is right but I do not well understand you I pray tell me what you mean by Titles Attributes Ordinances Word and Works Min. Friend I like this inquiring of yours well and I will tell you 1. By the title of God is meant Lord Jehovah Jah c. 2. An Attribute of God is that which is spoken of God as that he is a Spirit infinite eternal and unchangeable that God is Almighty most wise most holy most merciful just faithful c. 3. By Ordinances I understand every part of that worship which God hath appointed as Prayer Preaching Reading Hearing Singing Psalms the Sacraments c. 4. By the Word I mean the Scriptures wherein God revealeth his Will and maketh himself known to the children of men 5. By Works I understand the works of Creation and Providence whereby God revealeth much of himself to men who eye God in them Stranger What is it then to break this Commandment Minister It is to prophane or abuse any thing whereby God makes himself known Str. I hope Sir you will tell me something also out of the fourth Commandment Min. Friend why is that day we keep holy call'd the Lords day and the Sabbath for these are names which the Scriptures give that day Rev. 1.10 Gen. 2.23 Stranger Sir I never heard that question put before Minister Friend it is called the Lords day because the Lord appointed it to be kept holy and that in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ and the great work of Redemption wrought by him And it is called the Sabbath which signifieth rest because it is to be kept by us as an holy rest unto the Lord. Str. What must we do on the Sabbath day Min. Friend we must spend the whole day in worshipping God publickly and privately Str. Sir may not works of mercy and necessity be done that day Min. Yes Friend if they be indeed works of necessity and mercy and not so in pretence only Str. Sir you said the whole day must be kept holy what mean you by the whole day Min. Friend by the whole day I mean full Four and twenty hours for the Sabbath must be as long as any other day of the week besides Stranger I pray Sir what must we not do on the Sabbath Minister Friend we must not make that day 1. A day of idleness barely resting from labour as our Beasts do 2. Nor a day of worldly business in buying selling or the like 3. Nor a day of sports and recreations much less 4. Nor a day of sinning especially as in drunkenness stealing and the like 5. Nor a day only of outside devotions but we must labour to worship God in spirit also and to enjoy some spiritual communion with God in his holy Ordinances Str. Sir but am I not at liberty as to my thoughts and words that day Min. No Friend for God is a Spirit his day and worship spiritual so that we ought to lay aside all unnecessary thoughts and words that day as well as works about worldly employments and recreations Isa 58.13 Not speaking thine own words on the Sabbath Str. Sir I hope you will say something to me also concerning the other Commandments Minister Yes Friend but more briefly lest our time should fail us what think you is meant by Father and Mother in the fifth Commandment Stranger Sir I think my Father that begot me and my Mother that bore me Min. Friend that is true you say but there is more in it by Father and Mother we must understand Magistrates and Ministers and all our Superiours in any kind whatsoever Str. Sir and what is it to honour my Superiours Min. Friend it is to give them that inward and outward respect which is due to them and to obey the lawful commands of those who are over us Str. Sir doth this command require only our duty to Superiours Min. Yes it injoined also the duties of Superiours to Inferiours Str. Sir I pray tell me what the sixth seventh eighth and nine Commandments require of us Min. Briefly thus the sixth Commandment enjoineth all lawful endeavours for good of the life the seventh of the chastity the eighth of the wealth and outward estate the ninth of the good name of our selves and others each Commandment forbidding whatsoever is contrary or opposite thereunto Stranger The tenth Commandment also I pray Sir speak to Minister The tenth Commandment Thou shalt not covet c. requireth not only a full contentment with our own condition but a right and charitable frame of heart toward our Neighbour and all that is his Str. Sir I thank you for all this good discourse of yours I have rid many a mile with some Ministers and never had half so much from them Min. Friend it may be so but was not you your self much in fault did you put questions to them such as I have now put to you and you to me Str. No Sir to speak the truth and I am afraid I am much to blame for it Min. One word more before we part I presume Friend you have been at the Sacrament and received the Communion Stranger Yes many a time at Easter methinks I have a mind to it Minister Friend and why not at other times also Is your foul an hungry and doth the spiritual appetite come to you but once a year Str. Sir that is the time we use to go and then the rest of my Neighbours receive Min. Friend then it seems you go much for custom and company but tell me did you ever get any good by the Sacraments Str. Sir I hope no hurt Min. Friend they who live ignorantly or scandalously eat and drink unworthily are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and so eat and drink judgment or damnation to themselves 1 Cor. 11.27 29. Str. I hope I go better prepared than so Min. How do you prepare your self Str. Sir I give my name to the Minister aforehand I put on my best apparel I fast that morning lay the blessed bread and wine next my heart yea I am in love and charity with all men and forgive give those that have wronged me with all my heart Minister Friend that which in your answer fell last from you is quickly said not so soon done how can you say you are in love and charity with all men c. when your own heart tells you and all your Neighbours can testifie that for such and such a man you cannot give him a good word or a good look you express much joy when any evil befalls him or his where is your love then Stranger Sir you can't imagine what a deal of wrong he hath done me for many years together my heart cannot but rise against him whenever I see him but I hope to be eaven with him and to pay him all I owe him before I dye Min. Look you now Friend what is become of your charity and of forgiving with all your heart those words were but wind your
the mercies we receive all these do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slip out of our minds as water out of a Colander or sive What a furtherance this is to faith and love and thankfulness they best know who accustome themselves to it This was the ancient practise of Gods people and it was his wont and manner Of the many collections of this kind in his manuscript take these few instances When I was about ten years of Age being sick of a feavour and given up for dead of mine own accord I think my good God suggesting it I askt for butter-milk which taking by little and little my feavour abated and I recovered When about 14 years old swinging in a rope in my Fathers Kitchin at Birchmore which was paved with free-stone and of an high roof which I endeavouring to touch with back and belly when I was very high and my face downward the rope broke I fell down flat and there lay as dead and speechless but anon the Lord appearing for my help I brake out into a violent bleeding at mouth or nose or both and so by degrees through the blessing of the Lord revived and recovered Going to bed in my Tutors Chamber at Oxford and having a Wax Candle in a Roll burning by me I fell a sleep and left it burning on a deal box full of Linnen the box and Linnen was burned but the bed not toucht though close to it c. When I was Minister of Kingston I drank Ink one morning instead of Muscadine yet had no hurt April 8. 59. at Oxford my Wife being in her closet very late which was hung with much Linnen round about and I in bed and a sleep in the chamber adjoyning the Candle taking hold of the Linnen set it on fire which flamed round about her she the Lord assisting of her bestir'd her self pull'd down the linnen trod it underfoot masterd the fire I was not waked nor she much dammaged Feb. 1. 1666. At the Bell Inne in Aldersgate-street London between eight and nine of the Clock at night missing the way to my Chamber I went upon the Leads unrailed pitching my staffe before me I went so nigh the precipice or downfal into the yard that I found no roome for my staff but a step between me and death Oh what shall Irender c. There are many more of this sort but this may serve for a tast Whilst thou readest resolve to imitate and write after this Copy 3. His laboriousness in the Ministry of the word The next commendable excellency of this holy man which I shall mention was his diligence and laboriousness in preaching the Gospel Some hints of this you had before Minister verbi es hoc age Perk. his great care was to fulfill the Ministry he had received of the Lord his heart was in this work he did hoc agere this was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was his meat and drink He would often say he feard to hear that rebuke from Christ another day thou wicked and slothfull servant Mat. 25.26 There is no difference betwixt nequam nequaquam an evil and an idle servant wicked because slothfull When he came to visit his friends if they did not aske to be sure he would offer his paines amongst them What he would say is there no work here for a Preacher and though his Sermons were sometimes offer'd they were never ordinary ware He never offer'd that to God in that way which cost him nothing T is said of Mr. Perkins that his Sermons were not so plain but the piously learned did admire them nor so learned but the plain and simple did understand them he alwayes disliked immethodical indigested Preaching indeed he was a workman that needed not to be ashamed of his work and yet he was as great an enemy to quaint as he was to crude Preaching next to painfulness he lik'd plainness in a Preacher these two are not inconsistent Ministers are termed Gods Interpreters yet many times their Sermons are such that they need others to be their interpreters Many when they Preach shoot over the heads as one sayes of most of their hearers Aug. de doct Ghr. l. 4. c. 17. that is no intelligent Preacher that the hearers cannot understand they are not alwayes low in learning that stoop to the capacity of their Auditors Some say that the life of Preaching lies in the application and here indeed he was ever most lively in admonitions and exhortations he was so affectionate as he would not impart the Gospel only 1 Thes 2.8 but his very soul also to his Auditory He was called the searching Preacher This I have observed that in every Sermon he would speak something still by way of Tryal and Examination ever and anon he would have his markes of distinction betwixt the precious and the vile the sincere person and the Hypocrite This story he tells himself That having a suspition of one man in his parish who made a great profession of Religion and often thinking of him in his distinctions that very person afterwards came to him and sayd You will never leave distinguishing till you distinguish me into Hell I have related already how successful and acceptable his Ministry was where ever he came onely here give me leave to insert one passage The Doctor Preaching once at Warborough not far from Oxford one in the Congregation was so affected with his first Prayer that he ran to his house which was near and told his wife that she should make her ready and come to Church for there was one in the Pulpit that prayed like an Angel so as he never heard the like The woman hastned away with her husband and God so ordered it that that Sermon proved a means of her Conversion and she proved afterwards a serious and eminent Christian 4. His familiarity with the Holy Scripture He was familiarly acquainted with the Scriptures of the old and new Testament as Apollo he was mighty therein This is praise worthy in all Christians especially Ministers Bonus Textuarius est bonus Theologus his head was instead of a Concordance I have wondred to see how readily he could turn to any Text. He greatly loved the word and therefore could not easily forget it he loved it more then maids do their ornaments Omnia quae curant senes meminerunt Ter-Josephus sayes that the devout Jewes if they were askt concerning any point in the law they could answer it as readily as their own name Ps 119.24 Aug. Ad Volusian Ep. 1. Ep. 3. Juro tibi Petrache multo mihi chariores esse scripturas quam regnum si alterutro mihi carendum sit aequanimius me Diademate quam scripturis carendum Rob. R. Sicil. which continually run in their minds The Testimonies of God they were his delight and the men of his councel he read and meditated therein night and day Where-ever he went he carried the New Testament or
Davids Psalms along with him the first thing he did in a morning was to read a portion of Scripture which was matter of meditation and communication also all the day after When he was to seek for matter of good discourse which was not often or when no apt occasion was offer'd otherwise then you should hear him speak of some Scripture that he had read that morning from which he would raise some usefull observations or propose some practical questions to the instruction of the Company And at night when he went to bed he would search out some Scripture or other which suited his present thoughts and that was the subject or matter of his meditation in his waking houres He seldome wrote any letter but he added three or four or more Scriptures for a Postscript and those very pertinent either to the occasion of his writing or the condition of the person to whom he wrote or it may be they should respect the times and the providences of God therein How many letters have I received from him subscribed in that manner He selsome visited or met any friend but he would at parting leave some Scripture or other with him Pray he would say let me leave one Text of Scripture with you and thinke of it when I am gone 5. His giving himself to Prayer He was the most praying Christian that ever I was acquainted with Ps 109.4 Ego oratio ve Tig. vir orationis eram Pagn Vitus Theodor. Once it fell out sayes he I over-heard him but good God with what a spirit what a confidence was in his expressions with such a reverence he sued as one begging of God and yet with such hope and assurance as if he spake to a loving father or friend What David said of himself may be affirmed of him that he gave himself to prayer One sayes of Luther that no day past wherein he did not spend three houres at least in this duty I can't assert so much of this reverend person but this I dare averr that no day past wherein he restrained it or slightly past it over His manner was when ever he came to lodge at any friends house after he had saluted those that were in his way immediately to betake himself to his Chamber where he would spend an houre more or less by himself before any friend could speak with him At night again he would be shut up in his Chamber a considerable time before any servant could be admitted He would often say to his Godly friends that came to visit him Joach pa. Virg. Mar. Mihi cibus et pitus est oratio Come must not we pray together before we part indeed it may be said of him what was said of another that prayer was his repast Nor did he slubber over this duty as many doe but he did it with all his might he prayed in prayer he wrestled with God as our Father Jacob did and he wept for the most part when he made his supplication to him He was not onely affectionate in prayer with others but when he was alone by himself This passage I find under his own hand The Glory be Gods where I have shed one tear in prayer with others I have I think I speak within compass shed two in secret betwixt God and mine own soul One thing I had almost let slip that in prayer alone or with others if he could have room he would perform the duty kneeling on the ground yea though sometimes he was almost lost in the croud by so doing he would say the humblest gesture as well as spirit became the duty of prayer and that he knew no way of wrestling with the Almighty like that of lying at his feet and prostrating our selves before him Of old when the question was propounded Servasti Dominicum the answer was Christianus sum intermittere non possum 6. His Sanctification on the Lords Day the Christian Sabbath He was a strict observer of the Lords day and indeed he is no true Christian that is careless therein Some have observed that the Sanctification of the Sabbath is one of the first things a converted person makes conscience of this good man was every day watchful over his thoughts words and actions but on this day more especially It was rare to hear him speak one idle word or see him do one unnecessary action on the Sabbath day The Jewish Talmud proposeth this question why God made man on the Sabbath Eve and gives this answer that he might presently enter upon the sanctification of the Sabbath and begin his life with that work which was the main end of it His strictness was such herein that some have wondred at it and some too hastily have censur'd him for it I can remember I have kept some Sabbaths with him but alas I could by no means keep pace with him he went from duty to duty as Bees doe from Flower to Flower from publique duty to family duties from family duties to closet duties finding sweetness in them all he would say we must alwayes be good husbands of time especially of holy time we must not spend that time which is not our own about our own things 7. His keâ—…g dayes of prayer and fasting alone and with his Family Ne. 1.4 Dan. 9.3.2 Sa. 12.16 Est 4.16 Mat. 18.19.20 v. Clarks Marrow of Eccl. History p. 932. He accustomed himself to keep private fasts a practise out of use amongst Christians though much commended in the Scriptures This good man sometimes by himself alone and sometimes with his little family kept many whole dayes of prayer and humiliation This he did ordinarily before the Lords Supper and often as he found any corruption to grow or get head in his heart There are some devils and devillish lusts that will be cast out or kept under no other way This particular experience he himself records That when he was a young Preacher he found himself very prone to be puffed up and exalted and indeed it was a common saying with him that Spiritual pride is the special sin of young Ministers whereupon he set apart a day to seek God for strength against that sin and from that day forward he felt 't is his own expression the neck and heart of it was broken And to speak truth which might have been another head he was a most lowly minded Christianâ— He was clothed all over with humility 1 Pet. 5.5 Fuit in honore sine tumore in elatione sine praelationâ— Bernard Clem. de correct Eccl. Stat. c. 22. Aug. de civit Deil. 14. c. 13. that Treasury of grace that ornament of Religion neither his Parentage nor his parts nor his applause nor any thing else did to appearance any way elate or puff him up though he was lifted up in the eyes and hearts of others yet he was lowly in his own how often have I known him to esteem others that were abundantly worse to be better then
of the things of God and of the great concernments of your Soul and of Eternity Let me give you some good counsel before we part it may be you and I shall never meet again and as we never saw the faces one of another for ought we know before this day so possibly we never may see each other again till the day of Judgments that great and terrible day of the Lord. Let me advise you and the Lord persuade your heart 1. To make Conscience of secret Prayer begging of God for Christ his sake that he would make you sensible of the ignorance of the blindness of the mind of the hardness and impenitency of the heart of the carelesness and mindlesness of the spirit in the great things of grace and salvation be earnest with God to give you knowledge and consider that the soul be without knowledge is not good Prov. 19.2 As also for repentance from dead Works and a true saving faith in Jesus Christ Beg of God an heart to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and that you may be of those who strive to enter in at the strait gate and of those violent ones who take the Kingdome of Heaven by force c. 2. Be careful to hear good Ministers preach remembring what most concerneth you in what you hear 3. Be much in searching the Scriptures and reading of good Books Catechisms and such like 4. Make choice of good Company of such as fear God and walk precisely holily righteously and soberly in this present evil world and improve such acquaintance by good conference with them putting such questions to them as may make for your edification and they let me tell you will be as glad of your society as you of theirs 5. Be sure if you have a Family to set up the worship of God in your Family reading the Scriptures and praying morning and evening with the houshold Catechizing and instructing your Children and Servants if you have aâ—y 6. And lastly be strict in sanctifying the Sabbath spend that day well though the rest of the Neighbours be loose and careless therein and though men ungodly men hate you mock and persecute you it matters not so long as God loveth you Remember that 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution And that of Christ Matth. 5.10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of God And ver 11 12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you c. And now Friend fare you well and the Lord bless you Stranger And you also good Sir I hope I shall remember you and some of your words to me as long as I live onely let me desire one favour of you that I may know your name and where you live Minister That you shall Friend my name is so and so and I live at such a place and if your occasions call you thither I shall be glad to see you and let me know your name and where you live and possibly if I come that way I may see you Once more Farewell FINIS TREATISE OF Christian Conference MY design being to bear up the honour the necessity and usefulness of Christian Conference too much neglected even by the best of men it will not be wholly impertinent to bear down some of that unruliness and irregularity The Tongues Vnruliness which the Tongues of too many are too much guitly of The Apostle James as it were bores the black tongues of men with a red hot Iron of sharp but just rebuke vers 6. The Tongue is a Fire a world of iniquitie setteth on fire the course of Nature and it is set on fire of Hell For every kind of beasts and of birds and of Serpents and things in the Sea is tamed and hath been tamed of mankind But the Tongue can no man Tame it is an unruly evil full of deadly poyson It s untamedness and unruliness appears in its great miscarriage and that both in reference to God and man 1 In reference to God in speaking In reference to God we are too tongue tied in speaking both to God in Prayer Praises and Confessions and of God with others To God He was a great man 1 To God and you will say as good as great who being a man of few words and of much prayer was thought to speak more to God than men Possibly that man after Gods own heart was such a one who saith very truly though of himself Ps 119.164 109.4 Seven times a day do I praise thee and again I give my self unto prayer Possibly some Popish Votaries in a superstitious way possibly also a man may be found in our dayes who is very slow to speak but of a musing medirabundous spirit in holy ejaculations Colloquies and Soliloquies betwixt God and himself much also in prayer by himself and with others but such a man where-ever he dwells I believe he dwells alone by himself is a very great rarity one of many thousands who speaks more to God than to men Again 2 Of God and for God We are all born and live too much tongue-tied as to our Speech of God to and with others 1 Omission though we have a large and spacious field very pleasant Fragrant flowery and Odoriferous for our Discourse to walke up and down and expatiate it self in to wit God in his essence and subsistencies the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost God in his Decrees in his works of Creation and Providence God in his Covenants made with man that of Works and that of Grace God in his Word Law and Gospel in his commands promises and threatnings Againe touching Christ his person natures and offices his humiliation and Exaltation As also touching the Holy Ghost his beginning and carrying on the work of God in the Elect from the first to the last Adde hereunto the many and great priviledges and benefits which the effectually called ones are and shall be made partakers of by Christ in life at death at the Resurrection and to Eternity I might inlarge but one would think in what is said there were room enough and enough for all the nimble â—â—ngued in the world to busy tire and weary themselves in O how sad then is it to have so little of God in our Mouths to observe how people who have their faces Zion-ward can spend hour after hour together it may be day after day and yet scarce have a word concerning God Christ the Spirit or the great affairs of their soules and of Eternity from one end of the prattle to the other This fruit indeed is bad and bitter but yet the root is worse The true and onely reason The reason God is little in our hearts Mat. 12.34 35. I know of is this God is not much in our hearts and therefore but little in our Mouths for out of the
30 31. He went in to tarrie with them sat at meat with them took bread and blessed it and brake and gave to them and their eyes were opened and they knew him and he vanished out of their sight How they came to know him and how he vanished I 'le not curiously enquire It is enough to my purpose that Christ gave so ample testimony of his approbation of the two disciples ingaged in their holy talke and conference 3 The Holy Ghost 3. That the Holy Ghost also is well pleased with Christian Conference among believers as occasionally they meet together there 's no question Are not good thoughts the motions good words the language of the Spirit in believers and can it be imagined that the blessed Spirit is not delighted in and well pleased with his own work with the thoughts he himself puts into the hearts and words he puts into the mouthes of his Saints and Servants Again the Spirit of God all along in Scripture setting a Crown of honour and highest commendations upon the head of Holy Conference is sufficient demonstration of that delight and contentment which he takes therein take a few expressions among many Pro. 10.20 21. The Tongue of the just is as choice Silver Gartwright in locum The lips of the righteous feed many These metaphorical expressions are significant and emphatical as Choice Silver Silver refined again and again seven times refined Silver in it self is precious but the more purified the more precious Feed many alluding to famous house-keepers men of renowned hospitality who keep open house feed many so the lips of the righteous by words of sound doctrine of correction of instruction feed the souls of others which is the best hospitality There is Gold saith Solomon Prov. 20.15 and a multitude of rubies but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel And our dear Lord Jesus Christ setting forth the graces of the Church saith Thy lips are like a thred of scarlet and thy speech is comely Song of Solomon 4.3 11. Once more in that glorious eminent and promised effusion of the Spirit upon the Apostles Act. 2.3 Why was the apparition in Cloven Tongues like as of fire which sat upon each of them so that they were filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance The main and principal design no doubt was the publication and propagation of the Gospel among the Nations for every man heard the Apostles speak in his own language vers 5.8 9 10 11. Yet a subordinate design might be to provoke all believers who though they have not the miraculous gift of Tongues as the Apostles had yet they all have their measure of the Spirit and should speak with other Tongues new Tongues be a people of a pure language or lip Zeph. 3.9 and their Tongues should be Cloven Tongues dividing in their talk between truth and error good and evill administring comfort to whom comfort and terrour to whom terrour belongeth Severing between the precious and the vile Jer. 15.19 Not sadding the hearts of the Righteous whom God would not have sadded nor yet strengthning the hands of the wicked by promising them life Ezek. 13.22 Yea fiery Tongues also inflamed with love to God zeal for his glory indignation against sin in our selves or others as that because unto God it is so highly displeasing Surely this heavenly fire of love and zeale in our communication and conference is kindled from above by the Spirit and therefore must of nenessity be very grateful unto and acceptable with that blessed Spirit And so much for the second argument enforcing Christian Conference upon this ground because it is so delightful to the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost 3 Argument Remuner ation of it 3. This duty of Christian Conference finds great remuneration from God and that both here and hereafter First in general as it is the keeping of a command of God for in keeping them is great reward not onely upon and after but in keeping them 1 Inward peace Obedience to the commands is an evidence of grace and for glory carries with it in the very act oftentimes an holy and heavenly tranquillity and serenity of spirit a cheariness of heart as it were wages in the work Hannah prayeth 1 Sam. 1.15 18. that 's her duty and her countenance was no more sad that 's her reward in hand presently I knew a young Minister who being at a wedding feast Instance where was much mirth and Musick also the Fidlers singing Songs lascivious scurrilous and profane enough the young man being sensible that God was thereby highly dishonoured had great trouble in his spirit wonder'd that none would stand up and appeare to rebuke and give check to that disorder still the jolly Fidler plays and sing on and the young mans perploxity and indignation goes on still and was as a fire in his bones whereupon he whispered in the care a Minister by him of more gravity then himself and one that had more relation to and authority with the company then he himself had intreating him to stop that prophaness but in vaine the Aged Minister held his peace the young mans troubles within increased as fire kindling and then he break out to this purpose You Musicians I am not against your Musick by instruments or by voices but the matter of your songs is such as dishonours God may probably corrupt and debauch some of the hearers and doth sad others he said moreover still with some heat and fervour probably zeal for God I do not see any body giving you any thing for your Musick but if you will be still and gone I 'le give you something for your silence whereupon the Musicians withdrew and the young man had tides and flouds of peace and comfort flowing in upon his spirit the impressions whereof were as I have heard him say more then once a refreshing to him many yeares after and possibly are if he be yet alive to this very day Yea the same Minister oft professed and is to be believed so far as humane Faith and Charity which believeth all things will carrie us 1 Cor. 13.7 that he found such delight and contentment in Christian Conference that when upon the Road he fell into company which was willing to discourse and though ignorant yet were willing to learn it was as pleasing to him as theives or high-way-men please themselves when they meet with a prey or booty and seldome mentioned he this but he gave God alone all the glory This is a great and a good reward which the Lord oft gives into the breasts and bosomes of such as speak oft one to another concerning the things of God even joy and peace That peace which the world cannot give nor take away a kind of touch or tast of that peace which passeth all understanding Phi. 4.7 And thus this good man is satisfied from himself
communications corrupt good manners and so propagate profaneness to Children and Childrens Children and what shall Antichristian and unchristian Conference build up the Devils kingdom in the World even-before our eyes and under our noses and shall not Christians indeed real Saints bethink themselves and bestir themselves in promoting and advancing the interest and Kingdome of Christ by conferring and discoursing upon all occasions and faire opportunities and that with good and bad for the building up the one and gathering in of the other and edifying of both It 's pitty a thousand pitties that England should run the hazard at least of loosing the Gospel for want of such Conference and Communication as is by God himself injoyned and well becomes the Professors of the Gospel Will not our Forefathers rise up in judgment against this present generation and condemn it saying we primitive Christians and we their successors have by our Holy Conference as well as by our Prayers and practice transmitted and handed down the Gospel to you of this Age Yea the Martyrs and Confessors may say we have sent the Gospel purified and refined by and through our flames and swimming to you in our blood and have you now fooled away the Gospel by sinful silence as to edifying discourse and by sinfull talkativeness as to vaine disputations tending to strife to the multiplying of rents and divisions How shall we answer it to God to conscience or to the Children yet unborne if this should be their doleful discourse hereafter Had not England once the Gospel O yes in such a Kings and such a Queens Reigns c. and what 's now become of the Gospel how comes it to pass that we their sad posterity are thus left in the dark why it was not the Lion and the Bear the Turke or the Pope that cut down or destroyed the Gospel but it was the little Foxes the subtile Jesuites and their Agents and Factors simple and silly ones by them deluded yet witty and active enough to divide the Professors in England and break them in pieces Now let each believer presently put on the whole armour of God praying alwayes Eph. 6.13 to 18. Prayers and Tears are good weapons and among the rest fall roundly upon and buckle close to this great duty of Christian Conference let every one of us say with that Holy man Awake up my glory I my self will awake early Psal 57.8 Let our sleepy Tongues that instrument whereby God may so much be glorified awake arise get up and be doing in this great work of Christian Conference which if well ordered and managed might be a Compendious way by the blessing of God to win all the World to Jesus Christ which to design and attempt would be one of the best projects imaginable Let families begin set up Religion in their Houses instruct their Children and so their Childrens Children that the knowledge faith and fear of God may run in a bloud in a line or pedigree as unfeigned faith in young Timothy but first in his Grandmother Lois and then in his Mother Eunice 2 Tim. 1.5 and from Families to Parishes from Parishes to Counties and so to Kingdoms and so throughout the World And this Christian Conference well managed and Conscienciously improved would contribute something to the impletion of that blessed prediction Rev. 11.15 When the seventh Angel sounded saying the kingdomes of this World are become the kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever The sum of what hath been hitherto laid down to demonstrate the necessity of Christian Conference in reference to God cometh to this That which God commandeth delighteth in rewardeth and makes for the propagation of his Name and Gospel in the World is of great necessity and usefulness as to our practice But Christian Conference is all this commanded delighted in rewarded by God and doth advance and propagate the glory of God and the Gospel Therefore Christian Conference is much to be used and practised The reasons and arguments in reference to men especially enforcing this great duty of Christian Communication Arg. in reference to men wherein I designe more brevity 1. It is profitable The first Argument I take ab utili from the profit that hath been is and may be gained thereby And this kind of Argument from profit useth to be a very taking prevailing Argument There be many that say who will shew us any good Psal 4.6 And it is very taking in temporals and Carnals and should be I am sure much more in spirituals which are an higher a nobler good To instance in some particulars 1 To the head 1. It doth the head good by the augmentation of our parts and heightning our intellectuals and that partly in a way of natural and moral causality and partly in a way of benediction from the Father of lights who willingly and freely gives in light more abundantly to such as give out of their light received to others for their good Those of an higher forme in the School of Christ may get something from them of a lower form by Conference each with other those of the stronger sex may be beholden to them of weaker Apollo was an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures yet Priscilla the Woman as well as Aquila the man instructed him in the way of God more perfectly Acts 18.24 26. And it is one of the good properties of that vertuous Woman so commended by Solomon Gartwright and Dod in loc That she openeth her mouth with wisdome and in her Tongue is the law of kindnesse Pro. 31.26 It is the judgement of two men of God now with God that her speech consisted not about the things of this life so much which may be in Infidels as about holy and heavenly matters In her Tongue is the Law of kindness Which seemeth to declare both Covenants of works and of grace whereof in the one the bounty of God towards us doth stand and in the other our love both towards God and towards our neighbour for Gods sake is required for she is not onely a hearer and reader of the word of God but also she conferreth thereof with her Children with her maides and with her Husband Yet farther that the law of kindness is said to be in her Tongue plainly declareth how that she often used such good speech and that it dwelt richly and plentfully in her house There is that scattereth and yet increaseth saith Solomon Prov. 11.24 The man that is liberal gets by giving And the faithfull Servant in the Parable who made his five Talents ten hath the eleventh Talent given him Matth. 25.28 Christ adds the reason vers 29. for to every one that hath shall be given and he shall have more abundance To Trade with our parts gifts and graces for the spiritual good of others will be for our own gaine and advantage also By kindling and blowing up zeale in others
and honour in that happy day of our Lords appearance Awake awake O my glory Psal 57.8 Let each real Saint say Let us therefore arise and be doing and the Lord will be with us and prosper us 1 Chr. 22.16 Having proposed several arguments enforcing the necessity and usefulness of Christian Conference I proceed to lay down somâ— directions for the better performance of that great and weighty duty which may fall under two heads either habitual preparation for or actual execution in the discharge of that duty Habitual preparation Touching our habitual preparation for this spiritual service let me commend to all 1. 1 Heart puritie Heart puritie full of God and good which will fill the mouth with discourse of God and good For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 35. As the fountain is to the stream such is the heart to language both good or both bad And our present state being mixed and imperfect the purer the fountain is the more Christal are the streams flowing from it But for the making up this heart purity there is requisite 1. 1 By Blood Our being washed white in the blood of Jesus Christ Rev. 1.5 Nothing washeth white indeed but bloud and no bloud but the bloud of the Lamb Rev. 7.14 not Tears though penitential Tears and rivers of these Tears for all our Tears when all is done even themselves need washing The justification of our persons by the gracious imputation of the righteousness of Christ and by faith received is the prime and grand requisit pride and vain glory may squeeze good words out of the mouths of persons unjustified unsanctified strangers meer strangers to regeneration they lisping and stammering shuffling and bungling at it but holy language never floweth freely and sweetly indeed till Christ dwelleth in the heart by faith That Tree of life whose fruit is for meat and leaves for the healing of the Nations makes and alone makes fountains and streams hearts and language sweet and wholsome which else would be bitter and brackish yea noisome and poisonous Heb. 9.13 14. The Apostle argues from the less to the greater from the Law to the Gospel if the bloud of bulls c. How much more c. 2. 2 By the Spirit Washed also in the waters of the Sanctuary by the holy spirit of Sanctification infusing and implanting gracious qualities and habits into the Soul fitting it to utter speech gracious and such as may minister grace to the hearers and that from such principles as these 1. 1 Faith An habit and principle of faith eying God eying duty I believed saith holy David Psal 116.10 therefore have I spoken Prayer is faith speaking to God and holy Language is saith speaking to men faith herein eyeing the command of God is obedient and doth dutie and eyeing promises of blessings thereunto annexed is heartened and takes incouragement 2. 2 Love Love to God to our neighbours and to our selves that Gods glory may be advanced our neighbours spiritual good promoted and our own inward peace preserved by a Conscientious discharge of this dutie The truth is to speak plain English that even forward professors themselves being too miserably Tongue-tied as to Christian Conference argueth that there is but little true love to God to our neighbours or our selves to be found in us Paul had another frame of spirit more lively more communicative Rom. 1.11 12. He longeth to see the Romans that he might impart to them some spiritual gift to the end that they might be established that he might be comforted together with them by a mutual faith And this is certain his way of imparting to them was not in preaching to them onely but in conferring and discoursing with them also for their establishment his comfort and theirs and the glory of God in all Knowledg puffeth up but charity edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 Puffeth up as a bladder with wind Charitie edifieth or buildeth up others as an house or Temple for God 3. 3 Fear There is required an holy fear and awe of God upon our spirits They that feared the Lord saith the Prophet Mal. 3.16 spake often one to another c. and therefore they spake often one to another because they feared the Lord. And the reason is cleare and plain all who fear God know that he is offended by sinful silence as well as by sinful language Omissions are destructive as well as Commissions and negatives as positives The servant that hid his Talent is punished with a vengeance Mat. 25.30 Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Not only that evil servant which smote his fellow servants did eat and drink with the drunken when the Lord came was cut in sunder and had his portion appointed with hypocrites where is weeping gnashof teeth Mat. 24.48 49 50 51. The same dreadful doom and dismal vengeance falls on both the idle servant and the wicked Silence or speech if sinful are both accursed 4. 4 Musing A musing meditabundous spirit much fits and disposeth us for holy Conference They who are much in the thoughts of God are like to be much also in speaking of God and for God Mal. 3.16 They that thought on his name spake often one to another David tells us Psal 39.3 My heart was hot within me while I was musing the fire burned then spake I with my Tongue Be it he spake in Prayer to God as his next words import verse 3. Lord make me to know my end c. It holds also in holy Conference words for God though to men A full vessel must have vent and an heart full of holy meditations will vent it self in holy communications with men and in holy ejaculations prayers and praises to God 5. 5 Delighting in God A delighting our selves in God his word works and wayes would dispose us to a more warme and frequent speaking of God his word works and wayes Naturally men love and take occasion to be speaking of such things as they are much delighted in Holy David who said Ps 119.24 Thy Testimonies are my delight said also vers 72. My Tongue shall speak of thy words And again when he had said I will speak of thy Testimonies before Kings and will not be ashamed ver 46. he adds his incitement thereto I will delight in thy Commandments which I have loved 6. 6 Wisdom Wisdome is a great requisite for the well ordering of the Tongue to know the time to speak and the time to keep silence Eccl. 3.71 The vertuous woman openeth her mouth with wisdome And the man that refraineth his lips is wise also Prov. 31.26 Prov. 10.19 Wisdome keepeth the door of the lips openeth and shuts them in due season It 's the Wisdome of the Magistrate which guides a tumultuous people the wisdome of the Pilot which steers the ship tost with winds and billows and it is