he makes little of it and all is but next to sitting still and doing nothing It is a sad thing that men should not only lose their time in sinful pleasures but they must lose it also in reading and hearing and praying by doing all in a heartless drowsiness Thus he also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster Prov. 18. 9. If he begin in the Spirit and for a Spurt seem to be in earnest he flags and tireth and endeth in the flâ—sh Proverbs 12. 27. The slothful rosteth not that which he took in hunting but the subâ—tance of a diligent man is precious If he see and confess a vice he hath not a heart to rise against it and resolutely resist it and use the means by which it must be overcome Prov. 24. 30 31 32 33 34. I went by the field of the slothful and by the Vineyard of the man void of understanding and â—o it was all grown over with Thorns and Nettles had covered the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken down Then I saw and considered it well I looked upon it and received instruction Yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth and thy want as an armed man Shake off then this unmanly sluggishness Remember that you run for the immortal Crown and therefore see that you lose no time and look not at the things that are behind that is do not cast an eye or lend an ear Phâ—â— â— 11 12 13 14 15. to any person or thing that would call you back or stop you Heaven is before you Judg. 18. 9. We have seen the Land and behold it is very good and are ye still be not slothful to go and to enter and possess the Land as the five Danite Spies said to their brethren Abhor a sluggish habit of mind Go cheerfully about what you have to do and do it diligently and with your might Even about your lawful worldly business it is a Time-wasting sin to be slothful If you are servants or labourers you rob your Masters and those that hire you who hired you to work and not to be idle Whatever you are you rob God of your service and your selves of your precious Time and all that you might get therein It 's they that are lazie in their Callings that can find no Time for holy duties Ply your business the rest of the day and you may the better redeem some time for prayer and reading Scripture Work hard on the Week dayes and you may the better spend the Lords day entirely for your souls Idle persons servants or others do cast themselves behind hand in their work and then say they have no time to pray or read the Scripture Sloth robbeth multitudes of a great part of their lives Prov. 19. 15. Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep and an idle soul shall suffer hunger You cannot say No man hath hired you when you are askt Why stand you idle Matth 20. 3 6. See how sharply Paul reproveth idleness 2 Thess. 3. determining that they that will not work should not eat and that they be avoided as unfit for Christian society And 1 Tim. 5. 13. he sharply rebuketh some Women that learn to be idle wandring about from house to house And Rom. 12. 11. Not slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord. A painful diligent person is still redeeming time while he doth that which is good and a slothful person is alwayes losing it § 51. Th. 2. The second Thief or Time-waster is Excess of sleep Necessity cureth most of the Thief 2. poor of this but many of the rich are guilty of it If you ask me What is excess I answer All that is more than is needful to our health and business So much as is necessary to these I reprehend not And therefore the infirm may take more than the healthful and the old more than the young And those that find that an hours sleep more will not hinder them but further them in their work so that they shall do the more and not the less as being unfit without it may use it as a means to the after improvement of their Time But when sluggish persons spend hours in bed which neither their health nor labours need meerly out of a swinish love of sleep yea when they will have no work to do or Calling to employ them but what shall give place to their sleepy disease and think they may sleep longer than is necessary because they are rich and can afford it and have no necessary business to call them up these think they may consume their pretious time and sin more and wrong their souls more because God hath given them more than others As if their servant should plead that he may sleep more than others because he hath more wages than others O did these drowsie wretches know what work they have to do for God and their poor souls and those about them it would quickly awake them and make them stir Did they but know how earnestly they will shortly wish that they had all those hours to spend again they would spend them better now than in drowziness Did they but know what a woful account it will be when they must be answerable for all their time to say we spent so many hours every week or morning in excess of sleep They would be rowsed from their Stie and find some better use for their time which will be sweeter in the review when Time is ended and must be no more § 52. Th. 3. The next Thief or Time-waster is inordinate adorning of the body The poor may Thief 3. thank God that they are free also from the temptations to this and can quickly dress them and go about their business But many Ladies and Gallants are so guilty of this Vice that I wonder conscience Nosti mores mulierum Dum moliÌ„un tur dum comuntur annus est Tâ—reat is so patient with them O poor neglected undrest souls O filthy consciences never cleansed from your pollutions by the Spirit or blood of Christ Have you not better use for precious hours than to be washing and pinning and dressing and curling and spotting and powdering till ten or eleven
well as he because he will not speak to call them You see by daily experience that a mans Thoughts are much in the power of his will and made to obey it If money and honour or the delight of knowing can cause a wicked Preacher to command his own thoughts on good things as aforesaid you may command yours to the same things if you will but as resolutely exercise your authority over them § 4. Direct 4. Use not your Thoughts to take their liberty and be ungovered For use will make them Direct 4. â—ead-strong and not regard the voice of Reason and it will make Reason careless and remiss Use and custome hath great power on our minds where we use to go our path is plain but where there is no use there is no way Where the water useth to run there is a chanel It s hard ruling those that are used to be unruly If use will do so much with the tongue as we find in some that use to curse and swear and speak vainly and in others that use to speak soberly and religiously in some that by use can speak well in conference preaching or praying many hours together when others that use it not can do almost nothing that way why may it not much prevail with the thoughts § 5. Direct 5. Take heed lest the senses and appetite grow too strong and master Reason for if they Direct 5. do they will at once dispâ—ssess it of the government of the thoughts and will bruiâ—ishly usurp the power themselves As when a rebellious army deposeth a King they do not only cast off the yoak of subjection themselves but dissolve the Government as to all other subjects and usually usurpe it themselves and make themselves Governors If once you be servants to your fleshly appetites and sense your Thoughts will have other work to do and another way to go when you call them to holy and necessary things Especially when the entising objects are at hand You may as well expect a clod to ascend like fire or a swine to delight in temperance as a glutton or drunkard or fornicator to delight in holy contemplation Reason and Flesh cannot both be the Governors § 6. Direct 6. Keep under passions that they depose not Reason from the Government of your thoughts Direct 6. I told you before how they cause evil thoughts and as much will they hinder good Four passions are especial enemies to meditation 1. Anger 2. Perplexing Grief 3. Disturbing Fear 4. But above all excess of Pleasure in any worldly fleshly thing Who can think that the mind is fit for holy contemplation when it flames with wrath or is distracted with grief and care or trembleth with fear or is drunk with pleasure Grief and fear are the most harmless of the four yet all hinder Reason from governing the thoughts § 7. Direct 7. Evil habits are another great hindrance of Reasons command over our thoughts Labor Direct 7. therefore diligently for the cure of this disease Though Habits do not necessitate they strongly encline And when every good thought must go against a strong and constant inclination it will weary Reason to drive on the soul and you can expect but small success § 8. Direct 8. Urgent and oppressing busyness doth almost necessitate the thoughts Therefore avoid Direct 8. as much as you can such urgencies when you would be free for meditation Let your thoughts have as little diverting matter as may be at those times when you would have them entire and free for God § 9. Direct 9. Crowds and ill company are no friends to meditation Choose therefore the quietness Direct 9. of solitude when you would do much in this As it is ill studying in a croud and unseasonable before a multitude to be at secret prayer except some short ejaculations so is it as unmeet a season for holy meditation The mind that is fixedly employed with God or about things spiritual had need of all possible freedom and peace to retire into it self and abstract it self from alien things and seriously intend its greater work § 10. Direct 10. Above all take heed of sinful Interests and designs for these are the garison of Satan Direct 10. and must be battered down before any holy cogitations can take place He that is set upon a design of rising or of growing rich hath something else to do than to entertain those sober thoughts of things eternal which are destructive of his carnal design § 11. Direct 11. The impediments of Reasons authority being thus removed distinguish between your Direct 11. occasional and your stated ordinary course of thoughts And as your hands have their ordinary stated course of labour and every day hath its employment which you fore-expect so let your Thoughts know where is their proper chanel and their every daies work and let holy prudence appoint out proportionable time and service for them What a life will that man live that hath no known course of labour but only such as accidentally he is called to His work must needs be uncertain various unprofitable and uncomfortable and next to none And he that hath not a stated course of employment for his thoughts will have them do him little service Consider first how much of the day is usually to be spent in common busyness And then consider whether it be such as taketh up your thoughts as well as your hands or such as leaveth your thoughts at liberty as a Lawyer a Physicion a Merchant and most Tradsemen must employ their Thoughts to the well-doing of their work And these must be the more desirous of a seasonable vacant hour for meditation because their thoughts must be otherwise employed all the rest of the day But a Weaver a Taylor and some other Tradsemen and day-labourers may do their work well and yet have their thoughts free for better things a great part of the day These must contrive an ordinary way of employment for their thoughts when their work doth not require them and they need no other time for meditation The rest must entertain some short occasional meditations intermixt with their busyness but they cannot then have time for more solemn meditation which differeth from the other as a set prayer from a short ejaculation or a Sermon from an occasional short discourse They that have more time for their thoughts must before-hand prudently consider how much time it is best to spend in meditation for the increase of Knowledge and how much for the exercise of holy affections and on what subject and in what order and so to know their ordinary work § 12. Direct 12. Lay your selves under the urgencie of necessity and the power of those motives which Direct 12. should most effectually engage your thoughts In the foresaid instance what is it that makes a wicked preacher that he can study Divine things orderly from year to year but that he is still under the
commandeth them Acts 20. Epist. Tim. § 7. 3. The work of a Magistrate a Lawyer a Physicion and such like is principally in doing Rule 3. good in their several Callings which must not be neglected for contemplation Yet so that all these and all others must allow Gods service and holy thoughts their due place in the beginning and middle and end of all their actions As Magistrates must read and meditate day and night in the Word of God Iosh. 1. 8 10. So the Eunuch Cornâ—lius c. Acts 8. 10. § 8. 4. Some persons in the same Calling whose Callings are not so urgent on them by any necessities Rule 4. of themselves or others and who may have more vacant time must gladly take it for the good of their souls in the use of contemplation and other holy duties And others that are under greater necessities urgencies obligations or cannot be spared from the service of others as Physicions Lawyers c. must be less in contemplation and prefer the greatest good § 9. 5. Publick necessities or service may with some be so great as to dispense with all secret duty Rule 5. both of prayer and contemplation except short mental ejaculations for some dayes together So in Wars it oft falls out that necessity forbiddeth all set or solemn holy service for many dayes together even on the Lords Day So a Physicion may sometime be tyed to so close attendance on his Patients as will not allow him time for a set prayer so sometime a Preacher may be so taken up in preaching and exhorting and resolving peoples weighty doubts that they shall scarce have time for secret duties for some dayes together Though such happy impediments are rare In these cases to do the lesser is a sin when the greater is neglected § 10. 6. Servants who are not Masters of their time must be faithful in employing it to their Rule 6. Masters service and take none for holy duty from that part which they should work in but rather from their rest so far as they are able intermixing Meditations with their labours when they can But redeeming such time as is allowed them the more diligently because their opportunities are so rare and short § 11. 7. The Lords day excepting works of necessity and such vacancies as hinder not other Rule 7. work as when they travel on the way or work or wake in the night c. are every mans own time which he is not to alienate to anothers service but to reserve and use for the service of God and for his soul in holy duties § 12. 8. Some persons â—â—nnot bear much contemplation especially Melancholy and weak-headed Rule 8. people And such must serve God so much the more in other duties which they are able for and must not tire out and distract themselves with striving to do that which they are not able to undergo But others feel no inconvenience by it at all as I can speak by my own experience my weakness and decay of Spirits inclining me most to a dulness of mind I find that the most exciting serious studies and contemplations in the greatest solitude are so far from hurting me by any abatement of health or hilarity or serenity of mind that they seem rather a help to all Those that can thus bear long solitude and contemplation ought to be the more exercised in it except when greater duties must take place But to melancholy persons it is to be avoided as a hurt § 13. 9. To the same persons sometimes their own necessities require contemplation most and Rule 9. sometime action and so that which is at one time a duty may at another time be none § 14. 10. A meer sinful backwardness is not to be indulged A diseased disability such as Rule 10. comes from melancholy weak-headedness or decay of memory must be endured and not too much accused when Christ excused worse in his Disciples saying The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak But a sinful backwardness in cases of absolute necessity is not at all to be endured but striven against with all your power what ever it cost you As to bring your selves to so much serious Consideration as is necessary to your Repentance and unfeigned faith and godly conversation this must be done whatever follow Though the Devil perswade you that it will make you melancholy or mad For without it you are far worse than mad § 15. 11. The most desirable life to those that have their choice is that which joyneth together Rule 11. Contemplation and Action so as there shall be convenient leisure for the most high and serious Contemplation and this improved to fit us for the most great and profitable Action And such is the life of a faithful Minister of Christ And therefore no sort of men on earth are more obliged to thankfulness than they § 16. 12. Servants and poor men and diseased men and others that are called off from much Rule 12. contemplation and employed in a life of obedient Action yea or suffering by the providence of God ☜ and not by their own sinful choice must understand that their Labour and Patience is the way of their acceptable attendance upon God in the expense of most part of their time And though it is madness in those that hope God will accept of their Labours instead of true Faith and Repentance and a godly life for these must go together and hinder not each other yet instead of such further contemplations as are not necessary to the being of a godly life a true Christian may believe that his obedient labours and sufferings shall be accepted If you set one servant to cast up an account and another to sweep your Chimney or Chanells you will not accept the former and reject the latter for the difference of their works But you will rather think that he hath most merited your acceptance who yielded without grudging to the basest service And doubtless it is an aggravation of acceptable obedience when we readily and willingly serve God in the lowest meanest work He is too fine to serve him who saith I will serve thee in the Magistracy or Ministry but not at Petrarch speaking of his intimacy and esteem with Kings and Princes addeth Multos tamen eorum quos valde amabam effugi tantus mihi fuit insitus amor liberta t is ut cujus vel nomen ipsum libertati vel illi esse contrarium videretur â—mni sâ—udio declinarâ—m In vita sua Plow or Cart or any such drâ—dgery And if thou be but in Gods way he can make thy very obedience a state of greater holiness and safety than if thou hadst spent all that time in the study of holy things as you see many ungodly Ministers do all their life time and are never the better for it It is not the quality of the work but Gods blessing that makes it do you
that some have but little temptation to in comparison of others and some have need of a great deal of care and resolution to escape it 1. Those are most subject to this sin who have a flegmatick constitution or dulness of spirits or other bodily indisposition to cherish it Such therefore should strive the more against it and not give way to any sloth which they are able to resist Though their bodies are like a dull or tired Horse they must use the rod and spur the more Such heavy persons are more given also to sleep than others are and yet they may resist it and rise early if they will though they have a greater sluggishness than others to overcome So though they are more undisposed to labour than more active persons are yet if they will do their best they may go as far as their strength of body will enable them And this they should the rather strive to do unless they have a disease that labour is hurtful to because that custome doth much to the encreasing or decreasing their bodily undispofedness Plaâ—â—nâ—m traduâ—t cum â—â—disset quâ—ndam aâ—eis ludentâ—m increpasse cum ille Quam me in parvis reprehendis diceret respodisse At est consuetudo non parva res â—aert in Pâ—at and labour is the most effectual means to cure them of that fleshly heaviness which unfitteth them for their labour § 27. 2 Those that have been unhappily bred up in Idleness have great cause to Repent of their sinful life that 's past and to be doubly diligent to Overcome this sin If their Parents have so far been their enemies they should not continue enemies to themselves Though usually the Children of the Rich and Proud have this for their peculiar original sin and are very unhappy in their Parentage and Education in comparison of the Children of wise and humble and industrious Parents yet their own understanding and willingness by the help of grace may overcome it If your Parents had trained you up to live by siâ—aling could not you leave it if you will when you come to know that God forbiddeth it so though they have bred you up in idleness and done their part to undo you both in soul and body to make your souls a sty for sin and your bodies a skinful of diseases yet if you will do your part you may be recovered at least as to your souls and custome may conquer the fruits of custome You cannot do worse than to go on and spend the rest of your life in sin If Caâ—imathus in Attila reporteth that when certain Players came before Attila to shew â—he agility of their Bodies in their Exercises he was offâ—nded to see such able active bodies no better imployed and commanded them to be exercised in shooting and other military acts which â—when they could not do be commanded that they should have no meat but what they got by hunting at a great distance and so exercised them till they became excellent Soldiers p. 353. you had been still-born or murdered in your Infancy it had been no sin for you to have lain idle in the common Earth But to teach a living soul to be idle and to train up the living to a Conformity to the dead save only that they eat and spend and sin and carry their Ornaments on their backs when the dead have theirs for a standing Monument this was great cruelty and treachery in your Parents But you must not therefore be as cruel and treacherous against your selves § 28. 3. Those that abound in wealth and have no need to labour for any bodily provisions should be specially watchful against this sin Necessity is a constant spurr to the poor except those that live upon begging who are the second rank of Idle persons in the Land But the Rich and Proud are under a continual temptation to live idly For they need not to rise early to labour for their bread They need not work hard for Food or Rayment They have not the cryes of their hungry Children to rowze them up They have plenty for themselves and family without labour and therefore they think they may take their case But it is a sad case with poor souls when the Commands of God do go for nothing with them or cannot do as much to make them diligent as poverty or want could do And when Gods Service seemeth to them unworthy of their labour in comparison of their own It may be God may bring you unto a necessity of labouring for your daily bread if you so ill requiâ—e him for your plenty But it 's better that your idleness were cured by grace than by necessity For when you labour only for your own supplies your own supplies are your reward But when you labour in true obedience to God it 's God that will reward you Col. 3. 23 24. I do with very much love and honour think of the industrious lives of some Lords and Ladies that I know who hate idleness and vanity and spend their time in diligent labours suitable to their places But it is matter of very great shame and sorrow to think and speak of the lives of too great a number of our gallants To how little purpose they live in the World If they take a true account of their lives as God will make Ni sis bonus aleator probus chartarius scortator improbus potator strenuus prosusor audaâ— decoctor conslator aeris alieni deinde scabie ornatus Galliâ—a vix quisquam te credet Equitem Erasm. Colloq pag. 483. See more of this Ch. 5. and read Luk. 16. and Jam. 5. them wish they had done when he calls them to account how many hours think you will be found to have been spent in any honest labour or diligent work that is worthy of a Christian or a member of the Common-wealth in comparison of all the rest of their time which is spent in bed in dressing in ornaments in idle talk in playing in eating in idle wanderings and visits and in doing nothing or much worse How much of the day doth idleness consume in comparison of any profitable work O that God would make such know in time how dreadful a thing it is thus to imitate Sodom that was punished with the vengeance of eternal fire Ezek. 16. 49. Jud. 7. instead of imitating Christ. As for idle beggars they read not Books and therefore I shall not write for them They are in this more happy than the idle Gentry that the Law compelleth them to work and leaveth them not to themselves § 29. 4. Those persons that live in idle company have special cause to fear this sin For such will entangle you in idleness and greatly hinder you from conscionable diligence § 30. 5. Those Servants that live in great mens houses and are kept more for pomp and state than service having little to do should specially take heed of the sin of idleness Many such take it for
read Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts to keep this Law And the command of Authority is not a contemptible obligation § 7. 6. It is granted by all that more than this is due to God and the life that is in every Christian telleth him that it is a very great mercy to us not only to servants but even to all men that one day in seven they may disburden themselves of all the cares and business of the world which may hinder their holy communion with God and one another and wholly apply themselves to learn the will of God And nature teacheth us to accept of mercy when it is offered to us and not dispute against our happiness § 8. 7. Common experience telleth us that where the Lords Day is more holily and carefully observed Knowledge and Religion prosper best and that more souls are converted on those dayes than on all the other dayes besides and that the people are accordingly more edified And that where ever the Lords Day is ordinarily neglected or mispent Religion and Civility decay and there is a visible lamentable difference between those places and families and the other § 9. 8. Reason and experience telleth us that if men werâ— leâ—t to themselves what Time they should appoint for Gods publick Worship in most plâ—â—es it would be so little and disordered and uncertain that Religion would be for the most part banished out of the now Christian world Therefore there being need of an Universal Law for it it is probable that such a Law there is And if so it can be by none but God the Creator Redeemer and Holy Ghost there being no other Universal Governour and Law-giver to impose it § 10. 9. All must confess that it is more desirable for Unity and Concord sake that all Christians hold their holy Assemblies on one and the same day and that all at once through all the world do worship God and seek his Grace than that they do it some on one day and some on another § 11. 10. And all that ever I have conversed with confess that if the holy spending of the Lords Day be not necessary it is lawful and therefore when there is so much to be said for the Necessity of it too to keep it holy is the safest way Seeing this cannot be a sin but the contrary may And Licâ—nce is encouragement enough to accept so great a mercy All this set together will satisfie a man that hath any spiritual sense of the concernments of his own and others souls § 12. Object But you will say That besides the name it is yet a controversie whether the whole day Object should be spâ—nt in holy exercises or only so much as is meet for publick communion it being not found in antiquiâ—y that the Churches used any further to observe it Answ. No sober man denyeth that works of necessity for the preservation of our own or other mens Answ. lives or health or goods may be done on the Lords Day so that when we say that the whole day is to be spent holily we exclude not eating and sleeping nor the necessary actions about Worship as the Priesâ—s in the Temple are said to break the Sabbath that is the external rest and to be blameless But otherwise that it is the whole day is evident in the Arguments produced The antient Histories and Canons of the Church speak not of one part of the day only but the whole All confess that when Labour or sinful sports are forbidden it is on the whole day and not only on a part And for what is alledged of the custome of the antient Church I answer 1. The antienâ—est Churches spent almost all the day in publick Worship and Communion They begun in the morning and continued without parting till the evening The first part of the day being spent in teaching the Catechumens they were then dismissed and the Church continued together in preaching and praying but especially in those laudatory Eucharistical Offices which accompany the celebration of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. They did not then as Gluttons do now account it fasting to forbear a dinner when they supped yea feasted at night It being not usual among the Romans to eat any dinners at all And they that spent all the day together in publick Worship and Communion you may be sure spent noâ— part of it in Dancing nor Stage-playes nor worldly businesses 2. And Church History giveth us but little account what particular persons did in private nor can it be expected 3. Who hath brought us any proof that ever the Church approved of spending any part of the day in sports or idleness or unnecessary worldly business Or that any Churches or persons regardable did actually so spend it 4. Unless their proof be from those many Canons of our own and other Churches that command the holy observation of it and forbid these playes and labours on it which I confess doth intimate that some there were that needed Laws to restrain them from the violation of it 5. Again I say that seeing few men will have the faces to say that playes and games or idleness are a duty on that day it will suffice a holy thankful Christian if he have but leave to spend all the day for the good of his soul and those about him and if he may be reading and meditating on the Word of God and praying and praising him and instructing his family while others waste that time in vanity especially to servants and poor men that have but little other leisure all the year to seek for knowledge or use any such helps for their salvation As to a poor man that is kept hungry all the Week a bare liberty of feasting with his Landlord on the Lords day would satisfie him without a Law to constrain him to it so is it here with a hungry soul. § 2. Direct 2. Remember that the work of the day â—â— in general to keep up knowledge and Religion Direct 2. in the world and to own and honour our Creater Redeemer and Regenerater openly before all and to have communion with God through Christ in the Spirit by Receiving and Exercising his Grace in order to our Communion with him in Glory Let these therefore well understood â—e your Ends and in these be you exercised all the day and stick not hypocritically in bodily rest and outward duties Remember that it is a day for heart-heart-work as well as for the exercise of the tongue and ear and knees and that your principal business is with Heaven Follow your hearts therefore all the day and see that they be not idle while your bodies are exercised Nothing is done if the Heart do nothing § 3. Direct 3. Remember that the special work of the day is to celebrate the memorial of Christs Direct 3. Resurrection and of the whole work of mans Redemption by him Labour therefore with all diligence
way but the scandal which is spoken against in Scripture is the laying a Temptation before men that are weak to make them sin 9. Take heed of that hypocritical and câ—nsorious temper which turneth the holy observation of the day into a Ceremonious abstinence from lawful things and censureth those as ungodly that are not of the same mind and forbear not such things as well as they Mark the difference between Christ and the Pharisees in this point Much of their contention with him was about the outward observation of the Sabbath because his disciples rubbed out Corn to eat on the Sabbath day and because he healed on the Sabbath and bid the healed man Take up his bed and walk And they said There are six dayes in which men ought to work they might come and be healed on them Luk 6. 1 5 6. 13. 12 14 15 16. Ioh. 5. 17 18. Mark 1. 21 24. 2. 23 24 25 26 27 28. 3. 2 3 5. 6. 2 5. Luk. 14. 1 3 5 6. Ioh. 5. 9 10 16. 7. 22 23 24. 9. 14 16. And a man that is of their spirit will think that the Pharisees were in the right No doubt Christ might have chosen another day to heal on But he knew that the works which most declared the power of God and honoured him before all and confirmed the Gospel were fittest for the Sabbath day Take heed therefore of the Pharisees Ceremoniousness and Censoriousness If you see a man walking abroad on the Lords day censure him not till you know that he doth it from prophaneness or negligence You know not but it may be necessary to his health and he may improve it in holy meditation If you hear some speak a word more than you think needful of common things or do more about meat and cloathing than you think meet censure them not till you hear their reason A scrupulousness about such outward observances when the holy duties of the day are no whit hindred by that thing and a censoriousness towards those that are not as scrupulous is too Pharisaical and Ceremonious a Religion for spiritual charitable Christians And the extreams of some Godly people in this kind have occasioned the Quakers and Seekers to take and use all daies alike and the prophane to contemn the sanctifying of the Lords day Tit. 2. More particular Directions for the order of holy duties § 1. Direct 1. REmember the Lords day before it cometh and prepare for it and prevent those Direct 1. disturbances that would hinder you and deprive you of the benefit For Preparation 1. Six daies you must labour and do all that you have to do Dispatch all your business that you may not have it then to hinder and disturb you And see that your Servants do the same 2. Shake off the thoughts of worldly things and clear your minds of worldly delights and cares 3. Call to mind the doctrine taught you the last Lords day and if you have servants cause them to remember it that you may be prepared to receive the next 4 Go seasonably to bed that you and your servants may not be constrained to lye long the next morning or be sleepy on the Lords day 5. Let your meditations be preparatory for the day Repent of the sins of the week past as particularly and seriously as you can and seek for pardon and peace through Christ that you come not with guilt or trouble upon your Consciences before the Lord. § 2. Direct 2. Let your first thoughts be not only Holy but suitable to the occasions of the day Direct 2. With gladness remember what a day of mercies you awake to and how early your Redeemer rose from the dead that day and what excellent work you are to be employed in § 3. Direct 3. Rise full as early that day as you do on other daies Be not like the carnal generation Direct 3. that sanctifie the Lords day but as a Swine doth by sleeping and idleness and fulness Think not your worldly business more worthy of your early rising than your spiritual imployment is § 4. Direct 4. Let your dressing time be spent in some fruitful meditation or conference Direct 4. or hearing some one read a Chapter And let it not be long to detain you from your duty § 5. Direct 5. If you can have leisure go first to secret prayer And if you are servants Direct 5. or have any necessary business to do dispatch it quickly that you may be free for better work § 6. Direct 6. Let Family-worship come next and not be slubbered over sleightly but be serious Direct 6. and reverent and suit all to the nature or end of the day Especially awaken your selves and servants to consider what you have to do in publick and to go with prepared sanctified hearts § 7. Direct 7. Enter the holy Assembly with reverence and joy and compose your selves as those Direct 7. that come thither to treat with the living God about the matters of Eternal life And watch your hearts that they wander not nor sleep not nor sleight the sacred matters which you are about And guard your eyes that they carry not away your hearts And let not your hearts be a moment idle but seriously employed all the Time And when hypocrites and distempered Christians are quarrelling with the imperfections of the speaker or congregation or mode of Worship do you rather make it your diligent endeavour to watch your hearts and improve what you hear § 8. Direct 8. As soon as you come home while dinner is preparing it will be a seasonable Direct 8. time either for secret prayer or meditation to call over what you heard and urge it on your hearts and beg Gods help for the improvement of it and pardon for your publick failings § 9. Direct 9. Let your time at meat be spent in the chearful remembrance or mention of the Direct 9. Love of your Redeemer or somewhat suitable to the company and the day § 10. Direct 10. After dinner call your families together and sing a Psalm of Praise and Direct 10. by examination or repetition or both cause them to remember what was publickly taught them § 11. Direct 11. Then go again to the Congregation to the beginning and behave your Direct 11. selves as before § 12. Direct 12. When you come home call your families together and first crave Gods assistance Direct 12. and acceptance and then sing a Psalm of Praise and then repeat the Sermon which â—â—u heard or if there was none read one out of some lively profitable book and then Pray and Praise God and all with the holy seriousness and joy which is suitable to the work and day § 13. Direct 13. Then while Supper is preparing betake your selves to secret prayer and meditation Direct 13. â—either in your Chambers or walking as you find most profitable And let your Servants have no
7. 26. 13. Mat. 23. 14. Mar. 1â— 40. Exod. 6. 30. Deuâ— 7. 12. 11. 13. 13. 18. 15. 5. 26. 17. 28. 1. Psal. 81. 8 9 10 11 12. of promoting unity and obedience and the Catholick Church while the Cloak or Cover of it is but the thin transparent Spider-web of humane Traditions and numerous Ceremonies and childish complementing with Goâ— And when they have nothing but the prayers of a long Liturgie to cover the effects of their earthly sensual and diabolical zeal and wisdom as St. Iames calls it 3. 15 16. and to concâ—ct the Widdows houses which they devour and to put a reverence upon the office and work which they labour all the week to render reproachful by a sensual luxurious idle life and by perfidious making merchandize of souls As ever you care what becometh of your souls take heed lest sin grow bold under Prayers and grow familiar and contemptuous of Sermons and holy speeches and lest you keep a custome of Religious exercises and wilful sins For oh how doth this harden now and wound hereafter He is the best hearer that is the holiest liver and faithfullest obeyer Direct 14. Be not a bare hearer of the Prayers of the Pastor whether it be by a Liturgie or Direct 14. without For that is but hypocrisie and a sin of omission You come not thither only to hear prayers but to pray And kneeling is not praying but it is a profession that you pray And will you be prayerless even in the house of Prayer and when you profess and seem to pray and so add hypocrisie to impiety I fear many that seem Religious and would have those kept from the Sacrament that Pray not in their Families do very ordinarily tolerate themselves in this gross omission and mocking of God and are Prayerless themselves even when they seem to Pray Direct 15. Stir up your hearts in a special manner to the greatest alacrity and joy in speaking Direct 15. and singing the Praises of God The Lords day is a day of Joy and Thanksgiving and the Praises of God are the highest and holyest employment upon Earth And if ever you should do any thing with all your might and with a joyful and triumphing frame of soul it is this Be glad that you may joyn with the Sacred Assemblies in heart and voice in so Heavenly a work And do not as some humersome pievish persons that know not the danger of that proud disease fall to quarreling with Davids Psalms as unsuitable to some of the hearers or to nauseate every failing in the Metâ—â— so as to turn so holy a duty into neglect or scorn for alas such there are near me where I dwell nor let prejudice against melody or Church-musick if you dwell where it is used possess you with a spleneâ—ick disgust of that which should be your most joyful work And if you know how much the incorporate soul must make use of the body in harmony and in the joyful praises of Iehovah do not then quarrel with lawful helps because they are sensible and corporeal Direct 16. Be very considerate and serious in Sacramental renewings of your Covenant with God Direct 16. O think what great things you come thither to Receive And think what a holy work you have to See Mâ— Rawlâ—â—s Book of Sacramental Covenanting do And think what a Life it is that you must promise So solemn a Covenanting with God and of so great importance requireth a most holy reverent and serious frame of soul. But yet let not the unwarrantable differencing this Ordinance from Gods praises and the rest seduce you into the common errours of the times I mean 1. Of those that hence are brought to think that the Sacrament should never be received without a preparatory day of humiliation above the preparation for an ordinary Lords days work 2. And therefore receive it seldom whereas the primitive Churches never spent a Lords day together without it 3. Those that turn it into a perplexing terrifying thing for fear of being unprepared when it should be their greatest comfort and when they are not so perplexed about their unpreparâ—dness to any other duty 4. Those that make so great a difference betwixt this and Church-prayers praises and other Church-woâ—ship as that they take this Sacrament only for the proper work and priviledge of Church-members And thereupon turn it into an occasion of our great contentions and divisions while they fly from Sacramental Communion with others more than from Communion in the other Church-worship O what hath our subtle enemy done against the Love Peace and Unity of Christians especially in England under pretence of Sacramental purity Direct 17. Perform all your Worship to God as in heart-Communion with all Christs Churches Direct 17. upon Earth Even those that are faulty though not with their faults Though you can be present but with one yâ—â— consent as present in spirit with all and separate not in heart from any one any further than they separate from Christ. Direct 18. Accordingly let the Interest of the Church of Christ be very much upon your heart Direct 18. and pray as hard for it as for your self Direct 19. Yâ—â— remember in all what Relation you have to the Heavenly Society and Chore and Direct 19. think how they Worship God in Heaven that you may strive to imitate than in your degree Of which more anâ—n Direct 20. Let your whole course of life after savour of a Church-frame Live as the servants of Direct 20. that God whâ—m you Worship and as ever before him Live in the Love of those Christians with whom you have Communion and do not quarrel with them at home nor despise nor persecute them with whom you joyn in the Worshipping of God And do not needlesly open the weaknesses of the Minister to prejudice others against him and the Worship And be not Religious at the Church alone for then you are not truly Religious at all CHAP. X. Directions about our Communion with Holy Souls Departed and now with Christ. THE oversight and neglect of our duty concerning the souls of the blessed now with Christ I have said more of â—his since in my â—â—â—â—e of Faith doth very much harden the Papists in their erroneous excesses here about And if we will ever reduce them or rightly confute them it must be by a judicious asserting of the Truth and observing so much with them as is our duty and commending that in them which is to be commended and not by running away from truth and duty that we may get for enough from them and errour For errour is an ill way of confuting errour The practical Truth lyeth in these following Precepts § 1. Direct 1. Remember that the departed souls in Heaven are part and the noblest part of the Body Direct 1. of Christ and family of God of which you are inferiour members and therefore that you owe
When ever the Spirit of God knocks at thy door thou art so taken up with other company or other business that thou canst not hear or wilt not open to him Many a time he hath been ready to teach thee but thou wast not at leisure to hear and learn Many a time he secretly jog'd thy conscience and checkt thee in thy sin and called thee aside to consider soberly about thy spiritual and everlasting state when the noise of foolish mirth and pleasures or the busles of encumbring cares and business have caused thee to stop thy ears and put him off and refuse the motion And if the abused Spirit of God depart and leave thee to thy beloved mirth and business and to thy self it is but just And then thou wilt never have a serious effectual thought of Heaven perhaps till thou have lost it nor a sober thought of Hell till thou art in it unless it be some despairing or some dull uneffectual thought § 2. O therefore as thou lovest thy soul do not love thy pleasure or business so well as to refuse to treat with the Spirit of God who comes to offer thee greater pleasures and to engage thee in a more important business O lay by all to hear a while what God and conscience have to say to thee They have greater business with thee than any others that thou conversest with They have better offers and motions to make to thee than thou shalt hear from any of thy old companions If the Devil can but take thee up a while with one pleasure one day and another business another day and keep thee from the work that thou camest into the world for till time be gone and thou art slipt unawares into damnation then he hath his desire and hath the end he aimed at and hath won the day and thou art lost for ever § 3. It 's like thou settest some limits to thy folly and purposest to do thus but a little while But when one Pleasure withereth the Devil will provide a fresh one for thee and when one business is over which caused thee to pretend Necessity another and another and another will succeed and thou wilt think thou hast such Necessity still till time is gone and thou see too late how grosly thou wast deceived Resolve therefore that whatever company or pleasure or business would divert thee that thou wilt not be befooled out of thy salvation nor taken off from minding the One thing Necessary If Company plead an interest in thee know of them whether they are better company than the Spirit of God and thy Conscience If Pleasure would detain thee enquire whether it be more pâ—re and durable pleasures than thou maist have in Heaven by hearkening unto grace If business still pretend Necessity enquire whether it be a greater business than to prepare thy soul and thy accounts for judgement and of greater Necessity than thy salvation If not let it not have the precedency If thou be wise do that first that must needs be done and let that stand by that may best be spared What will it profit thee to win all the world and lose thy soul. At least if thou durst say that thy Pleasure and business is better than Heaven yet might they sometime be forborn while thou seriously thinkest of thy salvation Direction 7. IF thou wouldst be converted and saved be not a malicious or pievish enemy to those Direct 7. that would convert and save thee Be not angry with them that tell thee of thy sin or duty as if they did thee wrong or hurt § 1. God worketh by instruments When he will convert a Cornelius a Peter must be sent for and willingly heard When he will recall and save a sinner he hath usually some publick Minister or private friend that shall be a messenger of that searching and convincing truth which is fit to awaken them enlighten them and recover them If God furnish these his instruments with compassion to your souls and willingness to instruct you and you will take them for your enemies and pievishly quarrel with them and contradict them and perhaps reproach them and do them a mischief for their good will what an inhumane barbarous course of ingratitude is this Will you be angry with men for endeavouring to save you from the fire of Hell Do they endeavour to make any gain or advantage by you or only to help your souls to Heaven Indeed if their endeavours did serve any ambitious 1 Pet. 5. 2 3 4. 2 Cor. 10. 4. 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. 2 Cor. 1. 24. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 2 Cor. 3 6. 11. 23. Joel 1. 9 13. 2 Cor 4. 5. Mark 10 44. Matth. 10. 27. â—uke 22. 24 25 26. design of their own to bring the world as the Pope and his Clergy would do under their own jurisdiction you had reason then to suspect their fraud But the truth is Christ hath purposely appointed his greatest Church-Officers to be but Ministers even the servants of all to rule and save men as Volunteers without any coercive Power by the Management of his powerful Word upon their consciences and to beseech and intreat the poorest of the flock as those that are not Lords over Gods heritage nor masters of their faith but their servants in Christ and helpers of their joy that so when ever we deliver our message to them they may see that we exercise not dominion over them and aim at no worldly honours or gain or advantage to our selves but at the meer conversion and saving of their souls whereas if he had allowed us to exercise authority as the Kings of the Gentiles and to be called Gracious Lords and to incumber our selves with the affairs of this life our doctrine would have been rejected by the generality of the world and we should alwayes have come to them on this great disadvantage that they would have thought that we sought not them but theirs and that we preached not for them but for our selves to make a prize of them As the Jesuites when they attempt the conversion of the Indians do still find this their great impediment the Princes and people suppose them to pretend the Gospel but as a means to subjugate them and their Dominions to the Pope because they tell them that they must be all subject to the Pope if they will be saved Now when Christ hath appointed a poor self-denying intreating Ministry against whom you can have none of these pretences to sloop to your feet with the most submissive intreaties that you would but turn to God and live you have no excuse for your own barbarous ingratitude if you will fly in their faces and use them as your enemies and be offended with them for endeavouring to save you You know they can hold their Tythes and Livings by smoothing and cold and general preaching as well as by more faithful dealing if not better You know they can get no worldly advantage by
be improved Keep thus a just account of your Receivings and what Goods of your Masters is put into your hands And make it a principal part of your study to know what every thing in your hand is good for to your Masters use and how it is that he would have you use it § 9. Direct 6. Keep an account of your expences at least of all your most considerable talents and Direct 6. bring your selves daily or frequently to a reckoning what good you have done or endeavoured to do Every day is given you for some good work Keep therefore accounts of every day I mean in your conscience not in papers Every mercy must be used to some good Call your selves therefore to account for every mercy what you have done with it for your Masters vse And think not hours and minutes and little mercies may be past without coming into the account The servant that thinks he may do what his list with Shillings and Pence and that he is only to lay out greater summs for his Masters use and lesser for his own will prove unfaithful and come short in his accounts Less summs than pounds must be in our reckonings § 10. Direct 7. Take special heed that the common Thief your carnal-self either Personal or in your Direct 7. Relations do not rob God of his expected due and devour that which he requireth It is not for nothing that God calleth for the first fruits Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase so shall thy Barns be filled with plenty and thy Presses shall burst forth with new wine Prov. 3. 9 10. So Exod. 23. 16 19. 34. 22 26. Lev. 2. 12 14. Nehem. 10. 35. Ezek. 20. 40. 44. 30. 48. 14. For if carnal self might first be served its devouring greediness would leave God nothing Though he that hath Godliness with contentment hath enough if he have but food and rayment yet there will be but enough for themselves and children where men have many hundreds or thousands a year if once it fall into this Gulf. And indeed as he that begins with God hath the promise of his bountiful supplyes so he whose flesh must first be served doth catch such an hydropick thirst for more that all will but serve it And the Devil contriveth such necessities to these men and such Uses for all they have that they have no more to spare than poorer men and they can allow God no more but the leavings of the flesh and what it can spare which commonly is next to nothing Indeed though Holy uses in particular were satisfied with first fruits and limited parts yet God must have all and the flesh inordinately or finally have none Every penny which is laid out upon your selves and children and friends must be done as by Gods own appointment and to serve and please him Watch narrowly or else this thievish carnal self will leave God nothing § 11. Direct 8. Prefer greater duties caeteris paribus before lesser and labour to understand Direct 8. well which is the greater and to be preferred Not that any real duty is to be neglected But we call that by the name of Duty which is materially good and a duty in its season But formally indeed it is no duty at all when it cannot be done without the omission of a greater As for a Minister to be praying with his family or comforting one afflicted soul when he should be preaching publickly is to do that which is a duty in its season but at that time is his sin It is an unfaithful servant that is doing some little charâ— when he should be saving a Beast from drowning or the house from burning or doing the greater part of his work § 12. Direct 9. Prudence is exceeding necessary in doing good that you may discern good from evil Direct 9. discerning the season and measure and manner and among divers duties which must be preferred Therefore labour much for Wisdom and if you want it your self be sure to make use of theirs that have it and ask their counsel in every great and difficult case Zeal without Iudgement hath not only entangled souls in many heinous sins but hath ruined Churches and Kingdoms and under pretence of exceeding others in doing good it makes men the greatest instruments of evil There is scarce a sin so great and odious but ignorant zeal will make men do it as a good work Christ told his Apostles that those that killed them should think they did God service And Paul bare record to the Sell all and give to the poor and follow mâ— But sell not aâ—l except thou follow me that is Except thou have a vocation in which thou maist do as much good with little means as with great Lord Bacon Essay 13. the murderous persecuting Jews that they had a zeal of God but not according to knowledge Rom. 10. 2. The Papists murders of Christians under the name of Hereticks hath recorded it to the world in the blood of many hundred thousands how ignorant carnal zeal will do good and what Sacrifice it will offer up to God § 13. Direct 10. In doing good prefer the souls of men before the body caeteris paribus To convert Direct 10. a sinner from the error of his way is to save a soul from death and to cover a multitude of sins Jam. 5. 20. And this is greater than to give a man an alms As cruelty to souls is the most heinous cruelty as persecutors and soul-betraying Pastors will one day know to their remediless wo so mercy to souls is the greatest mercy Yet sometime Mercy to the Body is in that season to be preferred For every thing is excellent in its season As if a man be drowning or famishing you must not delay the relief of his body while you are preaching to him for his conversion but first relieve him and then you may in season afterwards instruct him The greatest duty is not alwayes to go first in time Sometimes some lesser work is a necessary preparatory to a greater And sometimes a corporal benefit may tend more to the good of souls than some spiritual work may Therefore I say still that PRUDENCE and an HONEST HEART are instead of many Directions They will not only look at the immediate benefit of a work but to its utmost tendency and remote effects § 14. Direct 11. In doing good prefer the good of many especially of Church or Common-wealth before Direct 11. the good of one or few For many are more worth than one And many will honour God and serve him more than one And therefore both piety and charity requireth it Yet this also must be Absurdum est unum â—aâ—te vivere cum multi â—suriant Quanto enim gloriosâ—uâ— est multis benefacere quam magnifice habitate Quanto prudentius in homines quam in lapides in auâ—um impâ—nsas facere
Clem. Alexand. 2. Poedag 12. understood with a caeteris paribus For its possible some cases of exception may be found Pauls is a high instance that could have wished himself accursed from Christ for the sake of the Jews as judging Gods honour more concerned in all them than in him alone § 15. Direct 12. Prefer a durable good that will extend to posterity before a short and transitory good As to build an Alms-house is a greater work than to give an Alms and to erect a School than to teach a Scholar so to promote the settlement of the Gospel and a faithful Ministry is the greatest of all as tending to the good of many even to their everlasting good This is the preheminence of Good Books before a transient speech that they may be a more durable help and benefit Look before you with a judicious foresight and as you must not do that present Good to a particular person which bringeth greater hurt to many so you must not do that present good to one or many which is like to produce a greater and more lasting hurt Such blind reformers have used the Church as ignorant Physitions use their patients who give them a little present ease and cast them into greater misery and seem to cure them with a dose of opium or the Jesuits powder when they are bringing them into a worse disease than that which they pretend to cure O when shall the poor Church have wiser and foreseeing helpers § 16. Direct 13. Let all that you do for the Churches good be sure to tend to HOLINES and PEACE Direct 13. and do nothing under the name of a good work which hath an enmity to either of these For these are to the Church as Life and Health are to the body and the increase of its wellfare is nothing else but the increase of these What ever they pretend believe none that say they seek the good and wellfare of the Church if they seek not the promoting of Holiness and Peace If they hinder the powerful preaching of the Gospel and the means that tendeth to the saving of souls and the serious spiritual worshiping of God and the unity and peace of all the faithful and if they either divide the faithful into sects and parties or worry all that differ from them and humor them not in their conceits take all these for such benefactors to the Church as the wolf is to the flock and as the plague is to the City or the feavor to the body or the fire in the thatch is to the house The wisdom from above is first PURE then PEACEABLE gentle c. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lie not against the truth this wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work â—am 3. 14 15 16 17 18. § 17. Direct 14. If you will do the good which God accepteth do that which he requireth and put Direct 14. not the name of good works upon your sins nor upon unnecessary things of your own invention nor think not that any Good must be accomplished by forbidden means None know what pleaseth God so well as himself Our waies may be right in our own eyes and carnal wisdom may think it hath devised the fittest means to honour God when he may abominate it and say who required this at your hand And if we will do good by sinning we must do it in despite of God who is engaged against our sins and us Rom. 3. 8. God needeth not our lie to his glory If Papists think to find at the last day their foppish ceremonies and superstition and will-worship their touch not taste not handle not to be reckoned to them as Good works or if Jesuites or Enthusiasts think to find their Perjurie Treasons Rebellions or conspiracies numbred with good works or the persecuting of the Preachers and faithful professors of Godliness to be good works how lamentably will they find their expectations disappointed § 18. Direct 15. Keep in the way of your Place and calling and take not other mens works upon Direct 15. you without a call under any pretense of doing good Magistrates must do good in the place and work of Magistrates and Ministers in the place and work of Ministers and private men in their private place and work and not one man step into anothers place and take his work out of his hand and say I can do it better For if you should do it better the disorder will do more harm than you did good by bettering his work One Iudge must not step into anothers Court and Seat and say I will pass more righteous judgement You must not go into another mans School and say I can teach your Scholars better nor into anothers charge or Pulpit and say I can preach better The servant may not rule the Master because he can do it best no more than you may take another mans Wife or House or Lands or Goods because you can use them better than he Do the Good that you are called to § 19. Direct 16. Where God hath prescribed you some particular Good work or way of service you Direct 16. must prefer that before another which is greater in its self This is explicatory or limiting of Dir. 8. The reason is because God knoweth best what is pleasing to him and Obedience is better than Sacrafice You must not neglect the necessary maintenance of Wife and Children under pretense of doing a work of piety or greater good because God hath prescribed you this order of your duty that you begin at home though not to stop there Another Minister may have a greater or more needy flock but yet you must first do good in your own and not step without a call into his charge If God have called you to serve him in a low and mean imployment he will better accept you in that work than if you undertook the work of another mans place to do him greater service § 20. Direct 17. Lose not your resolutions or opportunities of doing good by unnecessary delayes Direct 17. Prov. 3. 27 28. With-hold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to do it Say not to thy neighbour Goe and come again and to morrow I will give when thou hast it by thee Prov. 27. 1. Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth It 's two to one but delay will take away thine opportunity and raise such unexpected diversions or difficulties as will frustrate thine intent and destroy the work Take thy Time if thou wilt do thy service It is beautiful in its season Direct 18. § 21. Direct 18. Yet present necessity may make a lesser work to be thy duty when the greater may better bear delay As to save a mans
19. And he that will not work must be forbidden to eat 2 Thes. 3. 6 10 12. And indeed it is necessary to our selves for the health of our bodies which will grow diseased with idleness and for the help of our souls which will fail if the body fail And man in flesh must have work for his body as well as for his soul And he that will do nothing but pray and meditate it 's like will by sickness or Melancholy be disabled e're long either to pray or meditate Unless he have a body extraordinary strong § 26. Direct 22. Be very watchful redeemers of your Time and make conscience of every hour and Direct 22. minute that you lâ—se it not but spend it in the best and most serviceable manner that you can Of this I intend to speak more particularly anon and therefore shall here add no more § 27. Direct 23. Watchfully and resolutely avoid the entanglements and diverting occasions by Direct 23. which the tempter will be still endeavouring to waste your time and hinder you from your work Know what is the principal service that you are called to and avoid avocations especially Magistrates and Ministers and those that have great and publick work must here take heed For if you be not very wise and watchful the Tempter will draw you before you are aware into such a multitude of diverting cares or businesses that shall seem to be your duties as shall make you almost unprofitable in the world You shall have this or that little thing that must be done and this or that friend that must be visited or spoke to and this or that civility that must be performed so that â—rifâ—es shall detain you from all considerable works I confess friends must not be neglected nor â—ivilities be denied but our Greatest duties having the Greatest necessity all things must give place to them in their proper season And therefore that you may avoid the offence of friends avoid the place or occasions of such impediments And where that cannot be done whatever they judge of you neglect not your most necessary work Else it will be at the will of men and Satan whether you shall be serviceable to God or not § 28. Direct 24. Ask your selves seriously how you would wish at death and judgement that you Direct 24. had used all your wit and time and wealth and resolve accordingly to use them now This is an excellent Direction and Motive to you for doing good and preventing the condemnation which will pass upon unprofitable servants Ask your selves will it comfort me more at death or judgement to think or hear that I spent this hour in plays or idleness or in doing good to my self or others How shall I wish then I had laid out my estate and every part of it Reason it self condemneth him that will not now choose the course which then he shall wish that he had chosen when we foresee the consequence of that day § 29. Direct 25. Understand how much you are beholden to God and not be to you in that he Direct 25. will imploy you in doing any good and how it is the way of your own receiving and know the excellency of your work and â—nd that you may do it all with Love and Pleasure Unacquaintedness with our Master and with the nature and tendency of our work is it that maketh it seem tedious and unpleasant to us And we shall never do it well when we do it with an ill will as meerly forced God loveth a cheerful servant that Loveth his Master and his work It is the main policie of the Devil to make our duty seem grievous unprofitable undesirable and wearisom to us For a little thing will stop him that goâ—th unwillingly and in continual pain § 30. Direct 26. Expect your Reward from God alone and look for unthankfulness and abuse Direct 26. from men or wonder not if it befall you If you are not the servants of Men but of God expect your recompence from him you serve You serve not God indeed if his Reward alone will not content you unless you have also mans reward Verily you have your reward if with the Hypocrite you work for mans approbation Mat. 6. 2 5. Expect especially if you are Ministers or others that labour directly for the good of souls that many prove your enemies for your telling them the truth and that if you were as good as Paul and as unwearied in seeking mens salvation yet the more you love the less you will by many be loved and those that he could have wisht himself accursed from Christ to save did hate him and persâ—cute him as if he had been the most accursed wrâ—tch A peâ—â—ilent fellow and a mover of sedition among the people and one that turneth the world upside down were the names they gave them and where ever he came bonds and imprisonment did attend him and slandering and reviling and whipping and stocks and vowing his death are the thanks and requital which he hath from those for whose salvation he spared no pains but did spend and was spent If you cannot do good upon such terms as these and for those that will thus requite you and be contented to expect a reward in Heaven you are not fit to follow Christ who was worse used than all this by those to whom he shewed more love than any of his servants have to shew Take up your cross and do good to the unthankful and bless them that curse you and love them that hate you and pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you if you will be the children of God Mat. 5. § 31. Direct 27. Make not your own judgements or Consciences your Law or the maker of your Direct 27. duty which is but the Discerner of the Law of God and of the duty which he maketh you and of your own obedience or disobedience to him There is a dangerous error grown too common in the world that a man is bound to do every thing which his Conscience telleth him is the will of God and that every man must obey his Conscience as if it were the Law-giver of the world whereas indeed it is not our selves but God that is our Law-giver And Conscience is not appointed or authorised to make us any duty which God hath not made us but only to discern the Law of God and call upon us to observe it And an erring Conscience is not to be obeyed but to be better informed and brought to a righter performance of its office § 32. In prosecution of this Direction I shall here answer several cases about doubting Quest. 1. What if I doubt whether a thing be a duty and good work or not Must I do it while I Quest. doubt Nay what if I am uncertain whether it be duty or sin Answ. 1. In all these cases about an erring or a doubting Conscience forget not to distinguish be
basest of the people whose poverty might tempt them to discontent nor set thee upon the pinnacle of worldly honour where giddiness might have been thy ruine and where temptations to pride and lust and luxury and enmity to a holy life are so violent that few escape them He hath not set thee out upon a Sea of cares and vexations worldly businesses and encumberances but fed thee with food convenient for thee and given thee leisure to walk with God He hath not chained thee to an unprofitable profession nor used thee as those that live like their beasts to eat and drink and sleep and play or live to live But he hath called thee to the noblest and sweetest work when that hath been thy business which others were glad to taste of as a recreation and repast He hath allowed thee to converse with Books and with the best and wisest men and to spend thy dayes in sucking in delightful knowledge And this not only for thy pleasure but thy use and not only for thy self but many others O how many sweet and precious truths hath he allowed thee to feed on all the day when others are diverted and commonly look at them sometimes a far off O how many precious hours hath he granted me in his holy Assemblies and in his honourable and most pleasant work How oft hath his Day and his holy uncorrupted Ordinances and the communion of his Saints and the mentioning of his Name and Kingdom and the pleading of his cause with sinners and the celebrating of his praise been my delight O how many hundreds that he hath sent have wanted the abundant encouragement which I have had When he hath seen the disease of my despondent mind he hath not tryed me by denying me success nor suffered me with Ionas according to my inclination to overrun his work but hath ticed me on by continued encouragements and strowed all the way with mercies But his mercies to me in the souls of others have been so great that I shall secretly acknowledge them rather than here record them where I must have respect to those usual mercies of believers which lye in the common road to Heaven And how endless would it be to mention all All the good that friends and enemies have done me All the wise and gracious disposals of his providence in every condition and change of life and change of times and in every place whereever he brought me His every dayes renewed merciâ—s His support under all my languishings and weakness his plentiful supplies his gracious helps his daily pardons and the Glorious Hopes of a blessed Immortality which his Son hath purchased and his Covenant and Spirit sealed to me O the mercies that are in One Christ one Holy Spirit one Holy Scripture and in the Blessed God himself These I have mentioned unthankful heart to shame thee for thy want of Love to God And these I will leave upon record to be a witness for God against thy ingratitude and to confound thee with shame if thou deny thy Love to such a God Every one of all these mercies and multitudes more will rise up against thee and shame thee before God and all the world as a monster of unkindness if thou Love not him that hath used thee thus Here also consider what God is for your future good as well as what he hath been hitherto How all sufficient how powerful merciful and good But of this more anon § 24. Direct 7. Improve the vanity and vexation of the Creature and all thy disappointments and Direct 7. injuries and afflictions to the promoting of thy Love to God And this by a double advantage First By observing that there is nothing meet to divert thy Love or rob God of it unless thou wilt Love thy trouble and distress Secondly That thy Love to God is the comfort by which thou must be supported under the injuries and troubles which thou meetest with in the world And therefore to neglect it is but to give up thy self to misery Is it for nothing O my soul that God hath turned loose the world against thee That Devils rage against thee and wicked men do reproach and slander thee and seek thy ruine and friends prove insufficient and as broken Reeds It had been as easie to God to have prospered thee in the world and suited all things to thy own desires and have strawed thy way with the flowers of worldly comforts and delights But he knew thy proneness to undo thy self by carnal loves and how easily thy heart is enticed from thy God And therefore he hath wisely and mercifully ordered it that thy temptations shall not be too strong and no creature shall appear to thee in an over-amiable tempting dress Therefore he hath suffered them to become thy enemies And wilt thou love an enemy better than thy God What! an envious and malicious world A world of cares and grief and pains a weary restless empty world How deep and piercing are its injuries How superficial and deceitful is its friendship How serious are its sorrows What toyish shews and dreams are its delights How constant are its cares and labours How seldome and short are its flattering smiles Its comforts are disgraced by the certain expectation of succeeding sorrows Its sorrows are heightned by the expectations of more In the midst of its flatteries I hear something within me saying Thou must dye This is but the way to rottenness and dust I see a Winding-sheet and a Grave still before me I foresee how I must lye in pains and groans and then become a lothesome corpse And is this a world to be more delighted in than God What have I left me for my support and solace in the midst of all this Vanity and Vexation but to look to him that is the All-sufficient sure never failing good I must love him or I have nothing to love but enmity or deceit And is this the worst of Gods design in permitting and causing my pains and disappointments here Is it but to drive my foolish heart unto himself that I may have the solid delights and happiness of his Love O then let his blessed will be done Come home my soul my wandering tired grieved soul Love where thy love shall not be lost Love him that will not reject thee nor deceive thee nor requite thee as the world doth with injuries and abuse Despair not of entertainment though the world deny it thee The peaceable region is above In the world thou must have trouble that in Christ thou maist have peace Retire to the harbour if thou wouldst be free from storms God will receive thee when the world doth cast thee off if thou heartily cast off the world for him O what a solace is it to the soul to be driven clearly from the world to God and there to be exercised in that sacred Love which will accompany us to the world of Love § 25. Direct 8. Labour for the truest
feed the poor and give thy body to be burnt and have not Love it will profit thee nothing If thou speak with the tongue of Men and Angels and hast not Love thou art but as sounding brass or a tinkling Cymbal If thou canst prophecie and preach to admiration and understand all mysteries and knowledge and hadst faith to do miracles and have not Love thou art Nothing 1 Cor. 13. 1 2 3. Thou hast but a shadow and wantest that which is the substance and life of all Come then and make an agreement with God and resolve now to Offer him thy Heart He asketh thee for nothing which thou hast not It is not for riches and lands that he seeketh to thee for then the poor might say as Peter silver and gold have I none Give him but such as thou hast and it sufficeth He knoweth that it is a polluted sinful heart but give it him and he will make it clean He knoweth that it is an unkind heart that hath stood out too long but give it him yet and he will pardon and accept it He knoweth that it is an unworthy heart but give it him and he will be its worth Only see that you give it him entirely and unreservedly for he will not bargain with the Devil or the world for the dividing of thy heart between them A half heart and a hollow heart that is but lent him till fleshly interest or necessity shall call for it again he will not accept Only resign it to him and do but Consent that thy Heart be his and entirely and absolutely his and he will take it and use it as his own It is his own by title Let it be also so by thy Consent If God have it not who shall have it Shall the world or pride or fleshly lust Did they make it or did they purchase it Will they be better to thee in the time of thy extremity Do they bid more for thy heart than God will give thee He will give thee his Son and his Spirit and Image and the forgiveness of all thy sins If the greatest gain or honour or pleasure will win it and purchase it he will have it If Heaven will buy it he will not break with thee for the price Hath the world and sin a greater price than this to give thee And what dost thou think that he will do with thy Heart and how will he use it that thou art loth to give it him Will he blind it and deceive it and corrupt it and abuse it and at last torment it as Satan will do No he will more illuminate it and cleanse it and quicken it Psalm 51. 10. Ephes. 2. 1. Ier. 24. 7. He will make it new and heal and save it Ezek. 36. 26. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Tit. 3. 3. 5. and 2. 14. He will advance and honour it with the highest relations imployments and delights For Christ hath said John 12. 26. If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be If any man serve me him will my Father honour He will Love it and govern it and comfort it and the Heart that is delivered to him shall be kept â—ear unto his own John 26. 27. For the Father himself loveth you saith Christ because you have loved me Whereas if thou deliver not thy heart to him it will feed on the poyson of Iuscious vanity which will gripe and tear it when it is down it will be like a house that nothing dwelleth in but Dogs and Flies and Worms and Snakes it will be like one that is lost in the Wilderness or in the night that tireth himself in seeking the way home and the longer the worse Despair and Restlesness will be its companions for ever Let me now once more in the name of God bespeak thy Heart I will not use his commands or threatnings to thee now though these as seconds must be used because that Love must have attractive arguments and is not raised by meer authority or fear If there be not Love and Goodness enough in God to deserve the highest affections of every reasonable creature then let him go and give thy Heart to one that 's better Hear how God pleadeth his own cause with an unkind unthankful people Mic. 6. 2 3. Hear O ye mountains the Lords controversie O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me What is there in him to turn away thy heart Let malice it self say the worst without notorious impudence against him What hath he ever done that deserveth thy disaffection and neglect What wouldst thou have to win a heart that is not in him For which of his mercies or excellencies is it that thou thus contemnest and abusest him What dost thou want that he cannot yea or will not give thee Doth not thy tongue speak honourably of his Goodness while thy heart contradicteth it and denieth all What hast thou found that will prove better to thee Is it sin or God that must be thy glory rest and joy if thou wilt not be a firebrand of restlesness and misery for ever What saist thou yet sinner Shall God or the world and fleshly pleasures have thy Heart Art thou not yet convinced which best deserveth it and which will be best to it Canst thou be a loser by him Will he make it worse and sin make it better Or wilt thou ever have cause to repent of giving it up to God as thou hast of giving it to the world and sin I tell thee if God have not thy Heart it were well for thee if thou hadst no Heart I had a thousand times rather have the Heart of a dog or the basest creature than that mans heart that followeth his fleshly lusts and is not unfeignedly delivered up to God through Christ. If I have not prevailed with your hearts for God by all that I have said your Consciences shall yet bear me witness that I shewed you Gods title and love and goodness and said that which ought to have prevailed and you shall find ere long who it is that will have the worst of it But if you resolve and Give them presently to God he will entertain them and sanctifie and save them And this happy day and work will be the Angels joy Luke 15. 7 10. and it will be my joy and especially your own everlasting joy DIRECT XII Trust God with that soul and body which thou hast delivered up and dedicated to Gr. Dir. 12. him and quiet thy mind in his Love and faithfulness whatever shall appear to To Trust in God thee or befall thee in the world § 1. I Shall here briefly shew you 1. What is the Nature of this Trust in God 2. What are the Of the nature of Affiance and faith I have written moâ—e â—ulâ—y in my Dispuration with Dr. Baâ—low of Sâ—viâ—g Faith contraries to it 3. What are the
the Nature and the signs or effects of PRIDE consider next Direct 3. of the dreadful consequents and tendencie of it both as it leadeth to farther sin and unto misery Which I shall briefly open to you in some particulars § 82. 1. At the present it is the Heart of the old man and the root and life of all corruption and Aenaeas Sylvius it Boâ—m c. 65. Speaking of the boasting of the Monk Capistâ—inus saith superaverat seculi pompas calcaverat avaritiam libidinem sub egeraâ— gloriam contemnere non potuiâ— Nemo est tam sanctus qui dulcedine gloriae non capiatur Facilius regna viri excellenâ—es quam gloriam contemnunt Inter omnia vitia tu semper es prima semper es ultima nam omne peccatum te accedente committitur te recedente dimittâ—tur Innocent de contemp munai l. 2. c. 31. of dreadful signification if it be predominant If any mans heart be lifted up the Lord will have no pleasure in him or it is not upright in him Hab. 2. 4. I had rather have my soul in the case of an obscure humble Christian that is taken notice of by few or none but God and is content to approve himself to him than in the case of the highest and most eminent and honourable in Church or State that looks for the observation and praise of men God judgeth not of men by their great parts and profession and name but justifieth the humbled soul that is ashamed to lift up his face to Heaven and thinketh himself unworthy to speak to God or to have communion with his Church or to come among his servants but standing a far off smiteth upon his breast and saith in true Repentance O God be merciful to me a sinner Luke 18. 13. Pride is as a plague-mark on the soul. § 83. 2. There is scarce a sin to be thought on that is not a spawn in the bowels of Pride To stance in some few besides all that are expressed in the signs 1. It maketh men Hypocrites and 〈◊〉 what they are not for the praise of men 2. It makes men Lyars Most of the Lyes that are 〈◊〉 in the world are to avoid some disgrace and shame or to get men to think highly of them 〈◊〉 sin is committed against God or your superiors instead of humble confession Pride would coveâ—â—â—â— with a lye 3. It causeth covetousness that they may not want provision for their Pride 4. 〈◊〉 maketh men flatterers and time-servers and man-pleasers that they may win the good esteem others 5. It makes men run into profaneness and riotousness to do as others do to avoid 〈◊〉 shame of their reproach and scorn that else would account them singular and precise 6. It can talâ—â— men off from any duty to God that the company is against They dare not pray nor speak a serioâ—â— word of God for fear of a jear from a scorners mouth 7. It is so contentious a sin that it makes men firebrands in the societies where they live There is no quiet living with them longer than they have their own saying will and way They must bear the sway and not be crossed And when all is done there is no pleasing them for the missing of a word or a look or a complement will catch on their hearts as a spark on gunpowder 8. It tears in pieces Church and State Where was ever civil war raised or Kingdom endangered or ruined or Church divided oppressed or persecuted but Pride was the great and evident cause 9. It devoureth the mercies and good creatures of God and sacrificeth them to the Devil It is a chargeable sin What a deal doth it consume in cloaths and buildings and attendance and entertainments and unnecessary things 10. It is an odious thief and prodigal of precious time How many hours that should be better employed and must one day be accounted for are cast away upon the foresaid works of Pride Especially in the needless complements and visits of Gallants and the dressings of some vain light-headed women in which they spend allmost half the day and can scarce find an hour in a morning for prayer or meditation or reading the scriptures because they cannot be ready Forgetting how they disgrace their wretched bodies by telling men that they are so filthy or deformed that they cannot be kept sweet and cleanly and seemly without so long and much ado 11. It is odiously unjust A proud man makes no bones of any falshood slander deceit or cruelty if it seem but necessary to his greatness or honour or preferment or ambitious ends He careth not who he wrongeth or betrayeth that he may rise to his desired height or keep his greatness Never trust a Proud man further than his own interest bids you trust him 12. Pride is the pander of whoredom and uncleaneness It is an incentive to lust in themselves and draws the proud to adorn and set forth themselves in the most enticing manner as tends to provoke the lust of others Fain they would be thought comly that others may admire them and be taken with their comliness If they thought that none would see them they would spare their ornaments And if a common decencie were all that they affected they would spare their curiosities and fashionable superfluities Even they that would not be unclean in gross fornication with any yet would be esteemed beautiful and desirable and do that which tendeth to corrupt the minds of â—ools that see them These and indeed allmost all sin are the natural progenie of Pride § 85. 3. As to the misery which they bring on themselves and others 1. The greatest is that they forsake God and are in danger to be forsaken by him For God abhorreth the Proud and beholdeth them as afar off So far as you are Proud your are hated by him and have no acceptance or communion with him Pride is the highway to utter appostacie It blindeth the mind It maketh men confident in their own conceits and venturous upon any new opinion and ready to quarrel with the word of God before they understand it When any thing seems hard to them they presently suspect the truth of the matter when they should suspect their dark unfurnished minds Mark those that are Prâ—ud in any Town or any company of professors of piety and if any infection of heresie or infidelity come into that place these are the men that will soonest catch it Mark those that have turned from â—â—â—â— 4 6. â—â—â—â—â— â— â— Iâ—â— 5â— 1â— Prov. 16 19. Prov. 29 23. Vaâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—n are the â—â—â—â—rn of wise men â—he admâ—ration of tools the Idols oâ—â—â—attereâ—s and the slaveâ— oâ— their own Pride 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â— â—â—â—â— â— 54. Truth or Godliness and see whether they be not such as were proud and superficial in Religion before But God giveth Grace and more Grace to the humble He dwelleth with them and delighteth in them 2. A proud man is a tormenter of himself
into the causes of all the oppressions rapines cruelties and inhumanity which have made men so like to Devils Look into the corrupted lacerated Churches and enquire into the cause of their contentions divisions usurpations malignity and cruelty against each other And you will find that Pride and Worldliness are the Causes of all When men of a Proud and Worldly mind have by fraud and friendship and Simony Usurped the Pastorship of the Churches according to their Minds and Eâ—ds they turn it into a Malignant Domination and the Carnal worldly part of the Church is the great enemy and Persecutor of the spiritual part and the fleshly Hypocrite as Cain against Abel is filled with envy against the serious believer even out of the bitter displeasure of his mind that his deceitful Sacrifice is less respected What Covetousness hath done to the advancement of the pretended Holy Catholick Church of Rome I will give you now but in the words of an Abbot and Chronicler of their own Abbas Urspergens Chron. p. 3â—â— Vix remansit aliquis Episcopatus sive dignitas Ecclesiastica vel etâ—am Parochialis Ecclesiae quae ron fieâ—et litigâ—osa Romam deduceretur ipsa causa sed non manu vacua Gaude mater nostra Roma quonâ—am aperiuntur cataractae thesaurorum in teâ—ra ut ad te consâ—uant rivi aggeres nummoâ—um in magna copia Laetare super iniquitate filiorum hominum quonâ—am in recompensationem tantorum malorum datur tibi precâ—um Jocundare super adjutrice tua discordia quia erupit de puteo infernalis abyssi ut accumulentur tibi multa pecuniaâ—um praemia Habes quod semper sitisti decanta Canticum quia per malitiam hominum non pâ—â— tuam Religionem orbem vicistâ— Ad te trahit homines non ipsorum devotio aut pura Conscientia sed sâ—â—lerum multiplicium perpetratio litium decisio precio comparata Foâ—tun Galindas speaking of Pope Paul the fifth his love to the Iesuites for helping him to money saith Adeo praestat acquirendarum pecuniarum quam animarum studiosum peritum esse apud illos qui cum animarum Christi sanguine redemptarum in se curam receperint vel quid anima sit nesciunt vel non pluris animam hominis quam piscis faciunt quod credo suum officium Piscatum quendam esse aliquando per strepitum inaudierint quibus propterea gratior fuerit qui Animam auri cum Paracelso quam animam Saxoniae Electoris invenisse nuntiet Arcan Soci Iesu. pag. 46. Lege ibid. Iâ—struct secret de Iesuitarum pâ—axi Et Ioh. Sarisbur l. 7. c. 21. de Monach. Potentiores ditiores favore vel mercede recepta facilius absolutione exâ—nerant peccatis alienis humeros supponentes jubent abire in tunicas vestes pullas quicquid illi se commisisse deplorant Si eis obloquetâ—s Religionis inimicus veritatis diceris impugnator hand It is the departing of the heart from God to creatures See the malignity of it before Good men have been overtaken with heinous sins but its hard to find where Scripture calleth any of them Covetous A heart secretly cleaving most to this present world and its prosperity is the very killing sin of every hypocrite yea and of all ungodly men 2. Worldliness makes the Word unprofitable and keepeth men from believing and repenting and coming home to God and minding seriously the everlasting world What so much hindereth the Conversion of sinners as the love and caâ—es of earthly things They cannot serve God and Mammon Their treasure and hearts cannot be chiefly be both in Heaven and Earth They will not yield to the terms of Christ that love this world They will not forsake all for a treasure in Heaven In a word as you heard The love of money is the root of all evil and the Love of the Father is not in the lovers of the world 3. It destroyeth holy meditation and conference and turneth the thoughts to worldly things And it corrupteth Prayer and maketh it but a means to serve the flesh and therefore maketh it odious to God 4. It is the great hinderance of mens necessary preparation for death and judgement and stealeth away their hearts and time till it is too late 5. It is the great cause of contentions even among the nearest relations and the cause of the Wars and calamities of Nations and of the woful divisions and persecutions of the Church when a worldly generation think that their worldly interest doth engage them against self-denying and spiritual principles practices and persons 6. It is the great cause of all the injustice and oppression and cruelty that rageth in the world They would do as they would be done by were it not for the love of money It maketh men perfidious and false to all their friends and engagements No vows to God nor obligations to men will hold a Lover Iâ—m â— 1. 2 3 4 5. 1 Iohn â— â—â— of the world The world is his God and his worldly interest is his rule and law 7. It is the great destroyer of Charity and Good works No more is done for God and the poor because the Love of the world forbids it 8. It disordereth and proâ—aneth families and betrayeth the souls of Children and Servants to the Devil It turneth out prayer and reading the Scripture and good books and all serious speeches of the liâ—e to come because their hearts are taken up with the world and they have no relâ—sh of any thing but the provisions of their flesh Even the Lords own Day cannot be reserved for holy works nor a duty performed but the world is interposing or diverting the mind 9. It tempâ—eth mâ—n to sin against their knowledge and to forsake the truth and fit themselves to the rising side and save their bodies and estates whatever become of their souls It is the very price that the Dâ—vil gives for souls With this he bought the soul of Iudas who went to the Pharisâ—es with a What will you give me and I will deliver him to you With this he attempted Christ himself 2 Tim 4. 10. Matth. 4. 9. All these will I give thee if thâ—u wilt fall down and worship me It is the cause of Apâ—â—â—â—acy and unfaithfulness to God And it s the price that sinners sell their God their Conscience and their salvation for 10. It depriveth the soul of holy communion with God and comfort from 1 â—im 6. 17 1â— him and of all foretaste of the life to come and finally of Heaven it self For as the Love of the world keepeth out the Love of God and Heaven it must needs keep out the hopes and comforts Christs Sheep mark is 〈◊〉 on the Sheep that are shorâ— When the Hâ—ece groweth long the Mark wears out which should arise from holy love It would do much to cure the love of money and of the world if you knew how pernicious a sin it is § 35.
whatsoever the will desireth is either as an End or as a Means That which is not desired as a Means to some Higher end is desired as our ultimate end it â—â—â—â— in that act But God only is mans lawful ultimate end He is a good Christian that remoteâ—â— and ultimately referreth all the creatures unto God and eateth and drinketh c. more to fit him for Gods service than to please the flesh But it is much more than this which the Creature was appointed for even for a present communication of the sense of the goodness of God unto the heart As the Musician that touchem but the Keys of his Harpsical or Organs causeth that sweet harmonious sound which we hear from the strings that are touched within so God ordained the order beauty sweetness c. of the Creature to touch the sense with such a pleasure as should suddenly touch the inward sense with an answerable delight in God who is the giver of the life of every Creature But a as where is the Christian that doth thus eat and drink and thus take pleasure in all his Mercies When contrarily our hearts are commonly so diverted from God by the Creature that so much delight as we find in it so much we lose of our delight in God yea of our regard and remembrance of him 2. Because it is against an express command 1 Cor. 10. 31. whether ye eat or drink or whatever ye do do all to the glory of God 3. Because else we shall take Gods creatures in vain and cast them away in waste 4. And we shall lose our own Benefit to which the Creature or Pleasure should be improved 5. And we shall silence Reason when it should direct and we shall suspend the Government of the will and give the government so long to the flesh or bruitish appetite For that faculty ruleth who object is our end These reasons clearly prove it a sin to terminate our desires in any act of flesh-pleasing as our end and look no higher when it is a matter of moral choice and deliberation 11. But the sin here is not simply that the flesh is pleased but that the duty of referring it to a higher end is omitted so that it is a sin of omission unless we proceed to refer hetter things as a means to it 12. The intending of Gods Glory or our spiritual good cannot be distinctly and sensibly re-acted in every particular pleasure we take or bit we eat or thing we use But a sincere Habitual Intention well laid at first in the Heart will serve to the right use of many particular Means As a man purposeth at his first setting out to what place he meaneth to go and afterward goeth on though at every step he think not sensibly of his end so he that devoteth himself to God and in general designeth all to his Glory and the furtherance of his duty and salvation will carry on small particulars to that â—nd by a secret unobserved action of the soul performed at the same time with other actions which only are observed He that intendeth but his health in eating and drinking is not remembring his health at every bit and cup and yet hath such a Habit of care and caution as will unobservedly keep him in his way and help him to fit the means unto the end As the accustomed hand of a Musicion can play a Lesson on his Lute while he thinks of something else so can a resolved Christian faithfully do such accustomed things as eating and drinking and cloathing him and labouring in his calling to the good ends which he first actually and still habitually resolved on without a distinct remembrance and observable intention of that end 13. The body must be kept in that condition as far as we can that is fittest for the service of the soul As you keep your Horse neither so pampered as to be unruly nor yet so low as to disable him for travel But all that health and strength which makes it not unruly maketh it the more serviceable It is not the Life of the Body but the Health and the Cheerfulness which maketh it fit for duty And so much pleasing of the flesh as tendeth but to its Health and Cheerfulness is a duty where it can be done without greater hurt the other way A heavy body is but a dull and heavy servant to the mind yea a great impediment to the soul in duty and a great temptation to many sins as sickly and melancholy persons and many dull and phlegmatick people know by sad experience It is as great a duty to help the Body to its due alacrity and fitness for service as it is to tame Yet it 's true which Petrarch saith li. 2. Dial. 3. Valetudo infirma Comes injucunda est sed fidelis quae te crebro vellicet iter signet conditionis admoneat Optimum in periculis monitor fidus Et i. 1. Dial 3. Multis periculosa pestilens sanitus est qui tutius aegrotassent Nusquam pejus quam in sano corpore aeger animus habitat Et Dial. 4. Quamvis mala quamvis pessima aegritudo videatur optabile malum tamen quod mali remedium sit majoris it and bring it under by fasting and sackcloth when it is proud or lustfull And they that think fasting on certain days in a formal manner is acceptable to God when the state of the body is not helpt but rather hurt and hindered by it as if it were a thing required for it self do mistakingly offer a Sacrifice to God which he requireth not and take him to be an enemy to man that desireth his pain and grief when it tendeth not to his good A Mower that hath a good Sythe will do more in a day than another that hath a bad one can do in two every Workman knoweth the benefit of having his Tools in order And every Traveller knows the difference between a cheerful and a tired Horse And they that have tryed health and sickness know what a help it is in every work of God to have a healthful body and cheerful spirits and an alacrity and promptitude to obey the mind When the sights of prospects and beauteous buildings and fields and countrys or the use of walks or gardens do tend to raise the soul to holy contemplation to admire the Creator and to think of the glory of the life to come as Bernard used his pleasant walks this Delight is lawful if not a duty where it may be had So when Musick doth cheer the mind and fit it for thanks and praise to God And when the Rest of the Body and the use of your best Apparel and moderate feasting on the Lords Day and other days of Thanksgiving do promote the spiritual service of the day they are good and profitable but to those that are more hindered by fulness even abstinence on such days is best So that the use of the body must be judged
this to encrease and multiply your pleasure Is not health and friends and food and convenient habitation much sweeter as the â—ruit of the Love of God and the fore-tastes of everlasting mercies and as our helps to Heaven and as the means to spiritual comfort than of themselves alone All your mercies are from God He would take nâ—ne from you but sanctifie theâ— and give you more § 26. Direct 5. See that Reason keep up its authority as the Governour of sense and appetite And Direct 5. so take an accounâ— whatâ—ver the Appetite would have of the Ends and Reasons of the thing and to what it doth câ—â—duce Take nothing and do nothing meerly because the sense or appetite would have it but because you have Reason so â—â— do and to gratifie the appetite Else you will deal as Brutes if Reason be laid by in humane acts § 27. Direct 6. Go to the Gâ—ave and see there the end of fleshly pleasure and what is all that it Direct 6. will do for you at the last One would think iâ— should cure the mad desire of plenty and pleasure to see where all our wealth and mirth and sport and pleasure must be buryed at last § 28. Direct 7. Lastly be still sensible that flesh is the grand Enemy of your souls and flesh-pleasing Direct 7. the greatest hinderance of your salvation The Devils enmity and the worlds are both but subordinate to this of the Flesh For its Pleasure is the End and the world and Satans temptations are both but the means to attain it Besides the malignity opened before consider 1. How contrary a voluptuous life is to the blessed example of our Lord and of his servant Paul The enmity of the Flesh. and all the Apostles Paul tamed his body and brought it into subjection left having preached to others himself should be a castaway 1 Cor. 9. 27. And all that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5. 24. This was signified in the antient manner of baptizing and so is still by Baptism it self when they went over head in the water and then rose out of it to signifie that they were dead and buried with Christ Rom. 6. 3 4. and rose with him to newness of life This is called our being Baptized into his death And seems the plain sense of 1 Cor. 15. 29. of being Baptized for the dead that is for dead or to shew that we are dead to the world and must dye in the world but shall rise again to the Kingdom of Christ both of Grace and Glory 2. Sensuality sheweth that there is no true belief of the life to come and proveth so far as it prevaileth the absence of all grace 3. It is a home-bred continual traytor to the soul A continual tempter and nurse of all sin The great withdrawer of the heart from God and the common cause of Apostacy it self It still fighteth against the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. And is seeking advantage from all our Liberties Gal. 5. 13. 2 Pet. 2. 10. 4. It turneth all our outward mercies into sin and strengthneth itself against God by his own benefits 5. It is the great cause of our afflictions For God will not spare that Idol which is set up against him Flesh rebelleth and flesh shall suffer 6. And when it hath brought affliction it is most impatient under it and maketh it seem intollerable A flesh-pleaser thinks he is undone when affliction depriveth him of his pleasure 7. Lastly It exceedingly unfitteth men for Death For then Flesh must be cast into the dust and all its pleasure be at an end O doleful day to those that had their good things here and their portion in this life When all is gone that ever they valued and sought and all the true felicity lost which they brutishly contemned If you would joyfully then bear the dissolution and ruine of your flesh O master it and mortifie it now Seek not the ease and pleasure of a little walking breathing clay when you should be seeking and fore-tasting the everlasting pleasure Here lyeth your danger and your work Strive more against your own flesh than against all your Enemies in Earth and Hell If you be saved from this you are saved from them all Christ suffered in the flesh to tell you that it is not pampering but suffering that your flesh must expect if you will reign with him CHAP. V. Further Subordinate Directions for the next great duties of Religion necessary See the Directions how to spend every day Tom. 2. Chap. 17. to the right performance of the former Directions for REDEEMING or well improving TIME § 1. TIME being Mans opportunity for all those works for which he liveth and which his Creator doth expect from him and on which his endless life dependeth the REDEEMING or well improving of it must needs be of most high importance to him And therefore it is well made by holy Paul the great mark to distinguish the Wise from fools Ephes. 5. 15 16. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Redeeming the time So Col. 4. 5. I shall therefore give you special Directions for it when I have first opened the nature of the duty to you and told you what is meant by Time and what by Redeeming it § 2. Time in its most common acception is taken generally for all that space of this present life What 's meant by Time which is our opportunity for all the works of life and the measure of them Time is often taken more strictly for some special Opportunity which is fitted to a special work which we call the season or the fittest time In both these senses Time must be Redeemed § 3. As every work hath its season which must be taken Eccles. 3. 1. So have the greatest works What are the special seasons of duty assigned us for God and our souls some special seasons besides our common time 1. Some Times God hath fitted by Nature for his service So the Time of Youth and health and strength is specially fit for holy work 2. Some Time is made specially fit by Gods Institution As the Lords Day above all other dayes 3. Some Time is made fit by Governours appointment as the hour of publick Meeting for Gods Worship and Lecture-dayes and the hour for family-worship which every Master of a family may appoint to his own houshold 4. Some Time is made fit by the temper of mens Bodies The Morning hours are best to most and to some rather the Evening and to all the Time when the Body is freest from pain and disabling weaknesses 5. Some Time is made fit by the course of our necessary natural or civil business as the day is fitter than the sleeping time of the night and as that hour is the fittest wherein our other imployments will least disturb us 6. Some Time is made fit by a special showr of Mercy publick
for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed The night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light let us walk honestly as in the day not in ryoting and drunkeness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying but put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof 3. Time must be Redeemed from things indifferent and lawful at another time when things necessary do require it He that should save mens lives or quench a fire in his house or provide for his family or do his Masters work will not be excused if he neglect it by saying that he was about an indifferent or a lawful business Natural rest and sleep must be parted with for Time when necessary things require it Paul Preached till midnight being to depart on the morrow Act. 20. 7. The Lamenting Church calling out for Prayer saith Arise cry out in the night in the beginning of the watches pour out thy heart like water before the fac◠of the Lord Lam. 2. 19. Cleanthes Lamp must be used by such whose Sun-light must be otherwise employed 4. Time must be Redeemed from worldly business and commodity when matters of greater weight and commodity do require it Trades and Plow and profit must stand by when God calls us by necessity or otherwise to greater things Martha should not so much as trouble her self in providing meat for Christ and his followers to eat when Christ is offering her food for her soul and she should with Mary have been hearing at his feet Luk. 10. 42. Worldlings are thus called by him Isa. 55. 1 2 3. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the water Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfyeth not hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fatness 5. Time must be Redeemed from smaller Duties which in their season must be done as being no duties when they hinder Greater duty which should then take place It is a duty in its time and place to shew respect to neighbours and superiours and to those about us and to look to our family affairs but not when we should be at Prayer to God or when a Minister should be Preaching or at his necessary studies Private Prayer and Meditation and visiting the sick are duties But not when we should be at Church or about any greater duty which they hinder The Directions contemplative for Redeeming Time § 8. Direct 1. Still keep upon thy Heart by Faith and Consideration the lively sense of the Greatness Direct 1. and absolute necessity of that work which must command thy Time remembring who setteth thee on work and on what a work he sets thee and on what terms and what will be the end It is God that calleth thee to labour And wilt thou stand still or be doing other things when God expecteth duty from thee Moses must go to Pharaoh when God bids him go Ionas must go to Nineve when God bids him go yea Abraham must go to Sacrifice his Son when God bids him go And may you go about your fleshly pleasures when God commandeth you to his service He hath appointed you a work that is worth your Time and all your labour to know him and serve him and obey him and to seek everlasting life How diligently should so excellent a work be done and so blessed and glorious a master be served especially considering the unutterable importance of our diligence we are in the race appointed us by our Maker and are to Run for an immortal Crown It 's Heaven that must be now won or lost And have we Time to spare in such a race We are fighting against the enemies of our salvation The question is now to be resolved whether the Flesh the World and the Devil or We shall win the day and have the victory And Heaven or Hell must be the issue of our warfare And have we Time to spare in the midst of such a fight when our very loss of Time is no small part of the enemies conquest Our most wise Omnipotent Creator hath been pleased to make this present life to be the trying preparation for another resolving that it shall go with us all for ever according to our preparations here And can we play and loyter away our Time that have such a work as this to do O miserable sensless souls do you believe indeed the Life everlasting and that all your lives are given you now to resolve the question whether you must be in Heaven or Hell for ever Do you believe this Again I ask you Do you believe this I beseech you ask your Consciences over and over whether you do indeed believe it Can you believe it and yet have Time to spare what find Time to play away and game away and idle and prate away and yet believe that this very Time is given you to prepare for life eternal and that salvation or damnation lyeth on the race which now even now you have to run Is not such a man a Monster of stupidity If you were asleep or mad it were the more excusable to be so sensless But to do thus awake and in your wits O where are the brains of those men and of what metal are their hardened hearts made that can idle and play away that Time that little Time that only Time which is given them for the everlasting saving of their souls Verily firs if sin had not turned the ungodly part of the world into a Bedlam where it is no wonder to see a man out of his wits people would run out with wonder into the Streets to see such a monster as this as they do to see mad men in the Country where they are rare and they would call to one another Come and see a man that can trifle and sport away his Time as he is going to Eternity and is ready to enter into another world Come and see a man that hath but a few dayes to win or lose his soul for ever in and is playing it away at Cards and Dice or wasting it in doing nothing Come and see a man that hath hours to spare and cast away upon trifles with Heaven and Hell before his eyes For thy souls sake consider and tell thy self If thy estate in the world did lye upon the spending of this day or week or if thy life lay on it so that thou must live or dye or be poor or rich sick or well as thou spendest it wouldst thou then waste it in dressings or complement or play and wouldst thou find any to spare upon impertinent triflings Or rather wouldst thou not be up betime and about thy business and turn by thy games and thy diverting company and disappoint thy idle visiters
understand thy self that thou hadst never lost one minutes Time and never known those sinful vanities and temptations which did occasion it O spend thy Time as thou wouldst review it § 12. Direct 5. Go hear and mark how other men at Death do set by Time and how they wish then Direct 5. that they had spent it It is hardly possible for men in health especially in prosperity and security to Imagine how pretious Time appeareth to an awakened dying man Ask them then whether liâ—e be too long and men have any Time to spare Ask them then whether slugging or working playing or praying be the better spending of our Time Both Good and Bad saints and sensualists do use then to be high esteemers of Time O then what would an ungodly unprepared sinner give for some of the Time which he used before as nothing worth Then the most Holy servants of Christ are sensible how they sinned in lâ—sing any of their Time O then how earnestly do they wish that they had made much of every minute And they that did most for God and their souls that they had done much more Now if they were to pray over their prayers again how earnestly would they beg And how much more good would they do if Time and talents were restored I knew familiarly a most holy grave and Râ—vâ—rend Divine who was so affected with the words of a Godly woman wâ—o at her death did often and vâ—â—â—â—mâ—ntly cry out O Call Time again O Call Time again that the sense of it seemed to remain on his heart and appear in his praying preaching and conversation to his death Now you have Time to cast away upon every nothing But then you will say with David Pâ—alm 89. 47. Remember how short my Time is And as Hagar sate down and wept when her water was spent Gen. 21. 15 16. So then you will lament when Time is gone or just at an end that you set no more by it while you had it O sleepy sinner Thy heart cannot now conceive how thou wilt set by Time when thou hearest the Physicion say You are a dead man and the Divine say you must prepare now for another world When thy heart saith All my daies are gone I must live on earth no more all my preparing time is at end Now what is undone must be undone for ever O that thou hadst now but the esteem of Time which thou wilt have then or immediately after Then O pray for me that God will recover me and try me once again O then how I would spend my time And is it not a most incongruous thing to see the same persons now idle and toy away their time and perhaps think that they do no harm who know that shortly they must cry to God O for a little more Time Lord to do the great work that 's yet undone A little more Time to make sure of my salvation May not God then tell you you had Time till you knew not what to do with it You had so much Time that you had many and many an hour to spare for idleness and vanity and that which you were not ashamed to call Pastime § 13. Direct 6. Remember also that when Iudgement comes God will call you to account both for Direct 6. every hour of your mispent Time and for all the Good which you should have done in all that time and did it not If you must give account for every idle word then sure for every idle hour Matth. 12. 36. And if we must be judged according to all the talents we have received and the improvement of them required of us then certainly for so precious a talent as our Time Mat. 25. And how should that man spend his Time that believeth he must give such account of all Even to the most just and Holy God who will judge all men according to their works and cause them all to reap as they have sowed O spend your Time as you would hear of it in Judgement § 14. Direct 7. Remember how much time you have lost already and therefore if you are not impenitent Direct 7. and insensible of your loss it will provoke you to redeem with the greater diligence the remnant which mercy shall vouchsafe you How much lost you in childhood youth and riper age How much have you lost in ignorance How much in negligence How much in fleshly pleasure and vanity How much in worldliness and many other sins O that you knew but what a loss it was if it had been but one year or week or day Do you think you have spent your Time as you should have done And as beseemed those that had such work to do If not do you repent of it or do you not If you do not you have no hope to be forgiven If you do Repent you will not sure go on to do the same Who will believe that he Repents of gaming revelling or other idle loss of time who doth so still while he professeth to Repent He that hath lost the beginning of the day must go the faster in the end if he will perform so great a journey Can you remember the hours and years that you have mispent in the follies of childhood and the vanities of inconsiderate youth and yet still trifle and not be provoked by penitent shame and fear to diligence Have you not yet cast away enough of such a precious treasure but you will vilifie also the little which remains § 15. Direct 8. Remember the swift and constant motion of your neglected Time What hast it Direct 8. makes And never stays That which was here while you spake the last word is gone before you can speak the next Whatever you are doing or saying or thinking of its passing on without delay It stayeth not while you sleep Whether you remember and observe it and make use of it or not it glides away It stayeth not your leisure It hasteth as fast while you play as while you work while you sin as when you repent No Monarch so potent as to command it a moment to attend his will We have no more Ioshuas to stop the Sun It is above the jurisdiction of the Princes of the earth It will not hear them if they command or request it to delay its hast but the smallest moment Crowns and Kingdoms would be no price to hiâ—e it to loiter but while you draw another breath Your lives are not like the cloaths of the Israelites in the wilderness that wax not old But like the provisions of the Gibeonites worn and wasted while you are passing but a little way And is Time so swift and you so slow Will you stand still and see it pass away as if you had no use for it no work to do nor no account to give § 16. Direct 9. Consider also how unrecoverable Time is when its past Take it now or it s lost for Direct 9. ever All
that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up Therefore be ye also ready For in such an hour as ye think not the son of man cometh Mar. 13. 33. Take ye heed watch and pray for ye know not when the time is § 19. Direct 12. Never forget what attendance thou hast while thou art idling or sinning away thy Direct 12. Time How the patience and mercy of God are staying for thee And how Sun and Moon and all the creatures are all the while attending on thee And must God stand by while thou art yet a little longer abusing and offending him Must God stay till thy Cards and Dice and Pride and worldly unnecessary cares will dismiss thee and spare thee for his service Must he wait on the Devil and the world and the flesh to take their leavings and stay till they have done with thee Canst thou marvel if he make thee pay for this If he turn away and leave thee to spend thy time in as much vanity and idleness as thou desirest Must God and all his creatures wait on a careless sinner while he is at his fleshly pleasures Must life and time be continued to him while he is doing nothing that is worthy of his Life and time The long suffering of God did wait on the disobedient in the days of Noah 1 Pet. 3. 20. But how dear did they pay for the contempt of this forbearance § 20. Direct 13. Consider soberly of the ends for which thy life and Time are given thee by God Direct 13. God made not such a creature as man for nothing He never gave thee an hours Time for nothing The life and time of bruits and plants is given them to be serviceable to thee But what is thine for Dost thou think in thy Conscience that any of thy Time is given thee in vain When thou art sluging or idling or playing it away dost thou think in thy Conscience that thou art wisely and honestly answering the ends of thy Creation and Redemption and hourly preservation Dost thou think that God is so unwise or disregardful of thy Time and thee as to give thee more than thou hast need of Thou wilt blame thy Tailor if he cut out more cloath than will make thy garments meet for thee and agreeable to thy use And thou wilt blame thy Shoomaker if he make thy shoos too big for thee And dost thou think that God is so lavish of Time or so unskillful in his works of providence as to cut thee out more Time than the work which he hath cut thee out requireth He that will call thee to a reckoning for all hath certainly given thee none in vain If thou canst find an hour that thou hast â—othing to do with and must give no account for let that be the hour of thy pastime But if thou knewest thy need thy danger thy hopes and thy work thou wouldst never dream of having Time to spare For my own part I must tell thee if thou have Time to spare thy case is very much different from mine It is the daily trouble and burden of my mind to see how slowly my work goes on and how hastily my Time and how much I am like to leave undone which I would fain dispatch How great and important businesses are to be done and how short that life is like to be in which they must be done if ever Methinks if every day were as long as ten it were not too long for the work which is every day before me though not incumbent on me as my present duty for God requireth not impossibilities yet exceeding desirable to be done It is the Work that makes the Time a mercy The Time is for the Work If my work were done which the good of the Church and my soul requireth what cause had I to be glad of the ending â—â— my Time and to say with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Remember then that God never gave thee one minute to spend in vain but thy very ease and rest and recreations must be but such and so much as fit thee for thy work and as helps it on and do not hinder it He redeemed and preserveth us that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our lives Luke 1. 74 75. § 21. Direct 14. Remember still that the Time of this short uncertain life is all that ever you shall Direct 14. have for your preparation for your endless life When this is spent whether well or ill you shall have no more God will not try those with another life on earth that have cast away and mispent See mâ— Book called Now or Never this There is no returning hither from the dead to mend that which here you did amiss What good you will do must Now be done And what Grace you would get must Now be got And what preparation for Eternity you will ever make must Now be made 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold now is the accepted time Behold now is the day of salvation Heb. 3. 7 13. Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts But exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned by the deceitfulness of sin Have you but one life here to live and will you lose that one or any part of it Your Time is already measured out The glass is turned upon you Rev. 10. 5 6. And the Angel lifted up his hand to Heaven and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever that Time should be no longer Therefore whatever thy â—and findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor devise nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Eccles. 9. 10. What then remaineth but that the Time being short and the fashion of these things passing away you use the world as if you used it not and redeem this Time for your eternal happiness 1 Cor. 7. 29. § 22. Direct 15. Remember still that sin and Satan will lose no time and therefore it concerneth Direct 15. you to lose none The Devil your adversary goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober therefore and vigilant to resist him V. 7 9. If he be busie and you be idle if he be at work in spreading his Nets and laying his snares for you and you be at play and do not mind him it is easie to fore-tell you what will be the issue If your enemies be fighting while you sit still or sleep it is easie to prognosticate who will have the Victory The weeds of corruption are continually growing sin like a constant spring is still running The world is still enticing and the flesh is still inclining to it
think how madly they consumed their lives and wasted the only Time that was given them to prepare for their salvation Do those in Hell now think them wise that are idling or playing away their time on earth O no! their feeling and experience sufficiently confuteth all that Time-wasters now plead for their â—ottish prodigality I do not believe that thou canst at once believe the Word oâ— God concerning the state of damned souls and yet believe that thy idle and vain expence of Time would not vex thy conscience and make thee even rage against thy self if ever sin should bring thee thither O then thou wouldst see that thou hadst greater matters to have spent thy time in and that it deserved a higher estimation and improvement O man beseâ—ch the Lord to prevent such a conviction and to give thee a heart to prize thy time before it is gone and to know the worth of it bâ—â—ore thou know the want of it Tit. 2. Directions Contemplative for Redeeming Opportunity Seâ— the many aggravaâ—ions oâ—â—inâ—ul Dâ—lay in my Dirâ—ctions for â—ound Convâ—â—sion § 28. OPportunity or Season is the flower of Time All Time is precious but the season is most precious The present Time is the season to works of present necâ—ssity And for others they have all their particular seasâ—ns which must not be let slip Direct 1. Remember that it is the great difference between the happy Saint and the unhappy world Direct 1. that one is wise in time and the other is wise too late The godly know while knowledge will do good The wicked know when knowledge will but torment them All those that you see now so exceedingly contrary in their judgement to the godly will be of the very same opinion shortly when it will do them no good Bear with their difference and contradiction for it will be but a very little while There is not one man that now is the furious enemy of holiness but will confess ere long that Holiness was best Do they now despise it as tedious fantastical hypocrisie They will shortly know that it was but the cure of a distracted mind and the necessary duty to God which Religion and right reason do command Do they now say of sin What harm is in it They will shortly know that it is the poyson of the soul and worse than any misery or death They will think mâ—re highly of the worth of Christ of the necessity of all possible diligence for our souls of the preciousness of Time of the wisdom of the Godly of the excellencies of Heaven and of the Word of God and all holy Means than any of those do that are now reproached by them for being of this mind But what the better will they be for this No more than Adam for knowing good and evil No more than it will profit a man when he is dead to know of what disease he dyed No more than it will profit a man to know what is poyson when he hath taken it and is past remedy The Thief will be wise at the Gallows and the Spendthrift-prodigal when all is gone But they that will be safe and happy must be wise in Time The godly know the worth of Heaven before it is lost and the misery of damnation before they feel it and the necessity of a Saviour while he is willing to be a Saviour to them and the evil of sin before it hath undone them and the preciousness oâ— Time before it is gone and the worth of mercy while mercy may be had and the need of praying while praying may prevail They sleep not till the door is shut and then knock and cry Lord open to us as the foolish ones Matth. 25. They are not like the miserable world that will not believe till they come where Devils believe and tremble nor Repent till torment force them to repent As ever you would escape the dear-bought experience of fools be wise in time and leave not Conscience to answer all your cryes and moans and fruitless wishes with this doleful peal Too late Too late Do but know now by an effectual faith what wicked men will know by feeling and experience when it is too late and you shall not perish Do but live now as those enemies of Holiness will wish they had lived when it is too late and you will be happy Now God may be found Seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will â—ave mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Isa. 55. 6 7. Read but the doleful lamentation of Christ over Ierusalem Luke 19. 41 42. and then bethink you what it is to neglect the season of mercy and salvation He beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at lest in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace But now they are hidden from thine eyes § 29. Direct 2. Remember that the neglecting of the season is the frustrating and destroying of the Direct 2. work When the season is past the work cannot be done If you sow not in the time of sowing it will be in vain at another time If you reap not and gather not in harvest it will be too late in Winter to hope for fruit If you stay till the Tide is gone or take not the Wind that fits your turn it may be in vain to attempt your Voyage All works cannot be done at all times Christ himself saith I must walk while it is day the night cometh when none can work John 9. 4. Say not then The next day may serve the turn The next day is for another work and you must do both § 30. Direct 3. Consider that if the work should not be impossible yet it will be difficult out of Direct 3. season when in its season it might be done with ease How easily may you swim with the Tide and sail with the Wind and form the Iron if you hammer it while it is hot How easily may many a disease be cured if it be taken in Time which afterwards is uncurable How easily may you bend a tender Twig and pluck up a Plant which will neither be pluckt up nor bended when it is grown up to be a Tree When you complain of difficulties in Religion bethink you whether your loss of the fittest season and acquainting your selves no sooner with God be not the cause § 31. Direct 4. Consider that your work out of season is not so good or acceptable if you could Direct 4. do it Every thing is beautiful in its season Eccles. 3. 11. To speak a word in season to the weary Numb 9. 2 3 7 13. Exod. 13. 10. is the skill of the faithful messengers of peace Isa. 50. 4. When out of season good may be turned into
do all the good we do through much opposition and meet with great disadvantages and difficulties which may quickly stop such dull and backward hearts as ours If you will prefer your profit before your souls in the choice of your condition and will plunge your selves into distracting busyness and company your Time will run in a wrong unprofitable chanel § 44. Direct 6. Contrive before hand with the best of your skill for the preventing of impediments Direct 6. and for the most succesful performance of your work If you leave all to the very time of doing you will have many hinderances rise before you and make you lose your Time which prudent forecast might have prevented As for the improving of the Lords Day if you do not beforehand so order your business that all things may give place to holy duties you will meet with so many disturbances and temptations as will lose you much of your Time and benefit so for family duties and secret duties and meditation and studies and the works of your callings If you do not forecast what hindrance is like to meet you that you may prevent it before the time you must lose much Time and suffer much disappointment § 45. Direct 7. Endure patiently some smaller inconvenience and loss for the avoiding of greater and Direct 7. for the redeeming of Time for greater duties and let little things be resolutely cast out of your way when they would draw out your Time by insensible degrees The Devil would cunningly steal that from you by drops which he cannot get you to cast away profusely at once He that will not spend prodigally by the pounds may run out by not regarding pence You shall have the pretenses of decencie and seemliness and civility and good manners and avoiding offence and censure and of some necessity too to draw out your precious Time from you by little and little And if you are so easie as to yield it will almost all be wasted by this temptation As if you be Ministers of Christ whose Time must be spent in your studies and pulpits and in conference with your people and visiting them and watching over them and it is your daily groans that Time is short and work is long and that you are forced to omit so many needful studies and pass by so many needy souls for want of Time Yet if you look not well about you and will not bear some censure and offence you shall lose even the rest of the Time which now you do improve Your friends about you will be tempting and telling you O this friend must needs be visited and the other friend must be civilly treated you must not shake them off so quickly They look for more of your time and company you are much obliged to them they will say you are uncivil and morose such a scholar comes to be acquainted with you and he will take it ill and misrepresent you to others if you allow him not Time for some familiar discourse It s one that never was with you before and never took up any of your Time And so saith the next and the next as well as he Such a one visited you and you must needs visit him again There is this journey or that which must needs be gone and this business and that which must needs be done Yea ones very family-occasions will steal away all his Time if he watch not narrowly we shall have this servant to talk to and the other to hear and our Relations to respect and abundance of little things to mind so little as not to be named by themselves about meat and drink and cloaths and dressing and house and goods and servants and work and tradesmen and messengers and marketting and payments and cattle and a hundred things not to be reckoned up that will every one take up a little of your Time and those littles set together will be all As the covetous usurer that to purchase a place of Honour agreed for a month to give a penny to every one that asked him which being quickly noised abroad in the City there came so many for their pence as took all that he had and made him quit his place of Honour because he had nothing left to maintain it So perhaps you are an eminent much valued Minister and this draweth upon you such a multitude of acquaintance every one expecting a little of your Time that among them all they leave you allmost none for your studies whereby not only your Conscience is wounded but your parts are quenched and your work is starved and poorly done and so your admirers themselves begin to set as light by you as by others for that which is the effect of their own importunity And as in our yearly expences of our money there goeth near as much in little matters not to be named by themselves and incidental unexpected charges of which no account can be given beforehand as doth in food and rayment and the ordinary charges which we foreknow and reckon upon just so it will be with your precious Time if you be not very thrifty and resolute and look not well to it you will have such abundance of little matters scarce fit to be named which will every one require a little and one begin where the other endeth that you will find in the review when Time is gone that Satan was too cunning for you and cheated you by drawing you into seeming necessities This is the grand Reason why Marriage and House-keeping are so greatly inconvenient to a Pastor of the Church that can avoid them because they bring upon him such abundance of these little diversions which cannot be foreseen In this case a conscionable man in what calling soever must be Resolute And when he hath endeavoured with Reason to satisfie expectants and put by diversions if that will not serve he must neglect them and cast them off and break away though he lose by it in his estate or his repute or his peace it self and though he be censured for it to be imprudent uncivil morose or neglective of his friends God must be pleased who ever be displeased we must satisfie our minds with his alone approbation instead of all Time must be spared whatever be lost or wasted and the Great things must be done whatever become of the less Though where both may be done and the lesser hinder not the greater and rob us not of Time from necessary things there we must have a care of both § 46. Direct 8. Labour to go allwaies furnished and well provided for the performance of every duty Direct 8. which may occur As he that will not lose his Time in Preaching must be well provided so he that will not lose his Time in solitariness must be allwaies furnished with matter for profitable meditation And he that would Redeem his Time in company must be allwaies furnished with matter for profitable discourse He that is full will
a clock in the morning when honest labourers have done one half of their dayes work While you are in health were not six a clock in the morning a fitter hour for you to be drest that you might draw near to the most Holy God in holy prayer and read his Word and set your souls and then your families in order for the duties of the following day I do not say that you may go no neaâ—er than poor labouring people or that you may bestow no more time than they in dressing you But I say that for your souls and in your callings you are bound by God to be as diligent as they and have no more Time given you to lose than they and that you should spend as little of it in neatifying you as you can and be sensible that else the loss is your own And that abundance of precious hours which your Pride consumeth will lye heavy one day upon your consciences And then you shall confess I say you shall confess it with aking hearts that the duties you owed to God and man and the care of your souls and of your families should have been preferred before your appearing neat and spruce to men If you have but a journey to go you can rise earlier and be sooner drest but for the good of your souls and the redeeming of your precious time you cannot O that God would but shew you what greater work you have to do with those precious hours and how it will cut your hearts to think of them at last If you lay but hopelesly sick of a Consumption you would be cured it is like of this proud disease and bestow less of your time in adorning the flesh which is hasting to the grave and rottenness And cannot you now see how time and life consumes and what cause you have with all your care and diligence to use it better before it is gone I know they that are so much worse than childish as prodigally to cast away so many hours in making themselves fine for the sight of men and be not ashamed to come forth and shew their sin to others will scarce want words to excuse their crime and prove it lawful be they sense or non-sense But conscience it self shall answer all when Time is gone and make you wish you had been wiser You know not Ladies and Gallants how precious a thing Time is You little feel what a price your selves will set upon it at the last You little consider what you have to do with it you see not how it hasteth and how near you stand to vast eternity you little know how despised Time will look a wakened Conscience in the face Or what it is to be found unready to dye I know you lay not to heart these things For if you did you could not I say you could not so lightly cast away your time If all were true that you say that indeed your place and honour requireth that your precious morning hours be thus spent I profess to you I should pity you more than Gally-slaves and I would bless me from such a place and honour and make haste into the course and company of the poor and think them happy that may better spend their time But indeed your excuses are frivolous and untrue and do but shew that Pride hath prevailed to captivate your Reason to its service For we know Lords and Ladies as great as the rest of you though alas too few that can quickly be up and drest and spend their early hours in prayer and adorning their souls and can be content to come forth in a plain and incurious attire and yet are so far from being derided or thought the worse by any whose judgement is much to be regarded that they are taken justly for the honour of their order And if it were not that some few such keep up the honour of your ranck I will not tell you how little in point of Morality it would be honoured § 53. Th. 4. Another Time-wasting Thief is Unnecessary pomp and curiosity in retinue attendance Thief 4. â—ouse furniture provision and entertainments together with excess of complement and ceremony and servitude to the humours and expectations of Time-wasters I crowd them all together because they are all but wheels of the same Engine to avoid prolixity Here also I must prevent the cavils of the guilty by telling you that I reprove not all that in the rich which I would reprove if it were in the poor I intend not to levell them and judge them by the same measure The rich are not so happy as to be so free as the poor either from the temptation or the seeming necessity and obligation Let others pity the poor I 'le pity the Rich who seem to be pinched with harder Necessities than the poor even this seeming Necessity of wasting their precious Time in complement curiosity and pomp which the happy Poor may spend in the honest labours of their Callings wherein they may at once be profitable to the Common-wealth and maintain themselves and meditate or confer of holy things But yet I must say that the Rich shall give an account of Time and shall pay dear for that which unnecessary excesses do devour And that instead of envying the state and curiosity of others and seeking to excell or equal them to avoid their obloquy they should contract and bring down all customs of excess and shew their high esteem of Time and detestation of Time-wasting curiosity and imitate the most sober grave and holy and be a pattern to others of employing Time in needful great and manly things I say Manly for so childish is this Vice that men of gravity and business do abhor it and usually men of Vanity that are guilty of it lay it all on the Women as if they were ashamed of it or it were below them What abundance of precious Time is spent in unnecessary state of attendance and provisions What abundance under pretence of cleanliness and neatness is spent in needless curiosity about rooms and furniture and accommodations and matters of meer pride vain-glory and ostentation covered with the honest name of decency What abundance is wasted in entertainments and unnecessary visits complements ceremony and servitude to the humours of men of Vanity I speak not for nastiness and uncleanness and uncomeliness I speak not for a Cynical morosity or unsociableness When Conscience is awakened and you come to your selves and approaching death shall better acquaint you with the worth of Time you will see a mean between these two Nimia omnia nimium exhibâ—nâ— negotium and you will wish you had most feared the Time-wasting prodigal extream Methinks you should freely give me leave to say that though Martha had a better excuse than you and was cumbered about many things for the entertainment of such a guest as Christ himself with all his followers who lookt for no curiosity yet Mary is more
pleasure do waste many hours day after day in Plays and Gaming and Voluptuous courses while their miserable souls are dead in sin enslaved to their fleshly lusts unreconciled to God and find no delight in him or in his service and cannot make a recreation of any Heavenly work How will it torment these unhappy souls to think how they plaid away those hours in which they might have been pleasing God and preventing misery and laying up a treasure in Heaven And to think that they sold that precious time for a little fleshly sport in which they should have been working out their salvation and making their calling and election sure But I have more to say to these anon § 58. Th. 9. Another Time-wasting Thief is excess of worldly cares and business These do not Thief 9. only as some more disgraced sins pollute the soul with deep stains in a little time and then recede but they dwell upon the mind and keep possession and keep out good They take up the greatest part of the lives of those that are guilty of them The world is first in the morning in their thoughts and last at night and almost all the day The world will not give them leave to entertain any sober fixed thoughts of the world to come nor to do the work which all works should give place to The World devoureth all the Time almost that God and their souls should have It will not give them leave to Pray or Read or Meditate or Discourse of holy things even when they seem to be Praying or hearing the Word of God the World is in their thoughts And as it 's said Ezek. 33. 31. They come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their Covetousness In most families there is almost no talk nor doings but all for the world These also will know that they had greater works for their precious time which should have always had the precedency of the World § 59. Th. 10. Another Time-waster is vain ungoverned and sinful thoughts When men are wearied Thief 10. with vain works and sports they continue unwearied in vain thoughts when they want company for vain Discourse and Games they can waste the time in idle or lustful or ambitious or Covetous thoughts alone without any company In the very night time while they wake and as they travail by the way yea while they seem to be serving God they will be wasting the Time in useless thoughts so that this devoureth a greater proportion of pretious Time than any of the former when Time must be reckoned for what abundance will be found upon most mens accounts as spent in idle sinful thoughts O watch this Thief and remember though you may think that a vain Thought is but a little sin yet Time is not a little or contemptible commodity nor to be cast away on so little a thing as idle thoughts and to vilifie thus so choice a treasure is not a little sin And that it is not a little work that you have to do in the Time which you thus wast And a daily course of idle thoughts doth waste so great a measure of time that this aggravation maketh it more heynous than many sins of greater infamy But of this more in the next part § 60. Th. 11. Another dangerous Time-wasting sin is the Reading of vain-Books Play-books Romances Thief 11. and feigned Histories and also unprofitable studies undertaken but for vain-glory or the pleasing of a carnal or curious mind Of this I have spoken in my Book of Self-denyal I speak not here how pernicious this vice is by corrupting the fancy and affections and breeding a diseased appetite and putting you out of relish to necessary things But bethink you before you spend another hour in any such Books whether you can comfortably give an account of it unto God! and how precious the Time is which you are wasting on such Childish toys You think the Reading of such things is lawful but is it lawful to lose your precious Time you say that your petty studies are desirable and laudable But the neglect of far greater necessary things is not laudable I discourage no man from labouring to know all that God hath any way revealed to be known But I say as Seneca We are ignorant of things necessary because we learn things superfluous and unnecessary Art is long and life is short And he that hath not time for all should make sure of the greatest matters and if he be ignorant of any thing let it be of that which the Love of God and our own and other mens salvation and the publick good do least require and can best spare It s a pitiful thing to see a man waste his time in criticizing or in growing wise in the less necessary Sciences and arts while he is yet a slave of pride or worldliness and hath an unrenewed soul and hath not learned the mysteries necessary to his own salvation But yet these studies are laudable in their season But the Fanatick studies of those that would pry into unrevealed things and the lascivious employment of those that read Love-books and Play-books and vain stories will one day appear to have been but an unwise expense of Time for those that had so much better and more needful work to do with it I think there is few of those that plead for it that would be found with such Books in their hands at death or will then find any pleasure in the remembrance of them § 61. Th. 12. But the Master-Thief that robs men of their Time is an unsanctified ungodly heart Thief 12. For this loseth Time whatever men are doing Because they never truly intend the Glory of God and having not a right principle or a right end their whole course is Hell-wards and whatever they do they are not working out their salvation And therefore they are still losing their Time as to themselves however God may use the Time and gifts of some of them as a mercy to others Therefore a New and Holy Heart with a Heavenly intention and design of life is the great thing necessary to all that will savingly Redeem their Time Tit. 5. On whom this duty of Redeeming Time is principally incumbent § 62. THough the Redeeming of Time be a duty of grand importance and necessity to all yet all these sorts following have special obligations to it Sort. 1. Those that are in the youth and vigour of their Time nature is not yet so much corrupted in Sort 1. you as in old accustomed sinners your hearts are not so much hardened sin is not so deeply rooted and confirmed Satan hath not triumphed in so many victories you are not yet plunged so deep as others into worldly incumbrances and cares your understanding memory and
strength are in their vigour and do not yet fail you And who should go fastest or work hardest but he that hath the greatest strength You may now get more by diligence in a day than hereafter you can get in many How few prove good Scholars or wise men that begin not to learn till they are old Fly youthful lusts therefore 2 Tim. 2. 22. Remember your Creator in the days of your youth Eccl. 12. 1. If you be now trained up in the way you should go you will not depart from it when you are old Prov 22. 6. O that you could but know what an unspeakable advantage and benefit and comfort it is to come to a ripe age with the provisions and furniture of that wisdom and holiness and acquaintance with God which should be attained in your youth and what a misery it is to be then to learn that which you should have been many years before in practising and to be then to begin to live when you must make an end much more to be cast to Hell if death should find you unready in your youth or to be forsaken of God to a hardened age Happy they that with Timothy and Obadiah do learn the Scripture and fear God in their Childhood and from their youth 1 King 18. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 15. § 63. Sort 2. Necessity maketh it incumbent on the weak and sick and aged in a special manner Sort 2. to Redeem their Time If they will not make much of it that are sure to have but a little and if they will trifle and loyter it away that know they are near their journeys end and ready to give up their accounts they are unexcusable above all others A Thief or Murderer will pray and speak good words when he is going out of the World Well may it be said to you as Paul doth Rom. 13. 11 12. Now it is high time to awake out of sleep when your salvation or damnation is so near It is high time for that man to look about him and prepare his soul and lose no time that is so speedily to appear before the most Holy God and be used for ever as he hath lived here § 64. Sort 3. It is specially incumbent on them to Redeem the Time who have loytered and Sort 3. mispent much time already If Conscience tell you that you have lost your youth in ignorance and vanity and much of your age in negligence and worldliness it is a double crime in you if you Redeem not diligently the Time that is left The just care of your salvation requireth it unless you 1 Pet. 4. 3. are willing to be damned Ingenuity and duty to God requireth it unless you will defie him and resolve to abuse and despise him to the utmost and spend all the time against him which he shall give you The nature of true Repentance requireth it unless you will know none but the Repentance of the damned and begin to Repent the mispending of your Time when it s gone and all is too late § 65. Sort 4. It is specially their duty to Redeem the Time who are scanted of time through poverty Sort 4. service or restraint If poor people that must labour all the day will not Redeem the Lords day and those few hours which they have they will then have no time at all for things spiritual servants that be not Masters of their time and are held close to their work had need to be very diligent in Redeeming those few hours which are allowed them for higher things Sort 5. § 66. Sort 5. Thâ—se that enjoy any special helps either publick or private must be specially carefull to improve them and Redeem the Time Do you live under a convincing powerful Ministry O improve it and Redeem the Time for you know not how soon they may be taken from you or you from them Do you live with Godly Relations Parents Husband Wife Masters in a Godly Family or with godly fellow-servants friends or Neighbours Redeem the time get somewhat by them every day you know not how short this season will be Do you live where you have Books and leisure Redeem the time This also may not be long Had not Ioshua been horribly unexcusable if he would have loitered when God made the Sun stand still while he pursued his enemies O loiter not you while the Sun of mercy patience means and helps do all attend you § 67. Sort 6. Those must especially Redeem the Time who are ignorant or graceless or weak in Sort 6. grace and have strong corruptions and little or no assurance of salvation and are unready to dye and have yet all or the most of their work to do If these loiter they are doubly to blame sure the Ephes. 2. 2. Time past of your lives may suffice to have loitered and done evil 1 Pet. 4. 3. Hath not the Devil had too much already Will ye stand all the day idle Mat. 20. 6. Look home and see what you have yet to do How much you want to a safe and comfortable death Hos. 10. 12. Sow to your selves in righteousness reap in mercy break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord till he come and rain righteousness upon you § 68. Sort 7. It much concerneth them to Redeem the Time who are in any office or have any Sort 7. opportunity of doing any special or publick good especially Magistrates and Ministers of Christ. Your life will not be long your office will not be long O bestir you against sin and Satan and for Christ and holiness while you may God will try you but a time Let Obadiah hide and feed the Prophets when he is called to it and while he may that God may hide him and not think to shift off duty and save himself to a better time saith Mordechai to Esther Esth. 9. 13 14. Think not with thy self that thou shalt escape in the Kings house more than all the Iews For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise from another place but thou and thy Fathers house shall be destroyed and who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom for such a time as this Are you Ministers O preach the Gospel while you may Redeem the time All times are your season so great a work and the worth of souls commandeth you to do it in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4. 2. A man that is to save many others from drowning or to quench a fire in the City is unexcusable above all men if he Redeem not time by his greatest diligence and speed § 69. Sort 8. Lastly it is specially incumbent on them to Redeem the time who being recovered Sort 8. from sickness or saved from any danger are under the obligation both of special mercy and special promises of their own who have promised God in the time of sickness or
of the Letters Syllables and Words without understanding the sense and end yet those that with holy and illuminated minds come thither to behold the footsteps of the Great and Wise and bountiful Creator may find not only matter to employ but to profit and delight their thoughts They may be rapt up by the things that are seen into the Sacred admirations reverence Love and praise of the glorious Maker of all who is unseen And thus to the sanctified all things will be sanctified and the study of common things will be to them Divine and Holy § 11. Direct 11. Be not a stranger to or neglectful disregarder of the wonders of providence in Direct 11. Gods administrations in the world and thou wilt find store of matter for thy thoughts The dreadfulness 11. Providence about the World of Iudgements the delightfulness of mercies the mysteriousness of all will be matter of daily search and admiration to thee Think of the strange preservations of the Church of a people hated by all the world how such a flock of Lambs is kept in safety among so many ravenous Wolves Think of Gods sharp afflictions of his offending people of his severe consuming judgements exercised sometimes upon the wicked when he means to set up here and there a monument of his justice for the warning of presumptuous sinners Go see how the wicked are deceived by befooling pleasures Prov. 1. 52. and how the prosperity of fools destroyeth them how they flourish to day as a green Bay-tree â—â—â—â—â—7 or as the flower of the field and then go into the Sanctuary and see their end how to morrow they are cut down and withered and the place of their abode doth know them no more Go see how God delighteth to abase the proud and to scatter them in the imagination of their hearts to put down the mighty from their seats and to exalt them of low degree to fill the hungry with good things and to send the Rich empty away Luk. 1. 51 52 53. How great are his signs and how mighty are his wonders His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom Dan. 4. 3. He ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will vers 26. 32. For wisdom and might are his and he changeth the times and the seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings he giveth wisdom to the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding Dan. 2. 20 21 22. He revealeth the deep and secret things he knoweth what is in darkness and the light dwelleth with him The Lord is known Psâ—â— 1â—5 â—â— Sâ—e Pâ—â—â—â— 1â—4 1â—5 1â—6 107. 122. 124 135. 136. 145. 1â—7 1â—8 14â— by the judgements which he executeth the wicked is snared in the work of his own hand Psal. 9. 16. Mâ—rk how the upright are afflicted daily and how the feet of violence trample on them and yet how they rejoyce and adhere to that God who doth afflict them and pitty and pray for their miserable persecutors and oppressors and how all things do work together for their good Rom. 8. 28. Wonderful are all the works of God sought out of them that have pleasure therein Psal. 111. 2. The Histories of former ages and the observation of the present may shew thee a world of matter for thy thoughts § 12. Direct 12. Understand all the lineaments and beauty of Gods Image upon a holy soul the Direct 12. excellency and use of every Grace and the harmony of all and thou wilt have store of profitable matter 12. Gods Image for thy thoughts Know the nature of every Grace and the place and order of it and the office use and exercise of it and the means and motives the opposites dangers and preservatives of it Know it as Gods Image and see and Love thy Maker and Redeemer and Regenerator in it Know how God loveth it and how useful it is to our serving and honouring him in the world and how deformed and vile a thing the soul is that is without it Know well what Faith is what wisdom and prudence are what Repentance and humility and mortification are what Hope and fear and desire and obedience and meekness and temperance and sobriety and chastity and contentation and justice and self-denyal are especially know the nature and force of Love to God and to his servants and to neighbours and to enemies Know what a holy resignation and devotedness to God is and what is watchfulness diligence zeal fortitude and perseverance patience submission and peace Know what the worth and use the helps and hinderances of all these are and then your Thoughts will not be idle § 13. Direct 13. If thou be not a stranger to the spirit of grace or a neglecter of his daily motions Direct 13. and perswasions and operations on thy heart the attendance and improvement of them will keep thy thoughts 13. The daily moâ—ions of the spirit from rusty idleness and a vagrant course It is not a small matter to be daily entertaining so noble a guest and daily observing the offers and motions of so great a benefactor and daily receiving the gifts of so bountiful a Lord and daily accepting his necessary helps and daily obeying the saving precepts of so great and beneficent a God! If you know how insufficient you are without him to will or to do to perform or to think or purpose any good and that all your sufficiency is of him If you knew that it is the great skill and diligence requisite in all that will Sail successfully to the desired Phil. 2. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 5. 2 Cor. 12. 9. Land of Rest to know the Winds of the Spirits helps and to set all your Sails to the right improvement of them and to bestir you while such gales continue you would find greater work than wandering for your thoughts § 14. Direct 14. Be not ignorant or neglective of that frame and course of holy duty to God and Direct 14. man in which all your lives should be employed and you cannot want matter to employ your thoughts 14. All our Duty to God and Man upon Your pulse and breath and natural motions will hold on whether you think of them or not But so will not moral holy motion for that must be rational and voluntary You have all the powers of soul and body to exercise either upon God or for God You must know him fear him love him obey him trust him worship him pray to him praise him give thanks to him bewail your sins and hear his Word and reverently use his Name and Day And is not the understanding and learning how to do all this and the seasonable serious practice of it all sufficient to keep the Thoughts from idleness O what a deal of work doth a serious Christian find for his thoughts about some one of these about praying aright or hearing or receiving the Sacrament
to quicken them which should be used when your minds grow dull or barren When your minds 19. All Ordinances and Means of Grace are empty and you cannot pump up plentiful matter for holy thoughts the reading of a seasonable book or conference with a full experienced Christian will furnish you with matter so will the hearing of a profitable Sermon and sometime prayer will do more than meditation And weak-headed persons of small knowledge and shallow memories must fetch the matter of their meditations thus more frequently from reading and conference than others need to do As they can hold but a little at a time so they must go the ofter As he that goeth to the Water with a Spoon or a Dish must go ofter than they that go with a more capacious vessel Others can carry a store-house of meditation still about them but persons of very small knowledge and memory must have their meditations fed by others as infants by the spoon Therefore a little and often is the best way both for their Reading or hearing and for their holy thoughts How great a mercy is it that weak Christians have such store of helps that when their heads are empty they have books and friends that are not empty from whence they may fetch help as they want it and that their hearts are not empty of the Love of God which enclineth them to do more than their parts enable them to do § 20. Direct 20. If all these do not sufficiently furnish your meditations look through the world Direct 20. and see what a multitude of miserable souls do call for your compassion and daily prayers for their relief 20. The miserable sinful world Think on the many nations that lie in the darkness of Idolatry and Infidelity It is not past the sixth part of the world that are Christians of any sort The other five parts are Heathens and Mahometans and some few Jews And of this sixth part it s but a small part that are Reformed from Popery and such corruptions as the Eastern and Southern Christians also are too much defiled with And in the Reformed Churches how common is profaneness and worldliness and how few are acquainted with the power of Godliness What abundance of ignorant and ungodly persons be there who hate the power and practice of that Religion which they profess themselves they hope to be saved by as if they hoped to be saved for hating persecuting and disobeying it And among those that seem more serious and obedient how many are hypocrites And how many are possest with pride and self-conceitedness which breaketh forth into unruliness contentions and uncharitableness factions and divisions in the Church How many Christians are ignorant passionate weak unprofitable and too many scandalous And how few are judicious prudent heavenly charitable peaceable humble meek laborious and fruitful who set themselves wholly to be good and to do good And of these few how few are there that are not exercised under heavy afflictions from God or cruel persecutions from ungodly men What tyranny is exercised by the Turk without and the Pope within upon the sincerest followers of Christ. Set all this together and tell me whether thy compassionate Thoughts or thy Prayers do need to go out for want of fewel or matter to feed upon from day to day Tit. 3. Directions how to make good Thoughts effectual or General Directions for Meditation HEre some Directions are preparatory and some about the Work it self § 1. Direct 1. Be sure that Reason maintain its authority in the command and government of Direct 1. your thoughts and that they be not left masterless to fancy and passion and objects to carry them which way they please Diseased melancholy and crazed persons have almost no power over their own Thoughts They cannot command them to what they would have them exercised about nor call them off from any thing that they run out upon but they are like an unruly horse that hath a weak rider or hath cast the rider or like a masterless dog that will not go or come at your command Whereas our Thoughts should be at the direction of our Reason and the command of the will to go and come off as soon as they are bid As you see a student can rule his Thoughts all day he can appoint them what they shall meditate on and in what order and how long So can a Lawyer a Physicion and all sorts of men about the matters of their arts and callings And so it should be with a Christian about the matters of his soul All Rules of Direction are to little purpose with them whose Reason hath lost its power in governing their thoughts If I tell a man that is deeply melancholy Thus and thus you must order your thoughts He will tell me that he cannot His thoughts are not in his power If you would give never so much he is not able to forbear thinking of that which is his disturbance nor to command his thoughts to that which you direct him nor to think but as he doth even as his disease and trouble moveth him And what good will precepts do to such Grace and doctrine and exhortation work by Reason and the commanding will If a holy person could manage his practical heart-raising meditations but as orderly and constantly and easily as a carnal covetous Preacher can manage his thoughts in studying the same things for carnal ends to make a gain of them or to win applause how happily would our work go on And is it not sad to think that carnal ends should do so much more than spiritual about the same things § 2. Direct 2. Carefully avoid the disease of melancholy for that dethroneth Reason and disableth it Direct 2. to rule the thoughts Distraction wholly disableth but melancholy disableth only in part according to the measure of its prevalencie and therefore leaveth some room for advice § 3. Direct 3. Take heed of sloth and negligence of the will whereby the directions of Reason will be Direct 3. unexecuted for want of Resolution and command and so every temptation will carry away the thoughts A lazy coachman will let the horses go which way they list because he will not strive with them and will break his neck to save his labour If when you feel unclean or worldly thoughts invade your minds you will not give your wills the allarm and rise up against them and Resolutely command them out you will be like a lazy person that lieth in bed while he seeth Thieves robbing his house and will let all go rather than he will rise and make resistance A sign that he hath no great riches to lose or else he would stir for it And if you see your duty on what your Thoughts should be employed and will not resolutely call them up and command them to their work you will be like a sluggard that will let all his servants lie in bed as
Iudgement Will and Direct 13. Practice a high esteem of God and holiness a resolved choice and a sincere endeavour are the life of Grace and duty when feeling Passions are but lower uncertain things You know not what you do when you lay so much on the passionate part Nor when you strive so much for deep and transporting apprehensions These are not the great things nor essentials of Holiness Too much of this feeling may distract you God knoweth how much you are able to bear Passionate feelings depend much upon nature Some persons are more sensible than others A little thing goeth deep with some The wisest and weightiest persons are usually least passionate and the weakest hardly moderate their passions God is not an object of sense and therefore more fit for the understanding and will than the passions to work upon That is the holiest soul which is most inclined to God and resolved for him and conformed to his will and not that which is affected with the deepest griefs and fears and joys and other such transporting passions Though it were best if even holy passions could be raised at the wills command in that measure which fitteth us best for duty But I have known many complain for want of deeper feeling who if their feeling as they called their passion had been more it might have distracted them I had rather be that Christian that loaths himself for sin resolveth against it and forsaketh it though he cannot weep for it than one of those that can weep to day and sin again to morrow and whose sinful passions are quickly stirred as well as their better passions § 18. Direct 14. Make not too great a matter of your own thoughts and take not too much â—otice Direct 14. of them but if Satan cast in molesting thoughts if you cannot cast them out set light by them and take less notice of them Making a great matter of every Thought that is cast into your mind will keep those thoughts in your mind the longer For that which we are most sensible of we most think on And that which we least regard we least remember If you would never be rid of them the way is to be still noting them and making too great a matter of them These troublesom thoughts are like troublesom scolds that if you regard them and answer them will never have done with you But if you let them talk and take no notice of them nor make no answer to them they will be weary and give over The Devils design is to vex and disquiet you And if he see you will not be vexed and disquieted he will give over attempting it I know you 'll say should I be so ungodly as to make light of such sinful thoughts I answer make not so light of them as to be indifferent what thoughts are in your mind nor so as to take the smallest sin to be none But make so light of them as not to take them for greater or more dangerous sins than they are And so light of them as not to take distinct particular notice of them nor to disquiet your selves about them For if you do you will have no room in your thoughts for Christ and Heaven and that which should take up your thoughts but the Devil will rejoyce to see how he employeth you in thinking over your own thoughts or rather his temptations and that he can employ you all the day in hearkning to all that he will say to you and in thinking of his motions instead of thinking on the works of God There are none of Gods servants without irregularities and sin of thoughts Which they must daily ask forgiveness of and rejoyce to think that they have a sufficient Saviour and remedy and that sin shall but occasion the magnifying of grace But if they should excessively observe and be troubled at every unwarrantable thought it would be a snare to take them off almost all their greater duties Would you like it in your servant if he should stop in observing and troubling himself about every ordinary imperfection in his work instead of going on to do it § 19. Direct 15. Remember that it is no sin to be tempted but only to yield to the temptation and that Direct 15. Christ himself was carried about and tempted blasphemously by the Devil even to fall down and worship him and yet he made these temptations but an advantage to the glory of his victory Take not the Devils sin to be yours Are your temptations more horrid and odious than Christs were What if the Devil had carried you to the pinacle of the Temple as he did Christ Would you not have thought that God had forsaken you and given you up to the power of Satan But you 'll say that you yield to the temptation and so did not Christ I answer It cannot be expected that sinful man should bear a temptation as innocently as Christ did Satan found nothing in Christ to comply with him but in us he findeth a sinful nature Wax will receive an impression when Marble will not But it is not every sinful taint that is a consent to the sin to which we are tempted § 20. Direct 16. Consider how far you are from Loving delighting in or being loth to leave these sinful Direct 16. thoughts and that no sin condemneth but that which is so loved and delighted in as that you had rather keep than leave it Would you not fain be delivered from all these horrid thoughts and sins Could you not be willing to live in disgrace or want or banishment so you might but be free from sin If so why doubt you of the pardon of it Can you have any surer sign of Repentance or that your sin is not a Reigning unpardoned sin than that it is not Loved and desired by you The less will the less sin and the more will the more sin The Covetous man Loveth his money and the Fornicator loveth his lust and the proud man loveth his honour and the drunkard loveth his cups and the glutton loveth to satisfie his appetite and so love these that they will not leave them But do you love your disturbing confused or blasphemous thoughts Are you not so weary of them as to be even aweary of your lives because of them would you not be glad and thankful never to be troubled with them more And yet do you doubt of pardon § 21. Direct 17. Charge not your souls any deeper than there is cause with the effects of your disease Direct 17. Indeed remotely a man that in distraction thinks or speaks amiss may be said to be faulty so far as his sin did cause his disease but directly and of it self the involuntary effects of sickness are no sin Melancholy is a meer disease in the spirits and imagination though you feel no sickness And it is as natural for a melancholy person to be hurryed and molested with doubts and fears
you of such a crazed wit If you say Yea Then believe and trust that person and resolve to follow his Direction And I would ask you were you not once of another judgement concerning your self If so then were you not as sound and able to judge and liker to be in the right than you are now § 25. Direct 21. My last advise is to look out for the cure of your disease and commit your Direct 21. self to the care of your Physicion and obey him And do not as most melancholy persons do that will not believe that Physick will do them good but that it is only their soul that is afflicted For it is the spirits imagination and passions that are diseased and so the soul is like an eye that looketh through a coloured glass and thinks all things are of the same colour as the glass is I have seen abundance cured by Physick and till the body be cured the mind will hardly ever be cured but the clearest Reasons will be all in vain Tit. 6. Directions for young Students for the most profitable ordering of their studying Thoughts § 1. Direct 1. LET it be your first and most serious study to make sure that you are Regenerate Direct 1. and sanctified by the Holy Ghost and justified by faith in Christ and Love God above all as your reconciled Father and so have right to the Heavenly inheritance § 2. For 1. You are nearest to your selves and your everlasting happiness is your nearest and your highest interest what will it profit you to know all the world and to lose your own souls To know as much as Devils and be for ever miserable with Devils § 3. 2. It is a most doleful employment to be all day at work in Satans Chains To sit studying God and the Holy Scriptures while you are in the power of the Devil and have hearts that are at enmity to the Holiness of that God and that Scripture which you are studying It is a most preposterous and incongruous course of study if you first study not your own deliverance And if you knew your case and saw your chains your trembling would disturb your studies § 4. 3. Till you are renewed you study in the dark and without that internal sight and sense Act. 26. 18. Eph. 1. 18 19. Col. 1. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Rom. 8. 7. 1 Cor. 2. 14 15. by which the life and spirit and kernel of all that you study must be known All that the Scripture saith of the darkness of a state of sin and of the illumination of the spirit and of the marvellous light of regenerate souls and of the natural man 's not receiving the things of the spirit and of the carnal mind that is enmity against God and is not subject to his Law nor can be all these and such other passages are not insignificant but most considerable truths from the spirit of truth You have only that Light that will shew you the shell and the dead letter but not the soul and quickening sense of any practical holy truth As the eye knoweth meat which we never tasted or as a meer Grammarian or Logician readeth a Law book or Physick book who gather nothing out of them that will save a mans estate or life so will you prosecute all your studies § 5. 4. You are like to have but ill success in your studies when the Devil is your Master who hateth both you and the holy things which you are studying He will blind you and pervert you and possess your minds with false conceits and put diverting sensual thoughts into you and will keep your own souls from being ever the better for it all § 6. 5. You will want the true end of all right studies and set up wrong ends and therefore whatever be the matter of your studies you are still out of your way and know nothing rightly because you know it not as a Means to the true end But of this anon § 7. Direct 2. When you have first laid this foundation and have the true Principle and End of Direct 2. all right Studies be sure that you intend this End in all even the Everlasting Sight and Love of God and the promoting his Glory and pleasing his holy will And that you never meddle with any studies seperated from this end but as a means thereto and as animated thereby § 8. If every step in your journey is but loss of time and labour which is not directed to your journeys end and if all that you have to mind or do in the world be only about your End or the Means and all creatures and actions can have no other moral Goodness than to be the means to God your ultimate end then you may easily see that when ever you leave out God as the End of any of your studies your are but sinning or doting for in those Studies there can be no Moral Good though they may tend to your knowledge of Natural Good and Evil. And when you think you grow wise and learned men and can dispute and talk of many things which make to your renown while your wills consent not to the wholsom words of our Lord Iesus Christ and the doctrine which is according 1 Tim. 6 3 4 5 6. to Godliness you are proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy strife railing evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds supposing that gain is Godliness from such turn away As there is no knowledge but from God so it is not knowledge but dotage if it lead not unto God § 9. Direct 3. See therefore that you choose all your studies according to their tendency to God Direct 3. your end and use them still under the notion of means and that you estimate your knowledge by this End and judge your selves to know no more indeed than you know of God and for God And so let practical Divinity be the soul of all your Studies Therefore when Life is too short for the Studies of all things which we desire to know make sure of the chief things and prefer those studies which make most to your End spend not your time on things unprofitable to this end And spend not your first and chiefest time on things unnecessary to it Noâ— aâ—â—em nec subâ—to câ—â—imus philosoâ—hari nec mediocrem a primo tempore aetatis in co studio operam curamque consumpsimus cum minime videbamur tum maxime philosophebamur Cicero 〈…〉 r. pag. 5. For the near connexion to God the end is it that enobleth the matter of your studies All true knowledge leads to God but not all alike the nearest to him is the best § 10. Direct 4. Remember that the chief part of your growth in knowledge is not in knowing Direct 4. many smaller things of no necessity but in a growing downwards in a clearer insight into the foundation of
when their appetite desireth it to the hindring of concoction and the increase of Crudities and Catarhs and to the secret gradual vitiating of their humours and generating of many diseases and this without any true necessity or the approbation of sound Reason or any wise Physicion Yet they tipple but at home where you may find the pot by them at unseasonable times § 12. 3. The third degree are many poor men that have not drink at home and when they come to a Gentlemans house or a feast or perhaps an ALE-house they will pour in for the present to excess though not to Drunkenness and think it is no harm because it is but seldom and they drink so small drink all the rest of the year that they think such a fit as this sometimes is medicinal to them and tendeth to their health § 13. 4. Another rank of Bibbers are those that though they haunt not ALE-houses or Taverns yet have a throat for every health or pledging Cup that reacheth not to drunkenness and use ordinarily to drink many unnecessary cups in a day to pledge as they call it those that drink to them And custom and complement are all their excuse § 14. 5. Another degree of Bibbers are common ALE-house haunters that love to be there and to sit many hours perhaps in a day with a pot by them tipling and drinking one to another And if they have any bargain to make or any friend to meet the ALE-house or Tavern must be the place where Tippling may be one part of their work 6. The highest degree are they that are not apt to be stark Drunk and therefore think themselves less faulty while they sit at it and make others drunk and are strong themselves to bear away more than others can bear They have the Drunkards appetite and measure and pleasure though they have not his giddiness and loss of wit § 15. 3. And of those that are truly Drunken also there are many degrees and kinds As some will be drunk with less and some with more so some are only possessed with a little diseased Levity and talkativeness more than they had before Some also have distempered eyes and stammering tongues Some also proceed to unsteady reeling heads and stumbling feet and unfitness for their callings Some go further to sick and vomiting stomachs or else to sleepy heads and some proceed to stark madness quarrelling railing bawling hooting ranting roaring or talking non-sense or doing mischief the furious sort being like mad dogs that must be tyed and the sottish prating and spewing sort being commonly the derision of the boys in the streets § 16. II. Having told you what Tipling and Drunkenness is I shall briefly tell you their causes But briefly because you may gather most of them from what is said of the Causes of Gluttony 1. The first and grand causes are these three concurrent A beastly raging appetite or gulosity A weakness of Reason and Resolution to rule it And a want of Faith to strengthen Reason and of Holiness to strengthen Resolution These are the very cause of all § 17. 2. Another cause is their not-knowing that their excess and tipling is really a hurt or danger to their health And they are ignorant of this from many causes One is because they have been bred up among ignorant people and never taught to know what is good or bad for their own bodys but only by the common talk of the mistaken vulgar Another is because their Appetite so maiâ—â—reth their very Reason that they can choose to believe that which they would not have to be true Another reason is because they are of heathful bodies and therefore feel no hurt at present and presume that they shall feel none hereafter and see some abstemious persons weaker than they who began not to be abstemious till some chronical disease had first invaded them And thus they do by their Bodys just as wicked men do by their souls They judge all by present feeling and have not wisdom enough to take things foreseen into their deliberation and accounts That which will be a great while hence they take for nothing or an uncertain something next to nothing As Heaven and Hell move not ungodly men because they seem a great way off so while they feel themselves in health they are not moved with the threatning of sickness The cup is in their hands and therefore they will not set it by for fear of they know not what that will befall them you know not when As the thief that was told he should answer it at the day of judgement said he would take the other Cow too if he should stay unpunished till then so these Belly-Gods think they will take the other cup if they shall but stay till so long hence And thus because this temporal punishment of their gulosity is not speedily exercised the hearts of men are fully set in them to please their appetites § 18. 3. Another cause of Tipling and Drunkenness is a wicked Heart that loveth the company Why Gregory set up Wakes and Church-Ales and Meetings on Holy-days in England you may see Li. 10. Regist. Ep. 71. in policy to win the heathens Qui boves solent multos in sacrificio daemonum occideâ—e debet his etiam de hac re aliqua solemnitas immutari ut die dedicationis vel natalitiis martyrum tabernacula sibi circa easdem ecclesias quae ex fanis commutatae sunt de ramis aborum faciant religiosis conviviis solennitatem celebrenâ— Nec Diabolo jam animalia immolent sed ad laudem Dei in esu suo animalia occidant donatori omnium de satietate sua gratias agant c. But do Christians need this as heathens did when we see the sad effects of such riotings Lâ—gâ— Aâ—ost l. 3. c. 34. of wicked men and the foolish talk and cards and dice by which they are entertained One sin ticeth down another It is a delight to prate over a pot or rant and game and drive away all thoughts that savour of sound Reason or the fear of God or the care of their salvation Many of them will say It is not for love of the drink but of the company that they use the ALE-house An excuse that maketh their sin much worse and sheweth them to be exceeding wicked To love the company of wicked men and love to hear their lewd and idle foolish talk and to game and sport out your time with them besides your tipling this sheweth a wicked fleshly heart much worse than if you loved the drink alone Such company as you love best such are your own dispositions If you were no Tiplers or Drunkards it is a certain sign of an ungodly person to love ungodly company better than the company of wise and godly men that may edifie you in the fear of God § 19. 4. Another cause of Tipling is Idleness when they have not the constant employments of their
callings to take them up Some of them make it their chief excuse that they do it to pass away the time Blind wretches that are so near eternity and can find no better uses for their Time To these I spoke before Chap. 5. Part. 1. § 20. 5. Another cause is the wicked neglect of their dutys to their own families making no conscience of loving their own relations and teaching them the fear of God nor following their business and so they take no pleasure to be at home The company of wife and children and servants is no delight to them but they must go to an ALE-house or Tavern for more suitable company Thus one sin bringeth on another § 21. 6. Another cause is the ill management of matters at home with their own Consciences when they have brought themselves into so terrible and sad a case that they dare not be much alone nor soberly think of their own condition nor seriously look towards another world but fly from themselves and seek a place to hide them from their consciences forgetting that sin will find them out They run to an ALE-house as Saul to his musick to drink away melancholy and drown the noise of a guilty self-accusing mind and to drive away all thoughts of God and Heaven and sin and Hell and death and judgement till it be too late As if they were resolved to be damned and therefore resolved not to think of their misery nor the remedy But though they dare venture upon Hell it self the sots dare not venture upon the serious thoughts of it Eeither there is a Hell or there is none If there be none why shouldst thou be afraid to think of it If there be a Hell as thou wilt find it if thou hold on but a little longer will not the feeling be more intollerable than the thoughts of it And is not the forethinking on it a necessary and cheap prevention of the feeling O how much wiser a course were it to retire your selves in secret and there to look before you to eternity and hear what conscience hath first to say to you concerning your life past your sin and misery and then what God hath to say to you of the remedy You 'll one day find that this was a more necessary work than any that you had at the ALE-house and that you had greater business with God and Conscience than with your idle companions § 22. 7. Another cause is the custom of pledging those that drink to you and of drinking healths by which the Laws of the Devil and the ALE-house do impose upon them the measures of excess and make it their duty to disregard their duty to God So lamentable a thing it is to be the tractable slaves of men and intractable rebels against God! Plutarck mentions One that being invited to a feast made a stop when he heard that they compelled men to drink after meat and askt whether they compelled them to eat too Apprehending that he went in danger of his belly And it seems to be but custom that maketh it appear less ridiculous or odious to constrain men to drinking than to eating § 23. 8. Another great cause of excess is the Devils way of drawing them on by degrees He doth not tempt them directly to be drunk but to drink one cup more and then another and another so that the worst that he seemeth to desire of them is but to drink a little more And thus as Solomon saith of the fornicator they yield to the flatterer and go on as the Ox to the slaughter and as the Fool to the correction of the stocks till a dart strike through his liver as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life Prov. 7. 21 22 23. § 24. III. The Greatness of this sin appeareth in what is said before of Gluttony More specially 1. Think how base a master thou dost serve being thus a slave to thy throat What a beastly thing it is and worse than beastly for few beasts but a swine will be forced to drink more than doth them good How low and poor is that mans reason that is not able to command his throat § 25. Think how thou consumest the creatures of God that are given for service and not for gulosity and luxury The earth shall be a witness against thee that it bore that fruit for better uses which tion misspendestâ—on thy sin Thy Servants and Cattle that labour for it shall be witnesses against thee Thou 〈◊〉 the creatures of God as a sacrifice to the Devil for Drunkenness and Tipling is his serâ—â—â—â— It were less folly to do as Diogenes did who when they gave him a large cup of wine threw it under the table that it might do him no harm Thou makest thy self like Caterpillers and Foxes and wolves and other destroying creatures that live to do mischief and consume that which should 〈◊〉 man and therefore are pursued as unfit to live Thou art to the common-wealth as Mice in the Gâ—â—nary or Weeds in the Corn. It is a great part of the work of faithful Magistrates to weed out such as thou § 26. 3. Thou robbest the poor consuming that on thy throat which should maintain them If thou have any thing to spare it will comfort thee more at last to have given it to the needy than that a greedy thoat devoured it The covetous is much better in this than the Drunkard and Luxurious Prov. 1â— 2â— Prov 14 21. 2â— 1â— 3â— 14 â—2 9. â—8 â—7 For he is a gatherer and the other is a scatterer The Common-wealth maintaineth a double or trâ—ble charge in such as thou art As the same pasture will keep many Sheep which will keep but one Horse so the same country may keep many temperate persons which will keep but a few Gluttons and Drunkards The worldling makes provision cheaper by getting and sparing but the Drunkard and Glutton make it dearer by wasting The covetous man that scrapeth together for himself doth oft-times gather for one that will pity the poor when he is dead Prov. 28. 8. But the Drunkard and Riotous devour it while they are alive One is like a Hog that is good for something at lâ—â—â—â— though his feeding yield no profit while he liveth The other is like devouring vermine that leave nothing to pay for what they did consume The one is like the Pike among the fishes who payeth when he is dead for that which he devoured alive But the other is like the sink or chanel that repayeth you with nothing but stink and dirt for all that you cast into it § 27. 4. Thou drawest poverty and ruine upon thy self Besides the value which thou wastest God usually joyneth with the prodigal by his judgements and scattereth as fast as he Prov. 21. 17. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man he that loveth wine and oyl shall not be rich There is that 〈…〉 a
there should be any saith the Spartan Then be is to pay an Oxe so great as shall stand on this side the River Tayget and drink of the River Eurota saith the other that is impâ—ssible And saith the Spartan Et quo pacto Spartae existat adulter in quâ divitiae deliciae corporis adscititius cultus probro habentur contra verecundia modestia ac obedientiae Magistratibus debitae observatio decori laudique dantur that is And how can there be an Adulterer at Sparta where Riches delights and strange attire or ornament are a disgrace or reproach and contrarily shamefaceness modesty and the observance of due obedience to Magistrates is an honour and praise And if Rich men think it their priviledge to fare sumptuously and satisfie their appetites they must take it for their priviledge to feed their lust But God giveth no man plenty for such uses nor is it any excuse for eating and drinking much because you have much no more than it would be to your Cooks to put much Salt It 's Zeno's comparison in Lâ—â—â—â—t l. 7. c. 1. In Laâ—rt l. 6. c. 1. in your meat more than in poorer mens because you have more He that observeth the filthy and and pernicious effects of that Gluttony which is accounted Rich mens honour and felicity will never envy them that miserable happiness but say rather as Antisthenes Hostium filiis contingat in deliciis vivere Let it befall the Children of my enemies to live in delights but that the curse is too heavy for a Christian to use to any of his enemies But for himself he must remember that he is the Servant of a Holy God and hath a Holy work to do and Holy sacrifices to offer to him and therefore must not pamper his flesh as if he were preparing a sacrifice for Venus For as 1 Thes. 4. 3 4. This is the will of God even your sanctification that you abstain from fornication that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles that know not God As the Philosopher answered Antigonus when he asked him whether he should go to a merry feast that he was invited to Thou art the Son of a King so it is answer enough for a Christian Laâ—rt l. 2. c. 38. against Temptations to voluptuousness I am the Son of the most Holy God If thou be invited to feasts where urgency or allurement is like to make thee break thy bounds go not or go back when thou feest the bait As Epaminondas in Plutarch finding excess at a feast that he was invited to went away when he saw it saying Ego te sacrificare non lascivire putaram so say thou I came to dine and not to be wanton or luxurious to support my body for duty and not to pamper it for lust Plutarch marvaileth at the folly of those men that detest the charms of witches lest they hurt them and fear not but love the charms of dishes which hurt a thousand where witches hurt one Withdraw the fuel of excess and the fire of lust will of it self go out or at least this enemy must be besieged and starved out when it cannot be conquered by storm § 4. Direct 2. Take heed of Idleness and be wholly taken up in diligent business of your lawful callings Direct 2. Otia si tolâ—as periere cupidinis areus c. when you are not exercised in the more immediate service of God David in his idleness or vacancy catcht those sparks of lust which in his troubles and military life he was preserved from Idleness is the soil the culture and the opportunity of Lust. The idle person goeth to School to the Devil He sets all other employment aside that the Devil may have time to teach him and treat with him In vacuo pectore regnat amor Ovid. and sollicit him to evil Do you wonder that he is thinking on lustful objects or that he is taken up in feasting and drinking in chambering and wantonness why he hath nothing else to do Whereas a laborious diligent person hath a body subdued and hardened against the mollities the effeminateness of Diogenes called Love Otiosorâ—m negotium the wanton and a mind employed and taken up with better things Leave thy body and mind no leisure to think of tempting filthy objects or to look after them As Hierome saith Facito aliquid operis ut semper Diabolus inveniat te occupatum Be still doing some work that the Devil may always find thee busie And do not for thy fleshly ease remit thy labours and indulge thy flesh Rise early and go late to bed and put thy self upon a Necessity of diligence all the day undertake and engage thy self in as much business as thou art able to go through that if thou wouldst thou maist not be able to give any indulgence to the flesh For if thou be not still pressed by necessity Lust will serve it self by idleness and the flesh will lye down if it feel not the spur Therefore are the Rich and idle more lustful and filthy than the poor labouring people The same Bed is the place of sloth and Lust. Hear a Heathen Nullus mihi per oâ—ium dies exit partem noctium studiis vendico Non vaco somno sed succumbo oculos vigâ—lâ—a fatigatos cadentesque in opere detineo Maâ—e mihi esse malo quam molliter si mollis es paulatim effoeminatur animus atque in similitudinem otii sui pigritiae in qua jacet solvitur Dormio minimum brevissimo somno utor satis est mihi vigilare desiâ—ste Aliquando dormisâ—e scio aliquando suspicor and refuse not to imitate him Seneca saith No day passeth me in idleness Part of the night I reserve for studies I do not purposely set my self to sleep but yield to it when it overcometh me and when my eyes are wearyed with watching and are falling I hold them to their work I had rather it went ill with me than delicately or tenderly If thou be delicate or tender the mind by little and little is effeminate and is dissolved into the similitude of the idleness and sloth in which it lyeth I sleep very little and take but a short nap It sufficeth me to have ceased watching sometimes I know that I slept sometime I do but suspect it Aristotle saith Nature made nothing to be idle And Plato calls Idleness the Plague of Mortals If thon be resolved to serve and please thy flesh then never ask advice against thy lust for its part of the pleasure of it and then no wonder if thou refuse this Physick as too bitter and the remedy as too dear But if thou be resolved to be cured and to be saved stick not at the pains give up thy self totally to thy business and lust will dye for want of food § 5. Direct 3. If thou
imployment for all thy time Direct 3. which Gods immediate service spareth Yea which somewhat urgeth thee to diligence Otherwise thou wilt lye in bed and say thou hast time to spare or nothing to do You can rise when you have a journey to be gone or a business of pressing necessity to be done Keep your selves under some constant necessity or urgency of business at the least § 14. Direct 4. Take pleasure in your Callings and in the service of God Sluggards themselves Direct 4. can rise to that which they take much pleasure in As to go to a Merriment or Feast or Play or Game or to a good bargain or any thing which they delight in If thou hadst a Delight in thy Calling and in reading the Scripture and praying and doing good thou couldst not lye contentedly in bed but wouldst long to be up and doing as Children to their play The wicked can rise early to do wickedness because their hearts are set upon it They can be drunk or steal or whâ—re or plot â—râ—v 4 16 1 Thess. 5. 6 7. their ambitious and covetous designs when they should sleep And if thy heart were set as much on good as theirs is on evil wouldst not thou be as wakeful and as readily up § 15. Direct 5. Remember the grand importance of the business of your souls which alwayes lyeth Direct 5. on your hands that the greatness of your work may rowze you up What lye slugging in bed when you are so far behind hand in knowledge and grace and assurance of salvation and have so much of the Scripture and other Books to read and understand Hast thou not grace to beg for a needy soul Is not Prayer better work than excess of sleeping Great business in the world can make you rise and why not Greater § 16. Direct 6. Remember that thou must answer in judgement for thy time And what comfort Direct 6. wilt thou have to say I slug'd away so many hours in a morning And what comfort at death when time is gone to review so much cast away in sleep § 17. Direct 7. Remember that God beholdeth thee and is calling thee up to work If thou understoodst Direct 7. his Word and Providence thou wouldst hear him as it were saying as the Marriners to Ionah What meanest thou O sleeper Arise call upon thy God Wilt thou lye sleeping inordinately when God Jonah 1. 6. stands over thee and calls thee up If the King or any great person or friend did but knock at thy door thou wouldst rise presently to wait upon them Why God would speak with thee by his Word or hear thee speak to him by prayer and wilt thou lye still and despise his Call § 18. Direct 8. Remember how many are attending thee while thou sleepest If it be Summer the Direct 8. Sun is up before thee that hath gone so many thousand miles while thou wast asleep It hath given a dayes light to the other half of the world since thou laist down and is come again to light thee to thy work and wilt thou let it shine in vain All the creatures are ready in their places to assist thee and art thou asleep § 19. Direct 9. Consider whether thou wilt allow thy servants to do the like They must be up Direct 9. and at work or you will be offended and tell them that they are no servants for you and that you hire them not to sleep And do you not owe God more service than they owe you Doth God hire you to sleep Is it any lawfuller for you than them to sleep one minute more than is needful to your health No not a minute If you are sicklier than they that 's another matter But see that fulness and idleness cause it not But otherwise your Riches are no excuse to you Will you loyter more than they because you receive more and do less service because you have more pay Or is it your priviledge to be so miserable as to lose that time which poor men save § 20. Direct 10. Remember that your morning hours are the choicest part of all the day for any holy Direct 10. exercise or special employment of the mind The mind is fresh and clear and there is less interruption by worldly business whereas when others are up and about their business you will have interpellations Those that have tryed it can say by experience that the morning hours are the flower of their time for prayer or studies and that early rising is a great part of the art of Redeeming Time § 21. Direct 11. Remember how many are condemning you by their diligence while you are slugging Direct 11. away your time How many holy persons are then at prayer in secret wrestling fervently with God for their salvation or reading and meditating in his word What do they get while you are sleeping The blessed man doth delight in the Law of the Lord and meditate in it day and night and you love your ease and are sleeping day and night Will not all these be witnesses against you So will the diligent in their Callings and so will the worldlings and wicked that rise early to their sin How many thousand are hard at work while you are sleeping Have you not work to do as well as they § 22. Direct 12. Remember that sensuality or flesh-pleasing is the great condemning sin that Direct 12. turns the heart from God And if it be odious in a drunkard or fornicator why is it not so in you Mortifie the flesh and learn to deny it its inordinate desires and your sin is almost cured § 23. Direct 13. For then the executive part is easie when you are willing It is but agreeing Direct 13. with some one to awaken you and a little cold water will wash away your drowsiness if you consent PART VII Directions against sinful Dreams § 1. DReams are neither good nor sinful simply in themselves because they are not rational and voluntary nor in our power But they are often made sinful by some other voluntary Act They may be sinful by participation and consequently And the acts that make them sinful are either such as go before or such as follow after § 2. 1. The antecedent causes are any sinful act which distempereth the body or any sin which inclineth the fantasie and mind thereto or the omission of what was necessary to prevent them 2. The causes which afterwards make them objectively sinful are the ill uses that men make of them As when they take their dreams to be Divine Revelations and trust to them or are affrighted by them as ominous or as prophetical and make them the ground of their actions and seduce themselves by the phantasms of their own brains § 3. Direct 1. Avoid those bodily distempers as much you can which cause sinful dreams especially Direct 1. fulness of dyet A full stomach causeth troublesome
2. 1â— see God and that Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that obey not his Gospel and that all they shall be damned that obey not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness when God hath resolved that Hell shall be the wages of ungodliness dost thou not desire them to damn themselves when thou desirest them to be ungodly If thou believe that there is any Hell at all then tell me what its possible for any man to do to murder his soul and damn himself but only to be ungodly If this way do it not there is no danger of any other Tell me dost thou think that the Devil deserveth to be called A Murderer of souls If not it seems thou wilt openly take the Devils part But if he do deserve it then the reason of all the World be judge whether that man deserve it not much more that will do much more against himself than the Devil ever did or can do The Devil can but tempt but thou wouldst have men do the thing that he tempts them to and actually to sin and neglect a holy life And which is the worse he that doth the evil or he that only perswadeth them to it If the Devil be called Our Adversary that like a roaring Lyon goeth about night and day seeking whom he 1 Pâ—t 5. 8. may devour what should that man be called that doth far more against himself than all the Devils in Hell do against him Sure he is a devourer or destroyer of himself Tell me thou distracted scorner Is the Devils work thinkest thou Good or Bad If it be Good take thy part of it and boast of it when thou seest the end If it be Bad to deceive souls and entise them to sin and Hell why wouldst thou have men do worse by themselves He that sinneth doth worse than he that tempteth Tell me what way doth the Devil take to do men hurt and damn their souls but only by drawing them to sin He hath no other way in the World to undoe any man but by tempting him to that which thou temptest men to even to sin against God and to neglect a Holy life So that it 's plain that thou scornest and opposest men because they will not be worse than Devils to themselves § 19. 13. Moreover thou opposest men for not forsaking God! What is it to forsake God but to refuse to Love and honour and obey him as God He hath told us himself that He that cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. And is it not this diligent seeking him that thou deridest It 's plain then that thou wouldst scorn men away from God and have them forsake him as thou hast done § 20. 14. Thou scornest men for not being Hypocrites Because they will be that in good earnest which thou hypocritically callest thy self and wouldst be thought Thou callest thy self a Christian and what is it but for being serious Christians that thou deridest them Thou takest on thee to believe in God and what is it but for obeying and serving God that thou deridest them Thou takest on thee to believe the Scripture to be the Word of God And what is it but for following the holy Scriptures that thou deridest them Thou saist thou believest the Communion of Saints and deridest them that hold the Communion of Saints in practice Thou saist thou believest that Christ shall judge the world and yet scornest them that are serious in preparing for his judgement Thou prayest that Gods name may be hallowed and his Kingdom come and his will-be done on Earth as it is in Heaven And yet thou deridest them that Hallow his name and are Subjects of his Kingdom and endeavour to do his will O wretched Hypocrite And yet that tongue of thine pretendeth that it is their Hypocrisie for which thou hatest and deridest them when thou dost it because they be not such blind and sensless Hypocrites as thy self Can there be grosser Hypocrisie in the World than to hate and scorn the serious practice of thy own profession and the diligent living according to that which thy own tongue professeth to believe If thou say that it is for doing too much and being too strict I answer thee If it be not the will of God that they do though I would not deride them I would seek to change them as well as thou But if it be the will of God then tell me dost thou think they do more than those that are in Heaven do or do they live more strictly than those in Heaven If they do then oppose them and spare not If not why prayest thou that Gods will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven § 21. 15. Thou deridest men for doing that which they were made for and that which they have their Reason and will and all their faculties for Take them off this and they are good for nothing A Beast is good to serve Man and the Plants to feed him But what is Man good for or what was he made for but to serve his Maker And dost thou scorn him for that which he came into the World for Thou maist as well hate a Knife because it can cut or a Sythe for Mowing or a Clock for telling the hour of the day when it was made for nothing else § 22. 16. Thou deridest men for being saved by Christ and for imitating his example What came Christ for into the World but to destroy the works of the Devil and to save his people from 1 Joh. Matth. 1. 21. Tit. 2. 12. their sins and to redeem us from all iniquity and Purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works And hath Christ to the astonishment of men and Angels come down into flesh and lived among men and given them his holy doctrine and example and suffered death for them and all this but to bring men to zealous Purity and darest thou make a scorn of it after this What is this but to scorn thy Saviour and scorn all the work of Redemption and tread under foot the Son of God and despise his blood his life and precepts § 23. 17. Thou scornest men for being renewed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost What is the work of the Holy Ghost on us but to sanctifie us And what is it to sanctifie us but to cleanse us from sin and cause us entirely to devote our souls and lives to God Dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost or not If thou do what is that but to Believe in him as the sanctifier of Gods Elect. And what didst thou take Sanctification to be but this purity and holiness of heart and life And yet darest thou deride it § 24. 18. Thou deridest men for imitating those ancient Saints whose names thou seemest thy self to honour and in honour of whom thou keepest Holy-days Thou takest on thee
little harm to most men if they do but by convenient interposed bodily labour keep all the humours in their just temperament when by a sluggish walk now and then instead of labour and sweat they defraud themselves If the world knew but the benefit of TEMPERANCE and LABOUR to the maintaining of mans health and life and the mischiefs of EXCESS of meat and drink and IDLENESS the love of health and life would do that with them which Gods authority will not do § 12. 8. Labour and diligence do keep the mind upon a lawful employment and therefore keep out many dangerous temptations and keep the thoughts from vanity and sin And also keepeth out vain words and preserveth the soul from many sins which a life of idleness and sloth doth cherish It helpeth even unlearned persons more effectually to restrain their thoughts and words from sin than the greatest knowledge and diligent watchfulness can do in an idle kind of life § 13. 9. Diligent labour mortifieth the flesh and keepeth under its luxurious inclinations and subdueth that pride and lust and brutish sensuality which is cherished by an idle life § 34. 10. Lastly It is Gods appointed means for the getting of our daily bread And as it is a more reall honour to get our bread our selves than to receive it by the gift of our friends or Parents so is it more comfortable to a well informed mind We may best believe that we have our food and provisions in mercy and that they shall be blest to us when we have them in Gods appointed way who hath said If any man will not work neither should be eat 2 Thess. 3. § 15. Direct 2. As labour is thus necessary so understand how needful a stated Calling is for the Direct 2. right performance of your labours A Calling is a stated ordinary course of labour This is very needful for these Reasons 1. Out of a Calling a mans labours are but occasional or unconstant and so more time is spent in idleness than in labour 2. A man is best skilled in that which he is used to 3. And he will be best provided for it with instruments and necessaries 4. Therefore he doth it better than he could do an other work and so wrongeth not others but attaineth more the ends of his labour 5. And he doth it more easily when a man unused and unskilled and unfurnished toyleth himself much in doing little 6. And he will do his work more orderly when another is in continual confusion and his business knoweth not its time and place but one part contradicts another Therefore some certain Calling or Trade of life is best for every man § 16. Quest. 1. May not a man have a Calling consisting of occasional uncertain works Answ. He that Quest. 1. can have no better may do thus so be it they are consistent works which he is able for As a Footman may go of various Errands and a Day-labourer may do many sorts of works But great variety will be a great inconvenience to him § 17. Quest. 2. May a man have divers Trades or Callings at once Answ. Yes no doubt if it be for Quest. 2. the common good or for his own and no injury to any other nor so inconsistent as that one shall make him unfaithful in the other Then God forbids it not The Question Whether a man may change his Calling I answered before Chap. 3. Direct 10. § 18. Direct 3. Think not that a Calling can be lawful when the work of it is sin nor that you or Direct 3. your labour or your gain in an unlawful Calling shall be blest An unlawful act is bad enough But an unlawful Calling is a life of sin To make sin a mans Trade and Work and Living is a most horrid desperate course of life As mercinary Soldiers that for their pay will fight against authority right or innocency and murder men for half a Crown a day and those that live by cheating stealing oppressing whoring or by resetting such or upon the sin of such or of Drunkards Gamesters or other sensual vices which they knowingly and willingly maintain § 19. Direct 4. Think not that because a work is lawful that therefore it is lawful to make a Direct 4. Calling of it It is lawful to jeast in time and measure but not lawful to be a Ieaster as a Trade of life If in some cases it should prove lawful to act a Comoedy or Tragoedy it will not follow that therefore it is lawful to be by Trade a Stage player If a Game at Cards or Dice may be in some cases lawful it follows not that it is lawful to be a Gamester by Trade The like I may say of many others § 20. Direct 5. It is not enough that the work of your Calling be lawful nor that it be necessary Direct 5. but you must take special Care also that it be safe and not very dangerous to your souls The Calling of a Vintner and Ale-seller is lawful and needful and yet it is so very dangerous that unless it be in an extraordinary place or case a man that loveth his soul should be loth to meddle with it if he can have a safer to get his bread by They get so little by sober people and their gain dependeth so much upon mens sin that it is a constant temptation to them to be the maintainers of it And frail man that can so hardly stand on firm ground should be loth for a little money to walk still upon the Ice and to venture his soul in a life of such temptations For its twenty to one but they will prevail § 21. Direct 6. The first and principal thing to be intended in the choice of a Trade or Calling for your Direct 6. selves or children is the service of God and the publick good And therefore caeteris paribus that Calling which most conduceth to the publick good is to be preferred The Callings most useful to the publick good are the Magistrates the Pastors and Teachers of the Church Schoolmasters Physicions Lawyers c. Husbandmen Plowmen Grasiers and Shepheards and next to them are Marriners Clothiers Booksellers Taylors and such other that are employed about things most necessary to mankind And some Callings are employed about matters of so little use as Tobacco-sellers Lace-sellers Feather-makers Periwig-makers and many more such that he that may choose better should be loth to take up with one of these though possibly in it self it may be lawful It is a great satisfaction to an honest mind to spend his life in doing the greatest good he can and a prison and constant calamity to be tyed to spend ones life in doing little good at all to others though he should grow rich by it himself § 22. Direct 7. When two Callings equally conduce to the publick good and one of them hath the Direct 7. advantage of riches and the other is more advantagious
all his work and lyeth not only in the heat of the brain or rigid opinions or heat of speech 10. It is not a sudden flash but a constant resolution of the soul Like the natural heat and not like a Feaver Though the feeling part is not still of one Gal. 4. 15 18. degree Therefore it concocteth and strengtheneth when false zeal only vexeth and consumeth § 5. Direct 2. When you are thus acquainted with the nature of true zeal consider next of its excellency Direct 2. and singular benefits that there may be a love to it and an honour of it in your hearts To that The excellency of zeal and diligence end consider of these following commendations of it § 6. 1. Zeal being nothing but the fervour and vigour of every grace hath in it all the beauty and excellency of that Grace and that in a high and excellent degree If Love to God be excellent then zealous fervent Love is most excellent § 7. 2. The nature of holy Objects are such so great and excellent so transcendent and of unspeakable consequence that we cannot be sincere in our estimation and seeking of them without zeal If it were about riches or honours a cold desire and a dull pursuit might serve the turn and well beseem us But about God and Christ and Grace and Heaven such cold desires and endeavours are but a contempt To love God without zeal is not to Love him because it is not a loving him as Psal. 69. 10. Joh. 2. 17. Gal. 4. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 11. Tit. 2. 14. Rev. 3 15 16 19. God To seek Heaven without Zeal and Diligence is not to seek it but contemn it To pray for salvation without any zeal is but hypocritically to babble instead of praying For no desire of Christ and Holiness and Heaven is saving but that which preferreth them before all the treasures and pleasures of the World And that which doth so hath sure some zeal in it so that some Zeal is essential to every Grace as life and heat is to a man § 8. 3. The integrity and honesty of the heart to God consisteth much in zeal As he is true to his friend that is zealous for him and not he that is indifferent and cold To do his service with zeal is to â—am 5. 16. Rom. 12. 11. do it willingly and heartily and entirely To do it without zeal is to do it heartlesly and by the halves and to leave out the life and kernel of the duty It is the Heart that God doth first require § 9. 4. Zeal is much of the strength of duty and maketh it likelyest to attain its end The Prayer Mat. 11. 12. Rom. 15. 30. Luk. 13. 24. 2 Tâ—m 2. 5. 1 Cor 9. 24 25 26. Heb. 12. 1. Deut. 6. 5. Mat. â—2 37. 2 Cor. 5. 14. Prov. 10. 4. of the faithful that 's effectual must be fervent Jam. 5. 16. Zeal must make us importunate suiters that will take no denyal if we will speed Luk. 18. 1 8 c. The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force We must strive to enter in at the strait gate for many shall seek to enter and not be able Not every one that striveth is crowned nor every one that runneth wins the prize but he that doth it effectually so as to attain No wonder if we be commanded to Love God with all our heart and soul and might which is a Zealous Love For this is it that overcometh all other love and will constrain to dutiful obedience As experience telleth us it is the zealous and diligent Preacher that doth good when the cold and negligent do but little so is it in all other duties The diligent hand maketh rich And God blesseth those that serve him heartily with all their might § 10 5. Zeal and diligence take the opportunity which sloth and negligence let slip They are up Joh. 9. 4. Isa 55. 6. Luk. 19. 42. Heb. 3. 7 15. Mat. 25. with the Sun and work while it is day They seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near They know the day of their Visitation and Salvation They delay not but take the accepted time When the slothful are still delaying and trifling and hear not Gods voice while it is called to day but harden their hearts and sleep with their lamps unfurnished and knock not till the door be shut They stand and look upon their work while they should do it They are never in readiness when Christ and Mercy are to be entertained They are still putting off their duty till some other time till time be done and their work undone and they are undone for ever § 11. 6. Zeal and diligence are the best improvers of Time and mercy As they delay not but take the present time so they loyter not but do their work to purpose As a speedy Traveller goeth farther in a day than a slothful one in many so a zealous diligent Christian will do more for God and his soul in a little time than a negligent dullard in all his life It is a wonder to think what Augustine and Chrysostome did among the Ancients what Calvin and Perkins and Whittaker and Reignolds and Chamier and many other Reformed Divines have done in a very little time And what Swarez and Vasquez and Iansenius and Tostatus and Cajetan and Aquinas and many other Papists have performed by diligence when Millions of men that have longer time go out of the World as unknown as they came into it having never attained to so much knowledge as might preserve them from the reproach of Bruitish ignorance nor so much as might save their souls from Hell And when many that had diligence enough to get some laudable abilities had never diligence enough to use them to any great benefit of others or themselves Zeal and diligence are that fruitful well-manured soil where God soweth his seed with best Mat. 13 8 23. Prov. 26. 14. success and which return him for his mercies an hundred fold and at his coming giveth him his own with usury Mat. 25. 27 20. But sloth and negligence are the grave of mercies where they are buried till they rise up in judgement against the despisers and consumers of them Aristotle and Plato Galen and Hippocrates improvers of nature shall condemn these slothful neglecters and abusers of nature and grace yea their Oxen and Horses shall be witnesses against many that served not God with any such diligence as these beasts served them yea many gallants of great estates never did so much service for the common good in all their lives as their very beasts have done Their parts their life and all is lost by them § 12. 7. Zeal and diligence are the victorious enemies of sin and Satan They bear not with sin They are to it as a consuming fire is to the thorns and bryars Zeal burneth up
the Enemies of Religion that forbad Christs Ministers to preach his Gospel and forbad Gods servants to meet in Church-assemblies for his Worship the support of Religion and the comfort and edification of believers would then lye almost all upon the right performance of family-duties There Masters might teach the same truth to their housholds which Ministers are forbid to preach in the Assemblies There you might pray together as fervently and spiritually as you can There you may keep up as holy converse and communion and as strict a discipline as you please There you may celebrate the praises of your blessed Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier and observe the Lords Day in as exact and spiritual a manner as you are able You may there provoke one another to Love and to good works and rebuke every sin and mind each other to prepare for death and live together as passengers to eternal life Thus holy families may keep up Religion and keep up the life and comfort of believers and supply the want of publick preaching in those Countreys where persecutors prohibit and restrain it or where unable or unfaithful Pastors do neglect it § 8. Motive 8. The duties of your families are such as you may perform with greatest peace and least exception Motive 8. or opposition from others When you go further and would be instructing others they will think you go beyond your Call and many will be suspicious that you take too much upon you And if you do but gently admonish a rowt of such as the Sodomites perhaps they will say This one fellow came in to sojourn and he will needs be a Iudge Gen. 19. 9. But your own house is your Castle Your family is your charge You may teach them as oft and as diligently as you will If the ungodly rabble scorn you for it yet no sober person will condemn you nor trouble you for it if you teach them no evil All men must confess that Nature and Scripture oblige you â—o it as your unquestionable work And therefore you may do it among sober people with approbation and quietness § 9. Motive 9. Well governed Families are honourable and exemplary unto others Even the worldly and Motive 9. ungodly use to bear a certain reverence to them For Holiness and Order have some witness that commendeth them in the consciences of many that never practised them A worldly ungodly disordered family is a Den of Snakes a place of hissing railing folly and confusion It is like a Wilderness overgrown with Bryars and Weeds But a holy family is a Garden of God It is beautified with his Graces and ordered by his Government and fruitful by the showres of his heavenly blessing And as the very sluggard that will not be at the cost and pains to make a Garden of his thorny Wilderness may yet confess that a Garden is more beautiful and fruitful and delightful and if wishing would do it his Wilderness should be such Even so the ungodly that will not be at the cost and pains to order their souls and families in holiness may yet see a beauty in those that are so ordered and wish for the happiness of such if they could have it without the labour and cost of self-denyal And no doubt the beauty of such holy and well governed families hath convinced many and drawn them to a great approbation of Religion and occasioned them at last to imitate them § 10. Motive 10. Lastly Consider That holy well governed families are blest with the special presence Motive 10. and favour of God They are his Churches where he is worshipped His houses where he dwelleth He is engaged both by Love and Promise to bless protect and prosper them Psal. 1. 3. 128. It is safe to sail in that Ship which is bound for Heaven and where Christ is the Pilot. But when you reject his Government you refuse his company and contemn his favour and forfeit his blessing by despising his presence his interest and his commands § 11. So that it is an evident truth that most of the mischiefs that now infest or seize upon mankind throughout the earth consist in or are caused by the disorders and ill-governedness of families These are the Schools and Shops of Satan from whence proceed the beastly ignorance lust and sensuality the devilish pride malignity and cruelty against the holy wayes of God which have so unman'd the progeny of Adam These are the Nests in which the Serpent doth hatch the Eggs of Covetousness Envy Strife Revenge of Tyranny Disobedience Wars and Bloodshed and all the Leprosie of sin that hath so odiously contaminated humane nature and all the miseries by which they make the world calamitous Do you wonder that there can be persons and Nations so blind and barbarous as we read of the Turks Tartarians Indians and most of the inhabitants of the earth A wicked education is the cause of all which finding nature depraved doth sublimate and increase the venome which should by education have been cured And from the wickedness of families doth National wickedness arise Do you wonder that so much ignorance and voluntary deceit and obstinacy in errors contrary to all mens common senses can be found among professed Christians as Great and small High and low through all the Papal Kingdom do discover Though the Pride and Covetousness and Wickedness of a worldly carnal Clergie is a very great cause yet the sinful negligence of Parents and Masters in their families is as great if not much greater than that Do you wonder that even in the Reformed Churches there can be so many unreformed sinners of beastly lives that hate the serious practice of the Religion which themselves profess It is ill education in ungodly families that is the cause of all this O therefore how great and necessary a work is it to cast Salt into these corrupted fountains Cleanse and cure these vitiated Families and you may cure almost all the calamities of the earth To tell what the Emperours and Princes of the earth might do if they were wise and good to the remedy of this common misery is the idle talk of those negligent persons who condemn themselves in condemning others Even those Rulers and Princes that are the Pillars and Patrons of Heathenisme Mahometanisme Popery and Ungodliness in the world did themselves receive that venome from their Parents in their birth and education which inclineth them to all this mischief Family-reformation is the easiest and the most likely way to a common Reformation At least to send many souls to Heaven and train up multitudes for God if it reach not to National reformation CHAP. VI. More special Motives for a holy and careful Education of Children BEcause the chief part of Family-Care and Government consisteth in the right Education of Children I shall adjoyn here some more special Motives to quicken considerate Parents to this duty And though most that I have to say for it be already said
the week IT somewhat tendeth to make a holy life more easie to us when we know the ordinary course and method of our duties and every thing falleth into its proper place As it helpeth the Husbandman or Tradesman to know the ordinary course of his work that he need not go out of it unless in extraordinary cases Therefore I shall here give you some brief Directions for the holy spending of every day § 1. Direct 1. Proportion the time of your sleep aright if it be in your power that you waste Direct 1. not your pretious morning hours sluggishly in your bed Let the time of your sleep be rationally fitted to your health and labour and not sensually to your slothful pleasure About six hours is meet for healthful people and seven hours for the less healthful and eight for the more weak and aged ordinarily The morning hours are to most the preitousest of all the day for all our duties especially servants that are scanted of time must take it then for prayer if possible leâ—t they have none at all § 2. Direct 2. Let God have your first awaking thoughts Lift up your hearts to him reverently Direct 2. and thankfully for the rest of the night past and briefly cast your selves upon him for the following day and use your selves so constantly to this that your consciences may check you when common thoughts shall first intrude And if you have a Bed-fellow to speak to let your first speech be agreeable to your thoughts It will be a great help against the temptations that may else surprize you and a holy engagement of your hearts to God for all the day § 3. Direct 3. Resolve that pride and the fashions of the times shall never tempt you into such a Direct 3. garb of attire as will make you long in dressing you in the morning but wear such cloathing as is soon put on It 's dear-bought bravery or decency as they will needs call it which must cost every day an hours or a quarter of an hours time extraordinary I had rather go as the wilde Indians than have those morning hours to answer for as too many Ladies and other gallants have § 4. Direct 4. If you are persons of quality you may employ a child or servant to read a Chapter Direct 4. in the Bible while you are dressing you and eating your breakfast if you eat any Else you may employ that time in some fruitful meditation or conference with those about you as far as your necessary occasions do give leave As to think or speak of the mercy of a nights rest and of your renewed time and how many spent that night in hell and how many in prison and how many in a colder harder lodging and how many in grievous pain and sickness aweary of their beds and of their lives and how many in distracting terrours of their minds and how many souls that night were called from their bodies to appear before the dreadful God And think how fast days and nights â—oul on and how speedily your last night and day will come And observe what is wanting in the readiness of your soul for such a time and seek it presently without delay § 5. Direct 5. If more necessary duties call you not away let secret prayer by your self alone or Direct 5. with your chamber-fellow or both go before the common prayers of the family and delay it not causlesly but if it may be let it be first before any other work of the day Yet be not formal and superstitious to your hours as if God had absolutely tyed you to such a time nor think it not your duty to pray once in secret and once with your chamber-fellow and once with the family every morning when more necessary duties call you off That hour is best for one which is worst for another To most private prayer is most seasonable as soon as they are up and cloathed To others some other hour may be more free and fit And those persons that have not more necessary duties may do well to pray at all the opportunities before-mentioned But reading and meditation must be allowed their time also And the labours of your callings must be painfully followed And servants and poor people that are not at liberty or that have a necessity of providing for their families may not lawfully take so much time for prayer as some others may especially the aged and weak that cannot follow a calling may take longer time And Ministers that have many souls to look after and publick work to do must take heed of neglecting any of this that they may be longer and oftener in private prayer Allwayes remember that when two duties are at once before you and one must be omitted that you prefer that which all things considered is the greatest And understand what maketh a duty greatest Usually that is greatest which tendeth to the greatest good yet sometime that is greatest at that time which cannot be done at another time when others may Praying in it self considered is better than Plowing or Marketting or Conference And yet these may be greater than it in their proper seasons because prayer may be done at another time when these cannot § 6. Direct 6. Let family-worship be performed constantly and seasonably twice a day at that hour Direct 6. which is freest in regard of interruptions not delaying it without just cause But whenever it is performed be sure it be reverently seriously and spiritually done If greater duty hinder not begin with a brief invocation of Gods name and craving of his help and blessing through Christ and then read some part of the holy Scripture in order and either help the hearers to understand it and apply it or if you are unable for that then read some profitable Book to them for such ends and sing a Psalm if there be enough to do it fitly and earnestly pour out your souls in Prayer But if unavoidable occasions will not give way to all this do what you can especially in prayer and do the rest another time but pretend not necessity against any duty when it is but unwillingness or negligence The lively performance of Family-duties is a principal means to keep up the power and interest of Godliness in the world which all decays when these grow dead and slight and formal § 7. Direct 7. Renew the actual intention and remembrance of your ultimate end when you set your Direct 7. selves to your days work or set upon any notable business in the world Let HOLINESS TO THE LORD be written upon your hearts in all that you do Do no work which you cannot entitle God to and truly say he set you about And do nothing in the world for any other ultimate end than to Please and Glorifie and Enjoy him And remember that whatever you do must be done as a means to these and as by one that is that way going
the most behind 2. Another may remember more than you 3. All is not lost when the words are forgotten For it may breed a habit of understanding and promote resolution affection and practice § 8. Direct 8. Writing is an easie help for memory to those that can use it Some question whether they should use it because it hindereth their affection But that must be differently determined according to the difference of subjects and of hearers Some Sermons are all to work upon the affections at present and the present advantage is to be preferred before the after perusal But some must more profit us in after-digestion and review And some hearers can write much with ease and little hinder their affection and some write so little and are hindered so much that it recompenseth not their loss Some know so fully all that is said that they need no notes and some that are ignorant need them for perusal § 9. Direct 9. Peruse what you remember or write down when you come home and fix it speedily before it 's lost And hear others that can repeat it better Pray it over and confer of it with others § 10. Direct 10. If you forget the very words yet remember the main drift of all and get those Direct 10. Resolutions and affections which they drive at And then you have not lost the Sermon though you have lost the words As he hath not lost his food that hath digested it and turned it into flesh and blood Tit. 3. Directions for holy Resolutions and Affections in hearing THE understanding and memory are but the passage to the Heart and the Practice is but the expression of the Heart therefore how to work upon the Heart is the principal business § 1. Direct 1. Live under the most convincing lively serious Preacher that possibly you can It is Direct 1. a matter of great concernment to all but especially to dull and sensless hearts Hearken not to that earthly generation that tell you because God can bless the weakest and because it is your own fault if you profit not by the weakest that therefore you should make no difference but sit down under an ignorant dumb or sensless man Try first whether they had as willingly have a bad servant or a bad Physicion as a good one because God can bless the labours of the weakest Try whether they would not have their Children duly reproved or corrected because it is their own faults that they need it And whether they would not take physick after a surfet though it be their own fault that made them sick It 's true that all our sin is our own fault but the question is what is the most effectual cure what man that is alive and awake doth not feel a very great difference between a dead and a lively Preacher § 2. Direct 2. Remember that Ministers are the Messengers of Christ and come to you on his business Direct 2. and in his name Hear them therefore as his officers and as men that have more to do with God 2 Cor. 6. 1. himself than with the speaker It is the phrase of the holy Ghost Heb. 4. 13. All things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do It is God with whom you have to do and therefore accordingly behave your selves See Luk. 10. 16. 1 Thes. 4. 8. 1 Cor. 4. 1. § 3. Direct 3. Remember that this God is instructing you and warning you and treating with Direct 3. yâ—u about no less than the saving of your souls Come therefore to hear as for your salvation Can that heart be dull that well considereth that it is Heaven and Hell that is the matter that God is treating with him about § 4. Direct 4. Remember that you have but a little time to hear in and you know not whether Direct 4. ever you shall hear again Hear therefore as if it were your last Think when you hear the Calls of God and the offers of Grace I know not but this may be my last How would I hear if I were sure to dye to morrow I am sure it will be ere long and may be to day for ought I know § 5. Direct 5. Remember that all these dayes and Sermons must be reviewed and you must answer for Direct 5. all that you have heard whether you heard it with Love or with unwillingness and weariness with diligent attention or with carelesness and the word which you hear shall judge you at the last day Hear therefore as those that are going to judgement to give account of their hearing and obeying Joh. 12. 48. § 6. Direct 6. Make it your work with diligence to apply the Word as you are hearing it and to Direct 6. work your own hearts to those suitable resolutions and affections which it bespeaketh Cast not all upon the Minister as those that will go no further than they are carryed as by force This is fitter for the dead than the living You have work to do as well as the Preachers and should all the while be as busie as he As helpless as the infant is he must suck when the Mother offereth him the breast If you must be fed yet you must open your mouths and digest it For another cannot digest it for you nor can the holiest wisest powerful Minister convert or save you without your selves nor deliver a people from sin and hell that will not stir for their own deliverance Therefore be all the while at work and abhor an idle heart in hearing as well as an idle Minister § 7. Direct 7. Chew the Cud and call up all when you come home in secret and by Meditation Direct 7. Preach it over to your selves If it were coldly delivered by the Preacher do you consider of the great weight of the matter and Preach it more earnestly over to your own hearts You should love your selves best and best be acquainted with your own condition and necessities § 8. Direct 8. Pray it over all to God and there lament a stupid heart and put up your complaints Direct 8. to Heaven against it The name and presence of God hath a quickening and awaking power § 9. Direct 9. Go to Christ by faith for the quickenings of his spirit Your life is hid in him Direct 9. your root and head and from him all must be conveyed He that hath the Son hath life and because he liveth we shall live also Intreat him to glorifie the power of his Resurrection by raising the dead and to open your hearts and speak to you by his spirit that you may be taught of God and your hearts may be his Epistles and the tables where the everlasting Law is written Col. 3. 3 4. Ioh. 15. 1 2 3 4 5. Ioh. 11. 25. 14. 19. Phil. 3. 7 8. Act. 16. 14. Ioh. 6. 45. 2 Cor. 3. 3 6 17 18. Heb. 8. 10. 10. 16. Ier. 31. 33.
Christ and his Disciples But walk with the most Holy and blameless and charitable that live upon that truth which others talk of and are seeking to please God by the wisdom which is first pure and then peaceable and gentle Jam. 3. 17 18 when others are contending for their several sects or seeking to please Christ by killing him or censuring him or slandering him in his servants Ioh. 16. 2 3. Matth. 25. 45. 40. Direct 8. § 8. Direct 8. Keep a just account of your Practice Examine your selves in the end of every day and week how you have spent your time and practised what you were taught and judge your selves before God according at you find it Yea you must call your selves to account every hour what you are doing and how you do it whether you are upon Gods work or not And your hearts must be watcht and followed like unfaithful servants and like loitering Scholars and driven on to every duty like a dull or tired horse § 9. Direct 9. Above all set your hearts to the deepest contemplations of the wonderful Love of God Direct 9. in Christ and the sweetness and excellency of a holy life and the certain incomprehensible glory which it tendeth to that your souls may be in Love with your dear Redeemer and all that is holy and Love and obedience may be as natural to you And then the practice of holy doctrine will be easie to you when it is your delight § 10. Direct 10. Take heed that you receive not ungrounded or unnecessary prejudices against the Direct 10. person of the Preacher For that will turn away your heart and lock it up against his doctrine And therefore abhor the spirit of uncharitableness cruelty and faction which alway bendeth to the suppressing or vilifying and disgracing all those that are not of their way and for their interest And be not so blind as not to observe that the very design of the Devil in raising up divisions among Christians is that he may use the tongues or hands of one another to vilifie them all and make them odious to one another and to disable one another from hindering his Kingdom and doing any considerable service to Christ. So that when a Minister of Christ should be winning souls either he is forbidden or he is despised and the hearers are saying O he is such or such a one according to the names of reproach which the Enemy of Christ and Love hath taught them CHAP. XX. Directions for profitable Reading the holy Scriptures § 1. SEeing the diversity of mens tempers and understandings is so exceeding great that it is impossible that any thing should be pleasing and suitable to some which shall not be disliked and quarrelled with by others and seeing in the Scriptures there are many things hard to be understood which the unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. and the Word is to some the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2. 16. You Mar. 4. 24. have therefore need to be careful in Reading it And as Christ saith Luke 8. 18. Take heed how you hear so I say Take heed how you read § 2. Direct 1. Bring not an evil heart of Unbelief Open the Bible with holy Reverence as the Book Direct 1. Read Chap. 3. Dir. 1. and against Unbelief Tom. 1. of God indited by the Holy Ghost Remember that the Doctrine of the New Testament was revealed by the Son of God who was purposely sent from Heaven to be the Light of the world and to make known to men the Will of God and the matters of their salvation Bethink you well if God should but send a Book or Letter to you by an Angel how reverently you would receive it How carefully you would peruse it and regard it above all the Books in the world And how much rather should you do so by that Book which is indited by the Holy Ghost and recordeth the doctrine of Christ himself whose authority is greater than all the Angels Read it not therefore as a common Book with a common and unreverent heart but in the dread and Love of God the Author Direct 2. § 3. Direct 2. Remember that it is the very Law of God which you must live by and be judged by at last And therefore read it with a full Resolution to obey what ever it commandeth though flesh and men and Devils contradict it Let there be no secret exceptions in your heart to baulk any of its Precepts and shift off that part of obedience which the flesh accounteth difficult or dear § 4. Direct 3. Remember that it is the Will and Testament of your Lord and the Covenant of most Direct 3. full and gracious Promises which all your Comforts and all your hopes of pardon and everlasting life are built upon Read it therefore with Love and great delight Value it a thousand fold more than you would do the letters of your dearest friend or the Deeds by which you hold your Lands or any thing else of low concernment If the Law was sweeter to David than honey and better than thousands of Gold and Silver and was his delight and meditation all the day O what should the sweet and pretious Gospel be to us Direct 4. § 5. Direct 4. Remember that it is a Doctrine of unseen things and of the greatest Mysteries and therefore come not to it with arrogance as a Iudge but with Humility as a Learner or Disciple And if any thing seem difficult or improbable to you suspect your own unfurnished understanding and not the sacred Word of God If a Learner in any Art or Science will suspect his Teacher and his Books when ever he is stalled or meeteth with that which seemeth unlikely to him his pride would keep possession for his ignorance and his folly were like to be uncurable Direct 5. § 6. Direct 5. Remember that it is an Universal Law and Doctrine written for the most ignorant as well as for the curious and therefore must be suited in plainness to the capacity of the simple and yet have matter to exercise the most subtile wits and that God would have the style to savâ—ur more of the innocent weakness of the instruments than the matter Therefore be not offended or troubled when the style dâ—th seem less polite than you might think beseemed the Holy Ghost nor at the plainness of some parts or the mysteriousness of others But adore the wisdom and tender condescension of God to his poor creatures § 7. Direct 6. Bring not a carnal mind which savoureth only fleshly things and is enslaved to those Direct 6. sins which the Scripture doth condemn For the carnal mind is enmity against God and neither is nor can be subject to his Law Rom. 8. 7 8. And the things of God are not discerned by the meer natural man for they are foolishness to him and they must be spiritually
prayed against the Christians while he ignorantly persecuted them And they that think they do God service by killing his servants no doubt would pray against them as the Papists and others do at this day Be specially careful therefore that your Iudgements and Desires be found and holy before you offer them up to God in prayer For it is a most vile abuse of God to beg of him to do the Devils work and as most malitious and erroneous persons do to call him to their help against himself his servants and his cause § 10. Direct 9. Come alwayes to God in the humility that beseemeth a condemned sinner and in Direct 99. the faith and boldness that beseemeth a Son and a member of Christ Do nothing in the least conceit and confidence of a worthiness in your selves but be as confident in every lawful request as if you saw your Glorified Mediator interceding for you with his Father Hope is the Life of Prayer and all endeavour and Christ is the Life of Hope If you pray and think you shall be never the better for it your prayers will have little life And there is no hope of success but through our powerful intercessor Therefore let both a Crucified and Glorified Christ be alwayes before your eyes in prayer Not in a Picture but in the thoughts of a believing mind Instead of a Crucifix let some such sentence of holy Scripture be written before you where you use to pray as Iohn 20. 17. GO TO MY BRETHREN and SAY UNTO THEM I ASCEND UNTO MY FATHER and YOUR FATHER TO MY GOD and YOUR GOD. Or Heb. 4. 14. We have a great High-Priest that is passed into the Heavens Iesus the Son of God ver 15 16. that was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy c. Heb. 6. 9 20. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and that entreth into that within the vail whither the fore runner is for us entred Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them John 14. 13 14. If ye ask any thing in my name I will do it Christ and the Promise must be the ground of all your confidence and hope § 11. Direct 10. Labour hard with your hearts all the while to keep them in a reverent serious Direct 10. fervent frame and suffer them not to grow remiss and cold to turn prayer into lip-labour and lifeless formality or into hypocritical affected seeming fervency when the heart is senseless though the voice be earnest The heart will easily grow dull and customary and hypocritical if it be not carefully watcht and diligently followed and stirred up The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jam. 5. 16. A cold prayer sheweth a heart that is cold in desiring that which is prayed for and therefore is unfit to receive the mercy God will make you know that his mercy is not contemptible but worthy your most earnest prayers § 12. Direct 11. For the matter and order of your Desires and Prayers take the Lords Prayer Direct 11. Of the Method of the Lords Prayer see Ramus de Râ—lig Christ. l. 3. c. 3 Ludolphus de vita Christi par 1. c. 37. Peâ—kins iâ— orat dom Dr. Boys on the Liturgie p. 5 6 7. as your special Rule and labour to understand it well For those that can make use of so Brief an Explication I shall give a little help A Brief Explication of the Method of the LORDS PRAYER The Lords Prayer containeth I. The Address or Preface In which are described or implyed I. To whom the Prayer is made 1. Who he is GOD Not Creatures Saints or Angels 2. How Related to us He is OUR FATHER which comprehendeth fundamentally that he is 1. Our Creator And therefore 1. Our Owner or Absolute Lord. 2. Our Redeemer And therefore 2. Our Ruler or Supream King 3. Our Regenerater To the regenerate And therefore 3. Our Benefactor and Chief Good and so Our Felicity and Our End 3. What he is in his Attributes WHICH ART IN HEAVEN Which signifieth that therefore he is 1. Almighty and Able to grant all that we ask and to relieve and help us in every strait 2. All knowing Our hearts and wants and all things being open to his sight 3. Most Good from whom and by whom and to whom are all things the fountain the disposer and the End of all on whose bounty and influence all subsist And the present Tense ART doth intimate his Eternity In this one word is not only implyed all these Attributes of God but also our hearts are directed whither to look for their Relief and Directioâ— now and their Felicity for ever and called off from Earthly dependaâ—â—es and expectations of Happiness and Rest and to look for all from Heaven and at last in Heaven II. Who are the Petitioners Who are 1. Man as to his Being 2. By Relation Gods Children 1. By Creation So All are and therefore All may thus far call him Father 2. By Redemption As All are as to the sufficient Price and satisfaction 3. By Regeneration And so only the Regenerate are Children 1. His Own 2. His Subjects 3. His Beloved and Beneficiariâ—s that Live upon Him and to Him as their End 3. By Quality 1. Dependant on God 2. Necessitous 3. Sinners Yet 1. Loving God as their Father Yet 2. Loving themselves as Men Yet 3. Loving others as Brethren All which is signified in the word OUR II. The Prayer or Petitions In two Parts Of which I. The first Part is accoring to the Order of Estimation Intention and Desire and is 1. For the End simply which is GOD in the word THY repeated in every Petition 2. For the End respectively in the interest of GOD and that is in I. The Highest or Ultimate that is The Glory of God HALLOWED BE THY NAME II. The Highest Means of his Glory THY KINGDOM COME that is Let the World be subject to thee their Creator and Redeemer the Universal King III. The next Means being the effect of this THY WILL BE DONE that is Let thy Laws be fulfilled and thy disposals submitted to 3. For the Lower End even the subject of these Means which is the Publick Good of Mankind the World and Church IN EARTH that is Let the world be subjected to thee and the Church obey thee which will be the greatest blessing to them Our selves being included in the world And the measure and pattern is added AS IT IS IN HEAVEN that is Let the Earth be conformed as near as may be to the Heavenly pattern So that this Part of the Lords Prayer proceeding in the order of Excellency and Intention directeth us I. To make God our Ultimate Highest End and to desire his Interest first and
not be so converted though it be improbable § 23. Quest. 23. May we pray in hope with a proper prayer as a means to attain it that a whole Quest. 23. Kingdom may be all truly converted and saved Answ. Yes For God hath no way told us that it shall not be Though it be a thing improbable it is not impossible And therefore being greatly desirable may be prayed for Though Christ hath told us that his flock is little and few find the way of life yet that may stand with the salvation of a Kingdom § 24. Quest. 24. May we pray for the destruction of the enemies of Christ or of the Gospel or of the Quest 24. King Answ. Not with respect to that which is called Gods antecedent will for so we ought first to pray for their Conversion and restraint till then But with respect to that called his Consequent will we may that is we must first pray that they may be restrained and converted and secondly that if not they may be destroyed § 25. Quest. 25. What is to be thought of that which some call a particular faith in prayer If Quest. 25. I can firmly believe that a lawful prayer shall be granted in kind may I not be sure by a divine faith that it shall be so Answ. Belief hath relation to a Testimony or Revelation Prayer may be warranted as lawful if the thing be desirable and there be any possibility of obtaining it though there be no certainty or flat promise But faith or expectation must be warranted by the Promise If God have promised you the thing prayed for you may believe that you shall receive it Otherwise your particular faith is a fancy or a believing of your selves and not a believing God that never promised you the thing Obj. Matth. 21 22. And all things whatsoever you ask in prayer believing ye shall receive Mar 11. 23 24. Answ. There are two sorts of Faith the one a Belief that is ordinary having respect to ordinary promises and mercies The Text can be understood of this in no other sense than this All things which I have promised you you shall receive if you ask them believingly But this is nothing to that which is not promised The other faith was extraordinary in order to the working of Miracles And this faith was a potent inward confidence which was not in the power of the person when he pleased but was given like an Inspiration by the Spirit of God when a Miracle was to be wrought And this seemeth to be it that is spoken of in the Text. And this was built on this extraordinary promise which was made not to all men in all ages but to those times when the Gospel was to be sealed and delivered by Miracles and specially to the Apostles So that in these times there is neither such a promise of our working Miracles as they had to believe nor yet a power to exercise that sort of extraordinary faith Therefore a strong conceit though it come in a fervent prayer that any thing shall come to pass which we cannot prove by any promise or prophecy is not to be called any act of Divine faith at all nor to be trusted to § 26. Quest. 26. But must we not believe that every lawful prayer is accepted and heard of God Quest. 26. Answ. Yes but not that it shall be granted in the very thing unless so promised But you may believe that your prayer is not lost and that it shall be a means of that which tendeth to your good Rom. 8. 28. Isa. 45. 19. § 27. Quest. 27. With what faith must I pray for the souls or bodies of other men for their conversion Quest. 27. or their lives Answ. A godly man may pray for wicked Relations or others with more hope than they can pray for themselves while they remain ungodly But yet not with any certainty of prevailing for the thing he asketh for it is not peremptorily promised him Otherwise Samuel had prevailed for Saul and Isaac for Esau and David for Absolom and the good people for all the wicked And then no godly Parents would have their children lost no nor any in the world would perish For godly persons pray for them all But those prayers are not lost to him that puts them up § 28. Quest. 28. With what faith may we pray for the continuance of the Church and Gospel to Quest. 28. any Nation Answ. The former answer serveth to this Our hope may be according to the degrees of probability But we cannot believe it as a certainty by Divine faith because it is not promised by God § 29. Quest 29. How may we know when our prayers are heard of God and when not Quest. 29. Answ. Two wayes Sometimes by experience when the thing it self is actually given us and alwayes by the Promise When we ask for that which God commandeth us to ask or promiseth to grant For we are sure Gods promises are all fulfilled If we ask for the objects of sense as food oâ— rayment or health c. sense will tell us whether our prayers be granted in the same kind that we asked for But if the questions be of the objects of Faith it is Faith that must tell you that your prayers are granted But yet Faith and Reason make use of Evidences or Signs As if I pray for pardon of sin and salvation the promise assureth me that this prayer is granted if I be a penitent believing regenerate person Otherwise not Therefore faith only assureth me that such prayers are granted supposing that I discern the Evidence of my regeneration repentance and faith in Christ. So if the question be whether my prayer for others or for temporal mercies be answered in some other kind and conduce to my good some other way faith only must tell you this from the promise by the help of evidences There are millions of prayers that will all be found answered at death and judgement which we knew not to be answered any way but by believing it § 30. Quest. 30. What should a Christian of weak parts do that is dry and barren of matter Quest. 30. and can scarce tell what to say in prayer but is ready to rise off his knees almost as soon as he hath begun Answ. 1. He must not be a stranger to himself but study well his heart and life and then he will How to have constant supply of matter â—ind such a multitude of inward corruptions to lament and such a multitude of wants to be supplyed and weaknesses to be strengthened and disorders to be rectified and actual sins to be forgiven that may find him work enough for confessions complaints and petitions many dayes together if expression be but as ready as matter 2. Let him study God and get the knowledge of his Nature Attributes and Works and then he will find matter enough to aggravate his sin and to furnish him
with the holy Praise of God from day to day As he that is acquainted with all that is in any Book can copiously discourse of it when he that knoweth not what is in it hath little to say of it so he that knoweth God and his works and himself and his sins and wants is acquainted with the best Prayer Book and hath alwayes a full heap of matter before him when ever he cometh to speak to God 3. Let him study the mysterie of mans Redemption and the Person and Office and Covenant and Grace of Christ and he need not want matter for prayer or praise A very Child if he see but a Pedlars pack opened where there are abundance of things which he desireth will learn Rev 3. 17 18. without-book to say O Father buy me this and give me that c. So will the soul that seeth the treasuries and riches of Christ. 4. Let him know the extent of the Law of God and the meaning of the ten Commandments If he know but what sins are forbidden in each Commandment and what duties are required he may find matter enough for Confession and Petition And therefore the view of such a brief Exposition of the Commandments as you may find in Mr. Brinsley's True-Watch and in Dr. Downams and Mr. Whateleys Tables will be a present furniture for such a use especially in dayes of humiliation So it will also to have a particular understanding of the Creed and the Lords Prayer which will furnish you with much matter 5. Study well the Temptations which you carry about you in your flesh and meet with in the world and are suggested by the Tempter and think of the many duties you have to do and the many dangers and sufferings to undergo and you will never be unfurnished for matter for your prayers 6. Observe the daily passages of Providence to your selves and others Mark how things go with your souls every day and hearken how it goeth with the Church of God and mark also how it goeth with your neighbours and sure you will find matter enough for prayer 7. Think of the Heavenly Joyes that you are going to and the Streets of the New Ierusalem will be large enough for faith to walk in 8. For words be acquainted with the phrase of Scripture and you will find provisions for all occasions Read Dr. Wilkins Book called The Gift of Prayer or Mr. Brinsleyes Watch or Mr. El. Par's Abba Father 9. Keep up the heart in a reverend serious lively frame and it will be a continual spring to furnish you with Matter When a dead and barren heart hath a dry and sleepy tongue 10. Ioyn as oft as you can with those that are full and copious in prayer For example and use will be very great helps 11. Quench not the Spirit of God that must assist you 12. In case of necessity use those Books or Forms which are more full than you can be your selves till you come to ability to do better without them Read further the Directions Tom. 1. Chap. 6. Tit. 2. for more § 31. Quest. 31. How should a Christian keep up an ordinary fervency in prayer Quest. 31. How to keep up fervency in prayer Answ. 1. See that knowledge and faith provide you Matter For as the fire will go out if there be not fewell so fervency will decay when you are dry and scarce know what to say or do not well believe what you understand 2. Clog not the body either with overmuch eating and drinking or over-tiring labours For an active body helpeth much the activity of the mind And the holiest person will be able but poorly to exercise his fervency under a dull or languishing body 3. Rush not suddenly upon prayer out of a crowd of other businesses or before your last worldly cares or discourses be washed clean out of your minds In Study and Prayer how certain a truth is it that Non bene fit quod occupato animo fit Hieron Epist. 143. ad Paulin. That work is not well done which is done with a mind that is prepossessed or busied about other matters That mind must be wholly free from all other present thoughts or business that will either Pray or Study well 4. Keep a tender heart and conscience that is not senseless of your own concernments For all your prayers must needs be sleepy if the heart and conscience be once hardned seared or fallen asleep 5. Take more pains with your hearts than with your tongues Remember that the success of your work lyeth most on them Bear not with their sluggishness Do by them as you would do by your Child or Servant that sleepeth by you at prayer You will not let them snort on but jog them till you have awakened them So do by your hearts when you find them dull 6. Live as in the continual presence of God but labour to apprehend his special presence when you are about to speak to him Ask your hearts how they would behave themselves if they saw the Lord or but the lowest of his holy Angels 7. Let faith be called up to see Heaven and Hell as open all the while before you and such a fight will surely keep you serious 8. Keep death and judgement in your continual remembrance and expectation Remember how all your prayers will be lookt back upon Look not for long life Remember that this prayer for ought you know may be your last but certainly you have not long to pray Pray therefore as a dying man should do 9. Study well the unspeakable iâ—cessity of your souls If you prevail not for pardon and grace and preservation you are undone and lost for ever Remember that necessity is upon you and Heaven or Hell are at the end and you are praying for more than a thousand lives 10. Study well the unspeakable excellency of those mercies which you pray for O think how blessed a life it would be if you could know God more and love him more and live a blameless heavenly life and then live with Christ in Heaven for ever Study these mercies till the flames of Love put life into your prayers 11. Study well the exceeding encouragements that you have to Pray and Hope If your Hope decay your fervour will decay Think of the unconceivable Love of God the astonishing mercy shewed to you in your Redeemer and in the helps of the Holy Spirit and how Christ is now interceding for you Think of these till faith make glad your heart And in this gladness let Praise and thanksgiving have ordinarily no small share in your prayers for it will tire out the heart to be alwayes poreing on its own distempers and discourage it to look on nothing but its infirmities And then a sad discouraged temper will not be so lively a temper as a thankful praiseful joyful temper is For Laetitia loquax res est atque ostentatrix sui Gladness is a very expressive thing and apt to shew
seduced to think all proper Communion of Churches lyeth in that Sacrament and to be more prophanely bold in abusing many other parts of worship 5. There are better means by Teaching and Discipline to keep the Sacrament from contempt than the omitting or displacing of it 6. Every Lords Day is no ofter then Christians need it 7. The frequency will teach them to Live prepared and not only to make much ado once a Moneth or Quarter when the same work is neglected all the year beside Even as one that liveth in continual expectation of death will live in continual preparation when he that expecteth it but in some grievous sickness will then be frightned into some seeming preparations which are not the habit of his soul but laid by again when the disease is over 2. But yet I must add that in some undisciplin'd Churches and upon some occasions it may be longer omitted or seldomer used No duty is a duty at all times And therefore extraordinary cases may raise such impediments as may hinder us a long time from this and many other priviledges But the ordinary faultiness of our imperfect hearts that are apt to grow customary and dull is no good reason why it should be seldome Any more than why other special duties of Worship and Church-communion should be seldome Read well the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians and you will find that they were then as bad as the true Christians â—â—e now and that even in this Sacrament they were very culpable and yet Paul seeketh not to cure them by their seldomer communicating § 21. Quest. 3. Are all the members of the visible Church to be admitted to this Sacrament or Quest. 3. communicate Answ. All are not to seek it or to take it because many may know their own unfitness when the Church or Pastors know it not But all that come and seek it are to be admitted by the Pastors except such Children Ideots ignorant persons or Hereticks as know not what they are to receive and do and such as are notoriously wicked or scandalous and have not manifested their repentance But then it is presupposed that none should be numbered with the adult members of the Church but those that have personally owned their Baptismal Covenant by a Credible Profession of true Christianity § 22. Quest. 4. May a man that hath knowledge and civility and common gifts come and Quest. 4. take this Sacrament if he know that he is yet void of true Repentance and other saving Grace Answ. No For he then knoweth himself to be one that is uncapable of it in his present state § 23. Quest. 5. May an ungodly man receive this Sacrament who knoweth not himself to be Quest. 5. ungodly Answ. No For he ought to know it and his sinful ignorance of his own condition will not make his sin to be his duty nor excuse his other faults before God § 24. Quest. 6. Must a sincere Christian receive that is uncertain of his sincerity and in continual Quest. 6. doubting Answ. Two preparations are necessary to this Sacrament The general preparation which is a state of grace and this the doubting Christian hath And the particular preparation which consisteth in his present actual fitness And all the question is of this And to know this you must further distinguish between Immediate duty and more Remote and between the degrees of doubtfulness in Christians 1. The nearest immediate duty of the doubting Christian is to use the means to have his doubts resolved till he know his case and then his next duty is to receive the Sacrament And both these still remain his duty to be performed in this order And if he say I cannot be resolved when I have done my best yet certainly it is some sin of his own that keepeth him in the dark and hindereth his assurance and therefore Duty ceaseth not to be duty the Law of Christ still obligeth him both to get assurance and to receive and the want both of the knowledge of his state and of Receiving the Sacrament are his continual sin if he lye in it never so long through these scruples though it be an infirmity that God will not condemn him for For he is supposed to be in a state of grace But you will say What is still he cannot be resolved whether he have true faith and Repentance or not What should he do while he is in doubt I answer It is one thing to ask what is his duty in this case and another thing to ask Which is the smaller or less dangerous sin Still his duty is both to get the knowledge of his heart and to communicate But while he sinneth through infirmity in failing of the first were he better also omit the other or not To be well resolved of that you must discern 1. Whether his judgement of himself do rather incline to think and hope that he is sincere in his repentance and faith or that he is not 2. And whether the consequents are like to be good or bad to him If his hopes that he is sincere be as great or greater than his fears of the contrary then there is no such ill consequent to be feared as may hinder his communicating but it is his best way to do it and wait on God in the use of his Ordinance But if the perswasion of his gracelesness be greater than the hopes of his sincerity then he must observe how he is like to be affected if he do communicate If he find that it is like to clear up his mind and increase his hopes by the actuating of his grace he is yet best to go But if he find that his heart is like to be overwhelmed with horror and sunk into despair by running into the supposed guilt of unworthy Receiving then it will be worse to do it than to omit it Many such fearful Christians I have known that are fain many years to absent themselves from the Sacrament because if they should receive it while they are perswaded of their utter unworthiness they would be swallowed up of desperation and think that they had taken their own damnation As the twenty fifth Article of the Church of England saith the unworthy receivers do So that the chief sin of such a Doubting Receiver is not that he receiveth though he doubt for doubting will not excuse us for the sinful omission of a duty no more of this than of Prayer or Thanksgiving But only Prudence requireth such a one to forbear that which through his own distemper would be a means of his despair and ruine As that Physick or food how good soever is not to be taken which would kill the taker Gods Ordinances are not appointed for our destruction but for our edification and so must be used as tendeth thereunto Yet to those Christians who are in this case and dare not communicate I must put this Question How dare you so long refuse it He that
forsake all for Christ in tryal rather than forsake him You may know whether you are true or false in your Covenant with Christ and what you would do in a day of tryal by what you do in your daily course of life How can that man leave all at once for Christ that cannot daily serve him with his riches nor leave that little which God requireth in the discharge of his duty in pious and charitable works What is it to leave all for God but to leave all rather than to sin against God And will he do that who daily sinneth against God by omission of good works because he cannot leave some part Study as faithful Stewards to serve God to the utmost with what you have now and then you may expect that his grace should enable you to leave all in tryal and not prove withering hypocrites and apostates Direct 8. Be not Rich to your selves or to your fleshly Wills and Lusts but remember that the Direct 8. Rich are bound to be spiritual and to mortifie the flesh as well as the poor Let lust fare never the Luke 12. 21. Acts 10. 1 2 3. better for all the fulness of your estates Fast and humble your souls never the less Please an inordinate appetite never the more in meat or drink Live never the more in unprofitable idleness The Rich must labour as constantly as the poor though not in the same kind of work The Rich must live soberly temperately and heavenly and must as much mortifie all fleshly desires as the poor You have the same Law and Master and have no more liberty to indulge your lusts but if you live after the flesh you shall dye as well as any other O the partiality of carnal minds They can see the fault of a poor man that goeth sometime to an Ale-house who perhaps drinketh water or that which is next it all the Week when they never blame themselves who scarce miss a meal without Wine and strong drink and eating that which their appetite desireth They think it a crime in a poor man to spend but one day in many in such idleness as they themselves spend most of their lives in Gentlemen think that their Riches allow them to live without any profitable labour and to gratifie their flesh and fare deliciously every day As if it were their priviledge to be sensual and to be damned Rom. 8. 1 5 6 7 8 9 13. Direct 9. Nay remember that you are called to far greater self-denyal and fear and watchfulness Direct 9. against sensuality and wealthy vices than the poor are Mortification is as necessary to your salvation as to theirs but much more difficult If you live after the flesh you shall dye as well as they And how much stronger are your temptations Is not he easilier drawn to gluttony or excess in quality or quantity who hath daily a Table of plenty and enticing delicious food before him than he that never seeth such a temptation once in half a year Is it not harder for him to deny his appetite who hath the baits of pleasant meats and drinks daily set upon his Table than for him that is seldome in sight of them and perhaps in no possibility of procuring them and therefore hath nothing to sollicite his appetite or thoughts Doubtless the Rich if ever they will be saved must watch more constantly and set a more resolute guard upon the flesh and live more in fear of sensuality than the poor as they live in greater temptations and dangers Direct 10. Know therefore particularly what are the Temptations of Prosperity that you may make Direct 10. a particular prosperous resistance And they are especially these 1. Pride The foolish heart of man is apt to swell upon the accession of so poor a matter as wealth and men think they are got above their neighbours and more honour and obeysance is their due if James 5. 1 2 3 4 5 6. they be but richer 2. Fulness of bread If they do not eat till they are sick they think the constant and costly pleasing Ezek. 16. of their appetite in meats and drinks is lawful 3. Idleness They think he is not bound to Labour that can live without it and hath enough 4. Time-wasting sports and recreations They think their hours may be devoted to the flesh when all their lives are devoted to it They think their wealth alloweth them to play and court and complement away that pretious time which no men have more need to redeem They tell God that he hath given them more time than they have need of And God will shortly cut it off and tell them that they shall have no more 5. Lust and wantonness Fulness and idleness cherish both the cogitations and inclinations unto filthiness Rom. 13. 13 14. They that live in gluttony and drunkenness are like to live in chambering and wantonness 6. Curiosity and wasting their lives in a multitude of little ceremonious unprofitable things to the exclusion of the great businesses of life Well may we say that mens own Lusts are their Jaylors and their fetters when we see to what a wretched kind of life a multitude of the Rich especially Ladies and Gentlewomen do condemn themselves I should pity one in Bridewell that were but tyed so to spend their time When they have poor ignorant proud worldly pievish hypocritical ungodly souls to be healed and a life of great and weighty business to do for eternity they have so many little things all day to do that leave them little time to converse with God or with their Consciences or to do any thing that is really worth the living for They have so many fine cloaths and ornaments to get and use and so many rooms to neatifie and adorn and so many servants to talk with that attend them and so many dishes and sawces to bespeak and so many flowers to plant and dress and walks and places of pleasure to mind and so many Visitors to entertain with whole hours of unprofitable talk and so many great persons accordingly to visit and so many Laws of Ceremony and Complement to observe and so many Games to play perhaps and so many hours to sleep that Luke 10. 40 41 42. the day the year their lives are gone before they could have while to know what they lived for And if God had but damned them to spend their dayes in picking straws or filling a bottomless Vessel or to spend their dayes as they choose themselves to spend them it would have tempted us to think him unmerciful to his creatures 7. Tyranny and oppression When men are above others how commonly do they think that their wills must be fulfilled by all men and none must cross them and they live as if all others below them were as their beasts that are made for them to serve and please them Direct 11. Direct 11. Let your fruitfulness to God and the publick good
life and consequently rejected Christ as a Saviour and the Holy Ghost as a sanctifier and all the mercy which he offered you on these terms Quest. 8. If this hath been your case are you now unfeignedly grieved for it Not only because it hath brought you so near to Hell but also because it hath displeased God and deprived you of that Holy and comfortable life which you might all this while have lived and endangered all your hopes of Heaven Do you so far Repent as that your very Heart and Love is changed so that now you had rather have a Holy life on earth and the sight and enjoyment of God in the Heavenly Joyes for ever than to have all the pleasure and prosperity of this world Do you hate your sins and loath your self for them and truly desire to be made Holy Are you firmly Resolved that if God do recover you to health you will live a new and Holy life that you will forsake your fleshly worldly life and all your wilful sins and will set your self to learn the will of God and call upon him and live in the holy Communion of Saints and make it your chief care to please God and to be saved Quest. 9. Are you willing to these ends to Give up your self absolutely now to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as your Reconciled Father your Saviour and your Sanctifier to be sanctified and Iustified and saved from your sins and from the wrath of God and live to God in Love and Holiness And are you willing to bind your self to this by entring into this Covenant with God renouncing the Flesh the World and the Devil Either your Heart is willing and sincere in this Resolution and Covenant or it is not If it be not there is no hope that your sin should be pardoned and your soul be saved upon any other or easier terms And for all that God is merciful and Christ died for sinners it was never his intent to save one impenitent unsanctified soul But if your Heart unfeignedly consent to this I Matth. 28. 19 â—0 2 Cor. 6. 10 17 18. have the commission of Christ himself to tell you that God will be your Reconciled God and Father and Christ will be your Saviour and the Holy Spirit will be your Sanctifier and Comforter and your sins are pardoned and your soul shall be saved and you shall dwell in Heaven with God for ever God did consent before you consented He shewed his Consent in purchasing and making and offering you this Covenant Shew your unfeigned Consent now by accepting it and giving up your self unreservedly to him and you have Christs Blood and Spirit and Sacrament to seal it to you The flesh and the world have deceived you but Trust in Christ upon his Covenant terms and he will never deceive you And now alas what pity is it that a soul that is in so miserable a case and is lost for ever if it have not help and speedy help should be deprived of all this Grace and Glory and only for want of Repenting and Consenting What pity is it that a soul that is ready to go into another world where mercy shall never more be offered it should rather go stupidly on to hell than Return to God and Accept his mercy Do but truly Repent and Consent to this Covenant and all the mercies of it are certainly yours God will be your God and Christ and the Spirit and pardon and Heaven and all are yours The Lord open and perswade your heart that you may not be undone and lost for ever for want of accepting the mercy that is offered you And now I know it would be comfortable to you if you could be fully assured that you are forgiven and shall be saved In a matter of such unspeakable moment how jâ—yful would a well-grounded certainty be to any man that hath the right use of his understanding I tell you therefore from God that there is no cause of your doubting on his part but only on your own There is no doubt to be made whether God be merciful nor whether Christ be a sufficient Saviour and sacrifice for your sins nor whether the Covenant be sure and promise of pardon and salvation to all true penitent believers be true All the doubt is whether your faith and Repentance be sincere or not And for that I can but tell you how you may know it and I shall open the Truth to you that I may neither Deceive you nor causlâ—sly Discomfort you If this Repentance and Change which you now profess and this Covenant which you have made Matth. 13. 19 20 21 22 23. Rom. 8. 7 8 9. Heb. 12. 14. Joh. 3. 3 5 6. Matth. 18. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Eph. 6. 24. 1 Cor. 16. 22. Luk. 14. 26 27. with God 1. Do come only from a present fear and not from a changed renewed heart 2. And if your Resolutions be such as would not hold you to a holy life if you should recover but would die and fade away and leave you as were before when the fear is past then is it but a forced hypocritical Repentance and will not save you if you so die Though a Minister of Christ should Absolve you of all your sins and seal it by giving you the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ for all this you are lost for ever if you have no more For Absolution and the Sacrament are given you but on supposition that yâ—ur faith and Repentance be sincere And if this Condition fail in you the Action of the holiest Minister in the world will never save you But 1. If your Repentance and Covenant come not only from a present fear but from a Renewed Heart which now Loveth God and Christ and Heaven and Holiness better than all the Honours and Riches and Pleasures of the flesh and world and had rather have them even on Gods terms 2. And if this change be such as if you should recover would hold you to a Holy Life and not die or dwindle into hypocritical formality when the fright is over then I can assure you from the word of God that if you die in this Repentance you shall certainly be saved And though Late Repentance have so many difficulties that it too seldom proveth true and sound and it is an unspeakable madness to cast our salvation on so great a hazard and to defer that till such a day as this which should be the principal work of all our lives and for which the greatest care and diligence is not too much Yet for all that when Conversion is indeed sincere it is alwayes acceptable how late soever And a returning prodigal shall find Luk. 15. 19 20 21 22. Joh. 6. 37. better entertainment with God than he could possibly expect And never will Christ cast out one soul that cometh to him in sincerity of heart The Lord give you such a Heart and all is yours Amen
Jer. 31. 34. Eph. 1. 7. Act. 5. 31. Eph. 5. 26. Rev. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Mal. 3. 17. Joh. 1. 12. 3. 16. Eph. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 1 17. Luk. 4. 18. Rom. 5. 1 5. Luk. 1. 74. Joh. 10. 28. Luk. 23. 43. 1 Cor. 15. 8. Tit. 3. 3 4. Act. 4. 4 5 6. 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15 16. A Form of Exhortation to the Godly in their Sickness DEar Friend Though Nature teacheth us to have compassion on your flesh which lyeth in pain yet Faith teacheth us to see the nearness of your Happiness and to Rejoyce with you in hope of your endless Joyes which seem to be at hand We must Rejoyce with you as your friends that Love you and therefore are partakers of your welfare And we must Rejoyce with you as your fellow-travellers and fellow-souldiers that are going along with you to the same felicity and if we are left behind for a little while yet hope ere long to overtake you and never to be separated from you more This is the day for which Christ hath been so long preparing you And which you have so long foreseen and have been so long preparing for your self This is the day which you thought on in all your prayers and patience in all your labours and sufferings your self-denyal and mortification since God did bring you to your self and him Now you are going to see the things which you have believed and to possess the things which you have sought and hoped for To see the final difference between the Righteous and the wicked between a Holy and a worldly life between the vessels of mercy and of wrath Your Time is hasting to an end and Endless Blessedness must succeed it O now what a mercy is it to have a Christ That you are not to encounter an unconquered Death nor to go to God without a Mediator But that Death is by Christ disarmed of its sting and that you may boldly resign your soul into the hands of your Redeemer and commend it to him as a member of himself Now what a case had your soul been in if you had no Intercessor If you had been to answer for your sins your self only and had not a Saviour to be your Advocate and answer for you Now you may better perceive than ever you have done what God did for you when he opened your eyes and humbled and changed and renewed your heart and how great a mercy it is to be a penitent Believer You may now see more fully than ever heretofore what God intended for you when he converted you When he forgave all your sins and justified you by his Grace and adopted you for his child and an heir of life and sealed you with his Spirit and sanctified and separated you to himself Now what a case were you in if you were yet in your sins and in the bondage of Satan and had not this evidence of your title to eternal life If you had your heart now to soften and to humble and to convert and your faith and justification all to seek and all your preparations for Heaven to make If you had all this to do with a pained body and a distracted mind in so short a time with God and Eternity and Death before you ready with terror to overwhelm your souls If now you were to seek for an interest in Christ and for the pardon of all your sins and your peace with God were yet to make If you had all your life past to look back upon as consumed in sin and when Time is at an end must cry out of all that is past as lost This is the case that God in justice might have left you to But what an unspeakable mercy is it that you have already been Reconciled to that God that you are going to and that the sins which now would have been your terror are all forgiven through the blood of Christ That you can look back upon your Time since the day of your Conversion as spent in faithful Devotedness to God and in a believing preparation for your endless life and in godly sincerity notwithstanding your manifold sinful imperfections which Christ hath undertaken to answer for himself Though you have nothing of your own to boast of and no works that will justifie you according to the Law at the Barr of God but you need a Saviour and a Pardon for the failings even of the best that ever you did Yet must you with thankfulness remember that Grace which hath begun eternal life within you and prepared and sealed you to the full possession of it For all the mercy that is in God and for all the Glory that is in Heaven and for all the Merits and satisfaction of Christ and for all the fulness and freeness of the Gal. 4. 4 6. Rom. 8. 16 17. Rom. 8. 9. 1 Pet. 3. 7. Promise if God had not given you a believing penitent heart and sanctified and sealed you by the Spirit of his Son all this could have afforded you little comfort but would have aggravated your misery as it did your sin Seeing then that many of the wicked would be glad to dye the death of the Righteous and when it is too late they would all be glad if their latter end might be like his how glad should you be that God by such a life hath prepared you for such an end And though a humble soul hath still an eye upon its own unworthiness and Satan is ready to aggravate our Rom. 5. 2. 17. Rom. 5. 20 21. sins in order to our discouragement and fear yet must you remember what an honourable victory grace hath had over them And look on them as Christ did as the advantage of his grace that where sin abounded there grace hath superabounded You have had something to humble you and to Rom. 8. 35 36. Ephes. 1. 6 7. 2. 5 7 8 Tit. 3. 3 5 6 7. Rom. 3. 24. 2 Cor. 12. 9. Luke 15. 4 6 24. Matth. 18. 11. 2 Pet. 3. 9. shew you that you were a child of Adam And you have had something for grace to contend with and to conquer and for Christ to pardon Bless him through whom you have had the victory Had you not deserved Hell Christ could not have saved you from a deserved Hell and the Song of the Lamb would not have been so sweet to you in the everlasting remembrance and experience of his grace You have sinned as a Man and he hath pardoned as God You have been weak and nothing but his grace hath been sufficient for you and by his strength you can do all things He hath as dear a Love to you now in his exaltation as he had upon the Cross when he was bleeding for your sins And will he suffer a chosen soul to perish for whom he hath paid so dear a price A Christ in Heaven John 3. 15 16. Matth. 18. 14. Luke 21. 18. John 18. 9.
your help or liberty to do it afterward when that once or few times doing it were like to hinder you from doing it any more it would be your duty then to forbear it for that time unless in some extraordinary case For even for the life of an Oxe or an Asse and for Mercy to mens bodies the rest and holy work of a Sabbath might be interrupted much more for the souls of many Again I warn you as you must not pretend the interest of the end against a peremptory absolute command of God so must you not easily conclude a command to be absolute and peremptory to that which certainly contradicts the End nor easily take that for a Duty which certainly is no means to that good which is the end of duty or which is against it Though yet no seeming aptitude as a means must make that seem a duty which the prohibition of God hath made a sin § 26. Direct 15. It is ever unseasonable to perform a lesser duty of Worship when a greater Direct 15. should be done Therefore it much concerneth you to be able to discern when two duties are inconsistent which is then the greater and to be preferred In which the Interest of the end must much direct you that being usually the greatest which hath the greatest tendency to the greatest good § 27. Direct 16. Pretend not one part of Gods Worship against another when all in their Direct 16. place and order may be done Set not Preaching and Praying against each other nor publick and private Worship against each other nor internal Worship against external but do all § 28. Direct 17. Let not an inordinate respect to man or common custome be too strong a byas to Direct 17. pervert your judgements from the Rule of Worship nor yet any groundless prejudice make you distaste that which is not to be disliked The errour on these two extreams doth fill the World with corruption and contentions about the Worship of God Among the Papists and Russians and other ignorant sort of Christians abundance of corruptions are continued in Gods Worship by the Majus fidei impedimentum ex inveâ—eraâ—â consuetudine proficiscitur Ubique consuetudo magnas vires habet sed in barbaris longe maximas quippe ubi rationis est minimum ibi consueâ—udo radices profundiâ—â—imas agit In omni natura motio eò diuturnioâ— ac vehemenâ—ior quo magis est ad unum determinaâ—a Ios. Acosta de Iâ—d l. 2. p. 249. meer power of custome tradition and education and all seemeth right to which they have been long used and hence the Churches in South East and West continue so long overspread with ignorance and refuse reformation And on the other side meer prejudice makes some so much distaste a prescribed form of Prayer or the way of Worship which they have not been used to and which they have heard some good men speak against whose judgements they highlyest esteemed that they have not room for sober impartial reason to deliberate try and judge Factions have engaged most Christians in the World into several parties whereby Satan hath got this great advantage that instead of Worshipping God in Love and Concord they lay out their zeal in an envious bitter censorious uncharitable reproaching the manner of each others Worship And because the interest of their Parties requireth this they think the interest of the Church and Cause of God requireth it and that they do God service when they make the Religion of other men seem odious when as among most Christians in the World the errours of their modes of Worship are not so great as the adverse parties represent them except only the two great crimes of the Popish Worship 1. That it 's not understood and so is See Bishop Ier. Tailours late Book against Popery souleless 2. They Worship bread as God himself which I am not so able as willing to excuse from being Idolatry Judge not in such cases by passion partiality and prejudice § 29. Direct 18. Yet judge in all such Controversies with that reverence and charity which Direct 18. is due to the universal and the Primitive Church If you find any thing in Gods Worship which the primitive or universal Church agreed in you may be sure that it is nothing but what is consistent with acceptable Worship For God never rejected the Worship of the primitive or universal Church And it is not so much as to be judged erroneous without great deliberation and very good proof We must be much more suspicious of our own understandings § 30. Direct 19. In circumstances and modes of Worship not forbidden in the Word of God affect Direct 19. not singularity and do not easily differ from the practice of the Church in which you hold Communion nor from the commands or directions of your lawful Governours It 's true if we are forbidden with Dan. 3. Act. 4. 17 18. 5. 28. Daniel to Pray or with the Apostles to speak any more in the name of Christ or are commanded as the three witnesses Dan. 3. to Worship Images we must rather obey God than man and so in case of any sin that is commanded us But in case of meer different modes and circumstances and order of Worship see that you give authority and the consent of the Church where you are their due § 31. Direct 20. Look more to your own hearts than to the abilities of the Ministers or the Ceremonies Direct 20. or manner of the Churches Worship in such lesser things It is Heart-work and Heaven-work that the sincere believer comes about and it is the corruption of his heart that is his heaviest burden which he groaneth under with the most passionate complaints A hungry soul enflamed with Love to God and man and tenderly sensible of the excellency of common truths and duties would make up many defects in the manner of publick administration and would get nearer God in a defective imperfect mode of Worship than others can do with the greatest helps When Hypocrites find so little work with their Hearts and Heaven that they are Jam. 3. 15 16 17. taken up about words and forms and ceremonies and external things applauding their own way and condemning other mens and serving Satan under pretence of Worshipping God CHAP. III. Directions about the Christian Covenant with God and Baptism § 1. THough the first Tome of this Book is little more than an explication of the Christian Covenant with God yet being here to speak of Baptism as a part of Gods Worship it is needful that I briefly speak also of the Covenant it self § 1. Direct 1. It is a matter of great importance that you well understand the nature Direct 1. of the Christian Covenant what it is I shall therefore here briefly open the nature of it and then speak of the Reasons of it and then of the solemnizing it by Baptism and next of our Renewing it
breach almost uncurable because no professions of repentance or future fidelity can be trusted Thus I have partly shewed you the Malignity of Perjury and Covenant-breaking § 3. Direct 2. Be sure that you make no Vow or Covenant which God hath forbidden you to keep Direct 2. It is rash vowing and swearing which is the common cause of Perjury You should at the making of your Vow have seen into the bottom of it and foreseen all the evils that might follow it and the Temptations which were like to draw you into perjury He is virtually perjured as soon as he hath sworn who sweareth to do that which he must not do The preventive means are here the best § 4. Direct 3. Be sure you take no Oath or Vow which you are not sincerely resolved to perform Direct 3. They that Swear or Vow with a secret reserve that rather than they will be ruined by keeping it they will break it are Habitually and Reputatively perjured persons even before they Lege distinctionem Grotii inter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aanot. in Matth. 5. 33. Modern Policy supposed Dr. Sand rosts Princ. 7. 1. We are ready to interpret the words too kindly especially if they be ambiguous and its hard to find terms so positive but that they may be eluded indeed or seem to us to be so if we be disposed 2. Some are invited to illicite promises qua illicite because they know them to be invalid 3. Some are frighted into these bonds by threats and losses and temporal concernments and then they please themselves that they sweâ—r by Duâ—eâ—s and so are disengaged 4. Some are Oath-proof c. break it Besides that they shew a base hypocritical profligate conscience that can deliberately commit so great a sin § 5. Direct 4. See that all fleshly worldly interest be fully subdued to the interest of your souls Direct 4. and to the will of God He that at the heart sets more by his body than his soul and loveth his worldly prosperity above God will lye or swear or forswear or do any thing to save that carnal interest which he most valueth He that is carnal and worldly at the heart is false at the heart The Religion of such an Hypocrite will give place to his temporal safety or commodity and will carry him no further than the way is fair It is no wonder It is one of Solons sayings in Laertius p. 51. Probiâ—itateâ—n â—uâ—â—â—â—rando certiorem habe What will not an Atheistical impious person say or swear for advantage that a proud man or a worldling will renounce both God and his true felicity for the World seeing indeed he taketh it for his God and his felicity even as a Believer will renounce the world for God § 6. Direct 5. Beware of inordinate fear of man and of a distrustful withdrawing of your hearts Direct 5. from God Else you will be carryed to comply with the will of man before the will of God and to avoid the wrath of man before the wrath of God Read and fear that heavy curse Ier. 17. 5 6. God is unchangeable and hath commanded you so far to imitate him as If a man Vow a Vow unto the Lord or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond he shall not break his word he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Numb 30. 2. But man is mutable and so is his interest and his affairs And therefore if you are the servants of men you must swear one year and for swear it or swear the contrary the next when their interest requireth it you must not be thought worthy to live among men if you will not promise or swear as they command you And when their interest altereth and requireth the contrary you must hold all those bonds to be but straws and break them for their end◠§ 7. Direct 6. Be sure that you lose not the fear of God and the tenderness of your consciences Direct 6. When these are lost your understanding and sense and life is lost and you will not stick at the greatest wickedness nor know when you have done it what you did If faith see not God continually present and foresee not the great approaching day Perjury or any villany will seem tolerable for worldly ends For when you look but to mens present case you will see that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hands of God no man knoweth Love or hatred by all that is before them All things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the Good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an â—ath Eccles. 9. 1 2. But in the end men shall discern between the righteous and the wicked Mal. 3. 18. Therefore it is the believing foresight of the end that by preserving the fear of God and tenderness of Conscience must save you from this and all other heynous sin § 8. Direct 7. Be not bold and rash about such dreadful things as Vows Run not as fearlesly Direct 7. upon them as if you were but going to your dinner The wrath of God is not to be jeasted with Usq ad aras was the bounds even of a Heathens kindness to his friend Meddle with Oathes with the greatest fear and caution and circumspection It 's terrible here to find that you were mistaken through any temerity or negligence or secret seduction of a carnal interest § 9. Direct 8. Especially be very fearful of owing any publick doctrine or doing any publick act Direct 8. which tendeth to harden others in their Perjury or to encourage multitudes to commit the sin To be Nunc nunâ— qui sâ—dera rumpit Ditatur Qui servat â—get Claud. anâ— forsworn your selves is a dreadful case but to teach whole Nations or Churches to forswear themselves or to plead for it or justifie it as a lawful thing is much more dreadful And though you teach not or own not Perjury under the name of Perjury yet if first you will make plain perjury to seem no Perjury that so you may justifie it it is still a most inhumane horrid act God knoweth I insult not over the Papists with a delight to make any Christians odious But with grief I remember how lamentably they have abused our holy profession while not only their great Doctors but their approved General Council at the Laterane under P. Innocent the third in the third Canon hath Decreed that the Pope may depose Temporal Lords from their Dominions and give them unto others and discharge their Vassals from their Allegiance and fidelity if they be hereticks or will not exterminate Hereticks even such as the holy men there condemned were in the Popes account To declare to
is the inherent evidence 3. The miracles of the spirit is the concomitant attestation or evidence 4. And the sanctifying work of the spirit is the subsequent attestation renewed and accompanying it to the end of the World So that the Argument runs thus That doctrine which hath this witness of the Holy Ghost antecedently in such prophecies inherently bearing his image so unimitably accompanyed by so many certain uncontrouled miracles and followed and attended with such matchless success in the sanctification of the body of Christ is fully attested by God to be his own But such is the ☞ doctrine of the Gospel Therefore c. The Major you are not to take upon trust from your Teachers though your esteem of their judgement may the better dispose you to learn But you are to discern the evidences of truth which is apparent in it For he that denyeth this must by force of argument be driven to deny 1. Either that God is the Governour of the World or that he is the supream but say he is controuled by another 3. Or that he is Good and True and must affirm that he either Governeth the world by meer deceits and undiscernable lyes or that he hath given up the power to some one that so governeth it All which is but to affirm that there is no God which is supposed to be proved before § 25. 8. There now remaineth nothing to be taught you as to prove the truth of the Gospel 8. To know the matters of fact subservient to our â—aâ—â—â—â— but only those matters of fact which are contained and supposed in the Minor of the two last arguments And they are these particulars 1. That there were such persons as Christ and his Apostles and such a Gospel Preached by them 2. That such Miracles were done by them as are supposed ☞ 3. That both Doctrine and Miracles were committed to writing by them in the Scriptures for the Est enim mirabilâ—â— quâ—dam continuatio seriesque rerum ut alia ex alia nexa omnes inter se aptae colligataeque videantur Ciâ— dâ— Natur. deor pag. 6. certainer preserving them to the Churches use 4. That Churches were planted and souls converted and confirmed by them in the first ages many of whom did seal them with their blood 5. That there have been a succession of such Churches as have adhered to this Christ and Gospel 6. That this which we call the Bible is that very Book containing those sacred Writings fore-mentioned 7. That it hath been still copyed out and preserved without any such depravation or corruption as might frustrate its ends 8. That the Copies are such out of which we have them Translated and which we shew 9. That they are so truly translated as to have no such corruptions or mistakes as to frustrate their ends or make them unapt for the work they were appointed to 10. That these particular words are indeed here written which we read and these particular Doctrines containing the Essentials of Christianity together with the rest of the material objects of faith § 26. All these ten particulars are matters of fact that are meerly subservient to the constitutingprinciples of our faith but yet very needful to be known Now the question is How these must be known and received by us so as not to invalidate our faith And how far our Teachers must be here believed And first it is very useful to us to enquire How so many of these matters of fact as were then existent were known to the first Christians As How knew they in those dayes that there were such persons as Christ and his Apostles that they preached such Doctrines and spake such Languages and did such Works and that they wrote such Books and sent such Epistles to the Churches and that Churches were hereby converted and confirmed and Martyrs sealed this with their blood c. It s easie to tell how they were certain of all these Even by their own eyes and ears and sensible observation as we know that there are Englishmen live in England And those that were remoter from some of the matters of fact knew them by such report of those that did see them as those among us that never saw the King or Court or his Restoration do know that such a thing there was and such a person there is Thus they knew it then § 27. From whence I note 1. That in those dayes it was not necessary to the being of true faith that any supernatural testimony of the Spirit or any other sort of proof than their very senses and reason should acquaint them with those matters of fact which they were eye-witnesses of 2. That credible report or history was then the means for any one that saw not a matter of fact to know as much as they that saw it 3. That therefore this is now the way also of producing faith Some things we have yet sight and sense for as that such Bibles and such Churches are existent that such holy effects this Doctrine hath upon the soul which we see in others by the fruits and after feel in our selves The rest we must know by History Tradition or Report § 28. And in the reception of these historical passages note further 1. That humane belief is here a naturally necessary means to acquaint us with the matter of our Divine belief 2. That there are various By all this it is easie to gather whether a Pastor may do his work per alium Saith Grotius de Imâ— p. 290 291. Nam illud Quod quis per alium facit per se facere videtur ad eas duntaxat pertinet actiones quarum causa efficiens proxima à jure indefinita est Yet people should labour after such maturity and stedfastness that they may be able to stand if their Pastors be dead or taken from them by persecution yea or forsake the truth themselves Victor Uâ—iâ— saith of the people in Africk when their Pastors were banished and others might not be ordained in their steads Inter haec tamen Dei populus in fide consistens ut examina apum cereas aedificantia manâ—iones crescendo melleis fidei claviculis firmabatur Quanto magis affligebantur tanto magis multiplicabantur Victor p. 382. degrees of this belief and some need more of it by far than others according to the various degrees of their ignorance As he that cannot read himself must know by humane belief in great part that the Preacher readeth truly or that such words indeed are in the Gospel as he saith are there But a literate person may know this by his eye sight and not take it upon trust So he that understandeth not Hebrew and Greek must take it upon trust that the Scripture is truly translated But another that understandeth those Tongues may see it with his eyes 3. History being the proper means to know matters of fact that are done in times past and out of our
our deliverance from the Powder-plot I know not why it should be thought unlawful to do the like in this case also Provided 1. That it be not terminated in the honour of a Saint but of the God of Saints for giving so great a mercy to his Church 2. That it be not to honour a Saint meerly as a Saint but to some extraordinary eminent Saints Otherwise all that go to Heaven must have Festivals kept in remembrance of them and so we might have a million for a day 3. That it be not made equal with the Lords Day but kept in such a subordination to that Day as the Life or death of Saints is of inferiour and subordinate respect to the work of Christ in mans Redemption 4. And if it be kept in a spiritual manner to invite men to imitate the Holiness of the Saints and the constancy of the Martyrs and not to encourage sensuality and sloth CHAP. XI Directions about our Communion with the Holy Angels § 1. Direct 1. BE satisfied in knowing so much of Angels as God in Nature and Scripture Direct 1. hath revealed but presume not to enquire further much less to determine of unrevealed things That there are Angels and that they are holy Spirits is past dispute But what number they are and of how many worlds and of what orders and different dignities and degrees and when they were created and what locality belongeth to them and how far they excell or differ from the souls of men these and many other such unnecessary questions neither Nature nor Scripture will teach us how infallibly to resolve Almost all the Hereticks in the first ages of the Church did make their doctrines of Angels the first and chief part of their Heresies arrogantly intruding into unrevealed things and boasting of their acquaintance with the orders and inhabitants of the higher worlds These being risen in the Apostles dayes occasioned Paul to say Col. 2. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puft up by his fleshly mind Direct 2. § 2. Direct 2. Understand so much of the Ministry of Angels as God hath revealed and so far take notice of your communion with them but affect not any other sort of communion Angelorum vocabulum nomen est officii non naturae nam sancti illi coelestis patriae spiritus semper sunt spiritus sed semper vocari Angeli non possunt Greâ—or I shall here shew how much of the Ministry of Angels is revealed to us in Scripture § 3. 1. It is part of the appointed work of Angels to be Ministring Spirits for the heirs of salvation Dan. 4. 13. Gen. 32. 1 2. Exod. 32. 2. Dan. 6. 22. Acts 12. 7 11. 1 King 19. 5 â— Heb. 1. 14. Not Ministers or Servants of the godly but Ministers of God for the godly As the Shepherd is not a servant of the sheep but for the sheep It is not an accidental or occasional work which they do extraordinarily but it is their undertaken Office to which they are sent forth And this their Ministry is about the ordinary concernments of our lives and not only about some great or unusual cases or exigents Psal. 34. 6 7. Psal. 91. 11 12. § 4. 2. It is not some but All the Angels that are appointed by God to this Ministration Heb. 1. 1 4. Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth c. Mark here that if you enquire whether God have any higher Spirits that are not imployed in so low an Office but govern these Angels or if you enquire whether only this world be the Angels charge or whether they have many other worlds also of Viators to take care of neither Nature nor Scripture doth give you the determination of any of these questions and therefore you must leave them as unrevealed things with abundance more with which the old Hereticks and the Popish Schoolmen have diverted mens minds from plain and necessary things But that all the Angels minister for us is the express words of Scripture § 5. 3. The work of this Office is not left promiscuously among them but several Angels have their Luke 1. 13. 18. 19 26 28. 2. 10 13 21. Actâ— 10. 7. 22. 12. 8 9. Dan. 3 28. 6. 22. Gen. 24. 40. several works and charge Therefore Scripture telleth us of some sent of one message and some on an other And tells us that the meanest of Christs members on earth have their Angels before God in Heaven Matth. 18. 10. I say unto you that in Heaven their Angels do alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven Whether each true Believer hath one or more Angels and whether one Angel look to more than one Believer are questions which God hath not resolved us of either in Nature or Scripture But that each true Christian hath his Angel is here asserted by our Lord. § 6. 4. In this office of Ministration they are servants of Christ as the Head of the Church and the 1 Peâ— 3. 22. Matth. 26. 53. Mediator between God and man to promote the ends of his superiour office in mans Redemption Mat. 28. 18. All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth John 13. 3. Eph. 1. 20 21 22. And set him at his right hand in the celestials far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Rev. 23. 16. I Iesus have sent Rev. 1. 1. mine Angel to testifie unto you these things in the Churches Whether the Angels were appointed about the service of Adam in innocency or only began their Office with Christ the Mediator as his Ministers is a thing that God hath not revealed But that they serve under Christ for his Church is plain § 7. 5. This care of the Angels for us is exercised throughout our lives for the saving of us from 2 Kings 6. 17. all our dangers and delivering us out of all our troubles Psal. 34. 6 7. This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles the Angel of the Lord encampeth about them that fear him and delivereth them Psal. 91. 11 12. For he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes They shall bear thee up in their hand lest thou dash thy foot against a stone In all our wayes that are good and in every step we tread we have the care and Ministry of tutelar Angels They are our ordinary defence and guard § 8. 6. In all this Ministry they perfectly obey the Will of God and do nothing but by his command Dan. 4. 35. Psal. 103. 10. Zech. 1. 8 10.
Rom. 10. 15 1â— translate it Age it is the Age of the Church of the Messiah incarnate which is all one 4. Because it was a small part of the world comparatively that heard the Gospel in the Apostles dayes And the far greatest part of the world is without it at this day when yet God our Saviour would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth 5. Even where the Gospel hath long continued for the most part there are many still that are in infidelity And so great a work is not left without an appointed suitable means for its performance And if an Office was necessary for it in the first age it is not credible that it is left to private mens charity ever since 6. Especially considedering that private men are to be supposed insufficient 1. Because they are not educated purposely for it but usually for something else 2. Because that they have other Callings to take them up 3. Because they have no special obligation And that which is no mans peculiar work is usually left undone by all II. The peoples Call or Consent is not necessary to a Ministers reception of his Office in General nor for this part of his work in special But only to his Pastoral Relation to themselves 1. It is so in other functions that are exercised by skill The Patients or People make not a man a Physicion or a Lawyer but only choose what Physicion shall be their Physicion and what Lawyer shall be their Counsellor 2. If the peoples Call or Consent be necessary it is either the Infidels or the Churches Not the Infidels to whom he is to preach for 1. He is Authorized to preach to them as the Apostles were before he goeth to them 2. Their Consent is but a Natural-consequent-requisite for the Reception and success of their Teaching but not to the Authority which is pre-requisite 3. Infidels cannot do so much towards the making of a Minister of Christ. 4. Else Christ would have few such Ministers 5. If it be Infidels either all or some If some why those rather than others Or is a man made a Minister by every Infidel auditory that heareth him 2. Nor is it Christian people that must do this much to the making of a General Minister For 1. They have no such Power given for it in Nature or the Word of God 2. They are generally unqualified and unable for such a work 3. They are no where obliged to it nor can fitly leave their Callings for it Much less to get the abilities necessary to judge 4. Which of the people have this power Is it any of them or any Church of private men Or some one more than the rest Neither one nor all can lay any claim to it There is some reason why this Congregation rather than another should choose their own Pastors But there is no Reason nor Scripture that this Congregation choose a Minister to convert the World III. I conclude therefore that the Call of a Minister in General doth consist 1. Dispositively in the due Qualifications and â—nablement of the person 2. And the Necessity of the people with opportunity is a providential part of the Call 3. And the ordainers are the Orderly Electors and determineâ—s of the person that shall receive the power from Christ. 1. For this is part of the power of the Keyes or Church-Government 2. And Paul giveth this direction for exercising of this power to Timothy which sheweth the ordinary way of Calling 2 Tim. 2 Tim. 3. 6 7. Tâ—t 1. 5 6. 2. 2. And the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also Act. 13. 1 2 3. There were in the Church at Antioch certain Prophets As they ministred to the Lord the Holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away And they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost departed In this whether it be to be called an Ordination or rather a Mission there is somewhat Ordinary that it be by men in office and somewhat extraordinary that it be by a special inspiration of the Holy Ghost And Timothy received his Gifts and Office by the Imposition of the hands of Paul and of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man These instances make the case the clearer 1. Because it is certain that all that Governing power which is given by Christ to the Church under the name of the Keyes is given to the Pastors 2. Because there are no other competitors to lay a reasonable claim to it Quest. 19. Wherein consisteth the Power and Nature of Ordination And to whom doth it belong And is it an Act of Iurisdiction And is Imposition of hands necessary in it I. THis is resolved on the by before 1. Ordination performeth two things 1. The designation election or determination of the person who shall receive the Office 2. The Ministerial Investiture of him in that office which is a Ceremonial delivery of Possession As a servant doth deliver possession of a house by delivering him the Key who hath before received the power or Right from the Owner 2. The office delivered by this Election and Investiture is the sacred Ministerial office in General to be after exercised according to particular Calls and opportunities As Christ called the Apostles and the Spirit called the ordinary general Teachers of those times such as Barnabas Silas Silvanus Timothy Epaphroditus Apollo c. And as is before cited 2 Tim. 2. 2. As a man is made in General a Licensed Physicion Lawyer c. 3. This Ordination is Ordinis gratiâ necessary to order and therefore so far necessary as Order is necessary which is Ordinarily when the greater interest of the substantial duty or of the Thing Ordered is not against it As Christ determined the case of Sabbath keeping and not eating the Shew-bread As the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath and the end is to be preferred before the separable means so ordination was instituted for order and order for the thing ordered and for the work of the Gospel and the good of souls and not the Gospel and mens souls for that Order Therefore when 1. The death 2. Distance 3. Or malignity of the Ordainers depriveth a man of Ordination these three substitutes may notifie to him the Will of God that he is by him a person called to that office 1. Fitness for the works in Understanding Willingness and Ability 2. The Necessity of souls 3. Opportunity II. The power of ordaining belongeth not 1. To Magistrates 2. Or to private men either single or as the body of a Church but 3. To the Senior Pastors of the Church whether Bishops or Presbyters
Lords Supper which without a Minister may not be celebrated because Christs part cannot be otherwise performed than by some one in his name and by his warrant to deliver his sealed Covenant to the receivers and to invest them visibly in the benefits of it and receive them that offer themselves in Covenant to him 7. It is also a Ministerial duty to instruct the people personally and watch over them at other times Acts 20. 20 28. And to be examples of the flock 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. To have the Rule over the people and labour among them and admonish them 1 Thess. 5. 12. Heb. 13. 7 17. 1 Tim. 5. 17. To exercise holy discipline among them Titus 3. 10. Matth. 18. 17 18. 1 Cor. 5. To visit the sick and pray over them Iames 5. 14. Yea to take care of the poor See Dr. Hammond on 1 Cor. 12. 28. And all this cannot possibly be well done by uncertain transient Ministers but only by a resident stated Pastor no more than transient strangers can rule all our families or all the Christian Kingdoms of the world 8. And as this cannot be done but by stated Pastors so neither on transient persons ordinarily For who can teach them that are here to day and gone to morrow When the Pastor should proceed from day to day in adding one instruction to another the hearers will be gone and new ones in their place And how can vigilancy and discipline be exercised upon such transient persons whose faults and cases will be unknown Or how can they mutually help each other And seeing most in the world have fixed habitations if they have not also fixed Church-relations they must leave their habitations and wander or else have no Church Communion at all 9. And as this Necessity of fixed Pastors and flocks is confessed so that such de facto were ordinarily setled by the Apostles is before proved if any Scriptures may pass for proof The Institution and setlement then of particular worshipping Churches is out of doubt And so that two Forms of Church Government are Iure Divino the Universal Church Form and the particular 4. Besides this in the Apostles dayes there were under Christ in the Church Universal many General Officers that had the care of gathering and overseeing Churches up and down and were fixed by stated relation unto none Such were the Apostles Evangelists and many of their helpers in their dayes And most Christian Churches think that though the Apostolical extraordinary Gifts priviledges and Offices cease yet Government being an Ordinary part of their work the same form of Government which Christ and the Holy Ghost did settle in the first age were setled for all following ages though not with the same extraordinary Gifts and Adjuncts Because 1. We read of the setling of that form Reasons for a larger Episcopacy viz. General Officers as well as particular but we never read of any abolition discharge or cessation of the institution 2. Because if we affirm a cessation without proof we seem to accuse God of mutability as setling one form of Government for one age only and no longer 3. And we leave room for audacious Wits accordingly to question other Gospel Institutions as Pastors Sacraments c. and to say that they were but for an age 4. It was General Officers that Christ promised to be with to the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. Now either this will hold true or not If not then this General Ministry is to be numbered with the humane additions to be next treated of If it do then here is another part of the form of Government proved to be of Divine Institution I say not another Church For I find nothing called a Church in the New Testament but the Universal Church and the particular But another part of the Government of both Churches Universal and particular Because such General Officers are so in the Universal as to have a General Oversight of the particular As an Army is Headed only by the General himself and a Regiment by the Colonel and a Troop by the Captain But the General Officers of the Army the Lieutenants General the Majors General c. are under the Lord General in and over the Army and have a General oversight of the particular bodies Regiments and Troops Now if this be the Instituted form of Christs Church Government that he himself Rule absolutely as General and that he have some General Officers under him not any one having a charge of the whole but in the whole unfixedly or as they voluntarily part their Provinces and that each particular Church have its own proper Pastor one or more then who can say that No form of Church Government is of Divine Appointment or Command Object But the question is only Whether any sole form be of Gods commanding And whether another may not have as much said for it as this Answ. Either you mean Another instead of this as a Competitor or Another part conjunct with these parts 1. If the first be your sense then you have two works to do 1. To prove that these before mentioned were Mutable Institutions or that they were setled but disjunctively with some other and that the choice was left indifferent to men 2. To prove the Institution of your other form which you suppose left with this to mens free choice But I have already proved that both the General and particular Church form are setled for continuance as unchangeable Ordinances of God I suppose you doubt not of the continuance of Christs Supremacy and â—o of the Universal form And if you will prove that Church Assemblies with their Pastors may cease and some other way supply the room you must be strange and singular undertakers Disput. of Church-Gov Dâ—sâ— 3. The other two parts of the Government by General Officers and by Consociation of Churches are more disputed But it is the Circumstances of the last only that is controverted and not the thing And for the other I shall now add nothing to what I have said elsewhere 2. But if you only mean that Another part of the form may be jure divino as well as this that will but prove still that some form is jure divino But 3. If you mean that God having instituted the forms now proved hath left man at liberty to add more of his own I shall now come to examine that Case also Quest. 57. Whether any Forms of Churches and Church Government or any new Church Officers may lawfully be invented and made by man Answ. TO remove ambiguities 1. By the word Forms may be meant either that Relative form of such aggregate bodies which is their essence and denominateth them essentially or only some Accidental mode which denominateth them but accidentally 2. By Churches is meant either holy societies related by the foundation of a Divine Institution or else societies related by accident or by humane contract only 3. By Church Government is
cannot dispense with us for not Loving our Neighbours or not shewing mercy to the poor oâ— saving the lives of the neâ—dy in 〈◊〉 and diâ—â—ress Else they that at last shall hear I was hungry aâ—d yâ—â—â—â—â— mâ— not I was nâ—ked and ye 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â— I was in prison and ye visited me not might oft say â—â—â—◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 Magistrates for bad â—s Yet a lâ—ssâ—r Moral duty may be forbidden by the Magistrate for the sake of a greater because then it is no duty indeed and may be forborn if he forbid it not As to save one manâ— liâ—â— iâ— it would prove the death of a multitude or to save one mans house on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—o woâ—lâ—â—â—â—â—â—any Therefore 10. Iâ— is lawful and â— dâ—â—â—â— to for â—â—â—â— some certain â—â—â—â— or number of Sermons Prayers or Sacraments c. when â—â—â—â—er the present â—se of them would apparently pâ—oâ—â—re more hâ—rt than good o◠〈…〉 forbear 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â— like to prâ—â—â—â—â— moâ—â— good than the doing of them For they are all for our Edification and are made for man and not man for them though for God As if forbearing this dâ—y 〈◊〉 pâ—â—â—â—uâ—â—â—â—â—â— liâ—â—â—â—y for many dayes serviâ—e afterward c. 〈…〉 at the 〈◊〉 oâ—â—an to forsake or forbear our Calling and duty when it is to bâ— judged Necessary to the honour of God to the good of the Church and of mens souls that is whâ—n aâ—â—in 〈◊〉 case Dan. 6. our Religion it self and our owning the true God doth seeâ— suspended by the suspence of our duty Or when the multitude of ignorant hardened â—â—godly souls and the want of fit men for number and quality doth put it past Controversie that our work is greatly necessary 12. Those that are not Immediately called by Christ as were the Apostles but by men being yet Mat. â—8 20. Râ—m 10. 14. 1 â—or 9. 16. â—â—â—â— â— 4â— 10. 4â— â—â—â—m 4 1 2. â—â—â—â— 8 4 12. 1â— 3â— statedly obliged to the death when they are called may truly say as Paul Necessity is laid upon me and woe â—e to me if I preach not the Gospel 13. Papists and Protestants concurr in this judgement Papists will preach when the Law forbids them And the judgement of Protestants is among others by Bishop Bilson of subjection and Bishop Andrews Tortur Tort. plainly so asserted 14. But all that are bound to preach are not bound to do it to the same number nor in the same manner as they have not the same opportunity and call Whether it shall be in this place or that to more or fewer at this hour or that are not determined in Scripture nor alike to all 15. The Temples tythes and such adjuncts of Worship and Ministry are at the Magistrates dispose and must not be invaded against his Laws 16. Where any are obliged to Preach in a forbidden discountenanced state they must study to do it with such prudence caution peaceableness and obedience in all the Lawful circumstantials as may tend to maintain peace and the honour of Magistracy and to avoid temptations to sedition and unruly passions Quest. 81. May we lawfully keep the Lords day as a fast Answ. NOt ordinarily Because God hath made it a day of thanksgiving And we must not pervert it from the use to which it was appointed by God But in case of extraordinary necessity it may be done As 1. In case that some great judgement call us so suddenly to humiliation and fasting as that it cannot be deâ—erred to the next day As some sudden invasion fire sickness c. Luk. 6. 5. 13. â—â— Maâ— 2. In case by persecution the Church be denyed liberty to meet on any other day in a time when publick fasting and prayer is a duty 3. In case the people be so poor or servants Children and Wives be so hardly restrained that they cannot meet at any other time It is lawful in such cases because Positives give way to Moral or Natural duties caeteris paribus and lesser duties unto greater The Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath Quest. 82. How should the Lords day be spent in the main Answ. I Have so far opened that in the Family-directions that I will now only say 1. That Eâ—charistical worship is the great work of the day And that it should be kept as a day of publick Psal. 92. 1 2 3 4 5. Psal. 118. 1 2 3 15 19 23 24 27 28 29. Act. 20. 7 9. Rev. 1. 10. Act. 24. 14 25 26 c. Psal. 16. 7 8 9 10. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Thanksgiving for the whole work of Redemption especially for the Resurrection of our Lord. 2. And therefore the celebration of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was alwayes a chief part of its observation in the primitive Churches Not meerly for the Sacrament sake but because with it was still joyned all the Laudatory and Thanksgiving worship And it was the Pastors work so to pray and praise God and preach to the people as tendeth most to possess their souls with the liveliest sense of the Love of the Father the Grace of the Son and the Communion of the holy Spirit on the account of our Redemption 3. Though confession of sin and humiliation must not be the chief work of the day yet it may and must come in as in due subordination to the chief 1. Because there are usually many persons present who are members only of the visible Church and are not fit for the Laudatory and rejoycing part 2. Because while we are in the flesh our sâ—lvation is imperfect and so are we and much sin still remaineth which must be a grief and burden to believers And therefore while sin is mixt Psal. 2. 9 10 11. Heb. 12. 28 29. with grace Repentance and sorrow must be mixed with our Thanksgivings and we must rejoyce with trembling And though we receive a Kingdom which cannot â—e moved yet must our acceptable service of God be with reverence and Godly fear because our God is a consuming fire 3. Our sin and misery being that which we are saved from doth enter the definition of our salvation And without the sense of theâ— we can never know aâ—ight what mercy is nor ever be truly glad and thankful But yet take heed that this subordinate duty be not pretended for the neglecting of that Thanksgiving which is the work of the day Quest. 83. May the people bear a Vocal part in Worship or do any more than say Amen Answ. YEs The people should say Amen that is openly signifie their consent But the meaning 1 Cor. 14. Psal. 150. 81 2 3. 98. 5. 94. 1 2 3 c. 105. 7. 2 c. 145. thoughout Col. 3 16. is not that they must do no more nor otherwise express their consent saving by that single word For 1. There is no Scripture which forbiddeth more 2. The people bear an equal part in singing the Psalms which are prayer and praise
order to our Absolution and Communion 4. Especially so far as is necessary to subdue our fleshly lusts and tame our bodies and bring them into a due subjection to our faith and to avoid our sin for the time to come And also by 2 Cor. 7. 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 9 27. Col. 1. 5 6. Rom. 13 13 14. the exercise of sober mortification prudently to keep under all our worldly phantasies and love of this present world without unfitting our selves for duty 5. And so far as is needful by such mortification to fit us for fervent prayer especially by fasting on dayes of humiliation and to help us in our meditations of death and judgement and to further our heavenly contemplations and conversation 6. The greatest difficulty is Whether any self-revenge be lawful or due which is answered by Psal. 69. 10. Lev. 16. 29 31. â—3 27 32. Numb 29. 7. 30. 13. Ezra 8. 21. what is said already None such as disableth us for Gods service is lawful But true Repentance is an anger or great displeasure with our selves for sin and a hatred of sin and loathing of our selves for it And to judge condemn and afflict our own souls by a voluntary self-punishing is but that exercise of justice on our selves which is fit for pardoned sinners that are not to be condemned by the Lord and indeed the just exercise of Repentance and displeasure against our selves On which accounts of sober self-revenge we may cherish such degrees of godly sorrow fasting course cloathing as Sackcloth and denying our selves the pleasures of this world as shall not be hurtful but helpful to our duty And if great and heinous sinners have of old on these terms exceeded other men in their austerities and self-afflictings we cannot condemn them of superstition unless we more particularly knew more cause for it But popishly to think that self-afflicting without respect to Isa. 58. 5. such causes or necessities is a meritorious perfection fit for others is superstition indeed And â—o think as many of the Melancholy do that self-murder is a lawful self-revenge is a heinous sin and leadeth to that which is more heinous and dangerous Quest. 101. Is it lawful to observe stated times of fasting imposed by others without extraordinary occasion And particularly Lent Answ. REmember that I here meddle not with the question how far it is lawful for Rulers to 2 Chron. 20 3. Ezâ—a 8. 21. Jonah 3. 5. Zech. 8. 19. Joel 2. 15. Read Dallaeus Treatise de Iejuniis impose such Fasts on others save only to say 1. That it is undoubtedly fit for Kings to do it by Precepts and Churches by Consent in extraordinary cases of defection sin or judgements 2. That it is undoubtedly sinful usurpation for either Pope or any pretended Ecclesiastical Universal Rulers to impose such on the Universal Church Because there are no Universal Rulers Or for a neighbour Bishop by usurpation to impose it on a neighbour Church 3. And that it is sinful in all or many Churches to make by their Agreements such things to be necessary to their Union or Communion with their neighbour Churches so that they will take all those for Schismaticks that differ from them in such indifferent things But as to the Using of such fasts omitting the imposing I say I. 1. Thâ—â— so great and extraordinary a duty as holy fasting must not be turned into a meer Isa. 58. 3 5 6 7 8. formality oâ— ceremony 2. No particular man must be so observant of a publick commanded anniversary fast as for it to neglect any duty commanded him by God which is inconsistent with it As to rejoyce or keep a day of Thanksgiving in Lent upon an extraordinary obliging cause To keep the Lords day in Lent as a day of Thanksgiving and Rejoycing To preserve our own health c. It is not lawful in obedience to man to fast so much or use such dyet as is like to destroy our lives or health These being not so far put into the power of man Nor can man dispence with us as to the duty of self-preservation If God himself require us not to offer him our lives and health needlesly as an acceptable Sacrifice nor ever maketh self-destruction our duty no nor any thing that is not for mans own good then we are not to believe without very clear proof that either Prince or Prelates have more power than ever God doth use himself 3. Such an Anniversary fast as is meet for the remembrance of some sin or judgement if commanded is to be kept both for the Reason of it and for the Authority of the Commander For 1. It is not unlawful as Anniversary For 1. It is not forbidden and 2. There may be just occasion Some arbitrarily keep an anniversary fast on the day of their Nativity as I have long done and some on the day that they fell into some great sin and some on the day of the death of a friend or of some personal domestick or National Calamity and none of this is forbidden 2. And that which is not unlawful in it self is not therefore unlawful to be done because it is commanded seeing obedience to superiours is our duty and not our sin unless in sinful things 4. Whether it be lawful or meet to commemorate Christs sufferings by anniversary fasts is next to be considered II. As for Lent in particular We must distinguish 1. Between the antient Lent and the later Lent 2. Between keeping it on a Civil account and on a Religious 3. Between true fasting and change of dyet 4. Between the Imitation of Christs fourty dayes fasting and the meer Commemoration of it Which premised I conclude 1. The keeping a true Fast or Abstinence from food for fourty dayes on what account soever being impossible or self-murder is not to be attempted 2. The Imitation of Christ in his fourty dayes fasting is not to be attempted or pretended to Because his miraculous works were not done for our imitation And it is presumption for us to pretend to such a power as is necessary to Miracles or yet to make any Essayes at such an imitation any more than at the raising of the dead 3. The pretending of a fast when men do but change their dyet Flesh for Fish Fruit Sweet-meats c. is but hypocritical and ridiculous Most poor labourers and temperate Ministers do live all the year on a more flesh-denying dyet and in greater abstinence than many Papists do in Lent or on their fasting dayes And what a ridiculous dispute is it to hear e. g. a Calvin that never eateth but one small meal a day for many years to plead against the keeping of the Popish fasts and their Clergy call him voracious and carnal and an Epicure and plead for fasting as holy mortification who eat as many meals and as much meat on a Lent day or fasting day as Calvin did in three feasting dayes and drink as much Wine in
few men can but get money enough to purchase all the Land in a County they think that they may do with their own as they list and set such hard bargains of it to their Tenants that they are all but as their servants yea and live a more troublesome life than servants do when they have laboured hard all the year they can scarce scrape up enough to pay their Landlords rent Their necessities are so urgent that they have not so much as leisure to pray Morning or Evening in their families or to read the Scriptures or any good Book nor scarce any room in their thoughts for any holy things Their minds are so distracted with necessities and cares that even on the Lords Day or at a time of prayer they can hardly keep their minds intent upon the sacred work which they have in hand If the freest minds have much adoe to keep their thoughts in seriousness and order in meditation or in the worshipping of God how hard must it needs be to a poor oppressed man whose body is tired with wearisome labours and his mind distracted with continual cares how to pay his rent and how to have food and rayment for his family How unfit is such a troubled discontented person to live in thankfulness to God and in his joyful praises Abundance of the Voluptuous great ones of the world do use their Tenants and servants but as their Beasts as if they had been made only to labour and toil for them and it were their chief felicity to fulfil their will and live upon their favour § 9. Direct 1. The principal means to overcome this sin is to understand the Greatness of it For Direct 1. the flesh perswadeth carnal men to judge of it according to their self ish interest and not according to the interest of others nor according to the true principles of Charity and Equity and so they justifie themselves in their oppression § 10. 1. Consider That Oppression is a sin not only contrary to Christian Charity and Self-denyal but even to Humanity it self We are all made of one earth and have souls of the same kind There is as near a kindred betwixt all mankind as a specifical identity As between one Shâ—ep one Dovâ— one Angel and another As between several drops of the same water and several sparks of the same fire which have a natural tendency to Union with each other And as it is an inhumane thing for one brother to oppress another or one member of the same body to set up a proper interest of its own and make all the rest how painfully soever to serve that private interest So is it for those men who are children of the same Creator Much more for them who account themselves members of the same Redeemer and brethren in Christ by grace and regeneration with those whom they oppress Mal. 2. 10. Have we not all one Father Hath not one God created us Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother By profaning the Covenant of our Fathers If we must not lye to one another because we are members one of another Ephes. 4. 25. And if all the members must have the same care of one another 1 Cor. 12. 25. Surely then they must not oppress one another § 11. 2. An Oppressor is an Anti-christ and an Anti-god He is contrary to God who delighteth to do good and whose bounty maintaineth all the world Who is kind to his enemies and causeth his Psal. 145. Matth. 5. Lam. 3. Sun to shine and his rain to fall on the just and on the unjust and even when he afflicteth doth it as unwillingly delighting not to grieve the Sons of men He is contrary to Jesus Christ who gave himself a ransome for his enemies and made himself a curse to redeem them from the curse and condescended in his incarnation to the nature of man and in his passion to the Cross and suffering which they deserved and being rich and Lord of all yet made himself poor that we by his poverty might be made rich He endured the Cross and despised the shame and made himself of as no reputation accounting it his honour and joy to be the Saviour of mens souls even of the poor and despised of the world And these Oppressors live as if they were made to afflict the just and to rob them of Gods mercies and to make crosses for other men to bear and to tread on their brethren as stepping stones of their own advancement The Holy Ghost is the Comforter of the just and faithful And these men live as if it were their Calling to deprive men of their comfort § 12. 3. Yea an Oppressor is not only the Agent of the Devil but his Image It is the Devil that is the destroyer and the devourer who maketh it his business to undo men and bring them into misery and distress He is the grand Oppressor of the world Yet in this he is far short of the malignity of men-devils 1. That he doth it not by force and violence but by deceit and hurteth no man till he hath procured his own consent to sin whereas our Oppressors do it by their brutish force and power 2. And the Devil destroyeth men who are not his brethren nor of the same kind But these oppressors never stick at the violating of such relations § 13. 4. Oppression is a sin that greatly serveth the Devil to the damning of mens souls as well as to the afflicting of their bodies And it is not a few but millions that are undone by it For as I shewed before it taketh up mens Minds and Time so wholly to get them a poor living in the world that they have neither mind nor time for better things They are so troubled about many things that the one thing needful is laid aside All the labours of many a worthy able Pastor are frustrated by oppressors To say nothing of the far greatest part of the world where the tyranny and oppression of Heathen Infidel and Mahometane Princes keepeth out the Gospel and the means of life nor yet of any other Persecutors If we exhort a Servant to read the Scriptures and call upon God and think of his everlasting state he telleth us that he hath no time to do it but when his weary body must have rest If we desire the Masters of families to instruct and catechise their children and servants and pray with them and read the Scriptures and other good Books to them they tell us the same that they have no time but when they should sleep and that on the Lords Day their tired bodies and careful minds are unfit to attend and ply such work So that necessity quietteth their consciences in their ignorance and neglect of heavenly things and maketh them think it the work only of Gentlemen and rich men who have leisure but are further alienated from it by prosperity than these are by their poverty And
judging And if you knew how bad you are you would not be so forward to condemn your neighbours So that here is together the effect of much self-estrangedness hypocrisie and pride Did you ever well consider of the mind of Christ when he bid them that accused the adulterous woman John 8. 7. He that is without sin among you let him first cast a stone at her Certainly adultery was a heinous crime and to be punished with death and Christ was no Patron of uncleanness But he knew that it was an hypocritical sort of persons whom he spake to who were busie in judging others rather than themselves Have you studied his words against rash censurers Matth. 7. 3 4. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye Or how wilt thou say to thy brother Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote which is in thy brothers eye I know well that impenitent sinners do use to pervert all these words of Christ against any that would bring them to repentance for their sin and account all men rash censurers who would make them acquainted with their unsanctified hearts and lives But it is not their abuse of Scripture which will justifie our overpassing it with neglect Christ spake it not for nothing and it must be studied by his Disciples § 5. 5. Censoriousness is injustice in that the censurers would not be so censured themselves You will say Yes if we were as bad and did deserve it But though you have not that same fault have you no other And are you willing to have it aggravated and be thus rashly judged You do not as you would be done by yea commonly censurers are guilty of false judging and whilest they take things hastily upon trust and stay not to hear men speak for themselves or to enquire throughly into the cause they commonly condemn the innocent and call good evil and put light for Isa. 5. 20. darkness and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him when God hath cursed such with a woe § 6. 6. And false censuring is the proper work of the Devil the accuser of the brethren Rev. 12. 10. Who accuseth them before God day and night And Christians should not bear his Image nor do his work § 7. 7. Censoriousness is contrary to the Nature and Office of Jesus Christ He came to pardon sin and cover the infirmities of his servants and to cast them behind his back and into the depth of the Sea and to bury them in his grave And it is the censurers work to rake them up and to make them seem more and greater than they are and to bring them into the open light § 8. 8. Censoriousness causeth uncharitableness and sinful separations in the censurers when they have conceited their brethren to be worse than they are they must then reproach them or have no communion with them and avoid them as too bad for the company of such as they Or when they have usurped the Pastors work in judging they begin the execution by sinful separation § 9. 9. Censoriousness is an infectious sin which easily taketh with the younger and prouder sort of Christians and so setteth them on vilifying others And at this little gap there entereth all uncharitableness backbitings revilings Church-divisions and Sects yea and too often rebellious and bloody Wars at last § 10. 10. Censoriousness is a sore temptation to them that are censured either to contemn such as censure them and go on the other hand too far from them or else to comply with the errors and sinful humours of the censurers and to strain their consciences to keep pace with the censorious And here I must leave it on record to posterity for their warning that the great and lamentable actions changes and calamities of this age have arisen next to gross impiety from this sin of ☜ censoriousness producing these two contrary effects and thereby dividing men into two contrary parties The younger sort of Religious people and the more ignorant and many women having more zeal than judgement placed too much of their Religion in a sharp opposition to all Ceremonies Formalities and Opinions which they thought unlawful and were much inclined to Schism and unjust separations upon that account and therefore censured such things as Antichristian and those that used them as superstitious or temporizers And no mans learning piety wisdome or laboriousness in the Ministry could save him from these sharp reproachful censures Hereupon one party had not Humility and Patience enough to endure to be so judged of nor love and tenderness enough for such pievish Christians to bear with them in pity as Parents do with froward Infants but because these professed holiness and zeal even holiness and zeal were brought under suspicion for their sakes and they were taken to be persons intolerable as unfit to lye in any building and unmeet to submit to Christian Government and therefore meet to be used accordingly Another sort were so wearied with the prophaneness and ungodliness of the vulgar rabble and saw so few that were judiciously religious that they thought it their duty to love and cherish the zeal and piety of their censorious weak ones and to bear patiently with their frowardness till ripeness and experience cured them And so far they were right And because they thought that they could do them no good if they once lost their interest in them and were also themselves too impatient of their censure some of them seemed to please them to be more of their opinion than they were and more of them forbore to reprove their petulancy but silently suffered them to go on especially when they fell into the Sects of Antinomians Anabaptists and Separatists they durst not reprove them as they deserved lest they should drive them all out of the Hive to some of these late swarms And thus censoriousness in the ignorant and self-conceited drove away one part to take them as their enemies and silenced or drew on another party to follow them that led the Vann in some irregular violent actions and the wise and sober moderators were disregarded and in the noise of these tumults and contentions could not be heard till the smart of either party in their suffering forced them to honour such whom in their exaltation again they despised or abused This is the true summ of all the Tragoedies in Britain of this Age. Tit. 4. Directions for those that are rashly censured Direct 1. REmember when you are injured by Censures that God is now trying your Humility Direct 1. Charity and Patience And therefore be most studious to exercise and preserve these three 1. Take heed lest Pride make you disdainful to the censurers A humble
true pleasure as his life and labours are successful in doing good I know that the Conscience of honest endeavours may afford solid comfort to a willing though unsuccessful man and well-doing may be pleasant though it prove not a doing good to others But it is a double yea a multiplyed comfort to be successful It is much if an honest unsuccessful man a Preacher a Physicion c. can keep up so much peace as to support him under the grief of his unsuccessfulness But to see our honest labours prosper and many to be the better for them is the pleasantest life that man can here hope for 7. Good works are a comfortable evidence that faith is sincere and that the heart dissembleth not with God When as a faith that will not prevail for works of Charity is dead and uneffectual and the image o◠carkass of faith indeed and such as God will not accept Iam. 2. 8. We have received so much our selves from God as doubleth our obligation to do good to others Obedience and Gratitude do both require it 9. We are not sufficient for our selves but need others as well as they need us And therefore as we expect to receive from others we must accordingly do to them If the eye will not see for the body nor the hand work for the body nor the feet go for it the body will not afford them nutriment and they shall receive as they do 10. Good works are much to the honour of Religion and consequently of God and much tend to mens conviction conversion and salvation Most men will judge of the doctrine by the fruits Mat. 5. 16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven 11. Consider how abundantly they are commanded and commended in the word of God Christ himself hath given us the pattern of his own life which from his first moral actions to his last was nothing but doing good and bearing evil He made Love the fulfilling of his Law and the works of Love the genuine fruits of Christianity and an acceptable sacrifice to God Gal. 6. 10. As we have opportunity let us do good to all men especially to them of the houshold of faith Heb. 13. 16. To do good and communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou constantly affirm that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works These things are good and profitable to men Ephes. 2. 10. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus to good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Tit. 2. 14. To purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Act. 20. 35. So labouring ye ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Iesus how he said It is more blessed to give than to receive Ephes. 4. 28. Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good that he may have to give to him that needeth You see poor labourers are not excepted from the command of helping others In so much that the first Church sold all their possessions and had all things common not to teach levelling and condemn propriety but to shew all after them that Christian Love should use all to relieve their brethren as themselves 12. Consider that God will in a special manner judge us at the last day according to our works and especially our works of Charity As in Matth. 25. Christ hath purposely and plainly shewed and so doth many another text of Scripture These are the Motives to works of Love Quest. 2. What is a good work even such as God hath promised to reward Quest. 2. Answ. 1. The matter must be lawful and not a sin 2. It must tend to a good effect for the benefit of man and the honour of God 3. It must have a good end even the pleasing and Glory of God and the good of our selves and others 4. It must come from a right principle even from the Love of God and of man for his sake 5. It must be pure and unmixed If any sin be mixt with it it is sinful so as to need a pardon And if sin be predominant in it it is so far sinful as to be unacceptable to God in respect to the person and is turned into sin it self 6. It must be in season or else it may sometimes be mixt with sin and sometimes be evil it self and no good work 7. It must be comparatively good as well as simply It must not be a lesser good instead of a greater or to put off a greater As to be praying when we should be quenching a fire or saving a mans life 8. It must be good in a convenient degree Some degrees are necessary to the Moral being of a good work and some to the well being God must be loved and worshipped as God and Heaven sought as Heaven and mens souls and lives must be highly prized and seriously preserved some sluggish doing of good is but undoing it 9. It must be done in confidence of the merits of Christ and presented to God as by his hands who is our Mediator and Intercessour with the Father Quest. 3. What works of Charity should one choose in these times who would improve his masters talents Quest. 3. to his most comfortable account Answ. The diversity of mens abilities and opportunities make that to be best for one man which is 〈◊〉 the Pre 〈…〉 e to my 〈…〉 ok called 〈◊〉 Crucifying 〈…〉 he world impossible to another But I shall name some that are in themselves most beneficial to mankind that every man may choose the best which he can reach to 1. The most eminent work of Charity is the promoting of the Conversion of the Heathen and Infidel parts of the world To this Princes and men of power and wealth might contribute much if they were willing especially in those Countreys in which they have commerce and send Embassadours They might procure the choicest Scholars to go over with their Embassadours and learn the languages and set themselves to this service according to opportunity Or they might erect a Colledge for the training up of Students purposely for that work in which they might maintain some Natives procured from the several Infidel Countreys as two or three Persians as many Indians of Indostan as many Tartarians Chinenses Siamites c. which might possibly be obtained and these should teach students their Countrey languages But till the Christian world be so happy as to have such Princes something may be done by Volunteers of lower place and power As Mr. Wheelock did in translating the New Testament and Mr. Pococke by the Honourable Mr. Robert Boile's procurement and charge in translating Grotius de Verit. Christ. Relig. into
Arabick and sending it to Indostan and Persia. And what excellent labour hath good Mr. Iohn Eliots with some few assistants bestowed these twenty years and more in New England where now he hath translated and Printed the whole Scriptures in their Americane tongue with a Catechism and Call to the Unconverted by the help of a press maintained from hence 2. The attempt of Restoring the Christian Churches to their primitive purity and Unity according to mens several opportunities is a most excellent and desirable work which though the ignorance and wickedness of many and the implacableness and bloodiness of the carnal proud domineering part and the too great alienation of some others from them do make it so difficult as to be next to desperate at the present yet is not to be cast off as desperate indeed For great things have been done by wise and valiant attempts Princes might do very much to this if they were both wise and willing And who knoweth but an age may come that may be so happy The means and method I would willingly describe but that this is no fit place or time 3. The planting of a learned able holy concordant Ministry in a particular Kingdom and setling the primitive Discipline thereby is a work also which those Princes may very much promote whose hearts are set upon it and who set up no contrary interest against it But because these lines are never like to be known to Princes unless by way of accusation it is private mens works which we must speak to 4. It is a very good work to procure and maintain a worthy Minister in any of the most ignorant Parishes in these Kingdoms of which alas how many are there where the skilful preaching of the Gospel is now wanting or to maintain an assistant in populous Parishes where one is not able to do the work or by other just means to promote this service 5. It is a very good work to set up Free-Schools in populous and in ignorant places especially in Wales that all may be taught to read and some may be prepared for the Universities 6. It is an excellent work to â—ull out some of the choicest wits among the poorer sort in the Countrey Schools who otherwise would wither for want of culture and to maintain them for Learning in order to the Ministry with some able godly Tutor in the University or some Countrey Minister who is fit and vacant enough thereunto 7. It is an excellent work to give among poor ignorant people Bibles and Catechisms and some plain and godly Books which are most fitted to their use But it were more excellent to leave a setled revenew for this use naming the Books and choosing meet Trustees that so the Rent might every year furnish a several Parish which would in short time be a very extensive benefit and go through many Countries 8. It is a very good work to set poor mens children Apprentices to honest religious Masters where they may at once get the blessing to their souls of a godly education and to their bodies of an honest way of maintenance 9. It will not be unacceptable to God to relieve some of the persons or poor children of those very many hundred faithful Ministers of Christ who are now silenced and destitute of maintenance many having nothing at all but what charity sendeth them to maintain themselves and desolate families who were wont to exercise charity to the bodies and souls of others Read Matth. 25. Gal. 6. 5 6 7 8. 10. It is a good work of them who give stocks of money or yearly rents to be lent for five or six or seven years to young Tradesmen at their setting up upon good security choosing good Trustees who may choose the fittest persons And if it be a rent it will still increase the stock and if any should break the loss of it may be born 11. It would be a very good work for Landlords to improve their interest with their Tenants to further at once their bodily comfort and salvation To hire them by some abatement at their Rent dayes to learn Catechisms and read the Scripture and good Books in their families and give the Pastor an account of their proficience Whether the Law will enable them to bind them to any such thing in their Leases I cannot tell 12. And the present work of Charity for every one is to relieve the most needy which are next at hand To know what poor families are in greatest want and to help them as we are able and to provoke the rich to do that which we cannot do our selves and to beg for others And still to make use of bodily relief to further the good of their souls by seconding all with spiritual advice and help Quest. 4. In what order are works of Charity to be done And whom must we prefer when we are Quest. 4. unable to accommodate all Answ. 1. The most publick works must be preferred before private 2. Works for the soul caeteris paribus before works for the body And yet bodily benefits in order of time must oft go first as preparations to the other 3. Greatest necessities caeteris paribus must be supplyed before lesser The saving of anothers life must be preferred before your own less necessary comforts 4. Your own and families wants must caeteris paribus be supplyed before strangers even before some that you must love better Because God hath in point of provision and maintenance given you a nearer charge of your selves and families than of others 5. Nature also obligeth you to prefer your kindred before strangers if there be a parity as to other reasons 6. And caeteris paribus a good man must be preferred before a bad 7. And yet that charity which is like to tend to the good of the soul as well as of the body is to be preferred And in that case oft-times a bad man is to be preferred when a greater good is like to be the effect 8. A friend caeteris paribus is to be preferred before an enemy But not when the Good is like to be greater which will follow the relieving of an enemy Many other rules might be given but they are laid down already Tom. 1. Cap. where I treat of Good Works whither I refer you Quest. 5. Should I give in my life time or at my death Quest. 5. Answ. According as it is like to do most good But none should needlesly delay Both is best Quest. 6. Should one devote or set by a certain part of daily incomes Quest. 6. Quest. 7. What proportion is a man bound to give to the poor Quest. 7. Answ. These two Questions having answered in a Letter to Mr. Thomas Gouge now printed and the Book being not in many hands I will here recite that Letter as it is published Most Dear and very much Honoured Brother EVen the Philosopher hath taught me so to esteem you who said that He is likest
to God who needeth fewest things for himself and doth most good to others And Christ telleth us that universal charity extending even to them that hate and persecute us doth make us as his Children like our heavenly Father Matth. 5. 44 45 46 48. As Hating and Hurting their neighbours is the mark of the Children of the Devil Iohn 8. 44. so Loving and Doing Good is the mark of the Children of God And it is observable that no one treateth so copiously and pathetically of Love both of Christs love to us and ours to him as the blessed Disciple whom Jesus is said to have eminently Loved as Iohn 13. 14 15 16. 17. 1 Iohn shew It hath often pleased me to hear how dearly you were beloved by that exceeding great and populous Parish where lately you were Preacher for your eminent Charity to their souls and bodies And to see that still you take it for your work and calling to be a provoker of others to Love and to Good Works Heb. 10. 24. whilest many that are taken for good Christians do deal in such works as Rarities or Recreations only a little now and then upon the by and whilest Satans Ministers are provoking others to Hatred and to Hurtfulness Your Labour is so amiable to me that it would contribute to my comforts if I were able to contribute any thing to your assistance You desire me to give you my judgement of the quota pars What proportion it is meet for most men to devote to Charitable uses Whether the Tenth Part of their increase be not ordinarily a fit proportion The reason why I use not to answer such Questions without much distinguishing when lazy impatient Readers would have them answered in a word is because the real difference of particular cases is so great as maketh it necessary unless we will deceive men or leave the matter as dark and unresolved as we found it I. Before I answer your Question I shall premise that I much approve of the way which you insist upon of setting so much constantly apart as is fit for us to give that it may be taken by us to be as a devoted or consecrated thing And methinks that there is much of a Divine Direction for the time in 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. together with the practice of the antient Church That upon the first day of the week every one lay by him in store as God hath prospered him And it will do much to cure Pharisaical Sabbatizing when the Lords Day is statedly used in this with holy works and will teach Hypocrites to know what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice Matth. 9. 13. and 12. 7. And that works of Charity are an odour a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God who of the riches of his Glory in Christ will supply all the need of such as bring forth such fruit to abound unto their account Phil. 4. 17 18 19. So it be done without any ensnaring vows or rash engagements to unnecessary things this constant setting apart a certain proportion for pious and charitable uses will have these advantages 1. Our distribution will be made deliberately and prudently when before-hand we study a due proportion and determine accordingly whereas they that give only occasionally as some object suddenly inviteth them will do it at randome without due respect to their own accounts whether the proportion given be answerable to their own estate and duty 2. This stated way will make mens charity much more extensive When objects of charity are not in their sight they will inquire after them and they will seek for the needy if the needy seek not unto them because they have so much by them to dispose of which is devoted to God But those who give but as occasional objects draw it from them will give to none but those that crave or will pass by many as needy whom they see not while they relieve only those few that they hap to see 3. And it will make mens charity also to be more constant and done obediently as a Christians daily work and duty when occasional charity will be more rarely and unconstantly exercised In a word as the observation of the Lords Day which is a stated proportion of time secureth the holy improvement of our time much better than if God be served but occasionally without a stated time and as a constant stated course of Preaching excelleth meer occasional exhortations even so a constant course of Giving wisely stated will find out objects and overcome temptations and discharge our Duty with much more integrity and success And if we can easily perceive that occasional Praying will not so well discharge the duty of prayer as a constant stated course will do why should we not think the same of occasional Giving if men did but perceive that Giving according to our ability is as sure and great a duty as Praying Now to your Question of the Proportion of our gifts II. We must distinguish 1. Between them that have no more than will supply their own and their families true necessities and those that have more 2. Between them that have a stock of money which yieldeth them no increase and those that have more increase by their labour but little stock 3. Between them whose increase is like to be constant and theirs that is uncertain sometime more and sometime less 4. Between them that have many children or near kindred that nature casteth upon them for relief and those that have few or no children or have a competent provision for them and have few needy kindred that they are especially obliged to relieve 5. Between those that live in times and places where the necessities of the poor are very great or some great works of Piety are in hand and those that live where the poor are in no great necessity and no considerable opportunity for any great work of Piety or Charity doth appear These distinctions premised I answer as followeth 1. It is certain that every true Sanctified Christian hath Devoted himself and all that he hath to God to be used in obedience to his will and for his glory 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. 1 Cor. 10. 31. Luke 18. 33. The Question therefore is not Whether the Tenth part of our estate should be devoted to and employed in the service of God one way or other as he directeth us For it is out of Question that all is his and we are but his stewards and must give account of our stewardship and of all our receivings Matth. 25. But the Question is only what proportion is best pleasing to God in our giving to others 2. A Christian being unseignedly thus resolved in the General to lay out that he hath or shall have as God would have him and to his glory as near as he can his next enquiry must be for finding out the will of God to know in the ordinary course of his distribution where
alloweth and requireth him to make the exercises of his mind on things sublime and holy and the affecting of his heart with them to be his principal business which taketh up the most of his time And we call that an Active obediential life when a mans state and calling requireth him to spend the chief part of his time in some external labour or vocation tending to the good of our selves and others As Artificers Tradesmen Husbandmen Labourers Physicions Lawyers Pastors and Preachers of the Gospel Soldiers and Magistrates all live an Active life which should be a life of Obedience to God Though among these some have much more time for contemplation than others And some few there are that are exempt from both these and are called to live a Passive obediential life that is such a life in which their obedient bearing of the Cross and patient suffering and submission to the chastising or trying will of God is the most eminent and principal service they can do him above Contemplation or Action § 2. Quest. 2. Must every man do his best to â—ast off all worldly and external labours and to retire Quest. 2. himself to a contemplative life as the most excellent Answ. No No man should do so without a special necessity or call For there are general precepts Gal. 6. 10. 2 Thess. 3. on all that are able that we live to the benefit of others and prefer the common good and as we have opportunity do good to all men and love our neighbours as our selves and do as we would be done by which will put us upon much action and that we labour before we eat And for a man unnecessarily to cast off all the service of his life in which he may be profitable to others is a burying or hiding his Masters talents and a neglect of charity and a sinning greatly against the Law of Love As we have Bodies so they must have their work as well as our souls § 3. Quest. 3. Is a life of Contemplation then lawful to any man and to whom Quest. 3. Answ. It is lawful and a duâ—y and a great mercy to some to live almost wholly yea all together Who are called to a contemplative life in contemplation and prayer and such holy exercises And that in these cases following 1. In case that Age hath disabled a man to be serviceable to others by an active life and when a man hath already spent his dayes and strength in doing all the good he can and being now disabled hath special reason to improve the rest of his decrepite age in more than ordinary preparations for his death and in holy communion with God 2. So also when we are disabled by sickness 3. And when imprisonment restraineth us from an active life or profitting others 4. And when persecution forceth Christians to retire into solitudes and Desarts to reserve themselves for better times and places or when prudence telleth them that their prayers in solitude may do more good than at that time their Martyrdom were like to do 5. When a Student is preparing himself for the Ministry or other active life â—o which a contemplative life is the way 6. When poverty or Wars or the rage of enemies disableth a man from all publick converse and driveth him into solitude by unavoidable necessity 7. When the number of those that are fit for action is so sufficient and the parts of the person are so insufficient and so the need and use of them in an active life so small that all things considered holy impartial prudence telleth him that the good which he could do to others by an active life is not like to countervail the losses which he should himself receive and the good which his very example of a holy and heavenly life might do and his occasional counsels and precepts and resolutions to those who come to him for advice being drawn by the estimation of his holy life in this case it is lawful to give up ones self to a contâ—mplâ—tiâ—â— life For that which maketh most to his own good and to others is past doubt lawful and a duâ—y Anna departed not from the Temple but served God with â—â—sting and prayer night and day Luke 2. 36 37. Whether the meaning be that she strictly kept the hours of prayer in the Temple and the fasting twice a Week or frequently or whether she took up her habitation in the houses of some of the Officers of the Temple devoting her self to the service of the Temple it is plain that either way she did something besides praying and fasting Even as the Widows under the Gospel who were also to continue in prayer and supplication night and day 1 Tim. 5. 5. and yet were employed in the service of the Church in over-seeing the younger and â—eaching them to be sober c. Tit. 2. 4. which is an active life But however Anna's practice be expounded if this much that I have granted would please the Monasticks we would not dâ—â—â—â—r with them § 4. Quest. 4. How far are those in an active life to use Contemplation Quâ—â—â—â— 4. Answ. With very great difference 1. According to the difference of their Callings in the world and the Offices in which they are ordinarily to serve God 2. And according to the difference of their Abilities and fitness for Contemplation or for Action 3. According to the difference of their particular opportunities 4. According to the difference of the necessities of others which may require their help 5. And of their own necessities of Action or Contemplation Which I shall more particularly determine in certain Rules § 5. 1. Every Christian must use so much contemplation as is necessary to the Loving of God Rule 1. above all and to the worshipping of him in Spirit and in truth and to a heavenly mind and conversation and to his due preparation for death and judgement and to the refâ—rring all his common works to the glory and pleasing of God that Holiness to the Lord may be written upon all and all that he hath may be sanctified or devoted with himself to God § 6. 2. The calling of a Minister of the Gospel is so perfectly mixt of contemplation and Rule 2. action that though Action denominate it as being the End and Chief yet he must be excellent in both If they be not excellent in contemplation they will not be meet to stand so much nearer to God than the people do and to sanctifie him when they draw near him and glorifie him before all the people nor will they be fit for the opening of the heavenly mysteries and working that on the peoples hearts which never was on their own And if they be not Excellent in an Active life they will betray the peoples souls and never go through that painful diligence and preaching in season and out of season publickly and from house to house day and night with tears which Paul
some notable yea or ordinary providence which did lately occurr 5. Or of some examples of good or evil that are fresh before you 6. Or of the right doing of the duty that you are about or any such like helps Direct 5. § 7. Direct 5. Talk not of vain unprofitable controversies nor often of small circumstantial matters that make but little to edification For there may be idle talking about matters of Religion as well as about other smaller things Especially see that the quarrells of the times engage not your thoughts and speeches too far into a course of unprofitableness or contention § 8. Direct 6. Furnish your selves before hand with matter for the most edifying discourse and never Direct 7. go abroad empty And let the matter be usually 1. Things of weight and not small matters 2. Things of certainty and not uncertain things Particularly the fittest subjects for your ordinary discourse are these 1. God himself with his Attributes Relations and Works 2. The great mysterie of mans Redemption by Christ His person office sufferings doctrine example and work His resurrection ascension glory intercession and all the priviledges of his Saints 3. The Covenant of Grace the promises the duties the conditions and the threatnings 4. The workings of the Spirit of Christ upon the soul and every grace of the Spirit in us with all the signs and helps and hinderances of it 5. The wayes and wiles of Satan and all our spiritual enemies the particular temptations which we are in danger of what they are and how to avoid them and what are the most powerful helps against them 6. The corruption and deceitfulness of the heart The nature and workings effects and signs of ignorance unbelief hypocrisie pride sensuality worldliness impiety injustice intemperance uncharitableness and every other sin with all the helps against them all 7. The many duties to God and man which we have to perform both internal and external and how to do them and what are the chiefest hindrances and helps As in reading hearing meditating prayer giving alms c. And the duties of our Relations and several places with the contrary sins 8. The Vanity of the world and deceitfulness of all earthly things 9. The powerful Reasons used by Christ to draw us to holiness and the unreasonable madness of all that is brought against it by the Devil or by wicked men 9. Of the sufferings which we must expect and be prepared for 10. O◠death and the preparations that will then be found necessary and how to make ready for so great a change 11. Of the day of judgement and who will be then justified and who condemned 12. Of the joyes of Heaven the employment the company the nature and duration 13. Of the miseries of the damned and the thoughts that then they will have of their former life on earth 14. Of the state of the Church on earth and what we ought to do in our places for its welfare Is there not matter enough in all these great and weighty points for your hourly meditation and conference § 9. Direct 7. Take heed of proud self-conceitedness in your conference Speak not with supercilious Direct 7. censorious confidence Let not the weak take on them to be wiser than they are Be readier to speak by way of Question as Learners than as Teachers of others unless you are sure that they have much more need to be taught by you than you by them It 's ordinary for novices in Religion to cast all their discourse into a Teaching strain or to make themselves Preachers before they understand It is a most loathsome and pitiful hearing and yet too ordinary to hear a raw self-conceited ungrounded unexperienced person to prate magisterially and censure confidently the doctrine or practices or persons of those that are much better and wiser than themselves If you meet with this proud censorious spirit rebuke it first and read to them Iam. 3. and if they go on turn away from them and avoid them for they know not what manner of spirit they are of they serve not the Lord Jesus whatever they pretend or think themselves but are proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and making divisions in the Church of God and ready to fall into the condemnation of the Devil 1 Tim. 3. 6. 6. 3 4 5 Rom. 16. 17. Luk. 9. 55. Direct 8. § 10. Direct 8. Let the wisest in the company and not the weakest have most of the discourse But yet if any one that is of an abler tongue than the rest do make any determinations in doubtful controverted points take heed of a hasty receiving his judgement let his reasons seem never so plausible or probable but put down all such opinions as doubts and move them to your Teachers or some other impartial able men before you entertain them Otherwise he that hath most wit and tongue in the company might carry away all the rest into what errour or heresie he please and subvert their faith when he stops their mouths § 11. Direct 9. Let the matter of your speech be suitable to your end even to the good of your Direct 9. selves or others which you seek The same subject that is fit for one company is very unfit for others Learned men and ignorant men pious men and prophane men are not fit for the same kind of discourse The medicine must be carefully fitted to the disease § 12. Direct 10. Let your speech be seasonable when prudence telleth you it is not like to do more Direct 10. harm than good There is a season for the prudent to be silent and refrain even from good talk Amos 5. 17. Psal. 39. 1 2. Cast not Pearls before Swine and give not holy things to Dogs that you know will turn again and rend you Matth. 7. 6. Yea and among good people themselves there is a time to speak and a time to be silent Eccles. 3. 7. There may possibly be such excess as tendeth to the tiring of the hearers and more may be cram'd in than they can digest and surfetting may make them loath it afterwards You must give none more than they can bear And also the matters of your business and callings must be talkt of in their time and place § 13. Direct 11. Let all your speech of holy things be with the greatest seriousness and reverence Direct 11. that you are able Let the words be never so good yet levity and rudeness may make them to be prophane God and holy things should not be talkt of in a common manner But the gravity of your speech should tell the hearers that you take them not for small or common matters If servants and others that live near together would converse and speak as the Oracles of God how holy and heavenly and happy would such families or societies be CHAP. XVII Directions for each particular member of the Family how to spend every ordinary day of