,transcriber's ,note3 ,the text of ,part ,,ii of ,a ,christian ,directory 7or1 a sum of ,practical ,theology and ,cases of ,conscience7 has been transcribed from pages #cid to #edg of ,volume ,i of ,baxter's ,practical ,works1 as lithographed from the #ahdf edition4 ,part ,,ii addresses family duties4 ,a table of contents has been inserted to assist the reader4 ,small capitals have been rendered in full capitals4 ,italics are indicated by underscores4 ,sidenotes refer to the following paragraph4 ,inconsistencies in hyphenation1 and apparent typographical errors 7both ,english and ,greek71 have been corrected4 ,the anchor for footnote #cd1 in chapter ,,xiii1 has been inserted after consulting another edition of the text4 ,the table in ,chapter ,,xxiii1 that presents the structure of the ,lord's ,prayer1 contains numerous braces that extend over several lines and cannot be reproduced here4 ,instead horizontal lines have been inserted to clarify its structure4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,,christian ,,economics3 ,,or1 ,,the ,,family ,,directory1 ,,containing ,,directions ,,for ,,the ,,true ,,practice ,,of ,,all ,,duties ,,belonging ,,to ,,family ,,relations1 ,,with ,,the ,,appurtenances4 ,table of ,contents ,page ,i4 ,directions about marriage2 for choice and contract4 #cid ,,ii4 ,directions for the right choice of servants and masters4 #djg ,,iii4 ,a disputation1 or arguments to prove the necessity of family worship and holiness1 or directions against the cavils of the profane1 and some sectaries1 who deny it to be a thing required by ,god4 #dji ,,iv4 ,general directions for the holy government of families4 #dbb ,v4 ,special motives to persuade men to the holy governing of their families4 #dbd ,,vi4 ,more special motives for a holy and careful education of children4 #dbg ,,vii4 ,the mutual duties of husbands and wives towards each other4 #dca ,,viii4 ,the special duties of husbands to their wives4 #dch ,,ix4 ,the special duties of wives to husbands4 #ddj ,x4 ,the duties of parents for their children4 #ddi ,,xi4 ,the special duties of children towards their parents4 #ded ,,xii4 ,the special duties of children and youth towards ,god4 #deg ,,xiii4 ,the duties of servants to their masters4 #deh ,,xiv4 ,the duties of masters towards their servants4 #dfj ,,xv4 ,the duties of children and fellow-servants to one another4 #dfc ,,xvi4 ,directions for holy conference of fellow-servants or others4 #dfd ,,xvii4 ,directions for each particular member of the family how to spend every ordinary day of the week4 #dff ,,xviii4 ,directions for the order of holy duties4 #dgj ,,xix4 ,directions for profitable hearing the word preached4 #dgc ,,xx4 ,directions for profitable reading the holy scriptures4 #dgg ,,xxi4 ,directions for reading other books4 #dgh ,,xxii4 ,directions for the right teaching of children and servants1 so as may be most likely to have success4 #dgi ,,xxiii4 ,directions for prayer in general4 #dhc ,,xxiv4 ,brief directions for families1 about the sacrament of the body and blood of ,christ4 #dic ,,xxv4 ,directions for fearful1 troubled christians1 that are perplexed with doubts of their sincerity and justification4 #ejb ,,xxvi4 ,directions for declining or backsliding christians3 and about perseverance4 #eje ,,xxvii4 ,directions for the poor4 #ead ,,xxviii4 ,directions for the rich4 #eag ,,xxix4 ,directions for the aged 7and weak74 #eai ,,xxx4 ,directions for the sick4 #ebb ,,xxxi4 ,directions to the friends of the sick1 that are about them4 #ecd ,,chapter ,i4 ,,directions ,,about ,,marriage2 ,,for ,,choice ,,and ,,contract4 ,,as the persons of christians in their privatest capacities are holy1 as being dedicated and separated unto ,god1 so also must their families be3 ,,holiness ,,to ,,the ,,lord must be as it were written on their doors1 and on their relations1 their possessions1 and affairs4 ,to which it is requisite1 #a4 ,that there be a holy constitution of their families4 #b4 ,and a holy government of them1 and discharge of the several duties of the members of the family4 ,to the right constituting of a family1 belongeth1 7#a47 ,the right contracting of marriage1 and1 7#b47 ,the right choice and contract betwixt masters and their servants4 ,for the first1 ,direct4 ,i4 ,take heed that neither lust nor rashness do thrust you into a married condition1 before you see such reasons to invite you to it1 as may assure you of the call and approbation of ,god4 ,for1 #a4 ,it is ,god that you must serve in your married state1 and therefore it is meet that you take his counsel before you rush upon it2 for he knoweth best himself what belongeth to his service4 #b4 ,and it is ,god that you must still depend upon1 for the blessing and comforts of your relation3 and therefore there is very great reason that you take his advice and consent1 as the chief things requisite to the match3 if the consent of parents be necessary1 much more is the consent of ,god4 ,quest4 ,but how shall a man know whether ,god call him to marriage1 or consent unto it8 ,hath he not here left all men to their liberties1 as in a thing indifferent8 ,sidenote3 ,whether marriage be indifferent4 ,answ4 ,god hath not made any universal law commanding or forbidding marriage2 but in this regard hath left it indifferent to mankind3 yet not allowing all to marry 7for undoubtedly to some it is unlawful74 ,but he hath by other general laws or rules directed men to know1 in what cases it is lawful1 and in what cases it is a sin4 ,as every man is bound to choose that condition in which he may serve ,god with the best advantages1 and which tendeth most to his spiritual welfare1 and increase in holiness4 ,now there is nothing in marriage itself which maketh it commonly inconsistent with these benefits1 and the fulfilling of these laws3 and therefore it is said1 that he that marrieth doth well1#a that is1 he doth that which of itself is not unlawful1 and which to some is the most eligible state of life4 ,but there is something in a single life which maketh it1 especially to preachers and persecuted christians1 to be more usually the most advantageous state of life1 to these ends of christianity2 and therefore it is said1 that he that marrieth not1 doth better4 ,and yet to individual persons1 it is hard to imagine how it can choose but be either a duty or a sin2 at least except in some unusual cases4 ,for it is a thing of so great moment as to the ordering of our hearts and lives1 that it is hard to imagine that it should ever be indifferent as a means to our main end1 but must either be a very great help or hinderance4 ,but yet if there be any persons whose case may be so equally poised with accidents on both sides1 that to the most judicious man it is not discernible1 whether a single or married state of life is like to conduce more to their personal holiness or public usefulness1 or the good of others1 to such persons marriage in the individual circumstantiated act is a thing indifferent4 ,sidenote3 ,who are called to marry4 ,by these conditions following you may know1 what persons have a call from ,god to marry1 and who have not his call or approbation4 #a4 ,if there be the peremptory will or command of parents to children that are under their power and government1 and no greater matter on the contrary to hinder it1 the command of parents signifieth the command of ,god3 but if parents do but persuade and not command1 though their desires must not be causelessly refused1 yet a smaller impediment may preponderate than in case of a peremptory command4 #b4 ,they are called to marry who have not the gift of continence1 and cannot by the use of lawful means attain it1 and have no impediment which maketh it unlawful to them to marry4 ,but if they cannot contain1 let them marry2 for it is better to marry than to burn1 #a ,cor4 vii4 #i4 ,but here the divers degrees of the urgent and the hindering causes must be compared1 and the weightiest must prevail4 ,for some that have very strong lusts may yet have stronger impediments3 and though they cannot keep that chastity in their thoughts as they desire1 yet in such a case they must abstain4 ,and there is no man but may keep his body in chastity if he will do his part3 yea1 and thoughts themselves1 may be commonly1 and for the most part1 kept pure1 and wanton imaginations quickly checked1 if men be godly1 and will do what they can4 ,but on the other side1 there are some that have a more tameable measure of concupiscence1 and yet have no considerable hinderance1 whose duty it may be to marry1 as the most certain and successful means against that small degree1 as long as there is nothing to forbid it4 #c4 ,another cause that warranteth marriage is1 when upon a wise casting up of all accounts1 it is apparently most probable that in a married state1 one may be most serviceable to ,god and the public good3 that there will be in it greater helps and fewer hinderances to the great ends of our lives2 the glorifying of ,god1 and the saving of ourselves and others4 ,and whereas it must be expected that every condition should be more helpful to us in one respect1 and hinder us more in another respect2 and that in one we have most helps for a contemplative life1 and in another we are better furnished for an active1 serviceable life1 the great skill therefore in the discerning of our duties1 lieth in the prudent pondering and comparing of the commodities and discommodities1 without the seduction of fantasy1 lust1 or passion1 and in a true discerning which side it is that hath the greatest weight4#b ,sidenote3 ,observations4 ,here it must be carefully observed1 #a4 ,that the two first reasons for marriage1 7concupiscence and the will of parents17 or any such like1 have their strength but in subordination to the third 7the final cause1 or interest of ,god and our salvation74 ,and that this last reason 7from the end7 is of itself sufficient without any of the other1 but none of the other are sufficient without this4 ,if it be clear that in a married state you have better advantages for the service of ,god1 and doing good to others1 and saving your own souls1 than you can have in a single state of life1 then it is undoubtedly your duty to marry2 for our obligation to seek our ultimate end is the most constant1 indispensable obligation4 ,though parents command it not1 though you have no corporal necessity1 yet it is a duty if it certainly make most for your ultimate end4 #b4 ,but yet observe also1 that no pretence of your ultimate end itself will warrant you to marry1 when any other accident hath first made it a thing unlawful1 while that accident continueth4 ,for we must not do evil that good may come by it4 ,our salvation is not furthered by sin2 and though we saw a probability that we might do more good to others1 if we did but commit such a sin to accomplish it1 yet it is not to be done4 ,for our lives and mercies being all in the hand of ,god1 and the successes and acceptance of all our endeavours depending wholly upon him1 it can never be a rational way to attain them1 by wilful offending him by our sin6 ,it is a likely means to public good for able and good men to be magistrates and ministers2 and yet he that would lie1 or be perjured1 or commit any known sin that he may be a magistrate1 or that he may preach the gospel1 might better expect a curse on himself and his endeavours1 than ,god's acceptance1 or his blessing and success2 so he that would sin to change his state for the better1 would find that he changed it for the worse3 or if it do good to others1 he may expect no good but ruin to himself1 if repentance prevent it not4 #c4 ,observe also1 that if the question be only which state of life it is 7married or single7 which best conduceth to this ultimate end1 then any one of the subordinate reasons will prove that we have a call1 if there be not greater reasons on the contrary side4 ,as in case you have no corporal necessity1 the will of parents alone may oblige you1 if there be no greater thing against it3 or if parents oblige you not1 yet corporal necessity alone may do it3 or if neither of these invite you1 yet a clear probability of the attaining of such an estate or opportunity1 as may make you more fit to relieve many others1 or be serviceable to the church1 or the blessing of children who may be devoted to ,god1 may warrant your marriage1 if no greater reasons lie against it2 for when the scales are equal1 any one of these may turn them4 ,sidenote3 ,who may not marry4 ,by this also you may perceive who they be that have no call to marry1 and to whom it is a sin4 ,as1 #a4 ,no man hath a call to marry1 who laying all the commodities and discommodities together1 may clearly discern that a married state is like to be a greater hinderance of his salvation1 or to his serving or honouring ,god in the world1 and so to disadvantage him as to his ultimate end4 ,quest4 ,but what if parents do command it8 or will set against me if ,i disobey8 ,answ4 ,parents have no authority to command you any thing against ,god or your salvation1 or your ultimate end4 ,therefore here you owe them no formal obedience3 but yet the will of parents1 with all the consequents1 must be put into the scales with all other considerations1 and if they make the discommodities of a single life to become the greater1 as to your end1 then they may bring you under a duty or obligation to marry2 not necessitate prcepti1 as obedience to their command2 but necessitate medii1 as a means to your ultimate end1 and in obedience to that general command of ,god1 which requireth you to seek first your ultimate end1 even the kingdom of ,god1 and his righteousness1 ,matt4 vi4 #cc4 ,quest4 ,but what if ,i have a corporal necessity1 and yet ,i can foresee that marriage will greatly disadvantage me as to the service of ,god and my salvation8 ,answ4 #a4 ,you must understand that no corporal necessity is absolute3 for there is no man so lustful but may possibly bridle his lust by other lawful means2 by diet1 labour1 sober company1 diverting business1 solitude1 watching the thoughts and senses1 or at least by the physician's help2 so that the necessity is but secundum quid1 or an urgency rather than a simple necessity4 ,and then1 #b4 ,this measure of necessity must be itself laid in the balance with the other accidents2 and if this necessity will turn the scales by making a single life more disadvantageous to your ultimate end1 your lust being a greater impediment to you than all the inconveniencies of marriage will be1 then the case is resolved1 it is better to marry than to burn4 ,but if the hinderances in a married state are like to be greater1 than the hinderances of your concupiscence1 then you must set yourself to the curbing and curing of that concupiscence2 and in the use of ,god's means expect his blessing4 ,sidenote3 ,of parents' wills4 #b4 ,children are not1 ordinarily1 called of ,god to marry1 when their parents do absolutely and peremptorily forbid it4 ,for though parents' commands cannot make it a duty1 when we are sure it would hinder the interest of ,god our ultimate end2 yet parents' prohibitions may make it a sin1 when there is a clear probability that it would most conduce to our ultimate end1 were it not prohibited4 ,because1 7#a47 ,affirmatives bind not semper et ad semper1 as negatives or prohibitions do4 7#b47 ,because the sin of disobedience to parents will cross the tendency of it unto good1 and do more against our ultimate end1 than all the advantages of marriage can do for it4 ,a duty is then to us no duty1 when it cannot be performed without a chosen1 wilful sin4 ,in many cases we are bound to forbear what a governor forbiddeth1 when we are not bound to do the contrary if he command it4 ,it is easier to make a duty to be no duty1 than to make a sin to be no sin4 ,one bad ingredient may turn a duty into a sin1 when one good ingredient will not turn a sin into a duty1 or into no sin4 ,quest4 ,but may not a governor's prohibition be overweighed by some great degrees of incommodity8 ,it is better to marry than to burn4 #a4 ,what if parents forbid children to marry absolutely until death1 and so deprive them of the lawful remedy against lust8 #b4 ,and if they do not so1 yet if they forbid it them when it is to them most seasonable and necessary1 it seemeth little better4 #c4 ,or if they forbid them to marry where their affections are so engaged1 as that they cannot be taken off without their mutual ruin8 ,may not children marry in such cases of necessity as these1 without and against the will of their parents8 ,answ4 ,i cannot deny but some cases may be imagined or fall out1 in which it is lawful to do what a governor forbiddeth1 and to marry against the will of parents3 for they have their power to edification1 and not unto destruction4 ,as if a son be qualified with eminent gifts for the work of the ministry1 in a time and place that needeth much help2 if a malignant parent1 in hatred of that sacred office1 should never so peremptorily forbid him1 yet may the son devote himself to the blessed work of saving souls3 even as a son may not forbear to relieve the poor 7with that which is his own7 though his parents should forbid him2 nor forbear to put himself into a capacity to relieve them for the future2 nor forbear his own necessary food and raiment though he be forbidden3 as ,daniel would not forbear praying openly in his house1 when he was forbidden by the king and law4 ,when any inseparable accident doth make a thing1 of itself indifferent1 become a duty1 a governor's prohibition will not discharge us from that duty1 unless the accident be smaller than the accident of the ruler's prohibition1 and then it may be overweighed by it2 but to determine what accidents are greater or less is a difficult task4 ,and as to the particular questions1 to the first ,i answer1 ,if parents forbid their children to marry while they live1 it is convenient and safe to obey them until death1 if no greater obligation to the contrary forbid it3 but it is necessary to obey them during the time that the children live under the government of their parents1 as in their houses1 in their younger years 7except in some few extraordinary cases74 ,but when parents are dead1 7though they leave commands in their wills17 or when age or former marriage hath removed children from under their government1 a smaller matter will serve to justify their disobedience here1 than when the children in minority are less fit to govern themselves4 ,for though we owe parents a limited obedience still1 yet at full age the child is more at his own disposal than he was before4 ,nature hath given us a hint of her intention in the instinct of brutes1 who are all taught to protect1 and lead1 and provide for their young ones1 while the young are insufficient for themselves2 but when they are grown to self-sufficiency1 they drive them away or neglect them4 ,if a wise son that hath a wife and many children1 and great affairs to manage in the world1 should he bound to as absolute obedience to his aged parents1 as he was in his childhood1 it would ruin their affairs1 and parents' government would pull down that in their old age1 which they built up in their middle age4 ,and to the second question ,i answer1 that1 #a4 ,children that pretend to unconquerable lust or love1 must do all they can to subdue such inordinate affections1 and bring their lusts to stoop to reason and their parents' wills4 ,and if they do their best1 there are either none1 or not one of many hundreds1 but may maintain their chastity together with their obedience4 #b4 ,and if any say1 ,i have done my best1 and yet am under a necessity of marriage2 and am ,i not then bound to marry though my parents forbid me8 ,i answer1 it is not to be believed3 either you have not done your best1 or else you are not under a necessity4 ,and your urgency being your own fault1 7seeing you should subdue it17 ,god still obligeth you both to subdue your vice1 and to obey your parents4 #c4 ,but if there should be any one that hath such an 7incredible7 necessity of marriage1 he is to procure some others to solicit his parents for their consent1 and if he cannot obtain it1 some say1 it is his duty to marry without it3 ,i should rather say that it is minus malum1 the lesser evil3 and that having cast himself into some necessity of sinning1 it is still his duty to avoid both1 and to choose neither2 but it is the smaller sin to choose to disobey his parents1 rather than to live in the flames of lust and the filth of unchastity4 ,and some divines say1 that in such a case a son should appeal to the magistrate1 as a superior authority above the father4 ,but others think1 #a4 ,that this leaveth it as difficult to resolve what he shall do1 if the magistrate also consent not3 and1 #b4 ,that it doth but resolve one difficulty by a greater2 it being very doubtful whether in domestic cases the authority of the parent or the magistrate be the greater4 #c4 ,the same answer serveth as to the third question1 when parents forbid you to marry the persons that you are most fond of4 ,for such fondness 7whether you call it lust or love7 as will not stoop to reason and your parents' wills1 is inordinate and sinful4 ,and therefore the thing that ,god bindeth you to1 is by his appointed means to subdue it1 and to obey3 but if you cannot1 the accidents and probable consequents must tell you which is the lesser evil4 ,quest4 ,but what if the child have promised marriage1 and the parents be against it8 ,answ4 ,if the child was under the parents' government1 and short of years of discretion also1 the promise is void for want of capacity4 ,and if the child was at age1 yet the promise was a sinful promise1 as to the promising act1 and also as to the thing promised during the parents' dissent4 ,if the actus promittendi only had been sinful1 7the promise making17 the promise might nevertheless oblige 7unless it were null as well as sinful74 ,but the materia promissa being sinful1 7the matter promised17 to marry while parents do dissent1 such a child is bound to forbear the fulfilling of that promise till the parents do consent or die4 ,and yet he is bound from marrying any other1 7unless he be disobliged by the person that he hath made the promise to17 because he knoweth not but his parents may consent hereafter2 and whenever they consent or die1 the promise then is obligatory1 and must be performed4 ,the third chapter of ,numbers enableth parents to disoblige a daughter that is in their house1 from a vow made to ,god1 so be it they disallow it at the first hearing4 ,hence there are two doubts arise3 #a4 ,whether this power extend not to the disobliging of a promise or contract of matrimony4 #b4 ,whether it extend not to a son as well as a daughter4 ,and most expositors are for the affirmative of both cases4 ,but ,i have showed you before that it is upon uncertain grounds3 #a4 ,it is uncertain whether ,god1 who would thus give up his own right in case of vowing1 will also give away the right of others1 without their consent1 in case of promises or contracts4 ,and1 #b4 ,it is uncertain whether this be not an indulgence only of the weaker sex1 seeing many words in the text seem plainly to intimate so much4 ,and it is dangerous upon our own presumptions1 to stretch ,god's laws to every thing we imagine there is the same reason for2 seeing our imaginations may so easily be deceived2 and ,god could have expressed such particulars if he would4 ,and therefore 7when there is not clear ground for our inferences in the text7 it is but to say1 ,thus and thus should ,god have said1 when we cannot say1 ,thus he hath said4 ,we must not make laws under the pretence of expounding them3 whatsoever ,god commandeth thee1 take heed that thou do it3 thou shalt add nothing thereto1 nor take ought therefrom1 ,deut4 xii4 #cb4 ,quest4 ,if the question therefore be not of the sinfulness1 but the nullity of such promises of children1 because of the dissent of parents1 for my part ,i am not able to prove any such nullity4 ,it is said1 that they are not sui juris1 their own1 and therefore their promises are null3 but if they have attained to years and use of discretion1 they are naturally so far sui juris as to be capable of disposing even of their souls1 and therefore of their fidelity4 ,they can oblige themselves to ,god or man2 though they are not so far sui juris as to be ungoverned3 for so1 no child1 no subject1 no man is sui juris2 seeing all are under the government of ,god4 ,and yet if a man promise to do a thing sinful1 it is not a nullity1 but a sin2 not no promise1 but a sinful promise4 ,a nullity is1 when the actus promittendi is reputative nullus vel non actus4 ,and when no promise is made1 then none can be broken4 ,quest4 ,but if the question be only how far such promises must be kept1 ,i answer by summing up what ,i have said3 #a4 ,if the child had not the use of reason1 the want of natural capacity proveth the promise null3 here ignorantis non est consensus4 #b4 ,if he was at age and use of reason1 then1 #a4 ,if the promising act only was sinful1 7as before ,i said of vows17 the promise must be both repented of and kept4 ,it must be repented of because it was a sin2 it must be kept because it was a real promise1 and the matter lawful4 #b4 ,if the promising act was not only a sin but a nullity 7by any other reason7 then it is no obligation4 #c4 ,if not only the promising act be sin1 but also the matter promised1 7as is marrying without parents' consent17 then it must be repented of1 and not performed till it become lawful2 because an oath or promise cannot bind a man to violate the laws of ,god4 ,quest4 ,but what if the parties be actually married without the parents' consent8 must they live together1 or be separated8 ,answ4 #a4 ,if marriage be consummated per carnalem concubitum1 by the carnal knowledge of each other1 ,i see no reason to imagine that parents can dissolve it1 or prohibit their cohabitation3 for the marriage 7for aught ,i ever saw7 is not proved a nullity1 but only a sin1 and their concubitus is not fornication2 and parents cannot forbid husband and wife to live together3 and in marriage they do 7really though sinfully7 forsake father and mother and cleave to each other1 and so are now from under their government 7though not disobliged from all obedience74 #b4 ,but if marriage be only by verbal conjunction1 divines are disagreed what is to be done4 ,some think that it is no perfect marriage ante concubitum1 and also that their conjunction hath but the nature of a promise 7to be faithful to each other as husband and wife73 and therefore the matter promised is unlawful till parents consent1 and so not to be done4 ,but ,i rather think 7as most do7 that it hath all that is essential to marriage ante concubitum2 and that this marriage is more than a promise of fidelity de futuro1 even an actual delivery of themselves to one another de prsenti also2 and that the thing promised in marriage is lawful4 ,for though it be a sin to marry without parents' consent1 yet when that is past1 it is lawful for married persons to come together though parents consent not2 and therefore that such marriage is valid1 and to be continued1 though it was sinfully made4 ,sidenote3 ,of vows of chastity4 #c4 ,a third sort that are not called of ,god to marry1 are they that have absolutely vowed not to marry4 ,such may not marry1 unless ,providence disoblige them1 by making it become an indispensable duty4 ,and ,i can remember but two ways by which this may be done4 #a4 ,in case there be any of so strong lust1 as no other lawful means but marriage can suffice to maintain their chastity4 ,to such marriage is as great a duty1 as to eat or drink1 or cover one's nakedness1 or to hinder another from uncleanness1 or lying1 or stealing1 or the like4 ,and if you should make a vow that you will never eat or drink1 or that you will go naked1 or that you will never hinder any one from uncleanness1 lying1 or stealing1 it is unlawful to fulfil this vow4 ,but all the doubt is1 whether there be any such persons that cannot overcome or restrain their lust by any other lawful means4 ,i suppose it is possible there may be such2 but ,i believe it is not one of a hundred4 ,if they will but practise the directions before given1 part i4 chap4 viii4 part v4 tit4 #a and #b1 ,i suppose their lust may be restrained3 and if that prevail not1 the help of a physician may3 and if that prevail not1 some think the help of a surgeon may be lawful1 to keep a vow1 in case it be not an apparent hazard of life4 ,for ,christ seemeth to allow of it1 in mentioning it without reproof1 ,matt4 xix4 #ab1 if that text be to be understood of castration3 but most expositors think it is meant only of a confirmed resolution of chastity3 and ordinarily other means may make this needless3 and if it be either needless or perilous1 it is unlawful without doubt4 #b4 ,the second way by which ,god may dispense with a vow of chastity is1 by making the marriage of a person become of apparent necessity to the public safety4 ,and ,i am able to discern but one instance that will reach the case2 and that is1 if a king have vowed chastity1 and in case he marry not1 his next heir being a professed enemy of christianity1 the religion1 safety1 and happiness of the whole nation1 is apparently in danger to be overthrown4 ,i think the case of such a king is like the case of a father that had vowed never to provide food or raiment for his children3 or as if ,ahab had vowed that no well should be digged in the land2 and when the drought cometh1 it is become necessary to the saving of the people's lives3 or as if the ship-master should vow that the ship shall not be pumped2 which when it leaketh doth become necessary to save their lives4 ,in these cases ,god disobligeth you from your vow by a mutation of the matter2 and a pastor may dispense with it declaratively4 ,but for the pope or any mortal man to pretend to more1 is impiety and deceit4 ,quest4 ,may the aged marry1 that are frigid1 impotent1 and uncapable of procreation8 ,answ4 ,yes1 ,god hath not forbidden them3 and there are other lawful ends of marriage1 as mutual help and comfort1 c4 which may make it lawful4#c ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,to restrain your inordinate forwardness to marriage1 keep the ordinary inconveniencies of it in memory4 ,rush not into a state of life1 the inconveniencies of which you never thought on4 ,if you have a call to it1 the knowledge of the difficulties and duties will be necessary to your preparation1 and faithful undergoing them2 if you have no call1 this knowledge is necessary to keep you off4 ,i shall first name the inconveniencies common to all1 and then some that are proper to the ministers of the gospel1 which have a greater reason to avoid a married life than other men have4 #a4 ,marriage ordinarily plungeth men into excess of worldly cares2 it multiplieth their business1 and usually their wants4 ,there are many things to mind and do2 there are many to provide for4 ,and many persons you will have to do with1 who have all of them a selfish disposition and interest1 and will judge of you but according as you fit their ends4 ,and among many persons and businesses1 some things will frequently fall cross3 you must look for many rubs and disappointments4 ,and your natures are not so strong1 content1 and patient1 as to bear all these without molestation4 #b4 ,your wants in a married state are hardlier supplied1 than in a single life4 ,you will want so many things which before you never wanted1 and have so many to provide for and content1 that all will seem little enough1 if you had never so much4 ,then you will be often at your wit's end1 taking thought for the future1 what you shall eat1 and what you shall drink1 and wherewith shall you and yours be clothed4 #c4 ,your wants in a married state are far hardlier borne than in a single state4 ,it is far easier to bear personal wants ourselves1 than to see the wants of wife and children3 affection will make their sufferings pinch you4 ,and ingenuity will make it a trouble to your mind1 to need the help of servants1 and to want that which is fit for servants to expect4 ,but especially the discontent and impatience of your family will more discontent you than all their wants4 ,you cannot help your wife1 and children1 and servants to contented minds4 ,oh what a heart-cutting trial is it to hear them repining1 murmuring1 and complaining6 to hear them call for that which you have not for them1 and grieve at their condition1 and exclaim of you1 or of the providence of ,god1 because they have it not6 ,and think not that riches will free you from these discontents2 for as the rich are but few1 so they that have much have much to do with it4 ,a great foot must have a great shoe4 ,when poor men want some small supplies1 rich men may want great sums1 or larger provisions1 which the poor can easily be without4 ,and their condition lifting them up to greater pride1 doth torment them with greater discontents4 ,how few in all the world that have families1 are content with their estates6 #d4 ,hereupon a married life containeth far more temptations to worldliness or covetousness1 than a single state doth4 ,for when you think you need more1 you will desire more3 and when you find all too little to satisfy those that you provide for1 you will measure your estate by their desires1 and be apt to think that you have never enough4 ,birds and beasts that have young ones to provide for1 are most hungry and rapacious4 ,you have so many now to scrape for1 that you will think you are still in want3 it is not only till death that you must now lay up2 but you must provide for children that survive you4 ,and while you take them to be as yourselves1 you have two generations now to make provisions for3 and most men are as covetous for their posterity1 as if it were for themselves4 #e4 ,and hereupon you are hindered from works of charity to others3 wife and children are the devouring gulf that swalloweth all4 ,if you had but yourselves to provide for1 a little would serve2 and you could deny your own desires of unnecessary things2 and so might have plentiful provision for good works4 ,but by that time wife and children are provided for1 and all their importunate desires satisfied1 there is nothing considerable left for pious or charitable uses4 ,lamentable experience proclaimeth this4 #f4 ,and hereby it appeareth how much a married state doth ordinarily hinder men from honouring their profession4 ,it is their vows of single life that hath occasioned the papists to do so many works of public charity1 as is boasted of for the honour of their sect4 ,for when they have no children to bequeath it to1 and cannot keep it themselves1 it is easy to them to leave it to such uses as will pacify their consciences most1 and advance their names4 ,and if it should prove as good a work and as acceptable to ,god1 to educate your own children piously for his service1 as to relieve the children of the poor1 yet it is not so much regarded in the world1 nor bringeth so much honour to religion4 ,one hundred pounds given to the poor shall more advance the reputation of your liberality and virtue1 than a thousand pounds given to your own children1 though it be with as pious an end1 to train them up for the service of the church4 ,and though this is inconsiderable as your own honour is concerned in it1 yet it is considerable as the honour of religion and the good of souls are concerned in it4 #g4 ,and it is no small patience which the natural imbecility of the female sex requireth you to prepare4 ,except it be very few that are patient and manlike1 women are commonly of potent fantasies1 and tender1 passionate1 impatient spirits1 easily cast into anger1 or jealousy1 or discontent2 and of weak understandings1 and therefore unable to reform themselves4 ,they are betwixt a man and a child3 some few have more of the man1 and many have more of the child2 but most are but in a middle state4 ,weakness naturally inclineth persons to be froward and hard to please2 as we see in children1 old people1 and sick persons4 ,they are like a sore1 distempered body2 you can scarce touch them but you hurt them4 ,with too many you can scarce tell how to speak or look but you displease them4 ,if you should be very well versed in the art of pleasing1 and set yourselves to it with all your care1 as if you made it your very business and had little else to do1 yet it would put you hard to it1 to please some weak1 impatient persons1 if not quite surpass your ability and skill4 ,and the more you love them1 the more grievous it will be1 to see them still in discontents1 weary of their condition1 and to hear the clamorous expressions of their disquiet minds4 ,nay1 the very multitude of words that very many are addicted to1 doth make some men's lives a continual burden to them4 ,mark what the ,scripture saith3 ,prov4 xxi4 #i1 ,it is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop1 than with a brawling woman in a wide house4 ,ver4 #ai1 ,it is better to dwell in the wilderness1 than with a contentious and angry woman4 ,so chap4 xxv4 #bd1 and xxvii4 #ae1 ,a continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike4 ,eccles4 vii4 #bh1 ,one man among a thousand have ,i found2 but a woman among all those have ,i not found4 #h4 ,and there is such a meeting of faults and imperfections on both sides1 that maketh it much the harder to bear the infirmities of others aright4 ,if one party only were froward and impatient1 the stedfastness of the other might make it the more tolerable2 but we are all sick1 in some measure1 of the same disease4 ,and when weakness meeteth with weakness1 and pride with pride1 and passion with passion1 it exasperateth the disease and doubleth the suffering4 ,and our corruption is such1 that though our intent be to help one another in our duties1 yet we are apter far to stir up one another's distempers4 #i4 ,the business1 care1 and trouble of a married life1 is a great temptation to call down our thoughts from ,god1 and to divert them from the one thing necessary1 ,luke x4 #db2 and to distract the mind1 and make it undisposed to holy duty1 and to serve ,god with a divided heart1 as if we served him not4 ,how hard is it to pray or meditate with any serious fervency1 when you come out of a crowd of cares and business6 ,hear what ,saint ,paul saith1 #a ,cor4 vii4 #g1 #h1 ,for ,i would that all men were as ,i myself4--,i say to the unmarried and the widows1 ,it is good for them if they abide even as ,i4 ,ver4 #bf-bh1 ,i suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress1 that it is good for a man so to be3--such shall have trouble in the flesh4 ,ver4 #cb1 #cc1 ,but ,i would have you without carefulness4 ,he that is unmarried careth for the things of the ,lord1 how he may please the ,lord3 but he that is married careth for the things of the world1 how he may please his wife4 ,ver4 #cd1 #ce1 ,the unmarried woman careth for the things of the ,lord1 that she may be holy in body and in spirit3 but she that is married careth for the things of the world1 how she may please her husband4 ,and this ,i speak for your own profit2 not that ,i may cast a snare upon you1 but for that which is comely1 and that ye may attend upon the ,lord without distraction4 ,ver4 #cg1 #ch1 ,he that standeth stedfast in his heart1 having no necessity1 but hath power over his own will1 and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin1 doth well4 ,so then he that marrieth doth well1 but he that marrieth not doth better4 ,and mark ,christ's own words1 ,matt4 xix4 #aa1 ,his disciples say unto him1 ,if the case of a man be so with his wife1 it is not good to marry4 ,but he said unto them1 ,all men cannot receive this saying1 save they to whom it is given--,he that is able to receive it1 let him receive it4 #aj4 ,the business of a married state doth commonly devour almost all your time1 so that little is left for holy contemplations1 or serious thoughts of the life to come4 ,all ,god's service is contracted and thrust into a corner1 and done as it were on the by3 the world will scarce allow you time to meditate1 or pray1 or read the ,scripture2 you think yourselves 7as ,martha7 under a greater necessity of despatching your business1 than of sitting at ,christ's feet to hear his word4 ,oh that single persons knew 7for the most part7 the preciousness of their leisure1 and how free they are to attend the service of ,god1 and learn his word1 in comparison of the married6 #aa4 ,there is so great a diversity of temperaments and degrees of understanding1 that there are scarce any two persons in the world1 but there is some unsuitableness between them4 ,like stones that have some unevenness1 that maketh them lie crooked in the building2 some crossness there will be of opinion1 or disposition1 or interest1 or will1 by nature1 or by custom and education1 which will stir up frequent discontents4 #ab4 ,there is a great deal of duty which husband and wife do owe to one another2 as to instruct1 admonish1 pray1 watch over one another1 and to be continual helpers to each other in order to their everlasting happiness2 and patiently to bear with the infirmities of each other3 and to the weak and backward heart of man1 the addition of so much duty doth add to their weariness1 how good soever the work be in itself3 and men should feel their strength1 before they undertake more work4 #ac4 ,and the more they love each other1 the more they participate in each other's griefs2 and one or other will be frequently under some sort of suffering4 ,if one be sick1 or lame1 or pained1 or defamed1 or wronged1 or disquieted in mind1 or by temptation fall into any wounding sin1 the other beareth part of the distress4 ,therefore before you undertake to bear all the burdens of another1 and suffer in all another's hurts1 it concerneth you to observe your strength1 how much more you have than your own burdens do require4 #ad4 ,and if you should marry one that proveth ungodly1 how exceeding great would the affliction be6 ,if you loved them1 your souls would be in continual danger by them2 they would be the powerfulest instruments in the world to pervert your judgments1 to deaden your hearts1 to take you off from a holy life1 to kill your prayers1 to corrupt your lives1 and to damn your souls4 ,and if you should have the grace to escape the snare1 and save yourselves1 it would be by so much the greater difficulty and suffering1 as the temptation is the greater4 ,and what a heart-breaking would it be to converse so nearly with a child of the devil1 that is like to lie for ever in hell6 ,the daily thoughts of it would be a daily death to you4 #ae4 ,women especially must expect so much suffering in a married life1 that if ,god had not put into them a natural inclination to it1 and so strong a love to their children1 as maketh them patient under the most annoying troubles1 the world would ere this have been at an end1 through their refusal of so calamitous a life4 ,their sickness in breeding1 their pain in bringing forth1 with the danger of their lives1 the tedious trouble night and day which they have with their children in their nursing in their childhood2 besides their subjection to their husbands1 and continual care of family affairs2 being forced to consume their lives in a multitude of low and troublesome businesses3 all this1 and much more1 would have utterly deterred that sex from marriage1 if nature itself had not inclined them to it4 #af4 ,and oh what abundance of duty is incumbent upon both the parents towards every child for the saving of their souls6#d ,what uncessant labour is necessary in teaching them the doctrine of salvation6 which made ,god twice over charge them to teach his word diligently 7or sharpen them7 unto their children1 and to talk of them when they sit in their houses1 and when they walk by the way1 and when they lie down1 and when they rise up1 ,deut4 vi4 #f1 #g2 xi4 #ai4 ,what abundance of obstinate1 rooted corruptions are in the hearts of children1 which parents must by all possible diligence root up6 ,oh how great and hard a work is it1 to speak to them of their sins and ,saviour1 of their ,god1 their souls1 and the life to come1 with that reverence1 gravity1 seriousness1 and unwearied constancy1 as the weight of the matter doth require6 and to suit all their actions and carriage to the same ends6 ,little do most that have children know1 what abundance of care and labour ,god will require of them1 for the sanctifying and saving of their children's souls4 ,consider your fitness for so great a work before you undertake it4 #ag4 ,it is abundance of affliction that is ordinarily to be expected in the miscarriages of children1 when you have done your best1 much more if you neglect your duty1 as even godly parents too often do4 ,after all your pains1 and care1 and labour1 you must look that the foolishness of some1 and the obstinacy of others1 and the unthankfulness of those that you have loved best1 should even pierce your hearts4 ,you must look that many vices should spring up and trouble you2 and be the more grievous by how much your children are the more dear4 ,and oh what a grief it is to breed up a child to be a servant of the devil1 and an enemy of ,god and godliness1 and a persecutor of the church of ,god6 and to think of his lying in hell for ever6 ,and alas6 how great is the number of such6 #ah4 ,and it is not a little care and trouble that servants will put you to2 so difficult is it to get those that are good1 much more to make them good2 so great is your duty1 in teaching them1 and minding them of the matters of their salvation2 so frequent will be the displeasures about your work and worldly business1 and every one of those displeasures will hinder them for receiving your instructions2 that most families are houses of correction or affliction4 #ai4 ,and these marriage crosses are not for a year1 but during life2 they deprive you of all hope of relief while you live together4 ,there is no room for repentance1 nor casting about for a way to escape them4 ,death only must be your relief4 ,and therefore such a change of your condition should be seriously forethought on1 and all the troubles be foreseen and pondered4 #bj4 ,and if love make you dear to one another1 your parting at death will be the more grievous4 ,and when you first come together1 you know that such a parting you must have2 through all the course of your lives you may foresee it3 one of you must see the body of your beloved turned into a cold and ghastly clod2 you must follow it weeping to the grave1 and leave it there in dust and darkness2 there it must lie rotting as a loathsome lump1 whose sight or smell you cannot endure2 till you shortly follow it1 and lie down yourself in the same condition4 ,all these are the ordinary concomitants and consequents of marriage2 easily and quickly spoken1 but long and hard to be endured6 ,no fictions1 but realities1 and less than most have reason to expect4 ,and should such a life be rashly ventured on in a pang of lust8 or such a burden be undertaken without forethought8 ,sidenote3 ,of ministers' marriage4 ,but especially the ministers of the gospel should think what they do1 and think again1 before they enter upon a married life4 ,not that it is simply unlawful for them1 or that they are to be tied from it by a law1 as they are in the kingdom of ,rome1 for carnal ends and with odious effects4 ,but so great a hinderance ordinarily is this troublesome state of life to the sacred ministration which they undertake1 that a very clear call should be expected for their satisfaction4 ,that ,i be not tedious1 consider well but of these four things3 #a4 ,how well will a life of so much care and business agree to you1 that have time little enough for the greater work which you have undertaken8 ,do you know what you have to do in public and private8 in reading1 meditating1 praying1 preaching1 instructing personally1 and from house to house8 ,and do you know of how great importance it is8 even for the saving of men's souls8 ,and have you time to spare for so much worldly cares and business8 ,are you not charged1 ,meditate on these things3 give thyself wholly to them1 #a ,tim4 iv4 #ae4 ,no man that warreth1 entangleth himself with the affairs of this life1 that he may please him that hath chosen him to be a soldier1 #b ,tim4 ii4 #d4 ,is not this plain8 ,soldiers use not to look to farms and servants4 ,if you are faithful ministers1 ,i dare confidently say1 you will find all your time so little for your proper work1 that many a time you will groan and say1 ,oh how short and swift is time6 and1 ,oh how great and slow is my work and duty6 #b4 ,consider how well a life of so great diversions1 avocations1 and distractions1 doth suit with a mind devoted to ,god1 that should be always free and ready for his service4 ,your studies are on such great and mysterious subjects1 that they require the whole mind1 and all too little4 ,to resolve the many difficulties that are before you1 to prepare those suitable convincing words1 which may pierce and persuade the hearers' hearts1 to get within the bosom of a hypocrite1 to follow on the word till it attain its effect1 and to deal with poor souls according to their great necessity1 and handle ,god's word according to its holiness and majesty1 these are things that require a whole man1 and are not employments for a divided or distracted mind4 ,the talking of women1 and the crying of children1 and the cares and business of the world1 are ill preparations or attendants on these studies4#e #c4 ,consider well whether a life of so great disturbance be agreeable to one whose affections should be taken up for ,god2 and whose work must be all done1 not formally and affectedly with the lips alone1 but seriously with all the heart4 ,if your heart and warm affections be at any time left behind1 the life1 and power1 the beauty1 and glory of your work are lost4 ,how dead will your studies1 and praying1 and preaching1 and conference be6 ,and can you keep those affections warm and vigorous for ,god1 and taken up with heaven and heavenly things1 which are disturbed with the cares and the crosses of the world1 and taken up with carnal matters8 #d4 ,and consider also how well that indigent life will agree to one that by charity and good works should second his doctrine1 and win men's souls to the love of holiness4#f ,if you feed not the bodies of the poor1 they will less relish the food of the soul4 ,nay1 if you abound not above others in good works1 the blind1 malicious world will see nothing that is good in you2 but will say1 ,you have good words1 but where are your good works8 ,what abundance have ,i known hardened against the gospel and religion1 by a common fame1 that these preachers are as covetous1 and worldly1 and uncharitable as any others6 and it must be something extraordinary that must confute such fame4 ,and what abundance of success have ,i seen of the labours of those ministers1 who give all they have in works of charity6 ,and though a rich and resolved man may do some good in a married state1 yet commonly it is next to nothing1 as to the ends now mentioned2 wife1 and children1 and family necessities devour all1 if you have never so much4 ,and some provision must be made for them1 when you are dead3 and the maintenance of the ministry is not so great as to suffice well for all this1 much less for any eminent works of charity besides6 ,never reckon upon the doing of much good to the poor1 if you have wives and children of your own6 ,such instances are rarities and wonders4 ,all will be too little for yourselves4 ,whereas if all that were given to the poor which goeth to the maintenance of your families1 you little know how much it would reconcile the minds of the ungodly1 and further the success of your ministerial work4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,if ,god call you to a married life1 expect all these troubles1 or most of them2 and make particular preparation for each temptation1 cross1 and duty which you must expect4 ,think not that you are entering into a state of mere delight1 lest it prove but a fool's paradise to you4 ,see that you be furnished with marriage strength and patience1 for the duties and sufferings of a married state1 before you venture on it4 ,especially1 #a4 ,be well provided against temptations to a worldly mind and life3 for here you are like to be most violently and dangerously assaulted4 #b4 ,see that you be well provided with conjugal affections3 for they are necessary both to the duties and sufferings of a married life4 ,and you should not enter upon the state without the necessary preparations4 #c4 ,see that you be well provided with marriage prudence and understanding1 that you may be able to instruct and edify your families1 and may live with them as men of knowledge1 #a ,pet4 iii4 #g1 and may manage all your business with discretion1 ,psal4 cxii4 #ae4 #d4 ,see that you be provided with resolvedness and constancy1 that you vex not yourself and relations by too late repentings2 and come not off with1 had ,i wist1 or non putaram4 ,levity and mutability is no fit preparative for a state that only death can change4 ,let the love and resolutions which brought you into that state1 continue with you to the last4 #e4 ,see that you be provided with a diligence answerable to the greatness of your undertaken duties4 ,a slothful mind is unfit for one that entereth himself voluntarily upon so much business2 as a cowardly mind is unfit for him that listeth himself a soldier for the wars4 #f4 ,see that you are well provided with marriage patience2 to bear with the infirmities of others1 and undergo the daily crosses of your life1 which your business and necessities1 and your own infirmities1 will unavoidably infer4 ,to marry without all this preparation1 is as foolish as to go to sea without the necessary preparations for your voyage1 or to go to war without armour or ammunition1 or to go to work without tools or strength1 or to go to buy meat in the market when you have no money4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,take special care1 that fancy and passion overrule not reason1 and friends' advice1 in the choice of your condition1 or of the person4 ,i know you must have love to those that you match with2 but that love must be rational1 and such as you can justify in the severest trial1 by the evidences of worth and fitness in the person whom you love4 ,to say you love1 but you know not why1 is more beseeming children or mad folks1 than those that are soberly entering upon a change of life of so great importance to them4 ,a blind love which maketh you think a person excellent and amiable1 who in the eyes of the wisest that are impartial1 is nothing so1 or maketh you overvalue the person whom you fancy1 and be fond of one as some admirable creature1 that in the eyes of others is next to contemptible1 this is but the index and evidence of your folly4 ,and though you please yourselves in it1 and honour it with the name of love1 there is none that is acquainted with it1 that will give it any better name than lust or fancy4 ,and the marriage that is made by lust or fancy will never tend to solid content or true felicity2 but either it will feed till death on the fuel that kindled it1 and then go out in everlasting shame2 or else more ordinarily it proveth but a blaze1 and turneth into loathing and weariness of each other4 ,and because this passion of lust 7called love7 is such a besotting1 blinding thing1 7like the longing of a woman with child17 it is the duty of all that feel any touch of it to kindle upon their hearts1 to call it presently to the trial1 and to quench it effectually2 and till that be done 7if they have any relics of wit or reason7 to suspect their own apprehensions1 and much more to trust the judgment and advice of others4 ,sidenote3 ,how to cure lustful love4 ,the means to quench this lust called love1 ,i have largely opened before4 ,i shall now only remember you of these few4 #a4 ,keep asunder1 and at a sufficient distance from the person that you dote upon4 ,the nearness of the fire and fuel causeth the combustion4 ,fancy and lust are inflamed by the senses4 ,keep out of sight1 and in time the fever may abate4 #b4 ,overvalue not vanity4 ,think not highly of a silken coat1 or of the great names of ancestors1 or of money1 or lands1 or of a painted or a spotted face1 nor of that natural comeliness called beauty3 judge not of things as children1 but as men3 play not the fools in magnifying trifles1 and overlooking inward1 real worth4 ,would you fall in love with a flower or picture at this rate8 ,bethink you what work the pox1 or any other withering sickness1 will make with that silly beauty which you so admire3 think what a spectacle death will make it2 and how many thousands once more beautiful1 are turned now to common earth6 and how many thousand souls are now in hell1 that by a beautiful body were drowned in lust1 and tempted to neglect themselves6 and how few in the world you can name that were ever much the better for it6 ,what a childish thing it is to dote on a book of tales and lies1 because it hath a beautiful1 gilded cover6 and to undervalue the writings of the wise1 because they have a plain and homely outside6 #c4 ,rule your thoughts1 and let them not run masterless as fancy shall command them4 ,if reason cannot call off your thoughts from following a lustful desire and imagination1 no wonder if one that rideth on such an unbridled colt be cast into the dirt4 #d4 ,live not idly1 but let the business of your callings take up your time1 and employ your thoughts4 ,an idle1 fleshly mind is the carcass where the vermin of lust doth crawl1 and the nest where the devil hatcheth both this and many other pernicious sins4 #e4 ,lastly and chiefly1 forget not the concernments of your souls3 remember how near you are to eternity1 and what work you have to do for your salvation3 forget not the presence of ,god1 nor the approach of death4 ,look oft by faith into heaven and hell1 and keep conscience tender2 and then ,i warrant you1 you will find something else to mind than lust1 and greater matters than a silly carcass to take up your thoughts2 and you will feel that heavenly love within you1 which will extinguish earthly1 carnal love4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,be not too hasty in your choice or resolution1 but deliberate well1 and thoroughly know the person on whom so much of the comfort or sorrow of your life will necessarily depend4 ,where repentance hath no place1 there is the greater care to be used to prevent it4 ,reason requireth you to be well acquainted with those that you trust but with an important secret1 much more with all your honour or estates2 and most of all1 with one whom you must trust with so much of the comfort of your lives1 and your advantages for a better life4 ,no care and caution can be too great in a matter of so great importance4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,let no carnal motives persuade you to join yourself to an ungodly person2 but let the holy fear of ,god be preferred in your choice before all worldly excellency whatsoever4 ,marry not a swine for a golden trough2 nor an ugly soul for a comely body4 ,consider1 #a4 ,you will else give cause of great suspicion that you are yourselves ungodly3 for they that know truly the misery of an unrenewed soul1 and the excellency of the image of ,god1 can never be indifferent whether they be joined to the godly or the ungodly4 ,to prefer things temporal before things spiritual habitually1 and in the predominant acts of heart and life1 is the certain character of a graceless soul6 ,and he that in so near a case doth deliberately prefer riches or comeliness in another1 before the image and fear of ,god1 doth give a very dangerous sign of such a graceless heart and will4 ,if you set more by beauty or riches than by godliness1 you have the surest mark that you are ungodly4 ,if you do not set more by them1 how come you deliberately to prefer them8 ,how could you do a thing that detecteth your ungodliness1 and condemneth you more clearly8 ,and do you not show that you either believe not the word of ,god1 or else that you love him not1 and regard not his interest8 ,otherwise you would take his friends as your friends1 and his enemies as your enemies4 ,tell me1 would you marry an enemy of your own1 before any change and reconciliation8 ,i am confident you would not4 ,and can you so easily marry an enemy of ,god8 ,if you know not that all the ungodly and unsanctified are his enemies1 you know not1 or believe not1 the word of ,god2 which telleth you that the carnal mind is enmity against ,god2 for it is not subject to the law of ,god1 nor indeed can be3 so then they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god1 ,rom4 viii4 #g1 #h4 #b4 ,if you fear ,god yourselves1 your chief end in marriage will be to have one that will be a helper to your soul1 and further you in the way to heaven3 but if you marry with a person that is ungodly1 either you have no such end1 or else you may easily know you have no wiselier chosen the means1 than if you had chosen water to kindle the fire1 or a bed of snow to keep you warm4 ,will an ignorant or ungodly person assist you in prayer and holy watchfulness1 and stir you up to the love of ,god1 and a heavenly mind8 ,and can you so willingly lose all the spiritual benefit1 which you should principally desire and intend8 #c4 ,nay1 instead of a helper1 you will have a continual hinderer3 when you should go to prayer1 you will have one to pull you back1 or to fill your minds with diversions or disquietments6 ,when you should keep close to ,god in holy meditations1 you will have one to cast in worldly thoughts1 or trouble your minds with vanity or vexation4 ,when you should discourse of ,god and heavenly things1 you will have one to stifle such discourse1 and fill your ears with idle1 impertinent1 or worldly talk4 ,and one such a hinderance so near you1 in your bosom1 will be worse than a thousand further off4 ,as an ungodly heart which is next of all to us1 is our greatest hinderance1 so an ungodly husband or wife1 which is next to that1 is worse to us than many ungodly neighbours4 ,and if you think that you can well enough overcome such hinderances1 and your heart is so good1 that no such clogs can keep it down1 you do but show that you have a proud1 unhumbled heart1 that is prepared for a fall4 ,if you know yourselves1 and the badness of your hearts1 you will know that you have no need of hinderances in any holy work1 and that all the helps in the world are little enough1 and too little1 to keep your souls in the love of ,god4 #d4 ,and such an ungodly companion will be to you a continual temptation to sin4 ,instead of stirring you up to good1 you will have one to stir you up to evil1 to passion1 or discontent1 or covetousness1 or pride1 or revenge1 or sensuality4 ,and can you not sin enough without such a tempter8 #e4 ,and what a continual grief will it be to you1 if you are believers1 to have a child of the devil in your bosom6 and to think how far you must be separated at death6 and in what torments those must lie for ever1 that are so dear unto you now6 #f4 ,yea1 such companions will be uncapable of the principal part of your love4 ,you may love them as husbands or wives1 but you cannot love them as saints and members of ,christ4 ,and how great a want this will be in your love1 those know that know what this holy love is4 ,quest4 ,but how can ,i tell who are godly1 when there is so much hypocrisy in the world4 ,answ4 ,at least you may know who is ungodly if it be palpably discovered4 ,i take not a barren knowledge for ungodliness1 nor a nimble tongue for godliness3 judge of them by their love3 such as a man's love is1 such is the man4 ,if they love the word1 and servants1 and worship of ,god1 and love a holy life1 and hate the contrary1 you may close with such1 though their knowledge be small1 and their parts be weak2 but if they have no love to these1 but had rather live a common1 careless1 carnal life1 you may well avoid them as ungodly4 ,quest4 ,but if ungodly persons may marry1 why may not ,i marry with one that is ungodly8 ,answ4 ,though dogs and swine may join in generating1 it followeth not men or women may join with them4 ,pardon the comparison1 7while ,christ calleth the wicked dogs and swine1 ,matt4 vii4 #f17 it doth but show the badness of your consequence4 ,unbelievers may marry1 and yet we may not marry with unbelievers4 ,be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers3 for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness8 and what communion hath light with darkness8 and what concord hath ,christ with ,belial8 or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel8 and what agreement hath the temple of ,god with idols8 ,for ye are the temple of the living ,god--,wherefore come out from among them1 and be ye separate1 saith the ,lord1 and touch not the unclean thing1 c4 #b ,cor4 vi4 #ad-af4 ,quest4 ,but ,i make no doubt but they may be converted3 ,god can call them when he will3 if there be but love1 they will easily be won to be of the mind as those they love are8 ,answ4 #a4 ,then it seems because you love an ungodly person1 you will be easily turned to be ungodly4 ,if so1 you are not much better already4 ,if love will not draw you to their mind to be ungodly1 why should you think love will draw them to your mind to be godly8 ,are you stronger in grace than they are in sin8 #b4 ,if you know well what grace is1 and what a sinful1 unrenewed soul is1 you would not think it so easy a matter to convert a soul4 ,why are there so few converted1 if it be so easy a thing8 ,you cannot make yourselves better by adding higher degrees to the grace you have3 much less can you make another better1 by giving them the grace which they have not4 #c4 ,it is true that ,god is able to convert them when he will2 and it is true that for aught ,i know it may be done4 ,but what of that8 ,will you in so weighty a case take up with a mere possibility8 ,god can make a beggar rich1 and for aught you know to the contrary1 he will do it2 and yet you will not therefore marry a beggar3 nor will you marry a leper1 because ,god can heal him2 why then should you marry an ungodly person1 because ,god can convert him8 ,see it done first1 if you love your peace and safety4 ,quest4 ,but what if my parents command me to marry an ungodly person8 ,answ4 ,god having forbidden it1 no parent hath authority to command you to do so great a mischief to yourself1 no more than to cut your own throats1 or to dismember your bodies4 ,quest4 ,but what if ,i have a necessity of marrying1 and can get none but an ungodly person8 ,answ4 ,if that be really your case1 that your necessity be real1 and you can get no other1 ,i think it is lawful4 ,quest4 ,but is it not better have a good-natured person that is ungodly1 than an ill-natured person that is religious1 as many such are8 ,and may not a bad man be a good husband8 ,answ4 #a4 ,a bad man may be a good tailor1 or shoemaker1 or carpenter1 or seaman1 because there is no moral virtue necessary to the well-doing of their work4 ,but a bad man cannot be simply a good magistrate1 or minister1 or husband1 or parent1 because there is much moral virtue necessary to their duties4 #b4 ,a bad nature unmortified and untamed is inconsistent with true godliness2 such persons may talk and profess what they please2 but if any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue1 but deceiveth his own heart1 this man's religion is vain1 ,james i4 #bf4 #c4 ,i did not say that godliness alone is all that you must look after2 though this be the first1 yet more is necessary4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,next to the fear of ,god1 make choice of a nature or temperament that is not too much unsuitable to you4 ,a crossness of dispositions will be a continual vexation2 and you will have a domestic war instead of love4 ,especially make sure of these following qualities4 #a4 ,that there be a loving1 and not a selfish nature1 that hath no regard to another but for their own end4 #b4 ,that there be a nature competently quiet and patient1 and not intolerably froward and unpleasable4 #c4 ,that there be a competency of wit2 for no one can live lovingly and comfortably with a fool4 #d4 ,that there be a competent humility2 for there is no quietness to be expected with the proud4 #e4 ,that there be a power to be silent1 as well as to speak2 for a babbling tongue is a continual vexation4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,next to grace and nature1 have a due and moderate respect to person1 education1 and estate4 #a4 ,so far have respect to the person as that there be no unhealthfulness to make your condition over-burdensome2 nor any such deformity as may hinder your affections4 #b4 ,and so far have respect to parentage and education1 as that there be no great unsuitableness of mind1 nor any prejudicate opinions in religion1 which may make you too unequal4 ,differing opinions in religion are much more tolerable in persons more distant1 than in so near relations4 ,and those that are bred too high in idleness and luxury1 must have a thorough work of grace to make them fit for a low condition1 and cure the pride and sensuality which are taken for the honourable badges of their gentility2 and it is scarce considerable how rich such are2 for their pride and luxury will make even with all1 and be still in greater want1 than honest1 contented1 temperate poverty4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,if ,god call you to marriage1 take notice of the helps and comforts of that condition1 as well as of the hinderances and troubles2 that you may cheerfully serve ,god in it1 in the expectation of his blessing4 ,though man's corruption have filled that and every state of life with snares and troubles1 yet from the beginning it was not so2 ,god appointed it for mutual help1 and as such it may be used4 ,as a married life hath its temptations and afflictions1 so it hath its peculiar benefits1 which you are thankfully to accept and acknowledge unto ,god4 ,see ,eccles4 iv4 #aj-ab4 #a4 ,it is a mercy in order to the propagating of a people on earth to love and honour their ,creator1 and to serve ,god in the world and enjoy him for ever4 ,it is no small mercy to be the parents of a godly seed2 and this is the end of the institution of marriage1 ,mal4 ii4 #ae4 ,and this parents may expect1 if they be not wanting on their part2 however sometimes their children prove ungodly4 #b4 ,it is a mercy to have a faithful friend1 that loveth you entirely1 and is as true to you as yourself1 to whom you may open your mind and communicate your affairs1 and who would be ready to strengthen you1 and divide the cares of your affairs and family with you1 and help you to bear your burdens1 and comfort you in your sorrows1 and be the daily companion of your lives1 and partaker of your joys and sorrows4 #c4 ,and it is a mercy to have so near a friend to be a helper to your soul2 to join with you in prayer and other holy exercises2 to watch over you and tell you of your sins and dangers1 and to stir up in you the grace of ,god1 and remember you of the life to come1 and cheerfully accompany you in the ways of holiness4 ,prov4 xix4 #ad1 ,a prudent wife is from the ,lord4 ,thus it is said1 ,prov4 xviii4 #bb1 ,whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing1 and obtaineth favour of the ,lord4 ,see ,prov4 xxxi4 #aj-ab1 c4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,let your marriage covenant be made understandingly1 deliberately1 heartily1 in the fear of ,god1 with a fixed resolution faithfully to perform it4 ,understand well all the duties of your relation before you enter into it2 and run not upon it as boys to a play1 but with the sense of your duty1 as those that engage themselves to a great deal of work of great importance towards ,god and towards each other4 ,address yourselves therefore beforehand to ,god for counsel1 and earnestly beg his guidance and his blessing1 and run not without him1 or before him4 ,reckon upon the worst1 and foresee all temptations which would diminish your affections1 or make you unfaithful to each other2 and see that you be fortified against them all4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,be sure that ,god be the ultimate end of your marriage1 and that you principally choose that state of life1 that in it you may be most serviceable to him2 and that you heartily devote yourselves and your families unto ,god2 that so it may be to you a sanctified condition4 ,it is nothing but making ,god our guide and end that can sanctify our state of life4 ,they that unfeignedly follow ,god's counsel1 and aim at his glory1 and do it to please him1 will find ,god owning and blessing their relation4 ,but they that do it principally to please the flesh1 to satisfy lust1 and to increase their estates1 and to have children surviving them to receive the fruits of their pride and covetousness1 can expect to reap no better than they sow2 and to have the flesh1 the world1 and the devil the masters of their family1 according to their own desire and choice4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,at your first conjunction 7and through the rest of your lives7 remember the day of your separation4 ,and think not that you are settling yourselves in a state of rest1 or felicity1 or continuance1 but only assuming a companion in your travels4 ,whether you live in a married or an unmarried life1 remember that you are hasting to the everlasting life1 where there is neither marrying nor giving in marriage1 #a ,cor4 vii4 #bi1 #cj4 ,you are going as fast to another world in one state of life as in the other4 ,you are but to help each other in your way1 that your journey may be the easier to you1 and that you may happily meet again in the heavenly ,jerusalem4 ,when worldlings marry1 they take it for a settling themselves in the world2 and as regenerate persons begin the world anew1 by beginning to lay up a treasure in heaven1 so worldlings call their marriage their beginning the world1 because then1 as engaged servants to the world1 they set themselves to seek it with greater diligence than ever before4 ,they do but in marriage begin 7as seekers7 that life of foolery1 which when he had found what he sought1 that rich man ended1 ,luke xii4 #ai1 #bj1 with a ,this ,i will do3 ,i will pull down my barns1 and build greater1 and there will ,i bestow all my fruits and my goods2 and ,i will say to my soul1 ,soul1 thou hast much goods laid up for many years1 take thine ease1 eat1 drink1 and be merry3 but ,god said unto him1 ,thou fool1 this night shall thy soul be required of thee3 then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided8 ,if you would not die such fools1 do not marry and live such worldlings4 ,tit4 #b4 ,cases of ,marriage4 ,quest4 ,i4 ,what should one follow as a certain rule1 about the prohibited degrees of consanguinity or affinity8 seeing1 #a4 ,the law of ,moses is not in force to us4 #b4 ,and if it were1 it is very dark1 whether it may by parity of reason be extended to more degrees than are named in the text4 #c4 ,and seeing the law of nature is so hardly legible in this case4#g ,answ4 #a4 ,it is certain that the prohibited degrees are not so statedly and universally unlawful1 as that such marriage may not be made lawful by any necessity4 ,for ,adam's sons did lawfully marry their own sisters4 #b4 ,but now the world is peopled1 such necessities as will warrant such marriages must needs be very rare1 and such as we are never like to meet with4 #c4 ,the law of nature is it which prohibiteth the degrees that are now unlawful2 and though this law be dark as to some degrees1 it is not so as to others4 #d4 ,the law of ,god to the ,jews1 ,lev4 xviii4 doth not prohibit those degrees there named1 because of any reason proper to the ,jews1 but as an exposition of the law of nature1 and so on reasons common to all4 #e4 ,therefore1 though the ,jewish law cease 7yea1 never bound other nations7 formally as that political national law2 yet as it was ,god's exposition of his own law of nature1 it is of use1 and consequential obligation to all men1 even to this day2 for if ,god once had told but one man1 ,this is the sense of the law of nature1 it remaineth true1 and all must believe it2 and then the law of nature itself1 so expounded1 will still oblige4 #f4 ,the world is so wide for choice1 and a necessity of doubtful marriage is so rare1 and the trouble so great1 that prudence telleth every one that it is their sin1 without flat necessity1 to marry in a doubtful degree2 and therefore it is thus safest1 to avoid all degrees that seem to be equal to those named ,lev4 xviii4 and to have the same reason1 though they be not named4 #g4 ,but because it is not certain that indeed the unnamed cases have the same reason1 7while ,god doth not acquaint us with all the reasons of his law17 therefore when the thing is done1 we must not censure others too deeply1 nor trouble ourselves too much about those unnamed1 doubtful cases4 ,we must avoid them beforehand1 because else we shall cast ourselves into doubts and troubles unnecessarily2 but when it is past1 the case must be considered of as ,i shall after open4 ,quest4 ,,ii4 ,what if the law of the land forbid more or fewer degrees than ,lev4 xviii4 doth8 ,answ4 ,if it forbid fewer1 the rest are nevertheless to be avoided as forbidden by ,god4 ,if it forbid more1 the forbidden ones must be avoided in obedience to our rulers4 ,quest4 ,,iii4 ,is the marriage of cousin-germans1 that is1 of brothers' children1 or sisters' children1 or brothers' and sisters' children1 unlawful8 ,answ4 ,i think not2 #a4 ,because not forbidden by ,god4 #b4 ,because none of that same rank are forbidden2 that is1 none that on both sides are two degrees from the root4 ,i refer the reader for my reasons to a ,latin ,treatise of ,charles ,butler on this subject1 for in those ,i rest4 ,as all the children of ,noah's sons did marry their cousin-germans1 7for they could not marry in any remoter degree17 so have others since without reproof1 and none are forbidden4 #c4 ,but it is safest to do otherwise1 because there is choice enough beside1 and because many divines being of the contrary opinion1 may make it matter of scruple and trouble afterwards1 to those that venture upon it without need4 ,quest4 ,,iv4 ,what would you have those do that have married cousin-germans1 and now doubt whether it be lawful so to do8 ,answ4 ,i would have them cast away such doubts1 or at least conclude that it is now their duty to live peaceably in the state in which they are2 and a great sin for them to be separated on such scruples4 ,the reason is1 because1 if it be not certain that the degree is lawful1 at least no man can be sure that it is unlawful4 ,and for husband and wife to break their covenants and part1 without a necessary cause1 is a great sin2 and that which no man can prove to be a sin1 is no necessary or lawful cause of a divorce4 ,marriage duties are certainly commanded to the married1 but the marriage of cousin-germans is not certainly forbidden4 ,therefore if it were a sin to marry so1 to them that doubted2 or if they are since fallen into doubt whether it was not a sin2 yet may they be sure that the continuance of it is a duty1 and that all they have to do is to repent of doing a doubtful thing1 but not to part1 nor to forbear their covenanted duties4 ,no1 nor to indulge or suffer those troublesome scruples1 which would hinder the cheerful discharge of their duties1 and the comfortable serving of ,god in their relations4 ,quest4 ,v4 ,what should those do that are married in those degrees which are not forbidden by name in ,lev4 xviii4 and yet are at the same distance from the root with those that are named1 and seem to have the same reason of unlawfulness8 ,answ4 ,if there be clearly a parity of degree1 and also of the reason of the prohibition1 then no doubt but they must part as incestuous1 and not continue in a forbidden state4 ,but because divines are disagreed whether there be in all instances a parity of the reason of the prohibition1 where there is an equal distance as to degrees2 and so in those cases some think it a duty to be separated1 and others think it enough to repent of their conjunction and not to be separated1 because the case is doubtful1 7as the controversy showeth17 ,i shall not venture to cast in my judgment in a case1 where so many and such men are disagreed2 but shall only advise all to prevent such troublesome doubts beforehand1 and not by rashness to run themselves into perplexities1 when there is no necessity2 unless they will call their carnal ends or sinful passions a necessity4 ,quest4 ,,vi4 ,but if a man do marry in a degree expressly there forbidden1 is it in all cases a sin to continue in that state8 ,if necessity made such marriage a duty to ,adam's children1 why may not necessity make the continuance lawful to others8 ,as suppose the king or parents command it8 suppose the woman will die or be distracted with grief else8 suppose one hath made a vow to marry no other1 and yet cannot live single1 c48 ,here ,i shall suppose1 that if a lustful person marry a kinswoman that he may have change1 as foreknowing that he must be divorced1 punishment1 and not continuance in the sin1 must be his sentence2 and if one that hath married a kinswoman be glad to be divorced1 because he hateth her or loveth change1 punishment must rebuke him1 but he must not continue in incest4 ,answ4 #a4 ,natural necessity justified ,adam's children1 and such would now justify you4 ,yea1 the benediction ,increase and multiply1 did not only allow1 but oblige them then to marry1 to replenish the earth 7when else mankind would soon have ceased72 but so it doth not us now when the earth is replenished4 ,yet ,i deny not1 but if a man and his sister were cast alone upon a foreign wilderness1 where they justly despaired of any other company1 if ,god should bid them there increase and multiply1 it would warrant them to marry4 ,but else there is no necessity of it1 and therefore no lawfulness4 ,for1 #b4 ,a vicious necessity justifieth not the sin4 ,if the man or woman that should abstain will be mad or dead with passion1 rather than obey ,god1 and deny and mortify their lust1 it is not one sin that will justify them in another4 ,the thing that is necessary1 is to conform their wills to the law of ,god2 and if they will not1 and then say1 ,they cannot1 they must bear what they get by it4 #c4 ,and it is no necessity that is imposed by that command of king or parents1 which is against the law of ,god4 #d4 ,no1 nor by a vow neither2 for a vow to break ,god's law is not an obligation to be kept1 but to be repented of2 nor is the necessity remediless which such a one bringeth on himself1 by vowing never to marry any other2 seeing chastity may be kept4 ,quest4 ,,vii4 ,is it lawful for one to marry1 that hath vowed chastity during life1 and not to marry1 and afterward findeth a necessity of marrying1 for the avoiding of lust and fornication8 ,answ4 ,i know that many great divines have easily absolved those1 that under popery vowed chastity4 ,the principal part of the solution of the question1 you must fetch from my solution of the ,case of ,vows1 part iii4 chap4 v4 tit4 #b4 ,at the present this shall suffice to be added to it4 #a4 ,such vows of chastity that are absolute1 without any exceptions of after alterations or difficulties that may arise1 are sinfully made1 or are unlawful quoad actum jurandi4#h #b4 ,if parents or others impose such oaths and vows on their children or subjects1 or induce them to it1 it is sinfully done of them1 and the actus imperantium is also unlawful4 #c4 ,yet as long as the materia jurata1 the matter vowed1 remaineth lawful1 the vow doth bind1 and it is perfidiousness to break it4 ,for the sinfulness of the imposer's act proveth no more1 but that such a command did not oblige you to vow4 ,and a vow made arbitrarily without any command1 doth nevertheless bind4 ,and the sinfulness of the making of the vow1 doth only call for repentance2 7as if you made it causelessly1 rashly1 upon ill motives1 and to ill ends1 or in ill circumstances1 c47 ,but yet that vow which you repent that ever you made1 must be nevertheless kept1 if the thing vowed be a lawful thing1 and the act of vowing be not made a nullity 7though it was a sin74 ,and when it is a nullity1 ,i have showed in the forecited place4 #d4 ,a vow of celibate or chastity during life1 which hath this condition or exception expressed or implied in the true intent of the votary1 7unless any thing fall out which shall make it a sin to me not to marry17 may in some cases be a lawful vow2 as to one that foreseeth great inconveniences in marriage1 and would by firm resolution fortify himself against temptations and mutability4 #e4 ,if there were no such excepting thought in the person vowing1 yet when the thing becometh unlawful1 the vow is not to be kept2 though it oblige us under guilt for sinful making it1 yet ,god commandeth us not to keep it1 because we vowed that which he forbad us not only to vow but to do4 #f4 ,either the papists suppose such exceptions to be always implied by their votaries1 or at least that they are contained in the law of ,god1 or else sure they durst never pretend that the pope hath power to dispense with such vows 7as they have oft done for princes1 men and women1 that they might be taken from a monastery to a crown74 ,for if they suppose1 that the persons before the dispensation are under the obligation of their vow1 and bound by ,god to keep it1 then it would be too gross and odious blasphemy for the pope to claim a power of disobliging them1 and dissolving ,god's commands2 and not only antichristianity1 but antitheistical1 or a setting himself above ,god ,almighty1 under pretence of his own commission4 ,but if they only pretend to dissolve such vows judicially or decisively1 by judging when the person is no longer obliged to keep them by ,god's law1 then they suppose1 that the obligation of ,god's law is ceased1 before they judicially declare it to be ceased4 ,and if that were all that the pope undertook1 he had no power to do it out of his own parish1 nor more than any lawful bishop hath in his proper charge4 #g4 ,the matter of a vow of celibate or chastity is then unlawful1 when it cannot be kept without greater sin than that life of chastity escapeth1 and which would be escaped if it were forsaken2 or without the omission of greater duty1 and omission of greater good1 than that life of chastity containeth or attaineth4 ,for the further opening of this1 let it be noted1 that1 #h4 ,it is not every degree of sin which marriage would cure1 that will warrant the breach of a vow of chastity4 ,as if ,i had some more lustful thoughts or instigations and irritations in a single life than ,i should have if ,i married4 ,the reason is1 because1 #a4 ,no man liveth without some sin1 and it is supposed that there are greater sins of another kind1 which by a life of chastity ,i avoid4 ,and the breach of the vow itself is a greater matter than a lustful thought4 #i4 ,so it is not every degree of good which by marriage ,i may attain or do1 that will warrant it against a vow of chastity4 ,because ,i may do and get a greater good by chastity1 and because the evil of perjury is not to be done that good may be done by it2 till ,i can prove1 that it is not only good in itself1 but a duty hic et nunc to me4 #aj4 ,a man should rather break his vow of celibate1 than once commit fornication1 if there were a necessity that he must do the one4 ,because fornication is a sin which no vow will warrant any man to commit4 #aa4 ,a man should rather break his vow of celibate1 than live in such constant or ordinary lust1 as unfitteth him for prayer1 and a holy life1 and keepeth him in ordinary danger of fornication1 if there were a necessity that he must do the one4 ,the reason is also because now the matter vowed is become unlawful1 and no vow can warrant a man to live in so great sin 7unless there were some greater sin on the other side which could not be avoided in a married life1 which is hardly to be supposed1 however popish priests think disobedience to the pope1 and the incommodity and disgrace of a married life1 c4 to be a greater sin than fornication itself74 #ab4 ,if a prince vow chastity1 when it is like to endanger the kingdom for want of a safe and sure succession1 he is bound to break that vow2 because he may not lawfully give away the people's right1 nor do that which is injurious to so many4 #ac4 ,whether the command of a parent or prince may dissolve the obligation of a vow of celibate1 ,i have answered already4 ,i now say but this1 #a4 ,when parents or princes may justly command it1 we may justly obey them4 ,but this is not one of those accidental evils1 which may be lawfully done1 though unlawfully commanded4 #b4 ,it is parents that ,god hath committed more of this care and power to1 about children's marriage1 than to princes4 #c4 ,parents not princes may not lawfully command the breach of such a vow1 7not nullified at first17 except in such cases as disoblige us1 whether they do it or not2 so that the resolving of the main case doth suffice for all4 #ad4 ,he that by lawful means can overcome his lust1 to the measure before mentioned1 is under no necessity of violating his vow of single life4 #ae4 ,i think that it is not one of twenty that have bodies so unavoidably prone to lust1 but that by due means it might be so far 7though not totally7 overcome1 without marriage1 fornication1 wilful self-pollution1 or violent1 vexatious1 lustful thoughts4 ,that is1 #a4 ,if they employ themselves constantly and diligently in a lawful calling1 and be not guilty of such idleness1 as leaveth room in their minds and imaginations for vain and filthy thoughts4 ,if they follow such a calling as shall lay a necessity upon them to keep their thoughts close employed about it4 #b4 ,if they use such abstinence and coarseness in their diet1 as is meet to tame inordinate lusts1 without destroying health3 and not only avoid fulness and gulosity1 and vain sports and pleasures1 but also use convenient fasting1 and tame the body by necessary austerities4 #c4 ,if they sufficiently avoid all tempting company and sights1 and keep at a meet distance from them4 #d4 ,if they set such a restraint upon their thoughts as they may do4 #e4 ,if they use such a quality of diet and physic1 as is aptest for the altering of those bodily distempers1 which are the cause4 #f4 ,and lastly1 ,if they are earnest in prayer to ,god1 and live in mortifying meditations1 especially in a constant familiarity with a crucified ,christ1 and with the grave1 and with the heavenly society4 ,he that breaketh his vow to save himself the labour and suffering of these ungrateful means1 ,i take to be perfidious1 though perhaps he sinfully made that vow4 ,and no greater number are excusable for continence after such a vow1 than these that have bodies so extraordinary lustful1 as no such other means can tame1 and those forementioned that have extraordinary accidents to make a single life unlawful4 #af4 ,it must not be forgotten here1 that if men trust to marriage itself alone as the cure of their lust1 without other means1 such violent lusts as nothing else will cure1 may possibly be much uncured afterwards4 ,for adulterers are as violent in their lusts as the unmarried1 and ofttimes find it as hard to restrain them4 ,and therefore the married1 as well as others1 have need to be careful to overcome their lust4 ,and the rather because it is in them a double sin4 #ag4 ,but yet when all other means do fail1 marriage is ,god's appointed means1 to quench those flames from which men's vows cannot1 in cases of true necessity1 disoblige them4 #a #a ,cor4 vii4 #g1 #ch4 #b ,unmarried men are the best friends1 the best masters1 the best servants2 but not always the best subjects3 for they are light to run away1 and therefore venturous1 c4 ,lord ,bacon1 ,essay #h4 #c ,wives are young men's mistresses1 companions for the middle age1 and old men's nurses4 ,so that a man may have a quarrel to marry when he will4 ,lord ,bacon1 ,essay4 #d ,art thou discontented with thy childless state8 ,remember that of all the ,roman kings1 not one of them left the crown to his son4 ,plutarch4 de ,tranq4 ,anim4 #e ,non bene fit quod occupato animo fit4 ,hieron4 ,epist4 #e4 #c4 ad ,paulin4 #f ,a single life doth well with churchmen3 for charity will hardly water the ground1 where it must fill a pool4 ,lord ,bacon1 ,essay #h4 ,the greatest works and foundations have been from childless men1 who have sought to express the image of their minds that have none of their body3 so the care of posterity hath been most in them that had no posterity4 ,lord ,bacon1 ,essay #g4 ,he that hath a wife and children hath given hostages to fortune4 ,for they are impediments to great enterprises4--,the best works1 and of greatest merit1 for the public1 have proceeded from unmarried and childless men4 ,id4 ibid4 ,essay #h4 #g ,the case of polygamy is so fully and plainly resolved by ,christ1 that ,i take it not to be necessary to decide it1 especially while the law of the land doth make it death4 #h ,by this you may see how to resolve the cases about vows and covenants which are the grand controversies of this time among us4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,directions ,,for ,,the ,,right ,,choice ,,of ,,servants ,,and ,,masters4 ,,part ,i4 ,directions for the right ,choice of ,servants4 ,,servants being integral parts of the family1 who contribute much to the holiness or unholiness of it1 and to the happiness or misery of it1 it much concerneth masters to be careful in their choice4 ,and the harder it is to find such as are indeed desirable1 the more careful and diligent in it should you be4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,to bid you choose such as are fittest for your service1 is a direction which nature and interest will give you1 without any persuasions of mine4 ,and indeed it is not mere honesty or piety that will make a good servant1 nor do your work4 ,three things are necessary to make a servant fit for you3 #a4 ,strength4 #b4 ,skill4 #c4 ,willingness4 ,and no two of these will serve without the third4 ,strength and skill without willingness1 will do nothing3 skill and willingness without strength1 can do nothing3 strength and willingness without skill1 will do as bad or worse than nothing4 ,no less than all will make you a good servant4 ,therefore choose one1 #a4 ,that is healthful4 #b4 ,that hath been used to such work as you must employ him in3 and1 #c4 ,one that is not of a flesh-pleasing1 or lazy1 sluggish disposition4 ,for to exact labour from one that is sickly will seem cruelty2 and to expect labour from one that is unskilful and unexercised will seem folly2 and heavy1 fleshly1 slothful persons1 will do all with so much unwillingness1 and pain1 and weariness1 that they will think all too much1 and their service will be a continual toil and displeasure to them1 and they will think you wrong them1 or deal hardly with them1 if you will not allow them in their fleshliness and idleness4 ,yea1 though they should have grace1 a phlegmatic1 sluggish1 heavy body1 will never be fit for diligent service1 any more than a tired horse for travel4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,if it be possible1 choose such as have the fear of ,god1 or at least such as are tractable and willing to be taught1 and not such as are ungodly1 sensual1 and profane4 ,for1 #a4 ,god hateth all the workers of iniquity1 ,psal4 v4 #e4 ,and it tendeth not to the blessing or safety of your family1 to have in it such as are enemies to ,god1 and hated by him4 ,you cannot expect an equal blessing on their labours1 as you may on the service of those that fear him4 ,the wicked may bring a curse on the families where they are 7if you wilfully entertain them72 when a ,joseph may be a blessing even to the house of an unbeliever4 ,a wicked man will be renewing those crimes1 which will be the shame of your family1 and a grief to your hearts1 if you have any love to ,god yourselves2 when a godly servant will pray for a blessing from ,god upon his labours1 and is himself under a promise1 that whatever he doth shall prosper1 ,psal4 i4 #c4 #b4 ,ungodly servants for the most part will be mere eye-servants2 they will do little more than they find necessary to escape reproof and blame3 some few of them1 indeed1 out of love to their masters1 or out of a desire of praise1 or to make their places the better to themselves1 will be diligent and trusty3 but ordinarily they are deceitful1 and study more to seem good servants1 than to be such1 and to hide their faults1 than to avoid them2 for they make no great matter of conscience of it1 nor do they regard the eye of ,god3 whereas a truly godly servant will do all your service in obedience to ,god1 as if ,god himself had bid him do it1 and as one that is always in the presence of that ,master1 whose favour he preferreth before all the world4 ,he is more careful to please ,god1 who commandeth him to be faithful1 than to please you by seeming better than he is3 he is moved more to his duty by the reward which ,god hath promised him1 than by the wages which he expecteth from you3 he hath a tender1 purified conscience1 which will hold him to his duty1 as well when you know it not1 as when you stand by4 #c4 ,ordinarily1 ungodly servants will be false1 if they have but opportunity to enrich themselves by deceiving you2 especially those that are intrusted in laying out money1 in buying and selling4 ,as long as ,i name no particular persons1 ,i think it no untrustiness1 but my duty1 to warn masters whom they trust1 by my experience from the confessions of those that have been guilty4 ,many servants whom ,god hath converted to his love and fear1 have told me how constantly they deceived their masters in buying and selling before their conversion2 even of so great sums of money1 that some of them were not able to restore it 7when ,i made them know it was their duty so far as they were able73 and some of them had so much unquietness of conscience till it was restored1 that ,i have been fain to give them money to restore1 when ,i have convinced them of it3 so that ,i know by such confessions1 that such deceit and robbing of their masters is a very ordinary thing among ungodly servants that have1 opportunity1 that yet pass for very trusty servants1 and are never discovered4 #d4 ,also an ungodly servant will be a tempter to the rest1 and will be drawing them to sin3 especially to secret wantonness1 and uncivil carriage1 if not to actual fornication2 and to revellings1 and merriments1 and fleshly courses3 by swearing1 and taking ,god's name in vain1 and cursing1 and lying1 they will teach your children and other servants to do the like2 and so be an infectious pestilence in your families4 #e4 ,and they will hinder any good which you would do on others4 ,if there be any in your family under convictions1 and in a hopeful way to a better condition1 they will quench all1 and discourage them1 and hinder their conversion2 partly by their contradicting cavils1 and partly by their scorns1 and partly by their diverting1 idle talk1 and partly by their ill examples1 and alluring them to accompany them in their sin4 ,whereas1 on the contrary1 a godly servant will be drawing the rest of your family to godliness1 and hindering them from sin1 and persuading them to be faithful in their duty both to ,god and you4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,yet measure not the godliness of a servant by his bare knowledge or words1 but by his love and conscience4 ,a great deal of self-conceited talkativeness about religion may stand with an unsanctified heart and life2 and much weakness in knowledge and utterance1 may stand with sincerity4 ,but you may safely judge those to be truly godly1 #a4 ,who love godliness1 and love the word and servants of ,god1 and hate all wickedness4 #b4 ,and those that make conscience to do their duty1 and to avoid known sin both openly and in secret4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,if necessity constrain you to take those that are unfit and bad1 remember that there is the greater duty incumbent on you1 to carry yourself towards them in a diligent1 convincing manner1 so as tendeth most to make them better4 ,take them not as you buy a horse or an ox1 with a purpose only to use them for your work2 but remember they have immortal souls which you take charge of4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,directions for the right ,choice of ,masters4 ,seeing the happiness of a servant1 the safety of his soul1 and the comfort of his life1 depend very much upon the family and place which he liveth in1 it much concerneth every prudent servant to be very careful in what place or family he take up his abode1 and to make the wisest choice he can4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,above all1 be sure that you choose not for mere fleshly ease and sensuality1 and take not that for the best place for you1 where you may have most of your own carnal will and pleasure4 ,i know that fleshly1 graceless servants1 will hear this direction with as ill a will1 as a dog when he is forbidden his meat or carrion4 ,i know ,i speak against their very nature1 and therefore against their very hearts1 and therefore they will think ,i speak against their interest and good2 and therefore ,i may persuade them to this course a hundred times1 before they will believe me1 or obey my counsel4 ,all ungodly1 fleshly servants1 do make these the only signs of a good place1 or desirable service for them3 #a4 ,if they may do what work they will1 and avoid that which they dislike2 if they may do that which is easy1 and not that which is hard2 and that which is an honour to them1 and not that which seemeth inferior and base4 #b4 ,if they may work when they will1 and give over when they will4 #c4 ,if they may rise when they will1 and go to bed when they will4 #d4 ,if they may eat and drink what they will1 and fare well to the pleasing of their appetites4 #e4 ,if they may speak when they will1 and what they have a mind to speak4 #f4 ,if they may have leave when they will to sport1 and play1 and be wanton and vain1 and waste their time1 which they call being merry4 #g4 ,if they may wear the best apparel and go fine4 #h4 ,if their masters will be liberal to them1 to maintain all this1 and will give them what they would have4 #i4 ,if their masters and fellow-servants carry it respectfully to them1 and praise them1 and make somebody of them1 and do not dishonour them1 nor give them any displeasing words4 #aj4 ,and if they are not troubled with the precepts of godliness1 nor set to learn the ,scripture1 or catechized1 nor called to account about the state of their souls1 or the ground of their hopes for the life to come1 nor troubled with much praying1 or repeating sermons1 or religious exercise or discourse1 or any thing that tendeth to their salvation2 nor be restrained from any sin1 which they have a mind to1 nor reproved for it when they have done it4 ,these are an ungodly1 carnal person's conditions1 or signs of a good service4 ,which is1 in a word1 to have their own wills and fleshly desires1 and not to be crossed by their masters' wills1 or the will of ,god3 which in effect is1 to have the greatest helps to do the devil's will1 and to be damned4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,see that it be your first and principal care1 to live in such a place where you have the greatest helps and smallest hinderances to the pleasing of ,god1 and the saving of your souls2 and in such a place where you shall have no liberty to sin1 nor have your fleshly will fulfilled1 but shall be best instructed to know and do the will of ,god1 and under him the will of your superiors4 ,it is the mark of those whom ,god forsaketh1 to be given up to their own wills1 or to their own hearts' lusts1 to walk in their own counsels1 ,psal4 lxxxi4 #ab4 ,to live after the flesh1 is the certain way to endless misery1 ,rom4 viii4 #h1 #ac4 ,to be most subject to the will of ,god1 with the greatest mortification and denial of our own wills1 is the mark of the most obedient1 holy soul4 ,seeing then that holiness and self-denial1 the loving of ,god1 and the mortifying of the flesh1 are the life of grace1 and the health and rectitude of the soul1 and the only way 7under ,christ7 to our salvation2 you have great reason to think that place the best for you1 in which you have most helps for holiness and self-denial3 and not only to bear patiently the strictness of your superiors1 and the labour which they put you upon for your souls1 but also to desire and seek after such helps1 as the greatest mercies upon earth4 ,first seek the kingdom of ,god and his righteousness3 labour not 7first7 for the food that perisheth1 but for that which endureth to everlasting life1 ,matt4 vi4 #cc2 ,john vi4 #bg4 ,take care first that your souls be provided for1 and take that for the best service which helpeth you most in the service of ,god1 to your salvation4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,if it be possible1 live where there is a faithful1 powerful1 convincing minister1 whose public teaching and private counsel you may make use of for your souls4 ,live not1 if you can avoid it1 under an ignorant1 dead1 unprofitable teacher1 that will never afford you any considerable help to lift up your hearts to a heavenly conversation4 ,but seeing you must spend the six days in your labour1 live where you have the best helps to spend the ,lord's day1 for the quickening and comfort of your souls2 that in the strength of that holy food1 you may cheerfully perform your sanctified labours on the week days following4 ,be not like those brutish persons1 that live as if there were no life but this2 and therefore take care to get a place1 where their bodies may be well fed and clothed1 and may have ease1 and pleasure1 and preferment for the world2 but care not much what teacher there is1 to be their guide to heaven2 nor whether ever they be seriously foretold of the world to come1 or not4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,live1 if you can obtain so great a mercy1 with superiors that fear ,god1 and will have a care of your souls1 as well as of your bodies1 and will require you to do ,god's service as well as their own3 and not with worldly1 ungodly masters1 that will use you as they do their beasts1 to do their work1 and never take care to further your salvation4 ,for1 #a4 ,the curse of ,god is in the families of the ungodly2 and who would willingly live in a house that ,god hath cursed1 any more than in a house that is haunted with evil spirits8 ,but ,god himself doth dwell with the godly1 and by many promises hath assured them of his love and blessing4 ,the curse of the ,lord is in the house of the wicked2 but he blesseth the habitation of the just1 ,prov4 iii4 #cc4 ,the wicked are overthrown1 and are not2 but the house of the righteous shall stand1 ,prov4 xii4 #g4 ,the house of the wicked shall be overthrown2 but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish1 ,prov4 xiv4 #aa2 so ,prov4 xv4 #be4 ,the righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked3 ,god overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness1 ,prov4 xxi4 #ab4 ,go not into a falling house4 #b4 ,a master that feareth ,god1 will help to save you from sin and hell1 and help your souls to life eternal3 he may do more for you1 than if he made you kings and rulers of the earth4 ,he will hinder you from sin3 he will teach you to know ,god1 and to prepare for your salvation4 ,whereas ungodly masters will rather discourage you1 and by mocks or threatenings seek to drive you from a holy life1 and use their wit1 and work1 and authority1 to hinder your salvation3 or at best will take little care of your souls1 but think if they provide you food and wages1 they have done their parts4 #c4 ,a master that feareth ,god will do you no wrong1 but will love you as a christian1 and his fellow-servant of ,christ1 while he commandeth and employeth you as his own servant1 which cannot be expected from ignorant1 ungodly1 worldly men4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,yet choose such a service as you are fit to undergo1 with the least hinderance of the service of ,god1 and of your souls4 ,neither a life of idleness1 nor of excess of business1 should be chosen1 if you have your choice4 ,for when the mind is overwhelmed with the cares of your service1 and your bodies tired with excessive labour1 you will have little time1 or heart1 or power1 to mind the matters of your souls with any seriousness4 ,yea1 the ,lord's day will be spent with little comfort1 when the toil of the week days hath left the body fit for nothing but to sleep4 ,a service which alloweth you no time at all to pray1 or read the ,scripture1 or mind your everlasting state1 is a life more fit for beasts than men4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,if you can attain it1 live where your fellow-servants fear ,god1 as well as the master of the family4 ,for fellow-servants usually converse with one another more frequently and familiarly than their masters do with any of them4 ,and therefore if a master give you the most heavenly instructions1 the idle1 frothy talk of fellow-servants may blot out all from your memories and hearts4 ,and their derision of a holy life1 or their bad examples1 may do more hurt1 than the precepts of the governors can do good4 ,whereas when a master's counsels are seconded by the good discourse and practice of fellow-servants1 it is a great encouragement to good1 and keepeth the heart in a continual warmth and resolution4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,if you want any one of these accommodations1 be the more diligent in such an improvement of the rest1 as may make up your want4 ,if you have a good teacher and a bad master1 improve the helps of your teacher the more diligently4 ,if you have a bad master and good fellow-servants1 or a good master and bad fellow-servants1 thank ,god for that which you have1 and make the best of it4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,if you would be accommodated yourselves with the best masters and usage1 labour to be the best servants2 and then it is two to one but you may have your choice4 ,good servants are so scarce1 and so much valued1 that the best places would strive for you1 if you will strive to be such4 ,excel others in labour1 and diligence1 and trustiness1 and obedience1 and gentleness1 and patience1 and then you may have almost what places you desire4 ,but if you will yourselves be idle1 and slothful1 and deceitful1 and false1 and disobedient1 and unmannerly1 and self-willed1 and contentious1 and impatient1 and yet think that you must be respected1 and used as good and faithful servants1 it is but a foolish expectation4 ,for what obligation is there upon others1 in point of justice1 to give you that which you deserve not8 ,indeed if any be bound to keep you in mere charity1 then you may plead charity with them and not desert2 but if they take you but as servants1 they owe you nothing but what your work and virtues shall deserve4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,a ,,disputation1 ,,or ,,arguments ,,to ,,prove ,,the ,,necessity ,,of ,,family ,,worship ,,and ,,holiness1 ,,or ,,directions ,,against ,,the ,,cavils ,,of ,,the ,,profane1 ,,and ,,some ,,sectaries1 ,,who ,,deny ,,it ,,to ,,be ,a ,,thing ,,required ,,by ,,god4 ,whether the solemn ,worship of ,god1 in and by ,families as such1 be of ,divine ,appointment8 ,aff4 ,,that excellent speech of ,mirandula is oft in mind1 ,veritatem philosophia qurit1 theologia invenit1 religio possidet4 ,i do therefore with greater alacrity and delight dispute these points that are directly religious1 that is1 immediately practical1 than those that are only remotely such3 and though ,i am loth we should see among us any wider division inter philosophum theologum et religiosum1 than between the fantasy1 the intellect1 and the will1 which never are found disjunct in any act2 or rather1 than between the habits of practical natural knowledge1 and the habits of practical supernatural knowledge1 and the practical resolutions1 affections1 and endeavours1 into which both the former are devolved2 yet may we safely and profitably distinguish1 where it would be mortal to divide4 ,if disputing in our present case1 do but tend to1 and end in1 a religious performance1 we shall then be able to say1 we disputed not in vain2 when by experience of the delight and profit of ,god's work1 we perceive that we do not worship him in vain3 otherwise to evince by a dispute1 that ,god should be worshipped1 and not to worship him when we have done1 is but to draw forth our learning1 and sharpen our wits1 to plead for our condemnation2 as if the accuser wanted our help1 or the ,judge of all the world did want evidence or arguments against us1 unless he had it from our own mouth4 ,concerning the sense of the terms1 ,i shall say somewhat1 both as to the subject1 and the predicate1 that we contend not in the dark2 and yet but little1 lest ,i trouble myself and you with needless labours4 #a4 ,by the worship of ,god we mean not only1 nor principally1 obedience as such1 or service in common things1 called 3 but we mean a religious performance of some sacred actions1 with an intention of honouring ,god as ,god2 and that more directly than in common works of obedience4 ,this being commonly called 1 is by ,austin1 and since him by all the orthodox1 appropriated to ,god alone2 and indeed to give it to any other is contradictory to its definition4 ,this worship is of two sorts1 whereof the first is by an excellency called worship1 viz4 ,when the honouring of ,god is so directly the end and whole business of the work1 that our own advantage falls in but impliedly1 and in evident subordination3 such are the blessed works of praise and thanksgiving1 which we here begin and shall in heaven perpetuate4 ,yet see a more admirable mystery of true religion2 we indeed receive more largely from ,god1 and enjoy more fully our own felicity in him1 in these acts of worship1 that give all to ,god1 than in the other1 wherein we more directly seek for somewhat from him4 ,and those are the second sort of worship actions1 viz4 ,when the substance or matter of the work is a seeking or receiving somewhat from ,god1 or delivering something religiously in his name1 and so is more directly for ourselves2 though yet it is ,god that should be our ultimate end in this too4 ,you may perceive ,i make this of three sorts4 ,whereof the first consisteth in our religious addresses to ,god for something that we want2 and is called prayer4 ,the second consisteth in our religious addresses to ,god to receive somewhat from him2 viz4 #a4 ,instructions1 precepts1 promises1 threatenings1 from his mouth1 messengers1 c4 #b4 ,the sacramental signs of his grace in baptism and the ,lord's supper4 ,the third is1 when the officers of ,christ do in his name solemnly deliver either his laws or sacraments4 ,his laws either in general by ordinary preaching1 or by a more particular application in acts of discipline4 #b4 ,the word solemn signifies sometimes any thing usual1 and so some derive it1 ,solenne est quod fieri solet4 ,sometimes that which is done but on one set day in the year2 and so some make solenne to be quasi solum semel in anno4 ,but vulgarly it is taken1 and so we take it here1 for both celebre et usitatum1 that is1 a thing that is not accidentally and seldom1 but statedly and ordinarily to be done1 and that with such gravity and honourable seriousness as beseems a business of such weight4 #c4 ,by family we mean1 not a tribe or stock of kindred1 dwelling in many houses1 as the word is taken oft in ,scripture1 but ,i mean a household4 ,domus et familia1 a household and family1 are indeed in economics somewhat different notions1 but one thing4 ,domus is to familia as civitas to respublica1 the former is made the subject of the latter1 the latter the finis internus of the former4 ,and so ,domus est societas natur consentanea1 e personis domesticis1 vit in dies omnes commode sustentand causa1 collecta4 ,familia est ordo domus per regimen patris-familias in personas sibi subjectas4 ,where note1 that to a complete family must go four integral parts1 ,pater-familias1 mater-familias1 filius1 servus1 ,a father1 mother1 son1 and servant4 ,but to the essence of a family it sufficeth if there be but the pars imperans1 et pars subdita1 one head or governor1 either father1 mother1 master1 or mistress2 and one or more governed under this head4 ,note therefore1 that the governor is an essential part of the family1 and so are some of the governed1 7viz4 that such there be17 but not each member4 ,if therefore twenty children or servants shall worship ,god without the father1 or master of the family1 either present himself1 or in some representative1 it is not a family worship in strict sense4 ,but if the head of the family in himself 7or delegate or representative7 be present1 with any of his children or servants1 though all the rest be absent1 it is yet a family duty2 though the family be incomplete and maimed 7and so is the duty therefore1 if culpably so performed74 #d4 ,when ,i say in and by a family1 ,i mean not that each must do the same parts of the work1 but that one 7either the head1 or some one deputed by him1 and representing him7 be the mouth1 and the rest performing their parts by receiving instructions1 or mentally concurring in the prayers and praise by him put up4 ,lastly1 ,by divine appointment ,i mean any signification of ,god's will1 that it is men's duty to perform this2 whether a signification by natural means or supernatural1 directly or by consequence1 so we may be sure it is ,god's will4 ,the sum of the question then is1 whether any sacred actions religiously and ordinarily to be performed to ,god's honour by the head of the family1 with the rest1 be by ,god's appointment made our duty8 ,my thoughts of this question ,i shall reduce to these heads1 and propound in this order4 #a4 ,i shall speak of family worship in general4 #b4 ,of the sorts of that worship in special4 #c4 ,of the time4 ,i4 ,concerning the first1 ,i lay down my thoughts in these propositions following1 for limitation and caution1 and then prove the main conclusion4 ,prop4 #a4 ,it is not all sorts of ,god's worship which he hath appointed to be performed by families as such2 there being some proper to more public assemblies4 #b4 ,more particularly the administration of the sacraments of baptism and the ,lord's supper1 are proper to the ministerial or organized churches1 and not common to families3 for as they are both of them committed only to ministers of the gospel1 and have been only used by them for many hundred years in the church2 7except that some permitted others to baptize in case of necessity72 so the ,lord's supper was appointed for a symbol and means of a more public communion than that of families4 ,and though some conjecture the contrary1 from its first institution1 and think that as there is a family prayer and church prayer1 family teaching and church teaching1 so there should be family sacraments and church sacraments1 yet it is a mistake4 ,for though ,christ administered it to his family1 yet it was not as a family1 but as a church4 ,for that which is but one family may possibly be a church also4 ,this exposition we have from the doctrine and practice of the apostles1 and constant custom of all the churches1 which have never thought the ,lord's supper to be a family duty1 but proper to larger assemblies1 and administrable only by ordained ministers4 ,nor will the reasons drawn from circumcision and the passover prove the contrary3 both because particular churches were not then instituted as now1 and therefore families had the more to do2 and because there were some duties proper to families in the very institution of those sacraments2 and because ,god gave them a power in those1 which he hath not given to masters of families now in our sacraments4 #c4 ,many thousands do by their own viciousness and negligence disable themselves1 so that they cannot perform what ,god hath made their duty2 yet it remains their duty still3 some disability may excuse them in part1 but not in whole4 ,i shall now prove1 that the solemn worship of ,god in and by families as such1 is of divine appointment4 ,argument ,i4 ,if families are societies of ,god's institution1 furnished with special advantages and opportunities for ,god's solemn worship1 having no prohibition so to use them2 then the solemn worship of ,god in and by families as such1 is of divine appointment4 ,but the antecedent is true2 therefore so is the consequent4 ,for the parts of the antecedent2 #a4 ,that families are societies of ,god's institution1 needeth no proof4 #b4 ,that they are furnished with special advantages and opportunities may appear by an enumeration of particulars4 7#a47 ,there is the advantage of authority in the ruler of the family1 whereby he may command all that are under him in ,god's worship1 yea1 and may inflict penalties on children and servants that refuse2 yea1 may cast some out of the family if they be obstinate4 7#b47 ,he hath the advantage of a singular interest in wife and children1 by which he may bring them to it willingly1 that so they may perform a right evangelical worship4 7#c47 ,he hath the advantage of a singular dependence of all upon him for daily provisions2 and of his children for their portions for livelihood in the world1 whereby he may yet further prevail with them for obedience2 he having a power to reward1 as well as to punish and command4 7#d47 ,they have the opportunity of cohabitation1 and so are still at hand1 and more together1 and so in readiness for such employments4 7#e47 ,being nearest in relation1 they are stronglier obliged to further each other's salvation1 and help each other in serving ,god4 7#f47 ,they have hereby an advantage against all prejudices and jealousies1 which strangeness and mistakes may raise and cherish among those that live at a greater distance1 and so may close more heartily in ,god's worship4 ,and their nearness of relation and natural affections do singularly advantage them for a more affectionate conjunction1 and so for a more forcible and acceptable worship of ,god1 when they are in it as of one heart and soul4 7#g47 ,if any misunderstanding or other impediment arise1 they being still at hand1 have opportunity to remove them1 and to satisfy each other2 and if any distempers of understanding1 heart1 or life1 be in the family1 the ruler1 by familiarity and daily converse1 is enabled more particularly to fit his reproofs and exhortations1 confessions and petitions1 accordingly1 which even ministers in the congregations cannot so well do4 ,so that ,i have made it evident in this enumeration1 that families have advantages1 yea1 special and most excellent advantages and opportunities for the solemn worship of ,god4 #c4 ,the last part of the antecedent was1 that they have no prohibition to use these advantages and opportunities to ,god's solemn worship4 ,i add this1 lest any should say1 though they have such advantages1 yet ,god may restrain them for the avoiding some greater inconveniencies another way2 as he hath restrained women from speaking in the assemblies4 ,but1 7#a47 ,god hath neither restrained them in the law of nature1 nor in the written law2 therefore not at all4 ,he that can show it in either1 let him do it4 7#b47 ,i never yet read or heard any knowing christian once affirm that ,god hath forbidden families solemnly to worship him1 and therefore ,i think it needless to prove a negative1 when no man is known to hold the affirmative4 ,indeed for some kinds of worship1 as preaching and expounding ,scripture1 some have prohibited them2 but not reading1 catechizing1 all instructing1 praying1 praises1 singing psalms1 much less all solemn worship wholly4 ,so much for the antecedent4 ,i now come to prove the consequence4 ,the foresaid advantages and opportunities are talents given by ,god1 which they that receive1 are obliged faithfully to improve for ,god2 therefore families having such advantages and opportunities for ,god's solemn worship1 are bound to improve them faithfully for ,god1 in the solemn worshipping of him4 ,for the antecedent1 #a4 ,it is unquestionable that these are talents1 that is1 improvable mercies given by ,god4 ,for as none dare deny them to be mercies1 so none dare 7,i hope7 say that ,god is not the giver of them4 ,and then1 #b4 ,that such talents must be improved faithfully for ,god1 from whom they are received1 is plain1 from ,matt4 xxv4 throughout1 especially ver4 #ad-ca4 ,and ,luke xx4 #aj1 he requireth the fruits of his vineyard2 and ,matt4 x4 #db1 if he intrust us with a cup of cold water1 he expecteth it for a prophet when he calleth for it4 ,and if he intrust us with outward riches1 he expecteth that we give to him that asketh1 ,matt4 v4 #db2 ,luke vi4 #cj1 #ch2 xi4 #da2 xii4 #cc4 ,his stewards must give an account of their stewardships1 ,luke xvi4 #b4 ,christ telleth us of all our talents in general1 ,luke xii4 #dh1 that ,unto whomsoever much is given1 of him shall be much required2 and to whom men have committed much1 of him they will ask the more4 ,and of our words in particular ,christ tells us1 ,matt4 xii4 #cf1 that of every idle word men shall give an account at the day of judgment4 ,much more for denying to use both our tongues and hearts in ,god's worship1 when he gives us such opportunities4 ,it is required in stewards1 that a man be found faithful1 #a ,cor4 iv4 #b4 ,as every man hath received the gift1 even so minister the same one to another1 as good stewards of the manifold grace of ,god4 ,if any man speak1 let him speak as the oracles of ,god1 c4 #a ,pet4 iv4 #aj1 #aa4 ,many more of the like scriptures prove the antecedent of the enthymeme1 and the consequent needs no proof4 ,arg4 ,,ii4 ,the solemn worship of ,god in and by families as such1 is required by the very law of nature1 therefore it is of divine institution4 ,the consequence can be denied by no man that renounceth not reason and nature itself2 denying the law of nature to be ,god's law1 which is indeed partly presupposed in the law supernatural1 and partly rehearsed in it1 but never subverted by it4 ,positives are more mutable than naturals are4 ,the antecedent is thus manifested4 #a4 ,natural reason 7or the law of nature7 requireth that all men do faithfully improve all the talents that ,god hath intrusted them with1 to his honour2 therefore natural reason 7or the law of nature7 doth require1 that ,god be solemnly worshipped in families1 he having given them such advantages as aforesaid thereunto4 #b4 ,the law of nature requireth1 that all societies that have ,god for their founder or institutor1 should1 to their utmost capacities1 be devoted to him that founded and instituted them3 but that ,god is the founder and institutor of families1 is known by the light of nature itself2 therefore the law of nature requireth1 that families be to the utmost of their capacities devoted to ,god2 and consequently1 that they solemnly worship him1 they being capable of so doing4 ,i need not prove the major1 because ,i speak only to men that are possessed of the law of nature mentioned in it2 and therefore they know it themselves to be true4 ,yet let me so far stay on the illustration1 as to tell you the grounds of it4 ,and1 #a4 ,god is the ,alpha and ,omega1 the first and the last1 the principal efficient and ultimate end of all2 and therefore of families4 ,and therefore they should be for him1 as well as they are from him3 for of him1 and through him1 and to him are all things4 ,this argument ,i draw from nature1 which can have no beginning but ,god1 nor any end but ,god4 ,the #b4 ,i draw from the divine intention1 in the fabrication and ordination of all things4 ,god made all things for himself1 and can have no ultimate end below himself4 ,the #c4 ,i draw from his jus dominii1 his right of propriety which he hath over all things1 and so over families as such2 they are all absolutely his own alone4 ,and that which is solely or absolutely a man's own1 should be for his use1 and employed to his honour and ends3 much more that which is ,god's1 seeing man is not capable of such a plenary propriety of any thing in the world1 as ,god hath in all things4 #d4 ,i argue a jure imperii1 from ,god's right of government4 ,if he have a full right of government of families1 as families1 then families as families must honour and worship him according to their utmost capacities4 ,but he hath a full right of absolute government over families as families2 therefore--,the consequence of the major is grounded on these two things3 #a4 ,that ,god himself is the end of his own government3 this is proper to his regimen4 ,all human government is said by politicians to be terminated ultimately in the public good of the society4 ,but ,god's pleasure and glory is the end of his government1 and is1 as it were1 the public or universal good4 #b4 ,in that nature teacheth us1 that supreme honour is due to all that are supreme governors2 therefore they are to have the most honourable titles1 of majesty1 highness1 excellency1 c4 and actions answerable to those titles3 ,mal4 i4 #f1 ,if ,i be a father1 where is mine honour8 if ,i be a master1 where is my fear8 ,fear is oft put for all ,god's worship4 ,if then there be no family whereof ,god is not the ,father or ,founder1 and the ,master1 or ,owner and ,governor1 then there is none but should honour and fear him1 or worship him1 and that not only as single men1 but as families2 because he is not only the ,father and ,master1 the ,lord and ,ruler of them as men1 but also as families4 ,honour is as due to the rector1 as protection to the subjects1 and in our case much more4 ,god is not a mere titular but real ,governor4 ,all powers on earth are derived from him1 and are indeed his power4 ,all lawful governors are his officers1 and hold their places under him1 and act by him4 ,as ,god therefore is the proper ,sovereign of every commonwealth1 and the ,head of the church1 so is he the ,head of every family4 ,therefore as every commonwealth should perform such worship or honour to their earthly sovereign1 as is due to man2 so each society should1 according to their capacities1 perform divine worship and honour to ,god4 ,and if any object1 ,that by this rule commonwealths1 as such1 must meet together to worship ,god1 which is impossible2 ,i answer1 ,they must worship him according to their natural capacities2 and so must families according to theirs4 ,the same general precept obligeth to a diverse manner of duty according to the divers capacities of the subject4 ,commonwealths must1 in their representatives at least1 engage themselves to ,god as commonwealths1 and worship him in the most convenient way that they are capable of4 ,families may meet together for prayer1 though a nation cannot4 ,as an association of churches1 called a provincial or national church1 is obliged to worship ,god1 as well as particular congregations1 yet not in one place2 because it is impossible3 nature limiteth and maketh the difference4 ,and that the obligation of families to honour and worship ,god1 may yet appear more evidently1 consider that ,god's right of propriety and rule is twofold1 yet each title plenary alone4 #a4 ,he is our ,owner and ,ruler upon his title of creation4 #b4 ,so he is by his right of redemption4 ,by both these he is not only ,lord and ,ruler of persons1 but families2 all societies being his2 and the regimen of persons being chiefly exercised over them in societies4 ,all power in heaven and earth is given unto ,christ1 ,matt4 xviii4 #ah2 and all judgment committed unto him1 ,john v4 #bb2 and all things delivered into his hands1 ,john xiii4 #c2 and therefore to him shall every knee bow1 both of things in heaven1 and things in earth1 and things under the earth2 7either with a bowing of worship1 or of forced acknowledgment27 and every tongue shall confess that ,jesus ,christ is ,lord to the glory of ,god the ,father1 ,phil4 ii4 #aj4 ,bowing to and confessing ,christ voluntarily to ,god's glory1 is true worship2 all must do this according to their several capacities2 and therefore families according to theirs4 ,a third consideration1 which ,i thought to have added but for illustration1 may well stand as an argument itself2 and it is this3 ,arg4 ,,iii4 ,if besides all the forementioned opportunities and obligations1 families do live in the presence of ,god1 and ought by faith to apprehend that presence1 then is it ,god's will that families as such should solemnly worship him4 ,but the former is true1 therefore the latter4 ,the consequence of the major1 which alone requires proof1 ,i prove by an argument a fortiori1 from the honour due to all earthly governors4 ,though when a king1 a father1 a master are absent1 such actual honour1 to be presented to them1 is not due1 because they are not capable of receiving it 7further than mediante aliqua persona1 vel re1 which beareth some representation of the superior1 or relation to him72 yet when they stand by1 it is a contemptuous subject1 a disobedient child1 that will not perform actual honour or human worship to them4 ,now ,god is ever present1 not only with each person as such1 but also with every family as such4 ,as he is said to walk among the golden candlesticks in his churches1 so doth he in the families of all by his common presence1 and of his servants by his gracious presence4 ,this they easily find by his directing them1 and blessing the affairs of their families4 ,if any say1 ,we see not ,god1 else we would daily worship him in our families4 ,answ4 ,faith seeth him who to sense is invisible4 ,if one of you had a son that were blind and could not see his own father1 would you think him therefore excusable1 if he would not honour his father1 when he knew him to be present8 ,we know ,god to be present1 though flesh be blind and cannot see him4 ,arg4 ,,iv4 ,if christian families 7besides all the forementioned advantages and obligations7 are also societies sanctified to ,god1 then is it ,god's will that families1 as such1 should solemnly worship him2 but christian families are societies sanctified to ,god2 therefore1 c4 ,the reason of the consequence is1 because things sanctified must in the most eminent sort1 that they are capable1 be used for ,god4 ,to sanctify a person or thing1 is to set it apart1 and separate it from a common or unclean use1 and to devote it to ,god1 to be employed in his service4 ,to alienate this from ,god1 or not to use it for ,god1 when it is dedicated to him1 or sanctified by his own election and separation of it from common use1 is sacrilege4 ,god hath a double right 7of creation and redemption7 to all persons4 ,but a treble right to the sanctified4 ,ananias his fearful judgment was a sad example of ,god's wrath1 on those that withhold from him what was devoted to him4 ,if christian families as such be sanctified to ,god1 they must as such worship him in their best capacity4 ,that christian families are sanctified to ,god ,i prove thus3 #a4 ,a society of holy persons must needs be a holy society4 ,but a family of christians is a society of holy persons2 therefore1 #b4 ,we find in ,scripture not only single persons1 but the societies of such1 sanctified to ,god4 ,deut4 vii4 #f1 ,thou art an holy people unto the ,lord thy ,god2 he hath chosen thee to be a special people to himself above all people that are upon the face of the earth4 ,so ,deut4 xiv4 #bj1 #ba4 ,so the body of that commonwealth did all jointly enter into covenant with ,god1 and ,god to them1 ,deut4 xxix42 xxx42 and xxvi4 #ag-ai1 ,thou hast vouched the ,lord this day to be thy ,god1 and to walk in his ways2 and the ,lord hath vouched thee this day to be his peculiar people1 that thou mayst be an holy people to the ,lord4 ,so chap4 xxviii4 #i2 ,dan4 viii4 #bd2 xii4 #g4 ,joshua1 chap4 xxiv4 devoteth himself and his house to the ,lord2 ,i and my house will serve the ,lord4 ,and ,abraham by circumcision 7the covenant1 or seal of the covenant of ,god7 consecrated his whole household to ,god2 and so were all families after him to do 7as to the males1 in whom the whole was consecrated74 ,and whether besides the typifying intent1 there were not somewhat more in the sanctifying of all the first-born to ,god1 who if they lived1 were to be the heads of the families1 may be questioned4 ,the passover was a family duty1 by which they were yet further sanctified to ,god4 ,yea1 it is especially to be observed how in the ,new ,testament1 the ,holy ,ghost doth imitate the language of the ,old1 and speak of ,god's people as of holy societies1 as the ,jews were4 ,as in many prophecies it was foretold that nations and kingdoms should serve him 7of which ,i have spoken more in my book of ,baptism72 and among those who should mourn over him whom they have pierced in gospel times1 when the spirit of grace and supplication is poured forth1 are the family of the house of ,david apart1 and their wives apart2 the family of the house of ,nathan apart1 and their wives apart2 every family1 even all the families that remained1 apart1 and their wives apart1 ,zech4 xi4 #ab-ad4 ,so ,christ sendeth his disciples to baptize nations1 having discipled them2 and the kingdoms of the world shall become the kingdoms of the ,lord1 and his ,christ4 ,and as1 ,exod4 xix4 #e1 #f1 ,god saith of the ,jews1 ,ye shall be a peculiar treasure to me above all people2 and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests1 and a holy nation2 so doth ,peter say of all christians1 #a ,pet4 ii4 #e-g1 #i1 ,ye also1 as living stones1 are built up a spiritual house1 an holy priesthood1 to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to ,god by ,jesus ,christ4 ,but ye are a chosen generation1 a royal priesthood1 an holy nation1 a peculiar people1 that you should show forth the praises of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light4 ,mark how fully this text doth prove all that we are about4 ,it speaks of christians collectively1 as in societies1 and in societies of all the most eminent sorts3 a generation2 which seems especially to refer to tribes and families3 a priesthood1 nation1 people2 which comprehendeth all the orders in the nation ofttimes4 ,and in all these respects they are holy1 and peculiar1 and chosen1 to show1 that ,god's people are sanctified in these relations and societies4 ,and then mark the end of this sanctification2 ver4 #e1 to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to ,god by ,jesus ,christ2 ver4 #i1 to show forth the praises of him that hath called you1 c4 ,yea1 it seems that there was a special dedication of families to ,god4 ,and therefore we read so frequently of households converted and baptized3 though none at age were baptized1 but such as seemed believers2 yet when they professed faith1 they were all together initiated as a household4 ,and it seems1 the master's interest and duty were taken to be so great for the conversion of the rest1 that as he was not content himself with his own conversion1 but to labour presently1 even before his baptism1 that his household should join with him1 that so the whole family at once might be devoted to ,god2 so ,god did bless this his own order and ordinance to that end3 and where he imposed duty on masters1 he usually gave success1 so that commonly the whole family was converted and baptized with the ruler of the family4 ,so ,acts xviii4 #h1 ,crispus believed on the ,lord with all his house1 and they were baptized2 and ,acts xvi4 #cb1 ,paul promiseth the jailer1 ,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shalt be saved and thy house2 and he and all his were baptized straightway2 for he believed in ,god with all his house1 ver4 #cc1 #cd4 ,and ,lydia is described a worshipper of ,god1 ,acts xvi4 #ad2 and ver4 #ae1 she was baptized and her household4 ,and the angel told ,cornelius1 that ,peter should tell him words whereby he and all his household should be saved1 who were baptized accordingly1 ,acts xi4 #ad4 ,and #a ,cor4 i4 #af1 ,paul baptized the household of ,stephanas4 ,and ,christ told ,zaccheus1 salvation was come that day unto his house1 and he and all his household believed4 ,so that nobleman1 ,john iv4 #ec4 ,therefore when ,christ sent forth his disciples1 he saith1 ,if the house be worthy1 let your peace come upon it1 but if it be not worthy1 let your peace return to you4 ,so that as it is apparently the duty of every christian sovereign1 to do what he is able to make all his people ,god's people2 and so to dedicate them to ,god as a holy nation1 in a national covenant1 as the ,israelites were3 so is it the unquestionable duty of every christian ruler of a family1 to improve his interest1 power1 and parts to the uttermost1 to bring all his family to be people of ,christ in the baptismal covenant1 and so to dedicate all his family to ,christ4 ,yet further ,i prove this1 in that believers themselves being all sanctified to ,god1 it must needs follow1 that all their lawful relations1 and especially all commanded states of relation1 are also sanctified to ,god2 for when themselves are dedicated to ,god1 it is absolutely without reserve1 to serve him with all that they have1 and in every relation and capacity that he shall set them4 ,it were a madness to think1 that a christian totally devoted unto ,god when he is a private man1 if he were after made a soldier1 a minister1 a magistrate1 a king1 were not bound by his dedication now to serve ,god as a soldier1 a minister1 a magistrate1 a king4 ,so he that is devoted to ,god in a single state1 is bound to serve him as a husband1 a father1 a master1 when he comes into that state3 we do devote all that we have to ,god1 when we devote ourselves to him4 ,moreover the ,scripture tells us1 that to the pure all things are pure1 ,tit4 i4 #ae1 #af4 ,and all things are sanctified to them by the word and prayer1 #a ,tim4 iv4 #e2 which is in that they are made the goods and enjoyments1 actions and relations of a sanctified people1 who are themselves devoted or sanctified to ,god3 so that all sanctification referreth ultimately and principally to ,god2 ,quod sanctum ,deo sanctum est2 though it may be said subordinately to be sanctified to us4 ,seeing then it is past all doubt that every christian is a man sanctified and devoted to ,god1 and that whenever any man is so devoted to ,god1 he is devoted to serve him to the utmost capacity in every state1 relation1 or condition that he is in1 and with all the faculties he possesseth1 it followeth that those relations are sanctified to ,god1 and in them he ought to worship him and honour him4 ,yet further we find in ,scripture1 that the particular family relations are expressly sanctified4 ,the family complete consisteth of three pairs of relations2 husband and wife1 parents and children1 masters and servants4 ,husbands must love their wives with a holy love in the ,lord1 even as the ,lord loved the church1 who gave himself for it1 to sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the word1 that he might present it to himself a glorious church1 ,eph4 v4 #be-bg4 ,wives must submit themselves to their husbands as unto the ,lord2 and be subject to them1 as the church is to ,christ1 ,eph4 v4 #bb-bd4 ,children must obey their parents in the ,lord1 ,eph4 vi4 #a4 ,parents must bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the ,lord1 ,eph4 vi4 #d4 ,servants must be obedient unto their masters as unto ,christ1 and as the servants of ,christ1 doing the will of ,god from their hearts with good will1 doing service as to the ,lord1 and not to man2 knowing that what good thing any man doth1 the same shall he receive of the ,lord1 whether he be bond or free3 and masters must do the same to them1 knowing that their ,master is in heaven1 ,eph4 vi4 #e-i4 ,so that it is evident that every distinct family relation is dedicated or holy to ,god and to be used to the utmost for ,god4 ,i shall have occasion to make further use anon of these texts for the particular sorts of worship1 though ,i now make use of them as for worship in general4 ,arg4 ,v4 ,the several sorts of solemn worship in and by christian families1 are found1 appointed1 used1 and commanded in the ,scripture1 therefore it may well be concluded of worship in the general2 seeing the genus is in each species4 ,but this argument brings me to the second part of my undertaking2 viz4 to prove the point as to some special kinds of worship2 which ,i the more hasten to1 because in so doing ,i prove the general also4 ,,ii4 ,concerning ,god's worship in special1 ,i shall speak but to two or three of the chief parts of it1 which belong to families4 ,and1 #a4 of teaching1 under which ,i comprise1 #a4 ,teaching the letter of the ,scripture1 7#a47 ,by reading it4 7#b47 ,by teaching others to read it4 7#c47 ,causing them to learn it by memory1 which is a kind of catechising4 #b4 ,teaching the sense of it4 #c4 ,applying what is so taught by familiar reproofs1 admonitions1 and exhortations4 ,prop4 ,,ii4 ,it is the will of ,god that the rulers of families should teach those that are under them the doctrine of salvation1 i4e4 the doctrine of ,god concerning salvation1 and the terms on which it is to be had1 and the means to be used for attaining it1 and all the duties requisite on our parts in order thereunto4 ,before ,i come to the proof1 take these cautions3 #a4 ,where ,i say men must thus teach1 ,i imply they must be able to teach1 and not teach before they are able2 and if they be not able it is their own sin1 ,god having vouchsafed them means for enablement4 #b4 ,men must measure their teaching according to their abilities1 and not pretend to more than they have1 nor attempt that which they cannot perform1 thereby incurring the guilt of proud self-conceitedness1 profanation1 or other abuse of holy things4 ,for example1 men that are not able judiciously to do it1 must not presume to interpret the original1 or to give the sense of dark prophecies1 and other obscure texts of ,scripture1 nor to determine controversies beyond their reach4 #c4 ,yet may such conveniently study what more learned1 able men say to such cases2 and tell their families1 this is the judgment of fathers1 or councils1 or such and such learned divines4 #d4 ,but ordinarily it is the safest1 humblest1 wisest1 and most orderly way for the master of the family to let controversies and obscure ,scriptures alone1 and to teach the plain1 few necessary doctrines commonly contained in catechisms1 and to direct in matters of necessary practice4 #e4 ,family teaching must stand in a subordination to ministerial teaching1 as families are subordinate to churches2 and therefore1 7#a47 ,family teaching must give place to ministerial teaching1 and never be set against it2 you must not be hearing the master of a family1 when you should be in a church hearing the pastor2 and if the pastor send for servants or children to be catechised in any fit place or at any fit time1 the master is not then to be doing it himself1 or to hinder them1 but they must go first to the pastor to be taught2 also if a pastor come into a family1 the master is to give place1 and the family to hear him first4 7#b47 ,and therefore when any hard text or controversies fall in1 the master should consult with the pastor for their exposition1 unless it fall out that the master of the family be better learned in the ,scripture than the pastor is1 which is rare1 and rarer should be1 seeing unworthy ministers should be removed1 and private men that are worthy should be made ministers4 ,and the pastors should be the ablest men in the congregation4 ,now to the proof 7remembering still that whatsoever proves it the ruler's duty to teach1 must needs prove it the family's duty to learn1 and to hearken to his teaching that they may learn74 ,arg4 ,i4 ,from ,deut4 xi4 #ah-ba1 ,therefore shall you lay up these my words in your hearts1 and in your soul1 and bind them for a sign upon your hand1 that they may be as frontlets between your eyes2 and you shall teach them your children1 speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house1 and when thou walkest by the way1 and when thou liest down1 and when thou risest up2 and thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house1 and upon your gates2 that your days may be multiplied1 and the days of your children4 ,the like words are in ,deut4 vi4 #f-h1 where it is said1 ,and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children4 ,so ,deut4 iv4 #i1 ,teach them thy sons1 and thy sons' sons4 ,here there is one part of family duty1 viz4 teaching children the laws of ,god1 as plainly commanded as words can express it4 ,arg4 ,,ii4 ,from these texts which commend this4 ,gen4 xviii4 #ah1 #ai1 ,all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him1 for ,i know him that he will command his children and his household after him2 and they shall keep the way of the ,lord2 and it was not only a command at his death what they should do when he was dead2 for1 #a4 ,it cannot be imagined that so holy a man should neglect a duty all his lifetime1 and perform it but at death1 and be commended for that4 #b4 ,he might then have great cause to question the efficacy4 #c4 ,as ,god commandeth a diligent inculcating precepts on children1 so no doubt it is a practice answerable to such precepts that is here commended2 and it is not bare teaching1 but commanding1 that is here mentioned1 to show that it must be an improvement of authority1 as well as of knowledge and elocution4 ,so #b ,tim4 iii4 #ae4 ,from a child ,timothy knew the ,scripture by the teaching of his parents1 as appeareth1 #b ,tim4 i4 #e4 ,arg4 ,,iii4 ,eph4 vi4 #d1 ,bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the ,lord2 1 translated nurture1 signifieth both instruction and correction1 showing that parents must use both doctrine and authority1 or force1 with their children for the matters of the ,lord2 and 1 translated admonition1 signifieth such instruction as putteth doctrine into the mind1 and chargeth it on them1 and fully storeth their minds therewith2 and it also signifieth chiding1 and sometimes correction4 ,and it is to be noted1 that children must be brought up in this2 the word 1 signifying carefully to nourish1 importeth that as you feed them with milk and bodily food1 so you must as carefully and constantly feed and nourish them with the nurture and admonition of the ,lord4 ,it is called the nurture and admonition of the ,lord1 because the ,lord commandeth it1 and because it is the doctrine concerning the ,lord1 and the doctrine of his teaching1 and the doctrine that leadeth to him4 ,arg4 ,,iv4 ,prov4 xxii4 #f1 ,train up a child in the way where he should go1 and when he is old he will not depart from it4 ,arg4 ,v4 ,from all those places that charge children to hearken to the instructions of their parents1 ,prov4 i4 #h1 ,my son1 hear the instruction of thy father1 and forsake not the law of thy mother4 ,prov4 vi4 #bj is the like2 and iii4 #bb1 with many the like4 ,yea1 the son that is stubborn and rebellious against the instruction and correction of a father or mother in gluttony1 drunkenness1 c4 was to be brought forth to the magistrate1 and stoned to death1 ,deut4 xxi4 #ah-bj4 ,now all the scriptures that require children to hear their parents1 do imply that the parents must teach their children2 for there is no hearing and learning without teaching4 ,but lest you say that parents and children are not the whole family1 7though they may be1 and in ,abraham's ease before mentioned1 the whole household is mentioned17 the next shall speak to other relations4 ,arg4 ,,vi4 #a ,pet4 iii4 #g1 ,likewise1 ye husbands1 dwell with them 7your wives7 according to knowledge2 and ,eph4 v4 #be1 #bf1 ,love your wives as ,christ loved the church and gave himself for it1 that he might sanctify and cleanse it4 ,and this plainly implies that this knowledge must be used for the instruction and sanctification of the wife4 #a ,cor4 xiv4 #cd1 #ce1 women must keep silence in the church1 for it is not permitted unto them to speak1 but they are to be under obedience1 as also saith the law4 ,if they will learn any thing1 let them ask their husbands at home4 ,which shows that at home their husbands must teach them4 ,arg4 ,,vii4 ,col4 iii4 #bb-be2 ,eph4 vi4 #e-h1 ,servants must be obedient unto their masters as unto ,christ1 and serve them as serving the ,lord ,christ1 and therefore ministers must command in ,christ4 ,arg4 ,,viii4 ,a fortiori1 fellow-christians must exhort one another daily while it is called to-day1 lest any be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin2 much more must the rulers of families do so to wives1 children1 and servants4 #a ,pet4 iv4 #aa1 ,if any speak1 it must be as the oracles of ,god2 much more to our own families4 ,col4 iii4 #af1 ,let the word of ,god dwell in you richly in all wisdom1 teaching and admonishing one another2 and much more must a man do this to wife1 children1 and servants1 than to those more remote4 ,arg4 ,,ix4 ,those that are to be chosen deacons or bishops1 must be such as rule their own children and their own household well1 #a ,tim4 iii4 #d1 #ab4 ,now mark1 #a4 ,that this is one of those christian virtues which they were to have before they were made officers1 therefore other christians must have and perform it as well as they4 #b4 ,it is a religious1 holy governing1 such as a minister is to exercise over his flock1 that is here mentioned1 which is in the things of ,god and salvation1 or else the comparison or argument would not suit2 ver4 #e1 ,for if a man know not how to rule his own house1 how shall he rule the church of ,god8 ,but of this more before4 ,i would say more on this point1 but ,i think it so clear in ,scripture as to make it needless3 ,i pass therefore to the next4 ,prop4 ,,iii4 ,family discipline is part of ,god's solemn worship or service appointed in his word4 ,this is not called worship in so near a sense as some of the rest1 but more remotely2 yet so it may well be called1 in that1 #a4 ,it is an authoritative act done by commission from ,god2 #b4 ,upon such as disobey him1 and as such2 #c4 ,and to his glory2 yea1 and it should be done with as great solemnity and reverence1 as other parts of worship4 ,the acts of this discipline are1 #a4 ,denying the ungodly entrance into the family4 #b4 ,correcting2 #c4 ,or casting out those that are in4 ,i shall be but brief on these4 #a4 ,the first you have #b ,john #aj1 ,if there come any to you and bring not this doctrine1 receive him not into your house1 neither bid him ,god speed2 for he that biddeth him ,god speed is partaker of his evil deeds4 #b4 ,the duty of correcting1 either by corporal1 sensible punishment1 or by withdrawing some benefit1 is so commonly required in ,scripture1 especially towards children1 that ,i will not stand on it1 lest ,i speak in vain what you all know already2 and how ,eli suffered for neglecting it1 you know4 #c4 ,the discipline of casting the wicked out of the family 7servants ,i mean1 who are separable members7 you may find ,psal4 ci4 #b1 #c1 #g1 #h1 ,i will walk within my house with a perfect heart1 ,i will set no wicked thing before mine eyes4 ,he that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house2 he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight4 ,prop4 ,,iv4 ,solemn prayer and praises of ,god in and by christian families is of divine appointment4 #a4 ,for proof of this1 ,i must desire you to look back to all the arguments which proved the dueness of worship in general1 for they will yet more especially prove this sort of worship1 seeing prayer and praise are most immediately and eminently called ,god's worship of any2 7under praises ,i comprehend psalms of praise1 and under prayer1 psalms of prayer27 yet let us add some more4 ,arg4 ,i4 ,it is ,god's will that christians who have fit occasions and opportunities for prayer and praises should improve them1 but christian families have fit occasions and opportunities for prayer and praise1 therefore it is ,god's will they should improve them4 ,the major is evident in many ,scripture precepts4 #a ,tim4 ii4 #h1 ,i will therefore that men pray every where1 lifting up holy hands1 without wrath and doubting4 #a ,thess4 v4 #ag1 #ah1 ,pray without ceasing2 in every thing give thanks2 for this is the will of ,god concerning you4 ,col4 iv4 #b1 ,continue in prayer1 and watch in the same with thanksgiving4 ,col4 iii4 #af1 #ag1 ,teaching and admonishing one another in psalms1 and hymns1 and spiritual songs1 singing with grace in your hearts unto the ,lord3 and whatsoever ye do in word or deed1 do all in the name of the ,lord ,jesus2 giving thanks unto ,god and the ,father by him4 ,rom4 xii4 #ab1 ,continuing instant in prayer4 ,praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit1 and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints2 and for me that utterance may be given me1 ,eph4 vi4 #ah4 ,many the like texts might be named1 every one of which afford an argument for family praises most effectual4 #a4 ,if men must pray every where1 7that is convenient17 then sure in their families4 ,but1 c4 ,erg4 #b4 ,if men must pray without ceasing1 then sure in their families4 #c4 ,if men must in every thing give thanks1 then sure in family mercies1 and then1 according to the nature of them1 together4 #d4 ,if men must continue in prayer and watch in it1 7for fit advantages and against impediments17 and in thanksgiving1 then doubtless they must not omit the singular advantages which are administered in families4 #e4 ,if we must continue instant in prayer and supplication1 c4 then doubtless in family prayer1 in our families1 unless that be no place and no prayer4 ,object4 ,but this binds us no more to prayer in our families than any where else4 ,answ4 ,yes1 it binds us to take all fit opportunities2 and we have more fit opportunities in our own families than in other men's1 or than in occasional meetings1 or than in any ordinary societies1 except the church4 ,and here let me tell you1 that it is ignorance to call for particular express ,scripture1 to require praying in families1 as if we thought the general commands did not comprehend this particular1 and were not sufficient4 ,god doth in much wisdom leave out of his written law the express determination of some of those circumstantials1 or the application of general precepts to some of those subjects1 to which common reason and the light of nature sufficeth to determine and apply them4 ,the ,scripture giveth us the general1 ,pray alway with all manner of prayer in all places1 that is1 omit no fit advantages and opportunities for prayer4 ,what if ,god had said no more than this about prayer in ,scripture8 ,it seems some men would have said1 ,god hath not required us to pray at all1 7when he requireth us to pray always17 because he tells us not when and where1 and how oft1 and with whom1 and in what words1 c4 ,and so they would have concluded ,god no where bids us pray in secret1 nor pray in families1 nor pray in assemblies1 nor pray with the godly1 nor with the wicked1 nor pray every day1 nor once a week2 nor with a book1 nor without a book1 and therefore not at all4 ,as if the general ,pray on all fit occasions were nothing4 ,but these men must know that nature also and reason are ,god's light1 and ,providence oft determineth of such subjects and adjuncts3 and the general law1 and these together1 do put all out of doubt4 ,what if ,god telleth you1 ,he that provideth not for his own1 especially those of his household1 hath denied the faith1 and is worse than an infidel1 and do not tell you either who are your families1 and who not1 nor what provision you shall make for them1 what food1 what clothes1 or how oft they must feed1 c42 will you say ,god hath not bid you feed or clothe this child1 or that servant8 ,it is enough that ,god chargeth you to provide for your families1 in the ,scripture2 and that in nature he tell you which are your families1 and what provision to make for them1 and how oft1 and in what quantity1 c4 ,and so if ,god bid you pray in all places1 and at all times1 on all occasions1 7that are fit for prayer17 and experience and common reason tell you that families afford most fit times1 place1 and occasions for prayer1 is not this enough1 that there are such seasons1 and opportunities1 and occasions for family prayer8 ,i refer you to the particular discoveries of them in the beginning1 where ,i proved the dueness of worship in general to be there performed4 ,and ,i refer you also to common reason itself1 not fearing the contradiction of any man whose impiety hath not made him unreasonable1 and prevailed against the common light of nature4 ,this first general argument were enough1 if men were not so averse to their duty that they cannot know because they will not3 but let us therefore add some more4 ,arg4 ,,ii4 ,if there be many blessings which the family needeth1 and which they do actually receive from ,god1 then it is the will of ,god that the family pray for these blessings when they need them1 and give thanks for them when they have received them3 but there are many blessings which the family 7as conjunct7 needeth and receiveth of ,god4 ,therefore the family conjunct1 and not only particular members secretly1 should pray for them and give thanks for them4 ,the antecedent is past question2 #a4 ,the continuance of the family as such in being4 #b4 ,in well being4 #c4 ,and so the preservation and direction of the essential members4 #d4 ,and the prospering of all family affairs are evident instances3 and to descend to mere particulars would be needless tediousness4 ,the consequence is proved from many scriptures1 which require those that want mercies to ask them1 and those that have received them to be thankful for them4 ,object4 ,so they may do singly4 ,answ4 ,it is not only as single persons1 but as a society1 that they receive the mercy2 therefore not only as single persons1 but as a society1 should they pray and give thanks3 therefore should they do it in that manner1 as may be most fit for a society to do it in1 and that is1 together conjunctly1 that it may be indeed a family sacrifice1 and that each part may see that the rest join with them4 ,and especially that the ruler may be satisfied in this1 to whom the oversight of the rest is committed3 to see that they all join in prayer1 which in secret he cannot see1 it being not fit that secret prayer should have spectators or witness1 that is1 should not be secret4 ,but this ,i intended to make another argument by itself2 which because we are fallen on it1 ,i will add next4 ,arg4 ,,iii4 ,if ,god hath given charge to the ruler of the family to see that the rest do worship him in that family1 then ought the ruler to cause them solemnly or openly to join in that worship4 ,but ,god hath given charge to the ruler of the family1 to see that the rest do worship him in that family2 therefore1 c4 ,the reason of the consequence is1 because otherwise he can with no convenience see that they do it4 ,for1 #a4 ,it is not fit that he should stand by while they pray secretly4 #b4 ,nor are they able vocally to do it1 in most families1 but have need of a leader2 it being not a thing to be expected of every woman1 and child1 and servant1 7that had wanted good education17 that they should be able to pray without a guide1 so as is fit for others to hear4 #c4 ,it would take almost all the time of the ruler of many families1 to go to them one after another1 and stand by them while they pray1 till all have done3 what man in his wits can think this to be so fit a course1 as for the family to join together1 the ruler being the mouth8 ,the antecedent ,i prove thus3 #a4 ,the fourth commandment requireth the ruler of the family not only to see that himself sanctify the sabbath day1 but also that his son and daughter1 and man-servant1 and maid-servant1 his cattle1 7that is1 so far as they are capable17 yea1 and the stranger that is within his gates1 should do it4 #b4 ,it was committed to ,abraham's charge to see that all in his family were circumcised3 so was it afterwards to every ruler of a family2 insomuch as the angel threatened ,moses1 when his son was uncircumcised4 #c4 ,the ruler of the family was to see that the passover was kept by every one in his family1 ,exod4 xii4 #b1c1 c42 and so the feast of weeks1 ,deut4 xxvi4 #aa1 #ab4 ,all that is said before tendeth to prove this1 and much more might be said1 if ,i thought it would be denied4 ,arg4 ,,iv4 ,if ,god prefer1 and would have us prefer1 the prayers and praises of many conjunct1 before the prayers and praises of those persons dividedly1 then is it his will that the particular persons of christian families should prefer conjunct prayer and praises before disjunct3 but the antecedent is true1 therefore so is the consequent4 ,or thus1 take it for the same argument or another4 ,if it be the duty of neighbours1 when they have occasion and opportunity1 rather to join together in praises of common concernment1 than to do it dividedly1 then much more is this the duty of families3 but it is the duty of neighbours2 therefore1 c4 ,in the former argument the reason of the consequence is1 because that way is to be taken that ,god is best pleased with4 ,the reason of the consequence in the latter is1 because family members are more nearly related than neighbours1 and have much more advantage and opportunity for conjunction1 and more ordinary reasons to urge them to it1 from the conjunction of their interest and affairs4 ,there is nothing needs proof but the antecedent1 which ,i shall put past all doubt by these arguments4 #a4 ,col4 iii4 #af1 ,teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs1 singing with grace in your hearts unto the ,lord4 ,here is one duty of praise required to be done together1 and not apart only4 ,i shall yet make further use of this text anon4 #b4 ,acts xii4 #ab1 ,many were gathered together praying in ,mary's house1 when ,peter came to the door4 ,this was not an assembly of the whole church1 but a small part3 they judged it better to pray together than alone4 #c4 ,acts xx4 #cf1 ,paul prayed together with all the elders of the church of ,ephesus1 when he had them with him2 and did not choose rather to let them pray each man alone4 #d4 ,james v4 #ae1 #af1 ,james commands the sick to send for the elders of the church1 and let them pray over him1 and the prayer of the faithful shall save the sick1 c4 ,he doth not bid send to them to pray for you2 but he would have them join together in doing it4 #e4 ,church prayers are preferred before private on this ground1 and we commanded not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together1 ,heb4 x4 #be4 #f4 ,striving together in prayer is desired1 ,rom4 xv4 #cj4 #g4 ,matt4 xviii4 #bj1 ,for where two or three are gathered together in my name1 there am ,i in the midst of them4 #h4 ,therefore ,christ came among the disciples when they were gathered together1 after his resurrection3 and sent down the ,holy ,ghost when they were gathered together1 ,acts ii4 ,and they continued with one accord in prayer and supplication1 ,acts i4 #ad1 #bd2 ii4 #db4 ,and when they had prayed1 the place was shaken where they had assembled together1 and they were all filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 c4 ,acts iv4 #ca4 #i4 ,is not this implied1 in ,christ's directing his disciples to pray in the plural number1 ,our ,father1 c4 ,give us this day1 c4 #aj4 ,the very necessity of the persons proves it1 in that few societies are such but that most are unable to express their own wants so largely as to affect their hearts1 so much as when others do it that are better stored with affection and expression4 ,and this is one of ,god's ways for communion and communication of grace2 that those that have much may help to warm and kindle those that have less4 ,experience telleth us the benefit of this4 ,as all the body is not an eye or hand1 so not a tongue1 and therefore the tongue of the church and of the family must speak for the whole body3 not but that each one ought to pray in secret too3 but1 7#a47 ,there the heart without the tongue may better serve turn4 7#b47 ,they still ought to prefer conjunct prayer4 ,and1 7#c47 ,the communion of saints is an article of our creed1 which binds us to acknowledge it fit to do as much of ,god's work as we can in communion with the saints1 not going beyond our callings1 nor into confusion4 ,arg4 ,v4 ,it is a duty to receive all the mercies that ,god offereth us3 but for a family to have access to ,god in joint prayers and praises1 is a mercy that ,god offereth them2 therefore it is their duty to accept it4 ,the major is clear in nature and ,scripture1 ,because ,i have offered and ye refused1 is ,god's great aggravation of the sin of the rebellious4 ,how oft would ,i have gathered you together1 and ye would not6 ,all the day long have ,i stretched out my hand1 c4 ,to refuse an offered kindness1 is contempt and ingratitude4 ,the minor is undeniable by any christian1 that ever knew what family prayers and praises were4 ,who dare say that it is no mercy to have such a joint access to ,god8 ,who feels not conjunction somewhat help his own affections1 who makes conscience of watching his heart8 ,arg4 ,,vi4 ,part of the duties of families are such that they apparently lose their chiefest life and excellency if they be not performed jointly2 therefore they are so to be performed4 ,i mean1 singing of psalms1 which ,i before proved an ordinary duty of conjunct christians1 therefore of families4 ,the melody and harmony are lost by our separation1 and consequently the alacrity and quickening which our affections should get by it4 ,and if part of ,god's praises must be performed together1 it is easy to see that the rest must be so too4 7,not to speak of teaching1 which cannot be done alone47 ,arg4 ,,vii4 ,family prayer and praises are a duty owned by the teaching and sanctifying work of the ,spirit2 therefore they are of ,god4 ,i would not argue backwards from the ,spirit's teaching to the word's commanding1 but on these two suppositions2 #a4 ,that the experiment is very general1 and undeniable4 #b4 ,that many texts of ,scripture are brought already for family prayer2 and that this argument is but to second them and prove them truly interpreted4 ,the ,spirit and the word do always agree3 if therefore ,i can prove that the ,spirit of ,god doth commonly work men's hearts to a love and savour of these duties1 doubtless they are of ,god4 ,sanctification is a transcript of the precepts of the word on the heart1 written out by the ,spirit of ,god4 ,so much for the consequence4 ,the antecedent consisteth of two parts2 #a4 ,that the sanctified have in them inclinations to these duties4 #b4 ,that these inclinations are from the ,spirit of ,god4 ,the first needs no proof1 being a matter of experience4 ,i appeal to the heart of every sound and stable christian1 whether he feel not a conviction of this duty and an inclination to the performance of it4 ,i never met with one such to my knowledge that was otherwise minded4 ,object4 ,many in our times are quite against family prayer1 who are good christians4 ,answ4 ,i know none of them4 ,i confess ,i once thought some very good christians that now are against them1 but now they appear otherwise1 not only by this but by other things4 ,i know none that cast off these duties1 but they took up vile sins in their stead1 and cast off other duties as well as these3 let others observe and judge as they find4 #b4 ,the power of delusion may for a time make a christian forbear as unlawful1 that which his very new nature is inclined to4 ,as some think it unlawful to pray in our assemblies1 and some to join in sacraments3 and yet they have a spirit within them that inclineth their hearts to it still1 and therefore they love it1 and wish it were lawful1 even when they forbear it upon a conceit that it is unlawful4 ,and so it is possible for a time some may do by family duties3 but as ,i expect that these ere long recover1 so for my part ,i take all the rest to be graceless3 prejudice and error as a temptation may prohibit the exercise of a duty1 when yet the ,spirit of ,god doth work in the heart an inclination to that duty in sanctifying it4 #b4 ,and that these inclinations are indeed from the ,spirit is evident1 #a4 ,in that they come in with all other grace4 #b4 ,and by the same means4 #c4 ,and are preserved by the same means1 standing or falling1 increasing or decreasing1 with the rest4 #d4 ,and are to the same end4 #e4 ,and are so generally in all the saints4 #f4 ,and so resisted by flesh and blood4 #g4 ,and so agreeable to the word1 that a christian sins against his new nature1 when he neglects family duties4 ,and ,god doth by his ,spirit create a desire after them1 and an estimation of them in every gracious soul4 ,arg4 ,,viii4 ,family prayer and praises are a duty ordinarily crowned with admirable1 divine1 and special blessings3 therefore it is of ,god2 the consequence is evident4 ,for though common1 outward prosperity may be given to the wicked1 who have their portion in this life1 yet so is not prosperity of soul4 ,for the antecedent ,i willingly appeal to the experience of all the holy families in the world4 ,who ever used these duties seriously1 and found not the benefits8 ,what families be they1 in which grace and heavenly-mindedness prosper1 but those that use these duties8 ,compare in all your towns1 cities1 and villages1 the families that read ,scriptures1 pray1 and praise ,god1 with those that do not1 and see the difference3 which of them abound more with impiety1 with oaths1 and cursings1 and railings1 and drunkenness1 and whoredoms1 and worldliness1 c42 and which abound most with faith1 and patience1 and temperance1 and charity1 and repentance1 and hope1 c4 ,the controversy is not hard to decide4 ,look to the nobility and gentry of ,england2 see you no difference between those that have been bred in praying families and the rest8 ,i mean1 taking them 7as we say7 one with another proportionably4 ,look to the ministers of ,england2 is it praying families or prayerless families that have done most to the well furnishing of the universities4 ,arg4 ,,ix4 ,all churches ought solemnly to pray to ,god and praise him3 a christian family is a church2 therefore1 c4 ,the major is past doubt2 the minor ,i prove from the nature of a church in general1 which is a society of christians combined for the better worshipping and serving of ,god4 ,i say not that a family1 formally as a family1 is a church2 but every family of christians ought moreover1 by such a combination1 to be a church3 yea1 as christians they are so combined1 seeing christianity tieth them to serve ,god conjunctly together in their relations4 #b4 ,scripture expresseth it2 #a ,cor4 xvi4 #ai1 ,aquila and ,priscilla salute you much in the ,lord1 with the church that is in their house4 ,he saith not1 which meeteth in their house1 but1 which is in it4 ,so ,philemon #b1 ,and to the church in thy house4 ,rom4 xvi4 #e1 ,likewise greet the church that is in their house4 ,col4 iv4 #ae1 ,salute the brethren that are at ,laodicea1 and ,nymphas1 and the church which is in his house4 ,though some learned men take these to be meant of part of the churches assembling in these houses1 yet ,beza1 ,grotius1 and many others1 acknowledge it to be meant of a family or domestic church1 according to that of ,tertullian1 ubi tres licet laici ibi ecclesia1 yet ,i say not that such a family church is of the same species with a particular organized church of many families4 ,but it could not 7so much as analogically7 be called a church if they might not and must not pray together1 and praise ,god together3 for these therefore it fully concludeth4 ,arg4 ,x4 ,if rulers must teach their families the word of ,god1 then must they pray with them3 but they must teach them2 therefore1 c4 ,the antecedent is fully proved by express ,scripture already2 see also ,psal4 lxxviii4 #d-f4 ,ministers must teach from house to house2 therefore rulers themselves must do it1 ,acts v4 #db2 xx4 #bj4 ,the consequence is proved good3 #a4 ,the apostles prayed when they preached or instructed christians in private assemblies1 ,acts xx4 #cf1 and other places4 #b4 ,we have special need of ,god's assistance in reading the ,scriptures1 to know his mind in them1 and to make them profitable to us2 therefore we must seek it4 #c4 ,the reverence due to so holy a business requireth it4 #d4 ,we are commanded in all things to make our requests known to ,god with prayers1 supplications1 and thanksgiving1 and that with all manner of prayer1 in all places1 without ceasing2 therefore especially on such occasions as the reading of ,scriptures and instructing others3 and ,i think that few men that are convinced of the duty of reading ,scripture and solemn instructing their families1 will question the duty of praying for ,god's blessing on it1 when they set upon the work4 ,yea1 a christian's own conscience will provoke him reverently to begin all with ,god in the imploring of his acceptance1 and aid1 and blessing4 ,arg4 ,,xi4 ,if rulers of families are bound to teach their families to pray1 then are they bound to pray with them3 but they are bound to teach them to pray2 therefore1 c4 ,in the foregoing argument ,i speak of teaching in general3 here ,i speak of teaching to pray in special4 ,the antecedent of the major ,i prove thus3 #a4 ,they are bound to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the ,lord1 ,eph4 vi4 #dd2 therefore to teach them to pray and praise ,god2 for the nurture and admonition of the ,lord containeth that4 #b4 ,they are bound to teach them the fear of the ,lord1 and train them up in the way that they should go1 and that is doubtless in the way of prayer and praising ,god4 ,the consequence appeareth here to be sound1 in that men cannot be well and effectually taught to pray1 without praying with them1 or in their hearing2 therefore they that must teach them to pray1 must pray with them4 ,it is like music1 which you cannot well teach any man1 without playing or singing to him2 seeing teaching must be by practising3 and in most practical doctrines it is so in some degree4 ,if any question this1 ,i appeal to experience4 ,i never knew any man that was well taught by man to pray1 without practising it before them4 ,they that ever knew any such1 may have the more colour to object2 but ,i did not3 or if they did1 yet so rare a thing is not to be made the ordinary way of our endeavours1 any more than we should forbear teaching men the most curious artifices by ocular demonstration1 because some wits have learned them by few words1 or of their own invention3 they are cruel to children and servants that teach them not to pray by practice and example4 ,arg4 ,,xii4 ,from #a ,tim4 iv4 #c-e1 ,meats which ,god hath created to be received with thanksgiving--for it is sanctified by the word of ,god and prayer4 ,here mark1 #a4 ,that all our meat is to be received with thanksgiving2 not only with a disposition of thankfulness4 #b4 ,that this is twice repeated here together expressly1 yea1 thrice in sense4 #c4 ,that ,god created them so to be received4 #d4 ,that it is made a condition of the goodness1 that is1 the blessing of the creature to our use4 #e4 ,that the creature is said to be sanctified by ,god's word and prayer2 and so to be unsanctified to us before4 #f4 ,that the same thing which is called thanksgiving in the two former verses1 is called prayer in the last2 else the consequence of the apostle could not hold1 when he thus argues1 ,it is good if it be received with thanksgiving1 because it is sanctified by prayer4 ,hence ,i will draw these two arguments3 #a4 ,if families must with thanksgiving receive their meat as from ,god1 then is the thanksgiving of families a duty of ,god's appointment3 but the former is true1 therefore so is the latter4 ,the antecedent is plain3 all must receive their meat with thanksgiving2 therefore families must4 ,they eat together2 therefore they must give thanks together3 and that prayer is included in thanksgiving in this text1 ,i manifested before4 #b4 ,it is the duty of families to use means that all ,god's creatures may be sanctified to them3 prayer is the means to be used that all ,god's creatures may be sanctified to them2 therefore it is the duty of families to use prayer4 ,arg4 ,,xiii4 ,from #a ,pet4 iii4 #g1 ,likewise1 ye husbands1 dwell with them according to knowledge1 giving honour to the wife as to the weaker vessel1 and as being heirs together of the grace of life1 that your prayers be not hindered4 ,that prayer which is especially hindered by ignorant and unkind converse it is1 that is especially meant here in this text3 but it is conjunct prayer that is especially so hindered2 therefore1 c4 ,i know that secret1 personal prayer is also hindered by the same causes2 but not so directly and notably as conjunct prayer is4 ,with what hearts can husband and wife join together as one soul in prayer to ,god1 when they abuse and exasperate each other1 and come hot from chidings and dissensions8 ,this seemeth the true meaning of the text4 ,and so1 the conjunct prayer of husband and wife being proved a duty1 7who sometimes constitute a family17 the same reasons will include the rest of the family also4 ,arg4 ,,xiv4 ,from ,col4 iii4 #af1 #ag1 to iv4 #d1 ,let the word of ,god dwell in you richly in all wisdom1 teaching and admonishing one another in psalms1 and hymns1 and spiritual songs1 singing with grace in your hearts to the ,lord3 and whatsoever ye do in word or deed1 do all in the name of the ,lord ,jesus2 giving thanks to ,god and the ,father by him4 ,wives1 submit yourselves1 c4 ,chap4 iv4 #b1 ,continue in prayer1 and watch in the same with thanksgiving4 ,hence ,i may fetch many arguments for family prayers4 #a4 ,it appeareth to be family prayers principally that the apostle here speaketh of2 for it is families that he speaks to3 for in ver4 #af1 #ag1 he speaketh of prayer and thanksgiving2 and in the next words he speaketh to each family relation1 wives1 husbands1 children1 parents1 servants1 masters2 and in the next words1 continuing his speech to the same persons1 he bids them continue in prayer1 and watch in the same1 c4 ,if neighbours are bound to speak together in psalms1 and hymns1 and spiritual songs1 with grace in their hearts to the ,lord1 and to continue in prayer and thanksgiving2 then families much more1 who are nearlier related1 and have more necessities and opportunities1 as is said before4 #c4 ,if whatever we do in word or deed1 we must do all in the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 giving thanks2 then families must needs join in giving thanks4 ,for they have much daily business in word and deed to be done together and asunder4 ,arg4 ,,xv4 ,from ,dan4 vi4 #aj1 ,when ,daniel knew that the writing was signed1 he went into his house1 and his window being open in his chamber towards ,jerusalem1 he kneeled upon his knees three times a day1 and prayed1 and gave thanks before his ,god1 as he did aforetime4 ,then these men assembled1 and found ,daniel praying and making supplication before his ,god4 ,here note1 #a4 ,the nature of the duty4 #b4 ,the necessity of it4 #a4 ,if it had not been open1 family prayer which ,daniel here performed1 how could they have known what he said8 ,it is not probable that he would speak so loud in secret2 nor is it like they would have found him at it4 ,so great a prince would have had some servants in his outward rooms1 to have stayed them before they had come so near4 #b4 ,and the necessity of this prayer is such1 that ,daniel would not omit it for a few days to save his life4 ,arg4 ,,xvi4 ,from ,josh4 xxiv4 #ae1 ,but as for me and my house1 we will serve the ,lord4 ,here note1 #a4 ,that it is a household that is here engaged3 for if any would prove that it extendeth further1 to all ,joshua's tribe1 or inferior kindred1 yet his household would be most eminently included4 #b4 ,that it is the same thing which ,joshua promiseth for his house1 which he would have all ,israel do for theirs3 for he maketh himself an example to move them to it4 ,if households must serve the ,lord1 then households must pray to him and praise him3 but households must serve him2 therefore1 c4 ,the consequence is proved1 in that prayer and praise are so necessary parts of ,god's service1 that no family or person can be said in general to be devoted to serve ,god1 that are not devoted to them4 ,calling upon ,god is oft put in ,scripture for all ,god's worship1 as being a most eminent part2 and atheists are described to be such as call not upon the ,lord1 ,psal4 xiv4 c4 ,arg4 ,,xvii4 ,the story of ,cornelius1 ,acts x4 proveth that he performed family worship3 for observe1 #a4 ,that1 ver4 #b1 he is said to be a devout man1 and one that feared ,god with all his house1 which gave much alms to the people1 and prayed to ,god always3 and ver4 #cj1 he saith1 ,at the ninth hour ,i prayed in my house3 and ver4 #bd1 he called together his kindred and near friends3 so ver4 #aa1 #ad1 ,thou and all thy house shall he saved3 so that in ver4 #b1 fearing ,god comprehendeth prayer1 and is usually put for all ,god's worship2 therefore when he is said to fear ,god with all his house1 it is included that he worshipped ,god with all his house3 and that he used to do it conjunctly with them is implied1 in his gathering together his kindred and friends when ,peter came1 not mentioning the calling together his household1 as being usual and supposed4 ,and when it is said that he prayed 1 in his house1 it may signify his household1 as in ,scripture the word is often taken4 ,however1 the circumstances show that he did it4 ,arg4 ,,xviii4 ,from #a ,tim4 iii4 #d1 #e1 #ab1 ,one that ruleth well his own house1 having his children in subjection1 with all gravity3 for if a man know not how to rule his own house1 how shall he take care of the church of ,god3 let the deacons be the husbands of one wife2 ruling their children and their own houses well4 ,here mark1 that it is such a ruling of their houses1 as is of the same nature as the ruling of the church1 mutatis mutandis1 and that is1 a training them up in the worship of ,god1 and guiding them therein2 for the apostle maketh the defect of the one1 to be a sure discovery of their unfitness for the other4 ,now to rule the church1 is to teach and guide them as their mouth in prayer and praises unto ,god1 as well as to oversee their lives2 therefore it is such a ruling of their houses as is prerequisite to prove them fit4 ,they that must so rule well over their own houses1 as may partly prove them not unfit to rule the church1 must rule them by holy instructions1 and guiding them as their mouth in the worship of ,god4 ,but those mentioned #a ,tim4 iii4 must so rule their houses2 therefore1 c4 ,the pastors' ruling of the church doth most consist in going before them1 and guiding them in ,god's worship2 therefore so doth the ruling of their own houses1 which is made a trying qualification of their fitness hereunto4 ,though yet it reach not so high1 nor to so many things1 and the conclusion be not affirmative1 ,he that ruleth his own house well is fit to rule the church of ,god2 but negative1 ,he that ruleth not his own house well1 is not fit to rule the church of ,god2 but that is because1 #a4 ,this is a lower degree of ruling1 which will not prove him fit for a higher4 #b4 ,and it is but one qualification of many that are requisite4 ,yet it is apparent that some degree of aptitude is proved hence1 and that from a similitude of the things4 ,when ,paul compareth ruling the house to ruling the church1 he cannot be thought to take them to be wholly heterogeneous3 he would never have said1 ,he that cannot rule an army1 or regiment1 or a city1 how shall he rule the church of ,god8 ,i conclude therefore that this text doth show that it is the duty of masters of families1 to rule well their own families in the right worshipping of ,god1 mutatis mutandis1 as ministers must rule the church4 ,arg4 ,,xix4 ,if families have special necessity of family prayer conjunctly1 which cannot be supplied otherwise2 then it is ,god's will that family prayer should be in use3 but families have such necessities2 therefore1 c4 ,the consequent needs no proof2 the antecedent is proved by instance4 ,families have family necessities1 which are larger than to be confined to a closet1 and yet more private than to be brought still into the assemblies of the church4 #a4 ,there are many worldly occasions about their callings and relations1 which it is fit for them to mention among themselves1 but unfit to mention before all the congregation4 #b4 ,there are many distempers in the hearts and lives of the members of the families1 and many miscarriages1 and disagreements1 which must be taken up at home1 and which prayer must do much to cure1 and yet are not fit to be brought to the ears of the church assemblies4 #c4 ,and if it were fit to mention them all in public1 yet the number of such cases would be so great1 as would overwhelm the minister1 and confound the public worship2 nay1 one half of them in most churches could not be mentioned4 #d4 ,and such cases are of ordinary occurrence1 and therefore would ordinarily have all these inconveniencies4 ,and yet there are many such cases that are not fit to be confined to our secret prayers each one by himself2 because1 #a4 ,they often so sin together1 as maketh it fit that they confess and lament it together4 #b4 ,and some mercies which they receive together1 it is fit they seek and give thanks for together4 #c4 ,and many works which they do together1 it is fit they seek a blessing on together4 #d4 ,and the presence of one another in confession1 petition1 and thanksgiving1 doth tend to the increase of their fervour1 and warming of their hearts1 and engaging them the more to duty1 and against sin2 and is needful on the grounds laid down before4 ,nay1 it is a kind of family schism1 in such cases1 to separate from one another1 and to pray in secret only2 as it is church schism to separate from the church assemblies1 and to pray in families only4 ,nature and grace delight in unity1 and abhor division4 ,and the light of nature and grace engageth us to do as much of the work of ,god in unity1 and concord1 and communion as we can4 ,arg4 ,,xx4 ,if before the giving of the law to ,moses1 ,god was worshipped in families by his own appointment1 and this appointment be not yet reversed1 then ,god is to be worshipped in families still4 ,but the antecedent is certain2 therefore so is the consequent4 ,i think no man denieth the first part of the antecedent2 that before the flood in the families of the righteous1 and after till the establishment of a priesthood1 ,god was worshipped in families or households3 it is a greater doubt whether then he had any other public worship4 ,when there were few or no church assemblies that were larger than families1 no doubt ,god was ordinarily worshipped in families4 ,every ruler of a family then was as a priest to his own family4 ,cain and ,abel offered their own sacrifices2 so did ,noah1 ,abraham1 and ,jacob4 ,if it be objected1 that all this ceased1 when the office of the priest was instituted1 and so deny the latter part of my antecedent1 ,i reply1 #a4 ,though some make a doubt of it1 whether the office of the priesthood was instituted before ,aaron's time1 ,i think there is no great doubt to be made of it2 seeing we find a priesthood then among other nations1 who had it either by the light of nature1 or by tradition from the church2 and ,melchizedec's priesthood 7who was a type of ,christ7 is expressly mentioned4 ,so that though family worship was then the most usual1 yet some more public worship there was4 #b4 ,after the institution of ,aaron's priesthood family-worship continued1 as ,i have proved before2 yea1 the two sacraments of circumcision and the passover1 were celebrated in families by the master of the house2 therefore prayer was certainly continued in families4 #c4 ,if that part of worship that was afterward performed in synagogues and public assemblies was appropriated to them1 that no whit proveth1 that the part which agreed to families as such1 was transferred to those assemblies4 ,nay1 it is a certain proof that part was left to families still1 because we find that the public assemblies never undertook it4 ,we find among them no prayer but church prayer2 and not that which was fitted to families as such at all4 ,nor is there a word of ,scripture that speaketh of ,god's reversing of his command or order for family prayer1 or other proper family worship4 ,therefore it is proved to continue obligatory still4 ,had ,i not been too long already1 ,i should have urged to this end the example of ,job1 in sacrificing daily for his sons2 and of ,esther's keeping a fast with her maids1 ,esth4 iv4 #af4 ,and ,jer4 x4 #be1 ,pour out thy fury on the heathen that know thee not1 and on the families that call not on thy name4 ,it is true that by families here is meant tribes of people1 and by calling on his name1 is meant their worshipping the true ,god4 ,but yet this is spoken of all tribes without exception1 great and small3 and tribes in the beginning 7as ,abraham's1 ,isaac's1 ,jacob's1 c47 were confined to families4 ,and the argument holdeth from parity of reason to a proper family3 and that calling on ,god's name is put for his worship1 doth more confirm us1 because it proveth it to be the most eminent part of worship1 or else the whole would not be signified by it2 at least no reason can imagine it excluded4 ,so much for the proof of the fourth proposition4 ,objections answered4 ,object4 ,i4 ,had it been a duty under the gospel to pray in families1 we should certainly have found it more expressly required in the ,scripture4 ,answ4 #a4 ,i have already showed you1 that it is plainly required in the ,scripture3 but men must not teach ,god how to speak1 nor oblige him to make all plain to blind1 perverted minds4 #b4 ,those things which were plainly revealed in the ,old ,testament1 and the church then held without any contradiction1 even from the persecutors of ,christ themselves1 might well be passed over in the gospel1 and taken as supposed1 acknowledged things4 #c4 ,the general precepts 7to pray alway1--with all prayer1--in all places1 c47 being expressed in the gospel1 and the light of nature making particular application of them to families1 what need there any more8 #d4 ,this reason is apparent why ,scripture speaketh of it no more expressly4 ,before ,christ's time the worship of ,god was less spiritual1 and more ceremonial1 than afterward it was2 and therefore you find ofter mention of circumcision and sacrificing1 than of prayer2 and yet prayer was still supposed to concur4 ,and after ,christ's time on earth1 most christian families were disturbed by persecution1 and christians sold up all and lived in community3 and also the ,scripture history was to describe to us the state of the churches1 rather than of particular families4 ,object4 ,,ii4 ,christ himself did not use to pray with his family2 as appeareth by the disciples asking him to teach them to pray1 and by the silence of the ,scripture in this point3 therefore it is no duty to us4 ,answ4 #a4 ,scripture silence is no proof that ,christ did not use it4 ,all things are not written which he did4 #b4 ,his teaching them the ,lord's prayer1 and their desire of a common rule of prayer1 might consist with his usual praying with them3 at least with his using to pray with them after that1 though at first he did not use it4 #c4 ,but it is the consequence that ,i principally deny4 7#a47 ,because ,christ did afterwards call his servants to many duties1 which he put them not on at first1 as sacraments1 discipline1 preaching1 frequenter praying1 c4 especially after the coming down of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,as they understood not many articles of the faith till then1 so no wonder if they understood not many duties till then2 for ,christ would have them thus suddenly instructed and fullier sanctified by a miracle1 that their ministry might be more credible1 their mission being evidently divine1 and they being past the suspicion of forgery and deceit4 7#b47 ,and though it is evident that ,christ did use to bless the meat1 and sing hymns to ,god with his disciples1 ,luke xxii4 #ag1 #ah2 ,mark xiv4 #bb1 #bc1 #bf2 ,matt4 xxvi4 #bg1 #bh1 #cj1 and therefore it is very probable1 prayed with them often1 as ,john xvii42 yet it could not be expected1 that he should ordinarily be their mouth in such prayers as they daily needed4 ,his case and ours are exceedingly different4 ,his disciples must daily confess their sins1 and be humbled for them1 and ask forgiveness2 but ,christ had none of this to do4 ,they must pray for mortifying grace1 and help against sin2 but he had no sin to mortify or pray against4 ,they must pray for the ,spirit1 and the increase of their imperfect graces2 but ,christ had fulness and perfection4 ,they must pray for many means to these ends1 and for help in using them1 and a blessing on them1 which he had no use for4 ,they must give thanks for pardon and conversion1 c4 which ,christ had no occasion to give thanks for4 ,so that having a ,high ,priest so much separate from sinners1 they had one that prayed for them2 but not one fit to join with them as their mouth to ,god1 in ordinary family prayers1 such as they needed2 as masters must do with their families4 ,object4 ,,iii4 ,god doth not require either vain or abominable prayers2 but family prayers are ordinarily vain and abominable2 therefore1 c4 ,the minor is proved thus3--,the prayers of the wicked are abominable3 most families are wicked1 or have wicked persons2 therefore1 c4 ,answ4 #a4 ,this is confessedly nothing against the prayers of godly families4 #b4 ,the prayers of a godly master are not abominable nor vain1 because of the presence of others that are ungodly4 ,else ,christ's prayers and blessings before mentioned should have been vain or abominable1 because ,judas was there1 who was a thief and hypocrite4 ,and the apostles' and all ministers' prayers should be so in all such churches as those of ,corinth1 ,galatia1 ,ephesus are described to have been4 #c4 ,i refer you to my ,method for ,peace of ,conscience1 how far the prayers of the wicked are1 or are not abominable4 ,the prayers of the wicked as wicked are abominable2 but not as they express their return to ,god1 and repenting of their wickedness4 ,it is not the abominable prayer that ,god commandeth1 but the faithful1 penitent prayer4 ,you mistake it1 as if the wicked man were not the person commanded to pray2 whereas you should rather say1 ,it is not the abominable prayer that is commanded him4 ,he is commanded to pray such prayers as are not abominable2 even as ,simon ,magus1 ,acts viii4 to repent and pray2 and to seek the ,lord while he may be found1 and call upon him while he is near1 and to forsake his way1 c4 ,isa4 lv4 #f1 #g4 ,let the wicked pray thus1 and his prayer will not be abominable4 ,the command of praying implieth the command of repenting and departing from his wickedness3 for what is it to pray for grace1 but to express to ,god their desires of grace8 7,it is not to tell ,god a lie1 by saying they desire that which they hate47 ,therefore when we exhort them to pray we exhort them to such desires4 ,object4 ,,iv4 ,many masters of families cannot pray in their families without a book1 and that is unlawful4 ,answ4 ,i4 ,if their disability be natural1 as an idiot's1 they are not fit to rule families2 if it be moral and culpable1 they are bound to use the means to overcome it2 and in the mean time to use a book or form1 rather than not to pray in their families at all4 ,of the ,frequency and ,seasons of ,family worship4 ,the last part of my work is to speak of the fit time of family worship4 #a4 ,whether it should be every day8 #b4 ,whether twice a day8 #c4 ,whether morning and evening8 ,answ4 #a4 ,ordinarily it should be every day and twice a day2 and the morning and evening are ordinarily the fittest seasons4 #b4 ,but extraordinarily some greater duty may intervene1 which may for that time disoblige us4 ,and the occasions of some families may make that hour fit to one1 which is unfit to another4 ,for brevity ,i will join all together in the proof4 ,arg4 ,i4 ,we are bound to take all fit occasions and opportunities to worship ,god4 ,families have daily 7morning and evening7 such occasions and opportunities2 therefore they are bound to take them4 ,both major and minor are proved before4 ,experience proveth that family sins are daily committed1 and family mercies daily received1 and family necessities daily do occur4 ,and reason tells us1 #a4 ,that it is seasonable every morning to give ,god thanks for the rest of the night past4 #b4 ,and to beg direction1 protection1 and provisions1 and blessing for the following day4 #c4 ,and that then our minds are freest from weariness and worldly care4 ,and so reason telleth us that the evening is a fit season to give ,god thanks for the mercies of the day1 and to confess the sins of the day1 and ask forgiveness1 and to pray for rest and protection in the night4 ,as nature and reason tell us how oft a man should eat and drink1 and how long he should sleep1 and what clothing he should wear2 and ,scripture need not tell you the particulars3 so if ,scripture command your prayer in general1 ,god may by providence tell you when and how oft you must pray4 ,arg4 ,,ii4 ,the ,lord's prayer directeth us daily to put up such prayers as belong to families2 therefore1 c4 ,give us this day our daily bread4 ,it runs all in the plural number4 ,and the reason of it will oblige families as well as individual persons4 ,arg4 ,,iii4 ,from #a ,thess4 v4 #ag1 ,pray without ceasing2 in all things give thanks4 ,col4 iv4 #a1 #b1 ,masters1 give to your servants that which is just and equal1 knowing that ye also have a ,master in heaven4 ,continue in prayer1 and watch in the same with thanksgiving4 ,col4 iii4 #ag1 ,whatsoever ye do in word or deed1 do all in the name of the ,lord ,jesus2 giving thanks to ,god and the ,father by him4 ,phil4 iv4 #f1 ,be careful for nothing1 but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving1 let your requests be made known to ,god4 ,it is easy for a man that is willing to see that less than twice a day doth not answer the command of praying without ceasing1--continually1--in every thing--whatsoever ye do1 c42 the phrases seeming to go much higher4 ,arg4 ,,iv4 ,daniel prayed in his house thrice a day2 therefore less than twice under the gospel is to us unreasonable4 ,arg4 ,v4 #a ,tim4 iv4 #e1 ,she that is a widow indeed and desolate1 trusteth in ,god1 and continueth in supplications and prayer night and day4 ,night and day can be no less than morning and evening4 ,and if you say1 this is not family prayer1 ,i answer1 #a4 ,it is all kind of prayer belonging to her4 #b4 ,and if it commend the less1 much more the greater4 ,arg4 ,,vi4 ,from ,luke vi4 #ad2 ii4 #cg2 xviii4 #ag2 ,acts xxvi4 #g2 #a ,thess4 iii4 #aj2 #b ,tim4 i4 #c3 ,rev4 vii4 #ae2 ,neh4 i4 #f2 ,psal4 lxxxviii4 #a2 ,josh4 i4 #h2 ,psal4 i4 #b2 which show that night and day ,christ himself prayed1 and his servants prayed1 and meditated1 and read the ,scripture4 ,arg4 ,,vii4 ,deut4 vi4 #g2 xi4 #ai1 it is expressly commanded that parents teach their children the word of ,god1 when they lie down1 and when they rise up2 and the parity of reason1 and conjunction of the word and prayer1 will prove1 that they should also pray with them lying down and rising up4 ,arg4 ,,viii4 ,for brevity sake ,i offer you together1 ,psal4 cxix4 #afd1 ,david praised ,god seven times a day2 and cxlv4 #b1 ,every day will ,i bless thee4 ,psal4 v4 #c1 ,my voice shalt thou hear in the morning1 ,o ,lord2 in the morning will ,i direct my prayer to thee1 and will look up3 lix4 #af1 ,i will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning3 lxxxviii4 #ac1 ,in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee3 xcii4 #ab1 ,it is good to give thanks unto the ,lord1 and to sing praises to thy name1 ,o ,most ,high3 to show forth thy loving-kindness in the morning1 and thy faithfulness every night3 cxix4 #adg1 #adh1 ,i prevented the dawning of the morning and cried1 ,i hoped in thy word3 mine eyes prevent the night watches1 that ,i might meditate on thy word3 cxxx4 #f1 ,my soul waiteth for the ,lord more than they that watch for the morning1 ,i say more than they that watch for the morning4 ,the priests were to offer sacrifices and thanks to ,god every morning1 #a ,chron4 xxiii4 #cj2 ,exod4 xxx4 #g2 xxxvi4 #c2 ,lev4 vi4 #ab2 #b ,chron4 xiii4 #aa2 ,ezek4 xlvi4 #ac-ae2 ,amos iv4 #d4 ,and christians are a holy priesthood1 to offer up sacrifices to ,god1 acceptable through ,jesus ,christ1 #a ,pet4 ii4 #e1 #i4 ,expressly saith ,david1 ,psal4 lv4 #ag1 ,evening1 and morning1 and at noon1 will ,i pray and cry aloud1 and he shall hear my voice4 ,so morning and evening were sacrifices and burnt offerings offered to the ,lord2 and there is at least equal reason that gospel worship should be as frequent3 #a ,chron4 xvi4 #dj2 #b ,chron4 ii4 #d2 xiii4 #aa2 xxxi4 #c2 ,ezra iii4 #c2 #b ,kings xvi4 #ae2 #a ,kings xviii4 #bi1 #cf2 ,ezra ix4 #e4 ,and no doubt but they prayed with the sacrifices4 ,which ,david intimateth in comparing them1 ,psal4 cxli4 #b1 ,let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense1 and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice4 ,and ,god calleth for prayer and praise as better than sacrifice1 ,psal4 l4 #ad1 #ae1 #bc4 ,all these ,i heap together for despatch1 which fully show how frequently ,god's servants have been wont to worship him1 and how often ,god expecteth it4 ,and you will all confess that it is reason that in gospel times of greater light and holiness1 we should not come behind them in the times of the law2 especially when ,christ himself doth pray all night1 that had so little need in comparison of us4 ,and you may observe that these scriptures speak of prayer in general1 and limit it not to secrecy2 and therefore they extend to all prayer1 according to opportunity4 ,no reason can limit all these examples to the most secret and least noble sort of prayer4 ,if but two or three are gathered together in his name1 ,christ is especially among them4 ,if you say1 that by this rule we must as frequently pray in the church assemblies2 ,i answer1 the church cannot ordinarily so oft assemble2 but when it can be without a great inconvenience1 ,i doubt not but it would be a good work1 for many to meet the minister daily for prayer1 as in some rich and populous cities they may do4 ,i have been more tedious on this subject than a holy1 hungry christian possibly may think necessary1 who needeth not so many arguments to persuade him to feast his soul with ,god1 and to delight himself in the frequent exercises of faith and love2 and if ,i have said less than the other sort of readers shall think necessary1 let them know that if they will open their eyes1 and recover their appetites1 and feel their sins1 and observe their daily wants and dangers1 and get but a heart that loveth ,god1 these reasons then will seem sufficient to convince them of so sweet1 and profitable1 and necessary a work2 and if they observe the difference between praying and prayerless families1 and care for their souls and communion with ,god1 much fewer words than these may serve their turn4 ,it is a dead1 and graceless1 carnal heart1 that must be cured before these men will be well satisfied2 a better appetite would help their reason4 ,if ,god should say in general to all men1 ,you shall eat as oft as will do you good2 the sick stomach would say1 ,once a day1 and that but a little1 is enough1 and as much as ,god requireth2 when another would say1 ,thrice a day is little enough4 ,a good and healthful heart is a great help1 in the expounding of ,god's word1 especially of his general commandments4 ,that which men love not1 but are weary of1 they will not easily believe to be their duty4 ,the new nature1 and holy love1 and desires1 and experience of a sound believer1 do so far make all these reasonings needless to him1 that ,i must confess ,i have written them principally to convince the carnal hypocrite1 and stop the mouths of wrangling enemies4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,general ,,directions ,,for ,,the ,,holy ,,government ,,of ,,families4 ,,the principal thing requisite to the right governing of families1 is the fitness of the governors and the governed thereto1 which is spoken of before in the directions for the constitution4 ,but if persons unfit for their relations1 have joined themselves together in a family1 their first duty is to repent of their former sin and rashness1 and presently to turn to ,god1 and seek after that fitness which is necessary to the right discharge of the duties of their several places3 and in the governors of families1 these three things are of greatest necessity hereunto3 ,i4 ,authority4 ,,ii4 ,skill4 ,,iii4 ,holiness and readiness of will4 ,sidenote3 ,how to keep up authority4 ,i4 ,gen4 ,direct4 ,let governors maintain their authority in their families4 ,for if once that be lost1 and you are despised by those that you should rule1 your word will be of no effect with them2 you do but ride without a bridle2 your power of governing is gone1 when your authority is lost4 ,and here you must first understand the nature1 use1 and extent of your authority2 for as your relations are different1 to your wife1 your children1 and your servants1 so also is your authority4 ,your authority over your wife1 is but such as is necessary to the order of your family1 the safe and prudent management of your affairs1 and your comfortable cohabitation4 ,the power of love and complicated interest must do more than magisterial commands4 ,your authority over your children is much greater2 but yet only such as1 conjunct with love1 is needful to their good education and felicity4 ,your authority over your servants is to be measured by your contract with them 7in these countries where there are no slaves7 in order to your service1 and the honour of ,god4 ,in other matters1 or to other ends1 you have no authority over them4 ,for the maintaining of this your authority observe these following sub-directions4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,let your family understand that your authority is of ,god1 who is the ,god of order1 and that in obedience to him they are obliged to obey you4 ,there is no power but of ,god2 and there is none that the intelligent creature can so much reverence as that which is of ,god4 ,all bonds are easily broken and cast away 7by the soul at least1 if not by the body7 which are not perceived to be divine4 ,an enlightened conscience will say to ambitious usurpers1 ,god ,i know1 and his ,son ,jesus ,i know1 but who are ye8 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,the more of ,god appeareth upon you1 in your knowledge1 and holiness1 and unblamableness of life1 the greater will your authority be in the eyes of all your inferiors that fear ,god4 ,sin will make you contemptible and vile2 and holiness1 being the image of ,god1 will make you honourable4 ,in the eyes of the faithful a vile person is contemned2 but they honour them that fear the ,lord1 ,psal4 xv4 #d4 ,righteousness exalteth a nation1 7and a person17 but sin is a reproach to any people1 ,prov4 xiv4 #cd4 ,those that honour ,god he will honour1 and those that despise him shall be lightly esteemed1 #a ,sam4 ii4 #cj4 ,they that give up themselves to vile affections and conversations1 ,rom4 i4 #bf1 will seem vile when they have made themselves so4 ,eli's sons made themselves vile by their sin1 #a ,sam4 iii4 #ac4 ,i know men should discern and honour a person placed in authority by ,god1 though they are morally and naturally vile3 but this is so hard that it is seldom well done4 ,and ,god is so severe against proud offenders1 that he usually punisheth them by making them vile in the eyes of others2 at least when they are dead1 and men dare freely speak of them1 their names will rot1 ,prov4 x4 #g4 ,the instances of the greatest emperors in the world1 both ,persian1 ,roman1 and ,turkish1 do tell us1 that if 7by whoredom1 drunkenness1 gluttony1 pride1 and especially persecution7 they will make themselves vile1 ,god will permit them1 by uncovering their nakedness1 to become the shame and scorn of men2 and shall a wicked master of a family think to maintain his authority over others1 while he rebelleth against the authority of ,god8 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,show not your natural weakness by passions1 or imprudent words or deeds4 ,for if they think contemptuously of your persons1 a little thing will draw them further1 to despise your words4 ,there is naturally in man so high an esteem of reason1 that men are hardly persuaded that they should rebel against reason to be governed 7for order's sake7 by folly4 ,they are very apt to think that rightest reason should bear rule4 ,and therefore any silly1 weak expressions1 or any inordinate passions1 or any imprudent actions1 are very apt to make you contemptible in your inferiors' eyes4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,lose not your authority by a neglect of using it4 ,if you suffer children and servants but a little while to have the head1 and to have1 and say1 and do what they will1 your government will be but a name or image4 ,a moderate course between a lordly rigour1 and a soft subjection1 or neglect of exercising the power of your place1 will best preserve you from your inferiors' contempt4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,lose not your authority by too much familiarity4 ,if you make your children and servants your play-fellows1 or equals1 and talk to them1 and suffer them to talk to you1 as your companions1 they will quickly grow upon you1 and hold their custom2 and though another may govern them1 they will scarce ever endure to be governed by you1 but will scorn to be subject where they have once been as equal4 ,sidenote3 ,of skill in governing4 ,,ii4 ,gen4 ,direct4 ,labour for prudence and skilfulness in governing4 ,he that undertaketh to be a master of a family1 undertaketh to be their governor2 and it is no small sin or folly to undertake such a place1 as you are utterly unfit for1 when it is a matter of so great importance4 ,you could discern this in a case that is not your own2 as if a man undertake to be a schoolmaster that cannot read or write2 or to be a physician1 who knoweth neither diseases nor their remedies2 or to be a pilot1 that cannot tell how to do a pilot's work2 and why cannot you much more discern it in your own case8 ,direct4 ,i4 ,to get the skill of holy governing1 it is needful that you be well studied in the word of ,god2 therefore ,god commandeth kings themselves that they read in the law all the days of their lives1 ,deut4 xvii4 #ah1 #ai2 and that it depart not out of their mouths1 but that they meditate in it day and night1 ,josh4 i4 #h4 ,and all parents must be able to teach it their children1 and talk of it both at home and abroad1 lying down and rising up1 ,deut4 vi4 #f1 #g2 xi4 #ah1 #ai4 ,all government of men is but subservient to the government of ,god1 to promote obedience to his laws4 ,and it is necessary that we understand the laws which all laws and precepts must give place to and subserve4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,understand well the different tempers of your inferiors1 and deal with them as they are1 and as they can bear2 and not with all alike4 ,some are more intelligent and some more dull2 some are of tender1 and some of hardened1 impudent dispositions2 some will be best wrought upon by love and gentleness2 and some have need of sharpness and severity3 prudence must fit your dealings to their dispositions4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,you must put much difference between their different faults1 and accordingly suit your reprehensions4 ,those must be most severely rebuked that have most wilfulness1 and those that are faulty in matters of greatest weight4 ,some faults are so much through mere disability and unavoidable frailty of the flesh1 that there is but little of the will appearing in them4 ,these must be more gently handled1 as deserving more compassion than reproof4 ,some are habituate vices1 and the whole nature is more desperately depraved than in others4 ,these must have more than a particular correction4 ,they must be held to such a course of life1 as may be most effectual to destroy and change those habits4 ,and some there are upright at the heart1 and in the main and most momentous things1 are guilty but of some actual faults2 and of these1 some more seldom1 and some more frequent2 and if you do not prudently diversify your rebukes according to their faults1 you will but harden them1 and miss of your ends2 for there is a family justice that must not be overthrown1 unless you will overthrow your families2 as there is a more public justice necessary to the public good4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,be a good husband to your wife1 and a good father to your children1 and a good master to your servants1 and let love have dominion in all your government1 that your inferiors may easily find1 that it is their interest to obey you4 ,for interest and self-love are the natural rulers of the world4 ,and it is the most effectual way to procure obedience or any good1 to make men perceive that it is for their own good1 and to engage self-love for you2 that they may see that the benefit is like to be their own4 ,if you do them no good1 but are sour1 and uncourteous1 and closehanded to them1 few will be ruled by you4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,if you would be skilful in governing others1 learn first exactly to command yourselves4 ,can you ever expect to have others more at your will and government than yourselves8 ,is he fit to rule his family in the fear of ,god and a holy life1 who is unholy and feareth not ,god himself8 ,or is he fit to keep them from passion1 or drunkenness1 or gluttony1 or lust1 or any way of sensuality1 that cannot keep himself from it8 ,will not inferiors despise such reproofs which are by yourselves contradicted in your lives8 ,you know this true of wicked preachers2 and is it not as true of other governors8 ,,iii4 ,gen4 ,direct4 ,you must be holy persons1 if you would be holy governors of your families4 ,men's actions follow the bent of their dispositions4 ,they will do as they are4 ,an enemy of ,god will not govern a family for ,god2 nor an enemy of holiness 7nor a stranger to it7 set up a holy order in his house1 and in a holy manner manage his affairs4 ,i know it is cheaper and easier to the flesh to call others to mortification and holiness of life1 than to bring ourselves to it2 but yet when it is not a bare command or wish that is necessary1 but a course of holy and industrious government1 unholy persons 7though some of them may go far7 have not the ends and principles which such a work requireth4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,to this end1 be sure that your own souls be entirely subjected unto ,god1 and that you more accurately obey his laws1 than you expect any inferior should obey your commands4 ,if you dare disobey ,god1 why should they fear disobeying you8 ,can you more severely revenge disobedience1 or more bountifully reward obedience1 than ,god can do8 ,are you greater and better than ,god himself is8 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,be sure that you lay up your treasure in heaven1 and make the enjoyment of ,god in glory to be the ultimate commanding end1 both of the affairs and government of your family1 and all things else with which you are intrusted4 ,devote yourselves and all to ,god1 and do all for him3 do all as passengers to another world1 whose business on earth is but to provide for heaven1 and promote their everlasting interest4 ,if thus you are separated unto ,god1 you are sanctified2 and then you will separate all that you have to his use and service1 and this1 with his acceptance1 will sanctify all4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,maintain ,god's authority in your family more carefully than your own4 ,your own is but for his4 ,more sharply rebuke or correct them that wrong and dishonour ,god1 than those that wrong and dishonour yourselves4 ,remember ,eli's sad example2 make not a small matter of any of the sins1 especially the great sins1 of your children or servants4 ,it is an odious thing to slight ,god's cause1 and put up all with1 ,it is not well done1 when you are fiercely passionate for the loss of some small commodity of your own4 ,god's honour must be greatest in your family2 and his service must have the pre-eminence of yours2 and sin against him1 must be the most intolerable offence4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,let spiritual love to your family be predominant1 and let your care be greatest for the saving of their souls1 and your compassion greatest in their spiritual miseries4 ,be first careful to provide them a portion in heaven1 and to save them from whatsoever would deprive them of it2 and never prefer the transitory pelf of earth1 before their everlasting riches4 ,never be so cumbered about many things1 as to forget that one thing is necessary2 but choose for yourselves and them the better part1 ,luke x4 #db4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,let your family neither be kept in idleness and flesh-pleasing1 nor yet overwhelmed with such a multitude of business1 as shall take up and distract their minds1 diverting and unfitting them for holy things4 ,where ,god layeth on you a necessity of excessive labours1 it must patiently and cheerfully be undergone2 but when you draw them unnecessarily on yourselves for the love of riches1 you do but become the tempters and tormentors of yourselves and others2 forgetting the terrible examples of them1 that have this way fallen off from ,christ1 and pierced themselves through with many sorrows1 #a ,tim4 vi4 #aj4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,as much as is possible1 settle a constant order of all your businesses1 that every ordinary work may know its time1 and confusion may not shut out godliness4 ,it is a great assistance in every calling to do all in a set and constant order2 it maketh it easy2 it removeth impediments1 and promoteth success2 distraction in your business causeth a distraction in your minds in holy duty4 ,some callings ,i know can hardly be cast into any order or method2 but others may1 if prudence and diligence be used4 ,god's service will thus be better done1 and your work will be better done1 to the ease of your servants1 and quiet of your own minds4 ,foresight and skilfulness would save you abundance of labour and vexation4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,special ,,motives ,,to ,,persuade ,,men ,,to ,,the ,,holy ,,governing ,,of ,,their ,,families4 ,,if it were but well understood what benefits come by the holy governing of families1 and what mischiefs come by its neglect1 there would few that walk the streets among us1 appear so odious as those careless1 ungodly governors that know not nor mind a duty of such exceeding weight4 ,while we lie all as overwhelmed with the calamitous fruits of this neglect1 ,i think meet to try if1 with some1 the cause may be removed1 by awakening sluggish souls to do their undertaken work4 ,motive ,i4 ,consider that the holy government of families1 is a considerable part of ,god's own government of the world1 and the contrary is a great part of the devil's government4 ,it hath pleased ,god to settle as a natural1 so a political order in the world1 and to honour his creatures to be the instruments of his own operations2 and though he could have produced all effects without any inferior causes1 and could have governed the world by himself alone without any instruments1 7he being not as kings1 constrained to make use of deputies and officers1 because of their own natural confinement and insufficiency17 yet is he pleased to make inferior causes partakers in such excellent effects1 and taketh delight in the frame and order of causes1 by which his will among his creatures is accomplished4 ,so that as the several justices in the countries do govern as officers of the king1 so every magistrate and master of a family doth govern as an officer of ,god4 ,and if his government by his officers be put down or neglected1 it is a contempt of ,god himself1 or rebellion against him4 ,what is all the practical atheism1 and rebellion1 and ungodliness of the world1 but a rejecting of the government of ,god8 ,it is not against the being of ,god in itself considered1 that his enemies rise up with malignant1 rebellious opposition2 but it is against ,god as the holy and righteous ,governor of the world1 and especially of themselves4 ,and as in an army1 if the corporals1 sergeants1 and lieutenants1 do all neglect their offices1 the government of the general or colonels is defeated and of little force2 so if the rulers of families and other officers of ,god will corrupt or neglect their part of government1 they do their worst to corrupt or cast out ,god's government from the earth4 ,and if ,god shall not govern in your families1 who shall8 ,the devil is always the governor where ,god's government is refused2 the world and the flesh are the instruments of his government2 worldliness and fleshly living are his service3 undoubtedly he is the ruler of the family where these prevail1 and where faith and godliness do not take place4 ,and what can you expect from such a master8 ,motive ,,ii4 ,consider also that an ungoverned1 ungodly family is a powerful means to the damnation of all the members of it3 it is the common boat or ship that hurrieth souls to hell2 that is bound for the devouring gulf3 he that is in the devil's coach or boat is like to go with the rest1 as the driver or the boatman pleaseth4 ,but a well-governed family is an excellent help to the saving of all the souls that are in it4 ,as in an ungodly family there are continual temptations to ungodliness1 to swearing1 and lying1 and railing1 and wantonness1 and contempt of ,god2 so in a godly family there are continual provocations to a holy life1 to faith1 and love1 and obedience1 and heavenly-mindedness3 temptations to sin are fewer there1 than in the devil's shops and workhouses of sin2 the authority of the governors1 the conversation of the rest1 the examples of all1 are great inducements to a holy life4 ,as in a well-ordered army of valiant men1 every coward is so linked in by order1 that he cannot choose but fight and stand to it with the rest1 and in a confused rout the valiantest man is borne down by the disorder1 and must perish with the rest2 even so in a well-ordered1 holy family1 a wicked man can scarce tell how to live wickedly1 but seemeth to be almost a saint1 while he is continually among saints1 and heareth no words that are profane or filthy1 and is kept in to the constant exercises of religion1 by the authority and company of those he liveth with4 ,oh how easy and clean is the way to heaven1 in such a gracious1 well-ordered family1 in comparison of what it is to them that dwell in the distracted families of profane and sensual worldlings6 ,as there is greater probability of the salvation of souls in ,england where the gospel is preached and professed1 than in heathen or ,mahometan countries2 so there is a greater probability of their salvation that live in the houses and company of the godly1 than of the ungodly4 ,in one the advantages of instruction1 command1 example1 and credit1 are all on ,god's side2 and in the other they are on the devil's side4 ,motive ,,iii4 ,a holy1 well-governed family tendeth not only to the safety of the members1 but also to the ease and pleasure of their lives4 ,to live where ,god's law is the principal rule1 and where you may be daily taught the mysteries of his kingdom1 and have the ,scriptures opened to you1 and be led as by the hand in the paths of life2 where the praises of ,god are daily celebrated1 and his name is called upon1 and where all do speak the heavenly language1 and where ,god1 and ,christ1 and heaven are both their daily work and recreation2 where it is the greatest honour to be most holy and heavenly1 and the greatest contention is1 who shall be most humble1 and godly1 and obedient to ,god and their superiors1 and where there is no reviling scorns at godliness1 nor any profane and scurrilous talk2 what a sweet and happy life is this6 ,is it not likest to heaven of any thing upon earth8 ,but to live where worldliness1 and profaneness1 and wantonness1 and sensuality bear all the sway1 and where ,god is unknown1 and holiness and all religious exercises are matter of contempt and scorn1 and where he that will not swear and live profanely doth make himself the hatred and derision of the rest1 and where men are known but by their shape and speaking faculty to be men2 nay1 where men take not themselves for men but for brutes1 and live as if they had no rational souls1 nor any expectations of another life1 nor any higher employments or delights than the transitory concernments of the flesh2 what a sordid1 loathsome1 filthy1 miserable life is this6 made up by a mixture of beastly and devilish4 ,to live where there is no communion with ,god1 where the marks of death and damnation are written1 as it were1 upon the doors1 in the face of their impious1 worldly lives1 and where no man understandeth the holy language2 and where there is not the least foretaste of the heavenly1 everlasting joys2 what is this but to live as the serpent's seed1 to feed on dust1 and to be excommunicated from the face and favour of ,god1 and to be chained up in the prison of concupiscence and malignity1 among his enemies1 till the judgment come that is making haste1 and will render to all men according to their works4 ,motive ,,iv4 ,a holy and well-governed family doth tend to make a holy posterity1 and so to propagate the fear of ,god from generation to generation4 ,it is more comfortable to have no children1 than to beget and breed up children for the devil4 ,their natural corruption is advantage enough to ,satan1 to engage them to himself1 and use them for his service3 but when parents shall also take the devil's part1 and teach their children by precepts or example how to serve him1 and shall estrange them from ,god and a holy life1 and fill their minds with false conceits and prejudice against the means of their salvation1 as if they had sold their children to the devil2 no wonder then if they have a black posterity1 that are trained up to be heirs of hell4 ,he that will train up children for ,god1 must begin betimes1 before sensitive objects take too deep possession of their hearts1 and custom increase the pravity of their nature4 ,original sin is like the arched ,indian fig tree1 whose branches turning downwards and taking root1 do all become as trees themselves3 the acts which proceed from this habitual viciousness1 do turn again into vicious habits3 and thus sinful nature doth by its fruits increase itself3 and when other things consume themselves by breeding1 all that sin breedeth is added to itself1 and its breeding is its feeding1 and every act doth confirm the habit4 ,and therefore no means in all the world doth more effectually tend to the happiness of souls1 than wise and holy education4 ,this dealeth with sin before it hath taken the deepest root1 and boweth nature while it is but a twig3 it preventeth the increase of natural pravity1 and keepeth out those deceits1 corrupt opinions1 and carnal fantasies and lusts1 which else would be serviceable to sin and ,satan ever after3 it delivereth up the heart to ,christ betimes1 or at least doth bring him a disciple to his school to learn the way to life eternal2 and to spend those years in acquainting himself with the ways of ,god1 which others spend in growing worse1 and learning that which must be again unlearned1 and in fortifying ,satan's garrison in their hearts1 and defending it against ,christ and his saving grace4 ,but of this more anon4 ,motive ,v4 ,a holy1 well-governed family is the preparative to a holy and well-governed church4 ,if masters of families did their parts1 and sent such polished materials to the churches1 as they ought to do1 the work and life of the pastors of the church would be unspeakably more easy and delightful2 it would do one good to preach to such an auditory1 and to catechise them1 and instruct them1 and examine them1 and watch over them1 who are prepared by a wise and holy education1 and understand and love the doctrine which they hear4 ,to lay such polished stones in the building is an easy and delightful work2 how teachable and tractable will such be6 and how prosperously will the labours of their pastors be laid out upon them6 and how comely and beautiful the churches be1 which are composed of such persons6 and how pure and comfortable will their communion be6 ,but if the churches be sties of unclean beasts2 if they are made up of ignorant and ungodly persons1 that savour nothing but the things of the flesh1 and use to worship they know not what1 we may thank ill-governed families for all this4 ,it is long of them that ministers preach as to idiots or barbarians that cannot understand them2 and that they must be always feeding their auditors with milk1 and teaching them the principles and catechising them in the church1 which should have been done at home3 yea1 it is long of them that there are so many wolves and swine among the sheep of ,christ1 and that holy things are administered to the enemies of holiness1 and the godly live in communion with the haters of ,god and godliness2 and that the christian religion is dishonoured before the heathen world1 by the worse than heathenish lives of the professors2 and the pollutions of the churches do hinder the conversion of the unbelieving world2 whilst they that can judge of our religion no way but by the people that profess it1 do judge of it by the lives of them that are in heart the enemies of it4 ,when the haters of christianity and godliness are the christians by whose conversations the infidel world must judge of christianity1 you may easily conjecture what judgment they are like to make4 ,thus pastors are discouraged1 the churches defiled1 religion disgraced1 and infidels hardened through the impious disorder and negligence of families6 ,what universities were we like to have1 if all the grammar schools should neglect their duties1 and send up their scholars untaught as they received them6 and if all tutors must teach their pupils first to spell and read6 ,even such churches we are like to have1 when every pastor must first do the work1 which all the masters of families should have done1 and the part of many score1 or hundreds1 or thousands1 must be performed by one4 ,motive ,,vi4 ,well-governed families tend to make a happy state and commonwealth2 a good education is the first and greatest work to make good magistrates and good subjects1 because it tends to make good men4 ,though a good man may be a bad magistrate1 yet a bad man cannot be a very good magistrate4 ,the ignorance1 or worldliness1 or sensuality1 or enmity to godliness1 which grew up with them in their youth1 will show itself in all the places and relations that ever they shall come into4 ,when an ungodly family hath once confirmed them in wickedness1 they will do wickedly in every state of life3 when a perfidious parent hath betrayed his children into the power and service of the devil1 they will serve him in all relations and conditions4 ,this is the school from whence come all the injustice1 and cruelties1 and persecutions1 and impieties of magistrates1 and all the murmurings and rebellions of subjects3 this is the soil and seminary where the seed of the devil is first sown1 and where he nurseth up the plants of covetousness1 and pride1 and ambition1 and revenge1 malignity1 and sensuality1 till he transplant them for his service into several offices in church and state1 and into all places of inferiority1 where they may disperse their venom1 and resist all that is good1 and contend for the interest of the flesh and hell1 against the interest of the ,spirit and of ,christ4 ,but oh6 what a blessing to the world would they be1 that shall come prepared by a holy education to places of government and subjection6 ,and how happy is that land that is ruled by such superiors1 and consisteth of such prepared subjects1 as have first learnt to be subject to ,god and to their parents6 ,motive ,,vii4 ,if the governors of families did faithfully perform their duties1 it would be a great supply as to any defects in the pastor's part1 and a singular means to propagate and preserve religion in times of public negligence or persecution4 ,therefore christian families are called churches1 because they consist of holy persons1 that worship ,god1 and learn1 and love1 and obey his word4 ,if you lived among the enemies of religion1 that forbad ,christ's ministers to preach his gospel1 and forbad ,god's servants to meet in church assemblies for his worship2 the support of religion1 and the comfort and edification of believers1 would then lie almost all upon the right performance of family duties4 ,there masters might teach the same truth to their households1 which ministers are forbidden to preach in the assemblies3 there you might pray together as fervently and spiritually as you can3 there you may keep up as holy converse and communion1 and as strict a discipline1 as you please3 there you may celebrate the praises of your blessed ,creator1 ,redeemer1 and ,sanctifier1 and observe the ,lord's day in as exact and spiritual a manner as you are able3 you may there provoke one another to love and to good works1 and rebuke every sin1 and mind each other to prepare for death1 and live together as passengers to eternal life4 ,thus holy families may keep up religion1 and keep up the life and comfort of believers1 and supply the want of public preaching1 in those countries where persecutors prohibit and restrain it1 or where unable or unfaithful pastors do neglect it4 ,motive ,,viii4 ,the duties of your families are such as you may perform with greatest peace1 and least exception or opposition from others4 ,when you go further1 and would be instructing others1 they will think you go beyond your call1 and many will be suspicious that you take too much upon you2 and if you do but gently admonish a rout of such as the ,sodomites1 perhaps they will say1 ,this one fellow came in to sojourn1 and he will needs be a judge1 ,gen4 xix4 #i4 ,but your own house is your castle2 your family is your charge2 you may teach them as oft and as diligently as you will4 ,if the ungodly rabble scorn you for it1 yet no sober person will condemn you1 nor trouble you for it 7if you teach them no evil74 ,all men must confess that nature and ,scripture oblige you to it as your unquestionable work4 ,and therefore you may do it 7among sober people7 with approbation and quietness4 ,motive ,,ix4 ,well-governed families are honourable and exemplary unto others4 ,even the worldly and ungodly use to bear a certain reverence to them2 for holiness and order have some witness that commendeth them1 in the consciences of many that never practised them4 ,a worldly1 ungodly1 disordered family1 is a den of snakes1 a place of hissing1 railing1 folly1 and confusion3 it is like a wilderness overgrown with briers and weeds2 but a holy family is a garden of ,god2 it is beautified with his graces1 and ordered by his government1 and fruitful by the showers of his heavenly blessing4 ,and as the very sluggard1 that will not be at the cost and pains to make a garden of his thorny wilderness1 may yet confess that a garden is more beautiful1 and fruitful1 and delightful1 and if wishing would do it1 his wilderness should he such2 even so the ungodly1 that will not be at the cost and pains to order their souls and families in holiness1 may yet see a beauty in those that are so ordered1 and wish for the happiness of such1 if they could have it without the labour and cost of self-denial4 ,and1 no doubt1 the beauty of such holy and well-governed families hath convinced many1 and drawn them to a great approbation of religion1 and occasioned them at last to imitate them4 ,motive ,x4 ,lastly1 consider1 that holy1 well-governed families are blessed with the special presence and favour of ,god4 ,they are his churches where he is worshipped2 his houses where he dwelleth3 he is engaged both by love and promise to bless1 protect1 and prosper them1 ,psal4 i4 #c2 cxxviii4 ,it is safe to sail in that ship which is bound for heaven1 and where ,christ is the pilot4 ,but when you reject his government1 you refuse his company1 and contemn his favour1 and forfeit his blessing1 by despising his presence1 his interest1 and his commands4 ,so that it is an evident truth1 that most of the mischiefs that now infest or seize upon mankind throughout the earth1 consist in1 or are caused by1 the disorders and ill-governedness of families4 ,these are the schools and shops of ,satan1 from whence proceed the beastly ignorance1 lust1 and sensuality1 the devilish pride1 malignity1 and cruelty against the holy ways of ,god1 which have so unmanned the progeny of ,adam4 ,these are the nests in which the serpent doth hatch the eggs of covetousness1 envy1 strife1 revenge1 of tyranny1 disobedience1 wars1 and bloodshed1 and all the leprosy of sin that hath so odiously contaminated human nature1 and all the miseries by which they make the world calamitous4 ,do you wonder that there can be persons and nations so blind and barbarous as we read of the ,turks1 ,tartarians1 ,indians1 and most of the inhabitants of the earth8 ,a wicked education is the cause of all1 which finding nature depraved1 doth sublimate and increase the venom which should by education have been cured2 and from the wickedness of families doth national wickedness arise4 ,do you wonder that so much ignorance1 and voluntary deceit1 and obstinacy in errors1 contrary to all men's common senses1 can be found among professed christians1 as great and small1 high and low1 through all the papal kingdoms1 do discover8 ,though the pride1 and covetousness1 and wickedness of a worldly1 carnal clergy1 is a very great cause1 yet the sinful negligence of parents and masters in their families is as great1 if not much greater than that4 ,do you wonder that even in the reformed churches1 there can be so many unreformed sinners1 of beastly lives1 that hate the serious practice of the religion which themselves profess8 ,it is ill education in ungodly families that is the cause of all this4 ,oh therefore how great and necessary a work is it1 to cast salt into these corrupted fountains6 ,cleanse and cure these vitiated families1 and you may cure almost all the calamities of the earth4 ,to tell what the emperors and princes of the earth might do1 if they were wise and good1 to the remedy of this common misery1 is the idle talk of those negligent persons1 who condemn themselves in condemning others4 ,even those rulers and princes that are the pillars and patrons of heathenism1 ,mahometanism1 popery1 and ungodliness in the world1 did themselves receive that venom from their parents1 in their birth and education1 which inclineth them to all this mischief4 ,family reformation is the easiest and the most likely way to a common reformation2 at least to send many souls to heaven1 and train up multitudes for ,god1 if it reach not to national reformation4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,more ,,special ,,motives ,,for ,a ,,holy ,,and ,,careful ,,education ,,of ,,children4 ,,because the chief part of family care and government consisteth in the right education of children1 ,i shall adjoin here some more special motives to quicken considerate parents to this duty2 and though most that ,i have to say for it be already said in my ,saints' ,rest1 part iii4 chap4 #ad4 sect4 #aa1 c4 and therefore shall be here omitted1 yet something shall be inserted1 lest the want here should appear too great4 ,motive ,i4 ,consider how deeply nature itself doth engage you to the greatest care and diligence for the holy education of your children4 ,they are1 as it were1 parts of yourselves1 and those that nature teacheth you to love and provide for1 and take most care for1 next yourselves2 and will you be regardless of their chief concernments8 and neglective of their souls8 ,will you no other way show your love to your children1 than every beast or bird will to their young1 to cherish them till they can go abroad and shift for themselves1 for corporal sustenance8 ,it is not dogs or beasts that you bring into the world1 but children that have immortal souls2 and therefore it is a care and education suitable to their natures which you owe them2 even such as conduceth most effectually to the happiness of their souls4 ,nature teacheth them some natural things without you1 as it doth the bird to fly2 but it hath committed it to your trust and care to teach them the greatest and most necessary things3 if you should think that you have nothing to do but to feed them1 and leave all the rest to nature1 then they would not learn to speak2 and if nature itself would condemn you1 if you teach them not to speak1 it will much more condemn you1 if you teach them not to understand both what they ought to speak and do4 ,they have an everlasting inheritance of happiness to attain2 and it is that which you must bring them up for4 ,they have an endless misery to escape2 and it is that which you must diligently teach them4 ,if you teach them not to escape the flames of hell1 what thanks do they owe you for teaching them to speak and go8 ,if you teach them not the way to heaven1 and how they may make sure of their salvation1 what thanks do they owe you for teaching them how to get their livings a little while in a miserable world8 ,if you teach them not to know ,god1 and how to serve him1 and be saved1 you teach them nothing1 or worse than nothing4 ,it is in your hands to do them the greatest kindness or cruelty in all the world3 help them to know ,god and to be saved1 and you do more for them than if you helped them to be lords or princes3 if you neglect their souls1 and breed them in ignorance1 worldliness1 ungodliness1 and sin1 you betray them to the devil1 the enemy of souls1 even as truly as if you sold them to him2 you sell them to be slaves to ,satan2 you betray them to him that will deceive them and abuse them in this life1 and torment them in the next4 ,if you saw but a burning furnace1 much more the flames of hell1 would you not think that man or woman more fit to be called a devil than a parent1 that could find in their hearts to cast their child into it1 or to put him into the hands of one that would do it8 ,what monsters then of inhumanity are you1 that read in ,scripture which is the way to hell1 and who they be that ,god will deliver up to ,satan1 to be tormented by him2 and yet will bring up your children in that very way1 and will not take pains to save them from it6 ,what a stir do you make to provide them food and raiment1 and a competent maintenance in the world when you are dead6 and how little pains take you to prepare their souls for the heavenly inheritance6 ,if you seriously believe that there are such joys or torments for your children 7and yourselves7 as soon as death removeth you hence1 is it possible that you should take this for the least of their concernments1 and make it the least and last of your cares1 to assure them of an endless happiness8 ,if you love them1 show it in those things on which their everlasting welfare doth depend4 ,do not say you love them1 and yet lead them unto hell4 ,if you love them not1 yet be not so unmerciful to them as to damn them3 it is not your saying1 ,god forbid1 and we hope better1 that will make it better1 or be any excuse to you4 ,what can you do more to damn them1 if you studied to do it as maliciously as the devil himself8 ,you cannot possibly do more1 than to bring them up in ignorance1 carelessness1 worldliness1 sensuality1 and ungodliness4 ,the devil can do nothing else to damn either them or you1 but by tempting to sin1 and drawing you from godliness4 ,there is no other way to hell4 ,no man is damned for any thing but this4 ,and yet will you bring them up in such a life1 and say1 ,god forbid1 we do not desire to damn them8 but it is no wonder2 when you do by your children but as you do by yourselves4 ,who can look that a man should be reasonable for his child1 that is so unreasonable for himself8 or that those parents should have any mercy on their children's souls1 that have no mercy on their own8 ,you desire not to damn yourselves1 but yet you do it1 if you live ungodly lives3 and so you will do by your children1 if you train them up in ignorance of ,god1 and in the service of the flesh and world4 ,you do like one that should set fire on his house and say1 ,god forbid1 ,i intend not to burn it3 or like one that casteth his child into the sea1 and saith1 he intendeth not to drown him2 or traineth him up in robbing and thievery1 and saith1 he intendeth not to have him hanged2 but if you intend to make a thief of him1 it is all one in effect1 as if you intended his hanging2 for the law determineth it1 and the judge will intend it4 ,so if you intend to train up your children in ungodliness1 as if they had no ,god nor souls to mind1 you may as well say1 you intend to have them damned4 ,and were not an enemy1 yea1 is not the devil more excusable1 for dealing thus cruelly by your children1 than you that are their parents1 that are bound by nature to love them1 and prevent their misery8 ,it is odious in ministers that take the charge of souls1 to betray them by their negligence1 and be guilty of their everlasting misery2 but in parents it is more unnatural1 and therefore more inexcusable4 ,motive ,,ii4 ,consider that ,god is the ,lord and ,owner of your children1 both by the title of creation and redemption3 therefore in justice you must resign them to him1 and educate them for him4 ,otherwise you rob ,god of his own creatures1 and rob ,christ of those for whom he died1 and this to give them to the devil1 the enemy of ,god and them4 ,it was not the world1 the flesh1 or the devil that created them1 or redeemed them1 but ,god2 and it is not possible for any right to be built upon a fuller title1 than to make them of nothing1 and redeem them from a state far worse than nothing4 ,and after all this1 shall the very parents of such children steal them from their absolute ,lord and ,father1 and sell them to slavery and torment8 ,motive ,,iii4 ,remember that in their baptism you did dedicate them to ,god2 you entered them into a solemn vow and covenant1 to be wholly his1 and to live to him4 ,therein they renounced the flesh1 the world1 and the devil2 therein you promised to bring them up virtuously1 to lead a godly and christian life1 that they might obediently keep ,god's holy will and commandments1 and walk in the same all the days of their lives4 ,and after all this1 will you break so solemn a promise1 and cause them to break such a vow and covenant1 by bringing them up in ignorance and ungodliness8 ,did you understand and consider what you then did8 how solemnly you yourselves engaged them in a vow to ,god1 to live a mortified and a holy life8 ,and will you so solemnly do that in an hour1 which all their life after with you1 you will endeavour to destroy8 ,motive ,,iv4 ,consider how great power the education of children hath upon all their following lives2 except nature and grace1 there is nothing that usually doth prevail so much with them4 ,indeed the obstinacy of natural viciousness doth often frustrate a good education2 but if any means be like to do good1 it is this2 but ill education is more constantly successful1 to make them evil4 ,this cherisheth those seeds of wickedness which spring up when they come to age2 this maketh so many to be proud1 and idle1 and flesh-pleasers1 and licentious1 and lustful1 and covetous1 and all that is naught4 ,and he hath a hard task that cometh after to root out these vices1 which an ungodly education hath so deeply radicated4 ,ungodly parents do serve the devil so effectually in the first impressions on their children's minds1 that it is more than magistrates and ministers and all reforming means can afterwards do to recover them from that sin to ,god4 ,whereas if you would first engage their hearts to ,god by a religious education1 piety would then have all those advantages that sin hath now4 ,prov4 xxii4 #f1 ,train up a child in the way he should go1 and when he is old he will not depart from it4 ,the language which you teach them to speak when they are children1 they will use all their life after1 if they live with those that use it4 ,and so the opinions which they first receive1 and the customs which they are used to at first1 are very hardly changed afterward4 ,i doubt not to affirm1 that a godly education is ,god's first and ordinary appointed means1 for the begetting of actual faith1 and other graces1 in the children of believers3 many may have seminal grace before1 but they cannot sooner have actual faith1 repentance1 love1 or any grace1 than they have reason itself in act and exercise4 ,and the preaching of the word by public ministers is not the first ordinary means of grace1 to any but those that were graceless till they come to hear such preaching2 that is1 to those on whom the first appointed means hath been neglected1 or proved in vain3 that is1 it is but the second means1 to do that which was not done by the first4 ,the proof is undeniable2 because ,god appointeth parents diligently to teach their children the doctrine of his holy word1 before they come to the public ministry3 parents' teaching is the first teaching2 and parents' teaching is for this end1 as well as public teaching1 even to beget faith1 and love1 and holiness2 and ,god appointeth no means to be used by us1 on which we may not expect his blessing4 ,therefore it is apparent1 that the ordinary appointed means for the first actual grace1 is parents' godly instruction and education of their children4 ,and public preaching is appointed for the conversion of those only that have missed the blessing of the first appointed means4 ,therefore if you deny your children religious education1 you deny them the first appointed means of their actual faith and sanctification2 and then the second cometh upon disadvantage4 ,motive ,v4 ,consider also how many and great are your advantages above all others for your children's good4 ,as1 #a4 ,nothing doth take so much with any one1 as that which is known to come from love3 the greater love is discerned in your instruction1 the greater success may you expect4 ,now your children are more confident of their parents' love1 than of any others2 whether ministers and strangers speak to them in love1 they cannot tell2 but of their parents' love they make no doubt4 #b4 ,and their love to you is as great a preparative to your success4 ,we all hearken to them that we dearly love1 with greater attention and willingness than to others4 ,they love not the minister as they do their parents4 #c4 ,you have them in hand betimes1 before they have received any false opinions or bad impressions2 before they have any sin but that which was born with them3 you are to make the first impressions upon them2 you have them while they are most teachable1 and flexible1 and tender1 and make least resistance against instruction2 they rise not up at first against your teaching with self-conceitedness and proud objections4 ,but when they come to the minister1 they are as paper that is written on or printed before1 unapt to receive another impression2 they have much to be untaught1 before they can be taught2 and come with proud and stiff resistance1 to strive against instruction1 rather than readily to receive it4 #d4 ,your children do wholly depend on you for their present maintenance1 and much for their future livelihood and portions2 and therefore they know that it is their interest to obey and please you2 and as interest is the common bias of the world1 so is it with your children2 you may easilier rule them that have this handle to hold them by1 than any other can do that have not this advantage4 ,they know they serve you not for nought4 #e4 ,your authority over your children is most unquestionable4 ,they will dispute the authority of ministers1 yea1 and of magistrates1 and ask them who gave them the power to teach them1 and to command them8 ,but the parents' authority is beyond all dispute4 ,they will not call you tyrants or usurpers1 nor bid you prove the validity of your ordination1 or the uninterruptedness of your succession4 ,therefore father and mother1 as the first natural power1 are mentioned rather than kings or queens in the fifth commandment4 #f4 ,you have the power of the rod to force them4 ,prov4 xxii4 #ae1 ,foolishness is bound in the heart of a child1 but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him4 ,and your correction will be better understood to come from love1 than that of the magistrate or any other4 #g4 ,you have best opportunity to know both the diseases and temperature of your children2 which is a great advantage for the choosing and applying of the best remedy4 #h4 ,you have opportunity of watching over them1 and discerning all their faults in time2 but if a minister speak to them1 he can know no more what fault to reprehend1 than others tell him1 or the party will confess4 ,you may also discern what success your former exhortations had1 and whether they amend or still go on in sin1 and whether you should proceed to more severe remedies4 #i4 ,you have opportunity of speaking to them in the most familiar manner2 which is better understood than the set speech of a minister in the pulpit1 which few of them mark or understand4 ,you can quicken their attention by questions which put them upon answering you1 and so awaken them to a serious regard of what you say4 #aj4 ,you are so frequently with them1 that you can repeat your instructions1 and drive them home1 that what is not done at one time1 may be done at another2 whereas other men can seldom speak to them1 and what is so seldom spoken is easily neglected or forgotten4 #aa4 ,you have power to place them under the best means1 and to remove many impediments out of their way which usually frustrate other men's endeavours4 #ab4 ,your example is near them and continually in their sight1 which is a continual and powerful sermon4 ,by all these advantages ,god hath enabled you1 above all others1 to be instruments of your children's good1 and the first and greatest promoters of their salvation4 ,motive ,,vi4 ,consider how great a comfort it would be to you1 to have your children such as you may confidently hope are the children of ,god1 being brought to know him1 and love1 and serve him1 through your own endeavours in a pious education of them4 #a4 ,you may love your children upon a higher account than as they are yours2 even as they are ,god's1 adorned with his image1 and quickened with a divine celestial life2 and this is to love them with a higher kind of love1 than mere natural affection is4 ,it would rejoice you to see your children advanced to be lords or princes2 but oh how much greater cause of joy is it1 to see them made the members of ,christ1 and quickened by his ,spirit1 and sealed up for life eternal6 #b4 ,when once your children are made the children of ,god1 by the regeneration of the ,spirit1 you may be much more free from care and trouble for them than before4 ,now you may boldly trust them on the care of their heavenly ,father1 who is able to do more for them than you are able to desire3 he loveth them better than you can love them2 he is bound by promise to protect them1 and provide for them1 and to see that all things work together for their good4 ,he that clotheth the lilies of the fields1 and suffereth not the young lions or ravens to be unprovided for1 will provide convenient food for his own children 7though he will have you also do your duty for them1 as they are your children74 ,while they are the children of ,satan1 and the servants of sin1 you have cause to fear1 not only lest they be exposed to miseries in this world1 but much more lest they be snatched away in their sin to hell3 your children1 while they are ungodly1 are worse than among wolves and tigers4 ,but when once they are renewed by the ,spirit of ,christ1 they are the charge of all the blessed ,trinity1 and under ,god the charge of angels3 living or dying they are safe2 for the eternal ,god is their portion and defence4 #c4 ,it may be a continual comfort to you to think what a deal of drudgery and calamity your child is freed from3 to think how many oaths he would have sworn1 and how many lies and curses he would have uttered1 and how beastly and fleshly a life he would have lived1 how much wrong he would have done to ,god and men1 and how much he would have pleased the devil1 and what torments in hell he must have endured as the reward of all2 and then to think how mercifully ,god hath prevented all this2 and what service he may do ,god in the world1 and finally live with ,christ in glory3 what a joy is this to a considering1 believing parent1 that taketh the mercies of his children as his own6 #d4 ,religion will teach your children to be more dutiful to yourselves1 than nature can teach them4 ,it will teach them to love you1 even when you have no more to give them1 as well as if you had the wealth of all the world3 it will teach them to honour you1 though you are poor and contemptible in the eyes of others4 ,it will teach them to obey you1 and if you fall into want1 to relieve you according to their power3 it will fit them to comfort you in the time of your sickness and distress2 when ungodly children will be as thorns in your feet or eyes1 and cut your hearts1 and prove a greater grief than any enemies to you4 ,a gracious child will bear with your weaknesses1 when a ,ham will not cover his father's nakedness3 a gracious child can pray for you1 and pray with you1 and be a blessing to your house2 when an ungodly child is fitter to curse1 and prove a curse1 to those he lives with4 #e4 ,and is it not an exceeding joy to think of the everlasting happiness of your child8 and that you may live together in heaven for ever8 when the foreseen misery of a graceless child may grieve you whenever you look him in the face4 #f4 ,lastly1 it will be a great addition to your joy1 to think that ,god blessed your diligent instructions1 and made you the instrument of all that good that is done upon your children1 and of all that good that is done by them1 and of all the happiness they have for ever4 ,to think that this was conveyed to them by your means1 will give you a larger share in the delights of it4 ,motive ,,vii4 ,remember that your children's original sin and misery is by you2 and therefore1 in justice1 you that have undone them1 are bound to do your best to save them4 ,if you had but conveyed a leprosy1 or some hereditary disease1 to their bodies1 would you have not done your best to cure them8 ,oh that you could do them but as much good as you do them hurt6 ,it is more than ,adam's sin that runneth down into the natures of your children1 yea1 and that bringeth judgments on them2 and even ,adam's sin cometh not to them but by you4 ,motive ,,viii4 ,lastly1 ,consider what exceeding great need they have of the utmost help you can afford them4 ,it is not a corporal disease1 an easy enemy1 a tolerable misery1 that we call unto you for their help2 but it is against sin1 and ,satan1 and hell-fire4 ,it is against a body of sin2 not one1 but many2 not small1 but pernicious1 having seized on the heart2 deep-rooted sins1 that are not easily plucked up4 ,all the teaching1 and diligence1 and watchfulness that you can use1 is little enough1 and may prove too little4 ,they are obstinate vices that have possessed them2 they are not quickly nor easily cast out2 and the remnants and roots are apt to be still springing up again1 when you thought they had been quite destroyed3 oh then what wisdom and diligence is requisite to so great and necessary a work6 ,and now let me seriously speak to the hearts of those careless and ungodly parents1 that neglect the holy education of their children3 yea1 and to those professors of godliness1 that slubber over so great a work with a few customary formal duties and words1 that are next to a total omission of it4 ,oh be not so unmerciful to the souls that you have helped to bring into the world6 ,think not so basely of them1 as if they were not worth your labour4 ,make not your children so like your beasts1 as to make no provision but only for their flesh4 ,remember still that it is not beasts1 but men1 that you have begotten and brought forth3 educate them then and use them as men1 for the love and obedience of their ,maker3 oh pity and help the souls that you have defiled and undone6 ,have mercy on the souls that must perish in hell1 if they be not saved in this day of salvation6 ,oh help them that have so many enemies to assault them6 ,help them that have so many temptations to pass through2 and so many difficulties to overcome2 and so severe a judgment to undergo6 ,help them that are so weak1 and so easily deceived and overthrown6 ,help them speedily while your advantages continue2 before sin have hardened them1 and grace have forsaken them1 and ,satan place a stronger garrison in their hearts4 ,help them while they are tractable1 before they are grown up to despise your help2 before you and they are separated asunder1 and your opportunities be at an end4 ,you think not your pains from year to year too much to make provision for their bodies3 oh be not cruel to their souls6 ,sell them not to ,satan1 and that for nought6 ,betray them not by your ungodly negligence to hell4 ,or if any of them will perish1 let it not be by you1 that are so much bound to do them good3 the undoing of your children's souls is a work much fitter for ,satan1 than for their parents4 ,remember how comfortable a thing it is1 to work with ,christ for the saving of souls4 ,you think the calling of ministers honourable and happy2 and so it is1 because they serve ,christ in so high a work3 but if you will not neglect it1 you may do for your children more than any minister can do4 ,this is your preaching place2 here ,god calleth you to exercise your parts1 even in the holy instruction of your families3 your charge is small in comparison of the minister's1 he hath many hundred souls to watch over1 that are scattered all abroad the parish2 and will you think it much to instruct and watch over those few of your own that are under your roof8 ,you can speak odiously of unfaithful1 soul-betraying ministers2 and do you not consider how odious a soul-betraying parent is8 ,if ,god intrust you but with earthly talents1 take heed how you use them1 for you must be accountable for your trust2 and when he hath intrusted you with souls1 even your children's souls1 will you betray them8 ,if any rulers should but forbid you the instructing and well-governing of your families1 and restrain you by a law1 as they would have restrained ,daniel from praying in his house1 ,dan4 vi4 then you would think them monsters of impiety and inhumanity2 and you would cry out of a satanical persecution1 that would make men traitors to their children's souls1 and drive away all religion from the earth4 ,and yet how easily can you neglect such duties1 when none forbid them you1 and never accuse yourselves of any such horrid impiety or inhumanity8 ,what hypocrisy and blind partiality is this6 ,like a lazy minister that would cry out of persecution1 if he were silenced by others1 and yet will not be provoked to be laborious1 but ordinarily by his slothfulness silence himself1 and make no such matter of it4 ,would it be so heinous a sin in another to restrain you8 and is it not as heinous for you1 that are so much obliged to it1 voluntarily to restrain yourselves8 ,o then deny not this necessary diligence to your necessitous children1 as you love their souls1 as you love the happiness of the church or commonwealth1 as you love the honour and interest of ,christ1 and as you love your present and everlasting peace4 ,do not see your children the slaves of ,satan here1 and the firebrands of hell for ever1 if any diligence of yours may contribute to prevent it4 ,do not give conscience such matter of accusation against you1 as to say1 ,all this was long of thee6 ,if thou hadst instructed them diligently1 and watched over them1 and corrected them1 and done thy part1 it is like they had never come to this4 ,you till your fields2 you weed your gardens2 what pains take you about your grounds and cattle6 and will you not take more for your children's souls8 ,alas1 what creatures will they be if you leave them to themselves6 how ignorant1 careless1 rude1 and beastly6 ,oh what a lamentable case have ungodly parents brought the world into6 ,ignorance and selfishness1 beastly sensuality1 and devilish malignity1 have covered the face of the earth as a deluge1 and driven away wisdom1 and self-denial1 and piety1 and charity1 and justice1 and temperance almost out of the world1 confining them to the breasts of a few obscure1 humble souls1 that love virtue for virtue's sake1 and look for their reward from ,god alone1 and expect that by abstaining from iniquity they make themselves a prey to wolves1 ,isa4 lix4 #ae4 ,wicked education hath unmanned the world1 and subdued it to ,satan1 and make it almost like to hell4 ,o do not join with the sons of ,belial in this unnatural1 horrid wickedness6 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,the ,,mutual ,,duties ,,of ,,husbands ,,and ,,wives ,,towards ,,each ,,other4 ,,it is the pernicious subversion of all societies1 and so of the world1 that selfish1 ungodly persons enter into all relations with a desire to serve themselves there1 and fish out all that gratifieth their flesh1 but without any sense of the duty of their relation4 ,they bethink them what honour1 or profit1 or pleasure their relation will afford them1 but not what ,god and man require or expect from them4#i ,all their thought is1 what they shall have1 but not what they shall be and do4 ,they are very sensible what others should be and do to them2 but not what they should be and do to others4 ,thus it is with magistrates1 and with people1 with too many pastors and their flocks1 with husbands and wives1 with parents and children1 with masters and servants1 and all other relations4 ,whereas our first care should be to know and perform the duties of our relations1 and please ,god in them1 and then look for his blessing by way of encouraging reward4 ,study and do your parts1 and ,god will certainly do his4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,the first duty of husbands is to love their wives 7and wives their husbands7 with a true1 entire1 conjugal love4 ,eph4 v4 #be1 #bh1 #bi1 #cc1 ,husbands1 love your wives1 even as ,christ also loved the church1 and gave himself for it4--,so ought men to love their wives as their own bodies2 he that loveth his wife1 loveth himself4 ,for no man ever yet hated his own flesh2 but nourisheth and cherisheth it1 even as the ,lord the church4--,let every one of you in particular so love his wife1 even as himself4 ,see ,gen4 ii4 #bd4 ,it is a relation of love that you have entered4 ,god hath made it your duty for your mutual help and comfort2 that you may be as willing and ready to succour one another1 as the hand is to help the eye or other fellow-member1 and that your converse may be sweet1 and your burdens easy1 and your lives may be comfortable4 ,if love be removed but for an hour between husband and wife1 they are so long as a bone out of joint2 there is no ease1 no order1 no work well done1 till they are restored and set in joint again4 ,therefore be sure that conjugal love be constantly maintained4 ,sidenote3 ,sub-directions to maintain conjugal love4 ,the sub-directions for maintaining conjugal love are such as these4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,choose one at first that is truly amiable1 especially in the virtues of the mind4 #b4 ,marry not till you are sure that you can love entirely4 ,be not drawn for sordid ends1 to join with one that you have but ordinary affections for4 #c4 ,be not too hasty1 but know beforehand all the imperfections1 which may tempt you afterwards to loathing4 ,but if these duties have been sinfully neglected1 yet1 #d4 ,remember that justice commandeth you to love one that hath1 as it were1 forsaken all the world for you1 and is contented to be the companion of your labours and sufferings1 and be an equal sharer in all conditions with you1 and that must be your companion until death4 ,it is worse than barbarous inhumanity to entice such a one into a bond of love1 and society with you1 and then to say1 you cannot love her4 ,this was by perfidiousness to draw her into a snare to her undoing4 ,what comfort can she have in her converse with you1 and care1 and labour1 and necessary sufferings1 if you deny her conjugal love8 ,especially1 if she deny not love to you1 the inhumanity is the greater4 #e4 ,remember that women are ordinarily affectionate1 passionate creatures1 and as they love much themselves1 so they expect much love from you4 ,and when you joined yourself to such a nature1 you obliged yourself to answerable duty3 and if love cause not love1 it is ungrateful and unjust contempt4 #f4 ,remember that you are under ,god's command2 and to deny conjugal love to your wives1 is to deny a duty which ,god hath urgently imposed on you4 ,obedience therefore should command your love4 #g4 ,remember that you are relatively1 as it were1 one flesh2 you have drawn her to forsake father and mother1 to cleave to you2 you are conjoined for procreation of such children as must bear the image and nature of you both2 your possessions and interests are in a manner the same4 ,and therefore such nearness should command affection2 they that are as yourselves1 should be most easily loved as yourselves4 #h4 ,take more notice of the good1 that is in your wives1 than of the evil4 ,let not the observation of their faults make you forget or overlook their virtues4 ,love is kindled by the sight of love or goodness4 #i4 ,make not infirmities to seem odious faults1 but excuse them as far as lawfully you may1 by considering the frailty of the sex1 and of their tempers1 and considering also your own infirmities1 and how much your wives must bear with you4 #aj4 ,stir up that most in them into exercise which is best1 and stir not up that which is evil2 and then the good will most appear1 and the evil will be as buried1 and you will easilier maintain your love4 ,there is some uncleanness in the best on earth2 yet if you will be daily stirring in the filth1 no wonder if you have the annoyance2 and for that you may thank yourselves3 draw out the fragrancy of that which is good and delectable in them1 and do not by your own imprudence or peevishness stir up the worst1 and then you shall find that even your faulty wives will appear more amiable to you4 #aa4 ,overcome them with love2 and then whatever they are in themselves1 they will be loving to you1 and consequently lovely4 ,love will cause love1 as fire kindleth fire4 ,a good husband is the best means to make a good and loving wife4 ,make them not froward by your froward carriage1 and then say1 we cannot love them4 #ab4 ,give them examples of amiableness in yourselves2 set them the pattern of a prudent1 lowly1 loving1 meek1 self-denying1 patient1 harmless1 holy1 heavenly life4 ,try this a while1 and see whether it will not shame them from their faults1 and make them walk more amiably themselves4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,another duty of husbands and wives is1 cohabitation and 7where age prohibiteth not7 a sober and modest conjunction for procreation3 avoiding lasciviousness1 unseasonableness1 and whatever tendeth to corrupt the mind1 and make it vain and filthy1 and hinder it from holy employment4 ,and therefore lust must not be cherished in the married2 but the mind be brought to a moderate1 chaste1 and sober frame2 and the remedy must not be turned into an increase of the disease1 but used to extinguish it4 ,for if the mind be left to the power of lust1 and only marriage trusted to for the cure1 with many it will be found an insufficient cure2 and lust will rage still as it did before1 and will be so much the more desperate and your case the more miserable1 as your sin prevaileth against the remedy4 ,yet marriage being appointed for a remedy against lust1 for the avoiding all unlawful congress1 the apostle hath plainly described your duty2 #a ,cor4 vii4 #b-e1 ,it is good for a man not to touch a woman3 nevertheless to avoid fornication1 let every man have his own wife1 and let every woman have her own husband2 let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence2 and likewise also the wife unto the husband4 ,the wife hath not power of her own body1 but the husband2 and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body1 but the wife4 ,defraud you not one the other1 except it be with consent for a time1 that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer1 and come together again1 that ,satan tempt you not for your incontinency4 ,therefore those persons live contrary to the nature of their relation1 who live a great part of their lives asunder1 as many do for worldly respects2 when they have several houses1 possessions1 or trades1 and the husband must live at one1 and the wife at another1 for their commodity sake2 and only come together once in a week1 or in many weeks3 when this is done without great necessity1 it is a constant violation of their duties4 ,and so it is for men to go trade or live beyond sea1 or in another land1 and leave their wives behind them2 yea1 though they have their wives' consent2 it is an unlawful course1 except in a case of mere necessity1 or public service1 or when they are able on good grounds to say1 that the benefits are like to be greater to soul and body than the loss2 and that they are confirmed against the danger of incontinence4 ,the offices which husband and wife are bound to perform for one another are such as1 for the most part1 suppose their cohabitation1 like the offices of the members of the body for each other1 which they cannot perform if they be dismembered and divided4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,abhor not only adultery itself1 but all that tendeth to unchasteness and the violation of your marriage-covenant4#aj ,adultery is so contrary to the conjugal bond and state of life1 that though de facto it do not actually dissolve the bond1 and nullify the marriage2 yet it so far disobligeth the wronged innocent party1 that de jure it is to such a sufficient ground to warrant a divorce4 ,and ,god required that it be punished by death1 ,lev4 xx4 #aj4 ,when lust is the chiefest cause of marriage1 and when married persons live not in the fear of ,god1 but pamper the flesh and live licentiously1 no wonder if marriage prove an insufficient remedy against such cherished lust4 ,such carnal1 beastly persons are still casting fuel on the fire2 by wanton1 unbridled thoughts and speeches1 by gluttony1 drinking1 sports1 and idleness1 by vain1 enticing company1 and not avoiding occasions1 opportunities1 and temptations1 they burn as much when they are married as they did before4 ,and the devil that bloweth up this fire in their flesh1 doth conduct and accommodate them in the satisfying of their lusts2 so that their brutish concupiscence is like a fire burning in the sea2 water itself will not quench it4 ,one woman will not satisfy their bestiality2 and perhaps they loathe their own wives1 and run after others1 though their own 7in the eye of any impartial man7 be the more comely and amiable1 and their whores be never so deformed1 or impudent1 filthy lumps of dirt4 ,so that one would think that they had no other reason to love and follow such unlovely things1 but only because that ,god forbiddeth it2 as if the devil did it to show his power over them1 that he can make them do that1 as in despite of ,god1 which else they would abhor themselves4 ,when once their sensuality and their forsaking of ,god1 hath provoked ,god to forsake them1 and give them up to the rage of that sensuality1 an unclean spirit sometimes takes possession of them1 and wholly inclineth them to wallow in uncleanness3 they can scarce look a comely person in the face1 that is of the other sex1 but unclean thoughts are rising in their hearts2 they think of filthiness when they are alone2 they dream of filthiness in the night2 they talk of filthiness with others3 the tongues of the dogs that licked ,lazarus his sores1 were not used in such a filthy employment as theirs are4 ,they are as fed horses in the morning2 every one neigheth after his neighbour's wife1 ,jer4 v4 #h4 ,they declare their sin as ,sodom1 and hide it not1 ,isa4 iii4 #i4 ,and usually when they are given over to this filthy sin1 it utterly debaucheth their consciences1 and maketh them like blocks or beasts1 insensible of their misery and the wrath of ,god1 and given over to all other villanies1 and even to hate and persecute godliness1 if not civility itself4#aa ,some few adulterers ,i have known1 that sin so much against their consciences1 that they live in continual despair2 tormented in the sense of their own unhappiness1 and yet sinning still1 as if the devil would make them a derision3 and yet these are the better sort1 because there is some testimony for a better life remaining in their minds2 but others of them being past feeling1 have given themselves over to lasciviousness1 to work all uncleanness with greediness1 ,eph4 iv4 #ai4 ,they have eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin--as natural brute beasts that are made to be taken and destroyed1 #b ,pet4 ii4 #aj-ab4 ,take heed therefore of the causes of this odious sin1 and of all appearance of it2 suffer not your eye or thought to go after a stranger1 nor to begin a breach in your covenant and conjugal fidelity4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,husband and wife must take delight in the love1 and company1 and converse of each other4 ,there is nothing that man's heart is so inordinately set upon as delight2 and yet the lawful delight allowed them by ,god1 they can turn into loathing and disdain4 ,the delight which would entangle you in sin1 and turn you from your duty and from ,god1 is it that is forbidden you3 but this is a delight that is helpful to you in your duty1 and would keep you from sin4 ,when husband and wife take pleasure in each other1 it uniteth them in duty1 it helpeth them with ease to do their work1 and bear their burdens2 and is not the least part of the comfort of the married state4 ,rejoice with the wife of thy youth1 as the loving hind and pleasant roe3 let her breasts satisfy thee at all times1 and be thou ravished always with her love1 ,prov4 v4 #ah1 #ai4 ,therefore a wife is called ,the desire of the eyes1 ,ezek4 xxiv4 #af4 ,avoid therefore all things that may represent you unpleasant or unlovely to each other2 and use all lawful means to cherish complacency and delight3 not by foolish1 ridiculous1 or proud attire1 or immodest actions2 but by cleanness1 and decency1 and kind deportment4 ,nastiness1 and uncleanness1 and unseemly carriage1 and foolish speech1 and whatever is loathsome in body or mind1 must be shunned as temptations which would hinder you from that love1 and pleasure1 and content1 which husband and wife should have in one another4 ,and yet it is a foolish fleshly person1 that will continue love no longer than it is cherished with all this care4 ,if there be any deformity of the body1 or any thing unseemly in behaviour1 or if ,god should visit them with any loathsome sores or sickness1 they must for all that love each other1 yea1 and take pleasure in their converse4 ,it is not a true friend that leaveth you in adversity2 nor is it true conjugal affection which is blasted by a loathsome sickness4 ,the love of mothers to their children will make them take pleasure in them1 notwithstanding their sickness or uncleanness2 and so should their love do between a husband and his wife4 ,he that considereth that his own flesh is liable to the same diseases1 and like ere long to be as loathsome1 will do as he would be done by1 and not turn away in time of her affliction1 from her that is become his flesh4 ,much less excusable is the crime of them that when they have nothing extraordinary to distaste or disaffect them1 are weary of the company of one another1 and had rather be in their neighbour's houses1 than in their own1 and find more pleasure in the company of a stranger1 than of one another4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,it is a great duty of husbands and wives to live in quietness and peace1 and avoid all occasions of wrath and discord4 ,because this is a duty of so great importance1 ,i shall first open to you the great necessity of it1 and then give you more particular directions to perform it4 ,sidenote3 ,against dissension4 #a4 ,it is a duty which your union or near relation doth especially require4 ,will you fall out with yourselves8 ,cannot you agree with your own flesh8 #b4 ,your discord will be your pain1 and the vexation of your lives4 ,like a bile1 or wound1 or fracture in your own bodies1 which will pain you till it is cured2 you will hardly keep peace in your minds1 when peace is broken so near you in your family4 ,as you would take heed of hurting yourselves1 and as you would hasten the cure when you are hurt2 so should you take heed of any breach of peace1 and quickly seek to heal it when it is broken4 #c4 ,dissension tends to cool your love2 oft falling out doth tend to leave a habit of distaste and averseness on the mind4 ,wounding is separating2 and to be tied together by any outward bonds1 when your hearts are separated1 is but to be tormented2 and to have the insides of adversaries1 while you have conjugal outsides4 ,as the difference between my house and my prison is that ,i willingly and with delight dwell in the one1 but am unwillingly confined to the other1 such will be the difference between a quiet and an unquiet life1 in your married state2 it turneth your dwelling and delight into a prison1 where you are chained to those calamities1 which in a free condition you might overrun4 #d4 ,dissension between the husband and the wife1 do disorder all their family affairs2 they are like oxen unequally yoked1 that can rid no work for striving with one another4 ,nothing is well done because of the variance of those that should do it1 or oversee it4 #e4 ,it exceedingly unfitteth you for the worship of ,god2 you are not fit to pray together1 nor to confer together of heavenly things1 nor to be helpers to each other's souls3 ,i need not tell you this1 you feel it by experience4 ,wrath and bitterness will not allow you so much exercise of love and holy composedness of mind1 as every one of those duties do require4 #f4 ,dissension disableth you to govern your families aright4 ,your children and servants will take example by you2 or think they are at liberty to do what they list1 when they find you taken up with such work between yourselves2 and they will think you unfit to reprove them for their faults1 when they see you guilty of such faults and folly of your own2 nay1 you will become the shame and secret derision of your family1 and bring yourselves into contempt4 #g4 ,your dissensions will expose you to the malice of ,satan1 and give him advantage for manifold temptations4 ,a house divided cannot stand2 an army divided is easily conquered1 and made a prey to the enemy4 ,you cannot foresee what abundance of sin you put yourselves in danger of4 ,by all this you may see what dissensions between husband and wife do tend to1 and how they should be avoided4 ,sidenote3 ,directions against dissension4 ,,ii4 ,for the avoiding of them observe these sub-directions4 #a4 ,keep up your conjugal love in a constant heat and vigour4 ,love will suppress wrath2 you cannot have a bitter mind upon small provocations1 against those that you dearly love2 much less can you proceed to reviling words1 or to averseness and estrangedness1 or any abuse of one another4 ,or if a breach and wound be unhappily made1 the balsamic quality of love will heal it4 ,but when love once cooleth1 small matters exasperate and breed distaste4 #b4 ,both husband and wife must mortify their pride and passion1 which are the causes of impatiency2 and must pray and labour for a humble1 meek1 and quiet spirit4 ,for it is the diseased temper of the heart1 that causeth dissensions1 more than the occasions or matter of offence do4 ,a proud heart is troubled and provoked by every word or carriage that seemeth to tend to their undervaluing4 ,a peevish1 froward mind is like a sore and ulcerated member1 that will be hurt if it be touched4 ,he that must live near such a sore1 diseased1 impatient mind1 must live even as the nurse doth with the child1 that maketh it her business to rock it1 and lull1 and sing it quiet when it crieth2 for to be angry with it1 will do no good2 and if you have married one of such a sick or childish temper1 you must resolve to bear and use them accordingly4 ,but no christian should bear with such a vexatious malady in themselves2 nor be patient with such impatiency of mind4 ,once get the victory over yourselves1 and get the cure of your own impatience1 and you will easily keep peace with one another4 #c4 ,remember still that you are both diseased persons1 full of infirmities2 and therefore expect the fruit of those infirmities in each other2 and make not a strange matter of it1 as if you had never known of it before4 ,if you had married one that is lame1 would you be angry with her for halting8 ,or if you had married one that had a putrid ulcer1 would you fall out with her because it stinketh8 ,did you not know beforehand1 that you married a person of such weaknesses1 as would yield you some matter of daily trial and offence8 ,if you could not bear this1 you should not have married her2 if you resolved that you could bear it then1 you are obliged to bear it now4 ,resolve therefore to bear with one another2 as remembering that you took one another as sinful1 frail1 imperfect persons1 and not as angels1 or as blameless and perfect4 #d4 ,remember still that you are one flesh2 and therefore be no more offended with the words or failings of each other1 than you would be if they were your own4 ,fall out no more with your wife for her faults1 than you do with yourself for your own faults2 and than you would do1 if hers had been your own4 ,this will allow you such an anger and displeasure against a fault1 as tendeth to heal it2 but not such as tendeth but to fester and vex the diseased part4 ,this will turn anger into compassion1 and speedy1 tender diligence for the cure4 #e4 ,agree together beforehand1 that when one is in the diseased1 angry fit1 the other shall silently and gently bear1 till it be past and you are come to yourselves again4 ,be not angry both at once2 when the fire is kindled1 quench it with gentle words and carriage1 and do not cast on oil or fuel1 by answering provokingly and sharply1 or by multiplying words1 and by answering wrath with wrath4 ,but remember that now the work that you are called to is to mollify1 and not to exasperate1 to help1 and not to hurt1 to cure another rather than to right yourself2 as if another fall and hurt him1 your business is to help him up1 and not to tread upon him4 #f4 ,look before you1 and remember that you must live together until death1 and must be the companions of each other's fortunes1 and the comforts of each other's lives1 and then you will see how absurd it is for you to disagree and vex each other4 ,anger is the principle of revenge1 and falling out doth tend to separation4 ,therefore those that must not revenge1 should not give way to anger2 and those that know they must not part1 should not fall out4 #g4 ,as far as you are able1 avoid all occasions of wrath and falling out1 about the matters of your families4 ,some by their slothfulness bring themselves into want2 and then being unable to bear it1 they contract a discontented1 peevish habit1 and in their impatiency they wrangle and disquiet one another4 ,some plunge themselves into a multitude of business1 and have to do with so many things and persons1 that one or other is still offending them1 and then they are impatient with one another4 ,some have neither skill nor diligence to manage their businesses aright2 and so things fall cross1 and go out of order1 and then their impatiency turneth itself against each other4 ,avoid these occasions1 if you would avoid the sin1 and see that you be not unfurnished of patience1 to bear that which cannot be avoided4 #h4 ,if you cannot quickly quench your passion1 yet at least refrain your tongues2 speak not reproachful or provoking words3 talking it out hotly doth blow the fire1 and increase the flame2 be but silent1 and you will the sooner return to your serenity and peace4 ,foul words tend to more displeasure4 ,as ,socrates said when his wife first railed at him1 and next threw a vessel of foul water upon him1 ,i thought when ,i heard the thunder1 there would come rain2 so you may portend worse following1 when foul1 unseemly words begin4 ,if you cannot easily allay your wrath1 you may hold your tongues1 if you are truly willing4 #i4 ,let the sober party condescend to speak fair and to entreat the other 7unless it be with a person so insolent as will be the worse74 ,usually a few sober1 grave admonitions1 will prove as water to the boiling pot4 ,say to your angry wife or husband1 ,you know this should not be betwixt us2 love must allay it1 and it must be repented of4 ,god doth not approve it1 and we shall not approve it when this heat is over4 ,this frame of mind is contrary to a praying frame1 and this language contrary to a praying language2 we must pray together anon2 let us do nothing contrary to prayer now3 sweet water and bitter come not from one spring1 c4 ,some calm and condescending words of reason1 may stop the torrent1 and revive the reason which passion had overcome4 #aj4 ,confess your fault to one another1 when passion hath prevailed against you2 and ask forgiveness of each other1 and join in prayer to ,god for pardon2 and this will lay a greater engagement on you the next time to forbear3 you will sure be ashamed to do that which you have so confessed and asked forgiveness for of ,god and man4 ,if you will but practise these ten directions1 your conjugal and family peace may be preserved4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,a principal duty between husband and wife1 is1 with special care1 and skill1 and diligence1 to help each other in the knowledge1 and worship1 and obedience of ,god1 in order to their salvation4 ,because this is a duty in which you are the greatest helps and blessings to each other1 if you perform it1 ,i shall1 #a4 ,endeavour to quicken you to make conscience of it2 and then1 #b4 ,direct you how to do it4 ,i4 ,consider1 #a4 ,how little it can stand with rational love1 to neglect the souls of one another4 ,i suppose you believe that you have immortal souls1 and an endless life of joy or misery to live2 and then you cannot choose but know that your great concernment and business is1 to make sure provision for those souls1 and for the endless life4 ,therefore if your love do not help one another in this which is your main concernment1 it is little worth1 and of little use4 ,every thing in this world is valuable as it is useful4 ,a useless or unprofitable love1 is a worthless love4 ,it is a trifling1 or a childish1 or a beastly love1 which helpeth you but in trifling1 childish1 or beastly things4 ,do you love your wife1 and yet will leave her in the power of ,satan1 or will not help to save her soul8 ,what6 love her1 and yet let her go to hell8 and rather let her be damned than you will be at the pains to endeavour her salvation8 ,if she were but in bodily pain or misery1 and you refused to do your part to succour her1 she would take it but for cold1 unprofitable love1 though you were never so kind to her in compliments and trifles4 ,the devil himself maketh show of such a love as that2 he can vouchsafe men pleasures1 and wealth1 and honour1 so he may but see the perdition of their souls4 ,and if your love to your wife or husband1 do tend to no greater matters than the pleasures of this life1 while the soul is left to perish in sin1 bethink yourselves seriously how little more kindness you show them than the devil doth4 ,o can you see the danger of one that you love so dearly1 and do no more to save them from it8 ,can you think of the damnation of so dear a friend1 and not do all that you are able to prevent it8 ,would you be separated from them in the world that you are going to8 ,would you not live with them in heaven for ever8 ,never say you love them1 if you will not labour for their salvation4 ,if ever they come to hell1 or if ever you see them there1 both they and you will then confess1 that you behaved not yourselves like such as loved them4 ,it doth not deserve the name of love1 which can leave a soul to endless misery4 ,what then shall we say of them that do not only deny their help1 but are hinderers of the holiness and salvation of each other6#ab ,and yet 7the ,lord have mercy on the poor miserable world67 how common a thing is this among us6 ,if the wife be ignorant and ungodly1 she will do her worst to make or keep her husband such as she is herself2 and if ,god put any holy inclinations into his heart1 she will be to it as water to the fire1 to quench it or to keep it under2 and if he will not be as sinful and miserable as herself1 he shall have little quietness or rest4 ,and if ,god open the eyes of the wife of a bad man1 and show her the amiableness and necessity of a holy life1 and she do but resolve to obey the ,lord1 and save her soul1 what an enemy and tyrant will her husband prove to her 7if ,god restrain him not72 so that the devil himself doth scarce do more against the saving of their souls1 than ungodly husbands and wives do against each other4 #b4 ,consider also that you live not up to the ends of marriage1 nor of humanity1 if you are not helpers to each other's souls4 ,to help each other only for your bellies1 is to live together but like beasts4 ,you are appointed to live together as heirs of the grace of life1 #a ,pet4 iii4 #g4 ,and husbands must love their wives as ,christ loved his church1 who gave himself for it that he might sanctify it and cleanse it1 that he might present it to himself a glorious church1 without spot or wrinkle1 holy and without blemish1 ,eph4 v4 #be-bg4 ,that which is the end of your very life and being1 must be the end of your relations1 and your daily converse4 #c4 ,consider also1 if you neglect each other's souls1 what enemies you are to one another1 and how you prepare for your everlasting sorrows3 when you should be preparing for your joyful meeting in heaven1 you are laying up for yourselves everlasting horror4 ,what a dreadful meeting and greeting will you have at the bar of ,christ1 or in the flames of hell1 when you shall find there how perversely you have done6#ac ,is it not better to be praising ,god together in glory1 than to be raging against each other in the horror of your consciences1 and flying in the faces of one another with such accusations as these8--,o cruel husband6 ,o merciless1 deceitful wife6 ,it was long of you that ,i came to this miserable1 woeful end6 ,i might have lived with ,christ and his saints in joy1 and now ,i am tormented in these flames in desperation6 ,you were commanded by ,god to have given me warning1 and told me of my sin and misery1 and never to let me rest in it1 but to have instructed and entreated me1 till ,i had come home by ,christ1 that ,i might not have come to this place of torment2 but you never so much as spake to me of ,god1 and my salvation1 unless it were lightly in jest or in your common talk6 ,if the house had been on fire1 you would have been more earnest to have quenched it1 than you were to save my soul from hell6 ,you never told me seriously of the misery of a natural1 unrenewed state6 nor of the great necessity of regeneration and a holy life6 nor ever talked to me of heaven and hell1 as matters of such consequence should have been mentioned2 but morning and night your talk was nothing but about the world and the things of the world4#ad ,your idle talk1 and jesting1 and froward1 and carnal1 and unprofitable discourse1 was it that filled up all the time2 and we had not one sober word of our salvation4 ,you never seriously foretold me of this day2 you never prayed with me1 nor read the ,scripture and good books to me4 ,you took no pains to help me to knowledge1 nor to humble my hardened heart for my sins1 nor to save me from them1 nor to draw me to the love of ,god and holiness by faith in ,christ3 you did not go before me with the good example of a holy and heavenly conversation2 but with the evil example of an ungodly1 fleshly1 worldly life4 ,you neither cared for your own soul1 nor mine2 nor ,i for yours or mine own4 ,and now we are justly condemned together1 that would not live in holiness together6 ,o foolish1 miserable souls1 that by your ungodliness and negligence in this life1 will prepare each other for such a life of endless woe and horror6 ,sidenote3 ,directions to help each other to salvation4 ,o therefore resolve without delay1 to live together as heirs of heaven1 and to be helpers to each other's souls4 ,to which end ,i will give you these following sub-directions1 which if you will faithfully practise1 may make you to be special blessings to each other4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,if you would help to save each other's souls1 you must each of you be sure that you have a care of your own2 and retain a deep and lively apprehension of those great and everlasting matters1 of which you are to speak to others4#ae ,it cannot be reasonably expected that he should have a due compassion to another's soul1 that hath none to his own2 and that he should be at the pains that is needful to help another to salvation1 that setteth so little by his own1 as to sell it for the base and momentary ease and pleasure of the flesh4 ,nor is it to be expected that a man should speak with any suitable weight and seriousness about those matters whose weight his heart did never feel1 and about which he was never serious himself4 ,first see that you feel thoroughly1 that which you would speak profitably2 and that you be what you persuade another to be2 and that all your counsel may be perceived to arise from the bottom of your hearts1 and that you speak of things which by experience you are well acquainted with4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,take those opportunities which your ordinary nearness and familiarity affordeth you1 to be speaking seriously to each other about the matters of ,god1 and your salvation4 ,when you lie down and rise together1 let not your worldly business have all your talk2 but let ,god and your souls have the first and the last1 and at least the freest and sweetest of your speech1 if not the most4 ,when you have said so much of your common business as the nature and despatch of it requireth1 lay it by1 and talk together of the state and duty of your souls towards ,god1 and of your hopes of heaven1 as those that take these for their greatest business4 ,and speak not lightly1 or unreverently1 or in a rude and wrangling manner2 but with gravity and sobriety1 as those that are advising together about the greatest matter that ever they had to do in the world4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,when either husband or wife is speaking seriously about holy things1 let the other be careful to cherish1 and not to extinguish and put an end to the discourse4 ,there are two ways to cherish such discourse3 the first is1 by taking your turn1 and bearing a due proportion in the discourse with wisdom and gravity2 but all cannot do this2 some are but learners1 and those must take the second way1 which is1 to ask for resolution in matters of which they doubt1 or are uninstructed1 and to draw on more by pertinent questions4 ,the two ways by which such discourse is silenced are these3 the first is1 by the constant silence of the hearer2 when a man talketh as to a post1 that giveth him no answer1 nor putteth any pertinent question1 he will be wearied out at last1 and will give over3 the second is1 by a cross1 contradicting1 cavilling1 wrangling against what is spoken1 or by interruptions and diversions2 when you come in presently with some worldly or impertinent talk1 and wind about from sober conference to something that is unedifying2 and some that will not seem merely profane1 and vain1 and worldly1 will destroy all holy1 fruitful conference1 even by a kind of religious talk2 presently carrying you away from heart-searching and heavenly discourse1 to some controversy1 or doctrinal1 or formal1 or historical matter1 that is sufficiently distant from the heart and heaven4 ,take heed of these courses1 if you would help each other4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,watch over the hearts and lives of one another1 and labour to discern the state of one another's souls1 and the strength or weakness of each other's sins and graces1 and the failings of each other's lives1 that so you may be able to apply to one another the most suitable help4 ,what you are unacquainted with1 you cannot be very helpful in2#af you cannot cure unknown diseases2 you cannot give wise and safe advice1 about the state of one another's souls1 if you are mistaken in them4 ,god hath placed you nearest to each other1 that you might have so much interest in each other1 as to quicken you to a loving care1 and so much acquaintance with each other1 as to keep you from misunderstanding1 and so from neglecting or deceiving one another4 ,and you should be always provided of those fit remedies1 that are most needful and suitable to each other's case4 ,if that preacher be like to be dull and unsuccessful that is all upon mere doctrine1 and little or nothing in close and lively application1 you may conceive that it will be so also with your familiar conference4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,see that you neither flatter one another through fond and foolish love1 nor exasperate one another by a passionate or contemptuous kind of reprehension4 ,some persons are so blinded with fond affection1 that they can scarce see in husband1 wife1 or children any aggravated sin or misery2 but they think all is well that they do1 or not so ill as in another they would perceive it2 but this is the same course that self-loving sinners take with their own souls1 to their delusion and perdition4 ,this flattering of yourselves or others1 is but the devil's charm to keep you from effectual repentance and salvation2 and the ease of such anodynes and narcotics doth endure but a little while4 ,on the other side1 some cannot speak to one another of their faults1 without such bitterness of passion1 or contempt1 as tendeth to make the stomach of the receiver to loathe the medicine1 and so to refuse it1 or to cast it up4 ,if common reproofs to strangers must all be offered in love1 much more between the nearest relations4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,be sure that you keep up true conjugal love to one another1 and that you grow not to disaffect the persons of each other4 ,for if you do1 you will despise each other's counsels and reproofs4 ,they that slight1 or loathe1 or are weary of each other1 will disdain reproofs1 and scorn advice from one another2 when entire affection greatly disposeth to the right entertainment of instruction4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,discourage not each other from instruction or reproof by taking it ill1 or by churlish reflections1 or by obstinate unreformedness4 ,when you will not learn1 or will not amend1 you discourage your instructor and reprover4 ,men will be apt to give over1 when they are requited with ingratitude1 and snappish retortions1 or when they perceive that their labour is all in vain4 ,and as it is the heaviest judgment of ,god that befalleth any upon earth1 when he withdraweth his advice and help1 and leaveth sinners wholly to themselves2 so it is the saddest condition in your relations1 when the ignorant and sinning party is forsaken by the other1 and left to their own opinions and ways2 though indeed it should not be so1 because while there is life there is hope4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,so far as you are able to instruct or quicken one another1 call in for better helps3 engage each other in the reading of the most convincing1 quickening books1 and in attendance on the most powerful ministry1 and in profitable converse with the holiest persons4 ,not so as to neglect your duty to one another ever the more1 but that all helps concurring may be the more effectual4 ,when they find you speak to them but the same things which ministers and other christians speak1 it will be the more easily received4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,conceal not the state of your souls1 nor hide your faults from one another4 ,you are as one flesh1 and should have one heart3 and as it is most dangerous for a man to be unknown to himself1 so it is very hurtful to husband or wife to be unknown to one another1 in those cases wherein they have need of help4 ,it is foolish tenderness of yourselves1 when you conceal your disease from your physician1 or your helpful friend2 and who should be so tender of you1 and helpful to you1 as you should be to one another8 ,indeed in some few cases1 where the opening of a fault or secret will but tend to quench affection1 and not to get assistance from another1 it is wisdom to conceal it2 but that is not the ordinary case4 ,the opening your hearts to each other is necessary to your mutual help4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,avoid as much as may be contrariety of opinions in religion3 for if once you be of different judgments in matters which you take to be of great concernment1 you will be tempted to disaffect1 contemn1 or undervalue one another2 and so to despise the help which you might receive3 and if you fall into several sects1 and follow several teachers1 you will hardly avoid that contention and confusion1 which will prove a great advantage to the devil1 and a great impediment to your spiritual good4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,if difference in judgment in matters of religion do fall out between you1 be sure that it be managed with holiness1 humility1 love1 and peace1 and not with carnality1 pride1 uncharitableness1 or contention4 #a4 ,to manage your differences holily1 is to take ,god for the judge1 and to refer the matter to his word1 and to aim at his glory1 and the pleasing of his will1 and to use his means for the concord of your judgments2 which is1 to search the ,scripture1 and consult with the faithful1 able pastors of the church1 and soberly and patiently to debate the case1 and pray together for the illumination of the ,spirit4 ,on the contrary your differences are carnally managed1 when carnal reasons breed or feed them2 and when you run after this or that sect or party1 through admiration of the persons2 and value not the persons for the sake of truth1 but measure truth by the opinion and estimate of the persons2 and when you end your differences by selfish1 carnal principles and respects3 and hence it comes to pass1 that if the husband be a papist or otherwise erroneous1 it is two to one that the wife becometh of his erroneous religion1 not because of any cogent evidence1 but because he is of the stronger parts1 and hath constant opportunity to persuade1 and because love prepareth and inclineth her to be of his opinion3 and thus man1 instead of ,god1 is the master of the faith of many4 #b4 ,your differences are managed in humility1 when you have a just and modest suspicion of your own understandings1 and debate and practise your differences with meekness and submission2 and do not proudly overvalue all your own apprehensions1 and despise another's reasons as if they were not worthy of your consideration4 #c4 ,your differences must be so far managed in love1 not that mere love should make you turn to another's opinion be it true or false1 but that you must be very desirous to be of the same mind1 and if you cannot1 must take it for a sore affliction1 and must bear with the tolerable mistakes of one another1 as you bear with your own infirmities2 that they cool not love1 nor alienate your hearts from one another1 but only provoke you to a tender1 healing1 compassionate care1 and endeavour to do each other good4 #d4 ,and you must manage your differences in quietness1 without any passionate wranglings and dissensions1 that no bitter fruits may be bred by it in your families1 among yourselves4 ,thus all true christians must manage their differences in matters of religion2 but married persons above all4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,be not either blindly indulgent to each other's faults1 nor yet too censorious of each other's state1 lest ,satan thereby get advantage to alienate your affections from one another4 ,to make nothing of the faults of those whom you love1 is to love them foolishly1 to their hurt1 and to show that it is not for their virtues that you love them4 ,and to make too great a matter of one another's faults1 is but to help the tempter to quench your love1 and turn your hearts from one another4 ,thus many good women that have husbands that are guilty of too much coldness in religion1 or worldly-mindedness1 or falling into ill company1 and mispending their time1 are first apt to overlook all possibility of any seed of grace that may be in them1 and then looking on them as ungodly persons1 to abate too much their love and duty to them4 ,there is great wisdom and watchfulness requisite in this case1 to keep you from being carried into either of the extremes4 ,direct4 ,,xiii4 ,if you are married to one that is indeed an infidel1 or an ungodly person1 yet keep up all the conjugal love which is due for the relation's sake4 ,though you cannot love them as true christians1 yet love them as husband or wife4 ,even heathens are bound to love those that are thus related to them4 ,the apostle hath determined the case1 #a ,cor4 vii4 that christians must perform their duties to husbands or wives that are unbelievers4 ,the faults of another discharge you not from your duty4 ,as ,satan hath deceived some by separating principles about church communion1 to deny almost all ,god's ordinances to many1 to whom they are due2 so doth he thus deceive some persons in family relations1 and draw them from the duties which they owe for one another's good4 ,direct4 ,,xiv4 ,join together in frequent and fervent prayer4 ,prayer doth force the mind into some composedness and sobriety1 and affecteth the heart with the presence and majesty of ,god4 ,pray also for each other when you are in secret1 that ,god may do that work which you most desire1 upon each other's hearts4 ,direct4 ,,xv4 ,lastly1 ,help each other by an exemplary life4 ,be that yourselves which you desire your husband or wife should be2 excel in meekness1 and humility1 and charity1 and dutifulness1 and diligence1 and self-denial1 and patience1 as far as you do excel in profession of religion4 ,st4 ,peter saith1 that even those that will not be won by the word1 may be won without it by the conversation of their wives1 #a ,pet4 iii4 #a2 that is1 the excellency of religion may so far appear to them1 by the fruits of it in their wives' conversations1 as may first incline them to think well and honourably of it1 and so to inquire into the nature and reason of it1 and to hearken to their wives2 and all this without the public ministry4 ,a life of undissembled holiness1 and heavenliness1 and self-denial1 and meekness1 and love1 and mortification1 is a powerful sermon2 which1 if you be constantly preaching before those that are still near you1 will hardly miss of a good effect4 ,works are more palpably significant and persuasive1 than words alone4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,another great conjugal duty is1 to be helpful to each other for the health and comfort of their bodies4#ag ,not to pamper each other's flesh1 or cherish the vices of pride1 or sloth1 or gluttony1 or voluptuousness in each other2 but to further the health and cheerfulness of the body1 to fit it for the service of the soul and ,god4 ,such cherishing or pleasing of the flesh1 which is unlawful in each person to himself1 is also unlawful 7ordinarily7 to use to another4 ,but such as you may use for yourself1 you may use also for your wife or husband4 ,not to live above your estates1 nor as servants to your guts1 to serve the appetites of one another by delicious fare2 but to be careful of that health1 without which your lives will be made unserviceable or uncomfortable2 and this must proceed from such a love to one another as you have to yourselves2 and that both in time of health and sickness4 #a4 ,in health1 you must be careful to provide for each other 7not so much pleasing as7 wholesome food1 and to keep each other from that which is hurtful to your health2 dissuading each other from gluttony and idleness1 the two great murderers of mankind4 ,if the bodies of the poor1 in hunger1 and cold1 and nakedness must be relieved1 much more those that are become as your own flesh4 #b4 ,also in sickness1 you are to be tenderly regardful of each other2 and not to be sparing of any costs or pains1 by which the health of each other may be restored1 or your souls confirmed1 and your comforts cherished4#ah ,you must not loathe the bodies of each other in the most loathsome sickness1 nor shun them through loathing2 no more than you would do your own4#ai ,a friend loveth at all times1 and a brother is born for adversity1 ,prov4 xvii4 #ag2 much more those that are so nearly bound for sickness and health1 till death shall separate them4 ,it is an odious sin to be weary of a sick or suffering friend1 and desirous that ,god would take them1 merely that you may be eased of the trouble4 ,and usually such persons do meet with such measure as they measured to others2 and those that they look for help and comfort from1 will perhaps be as weary of them1 and as glad to be rid of them4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,another duty of husbands and wives is1 to be helpful to each other in their worldly business and estates4#bj ,not for worldly ends1 nor with a worldly mind2 but in obedience to ,god1 who will have them labour1 as well as pray1 for their daily bread1 and hath determined that in the sweat of their brows they shall eat their bread2 and that six days they shall labour and do all that they have to do2 and that he that will not work must not eat4 ,the care of their affairs doth lie upon them both1 and neither of them must cast it off and live in idleness 7unless one of them be an idiot1 or so witless1 as to be unfit for care1 or so sick or lame1 as to be unfit for labour74 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,also you must be careful of the lawful honour and good names of one another4#ba ,you must not divulge1 but conceal1 the dishonourable failings of each other2 7as ,abigail1 except in any case compassion or justice require you to open them to any one for a cure1 or to clear the truth74 ,the reputation of each other must be as dear to you as your own4 ,it is a sinful and unfaithful practice of many1 both husbands and wives1 who among their companions are opening the faults and infirmities of each other1 which they are bound in tenderness to cover4 ,as if they perceived not that by dishonouring one another1 they dishonour themselves4 ,love will cover a multitude of faults1 #a ,pet4 iv4 #h4 ,nay1 many disaffected1 peevish persons will aggravate all the faults of one another behind their backs to strangers2 and sometimes slander them1 and speak more than is truth4 ,many a man hath been put to clear his good name from the slanders of a jealous or a passionate wife3 and an open enemy is not capable of doing one so much wrong as she that is in his bosom1 because she will easily be believed1 as being supposed to know him better than any other4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,it is also a great part of the duty of husbands and wives1 to be helpful to one another in the education of their children1 and in the government of the inferiors of the family4#bb ,some men cast all the care of the children while they are young upon their wives2 and many women by their passion and indiscretion do make themselves unfit to help their husbands in the government either of their children or servants3 but this is one of the greatest parts of their employment4 ,as to the man's part1 to govern his house well1 it is a duty unquestionable4 ,and it is not to be denied of the wife4 #a ,tim4 v4 #ad1 ,i will that the younger women marry1 bear children1 guide the house4 ,bathsheba taught ,solomon1 ,prov4 xxxi4 #a4 ,abigail took better care of ,nabal's house than he did himself4 ,they that have a joint interest1 and are one flesh1 must have a joint part in government2 although their power be not equal1 and one may better oversee some business1 and the other1 other business2 yet in their places1 they must divide the care1 and help each other2 and not as it is with many wicked persons1 who are the most unruly part of the family themselves1 and the chiefest cause that it is ungoverned and ungodly1 or one party hindereth the other from keeping order1 or doing any good4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,another part of their duty is1 to help each other in works of charity and hospitality4#bc ,while they have opportunity to do good to all1 but especially to them of the household of faith2 and to sow to the ,spirit1 that of the ,spirit they may reap everlasting life3 yea1 to sow plentifully that they may reap plentifully1 ,gal4 vi4 that if they are able their houses may afford relief and entertainment for the needy2 especially for ,christ's servants for their ,master's sake2 who hath promised that ,he that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward3 and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man1 shall receive a righteous man's reward3 and whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones1 a cup of cold water1 in the name of a disciple1 verily ,i say unto you1 he shall in no wise lose his reward1 ,matt4 x4 #da1 #db4 ,the woman of ,shunem lost nothing by the entertainment of ,elisha1 when she said to her husband1 ,behold1 now ,i perceive that this is an holy man of ,god which passeth by us continually3 let us make him a little chamber1 ,i pray thee1 on the wall1 and let us set for him there a bed1 and a table1 and a stool1 and a candlestick3 and it shall be when he cometh to us1 that he shall turn in thither1 #b ,kings iv4 #i1 #aj4 ,but now how common is it for the people to think all too little for themselves2 and if one of them be addicted to works of charity1 the other is covetous and is always hindering them4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,lastly1 it is a great part of the duty of husbands and wives1 to be helpers and comforters of each other in order to a safe and happy death4 #a4 ,in the time of health1 you must often and seriously remember each other of the time when death will make the separation2 and live together in your daily converse1 as those that are still expecting the parting hour4 ,help to awaken each other's souls1 to make ready all those graces which then will prove necessary1 and to live in a constant preparation for your change4 ,reprove all that in one another1 which wilt be unsavoury and ungrateful to your review at death4 ,if you see each other dull and slow in your preparations1 or to live in vanity1 worldliness1 or sloth1 as if you had forgotten that you must shortly die1 stir up one another to do all that without delay which the approach of such a day requireth4 #b4 ,and when death is at hand1 oh then what abundance of tenderness1 and seriousness1 and skill1 and diligence1 is needful for one1 that hath the last office of love to perform1 to the departing soul of so near a friend6 ,oh then what need will there be of your most wise1 and faithful1 and diligent help6 ,when nature faileth1 and the pains of flesh divert the mind1 and temptations are strongest while the body is weakest2 when a languishing body1 and a doubting1 fearful1 troubled mind1 do call for your compassion and help1 oh then what skill and holy seriousness will be necessary6 ,oh what a calamity is it to have a carnal1 unsanctified husband or wife1 which will neither help you to prepare for death1 nor can speak a serious word of counsel or comfort to you at a dying hour3 that can do nothing but stand by and weep over you2 but have not a sensible word to say1 about the life that you are going to1 nor about the duty of a departing soul1 nor against the temptations and fears which then may be ready to overwhelm you4 ,they that are utterly unprepared and unfit to die themselves1 can do little to prepare or help another4 ,but they that live together as the heirs of heaven1 and converse on earth as fellow-travellers to the land of promise1 may help and encourage the souls of one another1 and joyfully part at death1 as expecting quickly to meet again in life eternal4 ,were it not lest ,i be over-tedious1 ,i should next speak of the manner how husbands and wives must perform their duties to each other3 as1 #a4 ,that it should be all done in such entire love1 as maketh the case of one another to you as your own4 #b4 ,that therefore all must be done in patience and mutual forbearance4 #c4 ,and in familiarity1 and not with strangeness1 distance1 sourness1 nor affected compliment4 #d4 ,and in secrecy2 where ,i should have showed you in what cases secrecy may be broken1 and in what not4 #e4 ,and in confidence of each other's fidelity1 and not in suspicion1 jealousy1 and distrust4 #f4 ,and in prudence1 to manage things aright1 and to foresee and avoid impediments and inconveniencies4 #g4 ,and in holiness1 that ,god may be the first and last1 and all in all4 #h4 ,and in constancy1 that you cease not your duties for one another until death4 ,but necessary abbreviation alloweth me to say no more of these4 #i ,gen4 ii4 #ah2 ,prov4 xviii4 #bb4 #aj ,matt4 v4 #ca1 #cb2 xix4 #i2 ,john viii4 #d1 #e1 of adultery2 ,heb4 xiii4 #d2 ,prov4 xxii4 #ad2 ,hos4 iv4 #b1 #c2 ,prov4 ii4 #ag2 #a ,cor4 vi4 #ae1 #ai2 ,mal4 ii4 #ae2 ,prov4 vi4 #cb1 #ce2 ,deut4 xxiii4 #b2 ,lev4 xxi4 #i2 xviii4 #bh2 ,numb4 xxv4 #i2 ,jer4 v4 #g-i2 ,gen4 vi4 #b1 #c1 c42 xxxiv4 #bg2 #b ,sam4 xiii4 #bb2 xii4 #aj2 ,judg4 xx4 #aj2 ,jer4 xxiii4 #ad4 #aa ,rev4 xxi4 #h2 ,prov4 v4 #bj2 #b ,pet4 ii4 #aj1 #ab1 #ad4 ,read before part i4 ch4 #h4 part #e4 tit4 #a4 #ab #a ,kings xi4 #d2 ,acts v4 #b4 ,eve is ,adam's tempter4 ,job ii4 #i4 #ac #a ,thess4 v4 #aa2 ,heb4 xii4 #ae2 ,col4 ii4 #ai2 ,eph4 iv4 #af2 #a ,cor4 vii4 #e2 ,gen4 xxxv4 #b1 #d2 ,lev4 xix4 #ag4 #ad ,numb4 xvi4 #bg1 #cb4 #ae ,gen4 ii4 #ah4 #af ,matt4 xxvii4 #ai4 #ag ,rom4 xiii4 #ac1 #ad2 ,eph4 v4 #bi1 #ca2 ,gen4 ii4 #ah4 #ah ,gen4 xxvii4 #ad4 #ai ,eph4 v4 #bi1 #ca2 ,job xix4 #ag2 ii4 #i4 #bj ,see ,prov4 xxxi2 ,gen4 xxxi4 #dj2 ,tit4 ii4 #e2 #a ,tim4 v4 #ad2 v4 #h4 #ba #a ,sam4 xxv4 #be2 ,matt4 xviii4 #af2 i4 #ai2 #b ,sam4 xi4 #g2 ,prov4 xxxi4 #bh2 ,eccl4 vii4 #c2 ,prov4 xxii4 #a2 #b ,sam4 vi4 #bj2 ,gen4 ix4 #bb1 #be4 #bb #a ,tim4 ii4 #d1 #ab2 ,gen4 xviii4 #ai2 xxxv4 #b1 c42 ,josh4 xxiv4 #ad2 ,psal4 ci4 #bc ,heb4 xiii4 #b2 ,gen4 xviii4 #f1 c42 ,rom4 xii4 #ac2 #b ,cor4 ix4 #f2 ,luke xvi4 #i2 #a ,tim4 iii4 #b2 v4 #aj2 ,prov4 xi4 #bj1 #bh2 ,neh4 viii4 #a2 ,prov4 xix4 #ag2 ,job xxix4 #ac2 xxxi4 #bj2 ,acts xx4 #ce4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,special ,,duties ,,of ,,husbands ,,to ,,their ,,wives4 ,,he that will expect duty or comfort from his wife1 must be faithful in doing the duty of a husband4 ,the failing of yourselves in your own duty1 may cause the failing of another to you1 or at least will some other way as much afflict you1 and will be bitterer to you in the end1 than if a hundred failed of their duty to you4 ,a good husband will either make a good wife1 or easily and profitably endure a bad one4 ,i shall therefore give you directions for your own part of duty1 as that which your happiness is most concerned in4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,the husband must undertake the principal part of the government of the whole family1 even of the wife herself4 ,and therefore1 #a4 ,he must labour to be fit and able for that government which he undertaketh4 ,this ability consisteth1 #a4 ,in holiness and spiritual wisdom1 that he may be acquainted with the end to which he is to conduct them1 and the rule by which he is to guide them1 and the principal works which they are to do4 ,an ungodly1 irreligious man is both a stranger and an enemy to the chiefest part of family government4 #b4 ,his ability consisteth in a due acquaintance with the works of his calling1 and the labours in which his servants are to be employed4 ,for he that is utterly unacquainted with their business1 will be very unfit to govern them in it3 unless he commit that part of their government to his wife1 or a steward that is acquainted with it4 #c4 ,and he must be acquainted both with the common temper and infirmities of mankind1 that he may know how much is to be borne with1 and also with the particular temper1 and faults1 and virtues of those whom he is to govern4 #d4 ,and he must have prudence1 to direct himself in all his carriage to them2 and justice1 to deal with every one as they deserve3 and love1 to do them all the good he can1 for soul and body4 ,,ii4 ,and being thus able1 he must make it his daily work1 and especially be sure that he govern himself well1 that his example may be part of his government of others4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,the husband must so unite authority and love1 that neither of them may be omitted or concealed1 but both be exercised and maintained4 ,love must not be exercised so imprudently as to destroy the exercise of authority2 and authority must not be exercised over a wife so magisterially and imperiously1 as to destroy the exercise of love4 ,as your love must be a governing love1 so your commands must all be loving commands4 ,lose not your authority2 for that will but disable you from doing the office of a husband to your wife1 or of a master to your servants4 ,yet must it be maintained by no means inconsistent with conjugal love2 and therefore not by fierceness or cruelty1 by threatenings or stripes 7unless by distraction or loss of reason1 they cease to be uncapable of the carriage otherwise due to a wife74 ,there are many cases of equality in which authority is not to be exercised2 but there is no case of inequality or unworthiness so great1 in which conjugal love is not to be exercised2 and therefore nothing must exclude it4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,it is the duty of husbands to preserve the authority of their wives1 over the children and servants of the family4 ,for they are joint governors with them over all the inferiors4 ,and the infirmities of women are apt many times to expose them to contempt3 so that servants and children will be apt to slight them1 and disobey them1 if the husband interpose not to preserve their honour and authority4 ,yet this must be done with such cautions as these3 #a4 ,justify not any error1 vice1 or weakness of your wives4 ,they may be concealed and excused as far as may be1 but never owned or defended4 #b4 ,urge not obedience to any unlawful command of theirs4 ,no one hath authority to contradict the law of ,god1 or disoblige any from his government4 ,you will but diminish your own authority with persons of any understanding1 if you justify any thing that is against ,god's authority4 ,but if the thing commanded be lawful1 though it may have some inconveniences1 you must rebuke the disobedience of inferiors1 and not suffer them to slight the commands of your wives1 nor to set their own reason and wills against them1 and say1 ,we will not do it4 ,how can they help you in government1 if you suffer them to be disobeyed8 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,also you must preserve the honour as well as the authority of your wives4 ,if they have any dishonourable infirmities1 they are not to be mentioned by children and servants4 ,as in the natural body we cover most carefully the most dishonourable parts1 7for our comely parts have no need17 #a ,cor4 xii4 #bc1 #bd1 so must it be here4 ,children or servants must not be suffered to carry themselves contemptuously or rudely towards them1 nor to despise them1 or speak unmannerly1 proud1 or disdainful words to them4 ,the husband must vindicate them from all such injury and contempt4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,the husband is to excel the wife in knowledge1 and be her teacher in the matters that belong to her salvation4 ,he must instruct her in the word of ,god1 and direct her in particular duties1 and help her to subdue her own corruptions1 and labour to confirm her against temptations2 if she doubt of any thing that he can resolve her in1 she is to ask his resolution1 and he to open to her at home the things which she understood not in the congregation1 #a ,cor4 xiv4 #ce4 ,but if the husband be indeed an ignorant sot1 or have made himself unable to instruct his wife1 she is not bound to ask him in vain1 to teach her that which he understandeth not himself4 ,those husbands that despise the word of ,god1 and live in wilful ignorance1 do not only despise their own souls1 but their families also2 and making themselves unable for their duties1 they are usually themselves despised by their inferiors3 for ,god hath told such in his message to ,eli1 #a ,sam4 ii4 #cj1 ,them that honour me1 ,i will honour2 and they that despise me1 shall be lightly esteemed4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,the husband must be the principal teacher of the family4 ,he must instruct them1 and examine them1 and rule them about the matters of ,god1 as well as his own service1 and see that the ,lord's day and worship be observed by all that are within his gates4 ,and therefore he must labour for such understanding and ability as is necessary hereunto4 ,and if he be unable or negligent1 it is his sin1 and will be his shame4 ,if the wife be wiser and abler1 and it be cast upon her1 it is his dishonour2 but if neither of them do it1 the sin1 and shame1 and suffering1 will be common to them both4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,the husband is to be the mouth of the family1 in their daily conjunct prayers unto ,god4 ,therefore he must be able to pray1 and also have a praying heart4 ,he must be as it were the priest of the household2 and therefore should be the most holy1 that he may be fit to stand between them and ,god1 and to offer up their prayers to him4 ,if this be cast on the wife1 it will be his dishonour4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,the husband is to be the chief provider for the family 7ordinarily74 ,it is supposed that he is most able for mind and body1 and is the chief disposer of the estate4 ,therefore he must be specially careful1 that wife and children want nothing that is fit for them1 so far as he can procure it4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,the husband must be strongest in family patience2 bearing with the weakness and passions of the wife2 not so as to make light of any sin against ,god1 but so as not to make a great matter of any frailty as against himself1 and so as to preserve the love and peace which is to be as the natural temper of their relation4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,the manner of all these duties must also be carefully regarded4 ,as1 #a4 ,that they be done in prudence1 and not with folly1 rashness1 or inconsiderateness4 #b4 ,that all be done in conjugal love and tenderness1 as over one that is tender1 and the weaker vessel2 and that he do not teach1 or command1 or reprove a wife1 in the same imperious manner as a child or servant4 #c4 ,that due familiarity be maintained1 and that he keep not at a distance and strangeness from his wife4 #d4 ,that love be confident1 without base suspicions1 and causeless jealousies4 #e4 ,that all be done in gentleness1 and not in passion1 roughness1 and sourness4 #f4 ,that there be no unjust and causeless concealment of secrets1 which should be common to them both4 #g4 ,that there be no foolish opening of such secrets to her as may become her snare1 and she is not able to bear or keep4 #h4 ,that none of their own matters1 which should be kept secret1 be made known to others4 ,his teaching and reproving her1 should be for the most part secret4 #i4 ,that he be constant1 and not weary of his love or duty4 ,this briefly of the manner4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,the ,,special ,,duties ,,of ,,wives ,,to ,,husbands4 ,,the wife that expecteth comfort in a husband1 must make conscience of all her own duty to her husband3 for though it be his duty to be kind and faithful to her1 though she prove unkind and froward1 yet1 #a4 ,men are frail1 and apt to fail in such difficult duties as well as women4 #b4 ,and it is so ordered by ,god1 that comfort and duty shall go together1 and you shall miss of comfort1 if you cast off duty4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,be specially loving to your husbands3 your natures give you the advantage in this2 and love feedeth love4 ,this is your special requital for all the troubles that your infirmities put them to4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,live in a voluntary subjection and obedience to them4 ,if their softness or yieldingness cause them to relinquish their authority2 and for peace they are fain to let you have your wills2 yet remember that it is ,god that hath appointed them to be your heads and governors4 ,if they are so silly as to be unable1 you should not have chosen such to rule you as are unfit2 but having chosen them1 you must assist them with your better understanding1 in a submissive1 and not a ruling1 masterly way4 ,a servant that hath a foolish master1 may help him without becoming master4 ,and do not deceive yourselves by giving the bare titles of government to your husbands1 when you must needs in all things have your own wills2 for this is but mockery1 and not obedience4 ,to be subject and obedient1 is to take the understanding and will of another to govern you1 before 7though not without7 your own2 and to make your understandings and wills to follow the conduct of his that governeth you4 ,self-willedness is contrary to subjection and obedience4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,learn of your husbands as your appointed teachers1 and be not self-conceited and wise in your own eyes1 but ask of them such instructions as your case requireth4 #a ,cor4 xiv4 #cd1 #ce1 ,let your women keep silence in the churches3 for it is not permitted to them to speak2 but they are commanded to be under obedience1 as also saith the law3 and if they will learn any thing1 let them ask their husbands at home4 7,unless when the husband is so ignorant as to be utterly unable3 which is his sin and shame4 ,for it is vain to ask that of them which they know not47 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,set yourselves seriously to amend all those faults which they reprove in you4 ,do not take it ill to be reproved3 swell not against it1 as if they did you harm or wrong3 it is a very ill sign to hate reproof1 ,prov4 xii4 #a2 x4 #ag2 xv4 #aj1 #ca1 #cb2 xvii4 #aj4 ,and what doth their government of you signify1 if you will not amend the faults that are reproved in you1 but continue impenitent and grudge at the reproof8 ,it is a miserable folly to desire to be flattered and soothed by any1 but especially by one that is bound to be faithful to you1 and whose intimacy should make you as ready to hear of your faults from him1 as to be acquainted with them yourselves2 and especially when it concerneth the safety or benefit of your souls4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,honour your husbands according to their superiority4 ,behave not yourselves towards them with unreverence and contempt1 in titles1 speeches1 or any behaviour3 if the worth of their persons deserve not honour1 yet their place deserveth it4 ,speak not of their infirmities to others behind their backs2 as some twattling gossips use to do1 that know not that their husbands' dishonour is their own1 and that to open it causelessly to others1 is their double shame4 ,those that silently hear you1 will tell others behind your back1 how foolishly and shamefully you spake to them against your husbands4 ,if ,god have made your nearest friend an affliction to you1 why should you complain to one that is farther off8 7,unless it be to some special1 prudent friend1 in case of true necessity1 for advice47 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,live in a cheerful contentedness with your condition2 and take heed of an impatient1 murmuring spirit4 ,it is a continual burden to a man to have an impatient1 discontented wife4 ,many a poor man can easily bear his poverty himself1 that yet is not able to bear his wife's impatience under it4 ,to hear her night and day complaining1 and speaking distrustfully1 and see her live disquietedly1 is far heavier than his poverty itself4 ,if his wife could bear it as patiently as he1 it would be but light to him4 ,yea1 in case of suffering for righteousness' sake1 the impatience of a wife is a greater trial to a man than all the suffering itself2 and many a man that could easily have suffered the loss of his estate1 or banishment1 or imprisonment for ,christ1 hath betrayed his conscience1 and yielded to sin1 because his wife hath grieved him with impatiency1 and could not bear what he could bear4 ,whereas a contented1 cheerful wife doth help to make a man cheerful and contented in every state4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,in a special manner strive to subdue your passions1 and to speak and do all in meekness and sobriety4 ,the rather because that the weakness of your sex doth usually subject you more to passions than men2 and it is the common cause of the husband's disquietness1 and the calamity of your relation4 ,it is the vexation and sickness of your own minds2 you find not yourselves at ease within as long as you are passionate4 ,and then it is the grief and disquietness of your husbands3 and being provoked by you1 they provoke you more2 and so your disquietness increaseth1 and your lives are made a weary burden to you4 ,by all means therefore keep down passion1 and keep a composed1 patient mind4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,take heed of a proud and contentious disposition2 and maintain a humble1 peaceable temper4 ,pride will make you turbulent and unquiet with your husbands1 and contentious with your neighbours3 it will make you foolish and ridiculous1 in striving for honour and precedency1 and envying those that exceed you1 or go before you4 ,in a word1 it is the devil's sin1 and would make you a shame and trouble to the world4 ,but humility is the health1 the peace1 and the ornament of the soul4 #a ,pet4 iii4 #d1 ,a meek and quiet spirit is in the sight of ,god of great price4 7,write those words in your bedchamber on the walls where they may be daily before your eyes47 ,col4 iii4 #ab1 ,put on as the elect of ,god1 holy and beloved1 bowels of mercy1 kindness1 humbleness of mind1 meekness1 long-suffering1 forbearing one another1 and forgiving one another4 ,if this be the duty of all to one another2 much more of wives to husbands4 #a ,pet4 v4 #e1 ,yea1 all of you be subject one to another1 and be clothed with humility2 for ,god resisteth the proud1 and giveth grace to the humble4 ,proud women oft ruin their husbands' estates1 and quietness1 and their own souls4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,affect not a childish gaudiness of apparel1 nor a vain1 or costly1 or troublesome curiosity in any thing about you4 ,uncleanness and nastiness is a fault1 but very small in comparison of this pride and curiosity4 ,it dishonoureth your sex and selves to be so childish1 as to over-mind such toyish things4 ,if you will needs be proud1 be proud of somewhat that is of worth and proper to a man3 to be proud of reason1 or wisdom1 or learning1 or goodness1 is bad enough2 but this is to be proud of something4 ,but to be proud of fashions and fine clothes1 of spots and nakedness1 of sumptuous entertainments and neat rooms1 is to be proud of your shame1 and not your virtue2 and of that which you are not so much as commendable for4 ,and the cost1 the time 7oh precious time67 which themselves and their servants must lay out1 upon their dressings1 entertainments1 and other curiosities1 will be the shame and sorrow of their souls1 whenever ,god shall open their eyes1 and make them know what time was worth1 and what greater matters they had to mind4 ,if vain and empty persons like yourselves1 commend you for your bravery or curiosity1 so will not any judicious1 sober person whose commendation is much worth4 ,and yet ,i must here with grief take notice1 that when some few that in other matters seem wise and religious1 are themselves a little tainted with this childish curiosity and pride1 and let fall words of disparagement against those whose dress1 and dwellings1 and entertainments1 are not so curious as their own2 this proves the greatest maintainer of this sin1 and the most notable service to the devil3 for then abundance will plead this for this sinful curiosity and pride1 and say1 ,i shall else be accounted base or sordid2 even such and such will speak against me4 ,take heed1 if you will needs be such yourselves1 that you prate not against others that are not as vain and curious as you3 for the nature of man is more prone to pride and vanity1 than to humility1 and the improvement of their time and cost in greater matters2 and while you think that you speak but against indecency1 you become the devil's preachers1 and do him more service than you consider of4 ,you may as wisely speak against people for using to eat or drink too little1 when there is not one of a multitude that liveth not ordinarily in excess2 and so excess will get advantage by it4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,be specially careful in the government of your tongues2 and let your words be few1 and well considered before you speak them4 ,a double diligence is needful in this1 because it is the most common miscarriage of your sex3 a laxative1 running tongue1 is so great a dishonour to you1 that ,i never knew a woman very full of words1 but she was the pity of her friends1 and the contempt of others2 who behind her back will make a scorn of her1 and talk of her as some crack-brained or half-witted person2 yea1 though your talk be good1 it will be tedious and contemptible1 if it be thus poured out1 and be too cheap4 ,prov4 x4 #ai1 ,in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin1 but he that refraineth his lips is wise4 ,you must answer in judgment for your idle words1 ,matt4 xii4 #cf4 ,you will take it ill to be accounted fools1 and made the derision of those that talk of you3 judge by the ,scripture what occasion you give them4 ,eccles4 v4 #c1 #g1 ,a dream cometh by the multitude of business1 and a fool's voice is known by a multitude of words3 in the multitude of dreams1 and many words1 there are divers vanities4 ,eccles4 x4 #ab-ad1 ,the words of a wise man's mouth are gracious2 but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself4 ,the beginnings of the words of his mouth is foolishness2 and the end of his talk is mischievous madness3 a fool also is full of words4 ,whereas a woman that is cautelous and sparing of her words1 is commonly reverenced and supposed to be wise4 ,so that if you had no higher design in it1 but merely to be well thought of1 and honoured by men1 you can scarcely take a surer way1 than to let your words be few and weighty2 though the avoiding of sin1 and unquietness1 should prevail with you much more4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,be willing and diligent in your proper part1 of the care and labour of the family4 ,as the primary provision of maintenance belongeth most to the husband1 so the secondary provision within doors belongeth specially to the wife4 ,read over and over the thirty-first chapter of ,proverbs4 ,especially the care of nursing your own children1 and teaching them1 and watching over them when they are young2 and also watching over the family at home1 when your husbands are abroad1 is your proper work4 ,sidenote3 ,may a wife give without the husband's consent4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,dispose not of your husband's estate1 without his knowledge and consent4 ,you are not only to consider1 whether the work be good that you lay it out upon1 but what power you have to do it4 ,quest4 ,but may a woman give nothing1 nor lay out nothing in the house1 without her husband's consent8 ,answ4 #a4 ,if she have his general or implicit consent1 it may suffice2 that is1 if he allow her to follow her judgment2 or1 if he commit such a proportion to her power1 to do what she will with it4 ,or1 if she know that1 if he knew it1 he would not be against it4 #b4 ,or1 if the law1 or his consent1 do give her any propriety in any part of his estate1 or make her a joint-proprietor1 she may proportionably dispose of it in a necessary case4#bd ,the husband is considerable1 either as a proprietor1 or as her governor4 ,as a proprietor1 he only may dispose of the estate1 where he is the sole proprietor3 but where consent or the law of the land doth make the woman joint-proprietor1 she is not disabled from giving for want of a propriety4 ,but then no law exempteth her from his government2 and therefore she is not to give any thing in a way of disobedience1 though it be her own3 except when he forbiddeth that which is her duty1 or which he hath no power to forbid4 ,so that in case of joint-propriety she may give without him1 so be it she exceed not her proportion2 and also if it be in a case of duty1 where he may not hinder her2 as to save the lives of the poor in extreme necessity1 famine1 or imprisonment1 or the like4 #c4 ,but if the thing be wholly her own1 excepted from his propriety1 and she be sole proprietor1 then she need not ask his consent at all1 any other way than as he is her guide1 to direct her to the best way of disposing of it3 which1 if he forbid her instead of directing her to it1 she is not thereby excusable before ,god1 for the abusing of her trust and talents4 #d4 ,i conceive that ad aliquid as to certain absolutely necessary uses1 the very relation maketh the woman as a joint-proprietor3#be as if her husband will not allow her such food and raiment as is necessary to preserve the lives and health of herself1 and all her children2 she is bound to do it without or against his will1 7if she can1 and if it be not to a greater hurt1 and the estate be his own1 and he be able17 rather than let her children contract such diseases1 as apparently will follow to the hazard of their lives2 yea1 and to save the life of another that in famine is ready to perish3 for she is not as a stranger to his estate4 ,but out of these cases1 if a wife shall secretly waste or give1 or lay it out on bravery1 or vanity1 or set her wit against her husband's2 and because she thinks him too strait or penurious1 therefore she will dispose of it without his consent2 this is thievery1 disobedience1 and injustice4 ,quest4 ,i4 ,but as the case standeth with us in ,england1 hath the wife a joint-propriety1 or not8 ,answ4 ,three ways 7at least7 she may have a propriety4 #a4 ,by a reserve of what was her own before2 which 7however some question it7 may in some cases be done in their agreement at marriage4 #b4 ,by the law of the land4 #c4 ,by the husband's consent or donation4 ,what the law of the land saith in case1 ,i leave to the lawyers2 but it seemeth to me1 that his words at marriage1 ,with all my worldly goods ,i thee endow1 do signify his consent to make her a joint-proprietor3 and his consent is sufficient to the collation of a title to that which was his own4 ,unless any can prove1 that law or custom doth otherwise expound the words1 7as an empty formality17 and that at the contract1 this was or should be known to her to be the sense4 ,and the laws allowing the wife the third part upon death or separation1 doth intimate a joint-propriety before4 ,quest4 ,,ii4 ,if the husband live upon unlawful gain1 as cheating1 stealing1 robbing by the high-way1 c4 is not the wife guilty as a joint-proprietor1 in retaining such ill-gotten goods1 if she know it8 ,and is she bound to accuse her husband1 or to restore such goods8 ,answ4 ,her duty is first to admonish her husband of his sin and danger1 and endeavour his repentance1 in the mean time disclaiming all consent and reception of the goods4 ,and if she cannot prevail for his repentance1 restitution1 and reformation1 she hath a double duty to perform2 the one is to help them to their goods whom he hath injured and robbed 7by prudent and just means72 the other is to prevent his robbing of others for the time to come4 ,but how these must be done is the great difficulty4 #a4 ,if she foresee 7or may do7 that either by her husband's displeasure1 or by the cruel revenge of the injured party1 the hurt of discovering the fraud or robbery will be greater than the good1 then ,i think that she is not bound to discover it4 ,but by some secret1 indirect way1 to help the owner to his own2 if it may be done without a greater hurt4 #b4 ,to prevent his sin and other men's future suffering by him1 she seemeth to me to be bound to reveal her husband's sinful purposes to the magistrate1 if she can no other way prevail with him to forbear4 ,my reasons are1 because the keeping of ,god's law1 and the law of the land1 and the public order and good1 and the preventing of our neighbours' hurt by robbery or fraud1 and so the interest of honesty and right1 is of greater importance than any duty to her husband1 or preservation of her own peace1 which seemeth to be against it4 ,but then ,i must suppose that she liveth under a magistrate1 who will take but a just revenge4 ,for if she know the laws and magistrate to be so unjust1 as to punish a fault with death1 which deserveth it not1 she is not to tell such a magistrate1 but to preserve her neighbours' safety by some other way of intimation4 ,if any one think that a wife may in no case accuse a husband1 to the hazard of his life or estate1 let them1 #a4 ,remember what ,god obliged parents to do against the lives of incorrigible children1 ,deut4 xxi4 #b4 ,and that the honour of ,god1 and the lives of our neighbours1 should be preferred before the life of one offender1 and their estates before his estate alone4 #c4 ,and that the light of reason telleth us1 that a wife is to reveal a treason against the king1 which is plotted by a husband2 and therefore also the robbing of the king's treasury1 or deceiving him in any matter of great concernment4 ,and therefore in due proportion1 the laws and common good1 and our neighbours' welfare1 are to be preserved by us1 though against the nearest relation2 only all due tenderness of the life and reputation of the husband is to be preserved1 in the manner of proceedings1 as far as will stand with the interest of justice1 and the common good4 ,quest4 ,,iii4 ,may the wife go hear sermons when the husband forbiddeth her8 ,answ4 ,there are some sermons which must not be heard2 there are some sermons which may be heard1 and must1 when no greater matter doth divert us2 and there are some sermons which must be heard1 whoever shall forbid it4 ,those which must not be heard are such as are heretical1 7ordinarily17 and such as are superfluous1 and at such times when greater duties call us another way4 ,those which may be heard1 are either occasional sermons1 or such lectures as are neither of necessity to ourselves1 nor yet to the owning of ,god and his public worship4 ,one that liveth where there are daily or hourly sermons1 may hear them as oft as suiteth with their condition1 and their other duties2 but in this case1 the command of a husband1 with the inconveniences that will follow disobeying him1 may make it a duty to forbear4 ,but that we do sometimes publicly own ,god's worship and church ordinances1 and receive ministerial teaching for our edification1 is of double necessity2 that we deny not ,god1 and that we betray not1 or desert not1 our own souls4 ,and this is especially necessary 7ordinarily7 on the ,lord's days1 which are appointed for these necessary uses4 ,and here the husband hath no power to forbid the wife1 nor should she 7formally7 obey his prohibition4 ,but yet as affirmatives bind not ad semper1 and no duty is a duty at every season2 so it is possible that on the ,lord's day it may extraordinarily become a duty to forbear sermons or sacraments1 or other public worship4 ,and when any greater duty calleth us away2 as to quench a fire2 and to save men's lives2 and to save our country from an enemy in the time of war2 and to save our own lives1 7if we knew the assembly would be assaulted17 or to preserve our liberty for greater service4 ,christ set us to learn the meaning of this lesson1 ,i will have mercy and not sacrifice4 ,in such a case also a mischief may be avoided1 even from a husband1 by the omission of a duty at that time1 7when it would be no duty17 for this is but a transposition of it4 ,but this is but an act of prudent self-preservation1 and not an act of formal obedience4 ,quest4 ,,iv4 ,if a woman have a husband so incorrigible in vice1 as that by long trial she findeth that speaking against it maketh him worse1 and causeth him to abuse her1 is she bound to continue her dissuasion1 or to forbear8 ,answ4 ,that is not here a duty which is not a means to do some good2 and that is no means which we know beforehand is like1 if not certain1 to do no good1 or to do more harm4 ,we must not by weariness1 laziness1 or censoriousness1 take a case to be desperate1 which is not2 nor must we so easily desist with so near a relation1 as with a stranger or a neighbour4 ,but yet ,christ's indulgence of not exposing ourselves to be torn by dogs1 and his word trodden in the dirt by swine1 doth extend to relations as well as others4 ,but then you must observe that she that is justly discouraged from sharp reproofs1 may yet have hope that gentle and humble persuasions may succeed4 ,and she that is discouraged from open1 or frequent1 or plain reproofs2 may yet have hope that secret1 or more seldom1 or more distant and general admonitions may not be lost4 ,and she that is discouraged from one way of doing him good1 may yet have many other ways 7as to set some minister whom he reverenceth to speak to him2 to put some suitable book into his hand1 c47 ,and she that is discouraged at the present1 ought not totally to despair1 but may make some more attempts hereafter2 either in some sickness1 or time of mortality1 or danger1 or affliction1 or when possibly time and consideration may have better prepared him to hear4 ,and in the mean time she is to continue all conjugal affection and duty1 and a convincing1 winning course of life2 which may prove the most effectual reproof4 ,quest4 ,v4 ,what should a woman do in controverted cases of religion1 when her judgment and her husband's differ8 ,answ4 #a4 ,some make a controversy of that which with all good christians or sober persons should be past controversy2 and some controversies are indeed of real1 if not insuperable difficulty4 #b4 ,some controversies are about important1 necessary things1 and some about things of lesser moment4 #c4 ,some are about mere opinion1 or other men's practice1 and some about our own practice4 7#a47 ,in all differences of judgment the wife must exercise such self-suspicion1 and modesty1 and submission1 as may signify her due sense1 both of the weakness of her sex1 and of her subjection to her husband4 7#b47 ,in things indifferent she must in practice obey her husband2 unless when any superior powers do forbid it1 and that in cases where their authority is greater4 7#c47 ,she may modestly give her reasons of dissent4 7#d47 ,she must not turn it to an unpeaceable quarrel1 or matter of disaffection1 or pretend any differences against her conjugal duties4 7#e47 ,in dark and difficult cases she should not be peremptory1 and self-conceited1 nor importunate2 but if she have faith 7that is1 some more knowledge than he7 have it to herself1 in quietness and silence2 and seek further information lest she err4 7#f47 ,she must speak no untruth1 nor commit any known sin1 in obedience to her husband's judgment4 7#g47 ,when she strongly suspecteth it to be sin1 she must not do it merely in obedience to him1 but seek for better satisfaction4 ,for she is sure that he hath no power to force her to sin2 and therefore hath no more assurance of his power in that point than she hath of the lawfulness of the thing4 7#h47 ,but if she prove to be in the error1 she will sin on either side1 till she recover4 7#i47 ,if a husband be in dangerous error1 she must wisely1 but unweariedly1 seek his reformation1 by herself or others4 ,cases about ,divorce and ,separation4 ,quest4 ,i4 ,is it lawful for husband and wife to be long absent from each other8 and how long1 and in what cases8 ,answ4 ,it is lawful to be absent either in the case of prayer1 which ,paul mentioneth1 or in case of the needful affairs of their estates1 so long as may be no danger to either of them as to mental or corporal incontinency1 nor to any other hurt1 which will be greater than the benefits of their absence1 nor cause them to be guilty of the neglect of any real duty4 ,therefore the cases of several persons do much differ according to the different tempers of their minds1 and bodies1 and affairs4 ,he that hath a wife of a chaste1 contented1 prudent temper1 may stay many months or years in some cases1 when1 all things considered1 it tendeth to more good than hurt3 as lawyers by their callings are often necessitated to follow their callings at terms and assizes2 and merchants may he some years absent in some weighty cases4 ,but if you ask1 whether the getting of money be a sufficient cause8 ,i answer1 that it is sufficient to those whose families must be so maintained1 and their wives are easily continent1 and so the good of their gain is greater than any loss or danger that cometh by it4 ,but when covetousness puts them upon it needlessly1 and their wives cannot bear it1 or in any case when the hurt that is like to follow is greater than the good1 it is unlawful4 ,quest4 ,,ii4 ,may husband and wife be separated by the bare command of princes1 if they make a law that in certain cases they shall part3 as suppose it to ministers1 judges1 or soldiers8 ,answ4 ,you must distinguish between the bare command or law1 and the reasons and ends of that command3 and so between a lawful command and an unlawful4 ,in some cases a prince may justly command a separation for a time1 or such as is like to prove for perpetuity1 and in some cases he may not4 ,if a king command a separation without sufficient cause1 so that you have no motive but his authority1 and the question is1 whether formally you are bound to obedience3 ,i answer1 ,no2 because what ,god hath joined no man hath power to put asunder4 ,nor can either prince1 pope1 or prelate dispense with your marriage covenant4 ,in such a case it is as a private act1 because ,god hath given them no authority for it2 and therefore their commands or laws are nullities3 only if a prince say1 he that will be a judge or a justice shall part with his wife1 it is lawful to leave the office1 and so obey the law4 ,but if he say to all ministers of the gospel1 you shall forsake your wives or your ministry1 they should do neither1 because they are divinely obliged to both1 and he hath no power to forbid them1 or to dispense with that obligation4 ,but it may fall out1 that the ends of the command may be so great as to make it lawful1 and then it must be obeyed both formally for the authority of the prince1 and finally for the reasons of the thing4 ,as if the safety of the commonwealth should require1 that married persons be soldiers1 and that they go far off2 yea1 though there be no likelihood of returning to their families1 and withal they cannot take their wives with them1 without detriment or danger to their service2 in this case men must obey the magistrate1 and are called by ,god to forsake their wives1 as if it were by death4 ,nor is it any violation of their marriage covenant1 because that was intended or meant to suppose the exception of any such call of ,god1 which cannot be resisted when it will make a separation4 ,quest4 ,,iii4 ,may ministers leave their wives to go abroad to preach the gospel8 ,answ4 ,if they can neither do ,god's work as well at home1 nor yet take their wives with them1 nor be excused from doing that part of service1 by other men's doing it who have no such impediment2 they may and must leave their wives to do it4 ,in this case1 the interest of the church1 and of the souls of many1 must overrule the interest of wife and family4 ,those pastors who have fixed stations1 must neither leave flock nor family without necessity1 or a clear call from ,god4 ,but in several cases a preacher may be necessitated to go abroad2 as in case of persecution at home1 or of some necessity of foreign or remote parts1 which cannot be otherwise supplied2 or when some door is opened for the conversion of infidels1 heretics1 or idolaters1 and none else so fit to do that work1 or none that will4 ,in any such case1 when the cause of ,god in any part of the world consideratis considerandis doth require his help1 a minister must leave wife and family1 yea1 and a particular flock1 to do it4 ,for our obligations are greatest to the catholic church1 and public good2 and the greatest good must be preferred4 ,if a king command a subject to be an ambassador in the remotest part of the world1 and the public good withal requireth it1 if wife and children cannot be taken with him1 they must be left behind1 and he must go4 ,so must a consecrated minister of ,christ for the service of the church refuse all entanglements1 which would more hinder his work than the contrary benefits will countervail4 ,and this exception also was supposed in the marriage contract1 that family interests and comforts must give way to the public interest1 and to ,god's disposals4 ,and therefore it is1 that ministers should not rashly venture upon marriage1 nor any woman that is wise venture to marry a minister1 till she is first well prepared for such accidents as may separate them for a shorter or a longer time4 ,quest4 ,,iv4 ,may one leave a wife to save his life1 in case of personal persecution or danger8 ,answ4 ,yes1 if she cannot be taken with him2 for the means which are for the helps of life1 do suppose the preservation of life itself3 if he live1 he may further serve ,god1 and possibly return to his wife and family2 but if he die1 he is removed from them all4 ,quest4 ,v4 ,may husband and wife part by mutual consent1 if they find it be for the good of both8 ,answ4 ,if you speak not of dissolving the bond of their relations1 but withdrawing as to cohabitation1 ,i answer1 #a4 ,it is not to be done upon passions and discontents1 to feed and gratify each other's vicious distempers or interest2 for then both the consent and the separation are their sins3 but if really such an uncurable unsuitableness be between them1 as that their lives must needs be miserable by their cohabitation1 ,i know not but they may live asunder2 so be it1 that 7after all other means used in vain7 they do it by deliberate1 free consent4 ,but if one of them should by craft or cruelty constrain the other to consent1 it is unlawful to the constrainer4 ,nor must impatience make either of them ungroundedly despair of the cure of any unsuitableness which is really curable4 ,but many sad instances might be given1 in which cohabitation may be a constant calamity to both1 and distance may be their relief1 and further them both in ,god's service1 and in their corporal concernments4 ,yet ,i say not that this is no sin2 for their unsuitableness is their sin3 and ,god still obligeth them to lay down that sin which maketh them unsuitable2 and therefore doth not allow them to live asunder1 it being still their duty to live together in love and peace3 and saying they cannot1 freeth them not from the duty4 ,but yet that moral impotency may make such a separation as aforesaid1 to be a lesser sin than their unpeaceable cohabitation4 ,quest4 ,,vi4 ,may not the relation itself be dissolved by mutual1 free consent1 so that they may marry others8 ,answ4 ,as to the relation1 they will still be related as those that did covenant to live in conjugal society1 and are still allowed it and obliged to it1 if the impediments were but removed2 and it is but the exercise which is hindered4 ,and they may not consent to marry others3 #a4 ,because the contracted relation was for life1 ,rom4 vii4 #b1 and ,god's law accordingly obligeth them4 ,marriages pro tempore1 dissoluble by consent1 are not of ,god's institution1 but contrary to it4 #b4 ,they know not but their impediments of cohabitation may be removed4 #c4 ,if he that marrieth an innocent divorced woman commit adultery1 by parity of reason 7with advantage7 it will be so here4 ,if you say1 what if either of them cannot contain8 ,i answer1 he that will not take heed before1 must be patient afterwards1 and not make advantage of his own folly1 to the fulfilling of his lusts4 ,if he will do what he ought to do in the use of all means1 he may live chastely4 ,and1 #d4 ,the public interest must overrule the private1 and that which would be unjust in private respects1 may for public good become a duty3 it seemeth unjust here with us1 that the innocent country should repay every man his money1 who between sun and sun is robbed on the road2 and yet because it will engage the country to watchfulness1 it is just1 as for the common good3 and he that consenteth to be a member of a commonwealth1 doth thereby consent to submit his own right to the common interest4 ,so here1 if all should have leave to marry others when they consent to part1 it would bring utter confusion1 and it would encourage wicked men to abuse their wives1 till they forced them to consent4 ,therefore some must bear the trouble which their folly hath brought on themselves1 rather than the common order should be confounded4 ,quest4 ,,vii4 ,doth adultery dissolve the bond of marriage1 or not8 ,amesius saith it doth3 ,mr4 ,whateley having said so1 afterward recanted it by the persuasion of other divines4 ,answ4 ,the difference is only about the name1 and not about the matter itself4 ,the reason which moved ,dr4 ,ames is1 because the injured person is free2 therefore not bound3 therefore the bond is dissolved4 ,the reason which ,mr4 ,whateley could not answer is1 because it is not fornication1 but lawful1 if they continue their conjugal familiarity after adultery3 therefore that bond is not dissolved4 ,in all which it is easy to perceive1 that one of them taketh the word vinculum or bond in one sense1 that is1 for their covenant obligation to continue their relation and mutual duties4 ,and the other taketh it in another sense1 that is1 for the relation itself as by it they are allowed conjugal familiarity1 if the injured person will continue it4 ,the first vinculum or bond is dissolved1 the second is not4 ,in the matter we are agreed1 that the injured man may put away an adulterous wife 7in a regular way7 if he please2 but withal that he may continue the relation if he please4 ,so that his continued consent shall suffice to continue it a lawful relation and exercise2 and his will1 on the contrary1 shall suffice to dissolve the relation1 and disoblige him4 7,saving the public order47 ,quest4 ,,viii4 ,but is not the injured party at all obliged to separate1 but left free8 ,answ4 ,considering the thing simply in itself1 he is wholly free to do as he please4 ,but for all that accidents or circumstances may make it one man's duty to divorce1 and another's duty to continue the relation2 according as it is like to do more good or hurt4 ,sometimes it may be a duty to expose the sin to public shame1 for the prevention of it in others2 and also to deliver oneself from a calamity4 ,and sometimes there may be so great repentance1 and hope of better effects by forgiving1 that it may be a duty to forgive3 and prudence must lay one thing with another1 to discern on which side the duty lieth4 ,quest4 ,,ix4 ,is it only the privilege of the man1 that he may put away an adulterous wife8 or also of the woman1 to depart from an adulterous husband8 ,the reason of the doubt is1 because ,christ mentioneth the man's power only1 ,matt4 v4 and xix4 ,answ4 #a4 ,the reason why ,christ speaketh only of the man's case is1 because he was occasioned only to restrain the vicious custom of men's causeless putting away their wives2 having no occasion to restrain women from leaving their husbands4 ,men having the rule did abuse it to the woman's injury2 which ,christ forbiddeth4 ,and as it is an act of power1 it concerneth the man alone2 but as it is an act of liberty1 it seemeth to me to be supposed1 that the woman hath the same freedom2 seeing the covenant is violated to her wrong4 ,and the apostle in #a ,cor4 vii4 doth make the case of the man and of the woman to be equal in the point of infidelity and desertion4 ,i confess that it is unsafe extending the sense of ,scripture beyond the importance of the words upon pretence of a parity of reason 7as many of the perjured do by ,lev4 xxx4 in case of vows72 lest man's deceitful wit should make a law to itself as divine1 upon pretence of interpreting ,god's laws3 but yet when the plain text doth speak but of one case1 7that is1 of men's putting away their wives17 he that will thence gather an exclusion of the woman's liberty1 doth seem by addition to be the corrupter of the law4 ,and where the context plainly showeth a parity of reason1 and that reason is made the ground of the determination in the text1 there it is safe to expound the law extensively accordingly4 ,surely the covenant of marriage hath its conditions on both parts3 and some of those conditions are necessary to the very being of the obligations1 though others are but needful to the well-being of the parties in that state4 ,and therefore though putting away be only the part of the husband1 as being the ruler1 and usually the owner of the habitation1 yet departing may be the liberty of the wife4 ,and ,i know no reason to blame those countries1 whose laws allow the wife to sue out a divorce1 as well as the husband4 ,quest4 ,x4 ,may the husband put away the wife without the magistrate1 or the wife depart from the husband1 without a public legal divorce or license8 ,answ4 ,where the laws of the land do take care for the prevention of injuries1 and make any determination in the case1 7not contrary to the law of ,god17 there it is a christian's duty to obey those laws3 therefore if you live under a law which forbiddeth any putting away or departing1 without public sentence or allowance1 you may not do it privately upon your own will4 ,for the civil governors are to provide against the private injuries of any of the subjects4 ,and if persons might put away or depart at pleasure1 it would introduce both injury and much weakness into the world4 ,but where the laws of men do leave persons to their liberty in this case1 they need then to look no further than to the laws of ,god alone4 ,but usually the sentence of the civil power is necessary only in case of appeal1 or complaint of the party injured2 and a separation may be made without such a public divorce1 so that each party may make use of the magistrate to right themselves if wronged4 ,as1 if the adultery be not openly known1 and the injuring party desire rather to be put away privily than publicly1 7as ,joseph purposed to do by ,mary17 ,i see not but it is lawful so to do1 in case that the law1 or the necessity of making the offender an example1 require not the contrary1 nor scandal or other accidents forbid it not4 ,see ,grotius's learned notes on ,matt4 v4 #ca1 #cb1 and on ,matt4 xix4 and #a ,cor4 vii4 about these questions4 ,quest4 ,,xi4 ,is not the case of sodomy or buggery a ground for warrantable divorce as well as adultery8 ,answ4 ,yes1 and seemeth to be included in the very word itself in the text1 ,matt4 v4 #ca1 #cb1 which signifieth uncleanness2 or at least is fully implied in the reason of it4 ,see ,grotius ibid4 also of this4 ,quest4 ,,xii4 ,what if both parties commit adultery8 may either of them put away the other1 or depart2 or rather must they forgive each other8 ,answ4 ,if they do it both at once1 they do both forfeit the liberty of seeking any compensation for the injury2 because the injury is equal 7however some would give the advantage to the man73 but if one commit adultery first1 and the other after2 then either the last offender knew of the first1 or not4 ,if not1 then it seemeth all one as if it had been done at once4 ,but if yea1 then they did it either on a supposition of the dissolution of the matrimonial obligation1 as being loosed from the first adulterer1 or else upon a purpose of continuing in the first relation3 in the latter case1 it is still all one as if it had been done by them at once1 and it is a forfeiture of any satisfaction3 but in the former case1 though the last adulterer did sin1 yet being before set at liberty1 it doth not renew the matrimonial obligation3 but yet1 if the first offender desire the continuance of it1 and the return of the first injured party2 shame and conscience of their own sin1 will much rebuke them1 if they plead that injury for continuance of the separation4 ,quest4 ,,xiii4 ,but what if one do purposely commit adultery1 to be separated from the other8 ,answ4 ,it is in the other's power and choice1 whether to be divorced and depart1 or not1 as they find the good or evil consequents preponderate4 ,quest4 ,,xiv4 ,doth not infidelity dissolve the relation or obligation2 seeing there is no communion between light and darkness1 a believer and an infidel8 ,answ4 ,it maketh it unlawful for a believer to marry an infidel 7except in case of true necessity72 because they can have no communion in religion4 ,but it nullifieth not a marriage already made1 nor maketh it lawful to depart or divorce2 because they may have mere conjugal communion still4 ,as the apostle purposely determineth the case1 in #a ,cor4 vii4 ,quest4 ,,xv4 ,doth not the desertion of one party disoblige the other8 ,answ4 #a4 ,it must be considered what is true desertion4 #b4 ,whether it be a desertion of the relation itself for continuance1 or only a temporary desertion of cohabitation1 or congress4 #c4 ,what the temper and state of the deserted party is4 #a4 ,it is sometimes easy1 and sometimes hard to discern which is the deserting party4 ,if the wife go away from the husband unwarrantably1 though she require him to follow her1 and say that she doth not desert him1 yet it may be taken for a desertion1 because it is the man who is to rule and choose the habitation4 ,but if the man go away1 and the woman refuse to follow him1 it is not he that is therefore the deserter4 ,quest4 ,but what if the man have not sufficient cause to go away1 and the woman hath great and urgent reasons not to go8 ,as suppose that the man will go away in hatred of an able preacher1 and good company1 and the woman if she follow him1 must leave all those helps1 and go among ignorant1 profane1 heretical persons1 or infidels2 which is the deserter then8 ,answ4 ,if she be one that is either like to do good to the infidels1 heretics1 or bad persons whom they must converse with1 she may suppose that ,god calleth her to receive good by doing good2 or if she be a confirmed1 well-settled christian1 and not very like1 either by infection1 or by want of helps1 to be unsettled and miscarry1 it seemeth to me the safest way to follow her husband4 ,she must lose indeed ,god's public ordinances by following him3 but it is not imputable to her1 as being out of her choice2 and she must lose the benefits and neglect the duties of the conjugal ordinance1 if she do not follow him4 ,but if she be a person under such weaknesses1 as make her removal apparently dangerous as to her perseverance and salvation1 and her husband will by no means be prevailed with to change his mind1 the case then is very difficult1 what is her duty1 and who is the deserter4 ,nay1 if he did but lead her into a country where her life were like to be taken away1 7as under the ,spanish ,inquisition17 unless her suffering were like to be as serviceable to ,christ as her life4 ,indeed these cases are so difficult1 that ,i will not decide them2 the inconveniencies 7or mischiefs rather7 are great which way soever she take3 but ,i most incline to judge as followeth3 viz4 ,it is considerable first1 what marriage obligeth her to1 simply of its own nature2 and what it may do next1 by any superadded contract1 or by the law or custom of the land1 or any other accident4 ,as to the first1 it seemeth to me1 that every one's obligation is so much first to ,god1 and then to their own souls and lives2 that marriage as such1 which is for mutual help1 as a means to higher ends1 doth not oblige her to forsake all the communion of saints1 and the place or country where ,god is lawfully worshipped1 and to lose all the helps of public worship1 and to expose her soul both to spiritual famine and infection1 to the apparent hazard of her salvation 7and perhaps bring her children into the same misery72 nor hath ,god given her husband any power to do her so much wrong1 nor is the marriage covenant to be interpreted to intend it4 ,but what any human law or contract1 or other accident which is of greater public consequence1 may do more than marriage of itself1 is a distinct case which must have a particular discussion4 ,quest4 ,but what if the husband would only have her follow him1 to the forsaking of her estate1 and undoing herself and children in the world 7as in the case of ,galeacius ,carracciolus1 ,marquis of ,vicum72 yea1 and if it were without just cause8 ,answ4 ,if it be for greater spiritual gain1 7as in his case17 she is bound to follow him2 but if it be apparently foolish1 to the undoing of her and her children without any cause1 ,i see not that marriage simply obligeth a woman so to follow a fool in beggary1 or out of a calling1 or to her ruin4 ,but if it be at all a controvertible case1 whether the cause be just or not1 then the husband being governor must be judge4 ,the laws of the land are supposed to be just1 which allow a woman by trustees to secure some part of her former estate from her husband's disposal2 much more may she beforehand secure herself and children from being ruined by his wilful folly3 but she can by no contract except herself from his true government4 ,yet still she must consider1 whether she can live continently in his absence2 otherwise the greatest sufferings must be endured1 to avoid incontinency4 #b4 ,moreover1 in all these cases1 a temporary removal may be further followed1 than a perpetual transmigration1 because it hath fewer evil consequents4 ,and if either party renounce the relation itself1 it is a fuller desertion1 and clearer discharge of the other party1 than a mere removal is4 ,quest4 ,,xvi4 ,what if a man or wife know that the other in hatred doth really intend by poison1 or other murder1 to take away their life8 ,may they not depart8 ,answ4 ,they may not do it upon a groundless or rash surmise2 nor upon a danger which by other lawful means may be avoided 7as by vigilancy1 or the magistrate1 or especially by love and duty74 ,but in plain danger1 which is not otherwise like to be avoided1 ,i doubt not1 but it may be done1 and ought4 ,for it is a duty to preserve our own lives as well as our neighbours'4 ,and when marriage is contracted for mutual help1 it is naturally implied1 that they shall have no power to deprive one another of life 7however some barbarous nations have given men power of the lives of their wives74 ,and killing is the grossest kind of desertion1 and a greater injury and violation of the marriage covenant than adultery2 and may be prevented by avoiding the murderer's presence1 if that way be necessary4 ,none of the ends of marriage can be attained1 where the hatred is so great4 ,quest4 ,,xvii4 ,if there be but a fixed hatred of each other1 is it inconsistent with the ends of marriage8 ,and is parting lawful in such a case8 ,answ4 ,the injuring party is bound to love1 and not to separate2 and can have no liberty by his or her sin4 ,and to say1 ,i cannot love1 or my wife or husband is not amiable1 is no sufficient excuse2 because every person hath somewhat that is amiable1 if it be but human nature2 and that should have been foreseen before your choice4 ,and as it is no excuse to a drunkard to say1 ,i cannot leave my drink2 so it is none to an adulterer1 or hater of another1 to say1 ,i cannot love them3 for that is but to say1 ,i am so wicked that my heart or will is against my duty4 ,but the innocent party's case is harder 7though commonly both parties are faulty1 and therefore both are obliged to return to love1 and not to separate74 ,but if hatred proceed not to adultery1 or murder1 or intolerable injuries1 you must remember that marriage is not a contract for years1 but for life1 and that it is possible that hatred may be cured 7how unlikely soever it may be74 ,and therefore you must do your duty1 and wait1 and pray1 and strive by love and goodness to recover love1 and then stay to see what ,god will do2 for mistakes in your choice will not warrant a separation4 ,quest4 ,,xviii4 ,what if a woman have a husband that will not suffer her to read the ,scriptures1 nor go to ,god's worship public or private1 or that so beateth or abuseth her1 as that it cannot be expected that human nature should be in such a case kept fit for any holy action2 or if a man have a wife that will scold at him when he is praying or instructing his family1 and make it impossible to him to serve ,god with freedom1 or peace and comfort4 ,answ4 ,the woman must 7at necessary seasons1 though not when she would7 both read the ,scriptures1 and worship ,god1 and suffer patiently what is inflicted on her4 ,martyrdom may be as comfortably suffered from a husband1 as from a prince4 ,but yet if neither her own love1 and duty1 and patience1 nor friends' persuasion1 nor the magistrate's justice1 can free her from such inhuman cruelty1 as quite disableth her for her duty to ,god and man1 ,i see not but she may depart from such a tyrant4 ,but the man hath more means to restrain his wife from beating him1 or doing such intolerable things2 either by the magistrate1 or by denying her what else she might have1 or by his own violent restraining her1 as belongeth to a conjugal ruler1 and as circumstances shall direct a prudent man4 ,but yet in case that unsuitableness or sin be so great1 that after long trial there is no likelihood of any other cohabitation1 but what will tend to their spiritual hurt and calamity1 it is their lesser sin to live asunder by mutual consent4 ,quest4 ,,xix4 ,may one part from a husband or wife that hath the leprosy1 or that hath the ,french pox by their adulterous practices1 when the innocent person's life is endangered by it8 ,answ4 ,if it be an innocent person's disease1 the other must cohabit1 and tenderly cherish and comfort the diseased2 yea1 so as somewhat to hazard their own lives2 but not so as apparently to cast them away1 upon a danger not like to be avoided1 unless the other's life or some greater good be like to be purchased by it4 ,but if it be the pox of an adulterer1 the innocent party is at liberty by the other's adultery2 and the saving of their own lives1 doth add thereto4 ,but without adultery1 the disease alone will not excuse them from cohabitation1 though it may from congress4 ,quest4 ,,xx4 ,who be they that may or may not marry again when they are parted8 ,answ4 #a4 ,they that are released by divorce upon the others' adultery1 sodomy1 c4 may marry again4 #b4 ,the case of all the rest is harder4 ,they that part by consent1 to avoid mutual hurt1 may not marry again2 nor the party that departeth for self-preservation1 or for the preservation of estate1 or children1 or comforts1 or for liberty of worship1 as aforesaid2 because it is but an intermission of conjugal fruition1 and not a total dissolution of the relation2 and the innocent party must wait to see whether there be any hope of a return4 ,yea1 ,christ seemeth to resolve it1 ,matt4 v4 #ca1 #cb1 that he is an adulterer that marrieth the innocent party that is put away2 because the other living in adultery1 their first contracted relation seemeth to be still in being4 ,but ,grotius and some others think1 that ,christ meaneth this only of the man that over-hastily marrieth the innocent divorced woman1 before it be seen whether he will repent and reassume her2 but how can that hold1 if the husband after adultery free her8 ,may it not therefore be meant1 that the woman must stay unmarried in hope of his reconciliation1 till such time as his adultery with his next married wife doth disoblige her4 ,but then it must be taken as a law for christians2 for the ,jew that might have many wives1 disobligeth not one by taking another4 ,a short desertion must be endured in hope2 but in case of a very long1 or total desertion or rejection1 if the injured party should have an untamable lust1 the case is difficult4 ,i think there are few but by just means may abstain4 ,but if there be any that cannot1 7after all means17 without such trouble as overthroweth their peace1 and plainly hazardeth their continence1 ,i dare not say that marriage in that case is unlawful to the innocent4 ,quest4 ,i4 ,is it lawful to suffer or tolerate1 yea1 or contribute to the matter of known sin in a family1 ordinarily1 in wife1 child1 or servant2 and consequently in any other relations8 ,answ4 ,in this some lukewarm men are apt to run into the extreme of remissness2 and some unexperienced young men1 that never had families1 into the extreme of censorious rigour1 as not knowing what they talk of4 #a4 ,it is not lawful either in family1 commonwealth1 church1 or any where1 to allow of sin1 nor to tolerate it1 or leave it uncured1 when it is truly in our power to cure it4 #b4 ,so that all the question is1 when it is or is not in our power8 ,concerning which1 ,i shall answer by some instances4 ,i4 ,it is not in our power to do that which we are naturally unable to do4 ,no law of ,god bindeth us to impossibilities4 ,and natural impotency here is found in these several cases4 #a4 ,when we are overmatched in strength2 when wife1 children1 or servants are too strong for the master of the house1 so that he cannot correct them1 nor remove them4 ,a king is not bound to punish rebellious or offending subjects1 when they are too strong for him1 and he is unable1 either by their numbers or other advantages4 ,if a pastor censure an offender1 and all the church be against the censure1 he cannot procure it executed1 but must acquiesce in having done his part1 and leave their guilt upon themselves4 #b4 ,when the thing to be done is an impossibility1 at least moral4 ,as to hinder all the persons of a family1 church1 or kingdom from ever sinning3 it is not in their own power so far to reform themselves2 much less in a ruler so far to reform them3 even as to ourselves1 perfection is but desired in this life1 but not attained2 much less for others4 #c4 ,when the principal causes co-operate not with us1 and we are but subservient moral causes2 we can but persuade men to repent1 believe1 and love ,god and goodness4 ,we cannot save men without and against themselves4 ,their hearts are out of our reach2 therefore in all these cases we are naturally unable to hinder sin4 ,,ii4 ,it is not in our power to do any thing which ,god forbiddeth us4 ,that which is sinful is to be accounted out of our power in this sense4 ,to cure the sin of a wife1 by such cruelty or harshness as is contrary to our conjugal relation and to the office of necessary love1 is out of our power1 because forbidden1 as contrary to our duty2 and so of other4 ,,iii4 ,those actions are out of our power1 which are acts of higher authority than we have4 ,a subject cannot reform by such actions as are proper to the sovereign1 nor a layman by actions proper to the pastor1 for want of authority4 ,so a schoolmaster cannot do that which is proper to a patient2 nor the master of a family that which is proper to the magistrate 7as to punish with death1 c47 ,,iv4 ,we have not power to do that which a superior power forbiddeth us 7unless it be that which ,god indispensably commandeth us74 ,the wife may not correct a child or servant1 or turn him away1 when the husband forbiddeth it4 ,nor the master of a family so punish a sin1 as the king and laws forbid on the account of the public interest4 ,v4 ,we have not power to do that for the cure of sin1 which is like to do more hurt than good2 yea1 perhaps1 to prove a pernicious mischief4 ,if my correcting a servant would make him kill me1 or set my house on fire1 ,i may not do it4 ,if my sharp reproof is like to do more hurt1 or less good1 than milder dealing1 if ,i have reason to believe that correction will make a servant worse1 ,i am not to use it2 because we have our power to edification1 and not to destruction4 ,god hath not tied us just to speak such and such words1 or to use this or that correction1 but to use reproofs and corrections only in that time1 measure1 and manner as true reason telleth us is likest to attain their end4 ,to do it1 if it would do never so much hurt1 with a fiat justitia etsi peruit mundus1 is to be righteous over-much4 ,yea1 great and heinous sins may be endured in families sometimes1 to avoid a greater hurt1 and because there is no other means to cure them4 ,for instance1 a wife maybe guilty of notorious pride1 and of malignant deriding the exercises of religion1 and of railing1 lying1 slandering1 backbiting1 covetousness1 swearing1 cursing1 c4 and the husband be necessitated to bear it2 not so far as not to reprove it1 but so far as not to correct her1 much less cure her4 ,divines use to say1 that it is unlawful for a man to beat his wife3 but the reason is not1 that he wanteth authority to do it2 but1 #a4 ,because he is by his relation obliged to a life of love with her2 and therefore must so rule1 as tendeth not to destroy love3 and1 #b4 ,because it may often do otherwise more hurt to herself and the family1 than good4 ,it may make her furious and desperate1 and make her contemptible in the family1 and diminish the reverence of inferiors1 both to wife and husband1 for living so uncomely a life4 ,quest4 ,but is there any case in which a man may silently bear the sins of a wife1 or other inferior1 without reproof1 or urging them to amend8 ,answ4 ,yes3 in case1 #a4 ,that reproof hath been tried to the utmost3 #b4 ,and it is most evident by full experience1 that it is like to do a great deal more hurt than good4 ,the rule given by ,christ1 extendeth as well to families1 as to others2 not to cast pearls before swine1 nor to give that which is holy to dogs2 because it is more to the discomposure of a man's own peace1 to have a wife turn again1 and all to rend him1 than a stranger4 ,as the church may cease admonishing a sinner1 after a certain time of obstinacy1 when experience hath ended their present hopes of bringing the person to repentance1 and thereupon may excommunicate him2 so a husband may be brought to the same despair with a wife1 and may be disobliged from ordinary reproof1 though the nearness of the relation forbid him to eject her4 ,and in such a case where the family and neighbourhood know the intractableness and obstinacy of the wife1 it is no scandal1 nor sign of approbation1 or neglect of duty1 for a man to be silent at her sin2 because they look upon her as at present incorrigible by that means3 and it is the sharpest reproof to such a one1 to be unreproved1 and to be let alone in her sin2 as it is ,god's greatest judgment on a sinner1 to leave him to himself1 and say1 ,be filthy still4 ,and there are some women whose fantasies and passions are naturally so strong1 as that it seemeth to me that in many cases they have not so much as natural free will or power to restrain them2 but if in all other cases they acted as in some1 ,i should take them for mere brutes1 that had no true reason2 they seem naturally necessitated to do as they do4 ,i have known the long profession of piety1 which in other respects hath seemed sincere1 to consist in a wife1 with such unmastered1 furious passion1 that she could not before strangers forbear throwing what was in her hand in her husband's face1 or thrusting the burning candle into his face2 and slandering him of the filthiest sins2 and when the passion was over1 confess all to be false1 and her rage to be the reason of her speech and actions2 and the man1 though a minister1 of more than ordinary wit and strength1 yet fain to endure all without returns of violence till her death4 ,they that never knew such a case by trial1 can tell how all might be cured easily2 but so cannot they that are put upon the cure4 ,and there are some other women of the same uncurable strength of imagination and passion1 who in other respects are very pious and prudent too1 and too wise and conscionable to wrong their husbands with their hands or tongues1 who yet are utterly unable to forbear any injury of the highest nature to themselves2 but are so utterly impatient of being crossed of their wills1 that it would in all likelihood cast them into melancholy or madness1 or some mortal sickness3 and no reason signifieth any thing to debate such passions4 ,in case of pride1 or some sinful custom1 they are not able to bear reproof1 and to be hindered in the sin1 without apparent danger of distraction or death4 ,i suppose these cases are but few2 but what to do in such cases when they come1 is the present question4 ,nay1 the question is yet harder1 ,whether to avoid such inconvenience1 one may contribute towards another's sin1 by affording them the means of committing it8 ,answ4 #a4 ,no man may contribute to sin as sin1 formally considered4 #b4 ,no man may contribute to another's sin1 for sinful ends1 nor in a manner forbidden and sinful in himself4 #c4 ,no man may contribute to another's sin1 when he is not naturally or morally necessitated to it1 but might forbear it4 ,but as it is consistent with the holiness of ,god to contribute those natural and providential mercies1 which he knoweth men will abuse to sin1 so is it in some cases with us his creatures to one another4 ,god giveth all men their lives and time1 their reason and free will1 which he knoweth they will abuse to sin3 he giveth them that meat1 and drink1 and riches1 and health1 and vigour of senses1 which are the usual means of the sin and undoing of the world4 ,object4 ,but ,god is not under any law or obligation as we are4 ,answ4 ,his own perfection is above all law1 and will not consist with a consent or acting of any thing that is contrary to holiness and perfection4 ,but this ,i confess1 that many things are contrary to the order and duty of the creature1 which are not contrary to the place and perfection of the ,creator4 #a4 ,when man doth generate man1 he knowingly contributeth to a sinful nature and life2 for he knoweth that it is unavoidable1 and that which is born of the flesh is flesh4#bf ,and yet he sinneth not by so doing1 because he is not bound to prevent sin by the forbearance of generation4 #b4 ,when one advanceth another to the office of magistracy1 ministry1 c4 knowing that he will sin in it1 he contributeth accidentally to his sin2 but so as he is not culpable for so doing4 #c4 ,a physician hath to do with a froward and intemperate patient1 who will please his appetite1 or else if he be denied1 his passion will increase his disease and kill him4 ,in this case he may lawfully say1 let him take a little1 rather than kill him1 though by so doing he contribute to his sin2 because it is but a not hindering that which he cannot hinder without a greater evil4 ,the sin is only his that chooseth it4 ,and it is specially to be noted1 that that which physically is a positive act1 and contributing to the matter of the sin1 yet morally is but a not hindering the sin by such a withholding of materials as we are not obliged to withhold 7which is the case also of ,god's contributing to the matter of sin74 ,if the physician in such a case1 or the parent of a sick and froward child1 do actually give them that which they sin in desiring1 that giving is indeed such a furthering of the sin as cannot be lawfully forborne1 lest we do hurt2 and therefore is morally but a not hindering it1 when we cannot hinder it4 #d4 ,if a man have a wife so proud that she will go mad1 or disturb him and his family by rage1 if her pride be not gratified by some sinful fashions1 curiosities1 or excesses1 if he give her money or materials to do it with1 to prevent her distraction1 it is but like the foresaid case of the physician1 or parents of a sick child4 ,in these cases ,i will give you a rule to walk by for yourselves1 and a caution how to judge of others4 #a4 ,be sure that you leave nothing undone that you can lawfully do1 for the cure and prevention of others' sins2 and that it be not for want of zeal against sin1 through indifference or slothfulness1 that you forbear to hinder it1 but merely through disability4 #b4 ,see that in comparing the evil that is like to follow the impedition1 you do not mistake1 but be sure that it be indeed a greater evil which you avoid by not hindering that particular sin4 #c4 ,see therefore that your own carnal interest weigh not with you more than there is cause2 and that you account not mere fleshly suffering a greater evil than sin4 #d4 ,but yet that dishonour which may be cast upon religion1 and the good of souls1 which may be hindered by a bodily suffering1 may come into the comparison4 #e4 ,and your own duties to men's bodies 7as to save men's lives1 or health1 or peace7 are to be numbered with spiritual things1 and the materials of a sin may in some cases be administered for the discharge of such a duty4 ,if you knew a man would die if you give him not hot water1 and he will be drunk if you do give it him2 in this case you do but your duty1 and he commits the sin3 you do that which is good1 and are not bound to forbear it1 because he will turn it to sin1 unless you see that the hurt by that sin is like to be so great 7besides the sin itself7 as to discharge you from the duty of doing good4 #b4 ,as to others1 7#a47 ,put them on to their duty and spare not4 7#b47 ,but censure them not for the sins of their families1 till you are acquainted with all the case4 ,it is usual with rash and carnal censurers1 to cry out of some godly ministers or gentlemen1 that their wives are as proud1 and their children and servants as bad as others4 ,but are you sure that it is in their power to remedy it8 ,malice and rashness judge at a distance of things which men understand not1 and sin in speaking against sin4 ,quest4 ,,ii4 ,if a gentleman1 e4g4 of #ejj1 or #ajjj1 or #bjjj1 or #cjjj1 per annum1 could spare honestly half his yearly rents1 for his children and for charitable uses1 and his wife be so proud and prodigal1 that she will waste it all in housekeeping and excesses1 and will rage1 be unquiet1 or go mad1 if she be hindered1 what is a man's duty in such a case8 ,answ4 ,it is but an instance of the forementioned case1 and must thence be answered4 #a4 ,it is supposed that she is uncurable by all wise and rational means of persuasion4 #b4 ,he is wisely to compare the greatness of the evil that will come by crossing her1 with the good that may come by the improvement of his estate1 and the forbearance of those excesses4 ,if her rage1 or distraction1 or unquietness were like by any accident to do more hurt than his estate may do good1 he might take himself disabled from hindering the sin2 and though he give her the money which she mispendeth1 it is not sinning1 but only not hindering sin when he is unable4 #c4 ,ordinarily some small or tolerable degree of sinful waste and excess may be tolerated to avoid such mischiefs as else would follow2 but not too much4 ,and though no just measure can be assigned1 at what rate a man may lawfully purchase his own peace1 and consequently his liberty to serve ,god1 or at what rate he may save his wife from madness1 or some mortal mischiefs of her discontent1 yet the case must be resolved by such considerations2 and a prudent man1 that knoweth what is like to be the consequent on both sides1 may and must accordingly determine it4 #d4 ,but ordinarily the life1 health1 or preservation of so proud1 luxurious1 and passionate a woman1 is not worth the saving at so dear a rate1 as the wasting of a considerable estate1 which might be used to relieve a multitude of the poor1 and perhaps to save the lives of many that are worthier to live4 ,and1 7#a47 ,a man's duty to relieve the poor and provide for his family is so great1 7#b47 ,and the account that all men must give of the use of their talents is so strict1 that it must be a great reason indeed1 that must allow him to give way to very great wastefulness4 ,and unless there be somewhat extraordinary in the case1 it were better deal with such a woman as a bedlam1 and if she will be mad1 to use her as the mad are used1 than for a steward of ,god to suffer the devil to be served with his ,master's goods4 ,lastly1 ,i must charge the reader to remember1 that both these cases are very rare2 and it is but few women that are so liable to so great mischiefs1 which may not be prevented at cheaper rates2 and therefore that the indulgence given in these decisions1 is nothing to the greater part of men1 nor is to be extended to ordinary cases4 ,but commonly men every where sin by omission of a stricter government of their families1 and by ,eli's sinful indulgence and remissness2 and though a wife must be governed as a wife1 and a child as a child1 yet all must be governed as well as servants4 ,and though it may be truly said1 that a man cannot hinder that sin1 which he cannot hinder but by sin1 or by contributing to a greater hurt1 yet it is to be concluded1 that every man is bound to hinder sin whenever he is able lawfully to hinder it4 ,and by the same measures1 tolerations1 or not hindering errors and sins about religion in church and commonwealth1 is to be judged of3 none must commit them or approve them2 nor forbear any duty of their own to cure them2 but that is not a duty which is destructive1 which would be a duty when it were a means of edifying4 #bd ,see ,dr4 ,gouge on ,family ,relations1 who saith the most against women's giving4 #be #b ,sam4 xxv4 #ah1 #bi1 #cj2 ,prov4 xxxi4 #aa-ac1 #bj2 ,hos4 vi4 #f2 ,matt4 ix4 #ac2 xii4 #g2 #b ,kings iv4 #i1 #bb4 #bf ,john iii4 #f2 ,eph4 ii4 #b1 #c4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,the ,,duties ,,of ,,parents ,,for ,,their ,,children4 ,,of how great importance the wise and holy education of children is1 to the saving of their souls1 and the comfort of their parents1 and the good of church and state1 and the happiness of the world1 ,i have partly told you before2 but no man is able fully to express4 ,and how great that calamity is1 which the world is fallen into through the neglect of that duty1 no heart can conceive2 but they that think what a case the heathen1 infidel1 and ungodly nations are in1 and how rare true piety is grown1 and how many millions must lie in hell for ever1 will know so much of this inhuman negligence1 as to abhor it4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,understand and lament the corrupted and miserable state of your children1 which they have derived from you1 and thankfully accept the offers of a ,saviour for yourselves and them1 and absolutely resign1 and dedicate them to ,god in ,christ in the sacred covenant1 and solemnize this dedication and covenant by their baptism4#bg ,and to this end understand the command of ,god for entering your children solemnly into covenant with him1 and the covenant mercies belonging to them thereupon4 ,rom4 v4 #ab1 #af-ah2 ,eph4 ii4 #a1 #c2 ,gen4 xvii4 #d1 #ac1 #ad2 ,deut4 xxix4 #aj-ab2 ,rom4 xi4 #ag1 #bj2 ,john iii4 #c1 #e2 ,matt4 xix4 #ac1 #ad4 ,you cannot sincerely dedicate yourselves to ,god1 but you must dedicate to him all that is yours1 and in your power2 and therefore your children1 as far as they are in your power4 ,and as nature hath taught you your power and your duty to enter them in their infancy into any covenant with man1 which is certainly for their good2 7and if they refuse the conditions when they come to age1 they forfeit the benefit27 so nature teacheth you much more to oblige them to ,god for their far greater good1 in case he will admit them into covenant with him4 ,and that he will admit them into his covenant1 7and that you ought to enter them into it17 is past doubt1 in the evidence which the ,scripture giveth us1 that from ,abraham's time till ,christ it was so with all the children of his people2 nay1 no man can prove that before ,abraham's time1 or since1 ,god had ever a church on earth1 of which the infants of his servants 7if they had any7 were not members dedicated in covenant to ,god1 till of late times that a few began to scruple the lawfulness of this4 ,as it is a comfort to you1 if the king would bestow upon your infant children1 7who were tainted by their father's treason17 not only a full discharge from the blot of the offence1 but also the titles and estates of lords1 though they understand none of this till they come to age2 so is it much more matter of comfort to you1 on their behalf1 that ,god in ,christ will pardon their original sin1 and take them as his children1 and give them title to everlasting life2 which are the mercies of his covenant4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,as soon as they are capable1 teach them what a covenant they are in1 and what are the benefits1 and what the conditions1 that their souls may gladly consent to it when they understand it2 and you may bring them seriously to renew their covenant with ,god in their own persons4 ,but the whole order of teaching both children and servants1 ,i shall give you after by itself2 and therefore shall here pass by all that1 except that which is to be done more by your familiar converse1 than by more solemn teaching4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,train them up in exact obedience to yourselves1 and break them of their own wills4 ,to that end1 suffer them not to carry themselves unreverently or contemptuously towards you2 but to keep their distance4 ,for too much familiarity breedeth contempt1 and imboldeneth to disobedience4 ,the common course of parents is to please their children so long1 by letting them have what they crave1 and what they will1 till their wills are so used to be fulfilled1 that they cannot endure to have them denied2 and so can endure no government1 because they endure no crossing of their wills4 ,to be obedient1 is to renounce their own wills1 and be ruled by their parents' or governor's wills2 to use them therefore to have their own wills1 is to teach them disobedience1 and harden and use them to a kind of impossibility of obeying4 ,tell them oft familiarly and lovingly of the excellency of obedience1 and how it pleaseth ,god1 and what need they have of government1 and how unfit they are to govern themselves1 and how dangerous it is to children to have their own wills2 speak often with great disgrace of self-willedness and stubbornness1 and tell others in their hearing what hath befallen self-willed children4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,make them neither too bold with you1 nor too strange or fearful2 and govern them not as servants1 but as children1 making them perceive that you dearly love them1 and that all your commands1 restraints1 and corrections are for their good1 and not merely because you will have it so4 ,they must be ruled as rational creatures1 that love themselves1 and those that love them4 ,if they perceive that you dearly love them1 they will obey you the more willingly1 and the easier be brought to repent of their disobedience1 and they will as well obey you in heart as in outward actions1 and behind your back as before your face4 ,and the love of you 7which must be caused by your love to them7 must be one of the chiefest means to bring them to the love of all that good which you commend to them2 and so to form their wills sincerely to the will of ,god1 and make them holy4 ,for if you are too strange to them1 and too terrible1 they will fear you only1 and not much love you2 and then they will love no books1 no practices1 that you commend to them1 but like hypocrites they will seek to please you to your face1 and care not what they are in secret and behind your backs4 ,nay1 it will tempt them to loathe your government1 and all that good which you persuade them to1 and make them like birds in a cage1 that watch for an opportunity to get away and get their liberty4 ,they will be the more in the company of servants and idle children1 because your terror and strangeness maketh them take no delight in yours4 ,and fear will make them liars1 as oft as a lie seemeth necessary to their escape4 ,parents that show much love to their children1 may safely show severity when they commit a fault4 ,for then they will see1 that it is their fault only that displeaseth you1 and not their persons2 and your love reconcileth them to you when they are corrected2 when less correction from parents that are always strange or angry1 and show no tender love to their children1 will alienate them1 and do no good4 ,too much boldness of children leadeth them1 before you are aware1 to contempt of parents and all disobedience2 and too much fear and strangeness depriveth them of most of the benefits of your care and government3 but tender love1 with severity only when they do amiss1 and this at a reverent1 convenient distance1 is the only way to do them good4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,labour much to possess their hearts with the fear of ,god1 and a reverence of the holy ,scriptures2 and then whatsoever duty you command them1 or whatsoever sin you forbid them1 show them some plain and urgent texts of ,scripture for it2 and cause them to learn them and oft repeat them2 that so they may find reason and divine authority in your commands3 till their obedience begin to be rational and divine1 it will be but formal and hypocritical4 ,it is conscience that must watch them in private1 when you see them not2 and conscience is ,god's officer and not yours2 and will say nothing to them1 till it speak in the name of ,god4 ,this is the way to bring the heart itself into subjection2 and also to reconcile them to all your commands1 when they see that they are first the commands of ,god 7of which more anon74 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,in all your speeches of ,god and of ,jesus ,christ1 and of the holy ,scripture1 or the life to come1 or of any holy duty1 speak always with gravity1 seriousness1 and reverence1 as of the most great and dreadful and most sacred things3 for before children come to have any distinct understanding of particulars1 it is a hopeful beginning to have their hearts possessed with a general reverence and high esteem of holy matters2 for that will continually awe their consciences1 and help their judgments1 and settle them against prejudice and profane contempt1 and be as a seed of holiness in them4 ,for the fear of ,god is the beginning of wisdom1 ,psal4 cxi4 #aj2 ,prov4 ix4 #aj2 i4 #g4 ,and the very manner of the parents' speech and carriage1 expressing great reverence to the things of ,god1 hath a very great power to leave the like impression on a child3 most children of godly parents that ever came to good1 ,i am persuaded1 can tell you this by experience1 7if their parents did their duty in this point17 that the first good that ever they felt upon their hearts1 was a reverence to holy things1 which the speech and carriage of their parents taught them4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,speak always before them with great honour and praise of holy ministers and people1 and with dispraise and loathing of every sin1 and of ungodly men4#bh ,for this also is a thing that children will quickly and easily receive from their parents4 ,before they can understand particular doctrines1 they can learn in general what kind of persons are most happy or most miserable1 and they are very apt to receive such a liking or disliking from their parents' judgment1 which hath a great hand in all the following good or evil of their lives4 ,if you possess them with good and honourable thoughts of them that fear ,god1 they will ever after be inclined to think well of them1 and to dislike those that speak evil of them1 and to hear such preachers1 and to wish themselves such christians2 so that in this and the foregoing point it is that the first stirrings of grace in children are ordinarily felt4 ,and therefore on the other side1 it is a most pernicious thing to children1 when they hear their parents speak contemptuously or lightly of holy things and persons1 and irreverently talk of ,god1 and ,scripture1 and the life to come1 or speak dispraisingly or scornfully of godly ministers or people1 or make a jest of the particular duties of a religious life3 these children are like to receive that prejudice or profane contempt into their hearts betimes1 which may bolt the doors against the love of ,god and holiness1 and make their salvation a work of much greater difficulty1 and much smaller hope4 ,and therefore still ,i say1 that wicked parents are the most notable servants of the devil in all the world1 and the bloodiest enemies to their children's souls4 ,more souls are damned by ungodly parents 7and next them by ungodly ministers and magistrates7 than by any instruments in the world besides4 ,and hence it is also1 that whole nations are so generally carried away with enmity against the ways of ,god2 the heathen nations against the true ,god1 and the infidel nations against ,christ1 and the papist nations against reformation and spiritual worshippers3 because the parents speak evil to the children of all that they themselves dislike2 and so possess them with the same dislike from generation to generation4 ,woe to them that call evil good1 and good evil1 that put darkness for light1 and light for darkness1 that put bitter for sweet1 and sweet for bitter1 ,isa4 v4 #bj4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,let it be the principal part of your care and labour in all their education1 to make holiness appear to them the most necessary1 honourable1 gainful1 pleasant1 delightful1 amiable state of life2 and to keep them from apprehending it either as needless1 dishonourable1 hurtful1 or uncomfortable4 ,especially draw them to the love of it1 by representing it as lovely4 ,and therefore begin with that which is easiest and most grateful to them 7as the history of the ,scripture1 and the lives of the martyrs1 and other good men1 and some short1 familiar lessons74 ,for though in restraining them from sin1 you must go to the highest step at first1 and not think to draw them from it by allowing them the least degree2 7for every degree disposeth to more1 and none is to be allowed1 and a general reformation is the easiest as well as absolutely necessary27 yet in putting them upon the practice of religious duties1 you must carry them on by degrees1 and put them at first upon no more than they can bear2 either upon the learning of doctrines too high and spiritual for them1 or upon such duty for quality or quantity as is over-burdensome to them2 for if you once turn their hearts against religion1 and make it seem a slavery and a tedious life to them1 you take the course to harden them against it4 ,and therefore all children must not be used alike2 as all stomachs must not be forced to eat alike4 ,if you force some to take so much as to become a surfeit1 they will loathe that sort of meat as long as they live4 ,i know that nature itself1 as corrupt1 hath already an enmity to holiness1 and ,i know that this enmity is not to be indulged in children at all2 but withal ,i know that misrepresentations of religion1 and imprudent education1 is the way to increase it1 and that the enmity being in the heart1 it is the change of the mind and love that is the overcoming of it1 and not any such constraint as tendeth not to reconcile the mind by love4 ,the whole skill of parents for the holy education of their children1 doth consist in this1 to make them conceive of holiness as the most amiable and desirable life2 which is by representing it to them in words and practice1 not only as most necessary1 but also as most profitable1 honourable1 and delightful4 ,prov4 iii4 #ag1 ,her ways are ways of pleasantness1 and all her paths are peace1 c4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,speak often to them of the brutish baseness and sinfulness of flesh-pleasing sensuality1 and of the greater excellency of the pleasures of the mind which consist in wisdom1 and in doing good4 ,for your chiefest care must be to save them from flesh-pleasing2 which is not only in general the sum of all iniquity whatsoever1 but that which in special children are most prone to4 ,for their flesh and sense is as quick as others2 and they want not only faith1 but clear reason to resist it2 and so 7besides their natural pravity7 the custom of obeying sense 7which is in strength7 without reason 7which is in infancy and almost useless7 doth much increase this pernicious sin4 ,and therefore still labour to imprint in their minds an odious conceit of a flesh-pleasing life2 speak bitterly to them against gluttony1 and drunkenness1 and excess of sport2 and let them often hear or read the parable of the glutton and ,lazarus in the sixteenth of ,luke2 and let them learn without book1 ,rom4 viii4 #a1 #e-i1 #ac2 xiii4 #ac1 #ad1 and oft repeat them4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,to this end1 and also for the health of their bodies1 keep a strict guard upon their appetites 7which they are not able to guard themselves73 keep them as exactly as you can to the rules of reason1 both in the quantity and quality of their food4 ,yet tell them the reason of your restraint1 or else they will secretly strive the more to break their bounds4 ,most parents that ever ,i knew1 or had any good account of in that point1 are guilty of the great hurt and danger of their children's health and souls1 by pleasing and glutting them with meat and drink4 ,if ,i should call them devils and murderers to their own children1 they would think ,i spake too harshly2 but ,i would not have them give so great occasion for it1 as by destroying 7as far as lieth in them7 the souls and bodies of their children4 ,they destroy their souls by accustoming them to gluttony1 and to be ruled by their appetites2 which all the teaching in the world will hardly ever after overcome1 without the special grace of ,god4 ,what is all the vice and villany in the world1 but the pleasing of the desires of the flesh8 ,and when they are habituated to this1 they are rooted in their sin and misery4 ,and they destroy their bodies1 by suffering them to please their appetites1 with raw fruits and other hurtful things2 but especially by drowning and overwhelming nature by excess2 and all this is through that beastly ignorance1 joined with self-conceitedness1 which maketh them also overthrow themselves4 ,they think that their appetite is the measure of their eating and drinking1 and that if they drink but when they are thirsty1 7as some drunkards are continually17 and eat but when they are hungry1 it is no excess2 and because they are not presently sick1 or vomit it not up again1 the beasts think it doth them no harm1 but good4 ,you shall hear them like mad people say1 ,i warrant them1 it will do them no harm to eat and drink when they have list1 it will make them strong and healthful2 ,i see not that those that are dieted so strictly are any healthfuller than others4 ,whenas all this while they are burdening nature1 and destroying digestion1 and vitiating all the humours of the body1 and turning them into a dunghill of phlegm and filth2 which is the fuel that breedeth and feedeth almost all the diseases that after seize upon them while they live2 and usually bringeth them to an untimely end 7as ,i have fullier opened before1 part i4 in the directions against gluttony74 ,if therefore you love either the souls or bodies of your children1 use them to temperance from their infancy1 and let not their appetites or craving wills1 but your own reason1 be the chooser and the measure of their diet4 ,use them to eat sparingly1 and 7so it moderately please their appetite1 or be not such as nature loatheth7 let it be rather of the coarser than the finer sort of diet2 see it measured to them yourselves1 and suffer no servant to give them more1 nor to let them eat or drink between meals and out of season2 and so you will help to overcome their sensual inclinations1 and give reason the mastery of their lives2 and you will1 under ,god1 do as much as any one thing can do to help them to a healthful temper of body1 which will be a very great mercy to them1 and fit them for their duty all their lives4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,for sports and recreations1 let them be such1 and so much1 as may be needful to their health and cheerfulness2 but not so much as may carry away their minds from better things1 and draw them from their books or other duties1 nor such as may tempt them to gaming or covetousness4 ,children must have convenient sport for the health of the body and alacrity of the mind2 such as well exerciseth their bodies is best1 and not such as little stirreth them4 ,cards and dice1 and such idle sports1 are every way most unfit1 as tending to hurt both body and mind4 ,their time also must be limited them1 that their play may not be their work2 as soon as ever they have the use of any reason and speech1 they should be taught some better things1 and not left till they are five or six years of age1 to do nothing1 but get a custom of wasting all their time in play4 ,children are very early capable of learning something which may prepare them for more4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,use all your wisdom and diligence to root out the sin of pride4 ,and to that end1 do not 7as is usual with foolish parents1 that7 please them with making them fine1 and then by telling them how fine they are2 but use to commend humility and plainness to them1 and speak disgracefully of pride and fineness1 to breed an averseness to it in their minds4 ,cause them to learn such texts of ,scripture as speak of ,god's abhorring and resisting the proud1 and of his loving and honouring the humble3 when they see other children that are finely clothed1 speak of it to them as their shame1 that they may not desire to be like them4 ,speak against boasting1 and every other way of pride which they are liable to3 and yet give them the praise of all that is well1 for that is but their due encouragement4 ,direct4 ,,xiii4 ,speak to them disgracefully of the gallantry1 and pomp1 and riches of the world1 and of the sin of selfishness and covetousness1 and diligently watch against it1 and all that may tempt them to it4 ,when they see great houses1 and attendance1 and gallantry1 tell them that these are the devil's baits1 to entice poor sinners to love this world1 that they may lose their souls1 and the world to come4 ,tell them how much heaven excelleth all this2 and that the lovers of the world must never come thither1 but the humble1 and meek1 and poor in spirit4 ,tell them of the rich glutton in ,luke xvi4 that was thus clothed in purple and silk1 and fared deliciously every day2 but when he came to hell1 could not get a drop of water to cool his tongue1 when ,lazarus was in the joys of paradise4 ,do not as the wicked1 that entice their children to worldliness and covetousness1 by giving them money1 and letting them game and play for money1 and promising them to make them fine or rich1 and speaking highly of all that are rich and great in the world2 but tell them how much happier a poor believer is1 and withdraw all that may tempt their minds to covetousness4 ,teach them how good it is to love their brethren as themselves1 and to give them part of what they have1 and praise them for it2 and dispraise them when they are greedy to keep or heap up all to themselves3 and all will be little enough to cure this pernicious sin4 ,teach them such texts as ,psal4 x4 #c1 ,they bless the covetous whom the ,lord abhorreth4 ,direct4 ,,xiv4 ,narrowly watch their tongues1 especially against lying1 railing1 ribald talk1 and taking the name of ,god in vain4 ,and pardon them many lighter faults about common matters1 sooner than one such sin against ,god4 ,tell them of the odiousness of all these sins1 and teach them such texts as most expressly condemn them2 and never pass it by or make light of it1 when you find them guilty4 ,direct4 ,,xv4 ,keep them as much as may be from ill company1 especially of ungodly play-fellows4 ,it is one of the greatest dangers for the undoing of children in the world2 especially when they are sent to common schools3 for there is scarce any of those schools so good1 but hath many rude and ungodly ill-taught children in it2 that will speak profanely1 and filthily1 and make their ribald and railing speeches a matter of boasting2 besides fighting1 and gaming1 and scorning1 and neglecting their lessons2 and they will make a scorn of him that will not do as they1 if not beat and abuse him4 ,and there is such tinder in nature for these sparks to catch upon1 that there are very few children1 but when they hear others take ,god's name in vain1 or sing wanton songs1 or talk filthy words1 or call one another by reproachful names1 do quickly imitate them3 and when you have watched over them at home as narrowly as you can1 they are infected abroad with such beastly vices1 as they are hardly ever after cured of4 ,therefore let those that are able1 either educate their children most at home1 or in private and well ordered schools2 and those that cannot do so1 must be the more exceeding watchful over them1 and charge them to associate with the best2 and speak to them of the odiousness of these practices1 and the wickedness of those that use them2 and speak very disgracefully of such ungodly children3 and when all is done1 it is a great mercy of ,god1 if they be not undone by the force of the contagion1 notwithstanding all your antidotes4 ,those therefore that venture their children into the rudest schools and company1 and after that to ,rome1 and other profane or popish countries1 to learn the fashions and customs of the world1 upon pretence1 that else they will be ignorant of the course of the world1 and ill-bred1 and not like others of their rank1 may think of themselves and their own reasonings as well as they please3 for my part1 ,i had rather make a chimney-sweeper of my son1 7if ,i had any17 than be guilty of doing so much to sell or betray him to the devil4 ,quest4 ,but is it not lawful for a man to send his son to travel8 ,answ4 ,yes1 in these cases3 #a4 ,in case he be a ripe1 confirmed christian1 that is1 not in danger of being perverted1 but able to resist the enemies of the truth1 and to preach the gospel1 or to do good to others2 and withal have sufficient business to invite him4 #b4 ,or if he go in the company of wise and godly persons1 and such be his companions1 and the probability of his gain be greater1 than of his loss and danger4 #c4 ,or if he go only into religious countries1 among more wise and learned men than he converseth with at home1 and have sufficient motives for his course4 ,but to send young1 raw1 unsettled persons among papists1 and profane1 licentious people1 7though perhaps some sober person be in company with them17 and this only to see the countries and fashions of the world1 is an action unbeseeming any christian that knoweth the pravity of human nature1 and the mutability of young1 unfurnished heads1 and the subtlety of deceivers1 and the contagiousness of sin and error1 and the worth of a soul1 and will not do as some conjurers or witches1 even sell a soul to the devil1 on condition he may see and know the fashions of the world2 which alas1 ,i can quickly know enough of to grieve my heart1 without travelling so far to see them4 ,if another country have more of ,christ1 and be nearer heaven1 the invitation is great2 but if it have more of sin and hell1 ,i had rather know hell1 and the suburbs of it too1 by the map of the word of ,god1 than by going thither4 ,and if such children return not the confirmed children of the devil1 and prove not the calamity of their country and the church1 let them thank special grace1 and not their parents or themselves4 ,they overvalue that vanity which they call breeding1 who will hazard the substance1 7even heavenly wisdom1 holiness1 and salvation17 to go so far for so vain a shadow4 ,direct4 ,,xvi4 ,teach your children to know the preciousness of time1 and suffer them not to mispend an hour4 ,be often speaking to them how precious a thing time is1 and how short man's life is1 and how great his work1 and how our endless life of joy or misery dependeth on this little time3 speak odiously to them of the sin of those that play and idle away their time2 and keep account of all their hours1 and suffer them not to lose any by excess of sleep1 or excess of play1 or any other way2 but engage them still in some employment that is worth their time4 ,train up your children in a life of diligence and labour1 and use them not to ease and idleness when they are young4#bi ,our wandering beggars1 and too many of the gentry1 utterly undo their children by this means1 especially the female sex4 ,they are taught no calling1 nor exercised in any employment1 but only such as is meet for nothing but ornament and recreation at the best2 and therefore should have but recreation hours1 which is but a small proportion of their time4 ,so that by the sin of their parents1 they are betimes engaged in a life of idleness1 which afterward it is wondrous hard for them to overcome2 and they are taught to live like swine or vermin1 that live only to live1 and do small good in the world by living3 to rise1 and dress1 and adorn themselves1 and take a walk1 and so to dinner1 and thence to cards or dice1 or chat and idle talk1 or some play1 or visit1 or recreation1 and so to supper1 and to chat again1 and to bed1 is the lamentable life of too many that have great obligations to ,god1 and greater matters to do1 if they were acquainted with them4 ,and if they do but interpose a few hypocritical1 heartless words of prayer1 they think they have piously spent the day2 yea1 the health of many is utterly ruined1 by such idle1 fleshly education4 ,so that disuse doth disable them from any considerable motion or exercise1 which is necessary to preserve their health4 ,it would move one's heart with pity1 to see how the houses of some of the higher sort are like hospitals2 and education hath made1 especially1 the females like the lame1 or sick1 or bedrid2 so that one part of the day that should be spent in some profitable employment1 is spent in bed1 and the rest in doing nothing1 or worse than nothing2 and most of their life is made miserable by diseases1 so that if their legs be but used to carry them about1 they are presently out of breath1 and are a burden to themselves1 and few of them live out little more than half their days4 ,whereas1 poor creatures1 if their own parents had not betrayed them into the sins of ,sodom1 pride1 fulness of bread1 and abundance of idleness1 they might have been in health1 and lived like honest christian people1 and their legs and arms might have served them for use1 as well as for integrality and ornament4 ,direct4 ,,xvii4 ,let necessary correction be used with discretion1 according to these following rules4 #a4 ,let it not be so seldom 7if necessary7 as to leave them fearless1 and so make it uneffectual2 and let it not be so frequent as to discourage them1 or breed in them a hatred of their parents4 #b4 ,let it be different according to the different tempers of your children2 some are so tender and timorous1 and apt to be discouraged1 that little or no correction may be best2 and some are so hardened and obstinate1 that it must be much and sharp correction that must keep them from dissoluteness and contempt4 #c4 ,let it be more for sin against ,god 7as lying1 railing1 filthy speaking1 profaneness1 c47 than for faults about your worldly business4 #d4 ,correct them not in passion1 but stay till they perceive that you are calmed2 for they will think else1 that your anger rather than your reason is the cause4 #e4 ,always show them the tenderness of your love1 and how unwilling you are to correct them1 if they could be reformed any easier way2 and convince them that you do it for their good4 #f4 ,make them read those texts of ,scripture which condemn their sin1 and then those which command you to correct them4 ,as for example1 if lying be their sin1 turn them first to ,prov4 xii4 #bb1 ,lying lips are abomination to the ,lord1 but they that deal truly are his delight4 ,and xiii4 #e1 ,a righteous man hateth lying4 ,john viii4 #dd1 ,ye are of your father the devil1--when he speaketh a lie1 he speaketh of his own2 for he is a liar1 and the father of it4 ,rev4 xxii4 #ae1 ,for without are dogs--and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie4 ,and next turn him to ,prov4 xiii4 #bd1 ,he that spareth his rod1 hateth his son2 but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes4 ,prov4 xxix4 #ae1 ,the rod and reproof give wisdom2 but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame4 ,prov4 xxii4 #ae1 ,foolishness is bound in the heart of a child2 but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him4 ,prov4 xxiii4 #ac1 #ad1 ,withhold not correction from the child2 for if thou beatest him with the rod1 he shall not die2 thou shalt beat him with the rod1 and shalt deliver his soul from hell4 ,prov4 xix4 #ah1 ,chasten thy son while there is hope1 and let not thy soul spare for his crying4 ,ask him whether he would have you by sparing him1 to disobey ,god1 and hate him1 and destroy his soul4 ,and when his reason is convinced of the reasonableness of correcting him1 it will be the more successful4 ,direct4 ,,xviii4 ,let your own example teach your children that holiness1 and heavenliness1 and blamelessness of tongue and life1 which you desire them to learn and practise4 ,the example of parents is most powerful with children1 both for good and evil4 ,if they see you live in the fear of ,god1 it will do much to persuade them1 that it is the most necessary and excellent course of life1 and that they must do so too2 and if they see you live a carnal1 voluptuous1 and ungodly life1 and hear you curse or swear1 or talk filthily or railingly1 it will greatly imbolden them to imitate you4 ,if you speak never so well to them1 they will sooner believe your bad lives1 than your good words4 ,direct4 ,,xix4 ,choose such a calling and course of life for your children1 as tendeth most to the saving of their souls1 and to their public usefulness for church or state4 ,choose not a calling that is most liable to temptations and hinderances to their salvation1 though it may make them rich2 but a calling which alloweth them some leisure for the remembering the things of everlasting consequence1 and fit opportunities to get good1 and to do good4 ,if you bind them apprentices1 or servants1 if it be possible1 place them with men fearing ,god2 and not with such as will harden them in their sin4 ,direct4 ,,xx4 ,when they are marriageable1 and you find it needful1 look out such for them as are suitable betimes4 ,when parents stay too long1 and do not their duties in this1 their children often choose for themselves to their own undoing2 for they choose not by judgment1 but blind affection4 ,having thus told you the common duties of parents for their children1 ,i should next have told you what specially belongeth to each parent2 but to avoid prolixity1 ,i shall only desire you to remember especially these two directions4 #a4 ,that the mother who is still present with children when they are young1 be very diligent in teaching them1 and minding them of good things4 ,when the fathers are abroad1 the mothers have more frequent opportunities to instruct them1 and be still speaking to them of that which is most necessary1 and watching over them4 ,this is the greatest service that most women can do for ,god in the world3 many a church that hath been blessed with a good minister1 may thank the pious education of mothers2 and many a thousand souls in heaven may thank the holy care and diligence of mothers1 as the first effectual means4 ,good women this way 7by the good education of their children7 are ordinarily great blessings both to church and state4 7,and so some understand #a ,tim4 ii4 #ae1 by child-bearing1 meaning bringing up children for ,god2 but ,i rather think it is by ,mary's bearing ,christ1 the promised seed47 #b4 ,by all means let children be taught to read1 if you are never so poor1 and whatever shift you make2 or else you deprive them of a singular help to their instruction and salvation4 ,it is a thousand pities that a ,bible should signify no more than a chip to a rational creature1 as to their reading it themselves3 and that so many excellent books as be in the world1 should be as sealed or insignificant to them4 ,but if ,god deny you children1 and save you all this care and labour1 repine not1 but be thankful1 believing it is best for you4 ,remember what a deal of duty1 and pains1 and heart's grief he hath freed you from1 and how few speed well1 when parents have done their best3 what a life of misery children must here pass through1 and how sad the fear of their sin and damnation would have been to you4 #bg ,see my ,treatise for ,infant ,baptism4 #bh ,isa4 iii4 #g-i1 #aa2 ,psal4 xv4 #d2 ci42 x4 #b-d4 #bi ,it was one of the ,roman laws of the twelve tables1 ,filius arte carens1 patris incuria1 eidem vit necessaria ne prstato4 ,alioqui parentes nutrire cogitor4 ,a son that is taught no trade to live by1 shall not be bound to keep his parents in want1 but others shall4 ,ezek4 xvi4 #di4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,the ,,special ,,duties ,,of ,,children ,,towards ,,their ,,parents4 ,,though precepts to children are not of so much force as to them of riper age1 because of their natural incapacity1 and their childish passions and pleasures which bear down their weak degree of reason2 yet somewhat is to be said to them1 because that measure of reason which they have is to be exercised1 and by exercise to be improved3 and because even those of riper years1 while they have parents1 must know and do their duty to them2 and because ,god useth to bless even children as they perform their duties4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,be sure that you dearly love your parents2 delight to be in their company2 be not like those unnatural children1 that love the company of their idle play-fellows better than their parents1 and had rather be abroad about their sports1 than in their parents' sight4 ,remember that you have your being from them1 and come out of their loins3 remember what sorrow you have cost them1 and what care they are at for your education and provision2 and remember how tenderly they have loved you1 and what grief it will be to their hearts if you miscarry1 and how much your happiness will make them glad3 remember what love you owe them both by nature and in justice1 for all their love to you1 and all that they have done for you3 they take your happiness or misery to be one of the greatest parts of the happiness or misery of their own lives4 ,deprive them not then of their happiness1 by depriving yourselves of your own2 make not their lives miserable1 by undoing yourselves4 ,though they chide you1 and restrain you1 and correct you1 do not therefore abate your love to them4 ,for this is their duty1 which ,god requireth of them1 and they do it for your good4 ,it is a sign of a wicked child1 that loveth his parents the less because they correct him1 and will not let him have his own will4 ,yea1 though your parents have many faults themselves1 yet you must love them as your parents still4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,honour your parents both in your thoughts1 and speeches1 and behaviour4 ,think not dishonourably or contemptuously of them in your hearts4 ,speak not dishonourably1 rudely1 unreverently1 or saucily1 either to them or of them4 ,behave not yourselves rudely and unreverently before them4 ,yea1 though your parents be never so poor in the world1 or weak of understanding1 yea1 though they were ungodly1 you must honour them notwithstanding all this2 though you cannot honour them as rich1 or wise1 or godly1 you must honour them as your parents4 ,remember that the fifth commandment hath a special promise of temporal blessing2 ,honour thy father and mother that thy days may be long in the land1 c4 ,and consequently the dishonourers of parents have a special curse even in this life3 and the justice of ,god is ordinarily seen in the execution of it2 the despisers and dishonourers of their parents seldom prosper in the world4 ,there are five sorts of sinners that ,god useth to overtake with vengeance even in this life4 #a4 ,perjured persons and false witnesses4 #b4 ,murderers4 #c4 ,persecutors4 #d4 ,sacrilegious persons4 ,and1 #e4 ,the abusers and dishonourers of their parents4 ,remember the curse on ,ham1 ,gen4 ix4 #bb1 #be4 ,it is a fearful thing to see and hear how some ill-bred ungodly children will talk contemptuously and rudely to their parents1 and wrangle and contend with them1 and contradict them1 and speak to them as if they were their equals3 7and it is commonly long of the parents themselves that breed them to it37 and at last they will grow even to abuse and vilify them4 ,read ,prov4 xxx4 #ag1 ,the eye that mocketh at his father1 and despiseth to obey his mother1 the ravens of the valley shall pick it out1 and the young eagles shall eat it4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,obey your parents in all things 7which ,god forbiddeth not74 ,remember that as nature hath made you unfit to govern yourselves1 so ,god in nature hath mercifully provided governors for you4 ,here ,i shall first tell you what obedience is1 and then tell you why you must be thus obedient4 ,i4 ,to obey your parents is to do that which they command you1 and forbear that which they forbid you1 because it is their will you should do so4 ,you must1 #a4 ,have in your minds a desire to please them1 and be glad when you can please them1 and sorry when you offend them2 and then1 #b4 ,you must not set your wit or your will against theirs1 but readily obey their commands1 without unwillingness1 murmuring1 or disputing3 though you think your own way is best1 and your own desires are but reasonable1 yet your own wit and will must be subjected unto theirs1 or else how do you obey them8 ,,ii4 ,and for the reasons of your obedience1 #a4 ,consider it is the will of ,god that it should be so1 and he hath made them as his officers to govern you2 and in disobeying them1 you disobey him4 ,read ,eph4 vi4 #a-c1 ,children1 obey your parents in the ,lord2 for this is right4 ,honour thy father and mother1 7which is the first commandment with promise17 that it may be well with thee1 and thou mayst live long on the earth4 ,col4 iii4 #bj1 ,children1 obey your parents in all things1 for this is well-pleasing unto the ,lord4 ,prov4 xxiii4 #bb1 ,hearken to thy father that begat thee1 and despise not thy mother when she is old4 ,prov4 xiii4 #a1 ,a wise son heareth his father's instruction4 ,prov4 i4 #h1 #i1 ,my son1 hear the instruction of thy father1 and forsake not the law of thy mother2 for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head1 and chains about thy neck4 #b4 ,consider also1 that your parents' government is necessary to your own good2 and it is a government of love3 as your bodies would have perished1 if your parents or some others had not taken care for you1 when you could not help yourselves2 so your minds would be untaught and ignorant1 even like to brutes1 if you had not others to teach and govern you4 ,nature teacheth the chickens to follow the hen1 and all things when they are young1 to be led and guided by their dams2 or else what would become of them8 #c4 ,consider also1 that they must be accountable to ,god for you2 and if they leave you to yourselves1 it may be their destruction as well as yours1 as the sad example of ,eli telleth you4 ,rebel not therefore against those that ,god by nature and ,scripture hath set over you2 though the fifth commandment require obedience to princes1 and masters1 and pastors1 and other superiors1 yet it nameth your father and mother only1 because they are the first of all your governors1 to whom by nature you are most obliged4 ,but perhaps you will say1 that though little children must be ruled by their parents1 yet you are grown up to riper age1 and are wise enough to rule yourselves4 ,i answer1 ,god doth not think so2 or else he would not have set governors over you4 ,and are you wiser than he8 ,it is but few in the world that are wise enough to rule themselves2 else ,god would not have set princes1 and magistrates1 and pastors1 and teachers over them1 as he hath done4 ,the servants of the family are as old as you1 and yet are unfit to be rulers of themselves4 ,god loveth you better than to leave you masterless1 as knowing that youth is rash and unexperienced4 ,quest4 ,but how long are children under the command and government of their parents8 ,answ4 ,there are several acts and degrees of parents' government1 according to the several ends and uses of it4 ,some acts of their government are but to teach you to go and speak1 and some to teach you your labour and calling1 and some to teach you good manners1 and the fear of ,god1 or the knowledge of the ,scriptures1 and some are to settle you in such a course of living1 in which you shall need their nearer oversight no more4 ,when any one of these ends are fully attained1 and you have all that your parents' government can help you to1 then you are past that part of their government4 ,but still you owe them1 not only love1 and honour1 and reverence2 but obedience also in all things in which they are still appointed for your help and guidance3 even when you are married from them1 though you have a propriety in your own estates1 and they have not so strict a charge of you as before2 yet if they command you your duty to ,god or them1 you are still obliged to obey them4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,be contented with your parents' provision for you1 and disposal of you4 ,do not rebelliously murmur against them1 and complain of their usage of you2 much less take any thing against their wills4 ,it is the part of a fleshly rebel1 and not of an obedient child1 to be discontent and murmur because they fare not better1 or because they are kept from sports and play1 or because they have not better clothes1 or because they have not money allowed them1 to spend or use at their own discretion4 ,are not you under government8 and the government of parents1 and not of enemies8 ,are your lusts and pleasures fitter to govern you1 than your parents' discretion8 ,be thankful for what you have1 and remember that you deserve it not1 but have it freely3 it is your pride or your fleshly sensuality that maketh you thus to murmur1 and not any wisdom or virtue that is in you4 ,get down that pride and fleshly mind1 and then you will not be so eager to have your wills4 ,what if your parents did deal too hardly with you1 in your food1 or raiment1 or expenses8 ,what harm doth it do you8 ,nothing but a selfish1 sensual mind would make so great a matter of it4 ,it is a hundred times more dangerous to your souls and bodies to be bred too high1 and fed too full and daintily1 than to be bred too low1 and fed too hardly4 ,one tendeth to pride1 and gluttony1 and wantonness1 and the overthrow of health and life2 and the other tendeth to a humble1 mortified1 self-denying life1 and to the health and soundness of the body4 ,remember how the earth opened1 and swallowed all those rebellious murmurers that grudged1 against ,moses and ,aaron1 ,num4 xvi42 read it1 and apply it to your case2 and remember the story of rebellious ,absalom2 and the folly of the prodigal1 ,luke xv42 and desire not to be at your own disposal2 nor be eager to have the vain desire of your hearts fulfilled4 ,while you contentedly submit to your parents1 you are in ,god's way1 and may expect his blessing2 but when you will needs be carvers for yourselves1 you may expect the punishment of rebels4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,humble yourselves and submit to any labour that your parents shall appoint you to4 ,take heed1 as you love your souls1 lest either a proud heart make you murmur and say1 ,this work is too low and base a drudgery for me2 or lest a lazy mind and body make you say1 ,this work is too hard and toilsome for me2 or lest a foolish1 playful mind do make you weary of your book or labour1 that you may be at your sports1 and say1 ,this is too tedious for me4 ,it is little or no hurt that is like to befall you by your labour and diligence2 but it is a dangerous thing to get a habit or custom of idleness and voluptuousness in your youth4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,be willing and thankful to be instructed by your parents1 or any of your teachers1 but especially about the fear of ,god1 and the matters of your salvation4 ,these are the matters that you are born and live for2 these are the things that your parents have first in charge to teach you4 ,without knowledge and holiness all the riches and honours of the world are nothing worth2 and all your pleasures will but undo you4#cj ,oh what a comfort is it to understanding parents to see their children willing to learn1 and to love the word of ,god1 and lay it up in their hearts1 and talk of it1 and obey it1 and prepare betimes for everlasting life6 ,if such children die before their parents1 how joyfully may they part with them as into the arms of ,christ1 who hath said1 ,that of such is the kingdom of heaven1 ,matt4 xix4 #ad4 ,and if the parents die first1 how joyfully may they leave behind them a holy seed1 that is like to serve ,god in their generation1 and to follow them to heaven1 and live with them for ever4 ,but1 whether they live or die1 what a heart-breaking to the parents are ungodly children1 that love not the word and way of ,god1 and love not to be taught or restrained from their own licentious courses4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,patiently submit to the correction which your parents lay upon you4 ,consider1 that ,god hath commanded them to do it1 and that to save your souls from hell2 and that they hate you1 if they correct you not when there is cause2 and that they must not spare for your crying1 ,prov4 xiii4 #bd2 xxii4 #ae2 xxix4 #ae2 xxiii4 #ac1 #ad2 xix4 #ah4 ,it is not their delight1 but for your own necessity4 ,avoid the fault1 and you may escape the correction4 ,how much rather had your parents see you obedient1 than hear you cry6 ,it is not long of them1 but of yourselves1 that you are corrected4 ,be angry with yourselves1 and not with them4 ,it is a wicked child1 that instead of being better by correction1 will hate his parents for it1 and so grow worse4 ,correction is a means of ,god's appointment2 and therefore go to ,god on your knees in prayer1 and entreat him to bless and sanctify it to you1 that it may do you good4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,choose not your own company1 but use such company as by your parents is appointed you4 ,bad company is the first undoing of a child4 ,when for the love of sport you choose such play-fellows as are idle1 and licentious1 and disobedient1 and will teach you to curse1 and swear1 and lie1 and talk filthily1 and draw you from your book or duty1 this is the devil's high-way to hell4 ,your parents are fittest to choose your company4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,choose not your own calling or trade of life1 without the choice or consent of your parents4 ,you may tell them what you are most inclined to1 but it belongeth more to them than to you to make the choice2 and it is your part to bring your wills to theirs4 ,unless your parents choose a calling for you that is unlawful2 and then you may 7with humble submissiveness7 refuse it4 ,but if it be only inconvenient1 you have liberty afterward to change it for a better1 if you can1 when you are from under their disposal and government4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,marry not without your parents' consent4 ,nay1 if it may be1 let their choice determine first of the person1 and not your own3 unexperienced youth doth choose by fancy and passion1 when your experienced parents will choose by judgment4 ,but if they would force you to join yourselves to such as are ungodly1 and like to make your lives either sinful or miserable1 you may humbly refuse them4 ,but you must remain unmarried1 while by the use of right means you can live in chastity1 till your parents are in a better mind4 ,but if indeed you have a flat necessity of marrying1 and your parents will consent to none but one of a false religion1 or one that is utterly unfit for you1 in such a case they forfeit their authority in that point1 which is given them for their edification1 and not for your destruction2 and then you should advise with other friends that are more wise and faithful3 but if you suffer your fond affections to contradict your parents' wills1 and pretend a necessity1 7that you cannot change your affections17 as if your folly were uncurable2 this is but to enter sinfully into that state of life1 which should have been sanctified to ,god1 that he might have blessed it to you4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,if your parents be in want1 it is your duty to relieve them according to your ability2 yea1 and wholly to maintain them1 if there be need4 ,for it is not possible by all that you can do1 that ever you can be on even terms with them2 or ever requite them for what you have received of them4 ,it is base inhumanity1 when parents come to poverty1 for children to put them off with some short allowance1 and to make them live almost like their servants1 when you have riches and plenty for yourselves4 ,your parents should still be maintained by you as your superiors1 and not as inferiors4 ,see that they fare as well as yourselves2 yea1 though you got not your riches by their means1 yet even for your being you are their debtors for more than that4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,imitate your parents in all that is good1 both when they are living1 and when they are dead4 ,if they were lovers of ,god1 and of his word and service1 and of those that fear him1 let their example provoke you1 and let the love that you have to them1 engage you in this imitation4 ,a wicked child of godly parents is one of the most miserable wretches in the world4 ,with what horror do ,i look on such a person6 ,how near is such a wretch to hell6 ,when father or mother were eminent for godliness1 and daily instructed them in the matters of their salvation1 and prayed with them1 and warned them1 and prayed for them1 and after all this the children shall prove covetous or drunkards1 or whoremongers1 or profane1 and enemies to the servants of ,god1 and deride or neglect the way of their religious parents1 it would make one tremble to look such wretches in the face4 ,for though yet there is some hope of them1 alas1 it is so little1 that they are next to desperate2 when they are hardened under the most excellent means1 and the light hath blinded them1 and their acquaintance with the ways of ,god hath but turned their hearts more against them1 what means is left to do good to such resisters of the grace of ,god as these8 ,the likeliest is some heavy dreadful judgment4 ,oh what a woeful day will it be to them1 when all the prayers1 and tears1 and teachings1 and good examples of their religious parents shall witness against them6 ,how will they be confounded before the ,lord6 ,and how sad a thought is it to the heart of holy1 diligent parents1 to think that all their prayers and pains must witness against their graceless children1 and sink them deeper into hell6 ,and yet1 alas1 how many such woeful spectacles are there before our eyes6 and how deeply doth the church of ,god suffer by the malice and wickedness of the children of those parents that taught them better1 and walked before them in a holy1 exemplary life6 ,but if parents be ignorant1 superstitious1 idolatrous1 popish1 or profane1 their children are forward enough to imitate them4 ,then they can say1 ,our forefathers were of this mind1 and we hope they are saved2 and we will rather imitate them1 than such innovating reformers as you4 ,as they said to ,jeremiah1 chap4 xliv4 #af-ah1 ,as for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the ,lord1 we will not hearken to thee4 ,but we will--burn incense to the queen of heaven--as we have done1 we and our fathers1 our kings1 and our princes in the cities of ,judah1 and in the streets of ,jerusalem2 for then we had plenty of victuals1 and were well1 and saw no evil3 but since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven1--we have wanted all things1 and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine4 ,thus they walk after the imagination of their hearts1 and after ,baalim 7the false worship7 which their fathers taught them1 ,jer4 ix4 #ad4 ,and they forget ,god's name as their fathers did forget it1 ,jer4 xxiii4 #bg4 ,they and their fathers have transgressed to this day1 ,ezek4 ii4 #c4 ,yea1 ,they harden their necks1 and do worse than their fathers1 ,jer4 vii4 #bf4 ,thus in error and sin they can imitate their forefathers1 when they should rather remember1 #a ,pet4 i4 #ah1 #ai1 that it cost ,christ his blood to redeem men from their vain conversation received by tradition from their fathers4 ,and they should penitently confess1 as ,dan4 ix4 #h1 ,o ,lord1 to us belong confusion of face1 to our kings1 to our princes1 and to our fathers1 because we have sinned against thee1 ver4 #af4 ,and as ,psal4 cvi4 #f1 ,we have sinned with our fathers1 c4 ,saith ,god1 ,jer4 xvi4 #aa-ac1 ,behold1 your fathers have forsaken me--and have not kept my law2 and ye have done worse than your fathers3 therefore ,i will cast you out1 c4 ,jer4 xliv4 #i1 #aj1 ,have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers1 and the wickedness of the kings of ,judah1 and your own wickedness8 ,they are not humbled even unto this day4 ,see ver4 #ba4 ,zech4 i4 #d1 ,be not as your fathers1 to whom the former prophets have cried1 saying1 ,turn ye now from your evil ways1 but they did not hear4 ,mal4 iii4 #g1 ,even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances1 and have not kept them4 ,return unto me1 and ,i will return unto you4 ,ezek4 xx4 #ah1 ,walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers4 ,so ver4 #bg1 #cj1 #cf4 ,follow not your fathers in their sin and error1 but follow them where they follow ,christ1 #a ,cor4 xi4 #a4 #cj ,read ,mr4 ,tho4 ,white's little book for little children4 ,mark ix4 #cf2 x4 #ad1 #af4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,the ,,special ,,duties ,,of ,,children ,,and ,,youth ,,towards ,,god4 ,,though ,i put your duty to your parents first1 because it is first learned1 yet your duty to ,god immediately is your greatest and most necessary duty4 ,learn these following precepts well4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,learn to understand the covenant and vow which in your baptism you made with ,god the ,father1 the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost1 your ,creator1 ,redeemer1 and ,regenerator3 and when you well understand it1 renew that covenant with ,god in your own persons1 and absolutely deliver up yourselves to ,god1 as your ,creator1 ,redeemer1 and ,sanctifier1 your ,owner1 your ,ruler1 and your ,father and felicity4 ,baptism is not an idle ceremony1 but the solemn entering into covenant with ,god1 in which you receive the greatest mercies1 and bind yourselves to the greatest duties4 ,it is but the entering into that way which you must walk in all your lives1 and avowing that to ,god which you must be still performing4 ,and though your parents had authority to promise for you1 it is you that must perform it2 for it was you that they obliged4 ,if you ask by what authority they obliged you in covenant to ,god1 ,i answer1 by the authority which ,god hath given them in nature1 and in ,scripture2 as they oblige you to be subjects of the king1 or as they enter your names into any covenant1 by lease or other contract1 which is for your benefit2 and they do it for good1 that you may have part in the blessings of the covenant2 and if you grudge at it1 and refuse your own consent when you come to age1 you lose the benefits4 ,if you think they did you wrong1 you may be out of covenant when you will1 if you will renounce the kingdom of heaven4 ,but it is much wiser to be thankful to ,god1 that your parents were the means of so great a blessing to you1 and to do that again more expressly by yourselves which they did for you2 and openly with thankfulness to own the covenant in which you are engaged1 and live in the performance and in the comforts of it all your days4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,remember that you are entering into the way to everlasting life1 and not into a place of happiness or continuance4 ,presently therefore set your hearts on heaven1 and make it the design of all your lives1 to live in heaven with ,christ for ever4 ,o happy you1 if ,god betimes will thoroughly teach you to know what it is that must make you happy2 and if at your first setting out1 your end be right1 and your faces be heavenward6 ,remember that as soon as you begin to live1 you are hasting towards the end of your lives3 even as a candle as soon as it beginneth to burn1 and the hour-glass as soon as it is turned1 is wasting1 and hasting to its end2 so as soon as you begin to live1 your lives are in a consumption1 and posting towards your final hour4 ,as a runner1 as soon as he beginneth his race1 is hasting to the end of it2 so are your lives1 even in your youngest time4 ,it is another kind of life that you must live for ever1 than this trifling1 pitiful1 fleshly life4 ,prepare therefore speedily for that which ,god sent you hither to prepare for4 ,o happy you1 if you begin betimes1 and go on with cheerful resolution to the end6 ,it is blessed wisdom to be wise betimes1 and to know the worth of time in childhood1 before any of it be wasted and lost upon the fooleries of the world4 ,then you may grow wise indeed1 and be treasuring up understanding1 and growing up in sweet acquaintance with the ,lord1 when others are going backwards1 and daily making work for sad repentance or final desperation4 ,eccl4 xxi4 #a1 ,remember now thy ,creator in the days of thy youth1 while the evil days come not1 nor the years draw nigh1 when thou shalt say1 7of all things here below17 ,i have no pleasure in them4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,remember that you have corrupted natures to be cured1 and that ,christ is the ,physician that must cure them2 and the ,spirit of ,christ must dwell within you1 and make you holy1 and give you a new heart and nature1 which shall love ,god and heaven above all the honour and pleasures of the world3 rest not therefore till you find that you are born anew1 and that the ,holy ,ghost hath made you holy1 and quickened your hearts with the love of ,god1 and of your dear ,redeemer4#ca ,the old nature loveth the things of this world1 and the pleasures of this flesh2 but the new nature loveth the ,lord that made you1 and redeemed and renewed you1 and the endless joys of the world to come1 and that holy life which is the way thereto4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,take heed of loving the pleasures of the flesh1 in over-much eating1 or drinking1 or play4 ,set not your hearts upon your belly or your sport2 let your meat1 and sleep1 and play be moderate4 ,meddle not with cards or dice1 or any bewitching or riotous sports3 play not for money1 lest it stir up covetous desires1 and tempt you to be over-eager in it1 and to lie1 and wrangle1 and fall out with others4 ,use neither food or sports which are not for your health2 a greedy appetite enticeth children to devour raw fruits1 and to rob their neighbours' orchards1 and at once to undo both soul and body4 ,and an excessive love of play doth cause them to run among bad companions1 and lose their time1 and destroy the love of their books1 and their duty1 and their parents themselves1 and all that is good4 ,you must eat1 and sleep1 and play for health1 and not for useless1 hurtful pleasure4#cb ,direct4 ,v4 ,subdue your own wills and desires to the will of ,god and your superiors1 and be not eagerly set upon any thing which ,god or your parents do deny you4 ,be not like those self-willed1 fleshly children1 that are importunate for any thing which their fancy or appetite would have1 and cry or are discontent if they have it not4 ,say not that ,i must have this or that1 but be contented with any thing which is the will of ,god and your superiors4 ,it is the greatest misery and danger in the world1 to have all your own wills1 and to be given up to your hearts' desire4#cc ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,take heed of a custom of foolish1 filthy railing1 lying1 or any other sinful words4 ,you think it is a small matter1 but ,god thinketh not so2 it is not a jesting matter to sin against the ,god that made you3 it is fools that make a sport with sin1 ,prov4 xiv4 #i2 x4 #bc2 xxvi4 #ai4 ,one lie1 one curse1 one oath1 one ribald1 or railing1 or deriding word1 is worse than all the pain that ever your flesh endured4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,take heed of such company and play-fellows1 as would entice and tempt you to any of these sins1 and choose such company as will help you in the fear of ,god4 ,and if others mock at you1 care no more for it1 than for the shaking of a leaf1 or the barking of a dog4 ,take heed of lewd and wicked company1 as ever you care for the saving of your souls4 ,if you hear them rail1 or lie1 or swear1 or talk filthily1 be not ashamed to tell them1 that ,god forbiddeth you to keep company with such as they1 ,psal4 cxix4 #fc2 ,prov4 xiii4 #bj2 xviii4 #g2 #a ,cor4 v4 #ab2 ,eph4 v4 #aa4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,take heed of pride and covetousness4 ,desire not to be fine1 nor to get all to yourselves2 but be humble1 and meek1 and love one another1 and be as glad that others are pleased as yourselves4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,love the word of ,god1 and all good books which would make you wiser and better2 and read not play-books1 nor tale-books1 nor love-books1 nor any idle stories4 ,when idle children are at play and fooleries1 let it be your pleasure to read and learn the mysteries of your salvation4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,remember that you keep holy the ,lord's day4 ,spend not any of it in play or idleness3 reverence the ministers of ,christ1 and mark what they teach you1 and remember it is a message from ,god about the saving of your souls4 ,ask your parents when you come home1 to help your understandings and memories in any thing which you understood not or forgot4 ,love all the holy exercises of the ,lord's day1 and let them be pleasanter to you than your meat or play4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,be as careful to practise all1 as to hear and read it4 ,remember all is but to make you holy1 to love ,god1 and obey him3 take heed of sinning against your knowledge1 and against the warnings that are given you4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,when you grow up1 by the direction of your parents choose such a trade or calling1 as alloweth you the greatest helps for heaven1 and hath the fewest hinderances1 and in which you may be most serviceable to ,god before you die4 ,if you will but practise these few directions1 7which your own hearts must say have no harm in any of them17 what happy persons will you be for ever6 #ca #b ,cor4 v4 #ag2 ,rom4 viii4 #i1 #ac2 ,john iii4 #c1 #e1 #f4 #cb #a ,cor4 x4 #ca4 #cc ,psal4 lxxxi4 #aj-ab4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,the ,,duties ,,of ,,servants ,,to ,,their ,,masters4 ,,if servants would have comfortable lives1 they must approve themselves and their service unto ,god1 because from him they must have their comforts2 which may be done by following these directions4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,reverence the providence of ,god which calleth you to a servant's life1 and murmur not at your labour1 or your low condition2 but know your mercies1 and be thankful for them4 ,though perhaps you have more labour than your masters1 yet1 have you not less care than they8 ,most servants may have quieter lives1 if it were not for their unthankful1 discontented hearts4 ,you are not troubled with the care of providing your landlord's rent1 or meat1 and drink1 and wages for your servants1 nor with the wants and desires of wives and children1 nor with the faults and naughtiness of such as you must use or trust2 nor with the losses and crosses which your masters are liable to4 ,be thankful to ,god1 who for a little bodily labour1 doth free you from the burden of all these cares4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,take your condition as chosen for you by ,god1 and take yourselves as his servants1 and your work as his1 and do all as to the ,lord1 and not only for man2 and expect from ,god your chief reward4 ,you will be else but eye-servants and hypocrites1 if the fear of ,god do not awe your consciences3 and if you were the best servants to your masters in the world1 and did not all in obedience to ,god1 it were but a low1 unprofitable service2 if you believe that there is an infinite distance between ,god and man1 you may conceive what a difference there is between serving ,god and man3 your wages is all your reward from man1 but eternal life is ,god's reward3 and the very same work and labour which one man hath but his year's wages for1 another hath everlasting life for1 7though not of merit1 yet of the bounty of our ,lord17 ,rom4 vi4 #bc2 because he doth it in love and obedience to that ,god who hath promised this reward4 ,servants1 obey in all things your masters according to the flesh3 not with eye-service1 as men-pleasers1 but in singleness of heart1 fearing ,god3 and whatsoever ye do1 do it heartily as to the ,lord1 and not unto men2 knowing that of the ,lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance2 for ye serve the ,lord ,christ3 but he that doeth wrong1 shall receive for the wrong which he hath done3 and there is no respect of persons1 ,col4 iii4 #bb-be4 ,the like is in ,eph4 vi4 #e-h4 ,so much doth ,god respect the heart1 that the very same action hath such different successes and rewards1 as it is done to different ends1 and from different principles3 your lowest service may be thus sanctified and acceptable to ,god4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,be conscionable and faithful in performing all the labour and duty of a servant4 ,neglect not such business as you are to do2 nor do it lazily1 and deceitfully1 and by the halves4 ,as it is thievery or deceit for a man in the market to sell another the whole of his commodity1 and when he hath done1 to keep back and defraud him of a part2 so is it no less for a servant that selleth his time and labour to another1 to defraud him of part of that time and service which you sold him4 ,think not therefore that it is no sin1 to idle away an hour which is not your own1 or to slubber over the work which you undertake to do4 ,slothfulness and unconscionableness make servants deceitful3 such care not how they do their work1 if they can but make their masters believe that it is done well3 they are hypocrites in their service1 that take more care to seem painful1 trusty servants1 than to be so2 and to hide their faults and slothfulness1 than to avoid them2 as if it were as easy to hide them also from ,god1 who hath resolved to punish all the wrong they do their masters1 ,col4 iii4 #be4 ,if they can but loiter and take their ease1 and their masters know it not1 they are never troubled at it as a sin against ,god3 laziness and fleshly-mindedness doth so blind them1 that they think it is no sin to take as much ease as they can1 so they carry it fair and smoothly with their masters1 and to slubber over their business any how1 so that it will but serve the turn3 whereas if their masters should keep back any of their wages1 or put more work upon them than is meet1 they would easily be persuaded that this were a sin4 ,if your labour be such as would hurt your health1 7as by wet or cold1 c47 you may foresee it1 and avoid it in your choice of places3 but if it be only the labour that you grudge at1 it is a sign of a fleshly and unfaithful person2 as long as it is not excessive to wrong your health1 nor hurt your souls1 by denying you leisure for your duty to ,god4 ,the ,lord himself commandeth you to be obedient in singleness of heart1 as unto ,christ1 not as eye-servants2 and whatever you do1 to do it heartily1 knowing that whatever good thing any man doth1 the same shall he receive of the ,lord1 ,eph4 vi4 #e1 #f1 #h2 ,col4 iii4 #bc4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,be more careful about your duty to your masters1 than about their duty or carriage to you4 ,be much more careful what to do1 than what to receive2 and to be good servants1 than to be used as good servants4 ,not but you may modestly expect your due1 and to be used as servants should be used2 but your duty is much more to be regarded2 for if your master wrong you1 that is his sin1 and none of yours3 ,god will not be offended with you for another's faults1 but for your own2 not for being wronged1 but for doing wrong3 and it is better suffer the greatest wrong1 than offend ,god by committing the smallest sin4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,be true and faithful in all that is committed to your trust3 dispose not of any thing that is your master's without his consent2 though you may think it never so reasonable1 or well done1 yet remember that it is none of your own3 if you would relieve the poor1 or please a fellow-servant1 or do a kindness to a neighbour1 do it of your own1 and not of another's1 unless you have his allowance4 ,be as thrifty for your master1 as you would be for yourselves4 ,waste no more of his goods1 than you would do if it were your own4 ,say not as false servants do1 ,my master is rich enough1 and it will do him no harm1 and therefore we may make bold1 and not be so sparing and niggardly4 ,the question is not1 what he should do1 but what you should do4 ,if you take any of your rich neighbour's goods or money1 to give to the poor1 you may be hanged as thieves1 as well as if you stole it for yourselves4 ,to take any thing of another's against his will1 is to rob or steal3 let the value be never so small1 if it be but the worth of a penny that you steal or defraud another of1 the sin is not small3 nay1 it aggravateth the sin1 that you will presume to break ,god's law for such a trifle1 and venture your soul for so small a thing3 though it be taken from one that may never so well spare it1 that is no excuse to you2 it is none of yours4 ,especially let those servants think of this1 that are trusted with buying and selling1 or with provisions4 ,if you defraud your masters because you can conceal it1 believe it1 ,god that knoweth it will reveal it2 and if you repent of it1 you must make restitution of all that ever you thus robbed them of1 if you have any thing to do it with2 and if you have nothing1 you must with sorrow and shame confess it to them1 and ask forgiveness3 but if you repent not1 you must pay dearer for it in hell1 than this comes to4 ,object4 ,but did not the ,lord commend the unjust steward8 ,luke xvi4 #h4 ,answ4 ,yes1 for his wit in providing for himself1 but not for his unjustness4 ,he only teacheth you there1 that if the wicked worldlings have wit to provide for this life1 much more should you have the wit to make provision for the life to come4 ,it is faithfulness that is a steward's duty1 #a ,cor4 iv4 #b4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,honour your masters1 and behave yourselves towards them with that respect and reverence as your place requireth4#cd ,behave not yourselves rudely or contemptuously towards them1 in word or deed4 ,be not so proud as to disdain to keep the distance and reverence which is due4 ,you should scorn to be servants1 if you scorn to behave yourselves as servants4 ,give them not saucy1 provoking1 or contemptuous language2 not wording it out with them in bold contending1 and justifying yourselves when your faults are reprehended4 ,mark the apostle's words1 ,tit4 ii4 #i1 #aj1 ,exhort servants to be obedient to their own masters1 and to please them well in all things1 not answering again2 not purloining1 but showing all good fidelity1 that they may adorn the doctrine of ,god our ,saviour in all things4 ,and #a ,tim4 vi4 #a-d1 ,let as many servants as are under the yoke1 count their own masters worthy of all honour2 7yea1 though they were infidels or poor17 that the name of ,god and his doctrine be not blasphemed4 7,for wicked men will say1 ,is this your religion8 when servants professing religion1 are disobedient1 unreverent1 and unfaithful47 ,and they that have believing masters1 let them not despise them1 because they are brethren2 but rather do them service1 because they are faithful and beloved1 partakers of the benefit4 ,these things teach and exhort3 if any man teach otherwise1 and consent not to wholesome words--he is proud1 knowing nothing4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,go not unwillingly or murmuringly about your business1 but take it as your delight4 ,an unwilling mind doth lose ,god's reward1 and man's acceptance4 ,grudging and unwillingness maketh your work of little value1 be it never so well done4 ,do service heartily1 and with good will as to the ,lord1 ,eph4 vi4 #g2 ,col4 iii4 #bc4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,obey your masters in all things 7which ,god forbiddeth not1 and which their place enableth them to command you72 and set not your own conceits and wills against their commands4#ce ,it is not obedience1 if you will do no more of their commands1 than what agreeth with your own opinions and wills4 ,what if you think another way best1 or another work best1 or another time best2 are you to govern or obey8 ,if the work be not yours1 but another's1 let his will and not yours be fulfilled1 and do his service in his own way4 ,it is ,god's command1 ,servants1 obey your masters in all things1 ,col4 iii4 #bb4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,reveal not any of the secrets of your masters1 or of the family4#cf ,talk not to others of what is said or done at home2 be not over-familiar at other men's houses1 where you may be tempted to talk of your masters' businesses2 many words may have mischievous effects1 which were well intended4 ,that servant is unfit for a wise man's family1 that hath some familiar abroad1 to whom he must tell all that he heareth or seeth at home2 for his familiar hath another familiar1 and so a man shall be betrayed by those of his own household1 ,mic4 vii4 #f1 as ,christ by ,judas4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,grudge not at the meanness of the provisions of the family4 ,if you have not that which is needful to your health1 remove to another place as soon as you can1 without reproaching the place where you are4 ,but if you have your daily bread1 that is1 your necessary1 wholesome food1 how coarse soever1 your murmuring for want of more delicious fare1 is but your shame1 and showeth that your hearts are sunk into your bellies1 and that you are fleshly-minded persons4#cg ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,pray daily for a blessing on your labours and on the family1 both privately and with the rest4 ,a praying servant may prevail with ,god1 for more than all their labour cometh to2 and their labours are liker to be blessed1 than the labours of a prayerless1 ungodly person4 ,you are not worthy to partake of the mercies of the family1 if you will not join in prayers for those mercies4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,willingly submit to the teaching and government of your masters about the right worshipping of ,god1 and for the good of your own souls4 ,bless ,god1 if you live with religious masters that will instruct you and catechise you1 and pray with you1 and restrain you from breaking the ,lord's day1 and other sins1 and will examine you of your profiting1 and watch over your souls1 and sharply rebuke you when you do that which is evil4 ,be glad of their instructions1 and murmur not at them1 as ignorant1 ungodly servants do4 ,these few directions carefully followed will make your service better to you1 than lordships and kingdoms are to the ungodly4 #cd ,exod4 xx4 #ab2 ,rom4 xiii4 #g4 #ce ,acts x4 #g4 #cf ,prov4 xxv4 #i2 xi4 #ac2 xx4 #ai4 #cg ,phil4 iii4 #ah1 #ai4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,the ,,duties ,,of ,,masters ,,towards ,,their ,,servants4 ,,if you would have good servants1 see that you be good masters1 and do your own duty1 and then either your servants will do theirs1 or else all their failings shall turn to your greater good4#ch ,direct4 ,i4 ,remember that in ,christ they are your brethren and fellow-servants2 and therefore rule them not tyrannically1 but in tenderness and love2 and command them nothing that is against the laws of ,god1 or the good of their souls4 ,use not wrath and unmanlike fury with them2 nor any over-severe or unnecessary rebukes or chastisements4 ,find fault in season1 with prudence and sobriety1 when your passions are down1 and when it is most likely to do good4 ,if it be too little1 it will imbolden them in doing ill2 if it be too much1 or frequent1 or passionate1 it will make them slight it and despise it1 and utterly hinder their repentance3 they will be taken up in blaming you for your rashness and violence1 instead of blaming themselves for the fault4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,provide them work convenient for them1 and such as they are fit for2 not such or so much as to wrong them in their health1 or hinder them from the necessary means of their salvation2 nor yet so little as may cherish their idleness1 or occasion them to lose their precious time4 ,it is cruelty to lay more on your horse than he can carry2 or to work your oxen to skin and bones4 ,prov4 xii4 #aj1 ,a righteous man regardeth the life of his beast2 much more of his servant4 ,especially put not your servants on any labour which hazardeth their health or life1 without true necessity to some greater end4 ,pity and spare them more in their health than in their bare labour4 ,labour maketh the body sound2 but to take deep colds1 or go wet of their feet1 do tend to their sickness and death4 ,and should another man's life be cast away for your commodity8 ,do as you would be done by1 if you were servants yourselves and in their case2 and let not their labours be so great1 as shall allow them no time to pray before they go about it1 or as shall so tire them as to unfit them for prayer1 or instruction1 or the worship of the ,lord's day1 and shall lay them like blocks1 as fitter to lie to sleep or rest themselves1 than to pray1 or hear1 or mind any thing that is good4 ,and yet take heed that you suffer them not to be idle1 as many great men use their serving men1 to the undoing of their souls and bodies4 ,idleness is no small sin itself1 and it breedeth and cherisheth many others3 their time is lost by it2 and they are made unfit for any honest employment or course of life1 to help themselves or any others4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,provide them such wholesome food and lodging1 and such wages as their service doth deserve1 or as you have promised them4#ci ,whether it be pleasant or unpleasant1 let their food and lodging be healthful4 ,it is so odious an oppression and injustice to defraud a servant or labourer of his wages1 7yea1 or to give him less than he deserveth17 that methinks ,i should not need to speak much against it among christians4 ,read ,james v4 #a-e1 and ,i hope it will be enough4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,use not your servants to be so bold and familiar with you1 as may tempt them to despise you2 nor yet so strange and distant1 as may deprive you of opportunity of speaking to them for their spiritual good1 or justly lay you open to be censured as too magisterial and proud4 ,both these extremes have ill effects2 but the first is the commonest1 and is the disquiet of many families4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,remember that you have a charge of the souls in your family1 and are as a priest and teacher in your own house2 and therefore see that you keep them to the constant worshipping of ,god1 especially on the ,lord's day1 in public and private2 and that you teach them the things that concern their salvation 7as is afterward directed74 ,and pray for them daily1 as well as for yourselves4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,watch over them that they offend not ,god3 bear not with ungodliness or gross sin in your family4 ,read ,psal4 ci4 ,be not like those ungodly masters1 that look only that their own work be done1 and bid ,god look after his work himself1 and care not for their servants' souls1 because they care not for their own2 and mind not whether ,god be served by others1 because they serve him not 7unless with hypocritical lip-service7 themselves4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,keep your servants from evil company1 and from being temptations to each other1 as far as you can4 ,if you suffer them to frequent alehouses1 or riotous assemblies1 or wanton or malignant company1 when they are infected themselves1 they will bring home the infection1 and all the house may fare the worse for it4 ,and when ,judas groweth familiar with the ,pharisees1 he will be seduced by them to betray his ,master4 ,you cannot be accountable for your servants if you suffer them to be much abroad4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,go before them as examples of holiness and wisdom1 and all those virtues and duties which you would teach them4 ,an ignorant or a swearing1 cursing1 railing1 ungodly master1 doth actually teach his servants to be such2 and if his words teach them the contrary1 he can expect but little reverence or success4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,patiently bear with those tolerable frailties which their unskilfulness1 or bodily temperature1 or other infirmity1 make them liable to against their wills4 ,a willing mind is an excuse for many frailties2 much must be put up with1 when it is not from wilfulness or gross neglect3 make not a greater matter of every infirmity or fault1 than there is cause4 ,look not that any should be perfect upon earth2 reckon upon it1 that you must have servants of the progeny of ,adam1 that have corrupted natures1 and bodily weaknesses1 and many things that must be borne with4 ,consider how faultily you serve your heavenly ,master1 and how much he daily beareth with that which is amiss in you1 and how many faults and oversights you are guilty of in your own employment1 and how many you should be overtaken with if you were in their stead4 ,eph4 vi4 #i1 ,and ye masters1 do the same things to them1 forbearing threatening1 knowing that your ,master also is in heaven1 neither is there respect of persons with him4 ,col4 iv4 #a1 ,masters1 give unto your servants that which is just and equal1 c4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,see that they behave themselves well to their fellow-servants3 of which ,i shall speak anon4 ,tit4 #b4 ,directions to those ,masters in foreign ,plantations who have ,negroes and other ,slaves2 being a solution of several cases about them4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,understand well how far your power over your slaves extendeth1 and what limits ,god hath set thereto4 ,as1 #a4 ,sufficiently difference between men and brutes4 ,remember that they are of as good a kind as you2 that is1 they are reasonable creatures as well as you1 and born to as much natural liberty4 ,if their sin have enslaved them to you1 yet nature made them your equals4 ,remember that they have immortal souls1 and are equally capable of salvation with yourselves4 ,and therefore you have no power to do any thing which shall hinder their salvation4 ,no pretence of your business1 necessity1 commodity1 or power1 can warrant you to hold them so hard to work1 as not to allow them due time and seasons for that which ,god hath made their duty4 #b4 ,remember that ,god is their absolute ,owner1 and that you have none but a derived and limited propriety in them4 ,they can be no further yours1 than you have ,god's consent1 who is the ,lord of them and you2 and therefore ,god's interest in them and by them must be served first4 #c4 ,remember that they and you are equally under the government and laws of ,god4 ,and therefore all ,god's laws must be first obeyed by them1 and you have no power to command them to omit any duty which ,god commandeth them1 nor to commit any sin which ,god forbiddeth them2 nor can you1 without rebellion or impiety1 expect that your work or commands should be preferred before ,god's4 #d4 ,remember that ,god is their reconciled1 tender ,father1 and if they be as good1 doth love them as well as you4 ,and therefore you must use the meanest of them no otherwise1 than beseemeth the beloved of ,god to be used2 and no otherwise than may stand with the due signification of your love to ,god1 by loving those that are his4 #e4 ,remember that they are the redeemed ones of ,christ1 and that he hath not sold you his title to them4 ,as he bought their souls at a price invaluable1 so he hath not given the purchase of his blood to be absolutely at your disposal4 ,therefore so use them1 as to preserve ,christ's right and interest in them4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,remember that you are ,christ's trustees1 or the guardians of their souls2 and that the greater your power is over them1 the greater your charge is of them1 and your duty for them4 ,as you owe more to a child than to a day-labourer1 or a hired servant1 because1 being more your own1 he is more intrusted to your care2 so also by the same reason1 you owe more to a slave1 because he is more your own2 and power and obligation go together4 ,as ,abraham was to circumcise all his servants that were bought with money1 and the fourth commandment requireth masters to see that all within their gates observe the sabbath day2 so must you exercise both your power and love to bring them to the knowledge and faith of ,christ1 and to the just obedience of ,god's commands4 ,those therefore that keep their negroes and slaves from hearing ,god's word1 and from becoming christians1 because by the law they shall then be either made free1 or they shall lose part of their service1 do openly profess rebellion against ,god1 and contempt of ,christ the ,redeemer of souls1 and a contempt of the souls of men2 and indeed they declare1 that their worldly profit is their treasure and their god4 ,if this come to the hands of any of our natives in ,barbadoes1 or other islands or plantations1 who are said to be commonly guilty of this most heinous sin1 yea1 and to live upon it1 ,i entreat them further to consider as followeth3 #a4 ,how cursed a crime is it to equal men and beasts6 ,is not this your practice8 ,do you not buy them and use them merely to the same end1 as you do your horses8 to labour for your commodity1 as if they were baser than you1 and made to serve you8 #b4 ,do you not see how you reproach and condemn yourselves1 while you vilify them as savages and barbarous wretches8 ,did they ever do any thing more savage1 than to use not only men's bodies as beasts1 but their souls as if they were made for nothing but to actuate their bodies in your worldly drudgery8 ,did the veriest cannibals ever do any thing more cruel or odious1 than to sell so many souls to the devil for a little worldly gain8 ,did ever the cursedest miscreants on earth1 do any thing more rebellious1 and contrary to the will of the most merciful ,god1 than to keep those souls from ,christ1 and holiness1 and heaven1 for a little money1 who were made and redeemed for the same ends1 and at the same precious price as yours8 ,did your poor slaves ever commit such villanies as these8 ,is not he the basest wretch and the most barbarous savage1 who committeth the greatest and most inhuman wickedness8 ,and are theirs comparable to these of yours8 #c4 ,doth not the very example of such cruelty1 besides your keeping them from christianity1 directly tend to teach them and all others1 to hate christianity1 as if it taught men to be so much worse than dogs and tigers8 #d4 ,do you not mark how ,god hath followed you with plagues8 and may not conscience tell you that it is for your inhumanity to the souls and bodies of so many8 ,remember the late fire at the bridge in ,barbadoes3 remember the drowning of your governor and ships at sea1 and the many judgments that have overtaken you2 and at the present the terrible mortality that is among you4 #e4 ,will not the example and warning of neighbour countries rise up in judgment against you and condemn you8 ,you cannot but hear how odious the ,spanish name is made 7and thereby1 alas6 the christian name also1 among the ,west ,indians7 for their most inhuman cruelties in ,hispaniola1 ,jamaica1 ,cuba1 ,peru1 ,mexico1 and other places1 which is described by ,josep4 a ,costa1 a ,jesuit of their own2 and though ,i know that their cruelty who murdered millions1 exceedeth yours1 who kill not men's bodies1 yet yours is of the same kind1 in the merchandise which you make with the devil for their souls1 whilst you that should help them with all your power1 do hinder them from the means of their salvation4 ,and on the contrary1 what an honour is it to those of ,new ,england1 that they take not so much as the native soil from them1 but by purchase6 that they enslave none of them1 nor use them cruelly1 but show them mercy1 and are at a great deal of care1 and cost1 and labour for their salvation6 ,oh how much difference between holy ,mr4 ,elliot's life and yours6 ,his1 who hath laboured so many years to save them1 and hath translated the holy ,bible into their language1 with other books2 and those good men's in ,london who are a corporation for the furtherance of his work2 and theirs that have contributed so largely towards it2 and yours that sell men's souls for your commodity6 #f4 ,and what comfort are you like to have at last1 in that money that is purchased at such a price8 ,will not your money and you perish together8 will you not have worse than ,gehazi's leprosy with it2 yea1 worse than ,achan's death by stoning2 and as bad as ,judas his hanging himself1 unless repentance shall prevent it8 ,do you not remember the terrible words in ,jude #aa1 ,woe unto them6 for they have gone in the way of ,cain1 and ran greedily after the errors of ,balaam4 ,and #b ,pet4 ii4 #c1 #ad1 #ae1 ,through covetousness--they make merchandise of you4--,an heart they have exercised with covetous practices2 cursed children 7or children of a curse7 which have forsaken the right way1 and are gone astray1 following the way of ,balaam1 the son of ,bosor1 who loved the wages of unrighteousness1 but was rebuked for his iniquity2 the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet4 ,when you shall every one hear1 ,thou fool1 this night shall thy soul be required of thee1 and then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided8 ,luke xii4 #ai-ba2 will it not then cut deep in your perpetual torments1 to remember that you got that little pelf by betraying so many souls to hell8 ,what men in the world doth ,james speak to1 if not to you8 ,jam4 v4 #a-d1 ,go to now1 ye rich men1 weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you4 ,your riches are corrupted1 and your garments are moth-eaten3 your gold and silver are cankered2 and the rust of them shall be a witness against you1 and shall eat your flesh as it were fire3 ye have heaped treasure together for the last days4 ,behold1 the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your fields1 which is of you kept back by fraud1 crieth3 and the cries of them which have reaped1 are entered into the ears of the ,lord of sabaoth4 ,how much more the cry of betrayed souls6 ,and here we may seasonably answer these cases4 ,quest4 #a4 ,is it lawful for a christian to buy and use a man as a slave8 ,quest4 #b4 ,is it lawful to use a christian as a slave8 ,quest4 #c4 ,what difference must we make between a free servant and a slave8 ,to ,quest4 #a4 ,i answer1 ,there is a slavery to which some men may be lawfully put2 and there is a slavery to which none may be put2 and there is a slavery to which only the criminal may be put1 by way of penalty4 #a4 ,no man may be put to such a slavery as under the first direction is denied1 that is1 such as shall injure ,god's interest and service1 or the man's salvation4 #b4 ,no man1 but as a just punishment for his crimes1 may be so enslaved1 as to be deprived of those liberties1 benefits1 and comforts1 which brotherly love obligeth every man to grant to another for his good1 as far as is within our power1 all things considered4 ,that is1 the same man is a servant and a brother1 and therefore must at once be used as both4 #c4 ,though poverty or necessity do make a man consent to sell himself to a life of lesser misery to escape a greater1 or death itself2 yet is it not lawful for any other so to take advantage by his necessity1 as to bring him into a condition that shall make him miserable1 or in which we shall not exercise so much love1 as may tend to his sanctification1 comfort1 and salvation3 because no justice is beseeming a christian or a man1 which is not conjoined with a due measure of charity4 ,but1 #a4 ,he that deserveth it by way of penalty may be penally used4 #b4 ,he that stole and cannot restore may be forced to work it out as a servant2 and in both these cases more may be done against another's ease or liberty1 than by mere contract or consent4 ,he that may hang a flagitious offender doth him no wrong if he put him to a slavery1 which is less penal than death4 #c4 ,more also may be done against enemies taken in a lawful war1 than could be done against the innocent by necessitated consent4 #d4 ,a certain degree of servitude or slavery is lawful by the necessitated consent of the innocent4 ,that is1 so much1 7#a47 ,as wrongeth no interest of ,god4 7#b47 ,nor of mankind by breaking the laws of nations4 7#c47 ,nor the person himself1 by hindering his salvation1 or the needful means thereof2 nor those comforts of life1 which nature giveth to man as man4 7#d47 ,nor the commonwealth or society where we live4 ,quest4 #b4 ,to the second question ,i answer1 #a4 ,as men must be variously loved according to the various degrees of amiableness in them1 so various degrees of love must be exercised towards them2 therefore good and real christians must be used with more love and brotherly tenderness than others4 #b4 ,it is meet also1 that infidels have so much mercy showed them in order to the saving of their souls1 as that they should be invited to christianity by fit encouragements2 and so1 that they should know that if they will turn christians1 they shall have more privileges and emoluments than the enemies of truth and piety shall have4 ,it is therefore well done of princes who make laws that infidel slaves shall be free-men1 when they are duly christened4 #c4 ,but yet a nominal christian1 who by wickedness forfeiteth his life or freedom1 may penally be made a slave as well as infidels4 #d4 ,and a poor and needy christian may sell himself into a harder state of servitude than he would choose1 or we could otherwise put him into4 ,but1 #e4 ,to go as pirates and catch up poor negroes or people of another land1 that never forfeited life or liberty1 and to make them slaves1 and sell them1 is one of the worst kinds of thievery in the world2 and such persons are to be taken for the common enemies of mankind2 and they that buy them and use them as beasts1 for their mere commodity1 and betray1 or destroy1 or neglect their souls1 are fitter to be called incarnate devils than christians1 though they be no christians whom they so abuse4 ,quest4 #c4 ,to the third question1 ,i answer1 ,that the solution of this case is to be gathered from what is said already4 ,a servant and a voluntary slave were both free-men1 till they sold or hired themselves2 and a criminal person was a free-man till he forfeited his life or liberty4 ,but afterwards the difference is this2 that1 #a4 ,a free servant is my servant1 no further than his own covenant made him so2 which is supposed to be1 7#a47 ,to a certain kind and measure of labour1 according to the meaning of his contract4 7#b47 ,for a limited time1 expressed in the contract1 whether a year1 or two1 or three1 or seven4 #b4 ,a slave by mere contract is one that1 7#a47 ,usually selleth himself absolutely to the will of another as to his labour both for kind and measure2 where yet the limitations of ,god and nature after 7and before7 named1 are supposed among christians to take place4 7#b47 ,he is one that selleth himself to such labour1 during life4 #c4 ,a slave by just penalty1 is liable to so much servitude as the magistrate doth judge him to1 which may be1 7#a47 ,not only such labour1 as aforesaid1 as pleaseth his master to impose4 7#b47 ,and that for life4 7#c47 ,but it may be also to stripes and severities which might not lawfully be inflicted on another4 #a4 ,the limitations of a necessitated slavery by contract or consent through poverty are these3 7#a47 ,such a one's soul must be cared for and preserved1 though he should consent to the contrary4 ,he must have time to learn the word of ,god1 and time to pray1 and he must rest on the ,lord's day1 and employ it in ,god's service2 he must be instructed1 and exhorted1 and kept from sin4 7#b47 ,he may not be forced to commit any sin against ,god4 7#c47 ,he may not 7though he forcedly consent7 be denied such comforts of this life1 as are needful to his cheerful serving of ,god in love and thankfulness1 according to the peace of the gospel state2 and which are called by the name of our daily bread4 ,no man may deny a slave any of this1 that is not a criminal1 punished slave4 #b4 ,and the most criminal slave may not be forced to sin1 nor denied necessary helps to his salvation4 ,but he may penally be beaten and denied part of his daily bread2 so it be not done more rigorously than true justice doth require4 ,quest4 ,but what if men buy negroes or other slaves of such as we have just cause to believe did steal them by piracy1 or buy them of those that have no power to sell them1 and not hire or buy them by their own consent1 or by the consent of those that had power to sell them1 nor take them captives in a lawful war1 what must they do with them afterward8 ,answ4 #a4 ,it is their heinous sin to buy them1 unless it be in charity to deliver them4 #b4 ,having done it1 undoubtedly they are presently bound to deliver them2 because by right the man is his own1 and therefore no man else can have just title to him4 ,quest4 ,but may ,i not sell him again and make my money of him1 seeing ,i leave him but as ,i found him8 ,answ4 ,no2 because when you have taken possession of him1 and a pretended propriety1 then the injury that is done him is by you2 which before was only by another4 ,and though the wrong be no greater than the other did him1 yet being now done by you it is your sin4 ,quest4 ,but may ,i not return him to him that ,i bought him of8 ,answ4 ,no2 for that is but injuring him by delivering him to another to continue the injury4 ,to say as ,pilate1 ,i am innocent of the blood of this just man1 will be no proof of your innocency2 yea1 ,god's law bindeth you to love1 and works of love1 and therefore you should do your best to free him4 ,he that is bound to help to save a man1 that is fallen into the hand of thieves by the high-way1 if he should buy that man as a slave of the thieves1 may not after give him up to the thieves again4 ,but to proceed in the directions4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,so serve your own necessities by your slaves as to prefer ,god's interest1 and their spiritual and everlasting happiness4 ,teach them the way to heaven1 and do all for their souls which ,i have before directed you to do for all your other servants4 ,though you may make some difference in their labour1 and diet1 and clothing1 yet none as to the furthering of their salvation4 ,if they be infidels1 use them so as tendeth to win them to ,christ1 and the love of religion1 by showing them that christians are less worldly1 less cruel and passionate1 and more wise1 and charitable1 and holy1 and meek1 than any other persons are4 ,woe to them that by their cruelty and covetousness1 do scandalize even slaves1 and hinder their conversion and salvation6 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,by how much the hardness of their condition doth make their lives uncomfortable1 and ,god hath cast them lower than yourselves1 by so much the more let your charity pity them1 and labour to abate their burden1 and sweeten their lives to them1 as much as your condition will allow4 ,and remember that even a slave may be one of those neighbours that you are bound to love as yourselves1 and to do to as you would be done by1 if your case were his4 ,which if you do1 you will need no more direction for his relief4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,remember that you may require no more of an innocent slave1 than you would or might do of an ordinary servant1 if he were at your will1 and did not by contract except something as to labour or usage which else you would think just and meet to have required of him4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,if they are infidels1 neither be too hasty in baptizing them1 when they desire it1 nor too slow4 ,not so hasty as to put them on it1 before they understand what the baptismal covenant is2 or before you see any likelihood that they should be serious in making such a covenant4 ,nor yet so slow as to let them alone to linger out their lives in the state of those without the church4 ,but hasten them to learn1 and stir up their desires1 and look after them1 as the ancient churches did after their catechumens2 and when you see them fit by knowledge1 belief1 desire1 and resolution1 to vow themselves to ,god on the terms of the holy covenant1 then put them on to be baptized4 ,but if you should feel an abatement of your desires of their conversion1 because you shall lose their service1 7much more if ever you had a wish that they might not be converted1 which is plain devilism17 let it be the matter of your deep humiliation and repentance4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,make it your chief end in buying and using slaves1 to win them to ,christ1 and save their souls4 ,do not only endeavour it on the by1 when you have first consulted your own commodity2 but make this more of your end1 than your commodity itself2 and let their salvation be far more valued by you than their service3 and carry yourselves to them1 as those that are sensible that they are redeemed with them by ,christ from the slavery of ,satan1 and may live with them in the liberty of the saints in glory4 #ch ,rom4 viii4 #bh4 #ci ,col4 iv4 #a4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,the ,,duties ,,of ,,children ,,and ,,fellow-,,servants ,,to ,,one ,,another4 ,,it is not easy to resolve1 whether good governors1 or good fellow-servants1 in a family1 be the greater help and benefit1 to each of the inferiors4 ,for servants are so much together1 and so free and familiar with each other1 that they have the more opportunity to be useful to each other1 if they have but abilities and hearts4 ,it is needful1 therefore1 that you know your duty to one another1 both for doing and getting that good which otherwise will be lost4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,love one another unfeignedly as yourselves2 avoid all contention and falling out with one another1 or any thing that would weaken your love to one another2 especially differences about your personal interests1 in point of profit1 provision1 or reputation4 ,take heed of the spirit of envy1 which will make your hearts rise against those that are preferred before you1 or that are used better than you4 ,remember the sin and misery of ,cain1 and take warning by him4 ,give place to others1 and in honour prefer others1 and seek not to be preferred before them1 ,rom4 xii4 #aj1 #af4 ,god delighteth to exalt the humble that abase themselves1 and to cast down those that exalt themselves4 ,when the interest of your flesh can make you hate or fall out with each other1 what a fearful sign is it of a fleshly mind6 ,rom4 viii4 #f1 #ac4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,take heed of using provoking words against each other4 ,for these are the bellows to blow up that which the apostle calleth the fire of hell1 ,james iii4 #f4 ,a foul tongue setteth on fire the course of nature2 and therefore it may set a family on fire1 ,james iii4 #e1 #f4 ,where envying and strife is1 there is confusion and every evil work1 ver4 #af4 ,if ye be angry1 refrain your tongues and sin not1 and let not the sun go down upon your wrath3 neither give place to the devil1 ,eph4 iv4 #bf1 #bg4 ,let all bitterness1 and wrath1 and anger1 and clamour1 and evil speaking1 be put away from you1 with all malice2 and be ye kind one to another1 tender-hearted1 forgiving one another1 even as ,god for ,christ's sake hath forgiven you1 ver4 #ca1 #cb4 #a ,cor4 vi4 #aj1 ,revilers shall not inherit the kingdom of ,god4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,help one another with love and willingness in your labours2 and do not grudge at one another1 and say such a one doth less than ,i2 but be as ready to help another1 as you would be helped yourselves4 ,it is very amiable to see a family of such children and servants1 that all take one another's concernments as their own1 and are not selfish against each other4 ,psal4 cxxxiii4 #a1 ,behold1 how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity6 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,take heed that you prove not tempters to draw each other to sin and misery4 ,either by joining together in riotousness1 or wronging your masters1 or secret revelling1 and then in lying to conceal it2 or lest immodest familiarity draw those of different sexes into a snare4 ,abundance of sin and misery hath followed such tempting familiarity of men and maids that were fellow-servants4 ,their nearness giveth them opportunity1 and the devil provoketh them to take their opportunity2 and from immodest1 wanton dalliance1 and unchaste words1 they proceed at last to more lasciviousness1 to their own undoing4 ,bring not the straw to the fire1 if you would not have it burn4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,watch over one another for mutual preservation against the sin and temptations which you are most in danger of4 ,agree to tell each other of your faults1 not proudly or passionately1 but in love2 and resolve to take it thankfully from each other4 ,if any one talk foolishly and idly1 or wantonly and immodestly1 or tell a lie1 or take ,god's name in vain1 or neglect their duty to ,god or man1 or deal unfaithfully in their trust or labour1 let the other seriously tell him of his sin1 and call him to repentance4 ,and let not him that is guilty take it ill1 and angrily snap at the reprover1 or justify or excuse the fault1 or hit him presently in the teeth with his own2 but humbly thank him and promise amendment4 ,oh how happy might servants be1 if they would faithfully watch over one another6 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,when you are together1 and your work will allow it1 let your discourse be such as tendeth to edification1 and to the spiritual good of the speaker or the hearers4 ,some work there is that must be thought on1 and talked of1 while it is doing1 and will not allow you leisure to think or speak of other things1 till it is done2 but very much of the work of most servants may be as well done1 though they think and speak together of heavenly things2 besides all other times when their work is over4 ,o take this time to be speaking of good to one another4 ,it is like1 that some one of you hath more knowledge than the rest2 let the rest be asking his counsel and instructions1 and let him bend himself to do them good3 or if you are equal in knowledge1 yet stir up the grace that is in you1 if you have any2 or stir up your desires after it1 if you have none4 ,waste not your precious time in vanity2 multiply not the sin of idle words4 ,oh what a load doth lie on many a soul that feeleth it not1 in the guilt of these two sins1 loss of time1 and idle words6 ,to be guilty of the same sins over and over1 every day1 and make a constant practice of them1 and this against your own knowledge and conscience1 is a more grievous case than many think of2 whereas1 if you would live together as the heirs of heaven1 and provoke one another to the love of ,god1 and holy duty1 and delightfully talk of the word of ,god1 and the life to come1 what blessings might you be to one another6 and your service and labour would be a sanctified and comfortable life to you all4 ,eph4 iv4 #bi1 #cj1 ,let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth1 but that which is good to the use of edifying1 and may minister grace to the hearers3 and grieve not the holy ,spirit of ,god4 ,and chap4 v4 #c1 #d1 ,but fornication and all uncleanness1 or covetousness1 7or rather1 inordinate1 fleshly desire17 let it not be once named among you1 as becometh saints2 neither filthiness1 nor foolish talking1 nor jesting1 which are not convenient2 but rather giving of thanks4 ,of this more anon4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,patiently bear with the failings of one another towards yourselves1 and hide those faults1 the opening of which will do no good1 but stir up strife2 but conceal not those faults which will be cherished by concealment1 or whose concealment tendeth to the wrong of your master1 or any other4 ,for it is in your power to forgive a fault against yourselves1 but not against ,god1 or another4 ,and to know when you should reveal it1 and when not1 you must wisely foreknow which way is like to do more good or harm4 ,and if yet you be in doubt1 open it first to some secret friend1 that is wise to advise you1 whether it should be further opened or not4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,if weakness1 or sickness1 or want afflict a brother1 or sister1 or fellow-servant1 be kind and helpful to them according to your power4 ,love not in word only1 but in deed and truth1 #a ,john iii4 #ah2 ,james ii4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,directions ,,for ,,holy ,,conference ,,of ,,fellow-,,servants ,,or ,,others4 ,,because this is a duty so frequently to be performed2 and therefore the peace and edification of christians is very much concerned in it1 ,i shall give a few brief directions about it4 ,direct4 #a4 ,labour most for a full and lively heart1 which hath the feeling of those things which your tongues should speak of4 ,for1 #a4 ,such a heart will be like a spring which is always running1 and will continually feed the streams4 ,forced and feigned things are of short continuance2 the hypocrite's affected1 forced speech1 is exercised but among those where it may serve his pride and carnal ends2 at other times1 and in other company1 he hath another tongue like other men4 ,it is like a land-flood that is quickly gone2 or like the bending of a bow1 which returneth to its place as soon as it is loosed4 #b4 ,and that which cometh from your hearts1 will be serious and hearty1 and likeliest to do good to others2 for words do their work upon us1 not only by signifying the matter which is spoken1 but also by signifying the affections of the speaker4 ,and that which will work affections1 must express affection ordinarily4 ,if it come not from the heart of the speaker1 it is not so like to go to the hearts of the hearers4 ,a hearty preacher1 and a hearty1 feeling discourse of holy things1 do pierce heart-deep1 and do that good1 which better composed words that are heartless do not4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,yet for all that1 when your hearts are cold1 and dull1 and barren1 do not think that your tongues must therefore neglect their duty1 and be silent from all good1 till your hearts be better1 but force your tongues to do their duty1 if they will not do it freely without constraint4 ,for1 #a4 ,duty is duty1 whether you be well-disposed to it or not3 if all duty should cease when men are ill-disposed to it1 no wicked man would be bound to any thing that is truly holy4 #b4 ,and if heart and tongue be both obliged1 it is worse to omit both than one4 #c4 ,and there may be sincerity in a duty1 when the heart is cold and dull4 #d4 ,and beginning to do your duty as well as you can1 is the way to overcome your dulness and unfitness2 when you force your tongues at first to speak of that which is good1 the words which you speak or hear1 may help to bring you into a better frame4 ,many a man hath begun to pray with coldness1 that hath got him heat before he had done2 and many a man hath gone unwillingly to hear a sermon1 that hath come home a converted soul4 #e4 ,and when you set yourselves in the way of duty1 you are in the way of promised grace4 ,object4 ,but is not this to play the hypocrite1 to let my tongue go before my heart2 and speak the things which my heart is not affected with8 ,answ4 ,if you speak falsely and dissemblingly1 you play the hypocrite2 but you may force yourselves to speak of good1 without any falsehood or hypocrisy4 ,words signify1 as ,i told you1 the matter spoken1 and the speaker's mind4 ,now your speaking of the things of ,god doth tell no more of your mind but this1 that you take them to be true1 and that you desire those that you speak to1 to regard them3 and all this is so2 and therefore there is no hypocrisy in it4 ,indeed if you told the hearers1 that you are deeply affected with these things yourselves1 when it is not so1 this were hypocrisy4 ,but a man may exhort another to be good1 without professing himself to be good2 yea1 though he confess himself to be bad4 ,therefore all the good discourses of a wicked man are not hypocrisy2 much less the good discourse of a sincere christian1 that is dull and cold in that discourse4 ,and if a duty had some hypocrisy in it1 it is not the duty1 but the hypocrisy1 that ,god disliketh1 and you must forsake3 as if there be coldness in a duty1 it is the coldness1 and not the duty1 that is to be blamed and forborne4 ,and wholly to omit the duty1 is worse than to do it with some coldness or hypocrisy1 which is not the predominant complexion of the duty4 ,object4 ,but if it be not the fruit of the ,spirit1 it is not acceptable to ,god2 and that which ,i force my tongue to1 is none of the fruits of the ,spirit4 ,therefore ,i must stay till the ,spirit move me4 ,answ4 #a4 ,there are many duties done by reason1 and the common assistances of ,god1 that are better than the total omission of them is4 ,else no unsanctified man should hear the word1 or pray1 or relieve the poor1 or obey his prince or governors1 or do any duty towards children or neighbours1 because whatsoever is not the fruit of the special grace of the ,spirit1 is sin2 and without faith it is impossible to please ,god2 and all men have not faith1 ,heb4 xi4 #f2 #b ,thess4 iii4 #b4 #b4 ,it is a distracted conceit of the quakers1 and other fanatics1 to think that reason and the ,spirit of ,god are not conjunct principles in the same act4 ,doth the ,spirit work on a man as on a beast or stone8 and cause you to speak as a clock that striketh it knoweth not what8 or play on man's soul1 as on an instrument of music that hath neither knowledge of the melody1 nor any pleasure in it8 ,no1 the ,spirit of ,god supposeth nature1 and worketh on man as man1 by exciting your own understanding and will to do their parts4 ,so that when1 against all the remnant of dulness and backwardness that is in you1 you can force yourselves to do your duty1 it is because the ,spirit of ,god assisteth you to take that resolution1 and use that force4 ,for thus the ,spirit striveth against the flesh1 ,gal4 v4 #ag2 ,rom4 vii4 #af-ah4 ,though it is confessed1 that there is more of the ,spirit1 where there is no backwardness or resistance1 or need of forcing4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,by all means labour to be furnished with understanding in the matters of ,god4 ,for1 #a4 ,an understanding person hath a mine of holy matter in himself1 and never is quite void of matter for good discourse4 ,he is the good scribe1 that is instructed to the kingdom of ,god1 that bringeth out of his treasury things new and old1 ,matt4 xiii4 #eb4 #b4 ,and an understanding person will speak discreetly1 and so will much further the success of his discourse1 and not make it ridiculous1 contemptuous1 or uneffectual through his indiscretion4 ,but yet if you are ignorant and wanting in understanding1 do not therefore be silent2 for though your ability is least1 your necessity is greatest4 ,let necessity therefore constrain you to ask instruction1 as it constraineth the needy to beg for what they want4 ,but spare no pains to increase your knowledge4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,if your own understandings and hearts do not furnish you with matter1 have recourse to those manifold helps that ,god vouchsafeth you4 ,as1 #a4 ,you may discourse of the last sermon that you heard1 or some one lately preached that nearly touched you4 #b4 ,or of something in the last book you read4 #c4 ,or of some text of ,scripture obvious to your thoughts4 #d4 ,or of some notable 7yea1 or ordinary7 providence which did lately occur4 #e4 ,or of some examples of good or evil that are fresh before you4 #f4 ,or of the right doing of the duty that you are about1 or any such like helps4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,talk not of vain1 unprofitable controversies1 nor often of small1 circumstantial matters that make but little to edification4 ,for there may be idle talking about matters of religion1 as well as about other smaller things4 ,especially see that the quarrels of the times engage not your thoughts and speeches too far1 into a course of unprofitableness or contention4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,furnish yourselves beforehand with matter for the most edifying discourse1 and never go abroad empty4 ,and let the matter be usually1 #a4 ,things of weight1 and not small matters4 #b4 ,things of certainty1 and not uncertain things4 ,particularly the fittest subjects for your ordinary discourse are these3 #a4 ,god himself1 with his attributes1 relations1 and works4 #b4 ,the great mystery of man's redemption by ,christ2 his person1 office1 sufferings1 doctrine1 example1 and work2 his resurrection1 ascension1 glory1 intercession1 and all the privileges of his saints4 #c4 ,the covenant of grace1 the promises1 the duties1 the conditions1 and the threatenings4 #d4 ,the workings of the ,spirit of ,christ upon the soul1 and every grace of the ,spirit in us2 with all the signs1 and helps1 and hinderances of it4 #e4 ,the ways and wiles of ,satan1 and all our spiritual enemies2 the particular temptations which we are in danger of2 what they are and how to avoid them1 and what are the most powerful helps against them4 #f4 ,the corruption and deceitfulness of the heart2 the nature and workings1 effects1 and signs of ignorance1 unbelief1 hypocrisy1 pride1 sensuality1 worldliness1 impiety1 injustice1 intemperance1 uncharitableness1 and every other sin2 with all the helps against them all4 #g4 ,the many duties to ,god and man which we have to perform1 both internal and external1 and how to do them1 and what are the chiefest hinderances and helps4 7,as in reading1 hearing1 meditating1 prayer1 giving alms1 c47 ,and the duties of our relations1 and several places1 with the contrary sins4 #h4 ,the vanity of the world1 and deceitfulness of all earthly things4 #i4 ,the powerful reasons used by ,christ to draw us to holiness1 and the unreasonable madness of all that is brought against it1 by the devil or by wicked men4 #aj4 ,of the sufferings which we must expect and be prepared for4 #aa4 ,of death1 and the preparations that will then be found necessary2 and how to make ready for so great a change4 #ab4 ,of the day of judgment1 and who will then be justified1 and who condemned4 #ac4 ,of the joys of heaven1 the employment1 the company1 the nature1 and duration4 #ad4 ,of the miseries of the damned1 and the thoughts that they then will have of their former life on earth4 #ae4 ,of the state of the church on earth1 and what we ought to do in our places for its welfare4 ,is there not matter enough in all these great and weighty points1 for your hourly meditation and conference8 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,take heed of proud self-conceitedness in your conference4 ,speak not with supercilious1 censorious confidence4 ,let not the weak take on them to be wiser than they are4 ,be readier to speak by way of question as learners1 than as teachers of others1 unless you are sure that they have much more need to be taught by you1 than you by them4 ,it is ordinary for novices in religion to cast all their discourse into a teaching strain1 or to make themselves preachers before they understand4 ,it is a most loathsome and pitiful hearing 7and yet too ordinary7 to hear a raw1 self-conceited1 ungrounded1 unexperienced person to prate magisterially1 and censure confidently the doctrine1 or practices1 or persons of those that are much better and wiser than themselves4 ,if you meet with this proud1 censorious spirit1 rebuke it first1 and read to them ,james iii42 and if they go on1 turn away from them1 and avoid them1 for they know not what manner of spirit they are of3 they serve not the ,lord ,jesus1 whatever they pretend or think themselves1 but are proud1 knowing nothing1 but doting about questions1 and making divisions in the church of ,god1 and ready to fall into the condemnation of the devil1 #a ,tim4 iii4 #f2 vi4 #c-e2 ,rom4 xvi4 #ag2 ,luke ix4 #ee4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,let the wisest in the company1 and not the weakest1 have most of the discourse3 but yet if any one that is of an abler tongue than the rest1 do make any determinations in doubtful1 controverted points1 take heed of a hasty receiving his judgment1 let his reasons seem never so plausible or probable2 but put down all such opinions as doubts1 and move them to your teachers1 or some other impartial1 able men1 before you entertain them4 ,otherwise1 he that hath most wit and tongue in the company1 might carry away all the rest into what error or heresy he please1 and subvert their faith when he stops their mouths4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,let the matter of your speech be suitable to your end1 even to the good of yourselves or others1 which you seek4 ,the same subject that is fit for one company is very unfit for others4 ,learned men and ignorant men1 pious men and profane men1 are not fit for the same kind of discourse4 ,the medicine must be carefully fitted to the disease4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,let your speech be seasonable1 when prudence telleth you it is not like to do more harm than good4 ,there is a season for the prudent to be silent1 and refrain even from good talk1 ,amos v4 #ag2 ,psal4 xxxix4 #a1 #b4 ,cast not pearls before swine1 and give not holy things to dogs1 that you know will turn again and rend you1 ,matt4 vii4 #f4 ,yea1 and among good people themselves1 there is a time to speak1 and a time to be silent1 ,eccles4 iii4 #g4 ,there may possibly be such excess as tendeth to the tiring of the hearers2 and more may be crammed in than they can digest2 and surfeiting may make them loathe it afterwards4 ,you must give none more than they can bear2 and also the matters of your business and callings1 must be talked of in their time and place4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,let all your speech of holy things be with the greatest seriousness and reverence that you are able4 ,let the words be never so good1 yet levity and rudeness may make them to be profane4 ,god and holy things should not be talked of in a common manner2 but the gravity of your speech should tell the hearers1 that you take them not for small or common matters4 ,if servants and others that live near together would converse and speak as the oracles of ,god1 how holy1 and heavenly1 and happy would such families or societies be6 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,directions ,,for ,,each ,,particular ,,member ,,of ,,the ,,family ,,how ,,to ,,spend ,,every ,,ordinary ,,day ,,of ,,the ,,week4 ,,it somewhat tendeth to make a holy life more easy to us1 when we know the ordinary course and method of our duties1 and every thing falleth into its proper place2 as it helpeth the husbandman or tradesman to know the ordinary course of his work1 that he need not go out of it1 unless in extraordinary cases4 ,therefore ,i shall here give you some brief directions for the holy spending of every day4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,proportion the time of your sleep aright1 7if it be in your power17 that you waste not your precious morning hours sluggishly in your bed4 ,let the time of your sleep be rationally fitted to your health and labour1 and not sensually to your slothful pleasure4 ,about six hours is meet for healthful people1 and seven hours for the less healthful1 and eight for the more weak and aged1 ordinarily4 ,the morning hours are to most the preciousest of all the day1 for all our duties2 especially servants that are scanted of time1 must take it then for prayer1 if possible1 lest they have none at all4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,let ,god have your first awaking thoughts3 lift up your hearts to him reverently and thankfully for the rest of the night past1 and briefly cast yourselves upon him for the following day2 and use yourselves so constantly to this1 that your consciences may check you1 when common thoughts shall first intrude4 ,and if you have a bed-fellow to speak to1 let your first speech be agreeable to your thoughts4 ,it will be a great help against the temptations that may else surprise you1 and a holy engagement of your hearts to ,god1 for all the day4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,resolve1 that pride and the fashions of the times shall never tempt you into such a garb of attire1 as will make you long in dressing you in the morning2 but wear such clothing as is soon put on4 ,it is dear-bought bravery 7or decency as they will needs call it7 which must cost every day an hour's or a quarter of an hour's time extraordinary3 ,i had rather go as the wild ,indians1 than have those morning hours to answer for1 as too many ladies and other gallants have4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,if you are persons of quality you may employ a child or servant to read a chapter in the ,bible1 while you are dressing you1 and eating your breakfast 7if you eat any74 ,else you may employ that time in some fruitful meditation1 or conference with those about you1 as far as your necessary occasions do give leave3 as1 to think or speak of the mercy of a night's rest1 and of your renewed time1 and how many spent that night in hell1 and how many in prison1 and how many in a colder1 harder lodging1 and how many in grievous pain and sickness1 weary of their beds and of their lives1 and how many in distracting terrors of their minds2 and how many souls that night were called from their bodies1 to appear before the dreadful ,god3 and think how fast days and nights roll on6 and how speedily your last night and day will come6 and observe what is wanting in the readiness of your soul for such a time1 and seek it presently without delay4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,if more necessary duties call you not away1 let secret prayer by yourself alone1 or with your chamber-fellow1 or both1 go before the common prayers of the family2 and delay it not causelessly1 but if it may be1 let it be first1 before any other work of the day4 ,yet be not formal and superstitious to your hours1 as if ,god had absolutely tied you to such a time3 nor think it your duty to pray once in secret1 and once with your chamber-fellow1 and once with the family every morning1 when more necessary duties call you off4 ,that hour is best for one1 which is worst for another3 to most1 private prayer is most seasonable as soon as they are up and clothed2 to others some other hour may be more free and fit4 ,and those persons that have not more necessary duties1 may do well to pray at all the opportunities before mentioned2 but reading and meditation must be allowed their time also2 and the labours of your callings must be painfully followed2 and servants and poor people that are not at liberty1 or that have a necessity of providing for their families1 may not lawfully take so much time for prayer1 as some others may2 especially the aged and weak that cannot follow a calling1 may take longer time4 ,and ministers1 that have many souls to look after1 and public work to do1 must take heed of neglecting any of this1 that they may be longer and oftener in private prayer4 ,always remember that when two duties are at once before you1 and one must be omitted1 that you prefer that which1 all things considered1 is the greatest2 and understand what maketh a duty greatest4 ,usually that is greatest which tendeth to the greatest good2 yet sometimes that is greatest at that time which cannot be done at another time1 when others may4 ,praying1 in itself considered1 is better than ploughing1 or marketing1 or conference2 and yet these may be greater than it in their proper seasons2 because prayer may be done at another time1 when these cannot4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,let family worship be performed constantly and seasonably1 twice a day1 at that hour which is freest in regard of interruptions2 not delaying it without just cause4 ,but whenever it is performed1 be sure it be reverently1 seriously1 and spiritually done4 ,if greater duty hinder not1 begin with a brief invocation of ,god's name1 and craving of his help and blessing through ,christ2 and then read some part of the holy ,scripture in order2 and either help the hearers to understand it and apply it1 or if you are unable for that1 then read some profitable book to them for such ends2 and sing a psalm1 7if there be enough to do it fitly17 and earnestly pour out your souls in prayer4 ,but if unavoidable occasions will not give way to all this1 do what you can1 especially in prayer1 and do the rest another time2 but pretend not necessity against any duty1 when it is but unwillingness or negligence4 ,the lively performance of family duties1 is a principal means to keep up the power and interest of godliness in the world2 which all decays when these grow dead1 and slight1 and formal4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,renew the actual intention and remembrance of your ultimate end1 when you set yourselves to your day's work1 or set upon any notable business in the world4 ,let ,,holiness ,,to ,,the ,,lord be written upon your hearts in all that you do4 ,do no work which you cannot entitle ,god to1 and truly say he set you about2 and do nothing in the world for any other ultimate end1 than to please1 and glorify1 and enjoy him4 ,and remember that whatever you do1 must be done as a means to these1 and as by one that is that way going on to heaven4 ,all your labour must be as the labour of a traveller1 which is all for his journey's end2 and all your respect or affection to any place or thing in your way1 must be in respect to your attainment of the end2 as a traveller loveth a good way1 a good horse1 a good inn1 a dry cloak1 or good company2 but nothing must be loved here as your end or home4 ,lift up your hearts to heaven and say1 ,if this work and way did not tend thither directly or indirectly1 it were no work or way for me4 ,whatever you do1 do all to the glory of ,god1 #a ,cor4 x4 #ca4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,follow the labours of your calling painfully and diligently4 ,from hence will follow many commodities4 #a4 ,you will show that you are not sluggish1 and servants to your flesh1 as those that cannot deny its ease2 and you will further the mortification of all fleshly lusts and desires1 which are fed by ease and idleness4 #b4 ,you will keep out idle thoughts from your mind1 which swarm in the minds of idle persons4 #c4 ,you will escape the loss of precious time1 which idle persons are daily guilty of4 #d4 ,you will be in a course of obedience to ,god1 when the slothful are in a constant sin of omission4 #e4 ,you may have the more time to spare for holy exercises1 if you follow your labour close when you are at it2 when idle persons can have no time for prayer or reading1 because they lose it by loitering at their work1 and leave their business still behind-hand4 #f4 ,you may expect ,god's blessing for the comfortable provision for yourselves and families1 and to have to give to them that need1 when the slothful are in want themselves1 and cast by their want into abundance of temptations1 and have nothing to do good with4 #g4 ,and it will also tend to the health of your bodies1 which will make them the fitter for the service of your souls4 ,when slothfulness wasteth time1 and health1 and estate1 and wit1 and grace1 and all4#dj ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,be thoroughly acquainted with your corruptions and temptations1 and watch against them all the day2 especially the most dangerous sort of your corruptions1 and those temptations which your company or business will unavoidably lay before you4#da ,be still watching and working against the master1 radical sins of unbelief1 hypocrisy1 selfishness1 pride1 sensuality1 or flesh-pleasing1 and the inordinate love of earthly things4 ,take heed lest1 under pretence of diligence in your calling1 you be drawn to earthly-mindedness1 and excessive cares or covetous designs for rising in the world4 ,if you are to trade or deal with others1 take heed of selfishness1 which desireth to draw or save from others1 as much as you can for yourselves and your own advantage2 take heed of all that savoureth of injustice or uncharitableness in all your dealings with others4 ,if you converse with vain talkers1 be still provided against the temptation of vanity of talk4 ,if you converse with angry persons1 be still fortified against their provocations4 ,if you converse with wanton persons1 or such as are tempting those of the other sex1 maintain that modesty and necessary distance and cleanness of speech which the laws of chastity require4 ,if you have servants that are still faulty1 be so provided against the temptation1 that their faults may not make you faulty1 and you may do nothing that is unseemly or unjust1 but only that which tendeth to their amendment4 ,if you are poor1 be still provided against the temptations of poverty1 that it bring not upon you an evil far greater than itself4 ,if you are rich1 be most diligent in fortifying your hearts against those more dangerous temptations of riches1 which very few escape4 ,if you converse with flatterers or those that much admire you1 be fortified against swelling pride4 ,if you converse with those that despise and injure you1 be fortified against impatient1 revengeful pride4 ,these works at first will be very difficult1 while sin is in any strength2 but when you have got an habitual apprehension of the poisonous danger of every one of these sins1 and of the tendency of all temptations1 your hearts will readily and easily avoid them1 without much tiring1 thoughtfulness1 and care2 even as a man will pass by a house infected with the plague1 or go out of the way1 if he meet a cart or any thing that would hurt him4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,when you are alone in your labours1 improve the time in practical1 fruitful 7not speculative and barren7 meditations2 especially in heart work and heaven work3 let your chiefest meditations be on the infinite goodness and perfections of ,god1 and the life of glory1 which in the love and praise of him you must live for ever2 and next let ,christ1 and the mysteries of grace in man's redemption1 be the matter of your thoughts2 and next that your own hearts and lives1 and the rest before expressed1 chap4 xvi4 direct4 vi4 ,if you are able to manage meditations methodically it will be best2 but if you cannot do that1 without so much striving as will confound you1 and distract you1 and cast you into melancholy1 it is better let your meditations be more short and easy1 like ejaculatory prayers2 but let them usually be operative to do some good upon your hearts4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,if you labour in company with others1 be provided with matter1 skill1 resolution1 and zeal1 to improve the time in profitable conference1 and to avoid diversions1 as is directed1 chap4 xvi4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,whatever you are doing1 in company or alone1 let the day be spent in the inward excitation and exercise of the graces of the soul1 as well as in external bodily duties4 ,and to that end know1 that there is no external duty1 but must have some internal grace to animate it1 or else it is but an image or carcass1 and unacceptable to ,god4 ,when you are praying and reading1 there are the graces of faith1 desire1 love1 repentance1 c4 to be exercised there3 when you are alone1 meditation may help to actuate any grace as you find most needful3 when you are conferring with others1 you must exercise love to them1 and love to that truth about which you do confer1 and other graces as the subject shall require3 when you are provoked or under suffering you have patience to exercise4 ,but especially it must be your principal daily business1 by the exercise of faith1 to keep your hearts warm in the love of ,god and your dear ,redeemer1 and in the hopes and delightful thoughts of heaven4 ,as the means are various and admit of deliberation and choice1 because they are to be used but as means1 and not all at once1 but sometimes one1 and sometimes another1 when the end is still the same and past deliberation or choice2 so all those graces which are but means1 must be used thus variously1 and with deliberation and choice2 when the love of ,god and of eternal life must be the constant tenor and constitution of the mind1 as being the final grace1 which consisteth with the exercise of every other mediate grace4 ,never take up with lip-labour or bodily exercise alone1 nor barren thoughts1 unless your hearts be also employed in a course of duty1 and holy breathings after ,god1 or motion towards him1 or in the sincere internal part of the duty which you perform to men3 justice and love are graces which you must still exercise towards all that you have to deal with in the world4 ,love is called the fulfilling of the law1 ,rom4 xiii4 #aj2 because the love of ,god and man is the soul of every outward duty1 and a cause that will bring forth these as its effects4 ,direct4 ,,xiii4 ,keep up a high esteem of time2 and be every day more careful that you lose none of your time1 than you are that you lose none of your gold or silver2 and if vain recreations1 dressings1 feastings1 idle talk1 unprofitable company1 or sleep1 be any of them temptations to rob you of any of your time1 accordingly heighten your watchfulness and firm resolutions against them4 ,be not more careful to escape thieves and robbers1 than to escape that person1 or action1 or course of life1 that would rob you of any of your time4 ,and for the redeeming of time1 especially see1 not only that you be never idle1 but also that you be doing the greatest good that you can do1 and prefer not a less before a greater4 ,direct4 ,,xiv4 ,eat and drink with temperance and thankfulness2 for health1 and not for unprofitable pleasure4 ,for quantity1 most carefully avoid excess2 for many exceed1 for one that taketh too little4 ,never please your appetite in meat or drink1 when it tendeth to the detriment of your health4 ,prov4 xxxi4 #d1 #f1 ,it is not for kings to drink wine1 nor for princes strong drink4--,give strong drink to him that is ready to perish1 and wine to those that be of heavy hearts4 ,eccles4 x4 #af1 #ag1 ,woe to thee1 ,o land1 when thy king is a child1 and thy princes eat in the morning6 ,blessed art thou1 ,o land1 when thy king is the son of nobles1 and thy princes eat in due season1 for strength and not for drunkenness6 ,then must poorer men also take heed of intemperance and excess4 ,let your diet incline rather to the coarser than the finer sort1 and to the cheaper than the costly sort1 and to sparing abstinence than to fulness4 ,i would advise rich men especially1 to write in great letters on the walls of their dining-rooms or parlours these two sentences3 ,ezek4 xvi4 #di1 ,,behold1 ,,this ,,was ,,the ,,iniquity ,,of ,,sodom1 ,,pride1 ,,fulness ,,of ,,bread1 ,,and ,,abundance ,,of ,,idleness ,,was ,,in ,,her1 neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy4 ,luke xvi4 #ai1 #be1 ,there was a certain rich man which was ,,clothed ,,in ,,purple ,,and ,,silk1 ,,and ,,fared ,,sumptuously every day4--,son1 remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things4 ,paul wept when he mentioned them1 whose end is destruction1 whose god is their belly1 and whose glory is in their shame1 who mind earthly things1 being enemies to the cross1 ,phil4 iii4 #ah1 #ai4db ,o live not after the flesh1 lest ye die1 ,rom4 viii4 #ac2 ,gal4 vi4 #h2 v4 #ba1 #bc1 #bd4 ,direct4 ,,xv4 ,if any temptation prevail against you1 and you fall into any sins besides common infirmities1 presently lament it1 and confess not only to ,god1 but to men1 when confession conduceth more to good than harm2 and rise by a true and thorough repentance1 immediately without delay4 ,spare not the flesh1 and daub not over the breach1 and do not by excuses palliate the sore1 but speedily rise1 whatever it cost2 for it will certainly cost you more to go on or to remain impenitent4 ,and for your ordinary infirmities1 make not too light of them1 but confess them1 and daily strive against them2 and examine what strength you get against them1 and do not aggravate them by impenitence and contempt4 ,direct4 ,,xvi4 ,every day look to the special duties of your several relations3 whether you are husbands1 wives1 parents1 children1 masters1 servants1 pastors1 people1 magistrates1 subjects1 remember that every relation hath its special duty1 and its advantage for the doing of some good2 and that ,god requireth your faithfulness in these1 as well as in any other duty4 ,and that in these a man's sincerity or hypocrisy is usually more tried1 than in any other parts of our lives4 ,direct4 ,,xvii4 ,in the evening return to the worshipping of ,god1 in the family and in secret1 as was directed for the morning4 ,and do all with seriousness1 as in the sight of ,god1 and in the sense of your necessities2 and make it your delight to receive instructions from the holy ,scripture1 and praise ,god1 and call upon his name through ,christ4 ,direct4 ,,xviii4 ,if you have any extraordinary impediments one day to hinder you in your duty to ,god and man1 make it up by diligence the next2 and if you have any extraordinary helps1 make use of them1 and let them not overslip you4 ,as1 if it be a lecture-day1 or a funeral sermon1 or you have opportunity of converse with men of extraordinary worth2 or if it be a day of humiliation or thanksgiving2 it may be expected that you gather a double measure of strength by such extraordinary helps4 ,direct4 ,,xix4 ,before you betake yourselves to sleep1 it is ordinarily a safe and needful course1 to take a review of the actions and mercies of the past day2 that you may be specially thankful for all special mercies1 and humbled for your sins1 and may renew your repentance and resolutions for obedience1 and may examine yourselves1 whether your souls grow better or worse1 and whether sin go down and grace increase1 and whether you are any better prepared for sufferings and death4 ,but yet waste not too much time in the ordinary accounts of your life1 as those that neglect their duty while they are examining themselves how they perform it1 and perplexing themselves with the long perusal of their ordinary infirmities4 ,but by a general 7yet sincere7 repentance1 bewail your unavoidable daily failings1 and have recourse to ,christ for a daily pardon and renewed grace2 and in case of extraordinary sins or mercies1 be sure to be extraordinarily humbled or thankful4 ,some think it best to keep a daily catalogue or diurnal of their sins and mercies4 ,if you do so1 be not too particular in the enumeration of those that are the matter of every day's return2 for it will be but a temptation to waste your time1 and neglect greater duty1 and to make you grow customary and senseless of such sins and mercies1 when the same come to be recited over and over from day to day4 ,but let the common mercies be more generally recorded1 and the common sins generally confessed 7yet neither of them therefore slighted72 and let the extraordinary mercies1 and greater sins1 have a more particular observation4 ,and yet remember1 that sins and mercies1 which it is not fit that others be acquainted with1 are safelier committed to memory than to writing3 and methinks1 a well humbled and a thankful heart should not easily let the memory of them slip4 ,direct4 ,,xx4 ,when you compose yourselves to sleep1 again commit yourselves to ,god through ,christ1 and crave his protection1 and close up the day with some holy exercise of faith and love4 ,and if you are persons that must needs lie waking in the night1 let your meditations be holy1 and exercised upon that subject that is profitablest to your souls4 ,but ,i cannot give this as an ordinary direction1 because that the body must have sleep1 or else it will be unfit for labour1 and all thoughts of holy things must be serious2 and all serious thoughts will hinder sleep1 and those that wake in the night1 do wake unwillingly1 and would not put themselves out of hopes of sleep2 which such serious meditations would do4 ,nor can ,i advise you 7ordinarily7 to rise in the night to prayer1 as the papists' votaries do4 ,for this is but to serve ,god with irrational and hurtful ceremony2 and it is a wonder how far such men will go in ceremony1 that will not be drawn to a life of love and spiritual worship4 ,unless men did irrationally place the service of ,god in praying this hour rather than another1 they might see how improvidently and sinfully they lose their time1 in twice dressing and undressing1 and in the intervals of their sleep1 when they might spare all that time1 by sitting up the longer1 or rising the earlier1 for the same employment4 ,besides what tendency it hath to the destruction of health1 by cold and interruption of necessary rest2 when ,god approveth not of the disabling of the body1 or destroying our health1 or shortening life 7no more than of murder or cruelty to others72 but only calleth us to deny our unnecessary1 sensual delights1 and use the body so as it may be most serviceable to the soul and him4 ,i have briefly laid together these twenty directions for the right spending of every day1 that those that need them1 and cannot remember the larger more particular directions1 may at least get these few engraven on their minds1 and make them the daily practice of their lives2 which if you will sincerely do1 you cannot conceive how much it will conduce to the holiness1 fruitfulness1 and quietness of your lives1 and to your peaceful and comfortable death4 #dj ,eph4 iv4 #bh2 ,prov4 x4 #d2 xii4 #bd1 #bg2 xiii4 #d2 xxi4 #e2 xxii4 #bi2 xviii4 #i2 xxi4 #be2 xxiv4 #cj4 #da ,antequam domo quis exeat1 quid acturus sit1 apud se pertractet4 ,rursus cum redierit1 quid egerit1 recogitet4 ,cleobulus in ,laert4 p4 #ei4 #db ,see ,dr4 ,hammond's ,annotat4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,directions ,,for ,,the ,,order ,,of ,,holy ,,duties4 ,tit4 #a4 ,directions for the holy spending of the ,lord's ,day in ,families4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,be well resolved against the cavils of those carnal men1 that would make you believe that the holy spending of the ,lord's day is a needless thing4#dc ,for the name1 whether it shall be called the christian sabbath1 is not much worth contending about3 undoubtedly the name of ,the ,lord's ,day1 is that which was given it by the ,spirit of ,god1 ,rev4 i4 #aj1 and the ancient christians1 who sometimes called it1 ,the ,sabbath1 by allusion1 as they used the names1 sacrifice1 and altar3 the question is not so much of the name as the thing2 whether we ought to spend the day in holy exercises1 without unnecessary divertisements8 ,and to settle your consciences in this1 you have all these evidences at hand4 #a4 ,by the confession of all1 you have the law of nature to tell you1 that ,god must be openly worshipped1 and that some set time should be appointed for his worship4 ,and1 whether the fourth commandment be formally in force or abrogated1 yet it is commonly agreed on that the parity of reason1 and general equity of it1 serveth to acquaint us1 that it is the will of ,god1 that one day in seven be the least that we destinate to this use3 this being then judged a meet proportion by ,god himself1 7even from the creation1 and on the account of commemorating the creation17 and christians being no less obliged to take as large a space of time1 who have both the creation and redemption to commemorate1 and a more excellent manner of worship to perform4 #b4 ,it is confessed by all christians that ,christ rose on the first day of the week1 and appeared to his congregated disciples on that day1 and poured out the ,holy ,ghost upon them on that day2 and that the apostles appointed1 and the christian churches observed1 their assemblies and communion ordinarily on that day2 and that these apostles were filled with the extraordinary gifts of the ,holy ,ghost1 that they might infallibly acquaint the church with the doctrine and will of ,jesus ,christ1 and leave it on record for succeeding ages2#dd and so were intrusted by office1 and enabled by gifts1 to settle the orders of the gospel church1 as ,moses did the matters of the tabernacle and worship then2 and so that their laws or orders thus settled1 were the laws or orders of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,john xx4 #a1 #ai1 #bf2 ,acts ii4 #a2 xx4 #g2 #a ,cor4 xvi4 #a1 #b2 ,rev4 i4 #aj2 ,matt4 xxviii4 #ai1 #bj2 ,john xvi4 #ac-ae2 ,rom4 xvi4 #af2 #b ,thess4 ii4 #ae4 #c4 ,it is also confessed1 that the universal church1 from the days of the apostles down till now1 hath constantly kept holy the ,lord's day in the memorial of ,christ's resurrection1 and that as by the will of ,christ delivered to them by or from the apostles2 insomuch that ,i remember not either any orthodox christian1 or heretic1 that ever opposed1 questioned1 or scrupled it1 till of late ages4 ,and as an historical discovery of the matter of fact1 this is a good evidence that indeed it was settled by the apostles2 and consequently by ,christ1 who gave them their commission1 and inspired them by the ,holy ,ghost4 #d4 ,it is confessed1 that it is still the practice of the universal church2 and those that take it to be but of ecclesiastical appointment1 some of them mean it of such extraordinary ecclesiastics as inspired apostles1 and all of them take the appointment as obligatory to all the members of the church4 #e4 ,the laws of the land where we live command it1 and the king by proclamation urgeth the execution3 and the canons1 and homilies1 and liturgy show that the holy observation of the ,lord's day1 is the judgment and will of the governors of the church4 ,read the homilies for the time and place of worship4 ,yea1 they require the people to say when the fourth commandment is read1 ,lord1 have mercy upon us1 and incline our hearts to keep this law4 ,and the command of authority is not a contemptible obligation4 #f4 ,it is granted by all1 that more than this is due to ,god2 and the life that is in every christian telleth him1 that it is a very great mercy to us1 not only to servants1 but even to all men1 that one day in seven they may disburden themselves of all the cares and business of the world1 which may hinder their holy communion with ,god and one another1 and wholly apply themselves to learn the will of ,god4 ,and nature teacheth us to accept of mercy when it is offered to us1 and not dispute against our happiness4 #g4 ,common experience telleth us1 that where the ,lord's day is more holily and carefully observed1 knowledge and religion prosper best2 and that more souls are converted on those days1 than on all the other days besides2 and that the people are accordingly more edified2 and that wherever the ,lord's day is ordinarily neglected or mispent1 religion and civility decay1 and there is a visible1 lamentable difference between those places and families1 and the other4 #h4 ,reason and experience tell us1 that if men were left to themselves1 what time they should appoint for ,god's public worship1 in most places it would be so little1 and disordered1 and uncertain1 that religion would be for the most part banished out of the now christian world4 ,therefore there being need of a universal law for it1 it is probable that such a law there is2 and if so1 it can be by none but ,god1 the ,creator1 ,redeemer1 and ,holy ,ghost1 there being no other universal governor and lawgiver to impose it4 #i4 ,all must confess1 that it is more desirable for unity and concord sake1 that all christians hold their holy assemblies on one and the same day1 and that all at once1 through all the world1 do worship ,god and seek his grace1 than that they do it some on one day and some on another4 #aj4 ,and all that ever ,i have conversed with1 confess that if the holy spending of the ,lord's day be not necessary it is lawful2 and therefore when there is so much to be said for the necessity of it too1 to keep it holy is the safest way1 seeing this cannot be a sin1 but the contrary may2 and licence is encouragement enough to accept so great a mercy4 ,all this set together will satisfy a man1 that hath any spiritual sense of the concernments of his own and others' souls4 ,object4 ,but you will say1 ,that besides the name1 it is yet a controversy whether the whole day should be spent in holy exercises1 or only so much as is meet for the public communion1 it being not found in antiquity1 that the churches used any further to observe it4 ,answ4 ,no sober man denieth that works of necessity for the preservation of our own or other men's lives1 or health1 or goods1 may be done on the ,lord's day3 so that when we say1 that the whole day is to be spent holily1 we exclude not eating1 and sleeping1 nor the necessary actions about worship2 as the priests in the temple are said to break the sabbath1 7that is1 the external rest17 and to be blameless4 ,but otherwise1 that it is the whole day1 is evident in the arguments produced3 the ancient histories and canons of the church speak not of one part of the day only1 but the whole3 all confess1 that when labour or sinful sports are forbidden1 it is on the whole day1 and not only on a part4 ,and for what is alleged of the custom of the ancient church1 ,i answer1 #a4 ,the ancientest churches spent almost all the day in public worship and communion3 they begun in the morning1 and continued without parting till the evening4 ,the first part of the day being spent in teaching the catechumens1 they were then dismissed1 and the church continued together in preaching and praying1 but especially in those laudatory1 eucharistical offices1 which accompany the celebration of the sacrament of the body and blood of ,christ4 ,they did not then 7as gluttons do now7 account it fasting to forbear a dinner1 when they supped1 yea1 feasted at night2 it being not usual among the ,romans to eat any dinners at all4 ,and they that spent all the day together in public worship and communion1 you may be sure spent not part of it in dancing1 nor stage-plays1 nor worldly businesses4 #b4 ,and church history giveth us but little account what particular persons did in private1 nor can it be expected4 #c4 ,who hath brought us any proof that ever the church approved of spending any part of the day in sports1 or idleness1 or unnecessary1 worldly business8 or that any churches 7or persons regardable7 did actually so spend it8 #d4 ,unless their proof be from those many canons of our own and other churches1 that command the holy observation of it1 and forbid these plays and labours on it2 which ,i confess doth intimate1 that some there were that needed laws to restrain them from the violation of it4 #e4 ,again ,i say1 that seeing few men will have the face to say that plays and games1 or idleness1 are a duty on that day1 it will suffice a holy1 thankful christian1 if he have but leave to spend all the day for the good of his soul and those about him2 and if he may be reading and meditating on the word of ,god1 and praying and praising him1 and instructing his family1 while others waste that time in vanity2 especially to servants and poor men1 that have but little other leisure all the year1 to seek for knowledge1 or use any such helps for their salvation4 ,as to a poor man that is kept hungry all the week1 a bare liberty of feasting with his landlord on the ,lord's day1 would satisfy him without a law to constrain him to it2 so is it here with a hungry soul4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,remember that the work of the day is1 in general1 to keep up knowledge and religion in the world1 and to own and honour our ,creator1 ,redeemer1 and ,regenerator openly before all2 and to have communion with ,god through ,christ in the ,spirit1 by receiving and exercising his grace1 in order to our communion with him in glory4 ,let these therefore 7well understood7 be your ends1 and in these be you exercised all the day1 and stick not hypocritically in bodily rest and outward duties4 ,remember that it is a day for heart work1 as well as for the exercise of the tongue1 and ear1 and knees2 and that your principal business is with heaven2 follow your hearts therefore all the day1 and see that they be not idle while your bodies are exercised3 nothing is done if the heart do nothing4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,remember that the special work of the day is to celebrate the memorial of ,christ's resurrection1 and of the whole work of man's redemption by him4 ,labour therefore with all diligence in the sense of your natural sin and misery1 to stir up the lively sense of the wonderful love of ,god and our ,redeemer1 and to spend all the day in the special exercises of faith and love4 ,and seeing it is the christian weekly festival1 or day of thanksgiving for the greatest mercy in the world1 spend it as a day of thanksgiving should be spent1 especially in joyful praises of our ,lord2 and let the humbling and instructing exercises of the day1 be all subordinate to these laudatory exercises4 ,i know that much time must be spent in teaching and warning the ignorant and ungodly1 because their poverty and labours hinder them from other such opportunities1 and we must speak to them then or not at all4 ,but if it were not for their mere necessity1 and if we could as well speak to them other days of the week1 the churches should spend all the ,lord's day in such praises and thanksgivings as are suitable to the ends of the institution4 ,but seeing that cannot be expected1 methinks it is desirable that the ancient custom of the churches were more imitated1 and the morning sermon being suited to the state of the more ignorant and unconverted1 that the rest of the day were spent in the exercises of thanksgiving to the joy and encouragement of believers1 and in doctrine suited to their state4 ,and yet ,i must add1 that a skilful preacher will do both together1 and so declare the love and grace of our ,redeemer1 as by a meet application may both draw in the ungodly1 and comfort those that are already sanctified1 and raise their hearts in praise to ,god4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,remember that the ,lord's day is appointed specially for public worship and personal communion of the churches therein3 see therefore that you spend as much of the day as you can in this public worship and church communion2 especially in the celebration of that sacrament which is appointed for the memorial of the death of ,christ until his coming1 #a ,cor4 xi4 #be1 #bf4 ,this sacrament in the primitive church was celebrated every ,lord's day2 yea1 and oftener1 even ordinarily on every other day of the week when the churches assembled for communion4 ,and it might be so now without any hinderance to preaching or prayer1 if all things were ordered as they should be2 for those prayers1 and instructions1 and exhortations which are most suited to this eucharistical action1 would be the most suitable prayers and sermons for the church on the ,lord's days4 ,in the mean time see that so much of the day as is spent in church communion and public worship1 be accordingly improved by you2 and be not at that time about your secret or family services1 but take only those hours for such private duties1 in which the church is not assembled2 and remember how much the love of saints is to be exercised in this communion1 and therefore labour to keep alive that love1 without which no man can celebrate the ,lord's day according to the end of the institution4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,understand how great a mercy it is1 that you have leave thus to wait upon ,god for the receiving and exercise of grace1 and to cast off the distracting thoughts and businesses of the world1 and what an opportunity is put into your hand1 to get more in one day1 than this world can afford you all your lives4 ,and therefore come with gladness as to the receiving of so great a mercy1 and with desire after it1 and with hope to speed1 and not with unwillingness1 as to an unpleasant task1 as carnal hearts that love not ,god1 or his grace or service1 and are weary of all they do1 and glad when it is done1 as the ox that is unyoked4 ,isa4 lviii4 #ac1 #ad1 ,if thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath1 from doing thy pleasure on my holy day1 and call the sabbath a delight1 the holy of the ,lord1 honourable2 and shalt honour him1 not doing thine own ways1 nor finding thine own pleasure1 nor speaking thine own words1 then shalt thou delight thyself in the ,lord4 ,the affection that you have to the ,lord's day1 much showeth the temper of the heart3 a holy person is glad when it cometh1 as loving it for the holy exercises of the day2 a wicked1 carnal heart is glad of it only for his carnal ease1 but weary of the spiritual duties4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,avoid both the extremes of profaneness and superstition in the point of your external rest3 and to that end observe1 #a4 ,that the work is not for the day1 but the day for the holy work2 as ,christ saith1 ,mark ii4 #bg1 ,the sabbath was made for man1 and not man for the sabbath4 ,it is appointed for our good1 and not for our hurt4 #b4 ,the outward rest is not appointed for itself1 but as a means to the freedom of the mind for inward and spiritual employments2 and therefore all those outward and common labours and discourses are unlawful1 which any way distract the mind1 and hinder either our outward or inward attendance upon ,god1 and our edification4 #c4 ,and 7whatever it was to the ,jews7 no common words or actions are unlawful1 which are no hinderance to this communion and worship and spiritual edification4 #d4 ,yea1 those things that are necessary to the support of nature1 and the saving of the life or health1 or estate and goods of ourselves or our neighbours1 are needful duties on that day3 not all those works which are truly charitable1 7for it may be a work of mercy to build hospitals1 or make garments for the poor1 or till their ground17 but such works of mercy as cannot be put off to another day1 and such as hinder not the duties of the day4 #e4 ,the same word or action on the ,lord's day which is unlawful to one man1 may be lawful to another2 as being no hinderance1 yea1 a duty to him3 as ,christ saith1 ,the priests in the temple break or profane the sabbath1 7that is1 the outward rest1 but not the command17 and are blameless1 ,matt4 xii4 #ae4 ,and the cook may lawfully be employed in dressing meat1 when it were a sin in another to do it voluntarily without need4 #f4 ,the ,lord's day being to be kept as a day of thanksgiving1 the dressing of such meat as is fit for a day of thanksgiving is not to be scrupled3 the primitive christians in the apostles' time1 had their love-feasts constantly 7with the ,lord's supper or after7 on the evening of the day2 and they could not feast without dressing meat4 #g4 ,yet that which is lawful in itself1 must be so done as consisteth with care and compassion of the souls of servants that are employed about it1 that they may be deprived of no more of their spiritual benefit than needs4 #h4 ,also that which is lawful must sometimes be forborne1 when it may by scandal tempt others that are loose or weak to do that which is unlawful3 not that the mere displeasing of the erroneous should put us out of the right way1 but the scandal which is spoken against in ,scripture1 is the laying a temptation before men that are weak to make them sin4 #i4 ,take heed of that hypocritical and censorious temper which turneth the holy observation of the day into a ceremonious abstinence from lawful things2 and censureth those as ungodly that are not of the same mind1 and forbear not such things as well as they4 ,mark the difference between ,christ and the ,pharisees in this point3 much of their contention with him was about the outward observation of the sabbath2 because his disciples rubbed out corn to eat on the sabbath day1 and because he healed on the sabbath1 and bid the healed man take up his bed and walk3 and they said1 ,there are six days in which men ought to work2 they might come and be healed on them1 ,luke vi4 #a1 #e1 #f2 xiii4 #ab1 #ad-af2 ,john v4 #ag1 #ah2 ,mark i4 #ba1 #bd2 ii4 #bc-bh2 iii4 #b1 #c1 #e2 vi4 #b1 #e2 ,luke xiv4 #a1 #c1 #e1 #f2 ,john v4 #i1 #aj1 #af2 vii4 #bb-bd2 ix4 #ad1 #af4 ,and a man that is of their spirit will think that the ,pharisees were in the right4 ,no doubt ,christ might have chosen another day to heal on2 but he knew that the works which most declared the power of ,god1 and honoured him before all1 and confirmed the gospel1 were fittest for the sabbath day4 ,take heed therefore of the ,pharisees' ceremoniousness and censoriousness4 ,if you see a man walking abroad on the ,lord's day1 censure him not till you know that he doth it from profaneness or negligence3 you know not but it may be necessary to his health1 and he may improve it in holy meditation8 ,if you hear some speak a word more than you think needful1 of common things1 or do more about meat and clothing than you think meet1 censure them not till you hear their reason4 ,a scrupulousness about such outward observances1 when the holy duties of the day are no whit hindered by that thing2 and a censoriousness towards those that are not as scrupulous1 is too pharisaical and ceremonious a religion for spiritual1 charitable christians4 ,and the extremes of some godly people in this kind1 have occasioned the quakers and seekers to take and use all days alike1 and the profane to contemn the sanctifying of the ,lord's day4 ,tit4 #b4 ,more ,particular ,directions for the ,order of ,holy ,duties4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,remember the ,lord's day before it cometh1 and prepare for it1 and prevent those disturbances that would hinder you1 and deprive you of the benefit4 ,for preparation3 #a4 ,six days you must labour1 and do all that you have to do4 ,despatch all your business1 that you may not have it then to hinder and disturb you2 and see that your servants do the same4 #b4 ,shake off the thoughts of worldly things1 and clear your minds of worldly delights and cares4 #c4 ,call to mind the doctrine taught you the last ,lord's day1 7and if you have servants1 cause them to remember it17 that you may be prepared to receive the next4 #d4 ,go seasonably to bed1 that you and your servants may not be constrained to lie long the next morning1 or be sleepy on the ,lord's day4 #e4 ,let your meditations be preparatory for the day4 ,repent of the sins of the week past as particularly and seriously as you can2 and seek for pardon and peace through ,christ1 that you come not with guilt or trouble upon your consciences before the ,lord4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,let your first thoughts be not only holy1 but suitable to the occasions of the day4 ,with gladness remember what a day of mercies you awake to1 and how early your ,redeemer rose from the dead that day1 and what excellent work you are to be employed in4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,rise full as early that day as you do on other days4 ,be not like the carnal generation1 that sanctify the ,lord's day but as a swine doth1 by sleeping1 and idleness1 and fulness4 ,think not your worldly business more worthy of your early rising1 than your spiritual employment is4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,let your dressing time be spent in some fruitful meditation1 or conference1 or hearing some one read a chapter3 and let it not be long1 to detain you from your duty4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,if you can have leisure1 go first to secret prayer3 and if you are servants1 and have any necessary business to do1 despatch it quickly1 that you may he free for better work4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,let family worship come next1 and not be slubbered over slightly1 but be serious and reverent1 and suit all to the nature or end of the day4 ,especially awaken yourselves and servants to consider what you have to do in public1 and to go with prepared1 sanctified hearts4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,enter the holy assembly with reverence and joy1 and compose yourselves as those that come thither to treat with the living ,god1 about the matters of eternal life4 ,and watch your hearts that they wander not1 nor sleep not1 nor slight the sacred matters which you are about4 ,and guard your eyes1 that they carry not away your hearts2 and let not your hearts be a moment idle1 but seriously employed all the time3 and when hypocrites and distempered christians are quarrelling with the imperfections of the speaker1 or congregation1 or mode of worship1 do you rather make it your diligent endeavour1 to watch your hearts1 and improve what you hear4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,as soon as you come home1 while dinner is preparing1 it will be a seasonable time either for secret prayer or meditation2 to call over what you heard1 and urge it on your hearts1 and beg ,god's help for the improvement of it1 and pardon for your public failings4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,let your time at meat be spent in the cheerful remembrance or mention of the love of your ,redeemer2 or somewhat suitable to the company and the day4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,after dinner call your families together1 and sing a psalm of praise1 and by examination or repetition1 or both1 cause them to remember what was publicly taught them4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,then go again to the congregation 7to the beginning7 and behave yourselves as before4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,when you come home call your families together1 and first crave ,god's assistance and acceptance2 and then sing a psalm of praise2 and then repeat the sermon which you heard2 or if there was none1 read one out of some lively1 profitable book2 and then pray and praise ,god3 and all with the holy seriousness and joy which is suitable to the work and day4 ,direct4 ,,xiii4 ,then while supper is preparing1 betake yourselves to secret prayer and meditation2 either in your chambers or walking1 as you find most profitable3 and let your servants have no more to hinder them from the same privilege1 than what is of necessity4 ,direct4 ,,xiv4 ,at supper spend the time as is aforesaid 7at dinner73 always remembering that though it be a day of thanksgiving1 it is not a day of gluttony1 and that you must not use too full a diet1 lest it make you heavy1 and drowsy1 and unfit for holy duty4 ,direct4 ,,xv4 ,after supper examine your children and servants what they have learnt all day1 and sing a psalm of praise1 and conclude with prayer and thanksgiving4 ,direct4 ,,xvi4 ,if there be time after1 both you and they may in secret review the duties1 and mercies1 and failings of the day1 and recommend yourselves by prayer into the hands of ,god for the night following3 and so betake yourselves to your rest4 ,direct4 ,,xvii4 ,and to shut up all1 let your last thoughts be holy1 in the thankful sense of the mercy you have received1 and the goodness of ,god revealed by our ,mediator1 and comfortably trusting your souls and bodies into his hands1 and longing for your nearer approach unto his glory1 and the beholding and full enjoying of him for ever4 ,i have briefly named this order of duties1 for the memory of those that have opportunity to observe it3 but if any man's place and condition deny him opportunity for some of these1 he must do what he can3 but see1 that carnal negligence cause not his omission4 ,and now ,i appeal to reason1 conscience1 and experience1 whether this employment be not more suitable to the principles1 ends1 and hopes of a christian1 than idleness1 or vain talk1 or cards1 or dice1 or dancing1 or ale-house haunting1 or worldly business or discourse8 ,and whether this would not exceedingly conduce to the increase of knowledge1 holiness1 and honesty8 ,and whether there be ever a worldling or voluptuous sensualist of them all1 that had not rather be found thus at death2 or look back when time is past and gone1 upon the ,lord's day thus spent1 than as the idle1 fleshly1 and ungodly spend them8 #dc ,since the writing of this1 ,i have published a ,treatise of the ,lord's day4 #dd ,mark xvi4 #b1 #i2 ,luke xxiv4 #a4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,directions ,,for ,,profitable ,,hearing ,,the ,,word ,,preached4 ,,omitting those directions which concern the external modes of worship1 7for the reasons mentioned part4 iii4 and known to all that know me and the time and place ,i live in17 ,i shall give you such directions about the personal1 internal management of your duty1 as ,i think most necessary to your edification4 ,and seeing that your duty and benefit lieth in these four general points3 #a4 ,that you hear with understanding4 #b4 ,that you remember what you hear4 #c4 ,that you be duly affected with it4 #d4 ,and that you sincerely practise it3 ,i shall more particularly direct you in order to all these ends and duties4 ,tit4 #a4 ,directions for the ,understanding the ,word which you hear4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,read and meditate on the holy ,scriptures much in private1 and then you will be the better able to understand what is preached on it in public1 and to try the doctrine1 whether it be of ,god4 ,whereas if you are unacquainted with the ,scriptures1 all that is treated of or alleged from them1 will be so strange to you1 that you will be but little edified by it1 ,psal4 i4 #b2 cxix42 ,deut4 vi4 #aa1 #ab4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,live under the clearest1 distinct1 convincing teaching that possibly you can procure4 ,there is an unspeakable difference as to the edification of the hearers1 between a judicious1 clear1 distinct1 and skilful preacher1 and one that is ignorant1 confused1 general1 dry1 and only scrapeth together a cento or mingle-mangle of some undigested sayings to fill up the hour with4 ,if in philosophy1 physics1 grammar1 law1 and every art and science1 there be so great a difference between one teacher and another1 it must needs be so in divinity also4 ,ignorant teachers1 that understand not what they say themselves1 are unlike to make you men of understanding2 as erroneous teachers are unlike to make you orthodox and sound4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,come not to hear with a careless heart1 as if you were to hear a matter that little concerned you1 but come with a sense of the unspeakable weight1 necessity1 and consequence of the holy word which you are to hear3 and when you understand how much you are concerned in it1 and truly love it1 as the word of life1 it will greatly help your understanding of every particular truth4 ,that which a man loveth not1 and perceiveth no necessity of1 he will hear with so little regard and heed1 that it will make no considerable impression on his mind4 ,but a good understanding of the excellency and necessity1 exciting love and serious attention1 would make the particulars easy to be understood2 when else you will be like a stopped or narrow-mouthed bottle1 that keepeth out that which you desire to put in4 ,i know that understanding must go before affections2 but yet the understanding of the concernments and worth of your own souls1 must first procure such a serious care of your salvation1 and a general regard to the word of ,god1 as is needful to your further understanding of the particular instructions1 which you shall after hear4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,suffer not vain thoughts or drowsy negligence to hinder your attention4 ,if you mark not what is taught you1 how should you understand and learn8 ,set yourselves to it1 as for your lives3 be as earnest and diligent in attending and learning1 as you would have the preacher be in teaching4#de ,if a drowsy1 careless preacher be bad1 a drowsy1 careless hearer is not good4 ,saith ,moses1 ,deut4 xxxii4 #df1 #dg1 ,set your hearts to all the words which ,i testify among you this day4--,for it is not a vain thing for you1 because it is your life4 ,you would have ,god attentive to your prayers in your distresses2 and why will you not then be attentive to his words1 when the prayers of him are abominable to ,god1 that turneth away his ear from hearing the law8 ,luke xix4 #dh1 ,all the people were very attentive to hear ,christ4 ,neh4 viii4 #c1 when ,ezra read the law from morning till mid-day1 the ears of all the people were attentive to it4 ,when ,paul continued his ,lord's-day exercise and speech until midnight1 one young man that fell asleep1 did fall down dead as a warning to them that will sleep1 when they should hear the message of ,christ1 ,acts xx4 #i4 ,therefore you are excused that day from worldly business1 that you may attend on the ,lord without distraction1 #a ,cor4 vii4 #ce4 ,lydia's attending to the words of ,paul1 accompanied the opening of her heart and her conversion1 ,acts xvi4 #ad4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,mark especially the design and drift1 and principal doctrine of the sermon4 ,both because that is the chief thing that the preacher would have marked2 and because the understanding of that will much help you to understand all the rest1 which dependeth on it1 and relateth to it4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,mark most those things which are of greatest weight and concernment to your souls4 ,and do not fix upon some little sayings1 and by-discourses1 or witty sentences2 like children that bring home some scraps and words which they do but play with4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,learn first your catechisms at home1 and the great essential points of religion1 contained in the creed1 the ,lord's prayer1 and the ten commandments4 ,and in your hearing1 first labour to get a clearer understanding of these2 and then the lesser branches which grow out of these will be the better understood4 ,you can scarce bestow too much care and pains in learning these great essential points4 ,it is the fruitfullest of all your studies4 ,two things further ,i here advise you to avoid4 #a4 ,the hasty climbing up to smaller points 7which some call higher7 before you have well received these2 and the receiving of those higher points1 independently1 without their due respect1 to these which they depend upon4 #b4 ,the feeding upon dry and barren controversies1 and delighting in the chaff of jingling words1 and impertinent1 unedifying things1 or discourses about formalities and circumstances4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,meditate on what you hear when you come home1 till you better understand it1 ,psal4 i4 #b4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,inquire1 where you doubt1 of those that can resolve and teach you4 ,it showeth a careless mind1 and a contempt of the word of ,god1 in most people and servants1 that never come to ask the resolution of one doubt1 from one week's or year's end to another1 though they have pastors or masters that have ability1 and leisure1 and willingness to help them4 ,when ,christ was alone1 they that were about him with the twelve1 asked him the meaning of his parable1 ,matt4 xiii42 ,mark iv4 #aj4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,read much those holy books which treat best of the doctrine which you would understand4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,pray earnestly for wisdom1 and the illumination of the ,spirit1 ,eph4 i4 #ah2 ,acts xxvi4 #ah2 ,james i4 #e4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,conscionable practising what you know1 is an excellent help to understanding1 ,john xii4 #g1 #ag4 ,tit4 #b4 ,directions for ,remembering what you ,hear4 ,that want of memory1 which cometh from age and decay of nature1 is not to be cured2 nor should any servant of ,christ be over-much troubled at it2 seeing ,christ will no more cast off his servants for that1 than he will for age or any sickness3 but for that want of memory which is curable1 and is a fault1 ,i shall give you these ,directions following4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,it greatly helpeth memory to have a full understanding of the matter spoken which you would remember4 ,and ignorance is one of the greatest hinderances to memory4 ,common experience telleth you this1 how easily you can remember any discourse which you thoroughly understand 7for your very knowledge by invention will revive your memory72 and how hard it is to remember any words which are insignificant1 or which we understand not4 ,therefore labour most for a clear understanding according to the last directions4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,a deep1 awakened affection is a very powerful help to memory4 ,we easily remember any thing which our estates or lives lie on1 when trifles are neglected and soon forgotten4 ,therefore labour to get all to your hearts1 according to the next following directions4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,method is a very great help to memory4 ,therefore be acquainted with the preacher's method2 and then you are put into a path or tract1 which you cannot easily go out of4 ,and therefore it is1 that ministers must not only be methodical1 and avoid prolix1 confused1 and involved discourses1 and that malicious pride of hiding their method1 but must be as oft in the use of the same method1 as the subject will bear1 and choose that method which is most easy to the hearers to understand and remember1 and labour to make them perceive your tract4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,numbers are a great help to memory4 ,as if the reasons1 the uses1 the motives1 the signs1 the directions1 be six1 or seven1 or eight2 when you know just the number1 it helpeth you much to remember1 which was the first1 second1 third1 c4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,names also and signal words are a great help to memory4 ,he may remember one word1 that cannot remember all the sentence2 and that one word may help him to remember much of the rest4 ,therefore preachers should contrive the force of every reason1 use1 direction1 c4 as much as may be1 into some one emphatical word4 7,and some do very profitably contrive each of those words to begin with the same letter1 which is good for memory1 so it be not too much strained1 and put them not upon greater inconveniences47 ,as if ,i were to direct you to the chiefest helps to your salvation1 and should name1 #a4 ,powerful preaching4 #b4 ,prayer4 #c4 ,prudence4 #d4 ,piety4 #e4 ,painfulness4 #f4 ,patience4 #g4 ,perseverance4 ,though ,i opened every one of these at large1 the very names would help the hearers' memory4 ,it is this that maketh ministers1 that care more for their people's souls1 than the pleasing of curious ears1 to go in the common road of doctrine1 reasons1 uses1 motives1 helps1 c4 and to give their uses the same titles of information1 reproof1 exhortation1 c4 ,and yet when the subject shall direct us to some other method1 the hearers must not be offended with us3 for one method will not serve exactly for every subject1 and we must be loth to wrong the text or matter4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,it is a great help to memory1 often in the time of hearing to call over and repeat to yourselves the names or heads that have been spoken4 ,the mind of man can do two things at once3 you may both hear what is said1 and recall and repeat to yourselves what is past3 not to stand long upon it1 but oft and quickly to name over1 e4g4 ,the reasons1 uses1 motives1 c4 ,to me1 this hath been 7next to understanding and affection7 the greatest help of any that ,i have used2 for otherwise to hear a head but once1 and think of it no more till the sermon is done1 would never serve my turn to keep it4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,grasp not at more than you are able to hold1 lest thereby you lose all4 ,if there be more particulars than you can possibly remember1 lay hold on some which most concern you1 and let go the rest2 perhaps another may rather take up those1 which you leave behind4 ,yet say not that it is the preacher's fault to name more than you can carry away3 for1 #a4 ,then he must leave out his enlargement much more1 and the most of his sermon2 for it is like you leave the most behind4 #b4 ,another may remember more than you4 #c4 ,all is not lost when the words are forgotten3 for it may breed a habit of understanding1 and promote resolution1 affection1 and practice4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,writing is an easy help for memory1 to those that can use it4 ,some question whether they should use it1 because it hindereth their affection4 ,but that must be differently determined according to the difference of subjects1 and of hearers4 ,some sermons are all to work upon the affections at present1 and the present advantage is to be preferred before the after perusal3 but some must more profit us in after digestion and review4 ,and some hearers can write much with ease1 and little hinder their affection2 and some write so little and are hindered so much1 that it recompenseth not their loss4 ,some know so fully all that is said1 that they need no notes2 and some that are ignorant need them for perusal4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,peruse what you remember1 or write down1 when you come home3 and fix it speedily before it is lost2 and hear others that can repeat it better4 ,pray it over1 and confer of it with others4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,if you forget the very words1 yet remember the main drift of all2 and get those resolutions and affections which they drive at4 ,and then you have not lost the sermon1 though you have lost the words2 as he hath not lost his food1 that hath digested it1 and turned it into flesh and blood4 ,tit4 #c4 ,directions for holy ,resolutions and ,affections in ,hearing4 ,the understanding and memory are but the passage to the heart1 and the practice is but the expression of the heart3 therefore how to work upon the heart is the principal business4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,live under the most convincing1 lively1 serious preacher that possibly you can4 ,it is a matter of great concernment to all1 but especially to dull and senseless hearts4 ,hearken not to that earthly generation1 that tell you1 because ,god can bless the weakest1 and because it is your own fault if you profit not by the weakest2 that therefore you should make no difference1 but sit down under an ignorant1 dumb1 or senseless man4 ,try first whether they had as willingly have a bad servant1 or a bad physician1 as a good one1 because ,god can bless the labours of the weakest8 ,try whether they would not have their children duly reproved or corrected1 because it is their own faults that they need it8 and whether they would not take physic after a surfeit1 though it be their own fault that made them sick8 ,it is true1 that all our sin is our own fault2 but the question is1 ,what is the most effectual cure8 ,what man that is alive and awake1 doth not feel a very great difference between a dead and a lively preacher8 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,remember that ministers are the messengers of ,christ1 and come to you on his business and in his name4 ,hear them therefore as his officers1 and as men that have more to do with ,god himself1 than with the speaker4#df ,it is the phrase of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,heb4 iv4 #ac1 ,all things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do4 ,it is ,god with whom you have to do1 and therefore accordingly behave yourselves4 ,see ,luke x4 #af2 #a ,thess4 iv4 #h2 #a ,cor4 iv4 #a4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,remember that this ,god is instructing you1 and warning you1 and treating with you1 about no less than the saving of your souls4 ,come therefore to hear as for your salvation4 ,can that heart be dull that well considereth1 that it is heaven and hell that is the matter that ,god is treating with him about8 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,remember that you have but a little time to hear in2 and you know not whether ever you shall hear again4 ,hear therefore as if it were your last4 ,think when you hear the calls of ,god1 and the offers of grace1 ,i know not but this may be my last3 how would ,i hear if ,i were sure to die tomorrow8 ,i am sure it will be ere long1 and may be to-day for aught ,i know4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,remember that all these days and sermons must be reviewed1 and you must answer for all that you have heard1 whether you heard it with love1 or with unwillingness and weariness1 with diligent attention or with carelessness2 and the word which you hear shall judge you at the last day4 ,hear therefore as those that are going to judgment to give account of their hearing and obeying1 ,john xii4 #dh4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,make it your work with diligence to apply the word as you are hearing it1 and to work your own hearts to those suitable resolutions and affections which it bespeaketh4 ,cast not all upon the minister1 as those that will go no further than they are carried as by force3 this is fitter for the dead than for the living4 ,you have work to do as well as the preacher1 and should all the while be as busy as he3 as helpless as the infant is1 he must suck when the mother offereth him the breast2 if you must be fed1 yet you must open your mouths1 and digest it1 for another cannot digest it for you2 nor can the holiest1 wisest1 powerful minister1 convert or save you without yourselves1 nor deliver a people from sin and hell1 that will not stir for their own deliverance4 ,therefore be all the while at work1 and abhor an idle heart in hearing1 as well as an idle minister4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,chew the cud1 and call up all when you come home in secret1 and by meditation preach it over to yourselves4 ,if it were coldly delivered by the preacher1 do you consider of the great weight of the matter1 and preach it more earnestly over to your own hearts4 ,you should love yourselves best1 and best be acquainted with your own condition and necessities4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,pray it over all to ,god1 and there lament a stupid heart1 and put up your complaints to ,heaven against it4 ,the name and presence of ,god hath a quickening and awaking power4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,go to ,christ by faith1 for the quickening of his ,spirit4 ,your life is hid in him1 your ,root and ,head2 and from him all must be conveyed3 he that hath the ,son hath life2 and because he liveth1 we shall live also4 ,entreat him to glorify the power of his resurrection1 by raising the dead2 and to open your hearts1 and speak to you by his ,spirit1 that you may be taught of ,god1 and your hearts may be his epistles1 and the tables where the everlasting law is written1 ,col4 iii4 #c1 #d2 ,john xv4 #a-e2 xi4 #be2 xiv4 #ai2 ,phil4 iii4 #g1 #h2 ,acts xvi4 #ad2 ,john vi4 #de2 #b ,cor4 iii4 #c1 #f1 #ag1 #ah2 ,heb4 viii4 #aj2 x4 #af2 ,jer4 xxxi4 #cc4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,make conscience of teaching and provoking others4 ,pity the souls of the ignorant about you4 ,god often blesseth the grace that is most improved in doing him service2 and our stock is like the woman's oil1 which increased as long as she poured out1 and was gone when she stopped1 #a ,kings xvii4 #ab1 #ad1 #af4 ,doing good is the best way for receiving good3 he that in pity to a poor man that is almost starved1 will but fall to rubbing him1 shall get himself heat1 and both be gainers4 ,tit4 #d4 ,directions to bring what we hear into ,practice4 ,without this the rest is vain or counterfeit1 and therefore somewhat must be said to this4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,be acquainted with the failings of your hearts and lives1 and come on purpose to get directions and help against those particular failings4 ,you will not know what medicine you need1 much less how to use it1 if you know not what aileth you4 ,know what duties you omit or carelessly perform1 and know what sins you are most guilty of1 and say when you go out of doors1 ,i go to ,christ for physic for my own disease4 ,i hope to hear something before ,i come back1 which may help me more against this sin1 and fit me better for my duty1 or provoke me more effectually4 ,are those men like to practise ,christ's directions1 that either know not their disease1 or love it and would not have it cured8 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,the three forementioned are still presupposed1 viz4 ,that the word have first done its part upon your understandings1 memory1 and hearts4 ,for that word cannot be practised1 which is not understood1 nor at all remembered1 nor hath procured resolutions and affections4 ,it is the due work upon the heart that must prevail for the reformation of the life4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,when you understand what it is in point of practice that the preacher driveth at1 observe especially the uses and the moving reasons1 and plead them with your own hearts2 and let conscience be preaching over all that the minister preacheth to you4 ,you take them to be soul-murderers1 that silence able1 faithful preachers1 and also those preachers that silence themselves1 and feed not the flock committed to their care2 and do you think it a small matter to silence your own conscience1 which must be the preacher that must set home all1 before it can come to resolution or practice8 ,keep conscience all the while at work1 preaching over all that to your hearts1 which you hear with your ears2 and urge yourselves to a speedy resolution4 ,remember that the whole body of divinity is practical in its end and tendency1 and therefore be not a mere notional hearer2 but consider of every word you hear1 what practice it is that it tendeth to1 and place that deepest in your memory4 ,if you forget all the words of the reasons and motives which you hear1 be sure to remember what practice they were brought to urge you to4 ,as if you heard a sermon against uncharitableness1 censoriousness1 or hurting others1 though you should forget all the reasons and motives in particular1 yet still remember that you were convinced in the hearing1 that censorious and hurtful uncharitableness is a great sin1 and that you heard reason enough to make you resolve it4 ,and let conscience preach out the sermon to the end1 and not let it die in bare conviction2 but resolve1 and be past wavering1 before you stir3 and above all the sermon1 remember the directions and helps for practice1 with which the truest method usually shuts up the sermon4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,when you come home1 let conscience in secret also repeat the sermon to you4 ,between ,god and yourselves1 consider what there was delivered to you in the ,lord's message1 that your souls were most concerned in8 what sin reproved which you are guilty of8 what duty pressed which you omit8 ,and there meditate seriously on the weight and reasons of the thing2 and resist not the light1 but yet bring all to a fixed resolution1 if till then you were unresolved3 not insnaring yourselves with dangerous vows about things doubtful1 or peremptory vows without dependence on ,christ for strength2 but firmly resolving and cautelously engaging yourselves to duty2 not with carnal evasions and reserves1 but with humble dependence upon grace1 without which of yourselves you are able to do nothing4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,hear the most practical preachers you can well get4 ,not those that have the finest notions1 or the cleanest style1 or neatest words2 but those that are still urging you to holiness of heart and life1 and driving home every truth to practice3 not that false doctrine will at all bear up a holy life1 but true doctrine must not be left in the porch1 or at the doors1 but be brought home and used to its proper end1 and seated in the heart1 and placed as the poise upon the clock1 where it may set all the wheels in motion4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,take heed especially of two sorts of false teachers2 antinomian libertines1 and autonomian ,pharisees4 ,the first would build their sins on ,christ2 not pleading for sin itself1 but taking down many of the chief helps against it1 and disarming us of the weapons by which it should be destroyed1 and reproaching the true preachers of obedience as legalists1 that preach up works and call men to doing1 when they preach up obedience to ,christ their ,king1 upon the terms and by the motives which are used by ,christ himself1 and his apostles4 ,not understanding aright the true doctrine of faith in ,christ1 and justification1 and free grace1 7which they think none else understand but they17 they pervert it and make it an enemy to the kingly office of ,christ1 and to sanctification1 and the necessary duties of obedience4 ,the other sort do make void the commandments of ,god by their traditions1 and instead of the holy practice of the laws of ,christ1 they would drive the world with fire and sword to practise all their superstitious fopperies2 so that the few plain and necessary precepts of the law of the universal ,king1 are drowned in the greater body of their canon law2 and the ceremonies of the pope's imposing are so many in comparison of the institutions of ,christ1 that the worship of ,god1 and work of christianity1 is corrupted by it1 and made as another thing4 ,the wheat is lost in a heap of chaff1 by them that will be lawgivers to themselves1 and all the church of ,christ4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,associate yourselves with the most holy1 serious1 practical christians4 ,not with the ungodly1 nor with barren opinionists1 that talk of nothing but their controversies1 and the way or interest of their sects1 7which they call the church17 nor with outside1 formal1 ceremonious ,pharisees1 that are pleading for the washing of cups1 and tithing of mint1 and the tradition of their fathers1 while they hate and persecute ,christ and his disciples3 but walk with the most holy1 and blameless1 and charitable1 that live upon that truth which others talk of1 and are seeking to please ,god by the wisdom which is first pure1 and then peaceable and gentle1 ,james iii4 #ag1 #ah1 when others are contending for their several sects1 or seeking to please ,christ1 by killing him1 or censuring him1 or slandering him in his servants1 ,john xvi4 #b1 #c2 ,matt4 xxv4 #dj1 #de4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,keep a just account of your practice2 examine yourselves in the end of every day and week1 how you have spent your time1 and practised what you were taught2 and judge yourselves before ,god according as you find it4 ,yea1 you must call yourselves to account every hour1 what you are doing1 and how you do it2 whether you are upon ,god's work1 or not3 and your hearts must be watched and followed like unfaithful servants1 and like loitering scholars1 and driven on to every duty1 like a dull or tired horse4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,above all set your hearts to the deepest contemplations of the wonderful love of ,god in ,christ1 and the sweetness and excellency of a holy life1 and the certain incomprehensible glory which it tendeth to1 that your souls may be in love with your dear ,redeemer1 and all that is holy1 and love and obedience may be as natural to you4 ,and then the practice of holy doctrine will be easy to you1 when it is your delight4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,take heed that you receive not ungrounded or unnecessary prejudices against the person of the preacher4 ,for that will turn away your heart1 and lock it up against his doctrine4 ,and therefore abhor the spirit of uncharitableness1 cruelty1 and faction1 which always bendeth to the suppressing1 or vilifying and disgracing all those1 that are not of their way and for their interest2 and be not so blind as not to observe1 that the very design of the devil1 in raising up divisions among christians1 is1 that he may use the tongues or hands of one another to vilify them all1 and make them odious to one another1 and to disable one another from hindering his kingdom and doing any considerable service to ,christ4 ,so that when a minister of ,christ should be winning souls1 either he is forbidden1 or he is despised1 and the hearers are saying1 ,o1 he is such or such a one1 according to the names of reproach which the enemy of ,christ and love hath taught them4 #de ,prov4 iv4 #a1 #bj2 v4 #a2 vii4 #bd2 ,neh4 i4 #f1 #aa2 ,psal4 cxxx4 #b2 ,prov4 xxviii4 #i4 #df #b ,cor4 vi4 #a4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,directions ,,for ,,profitable ,,reading ,,the ,,holy ,,scriptures4 ,,seeing the diversity of men's tempers and understandings is so exceedingly great1 that it is impossible that any thing should be pleasing and suitable to some1 which shall not be disliked and quarrelled with by others2 and seeing in the ,scriptures there are many things hard to be understood1 which the unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction1 #b ,pet4 iii4 #af2 and the word is to some the savour of death unto death1 #b ,cor4 ii4 #af42dg you have therefore need to be careful in reading it4 ,and as ,christ saith1 ,take heed how you hear1 ,luke viii4 #ah2 so ,i say1 ,take heed how you read4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,bring not an evil heart of unbelief4 ,open the ,bible with holy reverence as the book of ,god1 indited by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,remember that the doctrine of the ,new ,testament was revealed by the ,son of ,god1 who was purposely sent from heaven to be the light of the world1 and to make known to men the will of ,god1 and the matters of their salvation4#dh ,bethink you well1 if ,god should but send a book or letter to you by an angel1 how reverently you would receive it6 ,how carefully you would peruse it2 and regard it above all the books in the world6 ,and how much rather should you do so1 by that book which is indited by the ,holy ,ghost1 and recordeth the doctrine of ,christ himself1 whose authority is greater than all the angels6 ,read it not therefore as a common book1 with a common and unreverent heart2 but in the dread and love of ,god the author4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,remember that it is the very law of ,god which you must live by1 and be judged by at last4 ,and therefore read with a full resolution to obey whatever it commandeth1 though flesh1 and men1 and devils contradict it4 ,let there be no secret exceptions in your heart1 to balk out any of its precepts1 and shift off that part of obedience which the flesh accounteth difficult or dear4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,remember that it is the will and testament of your ,lord1 and the covenant of most full and gracious promises2 which all your comforts1 and all your hopes of pardon and everlasting life1 are built upon4 ,read it therefore with love and great delight4 ,value it a thousandfold more than you would do the letters of your dearest friend1 or the deeds by which you hold your lands1 or any thing else of low concernment4 ,if the law was sweeter to ,david than honey1 and better than thousands of gold and silver1 and was his delight and meditation all the day1 oh what should the sweet and precious gospel be to us6 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,remember that it is a doctrine of unseen things1 and of the greatest mysteries2 and therefore come not to it with arrogance as a judge1 but with humility as a learner or disciple2 and if any thing seem difficult or improbable to you1 suspect your own unfurnished understanding1 and not the sacred word of ,god4 ,if a learner in any art or science1 will suspect his teacher and his books1 whenever he is stalled1 or meeteth with that which seemeth unlikely to him1 his pride would keep possession for his ignorance1 and his folly were like to be uncurable4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,remember that it is a universal law and doctrine1 written for the most ignorant as well as for the curious2 and therefore must be suited in plainness to the capacity of the simple1 and yet have matter to exercise the most subtle wits2 and that ,god would have the style to savour more of the innocent weakness of the instruments1 than the matter4 ,therefore be not offended or troubled when the style doth seem less polite than you might think beseemed the ,holy ,ghost2 nor at the plainness of some parts1 or the mysteriousness of others2 but adore the wisdom and tender condescension of ,god to his poor creatures4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,bring not a carnal mind1 which savoureth only fleshly things1 and is enslaved to those sins which the ,scripture doth condemn3 ,for the carnal mind is enmity against ,god1 and neither is nor can be subject to his law1 ,rom4 viii4 #g1 #h4 ,and the things of ,god are not discerned by the mere natural man1 for they are foolishness to him1 and they must be spiritually discerned1 #b ,cor4 ii4 #ad3 and enmity is an ill expositor4 ,it will be quarrelling with all1 and making faults in the word which findeth so many faults in you4 ,it will hate that word which cometh to deprive you of your most sweet and dearly beloved sin4 ,or1 if you have such a carnal mind and enmity1 believe it not1 any more than a partial and wicked enemy should be believed against ,god himself2 who better understandeth what he hath written1 than any of his foolish enemies4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,compare one place of ,scripture with another1 and expound the darkest by the help of the plainest1 and the fewer expressions by the more frequent and ordinary1 and the doubtfuler points by those which are most certain2 and not on the contrary4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,presume not on the strength of your own understanding1 but humbly pray to ,god for light2 and before and after you read the ,scripture1 pray earnestly that the ,spirit which did indite it1 may expound it to you1 and keep you from unbelief and error1 and lead you into the truth4#di ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,read some of the best annotations or expositors2 who being better acquainted with the phrase of the ,scripture than yourselves1 may help to clear your understanding4 ,when ,philip asked the eunuch that read ,isa4 liii4 ,understandest thou what thou readest8 he said1 ,how can ,i except some man should guide me8 ,acts viii4 #cj1 #ca4 ,make use of your guides1 if you would not err4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,when you are stalled by any difficulty which over-matcheth you1 note it down1 and propound it to your pastor1 and crave his help1 or 7if the minister of that place be ignorant and unable7 go to some one that ,god hath furnished for such work4 ,and if1 after all1 some things remain still dark and difficult1 remember your imperfection1 and wait on ,god for further light1 and thankfully make use of all the rest of the ,scripture which is plain4 ,and do not think as the papists1 that men must forbear reading it for fear of erring1 no more than that men must forbear eating for fear of poison1 or than subjects must be kept ignorant of the laws of the king1 for fear of misunderstanding or abusing them4 #dg ,mark iv4 #bd4 #dh ,read chap4 iii4 direct4 i4 ,and against unbelief1 part4 i4 #di #a ,cor4 ii4 #aj1 #ab2 xii4 #h-aj4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,directions ,,for ,,reading ,,other ,,books4 ,,because ,god hath made the excellent1 holy writings of his servants1 the singular blessing of this land and age2 and many a one may have a good book1 even any day or hour of the week1 that cannot at all have a good preacher2#ej ,i advise all ,god's servants to be thankful for so great a mercy1 and to make use of it1 and be much in reading3 for reading1 with most1 doth more conduce to knowledge than hearing doth1 because you may choose what subjects and the excellentest treatises you please2 and may be often at it1 and may peruse again and again what you forget1 and may take time as you go to fix it on your mind3 and with very many it doth more than hearing also to move the heart1 though hearing of itself in this hath the advantage2 because lively books may be easilier had than lively preachers4 ,especially these sorts of men should be much in reading3 #a4 ,masters of families1 that have more souls to care for than their own4 #b4 ,people that live where there is no preaching1 or as bad or worse than none4 #c4 ,poor people1 and servants1 and children1 that are forced on many ,lord's days to stay at home1 whilst others have the opportunity to hear4 #d4 ,and vacant persons that have more leisure than others have4 ,to all these1 but especially masters of families1 ,i shall here give a few directions4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,i presuppose that you keep the devil's books out of your hands and house4 ,i mean cards1 and idle tales1 and play-books1 and romances or love-books1 and false1 bewitching stories1 and the seducing books of all false teachers1 and the railing or scorning books which the men of several sects and factions write against each other1 on purpose to teach men to hate one another1 and banish love3 for where these are suffered to corrupt the mind1 all grave and useful writings are forestalled2 and it is a wonder to see how powerfully these poison the minds of children1 and many other empty heads4 ,also books that are written by the sons of ,korah1 to breed distastes and discontents in the minds of the people against their governors1 both magistrates and ministers4 ,for there is something in the best rulers1 for the tongues of seditious men to fasten on1 and to aggravate in the people's ears2 and there is something even in godly people1 which tempteth them too easily to take fire and be distempered before they are aware2 and they foresee not the evil to which it tendeth4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,when you read to your family1 or others1 let it be seasonably and gravely1 when silence and attendance encourage you to expect success2 and not when children are crying or talking1 or servants bustling to disturb you4 ,distraction is worst in the greatest businesses4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,choose such hooks as are most suitable to your state1 or to those you read to4#ea ,it is worse than unprofitable to read books for comforting troubled minds1 to those that are blockishly secure1 and have hardened1 obstinate1 unhumbled hearts4 ,it is as bad as to give medicines or plasters contrary to the patient's need1 and such as cherish the disease4 ,so is it to read books of too high a style or subject1 to dull and ignorant hearers4 ,we use to say1 ,that which is one man's meat1 is another man's poison4 ,it is not enough that the matter be good1 but it must be agreeable to the case for which it is used4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,to a common family begin with those books1 which at once inform the judgment about the fundamentals1 and awaken the affections to entertain them and improve them4 ,such as are treatises of regeneration1 conversion1 or repentance3 to which purpose ,i have written myself1 ,the ,call to the ,unconverted2--,the ,treatise of ,conversion2--,directions for a ,sound ,conversion2--,a ,treatise of ,judgment2--,a ,sermon against making ,light of ,christ2--,true ,christianity2--,a ,sermon of ,repentance2--,now or ,never2--,a ,saint or a ,brute2 with others2 which ,i mention1 not as equalling them with others1 but as those which ,i am more accountable for4 ,on this subject these are very excellent3 ,mr4 ,r4 ,allen's ,works2--,mr4 ,whateley on the ,new ,birth2--,mr4 ,swinnock of ,regeneration2--,mr4 ,pinks's five ,sermons2--most of ,mr4 ,hooker's ,sermons2--,mr4 ,j4 ,rogers's ,doctrine of ,faith2--,mr4 ,dent's ,plain ,man's ,pathway to ,heaven2--most of ,mr4 ,perkins's and ,mr4 ,bolton's ,works1 and many the like4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,next these1 read over those books which are most suited to the state of young christians for their growth in grace1 and for their exercise of faith1 and love1 and obedience1 and for the mortifying of selfishness1 pride1 sensuality1 worldliness1 and other the most dangerous sins4 ,my own on this subject are1 my ,directions for ,weak ,christians2--my ,saints' ,rest2--,a ,treatise of ,self-denial2--another of ,the ,mischiefs of ,self-ignorance2--,life of ,faith2--,of ,crucifying the ,world2--,the ,unreasonableness of ,infidelity2--,of ,right ,rejoicing1 c4 ,to this use these are excellent3 ,mr4 ,hildersham's ,works2--,dr4 ,preston's2--,mr4 ,perkins's2--,mr4 ,bolton's--,mr4 ,fenner's2--,mr4 ,gurnall's2--,mr4 ,anthony ,burgess's ,sermons2--,mr4 ,lockier on the ,colossians2 with abundance more that ,god hath blessed us with4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,at the same time labour to methodize your knowledge2 and to that end read first and learn some short catechism1 and then some larger 7as ,mr4 ,ball's1 or the ,assembly's1 larger72 and next some body of divinity 7as ,amesius's ,marrow of ,divinity and ,cases of ,conscience1 which are ,englished74 ,and let the catechism be kept in memory while you live1 and the rest be thoroughly understood4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,next read 7to yourselves or families7 the larger expositions of the ,creed1 ,lord's ,prayer1 and ,ten ,commandments2 such as ,perkins1 ,bishop ,andrews on the ,commandments1 and ,dod1 c42 that your understanding may be more full1 particular1 and distinct1 and your families may not stop in generals1 which are not understood4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,read much those books which direct you in a course of daily communion with ,god1 and ordering all your conversations4 ,as ,mr4 ,reyner's ,directions2--,the ,practice of ,piety2--,mr4 ,palmer's2 ,mr4 ,scudder's2--,mr4 ,bolton's ,directions2--and my ,divine ,life4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,for peace1 and comfort1 and increase of the love of ,god1 read ,mr4 ,symmond's ,deserted ,soul1 c42--and his ,life of ,faith2--all ,dr4 ,sibbs's ,works2--,mr4 ,harsnet's ,cordials2--,bishop ,hall's ,works1 c43--my ,method for ,peace1 and ,saints' ,rest1 c4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,for the understanding of the text of ,scripture1 keep at hand either ,deodate's1 or the ,assembly of ,divines1 or the ,dutch ,annotations2 with ,dr4 ,hammond's1 or ,dickson's and ,hutchinson's ,brief ,observations4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,for securing you against the fever of uncharitable zeal and schism1 and contentious wranglings and cruelties for religion's sake1 read diligently ,bishop ,hall's ,peacemaker 7and other of his books72--,mr4 ,burrough's ,irenicon2--,acontius's ,stratagems of ,satan2--and my ,catholic ,unity2--,catholic ,church2--,universal ,concord1 c4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,for establishing you against popery1 on the soundest grounds1 not running in the contrary extreme1 read ,dr4 ,challoner's ,credo ,ecclesiam1 c42--,chillingworth2--,dr4 ,field of the ,church1 c42--and my ,true ,catholic2--and my ,key for ,catholics2--and my ,safe ,religion2--and ,windingsheet for ,popery2--and ,disputation with ,mr4 ,johnson4 ,direct4 ,,xiii4 ,for especial preparation for affliction1 sufferings1 sickness1 death1 read ,mr4 ,hughes's ,rod2--,mr4 ,lawrence's ,christ's ,power over ,sicknesses2--,mr4 ,s4 ,rutherford's ,letters1 c42--my ,treatise of ,self-denial2--the ,believer's ,last ,work2--the ,last ,enemy ,death2--and the ,fourth ,part of my ,saints' ,rest4 ,i will add no more1 lest they seem too many4 #ej ,xenophon primus omnium quae dicebantur1 notis excepta in publicium edidit4 ,laert4 in ,xenoph4 #ea ,saith ,aristippus1 7in ,laert47 ,as they are not the health-fullest that eat most1 so are they not the learnedest that read most1 but they that read that which is most necessary and profitable4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,directions ,,for ,,the ,,right ,,teaching ,,of ,,children ,,and ,,servants1 ,,so ,,as ,,may ,,be ,,most ,,likely ,,to ,,have ,,success4 ,i ,,here suppose them utterly untaught that you have to do with2 and therefore shall direct you what to do1 from the very first beginning of your teaching1 and their learning4 ,and ,i beseech you study this chapter more than many of the rest2 for it is an unspeakable loss that befalls the church1 and the souls of men1 for want of skill1 and will1 and diligence1 in parents and masters in this matter4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,cause your younger children to learn the words1 though they be not yet capable of understanding the matter4 ,and do not think as some do1 that this is but to make them hypocrites1 and to teach them to take ,god's name in vain3 for it is neither vanity nor hypocrisy to help them first to understand the words and signs1 in order to their early understanding of the matter and signification4 ,otherwise no man might teach them any language1 nor teach them to read any words that be good1 because they must first understand the words before the meaning4 ,if a child learn to read in a ,bible1 it is not taking ,god's name or word in vain1 though he understand it not2 for it is in order to his learning to understand it2 and it is not vain which is to so good a use3 if you leave them untaught till they come to be twenty years of age1 they must then learn the words before they can understand the matter4 ,do not therefore leave them the children of darkness1 for fear of making them hypocrites4 ,it will be an excellent way to redeem their time1 to teach them first that which they are capable of learning3 a child of five or six years old can learn the words of a catechism or ,scripture1 before they are capable of understanding them4 ,and then when they come to years of understanding1 that part of their work is done1 and they have nothing to do but to study the meaning and use of those words which they have learned already4 ,whereas if you leave them utterly untaught till then1 they must then be wasting a long time to learn the same words which they might have learned before2 and the loss of so much time is no small loss or sin4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,the most natural way of teaching children the meaning of ,god's word1 and the matters of their salvation1 is by familiar talk with them suited to their capacities3 begin this betimes with them while they are on their mother's laps1 and use it frequently4 ,for they are quickly capable of some understanding about greater matters as well as about less2 and knowledge must come in by slow degrees3 stay not till their minds are prepossessed with vanity and toys1 ,prov4 xxii4 #f4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,by all means let your children learn to read1 though you be never so poor1 whatever shift you make4 ,and if you have servants that cannot read1 let them learn yet1 7at spare hours17 if they be of any capacity and willingness4 ,for it is a very great mercy to be able to read the holy ,scripture1 and any good books themselves1 and a very great misery to know nothing but what they hear from others4 ,they may read almost at any time1 when they cannot hear4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,let your children when they are little ones read much the history of the ,scriptures4 ,for though this1 of itself1 is not sufficient to breed in them any saving knowledge1 yet it enticeth them to delight in reading the ,bible1 and then they will be often at it when they love it2 so that all these benefits will follow4 #a4 ,it will make them love the book 7though it be but with a common love74 #b4 ,it will make them spend their time in it1 when else they would rather be at play4 #c4 ,it will acquaint them with ,scripture history1 which will afterwards be very useful to them4 #d4 ,it will lead them up by degrees to the knowledge of the doctrine1 which is all along interwoven with the history4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,take heed that you turn not all your family instructions into a customary1 formal course1 by bare readings and repeating sermons from day to day1 without familiar personal application4 ,for it is ordinarily seen that they will grow as sleepy1 and senseless1 and customary1 under such a dull and distant course of duty1 7though the matter be good17 almost as if you had said nothing to them4 ,your business therefore must be to get within them1 and awaken their consciences to know that the matter doth most nearly concern them1 and to force them to make application of it to themselves4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,let none affect a formal1 preaching way to their families1 except they be preachers themselves1 or men that are able for the ministry3 but rather spend the time in reading to them the powerfullest books1 and speaking to them more familiarly about the state and matters of their souls4 ,not that ,i think it unlawful for a man to preach to his family1 in the same method that a minister doth to his people2 for no doubt he may teach them in the profitablest manner he can2 and that which is the best method for a set speech in the pulpit1 is usually the best method in a family4 ,but my reasons against this preaching way ordinarily1 are these3--#a4 ,because it is very few masters of families that are able for it 7even among them that think they are72 and then they ignorantly abuse the ,scripture1 so as tends much to ,god's dishonour4 #b4 ,because there is scarce any of them all1 but may read at the same time1 such lively1 profitable books to their families1 as handle those things which they have most need to hear of1 in a far more edifying manner than they themselves are able 7except they be so poor that they can get no such books74 #c4 ,because the familiar way is most edifying2 and to talk seriously with children and servants about the great concernments of their souls1 doth commonly more move them than sermons or set speeches4 ,yet because there is a season for both1 you may sometimes read some powerful book to them1 and sometimes talk familiarly to them4 #d4 ,because it often comes from pride1 when men put their speech into a preaching method to show their parts1 and as often nourisheth pride4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,let the manner of your teaching them be very often interlocutory1 or by way of questions4 ,though when you have so many or such persons present1 as that such familiarity is not seasonable1 then reading1 repeating1 or set speeches may do best2 but at other times1 when the number or quality of the company hindereth not1 you will find that questions and familiar discourse are best4 ,for1 #a4 ,it keepeth them awake and attentive1 when they know they must make some answer to your questions2 which set speeches1 with the dull and sluggish1 will hardly do4 #b4 ,and it mightily helpeth them in the application2 so that they much more easily take it home1 and perceive themselves concerned in it4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,yet prudently take heed that you speak nothing to any in the presence of others1 that tends to open their ignorance or sin1 or the secrets of their hearts1 or that any way tendeth to shame them 7except in the necessary reproof of the obstinate74 ,if it be their common ignorance that will be opened by questioning them1 you may do it before your servants or children themselves1 that are familiar with each other1 but not when any strangers are present4 ,but if it be about the secret state of their souls that you examine them1 you must do it singly1 when the person is alone4 ,lest shaming and troubling them make them hate instruction1 and deprive them of all the benefit of it4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,when you come to teach them the doctrine of religion1 begin with the baptismal covenant1 as the sum of all that is essential to christianity2 and here teach them briefly all the substance of this at once4 ,for though such general knowledge will be obscure1 and not distinct and satisfactory1 yet it is necessary at first2 because they must see truths set together3 for they will understand nothing truly1 if they understand it but independently by broken parts4 ,therefore open to them the sum of the covenant or christian religion all at once1 though you say but little at first of the several parts4 ,help them to understand what it is to be baptized into the name of the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost4 ,and here you must open it to them in this order4 ,you must help them to know who are the covenanters1 ,god and man3 and first the nature of man is to be opened1 because he is first known1 and ,god in him who is his image4 ,familiarly tell them1 ,that man is not like a beast that hath no reason1 nor free-will1 nor any knowledge of another world1 nor any other life to live but this3 but he hath an understanding to know ,god1 and a will to choose good and refuse evil1 and an immortal soul that must live for ever3 and that all inferior creatures were made for his service1 as he was made for the service of his ,creator4 ,tell them that neither man1 nor any thing that we see1 could make itself2 but ,god is the ,maker1 ,preserver1 and ,disposer of all the world4 ,that this ,god is infinite in power1 and wisdom1 and goodness1 and is the ,owner1 and ,ruler1 and ,benefactor1 ,felicity1 and ,end of man4 ,that man was made to be wholly devoted and resigned to ,god as his ,owner1 and to be wholly ruled by him as his ,governor1 and to be wholly given up to his love and praise as his ,father1 his ,felicity1 and ,end4 ,that the tempter having drawn man from this blessed state of life1 in ,adam's fall the world fell under the wrath of ,god1 and had been lost for ever1 but that ,god of his mercy provided us a ,redeemer1 even the eternal ,son of ,god2 who being one with the ,father1 was pleased to take the nature of man1 and so is both ,god and man in one person2 who being born of a virgin1 lived among men1 and fulfilled the law of ,god1 and overcame the tempter and the world1 and died as a sacrifice for our sins1 to reconcile us unto ,god4 ,that all men being born with corrupted natures1 and living in sin till ,christ recover them1 there is now no hope of salvation but by him4 ,that he hath paid our debt1 and made satisfaction for our sins1 and risen from the dead1 and conquered death and ,satan1 and is ascended and glorified in heaven2 and that he is the ,king1 and ,teacher1 and ,high ,priest of the church4 ,that he hath made a new covenant of grace and pardon1 and offered it in the ,scriptures and by his ministers to the world2 and that those that are sincere and faithful in this covenant shall be saved1 and those that are not shall remedilessly be damned1 because they reject this ,christ and grace1 which is the last and only remedy4 ,and here open to them the nature of this covenant3 that ,god doth offer to be our reconciled ,god1 and ,father1 and ,felicity2 and ,christ to be our ,saviour1 to forgive our sins1 and reconcile us to ,god1 and renew us by his ,spirit2 and the ,holy ,spirit to be our ,sanctifier1 to illuminate1 and regenerate1 and confirm us2 and that all that is required on our part1 is such an unfeigned consent1 as will appear in the performance in our serious endeavours4 ,even that we wholly give up ourselves to be renewed by the ,holy ,spirit1 to be justified1 taught1 and governed by ,christ1 and by him to be brought again to the ,father1 to love him as our ,god and ,end1 and to live to him1 and with him for ever4 ,but whereas the temptations of the devil1 and the allurements of this deceitful world1 and the desires of the flesh1 are the great enemies and hinderances in our way1 we must also consent to renounce all these1 and let them go1 and deny ourselves1 and take up with ,god alone1 and what he seeth meet to give us1 and to take him in heaven for all our portion4 ,and he that consenteth unfeignedly to this covenant1 is a member of ,christ1 a justified1 reconciled child of ,god1 and an heir of heaven1 and so continuing1 shall be saved2 and he that doth not shall be damned4 ,this is the covenant1 that in baptism we solemnly entered into with ,god the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 as our ,father and ,felicity1 our ,saviour1 and our ,sanctifier4 ,this in some such brief explication1 you must familiarly open to them again and again4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,when you have opened the baptismal covenant to them1 and the essentials of christianity1 cause them to learn the creed1 the ,lord's prayer1 and the ten commandments4 ,and tell them the uses of them2 that man having three powers of soul1 his understanding1 his will1 and his obediential or executive power1 all these must be sanctified1 and therefore there must be a rule for each2 and that accordingly the creed is the summary rule to tell us what our understandings must believe2 and the ,lord's prayer is the summary rule to direct us what our wills must desire and our tongues must ask2 and the ten commandments are the summary rules of our practice3 and that the holy ,scripture1 in general1 is the more large and perfect rule of all2 and that all that will be taken for true christians1 must have a general1 implicit belief of all the holy ,scriptures1 and a particular1 explicit belief1 desire1 and sincere practice1 according to the creeds1 ,lord's prayer1 and ten commandments4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,next teach them a short catechism 7by memory7 which openeth these a little more fully1 and then a larger catechism4 ,the shorter and larger catechisms of the ,assembly are very well fitted to this use4 ,i have published a very brief one myself1 which in eight articles or answers containeth all the essential points of belief1 and in one answer1 the covenant consent1 and in four articles or answers more1 containeth all the substantial parts of christian duty2 the answers are some of them long for children2#eb but if ,i knew of any other that had so much in so few words1 ,i would not offer this to you1 because ,i am conscious of its imperfections4 ,but there are very few catechisms that differ in the substance2 whichever they learn1 let them as they go have your help to understand it1 and let them keep it in memory to the last4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,next open to them more distinctly the particular part of the covenant and catechism4 ,and here ,i think this method most profitable for a family3 #a4 ,read over to them the best expositions that you can get on the creed1 the ,lord's prayer1 the ten commandments1 which are not too large to confound them1 nor too brief1 so as to be hardly understood4 ,for a summary1 ,mr4 ,brinsley's ,true ,watch is good2 but thus to read to them1 such as ,mr4 ,perkins on the ,creed1 and ,dr4 ,king on the ,lord's ,prayer1 and ,dodd on the ,commandments1 are fit2 so that you may read one article1 one petition1 and one commandment at a time2 and read these over to them divers times4 #b4 ,besides this1 in your familiar discourse with them1 open to them plainly one head or article of religion at a time1 and another the next time1 and so on till you come to the end4 ,and here1 7#a47 ,open in one discourse the nature of man and the creation4 7#b47 ,in another1 7or before it17 the nature and attributes of ,god4 7#c47 ,in another1 the fall of man1 and especially the corruption of our nature1 as it consisteth in an inordinate inclination to earthly and fleshly things1 and a backwardness1 or averseness1 or enmity to ,god and holiness1 and the life to come2 and the nature of sin2 and the impossibility of being saved till this sin be pardoned1 and these natures renewed1 and restored to the love of ,god and holiness1 from this love of the world and fleshly pleasures4 7#d47 ,in the next discourse1 open to them the doctrine of redemption in general1 and the incarnation1 and natures1 and person of ,christ1 particularly4 7#e47 ,in the next1 open the life of ,christ1 his fulfilling the law1 and his overcoming the tempter1 his humble life1 and contempt of the world1 and the end of all1 and how he is exemplary and imitable unto us4 7#f47 ,in the next1 open the whole humiliation and suffering of ,christ1 and the pretences of his persecutors1 and the ends and uses of his suffering1 death1 and burial4 7#g47 ,in the next1 open his resurrection1 the proofs1 and the uses of it4 7#h47 ,in the next1 open his ascension1 glory1 and intercession for us1 and the uses of all4 7#i47 ,in the next1 open his kingly and prophetical offices in general1 and his making the covenant of grace with man1 and the nature of that covenant1 and its effects4 7#aj47 ,in the next1 open the works or office of the ,holy ,ghost in general1 as given by ,christ to be his agent in men on earth1 and his great witness to the world2 and particularly open the extraordinary gift of the ,spirit to the prophets and apostles1 to plant the churches1 and indite and seal the ,holy ,scriptures2 and show them the authority and use of the ,holy ,scriptures4 7#aa47 ,in the next1 open to them the ordinary works of the ,holy ,ghost1 as the illuminator1 renewer1 and sanctifier of souls1 and in what order he doth all this1 by the ministry of the word4 7#ab47 ,in the next1 open to them the office1 and use1 and duty of the ordinary ministry1 and their duty toward them1 especially as hearers1 and the nature and use of public worship1 and the nature and communion of saints and churches4 7#ac47 ,in the next1 open to them the nature and use of baptism and the ,lord's supper4 7#ad47 ,in the next1 open to them the shortness of life1 and the state of souls at death1 and after death1 and the day of judgment1 and the justification of the righteous1 and the condemnation of the wicked at that day4 7#ae47 ,in the next1 open to them the joys of heaven1 and the miseries of the damned4 7#af47 ,in the next1 open to them the vanity of all the pleasure1 and profits1 and honour of this world1 and the method of temptations1 and how to overcome them4 7#ag47 ,in the next1 open to them the reason and use of suffering for ,christ1 and of self-denial1 and how to prepare for sickness and death4 ,and after this1 go over also the ,lord's prayer1 and the ten commandments4 ,direct4 ,,xiii4 ,after all your instructions make them briefly give you an account in their own words of what they understand and remember of all2 or else the next time to give account of the former4 ,and encourage them for all that is well done in their endeavours4 ,direct4 ,,xiv4 ,labour in all to keep up a wakened1 serious attention1 and still to print upon their hearts the greatest things4 ,and to that end1 for the matter of your teaching and discourse1 let nothing be so much in your mouths1 as1 #a4 ,the nature and relations of ,god4 #b4 ,a crucified and a glorified ,christ1 with all his grace and privileges4 #c4 ,the operations of the ,spirit on the soul4 #d4 ,the madness of sinners1 and the vanity of the world4 #e4 ,and endless glory and joy of saints1 and misery of the ungodly after death4 ,let these five points be frequently urged1 and be the life of all the rest of your discourse4 ,and then for the manner of your speaking to them1 let it be always with such a mixture of familiarity and seriousness that may carry along their serious attentions1 whether they will or no4 ,speak to them as if they or you were dying1 and as if you saw ,god1 and heaven1 and hell4 ,direct4 ,,xv4 ,take each of them sometimes by themselves1 and there describe to them the work of renovation1 and ask them1 whether ever such a work was wrought upon them4 ,show them the true marks of grace1 and help them to try themselves2 urge them to tell you truly1 whether their love to ,god or the creature1 to heaven or earth1 to holiness or flesh-pleasing1 be more2 and what it is that hath their hearts1 and care1 and chief endeavour3 and if you find them regenerate1 help to strengthen them2 if you find them too much dejected1 help to comfort them2 and if you find them unregenerate1 help to convince them1 and then to humble them1 and then to show them the remedy in ,christ1 and then show them their duty that they may have part in ,christ1 and drive all home to the end that you desire to see2 but do all this with love1 and gentleness1 and privacy4 ,direct4 ,,xvi4 ,some pertinent questions which by the answer will engage them to teach themselves1 or to judge themselves1 will be sometimes of very great use4 ,as such as these2 ,do you not know that you must shortly die8 ,do you not believe that immediately your souls must enter upon an endless life of joy or misery8 ,will worldly wealth and honours1 or fleshly pleasures1 be pleasant to you then8 ,had you then rather be a saint1 or an ungodly sinner8 ,had you not then rather be one of the holiest that the world despised and abused1 than one of the greatest and richest of the wicked8 ,when time is past1 and you must give account of it1 had you not then rather it had been spent in holiness1 and obedience1 and diligent preparation for the life to come1 than in pride1 and pleasure1 and pampering the flesh8 ,how could you make shift to forget your endless life so long8 or to sleep quietly in an unregenerate state8 ,what if you had died before conversion1 what think you had become of you1 and where had you now been8 ,do you think that any of those in hell are glad that they were ungodly8 or have now any pleasure in their former merriments and sin8 ,what think you would they do1 if it were all to do again8 ,do you think1 if an angel or saint from heaven should come to decide the controversy between the godly and the wicked1 that he would speak against a holy and heavenly life1 or plead for a loose and fleshly life8 or which side think you he would take8 ,did not ,god know what he did when he made the ,scriptures8 ,is he1 or an ungodly scorner1 to be more regarded8 ,do you think every man in the world will not wish at last that he had been a saint1 whatever it had cost him8 ,such kind of questions urge the conscience1 and much convince4 ,direct4 ,,xvii4 ,cause them to learn some one most plain and pertinent text1 for every great and necessary duty1 and against every great and dangerous sin2 and often to repeat them to you4 ,as ,luke xiii4 #c1 #e1 ,except ye repent1 ye shall all perish4 ,john iii4 #e1 ,except a man be born again of water and the ,spirit1 he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven4 ,so ,matt4 xviii4 #c2 ,rom4 viii4 #i2 ,heb4 xii4 #ad2 ,john iii4 #af2 ,luke xviii4 #a1 c4 ,so against lying1 swearing1 taking ,god's name in vain1 flesh-pleasing1 gluttony1 pride1 and the rest4 ,direct4 ,,xviii4 ,drive all your convictions to a resolution of endeavour and amendment1 and make them sometimes promise you to do that which you convinced them of2 and sometimes before witnesses4 ,but let it be done with these necessary cautions3 #a4 ,that you urge not a promise in any doubtful point1 or such as you have not first convinced them of4 #b4 ,that you urge not a promise in things beyond their present strength2 as you must not bid them promise you to believe1 or to love ,god1 or to be tender-hearted1 or heavenly-minded2 but to do those duties which tend to these1 as to hear the word1 or read1 or pray1 or meditate1 or keep good company1 or avoid temptations1 c4 #c4 ,that you be not too often upon this1 7or upon one and the same strain in the other methods17 lest they take them but for words of course1 and custom teach them to contemn them4 ,but seasonably and prudently done1 their promises will lay a great engagement on them4 ,direct4 ,,xix4 ,teach them how to pray1 by forms or without1 as is most suitable to their ease and parts2 and either yourself1 or some that may inform you1 should hear them pray sometimes1 that you may know their spirit1 and how they profit4 ,direct4 ,,xx4 ,put such books into their hands as are meetest for them1 and engage them to read them when they are alone2 and ask them what they understand and remember of them4 ,and hold them not without necessity so hard to work1 as to allow them no time for reading by themselves2 but drive them on to work the harder1 that they may have some time when their work is done4 ,direct4 ,,xxi4 ,cause them to teach one another when they are together4 ,let their talk be profitable4 ,let those that read best1 be reading sometimes to the rest1 and instructing them1 and furthering their edification4 ,their familiarity might make them very useful to one another4 ,direct4 ,,xxii4 ,tire them not out with too much at once2 but give it them as they can receive it4 ,narrow-mouthed bottles must not be filled as wider vessels4 ,direct4 ,,xxiii4 ,labour to make all sweet and pleasant to them2 and to that end sometimes mix the reading of some profitable history2 as the ,book of ,martyrs1 and ,clarke's ,martyrology1 and his ,lives4 ,direct4 ,,xxiv4 ,lastly1 entice them with kindnesses and rewards4 ,be kind to your children when they do well1 and be as liberal to your servants as your condition will allow you4 ,for this maketh your persons acceptable first1 and then your instructions will be much more acceptable4 ,nature teacheth them to love those that love them1 and do them good1 and to hearken willingly to those they love4 ,a small gift now and then1 might signify much to the further benefit of their souls4 ,direct4 ,,xxv4 ,if any shall say1 that here is so much ado about these directions1 as that few can follow them2 ,i entreat them to consult with ,christ that died for them1 whether souls be not precious1 and worth all this ado8 ,and to consider how small a labour all this is1 in comparison of the everlasting end2 and to remember1 that all is gain and pleasure1 and a delight to those that have holy hearts2 and to remember1 that the effects to the church and kingdom1 of such holy government of families1 would quite over-compensate all the pains4 #eb ,it is in my ,universal ,concord1 and by itself4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,directions ,,for ,,prayer4 ,tit4 #a4 ,directions for ,prayer in ,general4 ,,he that handleth this duty of prayer as it deserveth1#ec must make it the second part in the body of divinity1 and allow it a larger and exacter tractate than ,i here intend3 for ,i have before told you1 that as we have three natural faculties1 an understanding1 will1 and executive power1 so these are qualified in the godly1 with faith1 love1 and obedience2 and have three particular rules3 the creed1 to show us what we must believe1 and in what order3 the ,lord's prayer1 to show us what1 and in what order1 we must desire and love3 and the decalogue1 to tell us what1 and in what order1 we must do 7though yet these are so near kin to one another1 that the same actions in several respects belong to each of the rules74 ,as the commandments must be believed and loved1 as well as obeyed2 and the matter of the ,lord's prayer must be believed to be good and necessary1 as well as loved and desired2 and belief1 and love1 and desire1 are commanded1 and are part of our obedience2 yet for all this1 they are not formally the same1 but divers4 ,and as we say1 that the heart or will is the man1 as being the commanding faculty2 so morally the will1 the love or desire1 is the christian2 and therefore the rule of desire or prayer1 is a principal part of true religion4 ,the internal part of this duty ,i partly touched before1 part i4 chap4 iii4 ,and the church part ,i told you1 why ,i passed by1 part ii4 it being not left by the government where we live1 to private ministers' discussion 7save only to persuade men to obey what is established and commanded74 ,therefore because ,i have omitted the latter1 and but a little touched upon the former1 ,i shall be the larger on it in this place1 to which 7for several reasons7 ,i have reserved it4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,see that you understand what prayer is2 even the expressing or acting of our desires before another1 to move or some way procure him to grant them4 ,true christian prayer is1 the believing and serious expressing or acting of our lawful desires before ,god1 through ,jesus our ,mediator1 by the help of the ,holy ,spirit1 as a means to procure of him the grant of these desires4 ,here note1 #a4 ,that inward desire is the soul of prayer4 #b4 ,the expressions or inward actings of them1 is as the body of prayer4 #c4 ,to men it must be desire so expressed1 as they may understand it2 but to ,god the inward acting of desires is a prayer1 because he understandeth it4#ed #d4 ,but it is not the acting of desire1 simply in itself1 that is any prayer2 for he may have desires1 that offereth them not up to ,god with heart or voice2 but it is desires1 as some way offered up to ,god1 or represented1 or acted towards him1 as a means to procure his blessing1 that is prayer indeed4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,see that you understand the ends and use of prayer4 ,some think that it is of no use1 but only to move ,god to be willing of that which he was before unwilling of2 and therefore because that ,god is immutable1 they think that prayer is a useless thing4 ,but prayer is useful1 #a4 ,as an act of obedience to ,god's command4 #b4 ,as the performance of a condition1 without which he hath not promised us his mercy1 and to which he hath promised it4 #c4 ,as a means to actuate1 and express1 and increase our own humility1 dependence1 desire1 trust1 and hope in ,god1 and so to make us capable and fit for mercy1 who else should be uncapable and unfit4 #d4 ,and so1 though ,god be not changed by it in himself1 yet the real change that is made by it on ourselves1 doth infer a change in ,god by mere relation or extrinsical denomination2 he being one that is1 according to the tenor of his own established law and covenant1 engaged to disown or punish the unbelieving1 prayerless1 and disobedient1 and after engaged to own or pardon them that are faithfully desirous and obedient3 and so this is a relative1 or at least a denominative change4 ,so that in prayer1 faith and fervency are so far from being useless1 that they as much prevail for the thing desired by qualifying ourselves for it1 as if indeed they moved the mind of ,god to a real change3 even as he that is in a boat1 and by his hook layeth hold of the bank1 doth as truly by his labour get nearer the bank1 as if he drew the bank to him4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,labour above all to know that ,god to whom you pray4 ,to know him as your ,maker1 your ,redeemer1 and your ,regenerator2 as your ,owner1 your ,ruler1 and your ,father1 ,felicity1 and ,end2 as all-sufficient for your relief1 in the infiniteness of his power1 his wisdom1 and his goodness2 and to know your own dependence on him2 and to understand his covenant or promises1 upon what terms he is engaged and resolved either to give his mercies1 or to deny them4 ,he that cometh to ,god1 must believe that ,he is1 and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him1 ,heb4 xi4 #f4 ,he that calleth on the name of the ,lord shall be saved3 but how shall they call on him1 on whom they have not believed8 ,rom4 x4 #ac1 #ad4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,labour when you are about to pray1 to stir up in your souls the most lively and serious belief of those unseen things that your prayers have respect to2 and to pray as if you saw them all the while2 even as if you saw ,god in his glory1 and saw heaven and hell1 the glorified and the damned1 and ,jesus ,christ your ,mediator interceding for you in the heavens4 ,as you would pray if your eyes beheld all these1 so strive to pray while you believe them3 and say to yourselves1 ,are they not as sure as if ,i saw them8 ,are they not made known by the ,son and ,spirit of ,god8 ,direct4 ,v4 ,labour for a constant acquaintance with yourselves1 your sins and manifold wants and necessities2 and also to take an actual1 special notice of your case1 when you go to prayer4 ,if you get not a former constant acquaintance with your own case1 you cannot expect to know it aright upon a sudden as you go to pray3 and yet if you do not actually survey your hearts and lives when you go to prayer1 your souls will be unhumbled1 and want that lively sense of your necessities1 which must put life into your prayers4 ,know well what sin is1 and what ,god's wrath1 and hell1 and judgment are1 and what sin you have committed1 and what duty you have omitted1 and failed in1 and what wants and corruptions are yet within you1 and what mercy and grace you stand in need of1 and then all this will make you pray1 and pray to purpose with all your hearts4 ,but when men are wilful strangers to themselves1 and never seriously look backwards or inwards1 to see what is amiss and wanting1 nor look forwards1 to see the danger that is before them1 no wonder if their hearts be dead and dull1 and if they are as unfit to pray1 as a sleeping man to work4#ee ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,see that you hate hypocrisy1 and let not your lips go against or without your hearts2 but that your hearts be the spring of all your words3 that you love not sin1 and be not loth to leave it1 when you seem to pray against it2 and that you truly desire the grace which you ask1 and ask not for that which you would not have3 and that you be ready to use the lawful means to get the mercies which you ask2 and be not like those lazy wishers1 that will pray ,god to give them increase at harvest1 when they lie in bed1 and will neither plough or sow2 or that pray him to save them from fire1 or water1 or danger1 while they run into it1 or will not be at the pains to go out of the way4 ,oh what abundance of wretches do offer up hypocritical1 mock prayers to ,god6 blaspheming him thereby1 as if he were an idol1 and knew not their hypocrisy1 and searched not the hearts6 ,alas1 how commonly do men pray in public1 that the rest of their lives hereafter may be pure and holy1 that hate purity and holiness at the heart1 and deride and oppose that which they seem to pray for6 ,as ,austin confesseth of himself before he was converted1 that he prayed against his filthy sin1 and yet was afraid lest ,god should grant his prayers4 ,so many pray against the sins which they would not be delivered from1 or would not use the means that is necessary to their conquest and deliverance4 ,let him that nameth the name of ,christ1 depart from iniquity1 #b ,tim4 ii4 #ai4 ,if ,i regard iniquity in my heart1 the ,lord will not hear me1 ,psal4 lxvi4 #ah2 see ,ezek4 xiv4 #c1 #d1 #ad4 ,alas1 how easy is it for an ungodly person to learn to say a few words by rote1 and to run them over1 without any sense of what he speaketh2 while the tongue is a stranger to the heart1 and speaketh not according to its desires6 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,search your hearts and watch them carefully1 lest some beloved vanity alienate them from the work in hand1 and turn away your thoughts1 or prepossess your affections1 so that you want them when you should use them4 ,if the mind be set on other matters1 prayer will be a heartless1 lifeless thing2 alas1 what a dead and pitiful work is the prayer of one that hath his heart insnared in the love of money1 or in any ambitious or covetous design6 ,the thoughts will easily follow the affections4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,be sure that you pray for nothing that is disagreeable to the will of ,god1 and that is not for the good of yourselves or others1 or for the honour of ,god2 and therefore take heed1 lest an erring judgment1 or carnal desires1 or passions1 should corrupt your prayers1 and turn them into sin4 ,if men will ignorantly pray to ,god to do them hurt1 it is a mercy to them if ,god will but pardon and deny such prayers1 and a judgment to grant them4 ,and it is an easy thing for fleshly interest1 or partiality1 or passion1 to blind the judgment1 and consequently to corrupt men's prayers4 ,an ambitious or covetous man will easily be drawn to pray for the grant of his sinful desires1 and think it would be for his good4 ,and there is scarce an heretical or erroneous person1 but thinketh that it would be good that the world were all reduced to his opinion1 and all the opposers of it were borne down3 there are few zealous antinomians1 anabaptists1 or any other dividers of the church1 but they put their opinions usually into their prayers1 and plead with ,god for the interest of their sects and errors2 and it is like that the ,jews1 that had a persecuting zeal for ,god1 ,rom4 x4 #b1 did pray according to that zeal1 as well as persecute2 as it is like that ,paul himself prayed against the christians1 while he ignorantly persecuted them4 ,and they that think they do ,god service by killing his servants1 no doubt would pray against them1 as the papists and others do at this day4 ,be especially careful therefore that your judgments and desires be sound and holy1 before you offer them up to ,god in prayer4 ,for it is a most vile abuse of ,god1 to beg of him to do the devil's work2 and1 as most malicious and erroneous persons do1 to call him to their help against himself1 his servants1 and his cause4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,come always to ,god in the humility that beseemeth a condemned sinner1 and in the faith and boldness that beseemeth a son1 and a member of ,christ3 do nothing in the least conceit and confidence of a worthiness in yourselves2 but be as confident in every lawful request1 as if you saw your glorified ,mediator interceding for you with his ,father4 ,hope is the life of prayer and all endeavour1 and ,christ is the life of hope4 ,if you pray and think you shall be never the better for it1 your prayers will have little life4 ,and there is no hope of success1 but through our powerful ,intercessor4 ,therefore let both a crucified and glorified ,christ be always before your eyes in prayer2 not in a picture1 but in the thoughts of a believing mind4 ,instead of a crucifix1 let some such sentence of holy ,scripture be written before you1 where you use to pray1 as ,john xx4 #ag1 ,go to my brethren1 and say unto them1 ,i ascend unto my ,father and your ,father1 to my ,god and your ,god4 ,or ,heb4 iv4 #ad1 ,we have a great ,high ,priest that is passed into the heavens1 ,jesus the ,son of ,god2 ver4 #ae1 #af1 that was in all points tempted as we are1 yet without sin3 let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace1 that we may obtain mercy1 c4 ,heb4 vi4 #i1 #bj1 ,which hope we have as an anchor of the soul1 both sure and stedfast1 and that entereth into that within the vail2 whither the forerunner is for us entered4 ,heb4 vii4 #be1 ,he is able to save to the uttermost them that come to ,god by him1 seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them4 ,john xiv4 #ac1 #ad1 ,if ye ask any thing in my name1 ,i will do it4 ,christ and the promise must be the ground of all your confidence and hope4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,labour hard with your hearts all the while to keep them in a reverent1 serious1 fervent frame1 and suffer them not to grow remiss and cold1 to turn prayer into lip-labour1 and lifeless formality1 or into hypocritical1 affected1 seeming fervency1 when the heart is senseless1 though the voice be earnest4 ,the heart will easily grow dull1 and customary1 and hypocritical1 if it be not carefully watched1 and diligently followed and stirred up4 ,the effectual1 fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much1 ,james v4 #af4 ,a cold prayer showeth a heart that is cold in desiring that which is prayed for1 and therefore is unfit to receive the mercy3 ,god will make you know that his mercy is not contemptible1 but worthy your most earnest prayers4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,for the matter and order of your desires and prayers1 take the ,lord's prayer as your special rule2 and labour to understand it well4#ef ,for those that can make use of so brief an explication1 ,i shall give a little help4 ,a ,brief ,explication of the ,method of the ,lord's ,prayer4 ,the ,lord's ,prayer containeth1 ,i4 ,the ,i4 ,to #a4 ,who he is3 ,god3 not ,creatures1 ,saints or ,angels4 address1 whom the ---------------------------------------- -------------- or prayer #b4 ,how related #a4 ,our ,and #a4 ,our ,owner1 or preface2 is made4 to us1 he is ,creator4 therefore ,absolute ,lord4 in which ,,our ,,father1 ,owner1 are which #b4 ,our described comprehendeth1 ,redeemer4 #b4 ,our ,ruler1 or or fundamentally1 ,supreme ,king4 implied1 that he is1 #c4 ,our ,lord4 ,regenerator 7to the #c4 ,our ,benefactor regenerate7 and chief ,good1 and so our ,felicity and our ,end4 ---------------------------------------- -------------- #c4 ,what he #a4 ,almighty2 and able ,in this one word is is in his to grant all that we not only implied attributes3 ask1 and to relieve all these ,,which ,,art and help us in every attributes of ,god1 ,,in ,,heaven4 strait4 but also our hearts ,which are directed signifieth #b4 ,all-knowing3 our whither to look for that hearts1 and wants1 and their relief and therefore all things being open direction now1 and he is1 to his sight4 their felicity forever2 and #c4 ,most good3 from called off from whom1 and by whom1 and earthly to whom are all dependences1 and things2 the ,fountain1 expectations of the ,disposer1 and the happiness and rest2 ,end of all1 on whose and to look for all bounty and influence from heaven1 and at all subsist4 ,and the last in heaven4 present tense ,,art doth intimate his eternity4 ---------------------------------------- ------- ,,ii4 ,who are the #a4 ,man3 as to his ,being4 petitioners-- ---------------------------------------- ------- ,who are #b4 ,by #a4 ,by #a4 ,his ,own2 ,relation1 ,creation3 so ,god's all are3 and #b4 ,his ,subjects2 children1 therefore all may thus far #c4 ,his ,beloved call him and ,father4 ,beneficiaries1 that live upon #b4 ,by ,him1 and to ,him1 ,redemption3 as to their ,end4 as all are as to the sufficient price and satisfaction4 #c4 ,by ,regeneration3 and so only the regenerate are children4 ---------------------------------------- ------- #c4 ,by #a4 ,yet #a4 ,loving ,all which ,quality4 ,dependent ,god as is on ,god4 their signified ,father4 in the #b4 word ,necessitous4 #b4 ,loving ,,our-- themselves1 #c4 ,sinners4 as men4 #c4 ,loving others1 as brethren4 ---------------------------------------- ---- ,,ii4 ,the ,prayer1 ,i4 ,the #a4 ,for the end simply1 which is ,,god2 in the or ,petitions1 first part word ,,thy repeated in every petition4 in two parts3 is of which1 according #b4 ,for the ,i4 ,the highest or ultimate1 to the end that is1 the glory of ,god2 order of respectively ,,hallowed ,,be ,,thy ,,name4 estimation1 in the intention1 interest of ,,ii4 ,the highest means of his and desire2 ,god1 and glory1 ,,thy ,,kingdom ,,come2 that and is1 that is in is1 let the world be subject to thee their ,creator and ,redeemer2 the universal ,king4 ,,iii4 ,the next means1 being the effect of this3 ,,thy ,,will ,,be ,,done1 that is1 let thy laws be fulfilled1 and thy disposals submitted to4 #c4 ,for the lower end1 even the subject of these means2 which is the public good of mankind1 the world and church3 ,,in ,,earth1 that is1 let the world be subjected to thee1 and the church obey thee2 which will be the greatest blessing to them3 ourselves being included in the world4 ,and the measure and pattern is added1 ,,as ,,it ,,is ,,in ,,heaven1 that is1 let the earth be conformed as near as may be to the heavenly pattern4 ,so that this part of the ,lord's ,prayer1 proceeding in the order of excellency and intention1 directeth us1 ,i4 ,to make ,god our ultimate1 highest1 end2 and to desire his interest first1 and in this order1 7#a47 ,his glory1 7#b47 ,his kingdom1 7#c47 ,obedience to his laws4 ,,ii4 ,to make the public good of the world and the church our next end1 as being the noblest means4 ,,iii4 ,to include our own interest in and under this1 as the least of all2 professing first our own consent to that which we desire first for others4 ---------------------------------------- ,,ii4 ,the second #a4 ,for the support of our nature by part is necessary means3 ,,give ,,us ,,this ,,day ,,our according to ,,daily ,,bread3 this being ,god's first the order of gift1 presupposed both to grace and execution1 and glory4 ,,give1 signifieth our dependence is for on ,god for all4 ,,us1 our charity1 that ourselves1 we desire relief for ourselves and beginning at others4 ,,daily 7or substantial7 the lowest1 and ,,bread1 our moderation2 that we desire ascending1 till not unnecessaries or superfluities4 the end first ,,this ,,day1 the constancy of our intended1 be dependence1 and that we desire not1 or last attained3 care not too much for the future1 and and it is1 promise not ourselves long life4 #b4 ,for clearing us from the guilt of all sin past 7repentance and faith being here presupposed72 where is 7#a47 ,the ,petition3 ,,and ,,forgive ,,us ,,our ,,debts3 7trespasses or sins74 7#b47 ,the motive from our qualification for forgiveness3 ,,as ,,we ,,forgive ,,our ,,debtors3 without which ,god will not forgive us4 #c4 ,for future preservation3 7#a47 ,from the means1 ,,lead ,,us ,,not ,,into ,,temptation3 that is1 though thou mayst justly try us1 yet pity our frailty1 and neither cause nor permit us so to be tried1 as may tempt us to sin and ruin4 7#b47 ,from the end1 ,,but ,,deliver ,,us ,,from ,,the ,,evil3 that is1 #a4 ,the ,evil ,one1 ,satan 7and his instruments74 #b4 ,the evil thing3 #a4 ,sin2 #b4 ,misery2 which are ,satan's end4 ,he that would be saved from hell and misery1 must be saved from sin2 and he that would be saved from both1 must be saved from ,satan and from temptation4 ,quest4 ,but where are the requests for positive holiness1 grace1 and heaven8 ,answ4 #a4 ,repentance and faith are supposed in the petitioner4 #b4 ,what he wanteth is asked in the three petitions of the first part1 that we with others may sanctify ,god's name1 and be the subjects of his kingdom1 and do his will1 c4 ,christ and a state of grace1 are finally in the first petition1 formally in the second1 and expressly in the third4 ---------------------------------------- ,,iii4 ,the conclusion3 ,i4 ,what we #a4 ,his universal reign1 ,,for ,,thine ,,is the reason and praise2 or ,,the ,,kingdom1 administered variously1 termination of our the matter2 agreeably to the subjects3 all owe this desires in their or interest absolute obedience3 who commandest and ultimate end2 here of ,god1 executest what thou wilt4 praised3 beginning at the lowest1 and #b4 ,his own perfections1 ,,the ,,power3 ascending to the both right and all sufficiency3 highest3 containing1 including his omniscience and goodness1 as well as omnipotence4 #c4 ,his incomprehensible excellency and blessedness1 as he is the ultimate end of us and all things2 ,,and ,,the ,,glory1 ,rom4 xi4 #cf2 #a ,cor4 x4 #ca4 ---------------------------------------- ,,ii4 ,whom ,,god1 in the word ,,thine3 in him1 the we praise3 first efficient cause of all things1 we begin3 his help1 as the dirigent cause1 we seek3 and in him1 as the final cause1 we terminate4 ,,iii4 ,the ,,for ,,ever ,,and ,,ever1 to eternity3 and duration4 ,,amen is the expression of our consent4 ,for of ,him1 and through ,him1 and to ,him are all things3 to ,him be glory for ever1 ,amen1 ,rom4 ix4 #cf4 ,so that it is apparent that the method of the ,lord's prayer is circular1 partly analytical1 and partly synthetical2 beginning with ,god1 and ending in ,god3 beginning with such acknowledgments as are prerequisite to petition1 and ending in those praises which petition and grace bestowed tend to3 beginning our petitions for ,god's interest and the public good1 according to the order of estimation and intention1 till we come to the mere means1 and then beginning at the lowest1 and ascending according to the order of execution4 ,as the blood passing from the greater to the smaller numerous vessels1 is there received by the like1 and repasseth to its fountain2 such a circular method hath mercy and duty1 and consequently our desires4 ,tit4 #b4 ,some ,questions about ,prayer answered4 ,the rest of the general directions about prayer1 ,i think will be best contrived into the resolving of these following doubts4 ,quest4 ,i4 ,is the ,lord's prayer a directory only1 or a form of words to be used by us in prayer8 ,answ4 #a4 ,it is principally the rule to guide our inward desires1 and outward expressions of them2 both for the matter1 what we must desire1 and for the order which we must desire first and most4 #b4 ,but this rule is given in a form of words1 most apt to express the said matter and order4 #c4 ,and this form may fitly be used in due season by all1 and more necessarily by some4 #d4 ,but it was never intended to be the only words which we must use1 no more than the creed is the only words that we must use to express the doctrine of faith1 or the decalogue the only words to express our duty by4#eg ,quest4 ,,ii4 ,what need is there of any other words of prayer1 if the ,lord's prayer be perfect8 ,answ4 ,because it is only a perfect summary1 containing but the general heads3 and it is needful to be more particular in our desires2 for universals exist in particulars2 and he that only nameth the general1 and then another and another general1 doth remember but few of the particulars4 ,he that shall say1 ,i have sinned1 and broken all thy commandments1 doth generally confess every sin2 but it is not true repentance1 if it be not particular1 for this1 and that1 and the other sin2 at least as to the greater which may be remembered4 ,he that shall say1 ,i believe all the word of ,god1 or ,i believe in ,god the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 may know little what is in the word of ,god1 or what these generals signify1 and therefore our faith must be more particular4 ,so must desires after grace be particular also3 otherwise it were enough to ask for mercy in the general4 ,if you say1 that ,god knoweth what those general words signify1 though we do not2 ,i answer1 this is the papists' silly argument for ,latin prayers1 ,god knoweth our desires without any expressions or prayers at all1 and he knoweth our wants without our desires4 ,but it followeth not that prayers or desires are unnecessary4 ,the exercise of our own repentance and desire doth make us persons fit to receive forgiveness1 and the grace desired2 when the impenitent1 and those that desire it not1 are unfit4 ,and it is no true repentance1 when you say1 ,i am sorry that ,i have sinned1 but you know not1 or remember not1 wherein you have sinned1 nor what your sin is2 and so repent not indeed of any one sin at all4 ,and so it is no true desire1 that reacheth not to the particular1 necessary graces1 which we must desire2 though ,i know some few very quick1 comprehensive minds can in a moment think of many particulars1 when they use but general words2 and ,i know that some smaller1 less necessary things1 may be generally passed over2 and greater matters in a time of haste1 or when we1 besides those generals1 do also use particular requests4 ,quest4 ,,iii4 ,is it lawful to pray in a set form of words8 ,answ4 ,nothing but very great ignorance can make you really doubt of it4#eh ,hath ,god any where forbid it8 ,you will say1 that it is enough that he hath not commanded it4 ,i answer1 that in general he hath commanded it to all whose edification it tendeth to1 when he commandeth you1 that all be done to edification2 but he hath given no particular command1 nor prohibition4 ,no more hath he commanded you to pray in ,english1 ,french1 or ,latin2 nor to sing psalms in this tune or that1 nor after this or that version or translation2 nor to preach in this method particularly or that2 nor always to preach upon a text2 nor to use written notes2 nor to compose a form of words1 and learn them1 and preach them after they are composed1 with a hundred such like1 which are undoubtedly lawful2 yea1 and needful to some1 though not to others4 ,if you make up all your prayer of ,scripture sentences1 this is to pray in a form of prescribed words1 and yet as lawful and fit as any of your own4 ,the psalms are most of them forms of prayer or praise1 which the ,spirit of ,god indited for the use of the church1 and of particular persons4 ,it would be easy to fill many pages with larger reasonings1 and answers to all the fallacious objections that are brought against this2 but ,i will not so far weary the reader and myself4 ,quest4 ,,iv4 ,but are those forms lawful which are prescribed by others1 and not by ,god8 ,answ4 ,yea2 or else it would be unlawful for a child or scholar to use a form prescribed by his parents or master4 ,and to think that a thing lawful doth presently become unlawful1 because a parent1 master1 pastor1 or prince doth prescribe it or command it1 is a conceit that ,i will not wrong my reader so far as to suppose him guilty of4 ,indeed if an usurper1 that hath no authority over us in such matters1 do prescribe it1 we are not bound to formal obedience1 that is1 to do it therefore because he commandeth it2 but yet ,i may be bound to it on some other accounts2 and though his command do not bind me1 yet it maketh not the thing itself unlawful4 ,quest4 ,v4 ,but is it lawful to pray extempore without a premeditated form of words8 ,answ4 ,no christian of competent understanding doubteth of it4 ,we must premeditate on our wants1 and sins1 and the graces and mercies we desire1 and the ,god we speak to2 and we must be able to express these things without any loathsome and unfit expressions4 ,but whether the words are fore-contrived or not1 is a thing that ,god hath no more bound you to by any law1 than whether the speaker or hearers shall use sermon-notes1 or whether your ,bibles shall be written or in print4 ,quest4 ,,vi4 ,if both ways be lawful1 which is better8 ,answ4 ,if you are to join with others in the church1 that is better to you which the pastor then useth3 for it is his office and not yours to word the prayers which he puts up to ,god4 ,and if he choose a form1 7whether it be as most agreeable to his parts1 or to his people1 or for concord with other churches1 or for obedience to governors1 or to avoid some greater inconvenience17 you must join with him1 or not join there at all4#ei ,but if it be in private1 where you are the speaker yourself1 you must take that way that is most to your own edification 7and to others1 if you have auditors joining with you74 ,one man is so unused to prayer1 7being ignorantly bred17 or of such unready memory or expression1 that he cannot remember the tenth part so much of his particular wants1 without the help of a form1 as with it2 nor can he express it so affectingly for himself or others2 nay1 perhaps not in tolerable words4 ,and a form to such a man may be a duty2 as to a dim-sighted man to read by spectacles1 or to an unready preacher to use prepared words and notes4 ,and another man may have need of no such helps2 nay1 when he is habituated in the understanding and feeling of his sins and wants1 and hath a tongue that is used to express his mind even in these matters1 with readiness and facility1 it will greatly hinder the fervour of such a man's affections1 to tie himself to premeditated words3 to say the contrary1 is to speak against the common sense and experience of such speakers and their hearers4 ,and let them that yet deride this as uncertain and inconsiderate praying1 but mark themselves1 whether they cannot if they be hungry beg for bread1 or ask help of their physician1 or lawyer1 or landlord1 or any other1 as well without a learned or studied form as with it8 ,who knoweth not that it is true which the new philosopher saith3 ,cartes4 de ,passion4 part i4 art4 #dd4 ,et cum inter loquendum solum cogitamus de sensu illius rei1 quam dicere volumus1 id facit ut moveamus linguam et labra celerius et melius1 quam si cogitaremus ea movere omnibus modis requisitis ad proferenda eadem verba2 quia habitus quem acquisivimus cum disceremus loqui1 c4 ,turning the thoughts too solicitously from the matter to the words1 doth not only mortify the prayers of many1 and turn them into a dead form1 but also maketh them more dry and barren even as to the words themselves4 ,the heavy charge1 and bitter1 scornful words which have been too common in this age1 against praying without a set form by some1 and against praying with a book or form by others1 is so dishonourable a symptom or diagnostic of the church's sickness1 as must needs be matter of shame and sorrow to the sounder1 understanding part4 ,for it cannot be denied1 but it proves men's understandings and charity to be both exceedingly low4 ,quest4 ,,vii4 ,must we always pray according to the method of the ,lord's prayer1 and is it a sin to do otherwise8 ,answ4 #a4 ,the ,lord's prayer is first a rule for your desires2 and it is a sin1 if your desires follow not that method4 ,if you do not begin in your desires with ,god1 as your ultimate end1 and if you first desire not his glory1 and then the flourishing of his kingdom1 and then the obeying of his laws1 and herein the public welfare of the world1 before and above your particular benefit4 ,and it is a sin if you desire not your daily bread1 7or necessary support of nature17 as a lower mercy in order to your higher spiritual mercies2 and if you desire not pardon of sin1 as a means to your future sanctity1 duty1 and felicity2 and if you desire not these1 as a means to the glory of ,god1 and take not his praises as the highest part of your prayers4 ,but for the expressing of these desires1 particular occasions may warrant you ofttimes to begin in another order3 as when you pray for the sick1 or pray for directions1 or a blessing before a sermon or some particular work1 you may begin and end with the subject that is before you1 as the prayers of holy men in all ages have done4 #b4 ,you must distinguish also1 as between desires and expressions1 so between a universal and a particular prayer4 ,the one containeth all the parts of prayer1 and the other is but about some one subject or part1 or but some few2 this last being but one or few1 particular petitions cannot possibly be uttered in the method of a universal prayer which hath all the parts4 ,there is no one petition in the ,lord's prayer1 but may be made a prayer itself2 and then it cannot have the other petitions as parts4 #c4 ,and you must distinguish between the even and ordinary case of a christian1 and his extraordinary case1 when some special reason1 affection1 or accident calleth him to look most to some one particular4 ,in his even and ordinary case1 every universal prayer should be expressed in the method of the ,lord's prayer2 but in cases of special reason and inducement it may be otherwise4 ,quest4 ,,viii4 ,must we pray always when the ,spirit moveth us1 and only then1 or as reason guideth us8 ,answ4 ,there are two sorts of the ,spirit's motions2 the one is by extraordinary inspiration or impulse1 as he moved the prophets and apostles1 to reveal new laws1 or precepts1 or events1 or to do some actions without respect to any other command than the inspiration itself4 ,this christians are not now to expect1 because experience telleth us that it is ceased2 or if any should pretend to it as not yet ceased1 in the prediction of events1 and direction in some things otherwise indifferent1 yet it is most certain that it is ceased as to legislation2 for the ,spirit itself hath already given us those laws1 which he hath declared to be perfect1 and unchangeable till the end of the world3 the other sort of the ,spirit's working1 is not to make new laws or duties1 but to guide and quicken us in the doing of that which is our duty before by the laws already made4 ,and these are the motions that all true christians must now expect4 ,by which you may see1 that the ,spirit and reason are not to be here disjoined1 much less opposed4 ,as reason sufficeth not without the ,spirit1 being dark and asleep2 so the ,spirit worketh not on the will but by the reason3 he moveth not a man as a beast or stone1 to do a thing he knoweth not why2 but by illumination giveth him the soundest reason for the doing of it3 and duty is first duty before we do it2 and when by our own sin we forfeit the special motions or help of the ,spirit1 duty doth not thereby cease to be duty1 nor our omission to be sin4 ,if the ,spirit of ,god teach you to discern the meetest season for prayer1 by considering your affairs1 and when you are most free1 this is not to be denied to be the work of the ,spirit1 because it is rational 7as fanatic enthusiasts imagine74 ,and if you are moved to pray in a crowd of business1 or at any time when reason can prove that it is not your duty but your sin1 the same reason proveth that it was not the ,spirit of ,god that moved you to it3 for the ,spirit in the heart is not contrary to the ,spirit in the ,scripture4 ,set upon the duty which the ,spirit in the ,scripture commandeth you1 and then you may be sure that you obey the ,spirit2 otherwise you disobey it4 ,yea1 if your hearts be cold1 prayer is a likelier means to warm them1 than the omission of it4 ,to ask whether you may pray while your hearts are cold and backward1 is as to ask whether you may labour or come to the fire before you are warm4 ,god's ,spirit is likelier to help you in duty1 than in the neglect of it4 ,quest4 ,,ix4 ,may a man pray that hath no desire at all of the grace which he prayeth for8 ,answ4 ,no2 because it is no prayer1 but dissembling2 and dissembling is no duty4 ,he that asketh for that which he would not have1 doth lie to ,god in his hypocrisy4 ,but if a man have but cold and common desires1 7though they reach not to that which will prove them evidences of true grace71 he may pray and express those desires which he hath4 ,quest4 ,x4 ,may a man pray that doubteth of his interest in ,god1 and dare not call him ,father as his child8 ,answ4 #a4 ,there is a common interest in ,god1 which all mankind have1 as he is good to all3 and as his mercy through ,christ is offered to all2 and thus those that are not regenerate are his children by creation1 and by participation of his mercy2 and they may both call him ,father and pray to himself1 though yet they are unregenerate4#fj #b4 ,god hath an interest in you1 when you have no special interest in him3 therefore his command must be obeyed which bids you pray4 #c4 ,groundless doubts will not disoblige you from your duty2 else men might free themselves from almost all their obedience4 ,quest4 ,,xi4 ,may a wicked or unregenerate man pray1 and is he accepted8 ,or is not his prayer abominable to ,god8 ,answ4 #a4 ,a wicked man as a wicked man1 can pray no how but wickedly1 that is1 he asketh only for things unlawful to be asked1 or for lawful things to unlawful ends2 and this is still abominable to ,god4#fa #b4 ,a wicked man may have in him some good that proceedeth from common grace2 and this he may be obliged to exercise1 and so by prayer to express his desires so far as they are good4 #c4 ,a wicked man's wicked prayers are never accepted1 but a wicked man's prayers which are for good things1 from common grace1 are so far accepted as that they are some means conducing to his reformation2 and though his person be still unjustified1 and these prayers sinful1 yet the total omission of them is a greater sin4 #d4 ,a wicked man is bound at once to repent and pray1 ,acts viii4 #bb2 ,isa4 lv4 #f1 #g4 ,and whenever ,god bids him ask for grace1 he bids him desire grace2 and to bid him pray1 is to bid him repent and be of a better mind3 therefore those that reprove ministers for persuading wicked men to pray1 reprove them for persuading them to repentance and good desires4 ,but if they pray without that repentance which ,god and man exhort them to1 the sin is theirs3 but all their labour is not lost if their desires fall short of saving sincerity2 they are under obligations to many duties1 which tend to bring them nearer ,christ1 and which they may do without special1 saving grace4 ,quest4 ,,xii4 ,may a wicked man pray the ,lord's prayer1 or be exhorted to use it8 ,answ4 #a4 ,the ,lord's prayer in its full and proper sense1 must be spoken by a penitent1 believing1 justified person2#fb for in the full sense no one else can call him our ,father 7though in a limited sense the wicked may73 and they cannot desire the glory of ,god1 and the coming of his kingdom1 nor the doing of his will on earth as it is in heaven1 and this sincerely1 without true grace 7especially those enemies of holiness1 that think it too much strictness to do ,god's will on earth1 ten thousand degrees lower than it is done in heaven74 ,nor can they put up one petition of that prayer sincerely according to the proper sense2 no1 not to pray for their daily bread1 as a means of their support while they are doing the will of ,god1 and seeking first his glory and his kingdom4 ,but yet it is possible for them to speak these words from such common desires as are not so bad as none at all4 ,quest4 ,,xiii4 ,is it idolatry to pray to saints or angels8 or is it always sinful8 ,answ4 ,i love not to be too quarrelsome with other men's devotions2 but1 #a4 ,i see not how praying to an angel or a departed saint can be excused from sin4#fc ,because it supposeth them to be every where present1 or to be omniscient1 and to know the heart1 yea1 to know at once the hearts of all men2 or else the speaker pretendeth to know when the saint or angel is present and heareth him1 and when not3 and because the ,scripture doth no where signify that ,god would have us pray to any such saints or angels2 but signifieth enough to satisfy us of the contrary4 #b4 ,but all prayer to them is not idolatry1 but some is1 and therefore we must distinguish1 if we will judge righteously4 7#a47 ,to pray to saints or angels as supposed omnipresent1 omniscient1 or omnipotent1 is flat idolatry4 7#b47 ,to pray to them to forgive us our sins against ,god1 or to justify1 or sanctify1 or redeem1 or save us from hell1 or any thing which belongeth to ,god only to do1 is no better than idolatry4 7#c47 ,but to pray to them only to do that which belongeth to the guardian1 or charitable office that is committed to them1 and to think that though they are not omnipresent nor omniscient1 nor you know not whether they hear you at this time or not1 yet you will venture your prayers at uncertainty1 it being but so much labour lost2 this ,i take to be sinfully superstitious1 but not idolatry4#fd 7#d47 ,but to pray to living saints or sinners1 for that which belongeth to them to give1 is no sin at all4 ,quest4 ,,xiv4 ,is a man bound to pray ordinarily in his family8 ,answ4 ,i have answered this affirmatively before1 and proved it2 one grain of grace would answer it better than arguments can do4 ,quest4 ,,xv4 ,must the same man pray secretly that hath prayed in his family or with others8 ,answ4 #a4 ,distinguish between those that were the speakers1 and those that were not2 and1 #b4 ,between those that have leisure from greater or more urgent duties1 and those that have not4 ,and so1 7#a47 ,those that are free from the urgency of all other duties1 which at that time are greater1 should pray both in the family and in secret2 especially if they were not themselves the speakers1 usually they will have the more need of secret prayer2 because their hearts in public may easilier flag1 and much of their case may be omitted4 7#b47 ,but those that have more urgent1 greater duties1 may take up at that time#fe with family prayer alone 7with secret ejaculations1 especially if they were the speakers72 having there put up the same requests as they would do in secret4 ,quest4 ,,xvi4 ,is it best to keep set hours for prayer1 or to take the time which is fittest at present8 ,answ4 ,ordinarily set times will prove the fittest times2 and to leave the time undetermined and uncertain1 will put all out of order1 and multiply impediments1 and hinder duty4 ,but yet when extraordinary cases make the ordinary time unfit1 a fitter time must be taken4 ,quest4 ,,xvii4 ,is it lawful to join in family 7or church7 prayers with ungodly men8 ,answ4 ,i join both together1 because the cases little differ2 for the pastor hath the government of the people in church worship1 as the master of the family hath in family worship4 ,you may choose at first whether you will be a member of the church or family 7if you were not born to it as your privilege72 but when you are a member of either1 you must be governed as members4 ,and to the case1 #a4 ,you must distinguish between professed wicked men1 and those that sin against their profession4 #b4 ,and between a family 7or church7 that is totally wicked1 and that which is mixed of good and bad4 #c4 ,and between those wicked men whose presence is your sin1 because you have power to remove them1 and those whose presence is not your sin1 nor the matter in your power4 #d4 ,and between one that may yet choose of what family he will be1 and one that may not4 ,and so ,i answer1 7#a47 ,if it be the fault of the master of the family 7or the pastors of the church7 that such wicked men are there1 and not cast out1 then it is their sin to join with them1 because it is their duty to remove them2 but that is not the case of the fellow-servants1 7or people17 that have no power4 7#b47 ,if that wicked men profess their wickedness1 after sufficient admonition1 you must professedly disown communion with them2 and then you are morally separated and discharged1 when you have no power locally to separate4 7#c47 ,it is your sin to fly from your duty1 because a wicked man is there1 whom you have no power to remove4 7#d47 ,there are many prayers that a wicked man is bound to put up to ,god2 and you must not omit your duty1 because he performeth his1 though faultily2 methinks you should more scruple joining or conversing with one that forsaketh prayer 7which is the greater sin7 than with one that prayeth4 7#e47 ,but if you are free to choose1 you are to be blamed if you will not choose a better family 7or church7 7other things being equal73 especially if all the company be wicked4 ,quest4 ,,xviii4 ,but what if the master of a family 7or pastor7 be a heretic or ungodly8 ,answ4 ,you must distinguish between his personal faults1 and the faults of his performance or worship4 ,his personal faults 7such as swearing or drunkenness1 c47 you must disown1 and must not choose a master 7or pastor7 that is such1 while you have your choice1 and may have better2 but otherwise it is lawful to join with him in doing good1 though not in evil4 ,but if the fault of his duty itself be intolerable you must not join with him4 ,now it is intolerable in these cases3 #a4 ,in case he be utterly unable to express a prayer1 and so make it no prayer4 #b4 ,in case he bend his prayers against godliness1 and known truth1 and charity1 and peace1 and so make his prayers but the instruments of mischief1 to vent heresy1 or malice1 and do more hurt than good to others4 ,quest4 ,,xix4 ,may we pray absolutely for outward mercies1 or only conditionally8 ,answ4 ,you must distinguish1 #a4 ,between a condition spoken of the subject1 when we are uncertain whether it be a mercy or not1 and an extrinsic condition of the grant4 #b4 ,between a condition of prayer1 and a condition of expectation4 #c4 ,between submission to ,god's will1 and a conditional desire or prayer4 ,and so ,i answer1 7#a47 ,it is necessary when we are uncertain whether the thing itself be good or not1 that we pray with a subjective conditionality3 ,grant this if it be good2 or1 ,if it be not good ,i do not pray for it4 ,for it is presupposed in prayer that we know the thing prayed for to be good4 7#b47 ,but when we know the thing to be a mercy and good1 we may pray for it absolutely4 7#c47 ,but we may not believe that we shall receive all with an absolute expectation1 which we absolutely pray for4 ,for prayer being the expression of desire1 that which may be absolutely desired1 though not absolutely promised1 may be absolutely prayed for4 7,as our increase or strength of grace1 or the conversion of our relations1 c47 7#d47 ,but yet all such must be asked with a submission to the will of ,god3 but that maketh it not properly a conditional form of praying2 for when the nature of prayer is as it were to move the will of ,god1 it is not so proper to say1 ,lord1 do this if it be thy will already2 or1 ,lord1 be pleased to do this if it be thy pleasure2 as to say1 ,lord1 grant this mercy2 but if thou deny it1 it is my duty to submit4 ,so ,christ mentioned both the subjective conditionality and the submission of his will4 ,matt4 xxvi4 #ci1 ,if it be possible1 let this cup pass from me3 nevertheless not as ,i will1 but as thou wilt4 ,as if he had said1 ,nature requireth me with a simple nolition to be unwilling of the suffering1 and if it be consistent with the desired ends of my mediatorship1 to be desirous to avoid it2 but seeing that cannot be1 my comparing will commandeth this simple will of self-preservation to submit to thy most perfect will4 ,but if any call this 7submission7 a condition1 the matter is not great4 ,quest4 ,,xx4 ,may we pray for all that we may lawfully desire8 ,answ4 ,no3 for prayer is not only an expression of desire1 but also a means to attain the thing desired4 ,and some things may be lawfully desired1 7at least with a simple velleity17 which may not be sought1 because they must not be hoped for1 where ,god hath said that he will not grant them4 ,for it is vain to seek that which you have no hope to find3 as to desire to see the conversion of the whole world1 or to pass to heaven as ,enoch without dying1 are lawful 7by a simple velleity72 but all things compared1 it is not lawful peremptorily to desire it1 without submission2 and therefore not to ask it4 ,it is the expression of a comparate1 determinate desire1 which is properly called prayer1 being the use of means for the obtaining of that desire2 and whatsoever ,i may so desire1 ,i may pray for2 for if there be no hope of it1 ,i may not so desire it4 ,but the desire by way of simple velleity may not be put into a proper prayer1 when there is no hope4 ,i must have a simple desire 7with submission7 to attain a sinless perfection here1 even this hour2 but because there is no hope1 ,i may not let it proceed to a determinate peremptory desire upon a comparing judgment1 nor into a proper prayer4 ,and yet these velleities may be expressed in prayer1 though they have not the full nature of a prayer4 ,object4 ,but was not ,christ's a prayer8 ,matt4 xxvi4 #ci4 ,answ4 ,either ,christ as man was certain that the cup must not pass from him1 or uncertain4 ,if you could prove him uncertain1 then it is a proper prayer 7with submission to his ,father's will72 but if he was certain that it was not to pass from him1 then it was analogically only a prayer1 it being but a representing of his velleity to his ,father1 and not of his determinate will1 nor was any means to attain that end3 and indeed such it was1 as if he had said1 ,father1 if it had stood with the ends of my office and thy will1 ,i would have asked this of thee2 but because it doth not1 ,i submit4 ,and this much we may do4 ,quest4 ,,xxi4 ,how then can we pray for the salvation of all the world8 must it be for all men collectively8 or only for some1 excluding no numerical denominate person8 ,answ4 ,just as ,christ prayed here in this text1 we must express our simple velleity of it to ,god1 as a thing that in itself is most desirable 7as the passing of the cup was unto ,christ73 but we cannot express a determinate volition1 by a full prayer1 such as has any tendency as a means to attain that end2 because we are certain that ,god's will is against it1 or that it will not be4 ,quest4 ,,xxii4 ,may we pray for the conversion of all the nations of the world to christianity1 with a hopeful prayer8 ,answ4 ,yes3 ,for we are not certain that every nation shall not be so converted1 though it be improbable4 ,quest4 ,,xxiii4 ,may we pray in hope with a proper prayer 7as a means to obtain it7 that a whole kingdom may be all truly converted and saved8 ,answ4 ,yes3 for ,god hath no way told us that it shall not be2 though it be a thing improbable1 it is not impossible2 and therefore being greatly desirable may be prayed for4 ,though ,christ has told us that his flock is little1 and few find the way of life1 yet that may stand with the salvation of a kingdom4 ,quest4 ,,xxiv4 ,may we pray for the destruction of the enemies of ,christ1 or of the gospel1 or of the king8 ,answ4 ,not with respect to that which is called ,god's antecedent will1 for so we ought first to pray for their conversion 7and restraint till then72 but with respect to that called his consequent will we may2 that is1 we must first pray that they may be restrained and converted1 and secondly1 that if not1 they may be destroyed4 ,quest4 ,,xxv4 ,what is to be thought of that which some call a particular faith in prayer8 ,if ,i can firmly believe that a lawful prayer shall be granted in kind1 may ,i not be sure by a divine faith that it shall be so8 ,answ4 ,belief hath relation to a testimony or revelation4 ,prayer may be warranted as lawful1 if the thing be desirable1 and there be any possibility of obtaining it1 though there be no certainty1 or flat promise2 but faith or expectation must be warranted by the promise4 ,if ,god have promised you the thing prayed for1 you may believe that you shall receive it3 otherwise your particular faith is a fancy1 or a believing of yourselves1 and not a believing ,god that never promised you the thing4 ,object4 ,matt4 xxi4 #bb1 ,and all things whatsoever you ask in prayer1 believing1 ye shall receive4#ff ,answ4 ,there are two sorts of faith3 the one a belief that is ordinary1 having respect to ordinary promises and mercies3 the text can be understood of this in no other sense than this3 ,all things which ,i have promised you1 you shall receive1 if you ask them believingly4 ,but this is nothing to that which is not promised4 ,the other faith was extraordinary1 in order to the working of miracles3 and this faith was a potent inward confidence1 which was not in the power of the person when he pleased1 but was given like an inspiration by the ,spirit of ,god1 when a miracle was to be wrought2 and this seemeth to be it that is spoken of in the text4 ,and this was built on this extraordinary promise1 which was made not to all men in all ages1 but to those times when the gospel was to be sealed and delivered by miracles2 and especially to the apostles4 ,so that in these times1 there is neither such a promise of our working miracles as they had to believe1 nor yet a power to exercise that sort of extraordinary faith4 ,therefore a strong conceit 7though it come in a fervent prayer7 that any thing shall come to pass1 which we cannot prove by any promise or prophecy1 is not to be called any act of divine faith at all1 nor to be trusted to4 ,quest4 ,,xxvi4 ,but must we not believe that every lawful prayer is accepted and heard of ,god8 ,answ4 ,yes3 but not that it should be granted in the very thing1 unless so promised3 but you may believe that your prayer is not lost1 and that it shall be a means of that which tendeth to your good1 ,rom4 viii4 #bh2 ,isa4 xlv4 #ai4 ,quest4 ,,xxvii4 ,with what faith must ,i pray for the souls or bodies of other men2 for their conversion or their lives8 ,answ4 ,a godly man may pray for wicked relations or others1 with more hope than they can pray for themselves1 while they remain ungodly3 but yet not with any certainty of prevailing for the thing he asketh2 for it is not peremptorily promised him4 ,otherwise ,samuel had prevailed for ,saul1 and ,isaac for ,esau1 and ,david for ,absalom1 and the good people for all the wicked2 and then no godly parents would have their children lost2 no1 nor any in the world would perish1 for godly persons pray for them all4 ,but those prayers are not lost to him that puts them up4 ,quest4 ,,xxviii4 ,with what faith may we pray for the continuance of the church and gospel to any nation8 ,answ4 ,the former answer serveth to this2 our hope may be according to the degrees of probability3 but we cannot believe it as a certainty by divine faith1 because it is not promised by ,god4 ,quest4 ,,xxix4 ,how may we know when our prayers are heard of ,god1 and when not8 ,answ4 ,two ways3 sometimes by experience1 when the thing itself is actually given us2 and always by the promise2 when we ask for that which ,god commandeth us to ask1 or promiseth to grant2 for we are sure ,god's promises are all fulfilled4 ,if we ask for the objects of sense 7as food or raiment1 or health1 c47 sense will tell us whether our prayers be granted in the same kind that we asked for2 but if the questions be of the objects of faith1 it is faith that must tell you that your prayers are granted2 but yet faith and reason make use of evidences or signs4 ,as if ,i pray for pardon of sin1 and salvation1 the promise assureth me1 that this prayer is granted1 if ,i be a penitent1 believing1 regenerate person1 otherwise not2 therefore faith only assureth me that such prayers are granted1 supposing that ,i discern the evidence of my regeneration1 repentance1 and faith in ,christ4 ,so if the question be whether my prayer for others1 or for temporal mercies1 be answered in some other kind1 and conduce to my good some other way1 faith only must tell you this from the promise1 by the help of evidences4 ,there are millions of prayers that will all be found answered at death and judgment1 which we knew not to be answered any way but by believing it4 ,quest4 ,,xxx4 ,what should a christian of weak parts do1 that is dry and barren of matter1 and can scarce tell what to say in prayer1 but is ready to rise off his knees almost as soon as he hath begun8 ,sidenote3 ,how to have constant supply of matter4 ,answ4 #a4 ,he must not be a stranger to himself1 but study well his heart and life3 and then he will find such a multitude of inward corruptions to lament1 and such a multitude of wants to be supplied1 and weaknesses to be strengthened1 and disorders to be rectified1 and actual sins to be forgiven1 that may find him work enough for confessions1 complaints1 and petitions many days together1 if expression be but as ready as matter4 #b4 ,let him study ,god1 and get the knowledge of his nature1 attributes1 and works3 and then he will find matter enough to aggravate his sin1 and to furnish him with the holy praise of ,god from day to day4 ,as he that is acquainted with all that is in any book1 can copiously discourse of it1 when he that knoweth not what is in it1 hath little to say of it2 so he that knoweth ,god and his works 7and himself1 and his sins and wants7 is acquainted with the best prayer book1 and hath always a full heap of matter before him1 whenever he cometh to speak to ,god4 #c4 ,let him study the mystery of man's redemption1 and the person1 and office1 and covenant1 and grace of ,christ2 and he need not want matter for prayer or praise4 ,a very child1 if he sees but a pedlar's pack opened1 where there are abundance of things which he desireth1 will learn without book to say1 ,o father1 buy me this1 and give me that1 c4 ,so will the soul that seeth the treasures and riches of ,christ4#fg #d4 ,let him know the extent of the law of ,god1 and the meaning of the ten commandments3 if he know but what sins are forbidden in each commandment1 and what duties are required1 he may find matter enough for confession and petition3 and therefore the view of such a brief exposition of the commandments1 as you may find in ,mr4 ,brinsley's ,true ,watch1 and in ,dr4 ,downam's and ,mr4 ,whateley's ,tables1 will be a present furniture for such a use1 especially in days of humiliation4 ,so it will also to have a particular understanding of the creed and the ,lord's prayer1 which will furnish you with much matter4 #e4 ,study well the temptations which you carry about you in your flesh1 and meet with in the world1 and are suggested by the tempter2 and think of the many duties you have to do1 and the many dangers and sufferings to undergo1 and you will never be unfurnished for matter for your prayers4 #f4 ,observe the daily passages of providence1 to yourselves and others2 mark how things go with your souls every day1 and hearken how it goeth with the church of ,god1 and mark also how it goeth with your neighbours1 and sure you will find matter enough for prayer4 #g4 ,think of the heavenly joys that you are going to1 and the streets of the ,new ,jerusalem will be large enough for faith to walk in4 #h4 ,for words1 be acquainted with the phrase of ,scripture1 and you will find provisions for all occasions4 ,read ,dr4 ,wilkins's book1 called ,the gift of ,prayer1 or ,mr4 ,brinsley's ,watch1 or ,mr4 ,e4 ,parr's ,abba1 ,father4 #i4 ,keep up the heart in a reverent1 serious1 lively frame1 and it will be a continual spring to furnish you with matter2 when a dead and barren heart hath a dry and sleepy tongue4 #aj4 ,join as often as you can with those that are full and copious in prayer2 for example and use will be very great helps4 #aa4 ,quench not the ,spirit of ,god that must assist you4 #ab4 ,in case of necessity1 use those books or forms which are more full than you can be yourselves till you come to ability to do better without them4 ,read further the directions part i4 chap4 vi4 tit4 #b1 for more4 ,quest4 ,,xxxi4 ,how should a christian keep up an ordinary fervency in prayer8 ,sidenote3 ,how to keep up fervency in prayer4 ,answ4 #a4 ,see that knowledge and faith provide you matter2 for as the fire will go out if there be not fuel1 so fervency will decay when you are dry1 and scarce know what to say1 or do not well believe what you understand4 #b4 ,clog not the body either with over-much eating and drinking1 or over-tiring labours2 for an active body helpeth much the activity of the mind2 and the holiest person will be able but poorly to exercise his fervency1 under a dull or languishing body4 #c4 ,rush not suddenly upon prayer1 out of a crowd of other businesses1 or before your last worldly cares or discourses be washed clean out of your minds4 ,in study and prayer how certain a truth is it1 that ,non bene fit quod occupato animo fit4 ,hieron4 ,epist4 #adc4 ad ,paulin4 ,that work is not well done1 which is done with a mind that is prepossessed1 or busied about other matters3 that mind must be wholly free from all other present thoughts or business1 that will either pray or study well4 #d4 ,keep a tender heart and conscience that is not senseless of your own concernments2 for all your prayers must needs be sleepy1 if the heart and conscience be once hardened1 seared1 or fallen asleep4 #e4 ,take more pains with your hearts than with your tongues4 ,remember that the success of your work lieth most on them4 ,bear not with their sluggishness2 do by them as you would do by your child or servant that sleepeth by you at prayer2 you will not let them snort on1 but jog them till you have awakened them4 ,so do by your hearts when you find them dull4 #f4 ,live as in the continual presence of ,god2 but labour to apprehend his special presence when you are about to speak to him3 ask your hearts how they would behave themselves1 if they saw the ,lord1 or but the lowest of his holy angels8 #g4 ,let faith be called up to see heaven and hell as open all the while before you2 and such a sight will surely keep you serious4 #h4 ,keep death and judgment in your continual remembrance and expectation3 remember how all your prayers will be looked back upon4 ,look not for long life3 remember that this prayer for aught you know may be your last2 but certainly you have not long to pray3 pray therefore as a dying man should do4 #i4 ,study well the unspeakable necessity of your souls4 ,if you prevail not for pardon1 and grace1 and preservation1 you are undone and lost for ever4 ,remember that necessity is upon you1 and heaven or hell are at the end1 and you are praying for more than a thousand lives4 #aj4 ,study well the unspeakable excellency of those mercies which you pray for3 ,o think how blessed a life it would be1 if you could know ,god more1 and love him more1 and live a blameless1 heavenly life1 and then live with ,christ in heaven for ever6 ,study these mercies till the flames of love put life into your prayers4 #aa4 ,study well the exceeding encouragements that you have to pray and hope2 if your hope decay your fervour will decay4 ,think of the unconceivable love of ,god1 the astonishing mercy showed to you in your ,redeemer1 and in the helps of the ,holy ,spirit1 and how ,christ is now interceding for you4 ,think of these till faith make glad your heart2 and in this gladness1 let praise and thanksgiving have ordinarily no small share in your prayers2 for it will tire out the heart to be always poring on its own distempers1 and discourage it to look on nothing but its infirmities2 and then1 a sad1 discouraged temper will not be so lively a temper1 as a thankful1 praiseful1 joyful temper is3 for ltitia loquax res est1 atque ostentatrix sui2 ,gladness is a very expressive thing1 and apt to show itself4#fh ,but tristes non eloquentes sunt3 maxime si ad gritudinem animi accedat corporis gritudo4 ,hieron4 ,epist4 #ca4 ad ,theoph4 ,alexand4 ,sad men are seldom eloquent2 especially if the body be sick as well as the mind4 #ab4 ,let the image of a praying and a bleeding ,christ1 and of his praying saints1 be 7not on a wall before your eyes1 but7 engraven on your minds4 ,is it not desirable to be conformed to them8 ,had they more need to pray importunately than you8 #ac4 ,be very cautelous in the use of forms1 lest you grow dull and customary1 and before you are aware your tongues use to go without your hearts4 ,the heart is apt to take its ease when it feeleth not some urgent instigation4 ,and though the presence of ,god should serve the turn without the regard of man1 yet with imperfect men the heart is best held to its duty when both concur4 ,and therefore most are more cautelous of their words1 than of their thoughts2 as children will learn their lesson better1 when they know their masters will hear them it1 than when they think he will not4 ,now in the use of a form of prayer1 a sleepy heart is not at all discerned by man1 but by ,god only2 for the words are all brought to your hand1 and may be said by the most dull and careless mind2 but when you are put to express your own desire1 without such helps1 you are necessitated to be so mindful of what you do1 as to form your desires into apt expressions1 or else your dulness or inattentiveness will be observed even by men2 and you will be like one that hath his coach1 or horse1 or crutches taken off him1 that if he have legs must use them1 or else lie still4 ,and to them that are able1 it is often a great benefit to be necessitated to use the ability they have2 though to others it is a loss to be deprived of their helps4#fi ,i speak not this against the lawfulness of a form of prayer2 but to warn you of the temptations which are in that way4 #ad4 ,join oft with the most serious1 fervent christians2 for their fervour will help your hearts to burn1 and carry you along with them4 #ae4 ,destroy not fervency by adulterating it1 and turning it into an affected earnestness of speech1 and loudness of voice1 when it is but a hypocritical cover for a frozen1 empty heart4 ,quest4 ,,xxxii4 ,may we look to speed ever the better for any thing in ourselves1 or in our prayers8 ,is not that to trust in them1 when we should trust on ,christ alone8 ,answ4 ,we must not trust in them for any thing that is ,christ's part and not theirs2 but for their own part it is a duty to trust in them 7however quarrelsome persons may abuse or cavil at the words73 and he that distrusteth prayer in that which is its proper office1 will pray to little purpose3 and he that thinks that faithful1 fervent1 importunate1 understanding prayer1 is no more effectual with ,god for mercy1 than the babbling of the hypocrite1 or the ignorant1 careless1 unbelieving1 sleepy prayers of the negligent1 will either not care how he prayeth1 or whether he prayeth at all or not4 ,though our persons and prayers have nothing that is meritorious with ,god1 in point of commutative justice1 nor as is co-ordinate with the merits of ,christ1 yet have they conditions without which ,god will not accept them1 and are meritorious in subordination to the merit of ,christ1 in point of paternal governing justice according to the covenant of grace2 as an obedient child deserveth more love1 and praise1 and reward from his father than the disobedient3 as the ancient fathers commonly used the word merit4#gj ,quest4 ,,xxxiii4 ,how must that person and prayer be qualified that shall be accepted of ,god8 ,answ4 ,there are several degrees of ,god's acceptance4 ,i4 ,that which is but from common grace1 may be accepted as better than none at all4 ,,ii4 ,that which hath a promise of some success1 especially as to pardon and salvation1 must be1 #a4 ,from a penitent1 believing1 holy person4 #b4 ,it must proceed from true desire1 and be sincere2 and have renewed faith and repentance in some measure4 #c4 ,it must be put up in confidence on the merit and intercession of ,christ4 #d4 ,it must be only for things lawful4 #e4 ,and to a lawful end4 ,,iii4 ,that which is extraordinarily accepted and successful1 must be extraordinary in all these respects2 in the person's holiness1 and in renewed faith and fervent importunity1 and holy love4 ,tit4 #c4 ,special ,directions for ,family ,prayer4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,let it be done rather by the master of the family himself than any other1 if he be competently able1 though others be more able2 but if he be utterly unfit1 let it rather be done by another than not at all2 and by such an one as is most acceptable to the rest1 and like to do most good4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,let prayer be suited to the case of those that join in it1 and to the condition of the family2 and not a few general words spoken by rote1 that serve all times and persons alike4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,let it neither be so short as to end before their hearts can be warm and their wants expressed 7as if you had an unwilling task to slubber over1 and would fain have done72 nor yet so tedious as to make it an ungrateful burden to the family4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,let not the coldness and dulness of the speaker rock the family asleep2 but keep awake your own heart1 that you may keep the rest awake1 and force them to attention4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,pray at such hours as the family may be least distracted1 sleepy1 tired1 or out of the way4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,let other duties concur1 as oft as may be1 to assist in prayer3 as reading1 and singing psalms4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,do all with the greatest reverence of ,god that possibly you can2 not seeming reverence1 but real2 that so more of ,god than of man may appear in every word you speak4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,the more the hearers are concerned in it1 the more regard you must have to the fitness of your expressions2 for before others1 words must be regarded1 lest they be scandalized1 and ,god and prayer be dishonoured4 ,and if you cannot do it competently without1 use a well-composed form4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,let not family prayer be used at the time of public prayer in the church1 nor preferred before it1 but prefer public prayer1 though the manner were more imperfect than your own4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,teach your children and servants how to pray themselves1 that they may not be prayerless when they come among those that cannot pray4 ,john and ,christ taught their disciples to pray4 ,tit4 #d4 ,special ,directions for ,secret ,prayer4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,let it be in as secret a place as conveniently you can2 that you may not be disturbed4 ,let it be done so that others may not be witnesses of it1 if you can avoid it2 and yet take it not for your duty1 to keep it unknown that you pray secretly at all3 for that will be a snare and scandal to them4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,let your voice be suited to your own help and benefit1 if none else hear you4 ,if it be needful to the orderly proceeding of your own thoughts1 or to the warming of your own affections1 you may use a voice2 but if others be within hearing1 it is very unfit4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,in secret let the matter of your prayers be that which is most peculiarly your own concernment1 or those secret things that are not fit for public prayer1 or are there passed by2 yet never forgetting the highest interest of ,christ1 and the gospel1 and the world and church4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,be less solicitous about words in secret than with others1 and lay out your care about the heart2 for that is it that ,god most esteemeth in your prayers4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,do not through carnal unwillingness grow into a neglect of secret prayer1 when you have time2 nor yet do you superstitiously tie yourselves to just so long time1 whether you are fit1 or at leisure from greater duties1 or not4 ,but be the longer when you are most fit and vacant1 and the shorter when you are not4 ,to give way to every carnal backwardness1 is the sin on one side2 and to resolve to spend so long time1 when you do but tire yourselves1 and sleep1 or business1 or distemper maketh it a lifeless thing1 is a sin on the other side4 ,avoid them both4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,a melancholy person who is unfit for much solitariness and heart-searchings1 must be much shorter1 if not also seldomer in secret prayers1 than other christians that are capable of bearing it3 and they must1 instead of that which they cannot do1 be the more in that which they can do2 as in joining with others1 and in shorter ejaculations1 besides other duties2 but not abating their piety in the main upon any pretence of curing melancholy4 #ec ,the ,stoics say1 ,orabit sapiens ac vota faciet bona diis postulans4 ,laert4 in ,zenone4 ,so that when ,seneca saith1 ,cur ,deos precibus fatigatis1 c4 he only intendeth to reprove the slothful1 that think to have all done by prayer alone1 while they are idle and neglect the means4 #ed ,plerumque hoc negotium plus genscibus quam sermonibus agitur4 ,august4 ,epist4 #aba4 #ee ,bias navigabat aliquando cum impiis1 et quum navis tempestate1 quateretur1 illique ,deos invocarent2 silete1 inquit1 ne vos hic illi navigare sentiant4 ,laert4 p4 #ee4 #ef ,of the method of the ,lord's ,prayer1 see ,ramus de ,relig4 ,christ4 lib4 iii4 cap4 #c4 et ,ludolphus de ,vita ,christi1 part i4 cap4 #cg4 et ,perkins in ,orat4 ,dom4 and ,dr4 ,boys on the ,liturgy1 p4 #e-g4 #eg ,selden in ,eutychii ,alexandr4 ,orig4 p4 #db1 #dc1 showeth that before ,ezra the ,jews prayed without forms1 and that ,ezra and the elders with him1 composed them a form which had eighteen benedictions and petitions1 that is1 the three first and the three last for the glorifying ,god1 and the rest intermediate for personal and public benefits4 ,and1 pag4 #dh1 that they might omit none of these1 but might add others4 #eh ,see ,selden ubi supra1 proving that the ,jews had a form of prayer since ,ezra's time2 therefore it was in ,christ's time4 ,yet he and his apostles joined with them1 and never contradicted or blamed them for forms4 #ei ,three or four of these cases as to church prayers are largelier answered afterward1 part iii4 ,socrates alius ,cous deorum precationes1 invocationesque conscripsit4 ,laert4 in ,socrate4 #fj ,psal4 xlii4 #i2 xxii4 #a2 ,john ii4 #ad2 ,jer4 xxxi4 #i2 ,luke xv4 #ab1 #ag1 #ai2 ,mal4 ii4 #aj4 #fa ,acts xv4 #ag2 xvii4 #bg2 viii4 #bb2 ,isa4 lv4 #f2 ,psal4 xiv4 #d4 #fb ,heb4 xi4 #f2 ,rom4 x4 #ad4 #fc ,psal4 lxv4 #b2 ,isa4 lxiii4 #af2 ,psal4 cxlv4 #ah2 #a ,kings viii4 #ci2 ,acts i4 #bd2 ,rom4 viii4 #bg2 x4 #ad2 ,psal4 lxii4 #h2 ,matt4 iv4 #i4 #fd ,rev4 xxii4 #h1 #i2 ,col4 ii4 #ah4 #fe ,mark that ,i say but at that time4 #ff ,mark xi4 #bc1 #bd4 #fg ,rev4 iii4 #ag1 #ah4 #fh ,symmach4 ,epist4 #ca4 #a4 #a4 ad ,auson4 #fi ,see ,mr4 ,mayo's ,directions on this case4 #gj ,see my ,confession of this at large4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,brief ,,directions ,,for ,,families1 ,,about ,,the ,,sacrament ,,of ,,the ,,body ,,and ,,blood ,,of ,,christ4 ,,omitting those things which concern the public administration of this sacrament1 7for the reasons before intimated part ii47 ,i shall here only give you some brief directions for your private duty herein4 ,sidenote3 ,what are the ends of the sacrament8 ,direct4 ,i4 ,understand well the proper ends to which this sacrament was instituted by ,christ2 and take heed that you use it not to ends for which it never was appointed4 ,the true ends are these3 #a4 ,to be a solemn commemoration of the death and passion of ,jesus ,christ1 to keep it1 as it were1 in the eye of the church1 in his bodily absence till he come1 #a ,cor4 xi4 #bd-bf4 #b4 ,to be a solemn renewing of the holy covenant which was first entered in baptism1 between ,christ and the receiver2 and in that covenant it is1 on ,christ's part1 a solemn delivery of himself first1 and with himself the benefits of pardon1 reconciliation1 adoption1 and right to life eternal4 ,and on man's part1 it is our solemn acceptance of ,christ with his benefits1 upon his terms1 and a delivering up of ourselves to him1 as his redeemed ones1 even to the ,father as our reconciled ,father1 and to the ,son as our ,lord and ,saviour1 and to the ,holy ,spirit as our ,sanctifier1 with professed thankfulness for so great a benefit4 #c4 ,it is appointed to be a lively objective means1 by which the ,spirit of ,christ should work to stir up1 and exercise1 and increase the repentance1 faith1 desire1 love1 hope1 joy1 thankfulness1 and new obedience of believers2 by a lively representation of the evil of sin1 the infinite love of ,god in ,christ1 the firmness of the covenant or promise1 the greatness and sureness of the mercy given1 and the blessedness purchased and promised to us1 and the great obligations that are laid upon us4#ga ,and that herein believers might be solemnly called out to the most serious exercise of all these graces1 and might be provoked and assisted to stir up themselves to this communion with ,god in ,christ1 and to pray for more as through a sacrificed ,christ4#gb #d4 ,it is appointed to be the solemn profession of believers1 of their faith1 and love1 and gratitude1 and obedience to ,god the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 and of continuing firm in the christian religion4 ,and a badge of the church before the world4 #e4 ,and it is appointed to be a sign and means of the unity1 love1 and communion of saints1 and their readiness to communicate to each other4 ,the false1 mistaken ends which you must avoid are these3 #a4 ,you must not1 with the papists1 think that the end of it is to turn bread into no bread1 and wine into no wine1 and to make them really the true body and blood of ,jesus ,christ4 ,for if sense 7which telleth all men that it is still bread and wine7 be not to be believed1 then we cannot believe that ever there was a gospel1 or an apostle1 or a pope1 or a man1 or any thing in the world4 ,and the apostle expressly calleth it bread three times1 in three verses together1 after the consecration1 #a ,cor4 xi4 #bf-bh4 ,and he telleth us1 that the use of it is 7not to make the ,lord's body really present1 but7 to show the ,lord's death till he come2 that is1 as a visible representing and commemorating sign1 to be instead of his bodily presence till he come4 #b4 ,nor must you with the papists use this sacrament to sacrifice ,christ again really unto the ,father1 to propitiate him for the quick and dead1 and ease souls in purgatory1 and deliver them out of it4 ,for ,christ having died once dieth no more1 and without killing him there is no sacrificing him4 ,by once offering up himself1 he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified1 and now there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin3 having finished the sacrificing work on earth1 he is now passed into the heavens1 to appear before ,god for his redeemed ones4#gc #c4 ,nor is it any better than odious impiety to receive the sacrament1 to confirm some confederacies or oaths of secrecy1 for rebellions or other unlawful designs2 as the powder-plotters in ,england did4 #d4 ,nor is it any other than impious profanation of these sacred mysteries1 for the priest to constrain or suffer notoriously ignorant and ungodly persons to receive them2#gd either to make themselves believe that they are indeed the children of ,god1 or to be a means which ungodly men should use to make them godly1 or which infidels or impenitent persons must use to help them to repentance and faith in ,christ4 ,for though there is that in it which may become a means of their conversion1 7as a thief that stealeth a ,bible or sermon book1 may be converted by it17 yet is it not to be used by the receiver to that end4 ,for that were to tell ,god a lie1 as the means of their conversion2 for whosoever cometh to receive a sealed pardon1 doth thereby profess repentance1 as also by the words adjoined he must do2 and whosoever taketh1 and eateth1 and drinketh the bread and wine1 doth actually profess thereby1 that he taketh and applieth ,christ himself by faith3 and therefore1 if he do neither of these1 he lieth openly to ,god3 and lies and false covenants are not the appointed means of conversion4 ,not that the minister is a liar in his delivery of it3 for he doth but conditionally seal and deliver ,god's covenant and benefits to the receiver1 to be his1 if he truly repent and believe3 but the receiver himself lieth1 if he do not actually repent and believe1 as he there professeth to do4 #e4 ,also it is an impious profanation of the sacrament1 if any priest1 for the love of filthy lucre1 shall give it to those that ought not to receive it1 that he may have his fees or offerings2 or1 that the priest may have so much money that is bequeathed for saying a mass for such or such a soul4 #f4 ,and it is an odious profanation of the sacrament1 to use it as a league or bond of faction1 to gather persons into the party1 and tie them fast to it1 that they may depend upon the priest1 and his faction and interest may thereby be strengthened1 and he may seem to have many followers4 #g4 ,and it is a dangerous abuse of it1 to receive it1 that you may be pardoned1 or sanctified1 or saved1 barely by the work done1 or by the outward exercise alone4 ,as if ,god were there obliged to give you grace1 while you strive not with your own hearts1 to stir them up to love1 or desire1 or faith1 or obedience1 by the means that are before you2 or1 as if ,god would pardon and save you for eating so much bread and drinking so much wine1 when the canon biddeth you2 or1 as if the sacrament conveyed grace1 like as charms are supposed to work1 by saying over so many words4 #h4 ,lastly1 ,it is no appointed end of this sacrament1 that the receiver thereby profess himself certain of the sincerity of his own repentance and faith 7for it is not managed on the ground of such certainty only by the receiver2 much less by the minister that delivereth it74 ,but only he professeth1 that as far as he can discern by observing his own heart1 he is truly willing to have ,christ and his benefits1 on the terms that they are offered2 and that he doth consent to the covenant which he is there to renew4 ,think not therefore that the sacrament is instituted for any of these 7mistaken7 ends4 ,sidenote3 ,what are the parts of the sacraments8 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,distinctly understand the parts of the sacrament1 that you may distinctly use them1 and not do you know not what4 ,this sacrament containeth these three parts4 #a4 ,the consecration of the bread and wine1 which maketh it the representative body and blood of ,christ4 #b4 ,the representation and commemoration of the sacrifice of ,christ4 #c4 ,the communion3 or1 communication by ,christ1 and reception by the people4 #a4 ,in the consecration1 the church doth first offer the creatures of bread and wine1 to be accepted of ,god1 to this sacred use4 ,and ,god accepteth them1 and blesseth them to this use2 which he signifieth both by the words of his own institution1 and by the action of his ministers1 and their benediction4 ,they being the agents of ,god to the people in this accepting and blessing1 as they are the agents of the people to ,god1 in offering or dedicating the creatures to this use4 ,this consecration having a special respect to ,god the ,father1 in it we acknowledge his three grand relations4 #a4 ,that he is the ,creator1 and so the ,owner of all the creatures2 for we offer them to him as his own4 #b4 ,that he is our righteous ,governor1 whose law it was that ,adam and we have broken1 and who required satisfaction1 and hath received the sacrifice and atonement1 and hath dispensed with the strict and proper execution of that law1 and will rule us hereafter by the law of grace4 #c4 ,that he is our ,father or ,benefactor1 who hath freely given us a ,redeemer1 and the covenant of grace1 whose love and favour we have forfeited by sin1 but desire and hope to be reconciled by ,christ4 ,as ,christ himself was incarnate and true ,christ1 before he was sacrificed to ,god1 and was sacrificed to ,god before that sacrifice be communicated for life and nourishment to souls2 so in the sacrament1 consecration must first make the creature to be the flesh and blood of ,christ representative2 and then the sacrificing of that flesh and blood must be represented and commemorated2 and then the sacrificed flesh and blood communicated to the receivers for their spiritual life4 ,,ii4 ,the commemoration chiefly 7but not only7 respecteth ,god the ,son4 ,for he hath ordained1 that these consecrated representations should in their manner and measure1 supply the room of his bodily presence1 while his body is in heaven2 and that thus1 as it were1 in effigy1 in representation1 he might be still crucified before the church's eyes2 and they might be affected1 as if they had seen him on the cross4 ,and that by faith and prayer1 they might1 as it were1 offer him up to ,god2 that is1 might show the ,father that sacrifice1 once made for sin1 in which they trust1 and for which it is that they expect all the acceptance of their persons with ,god1 and hope for audience1 when they beg for mercy1 and offer up prayer or praises to him4 ,,iii4 ,in the communication1 though the sacrament have respect to the ,father1 as the principal ,giver1 and to the ,son1 as both the ,gift and ,giver1 yet hath it a special respect to the ,holy ,ghost1 as being that ,spirit given in the flesh and blood1 which quickeneth souls2 without which1 the flesh will profit nothing2 and whose operations must convey and apply ,christ's saving benefits to us1 ,john vi4 #fc2 vii4 #ci4ge ,these three being the parts of the sacrament in whole1 as comprehending that sacred action and participation which is essential to it2 the material parts1 called the relate and correlate1 are1 #a4 ,substantial and qualitative4 #b4 ,active and passive4 #a4 ,the first1 are the bread and wine as signs1 and the body and blood of ,christ1 with his graces and benefits1 as the things signified and given4 #b4 ,the second1 are the actions of breaking1 pouring out1 and delivering on the minister's part1 7after the consecration17 and the taking1 eating1 and drinking1 by the receivers as the sign4 ,and the thing signified is the crucifying or sacrificing of ,christ1 and the delivering himself with his benefits to the believer1 and the receiver's thankful accepting and using the said gift4 ,to these add the relative form1 and the ends1 and you have the definition of this sacrament4 ,of which see more in my ,universal ,concord1 p4 #df1 c4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,look upon the minister as the agent or officer of ,christ1 who is commissioned by him to seal and deliver to you the covenant and its benefits3 and take the bread and wine1 as if you heard ,christ himself saying to you1 ,take my body and blood1 and the pardon and grace which is thereby purchased4 ,it is a great help in the application1 to have mercy and pardon brought us by the hand of a commissioned officer of ,christ4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,in your preparation beforehand1 take heed of these two extremes3 #a4 ,that you come not profanely and carelessly1 with common hearts1 as to a common work4#gf ,for ,god will be sanctified in them that draw near him1 ,lev4 x4 #c2 and they that eat and drink unworthily1 not discerning the ,lord's body from common bread1 but eating as if it were a common meal1 do eat death to themselves1 instead of life4 #b4 ,take heed lest your mistakes of the nature of this sacrament1 should possess you with such fears of unworthy receiving1 and the following dangers1 as may quite discompose and unfit your souls for the joyful exercises of faith1 and love1 and praise1 and thanksgiving1 to which you are invited4 ,many that are scrupulous of receiving it in any save a feasting gesture1 are too little careful and scrupulous of receiving it in any save a feasting frame of mind4 ,the first extreme is caused by profaneness and negligence1 or by gross ignorance of the nature of the sacramental work4 ,the latter extreme is frequently caused as followeth3 #a4 ,by setting this sacrament at a greater distance from other parts of ,god's worship1 than there is cause2 so that the excess of reverence doth overwhelm the minds of some with terrors4 #b4 ,by studying more the terrible words of eating and drinking damnation to themselves1 if they do it unworthily1 than all the expressions of love and mercy1 which that blessed feast is furnished with4 ,so that when the views of infinite love should ravish them1 they are studying wrath and vengeance to terrify them1 as if they came to ,moses1 and not to ,christ4 #c4 ,by not understanding what maketh a receiver worthy or unworthy1 but taking their unwilling infirmities for condemning unworthiness4 #d4 ,by receiving it so seldom1 as to make it strange to them1 and increase their fear1 whereas if it were administered every ,lord's day1 as it was in the primitive churches1 it would better acquaint them with it1 and cure that fear that cometh from strangeness4 #e4 ,by imagining1 that none that want assurance of their own sincerity can receive in faith4 #f4 ,by contracting an ill habit of mistaken religiousness1 placing it all in poring on themselves and mourning for their corruptions1 and not in studying the love of ,god in ,christ1 and living in the daily praises of his name1 and joyful thanksgiving for his exceeding mercies4 #g4 ,and if1 besides all these1 the body contract a weak or timorous1 melancholy distemper1 it will leave the mind capable of almost nothing1 but fear and trouble1 even in the sweetest works4 ,from many such cases it cometh to pass1 that the sacrament of the ,lord's supper is become more terrible and uncomfortable to abundance of such distempered christians1 than any other ordinance of ,god2 and that which should most comfort them1 doth trouble them most4 ,quest4 ,i4 ,but is not this sacrament more holy and dreadful1 and should it not have more preparation1 than other parts of worship8 ,answ4 ,for the degree1 indeed1 it should have very careful preparation3 and we cannot well compare it with other parts of worship2 as praise1 thanksgiving1 covenanting with ,god1 prayer1 c4 because that all these other parts are here comprised and performed4 ,but doubtless1 ,god must also be sanctified in all his other worship1 and his name must not be taken in vain4 ,and when this sacrament was received every ,lord's day1 and often in the week besides1 christians were supposed to live continually in a state of general preparation1 and not to be so far from a due particular preparation1 as many poor christians think they are4 ,quest4 ,,ii4 ,how often should the sacrament be now administered1 that it neither grow into contempt nor strangeness8 ,answ4 ,ordinarily in well disciplined churches it should be still every ,lord's day3 for1 #a4 ,we have no reason to prove1 that the apostles' example and appointment in this case1 was proper to those times1 any more than that praise and thanksgiving daily is proper to them3 and we may as well deny the obligation of other institutions1 or apostolical orders1 as that4 #b4 ,it is a part of the settled order for the ,lord's-day worship2 and omitting it1 maimeth and altereth the worship of the day2 and occasioneth the omission of the thanksgiving and praise1 and lively commemorations of ,christ1 which should be then most performed2 and so christians by use1 grow habituated to sadness1 and a mourning1 melancholy religion1 and grow unacquainted with much of the worship and spirit of the gospel4 #c4 ,hereby the papists' lamentable corruptions of this ordinance have grown up1 even by an excess of reverence and fear1 which seldom receiving doth increase1 till they are come to worship bread as their ,god4 #d4 ,by seldom communicating1 men are seduced to think all proper communion of churches lieth in that sacrament1 and to be more profanely bold in abusing many other parts of worship4 #e4 ,there are better means 7by teaching and discipline7 to keep the sacrament from contempt1 than the omitting or displacing of it4 #f4 ,every ,lord's day is no oftener than christians need it4 #g4 ,the frequency will teach them to live prepared1 and not only to make much ado once a month or quarter1 when the same work is neglected all the year besides3 even as one that liveth in continual expectation of death1 will live in continual preparation2 when he that expecteth it but in some grievous sickness1 will then be frightened into some seeming preparations1 which are not the habit of his soul1 but laid by again when the disease is over4 #b4 ,but yet ,i must add1 that in some undisciplined churches1 and upon some occasions1 it may be longer omitted or seldomer used3 no duty is a duty at all times2 and therefore extraordinary eases may raise such impediments1 as may hinder us a long time from this1 and many other privileges4 ,but the ordinary faultiness of our imperfect hearts1 that are apt to grow customary and dull1 is no good reason why it should be seldom2 any more than why other special duties of worship and church communion should be seldom4 ,read well the epistles of ,paul to the ,corinthians1 and you will find that they were then as bad as the true christians are now1 and that even in this sacrament they were very culpable2 and yet ,paul seeketh not to cure them by their seldomer communicating4 ,quest4 ,,iii4 ,are all the members of the visible church to be admitted to this sacrament1 or communicate8 ,answ4 ,all are not to seek it1 or to take it1 because many may know their own unfitness1 when the church or pastors know it not2 but all that come and seek it1 are to be admitted by the pastors1 except such children1 idiots1 ignorant persons1 or heretics1 as know not what they are to receive and do1 and such as are notoriously wicked or scandalous1 and have not manifested their repentance4 ,but then it is presupposed1 that none should be numbered with the adult members of the church1 but those that have personally owned their baptismal covenant1 by a credible profession of true christianity4 ,quest4 ,,iv4 ,may a man that hath knowledge1 and civility1 and common gifts1 come and take this sacrament1 if he know that he is yet void of true repentance1 and other saving grace8 ,answ4 ,no2 for he then knoweth himself to be one that is uncapable of it in his present state4 ,quest4 ,v4 ,may an ungodly man receive this sacrament1 who knoweth not himself to be ungodly8 ,answ4 ,no2 for he ought to know it1 and his sinful ignorance of his own condition1 will not make his sin to be his duty1 nor excuse his other faults before ,god4 ,quest4 ,,vi4 ,must a sincere christian receive1 that is uncertain of his sincerity1 and in continual doubting8 ,answ4 ,two preparations are necessary to this sacrament3 the general preparation1 which is a state of grace1 and this the doubting christian hath2 and the particular preparation1 which consisteth in his present actual fitness2 and all the question is of this4 ,and to know this1 you must further distinguish1 between immediate duty and more remote1 and between the degrees of doubtfulness in christians4 #a4 ,the nearest immediate duty of the doubting christian is1 to use the means to have his doubts resolved1 till he know his case1 and then his next duty is1 to receive the sacrament2 and both these still remain his duty1 to be performed in this order3 and if he say1 ,i cannot be resolved1 when ,i have done my best2 yet certainly it is some sin of his own that keepeth him in the dark1 and hindereth his assurance2 and therefore duty ceaseth not to be duty4 ,the law of ,christ still obligeth him1 both to get assurance1 and to receive2 and the want both of the knowledge of his state1 and of receiving the sacrament1 are his continual sin1 if he lie in it never so long through these scruples1 though it be an infirmity that ,god will not condemn him for4 7,for he is supposed to be in a state of grace47 ,but you will say1 ,what if still he cannot be resolved whether he have true faith and repentance1 or not8 what should he do while he is in doubt8 ,i answer1 it is one thing to ask1 what is his duty in this case8 and another thing to ask1 which is the smaller or less dangerous sin8 ,still his duty is both to get the knowledge of his heart1 and to communicate3 but while he sinneth 7through infirmity7 in failing of the first1 were he better also omit the other or not8 ,to be well resolved of that1 you must discern1 #a4 ,whether his judgment of himself do rather incline to think and hope that he is sincere in his repentance and faith1 or that he is not4 #b4 ,and whether the consequents are like to be good or bad to him4 ,if his hopes that he is sincere1 be as great or greater than his fears of the contrary1 then there is no such ill consequent to be feared as may hinder his communicating2 but it is his best way to do it1 and wait on ,god in the use of his ordinance4 ,but if the persuasion of his gracelessness be greater than the hopes of his sincerity1 then he must observe how he is like to be affected1 if he do communicate4 ,if he find that it is like to clear up his mind1 and increase his hopes by the actuating of his grace1 he is yet best to go3 but if he find that his heart is like to be overwhelmed with horror1 and sunk into despair1 by running into the supposed guilt of unworthy receiving1 then it will be worse to do it1 than to omit it4 ,many such fearful christians ,i have known1 that are fain many years to absent themselves from the sacrament2 because if they should receive it while they are persuaded of their utter unworthiness1 they would be swallowed up of desperation1 and think that they had taken their own damnation 7as the twenty-fifth article of the church of ,england saith the unworthy receivers do74 ,so that the chief sin of such a doubting receiver1 is not that he receiveth1 though he doubt2 for doubting will not excuse us for the sinful omission of a duty 7no more of this than of prayer or thanksgiving73 but only prudence requireth such a one to forbear that1 which through his own distemper would be a means of his despair and ruin2 as that physic or food1 how good soever1 is not to be taken1 which would kill the taker3 ,god's ordinances are not appointed for our destruction1 but for our edification2 and so must be used as tendeth thereunto4 ,yet to those christians1 who are in this case1 and dare not communicate1 ,i must put this question1 ,how dare you so long refuse it8 ,he that consenteth to the covenant1 may boldly come and signify his consent1 and receive the sealed covenant of ,god2 for consent is your preparation1 or the necessary condition of your right3 if you consent not1 you refuse all the mercy of the covenant4 ,and dare you live in such a state8 ,suppose a pardon be offered to a condemned thief1 but so1 that if he after cast it in the dirt1 or turn traitor1 he shall die a sorer death2 will he rather choose to die than take it1 and say1 ,i am afraid ,i shall abuse it8 ,to refuse ,god's covenant is certain death2 but to consent is your preparation and your life4 ,quest4 ,,vii4 ,but what if superiors compel such a christian to communicate1 or else they will excommunicate and imprison him2 what then should he choose8 ,answ4 ,if he could do it without his own soul's hurt1 he should obey them 7supposing that it is nothing but that which in itself is good that they command him74#gg ,but they have their power to edification1 and not to destruction1 and he must value his soul above his body2 and therefore it is past question1 that it is a smaller hurt to be excommunicated1 and lie and die in prison1 than to cast his soul into despair1 by doing that which he thinketh is a grievous sin1 and would be his damnation4 ,but all means must be used to cure the mistake of his own understanding4 ,quest4 ,,viii4 ,is not the case of a hypocrite that knoweth not himself to be a hypocrite1 and of a sincere christian that knoweth not himself to be sincere1 all one as to communicating2 when both are equally in doubt8 ,answ4 ,no3 for being and seeing are things that must be distinguished4 ,the one hath grace in being1 though he see it not2 and therefore hath a right to the blessings of the covenant2 and therefore at once remaineth obliged both to discern his title1 and to come and take it3 and therefore if become doubtingly1 his sin is not that he receiveth1 but in the manner of receiving1 that he doth it doubtingly2 and therefore it will be a greater sin not to receive at all1 unless in the last mentioned case1 wherein the consequents are like to be worse to him4 ,but the other hath no true repentance1 or faith1 or love in being2 and therefore hath no right to the blessings of the covenant2 and therefore1 at present1 is obliged to discern that he is graceless1 and to repent of it3 and it is not his sin that he doubteth of his title1 but that he demandeth and taketh what he hath no title to2 and therefore it is a greater sin in him to take it1 than to delay in order to his recovery and preparation4 ,yea1 even in point of comfort1 there is some disparity3 for though the true christian hath far greater terrors than hypocrites1 when he taketh himself to be an unworthy receiver1 7as being more sensible and regardful of the weight of the matter17 yet usually1 in the midst of all his fears1 there are some secret testimonies in his heart of the love of ,god1 which are a cordial of hope that keep him from sinking into despair1 and have more life and power in them1 than all the hypocrite's false persuasions of his own sincerity4 ,quest4 ,,ix4 ,wherein lieth the sin of a hypocrite1 and ungodly person1 if he do receive8 ,answ4 ,his sin is1 #a4 ,in lying and hypocrisy2 in that he professeth to repent unfeignedly of his sin1 and to be resolved for a holy life1 and to believe in ,christ1 and to accept him on his covenant terms1 and to give up himself to ,god1 as his ,father1 his ,saviour1 and his ,sanctifier1 and to forsake the flesh1 the world1 and the devil2 when1 indeed1 he never did any of this1 but secretly abhorreth it at his heart1 and will not be persuaded to it3 and so all this profession1 and his very covenanting itself1 and his receiving1 as it is a professing-covenanting sign1 is nothing but a very lie4 ,and what it is to lie to the ,holy ,ghost1 the case of ,ananias and ,sapphira telleth us4 #b4 ,it is usurpation to come and lay claim to those benefits1 which he hath no title to4 #c4 ,it is a profanation of these holy mysteries1 to be thus used2 and it is a taking of ,god's name in vain1 who is a jealous ,god1 and will be sanctified of all that draw near unto him4#gh #d4 ,and it is a wrong to the church of ,god1 and the communion of saints1 and the honour of the christian religion1 that such ungodly hypocrites intrude as members3 as it is to the king's army1 when the enemies' spies creep in amongst them2 or to his marriage-feast to have a guest in rags1 ,matt4 xxii4 #aa1 #ab4 ,object4 ,but it is no lie1 because they think they say true in their profession4 ,answ4 ,that is through their sinful negligence and self-deceit3 and he is a liar that speaks a falsehood1 which he may and ought to know to be a falsehood1 though he do not know it4 ,there is a liar in rashness and negligence1 as well as of set purpose4 ,quest4 ,x4 ,doth all unworthy receiving make a man liable to damnation8 ,or1 what worthiness is it that is so threatened4#gi ,answ4 ,there are three sorts of unworthiness1 7or unfitness17 and three sorts of judgment answerably to be feared4 #a4 ,there is the utter unworthiness of an infidel1 or impenitent1 ungodly hypocrite4 ,and damnation to hell fire1 is the punishment that such must expect1 if conversion prevent it not4 #b4 ,there is an unworthiness through some great and scandalous crime1 which a regenerate person falleth into2 and this should stop him from the sacrament for a time1 till he have repented and cast away his sin4 ,and if he come before he rise from his fall by a particular repentance1 7as the ,corinthians that sinned in the very use of the sacrament itself17 they may expect some notable temporal judgment at the present2#hj and if repentance did not prevent it1 they might fear eternal punishment4 #c4 ,there is that measure of unworthiness which consisteth in the ordinary infirmities of a saint2 and this should not at all deter them from the sacrament1 because it is accompanied with a greater worthiness2 yea1 though their weakness appear in the time and manner of their receiving3 but yet ordinary corrections may follow these ordinary infirmities4 7,the grosser abuse of the sacrament itself1 ,i join under the second rank47 ,quest4 ,,xi4 ,what is the particular preparation needful to a fit communicant8 ,answ4 ,this bringeth me up to the next direction4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,let your preparation to this sacrament consist of these particulars following4 #a4 ,in your duty with your own consciences and hearts4 #b4 ,in your duty towards ,god4 #c4 ,and in your duty towards your neighbour4 ,sidenote3 ,marks of sincerity4 ,i4 ,your duty with your hearts consisteth in these particulars4 #a4 ,that you do your best in the close examination of your hearts about your states1 and the sincerity of your faith1 repentance1 and obedience2 to know whether your hearts are true to ,god1 in the covenant which you are to renew and seal4 ,which may be done by these inquiries1 and discerned by these signs3 7#a47 ,whether you truly loathe yourselves for all the sins of your hearts and lives1 and are a greater offence and burden to yourselves1 because of your imperfections and corruptions1 than all the world besides is1 ,ezek4 vi4 #i2 xx4 #dc2 xxxvi4 #ca2 ,rom4 vii4 #bd4 7#b47 ,whether you have no sin but what you are truly desirous to know2 and no known sin1 but what you are truly desirous to be rid of2 and so desirous1 as that you had rather he perfectly freed from sin1 than from any affliction in the world1 ,rom4 vii4 #ah1 #bb1 #bd2 viii4 #ah4 7#c47 ,whether you love the searching and reforming light1 even the most searching parts of the word of ,god1 and the most searching books1 and searching sermons1 that by them you may be brought to know yourselves1 in order to your settled peace and reformation1 ,john iii4 #ai-ba4 7#d47 ,whether you truly love that degree of holiness in others which you have not yet attained yourselves1 and love ,christ in his children1 with such an unfeigned love1 as will cause you to relieve them according to your abilities1 and suffer for their sakes1 when it is your duty1 #a ,john iii4 #ad1 #af2 #a ,pet4 i4 #bb2 iii4 #h2 ,james ii4 #ab-ae2 ,matt4 xxv4 #dj1 c4 7#e47 ,whether you can truly say1 that there is no degree of holiness so high1 but you desire it1 and had rather be perfect in the love of ,god1 and the obedience of his will1 than have all the riches and pleasures of this world1 ,rom4 vii4 #ah1 #ba1 #bd2 ,psal4 cxix4 #e2 ,matt4 v4 #f4 ,and had rather be one of the holiest saints1 than of the most renowned1 prosperous princes upon earth1 ,psal4 xv4 #d2 xvi4 #b2 ,psal4 lxxxiv4 #aj2 lxv4 #d4 7#f47 ,whether you have so far laid up your treasure and your hopes in heaven1 as that you are resolved to take that only for your portion2 and that the hopes of heaven1 and interest of your souls1 hath the pre-eminence in your hearts against all that stands in competition with it1 ,col4 iii4 #a1 #c1 #d2 ,matt4 vi4 #bj1 #ba4 7#g47 ,whether the chiefest care of your hearts1 and endeavour of your lives1 be to serve and please ,god1 and to enjoy him for ever1 rather than for any worldly thing1 ,matt4 vi4 #bc2 ,john v4 #bf2 #b ,cor4 v4 #a1 #f-i4 7#h47 ,whether it be your daily desire and endeavour to mortify the flesh1 and master its rebellious opposition to the ,spirit2 and you so far prevail1 as not to live1 and walk1 and be led by the flesh1 but that the course and drift of your life is spiritual1 ,rom4 viii4 #a1 #f-aj1 #ac2 ,gal4 v4 #ag1 #ba1 #bb4 7#i47 ,whether the world1 and all its honour1 wealth1 and pleasure appear to you so small and contemptible a thing1 as that you esteem it as dung1 and nothing in comparison of ,christ1 and the love of ,god and glory8 and are resolved1 that you will rather let go all1 than your part in ,christ8 and1 which useth to carry it in the time of trial1 in your deliberate choice8 ,phil4 iii4 #g-i1 #ac1 #ad1 #ah-bj2 #a ,john ii4 #ae2 ,luke xiv4 #bf1 #cj1 #cc2 ,matt4 xiii4 #ai1 #ba4 7#aj47 ,whether you are resolved upon a course of holiness and obedience1 and to use those means which ,god doth make known to you1 to be the way to please him1 and to subdue your corruption2 and yet feeling the frailties of your hearts1 and the burden of your sins1 do trust in ,christ as your righteousness before ,god1 and in the ,holy ,ghost1 whose grace alone can illuminate1 sanctify1 and confirm you1 ,acts xi4 #bc2 ,psal4 cxix4 #eg1 #fc1 #fi1 #ajf2 #a ,cor4 i4 #cj2 ,rom4 viii4 #i2 ,john xv4 #e2 #b ,cor4 xii4 #i4 ,by these signs you may safely try your states4 #b4 ,when this is done1 you are also to try the strength and measure of your grace2 that you may perceive your weakness1 and know for what help you should seek to ,christ4 ,and to find out what inward corruptions and sinful inclinations are yet strongest in you1 that you may know what to lament1 and to ask forgiveness of1 and help against4 ,my book called ,directions for weak ,christians1 will give you fuller advice in this4 #c4 ,you are also to take a strict account of your lives2#ha and to look over your dealings with ,god and men1 in secret and in public1 especially of late1 since the last renewal of your covenant with ,god2 and to hear what ,god and conscience have to say about your sins1 and all their aggravations1 ,psal4 cxxxix4 #bc2 #a ,cor4 xi4 #bh4 #d4 ,and you must labour to get your hearts affected with your condition1 as you do discover it2 to be humbled for what is sinful1 and to be desirous of help against your weakness1 and thankful for the grace which you discern4 #e4 ,lastly1 you must consider of all the work that you are to do1 and all the mercies which you are going to receive1 and what graces are necessary to all this1 and how they must be used2 and accordingly look up all those graces1 and prepare them for the exercise to which they are to be called out4 ,i shall name you the particulars anon4 ,,ii4 ,your duty towards ,god in your preparation for this sacrament1 is1 #a4 ,to cast down yourselves before him in humble1 penitent confession1 and lamentation of all the sins which you discover2 and to beg his pardon in secret1 before you come to have it publicly sealed and delivered4 #b4 ,to look up to him with that thankfulness1 love1 and joy1 as becomes one that is going to receive so great a mercy from him2 and humbly to beg that grace which may prepare you1 and quicken you to and in the work4 ,,iii4 ,your duty towards others in this your preparation1 is1 #a4 ,to forgive those that have done you wrong1 and to confess your fault to those whom you have wronged1 and ask them forgiveness1 and make them amends and restitution so far as is in your power2 and to be reconciled to those with whom you are fallen out2 and to see that you love your neighbours as yourselves1 ,matt4 v4 #bc-bf1 #dd2 ,jam4 v4 #af4 #b4 ,that you seek advice of your pastors1 or some fit persons1 in cases that are too hard for yourselves to resolve1 and where you need their special help4 #c4 ,that you lovingly admonish them that you know do intend to communicate unworthily1 and to come thither in their ungodliness1 and gross sin unrepented of3 that you show not such hatred of your brother1 as to suffer sin upon him1 ,lev4 xix4 #ag2 but tell him his faults1 as ,christ hath directed you1 ,matt4 xviii4 #ae-ag4 ,and do your parts to promote ,christ's discipline1 and keep pure the church4 ,see #a ,cor4 v4 throughout4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,when you come to the holy communion1 let not the over-scrupulous regard of the person of the minister1 or the company1 or the imperfections of the ministration1 disturb your meditations1 nor call away your minds from the high and serious employment of the day4 ,hypocrites who place their religion in bodily exercises1 have taught many weak christians to take up unnecessary scruples1 and to turn their eye and observation too much to things without them4 ,quest4 ,but should we have no regard to the due celebration of these sacred mysteries1 and to the minister1 and communicants1 and manner of administration8 ,answ4 ,yes3 you should have so much regard to them1 #a4 ,as to see that nothing be amiss through your default1 which is in your power to amend4 #b4 ,and that you join not in the committing of any known sin4 ,but1 #a4 ,take not every sin of another for your sin1 and think not that you are guilty of that in others1 which you cannot amend2 or1 that you must forsake the church and worship of ,god1 for these corruptions which you are not guilty of1 or deny your own mercies1 because others usurp them or abuse them4 #b4 ,if you suspect any thing imposed upon you to be sinful to you1 try it before you come thither2 and leave not your minds open to disturbance1 when they should be wholly employed with ,christ4 ,sidenote3 ,may we receive from an unworthy minister8 ,quest4 #a4 ,may we lawfully receive this sacrament from an ungodly and unworthy minister8 ,answ4 ,whoever you may lawfully commit the guidance of your souls to1 as your pastor1 you may lawfully receive the sacrament from1 yea1 and in some cases from some others3 for in case you come into a church that you are no member of1 you may lawfully join in communion with that church1 for that present1 as a stranger1 though they have a pastor so faulty1 as you might not lawfully commit the ordinary conduct of your soul to4 ,for it is their fault1 and not yours1 that they chose no better2 and 7in some cases7 such a fault as will not warrant you to avoid communion with them4 ,but you may not receive1 if you know it1 from a heretic1 that teacheth any error against the essence of christianity4 #b4 ,nor from a man so utterly ignorant of the christian faith or duty1 or so utterly unable to teach it to others1 as to be notoriously uncapable of the ministry4 #c4 ,nor from a man professedly ungodly1 or that setteth himself to preach down godliness itself4 ,these you must never own as ministers of ,christ1 that are utterly uncapable of it4 ,but see that you take none for such that are not such4 ,and there are three sorts more1 which you may not receive from1 when you have your choice1 nor take them for your pastors3 but in case of necessity imposed on you by others1 it is lawful1 and your duty4 ,and that is1 #a4 ,usurpers that make themselves your pastors without a lawful call1 and perhaps do forcibly thrust out the lawful pastors of the church4 #b4 ,weak1 ignorant1 cold1 and lifeless preachers1 that are tolerable in case of necessity1 but not to be compared with worthier men4 #c4 ,ministers of scandalous1 vicious lives4 ,it is a sin in you to prefer any one of these before a better1 and to choose them when you have your choice2 but it is a sin on the other side1 if you rather submit not to one of these1 than be quite without1 and have none at all4 ,you own not their faults in such a case1 by submitting to their ministry4 ,quest4 #b4 ,may we communicate with unworthy persons1 or in an undisciplined church8 ,answ4 ,you must here distinguish if you will not err3#hb and that1 #a4 ,between persons so unworthy as to be no christians1 and those that are culpable1 scandalous christians4 #b4 ,between a few members1 and the whole society1 or the denominating part4 #c4 ,between sin professed and owned1 and sin disowned by a seeming penitence4 #d4 ,and between a case of liberty1 when ,i have my choice of a better society2 and a case of necessity1 when ,i must communicate with the worser society1 or with none3 and so ,i answer1 #a4 ,you ought not to communicate at all in this sacrament with a society that professeth not christianity1 if the whole body1 or denominating part1 be such3 that is1 #a4 ,with such as never made profession of christianity at all4 #b4 ,or have apostatized from it4 #c4 ,or that openly own any heresy inconsistent with the essential faith or duty of a christian4 #d4 ,or that are notoriously ignorant what christianity is4 #b4 ,it is the duty of the pastors and governors of the church1 to keep away notorious1 scandalous offenders1 till they show repentance2 and the people's duty to assist them by private reproof1 and informing the church when there is cause4 ,therefore1 if it be through the neglect of your duty1 that the church is corrupted and undisciplined1 the sin is yours1 whether you receive with them or not4 #c4 ,if you rather choose a corrupted1 undisciplined church to communicate with1 when you have your choice of a better1 cteris paribus1 it is your fault4 ,but on the contrary1 it is not your sin1 but your duty1 to communicate with that church which hath a true pastor1 and where the denominating part of the members are capable of church communion1 though there may some infidels1 or heathens1 or uncapable persons violently intrude1 or scandalous persons are admitted through the neglect of discipline2 in case you have not your choice to hold personal communion with a better church1 and in case also you be not guilty of the corruption1 but by seasonable and modest professing your dissent1 do clear yourself of the guilt of such intrusion and corruption4 ,for here the reasons and ends of a lawful separation are removed2 because it tendeth not to ,god's honour1 or their reformation1 or your benefit2 for all these are more crossed by holding communion with no church1 than with such a corrupted church4 ,and this is to be preferred before none1 as much as a better before this4 ,quest4 ,,iii4 ,but what if ,i cannot communicate unless ,i conform to an imposed gesture1 as kneeling or sitting8 ,answ4 #a4 ,for sitting or standing1 no doubt it is lawful in itself3 for else authority were not to be obeyed1 if they should command it2 and else the church had sinned in forbearing kneeling in the act of receiving1 so many hundred years after ,christ2 as is plain they did1 by the canons of general councils 7,nic4 i4 and ,trull47 that universally forbade to adore kneeling1 any ,lord's day in the year1 and any week day between ,easter and ,whitsuntide2 and by the fathers1 ,tertullian1 ,epiphanius1 c4 that make this an apostolic or universal tradition4 #b4 ,and for kneeling1 ,i never yet heard any thing to prove it unlawful2 if there be any thing1 it must be either some word of ,god1 or the nature of the ordinance1 which is supposed to be contradicted4#hc ,but1 #a4 ,there is no word of ,god for any gesture1 nor against any gesture3 ,christ's example can never be proved to be intended to oblige us more in this1 than in many other circumstances that are confessed not obligatory2 as that he delivered it but to ministers1 and but to a family1 to twelve1 and after supper1 and on a ,thursday night1 and in an upper room1 c43 and his gesture was not such a sitting as ours4 #b4 ,and for the nature of the ordinance1 it is mixed3 and if it be lawful to take a pardon from the king upon our knees1 ,i know not what can make it unlawful to take a sealed pardon from ,christ 7by his ambassador7 upon our knees4 ,quest4 ,,iv4 ,but what if ,i cannot receive it1 but according to the administration of the ,common ,prayer-book1 or some other imposed form of prayer8 ,is it lawful so to take it8 ,answ4 ,if it be unlawful to receive it when it is administered with the ,common ,prayer-book1 it is either1 #a4 ,because it is a form of prayer4 #b4 ,or because that form hath some forbidden matter in it4 #c4 ,or because that form is imposed4 #d4 ,or because it is imposed to some evil end and consequent4 #a4 ,that it is not unlawful1 because a form1 is proved before1 and indeed needs no proof with any that is judicious4 #b4 ,nor yet for any evil in this particular form2 for in this part the ,common ,prayer is generally approved4 #c4 ,nor yet1 because it is imposed3 for a command maketh not that unlawful to us1 which is lawful before2 but it maketh many things lawful and duties1 that else would have been unlawful accidentally4 #d4 ,and the intentions of the commanders we have little to do with2 and for the consequents they must be weighed on both sides2 and the consequents of our refusal will not be found light4 ,in the general1 ,i must here tell all the people of ,god1 in the bitter sorrow of my soul1 that at last it is time for them to discern that temptation1 that hath in all ages of the church almost1 made this sacrament of our union to be the grand occasion or instrument of our divisions2 and that true humility1 and acquaintance with ourselves1 and sincere love to ,christ and one another1 would show some men1 that it was but their pride1 and prejudice1 and ignorance1 that made them think so heinously of other men's manner of worship2 and that on all sides among true christians1 the manner of their worship is not so odious1 as prejudice1 and faction1 and partiality representeth it2 and that ,god accepteth that which they reject4 ,and they should see how the devil hath undone the common people by this means2 by teaching them every one to expect salvation for being of that party which he taketh to be the right church1 and for worshipping in that manner which he and his party thinketh best3 and so wonderful a thing is prejudice1 that every party by this is brought to account that ridiculous and vile1 which the other party accounteth best4 ,quest4 ,v4 ,but what if my conscience be not satisfied1 but ,i am still in doubt1 must ,i not forbear8 ,seeing he that doubteth is condemned if he eat1 because he eateth not in faith2 for whatsoever is not of faith is sin1 ,rom4 xiv4 #bc4 ,answ4 ,the apostle there speaketh not of eating in the sacrament1 but of eating meats which he doubteth of whether they are lawful1 but is sure that it is lawful to forbear them4 ,and in case of doubting about things indifferent1 the surer side is to forbear them1 because there may be sin in doing2 but there can be none on the other side1 in forbearing4 ,but in case of duties1 your doubting will not disoblige you2 else men might give over praying1 and hearing ,god's word1 and believing1 and obeying their rulers1 and maintaining their families1 when they are but blind enough to doubt of it4 #b4 ,your erring conscience is not a law-maker1 and cannot make it your duty to obey it3 for ,god is your ,king1 and the office of conscience is to discern his law1 and urge you to obedience1 and not to make you laws of its own2 so that if it speak falsely1 it doth not oblige you1 but deceive you2 it doth only ligare1 or insnare you1 but not obligare1 or make a sin a duty3 it casteth you into a necessity of sinning more or less1 till you relinquish the error2 but in the case of such duties as these1 it is a sin to do them with a doubting conscience1 but 7ordinarily7 it is a greater sin to forbear4 ,object4 ,but some divines write1 that conscience being ,god's officer1 when it erreth1 ,god himself doth bind me by it to follow that error1 and the evil which it requireth becometh my duty4 ,answ4 ,a dangerous error1 tending to the subversion of souls and kingdoms1 and highly dishonourable to ,god4 ,god hath made it your duty to know his will1 and do it2 and if you ignorantly mistake him1 will you lay the blame on him1 and draw him into participation of your sin1 when he forbiddeth you both the error and the sin8 ,and doth he at once forbid and command the same thing8 ,at that very moment1 ,god is so far from obliging you to follow your error1 that he still obligeth you to lay it by1 and do the contrary4 ,if you say1 you cannot1 ,i answer1 your impotency is a sinful impotency2 and you can use the means1 in which his grace can help you3 and he will not change his law1 nor make you kings and rulers of yourselves instead of him1 because you are ignorant or impotent4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,in the time of the administration1 go along with the minister throughout the work1 and keep your hearts close to ,jesus ,christ1 in the exercise of all those graces which are suited to the several parts of the administration4 ,think not that all the work must be the minister's3 it should be a busy day with you1 and your hearts should be taken up with as much diligence1 as your hands be in your common labour2 but not in a toilsome1 weary diligence1 but in such delightful business as becometh the guests of the ,god of heaven1 at so sweet a feast1 and in the receiving of such unvaluable gifts4 ,here ,i should distinctly show you1 ,i4 ,what graces they be that you must there exercise4 ,,ii4 ,what there is objectively presented before you in the sacrament1 to exercise all these graces4 ,,iii4 ,at what seasons in the administration each of these inward works are to be done4 ,i4 ,the graces to be exercised are these 7besides that holy fear and reverence common to all worship73 #a4 ,a humble sense of the odiousness of sin1 and of our undone condition as in ourselves1 and a displeasure against ourselves1 and loathing of ourselves1 and melting repentance for the sins we have committed2 as against our ,creator1 and as against the love and mercy of a ,redeemer1 and against the ,holy ,spirit of grace4 #b4 ,a hungering and thirsting desire after the ,lord ,jesus1 and his grace1 and the favour of ,god and communion with him1 which are there represented and offered to the soul4 #c4 ,a lively faith in our ,redeemer1 his death1 resurrection1 and intercession2 and a trusting our miserable souls upon him1 as our sufficient ,saviour and help2 and a hearty acceptance of him and his benefits upon his offered terms4 #d4 ,a joy and gladness in the sense of that unspeakable mercy which is here offered us4 #e4 ,a thankful heart towards him from whom we do receive it4 #f4 ,a fervent love to him that by such love doth seek our love4 #g4 ,a triumphant hope of life eternal1 which is purchased for us1 and sealed to us4 #h4 ,a willingness and resolution to deny ourselves1 and all this world1 and suffer for him that hath suffered for our redemption4 #i4 ,a love to our brethren1 our neighbours1 and our enemies1 with a readiness to relieve them1 and to forgive them when they do us wrong4 #aj4 ,and a firm resolution for future obedience1 to our ,creator1 and ,redeemer1 and ,sanctifier1 according to our covenant4 ,,ii4 ,in the naming of these graces1 ,i have named their objects1 which you should observe as distinctly as you can1 that they may be operative4 #a4 ,to help your humiliation and repentance1 you bring thither a loaden1 miserable soul1 to receive a pardon and relief2 and you see before you the sacrificed ,son of ,god1 who made his soul an offering for sin1 and became a curse for us to save us who were accursed4 #b4 ,to draw out your desires1 you have the most excellent gifts and the most needful mercies presented to you that this world is capable of2 even the pardon of sin1 the love of ,god1 the ,spirit of grace1 and the hopes of glory1 and ,christ himself with whom all this is given4 #c4 ,to exercise your faith1 you have ,christ here first represented as crucified before your eyes2 and then1 with his benefits1 freely given you1 and offered to your acceptance1 with a command that you refuse him not4 #d4 ,to exercise your delight and gladness1 you have this ,saviour and this salvation tendered to you2 and all that your souls can well desire set before you4 #e4 ,to exercise your thankfulness1 what could do more than so great a gift1 so dearly purchased1 so surely sealed1 and so freely offered8 #f4 ,to exercise your love to ,god in ,christ1 you have the fullest manifestation of his attractive love1 even offered to your eyes1 and taste1 and heart1 that a soul on earth can reasonably expect2 in such wonderful condescension1 that the greatness and strangeness of it surpasseth a natural man's belief4 #g4 ,to exercise your hopes of life eternal1 you have the price of it here set before you2 you have the gift of it here sealed to you2 and you have that ,saviour represented to you in his suffering1 who is now there reigning1 that you may remember him as expectants of his glorious coming to judge the world1 and glorify you with himself4 #h4 ,to exercise your self-denial and resolution for suffering1 and contempt of the world and fleshly pleasures1 you have before you both the greatest example and obligation1 that ever could be offered to the world2 when you see and receive a crucified ,christ1 that so strangely denied himself for you1 and set so little by the world and flesh4 #i4 ,to exercise your love to brethren1 yea1 and enemies1 you have his example before your eyes1 that loved you to the death when you were enemies2 and you have his holy servants before your eyes1 who are amiable in him through the workings of his ,spirit1 and on whom he will have you show your love to himself4 #aj4 ,and to excite your resolution for future obedience1 you see his double title to the government of you1 as ,creator and as ,redeemer2 and you feel the obligations of mercy and gratitude2 and you are to renew a covenant with him to that end2 even openly where all the church are witnesses4 ,so that you see here are powerful objects before you to draw out all these graces1 and that they are all but such as the work requireth you then to exercise4 ,,iii4 ,but that you may be the readier when it cometh to practice1 ,i shall as it were lead you by the hand1 through all the parts of the administration1 and tell you when and how to exercise every grace2 and those that are to be joined together ,i shall take together1 that needless distinctness do not trouble you4 #a4 ,when you are called up and going to the table of the ,lord1 exercise your humility1 desire1 and thankfulness1 and say in your hearts1 ,what6 ,lord1 dost thou call such a wretch as ,i8 ,what6 me1 that have so oft despised thy mercy1 and wilfully offended thee1 and preferred the filth of this world1 and the pleasures of the flesh before thee8 ,alas1 it is thy wrath in hell that is my due3 but if love will choose such an unworthy guest1 and mercy will be honoured upon such sin and misery1 ,i come1 ,lord1 at thy call3 ,i gladly come3 let thy will be done2 and let that mercy which inviteth me1 make me acceptable1 and graciously entertain me2 and let me not come without the wedding garment1 nor unreverently rush on holy things1 nor turn thy mercies to my bane4 #b4 ,when the minister is confessing sin1 prostrate your very souls in the sense of your unworthiness1 and let your particular sins be in your eye1 with their heinous aggravations4 ,the whole need not the physician1 but the sick4 ,but here ,i need not put words into your mouths or minds1 because the minister goeth before you1 and your hearts must concur with his confessions1 and put in also the secret sins which he omitteth4 #c4 ,when you look on the bread and wine which is provided and offered for this holy use1 remember that it is the ,creator of all things1 on whom you live1 whose laws you did offend2 and say in your hearts1 ,o ,lord1 how great is my offence6 who have broken the laws of him that made me1 and on whom the whole creation doth depend6 ,i had my being from thee1 and my daily bread2 and should ,i have requited thee with disobedience8 ,father1 ,i have sinned against heaven and before thee1 and am no more worthy to be called thy son4 #d4 ,when the words of the institution are read1 and the bread and wine are solemnly consecrated1 by separating them to that sacred use1 and the acceptance and blessing of ,god is desired1 admire the mercy that prepared us a ,redeemer1 and say1 ,o ,god1 how wonderful is thy wisdom and thy love6 ,how strangely dost thou glorify thy mercy over those sins that gave thee advantage to glorify thy justice6 ,even thou our ,god whom we have offended1 hast out of thy own treasury satisfied thy own justice1 and given us a ,saviour by such a miracle of wisdom1 love1 and condescension1 as men or angels shall never be able fully to comprehend2 so didst thou love the sinful world1 as to give thy ,son1 that whosoever believeth on him1 should not perish1 but have everlasting life4 ,o thou that hast prepared us so full a remedy1 and so precious a gift1 sanctify these creatures to be the representative body and blood of ,christ1 and prepare my heart for so great a gift1 and so high1 and holy1 and honourable a work4 #e4 ,when you behold the consecrated bread and wine1 discern the ,lord's body1 and reverence it as the representative body and blood of ,jesus ,christ2 and take heed of profaning it1 by looking on it as common bread and wine3 though it be not transubstantiate1 but still is very bread and wine in its natural being1 yet it is ,christ's body and blood in representation and effect4 ,look on it as the consecrated bread of life1 which with the quickening ,spirit must nourish you to life eternal4 #f4 ,when you see the breaking of the bread1 and the pouring out of the wine1 let repentance1 and love1 and desire1 and thankfulness1 thus work within you3 ,o wondrous love6 ,o hateful sin6 ,how merciful1 ,lord1 hast thou been to sinners6 and how cruel have we been to ourselves and thee6 ,could love stoop lower8 ,could ,god be merciful at a dearer rate8 ,could my sin have done a more horrid deed1 than put to death the ,son of ,god8 ,how small a matter hath tempted me to that1 which must cost so dear before it was forgiven6 ,how dear paid my ,saviour for that which ,i might have avoided at a very cheap rate6 ,at how low a price have ,i valued his blood1 when ,i have sinned and sinned again for nothing6 ,this is my doing6 ,my sins were the thorns1 the nails1 the spear6 ,can a murderer of ,christ be a small offender8 ,o dreadful justice6 ,it was ,i and such other sinners that deserved to bear the punishment1 who were guilty of the sin2 and to have been fuel for the unquenchable flames for ever4 ,o precious sacrifice6 ,o hateful sin6 ,o gracious ,saviour6 ,how can man's dull and narrow heart be duly affected with such transcendent things8 or heaven make its due impression upon an inch of flesh8 ,shall ,i ever again have a dull apprehension of such love8 or ever have a favourable thought of sin8 or ever have a fearless thought of justice8 ,o break or melt this hardened heart1 that it may be somewhat conformed to my crucified ,lord6 ,the tears of love and true repentance are easier than the flames from which ,i am redeemed4 ,o hide me in these wounds1 and wash me in this precious blood6 ,this is the sacrifice in which ,i trust2 this is the righteousness by which ,i must be justified1 and saved from the curse of thy violated law6 ,as thou hast accepted this1 ,o ,father1 for the world1 upon the cross1 behold it still on the behalf of sinners2 and hear his blood that crieth unto thee for mercy to the miserable1 and pardon us1 and accept us as thy reconciled children1 for the sake of this crucified ,christ alone6 ,we can offer thee no other sacrifice for sin2 and we need no other4 #g4 ,when the minister applieth himself to ,god by prayer1 for the efficacy of this sacrament1 that in it he will give us ,christ and his benefits1 and pardon1 and justify us1 and accept us as his reconciled children1 join heartily and earnestly in these requests1 as one that knoweth the need and worth of such a mercy4 #h4 ,when the minister delivereth you the consecrated bread and wine1 look upon him as the messenger of ,christ1 and hear him as if ,christ by him said to you1 ,take this my broken body and blood1 and feed on it to everlasting life2 and take with it my sealed covenant1 and therein the sealed testimony of my love1 and the sealed pardon of your sins1 and a sealed gift of life eternal3 so be it1 you unfeignedly consent unto my covenant1 and give up yourselves to me as my redeemed ones4 ,even as in delivering the possession of house or lands1 the deliverer giveth a key1 and a twig1 and a turf1 and saith1 ,i deliver you this house1 and ,i deliver you this land2 so doth the minister by ,christ's authority deliver you ,christ1 and pardon1 and title to eternal life4 ,here is an image of a sacrificed ,christ of ,god's own appointing1 which you may lawfully use2 and more than an image2 even an investing instrument1 by which these highest mercies are solemnly delivered to you in the name of ,christ4 ,let your hearts therefore say with joy and thankfulness1 with faith and love1 ,o matchless bounty of the eternal ,god6 what a gift is this6 and unto what unworthy sinners6 ,and will ,god stoop so low to man8 and come so near him8 and thus reconcile his worthless enemies8 ,will he freely pardon all that ,i have done8 and take me into his family and love1 and feed me with the flesh and blood of ,christ8 ,i believe2 ,lord1 help mine unbelief4 ,i humbly and thankfully accept thy gifts6 ,open thou my heart1 that ,i may yet more joyfully and thankfully accept them4 ,seeing ,god will glorify his love and mercy by such incomprehensible gifts as these1 behold1 ,lord1 a wretch that needeth all this mercy6 ,and seeing it is the offer of thy grace and covenant1 my soul doth gladly take thee for my ,god and ,father1 for my ,saviour and my ,sanctifier4 ,and here ,i give up myself unto thee1 as thy created1 redeemed1 and 7,i hope7 regenerate one2 as thy own1 thy subject1 and thy child1 to be saved and sanctified by thee1 to be beloved by thee1 and to love thee to everlasting4 ,o seal up this covenant and pardon1 by thy ,spirit1 which thou sealest and deliverest to me in thy sacrament2 that without reserve ,i may be entirely and for ever thine6 #i4 ,when you see the communicants receiving with you1 let your very hearts be united to the saints in love1 and say1 ,how goodly are thy tents1 ,o ,jacob6 ,how amiable is the family of the ,lord6 ,how good and pleasant is the unity of brethren6 ,how dear to me are the precious members of my ,lord6 though they have yet all their spots and weaknesses1 which he pardoneth1 and so must we4 ,my goodness1 ,o ,lord1 extendeth not unto thee2 but unto thy saints1 the excellent ones on earth1 in whom is my delight4 ,what portion of my estate thou requirest1 ,i willingly give unto the poor1 and if ,i have wronged any man1 ,i am willing to restore it4 ,and seeing thou hast loved me an enemy1 and forgiven me so great a debt1 ,i heartily forgive those that have done me wrong1 and love my enemies4 ,o keep me in thy family all my days1 for a day in thy courts is better than a thousand1 and the door-keepers in thy house are happier than the most prosperous of the wicked4#hd #aj4 ,when the minister returneth thanks and praise to ,god1 stir up your souls to the greatest alacrity2 and suppose you saw the heavenly hosts of saints and angels praising the same ,god in the presence of his glory2 and think with yourselves1 that you belong to the same family and society as they1 and are learning their work1 and must shortly arrive at their perfection3 strive therefore to imitate them in love and joy2 and let your very souls be poured out in praises and thanksgiving4 ,and when you have the next leisure for your private thoughts1 7as when the minister is exhorting you to your duty17 exercise your love1 and thanks1 and faith1 and hope1 and self-denial1 and resolution for future obedience1 in some such breathings of your souls as these3 ,o my gracious ,god1 thou hast surpassed all human comprehension in thy love6 ,is this thy usage of unworthy prodigals8 ,i feared lest thy wrath as a consuming fire would have devoured such a guilty soul2 and thou wouldst have charged upon me all my folly4 ,but while ,i condemned myself1 thou hast forgiven and justified me2 and surprised me with the sweetest embracements of thy love6 ,i see now that thy thoughts are above our thoughts1 and thy ways above our ways1 and thy love excelleth the love of man1 even more than the heavens are above the earth4 ,with how dear a price hast thou redeemed a wretch that deserved thy everlasting vengeance6 with how precious and sweet a feast hast thou entertained me1 who deserved to be cast out with the workers of iniquity6 ,shall ,i ever more slight such love as this8 shall it not overcome my rebelliousness1 and melt down my cold and hardened heart8 shall ,i be saved from hell1 and not be thankful8 ,angels are admiring these miracles of love2 and shall not ,i admire them8 ,their love to us doth cause them to rejoice1 while they stand by and see our heavenly feast2 and should it not be sweeter to us that are the guests that feed upon it8 ,my ,god1 how dearly hast thou purchased my love6 how strangely hast thou deserved and sought it6 ,nothing is so much my grief and shame1 as that ,i can answer such love with no more fervent1 fruitful love4 ,oh what an addition would it be to all this precious mercy1 if thou wouldst give me a heart to answer these thine invitations1 that thy love1 thus poured out1 might draw forth mine1 and my soul might flame by its approaching unto these thy flames6 and that love1 drawn out by the sense of love1 might be all my life6 ,oh that ,i could love thee as much as ,i would love thee6 yea1 as much as thou wouldst have me love thee6 ,but this is too great a happiness for earth6 ,but thou hast showed me the place where ,i may attain it6 ,my ,lord is there in full possession2 who hath left me these pledges1 till he come and fetch us to himself1 and feast us there in our ,master's joy4 ,o blessed place6 ,o happy company that see his glory1 and are filled with the streams of those rivers of consolation6 yea1 happy we whom thou hast called from our dark and miserable state1 and made us heirs of that felicity1 and passengers to it1 and expectants of it1 under the conduct of so sure a guide6 ,o then we shall love thee without these sinful pauses and defects1 in another measure and in another manner than now we do2 when thou shalt reveal and communicate thy attractive love1 in another measure and manner than now6 ,till then1 my ,god1 ,i am devoted to thee2 by right and covenant ,i am thine6 ,my soul here beareth witness against myself1 that my defects of love have no excuse3 thou deservest all1 if ,i had the love of all the saints in heaven and earth to give thee4 ,what hath this world to do with my affections8 ,and what is this sordid1 corruptible flesh1 that its desires and pleasures should call down my soul1 and tempt it to neglect my ,god8 ,what is there in all the sufferings that man can lay upon me1 that ,i should not joyfully accept them for his sake1 that hath redeemed me from hell1 by such unmatched1 voluntary sufferings8 ,lord1 seeing thou regardest1 and so regardest so vile a worm1 my heart1 my tongue1 my hand confess1 that ,i am wholly thine4 ,o let me live to none but thee1 and to thy service1 and thy saints on earth6 ,and ,o let me no more return unto iniquity6 nor venture on that sin that killed my ,lord6 ,and now thou hast chosen so low a dwelling1 ,o be not strange to the heart that thou hast so freely chosen6 ,o make it the daily residence of thy ,spirit6 ,quicken it by thy grace2 adorn it with thy gifts2 employ it in thy love2 delight it in its attendance on thee2 refresh it with thy joys and the light of thy countenance2 and destroy this carnality1 selfishness1 and unbelief3 and let the world see that ,god will make a palace of the lowest heart1 when he chooseth it for the place of his own abode4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,when you come home review the mercy which you have received1 and the duty which you have done1 and the covenant you have made3 and1 #a4 ,betake yourselves to ,god in praise and prayer1 for the perfecting of his work4 ,and1 #b4 ,take heed to your hearts that they grow not cold1 and that worldly things1 or diverting trifles1 do not blot out the sacred impressions which ,christ hath made1 and that they cool not quickly into their former dull and sleepy frame4 #c4 ,and see that your lives be actuated by the grace that you have here received1 that even they that you converse with may perceive that you have been with ,god4 ,especially when temptations would draw you again to sin2 and when the injuries of friends or enemies would provoke you1 and when you are called to testify your love to ,christ1 by any costly work or suffering2 remember then what was so lately before your eyes1 and upon your heart1 and what you resolved on1 and what a covenant you made with ,god4 ,yet judge not of the fruit of your receiving1 so much by feeling1 as by faith2 for more is promised than you yet possess4 #ga ,matt4 xxvi4 #bh2 ,mark xiv4 #bd2 ,luke xxii4 #bj2 #a ,cor4 xi4 #be2 ,heb4 ix4 #ae-ah2 #a ,cor4 x4 #af1 #bd2 ,john vi4 #cb1 #ce1 #ea1 #eh4 #gb #a ,cor4 xi4 #bg-bi1 #ca2 x4 #af1 #ag1 #ba2 xi4 #be1 #bf2 vi4 #ad2 ,acts ii4 #db1 #df2 xx4 #g4 #gc ,rom4 vi4 #i2 #a ,cor4 xv4 #c2 #b ,cor4 v4 #ad1 #ae2 ,heb4 ix4 #af2 x4 #ab1 #af2 ix4 #bd4 #gd ,non absque probatione et examine panem illum prbendum esse neque novis neque veteribus ,christianis4 ,quod siquis est fornicator1 aut ebriosus1 aut idolis serviens1 cum ejusmodi etiam communem cibum capere vetat apostolus1 nedum clesti mensa communicare1 saith a ,jesuit1 ,acosta1 l4 vi4 c4 #aj4 ,and after1 ,neque enim ubi perspecta est superstitionis antiqu aut ebriositatis1 aut fd consuetudinis macula1 ad altare ,indus debet admitti1 nisi contraria opera illam manifeste et diligenter eluerint4--,christianis concedatur2 sed ,non-,christiano1 dignis moribus subtrahatur4 ,pag4 #edi4 #ge ,john iii4 #e2 #a ,cor4 xii4 #ab1 #ac2 xv4 #de2 ,gal4 iii4 #ad3 iv4 #f2 ,eph4 ii4 #bb4 #gf ,quinam autem indigni1 ineptive sint1 quibus ,angelorum panis prbetur1 sacerdotum ipso audita confessione1 cterisque perspectis judicium esto4 ,acosta1 lib4 vi4 c4 #aj4 pag4 #eai4 #gg #b ,cor4 xiii4 #ac2 ,matt4 x4 #bh4 #gh ,commandment ii4 iii42 ,lev4 x4 #b1 #c4 #gi #a ,cor4 xi4 #bh1 #bi4 #hj ,vide ,synod ,dortdract4 suffrag4 ,theol4 ,brit4 in ,artic4 #e4 #ha ,psal4 iv4 #d-f4 #hb ,gildas de ,excid4 ,britt4 speaketh thus to the better sort of pastors then2 ,quis perosus est consilium malignantium8 et cum impiis non sedit8 ,quis eorum salutari in area hoc est1 nunc ecclesia1 nullum ,deo adversantem1 ut ,noe diluvii tempore1 non admisit8 ut perspicue monstraretur non nisi innoxios vel poenitentes egregios1 in dominica domo esse debere4 #hc ,mr4 ,paybodie's book1 ,i think unanswerable4 #hd ,numb4 xxiv4 #e2 ,psal4 cxxxiii42 xv4 #d2 xvi4 #b1 #c2 ,luke xix4 #h2 ,psal4 lxxxiv4 #aj4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,directions ,,for ,,fearful1 ,,troubled ,,christians1 ,,that ,,are ,,perplexed ,,with ,,doubts ,,of ,,their ,,sincerity ,,and ,,justification4 ,,having directed families in the duties of their relations1 and in the right worshipping of ,god1 ,i shall speak something of the special duties of some christians1 who in regard of their state of soul and body1 have special need of help and counsel4 ,as1 #a4 ,the doubting1 troubled christian4 #b4 ,the declining1 or backsliding christian4 #c4 ,the poor4 #d4 ,the aged4 #e4 ,the sick4 #f4 ,and those that are about the sick and dying4 ,though these might seem to belong rather to the first part1#he yet because ,i would have those directions lie here together1 which the several sorts of persons in families most need1 ,i have chosen to reserve them rather to this place4 ,the special duties of the strong1 the rich1 and the youthful and healthful1 ,i omit1 because ,i find the book grow big1 and you may gather them from what is said before1 on several such subjects4 ,and the directions which ,i shall first give to doubting christians1 shall be but a few brief memorials1 because ,i have done that work already1 in my ,directions or ,method for ,peace of ,conscience and ,spiritual ,comfort2 and much is here said before1 in the directions against melancholy and despair4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,find out the special cause of your doubts and troubles1 and bend most of your endeavours to remove that cause4 ,the same cure will not serve for every doubting soul1 no nor for every one that hath the very same doubts2 for the causes may be various1 though the doubts should be the same2 and the doubts will be continued while the cause remaineth4 #a4 ,in some persons the chief cause is a timorous1 weak1 and passionate temper of body and mind2 which in some 7especially of the weaker sex7 is so natural a disease1 that there is no hope of a total cure2 though yet we must direct and support such as well as we are able4 ,these persons have so weak a head1 and such powerful passions1 that passion is their life2 and according to passion they judge of themselves1 and of all their duties4 ,they are ordinarily very high or very low2 full of joy1 or sinking in despair2 but usually fear is their predominant passion4 ,and what an enemy to quietness and peace strong fears are1 is easily observed in all that have them4 ,assuring evidence will not quiet such fearful minds1 nor any reason satisfy them4 ,the directions for these persons must be the same which ,i have before given against melancholy and despair4 ,especially that the preaching and books and means which they make use of1 be rather such as tend to inform the judgment1 and settle the will1 and guide the life1 than such as by the greatest fervency tend to awaken them to such passions or affections which they are unable to manage4 #b4 ,with others the cause of their troubles is melancholy1 which ,i have long observed to be the commonest cause1 with those godly people that remain in long and grievous doubts2 where this is the cause1 till it be removed1 other remedies do but little2 but of this ,i have spoken at large before4 #c4 ,in others the cause is a habit of discontent1 and peevishness1 and impatiency2 because of some wants or crosses in the world3 because they have not what they would have1 their minds grow ulcerated1 like a body that is sick or sore1 that carrieth about with them the pain and smart2 and they are still complaining of the pain which they feel2 but not of that which maketh the sore1 and causeth the pain4 ,the cure of these is either in pleasing them that they may have their will in all things1 7as you rock children and give them that which they cry for to quiet them17 or rather to help to cure their impatiency1 and settle their minds against their childish1 sinful discontents 7of which before74 #d4 ,in others the cause is error or great ignorance about the tenor of the covenant of grace1 and the redemption wrought by ,jesus ,christ1 and the work of sanctification1 and evidences thereof2 they know not on what terms ,christ dealeth with sinners in the pardoning of sin1 nor what are the infallible signs of sanctification3 it is sound teaching1 and diligent learning1 that must be the cure of these4 #e4 ,in others the cause is a careless life or frequent sinning1 and keeping the wounds of conscience still bleeding2 they are still fretting the sore1 and will not suffer it to skin3 either they live in railing and contention1 or malice1 or some secret lust1 or fraud1 or some way stretch and wrong their consciences2 and ,god will not give his peace and comfort to them till they reform4 ,it is a mercy that they are disquieted1 and not given over to a seared conscience1 which is past feeling4 #f4 ,in others the cause of their doubts is1 placing their religion too much in humiliation1 and in a continual poring on their hearts1 and overlooking or neglecting the high and chiefest parts of religion1 even the daily studies of the love of ,god1 and the riches of grace in ,jesus ,christ1 and hereby stirring up the soul to love and delight in ,god4 ,when they make this more of their religion and business1 it will bring their souls into a sweeter relish4 #g4 ,in others the cause is1 such weakness of parts1 and confusion of thoughts1 and darkness of mind1 that they are not able to examine themselves1 nor to know what is in them2 when they ask themselves any question about their repentance or love to ,god1 or any grace1 they are fain to answer like strangers1 and say1 they cannot tell whether they do it or not4 ,these persons must make more use than others of the judgment of some able1 faithful guide4 #h4 ,but of all others1 the commonest cause of uncertainty1 is the weakness or littleness of grace3 when it is so little as to be next to none at all1 no wonder if it be hardly and seldom discerned3 therefore1 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,be not neglecters of self-examination1 but labour for skill to manage aright so great a work2 but yet let your care and diligence be much greater to get grace and use it1 and increase it1 than to try whether you have it already or not4 ,for1 in examination1 when you have once taken a right course to be resolved1 and yet are in doubt as much as before1 your over-much poring upon these trying questions1 will do you but little good1 and make you but little the better1 but the time and labour may be almost lost3 whereas all the labour which you bestow in getting1 and using1 and increasing grace1 is bestowed profitably to good purpose2 and tendeth first to your safety and salvation1 and next that1 to your easier certainty and comfort4 ,there is no such way in the world to be certain that you have grace1 as to get so much as is easily discerned and will show itself1 and to exercise it much that it may come forth into observation3 when you have a strong belief you will easily be sure that you believe3 when you have a fervent love to ,christ and holiness1 and to the word and ways and servants of ,god1 you will easily be assured that you love them4 ,when you strongly hate sin1 and live in universal constant obedience1 you will easily discern your repentance and obedience4 ,but weak grace will have but weak assurance and little consolation4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,set yourselves with all your skill and diligence to destroy every sin of heart and life1 and make it your principal care and business to do your duty1 and please and honour ,god in your place1 and to do all the good you can in the world3 and trust ,god with your souls1 as long as you wait upon him in his way4 ,if you live in wilful sin and negligence1 be not unwilling to be reproved and delivered6 ,if you cherish your sensual1 fleshly lusts1 and set your hearts too eagerly on the world1 or defend your unpeaceableness and passion1 or neglect your own duty to ,god or man1 and make no conscience of a true reformation1 it is not any inquiries after signs of grace1 that will help you to assurance4 ,you may complain long enough before you have ease1 while such a thorn is in your foot4 ,conscience must be better used before it will speak a word of sound1 well-grounded peace to you4 ,but when you set yourselves with all your care and skill to do your duties1 and please your ,lord1 he will not let your labour be in vain3 he will take care of your peace and comfort1 while you take care of your duty3 and in this way you may boldly trust him3 only think not hardly and falsely of the goodness of that ,god whom you study to serve and please4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,be sure whatever condition you are in1 that you understand1 and hold fast1 and improve the general grounds of comfort1 which are common to mankind1 so far as they are made known to them3 and they are three1 which are the foundation of all our comfort4 #a4 ,the goodness and mercifulness of ,god in his very nature4 #b4 ,the sufficiency of the satisfaction or sacrifice of ,christ4 #c4 ,the universality1 and freeness1 and sureness of the covenant or promise of pardon and salvation to all1 that by final impenitence and unbelief do not continue obstinately to reject it 7or to all that unfeignedly repent and believe74 7#a47 ,think not meanly and poorly of the infinite goodness of ,god3#hf even to ,moses he proclaimed his name at the second delivery of the law1 ,the ,lord1 the ,lord ,god1 merciful and gracious1 long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth1 keeping mercy for thousands1 forgiving iniquity1 and transgression1 and sin1 ,exod4 xxxiv4 #f1 #g4 ,his mercy is over all his works2 it is great and reacheth to the heavens2 it is firm and endureth for ever2 and he hath pleasure in those that hope in his mercy1 ,psal4 cxlvii4 #aa2 c4 #e2 xxxiii4 #ah2 lvii4 #aj2 cviii4 #d4 7#b47 ,extenuate not the merits and sacrifice of ,christ2 but know that never man was damned for want of a ,christ to die and be a sacrifice for his sin1 but only for want of repentance and faith in him1 ,john iii4 #af4 7#c47 ,deny not the universality of the conditional promise of pardon and salvation1 to all that it is offered to1 and will accept it on the offerer's terms4 ,and if you do but feel these three foundations firm and stedfast under you1 it will encourage every willing soul4 ,the love of ,god was the cause of our redemption by ,christ2 redemption was the foundation of the promise or new covenant3 and he that buildeth on this threefold foundation is safe4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,when you come to try your particular title to the blessings of the covenant1 be sure that you well understand the condition of the covenant2 and look for the performance of that condition in yourselves1 as the infallible evidence of your title3 and know that the condition is nothing but an unfeigned consent unto the covenant2 or such a belief of the gospel1 as maketh you truly willing of all the mercies offered in the gospel1 and of the duties required in order to those mercies2 and that nothing depriveth any man that heareth the gospel of ,christ1 and pardon1 and salvation1 but obstinate unwillingness or refusal of the mercy1 and the necessary annexed duties4#hg ,understand this well1 and then peruse the covenant of grace 7which is but to take ,god for your ,god and happiness1 your ,father1 your ,saviour1 and your ,sanctifier73 and then ask your hearts1 whether here be any thing that you are unwilling of2 and unwilling of in a prevailing degree1 when it is greater than your willingness3 and if truly you are willing to be in covenant with your ,god1 and ,saviour1 and ,sanctifier upon these terms1 know that your consent1 or willingness1 or acceptance of the mercy offered you1 is your true performance of the condition of your title1 and consequently the infallible evidence of your title2 even as marriage consent is a title-condition to the person and privileges3 and therefore if you find this1 your doubts are answered2 you have found as good an evidence as ,scripture doth acquaint us with2 and if this will not quiet and satisfy you1 you understand not the business2 nor is it reason or evidence that can satisfy you till you are better prepared to understand them4 ,but if really you are unwilling1 and will not consent to the terms of the covenant1 then instead of doubting1 be past doubt that you are yet unsanctified2 and your work is presently to consider better of the terms and benefits1 and of those unreasonable reasons that make you unwilling2 till you see that your happiness lieth upon the business1 and that you have all the reason in the world to make you willing1 and no true reason for the withholding of your consent2 and when the light of these considerations hath prevailed for your consent1 the match is made1 and your evidence is sure4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,judge not of your hearts and evidences upon every sudden glance or feeling1 but upon a sober1 deliberate examination1 when your minds are in a clear1 composed frame2 and as then you find yourselves1 record the judgment or discovery1 and believe not every sudden1 inconsiderate appearance1 or passionate fear1 against that record4 ,otherwise you will never be quiet or resolved2 but carried up and down by present sense4 ,the case is weighty1 and not to be decided by a sudden aspect1 nor by a scattered or a discomposed mind2 if you call your unprovided or your distempered understandings suddenly to so great a work1 no wonder if you are deceived4 ,you must not judge of colours when your eye is blood-shotten1 or when you look through a coloured glass1 or when the object is far off4 ,it is like casting up a long and difficult account1 which must be done deliberately as a work of time2 and when it is so done1 and the sums subscribed1 if afterwards you will question that account again1 you must take as full a time to do it1 and that when you are as calm and vacant as before1 and not unsettle an exact account upon a sudden view1 or a thought of some one particular4 ,thus must you trust to no examinations and decisions about the state of your souls1 but those that in long and calm deliberation have brought it to an issue4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,and in doing this1 neglect not to make use of the assistance of an able1 faithful guide1 so far as your own weakness makes it necessary4 ,your doubting showeth that you are not sufficient to despatch it satisfactorily yourselves2 the question then is1 what help a wiser man can give you8 ,why1 he can clearlier open to you the true nature of grace1 and the marks that are infallible1 and the extent of the grace and tenor of the covenant2 and he can help you how to trace your hearts1 and observe the discoveries of good or evil in them2 he can show you your mistakes1 and help you in the application1 and tell you much of his own and others' experiences2 and he can pass a strong conjecture upon your own case in particular1 if he be one that knoweth the course of your lives1 and is intimately acquainted with you2 for sin and grace are both expressive1 operative things1 like life1 that ordinarily will stir1 or fire1 that will be seen3 though their judgment cannot be infallible of you1 and though for a while hypocrisy may hide you from the knowledge of another1 yet ficta non diu1 c4 ordinarily nature will be seen1 and that which is within you will show itself2 so that your familiar acquaintance1 that see your lives in private and in public1 may pass a very strong conjecture at your state1 whether you set yourselves indeed to please ,god in sincerity or no4 ,therefore1 if possible1 choose such a man to help you1 as is1 #a4 ,able2 #b4 ,faithful2 and #c4 ,well acquainted with you2 and undervalue not his judgment4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,when you cannot attain to a certainty of your case1 undervalue not and neglect not the comforts which a bare probability may afford you4 ,i know that a certainty in so weighty a case1 should be earnestly desired1 and endeavoured to the uttermost4 ,but yet it is no small comfort which a likelihood or hopefulness may yield you4 ,husband and wife are uncertain every day1 whether one of them may kill the other2 and yet they can live comfortably together1 because it is an unlikely thing2 and though it be possible1 it is not much to be feared4 ,all the comforts of christians dependeth not on their assurance2 it is but few christians in the world that reach to clear assurance2 for all the papists1 ,lutherans1 and ,arminians are without any certainty of their salvation2 because they think it cannot be had2 and all those ,jansenists1 or protestants that are of ,augustine's judgment1 are without assurance of salvation1 though they may have assurance of their justification and sanctification2 because their judgment is that the justified and sanctified 7though not the elect7 may fall away4 ,and of those that hold the doctrine of perseverance1 how few do we find1 that can say1 they are certain of their sincerity and salvation4 ,alas1 not one of very many4 ,and yet many thousands of these do live in some peace of conscience1 and quietness1 and comfort1 in the hopefulness and probabilities to which they have attained4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,resolve to be much in the great1 delightful duties of thanksgiving and the praise of ,god2 and to spend a considerable part 7ordinarily7 of all your prayers herein2 especially to spend the ,lord's day principally in these4 ,and thus you will have three great advantages3 #a4 ,the very actings of love1 and thanks1 and joy1 will help you to comfort in a nearer way1 than arguments and self-examination will do2 even in a way of feeling1 as the fire maketh you warm4 #b4 ,the custom of exercising those sweetest graces1 will habituate your souls to it1 and in time wear out the sadder impression4 #c4 ,god will most own you in those highest duties4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,mark well now far your doubtings do help or hinder you in your sanctification4 ,so far as they turn your heart from ,god1 and from the love and sweetness of a holy life1 and unfit you for thankfulness and cheerful obedience2 so far you may be sure that ,satan is gratified by them1 and ,god displeased1 and therefore they should be resisted3 but so far as they keep you humble and obedient1 and make you more tenderly afraid of sin1 and quicken your desires of ,christ and grace1 so far ,god useth them for your benefit4 ,and therefore be not too impatient under them1 but wait on ,god in the use of his means1 and he will give his comforts in the fittest season4 ,many a one hath sweet assurance at his death1 or in his sufferings1 for ,christ when he needed it most1 that was fain to live long before without it4 ,especially take care1 #a4 ,that you miss not of assurance through your own neglect4 #b4 ,and that your doubtings work no ill effects1 in turning away your hearts from ,god1 or discouraging you in his service2 and then you may take them as a trial of your patience1 and they will certainly have a happy end4 #he ,see part i4 chap4 vii4 tit4 #aj4 ,of despair4 #hf ,psalm ciii4 #h1 #aa1 #ag2 lxxxix4 #b2 lxxxvi4 #e1 #ae2 xxv4 #aj2 cxix4 #fd2 cxxxviii4 #h2 cxxvi4 #e4 #hg ,for more particular marks1 see those before mentioned in preparation for the sacrament4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,directions ,,for ,,declining ,,or ,,backsliding ,,christians3 ,,and ,,about ,,perseverance4 ,,the case of backsliders is so terrible1 and yet the mistakes of many christians so common in thinking unjustly that they are backsliders1 that this subject must be handled with the greater care4 ,and when ,i have first given some directions for the cure1 ,i shall next give some to others for prevention1 of so sad a state4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,understand well wherein backsliding doth consist1 the sorts1 and the degrees of it1 that so you may the more certainly and exactly discern1 whether it be indeed your case1 or not4 ,to this end1 ,i shall here open to you1 ,i4 ,the several sorts of backsliders4 ,,ii4 ,the several steps or degrees of backsliding4 ,,iii4 ,the signs of it4 ,i4 ,there are in general three sorts of backsliders4 #a4 ,such as decline from the truth by the error of their understanding4 #b4 ,such as turn from the goodness of ,god and holiness1 by the corruption of their will and affections4 #c4 ,such as turn from the obedience of ,god1 and an upright conversation1 by the sinfulness of their lives4 ,the first sort containeth in it1 #a4 ,such as decline to infidelity from faith2 and doubt of the truth of the word of ,god4 #b4 ,such as decline only to error1 about the meaning of the ,scriptures1 though they doubt not of the truth of them4 ,this corrupted judgment will presently corrupt both heart and life4 ,the second sort 7backsliders in heart7 containeth1 #a4 ,such as only lose their affections to good2 their complacency and desire2 and lose their averseness and zeal against sin4 #b4 ,and such as lose the very resolution of the will also1 and grow unresolved what to do1 if not resolved to do evil1 and to omit that which is good4 ,the third sort 7backsliders in life7 comprehendeth1 #a4 ,those that fall from duty1 towards ,god or man4 #b4 ,and those that fall into positive sins1 and turn to sensuality1 in voluptuousness1 worldliness1 or pride4 ,,ii4 #a4 ,backsliders in judgment1 do sometimes fall by slow degrees1 and sometimes suddenly at once4 ,those that fall by degrees1 do some of them begin in the failing of the understanding2 but most of them begin at the failing or falseness of the heart1 and the corrupted will corrupteth the understanding4 ,sidenote3 ,the method of falling into heresy or sects4 ,i4 ,those that fall by degrees through the failing of the understanding1 are those simple souls that never were well grounded in the truth3 and some of them reason themselves into error or unbelief2 and others of them 7which is most usual7 are led into it by the cunning and diligence of seducers4 ,and for the degrees1 they grow first to doubt of some arguments which formerly seemed valid to them2 and then they doubt of the truth itself2 or else they hear some argument from a seducer1 which1 through their own weakness1 they are unable to answer2 and then they yield to it1 as thinking that it is right1 because they see not what is to be said against it1 and know not what others know to the contrary1 nor how easily another can confute it4 ,and when once they are brought into a suspicion of one point1 which they formerly held1 they quickly suspect all the rest2 grow into a suspicion and disaffection to the persons whom they did before most highly value4 ,and then they grow into a high esteem of the persons and party that seduced them2 and think that they that are wiser in one thing1 are wiser in the rest3 and so are prepared to receive all the errors which follow that one1 which they first received4 ,and next they embody with the sect that seduced them2 and separate from the sober1 united part of the church3 and so they grow to a zealous importunity for the increase of their party1 and to lose their charity to those that are against their way2 and to corrupt their morals1 in thinking all dishonesty lawful1 which seemeth necessary to promote the interest of their sect1 which they think is the interest of the truth and of ,god4 ,and at last1 it is like they will grow weary of that sect1 and hearken to another1 and another2 till in the end1 they come to one of these periods2 either to settle in popery1 as the easiest religion2 and being taken with their pretence of antiquity1 stability1 unity1 and universality2 or else to turn to atheism or infidelity1 and take all religion for a mere deceit2 or else if 7they retained an honest heart in their former wanderings7 ,god showeth them their folly1 and bringeth them back to unity and charity1 and maketh them see the vanity of those reasonings which before seduced them1 and which once they thought were some spiritual1 celestial light4 ,this is the common course of error2 when the understanding is the most notable cause4 ,but sometimes a deceiver prevaileth with them on a sudden1 by such false appearances of truth which they are unable to confute4 ,but still an ill-prepared1 unfurnished mind is the chiefest cause4 7#b47 ,but those whose judgments are conquered by the perverse inclination of their wills1 are usually carnal1 worldly hypocrites1 who never conquered the fleshly mind and interest1 nor overcame the world1 nor ever were acquainted with the heavenly nature and life1 nor with the power of divine love2 and these having made a change of their profession1 through the mere conviction of their understandings1 and benefit of education or government1 or the advantages of religion in the country where they live1 without a renewed1 holy heart1 the bias of their hearts doth easily prevail against the light of their understandings2 and because they would fain have those doctrines to be true1 which save them from sufferings1 or give them liberty for a fleshly1 ambitious1 worldly life1 therefore they do by degrees prevail with their understandings to receive them4 #b4 ,backsliders in heart do fall by divers degrees and means2 for ,satan's methods are not always the same4 ,some of them fall through the corruption of their judgments2 for every error hath much influence on the heart4 ,some are tempted suddenly into some gross or sensual sin2 and so the errors of their lives call away their hearts from ,god4 ,not but that some sin of the heart or will doth still go first1 but yet the extraordinary declension and pravity of the heart1 may sometimes be caused by the errors of the judgment1 or the life4 ,but sometimes the beginning and progress is almost observable in the appetite and will itself3 and here the inclining to evil1 7that is1 to sensual or carnal good17 and the declining from true1 spiritual good1 do almost always go together4 ,and it is most usually by this method1 and by these degrees4 #a4 ,the devil usually beginneth with the fantasy and appetite1 and representeth some worldly1 fleshly thing1 as very pleasant and desirable4 #b4 ,next that1 he causeth this complacency to entice the thoughts2 so that they are much and oft in thinking on this pleasure4 #c4 ,next that1 the will is drawn into a liking of it1 and he wisheth he might enjoy it 7whether it be riches1 or pleasant dwellings1 or pleasant company1 or pleasant meats or drinks1 or fleshly accommodations1 or apparel1 or honour1 or command1 or ease1 or lust1 or sports and recreations1 or whatever else74 #d4 ,next that1 the understanding is drawn into the design1 and is casting and contriving how it may be obtained1 and all lawful means are first considered of1 that1 if possible1 the business might be accomplished without the hazard of the soul4 ,next to that1 endeavours are used to that end1 by such means as are supposed lawful1 and the conscience quieted with the conceit of the harmlessness and security4 #f4 ,by this time the man is engaged in his carnal cause and course1 and so the difficulty of returning is increased2 and the inclination of the heart groweth stronger to the sensual pleasure than before4 #g4 ,and then he is drawn to prosecute his design by any means1 how sinful soever2 if it be possible1 making himself believe by some reasonings or other1 that all is lawful still2 or if the case be too palpable to be so cloaked1 conscience1 at last1 is cast asleep1 and seared1 and stupified1 that it may be silent under all2 till either grace or vengeance awake the sinner1 and make him amazed at his madness and stupidity4 ,this is the most usual method of the heart's relapse to positive evil4 ,and by such degrees doth the heart decline from the love of ,god and goodness3 as1 #a4 ,the thoughts are diverted to some carnal vanity that is over-loved2 and the thoughts of ,god are seldomer and shorter1 than they were wont to be4 #b4 ,and at the same time1 the thoughts of ,god do grow less serious and pleasing1 and more dead and lifeless4 #c4 ,and then the means which should kindle love1 are used with more dulness1 and remissness1 and indifferency4 #d4 ,and then conscience being galled with the guilt of wilful omissions and commissions1 7being acquainted with the fleshly designs of the heart17 doth raise a secret fear of ,god's displeasure4 ,and this being not strong enough to restrain the man from sin1 doth make his sin greater1 and maketh him very backward to draw near to ,god1 or seriously to think of him1 or call upon him2 and turneth love into terror and aversation4 #e4 ,and if ,god do not stop and recover the sinner1 he will next grow quite weary of ,god1 and out of love with a holy life1 and change him for his worldly1 fleshly pleasures4 #f4 ,and next that1 he will entertain some infidel1 or atheistical1 or libertine doctrine1 which may quiet him in his course of sin1 by justifying it1 and will conform his judgment to his heart4 #g4 ,and next that1 he will hate ,god1 and his ways1 and servants1 and turn a persecutor of them2 till vengeance lay him in hell1 where pain and desperation will increase his hatred2 but his fleshly pleasure1 and malicious persecution1 shall be for ever at an end4 #c4 ,backsliders in life and practice1 do receive the first infection at the heart2 and the life declineth no further than the heart declineth3 but yet ,i distinguish this sort from the other1 as the effect from the cause2 and the rather1 because some few do much decline in heart1 that yet seem to keep much blamelessness of life in the eye of men3 and it is usually done by these degrees4 7#a47 ,in the man's backsliding into positive sin1 7as sensuality or worldliness17 the heart being prepared as before4 #a4 ,the judgment doth reason more remissly against sin1 than it did before2 and the will doth oppose it with less resolution1 and with greater faintness and indifferency4 #b4 ,then the sinner tasteth of the bait1 and first draweth as near to sin as he dare1 and embraceth the occasions and opportunities of sinning1 while yet he thinketh to yield no further4 ,and in this case1 he is so long disputing with the tempter1 and hearkening to him1 and gazing on the bait1 till at last he yieldeth2 and having long been playing at the pit's brink1 his violent lust or appetite doth thrust him in4 #c4 ,when he hath once sinned 7against knowledge7 he is troubled awhile1 and this he taketh for true repentance3 and when he is grown into some hope that the first sin is forgiven him1 he is the bolder to venture on the like again2 and thinketh1 that the second may be as well forgiven as the first4 #d4 ,in the same order he falleth into it again and again1 till it come to a custom4 #e4 ,and by this time he loveth it more1 and wisheth it were lawful1 and there were no danger by it4 #f4 ,and then he thinketh himself concerned to prove it lawful to quiet conscience1 that it may not torment him2 and therefore he gladly heareth what the justifiers of his sin can say for it1 and he maketh himself believe that the reasons are of weight4 #g4 ,and then he sinneth without remorse4 7#b47 ,so in men's backsliding from the practice of religion3 #a4 ,the heart is alienated and undisposed as aforesaid4 #b4 ,and then the life of the duty doth decay1 and it dwindleth towards a dead formality2 like a body in a consumption1 the vivid complexion1 and strength1 and activity decay4 #c4 ,next this1 he can frequently omit a duty1 especially in secret where no man knoweth it2 till by degrees he grow more seldom in it4 #d4 ,all this he taketh for a pardoned infirmity1 which consisteth with a state of grace2 and therefore he is little troubled about it4 #e4 ,next this1 he loseth all the life and comfort of religion1 and misseth not any duty when he hath omitted it1 but is glad that he escapeth it1 and when it is at an end1 as an ox is when he is out of the yoke4 #f4 ,next1 he beginneth to hearken to them that speak against so much ado in religion1 as if it were a needless1 unprofitable thing4 #g4 ,and if ,god forsake him1 he next repenteth of his former diligence1 and settleth himself1 either in a dead course of such customary lip-service as doth cost him nothing1 or else in utter worldliness and ungodliness1 and perhaps at last in malignity and persecution4 ,sidenote3 ,signs of declining4 ,,iii4 ,though the signs or symptoms of declining may be gathered from what is said already1 ,i shall add some more4 #a4 ,you are declining when you grow bolder with sin1 or with the occasions of it1 and temptations to it1 than you were in your more watchful state4#hh #b4 ,when you make a small matter of those inward corruptions and infirmities1 which once seemed grievous to you1 and almost intolerable4 #c4 ,when you settle in a course of profession or religiousness1 that putteth your flesh to little cost1 in labour1 reproach1 or suffering from the ungodly1 but leave out the hard and costly part1 and seem to be very religious in the rest4 #d4 ,when you are quiet and contented in the daily1 customary use of ordinances1 though you find no profit or increase in grace by it1 or communion with ,god4 #e4 ,when you grow strange to ,god and ,jesus ,christ1 and have little converse with him in the ,spirit3 and your thoughts of him are few1 and cold1 and lifeless2 and your religion lieth all in conversing with good men1 and good books1 and outward duties4 #f4 ,when you grow neglecters of your hearts1 and strangers to them1 and find little work about them from day to day1 either in trying them1 or watching them1 or stirring them up1 or mortifying their corruptions2 but your business in religion is most abroad1 and in outward exercises4 #g4 ,yea1 though your own hearts and duties be much of your care and thoughts1 you are on the losing hand1 if the wonders of love and grace in ,christ have not more of your thoughts1 or if you set not yourselves more to the study of a crucified and glorified ,christ1 than of your own distempered hearts4 #h4 ,all is not well with you1 when spiritual helps and advantages are less relished and valued1 and you grow more indifferent to the sermons1 and prayers1 and sacraments1 which once you could not live without2 and use them but as bare duties for necessity1 and not as means1 with any great hope of benefit and success4 #i4 ,when you grow too regardful of the eye of man1 and too regardless of the eye of ,god2 and are much more careful about the words and outside of your prayers and discourses1 than the spirit and inward part and manner of them2 and dress yourselves accurately when you appear abroad1 as those that would seem very good to men1 but go at home in the sordidest garb of a cold and careless heart and life4 #aj4 ,when you grow hottest about some controverted1 smaller matters in religion1 or studious of the interest of some private opinion and party which you have chosen1 more than of the interest of the common truths and cause of ,christ4 #aa4 ,when in joining with others1 you relish more the fineness of the speech1 than the spirit1 and weight1 and excellency of the matter2 and are impatient of hearing of the wholesomest truths1 if the speaker manifest any personal infirmity in the delivery of them2 and are weary and tired1 if you be not drawn on with novelty1 variety1 or elegancy of speech4 #ab4 ,when you grow more indifferent for your company1 and set less by the company of serious1 godly christians than you did1 and are almost as well pleased with common company and discourse4 #ac4 ,when you grow more impatient of reproof for sin1 and love not to be told of any thing in you that is amiss2 but love those best that highliest applaud you4 #ad4 ,when the renewing of your repentance is grown a lifeless1 cursory work2 when in preparation for the ,lord's day1 or sacrament1 or other occasions1 you call yourselves to no considerable account1 or make no greater a matter of the sins which you find on your account1 than if you were almost reconciled to them4 #ae4 ,when you grow more uncharitable and censorious to brethren that differ from you in tolerable points2 and less tender of the names or welfare of others1 and love not your neighbour as yourselves1 and do not as you would be done by4 #af4 ,when you grow less compassionate to the ungodly world1 and less regardful of the common interest of the universal church1 and of ,jesus ,christ1 throughout the earth1 and grow more narrow1 private spirited1 and confine your care to yourselves1 or to your party4 #ag4 ,when the hopes of heaven1 and the love of ,god1 cannot content you1 but you are thirsty after some worldly contentment1 and grow eager in your desires1 and the world groweth more sweet to you1 and more amiable in your eyes4 #ah4 ,when sense1 and appetite1 and fleshly pleasure are grown more powerful with you1 and you make a great matter of them1 and cannot deny them1 without a great deal of striving and regret1 as if you had done some great exploit1 if you live not like a beast4#hi #ai4 ,when you are more proud and impatient1 and are less able to bear disesteem1 and slighting1 and injuries from men1 or poverty1 or sufferings for ,christ2 and make a greater matter of your losses1 or crosses1 or wrongs1 than beseemeth one that is dead to the flesh and to the world4 #bj4 ,lastly1 when you had rather dwell on earth than be in heaven2 and are more unwilling to think of death1 or to prepare for it1 and expect it1 and are less in love with the coming of ,christ1 and are ready to say of this sinful life in flesh1 it is good to be here4 ,all these are signs of a declining state1 though yet you are not come to apostasy4 ,sidenote3 ,signs of a graceless state4 ,but the signs of a mortal1 damnable state indeed1 are found in these following degrees3 #a4 ,when a man had rather have worldly prosperity1 than the favour and fruition of ,god in heaven4 #b4 ,when the interest of the flesh can do more with him1 than the interest of ,god and his soul1 and doth more rule and dispose of his heart and life4 #c4 ,when he had rather live in sensuality1 than in holiness2 and had rather have leave to live as he list1 than have a ,christ and ,holy ,spirit to sanctify and cure him2 or1 at least1 will not be cured on the terms proposed in the gospel4 #d4 ,when he loveth not the means that would recover him 7as such74 ,the nearer you come to this1 the more dangerous is your case4 ,sidenote3 ,dangerous signs of impenitency4 ,and these following signs are therefore of a very dangerous signification4 #a4 ,when the pleasure of sinful prosperity and delights doth so far overtop the pleasures of holiness1 that you are under trouble and weariness in holy duties1 and at ease and merry when you have your sinful delights4 #b4 ,when no persuasion of a minister or friend1 can bring you so thoroughly to repent of your open1 scandalous sins1 as to take shame to yourselves in a free confession of them1 7even in the open assembly1 if you are justly called to it71 to condemn yourselves1 and give warning to others1 and glorify the most holy ,god3 but you will not believe that any such disgraceful confession is your duty1 because you will not do it4 #c4 ,when you cannot bring your hearts to a full resolution to let go your sin2 but though conscience worry and condemn you for it1 you do but slightly purpose hereafter to amend1 but will not presently resolve4 #d4 ,when you will not be persuaded to consent to the necessary1 effectual means of your recovery2 as to abstain from the bait1 and temptation1 and occasion of sin4 ,many a drunkard hath told me1 he was willing to be reformed2 but when ,i have desired them then to consent to drink no wine or ale for so many months1 and to keep out of the place1 and to commit the government of themselves for so many months to their wives1 or some other friend that liveth with them1 and to drink nothing but what they give them2 they would not consent to any of this1 and so showed the hypocrisy of their professed willingness to amend4 #e4 ,when sin becometh easy1 and the conscience groweth patient with it1 and quiet under it4 #f4 ,when the judgment taketh part with it1 and the tongue will plead for it1 and justify or extenuate it1 instead of repenting of it4 ,these are dangerous signs of an impenitent1 unpardoned1 miserable soul4 ,and the man is in a dangerous way to this1 #a4 ,when he hath plunged himself into such engagements to sin that he cannot leave it1 but it will cost him very dear3 as it will be his shame to confess it1 or his undoing in the world to forsake it1 or a great deal of cost and labour must be lost1 which his ambitious or covetous projects have cost him3 it will be hard breaking over so great difficulties4 #b4 ,when ,god letteth him alone in sin1 and prospereth him in it1 or doth not much disturb him or afflict him4 ,this also is a dangerous case4 ,sidenote3 ,false signs of declining4 ,by all this you may perceive1 that those are no signs of a backsliding state1 which some poor christians are afraid are such4 ,as1 #a4 ,when poverty necessitateth them to lay out more of their time1 and thoughts1 and words about the labours of their callings1 than some richer persons do4 #b4 ,when age or sickness causeth their memories to decay2 so that they cannot remember a sermon so well as heretofore4 #c4 ,when age or sickness taketh off the quickness and vigour of their spirits2 so that they have not the lively affections in prayer1 or holy conference1 or meditation1 or reading1 or hearing1 as formerly they had4 ,but 7though they are as much as ever resolved for ,god1 against sin and vanity1 yet7 they are colder and duller1 and have less zeal1 and fervency1 and delight in holy exercises4 #d4 ,when age1 or weakness1 or melancholy1 hath decayed or confounded their imaginations1 and ravelled their thoughts1 so that they cannot order them1 and command them1 as formerly they could4 #e4 ,and when age or melancholy hath weakened their parts and gifts2 so that they are of slower understandings1 and unabler in prayer1 or preaching1 or conference to express themselves than heretofore4 ,all these are but bodily changes1 and such hinderances of the soul as depend thereon1 and not to be taken for signs of a soul that declineth in holiness1 and is less accepted of ,god4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,when you know the marks of a backslider1 come into the light1 and be willing to know yourselves1 whether this be your condition1 or not1 and do not foolishly cover your disease4 ,inquire whether it be with you as in former times1 when the light of ,god did shine upon you1 and you delighted in his ways3 when you hated sin1 and loved holiness2 and were glad of the company of the heirs of life3 when the word of ,god was pleasant to you2 and when you poured out your souls to him in prayer and thanksgivings3 when you were glad of the ,lord's day1 and were quickened and confirmed under the teaching and exhortation of his ministers3 when you took worldly wealth and pleasures1 as childish toys and fooleries1 in comparison of the content of holy souls3 when you hungered and thirsted after ,christ and righteousness2 and had rather have been in heaven to enjoy your ,god1 and be free from sinning1 than to enjoy all the pleasures and prosperity of this world4 ,and when it was your daily business to prepare for death1 and to live in expectation of the everlasting rest1 which ,christ hath promised4 ,if this were once your case1 inquire whether it be so still8 or1 what alterations are made upon your hearts and lives8 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,if you find yourselves in a backsliding case1 by all means endeavour the awakening of your souls1 by the serious consideration of the danger and misery of such a state4 ,to which end ,i shall here set some such awakening thoughts before you 7for security is your greatest danger74 #a4 ,consider that to fall back from ,god1 was the sin of the devils4 ,they are angels that kept not their first estate1 but left their own habitations1 and are now reserved in chains under darkness1 to the judgment of the great day1 ,jude #f4 ,and shall they entice you into their own condemnation8 #b4 ,it was the sin of our first parents ,adam and ,eve1 to revolt from ,god1 and lose their holiness4 ,and is there any sin that we should more carefully avoid1 than that which all the world hath so much suffered by8 ,every one of the creatures that you look on1 and every pain and misery you feel1 doth mind you of that sin1 and call to you to take heed by the warning of your first parents1 that you suffer not your hearts to be drawn from ,god4 #c4 ,it is a part of hell that you are choosing upon earth4 ,depart from me1 ye cursed1 is the sentence on the damned1 ,matt4 xxv4 #da2 vii4 #bc4 ,and will you damn yourselves by departing from ,god1 and that when he calleth you and obligeth you to him8 ,to be separated from ,god1 is one half of the misery of the damned4 #d4 ,you are drawing back towards the case that you were in1 in the days of your unconverted state4 ,and what a state of darkness1 and folly1 and delusion1 and sin1 and misery1 was that6 ,if it were good or tolerable1 why turned you from it8 and1 why did you so lament it8 and1 why did you so earnestly cry out for deliverance8 ,but if it were as bad as you then apprehended it to be1 why do you again turn towards it8 ,would you be again in the case you were8 ,would you perish in it8 ,or1 would you have all those heart-breakings and terrors to pass through again8 ,may ,i not say to you1 as ,paul to the ,galatians1 ,o foolish sinners6 who hath bewitched you1 that you are so soon turned back8 ,gal4 iii4 #a-d4 ,who have seen that of sin1 and of ,god1 and of ,christ1 and of heaven1 and of hell1 as you have done8 #e4 ,yea1 it is a far more doleful state that you are drawing towards1 than that which you were in before4 ,for the guilt of an apostate is much greater than if he had never known the truth4 ,and his recovery is more difficult1 and of smaller hope3 because he is twice dead and plucked up by the root1 ,jude #ab4 ,for if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world1 through the knowledge of the ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ1 they are again entangled therein1 and overcome1 the latter end is worse with them than the beginning3 for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness1 than after they have known it1 to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them4 ,but it is happened unto them according to the true proverb1 ,the dog is turned to his own vomit again2 and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire1 #b ,pet4 ii4 #bj-bb4 ,for if we sin wilfully 7by apostasy7 after that we have received the knowledge of the truth1 there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins1 but a certain fearful looking for of judgment1 and fiery indignation1 which shall devour the adversaries1 ,heb4 x4 #bf1 #bg4 ,i know this speaketh only of total apostasy from ,christ1 7such being worthy of far sorer punishment1 than he that despiseth ,moses's law1 ver4 #bh1 #bi17 but it is a terrible thing to draw towards so desperate a state4 ,a habit is easier introduced upon a negation than a privation2 in him that never had it1 than in him that hath totally lost it4 #f4 ,what abundance of experience do you sin against in your backsliding6 ,you have had experience of the evil of sin1 and of the smart of repentance1 and of the deceitfulness of all that can be said for sinning2 and of the goodness of ,god1 and of the safety and sweetness of religion3 and will you sin against so great experience8 ,if your horse fall once into a quicksand1 he will scarce be forced into it again2 and will you be less wise8 #g4 ,what abundance of promises and covenants1 which you have made to ,god1 do you violate in your backsliding8 ,how often in your fears1 and dangers1 and sicknesses1 at sacraments and days of humiliation1 have you bound yourselves afresh to ,god6 ,and will you forget all these1 and sin against them8 #h4 ,by what multitudes of mercies hath ,god obliged you6 mercies before your repentance1 and mercies that drew you to repent1 and mercies since6 ,how mercifully hath he kept you out of hell6 ,how mercifully hath he borne with you in all your sins6 and maintained you while you provoked him6 and pardoned all that you have done against him 7if you were truly penitent believers76#ij ,how mercifully hath he taught you1 and sanctified you1 and comforted you2 and plentifully provided for you6 ,and yet do you forsake him1 and return to folly8 ,for which of all his mercies is it1 that you thus unworthily requite him8 ,can you remember how he hath dealt with you1 and not be ashamed of your backslidings8 ,doth it not melt your heart to look back on his love1 and to think of your ungrateful dealing8 #i4 ,nay1 what a multitude of present mercies dost thou run away from6 ,doth not thy conscience tell thee1 that it is safer and better for thee to be true to ,christ1 than to return to sin8 ,wilt thou take thy leave of thy ,god1 and thy ,redeemer1 and thy ,comforter8 ,wilt thou quit thy title to pardon and protection1 and all the promises of grace8 ,wilt thou bid farewell to all the comforts of a saint8 ,dost thou not tremble to think of such a day8 ,thou forsakest all these when thou forsakest ,god4 #aj4 ,yea1 look before thee1 man1 and consider what greater things are promised thee1 than yet thou ever didst enjoy4 ,christ is conducting thee to eternal happiness in the sight of ,god4 ,and wilt thou forsake thy ,guide1 and break away from him1 and quit all thy hopes of everlasting life8 #aa4 ,consider for what it is1 that thou art about to run so great a hazard8 ,is it not for some worldly gain or honour1 or some fleshly pleasure1 sport1 or ease8 ,and hast thou not known long ago what all these are8 ,what have they done for thee8 or what will they ever do8 ,can any thing in the world be more causeless and unreasonable1 than thy forsaking ,god1 and turning back from the way of holiness8 ,will the world or sin give more for thee1 than ,god will8 or be better to thee here and hereafter8 ,what wouldst thou have in ,god1 or in thy ,saviour1 that thou thinkest wanting in him8 ,is it any thing that the world can make up1 which hath nothing in itself but what is from him8 ,what wrong hath ,god1 or his service1 done thee1 that thou shouldst now forsake him and turn back8 ,for thy soul's sake1 man1 think of some reasonable answer to such questions1 before thou venture thyself upon a course which thou hast found so bad and perilous heretofore6 ,let all the malice of earth or hell say the worst it can against ,god and holiness1 it shall never justify thy revolt6 #ab4 ,consider what abundance of labour and suffering is all lost1 if thou fall away from ,christ4 ,is all thy hearing1 and meditation1 and prayer1 come to this8 ,is all thy self-denial and sufferings for ,christ and godliness come to this8 ,heb4 x4 #cb-cd1 ,call to remembrance the former days1 in which after ye were illuminated1 ye endured a great fight of afflictions2 partly1 while ye were made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and afflictions1 and partly1 whilst ye became companions of them that were so used4--,cast not away therefore your confidence1 which hath great recompence of reward4 ,you should have let ,christ alone1 if you would not follow him to the end3 he is less foolish that sitteth still1 than he that first tireth himself1 and then turneth again4 ,the idle beggar is not so foolish1 as the husbandman that will plough and sow1 and at last lose his crop for want of the labour to reap it1 and carry it home4 ,shall all thy pains and sufferings be lost at last1 for nothing8 #ac4 ,god is not so forward to cast you off1 who hath just cause2 and why then should you be forward to turn from him8 ,if he had1 what had become of you long ago8 ,yea1 what abundant occasion have you given him1 when he never gave you any at all6 ,thy sins have testified and cried against thee6 abused mercies have witnessed against thee6 and yet he hath not cast thee off6 ,satan hath stood up before ,god to accuse thee1 and glad he would be to see thee utterly forsaken of ,god1 and yet he hath not utterly forsaken thee3 even while thou art forsaking him1 he is protecting and supporting thee1 and providing for thee6 ,did he forsake thee when thou wast in sickness1 want1 and danger8 ,if he had1 thou hadst not now been here4 ,and wilt thou begin and run away from him8 ,what if ,christ should offer thee a bill of divorce1 and say1 ,seeing thou hast so little mind of me1 or of my service1 take thy course1 and seek another master2 ,i discharge thee from all thy relations to me1 follow thy own way1 and take what thou gettest by it4 ,would this be welcome tidings to thee8 ,or durst thou accept of it1 and be gone8 #ad4 ,if thou do turn back for the pleasures of the flesh1 or the preferments or profits of the world1 thou wilt have less pleasure in them now1 than thou hadst heretofore1 or than the unconverted have4 ,for they that sin in the dark1 do not know their danger1 and therefore sin not with so much terror1 as thou wilt hereafter4 ,thou hast known the danger1 thou hast confessed the folly2 the reasons of ,god's word will never be forgotten1 nor thy convictions ever totally blotted out3 thou wilt be remembering the ancient kindnesses of ,christ1 and thy former purposes1 and promises1 and ways2 and thou wilt be thinking both of the days that are past1 and the days that are to come1 and foreseeing thy terrible account3 so that thou wilt sin in such terrors1 that thou wilt have a taste of hell in the very exercise of thy sin1 and be tormented before the time4 ,and will the world and sin be worth the enjoying on such terms as these8#ia #ae4 ,either thou hopest to recover from thy backsliding by a second repentance1 or else thou purposest to go on4 ,if thou shouldst be so happy as to be recovered1 dost thou know with how much pain and terror it is like to be accomplished8 ,when thou thinkest of thy backslidings1 and what thou hast done in revolting after such convictions1 and promises1 and mercies1 and experiences1 thou wilt be very hardly kept from desperation4 ,thou wilt read such passages1 as ,heb4 vi4 #d-f2 x4 #bf-bi1 with so much horror1 that thou wilt hardly be persuaded that there is any hope3 thou wilt be ready to think that thou hast sinned against the ,holy ,ghost1 and that thou hast trampled under foot the blood of the covenant1 and done despite to the ,spirit of grace4 ,and thou wilt think1 that there is no being twice born again6 ,or1 if thou be restored to life1 thou wilt hardly ever be restored to thy comforts here2 if thy backsliding should be very great4 ,but indeed1 the danger is exceeding great1 lest thou never be recovered at all1 if once thou be twice dead1 and plucked up by the roots1 ,jude #f2 and lest ,god do finally forsake thee6 ,and then how desperate will be thy case6 #af4 ,is not the example of backsliders very terrible1 which ,god hath set up for the warning of his servants1 as monuments of his wrath8 ,luke xvii4 #cb1 ,remember ,lot's wife1 saith ,christ1 to them that are about to lose their estates1 or goods1 or lives1 by saving them6 ,how frightful is the remembrance of a ,cain1 a ,judas1 a ,saul1 a ,joash1 #b ,chron4 xxiv4 #b1 a ,julian6 ,how sad is it to hear but such a one as ,spira1 especially at his death1 crying out of his backsliding in the horror of his soul6 and to see such ready to make away with themselves6 #ag4 ,consider1 that there is none that so much dishonoureth ,god as a backslider4 ,others are supposed to sin in ignorance2 but you do by your lives as bad as speak such blasphemy as this against the ,lord2 as if you should say1 ,i thought once that ,god had been the best master1 and his servants the wisest and happiest men1 and godliness the best and safest life2 but now ,i have tried both1 and ,i find by experience that the devil is a better master1 and his servants are the happiest men1 and the world and the flesh do give the truest contentment of the mind4 ,this is the plain blasphemy of your lives4 ,and bethink thee how ,god should bear with this6 #ah4 ,there is none that so much hardeneth the wicked in his sin1 and furthereth the damnation of souls1 as the backslider4 ,if you would but drive your sheep or cattle into a house1 those that go in first1 do draw the rest after them2 but those that run out again1 make all the rest afraid1 and run away4 ,one apostate that hath been noted for religion1 and afterwards turneth off again1 doth discourage many that would come in3 for he doth1 as it were1 say to them by his practice1 ,keep off1 and meddle not with a religious life2 for ,i have tried it1 and found that a life of worldliness and fleshliness is better4 ,and people will think with themselves1 ,such a man hath tried a religious life1 and he hath forsaken it again2 and therefore he had some reason for it1 and knew what he did4 ,woe to the world1 because of offences6 and woe to him1 by whom the offence shall come6 ,matt4 xvii4 #g2 ,luke xvii4 #a4 ,how dreadful a thing is it to think that men's souls should lie in hell1 and you be the cause of it6 ,it were good for that man1 that a millstone were hanged about his neck1 and he were drowned in the depth of the sea1 ,matt4 xviii4 #f1 #g2 ,luke xvii4 #b4 #ai4 ,there is none that are so great a terror to weak christians1 as these backsliders4 ,for they are thinking how far such went before they fell away2 and those that think that true grace may be lost1 are saying1 ,alas1 how shall ,i stand1 when such that were better and stronger than ,i have fallen away8 ,and those that think that true grace cannot be lost1 are as much perplexed1 and say1 ,how far may a hypocrite go1 that after falleth away6 ,how piously did this man live6 ,how sorrowfully did he repent6 ,how blamelessly did he walk6 ,how fervently and constantly did he pray6 ,how savourily did he speak6 ,how charitably and usefully did he live6 ,and ,i that come far short of him1 as far as ,i can discern1 can have no assurance that ,i am sincere1 till ,i am sure that ,i go further than ever he did4 ,woe to thee1 that thus perplexest the consciences of the weak1 and hinderest the comforts of believers6 #bj4 ,thou art the greatest grief to the faithful ministers of ,christ4 ,thou canst not conceive what a wound it giveth to the heart and comforts of a minister1 when he hath taken a great deal of pains for thy conversion1 and after that rejoiced when he saw thee come to the flock of ,christ2 and after that1 laboured many a year to build thee up1 and suffered many a frown from the ungodly1 for thy sake2 to see all his labour at last come to nought1 and all his glorying of thee turned to his shame1 and all his hopes of thee disappointed6 ,i tell thee1 this is more doleful to his heart1 than any outward loss or cross that could have befallen him3 it is not persecution that is his greatest grief1 as long as it hindereth not the good of souls3 it is such as thou that are his sorest persecutors1 that frustrate his labours1 and rob him of his joys2 and his sorrows shall one day cost thee dear4 ,the life and comforts of your faithful pastors1 is much in your hands1 #b ,cor4 vii4 #c4 #a ,thess4 iii4 #h1 ,now we live1 if ye stand fast in the ,lord4 #ba4 ,thou art more treacherous to ,christ1 than thou wouldst be to a common friend4 ,wouldst thou forsake thy friend without a cause8 especially an old and tried friend8 and especially1 when in forsaking him thou dost forsake thyself8 ,prov4 xxvii4 #aj1 ,thy own friend1 and thy father's friend1 forsake not4 ,prov4 xvii4 #ag1 ,a friend loveth at all times2 and a brother is born for adversity4 ,if thy friend were in distress1 wouldst thou forsake him8 ,and wilt thou forsake thy ,god1 that needs thee not1 but supplieth thy needs8 ,ruth was more faithful to ,naomi1 ,ruth i4 #af1 #ag1 that resolved1 ,whither thou goest ,i will go2 and where thou lodgest ,i will lodge2 where thou diest ,i will die--4 ,and hath ,god deserved worse of thee8 #bb4 ,nay1 thou dealest worse with ,god1 than the devil's servants do with him3 alas1 they are too constant to him4 ,reason will not change them1 nor the commands of ,god1 nor the offers of everlasting life1 nor the fears of hell2 nothing will change them1 till the ,spirit of ,god do it4 ,and wilt thou be less constant to thy ,god8 #bc4 ,consider also that thy end is so near1 that thou hadst but a little while longer to have held out2 and thou mightst have known that thou couldst keep thy worldly pleasures but a little while4 ,and it is a pitiful thing to see a man that hath borne the sorest brunt of the battle1 and run till he is almost at the end of the race1 to lose all for want of a little more2 and to see a man sell his ,god1 and soul1 and heaven for fleshly pleasure1 when perhaps he hath not a year or month1 or1 for aught he knoweth1 a day more to enjoy it4 ,for a man to be weary and give over prayer1 just when the mercy is at hand6 and to be weary and give over a holy life1 when his labour and sufferings are almost at an end6 ,how sad will this day be to thee1 if death this night be sent to fetch away thy soul6 ,then whose will all those pleasures be that thou soldest thy soul for8 ,luke4 xii4 #ai-ba4 ,if thou knewest that thou hadst but a month or a year to live1 wouldst thou not have held out that one year8 ,thou knowest not that it shall be one week4 ,this is like the sad story of a student in one of our universities1 who wanting money1 and his father delaying to send it him1 he staid so long1 till at last he resolved to stay no longer1 but steal for it rather than be without2 and so went out1 and robbed and murdered the first man he met1 who proved to be his father's messenger1 that was bringing him the money that he robbed and killed him for2 which when he perceived by a letter which he found in his pocket1 he confessed it through remorse of conscience1 and was hanged2 when a few hours' patience more might have saved his innocency and his life4 ,and so is it with many a backsliding wretch1 that is cut off1 not like ,zimri and ,cozbi in the act of their sin1 yet quickly after2 and enjoy the pleasure which they forsook their ,god for but a little while4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,when you are awakened to see the terribleness of a relapsed state1 presently return and fly to ,christ to reconcile your guilty souls to ,god2 and make a stop and go not one step further in your sin1 nor make any delays in returning to your fidelity4 ,it is too sad a case to be continued in4 ,if thou darest delay yet longer1 and wilfully sin again1 thou art yet impenitent1 and thy heart is hardened2 and if the ,lord have not mercy on thee1 to recall thee speedily1 thou art lost for ever4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,make haste away from the occasions of thy sin1 and the company which insnareth thee in it4 ,if thou knewest that they were robbers that intended to murder thee1 thou wouldst be gone2 if thou knewest that they had plague-sores running on them1 thou wouldst be gone4 ,and wilt thou not be gone1 when thou knowest that they are the servants of the devil1 that would infect thee with this sin1 and cheat thee of thy salvation8 ,say not1 ,is not this company lawful1 and that pleasure lawful8 c4 ,if it be like to entice thy heart to sin1 it is unlawful to thee1 whatever it is to others2 it is not lawful to undo thy soul4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,come off by sound and deep repentance1 and shame thyself by free confession1 and mince not the matter1 and deal not gently with thy sin1 and be not tender of thy fleshly interest1 and skin not over the sore1 but go to the bottom1 and deceive not thyself with a seeming cure4#ib ,many a one is undone1 by repenting by the halves1 and refusing to take shame to themselves by a free confession1 and to engage themselves to a thorough reformation by an openly professed resolution4 ,favouring themselves and sparing the flesh1 when the sore should be lanced and searched to the bottom1 doth cause many to perish1 while they supposed that they had been cured4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,command thy senses1 and at least forbear the outward acts of sin1 while thy conscience considereth further of the matter4 ,the drunkard cannot say1 that he hath not power to shut his mouth3 let the forbidden cup alone2 no one compelleth you2 you can forbear it if you will4 ,the same ,i may say of other such sins of sensuality4 ,command thy hand1 thy mouth1 thy eye1 and guard these entrances and instruments of sin4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,engage some faithful friend to assist thee in thy watch4 ,open all thy case to some one1 that is fit to be thy guide or helper2 and resolve that whenever thou art tempted to the sin1 thou wilt go presently and tell them before thou do commit it2 and entreat them to deal plainly with you2 and give them power to use any advantages that may be for your good4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,do your first works1 and set yourselves seriously to all the duties of a holy life2 and incorporate yourselves into the society of the saints3 for holy employment and holy company are very great preservatives against every sin4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,go presently to your companions in sin1 and lament that you have joined with them1 and earnestly warn and entreat them to repent2 and if they will not1 renounce their course and company1 and tell them what ,god hath showed you of the sin and danger4#ic ,if really you will return1 as with ,peter you have fallen1 so with ,peter go out and weep bitterly2 and when you are converted1 strengthen your brethren1 and help to recover those that you have sinned with1 ,luke xxii4 #cb4 ,i have suited most of these directions to those that relapse into sins of sensuality1 rather than to them that fall into atheism1 infidelity1 or heresy2 because ,i have spoken against these sins already2 and the directions there given1 show the way for the recovery of such4 ,tit4 #b4 ,directions for preventing ,backsliding1 or for ,perseverance4 ,apostasy and backsliding is a state that is more easily prevented than cured2 and therefore ,i shall desire those that stand1 to use these following directions1 lest they fall4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,be well grounded in the nature and reasons of your religion4 ,for it is not the highest zeal and resolution that will cause you to persevere1 if your judgments be not furnished with sufficient reasons to confute gainsayers1 and evidence the truth1 and tell you why you should persevere4 ,i speak that with grief and shame which cannot be concealed2 the number of christians is so small that are well seen in the reasons and methods of christianity1 and are able to prove what they hold to be true1 and to confute opposers1 that it greatly afflicteth me to think1 what work the atheists and infidels would make1 if they once openly play their game1 and be turned loose to do their worst6 ,if they deride and oppose the immortality of the soul1 and the life to come1 and the truth of the ,scriptures1 and the work of redemption1 and office of ,christ2 alas1 how few are able to withstand them1 by giving any sufficient reason of their hope6 ,we have learnt of the papists1 that he hath the strongest faith that believeth with least reason2 and we have been 7truly7 taught that to deny our foundations is the horrid crime of infidelity2 and therefore because it is so horrid a crime to deny or question them1 we thought we need not study to prove them3 and so most have taken their foundation upon trust1 7and indeed are scarce able to bear the trial of it17 and have spent their days about the superstructure1 and in learning to prove the controverted1 less necessary points4 ,insomuch1 that ,i fear there are more that are able to prove the points which an antinomian or an anabaptist do deny1 than to prove the immortality of the soul1 or the truth of ,scripture1 or christianity2 and to dispute about a ceremony1 or form of prayer1 or church government1 than to dispute for ,christ against an infidel4 ,so that their work is prepared to their hands1 and it is no great victory to overcome such raw1 unsettled souls4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,get every sacred truth which you believe1 into your very hearts and lives2 and see that all be digested into holy love and practice4 ,when your food is turned into vital nutriment1 into flesh and blood1 it is not cast up by every thing that maketh you sick1 and turneth your stomachs2 as it may be before it is concocted1 distributed1 and incorporated4 ,truth that is but barely known1 is but like meat that is undigested in the stomach3 but truth which is turned into the love of ,god1 and of a holy life1 is turned into a new nature1 and will not so easily be let go4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,take heed of doctrines of presumption and security1 and take heed lest you fall away1 by thinking it so impossible to fall away1 that you are past all danger4#id ,the covenant of grace doth sufficiently encourage you to obey and hope1 against temptations to despair and casting off the means3 but it encourageth no man to presume or sin1 or to cast off means as needless things4 ,remember that if ever you will stand1 the fear of falling must help you to stand2 and if ever you will persevere1 it must be by seeing the danger of backsliding1 so far as to make you afraid1 and quicken you in the means which are necessary to prevent it4 ,it is no more certain that you shall persevere1 than it is certain that you shall use the means of persevering3 and one means is1 by seeing your danger1 to be stirred up to fear and caution to escape it4 ,because it is my meaning in this direction1 to save men from perishing by security upon the abuse of the doctrine of perseverance1 ,i hope none will be offended that ,i lay down these antidotes4 #a4 ,consider1 that the doctrine of perseverance hath nothing in it to encourage security4 ,the very controversies about it1 may cause you to conclude1 that a certain sin is not to be built upon a controverted doctrine4 ,till ,augustine's time1 it is hard to find any ancient writers1 that clearly asserted the certain perseverance of any at all4 ,augustine and ,prosper maintain the certain perseverance of all the elect1 but deny the certain perseverance of all that are regenerated1 justified1 or sanctified2 for they thought that more were regenerate and justified than were elect1 of whom some stood 7even all the elect7 and the rest fell away3 so that ,i confess1 ,i never read one ancient father1 or christian writer1 that ever maintained the certainty of the perseverance of all the justified1 of many hundred1 if not a thousand years after ,christ4 ,and a doctrine1 that to the church was so long unknown1 hath not that certainty1 or that necessity1 as to encourage you to any presumption or security4 ,the churches were saved many hundred years without believing it4 #b4 ,the doctrine of perseverance is against security1 because it uniteth together the end and the means3 for they that teach that the justified shall never totally fall from grace1 do also teach that they shall never totally fall into security1 or to any reigning sin2 for this is to fall away from grace4 ,and they teach that they shall never totally fall from the use of the necessary means of their preservation2 nor from the cautelous avoiding of the danger of their souls3 ,god doth not simply decree that you shall persevere2 but that you shall be kept in perseverance by the fear of your danger1 and the careful use of means2 and that you shall persevere in these1 as well as in other graces4 ,therefore if you fall to security and sin1 you fall away from grace1 and show that ,god never decreed or promised that you should never fall away4 #c4 ,consider how far many have gone that have fallen away3 the instances of our times are much higher than any ,i can name to you out of history4 ,men that have seemed to walk humbly and holily1 fearing all sin1 blameless in their lives1 zealous in religion1 twenty or thirty years together1 have fallen to deny the truth or certainty of the ,scriptures1 the ,godhead of ,christ1 if not christianity itself4 ,and many that have not quite fallen away1 have yet fallen into such grievous sins1 as make them a terrible warning to us all1 to take heed of presumption and carnal security4 #d4 ,grace is not1 in the nature of it1 a thing that cannot perish or be lost4 ,for1 #a4 ,it is a separable quality4 #b4 ,adam did lose it4 #c4 ,we lose a great degree of it too oft2 and the remaining degrees are of the same nature4 ,it is not only possible in itself to lose it1 but too easy2 and not possible without cooperating grace to keep it4 #e4 ,grace is not natural to us3 to love our ease1 and honour1 and friends1 is natural2 but to love ,christ1 and his holy ways and servants1 is not natural to us3 indeed when we do it1 it is our natural powers that do it1 but not as naturally disposed to it1 but as inclined by the cure of supernatural grace4 ,eating1 and drinking1 and sleeping we forget not1 because nature itself remembereth us of them2 but learning and acquired habits may be lost1 if not very deeply radicated1 and it is commonly concluded as to the nature of them1 that habitus infusi habent se ad modum acquisitorum3 infused habits are like to acquired ones4#ie #f4 ,grace is1 as it were1 a stranger1 or new comer in us4 ,it hath been there but a little while1 and therefore we are but raw and too unacquainted with the right usage and improvement of it1 and are the apter to forget our duty1 or to neglect it1 or ignorantly to do that which tendeth to its destruction4 #g4 ,grace dwelleth in a heart which is not wholly dispossessed of those objects which are against its work1 nor delivered from those principles which have an enmity against it4 ,the love of the world and flesh was in the heart1 before the love of ,god and holiness1 and ignorance was before knowledge1 and pride before humility1 and selfishness before self-denial4 ,and these are not wholly rooted out2 we have dealt so gently with them1 7as the ,israelites with the ,canaanites1 ,jebusites1 and other inhabitants of the land17 that they are left to try us1 and to be thorns in our sides4 ,and the garrison is not free from danger1 that hath an enemy always lodged within4 ,our enemies are in the house with us1 they lie down and rise up with us1 and are as near us as our flesh and bones3 we can never be where they are not1 nor leave them behind us1 whithersoever we go1 or whatever we do4 ,no marvel1 if brother be against brother1 and the father against the son1 when we are so much against ourselves4#if ,and are we yet secure8 #h4 ,and the number of the snares that are still before us1 and of the subtle malicious enemies of our souls1 may easily convince us1 that we are wholly free from danger4 ,how subtle and diligent is the devil6 ,how much do his servants imitate him6 ,every creature or person that we have to do with1 and every common mercy which we receive1 hath matter of danger in it1 which calleth us to fear and watch4 #i4 ,perseverance is nothing else but our continuance in the grace which we received3 and this grace consisteth in act as well as in habit3 and the habit is for action2 and the act is it that increaseth and continueth the habit4 ,and the fear of ,god1 and the belief of his threatenings1 and repentance1 and watchfulness1 and diligent obedience1 are a great part of this grace4 ,and the acts are ours1 performed by ourselves1 by the help of ,god3 ,god doth not believe1 and repent1 and obey in us1 but causeth us ourselves to do it4 ,therefore to grow cold1 and secure1 and sinful1 upon pretence that we are sure to persevere1 this is to cease persevering1 and to fall away1 because we are sure to persevere1 and not to fall away3 which is a mere contradiction4 #aj4 ,lastly1 bethink you well what is the meaning of all these texts of ,scripture1 and the reason that the ,holy ,ghost doth speak to us in this manner4 ,col4 i4 #ba-bc1 ,and you--hath he reconciled1--to present you holy3--if ye continue in the faith1 grounded and settled1 and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel4 ,john xv4 #d-f1 ,abide in me1 and ,i in you4 ,if a man abide not in me1 he is cast forth as a branch and withered4 ,if ye abide in me1 and my words abide in you1 ye shall ask what ye will4 ,heb4 iv4 #a1 ,let us therefore fear1 lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest1 any of you should seem to come short of it4 ,jude #ba1 ,keep yourselves in the love of ,god4 #a ,cor4 x4 #d1 #e1 #ab1 ,they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them1 and that rock was ,christ2 but with many of them ,god was not well pleased3 wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall4 ,rom4 xi4 #bj1 #ba1 ,be not highminded1 but fear2 for if ,god spared not the natural branches1 take heed lest he spare not thee4 ,gal4 v4 #d1 ,ye are fallen from grace4 ,matt4 x4 #bb1 ,he that endureth to the end shall be saved2 ,matt4 xxiv4 #ac4 ,heb4 iii4 #f1 #ad1 ,whose house are we1 if we hold fast the confidence1 and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end4 ,for we are partakers of ,christ1 if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end4 ,heb4 iv4 #aa1 ,let us labour therefore to enter into that rest1 lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief4 ,rev4 ii4 #be1 #bf1 ,hold fast till ,i come4 ,and he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end1 to him will ,i give power over the nations2 ,rev4 iii4 #b1 #c2 ii4 #d4 ,take heed therefore of that doctrine which telleth you1 that sins to come are all pardoned to you before they are committed1 and that you are justified from them1 and that it is unlawful to be afraid of falling away1 because it is impossible1 c4 ,for no sin is pardoned before it is committed1 7though the remedy be provided17 for it is then no sin2 and you are justified from no sin any further than it is pardoned4 ,suppose ,god either to decree1 or but to foreknow the freest1 most contingent act1 and there will be a logical impossibility in order of consequence1 that it should be otherwise than he so decreeth or foreseeth4 ,but that inferreth no natural impossibility in the thing itself2 for ,god doth not decree or foresee that such a man's fall shall be impossible1 but only non futurum4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,in a special manner take heed of the company and doctrine of deceivers2 yea1 though they seem most religious men1 and are themselves first deceived1 and think they are in the right4 ,and take heed of falling into a dividing party1 which separateth from the generality of the truly wise and godly people4#ig ,for this hath been an ordinary introduction to backsliding3 false doctrine hath a mighty power on the heart4 ,and he that can separate one of the sheep from the rest of the flock1 hath a fair advantage to carry him away4 ,see ,rom4 xvi4 #af1 #ag4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,be very watchful against the sin of pride1 especially pride of gifts1 or knowledge1 or holiness1 which some call spiritual pride2 for ,god is engaged to cast down the proud4 ,prov4 xvi4 #ah1 ,pride goeth before destruction1 and a haughty spirit before a fall4 ,satan assaulted our first parents by that way that he fell himself2 and his success encourageth him to try the same way with their posterity4 ,and1 alas1 how greatly hath he succeeded through all ages of the world till now6 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,take heed of a divided1 hypocritical heart1 which never was firmly resolved for ,god1 upon expectation of the worst1 and upon terms of self-denial1 nor was ever well loosed from the love of this present world1 nor firmly believed the life to come4 ,for it is no wonder that he falleth from grace1 who never had any grace but common1 which never renewed his soul4 ,it is no wonder that false-hearted friends forsake us1 when their interest requireth it2 nor that the seed which never had depth of earth1 doth bring forth no fruit1 but what will wither when persecution shall arise1 or that which is sown among thorns be choked1 ,matt4 xiii4#ih ,sit down and count what it will cost you to be christians1 and receive not ,christ upon mistakes1 or with reserves4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,take heed lest the world1 or any thing in it1 steal again into your hearts1 and seem too sweet to you4 ,if your friends1 or dwellings1 or lands and wealth1 or honours1 begin to grow too pleasant1 and be over-loved1 your thoughts will presently be carried after them1 and turned away from ,god1 and all holy affection will be damped and decay1 and grace will fall into a consumption4 ,it is the love of money that is the root of all evil2 and the love of this world which is the mortal enemy of the love of ,god4 ,keep the world from your hearts1 if you would keep your graces4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,keep a strict government and watch over your fleshly appetite and sense4#ii ,for the loosing of the reins to carnal lusts1 and yielding to the importunity of sensual desires1 is the most ordinary way of wasting grace1 and falling off from ,god4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,keep as far as you can from temptations1 and all occasions and opportunities of sinning4 ,trust not to your own strength2 and be not so foolhardy as to thrust yourselves into needless danger4 ,no man is long safe that standeth at the brink of ruin3 if the fire and straw be long near together1 some spark is like to catch at last4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,incorporate yourselves into the communion of saints1 and go along with them that go towards heaven1 and engage yourselves in the constant use of all those means which ,god hath appointed you to use for your perseverance2 especially take heed of an idle1 slothful1 unprofitable life3 and keep your graces in the most lively exercise2 for the slothful is brother to the waster2 and idleness consumeth or corrupteth our spiritual health and strength1 as well as our bodily4 ,set yourselves diligently to work while it is day1 and do all the good in your places that you are able3 for it is acts that preserve and increase the habits2 and a religion which consisteth only in doing no hurt1 is so lifeless and corrupt1 that it will quickly perish4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,keep always in thine eye the doleful case of a backslider 7which ,i opened before74 ,oh what horror is waiting to seize on their consciences6 ,how many of them have we known1 that on their death-beds have lain roaring in the anguish of their souls1 crying out1 ,i am utterly forsaken of ,god1 because ,i have forsaken him6 ,there is no mercy for such an apostate wretch3 oh that ,i had never been born1 or had been any thing rather than a man6 ,cursed be the day that ever ,i hearkened to the counsel of the wicked1 and that ever ,i pleased this corruptible flesh1 to the utter undoing of my soul6 ,oh that it were all to do again6 ,take warning by a mad1 besotted sinner1 that have lost my soul for that which ,i knew would never make me satisfaction1 and have turned from ,god when ,i had found him to be good and gracious4 ,o prepare not for such pangs as these1 or worse than these1 in endless desperation4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,make not a small matter of the beginnings of your backsliding4 ,there are very few that fall quite away at once1 the misery creepeth on by insensible degrees4 ,you think it a small matter to cut short one duty1 and omit another1 and be negligent at another2 and to entertain some pleasing thoughts of the world2 or first to look on the forbidden fruit1 and then to touch it1 and then to taste it2 but these are the ways to that which is not small4 ,a thought1 or a look1 or a taste1 or a delight hath begun that with many1 which never stopped1 till it had shamed them here1 and damned them for ever4 #hh #a ,tim4 i4 #ai4 #hi #a ,cor4 vii4 #ca4 #ij ,mic4 vi4 #e-g4 #ia ,in the ,vandals' persecution1 ,epidophorus1 an apostate1 was the most cruel persecutor2 at last it came to his turn to torment ,mirita1 that had baptized him1 who spread before them all the linens in which he was baptized1 saying1 ,hc te accusabunt dum majestas venerit judicantis4 ,custodientur diligentia mea ad testimonium tu perditiones1 ad margendum te in abyssum putei sulphurantis4 ,hc te acrius per-sequentur flammantem gehennam cum cteris possidentem--,quod facturus es miser cum servi patris familias ad cnam regiam congregare cperint invitatos8 ,ligate eum manibus pedibusque1 c4 ,hc et alia ,merita dicente1 igne conscienti ante ignem ternum obmutescens ,epidophorus torrebatur4 ,victor ,utic4 p4 #dff4 #ib ,jam4 v4 #af2 ,neh4 ix4 #b1 #c2 ,matt4 iii4 #f2 ,acts xix4 #ah4 #ic ,matt4 xxvi4 #ge2 ,luke xxii4 #fb4 #id ,virlutem ,chrysippus amitti posse1 ,cleanthes vero non posse ait3 ille posse amitti per ebrietatem et atram bilem2 ille non posse ob firmas ac stabiles comprehensiones1 c4 ,laert4 in ,zenone4 #ie ,nature as not lapsed and nature as restored1 incline the soul to the love of ,god2 but not nature as corrupt2 nor is it an act performed per modum natur1 i4e4 necessario4 #if ,matt4 xiii4 #ab2 x4 #ba4 #ig ,eph4 iv4 #ad2 #a ,thess4 v4 #ab1 #ac4 #ih ,luke xiv4 #bf1 #bi1 #cc4 #ii ,rom4 viii4 #ac2 xiii4 #ac1 #ad4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,directions ,,for ,,the ,,poor4 ,,there is no condition of life so low or poor1 but may be sanctified1 and fruitful1 and comfortable to us1 if our own misunderstanding1 or sin and negligence1 do not pollute it or imbitter it to us3 if we do the duty of our condition faithfully1 we shall have no cause to murmur at it4 ,therefore ,i shall here direct the poor in the special duties of their condition2 and if they will but conscionably perform them1 it will prove a greater kindness to them1 than if ,i could deliver them from their poverty1 and give them as much riches as they desire4 ,though ,i doubt this would be more pleasing to the most1 and they would give me more thanks for money1 than for teaching them how to want it4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,understand first the use and estimate of all earthly things3 that they were never made to be your portion and felicity1 but your provision and helps in the way to heaven4#ajj ,and therefore they are neither to be estimated nor desired simply for themselves1 7for so there is nothing good but ,god17 but only as they are means to the greatest good4 ,therefore neither poverty nor riches are simply to be rejoiced in for themselves1 as any part of our happiness2 but that condition is to be desired and rejoiced in1 which affordeth us the greatest helps for heaven1 and that condition only is to be lamented and disliked1 which hindereth us most from heaven1 and from our duty4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,see therefore that you really take all these things1 as matters in themselves indifferent1 and of small concernment to you2 and as not worthy of much love1 or care1 or sorrow1 further than they conduce to greater things4 ,we are like runners in a race1 and heaven or hell will be our end2 and therefore woe to us1 if by looking aside1 or turning back1 or stopping1 or trifling about these matters1 or burdening ourselves with worldly trash1 we should lose the race1 and lose our souls4 ,o sirs1 what greater matters than poverty or riches have we to mind6 ,can those souls that must shortly be in heaven or hell1 have time to bestow any serious thoughts upon these impertinencies8 ,shall we so much as look at the temporal things which are seen1 instead of the things eternal that are unseen8 #b ,cor4 iv4 #ah4 ,or shall we whine under those light afflictions1 which may be so improved1 as to work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory8 ver4 #ag4 ,our present life is not in the abundance of the things which we possess1 ,luke xii4 #ae2 much less is our eternal life4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,therefore take heed that you judge not of ,god's love1 or of your happiness or misery1 by your riches or poverty1 prosperity or adversity1 as knowing that they come alike to all1#aja and love or hatred is not to be discerned by them2 except only ,god's common love1 as they are common mercies to the body4 ,if a surgeon is not to be taken for a hater of you1 because he letteth you blood1 nor a physician because he purgeth his patient1 nor a father because he correcteth his child2 much less is ,god to be judged an enemy to you1 or unmerciful1 because his wisdom and not your folly disposeth of you1 and proportioneth your estates4 ,a carnal mind will judge of its own happiness and the love of ,god by carnal things1 because it savoureth not spiritual mercies3 but grace giveth a christian another judgment1 relish1 and desire2 as nature setteth a man above the food and pleasures of a beast4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,stedfastly believe that ,god is every way fitter than you to dispose of your estate and you4#ajb ,he is infinitely wise1 and knoweth what is best and fittest for you3 he knoweth beforehand what good or hurt any state of plenty or want will do you3 he knoweth all your corruptions1 and what condition will most conduce to strengthen them or destroy them1 and which will be your greatest temptations and snares1 and which will prove your safest state2 much better than any physician or parent knoweth how to diet his patient or his child4 ,and his love and kindness are much greater to you1 than yours are to yourself2 and therefore he will not be wanting in willingness to do you good3 and his authority over you is absolute1 and therefore his disposal of you must be unquestionable4 ,it is the ,lord3 let him do what seemeth him good1 #a ,sam4 iii4 #ah4 ,the will of ,god should be the rest and satisfaction of your wills1 ,acts xxi4 #ad4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,stedfastly believe that1 ordinarily1 riches are far more dangerous to the soul than poverty1 and a greater hinderance to men's salvation4 ,believe experience2 how few of the rich and rulers of the earth are holy1 heavenly1 self-denying1 mortified men6 ,believe our ,saviour1 ,how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of ,god6 ,for it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye1 than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of ,god4 ,and they that heard it said1 ,who then can be saved8 ,and he said1 ,the things which are impossible with men1 are possible with ,god1 ,luke xviii4 #bd1 #be1 #bg4 ,so that you see the difficulty is so great of saving such as are rich1 that to men it is a thing impossible1 but to ,god's omnipotency only it is possible4 ,so #a ,cor4 i4 #bf1 ,for ye see your calling1 brethren1 how that not many wise men after the flesh1 not many mighty1 not many noble are called4 ,believe this1 and it will prevent many dangerous mistakes4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,hence you may perceive1 that though no man must pray absolutely either for riches or poverty1 yet of the two it is more rational ordinarily to pray against riches than for them1 and to be rather troubled when ,god maketh us rich1 than when he maketh us poor4 7,i mean it1 in respect to ourselves1 as either of them seemeth to conduce to our own good or hurt2 though to do good to others1 riches are more desirable47 ,this cannot be denied by any man that believeth ,christ3 for no wise man will long for the hinderance of his salvation1 or pray to ,god to make it as hard a thing for him to be saved1 as for a camel to go through a needle's eye2 when salvation is a matter of such unspeakable moment1 and our strength is so small1 and the difficulties so many and great already4 ,object4 ,but ,christ doth not deny but the difficulties to the poor may be as great4 ,answ4 ,to some particular persons upon other accounts it may be so2 but it is clear in the text1 that ,christ speaketh comparatively of such difficulties as the rich had more than the poor4 ,object4 ,but then how are we obliged to be thankful to ,god for giving us riches1 or blessing our labours8#ajc ,answ4 #a4 ,you must be thankful for them1 because in their own nature they are good1 and it is by accident1 through your own corruption1 that they become so dangerous4 #b4 ,because you may do good with them to others1 if you have hearts to use them well4 #c4 ,because ,god in giving them to you rather than to others1 doth signify 7if you are his children7 that they are fitter for you than for others4 ,in ,bedlam and among foolish children1 it is a kindness to keep fire1 and swords1 and knives out of their way2 but yet they are useful to people that have the use of reason4 ,but our folly in spiritual matters is so great1 that we have little cause to be too eager for that which we are inclined so dangerously to abuse1 and which proves the bane of most that have it4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,see that your poverty be not the fruit of your idleness1 gluttony1 drunkenness1 pride1 or any other flesh-pleasing sin4#ajd ,for if you bring it thus upon yourselves1 you can never look that it should be sanctified to your good1 till sound repentance have turned you from the sin3 nor are you objects worthy of much pity from man 7except as you are miserable sinners74 ,he that rather chooseth to have his ease and pleasure1 though with want1 than to have plenty1 and to want his ease and pleasure1 it is pity that he should have any better than he chooseth4 #a4 ,slothfulness and idleness are sins that naturally tend to want1 and ,god hath caused them to be punished with poverty2 as you may see1 ,prov4 xii4 #bd1 #bg2 xviii4 #i2 xxi4 #be2 xxiv4 #cd2 xxvi4 #ad1 #ae2 vi4 #aa2 xx4 #ac4 ,yea1 he commandeth that if any 7that is able7 will not work1 neither should he eat1 #b ,thess4 iii4 #aj4 ,in the sweat of their face must they eat their bread1 ,gen4 iii4 #ai2 and six days must they labour and do all that they have to do4 ,to maintain your idleness is a sin in others4 ,if you will please your flesh with ease1 it must be displeased with want2 and you must suffer what you choose4 #b4 ,gluttony and drunkenness are such beastly devourers of mercy1 and abusers of mankind1 that shame and poverty are their punishment and cure4 ,prov4 xxiii4 #bj1 #ba1 ,be not among wine-bibbers1 amongst riotous eaters of flesh3 for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty1 and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags4 ,it is not lawful for any man to feed the greedy appetites of such3 if they choose a short excess before a longer competency1 let them have their choice4 #c4 ,pride also is a most consuming1 wasteful sin3 it sacrificeth ,god's mercies to the devil1 in serving him by them1 in his first-born sin4 ,proud persons must lay it out in pomp and gaudiness1 to set forth themselves to the eyes of others2 in buildings1 and entertainments1 and fine clothes1 and curiosities3 and poverty is also both the proper punishment and cure of this sin3 and it is cruelty for any to save them from it1 and resist ,god1 that by abasing them takes the way to do them good1 ,prov4 xi4 #b2 xxix4 #bc2 xvi4 #ah4 #d4 ,falsehood also1 and deceit1 and unjust getting1 tend to poverty2 for ,god doth often1 even in this present life1 thus enter into judgment with the unjust4 ,ill-gotten wealth is like fire in the thatch1 and bringeth ofttimes a secret curse and destruction upon all the rest4 ,the same may be said of unmercifulness to the poor2 which is oft cursed with poverty1 when the liberal are blest with plenty1 ,prov4 xi4 #bd1 #be2 ,isa4 xxxii4 #h2 ,psal4 lxxiii4 #ba1 #bb1 #be1 #bf1 #cd1 #ce4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,be acquainted with the special temptations of the poor1 that you may be furnished to resist them4 ,every condition hath its own temptations1 which persons in that condition must specially be fortified and watch against2 and this is much of the wisdom and safety of a christian4 ,tempt4 ,i4 ,one temptation of poverty will be to draw you to think highlier of riches and honours than you ought2 to make you think that the rich are much happier than they are4 ,for the world is like all other deceivers2 it is most esteemed where it is least known4 ,they that never tried a life of wealth1 and plenty1 and prosperity1 are apt to admire it1 and think it braver and better than it is4 ,and so you may be drawn as much to over-love the world by want1 as other men by plenty4 ,against this remember1 that it is folly to admire that which you never tried and knew2 and mark whether all men do not vilify it1 that have tried it to the last3 dying men call it no better than vanity and deceit4 ,and it is rebellious pride in you so far to contradict the wisdom of ,god1 as to think most highly of that condition which he hath judged worst for you2 and to fall in love with that which he denieth you4 ,tempt4 ,,ii4 ,the poor will also be tempted to over-much care about their wants and worldly matters2#aje they will think that necessity requireth it in them1 and will excuse them4 ,so much care is your duty1 as is needful to the right doing of your work4 ,take care how to discharge your own duties2 but be not too careful about the event1 which belongs to ,god4 ,if you will care what you should be and do1 ,god will care sufficiently what you shall have4#ajf ,and so be it you faithfully do your business1 your other care will add nothing to the success1 nor make you any richer1 but only vex and disquiet your minds4 ,it is the poor as well as the rich1 that ,god hath commanded to be careful for nothing1 and to cast all their care on him4 ,tempt4 ,,iii4 ,poverty also will tempt you to repining1 impatience1 and discontent1 and to fall out with others2 which because it is one of the chief temptations1 ,i will speak to by itself anon4 ,tempt4 ,,iv4 ,also you will be tempted to be coveting after more3#ajg ,satan maketh poverty a snare to draw many needy creatures to greater covetousness than many of the rich are guilty of2 none thirst more eagerly after more2 and yet their poverty blindeth them1 so that they cannot see that they are covetous1 or else excuse it as a justifiable thing4 ,they think that they desire no more but necessaries1 and that it is not covetousness1 if they desire not superfluities4 ,but do you not covet more than ,god allotteth you8 and are you not discontent with his allowance8 ,and doth not he know best what is necessary for you1 and what superfluous8 ,what then is covetousness1 if this be not8 ,tempt4 ,v4 ,also you will be tempted to envy the rich1 and to censure them in matters where you are incompetent judges4 ,it is usual with the poor to speak of the rich with envy and censoriousness2 they call them covetous1 merely because they are rich1 especially if they give them nothing2 when they know not what ways of necessary expense they have1 nor know how many others they are liberal to1 that they are unacquainted with4 ,till you see their accounts you are unfit to censure them4 ,tempt4 ,,vi4 ,the poor also will be tempted to use unlawful means to supply their wants4#ajh ,how many by the temptation of necessity have been tempted to comply with sinners1 and wound their consciences1 and lie and flatter for favour or preferment1 or to cheat1 or steal1 or over-reach6 ,a dear price6 to buy the food that perisheth1 with the loss or hazard of everlasting life2 and lose their souls to provide for their flesh6 ,tempt4 ,,vii4 ,also you will be tempted to neglect your souls1 and omit your spiritual duties1 and1 as ,martha1 to be troubled about many things1 while the one thing needful is forgotten2 and you will think that necessity will excuse all this2 yea1 some think to be saved because they are poor1 and say1 ,god will not punish them in this life and another too4 ,but alas1 you are more unexcusable than the rich1 if you are ungodly and mindless of the life to come4 ,for he that will love a life of poverty and misery better than heaven1 deserveth indeed to go without it1 much more than he that preferreth a life of plenty and prosperity before it4 ,god hath taught you by his providence to know1 that you must either be happy in heaven1 or no where2--if you would be worldlings1 and part with heaven for your part on earth1 how poor a bargain are you like to make6 ,to love rags1 and toil1 and want1 and sorrow1 better than eternal joy and happiness1 is the most unreasonable kind of ungodliness in the world4 ,it is true1 that you are not called to spend so many hours of the week days in reading and meditation1 as some that have greater leisure are2 but you have reason to seek heaven1 and set your hearts upon it1 as much as they2 and you must think of it when you are about your labour1 and take those opportunities for your spiritual duties which are allowed you4 ,poverty will excuse ungodliness in none6 ,nothing is so necessary as the service of ,god and your salvation2 and therefore no necessity can excuse you from it4 ,read the case of ,mary and ,martha1 ,luke x4 #da1 #db4 ,one would think that your hearts should be wholly set upon heaven1 who have nothing else but it to trust to4 ,the poor have fewer hinderances than the rich1 in the way to life eternal6 ,and ,god will save no man because he is poor2 but condemn poor and rich that are ungodly4 ,tempt4 ,,viii4 ,another great temptation of the poor1 is to neglect the holy education of their children2 so that in most places1 there are none so ignorant1 and rude1 and heathenish1 and unwilling to learn1 as the poorest people and their children3 they never teach them to read1 nor teach them any thing for the saving of their souls2 and they think that their poverty will be an excuse for all2 when reason telleth them1 that none should be more careful to help their children to heaven1 than they that can give them nothing upon earth4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,be acquainted with the special duties of the poor2 and carefully perform them4 ,they are these3 #a4 ,let your sufferings teach you to contemn the world2 it will be a happy poverty if it do but help to wean your affections from all things below2 that you set as little by the world as it deserveth4 #b4 ,be eminently heavenly-minded2 the less you have or hope for in this life1 the more fervently seek a better4#aji ,you are at least as capable of the heavenly treasures as the greatest princes2 ,god purposely straiteneth your condition in the world1 that he may force up your hearts unto himself1 and teach you to seek first for that which indeed is worth your seeking1 ,matt4 vi4 #cc1 #ai-ba4 #c4 ,learn to live upon ,god alone2 study his goodness1 and faithfulness1 and all-sufficiency2 when you have not a place nor a friend in the world1 that you can comfortably betake yourselves to for relief1 retire unto ,god1 and trust him1 and dwell the more with him4#aaj ,if your poverty have but this effect1 it will be better to you than all the riches in the world4 #d4 ,be laborious and diligent in your callings3 both precept and necessity call you unto this2 and if you cheerfully serve him in the labour of your hands1 with a heavenly and obedient mind1 it will be as acceptable to him1 as if you had spent all that time in more spiritual exercises2 for he had rather have obedience than sacrifice2 and all things are pure and sanctified to the pure2 if you cheerfully serve ,god in the meanest work1 it is the more acceptable to him1 by how much the more subjection and submission there is in your obedience4#aaa #e4 ,be humble and submissive unto all4 ,a poor man proud is doubly hateful2 and if poverty cure your pride1 and help you to be truly humble1 it will be no small mercy to you4#aab #f4 ,you are specially obliged to mortify the flesh1 and keep your senses and appetites in subjection2 because you have greater helps for it than the rich2 you have not so many baits of lust1 and wantonness1 and gluttony1 and voluptuousness as they4 #g4 ,your corporal wants must make you more sensibly remember your spiritual wants2 and teach you to value spiritual blessings3 think with yourselves1 if a hungry1 cold1 and naked body1 be so great a calamity1 how much greater is a guilty1 graceless soul1 a dead or diseased heart6 ,if bodily food and necessaries are so desirable1 oh how desirable is ,christ and his ,spirit1 and the love of ,god and life eternal6 #h4 ,you must above all men be careful redeemers of your time2 especially of the ,lord's day2 your labours take up so much of your time1 that you must be the more careful to catch every opportunity for your souls6 ,rise earlier to get half an hour for holy duty2 and meditate on holy things in your labours1 and spend the ,lord's day in special diligence1 and be glad of such seasons2 and let scarcity preserve your appetites4 #i4 ,be willing to die2 seeing the world giveth you so cold entertainment1 be the more content to let it go1 when ,god shall call you2 for what is here to detain your hearts8 #aj4 ,above all men1 you should be most fearless of sufferings from men1 and therefore true to ,god and conscience2 for you have no great matter of honour1 or riches1 or pleasure to lose3 as you fear not a thief1 when you have nothing for him to rob you of4 #aa4 ,be specially careful to fit your children also for heaven3 provide them a portion which is better than a kingdom2 for you can provide but little for them in the world4 #ab4 ,be exemplary in patience and contentedness with your state3 for that grace should be the strongest in us which is most exercised2 and poverty calleth you to the frequent exercise of this4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,be specially furnished with those reasons which should keep you in a cheerful contentedness with your state2 and may suppress every thought of anxiety and discontent4#aac ,as1 #a4 ,consider as aforesaid1 that that is the best condition for you which helpeth you best to heaven2 and ,god best knoweth what will do you good1 or hurt4 #b4 ,that it is rebellion to grudge at the will of ,god2 which must dispose of us1 and should be our rest4 #c4 ,look over the life of ,christ1 who chose a life of poverty for your sakes2 and had not a place to lay his head4 ,he was not one of the rich and voluptuous in the world2 and are you grieved to be conformed to him8 ,phil4 iii4 #g-i4 #d4 ,look to all his apostles1 and most holy servants and martyrs4 ,were not they as great sufferers as you8 #e4 ,consider that the rich will shortly be all as poor as you3 naked they came into the world1 and naked they must go out2 and a little time makes little difference4 #f4 ,it is no more comfort to die rich than poor2 but usually much less2 because the pleasanter the world is to them1 the more it grieveth them to leave it4 #g4 ,all men cry out1 that the world is vanity at last4 ,how little is it valued by a dying man6 and how sadly will it cast him off6 #h4 ,the time is very short and uncertain1 in which you must enjoy it2 we have but a few days more to walk about1 and we are gone4 ,alas1 of how small concernment is it1 whether a man be rich or poor1 that is ready to step into another world6 #i4 ,the love of this world drawing the heart from ,god1 is the common cause of men's damnation2 and is not the world liker to be over-loved1 when it entertaineth you with prosperity1 than when it useth you like an enemy8 ,are you displeased1 that ,god thus helpeth to save you from the most damning sin8 and that he maketh not your way to heaven more dangerous8 #aj4 ,you little know the troubles of the rich4 ,he that hath much1 hath much to do with it1 and much to care for2 and many persons to deal with1 and more vexations than you imagine4 #aa4 ,it is but the flesh that suffereth2 and it furthereth your mortification of it4 #ab4 ,you pray but for your daily bread1 and therefore should be contented with it4 #ac4 ,is not ,god1 and ,christ1 and heaven1 enough for you8 should that man be discontent that must live in heaven8 #ad4 ,is it not your lust1 rather than your well-informed reason1 that repineth8 ,i do but name all these reasons for brevity3 you may enlarge them in your meditations4 #ajj ,prov4 xxviii4 #f2 ,jam4 ii4 #e4 #aja ,eccles4 ii #ad2 ix4 #b1 #c4 #ajb ,psal4 x4 #ae2 #a ,sam4 ii4 #g4 #ajc ,saith ,aristippus to ,dionysius1 ,quando sapientia egebam1 adii ,socratem8 nunc pecuniarum egens1 ad te veni4 ,laert4 in ,aristip4 #ajd #a ,cor4 vii4 #ce4 #aje ,luke x4 #da4 #ajf ,matt4 vi42 #a ,pet4 v4 #g2 ,phil4 iv4 #f4 #ajg ,prov4 xxiii4 #d4 #ajh ,prov4 xxx4 #h1 #i2 ,john vi4 #bg4 #aji ,phil4 iii4 #ah1 #bj1 #ba2 #b ,cor4 v4 #g1 #h4 #aaj ,gal4 ii4 #bj2 ,psal4 lxxiii4 #be-bh2 #b ,cor4 i4 #aj4 #aaa ,eph4 iv4 #bh2 ,prov4 xxi4 #be2 #a ,sam4 xv4 #bb2 #b ,thess4 iii4 #h1 #aj4 #aab ,prov4 xviii4 #bc4 #aac ,phil4 iv4 #aa-ac2 ,matt4 v4 #c2 #a ,sam4 ii4 #g2 ,matt4 vi4 #be1 c2 ,psal4 lxxviii4 #bj2 ,numb4 xiv4 #aa2 ,matt4 xvi4 #i2 ,job xiii4 #ae2 ,eccl4 v4 #ab2 #a ,cor4 vii4 #bi-ca2 ,psal4 lxxxiv4 #aa2 xxxvii4 #be2 x4 #ad2 lv4 #bb2 ,rom4 ix4 #bj2 ,psal4 xxxiv4 #i1 #aj2 ,rom4 viii4 #bh2 ,heb4 xiii4 #e4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,directions ,,for ,,the ,,rich4 ,i ,,have said so much of this already1 part i4 about covetousness or worldliness1 and about good works1 and in my book of ,self-denial1 and that of ,crucifying the ,world2 that my reason commandeth me brevity in this place4#aad ,direct4 ,i4 ,remember that riches are no part of your felicity2 or that if you have no better1 you are undone men4 ,dare you say that they are fit to make you happy8 ,dare you say1 that you will take them for your part8 and be content to be turned off when they forsake you8 ,they reconcile not ,god2 they save not from his wrath2 they heal not a wounded conscience3 they may please your flesh1 and adorn your funeral1 but they neither delay1 nor sanctify1 nor sweeten death1 nor make you either better or happier than the poor4 ,riches are nothing but plentiful provision for tempting1 corruptible flesh4 ,when the flesh is in the dust1 it is rich no more4 ,all that abounded in wealth1 since ,adam's days till now1 are levelled with the lowest in the dust4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,yea1 remember that riches are not the smallest temptation and danger to your souls4 ,do they delight and please you8 ,by that way they may destroy you4 ,if they be but loved above ,god1 and make earth seem better for you than heaven1 they have undone you4 ,and if ,god recover you not1 it had been better for you to have been worms or brutes1 than such deceived1 miserable souls4 ,it is not for nothing1 that ,christ giveth you so many terrible warnings about riches1 and so describeth the folly1 the danger1 and the misery of the worldly rich1 ,luke xii4 #ag-bj2 xvi4 #ai-ba1 c2 xviii4 #ba-bc1 c42 and telleth you how hardly the rich are saved4 ,fire burneth most1 when it hath most fuel2 and riches are the fuel of worldly love and fleshly lust1 #a ,john ii4 #ae1 #af2 ,rom4 xiii4 #ac1 #ad4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,understand what it is to love and trust in worldly prosperity and wealth4 ,many here deceive themselves to their destruction4 ,they persuade themselves1 that they desire and use their riches but for necessity3 but that they do not love them1 nor trust in them1 because they can say that heaven is better1 and wealth will leave us to a grave6 ,but do you not love that ease1 that greatness1 that domination1 that fulness1 that satisfaction of your appetite1 eye1 and fancy1 which you cannot have without your wealth8 ,it is fleshly lust1 and will1 and pleasure1 which carnal worldlings love for itself2 and then they love their wealth for these4 ,and to trust in riches1 is not to trust that they will never leave you2 for every fool doth know the contrary4 ,but it is to rest1 and quiet1 and comfort your minds in them1 as that which most pleaseth you1 and maketh you well1 or to be as you would be4 ,like him in ,luke xii4 #ah1 #ai1 that said1 ,soul1 take thy ease1 eat1 drink1 and be merry1 thou hast enough laid up for many years4 ,this is to love and trust in riches4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,above all the deceits and dangers of this world1 take heed of a secret1 hypocritical hope of reconciling the world to heaven1 so as to make you a felicity of both2 and dreaming of a compounded portion1 or of serving ,god and mammon4#aae ,the true state of the hypocrite's heart and hope is1 to love his worldly prosperity best1 and desire to keep it as long as he can1 for the enjoyment of his fleshly pleasures2 and when he must leave this world against his will1 he hopeth then to have heaven as his reserve2 because he thinketh it better than hell1 and his tongue can say1 ,it is better than earth1 though his will and affections say the contrary4 ,if this be your case1 the ,lord have mercy upon you1 and give you a more believing1 spiritual mind1 or else you are lost1 and you and your treasure will perish together4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,accordingly take heed1 lest when you seem to resign yourselves1 and all that you have1 to ,god1 there should be a secret purpose at the heart1 that you will never be undone in the world for ,christ1 nor for the hopes of a better world4 ,a knowing hypocrite is not ignorant1 that the terms of ,christ1 proposed in the gospel1 ,luke xiv4 #bf1 #bg1 #cc1 are no lower than forsaking all2 and that in baptism1 and our covenant with ,christ1 all must be designed and devoted to him1 and the cross taken up instead of all1 or else we are no christians1 as being not in covenant with ,christ4 ,but the hypocrite's hope is1 that though ,christ put him upon these promises1 he will never put him to the trial for performance1 nor ever call him to forsake all indeed3 and therefore1 if ever he be put to it1 he will not perform the promise which he hath made4 ,he is like a patient that promiseth to be wholly ruled by his physician1 as hoping that he will put him upon nothing which he cannot bear4 ,but when the bitter potion or the vomit cometh1 he saith1 ,i cannot take it1 ,i had hoped you would have given me gentler physic4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,and accordingly take heed lest while you pretend to live to ,god1 and to use all that you have as his stewards for his service1 you should deceitfully put him off with the leavings of your lusts1 and give him only so much as your flesh can spare4 ,it is not likely that the damned gentleman1 ,luke xvi4 was never used to give any thing to the poor2 else what did beggars use his doors for8 ,when ,christ promiseth to reward men for a cup of cold water1 the meaning is1 when they would give better if they had it4 ,there are few rich men of all that go to hell1 that were so void of human compassion1 or of the sense of their own reputation1 as to give nothing at all to the poor2 but ,god will have all1 though not all for the poor1 yet all employed as he commandeth2 and will not be put off with your tithes or scraps4 ,his stewards confess that they have nothing of their own4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,let the use of your riches in prosperity show1 that you do not dissemble when you promise to forsake all for ,christ in trial1 rather than forsake him4 ,you may know whether you are true or false in your covenant with ,christ1 and what you would do in a day of trial1 by what you do in your daily course of life4 ,how can that man leave all at once for ,christ1 that cannot daily serve him with his riches1 nor leave that little which ,god requireth1 in the discharge of his duty in pious and charitable works8 ,what is it to leave all for ,god1 but to leave all rather than to sin against ,god8 ,and will he do that1 who daily sinneth against ,god by omission of good works1 because he cannot leave some part8 ,study1 as faithful stewards1 to serve ,god to the utmost with what you have now1 and then you may expect that his grace should enable you to leave all in trial1 and not prove withering hypocrites and apostates4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,be not rich to yourselves1 or to your fleshly wills and lusts2#aaf but remember that the rich are bound to be spiritual1 and to mortify the flesh1 as well as the poor4 ,let lust fare never the better for all the fulness of your estates4 ,fast and humble your souls never the less2 please an inordinate appetite never the more in meat and drink2 live never the more in unprofitable idleness4 ,the rich must labour as constantly as the poor1 though not in the same kind of work4 ,the rich must live soberly1 temperately1 and heavenly1 and must as much mortify all fleshly desires1 as the poor4 ,you have the same law and ,master1 and have no more liberty to indulge your lusts2 but if you live after the flesh1 you shall die as well as any other4 ,oh the partiality of carnal minds6 ,they can see the fault of a poor man1 that goeth sometimes to an ale-house1 who perhaps drinketh water 7or that which is next to it7 all the week2 when they never blame themselves1 who scarce miss a meal without wine and strong drink1 and eating that which their appetite desireth4 ,they think it a crime in a poor man1 to spend but one day in many in such idleness1 as they themselves spend most of their lives in4 ,gentlemen think that their riches allow them to live without any profitable labour1 and to gratify their flesh1 and fare deliciously every day2 as if it were their privilege to be sensual1 and to be damned1 ,rom4 viii4 #a1 #e-i1 #ac4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,nay1 remember that you are called to far greater self-denial1 and fear1 and watchfulness against sensuality1 and wealthy vices1 than the poor are4 ,mortification is as necessary to your salvation1 as to theirs1 but much more difficult4 ,if you live after the flesh1 you shall die as well as they4 ,and how much stronger are your temptations6 ,is not he easilier drawn to gluttony or excess in quality or quantity1 who hath daily a table of plenty1 and enticing1 delicious food before him1 than he that never seeth such a temptation once in half a year8 ,is it not harder for him to deny his appetite who hath the baits of pleasant meats and drinks daily set upon his table1 than for him that is seldom in sight of them1 and perhaps in no possibility of procuring them2 and therefore hath nothing to solicit his appetite or thoughts8 ,doubtless the rich1 if ever they will be saved1 must watch more constantly1 and set a more resolute guard upon the flesh1 and live more in fear of sensuality1 than the poor1 as they live in greater temptations and dangers4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,know therefore particularly what are the temptations of prosperity1 that you may make a particular1 prosperous resistance4 ,and they are especially these3 #a4 ,pride4 ,the foolish heart of man is apt to swell upon the accession of so poor a matter as wealth2 and men think they are got above their neighbours1 and more honour and obeisance is their due1 if they be but richer4#aag #b4 ,fulness of bread4#aah ,if they do not eat till they are sick1 they think the constant and costly pleasing of their appetite in meats and drinks1 is lawful4 #c4 ,idleness4 ,they think he is not bound to labour1 that can live without it1 and hath enough4 #d4 ,time-wasting sports and recreations4 ,they think their hours may be devoted to the flesh1 when all their lives are devoted to it2 they think their wealth alloweth them to play1 and court1 and compliment away that precious time1 which no men have more need to redeem2 they tell ,god that he hath given them more time than they have need of2 and ,god will shortly cut it off1 and tell them that they shall have no more4 #e4 ,lust and wantonness1 fulness and idleness1 cherish both the cogitations and inclinations unto filthiness2 they that live in gluttony and drunkenness1 are like to live in chambering and wantonness4#aai #f4 ,curiosity1 and wasting their lives in a multitude of little1 ceremonious1 unprofitable things1 to the exclusion of the great businesses of life4#abj ,well may we say1 that men's lusts are their jailors1 and their fetters1 when we see to what a wretched kind of life a multitude of the rich 7especially ladies and gentlewomen7 do condemn themselves4 ,i should pity one in bridewell1 that were but tied so to spend their time2 when they have poor1 ignorant1 proud1 worldly1 peevish1 hypocritical1 ungodly souls to be healed1 and a life of great and weighty business to do for eternity1 they have so many little things all day to do1 that leave them little time to converse with ,god1 or with their consciences1 or to do any thing that is really worth the living for3 they have so many fine clothes and ornaments to get1 and use2 and so many rooms to beautify and adorn1 and so many servants to talk with1 that attend them1 and so many dishes and sauces to bespeak1 and so many flowers to plant1 and dress1 and walks1 and places of pleasure to mind2 and so many visitors to entertain with whole hours of unprofitable talk2 and so many great persons accordingly to visit2 and so many laws of ceremony and compliment to observe2 and so many games to play1 7perhaps17 and so many hours to sleep1 that the day1 the year1 their lives are gone1 before they could have while to know what they lived for4 ,and if ,god had but damned them to spend their days in picking straws or filling a bottomless vessel1 or to spend their days as they choose themselves to spend them1 it would have tempted us to think him unmerciful to his creatures4 #g4 ,tyranny and oppression3 when men are above others1 how commonly do they think that their wills must be fulfilled by all men1 and none must cross them1 and they live as if all others below them were as their beasts1 that are made for them1 to serve and please them4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,let your fruitfulness to ,god1 and the public good1 be proportionable to your possessions4#aba ,do as much more good in the world than the poor1 as you are better furnished with it than they4 ,let your servants have more time for the learning of ,god's word1 and let your families be the more religiously instructed and governed4 ,to whom ,god giveth much1 from them he doth expect much4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,do not only take occasions of doing good1 when they are thrust upon you2 but study how to do all the good you can1 as those that are zealous of good works1 ,tit4 ii4 #ad4abb ,zeal of good works will make you1 #a4 ,plot and contrive for them4 #b4 ,consult and ask advice for them4 #c4 ,it will make you glad when you meet with a hopeful opportunity4 #d4 ,it will make you do it largely1 and not sparingly1 and by the halves4 #e4 ,it will make you do it speedily1 without unwilling backwardness and delay4 #f4 ,it will make you do it constantly to your lives' end4 #g4 ,it will make you pinch your own flesh1 and suffer somewhat yourselves to do good to others4 #h4 ,it will make you labour in it as your trade1 and not only consent that others do good at your charge4 #i4 ,it will make you glad when good is done1 and not to grudge at what it cost you4 #aj4 ,in a word1 it will make your neighbours to be to you as yourselves1 and the pleasing of ,god to be above yourselves1 and therefore to be as glad to do good1 as to receive it4 ,direct4 ,,xiii4 ,do good both to men's souls and bodies2 but always let bodily benefits be conferred in order to those of the soul1 and in due subordination1 and not for the body alone4 ,and observe the many other rules of good works1 more largely laid down1 part i4 chap4 iii4 direct4 #aj4 ,direct4 ,,xiv4 ,ask yourselves often1 how you shall wish at death and judgment your estates had been laid out2 and accordingly now use them4 ,why should not a man of reason do that which he knoweth beforehand he shall vehemently wish that he had done8 ,direct4 ,,xv4 ,as your care must be in a special manner for your children and families2 so take heed of the common error of worldlings1 who think their children must have so much1 as that ,god and their own souls have very little4 ,when selfish men can keep their wealth no longer to themselves1 they leave it to their children1 who are as their surviving selves4 ,and all is cast into this gulf1 except some inconsiderable parcels4 ,direct4 ,,xvi4 ,keep daily account of your use and improvement of your ,master's talents4#abc ,not that you should too much remember your own good works1 but remember to do them2 and therefore ask yourselves1 ,what good have ,i done with all that ,i have1 this day or week8 ,direct4 ,,xvii4 ,look not for long life2 for then you will think that a long journey needeth great provisions2 but die daily1 and live as those that are going to give up their account3 and then conscience will force you to ask1 whether you have been faithful stewards1 and to lay up a treasure in heaven1 and to make you friends of the mammon that others use to unrighteousness1 and to lay up a good foundation for the time to come1 and to be glad that ,god hath given you that1 the improvement of which may further the good of others1 and your salvation4#abd ,living and dying1 let it be your care and business to do good4 #aad ,see more in my ,life of ,faith4 #aae ,heb4 x4 #cd2 ,luke xviii4 #bb2 ,matt4 xiii4 #bj-bb2 ,acts v4 #a1 c2 ii4 #de2 ,luke xiv4 #cc4 #aaf ,luke xii4 #ba2 ,acts x4 #a-c4 #aag ,jam4 v4 #a-f4 #aah ,ezek4 xvi4 #aai ,rom4 xiii4 #ac1 #ad4 #abj ,luke x4 #dj-db4 #aba ,john xv4 #e2 ,mark xii4 #da2 ,luke xii4 #dh4 #abb ,matt4 v4 #af2 ,gal4 #f-aj2 #a ,pet4 ii4 #ab2 ,heb4 x4 #bd2 ,tit4 iii4 #h1 #ad2 ii4 #g2 ,eph4 ii4 #aj2 #a ,tim4 ii4 #aj2 v4 #aj2 ,acts ix4 #cf4 #abc ,matt4 xxv4 #ad1 #ae4 #abd #a ,tim4 vi4 #ah2 #a ,cor4 iv4 #a1 #b2 ,luke xvi4 #aj2 #a ,tim4 v4 #be4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,directions ,,for ,,the ,,aged 7,,and ,,weak74 ,,having before opened the duties of children to ,god1 and to their parents1 ,i shall give no other particular directions to the young1 but shall next open the special duties of the aged4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,the old and weak have a louder call from ,god than others1 to be accurate in examining the state of their souls1 and making their calling and election sure4#abe ,whether they are yet regenerate and sanctified or not1 is a most important question for every man to get resolved2 but especially for them that are nearest to their end4 ,ask counsel1 therefore1 of some able1 faithful minister or friend1 and set yourselves diligently to try your title to eternal life1 and to cast up your accounts1 and see how all things stand between ,god and you2 and if you should find yourselves in an unrenewed state1 as you love your souls1 delay no longer1 but presently be humbled for your so long and sottish neglect of so necessary and great a work4 ,go1 open your case to some able minister1 and lament your sin1 and fly to ,christ1 and set your hearts on ,god1 as your felicity1 and change your company and course1 and rest not any longer in so dangerous and miserable a case3 the more full directions for your conversion ,i have given before1 in the beginning of the book1 and in divers others2 and therefore shall say no more to such1 it being others that ,i am here especially to direct4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,cast back your eyes upon the sins of all your life1 that you may perceive how humble those souls should be1 that have sinned so long as you have done2 and may feel what need you have of ,christ1 to pardon so long a life of sin4 ,though you have repented and been justified long ago1 yet you have daily sinned since you were justified2 and though all be forgiven that is repented of1 yet must it be still before your eyes1 both to keep you humble1 and continue the exercise of that repentance1 and drive you to ,christ1 and make you thankful4 ,yea1 your forgiveness and justification are yet short of perfection1 7whatever some may tell you to the contrary17 as well as your sanctification4 ,for1 #a4 ,your justification is yet given you1 but conditionally as to its continuance1 even upon condition of your perseverance4 #b4 ,and the temporal chastisement1 and the pains of death1 and the long absence of the body from heaven1 and the present wants of grace1 and comfort1 and communion with ,god1 are punishments which are not yet forgiven executively4 #c4 ,and the final sentence of justification at the day of judgment1 7which is the perfectest sort17 is yet to come3 and therefore you have still reason enough to review and repent of all that is past1 and still pray for the pardon of all the sins that ever you committed1 which were forgiven you before4 ,so many years' sinning should have a very serious repentance1 and lay you low before the ,lord4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,cleave closer now to ,christ than ever4 ,remembering that you have a life of sin1 for him to answer for1 and save you from4 ,and that the time is near1 when you shall have more sensible need of him1 than ever you have had4 ,you must shortly be cast upon him as your ,saviour1 ,advocate1 and ,judge1 to determine the question1 what shall become of you unto all eternity1 and to perfect all that ever he hath done for you1 and accomplish all that you have sought and hoped for4 ,and now your natural life decayeth1 it is time to retire to him that is your ,root1 and to look to the life that is hid with ,christ in ,god1 ,col4 iii4 #d2 and to him that is preparing you a mansion with himself2 and whose office it is to receive the departing souls of true believers4 ,live therefore in the daily thoughts of ,christ1 and comfort your souls in the belief of that full supply and safety which you have in him4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,let the ancient mercies and experiences of ,god's love1 through all your lives1 be still before you1 and fresh upon your minds1 that they may kindle your love and thankfulness to ,god1 and may feed your own delight and comfort1 and help you the easier to submit to future weaknesses and death4 ,eaten bread must not be forgotten3 a thankful remembrance preserveth all your former mercies still fresh and green2 the sweetness and benefit may remain1 though the thing itself be past and gone4 ,this is the great privilege of an aged christian2 that he hath many years' mercy more to think on1 than others have4 ,every one of those mercies was sweet to you by itself1 at the time of your receiving it2 7except afflictions1 and misunderstood and unobserved mercies27 and then how sweet should all together be6 ,if unthankfulness have buried any of them1 let thankfulness give them now a resurrection4 ,what delightful work is it for your thoughts1 to look back to your childhood1 and remember how mercy brought you up1 and conducted you to every place that you have lived in2 and provided for you1 and preserved you1 and heard your prayers1 and disposed of all things for your good2 how it brought you under the means of grace1 and blessed them to you2 and how the ,spirit of ,god began and carried on the work of grace upon your hearts6 ,i hope you have recorded the wonders of mercy ever upon your hearts1 with which ,god hath filled up all your lives4 ,and is it not a pleasant work in old age to ruminate upon them8 ,if a traveller delight to talk of his travels1 and a soldier or seaman upon his adventures1 how sweet should it be to a christian to peruse all the conduct of mercy through his life1 and all the operations of the ,spirit upon his heart4 ,thankfulness taught men heretofore1 to make their mercies1 as it were1 attributes of their ,god4 ,as the ,god that brought them out of the land of ,egypt1 was the name of the ,god of ,israel4 ,and1 ,gen4 xlviii4 #ae1 ,jacob delighteth himself in his old age1 in such reviews of mercy3 ,the ,god which fed me all my life long unto this day4 ,the angel which redeemed me from all evil1 bless the lads4 ,yea1 such thankful reviews of ancient mercies1 will force an ingenuous soul to a quieter submission to infirmities1 sufferings1 and death2 and make us say as ,job1 ,shall we receive good at the hands of ,god1 and not evil8 and as old ,simeon1 ,lord1 now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace4 ,it is a powerful rebuke of all discontents1 and maketh death itself more welcome1 to think how large a share of mercy we have had already in the world4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,draw forth the treasure of wisdom and experience1 which you have been so long in laying up1 to instruct the ignorant1 and warn the unexperienced and ungodly that are about you4 ,job xxxii4 #g1 ,days should speak1 and multitude of years should teach wisdom4 ,tit4 ii4 #c-e1 ,the aged women must teach the young women to be sober1 to love their husbands and children1 to be discreet1 chaste1 keepers at home1 good1 obedient to their own husbands1 that the word of ,god be not blasphemed4 ,it is supposed that time and experience hath taught you more than is known to raw and ignorant youth4 ,tell them what you have suffered by the deceits of sin3 tell them the method and danger of temptations3 tell them what you lost by delaying your repentance2 and how ,god recovered you2 and how the ,spirit wrought upon your souls3 tell them what comforts you have found in ,god2 what safety and sweetness in a holy life2 how sweet the holy ,scriptures have been to you2 how prayers have prevailed1 how the promises of ,god have been fulfilled2 and what mercies and great deliverances you have had4 ,tell them how good you have found ,god2 and how bad you have found sin2 and how vain you have found the world4 ,warn them to resist their fleshly lusts1 and to take heed of the insnaring flatteries of sin3 acquaint them truly with the history of public sins1 and judgments1 and mercies in the times which you have lived in4 ,god hath made this the duty of the aged1 that the fathers should tell the wonders of his works and mercies to their children1 that the ages to come may praise the ,lord1 ,deut4 iv4 #aj2 ,psal4 lxxviii4 #d-f4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,the aged must be examples of wisdom1 gravity1 and holiness unto the younger4 ,where should they find any virtues in eminence1 if not in you1 that have so much time1 and helps1 and experiences8 ,it may well be expected that nothing but savoury1 wise1 and holy1 come from your mouths2 and nothing unbeseeming wisdom and godliness1 be seen in your lives4 ,such as you would have your children after you to be1 such show yourselves to them in all your conversation4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,especially it belongeth to you1 to repress the heats1 and dividing1 contentious1 and censorious disposition of the younger sorts of professors of godliness4 ,they are in the heat of their blood1 and want the knowledge and experience of the aged to guide their zeal3 they have not their senses yet exercised in discerning good and evil1 ,heb4 v4 #ab3 they are not able to try the spirits3 they are yet but as children1 apt to be tossed to and fro1 and carried up and down with every wind of doctrine1 after the craft and subtlety of deceivers1 ,eph4 iv4 #ad4 ,the novices are apt to be puffed up with pride1 and fall into the condemnation of the devil1 #a ,tim4 iii4 #f4 ,they never saw the issue of errors1 and sects1 and parties1 and what divisions and contentions tend to1 as you have done4 ,and therefore it belongeth to your gravity and experience to call them unto unity1 charity1 and peace1 and to keep them from proving firebrands in the church1 and rashly overrunning their understandings and the truth4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,of all men you must live in the greatest contempt of earthly things1 and least entangle yourselves in the love or needless troubles of the world3 you are like to need it and use it but a little while2 a little may serve one that is so near his journey's end3 you have had the greatest experience of its vanity3 you are so near the great things of another world1 that methinks you should have no leisure to remember this1 or room for any unnecessary thoughts or speeches of it4 ,as your bodies are less able for worldly employment than others1 so accordingly you are allowed to retire from it more than others1 for your more serious thoughts of the life to come4 ,it is a sign of the bewitching power of the world1 and of the folly and unreasonableness of sin1 to see the aged usually as covetous as the young2 and men that are going out of the world1 to love it as fondly1 and scrape for it as eagerly1 as if they never looked to leave it4 ,you should rather give warning to the younger sort1 to take heed of covetousness1 and of being insnared by the world1 and while they labour in it faithfully with their hands1 to keep their hearts entirely for ,god4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,you should highly esteem every minute of your time1 and lose none in idleness or unnecessary things2 but be always doing or getting some good2 and do what you do with all your might4 ,for you are sure now that your time will not be long3 how little have you left to make all the rest of your preparation in for eternity6 ,the young may die quickly1 but the old know that their time will be but short4 ,though nature decay1 yet grace can grow in life and strength2 and when your outward man perisheth1 the inner man may be renewed day by day1 #b ,cor4 iv4 #af4 ,time is a most precious commodity to all2 but especially to them that have but a little more to determine the question in1 ,whether they must live in heaven or hell for ever4 ,though you cannot do your worldly businesses as heretofore1 yet you have variety of holy exercises to be employed in2 bodily ease may beseem you1 but idleness is worse in you than in any4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,when the decay of your strength1 or memory1 or parts1 doth make you unable to read1 or pray1 or meditate by yourselves1 so much or so well as heretofore1 make the more use of the more lively gifts and help of others4 ,be the more in hearing others1 and in joining with them in prayer2 that their memory1 and zeal1 and utterance may help to lift you up and carry you on4 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,take not a decay of nature1 and of those gifts and works which depend thereon1 for a decay of grace4 ,though your memory1 and utterance1 and fervour of affection1 abate as your natural heat abateth1 yet be not discouraged2 but remember1 that you may for all this grow in grace4 ,if you do but grow in holy wisdom and judgment1 and a higher esteem of ,god and holiness1 and a greater disesteem of all the vanities of the world1 and a firmer resolution to cleave to ,god and trust on ,christ1 and never to turn to the world and sin2 this is your growth in grace4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,be patient under all the infirmities and inconveniencies of old age4 ,be not discontented at them1 repine not1 nor grow peevish and froward to those about you4 ,this is a common temptation which the aged should carefully resist4 ,you knew at first that you had a body that must decay3 if you would not have had it till a decaying age1 why were you so unwilling to die8 ,if you would1 why do you repine8 ,bless ,god for the days of youth1 and strength1 and health1 and ease which you have had already6 and grudge not that corruptible flesh decayeth4 ,direct4 ,,xiii4 ,understand well that passive obedience is that which ,god calleth you to in your age and weakness1 and in which you must serve and honour him in the conclusion of your labour4 ,when you are unfit for any great or public works1 and active obedience hath not opportunity to exercise itself as heretofore1 it is then as acceptable to ,god that you honour him by patient suffering4 ,and therefore it is a great error of them that wish for the death of all that are impotent1 decrepit1 and bedrid1 as if they were utterly unserviceable to ,god4 ,i tell you1 it is no small service that they may do1 not only by their prayers1 and their secret love to ,god1 but by being examples of faith1 and patience1 and heavenly-mindedness1 and confidence and joy in ,god1 to all about them4 ,grudge not then if ,god will thus employ you4 ,direct4 ,,xiv4 ,let your thoughts of death1 and preparations for it1 be as serious as if death were just at hand4 ,though all your life be little enough to prepare for death1 and it be a work that should be done as soon as you have the use of reason1 yet age and weakness call louder to you1 presently to prepare without delay4 ,do therefore all that you would fain find done1 when your last sickness cometh2 that unreadiness to die may not make death terrible1 nor your age uncomfortable4 ,direct4 ,,xv4 ,live in the joyful expectation of your change1 as becometh one that is so near to heaven1 and looketh to live with ,christ for ever4 ,let all the high and glorious things1 which faith apprehendeth1 now show their power in the love1 and joy1 and longings of your soul4 ,there is nothing in which the weak and aged can more honour ,christ and do good to others1 than in joyful expectation of their change1 and an earnest desire to be with ,christ4 ,this will do much to convince unbelievers1 that the promises are true1 and that heaven is real1 and that a holy life is indeed the best1 which hath so happy an end4 ,when they see you highest in your joys1 at the time when others are deepest in distress3 and when you rejoice as one that is entering upon his happiness1 when all the happiness of the ungodly is at an end2 this will do more than many sermons1 to persuade a sinner to a holy life4 ,i know that this is not easily attained2 but a thing so sweet and profitable to yourselves1 and so useful to the good of others1 and so much tending to the honour of ,god1 should be laboured after with all your diligence3 and then you may expect ,god's blessing on your labours4 ,read to this use the fourth part of my ,saints' ,rest4 #abe ,in ,augustine's speech to the people of ,hippo1 for ,eradius his succession1 he saith1 ,in infantia speratur pueritia1 et in pueritia speratur adolescentia1 in adolescentia speratur juventus1 in juventute speratur gravitas1 et in gravitate speratur senectus3 utrum contingat incertum est2 est tamen quod speretur4 ,senectus autem aliam tatem quam speret1 non habet4 ,vid4 ,papor4 ,massor4 in vita ,clesti4 fol4 #eh4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,directions ,,for ,,the ,,sick4 ,,though the chief part of our preparation for death be in the time of health1 and it is a work for which the longest life is not too long2 yet because the folly of unconverted sinners is so great1 as to forget what they were born for till they see death at hand1 and because there is a special preparation necessary for the best1 ,i shall here lay down some directions for the sick4 ,and ,i shall reduce them to these four heads3 #a4 ,what must be done to make death safe to us1 that it may be our passage to heaven and not to hell4 #b4 ,what must be done to make sickness profitable to us4 #c4 ,what must be done to make death comfortable to us1 that we may die in peace and joy4 #d4 ,what must be done to make our sickness profitable to others about us4 ,tit4 #a4 ,directions for a ,safe ,death1 to secure our ,salvation4 ,the directions of this sort are especially necessary to the unconverted1 impenitent sinner2 yet needful also to the godly themselves2 and therefore ,i shall distinctly speak to both4 ,i4 ,directions for an ,unconverted ,sinner in his ,sickness4 ,it is a very dreadful case to be found by sickness in an unconverted state4 ,there is so great a work to be done1 and so little time to do it in1 and soul and body so unfit and undisposed for it1 and the misery so great 7even everlasting torment7 that will follow so certainly and so quickly if it be undone1 that one would think it should overwhelm the understanding and heart of any man with astonishment and horror1 to foresee such a condition in the time of his health2 much more to find himself in it in his sickness4 ,and though one would think that the near approach of death1 and the nearness of another world1 should be irresistibly powerful to convert a sinner1 so that few or none should die unconverted1 however they lived2 yet ,scripture and sad experience declare the contrary1 that most men die1 as well as live1 in an unsanctified and miserable state4 ,for1 #a4 ,a life of sin doth usually settle a man in ignorance or unbelief1 or both2 so that sickness findeth him in such a dungeon of darkness1 that he is but lost and confounded in his fears1 and knoweth not whither he is going1 nor what he hath to do4 #b4 ,and also sin woefully hardeneth the heart1 and the long-resisted ,spirit of ,god forsaketh them1 and giveth them over to themselves in sickness1 who would not be ruled and sanctified by him in their health3 and such remain like blocks or beasts even to the last4 #c4 ,and the nature of sickness and approaching death doth tend more to affright than to renew the soul2 and rather to breed fear and trouble than love4 ,and though grief and fear be good preparatives and helps1 yet it is the love of ,god and holiness in which the soul's regeneration and renovation doth consist2 and there is no more holiness than there is love and willingness4 ,and many a one that is affrighted into strong repentings1 and cries1 and prayers1 and promises1 and seem to themselves and others to be converted1 do yet either die in their sins and misery1 or return to their unholy lives when they recover1 being utter strangers to that true repentance which reneweth the heart1 as sad experience doth too often testify4 #d4 ,and many poor sinners finding that they have so short a time1 do end it in mere amazement and terror1 not knowing how to compose their thoughts1 to examine their hearts and lives1 nor to exercise faith in ,christ1 nor to follow any directions that are given them2 but lie in trembling and astonishment1 wholly taken up with the fears of death1 much worse than a beast that is going to be butchered4 #e4 ,and the very pains of the body do so divert or hinder the thoughts of many1 that they can scarce mind any spiritual things1 with such a composedness as is necessary to so great a work4 #f4 ,and the greatest number being partly confounded in ignorance1 and partly withheld by backwardness and undisposedness1 and partly disheartened by thinking it impossible to become new creatures1 and get a regenerate1 heavenly heart on such a sudden1 do force themselves to hope that they shall be saved without it1 and that though they are sinners1 yet that kind of repentance which they have1 will serve the turn and be accepted1 and ,god will be more merciful than to damn them4 ,and this false hope they think they are necessitated to take up4 ,for there is but two other ways to be taken3 the one is1 utterly to despair2 and both ,scripture1 and reason1 and nature itself are against that3 the other way is1 to be truly converted and won to the love of ,god and heaven by a lively faith in ,jesus ,christ2 and they have no such faith2 and to this they are strange and undisposed1 and think it impossible to be done4 ,and if they must have no hopes but upon such terms as these1 they think they shall have none at all4 ,or else if they hear that there is no other hope1 and that none but the holy can be saved1 they will force themselves to hope that they have all this1 and that they are truly converted1 and become new creatures1 and do love ,god and holiness above all3 not because indeed it is so1 but because they would have it so1 for fear of being damned4 ,and instead of finding that they are void of faith1 and love1 and holiness1 and labouring to get a renewed soul1 they think it a nearer way to make themselves believe that it is so already3 and thus in their presumption1 self-deceiving1 and false hopes1 they linger out that little time that is left them to be converted in1 till death open their eyes1 and hell do undeceive them4 #g4 ,and the same devil1 and wicked men his instruments1 that kept them in health from true repentance1 will be as diligent to keep them from it in their sickness2 and will be loth to lose all at the last cast1 which they had been winning all the time before4 ,and if the devil can but keep them in his power1 till sickness come and take them up with pain and fear1 he will hope to keep them a few days longer1 till he have finished that which he had begun and carried on so far4 ,and if there be here and there one1 that will be held no longer by false hopes and presumption1 he will at last think to take them off by desperation1 and make them believe that there is no remedy4 ,and indeed it is a thing so difficult1 and unlikely1 to convert a sinner in all his pain and weakness at the last1 that even the godly friends of such do many times even let them alone1 as thinking that there is little or no hope4 ,but this is a very sinful course3 as long as there is life1 there is some hope4 ,and as long as there is hope1 we must use the means4 ,a physician will try the best remedies he hath1 in the most dangerous disease which is not desperate3 for when it is certain that there is no hope without them1 if they do no good1 they do no harm4 ,so must we try the saving of a poor soul1 while there is life and any hope2 for if once death end their time and hopes1 it will be then too late2 and they will be out of our reach and help for ever4 ,to those that sickness findeth in so sad a case1 ,i shall give here but a few brief directions1 because ,i have done it more at large in the first part and first chapter1 whither ,i refer them4 ,sidenote3 ,for examination4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,set speedily and seriously to the judging of yourselves1 as those that are going to be judged of ,god4 ,and do it in the manner following4 #a4 ,do it willingly and resolvedly1 as knowing that it is now no time to remain uncertain of your everlasting state1 if you can possibly get acquainted with it4 ,is it not time for a man to know himself1 whether he be a sanctified believer or not1 when he is just going to appear before his ,maker1 and there be judged as he is found8 #b4 ,do it impartially2 as one that is not willing to find himself deceived1 as soon as death hath acquainted him with the truth4 ,o take heed1 as you love your souls1 of being foolishly tender of yourselves1 and resolving for fear of being troubled at your misery1 to believe that you are safe1 whether it be true or false4 ,this is the way that thousands are undone by4 ,thinking that you are sanctified will neither prove you so1 nor make you so2 no more than thinking that you are well1 will prove or make you well4 ,and what good will it do you to think you are pardoned and shall be saved1 for a few days longer1 and then to find too late in hell that you were mistaken8 ,is the ease of so short a deceit worth all the pain and loss that it will cost you8 ,alas1 poor soul6 ,god knoweth it is not needlessly to affright thee1 that we desire to convince thee of thy misery6 ,we do not cruelly insult over thee1 or desire to torment thee4 ,but we pity thee in so sad a case3 to see an unsanctified person ready to pass into another world1 and to be doomed unto endless misery1 and will not know it till he is there4 ,our principal reason of opening your danger is1 because it is necessary to your escaping it3 if soul diseases were like bodily diseases1 which may sometimes be cured without the patient's knowing them1 and the danger of them1 we would never trouble you at such a time as this4 ,but it will not be so done2 you must understand your danger1 if you will be saved from it3 therefore be impartial with yourself if you are wise1 and be truly willing to know the worst4 #c4 ,in judging yourselves1 proceed by the same rule or law that ,god will judge you by2 that is1 by the word of ,god revealed in the gospel4 ,for your work now is not to steal a little short-lived quiet to your consciences1 but to know how ,god will judge your souls1 and whether he will doom you to endless joy or misery3 and how can you know this1 but by that law or rule that ,god will judge you by8 ,and certainly ,god will judge you by the same law or rule by which he governed you1 or which he gave you to live by in the world4 ,it will go never the better or worse there with any man1 for his good or bad conceits of himself1 if they were his mistakes2 but just what ,god has said in his word that he will do with any man1 that will he do with him in the day of judgment4 ,all shall be justified whom the gospel justifieth2 and all shall be condemned that it condemneth3 and therefore judge yourself by it3 by what signs you may know an unsanctified man1 ,i have told you before1 part i4 chap4 i4 direct4 #h4 ,and by what signs true grace may be known1 ,i told you before1 in preparation for the sacrament4 #d4 ,if you cannot satisfy yourself about your own condition1 advise with some godly1 able minister1 or other christian that is best acquainted with you2 that knoweth how you have lived towards ,god and man3 or at least1 open all your heart and life to him that he may know it2 and if he tell you that he feareth you are yet unsanctified1 you have the more reason to fear the worst4 ,but then be sure that he be not a carnal1 ungodly1 worldly man himself2 for they that flatter and deceive themselves1 are not unlike to do so by others4 ,such blind deceivers will daub over all1 and bid you never trouble yourself2 but even comfort you as they comfort themselves1 and bid you believe that all is well1 and it will be well2 or will make you believe that some forced confession and unsound repentance will serve instead of true conversion4 ,but a man that is going to the bar of ,god1 should be loth to be deceived by himself1 or others4 ,sidenote3 ,for humiliation and repentance4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,if by a due examination you find yourself unsanctified1 bethink you seriously of your case1 both what you have done1 and what a condition you are in1 till you are truly humbled1 and willing of any conditions that ,god shall offer you for your deliverance4 ,consider how foolishly you have done1 how rebelliously1 how unthankfully1 to forsake your ,god1 and forget your souls1 and lose all your time1 and abuse all ,god's mercies1 and leave undone the work that you were made1 and preserved1 and redeemed for6 ,alas1 did you never know till now that you must die8 and that you had all your time to make preparation for an endless life which followeth death8 ,were you never warned by minister1 or friend8 ,were you never told of the necessity of a holy1 heavenly life2 and of a regenerate1 sanctified state1 till now8 ,o what could you have done more unwisely1 or wickedly1 than to cast away a life that eternal life so much depended on2 and to refuse your ,saviour1 and his grace and mercies1 till your last extremity8 ,is this the time to look after a new birth1 and to begin your life1 when you are at the end of it8 ,o what have you done to delay so great a work till now6 ,and now if you die before you are regenerate1 you are lost for ever4 ,o humble your souls before the ,lord6 ,lament your folly2 and presently condemn yourselves before him1 and make out to him for mercy while there is hope4 ,sidenote3 ,for faith in ,christ4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,when you are humbled for your sin and misery1 and willing of mercy upon any terms1 believe that yet your case is not remediless1 but that ,jesus ,christ hath given himself to ,god1 a sacrifice for your sins1 and is so sure and all-sufficient a ,saviour1 that yet nothing can hinder you from pardon and salvation1 but your own impenitence and unbelief4 ,come to him therefore as the ,saviour of souls1 that he may teach you the will of ,god1 and reconcile you to his ,father1 and pardon your sins1 and renew you by his ,spirit1 and acquaint you with his ,father's love1 and save you from damnation1 and make you heirs of life eternal4 ,for all this may yet possibly be done1 as short as your time is like to be3 and it will yet be long of you1 if it be not done4 ,the covenant of grace doth promise pardon and salvation to every penitent believer whenever they truly turn to ,god1 without excepting any hour1 or any person1 in all the world4 ,nothing but an unbelieving1 hardened heart1 resisting his grace1 and unwilling to be holy1 can deprive you of pardon and salvation1 even at the last4 ,it was a most foolish wickedness of you to put it off till now3 but yet for all that1 if you are not yet saved1 it shall not be long of ,christ1 but you3 yet he doth freely offer you his mercy1 and he will be your ,lord and ,saviour if you will not refuse him3 yet the match shall not break on his part3 see that it break not on your part1 and you shall be saved4 ,know therefore what he is1 as ,god and man1 and what a blessed work he hath undertaken1 to redeem a sinful1 miserable world2 and what he hath already done for us1 in his life and doctrine1 in his death and sufferings1 by his resurrection and his covenant of grace1 and what he is now doing at his ,father's right hand1 in making intercession for penitent believers1 and what an endless glory he is preparing for them1 and how he will save to the uttermost all that come to ,god by him4 ,o yet let your heart even leap for joy1 that you have an all-sufficient1 willing1 gracious ,saviour1 whose grace aboundeth more than sin aboundeth4 ,if the devils and poor damned souls in hell were yet but in your case1 and had your offers and your hopes1 how glad do you imagine they would be6 ,cast yourselves therefore in faith and confidence upon this ,saviour2 trust your souls upon his sacrifice and merit1 for the pardon of your sins1 and peace with ,god2 beg of him yet the renewing grace of his ,spirit2 be willing to be made holy1 and a new creature1 and to live a holy life if you should survive2 resolve to be wholly ruled by him2 and give up yourself absolutely to him as your ,saviour1 to be justified1 and sanctified1 and saved by him1 and then trust in him for everlasting happiness6 ,o happy soul1 if yet you can do thus1 without deceit4 ,sidenote3 ,for a new heart1 and the love of ,god1 and a resolution for a holy1 obedient life4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,believe now and consider what ,god is and will be to your soul1 and what love he hath showed to you by ,christ1 and what endless joy and glory you may have with him in heaven for ever1 notwithstanding all the sins that you have done3 and think what the world and the flesh have done for you1 in comparison of ,god3 think of this till you fall in love with ,god1 and till your hearts and hopes are set on heaven1 and turned from this world and flesh1 and till you feel yourself in love with holiness1 and till you are firmly resolved in the strength of ,christ to live a holy life1 if ,god recover you3 and then you are truly sanctified1 and shall be saved if you die in this condition4 ,take heed that you take not a repentance and good purposes which come from nothing but fear1 to be sufficient2 if you recover1 all this may die again1 when your fear is over3 you are not sanctified1 nor hath ,god your hearts1 till your love be to him3 that which you do through fear alone1 you had rather not do if you might be excused2 and therefore your hearts are still against it4 ,when the feeling of ,god's unspeakable love in ,christ1 doth melt and overcome your hearts2 when the infinite goodness of ,god himself1 and his mercies to your souls and bodies1 do make you take him as more lovely and desirable than all the world2 when you so believe the heavenly joys above1 as to desire them more than earthly pleasures2 when you love ,god better than worldly prosperity1 and when a life of such love and holiness seemeth better to you1 than all the merriments of sinners1 and you had rather be a saint1 than the most prosperous of the ungodly1 and are firmly resolved for a holy life1 if ,god recover you1 then are you indeed in a state of grace1 and not till then3 this must be your case1 or you are undone for ever4 ,and therefore meditate on the love of ,christ1 and the goodness of ,god1 and the joys of heaven1 and the happiness of saints1 and the misery of worldlings and ungodly men2 meditate on these till your eyes be opened1 and your hearts be touched with a holy love1 and heaven and holiness be the very things that you desire above all2 and then you may boldly go to ,god1 and believe that all your sins are pardoned2 and it is not bare terror1 but these believing thoughts of ,god1 and heaven1 and ,christ1 and love1 that must change your hearts and do the work4 ,these four directions truly practised1 will yet set you on safe ground1 as sad and dangerous as your condition is2 but it is not the hearing of them1 or the bare approbation of them1 that will serve the turn4 ,to find out your sinful1 miserable state1 and to be truly humbled for it1 and to discern the remedy which you have in ,christ1 and penitently and believingly to enter into his covenant1 and to see that your happiness is wholly in the love and fruition of ,god1 and to believe the glory prepared for the saints1 and to prefer it before all the prosperity of the world1 and love it1 and set your hearts upon it1 and to resolve on a holy life if you should recover1 forsaking this deceitful world and flesh2 all this is a work that is not so easily done as mentioned1 and requireth your more serious1 fixed thoughts2 and indeed had been fitter for your youthful vigour1 than for a painful1 weak1 distempered state4 ,but necessity is upon you2 it must needs be yet done1 and thoroughly and sincerely done1 or you are lost for ever4 ,and therefore do it as well as you can1 and see that your hearts do not trifle and deceive you4 ,in some respect you have greater helps than ever you had before2 you cannot now keep up your hard-heartedness and security1 by looking at death as a great way off4 ,you have now fuller experience1 than ever you had before1 what the flesh and all its pleasures will come to1 and what good your sinful sports1 and recreations1 and merriments will do you2 and what all the riches1 and greatness1 and gallantry1 and honours of the world are worth1 and what they will do for you in the day of your necessity4 ,you stand so near another world1 and must so quickly appear before the ,lord1 that methinks a dead and senseless heart should no longer be able to make you slight your ,god1 your ,saviour1 and your endless life3 and one would think that the flesh1 and world1 should never be able to deceive you any more4 ,o happy soul1 if yet at last you are not only frightened into an unsound repentance1 but can hate all sin1 and love the ,lord1 and trust in ,christ1 and give up yourself entirely to him1 and set your heart upon that blessed life1 where you may see and love him perfectly for ever6 ,sidenote3 ,of late repentance4 ,quest4 ,but will so late repentance serve the turn1 for one that hath been so long ungodly8 ,answ4 ,yes1 if it be sincere3 but there is all the doubt2 and that is it that your salvation now dependeth on4 ,quest4 ,but how may ,i know whether it be sincere8 ,answ4 #a4 ,if you be not only frighted into it1 but your very heart1 and will1 and love are changed4 #b4 ,if it extend both to the end1 and the necessary means3 so that you love ,god and the joys of heaven1 above all earthly prosperity and pleasure2 and also you had rather be perfectly holy1 than live in all the delights of sin4 ,and if you hate every known sin1 and love the holy ways and servants of ,god1 and this unfeignedly3 this is a true change4 #c4 ,and if this repentance and change be such as will hold1 if ,god should recover you1 and would show itself in a new1 and holy1 and self-denying life2 which certainly it will do1 if it come not only from fear1 but from love3 but if you renounce the world1 and the flesh1 against your wills1 because you know there is no remedy2 and if you bid farewell to your worldly1 sinful pleasures1 not because you love ,god better1 but because you cannot keep them1 though you would2 and if you take not ,god and heaven as your best1 but only for better than hell2 but not as better than worldly prosperity1 which yet you would choose1 if you had your choice2 this kind of repentance will never save you2 and if you should recover1 it would vanish away1 and come to nothing1 as soon as your fears of death are over1 and you are returned to your worldly delights again4 ,though now in your extremity you cry out never so confidently1 ,oh ,i had rather have heaven than earth1 and ,i had rather have ,christ and holiness1 than all the pleasures and prosperity of sinners2 yet if it be not from a renewed1 sanctified heart1 that had rather be such indeed1 but from mere necessity and fear and against the habit of your hearts and wills2 this is but such a repentance as ,judas had1 that is neither sincere at present1 nor if you recover1 will hold you to a holy life4 ,,ii4 ,directions to the ,sanctified1 for a safe ,departure4 ,when the soul is truly converted and sanctified1 the principal business is despatched1 that is necessary to a safe departure3 but yet ,i cannot say that there is no more to be done4 ,they were godly persons that were exhorted1 #b ,pet4 i4 #aj1 to give diligence to make their calling and election sure2 which being 7as the ,greek importeth7 not only to make it known or certain1 but to make it firm1 doth signify more than barely to discern it4 ,these following duties are yet further necessary4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,satisfy not yourselves that once you found yourselves sincere2 but if your understandings be clear and free1 renew the trial2 and if you are insufficient for it of yourself1 make use of the help of a faithful1 judicious minister or friend4 ,for when a man is going to the bar of ,god1 it concerneth him to make all as sure as possibly he can4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,review your lives1 and renew your universal repentance1 for all the sins that ever you committed2 and also let your particular repentance extend to every particular sin which you remember1 but especially repent of your most aggravated1 soul-wounding sins4 ,for if your repentance be universal and true1 it will also be particular2 and you will be specially humbled for your special sins3 and search deep1 and see that none escape you4 ,and think not that you are not called to repent of them1 or ask forgiveness1 because you have repented of them long ago1 and received a pardon3 for this is a thing to be done even to the last4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,renew your faith in ,jesus ,christ1 and cast your souls upon his merits and mediation4 ,satisfy not yourselves that you have a habit of faith1 and that formerly you did believe2 but fly to your trusty rock and refuge1 and continue the exercise of your faith1 and again give up your souls to ,christ4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,make it your chief work to stir up in your hearts the love of ,god1 and a desire to live with ,christ in glory4 ,let those comforting and encouraging objects which are the instruments of this1 be still in your thoughts3 and if you can do this1 it will be the surest proof of your title to the crown4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,if you have wronged any by word or deed1 be sure that you do your best to right them1 and make them satisfaction2 and if you have fallen out with any1 be reconciled to them4 ,leave not other men's goods to your heirs or executors3 restore what you have wrongfully gotten1 before you leave your legacies to any4 ,confess your faults where you can do no more2 and ask those forgiveness whom you have injured2 and leave not men's names1 or estates1 or souls1 under the effects of your former wrongs1 so far as you are able to make them reparation4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,be still taken up in your duty to ,god1 even that which he now calleth you to1 that you may not be found idle1 or in the sins of omission2 but may be most holy and fruitful at the last4 ,though sickness call you not to all the same duties1 which were incumbent on you in your health2 yet think not therefore1 that there is no duty at all expected from the sick4 ,every season and state hath its peculiar duties1 7and its peculiar mercies17 which it much concerneth us to know4 ,i shall anon tell you more particularly what they are4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,be specially fortified and vigilant against the most dangerous temptations of ,satan1 by which he useth to assault the sick4 ,pray now especially1 that ,god would not lead you into temptation1 but deliver you from the evil one3 for in your weakness you may be less fit to wrestle with them1 than at another time4 ,o beg of ,god1 that as he hath upheld you1 and preserved you till now1 he would not forsake you at last in your extremity4#abf ,particularly1 ,tempt4 ,i4 ,one of the most dangerous temptations of the enemy is1 ,to take the advantage of a christian's bodily weakness1 to shake his faith1 and question his foundations1 and call him to dispute over his principles again1 ,whether the soul be immortal8 and there be a heaven1 and a hell8 and whether ,christ be the ,son of ,god1 and the ,scriptures be ,god's word8 c4 ,as if this had never been questioned1 and scanned1 and resolved before6 ,it is a great deal of advantage that ,satan expecteth by this malicious course4 ,if he could1 he would draw you from ,christ to infidelity2 but ,christ prayeth for you1 that your faith may not fail3 if he cannot do this1 he would at least weaken your faith1 and hereby weaken every grace3 and he would hereby divert you from the more needful thoughts1 which are suitable to your present state2 and he would hereby distract you1 and destroy your comforts1 and draw you in your perplexities to dishonour ,god4 ,away therefore with these blasphemous and unseasonable motions2 cast them from you1 with abhorrence and disdain3 it is no time now to be questioning your foundations2 you have done this more seasonably1 when you were in a fitter case4 ,a pained1 languishing body1 and a disturbed1 discomposed mind1 is unfit upon a surprise1 to go back and dispute over all our principles4 ,tell ,satan1 you owe him not so much service1 nor will you so cast away those few hours and thoughts1 for which you have so much better work4 ,you have the witness in yourselves1 even the ,spirit1 and image1 and seal of ,god4 ,you have been converted and renewed by the power of that word1 which he would have you question2 and you have found it to be owned by the ,spirit of grace1 who hath made it mighty to pull down the strongest holds of sin4 ,tell ,satan1 you will not gratify him so much1 as to turn your holy1 heavenly desires1 into a wrangling with him about those truths which you have so often proved4 ,you will not question now1 the being of that ,god who hath maintained you so long1 and witnessed his being and goodness to you by a life of mercies2 nor will you now question the being or truth of him that hath redeemed you1 or of the ,spirit or word that hath sanctified1 guided1 comforted1 and confirmed you4 ,if he tell you1 that you must prove all things1 tell him1 that this is not now to do2 you have long proved the truth and goodness of your ,god1 the mercy of your ,saviour1 and the power of his holy ,spirit and word4 ,it is now your work to live upon that word1 and fetch your hopes and comforts from it1 and not to question it4 ,tempt4 ,,ii4 ,another dangerous temptation of ,satan is1 ,when he would persuade you to despair1 by causing you to misunderstand the tenor of the gospel1 or by thinking too narrowly and unworthily of ,god's mercy1 or of the satisfaction of ,christ4 ,but because this temptation doth usually tend more to discomfort the soul1 than to damn it1 ,i shall speak more to it under tit4 #c4 ,tempt4 ,,iii4 ,another dangerous temptation is1 ,when ,satan would draw you to overlook your sins1 and overvalue your graces1 and be proud of your good works2 and so lay too much of your comfort upon yourselves1 and lose the sense of your need of ,christ1 or usurp any part of his office or his honour4 ,i shall afterward show you how far you must look at any thing in yourselves3 but certainly1 that which lifteth you up in pride1 or encroacheth on ,christ's office1 or would draw you to undervalue him1 is not of ,god4 ,therefore keep humble1 in the sense of your sinfulness and unworthiness1 and cast away every motion which would carry you away from ,christ1 and make yourselves1 and your works1 and righteousness1 as a saviour to yourselves4 ,tempt4 ,,iv4 ,another perilous temptation is1 ,by causing the thoughts of death and the grave1 and your doubts and fears about the world to come1 to overcome the love of ,god1 and 7not only the comforts1 but also7 the desires and willingness of your hearts1 to be with ,christ4 ,it will abate your love to ,god and heaven1 to think on them with too much estrangedness and terror4 ,the directions under tit4 #c4 will help you against this temptation4 ,tempt4 ,v4 ,another dangerous temptation is fetched from the remnants of your worldly-mindedness2 when your dignity1 or honour1 your house1 or lands1 your relations and friends1 or your pleasures and contentments1 are so sweet to you1 that you are loth to leave them2 and the thoughts of death are grievous to you1 because it taketh you from that which you over-love2 and ,god and heaven are the less desired1 because you are loth to leave the world4 ,watch carefully against this great temptation2 observe how it seeketh the very destruction of your grace and souls2 and how it fighteth against your love to ,god and heaven1 and would undo all that ,christ and his ,spirit have been doing so long4 ,observe what a root of matter it findeth in yourselves2 and therefore be the more humbled under it4 ,learn now what the world is1 and how little the accommodations of the flesh are worth1 when you perceive what the end of all must be4 ,would you never die8 would you enjoy your worldly things for ever8 ,had you rather have them1 than to live with ,christ in the heavenly glory of the ,new ,jerusalem8 ,if you had1 it is your grievous sin and folly2 and yet you know that it is a desire that you can never hope to attain4 ,die you must1 whether you will or not6 ,what is it1 then1 that you would stay for8 ,is it till the world be grown less pleasant to you1 and your love and minds be weaned from it8 ,when should that rather be than now8 ,and what should more effectually do it1 than this dying condition that you are in8 ,it is time for you to spit out these unwholesome pleasures2 and now to look up to the true1 the holy1 the unmeasurable1 everlasting pleasures4 ,tit4 #b4 ,directions how to ,profit by our ,sickness4 ,whether it shall please ,god to recover you or not1 it is no small benefit which you may get by his visitation1 if you do your part1 and faithfully improve it1 according to these directions following4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,if you hear ,god's call to a closer trial of your hearts1 concerning the sincerity of your conversion1 and thereby are brought to a more exact examination1 and come to a truer acquaintance with your state1 7be it good or bad17 the benefit may be exceeding great4 ,for if it be good1 you may be much comforted1 and confirmed1 and fitted to give thanks and praise to ,god2 and if it be bad1 you may be awakened speedily to look about you1 and seek for a recovery4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,if in the review of your lives1 you find out those sins which before you overlooked1 or perceive the greatness of those sins which you before accounted small1 the benefit may be very great2 for it helps to a more deep and sound repentance1 and to a stronger resolution against all sins1 if you recover4 ,and affliction is a very great help to us in this3 many a man hath been ashamed and deeply humbled for that same sin1 when sickness did awake him1 which he could make his play-fellow before1 as if there had been neither hurt nor danger in it4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,there is many a deep corruption in the heart1 which affliction openeth and discovereth1 which deceitfulness hid in the time of prosperity2 and the detecting of these is no small benefit to the soul4 ,when you come to part with wealth and honour1 you shall better know how much you loved them1 than you could before4 ,mark therefore what corruptions appear in your affliction1 and how the heart discloseth its deceits1 that you may know what to repent of1 and reform4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,when affliction calleth you to the use and exercise of your graces1 you have a great help to be better acquainted with the strength or weakness of them4 ,when you are called so loudly to the use of faith1 and love1 and patience1 and heavenly-mindedness1 you may better know what measure of every one of these you have1 than you could when you had no such help4 ,mark therefore what your hearts prove in the trial1 and what each grace doth show itself to be in the exercise4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,you have a very great help now to be thoroughly acquainted with the vanity of the world1 and so to mortify all affections unto the things below4 ,now judge of the value of wealth1 and honour1 of plenty1 and high places4 ,are they a comfort to a dying man that is parting with them8 ,or is it any grief to a poor man when he is dying1 that he did not enjoy them8 ,is it not easy now to rectify your errors1 if ever you thought highly of these transitory things8 ,o settle it now in your firm resolution1 that if ,god should restore you1 you would value this world at a lower rate1 and set by it1 and seek it1 but as it deserveth4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,also you have now a special help to raise your estimation of the happiness of the saints in heaven1 and of the necessity and excellency of a holy life1 and of the wisdom of the saints on earth2 and to know who maketh the wisest choice4#abg ,now you may see that it is nothing but heaven that is worth our seeking1 and that is finally to be trusted to1 and will not fail us in the hour of our distress2 now you may discern between the righteous and the wicked2 between those that serve ,god and those that serve him not1 ,mal4 iii4 #ag1 #ah4 ,now judge whether a loose and worldly life1 or a holy1 heavenly life be better8 ,and resolve accordingly4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,you have also now a very great help to discern the folly of a voluptuous life1 and to mortify the deeds and desires of the flesh3 when ,god is mortifying its natural desires1 it may help you in mortifying its sinful desires4 ,now judge what lust1 and plays1 and gaming1 and feasting1 and drunkenness1 and swaggering1 are worth8 ,you see now the end of all such pleasures4 ,do you think them better than the joys of heaven1 and worthy the loss of a man's salvation to attain them8 ,or better than the pleasures of a holy life8 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,also now you have a great advantage1 for the quickening of your hearts that have lost their zeal1 and are cold in prayer1 and dull in meditation1 and regardless of holy conference4 ,if ever you will pray earnestly1 sure it will be now2 if ever you will talk seriously of the matters of salvation1 sure it will be now4 ,now you do better understand the reason of fervent prayer1 and serious religion1 and circumspect walking1 than you did before2 and you can easily now confute the scorns1 or railings of the loose1 ungodly enemies of holiness2 even as you confute the dotage of a fool1 or the ravings of a man beside himself4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,you have a great advantage more sensibly to perceive your dependence upon ,god alone2 and what reason you have to please him before all the world1 and to regard his favour or displeasure more1 than all the things or persons upon earth4 ,now you see how vain a thing is man2 and how little the favour of all the world can stand you in stead in your greatest necessity3 now you see that it is ,god1 and ,god alone1 that is to be trusted to at last2 and therefore it is ,god that is to be obeyed and pleased1 whatever become of all things in the world4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,you have now a great advantage to discern the preciousness of time1 and to see how carefully it should be redeemed1 and to perceive the distractedness of those men1 that can waste it in pastimes1 and curiosity of dressings1 and needless compliments and visits1 and a multitude of such vanities1 as rob the world of that which is more precious than gold or treasure4 ,now what think you of idling and playing away your time8 ,now do you not think that it is wiser to spend it in a holy preparation for the life to come1 than to cast it away upon childish fooleries1 or any unnecessary worldly things8 ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,also you have now a special help to be more serious than ever in your preparations for death1 and in your thoughts of heaven2 and so to be readier than you were before2 and if sickness help you to be readier to die1 and more to set your hearts above1 whether you live or die1 it will be a profitable sickness to you4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,let your friends about you be the witnesses of your open confessions and resolutions1 and engage them1 if ,god should restore you to your health1 to remember you of all the promises which you made1 and to watch over you1 and tell you of them whenever there is need4 ,by these means sickness may be improved1 and be a mercy to you4 ,sidenote3 ,directions to them that recover4 ,i might next have given some special directions to them that are recovered from sickness2 but because ,i would not be needlessly tedious1 ,i refer such to what is here said already4 #a4 ,let them but look over these twelve directions1 and see whether these benefits remain upon their hearts4 #b4 ,let them call to their lively remembrance1 the sense which they had1 and the frame they were in1 when they made these resolutions4 #c4 ,let them remember that sickness will come again1 even a sickness which will have no cure4 ,and1 #d4 ,let them bethink themselves1 how terribly conscience will be wounded1 and their souls dismayed1 when the next sickness cometh1 to remember that they were unthankful for their last recovery1 and how falsely they dealt with ,god in the breaking of their promises4 ,foresee this1 that you may prevent it4 ,tit4 #c4 ,directions for a ,comfortable or ,peaceable ,death4 ,comfort is not desirable only as it pleaseth us1 but also as it strengtheneth us1 and helpeth us in our greatest duties4 ,and when is it more needful than in sickness1 and the approach of death8 ,i shall therefore add such directions as are necessary to make our departure comfortable or peaceful at the least1 as well as safe4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,because ,i would make this treatise no longer than ,i needs must2 in order to overcome the fears of death1 and get a cheerful willingness to die1 ,i desire the sick to read over those twenty considerations1 and the following directions1 which ,i have laid down in my book of ,self-denial4 ,and when the fears of death are overcome1 the great impediment of their comfort is removed4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,misunderstand not sickness1 as if it were a greater evil than it is2 but observe how great a mercy it is1 that death hath so suitable a harbinger or forerunner3 that ,god should do so much before he taketh us hence1 to wean us from the world1 and make us willing to be gone2 that the unwilling flesh hath the help of pain2 and that the senses and appetite languish and decay1 which did draw the mind to earthly things3 and that we have so loud a call1 and so great a help to true repentance and serious preparation6 ,i know to those that have walked very close with ,god1 and are always ready1 a sudden death may be a mercy2 as we have lately known divers holy ministers and others1 that have died either after a sacrament1 or in the evening of the ,lord's day1 or in the midst of some holy exercise1 with so little pain1 that none about them perceived when they died4#abh ,but ordinarily it is a mercy to have the flesh brought down and weakened by painful sickness1 to help to conquer our natural unwillingness to die4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,remember whose messenger sickness is1 and who it is that calleth you to die4 ,it is he1 that is the ,lord of all the world1 and gave us the lives which he taketh from us2 and it is he1 that must dispose of angels and men1 of princes and kingdoms1 of heaven and earth2 and therefore there is no reason that such worms as we should desire to be excepted4 ,you cannot deny him to be the disposer of all things1 without denying him to be ,god3 it is he that loveth us1 and never meant us any harm in any thing that he hath done to us2 that gave the life of his ,son to redeem us2 and therefore thinketh not life too good for us4 ,our sickness and death are sent by the same love that sent us a ,saviour1 and sent us the powerful preachers of his word1 and sent us his ,spirit1 and secretly and sweetly changed our hearts1 and knit them to himself in love2 which gave us a life of precious mercies for our souls and bodies1 and hath promised to give us life eternal2 and shall we think1 that he now intendeth us any harm8 ,cannot he turn this also to our good1 as he hath done many an affliction which we have repined at8 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,look by faith to your dying1 buried1 risen1 ascended1 glorified ,lord4 ,nothing will more powerfully overcome both the poison and the fears of death1 than the believing thoughts of him that hath triumphed over it4 ,is it terrible as it separateth the soul from the body8 ,so it did by our ,lord1 who yet overcame it4 ,is it terrible as it layeth the body in the grave8 ,so it did by our ,saviour2 though he saw not corruption1 but quickly rose by the power of his ,godhead4 ,he died to teach us believingly and boldly to submit to death4 ,he was buried1 to teach us not over-much to fear a grave4 ,he rose again to conquer death for us1 and to assure those that rise to newness of life1 that they shall be raised at last by his power unto glory2 and being made partakers of the first resurrection1 the second death shall have no power over them4 ,he liveth as our head1 that we might live by him2 and that he might assure all those that are here risen with him1 and seek first the things that are above1 that though in themselves they are dead1 yet their life is hid with ,christ in ,god2 and when ,christ who is our life shall appear1 then shall we also appear with him in glory1 ,col4 iii4 #a1 #b1 #d1 #e4 ,what a comfortable word is that1 ,john xiv4 #ai1 ,because ,i live1 ye shall live also4 ,death could not hold the ,lord of life2 nor can it hold us against his will1 who hath the keys of death and hell1 ,rev4 i4 #ah4 ,he loveth every one of his sanctified ones much better than you love an eye1 or a hand1 or any other member of your body1 which you will not lose if you are able to save it4 ,when he ascended1 he left us that message full of comfort for his followers1 ,john xx4 #ag1 ,go to my brethren1 and say unto them1 ,i ascend unto my ,father1 and your ,father2 to my ,god1 and your ,god4 ,which1 with these two following1 ,i would have written before me on my sick bed4 ,if any man serve me1 let him follow me2 and where ,i am1 there also shall my servant be1 ,john xii4 #bf4 ,and1 ,verily1 ,i say unto thee1 to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise1 ,luke xxiii4 #dc4 ,oh what a joyful thought should it be to a believer1 to think when he is a dying1 that he is going to his ,saviour1 and that our ,lord is risen and gone before us1 to prepare a place for us1 and take us in season to himself1 ,john xiv4 #b-d4 ,as you believe in ,god1 believe thus in ,christ2 and then your hearts will be less troubled1 ver4 #a4 ,it is not a stranger that we talk of to you2 but your ,head and ,saviour1 that loveth you better than you love yourselves1 whose office it is there to appear continually for you before ,god1 and at last to receive your departing souls2 and into his hand it is1 that you must then commend them1 as ,stephen did1 ,acts vii4 #ei4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,choose out some promises most suitable to your condition1 and roll them over and over in your mind1 and feed and live on them by faith4 ,a sick man is not 7usually7 fit to think of very many things2 and therefore two or three comfortable promises1 to be still before his eyes1 may be the most profitable matter of his thoughts2 such as those three which ,i named before4 ,if he be most troubled with the greatness of his sin1 let it be such as these3 ,god so loved the world1 that he gave his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish1 but have everlasting life1 ,john iii4 #af4 ,and by him all that believe are justified from all things1 from which ye could not be justified by the law of ,moses1 ,acts xiii4 #ci4 ,for ,i will be merciful unto their unrighteousness1 and their sins and iniquities will ,i remember no more1 ,heb4 viii4 #ab4 ,if it be the weakness of his grace that troubleth him1 let him choose such passages as these3 ,he shall gather the lambs with his arm1 and carry them in his bosom1 and shall gently lead those that are with young1 ,isa4 xl4 #aa4 ,the flesh lusteth against the ,spirit1 and the ,spirit against the flesh1 and these are contrary one to the other2 so that ye cannot do the things that ye would1 ,gal4 v4 #ag4 ,the spirit is willing1 but the flesh is weak1 ,matt4 xxvi4 #da4 ,all that the ,father giveth me1 shall come to me2 and him that cometh to me1 ,i will in no wise cast out1 ,john vi4 #cg4 ,the apostles said unto the ,lord1 ,increase our faith1 ,luke xvii4 #e4 ,if it be the fear of death1 and strangeness to the other world1 that troubleth you1 remember the words of ,christ before cited1 and #b ,cor4 v4 #a-f1 #h1 ,for we know1 that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved1 we have a building of ,god1 an house not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens4 ,for in this we groan1 earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven4 ,for we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened1 not for that we would be unclothed1 but clothed upon1 that mortality might be swallowed up of life4--,we are confident1 and willing rather to be absent from the body1 and present with the ,lord4 ,for ,i am in a strait between two1 having a desire to depart1 and to be with ,christ1 which is far better1 ,phil4 i4 #bc4 ,blessed are the dead which die in the ,lord1 from henceforth3 yea1 saith the ,spirit1 that they may rest from their labours1 and their works do follow them1 ,rev4 xiv4 #ac4 ,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory8 #a ,cor4 xv4 #ee4 ,lord ,jesus1 receive my spirit1 ,acts vii4 #ei4 ,fix upon some such word or promise1 which may support you in your extremity4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,look up to ,god1 who is the glory of heaven1 and the light1 and life1 and joy of souls1 and believe that you are going to see his face1 and to live in the perfect1 everlasting fruition of his fullest love among the glorified4 ,if it be delectable here to know his works1 what will it be to see the cause of all8 ,all creatures in heaven and earth conjoined1 can never afford such content and joy to holy souls1 as ,god alone6 ,oh if we knew him whom we must there behold1 how weary should we be of this dungeon of mortality6 and how fervently should we long to see his face6 ,the chicken that cometh out of the shell1 or the infant that newly cometh out of the womb1 into this illuminated world of human converse1 receiveth not such a joyful change1 as the soul that is newly loosed from the flesh1 and passeth from this mortal life to ,god4 ,one sight of ,god by a blessed soul1 is worth more than all the kingdoms of the earth4 ,it is pleasant to the eyes to behold the sun2 but the sun is as darkness and useless in his glory4 ,and the city had no need of the sun1 nor of the moon to shine in it3 for the glory of ,god did lighten it1 and the ,lamb is the light thereof1 ,rev4 xxi4 #bc4 ,and there shall be no more curse3 but the throne of ,god and of the ,lamb shall be in it1 and his servants shall serve him3 and they shall see his face1 and his name shall be in their foreheads3 and there shall be no night there3 and they need no candle1 nor light of the sun2 for the ,lord ,god giveth them light1 and they shall reign for ever and ever1 ,rev4 xxii4 #c-e4 ,if ,david in the wilderness so impatiently thirsted to appear before ,god1 the living ,god1 in his sanctuary at ,jerusalem1 ,psal4 xlii4 how earnestly should we long to see his glory in the heavenly ,jerusalem6 ,the glimpse of his back parts1 was as much as ,moses might behold1 ,exod4 xxxiv4 yet that much put a shining glory upon his face1 ver4 #bi1 #cj4 ,the sight that ,stephen had when men were ready to stone him1 was a delectable sight1 ,acts vii4 #ee1 #ef4 ,the glimpse of ,christ in his transfiguration ravished the three apostles that beheld it1 ,matt4 xvii4 #b1 #f4 ,paul's vision which rapt him up into the third heavens1 did advance him above the rest of mankind6 ,but our beatifical sight of the glory of ,god1 will very far excel all this4 ,when our perfected bodies shall have the perfect glorious body of ,christ to see1 and our perfected souls shall have the ,god of truth1 the most perfect uncreated light to know1 what more is a created understanding capable of8 ,and yet this is not the top of our felicity2 for the understanding is but the passage to the heart or will1 and truth is but subservient to goodness3 and therefore though the understanding be capable of no more than the beatifical vision1 yet the man is capable of more2 even of receiving the fullest communications of ,god's love1 and feeling it poured out upon the heart1 and living in the returns of perfect love2 and in this intercourse of love will be our highest joys1 and this is the top of our heavenly felicity4 ,oh that ,god would make us foreknow by a lively faith1 what it is to behold him in his glory1 and to dwell in perfect love and joy1 and then death would no more be able to dismay us1 nor should we be unwilling of such a blessed change6 ,but having spoken of this so largely in my ,saints' ,rest1 ,i must stop here1 and refer you thither4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,look up to the blessed society of angels and saints with ,christ1 and remember their blessedness and joy1 and that you also belong to the same society1 and are going to be numbered with them4 ,it will greatly overcome the fears of death1 to see by faith the joys of them that have gone before us2 and withal to think of their relation to us2 as it will encourage a man that is to go beyond sea1 if the far greatest part of his dearest friends be gone before him1 and he heareth of their safe arrival1 and of their joy and happiness4 ,those angels that now see the face of ,god are our special friends and guardians1 and entirely love us1 better than any of our friends on earth do6 ,they rejoiced at our conversion1 and will rejoice at our glorification2 and as they are better1 and love us better1 so therefore our love should be greater to them1 than to any upon earth1 and we should more desire to be with them4 ,those blessed souls that are now with ,christ1 were once as we are here on earth2 they were compassed with temptations1 and clogged with flesh1 and burdened with sin1 and persecuted by the world1 and they went out of the world by sickness and death1 as we must do2 and yet now their tears are wiped away1 their pains1 and groans1 and fears are turned into inexpressible blessedness and joy3 and would we not be with them8 is not their company desirable8 and their felicity more desirable8 ,the glory of the ,new ,jerusalem is not described to us in vain1 ,rev4 xxi4 xxii4 ,god will be all in all there to us1 as the only sun and glory of that world2 and yet we shall have pleasure1 not only to see our glorified ,redeemer1 but also to converse with the heavenly society1 and to sit down with ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob in the kingdom of ,god1 and to love and praise him in consort and harmony with all those holy1 blessed spirits4 ,and shall we be afraid to follow1 where the saints of all generations have gone before us8 ,and shall the company of our best1 and most1 and happiest friends1 be no inducement to us8 ,though it must be our highest joy to think that we shall dwell with ,god1 and next that we shall see the glory of ,christ1 yet is it no small part of my comfort to consider1 that ,i shall follow all those holy persons1 whom ,i once conversed with1 that are gone before me2 and that ,i shall dwell with such as ,enoch and ,elias1 and ,abraham and ,moses1 and ,job and ,david1 and ,peter and ,john1 and ,paul and ,timothy1 and ,ignatius and ,polycarp1 and ,cyprian and ,nazianzen1 and ,augustine and ,chrysostom1 and ,bernard and ,gerson1 and ,savonarola and ,mirandula1 and ,taulerus and ,kempisius1 and ,melancthon and ,alasco1 and ,calvin and ,bucholtzer1 and ,bullinger and ,musculus1 and ,zanchy and ,bucer1 and ,parus and ,grynus1 and ,chemnitius and ,gerhard1 and ,chamier and ,capellus1 and ,blondel and ,rivet1 and ,rogers and ,bradford1 and ,hooper and ,latimer1 and ,hildersham and ,amesius1 and ,langley and ,nicolls1 and ,whitaker and ,cartwright1 and ,hooker and ,bayne1 and ,preston and ,sibbes1 and ,perkins and ,dod1 and ,parker and ,ball1 and ,usher and ,hall1 and ,gataker and ,bradshaw1 and ,vines and ,ash1 and millions more of the family of ,god4#abi ,i name these for my own delight and comfort2 it being pleasant to me to remember what companions ,i shall have in the heavenly joys and praises of my ,lord4 ,how few are all the saints on earth1 in comparison of those that are now with ,christ6 ,and1 alas1 how weak1 and ignorant1 and corrupt1 how selfish1 and contentious1 and froward1 are ,god's poor infants here in flesh1 when above there is nothing but holiness and perfection6 ,if knowledge1 or goodness1 or any excellency do make the creatures truly amiable1 all this is there in the highest degree2 but here1 alas1 how little have we6 ,if the love of ,god1 or the love of us1 do make others lovely to us1 it is there and not here that these and all perfections flourish4 ,oh how much now do ,i find the company of the wise and learned1 the godly and sincere1 to differ from the company of the ignorant1 brutish1 the proud and malicious1 the false-hearted and ungodly rabble6 ,how sweet is the converse of a holy1 wise1 experienced christian6 ,oh then what a place is the ,new ,jerusalem2 and how pleasant will it be with saints and angels to see and love and praise the ,lord4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,that sickness and death may be comfortable to you1 as your passage to eternity1 take notice of the seal and earnest of ,god1 even the ,spirit of grace which he hath put into your hearts4 ,that which imboldened ,paul and such others to groan after immortality1 and to be most willing to be absent from the body and present with the ,lord1 was because ,god himself had wrought or made them for it1 and given them the earnest or pledge of his ,spirit1 #b ,cor4 v4 #d1 #e1 #h4 ,for this is ,god's mark upon his chosen and justified ones1 by which they are sealed up to the day of their redemption1 ,eph4 iv4 #cc2 i4 #ac1 ,in whom also after ye believed1 ye were sealed with that holy ,spirit of promise4 #b ,cor4 i4 #ba1 #bb1 ,god hath anointed us1 and sealed us1 and given us the pledge or earnest of his ,spirit into our hearts4 ,this is the pledge or earnest of our inheritance1 ,eph4 i4 #ad4 ,and what a comfort should it be to us1 when we look towards heaven1 to find such a pledge of ,god within us6 ,if you say1 ,i fear ,i have not this earnest of the ,spirit2 whence then did your desires of holiness arise8 what weaned you from the world1 and made you place your hopes and happiness above8 whence came your enmity to sin1 and opposition to it1 and your earnest desires after the glory of ,god1 the prosperity of the gospel1 and the good of souls8 ,the very love of holiness and holy persons1 and your desires to know ,god and perfectly love him1 do show that heavenly nature or spirit within you1 which is your surest evidence for eternal life3 for that spirit was sent from heaven1 to draw up your hearts1 and fit you for it2 and ,god doth not give you such natures1 and desires1 and preparations in vain4 ,this also is called ,the witness of the ,spirit with 7or to7 our spirit1 that we are the children of ,god2 and if children then heirs2 heirs of ,god1 and joint heirs with ,christ1 ,rom4 viii4 #ae-ag4 ,it witnesseth our adoption1 by evidencing it2 as a seal or pledge doth witness our title to that which is so confirmed to us4 ,the nature of every thing is suited to its use and end2 ,god would not have given us a heavenly nature or desire1 if he had not intended us for heaven4 ,sidenote3 ,so ,hezekiah4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,look also to the testimony of a holy life1 since grace hath employed you in seeking after the heavenly inheritance4 ,it is unlawful and perilous to look after any works or righteousness of your own1 so as to set it in whole or in part instead of ,christ1 or to ascribe to it any honour that is proper to him2 as to imagine that you are innocent1 or have fulfilled the law1 or have made ,god a compensation by your merits or sufferings1 for the sin you have committed2 but yet you must judge yourselves on your sick beds as near as you can as ,god will judge you4 ,and he will judge every man according to his work2 and will recompense and reward men according to their works4 ,matt4 xxv4 #ba1 #cd1 c4 ,well done1 good and faithful servant6 thou hast been faithful over a little1 ,i will make thee ruler over much4 ,come1 ye blessed of my ,father1 inherit the kingdom prepared for you--for ,i was hungry and ye fed me1 c4--,heb4 v4 #i1 ,he is the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him4 ,matt4 vii4 #bd1 #be1 ,whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them1 ,i will liken him to a wise man that built his house upon a rock--4 ,rev4 xxii4 ,blessed are they that do his commandments1 that they may have right to the tree of life1 and may enter in by the gate into the city1 for without are dogs1 c4 ,thus must you rejoice in the cross of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 not only as he was crucified on it for you1 but also as you are crucified by it to the world1 and the world to you1 ,gal4 vi4 #ad4 ,he that as a benefactor will give you that glory which you could never deserve of him1 on terms of commutative justice1 7for so no creature can deserve any thing of ,god17 will yet1 as a righteous governor and judge1 deliver it you only on the terms of his paternal1 governing1 distributive justice2 and all shall receive according to what they have done in the body4 ,and therefore you may take comfort in that evangelical righteousness1 which consisteth in your fulfilling the conditions of the new covenant1 though you have no legal righteousness1 7which consisteth in innocency1 or freedom from the curse of the law17 but only in the merits and sacrifice of ,christ4 ,if you are accused as being impenitent1 unbelievers1 or hypocrites1 ,christ's righteousness will not justify you from that accusation2 but only your repentance1 faith1 and sincerity 7wrought in you by the ,spirit of ,christ74 ,but if you can but show the evidence of this evangelical righteousness1 ,christ then will justify you against all the other accusations of guilt that can be charged on you4 7,of which more anon47 ,seeing therefore the ,spirit hath given you these evidences1 to difference you from the wretched world1 and prove your title to eternal life1 if you overlook these1 you resist your ,comforter1 and can see no other ground of comfort1 than every graceless hypocrite may see4 ,imitate holy ,paul3 #b ,cor4 i4 #ab1 ,for our rejoicing is this1 the testimony of our conscience1 that in simplicity and godly sincerity1 not in fleshly wisdom1 but by the grace of ,god1 we have had our conversation in the world--4 #b ,tim4 iv4 #g1 #h1 ,i have fought a good fight2 ,i have finished my course1 ,i have kept the faith2 henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness1 which the ,lord the righteous ,judge shall give me at that day3 and not to me only1 but to all them also that love his appearing4 ,to look back and see that in sincerity you have gone the way to heaven1 is a just and necessary ground of assurance1 that you shall attain it4 ,if you say1 ,but ,i have been a grievous sinner6 ,i answer1 so was ,paul that yet rejoiced after in this evidence6 ,are not those sins repented of and pardoned8 ,if you say1 ,but ,i cannot look back upon a holy life with comfort1 it hath been so blotted and uneven6 ,i answer1 hath it not been sincere1 though it was imperfect8 ,did you not first seek the kingdom of ,god and his righteousness8 ,matt4 vi4 #cc4 ,if you say1 ,my whole life hath been ungodly1 till now at last that ,god hath humbled me2 ,i answer1 it is not the length of time1 but the sincerity of your hearts and service1 that is your evidence4 ,if you came in at the last hour1 if now you are faithfully devoted to ,god1 you may look with comfort on this change at last1 though you must look with repentance on your sinful lives4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,when you see any of this evidence of your interest in ,christ1 appeal to him to acquit you from all the sin that can be charged on you2 for all that believe in him are justified from all things1 from which they could not be justified by the law of ,moses4 ,there is no condemnation to them that are in ,christ ,jesus1 that walk not after the flesh1 but after the ,spirit1 ,rom4 viii4 #a4 ,whatever sin a penitent believer hath committed1 he is not chargeable with it2 ,christ hath undertaken to answer for it1 and justify him from it2 and therefore look not on it with terror1 but with penitent shame1 and believing thankfulness1 as that which shall tend to the honour of the ,redeemer1 and not to the condemnation of the sinner4 ,he hath borne our transgressions and we are healed by his stripes4#acj ,direct4 ,,xi4 ,look back upon all the mercies of your lives1 and think whence they came and what they signify4 ,love tokens are to draw your hearts to him that sent them2 these are dropped from heaven1 to entice you thither6 ,if ,god have been so good to you on earth1 what will he be in glory6 ,if he so blessed you in this wilderness1 what will he do in the land of promise6 ,it greatly imboldeneth my soul to go to that ,god1 that hath so tenderly loved me1 and so graciously preserved me1 and so much abounded in all sorts of mercies to me through all my life4 ,surely he is good that so delighteth to do good6 ,and his presence must be sweet1 when his distant mercies have been so sweet6 ,what love shall ,i enjoy when perfection hath fitted me for his love1 who have tasted of so much in this state of sin and imperfection6 ,the sense of mercy will banish the fears and misgivings of the heart4 ,direct4 ,,xii4 ,remember 7if you have attained to a declining age7 what a competent time you have had already in the world4 ,if you are grieved that you are mortal1 you might on that account have grieved all your days2 but if it be only that you die so soon1 if you have lived well1 you have lived long4 ,when ,i think how many years of mercy ,i have had1 since ,i was near to death1 and since many younger than ,i are gone1 and when ,i think what abundance of mercy ,i have had in all that time1 ingenuity forbiddeth me to grudge at the season of my death1 and maketh me almost ashamed to ask for longer life4 ,how long would you stay1 before1 you would be willing to come to ,god8 ,if he desired our company no more than we do his1 and desired our happiness in heaven no more than we desire it ourselves1 we should linger here as ,lot in ,sodom6 ,must we be snatched away against our wills1 and carried by force to our ,father's presence8 ,direct4 ,,xiii4 ,remember that all mankind are mortal1 and you are to go no other way than all that ever came into the world have gone before you 7except ,enoch and ,elias74 ,yea1 the poor brute creatures must die at your pleasure1 to satisfy your hunger or delight4 ,beasts1 and birds1 and fishes1 even many to make one meal1 must die for you4 ,and why then should you shrink at the entrance of such a trodden path1 which leadeth you not to hell1 as it doth the wicked1 nor merely to corruption1 as it doth the brutes1 but to live in joy with ,christ and his church triumphant8 ,direct4 ,,xiv4 ,remember both how vile your body is1 and how great an enemy it hath proved to your soul2 and then you will the more patiently bear its dissolution4 ,it is not your dwelling-house1 but your tent or prison1 that ,god is pulling down4 ,and yet even this vile body1 when it is corrupted1 shall at last be changed into the likeness of ,christ's glorious body1 by the working of his irresistible power1 ,phil4 iii4 #bj1 #ba4 ,and it is a flesh that hath so rebelled against the spirit1 and made your way to heaven so difficult1 and put the soul to so many conflicts1 that we should the easilier submit it to the will of justice1 and let it perish for a time1 when we are assured that mercy will at last recover it4 ,direct4 ,,xv4 ,remember what a world it is that you are to leave1 and compare it with that which you are going to2 and compare the life which is near an end1 with that which you are next to enter upon4 ,was it not ,enoch's reward when he had walked with ,god1 to be taken to him from a polluted world8 #a4 ,while you are here1 you are yourselves defiled2 sin is in your natures1 and your graces are all imperfect2 sin is in your lives1 and your duties are all imperfect2 you cannot be free from it one day or hour4 ,and is it not a mercy to be delivered from it8 ,is it not desirable to you to sin no more8 and to be perfect in holiness8 to know ,god and love him as much and more than you can now desire8 ,you are here every day lamenting your darkness1 and unbelief1 and estrangedness from ,god and want of love to him4 ,how oft have you prayed for a cure of all this6 ,and now would you not have it1 when ,god would give it you8 ,why hath ,god put that spark of heavenly life into you1 but to fight against sin1 and make you weary of it8 ,and yet had you rather continue sinning1 than have the victory and be with ,christ8 #b4 ,it is a life of grief as well as sin2 and a life of cares1 and doubts1 and fears6 ,when you are at the worst1 you are fearing worse6 ,if it were nothing but the fears of death itself1 it should make you the willinger to submit to it1 that you might be past those fears4 #c4 ,you are daily afflicted with the infirmities of that flesh1 which you are so loth should be dissolved4 ,to satisfy its hunger and thirst1 to cover its nakedness1 to provide it a habitation1 and supply all its wants1 what care and labour doth it cost you6 ,its infirmities1 sicknesses1 and pains1 do make you oft weary of yourselves1 so that you groan1 being burdened1 as ,paul speaketh1 #b ,cor4 v4 #c1 #d1 #f4 ,and yet is it not desirable to be with ,christ8 #d4 ,you are compassed with temptations1 and are in continual danger through your weakness3 and yet would you not be past the danger8 ,would you have more of those horrid and odious temptations8 #e4 ,you are purposely turned here into a wilderness1 among wild beasts2 you are as lambs among wolves1 and through many tribulations you must enter into heaven4 ,you must deny yourselves1 and take up your cross1 and forsake all that you have2 and all that will live godly in ,christ ,jesus1 must suffer persecution2 in the world you must have trouble3 the seed of the serpent must bruise your heel1 before ,god bruise ,satan under your feet6 ,and is such a life as this more desirable than to be with ,christ8 ,are we afraid to land after such storms and tempests8 ,is a wicked world1 a malicious world1 a cruel world1 an implacable world1 more pleasing to us than the joy of angels1 and the sight of ,christ1 and ,god himself in the majesty of his glory8 ,hath ,god on purpose made the world so bitter to us1 and permitted it to use us unjustly and cruelly1 and all to make us love it less1 and to drive home our hearts unto himself8 and yet are we so unwilling to be gone8 ,direct4 ,,xvi4 ,settle your estates betimes1 that worldly matters may not distract or discompose you4 ,and if ,god have endowed you with riches1 dispose of a due proportion to such pious or charitable uses1 in which they may be most serviceable to him that gave them you4 ,though we should give what we can in the time of life and health1 yet many that have but so much as will serve to their necessary maintenance1 may well part with that to good uses at their death1 which they could not spare in the time of their health3 especially they that have no children1 or such wicked children1 as are like to do hurt with all that is given them above their daily bread4 ,direct4 ,,xvii4 ,if it may be1 get some able1 faithful guide and comforter to be with you in your sickness1 to counsel you1 and resolve your doubts1 and pray with you1 and discourse of heavenly things1 when you are disabled by weakness for such exercises yourselves4 ,let not carnal persons disturb you with their vain babblings4 ,though the difference between good company and bad1 be very great in the time of health1 yet now in sickness it will be more discernible4 ,and though a faithful friend and spiritual pastor be always a great mercy1 yet now especially in your last necessity4 ,therefore make use of them as far as your pain and weakness will permit4 ,direct4 ,,xviii4 ,be fortified against all the temptations of ,satan by which he useth to assault men in their extremity3 stand it out in the last conflict1 and the crown is yours4 ,i shall instance in particulars4 ,directions for resisting the ,temptations of ,satan1 in the time of ,sickness4 ,tempt4 ,i4 ,the most ordinary temptation against the comfort of believers1 7for ,i have already spoken of those that are against their safety17 is to doubt of their own sincerity1 and consequently of their part in ,christ4 ,saith the tempter1 ,all that thou hast done1 hath been but in hypocrisy2 thou wast never a true believer1 nor ever didst truly repent of sin1 nor truly love ,god2 and therefore thou are unjustified1 and shalt speedily be condemned4 ,against this temptation a believer hath two remedies4 ,the first is1 to confute the tempter by those evidences which will prove that he hath been sincere 7such as ,i have often mentioned before72 and by repelling these reasonings1 by which the tempter would prove him to have been a hypocrite4 ,as when it is objected1 ,thou hast repented and been humbled but slightly and by the halves2 ,answ4 ,yet was it sincerely2 and weak grace is not no grace4 ,object4 ,thou hast been a lover of the world1 and a neglecter of thy soul1 and cold in all that thou didst for thy salvation4 ,answ4 ,yet did ,i set more by heaven than earth2 and ,i first sought the kingdom of ,god and his righteousness1 as esteeming it above all the riches of the world4 ,object4 ,thou hast kept thy sins while thou wentest on in a profession of religion4 ,answ4 ,i had no sin but what in the habitual1 ordinary temper of my soul1 ,i hated more than ,i loved it1 and had rather have been delivered from it1 than have kept it1 and none but what ,i unfeignedly repented of4 ,object4 ,thou didst not truly believe the promises of ,god1 and the life to come2 or else thou wouldst never have doubted as thou hast done1 nor sought such a kingdom with such weak desires4 ,answ4 ,though my faith was weak1 it overcame the world3 ,i so far believed the promise of another life1 as that ,i preferred it before this life1 and was resolved rather to forsake all the world1 than to part with my hopes of that promised blessedness3 and that faith is sincere 7how weak soever7 that can do this4 ,object4 ,but thou hast done thy works to be seen of men1 and been troubled when men have not approved thee1 nor honoured thee2 and what was this but mere hypocrisy8 ,answ4 ,though ,i had some hypocrisy1 yet was ,i not a hypocrite1 because it was not in a reigning and prevalent degree3 though ,i too much regarded the esteem of men1 yet ,i did more regard the esteem of ,god4 ,thus if a christian discern his evidences1 the false reasonings of ,satan are to be refuted4 #b4 ,but ordinarily it is a readier way to take the second course1 which is1 at present1 to believe1 and repent1 and so confute ,satan that saith you are not penitent believers4#aca ,but then you must truly understand what believing and repenting are2 or else you may think that you do not believe and repent when you do4 ,believing in ,christ1 is a believing that he is the ,saviour of the world1 and a consent of will that he be your ,saviour1 to justify you by his blood1 and sanctify you by his ,spirit4 ,to repent1 is to be so sorry that you have sinned1 that if it were to do again1 you would not do it 7as to gross sin and a state of sin72 and the smallest infirmities1 your will is so far set against1 that you desire to be delivered from them4 ,believing to justification1 is not the believing that you are already justified1 and your sins forgiven you2 and repenting consisteth not in such degrees of sorrow as some expect2 but in the change of the mind and will1 from a life of sensuality to a life of holiness4 ,when you know this1 then answer the tempter thus3 ,if ,i should suffer thee to deprive me of the comfort of all my former uprightness1 yet shalt thou not so deprive me of the comfort of my present sincerity1 and of my hopes2 ,i am now too weak and distempered to try all that is past and gone4 ,past actions are now known but by remembering them2 and they are seldom judged of1 as indeed they then were1 but according to the temper and apprehension of the mind when it revieweth them2 and ,i am now so changed and weakened myself1 that ,i cannot tell whether ,i truly remember the just temper and thoughts of my heart in all that is past or not4 ,nor doth it most concern me now1 to know what ,i have been1 but to know what ,i am4 ,christ will not judge according to what ,i was1 but according to what he findeth me2 never did he refuse a penitent1 believing soul1 because he repented and believed late2 ,i do now unfeignedly repent of all my sins1 and am heartily willing to be both pardoned1 and cleansed1 and sanctified by ,christ1 and here ,i give up myself to him as my ,saviour1 and to this covenant ,i will stand2 and this is true repenting and believing4 ,thus a poor christian in the time of sickness1 may ofttimes much easier clear up to himself1 that he repenteth now1 than that he repented formerly2 and it is his surest way4 ,tempt4 ,,ii4 ,and yet sometimes he cometh with the quite contrary temptation1 and must be resisted by the contrary way4 ,when he findeth a christian so perplexed1 and distempered with sickness1 that his understanding is disabled from any composed thoughts1 then he asketh him1 ,now where is thy faith and repentance8 ,if thou hast any1 or ever hadst any1 let it now appear4 ,in this case a christian is to take up with the remembrance of his former sincerity1 and tell the tempter1 ,i am sure that once ,i gave up myself unfeignedly to my ,lord2 and those that come to him1 he will in no wise cast out2 and if now ,i be disabled from a composed exercise of grace1 he will not impute my sickness to me as my sin4 ,tempt4 ,,iii4 ,another ordinary temptation is1 that it is now too late2 ,god will not now accept repentance2 the day of grace is past and gone2 or at least1 a death-bed repentance is not sincere4 ,to this the tempted soul must reply1 #a4 ,that if faith and repentance were not accepted at any time in this life1 then ,god's promise were not true1 which saith1 that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish1 but have everlasting life1 ,john iii4 #af4 ,so ,luke xxiv4 #dg2 ,acts v4 #ca2 xi4 #ah2 xx4 #ba2 #b ,tim4 ii4 #be2 #b ,pet4 iii4 #i4 ,there is a time in this life1 in which some resisters of the truth are given up to their own lusts1 to the love of sin1 and hatred of holiness1 so that they will not repent2 but there was never a time in this life1 in which ,god refused to justify a true repenting sinner upon his belief in ,christ4 #b4 ,that if a death-bed repentance do truly turn the heart from the world to ,god1 and from sin to holiness1 so that the penitent person1 if he should recover1 would lead a new and holy life1 then that repentance hath as sure a promise of pardon and salvation1 as if it had been sooner2 and yet delay must be confessed to be dangerous to all1 and casteth men under very great difficulties1 and their loss is exceeding great1 though at last they repent and are forgiven4 ,tempt4 ,,iv4 ,sometimes the tempter saith1 ,thou art not elected to salvation2 and ,god saveth none but his elect2 and so puzzleth the ignorant by setting them on doubting of their election4 ,to this we must answer1 ,that every soul that is chosen to faith1 and repentance1 and perseverance1 is certainly chosen to salvation2 and ,i know that ,god hath chosen me to faith and repentance1 because he hath given them me2 and ,i have reason enough to trust on him for that upholding grace1 which will cause me to persevere4 ,tempt4 ,v4 ,but1 saith the tempter1 ,christ did not die for thee2 and no one can be saved that ,christ did not die for4 ,to this it must be answered1 ,that ,christ died for all men1 so far as to be a sufficient sacrifice for their sins1 and to make a promise of pardon and salvation to all that will accept him and his gift2 and he entreateth all that hear the gospel to accept it2 and accordingly he will save all that consent unto his covenant4 ,i am a sinful child of ,adam1 and therefore am one that ,christ became a sacrifice for2 and ,i consent unto his covenant1 and therefore ,i am one that ,christ by that covenant doth justify1 and will save4 ,tempt4 ,,vi4 ,sometimes the tempter troubleth the soul with temptations to blasphemy and infidelity2 and asketh him1 ,how knowest thou1 that there is a ,god1 or a life to come1 or that souls are immortal1 or that the ,scripture is true8 ,of this ,i spake before4 ,to this we must then answer1 ,i abhor thy suggestions2 these things ,i have seen proved long ago1 and ,i will not so far gratify thee in my weakness and extremity1 as to question and dispute these sealed fundamental truths1 no more than ,i will dispute whether there be a sun or earth4 ,tempt4 ,,vii4 ,sometimes the tempter will say1 ,at best1 thou hast no assurance of salvation1 and how canst thou choose but tremble to think of dying1 when thou knowest not whether thou shalt go to heaven or hell8 ,to this the soul1 that hath not assurance1 must answer1 ,it is my own mistake or weakness that keepeth me unassured2 and ,i will neither take part with my infirmities1 nor increase them by their effects3 my hopes are such as should draw up my desires1 though ,i want full assurance3 the child delighteth in the company of the mother1 and every man of his friend2 though he is not certain1 that the mother or friend will not hurt him1 or take away his life4 ,why should ,i trouble myself with improbabilities8 or fear that which ,i have no sound reason to fear8 ,rather ,i should be glad to die1 that death may perfect my assurance1 and put an end to all my doubts and fears4 ,tempt4 ,,viii4 ,but1 saith the tempter1 ,how strange art thou to ,god1 and the life to come6 ,thou never sawest it3 is it not dreadful to enter upon an unchangeable life1 in a world which thou art so great a stranger to8 ,answ4 ,but ,christ is not a stranger to it2 he seeth it for me1 and ,i will implicitly trust him4 ,where should my eyes be1 but in my head8 ,i shall never see it till ,i come thither4 ,when ,i have been there a while1 this darkness1 and fear1 and strangeness will be gone4 ,i was as strange to this world before ,i came into it1 and more2 and all those holy souls in heaven1 were strange to it once1 as well as ,i4 ,i should therefore long to be with ,christ1 that ,i may be strange to him no more4 ,tempt4 ,,ix4 ,but1 saith the tempter1 thy fear and unwillingness is a sign that thou hast no love to ,god1 nor heavenly mind2 and how then canst thou hope to come to heaven8 ,answ4 ,my fears come from strangeness1 and weakness of faith1 and a natural enmity to death4 ,if ,i could come to ,christ in joy and glory1 and be perfected in holiness1 without dying1 ,i should not be unwilling of it4 ,god looketh not that my nature should be willing to die2 but that grace make me willing to be with ,christ2 and patiently submit to so dark a passage4 ,even ,christ himself prayed1 that if it were possible1 that cup might pass from him4 ,tempt4 ,x4 ,but what will thy wife and children do1 when thou art gone8 ,answ4 ,god hath more interest in them than ,i have2 he will look to his own without any care3 doth all the world depend upon him1 and is he not to be trusted with my wife and children8 ,tempt4 ,,xi4 ,but thou wilt never more be serviceable to the church3 all thy work will for ever be at an end2 and there are many things which thou mightst have done before thou diest1 which will all be lost4 ,answ4 #a4 ,i shall have higher1 and holier1 and sweeter work3 whether it will any thing conduce to the good of those on earth1 ,i know not2 but ,i know it will more conduce to the highest1 most desirable ends4 #b4 ,as my work will be done1 so my trouble1 and weariness1 and fears1 and sufferings from a malignant1 unthankful world will all be done4 #c4 ,and when my work is done1 my reward and everlasting rest begin4 #d4 ,and ,god needeth not such a worm as ,i6 the work is his1 and it is reason that he should choose his workmen4 ,tempt4 ,,xii4 ,but when thou hast said all1 death will be death1 the king of terrors4 ,answ4 ,and when thou hast said all1 ,god will be ,god1 and heaven will be heaven1 and ,christ will be ,christ1 that hath conquered death1 and hath the keys or power of death and hell3 and the promise will be sure2 and those that trust on him shall never be ashamed or confounded4 ,and therefore the spirit is willing1 though the flesh be weak4#acb ,tit4 #d4 ,directions for doing good to others in our ,sickness4 ,the whole life of a christian should be a serving of his ,god2 and though his body in sickness seem to be unserviceable1 yet it is not the least or lowest of his services1 which he is then at last to do3 partly by his holy example1 and partly by his speeches2 which are both more observed in dying men1 than in any others4 ,for now all suppose1 that if there were before any mask of hypocrisy1 it is laid aside1 and the soul that is going to the bar of ,god will deal sincerely4 ,and now it is supposed1 that we are delivered much from all the befooling delusions of prosperity1 and therefore fitter to be counsellors to others4 ,and every christian should be very desirous to do good to the last1 and be found so doing4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,show not a distempered1 impatient mind4 ,though pain will be pain1 and flesh will be flesh1 yet show men that you have also reason and spirit3 and that it calmeth your soul1 though it ease not your body4 ,speak good of ,god1 as beseemeth one that indeed believeth that it is good for us when we are afflicted by him1 and that all shall work together for good to us4#acc ,speak not a repining word against him4 ,job i4 #bb1 ,in all this ,job sinned not1 nor charged ,god foolishly4 ,and speak not too peevishly and impatiently to those about you2 though weakness incline you to it1 yet let the power of grace appear4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,let those that are about you see1 that you take the life to come for a reality1 and that you verily expect to live with ,christ in joys for ever4 ,let them see this in your holy joy and confidence1 and your thankfulness to ,god for the grace and hopes which he hath given through ,christ4 ,i know that a pained1 languishing body1 is undisposed to express the comforts of the soul3 but yet as long as the soul is the commander1 they may be expressed in some good measure1 though not with such vivacity and alacrity as in health4 ,behave yourselves before all1 as those that are going to dwell with ,christ4 ,if you show them that you take heaven for a real felicity1 it will do much to draw them to do so too2 show them the difference between the death of the righteous and of the wicked2 and that may so draw them to desire to die the death of the righteous1 that it may draw them also to resolve to live their lives4 ,how many souls might it win to ,god1 if they saw in his dying servants such confidence and joy as beseemeth men that are entering into a world of joy1 and peace1 and blessedness6 ,if we went out of the body1 as from a prison into liberty1 and from a tedious journey to our desired home1 it would invite sinners to seek after the same felicity1 and be a powerful sermon to convert the inconsiderate4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,now tell poor sinners of the vanity of the world1 and of all its glory1 wealth1 and pleasure2 and of the mischief and deceitfulness of sin4 ,say to them1 ,o sirs1 you may see in me what the world is worth3 if you had all the wealth and pleasure that you desire1 thus it would turn you off1 and forsake you in the end3 it will ease no pain3 it will bring no peace to a troubled soul3 it will not lengthen your lives an hour3 it will not save you from the wrath of ,god3 it maketh your death the sadder1 because you must be taken from it3 your account will be the more dreadful4 ,o love not such a vain1 deceitful world6 sell not your souls for so poor a price6 ,forsake it before you are forsaken by it6 ,o make not light of any sin6 ,though the wanton flesh would have you take it for a harmless thing1 you cannot imagine1 when the pleasure is gone1 how sharp a sting is left behind4 ,sin will then be no jesting matter1 when your souls are going hence into the dreadful presence of the most holy ,god4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,now tell those about you of the excellency and necessity of the love of ,god1 of heaven1 of ,christ1 and of a holy life4 ,though these may be made light of at a distance1 yet a soul that is drawing near them1 will be more awakened to understand their worth4 ,say to them1 ,o friends1 ,i find now more than ever ,i did before1 that it is only ,god1 that is the end and happiness of souls3 nothing but his favour through ,jesus ,christ1 can comfort and content a dying man2 and none but ,christ can reconcile us to ,god1 and answer for our sins1 and make us acceptable2 and no way but that of faith and holiness will end in happiness4 ,opinions and customary forms in religion will not serve the turn2 to be of this or that party1 or church1 or communion1 will not save you4 ,it is only the soul that is justified by ,christ1 and sanctified by his ,spirit1 and brought up to the love of ,god and holiness1 that shall be saved4 ,whatever opinion or church you are of1 without holiness you shall never see ,god to your comfort1 as without faith it is impossible to please him1 ,heb4 xii4 #ad2 xi4 #f2 ,rom4 viii4 #f1 #g1 #i4 ,o now what a miserable case were ,i in1 if ,i had all the wealth and honour in the world1 and had not the favour of ,god1 and a ,christ to purchase it1 and his ,spirit to witness it1 and prepare me for a better life4 ,now ,i see the difference between spending time in holiness1 and in sin2 between a godly1 and a worldly1 fleshly1 careless life4 ,now ,i would not for a thousand worlds1 that ,i had spent my life in sensuality and ungodliness1 and continued a stranger to the life of faith4 ,now1 if ,i had a world1 ,i would give it to be more holy6 ,o sirs1 believe it1 when you come to die1 sin will be then sin indeed1 and ,christ1 and grace1 will be better than riches1 and to die in an unregenerate1 unsanctified state1 will be a greater misery than any heart can now conceive4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,endeavour also to make men know the difference between the godly and the wicked4 ,tell them1 ,i now see who maketh the wisest choice4 ,o happy men1 that choose the joys which have no end1 and lay up their treasure in heaven1 where rust and moths do not corrupt1 and thieves do not break through and steal1 and labour for the food that never perisheth1 ,matt4 vi4 #ai1 #bj2 ,john vi4 #bg4 ,o foolish sinners1 that for an inch of fleshly1 filthy pleasure1 do lose everlasting rest and joy6 ,what shall it profit them that win all the world and lose their souls8 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,labour also to convince men of the preciousness of time1 and the folly of putting off repentance1 and a holy life1 till the last4 ,say to them1 ,o friends1 it is hard for you in the time of health and prosperity1 to judge of time according to its worth3 but when time is gone1 or near an end1 how precious doth it then appear6 ,now if ,i had all the time again1 which ever ,i spent in unnecessary sleep1 or sports1 or curiosities1 or idleness1 or any needless thing1 how highly should ,i value it1 and spend it in another manner than ,i have done6 ,of all my life that is past and gone1 ,i have no comfort now in the remembrance of one hour1 but what was spent in obedience to ,god4 ,o take time to make sure of your salvation1 before it is gone1 and you are left under the tormenting feeling of your loss4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,labour also to make them understand the sinfulness of sloth1 and of loitering in the matters of ,god and their salvation2 and stir them up to do it with all their might4 ,say to them1 ,i have often heard ungodly people deride or blame the diligence1 and zeal1 and strictness of the godly2 but if they saw and felt what ,i see and feel they could not do it4 ,can a man that is going into another world1 imagine that any thing is so worthy of his greatest zeal and labour1 as his ,god and his salvation8 or blame men for being loth to burn in hell8 or for taking more pains for their souls than for their bodies8 ,o friends1 let fools talk what they will1 in their sleep and phrensy1 as you love your souls1 do not think any care1 or cost1 or pains too great for your salvation6 ,if they think not their labour too good for this world1 do not you think yours too good for a better world4 ,let them now say what they will1 when they come to die1 there is none of them all1 that is not quite forsaken of sense and reason1 but will wish that they had loved ,god1 and sought and served him1 not formally1 in hypocritical compliment1 but with all their heart1 and soul1 and might4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,labour also to fortify the minds of your friends1 against all fears of suffering for ,christ1 and all impatience in any of their afflictions4 ,say to them1 ,the sufferings as well as the pleasures of this life are so short1 that they are not worthy once to be compared with the durable things of the life to come4 ,if ,i have passed through a life of want and toil1 if my body hath endured painful sickness1 if ,i have suffered never so much from men1 and been used cruelly for the sake of ,christ1 what the worse am ,i now1 when all is past8 ,would an easy1 honourable1 plentiful life1 have made my death either the safer or the sweeter8 ,o no6 it is the things eternal that are indeed significant and regardable4 ,neither pleasure nor pain that is short1 is of any great regard4 ,make sure of the everlasting pleasures1 and you have done your work4 ,o live by faith1 and not by sense2 look not at the temporal things which are seen4 ,it is not your concernment1 whether you are rich or poor1 in honour or dishonour1 in health or sickness1 but whether you be justified1 and sanctified1 and shall live with ,god in heaven for ever4 ,such serious counsels of dying men1 may make their sickness more fruitful than their health4 #abf ,hic labor extremus1 longarum hc meta viarum est4 ,virgil4 #abg ,luke x4 #db2 ,phil4 i4 #ai1 #bc4 #abh ,mr4 ,vines1 ,mr4 ,capel1 ,mr4 ,hollingworth1 ,mr4 ,ashurst1 ,mr4 ,ambrose1 ,mrs4 ,burnel1 c4 #abi ,reader1 bear with this mixture3 for ,god will own his image when peevish contenders do deny it1 or blaspheme it2 and will receive those whom faction and proud domination would cast out1 and vilify with scorn and slanders4 #acj ,isa4 liii4 #aj-ab4 #aca ,john i4 #aj-ab3 iii4 #af1 #ai1 #bj2 ,rom4 vii4 #bj-be1 #i2 ,psal4 xi4 #a-e4 #acb ,matt4 xxviii4 #ai1 #bj1 #b2 ,john xvii42 ,rev4 i4 #ah2 ,rom4 x4 #i-ab4 #acc ,heb4 xii4 #g-i2 ,rom4 viii4 #bh4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,directions ,,to ,,the ,,friends ,,of ,,the ,,sick1 ,,that ,,are ,,about ,,them4 ,direct4 ,i4 ,when you see the sickness or death of friends1 take it as ,god's warning to you1 to prepare for the same yourselves4 ,remember that thus it must be with you3 thus are you like to lie in pain2 and thus will all the world forsake you1 and nothing of all your honour or wealth will afford you any comfort4 ,this will be the end of all your pleasures1 of your greatness1 and your houses1 and lands1 and attendance2 and of your delicious meats and drinks2 and of all your mirth1 and play1 and recreations4 ,thus must your carcasses be forsaken of your souls1 and laid in a grave1 and there lie rotting in the dark2 and your souls appear before your ,judge1 to be sentenced to their endless state4 ,this certainly will be your case3 and oh how quickly will it come6 ,then1 what will ,christ and grace be worth6 ,then1 nothing but the favour of ,god can comfort you4 ,then1 whether will it be better to you to look back on a holy1 well-spent life1 or upon a life of fleshly ease and pleasure8 ,then1 had you rather be a saint1 or a sensualist8 ,lay this to heart1 and let the house of mourning make you better1 and live as one that looks to die4 ,direct4 ,,ii4 ,use the best means for the recovery of the sick1 which the ablest physicians shall advise you to1 as far as you are able4 ,take heed of being guilty of the pride and folly of many self-conceited1 ignorant persons1 who are ready to thrust every medicine of their own upon their friends in sickness1 when they neither know the nature of the sickness or the cure4 ,many thousands are brought to their death untimely1 by the folly of their nearest friends1 who will needs be medicining them1 and ruling them1 and despising the physician2 as if they were themselves much wiser than he1 when they are merely ignorant of what they do4 ,as ignorant sectaries despise divines1 and set up themselves as better preachers1 so many silly women despise physicians2 and when they have got a few medicines1 which they know not the nature of1 nor how to use1 they take themselves for the better physicians1 and the lives of their poor friends must pay for their pride and folly4 ,no means must be trusted to instead of ,god1 but the best must be used in subservience unto ,god4 ,and one would think that a small measure of wit and humility might serve to make silly women understand1 that they that never bestowed one year in the study of physic1 are not so likely to understand it1 as those that have studied and practised it a great part of their lives4 ,it is sad to see people kill their dearest friends in kindness2 even by that ignorance and proud self conceitedness1 which also maketh them the destroyers of their own souls4 ,quest4 ,but seeing ,god hath appointed all men's time1 what good can physic do8 ,if ,god hath appointed them to live1 they shall live2 and if he have appointed them to die1 it is not physic that can save them4 ,answ4 ,this is the foolish reasoning of wicked people about their salvation4 ,if ,god have appointed me to salvation1 ,i shall be saved2 if he have not1 all my diligence will do no good4 ,but such people know not what they talk of4 ,god hath made your duty more open and known to you1 than his own decrees4 ,and you separate those things which he hath joined together4 ,as ,god hath appointed no man to salvation simply without respect to the means of salvation2 so ,god hath appointed no man to live but by the means of life4 ,his decree is not1 ,such a man shall be saved1 or1 ,such a man shall live so long1 only2 but this is his decree1 ,such a man shall be saved1 in the way of faith and holiness1 and in the diligent use of means1 and1 ,such a man shall live so long1 by the use of those means which ,i have fitted for the preservation of his life4 ,so that as he that liveth a holy life1 may be sure he is chosen to salvation1 7if he persevere17 and he that is ungodly1 may be sure that he is in the way to hell2 so he that neglecteth the means of his health and life1 doth show that it is unlike that ,god hath appointed him to live2 and he that useth the best means is liker to recover 7though the best will not cure incurable diseases1 nor make a man immortal74 ,the reasoning is the same1 as if you should say1 if ,god have appointed me to live so long1 ,i shall live though ,i neither eat nor drink2 but if he have not1 eating and drinking will not prolong my life4 ,but you must know1 that ,god doth not only appoint you to live1 that is but half his decree1 but he decreeth1 that you shall live by eating and drinking4 ,direct4 ,,iii4 ,mind your friends betimes to make their wills1 and prudently by good advice to settle their estates1 that they may leave no occasion of contending about it when they are dead4 ,this should be done in health1 because of the uncertainty of life2 but if it be undone till sickness1 it should then be done betimes4 ,the neglect of it oft causeth much sinful contending about worldly things1 even among those near relations1 who should live in the greatest amity and peace4 ,direct4 ,,iv4 ,keep away vain company from them1 as far as you can conveniently 7except it be such as must needs be admitted1 or such as are like to receive any good by the holy counsel of the sick74 ,it is a great annoyance to one that is near death1 to hear people talk to little purpose1 about the world1 or some impertinencies2 when they are going speedily to their endless state1 and have need of no more impediments in their way2 but of the best assistance that their friends can afford them4 ,procure some able1 faithful minister to be with them1 to counsel them about the state of their souls2 and get some holy1 able christians to be much about them1 who are fit to pray with them1 and instruct them4 ,direct4 ,v4 ,bear with their impatience1 and grudge not at any trouble that they put you to4 ,remember that weakness is froward1 and as you bear with the crying of children1 so must you with the peevishness of the sick2 and remember1 that shortly it is like to be your own case1 and you must be a trouble to others1 and they must bear with you4 ,be not weary of your friends in sickness2 but loving1 and tender1 and compassionate1 and patient4 ,direct4 ,,vi4 ,deal faithfully and prudently with them about the state of their souls4 ,your faithfulness must be showed in these two points3 #a4 ,that you do not flatter them with vain hopes of life1 when they are more likely to die4 #b4 ,that you do not flatter them with false persuasions that their state is safe1 when they are yet unsanctified1 nor put them in hopes of being saved without regeneration4 ,your prudence must be manifested1 #a4 ,in suiting your counsel1 and speeches1 and prayers to their state2 and not using the same words to the ungodly1 as you would to the godly4 #b4 ,in so contracting your counsel for the conversion of the ungodly1 as not to overwhelm them with more than they can bear2 and yet not to leave out any point of absolute necessity to salvation4 ,alas1 how much skill doth such a work require6 ,and how few christians 7that ,i say not1 pastors7 are fit for it6 ,quest4 ,i4 ,but is it a duty when the sick are like to die1 to make it known to them8 ,answ4 ,sometimes it is1 and sometimes not4 #a4 ,some sicknesses are such1 as will be so increased with fear1 that the patient that before was in hope of a recovery1 will be put almost past hope4 ,and some sicknesses are much different1 and are not like to be so increased by it4 ,and some are past all hope already4 #b4 ,some are so prepared to die1 that they have the less need to be acquainted with their danger2 and some are unconverted1 and in so dangerous a case1 that the absolute necessity of their souls may require it4 ,when the soul is in so sad a case1 and yet the body may be endangered by the fear of the sentence of death1 it is the safest course to tell them1 that though ,god may recover them1 yet their disease is so dangerous1 as calleth for their speedy and serious preparation for death2 which will not be lost1 if ,god restore them4 ,so that they may have so much hope1 as to keep their fear from killing them1 and so much acquaintance with their danger1 as may put them upon their duty4 ,but in case there be already little or no hope1 or in case the disease will be but little increased by the fear1 7which is the case of the most17 the danger should not at all be hid4 ,quest4 ,,ii4 ,am ,i always bound to tell a wicked man of his sin and misery1 when it may exasperate his disease1 and offend his mind8 ,answ4 ,if it were a sickness that is void of danger1 in case his mind be quiet1 and be like to kill him if his mind be disturbed1 then it were the most prudent course to call him so far to repentance and faith1 as you can do it without any dangerous disturbance of him2 because it is most charity to his soul to help him to a longer time of repentance1 rather than to lay all the hopes of his salvation upon the present time4 ,but this is not an ordinary case2 therefore ordinarily it is a duty to acquaint the sick person1 that is yet in his sin1 and unregenerate state1 with the truth of his danger1 and the necessity of renovation4 ,alas6 it is a lamentable kind of friendship1 to flatter a poor soul into damnation1 or to hide his danger till he is past recovery4 ,when he is in a state of unexpressible misery1 and hath but a few days' or weeks' time left1 to do all that ever must be done for his salvation2 what horrid cruelty is it then1 to let him go to hell for fear of displeasing or disquieting him6 ,object4 ,but ,i am afraid ,i shall cast him into despair1 if ,i tell him plainly that he is in a state of damnation4 ,answ4 ,if you let him alone a little longer1 he will be in remediless despair4 ,there is no despair remediless1 but that in hell4 ,but now you may help to save him1 both from present and endless desperation4 ,he must needs despair of ever being saved without a ,christ1 or without the regeneration of the ,holy ,spirit1 or without true faith and repentance1 and love to ,god1 and holiness4 ,but need he despair of attaining all these1 while ,christ is offered him so freely1 and a full remedy is at hand8 ,he must know his sin and misery1 or else he is never like to escape it2 but he must also be acquainted with the true remedy2 and that is your way to keep him from despair1 and not by flattering him into hell4 ,quest4 ,,iii4 ,but what should one do in so short a time1 and with dead-hearted sinners8 ,alas6 what hope is there8 ,if it were nothing but their ignorance1 it cannot be cured in a moment4 ,and is there then any hope in so short a space1 to bring them to knowledge1 and repentance1 and a changed heart1 to love ,god and holiness2 and that when pain and weakness do disable them8 ,answ4 ,the case indeed is very sad2 but yet while there is life1 there is some hope3 and while there is any hope1 we should do our best1 when it is for the saving of a soul2 and the difficulty should but stir us up to use our utmost skill and diligence4 ,but as it is the misery of such to delay conversion till so unfit a time1 so is it too frequently the sin of believers1 that they delay their serious endeavours to convert men1 till such a time as they almost despair of the success4 ,quest4 ,,iv4 ,but what shall we do in a doubtful case1 when we know not whether the person be renewed and truly penitent1 or not2 which is the case of most that we have to deal with8 ,answ4 ,you can tell whether the grounds of your hope1 or of your fear concerning them1 be the greater2 and accordingly your speech must be mixed and tempered1 and your counsels or comforts given with the conditions and suppositions expressed4 ,quest4 ,v4 ,but what order would you have us observe in speaking to the ignorant and ungodly1 when the time is so short8 ,answ4 #a4 ,labour to awaken them to a lively sense of the change which is at hand1 that they may understand the necessity of looking after the state of their souls4 #b4 ,then show them what are the terms of salvation1 and who they are that the gospel doth judge to salvation or damnation4 #c4 ,next advise them to try which of these is their condition1 and to deal faithfully1 seeing self-flattery may undo them1 but can do them no good4 #d4 ,then help them in the trial2 q4 d4 ,if it have been so or so with you1 then you may know that this is your case4 #e4 ,then tell them the reasons of your fears1 if you fear they are unconverted1 or of your hopes1 if you hope indeed that it is better with them4 #f4 ,then exhort them conditionally1 7if they are yet in a carnal1 unsanctified state17 to lament it1 and be humbled1 and penitent for their sinful and ungodly life4 #g4 ,and then tell them the remedy1 in ,christ and the ,holy ,ghost1 and the promise or covenant of grace4 #h4 ,and lastly1 tell them their present duty1 that this remedy may prove effectual to their salvation4 ,and if you have so much interest or authority as maketh it fit for you1 excite them by convenient questions so far to open their case1 as may direct you1 and as by their answers may show whether they truly resolve for a holy life1 if ,god restore them1 and whether their hearts indeed be changed or not4 ,direct4 ,,vii4 ,if you are not able to instruct them as you should1 read some good book to them1 which is most suitable to their case3 such as ,mr4 ,perkins's ,right ,art of ,dying ,well2--,the ,practice of ,piety in the ,directions for the ,sick2--,mr4 ,edward ,lawrence's ,treatise of ,sickness2 or what else is most suitable to them4 ,and because most are themselves unable for counselling the sick aright1 and you may not have a fit book at hand1 ,i shall here subjoin a brief form or two for such to read to the sick that can endure no long discourse4 ,and other books will help you to forms of prayer with them1 if you cannot pray without such help4 ,direct4 ,,viii4 ,judge not of the state of men's souls1 by those carriages in their sickness1 which proceed from their diseases or bodily distemper4 ,many ignorant people judge of a man by the manner of his dying3 if one die in calmness and clearness of understanding1 and a few good words1 they think that this is to die like a saint4 ,whereas in consumptions1 and oft in dropsies1 and other such chronical diseases1 this is ordinary with good and bad3 and in a fever that is violent1 or a frenzy or distraction1 the best man that is may die without the use of reason3 some diseases will make one blockish1 and heavy1 and unapt to speak2 and some consist with as much freedom of speech as in time of health4 ,the state of men's souls must not be judged of by such accidental1 unavoidable things as these4 ,direct4 ,,ix4 ,be neither unnaturally senseless at the death of friends1 nor excessively dejected or afflicted4 ,to make light of the death of relations and friends1 be they good or bad1 is a sign of a very vicious nature2 that is so much selfish1 as not much to regard the lives of others3 and he that regardeth not the lives of his friends is little to be trusted in his lower concernments4 ,i speak not this of those persons whose temper alloweth them not to weep3 for there may be as deep a regard and sorrow in some that have no tears1 as in others that abound with them4 ,but ,i speak of a naughty1 selfish nature1 that is little affected with any one's concernments but its own4 ,yet your grief for the death of friends1 must be very different both in degree and kind4 #a4 ,for ungodly friends you must grieve for their own sakes1 because if they died such1 they are lost for ever4 #b4 ,for your godly friends you must mourn for the sake of yourselves and others1 because ,god hath removed such as were blessings to those about them4 #c4 ,for choice magistrates1 and ministers1 and other instruments of public good1 your sorrow must be greater1 because of the common loss1 and the judgment thereby inflicted on the world4 #d4 ,for old1 tried christians1 that have overcome the world1 and lived so long till age and weakness make them almost unserviceable to the church1 and who groan to be unburdened and to be with ,christ1 your sorrow should be least1 and your joy and thanks for their happiness should be greatest4 ,but especially abhor that nature that secretly is glad of the death of parents1 7or little sorrowful17 because that their estates are fallen to you1 or you are enriched1 or set at liberty by their death4 ,god seldom leaveth this sin unrevenged1 by some heavy judgments even in this life4 ,sidenote3 ,help against excessive grief for the death of friends4 ,direct4 ,x4 ,to overcome your inordinate grief for the death of your relations1 consider these things following4 #a4 ,that excess of sorrow is your sin3 and sinning is an ill use to be made of your affliction4 #b4 ,that it tendeth to a great deal more3 it unfitteth you for many duties which you are bound to1 as to rejoice in ,god1 and to be thankful for mercies1 and cheerful in his love1 and praise1 and service3 and is it a small sin to unfit yourselves for the greatest duties8 ,if you are so troubled at ,god's disposal of his own1 what doth your will but rise up against the will of ,god2 as if you grudged at the exercise of his dominion and government1 that is1 that he is ,god6 ,who is wisest1 and best1 and fittest to dispose of all men's lives8 ,is it ,god or you8 ,would you not have ,god to be the ,lord of all1 and to dispose of heaven and earth1 and of the lives and crowns of the greatest princes8 ,if you would not1 you would not have him to be ,god4 ,if you would1 is it not unreasonable that you or your friends only should be excepted from his disposal8 #d4 ,if your friends are in heaven1 how unsuitable is it1 for you to be over-much mourning for them1 when they are rapt into the highest joys with ,christ2 and love should teach you to rejoice with them that rejoice1 and not to mourn as those that have no hope4 #e4 ,you know not what mercy ,god showed to your friends1 in taking them away from the evil to come1 you know not what suffering the land or church is falling into2 or at least might have fallen upon themselves2 nor what sins they might have been tempted to4#acd ,but you are sure that heaven is better than earth1 and that it is far better for them to be with ,christ4 #f4 ,you always knew that your friends must die2 to grieve that they were mortal1 is but to grieve that they were but men4 #g4 ,if their mortality or death be grievous to you1 you should rejoice that they are arrived at the state of immortality1 where they must live indeed and die no more4 #h4 ,remember how quickly you must be with them again4 ,the expectation of living long yourselves1 is the cause of your excessive grief for the death of friends4 ,if you looked yourselves to die tomorrow1 or within a few weeks1 you would less grieve that your friends are gone before you4 #i4 ,remember that the world is not for one generation only2 others must have our places when we are gone2 ,god will be served by successive generations1 and not only by one4 #aj4 ,if you are christians indeed1 it is the highest of all your desires and hopes to be in heaven2 and will you so grieve that your friends are gone thither1 where you most desire and hope to be8 ,object4 ,all this is reason1 if my friend were gone to heaven3 but he died impenitently1 and how should ,i be comforted for a soul that ,i have cause to think is damned8 ,sidenote3 ,helps to moderate our sorrow for the damned4 ,answ4 ,their misery must be your grief2 but not such a grief as shall deprive you of your greater joys1 or disable you for your greater duties4 #a4 ,god is fitter than you to judge of the measures of his mercy and his judgments1 and you must neither pretend to be more merciful than he1 nor to reprehend his justice4 #b4 ,all the works of ,god are good2 and all that is good is amiable2 though the misery of the creature be bad to it1 yet the works of justice declare the wisdom and holiness of ,god2 and the perfecter we are1 the more they will be amiable to us4 ,for1 #c4 ,god himself1 and ,christ1 who is the merciful ,saviour of the world1 approve of the damnation of the finally ungodly4 #d4 ,and the saints and angels in heaven do know more of the misery of the souls in hell1 than we do2 and yet it abateth not their joys4 ,and the perfecter any is1 the more he is like-minded unto ,god4 #e4 ,how glad and thankful should you be to think that ,god hath delivered yourselves from those eternal flames6 ,the misery of others should excite your thankfulness4 #f4 ,and should not the joys of all the saints and angels be your joy1 as well as the sufferings of the wicked be your sorrows8 ,but above all1 the thoughts of the blessedness and glory of ,god himself1 should overtop all the concernments of the creature with you4 ,if you will mourn more for the thieves and murderers that are hanged1 than you will rejoice in the justice1 prosperity1 and honour of the king1 and the welfare of all his faithful subjects1 you behave not yourselves as faithful subjects4 #g4 ,shortly you hope to come to heaven3 mourn now for the damned1 as you shall do then2 or at least1 let not the difference be too great1 when that1 and not this1 is your perfect state4 ,a ,form of ,exhortation to the ,ungodly in their ,sickness 7or those that we fear are such74 ,dear ,friend3 ,the ,god that must dispose of us and all things1 doth threaten by this sickness1 to call away your soul1 and put an end to the time of your pilgrimage2 and therefore your friends that love and pity you1 must not now be silent1 if they can speak any thing for your preparation and salvation1 because it must be now or never3 when a few days are past1 they must never have any such opportunity more3 if now we prevail not with you1 you are likely to be quickly out of hearing1 and past our advice and help for ever4 ,and because ,i know your weakness bids me to be but short1 and your memory is not to be burdened with too much1 and yet your necessity must not be neglected1 ,i shall reduce all that ,i have to say to you1 to these four heads3 #a4 ,of the change which you seem near to1 and the world which you are going to4 #b4 ,of the preparation that must be made by all that will be saved1 and who they be that the gospel doth justify or condemn4 #c4 ,i would fain help you to understand which of these conditions you are in1 and what will become of your soul1 if it thus goeth hence3 and1 #d4 ,if your case be bad1 ,i would direct you how you may come out of it1 and what is yet to be done while there remaineth any time and hope4 ,and ,i pray you set your heart to what ,i say2 for ,i will speak nothing but the certain truth of ,god1 revealed to the world by his ,son and ,spirit expressed in the ,scripture1 and believed by all the church of ,christ4 #a4 ,god knoweth the change is great1 which you are near4 ,you are leaving this world1 where you have spent the days of your preparation for eternity1 and leaving this flesh to corrupt and turn to common earth1 and must here converse with man no more3 you are going now to see that world1 which the gospel told you of1 and you have often heard of1 but neither you nor we did ever see4 ,before your friends have laid your body in the grave1 your soul must enter into its endless state1 and at the resurrection your body be joined with it4 ,either heaven or hell must be your lot for ever4 ,if it be heaven1 you will there find a world of light1 and love1 and peace2 a world of angels and glorified souls1 who are all made perfect in knowledge and holiness2 living in the perfect flames of love to their glorious ,creator1 ,redeemer1 and ,regenerator3 and with them you will be thus perfected yourself3 your soul will see the glory of ,god1 and be rapt up in his love1 and filled with his joys1 and employed triumphantly in his praises1 and this for ever4 ,if hell should be your portion1 you will there be thrust away as a hated thing from the face of ,god1 and there you will find a world of devils1 and unholy1 damned1 miserable souls2 among whom you must dwell1 in the flames of the wrath of ,god1 and the horrors of your own conscience1 remembering with anguish the mercy which you once rejected1 and the warnings and time which once you lost3#ace and at the resurrection your soul and body must be reunited and live there in torment and despair for ever4 ,i know these things are but half believed by the ungodly world1 while they profess to believe them2 and therefore they must feel that which they refused to believe3 but ,god hath revealed it to us1 and we will believe our ,maker4 ,you are now going to see the great difference between the end of holiness and of sin2 between the godly and the ungodly2 and to know by your own experience those joys or torments1 which the wicked will not know by faith4 ,and oh what a preparation doth such a change require6 ,,ii4 ,you are next to know what persons they are1 and how they differ1 who must abide for ever in these different states4 ,as we are the children of ,adam1 we are all corrupted2 our minds are carnal1 and set upon this world1 and savour nothing but the things of the flesh2 and the further we go in sin1 the worse we are2 being strangers to the life of faith1 and to the love of ,god and the life to come1 taking the prosperity and pleasure of the flesh for the felicity which we most desire and seek4 ,the name of this state in ,scripture is1 carnal1 and ungodly1 and unholy2 because such men live in a mere fleshly nature or disposition for fleshly ends1 in a fleshly manner1 and are not at all devoted to ,god1 and carried up to heavenly desires and delights2 but live chiefly for this life1 and not for the life to come3 and though they may take up some kind of religion1 in a second place and upon the by1 for fear of being damned when they can keep the world no longer2 yet is it this world which they principally value1 love1 and seek1 and their religion is subject to their worldly and fleshly interest and delights4 ,and though ,god hath provided and offered them a ,saviour1 to teach them better1 and reclaim and sanctify them by his word and ,spirit1 and forgive them if they will believe in him and return1 yet do they sottishly neglect this mercy1 or obstinately refuse it1 and continue their worldly1 fleshly lives1 till time be past1 and mercy hath done1 and there is no remedy4 ,these are the men that ,god will condemn1 and this is the true description of them4 ,and it will not stand with the governing justice1 and holiness1 and truth of ,god to save them4 ,but on the other side1 all those that ,god will save1 do heartily believe in ,jesus ,christ1 who is sent of ,god to be the ,saviour of souls2 and he maketh them know 7by his word and ,spirit7 their grievous sin and misery in their state of corrupted nature2 and he humbleth them for it1 and bringeth them to true repentance1 and maketh them loathe themselves for their iniquities2 and seeing how they have cast away and undone themselves1 and are no better than the slaves of ,satan1 and the heirs of hell1 they joyfully accept of the remedy that is offered them in ,christ3 they heartily take him for their ,saviour and ,king1 and give up themselves in covenant to him1 to be justified and sanctified by him2 whereupon he pardoneth all their sin1 and further enlighteneth and sanctifieth them by his ,spirit3 he showeth them by faith1 the infinite love of ,god1 and the sure1 everlasting1 holy joys1 which they may have in heaven with him2 and how blessed a life they may there obtain 7through his purchase and gift7 with all the blessed saints and angels3 he maketh them deliberately to compare this offer of eternal happiness1 with all the pleasures and seeming commodities of sin1 and all that this deceitful world can do for them3 and having considered of both1 they see that there is no comparison to be made1 and are ashamed that ever they were so mad as to prefer earth before heaven1 and an inch of time before eternity1 and a dream of pleasure before the everlasting joys1 and to love the pleasures of a transitory world1 above the presence1 and favour1 and glory of ,god3 and for the time to come1 they are firmly resolved what to do2 even to take heaven for their only happiness1 and there to lay up their hopes and treasure1 and to live to ,god1 as they have done to the flesh2 and to make sure of their salvation1 whatever become of their worldly interest4 ,and thus the ,spirit doth dwell and work in them1 and renew their hearts1 and give them a hatred to every sin1 and a love to every holy thing1 even to the holy word1 and worship1 and ways1 and servants of the ,lord3 and in a word1 he maketh them new creatures2 and though they have still their sinful imperfections1 yet the bent of their hearts and lives is holy and heavenly1 and they long to be perfect1 and are labouring after it1 and seek first the kingdom of ,god and his righteousness1 and live above the world and flesh3 and shortly ,christ will make them perfect1 and justify them in the day of their judgment1 and give them the glorious end of all their faith1 obedience1 and patience4 ,these are the persons1 and none but these1 7among us1 that have the use of reason17 that shall live with ,god4 ,,iii4 ,now this being the infallible truth of the gospel1 and this being the true difference between the righteous and the wicked1 the justified and condemned souls1 oh how nearly doth it now concern you1 to try which of these is your own condition6 ,certainly it may be known3 for ,god will judge the world in righteousness1 by the same law or covenant by which he governeth them4 ,know but whom the law of ,christ condemneth or justifieth1 and you may soon know whom the ,judge will condemn and justify2 for he will proceed according to this law4 ,if you should die in an unrenewed state in your sins1 your hopes of heaven would all die with you2 and if you should think never so well of yourself till death1 and pretend never so confidently to trust on ,christ and the mercy of ,god1 one hour will convince you to your everlasting woe1 that ,god's mercy and ,christ's merits did never bring to heaven an unsanctified soul4 ,self-flattery is good for nothing1 but to keep you from repenting till time be past1 and to quiet you in ,satan's snares till there be no remedy3 therefore presently1 as you love your soul1 examine yourself1 and try which of these is the condition that you are in1 and accordingly judge yourself1 before ,god judge you4#acf ,may you not know if you will1 whether you have most minded earth or heaven1 and which you have preferred and sought with the highest esteem and resolution1 and whether your worldly or heavenly interest have borne sway1 and which of them it is that gave place unto the other8 ,cannot a man tell if he will1 what it is which his very soul hath practically taken for his chief concernment1 and what it is that hath had most of his love and care8 and what hath been next his heart1 and which he hath preferred when they came to the parting1 and one was set against the other8 ,cannot you tell whether you have lived principally to the flesh1 for the prosperity of this world1 and the pleasures of sin8 or whether the ,spirit of ,christ by his word1 hath enlightened you1 and showed you your sin and misery1 and humbled you for it1 and showed you the glory of the life to come1 and the happiness of living in the love of ,god1 and hereupon hath united your heart unto himself1 and turned it from sin to holiness1 from the world to ,god1 and from earth to heaven1 and made you a new creature1 to live for heaven as you did for earth3 surely this is not so small and indiscernible a work or change1 but he that hath felt it on himself may know it4 ,it is a good work to bring a sinner to feel his unrighteousness and misery1 and to apply himself to ,christ for righteousness and life3 it is a great work to take off the heart from all the felicity of this world1 and to set it unfeignedly upon ,god1 and to cause him to place and seek his happiness in another world1 whatever become of all the prosperity or pleasure of the flesh4 ,it is thus with every true believer1 for all the remnant of his sins and weaknesses3 and may you not know whether it be thus or not with you8 ,one of these is your case3 and it is now time to know which of them it is2 when ,god is ready to tell you by his judgment4 ,if indeed you are in ,christ1 and his ,spirit be in you1 and hath renewed you1 and sanctified you1 and turned your heart and life to ,god1 ,i have then nothing more than peace and comfort to speak to you 7as in the following exhortation73 but if it be otherwise1 and you are yet in a carnal state1 and were never renewed by the ,spirit of ,christ1 will you give me leave to deal faithfully with you1 as is necessary with one in your condition1 and to set before you at once your sin and your remedy1 and to tell you what yet you must do if you will be saved4 ,,iv4 ,and first1 will you here lay to heart your folly1 and unfeignedly lament your sinful life before the ,lord8 not only this or that particular sin1 but principally your fleshly heart and life2 that in the main1 you have lived to this corruptible flesh1 and loved1 and sought1 and served the world1 before your ,god1 and the happiness of your soul8 ,alas1 friend1 did you not know that you had an immortal soul1 that must live in joy or misery for ever8 ,did you not know that you were made to love1 and serve1 and honour your ,maker2 and that you had the little time of this life given you1 to try and prepare you for your endless life2 and that as you lived here1 it must go with you in heaven or hell for ever8 ,if you did not believe these things1 why did you not come1 and give your reasons against them1 to some judicious divine that was able to have showed you the evidence of their truth8 ,if you did believe them1 alas1 how was it possible that you could forget them8 ,could you believe a heaven and a hell1 and not regard them1 or suffer any transitory worldly vanity to be more regarded by you8 ,did you know what you had to do in the world1 and yet is it all undone till now8 ,were you never warned of this day8 ,did never preacher1 nor ,scripture1 nor book1 nor friend1 nor conscience1 tell you of your end8 and tell you what would be the fruit of sin1 and of your contempt and slighting of ,christ and of his grace8 ,did you know that you must love ,god above the world1 if ever you would be saved1 and that you must to that end be partaker of ,christ1 and renewed by his ,spirit2 and yet would you let out your heart upon the world1 and follow the brutish pleasures of the flesh1 and never earnestly seek after that ,christ and ,spirit that should thus renew and sanctify you8 ,do you not think now that it had been wiser to have sought ,christ and grace1 and set your affections first on the things above1 and to have made sure work for your soul against such a day as this1 than to have hardened your heart against ,god's grace1 and despised ,christ1 and heaven1 and your salvation1 for a thing of nought8 ,you see now what it was that you preferred before heaven3 what have you now got by all your sinful love of the world8 where now is all your fleshly pleasure8 will it all now serve turn to save you from death1 or the wrath of ,god1 and everlasting misery8 will it now go with you to another world8 ,or do you think it will comfort a soul in hell1 to remember the wealth which he gathered and left behind him upon earth8 ,would it not now have been much more comfortable to you1 if you could say1 ,my days were spent in holiness1 in the love of my dear ,redeemer1 and in the hearty service of my ,god2 in praising him and praying to him1 in learning and obeying his holy word and will2 my business in the world was to please ,god1 and seek a better world2 and while ,i followed my lawful trade or calling1 my eye was chiefly on eternal life2 instead of pleasing the flesh1 ,i delighted my soul in the love1 and praise1 and service of my ,redeemer1 and in the hopes of my eternal blessedness2 and now ,i am going to enjoy that ,god and happiness which ,i believed and sought4 ,would not this be more comfortable to you now1 than to look back on your time as spent in a worldly1 fleshly life1 which you preferred before your ,god and your salvation8 ,christ would not have forsaken you in the time of your extremity1 as the world doth1 if you had cleaved faithfully to him4 ,you little know what peace and comfort you might have found1 even on earth1 in a holy life3 how sweet would the word of ,god have been to you6 how sweet would prayer1 and meditation1 and holy conference have been6 ,do you think it is not more pleasant to a true believer1 to read the promises of eternal life1 and to think and talk of that blessed state1 when they shall dwell with ,god in joy for ever1 than it was to you to think and talk of worldly trash and vanity8 ,if you had used the world as a traveller doth the necessaries of his journey1 the thought of heaven would have afforded you solid1 rational comfort all the way4 ,o little do you know the sweetness of the love of ,god in ,christ1 and how good a christian findeth it1 when he can but exercise and increase his knowledge1 and faith1 and love to ,god1 and thankfulness for mercy1 and hopes of heaven1 and walk with ,god in a heavenly conversation6 ,do you not wish now that this had been your course8 ,but that which is done cannot be undone1 and time that is past can never be called back3 but yet there is a sure remedy for your soul1 if you have but a heart to entertain and use it4 ,god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish1 but have everlasting life4#acg ,jesus ,christ being ,god and man1 is the ,mediator between ,god and man2 his death is a sufficient sacrifice for our sins2 it is his office to save all those that come to ,god by him3 do but unfeignedly repent of your sinful life1 and yet set your heart upon the life to come1 and love ,god and holiness better than the world and fleshly pleasure1 and trust your soul on ,christ as your ,redeemer1 and he will certainly forgive you1 and reconcile you unto ,god1 and present you justified and spotless in his sight4 ,think of your sin till you abhor yourself2 and think of your sin and misery till you feel that you are undone if you have not a ,saviour2 and then think what love ,god hath showed you in ,christ1 in giving him to be incarnate and die for sinners1 and offering you freely to pardon all that ever you have done1 and to justify and save you1 and bring you to endless glory with himself1 if yet at last you will but give up yourself to ,christ1 and accept his mercy and return to ,god4 ,what joyful tidings is here now for a sinful1 miserable soul6 ,yet this is the certain truth of ,god4 ,this is his very covenant of grace1 which is founded in the blood of ,christ1 and which he is now ready to make with you1 and seal to you by his ,spirit within1 and his sacrament without1 if you do but heartily and unfeignedly consent3 believe in ,christ1 and turn to ,god1 from the world and the flesh1 and resolve upon a holy life if you should recover1 and then ,i can assure you from the word of ,god1 that he will freely pardon you1 and take you for his child1 and save your soul in endless glory4 ,as late as it is1 he will certainly receive you1 if you return to him by ,christ with all your heart4 ,and doth not your heart now rejoice in this unspeakable mercy1 which is willing to save you after all the sin that you have committed1 and after all the time that you have lost8 ,do you yet love that ,god that is so abundant in goodness and in love8 and that ,saviour who hath purchased you this pardon and salvation8 ,is it not better1 think you1 to love1 and praise1 and serve him1 than to live in fleshly lusts and pleasures8 and is it not better to dwell in heaven with him1 in endless joys1 than to live awhile in the vain delights of sinners1 and thence to pass to endless misery8 ,o beg of ,god now to give you a new heart to believe in ,christ1 and repent of sin1 and love him that is most holy1 good1 and gracious3 and take heed that you slight not his grace any longer2 and that you do not now take on you in a fear1 to be that which you are not1 or to do that which you would not hold to1 if you should recover4 ,and to make all sure1 will you now sincerely enter into a covenant with ,christ2 ,i mean but the same covenant which you made in baptism and the sacrament of the ,lord's supper2 and which would have saved you1 if you had sincerely made and kept it8 ,let me therefore help you both to understand it1 and to do it1 by these questions1 which ,i entreat you to answer sincerely as one that is going to the presence of ,god4 ,quest4 ,i4 ,do you truly believe that you are a rational creature1 differing from brutes1 being made to love and serve your ,maker1 and have an immortal soul1 which must live in heaven or hell for ever8 and that there is indeed a heaven of joys1 and a hell of punishments1 when this life is ended8 ,quest4 ,,ii4 ,do you believe that in heaven1 the souls of the justified at death1 and the body also at the resurrection1 shall be joined with the angels1 and shall dwell with ,christ1 and see the glory of ,god1 and be perfected in holiness1 and filled with the sense of the love of ,god1 and with the greatest joys that our nature can receive1 and shall live in the most delightful love and praise of ,god for ever8 ,quest4 ,,iii4 ,seeing you are certain that all the pleasures of this life are short1 and will end in death1 and leave the flesh which desired them in corruption1 do you not firmly believe that the joys of heaven are infinitely better1 and more to be desired and sought1 than all the pleasures and profits of this life8 and that it is most reasonable that we should love ,god above all creatures1 even with all our heart1 and soul1 and might8 ,quest4 ,,iv4 ,seeing then that the love of ,god is both our duty and happiness1 is it not reason that we should be kept from the love of any thing in the world1 which would steal away our hearts from ,god1 and hinder us from loving him1 and desiring1 and seeking him8 and that we should mortify the love of worldly riches1 honours1 and delights1 so far as they are against the love of ,god8 ,quest4 ,v4 ,seeing ,god is the absolute ,lord and ,ruler of the world1 is it not reason that we obey him1 whatsoever he commandeth us1 though we did not see the reason why he doth command it8 ,and yet is it not plainly reasonable1 that he command us to love1 and honour1 and worship him2 and to love one another1 and to deal justly with all1 and do as we would be done by1 and to be careful of our souls1 and temperate for our bodies2 and not to neglect or dishonour our ,maker1 nor to neglect our own salvation1 nor abuse our bodies by beastly filthiness or excess2 nor to wrong our neighbours1 nor deny to do them any good that is in our power8 ,this is the sum of all ,god's laws3 and this is the nature of holiness and obedience4 ,and do you not from your heart believe1 that all this is very reasonable and good8 ,quest4 ,,vi4 ,when the sinful world was fallen from happiness into misery1 by turning away from ,god and holiness to sensuality1 and ,god sent his ,son to be their ,redeemer and ,saviour2 to be a sacrifice for sin1 and a teacher and pattern of a holy and obedient life1 and to make a new covenant with them1 in which he giveth them the pardon of all sin1 and everlasting happiness1 if they will but give up themselves to him as their ,saviour1 and ,sanctifier1 and by true repentance turn to ,god2 do you not verily believe that miserable sinners should gladly and thankfully accept of such an offer8 and abundantly love that ,god and ,saviour1 that hath so tenderly loved them1 and so freely redeemed them from the flames of hell1 and so freely offered them everlasting life8 ,and do you not believe that he1 who1 after all this1 shall slight all this mercy1 and refuse to be renewed by sanctifying grace1 and shall neglect his ,god1 and soul1 and this salvation1 and rather choose to keep his sins2 doth not deserve to be utterly forsaken1 and to be punished more than if a ,saviour and salvation had never been offered to him8 ,quest4 ,,vii4 ,hath not this been your own case8 ,have you not lived a fleshly1 worldly life2 neglecting ,god and your salvation2 and minding more these lower things8 ,and have you not refused the word and ,spirit of ,christ1 which would have brought you to repentance and a holy life8 and consequently rejected ,christ as a ,saviour1 and the ,holy ,ghost as a ,sanctifier1 and all the mercy which he offered you on these terms8 ,quest4 ,,viii4 ,if this hath been your case1 are you now unfeignedly grieved for it8 not only because it hath brought you so near to hell1 but also because it hath displeased ,god1 and deprived you of that holy and comfortable life1 which you might all this while have lived1 and endangered all your hopes of heaven8 ,do you so far repent1 as that your very heart and love is changed2 so that now you had rather have a holy life on earth1 and the sight and enjoyment of ,god in the heavenly joys for ever1 than to have all the pleasure and prosperity of this world8 ,do you hate your sins1 and loathe yourself for them1 and truly desire to be made holy8 ,are you firmly resolved1 that if ,god do recover you to health1 you will live a new and holy life8 that you will forsake your fleshly1 worldly life1 and all your wilful sins2 and will set yourself to learn the will of ,god1 and call upon him1 and live in the holy communion of saints1 and make it your chief care to please ,god1 and to be saved8 ,quest4 ,,ix4 ,are you willing1 to these ends1 to give up yourselves absolutely now to ,god the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 as your reconciled ,father1 your ,saviour1 and your ,sanctifier1 to be sanctified and justified1 and saved from your sins1 and from the wrath of ,god1 and live to ,god in love and holiness8 ,and are you willing to bind yourself to this1 by entering into this covenant with ,god1 renouncing the flesh1 the world1 and the devil8 ,either your heart is willing and sincere in this resolution and covenant1 or it is not4 ,if it be not1 there is no hope that your sin should be pardoned1 and your soul be saved upon any other1 or easier terms6 ,and for all that ,god is merciful1 and ,christ died for sinners1 it was never his intent to save one impenitent1 unsanctified soul4 ,but if your heart unfeignedly consent to this1 ,i have the commission of ,christ himself to tell you1 ,that ,god will be your reconciled ,god and ,father1 and ,christ will be your ,saviour1 and the ,holy ,spirit will be your ,sanctifier and ,comforter1 and your sins are pardoned1 and your soul shall be saved1 and you shall dwell in heaven with ,god for ever4#ach ,god did consent before you consented2 he showed his consent in purchasing1 and making1 and offering you this covenant4 ,show your unfeigned consent now by accepting it1 and giving up yourself unreservedly to him1 and you have ,christ's blood1 and ,spirit1 and sacrament1 to seal it to you4 ,the flesh and the world have deceived you2 but trust in ,christ upon his covenant terms1 and he will never deceive you4 ,and now1 alas1 what pity it is1 that a soul that is in so miserable a case1 and is lost for ever1 if it have not help1 and speedy help1 should be deprived of all this grace and glory1 and only for want of repenting and consenting6 ,what pity is it that a soul1 that is ready to go into another world1 where mercy shall never more be offered it1 should rather go stupidly on to hell1 than return to ,god1 and accept his mercy6 ,do but truly repent and consent to this covenant1 and all the mercies of it are certainly yours4 ,god will be your ,god1 and ,christ1 and the ,spirit1 and pardon1 and heaven1 and all are yours4 ,the ,lord open and persuade your heart1 that you may not be undone and lost for ever1 for want of accepting the mercy that is offered you6 ,and now ,i know it would be comfortable to you1 if you could be fully assured that you are forgiven1 and shall be saved4 ,in a matter of such unspeakable moment1 how joyful would a well-grounded certainty be1 to any man that hath the right use of his understanding8 ,i tell you therefore from ,god1 that there is no cause of your doubting on his part1 but only on your own4 ,there is no doubt to be made1 whether ,god be merciful1 nor whether ,christ be a sufficient ,saviour and sacrifice for your sins2 nor whether the covenant be sure1 and promise of pardon and salvation to all true penitent believers be true4 ,all the doubt is1 whether your faith and repentance be sincere1 or not3 and for that1 ,i can but tell you how you may know it2 and ,i shall open the truth to you1 that ,i may neither deceive you1 nor causelessly discomfort you4 ,if this repentance and change which you now profess1 and this covenant which you have made with ,god1 #a4 ,do come only from a present fear1 and not from a changed1 renewed heart2 #b4 ,and if your resolutions be such as would not hold you to a holy life1 if you should recover2 but would die and fade away1 and leave you as you were before1 when the fear is past2 then it is but a forced1 hypocritical repentance1 and will not save you1 if you so die4#aci ,though a minister of ,christ should absolve you of all your sins1 and seal it by giving you the sacrament of the body and blood of ,christ2 for all this you are lost for ever1 if you have no more3 for absolution and the sacrament are given you but on supposition that your faith and repentance be sincere2 and if this condition fail in you1 the action of the holiest minister in the world will never save you4 ,but1 #a4 ,if your repentance and covenant come not only from a present fear but from a renewed heart1 which now loveth ,god1 and ,christ1 and heaven1 and holiness1 better than all the honours1 and riches1 and pleasures of the flesh and world1 and had rather have them1 even on ,god's terms2 #b4 ,and if this change be such1 as if you should recover1 would hold you to a holy life1 and not die1 or dwindle into hypocritical formality1 when the fright is over2 then ,i can assure you from the word of ,god1 that if you die in this repentance1 you shall certainly be saved4 ,and though late repentance have so many difficulties that it too seldom proveth true and sound1 and it is an unspeakable madness to cast our salvation on so great a hazard2 and to defer that till such a day as this1 which should be the principal work of all our lives2 and for which1 the greatest care and diligence is not too much3 yet for all that1 when conversion is indeed sincere1 it is always acceptable1 how late soever2 and a returning prodigal shall find better entertainment with ,god1 than he could possibly expect2 and never will ,christ cast out one soul that cometh to him1 in sincerity of heart4#adj ,the ,lord give you such a heart1 and all is yours4 ,amen4 ,jer4 xxxi4 #cd2 ,eph4 i4 #g2 ,acts v4 #ca2 ,eph4 v4 #bf2 ,rev4 i4 #e2 #b ,cor4 vi4 #af2 ,mal4 iii4 #ag2 ,john i4 #ab2 iii4 #af2 ,eph4 ii4 #ad2 ,rom4 viii4 #a1 #ag2 ,luke iv4 #ah2 ,rom4 v4 #a1 #e2 ,luke i4 #gd2 ,john x4 #bh2 ,luke xxiii4 #dc2 #a ,cor4 xv4 #h2 ,tit4 iii4 #c1 #d2 ,acts iv4 #d-f2 #a ,tim4 i4 #ac-af4 ,a ,form of ,exhortation to the ,godly in their ,sickness4 ,dear friend3 ,though nature teacheth us to have compassion on your flesh1 which lieth in pain2 yet faith teacheth us to see the nearness of your happiness1 and to rejoice with you in hope of your endless joys1 which seem to be at hand4 ,we must rejoice with you as your friends that love you1 and therefore are partakers of your welfare3 and we must rejoice with you as your fellow-travellers and fellow-soldiers1 that are going along with you to the same felicity2 and if we are left behind for a little while1 yet hope ere long to overtake you1 and never to be separated from you more4 ,this is the day for which ,christ hath been so long preparing you2 and which you have so long foreseen1 and have been so long preparing for yourself4 ,this is the day which you thought on in all your prayers and patience1 in all your labours and sufferings1 your self-denial and mortification1 since ,god did bring you to yourself and him4 ,now you are going to see the things which you have believed2 and to possess the things which you have sought and hoped for2 to see the final difference between the righteous and the wicked2 between a holy and a worldly life1 between the vessels of mercy and of wrath4 ,your time is hasting to an end1 and endless blessedness must succeed it4 ,o now1 what a mercy is it to have a ,christ6 that you are not to encounter an unconquered death2 nor to go to ,god without a ,mediator3 but that death is by ,christ disarmed of its sting2 and that you may boldly resign your soul into the hands of your ,redeemer1 and commend it to him as a member of himself6 ,now1 what a case had your soul been in1 if you had no intercessor6 if you had been to answer for your sins1 yourself only2 and had not a ,saviour to be your advocate1 and answer for you6 ,now you may better perceive than ever you have done1 what ,god did for you when he opened your eyes1 and humbled1 and changed1 and renewed your heart2 and how great a mercy it is to be a penitent believer4 ,you may now see more fully than ever heretofore1 what ,god intended for you1 when he converted you2 when he forgave all your sins1 and justified you by his grace1 and adopted you for his child1 and an heir of life1 and sealed you with his ,spirit1 and sanctified and separated you to himself4 ,now what a case were you in1 if you were yet in your sins1 and in the bondage of ,satan1 and had not this evidence of your title to eternal life6 if you had your heart to soften1 and to humble1 and to convert1 and your faith and justification all to seek1 and all your preparations for heaven to make2 if you had all this to do1 with a pained body1 and a distracted mind1 in so short a time1 with ,god1 and eternity1 and death before you1 ready with terror to overwhelm your souls6 if now you were to seek for an interest in ,christ1 and for the pardon of all your sins1 and your peace with ,god were yet to make6 if you had all your life past to look back upon1 as consumed in sin2 and when time is at an end1 must cry out of all that is past1 as lost6 ,this is the case that ,god in justice might have left you to4 ,but what an unspeakable mercy is it1 that you have already been reconciled to that ,god that you are going to6 and that the sins which now would have been your terror1 are all forgiven through the blood of ,christ6 that you can look back upon your time1 since the day of your conversion1 as spent in faithful devotedness to ,god1 and in a believing preparation for your endless life2 and in godly sincerity1 notwithstanding your manifold sinful imperfections1 which ,christ hath undertaken to answer for himself6 ,though you have nothing of your own to boast of2 and no works that will justify you according to the law1 at the bar of ,god2 but you need a ,saviour1 and a pardon1 for the failings1 even of the best that ever you did2 yet must you with thankfulness remember that grace which hath begun eternal life within you1 and prepared and sealed you to the fall possession of it4 ,for all the mercy that is in ,god1 and for all the glory that is in heaven1 and for all the merits and satisfaction of ,christ1 and for all the fulness and freeness of the promise2#ada if ,god had not given you a believing1 penitent heart1 and sanctified and sealed you by the ,spirit of his ,son1 all this could have afforded you little comfort1 but would have aggravated your misery1 as it did your sin4 ,seeing then that1 many of the wicked would be glad to die the death of the righteous2 and when it is too late1 they would all be glad if their latter end might be like his2 how glad should you be1 that ,god1 by such a life1 hath prepared you for such an end6 ,and though a humble soul hath still an eye upon its own unworthiness1 and ,satan is ready to aggravate our sins1 in order to our discouragement and fear2 yet must you remember what an honourable victory grace hath had over them2 and look on them as ,christ did1 as the advantage of his grace2 that where sin abounded1 there grace hath super-abounded4#adb ,you have had something to humble you1 and to show you that you were a child of ,adam2 and you have had something for grace to contend with1 and to conquer2 and for ,christ to pardon3 bless him through whom you have had the victory4 ,had you not deserved hell1 ,christ would not have saved you from a deserved hell2 and the song of the ,lamb would not have been so sweet to you1 in the everlasting remembrance and experience of his grace4 ,you have sinned as a man1 and he hath pardoned as ,god2 you have been weak and nothing1 but his grace hath been sufficient for you1 and by his strength you can do all things4 ,he hath as dear a love to you now in his exaltation1 as he had upon the cross1 when he was bleeding for your sins4 ,and will he suffer a chosen soul to perish1 for whom he hath paid so dear a price8 ,a ,christ in heaven that had never been on earth1 would have seemed a stranger to us1 and one that never was acquainted with our miseries1 nor had testified his love at so dear a rate1 as might have convinced1 and encouraged1 and won our hearts4 ,and a ,christ on earth1 that had not passed for us into heaven1 would have seemed to us but an insufficient1 conquered friend2 and were unfit to provide us a mansion with the ,father1 and to receive our souls1 when they are separated from the flesh4 ,but now we have a great ,high ,priest that is passed into the heavens1 and was in all points tempted like as we are1 yet without sin2 and therefore can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities2 and therefore we may come boldly to the throne of grace1 that we may obtain mercy1 and find grace to help in time of need1 ,heb4 iv4 #ad-af4 ,this is your time of need1 and here is a supply for all your needs4 ,as we may come boldly through our ,high ,priest to the throne of grace1 so may we boldly pass by his conduct into the presence of ,god in glory4 ,for he is purposely gone before to prepare a place for us1 that where he is there we may be also1 ,john xiv4 #a-c4 ,oh what a joy is it to our departing souls1 that we have our ,head and ,saviour already in possession of the kingdom which we are passing to6 ,what a support and joy is it1 to receive this message from our ascending ,head1 ,say to my brethren1 ,i ascend to my ,father1 and your ,father2 to my ,god1 and your ,god1 ,john xx4 #ag4 ,what a joy is it to read his promise1 ,john xii4 #bf1 ,if any man serve me1 let him follow me2 and where ,i am1 there shall also my servant be4 ,you have served him1 and are following him1 and now are going to be with him where he is4 ,there you shall be delivered from the darkness of this world4 ,how dimly did we see through the lantern of the flesh6 how little did we know6 and how much were we ignorant of6 and what pains did our little knowledge cost us46 ,but there1 one sight of the face of ,god will put an end to this longsome night2 and will show you that1 which all the reading and study of a thousand years could never satisfactorily have shown you4 ,there you shall understand the works of ,god3 the frame of the creation2 the place1 and office1 and reason of all things1 which here you knew not4 ,the mysteries of the gospel1 which angels pry into1 will be there much more unfolded to you1 than the clearest divines were able to explain them4#adc ,all sciences there shall be one pansophy2 and all things knowable shall appear to you in their wondrous1 perfect harmony4 ,what welcome will those blessed angels give you that here disdained not to minister for you1 and bear you up in all your ways1 and interested themselves in your concernments1 rejoicing before ,god at your conversion6 ,how glad then will they be of your safe arrival at the promised harbour of felicity with themselves6 ,what joy will it be to you to be presently entertained1 and welcomed into the acquaintance of those blessed spirits1 and of all the holy souls that are delivered from this flesh and world2 and to see their order1 and be numbered with their society1 and to be employed in their joyful work4 ,oh how much better company is that than the best below6 ,there is no ignorance1 and therefore no error2 no want of love1 and no contention2 nor narrow1 private interests to contend for1 but all made happy in perfect love in him that is their universal end and happiness4 ,there is no dissension1 nor perverse disputes2 no ignorant zeal1 nor blinding passions2 no proud or covetous designs1 and therefore no hurtful means to prosecute them2 no seeming necessity to hurt our brethren1 to advance1 or enrich1 or save ourselves2 no slanderers there condemn the souls whom ,christ doth justify1 nor take away the righteousness of the righteous from him2 no cruel mockings1 imprisonments1 or banishments2 no wandering1 destitute1 afflicted1 or tormented2 nor more suffering for the sake of righteousness2 but having suffered with ,christ they are now reigning with him2 and those1 of whom the world was not worthy1 are taken to ,god from an unworthy world4 ,there are no troublesome mutations or confusions2 no wars1 nor rumours of wars1 because no lusts to war in their members2 but united souls in the harmony of love1 do without any discord praise the ,lord4#add ,the church is not there divided into sects and factions1 either through the pride or peevishness of its members2 none scrupleth communion with the rest2 none silence others from speaking the praises of their ,redeemer2 nor drive away others from their brotherhood and communion4 ,there is neither unrighteous law1 nor disobedient subject1 nor unpeaceable neighbour1 nor unfaithful friend1 nor hurtful or malicious enemy6 ,there is no afflicted friend to mourn for1 nor any disconsolate soul to grieve with2 no ignorant person to instruct1 nor obstinate heart to persuade or pray for2 no fearful1 doubting christian to be comforted1 nor weak and wavering soul to be confirmed2 no imprudent1 scandalous actions of the godly to be lamented2 no remnants of pride1 self-conceitedness1 or any delusion to keep out the light2 no blemishes in them for the enemies to reproach1 nor any malignant enemies to reproach them2 no misrepresentations of things or persons2 no raising or receiving false reports2 no sin of our own to grieve for1 or to strive against2 and no sin of others to trouble the society1 or be lamented4 ,there we shall have no suffering friend to suffer with2 none labouring of want1 while you have plenty2 nor any groaning in pain and sickness1 while you are well4 ,as no want or pain of your own will afflict you1 so no suffering of your friends will interrupt your joy4 ,your comforts shall not be turned into lamentations1 for the madness and obstinate wickedness of a sodomitical generation about you2 nor your righteous soul be vexed with their filthy and sottish conversation4#ade ,you shall not dwell in a world where the most part is drowned in heathenism and infidelity1 nor in a church defiled with papal tyranny1 cruelty1 covetousness1 or profaneness4 ,the whole society will shine in light1 and flame in love1 and none through any weakness or corruption will be a clog or hinderance to another4 ,you shall above all this behold the person of your glorified ,redeemer6 ,you shall see that body1 in its glorious change1 which once was humbled to the virgin's womb1 and to a life of poverty1 and to the scorns of sinners2 to be spit upon1 and buffeted1 and crowned with thorns1 and first made a laughingstock1 and then hanged up to die upon a cross1 at the will of proud1 malicious persecutors4 ,you shall there see that ,person whom ,god hath chosen to advance above the whole creation2 and in whom he will be more glorified than in all the saints4#adf ,the wonderful condescension of his incarnation1 and the wonderful mystery of the hypostatical union1 will there be better understood4 ,and1 which is all in all1 you shall see the most blessed ,god himself2#adg whether in his essence1 or not1 yet undoubtedly in his glory1 in that state or place1 which he hath prepared to reveal his glory in1 for the glorifying of holy spirits4 ,you shall see him whose sight will perfect your understandings1 and love him1 and feel the fulness of his love1 which is the highest felicity that any created being can attain4 ,though this will be in different measures1 as souls are more or less amiable and capacious1 7or else the human nature of ,christ would be no happier than we17 yet none shall have any sinful or troublesome imperfection1 and all their capacities shall be filled with ,god4 ,o dear friend1 ,i am even confounded and ashamed to think1 that ,i mention to you such high and glorious things1 with no more sense and admiration6 ,and that my soul is not drawn up in the flames of a more fervent love2 nor lifted up in higher joys1 nor yet drawn out into more longing desires1 when ,i speak of such transcendent happiness and joy6 ,o had you and ,i but a glimpse with blessed ,stephen or ,paul of these unutterable pleasures1 how deeply would it affect us6 ,and how should we abhor this life of sin2 and be weary of this dark and distant state2 and be glad to be gone from this prison of flesh2 and to be delivered from this present evil world6#adh ,this is the life that you are going to live2 though a painful death must open the womb of time1 and let you into eternity1 how quickly will the pain be over6 ,and though nature make death dismal to you1 and sin have made it penal1 and you look at it now with backwardness and fear2 yet this will all be quickly past1 and your souls will be born into a world of joy1 which will make you forget all your fears and sorrows4 ,it is meet that as the birth of nature had its pains1 and the birth of grace had its penitent sorrows2 so the birth of glory should have the greatest difficulties1 as it entereth us into the happiest state4#adi ,oh what a change will it be to a humbled1 fearful soul1 to find itself in a moment dislodged from a sinful1 painful flesh1 and entered into a world of light1 and life1 and holy love1 unspeakably above all the expressions and conceptions of this present life4 ,alas6 that our present ignorance and fear should make us draw back from such a change6 that whilst all our brethren that died in faith1 are triumphing in these joys with ,christ1 our trembling souls should be so loth to leave this flesh1 and be afraid to be called to the same felicity6 ,oh what an enemy is the remnant of unbelief1 to our imprisoned and imperfect souls6 that it can hide such a desirable glory from our eyes1 that it should no more affect us1 and we should no more desire it1 but are willing to stay so long from ,god6 ,how wonderful is that love and mercy1 that brings such backward souls to happiness6 and will drive us away from this beloved world1 by its afflicting miseries6 and from this beloved flesh1 by pain and weariness6 and will draw us to our joyful blessedness1 as it were1 whether we will or not6 and will not leave us out of heaven so long1 till we are willing ourselves to come away6 ,you seem to be almost at your journey's end4 ,but how many a foul step have those yet to go1 whom you leave behind you in this dirty world4 ,you have fought a good fight1 and kept the faith2 and shall never be troubled with an enemy or temptation when this one concluding brunt is over4 ,you shall never be so much as tempted to unbelief1 or pride1 or worldly-mindedness1 or fleshly lusts1 or to any defects in the service of your ,lord4 ,but how many temptations do you leave us encompassed with6 and how many dangers and enemies to overcome6 ,and alas6 how many falls and wounds may we receive6 ,you seem to be near the end of your race1 when those behind you have far to run4 ,you are entering into the harbour1 and leave us tossed by tempests on the waves4 ,flesh will no more entice or clog your soul6 ,you will no more have unruly senses to command1 nor an unreasonable appetite to govern1 nor a straggling fantasy1 or wandering thoughts1 or headstrong lusts1 or boisterous passions1 to restrain4 ,you will no longer carry about a root of corruption1 nor a principle of enmity to ,god4 ,it will no more be difficult or wearisome to you to do good4 ,your service of ,god will no more be mixed and blemished with imperfections4 ,you shall never more have a cold1 or hard1 or backward heart1 or a careless1 customary duty to lament4 ,that primitive holiness which consisteth in the love of ,god1 and the exercise and delights thereof1 will be perfected2 and those subservient duties of holiness1 which consist in the use of recovering means1 will cease as needless4 ,preaching1 and studying1 and books1 will be necessary no more4 ,sacraments1 and church discipline1 and all such means have done their work4 ,repentance and faith have attained their end4 ,as your bodies1 after the resurrection1 will have no need of food1 or raiment1 or care1 or labour2 so your souls will be above the use of such creatures and ordinances1 as now we cannot be without4 ,for the glass will be unnecessary1 when you must see the ,creator face to face4#aej ,will it not be a joyful day to you1 when you shall know ,god as much as you desire to know him8 and love him as much as you desire to love him8 and be loved by him as much as you can reasonably desire to be beloved8 and rejoice in him as much as you desire to rejoice2 yea1 more than you can now desire8 ,i open to you but a casement into the everlasting mansions1 and show you but a dark and distant prospect of the promised land1 the heavenly ,jerusalem4 ,the satisfying sight is reserved for the time1 when thereby we shall have that satisfying fruition4 ,and is there any such thing to be hoped for on earth8 ,will health or wealth1 will the highest places or the greatest pleasures1 make men happy8 ,you know it will not4 ,or if it would1 the happiness would be so short1 as maketh it little worthy of our regard4 ,have you not seen an end of all perfection8 ,have you not observed and tried what a deluding dream1 and shadow of felicity1 the world puts off its followers with8 ,how they act their parts as players on a stage2 and they that in a dream1 or mask1 did yesterday seem princes1 lords1 or conquerors1 to-day are buried in a darksome grave6 ,and they that yesterday seemed great and rich1 to-day have no more of their furniture1 or possessions1 than a coffin and a winding-sheet1 and a place to hide their loathsome flesh6 ,and they that yesterday were merry1 and jovial1 and in health1 and honour1 to-day lie groaning in painful misery1 are leaving their dear-bought1 beloved riches1 never to be delightful to them any more4 ,how little doth it concern them1 that must dwell in heaven or hell for ever1 whether they live in wealth or poverty1 in honour or shame1 in a palace or a cottage1 in pain or pleasure1 for so short a time as this transitory life1 which is almost at an end as soon as it is begun6 ,how many millions of dying parents have cried out of the world as vanity and vexation6 and yet their besotted posterity admire it1 and through the love of it lose their souls and everlasting hopes6 ,they boast or rejoice in the multitude of their riches1 as if their houses would continue for ever2 though in their honour they abide not1 but are like the beasts that perish1 and death feedeth on them1 when like sheep they are laid in the grave2 and though this their way is their folly1 yet their posterity approve their sayings1 and follow them by the same sin to the same perdition1 ,psal4 xlix4 #f1 #g1 #aj-ad1 #ag1 #ai1 #bj4 ,and is this a world for a holy soul to be in love with8 ,hath it merited our affections8 ,doth it love us so much1 or use us so well1 that we should be loth to leave it8 ,john xv4 #ah-bj4 ,as it loved our ,lord1 it will love his followers3 as it used him1 it will use us1 if he restrain it not4 ,is a blinded1 bedlam world1 a malicious1 cruel1 and ungodly world1 a false1 perfidious1 deceitful world1 a place for a saint to be loth to leave8 ,o blessed be that love1 that blood1 that grace1 which hath provided better for us6 ,and shall we be unwilling to go to so sweet a feast8 and to partake of a happiness which cost so dear8#aea ,come on then1 dear friend1 and faint not at the last2 and fear not to encounter with the king of fears6 ,it is the last enemy1 and it is a conquered enemy6 ,conquer this1 and you have no more to conquer4 ,lift up your head1 and look to your victorious1 reigning ,lord2 gird up the loins of your mind1 and let faith and patience hold out yet a little while1 and play well this last part1 and all is your own4#aeb ,if the tempter now assault your faith1 and sinking flesh do give him any advantage1 abhor his blasphemies1 and cry for help to him that conquered him4 ,do you think yonder high and spacious mansions are uninhabited2 when every part of sea and land hath its inhabitants8 ,why have those blessed angels been so long employed in ministering for you1 but to let you know1 that your souls are not so distant from them1 but that they are glad of familiarity with you1 and you may be like them1 or equal with them in felicity8 ,nature hath put you out of doubt1 that there is a ,god of infinite1 eternal being1 power1 wisdom1 and goodness1 who is the efficient1 dirigent1 and final cause of all2 the ,creator and ,governor of the world4 ,and the same nature hath put you out of doubt1 that all that his creatures have1 or can do1 is due to him from whom they have it2 and that so far as you are capable to know1 and love1 and serve him1 that you should employ your faculties herein3 and nothing is more undeniable to you1 than that it is our duty to love and serve our ,god1 with all our heart1 and soul1 and might4 ,and it is as clear to you1 that neither are these powers given us in vain1 nor this duty required of us in vain1 nor yet that man's natural1 highest duty is made to be the way of his misery and undoing4 ,and sure that way1 which turneth the mind from sensual pleasures1 and casteth a man on the malice and cruelty of the world1 and engageth him in so much duty1 which both the flesh and the world are utter enemies to1 would be his misery and torment1 if there were no rewards and punishments hereafter1 and no future judgment to set all straight1 that seemed crooked in the judgments of men4 ,if all the intrinsic evidences of credibility1 in the sacred word1 were not sufficient2 if all the antecedent evidences of prophecy were too little2 if the concomitant evidence of all the miracles of ,christ1 and his apostles1 and other of his servants1 with his own resurrection and ascension1 did seem too distant from you2 yet mark what subsequent continued evidences it hath pleased ,god to bring even to your very sense1 to assure you of the truth of this gospel1 and of the life to come4 ,whence cometh that universal1 unreasonable enmity1 which in all generations and nations of the world1 from ,cain and ,abel till this day1 is found in the carnal against the spiritual1 holy seed8 ,even a ,seneca telleth us of it among heathens1 against that remnant of virtue1 and temperance1 and sobriety that was found in the better sort of men4 ,could all mankind be thus infected1 and hate a saint that never hurt them1 much more than those that themselves confess to be most vicious1 if the fall of ,adam were not true8 ,have we a whole world before our eyes1 that are visibly polluted with that irrational leprosy1 and yet shall we doubt whether our common father was sick of that disease8 ,and do you not see that the gospel1 wherever it is heartily entertained1 doth renew the soul1 and change the life1 and make the man to be another man2 not only amending some little things that were amiss1 but making us new creatures1 and turning the bent of heart and life another way8 ,though the carnal1 nominal christian1 that never heartily received the gospel1 do differ from a heathen but in opinion and formality2 yet serious christians are other men1 and so transformed1 as that their holy desires and endeavours do contain the seed of life eternal1 and are such a preparation for it as cannot be in vain4 ,would ,god concur thus with any word1 which is not true1 and holy1 and good1 to make it effectual for the renovation of so many millions of souls8 ,have you not found that his work of grace is carried on by heavenly wisdom1 love1 and power8 and is a witness of his special providence8 and containeth his own image upon the soul8 ,and shall we then question the author of the seal1 when we see that the image and superscription which it imprinteth is divine8 ,and have you not had such experiences yourself of the fulfilling of this word1 in the answer of prayers1 manifest both on men's souls and bodies1 which are enough to confute the tempter1 that would shake your faith1 when he seeth you in your weakness1 unfit to call up all those evidences1 which at another time you have discerned8 ,for my own part1 ,i must bear this witness to the truth1 that ,i have known1 and felt1 and seen1 and heard such wonders wrought upon fervent prayer1 as have many a time convinced me of the truth of the promises1 and the special providence of ,god to his poor petitioners4 ,i have oft known the acute and chronical diseases of afflicted ones relieved by prayer without any natural means4 ,some of the most violent cured in an hour2 and some by more slow degrees4 ,besides the effects upon men's souls1 and estates1 and public affairs1 which plainly demonstrated the means and cause4 ,and shall a promise thus sealed to us1 be ever questioned again8 ,nay1 have you not the witness in yourself1 #a ,john v4 #aj-ab2 even the ,spirit of ,christ1 which is the pledge and earnest of your inheritance1 and the seal and mark of ,god upon you8 ,in a word1 it is an unquestionable truth1 that the rational world neither is1 nor ever was1 nor can be governed agreeably to its nature1 without an end to move and rule them1 which is beyond this life2 and without the hopes and fears of a reward and punishment hereafter4 ,were this but taken out of the world1 man would no longer live like man1 but as the most odious1 noxious creature upon earth4 ,and it is as sure that it agreeth not with the omnipotence1 wisdom1 and goodness of ,god1 to govern so noble a creature by a lie1 and to make a nature that must be so governed4 ,and it is as certain that all other revelation is defective1 and that life and immortality1 the end and the way1 were never so brought to light1 as they are in the gospel1 by ,christ1 and by his ,spirit4#aec ,say then to the malicious tempter1 ,the ,lord rebuke thee1 ,o ,satan6 even the ,lord that hath chosen ,jerusalem1 rebuke thee1 ,zech4 iii4 #b4 ,o full of all subtlety and mischief6 thou enemy of ,god and righteousness6 wilt thou not cease to be a lying spirit1 and to pervert the truth and right ways of the ,lord8 ,acts xiii4 #aj4 ,lift up your soul to ,god1 and say1 ,i believe1 ,lord1 help mine unbelief6 ,though ,satan stand to resist me at my right hand1 am ,i not a brand plucked out of the fire8 ,am ,i not thine8 and have ,i not resigned this soul to thee8 and didst thou not accept it in thy holy covenant8 ,o then defend it as thy own6 ,plead thou my cause1 and confirm thy work1 and justify both thy truth and me1 against the malicious enemy of both4 ,o let the intercession of my ,saviour prevail1 that my faith fail not4 ,and take away the filthy garments from me1 and cause mine iniquities to pass away4 ,and though my soul be troubled1 what shall ,i say8 ,father1 save me from this hour8 ,but then what passage shall ,i have into thy presence8 ,i was born a mortal wight1 and go but the way as all generations have gone before me2 and follow my ,lord and all his saints3 ,father1 receive and glorify thy servant1 that thy servant may glorify thy name for ever6 ,receive1 ,o ,father1 the soul which thou hast made6 ,receive1 ,o ,saviour1 the soul which thou hast so dearly bought1 and loved to the death1 and washed in thy blood6 ,receive the soul which thou hast regenerated by thy ,spirit1 and in some measure quickened by the immortal seed6 ,behold1 thou hast made my days as an handbreadth2 my age before thee is as nothing2 and every man at his best estate is vanity4 ,when thy rebukes correct us for iniquity1 thou makest our beauty to consume as a moth4 ,and now1 ,o ,lord1 what wait ,i for8 is not my hope alone in thee8 ,deliver me from my transgressions1 and impute not to me the sins which ,i have done4 ,remember not against me the sins of my youth2 and forgive the iniquities of my riper years4 ,charge not upon me my grieving of thy ,spirit1 and neglects and resistances of thy grace4 ,forgive my sins of ignorance and of knowledge1 my sins of slothfulness1 rashness1 and presumption1 especially those which ,i have wilfully committed1 against thy warnings and the warnings of my conscience4 ,who can understand his errors8 ,cleanse thou me from secret sins4 ,o pardon my unprofitableness1 and abuse of thy mercies1 and my sluggish loss of precious time6 that ,i have served thee no better1 and loved thee no more1 and improved no better the day of grace6 ,though folly and sin have darkened my light1 and blemished my most holy services1 and my transgressions have been multiplied in thy sight1 yet is the sacrifice sufficient which thou hast accepted from our great ,high ,priest1 who made his soul an offering for sin4 ,in him thou art well pleased3 he is our peace3 in him ,i trust3 he was holy1 harmless1 undefiled1 and separate from sinners3 he did no iniquity3 he fulfilled all righteousness2 and by once offering of himself1 he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified3 he is able to save to the utmost them that come to ,god by him1 seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them4 ,accept me1 ,o ,father1 in him thy ,well-beloved3 let my sinful soul be healed by his stripes1 who bare our sins in his body on the cross4 ,let me be found in him1 not having any legal righteousness of my own1 but that which is through the faith of ,christ2 that being made conformable unto his death1 ,i may attain to the resurrection of the dead2 and may by him be presented without spot or blemish4 ,my ,god1 thou hast encouraged my fearful soul1 by the multitude of thy mercies1 as well as by thy promises1 to trust thee1 and yield itself to thee4 ,thou hast filled up all my days with mercy3 every place that ,i have lived in1 and every relation1 and all that ,i have had to do with in the world1 are the witnesses of thy love and mercy to me4 ,thy eyes beheld my substance being yet imperfect1 and all my members were written in thy book4 ,my parents were instructed by thee to educate me1 and all things commanded by thee to serve for my preservation1 comfort1 and salvation4 ,thou hast brought me forth in a land and age of mercies1 and caused me to hear and see the things which others have not seen or heard4 ,the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places2 my life hath not been spent in a howling wilderness1 nor in banishment from thy sanctuary1 or the communion of thy saints2 nor hath it been wholly consumed in darkness1 and sorrow1 and unserviceable barrenness4 ,but often have ,i heard the joyful sound1 and ,i have gone with the multitude to the house of ,god1 and there have seen the light of thy countenance1 and drank of the rivers of thy pleasure1 even of the waters of life1 and have been solaced with the voice of joy and praise4 ,how oft have ,i cried unto thee in my trouble1 and thou hast delivered me out of my distresses6 ,when for my folly and transgression ,i was afflicted1 thou broughtest me out of darkness and the shadow of death4#aed ,thou renewedst my age as ,hezekiah's1 and causedst the shadow of my dial to go back6 and hast set me at liberty to praise thee for thy goodness1 and declare thy works to the children of men4 ,in the day of trouble ,i called upon thee1 and thou didst deliver me that ,i might glorify thee4 ,thou causedst me to receive the sentence of death1 that ,i might trust in ,god that raised the dead4 ,my ,shepherd hath led me in his pleasant pastures1 by the silent streams2 he restored my soul1 and conducted me in the paths of righteousness4 ,how precious are thy thoughts unto me1 ,o ,god6 how great is the sum of them6 ,if ,i should count them1 they are more in number than the sand4 ,and will that mercy now forsake me1 which hath abounded to me1 and supported me so long8 ,thou hast said1 ,i will never fail thee nor forsake thee4 ,having loved thy own1 that are in the world1 thou wilt love them to the end2 for thy mercy is great and reacheth to the heavens1 and it endureth for ever4 ,o therefore when ,i awake1 let me be with thee6 ,and as thy loving-kindness is better than life2 and to depart and be with ,christ1 is far better than the best condition upon earth2 so let thy servant depart in peace1 his eye of faith beholding thy salvation3 and when my earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved1 let me have that building of ,god1 the house not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens4 ,let my present burden of sin and suffering make me more earnestly to groan1 not to be unclothed1 but to be clothed upon1 that mortality may be swallowed up of life2 that being absent from the body1 ,i may be present with the ,lord4#aee ,and seeing this cup may not pass from me1 and ,i must not look for the chariot of ,elias1 to carry me unto heaven2 let thy will be done1 and let me rest therein1 and let death be the gain and advantage of my soul2 and while this outward man is perishing1 let the inner man be renewed from day to day3 for what am ,i better than my fathers1 and all thy saints1 and the generations of mankind1 that ,i should think of another passage1 than this of death1 to the world of immortality8#aef ,o let this fainting heart be glad1 and let my glory rejoice1 and in love and joy1 in thankfulness and praise1 let me pass into the world of love and joy1 where thanksgiving and praise shall be my work for ever4 ,and though my flesh and heart will fail1 be thou the strength of my heart1 ,o ,god1 and my portion for ever4#aeg ,though ,i must walk through the valley of the shadow of death1 let me fear no evil2 but be thou still with me1 and let me be comforted by thy rod and staff3 let the goodness and mercy which hath followed me thus far all my days1 receive me at the last1 that ,i may dwell with thee for ever4 ,for it is the will of my ,redeemer1 that those which thou hast given him1 be with him where he is1 to behold the glory which thou hast given him4 ,and that his servants should follow him1 that where he is1 there also may his servants be4 ,amen1 ,lord ,jesus6 good is thy will and the word which thou hast spoken6 ,into thy hands ,i commend my spirit which thou hast redeemed4 ,receive it1 and let me be with thee in paradise4 ,o thou that hast called us thy brethren1 when thou didst ascend to thy ,father and our ,father1 and to thy ,god and our ,god1 take up this poor unworthy soul to the mansions which thou hast prepared for us1 that ,i may be with thee where thou art4#aeh ,and though this flesh must perish1 let it rest in hope1 and be but sowed as a grain of wheat2 till thy powerful call shall raise it from the dust1 and this corruptible shall put on incorruption1 and this mortal shall put on immortality1 and this natural body shall be raised a spiritual body1 and death shall be swallowed up in victory4#aei ,for though ,i be dead1 my life is hid with ,christ in ,god2 and when thou appearest who art my life1 then let me appear with thee in glory4 ,o hasten that appearance1 and come with thy holy1 glorious angels1 to be glorified in thy saints1 and admired in and by believers6 ,when thou wilt change our vile bodies1 and make them like to thy glorious body1 by the mighty working1 by which thou canst subdue even all things to thyself4 ,hast thou not said1 ,behold1 ,i come quickly8 ,even so come1 ,lord6 and let the great marriage day of the ,lamb make haste1 when thy spouse shall be presented spotless1 unblamable1 and glorious2 and the glory of ,god in the ,new ,jerusalem1 shall be revealed to all his holy ones1 to delight and glorify them for ever4 ,in the mean time1 remember1 ,lord1 thy promise1 ,because ,i live1 therefore shall ye live also3 and let the dead that die in thee be blessed3 and thou that art made a quickening ,spirit1 and art the ,lord and ,prince of life1 and hast said that not a hair of our heads shall perish2 gather our departing souls unto thyself1 into the heavenly ,jerusalem and mount ,sion1 the city of the living ,god1 and to the myriads of holy angels1 and to the general assembly and church of the first-born1 and to the perfected spirits of the just2 where thou wilt make us kings and priests to ,god1 whom we shall see1 and love1 and praise for ever4 ,for of him1 and through him1 and to him are all things2 and for his pleasure they are1 and were created4 ,and ,o thou the blessed ,god of love1 the ,father of spirits and ,king of saints1 receive this unworthy member of thy ,son1 into the heavenly choir which sing thy praise6 who rest not saying1 night and day1 ,holy1 holy1 holy1 ,lord ,god ,almighty1 who is1 and was1 and is to come6 ,for thine is the kingdom1 the power1 and the glory1 for ever and ever4 ,amen4#afj #acd ,isa4 lvii4 #a1 #b2 ,phil4 i4 #ba1 #bc4 #ace ,matt4 xiii42 #b ,thess4 i4 #f-aa4 #acf ,matt4 xviii4 #c2 ,heb4 xii4 #ad2 ,john iii4 #c1 #e1 #f4 #acg ,john iii4 #af1 #ah4 #ach ,matt4 xxviii4 #ai1 #bj2 #b ,cor4 vi4 #af-ah4 #aci ,matt4 xiii4 #ai-bc2 ,rom4 viii4 #g-i2 ,heb4 xii4 #ad2 ,john iii4 #c1 #e1 #f2 ,matt4 xviii4 #c2 #b ,cor4 v4 #ag2 ,eph4 vi4 #bd2 #a ,cor4 xvi4 #bb2 ,luke xiv4 #bf1 #bg4 #adj ,luke xv4 #ai-bb2 ,john vi4 #cg4 #ada ,gal4 iv4 #d1 #f2 ,rom4 viii4 #af1 #ag2 viii4 #i2 #a ,pet4 iii4 #g4 #adb ,rom4 viii4 #be1 #cf2 ,eph4 i4 #f1 #g2 ii4 #e1 #g1 #h2 ,tit4 iii4 #c1 #e1 #f1 #g2 ,rom iii4 #bd2 #b ,cor4 xii4 #i2 ,luke xv4 #d1 #f1 #bd2 ,matt4 xviii4 #aa2 #b ,pet4 iii4 #i2 ,john iii4 #ae1 #af2 ,matt4 xviii4 #ad2 ,luke xxi4 #ah2 ,john xviii4 #i2 vi4 #ci4 #adc ,heb4 xii4 #bb2 i4 #ad2 ,psal4 xxxiv4 #g2 ,luke xv4 #aj2 xvi #bb2 xx4 #cf2 ,phil4 iii4 #aj1 #bj1 #ba4 #add ,heb4 xi4 #ce-ch2 ,matt4 xxiv4 #f2 ,psal4 xlvi4 #i3 ,james iv4 #a1 #b4 #ade ,zeph4 iii4 #ag1 #ah2 ,ezek4 ix4 #d2 #b ,pet4 ii4 #g1 #h4 #adf ,john xvii4 #b1 #d2 ,phil4 ii4 #g-aj4 #adg ,matt4 v4 #h2 ,heb4 xii4 #ad4 #adh ,acts vii4 #ef2 #b ,cor4 xii4 #c-e2 ,gal4 i4 #d4 #adi ,john xvi4 #ba2 iii4 #c1 #e1 #g1 #h4 #aej #b ,cor4 iii4 #ah2 iv4 #f2 #a ,cor4 xiii4 #ab4 #aea #a ,john ii4 #ae3 ,john xv4 #ag-bj4 #aeb ,post illam pugnam triumphabimus victores cum nostro signifero in vita terna3 diu in ,christum credidi3 desidero jam finem fidei1 ut non amplius credam in eum1 sed videam eum in quem credidi3 ut gustem quam suavis fit ,dominus1 palpem manibus ,dominum meum1 et ,deum meum4 ,ibi vocabor ,abraham1 qui lastatur videns diem ,christi3 expertus sum quod in hac vita peccatum sit omnia in omnibus3 experiar etiam 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