opinions or principles that are contrary to sound doctrine to be broach'd or loose wayes and customes that are contrary to the power of godlinesse to be observed and shall not use his authority to prevent and suppresse them he contracts to himself the guilt and drawes upon himself the mischief of all those Sins and Enormities Just as he that licences a Book to the Prâ—ss if there be any faults of ignorance or errour or poysonous opinions they may be justly charged upon him and laid at his doore though he is not the author yet because he is the licencer though he is not the Parent yet because he is the midwife So if there be any heresie and blasphemy tolerated in a place if there be any profanenesse and ungodliness suffered among a people because it has the Magistrates Imprimatur and he suffâ—â—s it to passe the Countrey without whipping therefore he 's highly guilty Sabbath-breaking abounds let it passe sayes the Major of a Towne drunkennesse abounds let it alone sayes the Justice of peace profanenesse abounds let it go sayes the Minister Sirs if it should be thus this were to bear the Sins of a whole Parish and a whole County and a whole Nation upon a mans back at once See that Rev. 2. to this purpose Where you finde the sins of the people charged upon the Governours for their permission and toleration both sins of Doctrine Practise Of Doctrine Rev. 2.12 14 15. Unto the Angel of the Church of Pergamus write I have a few things agaâ—nst thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicola tans which thing I hate This is charged upon the Angel the Overseer and Governour of the Church he should have hindered it and he did tolerate and permit it and it was his Sin and so of Practice Rev. 2.18 20 Vnto the Angel of the Church in Thyatira write I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel which calleth her self a Prophetesse to teach and seduce c. To suffer Jezabel to teach in a Nation is to suffer painting and wantonness and uncleannesse these were the Sins of Jezabel and to permit them is to partake of them Object But some may object and say Why does God then permit Sin to be in the world he might hinder it and he might prevent it if he would there could be no wickednesse acted under the Sun but by Gods permission the Devil could not tempt Job nor Satan could not fift Peter without leave and commission from God neither could any wicked man act his villany and spit out his venome without Gods sufferance If permission of Sin be a partaking of Sin how shall we vindicate God from the imputation of unrighteousnesse Answ 1. This was Marcion's wicked and malicious cavil at Gods providence about the first Transgression Why would not God who foresaw the issue hinder Eve and the Devil from conference and communion together that so Sin might have been prevented and the World bin everlastingly happy unlesse saith he God was either envious and would not or weak and could not hinder it To which â—ertâ—llian replies Because God was arbitrary and free in his gâ—fts Austin answers Because it was his will Prosper and Hilary reply The cause may be unknown it cannot be unjust All which is enough Os obturare to muzzle that Heaven-daring mouth of Blasphemy But afterward Austin answers That though sin be the worst thing in the world yet the existence of sin is not ill as poyson would do no hurt if men would not meddle with it but that satisfies not our case Therefore 2. Though God hath authority and is of ability to prevent and hinder the Commission of sin yet hee is not bound in duty so to do God's under no tye and obligation but his own purpose and pleasure Deus non tenetur Legibus God is a Law to himself Herein lies the guilt and evil of mans permitting of sin hee is bound in duty as well as furnished with ability and authority to prevent it and therefore his permitting of sin is a partaking of sin Exod. 22.18 Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live man is bound to hinder prophaneness and wickedness if hee can but so is not God though hee is of infinite power and ability to restrain it or to remove it yet hee is not bound in duty and so it is no unrighteousness in God to suffer sin Sin is the transgression of the Law but where here is no Law there is no transgression 3. It is no unrighteousness in God to suffer sin when hee may hinder it because hee can by his infinite Wisdome order it to his own glory hee suffered Pharaoh to harden his heart that hee might bee glorified on Pharaoh Rom. 9.17 Pharaoh's sin turned to Gods glory as hee makes all penal evils work together for our good so hee makes all sinful evils concur to his own glory 4. It is no unrighteousness in God to suffer sin because hee can turn every mans sin to a greater benefit and advantage Gen. 50.20 You thought evil against mee saith Joseph to his Brethren but God meant it unto good hee can bring good out of evil and light out of darkness God suffers Toads and Serpents to live because they are useful they suck the noxious and hurtful gusts from herbs and flowers and so make them wholesome for mans use So God permits sin in the world because hee knows how to make it useful hee can make an Antidote of the Vipers flesh Hee did by an excellent and rare Chymistry extract the greatest Mercy from the greatest Mischief the grea-Good from the greatest Evil the Salvation of Mankinde from the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ 5. By influence of bad Example by setting loose and bad Examples for others to imitate So men are guilty of others sins as namely when Children sin by the Examples of their Parents those very Parents are guilty of their Childrens sin So wee have some Families that inherit the lusts as well as the lands of their Ancestours Parents swear and curse and so do Children Parents are Drunkards and so are Children Parents are unclean and so are Children as they make them rich by their Livings so they make them wretched and debaucht by their lives this is to make themselves partakers of all their sins So when people sin by the looseness and licentiousness of their Minister that Minister is guilty of those very sins that the people so commit which made Austin though a very holy man so exceeding jealous of himself in this case that that was his constant Prayer Libera me Domine a pecca is meis alienis Lord saith hee deliver mee from mine other mens sins those sins that others have committed through my carelesness and incogitancy And indeed Examples are more cogent and influential a great deal than Precepts The Adulteries of Jupiter and other Pagan
their souls from death James 5.20 and hide a multitude of sins Now the principal Objects of this excellent duty are such with whom wee converse such to whom wee are obliged and connexed by the bonds and links of nature office or vicinity of habitation Hence was it that our blessed Lord while hee walked in the valley of his Incarnation exercised his Ministry most part among his kindred relations and neighbours at Nazareth Capernaum Bethsaida neer the Sea of Tiberias at Cana and other Regions of Galilee in which parts hee had receive his Education Andrew when hee understood the call of Christ the gret Saviour of the world John 1.41 hee presently seeks out his Brother Simon to bring him to the Messiah Philip after the like manifestation looks out for Nathaniel and in a great extasie of spirit John 1.45 cries out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee have found him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write There are many instances of this nature both in the Old and New Testament Abraham and Joshua were famous in their Generation for this work they counted it their principal business they made it their great care to instruct their families in the fear and service of the great God Psal 101.2 David also ingages to walk in his house with a perfect heart that by his exemplary pattern hee might gain over his family to the Lord. Luke 5.29 Matthew the Publican wee read did invite all the Tribute-gatherers that were of his own Fraternity and Profession to a great Feast that they might sit down with Christ and feed upon his heavenly Doctrine John 4.53 The great man in the City of Capernaum brings in his whole family to the beleef of the Truth Act. 10.24 Cornelius the Roman Centurion who was quartered at Caesarea calls his Relations together to hear the Doctrine of Faith and Repentance The woman in the Gospel having found the lost groat after great pains and diligence calls in her friends and neighbours to rejoyce with her Luke 15.9 Crispus and the Jaylor and Lydia and Stephanas are eminent Examples of this duty by whose conscientious care and procurement it may bee supposed that their whole housholds came under the roof of Christ because presently after that wee have heard of their own personal Baptism wee finde their families also washed in that sacred Layer I shall not insist upon Arguments to prove the incumbent necessity of this duty or Motives to allure you to the practice of it I might deduce it as an inference consequent from the Law of Nature to use our greatest indeavours that our Relations might obtain an union to the best and highest good I might draw it from the. Divine Injunction I might excite your diligence from the consideration of the dreadful danger following its neglect Psal 78.5 from the comfort that will flow into thy bosome upon the exercise of it since it is a notable evidence of the sincerity of Grace in thine own heart None but such as have seen and tasted can cry out to others with an holy affectionate vehemency O come taste and see that the Lord is good P1sal 34.8 The Wine of the Kingdome having once warmed the hearts of Saints sends up vivacious spirits and fills their mouths with a holy loquacity I might further provoke thee to this excellent work by the rich benefit in gaining such to love thee whose affections will exceed all natural love whatever and by the great reward that shall ensue in the life to come For they that turn many to righteousness Dan. 12.3 shall shine as the stars for ever and ever O Brethren if families were holy then Cities then Nations would quickly prove Mountains of Holiness and Seats for the Throne of God Wee are apt to cry out of bad times Alas those unclean Nests of ungodly Families have been the causes of all the wickedness in all Ages and Generations to this day Therefore whoever thou art on whom the Grace of God hath shined study that holy art of Divine Reflection and Re-percussion of that light on others hearts which bring 's mee to an useful and practical question Quest You I say What course shall wee take what means shall wee use what method will you prescribe that wee may bee able to manage this important and weighty duty that wee may bee helpful towards the conversion and salvation of our neer Relations that are in the state of nature I confess this Question is of grand importance and being properly solved may prove of great influence in all places where wee are cast by Divine Providence There is scarce a family scarce a person living who may not bee comprehended within the verge and limits of this discourse Ans In answer therefore to it I shall spend the principal part of my time and that I may handle it the more distinctly I shall rank such as may desire satisfaction and direction in this weighty and excellent case under three forms or orders Such as are either Superiours Equals or Inferiors But before I enter into the main body of the Answer I shall crave leave to premise three things 1. That this Question is not to bee understood of persons in publick capacity and concernment as Magistrates or Ministers but of Family-Relations Kindred Co-habitants Neighbours Friends and Acquaintance of such as have frequent converse together in Civil Societies and often commerce in dealings but principally of Oeconomical Relatives or such as are nigh to each other by blood or affinity 2. That Saving-Conversion is in the power of God alone to effect as being the primary and principal efficient cause of all those gracious works that accompany salvation There is none able to kindle Grace in the heart but hee who hath his fire in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem Yet not withstanding all of us in our several stations as subordinate instruments may and must use all wholesome means that are of Divine Appointment conducing to such a blessed end 3. That there are different states conditions capacities and qualifications among such Relations whose conversion wee should endeavour Some being perhaps enormously and outragiously wicked others morally civil and yet further others possibly may bee conformable to the institutions of the external worship of God Of these I may speak Sparsim opere interâ—exto as the particulars will hear together with such other appendant cases that may hold some consanguinity with the General Question To begin then with the first branch Quest 1. What means Superiors principally in Family-Relations should use to draw on their Inferiors to rellish and savour the things of God True it is what Jerom saies fiunt Hieronym ad Laetam Tom. 1. p. 55. edit Lugd. 1530. non nascuntur Christian No man is born a Christian but an heir of wrath and divine justice For the obtaining of the New Birth thin in such as are committed to our charge I shall draw up directions under
brother to thy poor and to thy needy in the Land that is thou shalt give unto him freely and bountifully And saith our Saviour in the New Testament Give to him that asketh thee Luk. 5.42 and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away And saith the Apostle To do good and to communicate forget not Heb. 13.16 for with such Sacrifices God is well-pleased in which words hee presseth the duty with a forcible Motive for who would not do that which is well-pleasing unto God who is bountiful in rewarding the least good wee do upon his command This duty of Alms-giving being so expressely commanded in Scripture it is not in our power to omit or neglect the same neither can any creature give us a dispensation against the Creators command A Prophet stileth omission of that which God enjoyneth to be done yea though that omission were but in part and that upon a fair pretence Rebellion 1 Sam. 15.23 which is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness which is as iniquity and idolatry Against him who failed in performing the charge enjoyned him though hee were a King this doom is denounced because thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord hee hath also rejected thee from being King 1 Sam. 15.26 In like manner may God reject such as neglect this duty of Charity when hee calls them to it from being Kings and reigning in Heaven Wee have a manifest instance thereof Matth. 25.41 42 43. Now the giving of Alms being a duty so expresly commanded in the holy Scriptures it cannot therefore be accounted a matter meerly arbitrary left to a mans own will to give or not to give But it is a bounden duty which they that in any competent measure can do must not omit which consideration cannot but be a strong incitation unto us to make conscience of this duty of Alms-giving as occasion is offered and not to over-slip opportunities that by the divine providence are offered unto us Should wee neglect that which our Lord hath expresly commanded that whereunto by vertue of that command wee are bound that whereof wee are to give an account Let us upon thâ— Lords commands do what in this kinde wee can And when wee have done what wee can say Luk. 17.10 Wee are unprofitable servants wee have done what was our duty to do 2. Of the Equity of this duty of Alms-giving It is a most equal thing that hee who hath wherewithall should give to him that hath not The equity ariseth both from the divine providence and also from the instability of mans state and condition 1. God for this end gives more to some than to others that they who have more abundance should give out of their abundance to them who are in want This was typically signified by the gathering of Manna which though it were rained down from Heaven yet the Lord would not allow that they who had gathered much even more than was needful for themselves and their houshold should hoard up their superfluity but enjoyned them to communicate of their abundance to such as had not enough 2 Cor. 8.14 The which the Apostle applieth to the giving of Alms out of our abundance to those who want which hee stileth equality 2. Mans state is so variable as hee who now hath may quickly want and in want desire to be succoured by such as have It is thereupon most equal that they who would be succoured in their need should bee willing to succour the need of others This equity doth Christ himself press Matth. 7.12 all things whatsoever yee would that men should do to you do yee even so to them And as a ground to enforce this the further he addeth for this is the Law and the Prophets Hereby implying that this doctrine is contained in the Law and the Prophets but that is not all these words this is the Law and the Prophets intend that the sum of the law and the prophets consisteth therein and the main scope of them tendeth thereunto namely so far as they contain the duties of man to man So evident is the equity hereof even by the light of nature as the very heathen who wanted the light of Gods word discerned it Well therefore might the Apostle enforce this duty of charity upon this ground thus Remember them that are in bonds Heb. 13.3 rebound with them that is bee helpful to others which cannot help themselves as you would have others afford succour unto you if you were succourless 3. Meditate of the manifold singular benefits which do follow and accompany a conscionable performance of this duty For thereby wee discharge our duty to God who requireth it at our hands and as a consequent thereof wee shall glorifie God for it tends much to his praise and glory when in such works as himself hath commanded his children testifie their obedience and thankfulness and therefore saith our Saviour Herein is my Father glorified if yee bring forth much fruit John 15.8 And by our Charity as wee shall grace and adorn our holy profession so wee shall stop the mouths of wicked men from speaking any evil of us or of our profession for how are men apt to speak of us and of our profession according to the fruits wee bring forth and the good works which wee do And as wee shall thereby comfort and make glad the hearts of the poor and distressed so wee shall refresh our own souls in that our works of Charity will evidence our fruits to bee sound and saving lively and effectual for as Rachel said to Jacob give mee Children or else I dye in like manner saith Faith to the soul of a Christian Give mee Children let mee bring forth good works else I dye Jam. 2.26 and have no life in me according to that of the Apostle James Faith without works is dead it s not a living but a dead faith that manifests not its life by working II. As Meditation so Prayer is a special means on our part to bee performed for attaining unto this grace of Charity I say earnest and fervent prayer unto God for the same for as hee is the fountain and author of every good gift so hee hath sanctified Prayer as the means of obtaining every good gift from him Bee earnest therefore with God in Prayer that he would be pleased to give thee as a compassionate heart towards the needs and necessities of the poor members of Jesus Christ so an open hand that thou mayest freely and liberally contribute unto them according to their necessity and thy ability Beg of God that as hee hath blessed thee with some competent estate so he would add this mercy to give thee an heart to give out proportionably to what hee hath given thee and that in testimony of thy love and thankfulness unto him But alas how few are there who in their prayers unto God are mindful of this grace of Charity how few are
You that have all this while taken your swinge in all wickedness as long as you could live my house was not good enough for you and now that you have laid me under the reproach of your leudness and fulfilling your lusts as long as you had a penny in your purse or a rag to your back Do you now come to me There is no duty or affection to me that swayes you hither but you are compelled by the extremity you have brought your self to Get you gon with a sorrow and never look me in the face more Thus we would have thought but it is quite otherwise his Father when he did but say he would come meets him afar off falls on his neck kisses him brings him home provides the best Room the best Robe the best Kid all the best and there is great joy His Father do h not question what draws or what drives whether he comes out of compelling necessity or out of ingenuity and dutiful affection But he is come that is enough This my son was dead and is alive was lost and is found and there 's all done that possibly may make him welcome apply it for your encouragement to believe and settlement in your undoubted interest by faith Though you seem to come late and out of necessity yet Gods thoughts are not your thoughts yours may be thoughts of wrath c. But Gods are of pity love acceptation upon your coming Thus you see your way is immediately to come and cast your selves upon Chrâ—st on the terms of the Gospel and your great trouble shall be removed Make not a judgment of your condition from what you feel but from what you hear from the word of grace which now gives sentence on your side Direct 3 Then having this for your support search look back to experiences look into your selves what marks you can find of the truth of your faith and in this be sure you take hold on the Promise that lies nearest to you i. e. is most sutable to your present condition as in point of fear to sin Isa 50.10 Lostness Mat. 18.11 Poverty of spirit Longing and thirsting after righteousness c. Mat. 5.3 4 6. and so one Grace and Promise will draw in all Direct 4 In dependence on Christ in the Promise wait till he speaks pâ—â—ce and assurance ever fearing to offend God especially by casting off duty distrusting of him charging him with folly limitting him to time or means knowing and assuring your selves that you cannot so pleâ—se God in any thing as in resolved Faith to cleave to him and to follow him fully in the patient expectation of the Promise of grace and glory Thus accepting Christ in the Covenant in the strength of the grace thereof Give up thy whole self to Christ in a Covenant of willing universal unreserved obedience and say with David Psal 85.8 I will hearken what the Lord will say for he speaketh peace to his people that by the power thereof they turn not again to folly In what things must we use Moderation and in what not Phil. 4.5 Let your Moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand WHat St. Austin said in his dayes of another Scripture that it stood more in need of good practising than any Learned Interpretation that may I say in these dayes wherein we live concerning the words I have read to you at this time I shall not therefore detain you with shewing their coherence especially considering their intirenesse or with any glossing upon them but hâ—st to open the nature of this Duty and presse the practice thereof upon you all In the Verse you have two general parts 1. An Exhortation to the shewing Moderation which being in materia necessaria is a command 2. The Argument enforcing it The Lord is at hand The former will bound my present discourse which I need not alter but according to the Grammatical order the words stand in might consider the personae res actiones exprest therein all which make up the whole of the Duty enjoyned yet if you please to have the Proposition formed take it thus It is God's Command Doctr. and our Duty to let our Moderation be known unto all men Which I shall prosecute according to the order of Nature in this method 1. In opening the nature of Moderation 2. In shewing it's exercise 3. By whom and to whom 4. Why. And lastly make Application Moderation opened 1. Concerning the nature of Moderation or what it is wherin the signification of the word description of the thing it 's subject kinds rule and extremes And here I confesse I enter upon an unbeaten path the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which descends from it and for which by a Gâ—aecisme it is used in the Text being of such multifarious signification and no where in Scripture rendred in that extent as here nor any where else that I can find by Moderation which also occurs in no other place of all the Bible It signifies properly that which is fit decent due meet convenient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesych 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etymol Modestia dicta est a modo ubi autem modus nec plus est quicquam nee minus Cicer est autem modestia in animo continens moderationem cupiditatum Idem 3. Rhet. And is accordingly rendred by former Interpreters modestia not as opposed to pride or haughtinesse in it's strict Philosophick acception which some not attending to have therefore quarrelled with but that which doth moderate our actions in which sense the Masters of that Language frequenâ—ly use it and by later for avoiding that ambiguity Moderatio from whence is formed our English word Moderation Which in it's latitude is not any particular Grace or Virtue but that fit and proper temper we ought to observe in the governing of our hearts and lives that equal Judgment which should command our wills and affections and all our humane actions which are capable of excesse or defect by proportioning them according to the quality of the object and the end for which and whom they are imployed for the preserving of peace within our selves and with others that there may be no contumacy or rebellion in our affections to disquiet our selves or in our actions to disquiet others So that moderation according to it's Subject is either that of the mind which is as the cause or of the will and affections in their actings which is as the effect from all which the whole man is denominâ—ted Modorate The former or that of the mind is that part of Christian prudence which proportions our actions to the Object which the will chooseth and it's end according to the variety of circumstances the agent is in by applying the general rules of Scripture for our walking to our particular actions and is accordingly well rendred here by one of the Antients rationabilis conversatio Ambros in loc your reasonable or
lawfully made now by us Christians because what was lawfull to the Jew on Morall considerations and not on any Ceremoniall considerations that is also lawfull now unto us Christians Let it be noted I do not say what was once lawfull to them is now lawfull unto us for it was lawfull for them to sacrifice it is not now lawfull unto us But I say what was once on Morall grounds lawfull to them is now lawfull to us because the morality of the thing which is supposed the ground of this Vow is the same to them and us It was lawfull for Jacob on Morall motives to engage himself more closely to God if God would indeed be with him It is as lawfull for any of us on the same occasion and for the like motive to vow unto God Jacob was moved to it lest he should be found lesse than ordinarily thankfull for a more than ordinary providence and mercy to him So may you or I * Neque enim à pii hominis officio tunc abhorret votivam oblationem velut solenne recognitionis Symbolum consecrare ne ingratus erga benignitatem ejus videatur Calvin Instit l. 4. c. 13. for it is not abhorrent to the duty of a pious man at such time to consecrate as a solemn testimony of his acknowledgement an offering by Vow lest he should seem unthankefull for his bounty If there were then Vota moralia Vowes that were morall in their matter manner motives and ends and that such there were Job's covenant with his eyes and David's swearing to keep Gods Commandments prove to us either we must say they did what was unlawfull or else we cannot make such moral Vowes which is not rational to suppose or else yeelding such Vowes so made to be lawfull to them they are so to us But thirdly Vowes may lawfully be made by us Christians 3. Vowes by generall consent of Nations approved for it is a kind of thankfulness and acknowledgement made to God with the universall approbation and consent of men It is such a chief Rent that no Nation in the world putting a value on Gods goodnesse and putting a difference between great and little dangers between great and little blessings Quid enim nisi Vota supersunt Ovid. but did constantly approve this way of preventing great dangers by great Vowes and resenting great blessings by like vowed praises Thus addressing themselves in a more than ordinary manner to their Gods on more than ordinary exigences And if I must bring my witnesses to depose for the truth one speaks in English thus Votum omnibus gentibus populis in periculo constitutis usitatum Szegedin loc com de Votis Vow was used frequently by all Nations and people beset with danger Another learned Pen at once intimateth the universality of the custome and censureth the vanity and blind folly of the Heathens in their Vowes to their Idol-Gods Hence the * Hinc illa Votorum ineptiae imo prodigiosae absurditates apud Ethnicos quibus nimis insolenter cum diis suis luserunt Calvin Instit l. 4. c. 13. follyes and monstrous absurdities of the Heathen in their Vowes wherewith they did too insolently abuse their Gods It were endlesse to attempt what testimonies might be gathered up in this point but by these it is apparent that thankfulness is a debt which all Nations apprehended might and ought to be ensured to God by Vow So that hence I would collect that as gratitude is not only lawfull but a duty imprinted on the soul of man so this high degree of gratitude is a Copy or Transcript of that Original It is lawfull doubtlesse to us to be thankfull in the highest degree Now the return of more than ordinary duty for more than ordinary mercy is the highest and is the Vow we speak of Fourthly Vnlesse such Vowes may be accounted lawfull to us 4. Vowes the only Gospel free-will offering extraordinary I cannot see how we have any way of making free voluntary and extraordinary acknowledgements unto God For since all duty is commanded and so determined as to matter and manner ordinarily that the Law prescribes and enjoyns them and we may not superadde any thing to the Law yet sometime more than ordinary mercy gives us command to be more than ordinary in our acknowledgements which since it may not be by doing any thing not commanded must be done by adding our own promise and word to have more than our ordinary care was or otherwise would have been to do what is commanded or else it must be left undone as unlawfull which is in the issue to leave us without any way of binding our selves to acknowledgements suited to extraord nary providences In a word Seeing the Law of God is the standing rule of our daily obedience and is the same unchanged rule of our daily duties but withall the mercies and varieties of providences are a Law likewise to us Christians and when great require great and suitable deportment in us We must have some way and that lawfull to measure out our resentments which can be no other but the laying bonds and voluntary obligations on our selves unto God which is the same with this Vow Either there must be some such lawfull way or else great providentiall mercies which call for greater returns and are a reall Law to us cannot be duely observed and obeyed Now I know riches of grace in the Gospel have not so intrenched on or done injury to providences I know that as grace is no enemy to the standing Law nor patronizeth licentiousness so neither is grace an enemy to providence nor warranteth any one to overlook the greatnesse and extraordinary mercy in any providences or to be carelesse and sleight in answering them with unsuitable return of thankfulnesse But 5. Vowes best ensure duty and ensnare not us Fifthly That is lawfull to us Christians which doth most certainly ensure our duty to God yet doth not ensnare us in the ensuring of it That you or I may do lawfully which will not ensnare us but more strongly engage us to our duty none will doubt this In dealing with a man you or I or any reasonable man would be ready to give any security that we might give without ensnaring our selves Judg. 11.35 Now Vowes well composed do more ensure the duty for we cannot go back it is a Vow yet do not ensnare for we can perform them they are Vowes well composed Jephthah's Vow bound him fast for it was the bond of a Vow but this bond ensnared him for it was rash and ill composed such was unlawfull to him and is to us David's Vow here was an ensuring him to God and his duty it unalterably bound him yet it was no snare to him for he had so vowed that he could say I will pay my Vowes such Vowes were lawfull to him such are lawfull to us Now all well composed Vowes will be such they will very firmly
perplexa omnis quod viri gravissimi jam olim conquesti sunt de animae intellectivae potentiis facultatibus disquisitioâ— quae capere se putant quidem suo modo capiunt illiteratâ—ssimi quique homunciones haec ipsa non capiunt acutissimi philosophi quâ in re nequeo satis admirari Dei Opt. Max. infinitam Sapientiam retundentis hoc pacto humanam superbiam repraesentantis mortalibus velut in speculo inanem illam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qua sibi videntur aliquid esse cum nihil sint miserè decipiâ—ntes cor suum p. 35. 36. that doth not further the design I drive at viz. an universall and exact conscientiousness For Conscience the Hebrews ordinarily make use of two words viz. Heart and Spirit Heart in Prov. 4.23 Keep thy Heart i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor tuum i. e. keep thy Conscience with all diligence and so in the New Testament 1 John 3 20. If our Heart k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e if our Conscience condemn us Spirit in Pro. 18.14 A wounded Spirit l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a wounded Conscience who can bear and so in the New Testament 1 Cor. 2.11 What knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of man i. e. the Conscience of Man that is in him But in English as also in the Greek n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Latine o Con-scientia whence we borrow it 't is called Conscience knowledge with another which excellently sets forth the Scripturall nature of it as Job 16.19 My witnesse is in heaven and Rom. 9 1. I say the truth my Conscience also bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost In both places q.d. God witnesseth with my Conscience p Sanderson ibidem postea sâ—arsim Conscience is placed in the middle under God and above man q Perkins Vol 2 l. 1. p. 11. I will close this with Brochmand's description of Conscience r Brochmand T. 1. Art 1 c. 3. q 2. p. 7. to be a kind of silent reasoning of the Mind whose definitive sentence is received by some affection of the Heart whereby those things which are judged to be good and right are approved of with dâ—light but those things which are evill and naught are disapproved with grief and sorrow God hath placed this in all men partly to be a judgement and testimony of that integrity to which man was at first created and of that corruption that followed sin partly that God may have a Tribunal erected in the breasts of me to accuse delinquents and to excuse those that do what is good and right 2. The Object of conscience is very various conscience hath great employment Å¿ Mr. Bernard of cons p. 56. seqq and much businesse with the whole man and with all his actions 't is like those living creatures in the Revelation all over eyes it looks to the understanding t 2 Cor. 1.12 whether our wisdome be carnal or gracious to the will u Roman 7.18 whether it goe beyond or fall short in ability of good performances to the affections x Rom. 9.1.2 whether the entertainment or refusal of the Gospel be the matter of greatest joy or sorrow It pryes into all our actions both towards God and man Towards God whether in general our estate be good y Heb. 9.14 in speciall whether our service be inward z 2 Tim. 1.3 Spiritual or onely outward a Heb. 9 9. formal More particularly it surveighs all our duties whether we pray in faith b Heb. 10.22 whether we heare with profit c 1 Tim. 3.9 whether through our Baptisme we can goe unto God as unto an Oracle d 1 Pet. 3.21 Interp. 72. vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utuntur quando in V.T. Israelitae dicuntur interrogare os domini baptismus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 responsio bonae conscientiae etiaÌ„ interrogatio apud Deum quia audet cum fiducia DeuÌ„ accedere interrogare hoc est cum eo collâ—qui cumque rogare pro seâ—t aliis Geâ—hard l. c. T 4. de Sacram p. 180. § 88. whether in the Lords Supper we have singular Communion with Christ e Cor. 10.15.16 in short whether we doe and will stick close to Religion f 1 Pet. 3.15.16 as knowing that if Conscience doe not steer right Religion will be Shipwrakt g 1 Tim. 1.19 Thus duties towards God are the great object of Conscience but duties towards man are the Secundary and like unto it Towards man in our whole conversation h Acts 23.1 Particularly that we be obedient to rulers i Rom. 13.5 and that which is in one place charged upon us for Conscience sake is in another place commanded for the Lords sake k 1 Pet. 2.13 in short that we be just in all our dealings l Heb. 13 18. avoyding all justly offensive things m 1 Cor. 10.29 words n 1 Kings 2.44 thoughts o Psa 73.15.16 that we express singular charity p 1 Tim. 1 51 especialy to soules q Rom 9.1.2 and this in prayer r 2 Tim. 1.3.4 when we can doe nothing else and Conscience doth not onely do all this at present urging to duty or shooting or tingling under the commision of sin but it foresees things future provoking to good and cautioning against evill and also looks back upon things past with joy or torment so that it is easier to reckon what is not the object of conscience then what is in a word Every thing of duty and sin is the object of Conscience 3. The Offices of Conscience are likewise various In general the proper Office of Conscience is discursively to apply that light which is in the mind unto particular actions or cases The light which is in the mind is either the light of Nature or the light of Divine Revelation By the light of Nature I understand those common notions which are written in the hearts of men which as a brand pluckt out of the common burning are the reliques of the Image of God after the fall Not onely Scripture but experience evidenceth that those which are practical Atheists that say unto god depart from us Å¿ Job 21.14.15 we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes yet cannot get rid of his Deputy their Conscience they carry a Spy a Register a Monitor in their bosome that doth accuse and trouble them they cannot sin in quiet t Quod egi in corpore hoc post modum importuna cogitatione verso in mente muâ—toties gravius torqueor in recordatione quam prius captus fuerem operis perpetratione Bern. de inteâ— dom c. 30 p. 1074. Those that are without or Reject the Sun-shine of Scripture yet they canot blow out Gods Candle u Prov. 20 17. of Conscience By Divine revelation I meane
both the standing rule of Scripture w Isa 8.20 and Gods extraordinary x Nu. 12 6 7.8 Heb. 1.1 discoveries of himselfe whether by dreams or visions or Prophesies or other Spiritual communications all which thought if they be froÌ„ God they are acording to Scripture y 1 John 4.1 yet the former are afforded upon particular z 2 Chro. 20.14 1 Kin. 13.20 11 Nu. 24. per totuÌ„ Providences and the last are the universal priviledges of particular favourites a 1 Cor. 12.2 3 4. But it is the office of Conscience to apply all these and that it doth by the discourse of a practical Syllogisme b Sayrus clav Reg. l. 1. c. 3 p. 4. e.g. Whosoever believeth c John 3.39 i. e. accepteth of Christ as Lord d 1 Cor. 12.3 and Saviour shall be saved but may the gracious person say I accept of Christ as Lord and Saviour e John â—0 28 Therefore shall I be savâ—d Or thus Whosoever is unfeignedly willing to have his â—â—tions brought to the Scripture touchstone to be tried whether they be riâ—â—â— for the matter and to the Scripture Ballance to be weighed whether 〈◊〉 are weight for the manner his deeds are wrought in God i. e â—he is in a state of Grace he acteth by the gracious assistance of the â—pirit of God f John 3. â—0 21 But may the trembling Soul say I desire nothing more then to bring my selfe and all my actions to a Scripture tryall g Psa 139 23.24 Therefore he may conclude I am in a state of Grace h Psal â—6 1.2 c. Once more Whosoever commiteth sin i. e. maks a trade of Sin is of the Divel i. e. is the Child of the Devil But may every unregenerate Person say k Rom. 6.20 I make a trade of sin i. e. when I am a sinning I am in my Element I am where I would be there is no work so pleasing to me Therefore I am the Child of the Devil l Rom. 6.16 i. e. I am in a estate of Damnation In the major or first proposition you have the dictate m Habitualis cognitio menti impressa varie ab authoribus nur cupatuâ— ut conscientia conscientiae dictamen lex naturalis scintilla rationis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Estius in 2. l. Sent. distinct 39. § 2 p. 427. of Conscience i John 3.8 In the minor or second proposition you have the Testimony n conscientia respectu propositionis dicitur lumeÌ„ lex â—espectu assuÌ„ptionis conclusionis testis sed respectu assumptionis aptissimè vocatur index vel liber respectu conclusionis maximè proprié judex Ames de conscien l. 1. c. 1 p. 3. § 9. of Conscience and in the Conclusion you have the judgement of Conscience o Propositionem dictat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assumptio per appropriationem vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conclusio est ipsa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibidem § â—0 In the first the power of Conscience is very great so great that it can do any thing but make evill good p Ibidem Theses Theol. de Cons p. 44. § 18. for it can make an indifferent action good or evill q 1 Martinus de verb. cons and it can make a good action evill r Martinius de verb. cons therefore in things necessary it doth so bind that noe humane laws can loosen Acts 4.19 vix crediderim apud se fuisse Stapletonom cum hac effutiret Forum conscientiae dixit esse longè majorem partem câ—avium Cham. â— Paustr T. 2. l. 11. c. 9. p. 205. §. 23 and thereupon we are said to be down-right debtors t Rom. 1.14 engaged servants u Rom. 6.16 spirituall bound w Acts 20.22 lovingly constrained x 2. Cor. 5.14 graciously necessitated y 1 Cor. 9.16 Yea in a word we can do no other unless we will offer violence to our Consciences then do what God chargeth upon us as duty z Acts 4.20 Thus far the dictate of Conscience In the Testimony of Conscience Conscience examines sifts and tries our actions this in Scripture is called a returning into a mans own heart a 1 King 8.47 reversi fuerint ad cor suum ex heb a thinking of our ways b Ps 119.59 a speaking to our heart c Hos 7.2 a laying things to heart d Jer. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponens super cor a setting our heart upon a business e Haggi 1.5 there 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponite cor vestruÌ„ super vias vestras an examination and trial of our selves f 2 Cor. 13.5 there 's both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q.d. make as strict a scrutiny into your own hearts as the Devil will do when he tempts you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be as loth to be mistaken in your graces as a Usurer in his coyn and thence the conclusion is inferred from the premisses according to our apprehension of the rule and account of our actions Yet this is worthy of special observation that though both the premisses be undeniably true yet there 's nothing more ordinary then for not only wicked g Ro. 2.18.21 22. but gracious persons though upon different grounds to deny the conclusion and the truth is without the Spirits assistance by way of conviction to the wicked and relief to the godly neither of them will prove any better Logicians then still to deny the conclusion Graceless persons they will not conclude against themselves For 1. They wil not weigh the cogency of any Scriptural h John 3.20 argument 2. They have suckt in other self flattering conclusions i Deut. 29.19 and 3. they are willing to put a cheat upon themselves k Jam. 1.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falsa argumentionè uti subdola supputatione fallere as those in Matth. 7.21 22 23 Brochm in loc so these will not conclude against themselves And on the other hand gracious persons dare not conclude themselves so happy as the Scripture represents them 1. Through the prevalency of temptations l Rev. 12.10 The Devil accuseth them to themselves as well as unto God day and night Satan frights them from their comforts 2. Through the abounding of grace m Psal 126.1 they think 't is too good to be true especially considering 3. their sense of unworthiness n Luke 7.6 9. what they passe a sentence of absolution upon their souls of approbation upon their actions No they dare not Through over modesty they 'l bely the very spirit of grace In short the onely remedy I shall commend to both sorts is this viz. Beg of God to perswade thy heart to close with convincing truth q. d. Lord thou hast told me in thy word that if I come unto Christ I shall in no wise be cast o John 6.37
and my plodding thoughts of both o Estius in loc v. 3. Thou compassest my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my wayes q. d. thou fannest and winnowest me i. e. thou discussest and triest me to the utmost p Ainsw in loc v. 4. For there is not a word in my tongue but loe O Lord thou knowest it altogether q. d. I cannot speak a word though never so secret obscure or subtile but thou knowest what and why and with what mind 't was uttered q Tâ—â—inus in lâ—c v. 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before and laid thine hand upon me q. d. Thou keepest me within the compass of thy knowledge like a man that will not let his servant go out of his sight I cannot break away from thee v. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderfull for me it is high I cannot attain unto it q. d. The knowledge of thy great and glorious Majesty and Infinitenesse is utterly past all humane comprehension v. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I slee from thy presence q d. Whither can I flee from thee whose Essence Presence and Power is every where v 8. If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there q. d. There 's no height above thee there 's no depth below r Nulla altitudo te altior nul uÌ„ profundum te profundius Hieron in loc thee v. 9. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea q. d. If I had wings to fly as swift as the morning light s Aurora solis pâ—aenuncia momento totum hemisphaerium pervadit Menoch in loc from the east to the west that I could in a moment get to the furthest parts of the world v. 10. Even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me q.d. Thence shall thy hand lead me back and hold me fast like a fugitive t Deducat tenebit ut solent teneri fugitivi Sa. v. 11. If I say surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light about me q d. Though darkness hinders mans sight it doth not thine In a word look which way you will there 's no hiding place from God For his eyes are upon the wayes of man and be seeth all his goings there u Job 34.21 22. is no darkness nor shadow of dâ—ath where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Therefore Christians do nothing but what you are willing God should take notice of and judge in your selves whether this be not the way to have a good and quiet Conscience IV. Be serious and frequent in the examination of your heart and life This is so necessary to the getting keeping of a right peaceable Conscience that 't is impossible to have either without it There are some duties and graces like those parts of the body that may supply the defect of other parts or like some drugs in Physick which when they can't be had some of the like nature may serve but this is like those the defect whereof nothing else can supply The Heathens have grop't out this rule by the Gloworm light of nature Pythagoras gives it as a precept a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pytha. aur praec n. 42. p 9. and Seneca backs it by examples b Somnus quà m tranquillus altus ac liber cum aut laudatus est animus aut admoritus speculator sui censorque sâ—cretus cognoscit de moribus suis utâ—r hac potestate quotidie apud me causam dico Cum sublatum è conspectu lumen est conticuit uxor moris jam mei conscia totum diem mâ—cum serutor facta ac dicta mea remetior nihil mihi ipse abscondo nihil transeo quare enim quicquaem ex erroribus meis timeam cum possim dicere vide ne istud amplius facias nunc tibi ignosco c. Senec. deira l. 3. c. 36 p. 599. of Sextius who every night before he composed himself to sleep ask'd himself what evill hast thou this day healed what vice hast thou resisted wherein art thou better O how sweet is that sleep which followes such a recognition of himself who made every night a scrutiny into the words and deeds of the whole day he would neither pass by nor hide any thing from himself he so ript up his faults that he would not pardon them to himself without a self-charge not to repeat them Have you gon thus far certainly my Brethren not to out-strip them is inexcusable It is a shame c Pemble p. 514. to see the carelesnesse of most that are better acquainted with any thing then themselves there are many that know the Histories of a thousand years past and yet cannot tell you the particulars of their own lives Men well acquainted with the mysteries of Arts and Nature but utterly ignorant of the secrets of their own Souls How few are there amongst us that can say with David d Psal 119.59 I have thought on my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Nay we have a thousand matters to think on all the day long the night too the week the year but who questions with his own heart what am I what do I how live I is the course I follow good and lawfull is that which I omit my duty or not Is God my friend Am I his what hope have I of Heaven Say I die to morrow to day this very hour where is my assurance I shall be saved what Apologie can I make against the accusations of Satan and my Conscience will Christ be mine Advocate when I shall stand in judgement Have I grace or have I none do I grow in grace or do I decay Am I better this year then I was the last what sins have I conquered now that held me in combate then what graces have I obtained now that I had not then Christians do you do thus If you do that is not enough unlesse you do it frequently daily Every Evening ere you sleep review e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil T. 2. p. 514. your câ—rriage in the day what you have done or spoke or thought that is but â—o much as indecent Whether your hearts have been intent upon Religion and indifferent to the world Briefly have speciall care of two portions f Crocius Synt p. 1212. ex aliis of your time viz. Morning and Evening the morning to fore-think what ought to be done and the evening to examine whether you have done what you ought V. Be much in Prayer g Psal 1â—9 4 in all manner of h Ephes 6.18 prayer but especially in secret i Matth. 6.6 prayer Do not non-suit your selves by the love of sin and you shall certainly be heard when you pray for Grace k Heb. 4.16 believe it Christian 't
of all their sins Oh man whoever thou art that makest thy neighbour drunk by putting the bottle to his mouth that callest to thy brother saying â—ast in thy lot amâ—ngst us and let us have one purse that inticest the soule of the simple with a Come let us take our fill of loves and solace our selves untill the morning I tell thee thou art guilty of all their sins and mayest justly be punished with all their plagues for this Christians is a most Devilish practice to tempt and provoke others to wickednesse All sins indeed are devilish sins Per modum servitutis but some sins are devilish sins Per modum imaginis in all sins men bear the Devils yoak 1 John 3.8 but in some sins men bear the Devils image Five Sins especially the Scripture brands as devilish Sins and this is the chief 1. False accusation 2 Tim. 3.3 men shall be false accusers Devils sayes the Greek 2. Lyâ—ng John 8.44 you are of your father the Devil for he is a liar and the father of it 3. Pride 1 Tim 3.6 not a novice lest puffed up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil 4. Persecution Revel 2.10 the Devil shall cast some of you into prison i. e. devilish men-persecutors 5. Temptation as this is Get thee behinde me Satan sayes Christ to Peter when he tempted him Maâ—th 16.23 He that shall either hinder another of doing that good which is commanded or shall further another to the doing of that evil which is prohibited is justly chargeable with both their Sins 2. By compliance by consenting and complying with Sin and Sinners so a man makes himself partaker though he has no hand in 't yet if he has a heart in 't though he does not act it yet if he likes it and loves it and approves it though he does not persecute Gods Saints and Ministers yet if he saith Aha! aha so would we have it 't is enough to make him guilty before God Saul he had no hand in Saint Stephens death he did not cast one stone at him but because he looked on with approbation and stood by with consent Acts 8.1 Saul was consenting unto his death therefore was he esteemed guilty of his blood and murder and so himself confesses when God had awakened him and humbled him to repentance Acts 22.20 When the blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed I was consenting to his death and so charges himself as guilty of it God looks not upon the outward man so much as upon the heart according to the frame and inclination of the heart according as the pulse of the heart beats so is every man in the account esteem of God if Sin has once storm'd the Fort-Royall of the heart though it never appears in the out-works the Garrison is lost That which is upon the stage of the heart after consent is as truly acted in the sight of God as that which appeares in the outward man by commission Matth 15.19 Out of the heart proceeds murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesses blasphemies Why beloved from the hand proceeds Murders and Thefts Eph 4.28 from the eye proceedes Adulteries and Fornications 2 Pet. 2.14 and from the tongue proceeds f lâ—e witnesses and blasphemies Psal 120.3 Oh but the heart is the forge of all You may murder a man with a thought as they say the Rasilisk will with a look such a poysonous thing a wicked heart is and let me tell you 't is the heart-murder and the heart-adultery and the heart-blasphemy and the heart-iniquity that God especially judges according to that famous place Jer. 17.10 I the Lord search the heart to give to every man according to his wayes i. e. according to what I see acted and done upon the stage of the heart sayes God he does not onely judge the actions but he judges the very intentâ—ons 3. By connivance by a sinfull dissembling flatâ—ering and winking at others in their wickednesse and sins so men become guilty of others sins Isa 9.16 The leaders of this people cause them tâ— erre 't is in the Hebrew the blessers of this people cause them to erre Beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beat fican es populum the blessers of men in wickednesse are the leaders of men in wickednesse he that shall wink at and flaâ—ter men in Sins when he knowes in his conscience that they doe wickedly he makes himself Captain and Master of mis-rule among them And thus we are too prone to be partakers of Magistraâ—es sins and Governours sins and great mens sins Patrons sins and Landlords sins If the Grandees of the world profane the Sabbath dishonour God rant and swear and scoff at Religion out of a base cowardly spirit or out of a carnall covetous heart we flatter them and let them alone it may be applaud them as he said Tu fa hunc Dominum te facit ille Deum doe but make him a Lord and hee straight-way makes thee a God as if we were not to distâ—nguish between the persons of men and the vices of men or as if so be we more feared a mortall man whose breath is in his nostrils than we do the immortall God who can frown us into hell in a moment Oh thâ—s is to be deeply guilty of other mens Sins See how sharply God by his Proâ—het taxes and reproves this dawbing in those wicked upholsters that sow pillows to every elbow Ezek. 13.17 and so forward Read it at leisure I fear this has been the Sin of former Times and Governments God grant it may not be the Sin of present and future Ages for men to connive at any that promote their own interests Alas my brethren methinks the interest of Piety and the interest of Conscience and the interest of the eternall God judge of quick and dead should swallow up all the interests of the world If Nebuchadnezzar himself should set up a golden Image and would have it worshipp'd I tell you 't is not treason for Sidrach Meshech and Abednego to say Wee are not carefull oh King to answer thee in this matter Dan. 3.16 Besides let not men deceive themselves for such persons as can so easily betray the interest of God will never be afraid if opportunity serve to oppose the soveraignty of man whose authority he bears and are not indeed Hushai's but Ziba's not Davids friends but Davids flatterers 4. By sufferance by permitting the sins of others so we become guilty by suffering others to sin whom we are bound in duty and may be able by authority to hinder and thus as in the former particular we are guilty of Magistrates sins in this particular Magistrates oft-times become guilty of our sins Kings and Rulers and subordinate Magistrates become oft-times deeply guilty of their peoples sins namely by sufferance by tolerating Errours and Heresies and Blasphemies on the one hand or by suffering wickednesse and profanenesse on the other That Ruler or Magistrate that shall suffer either loose
to reprove a man for every cause no the Disciples were quite out in reproving the children for coming to Christ in this chapter when it was not their sin but their duty vers 13 14. Quakers make a stir about Cuffs and Bands and Ribbons and Laces and such like minute trifles of Pharisaical Humility if they can prove these sins let them reprove them in Gods Name but if they are indifferent things it is censoriousness uncharitableness and pragmaticalness to rail at them and not Christian Reproof 3. Hee must manage his Reproof to sincere ends must take heed that his aims and intentions bee upright and honest in reproving Take heed of mingling any wilde-fire of pride and vain-glory and ambitious humour of contradicting and controuling others with thy zeal of Reproving This heat must bee holy heat a fire of the Sanctuary as free from the smoak of by-ends and self-interest as may bee purely for Gods glory and out of hatred unto sin and out of love to the salvation of thy Brothers soul Diogenes it is storied reproved Plato's pride by trampling upon his Velvet Chair and Cushion but saies the Author Majori fastu superbum Platonem Diogenes saperbior 4. Hee must manage his Reproof in fit season There is a time to speak and a time to bee silent Reproof is a duty grounded upon an Affirmative Precept Now 't is well observed by Divines that Affirmative Precepts binde semper but not ad semper wee must alwaies reprove but wee must not reprove alwaies it is a constant duty but it must bee done in a seasonable opportunity There are certain mollia Tempora fandi words upon the wheels as Solomon calls them that are like Apples of Gold and let mee tell you Christians one word spoken in season is worth a thousand other words Now it is impossible to define and determine all the nicks of time wherein a man should strike in with a Reproof for this must bee left to the wisdome and experience of every Christian that makes it his business to bee his Brothers keeper and let him assure himself hee must expect to lose many an admonition shoot many an Arrow of Reproof as Jonathan did his under and over on this side and tother side before hee hit the mark Rules 1. Hee must take a season wherein the offender is capable of Reproof If a man bee drunk wee must stay till hee bee sober as Abigail 1 Sam. 25.36 37. So if a man bee aâ—l in a heat of passion we must stay and come to him as God did no Adam in the cool of the day when the fit was over 2. Wee must take a season wherein wee have occasion to commend a man for his virtues and then rub him up for his faults Sir you are thus and thus oh but if you would but mend this and that how excellent it would bee So St. Paul 1 Cor. 11.2 17. 3. Wee must do it as soon as ever wee can and the sooner the better a green wound is easier healed than an old sore Levit. 19.17 4. If wee have long waited for fit seasons and yet cannot finde them you had better make a breach upon ones prudence than ones conscience discretion then must give place to necessity out with it and leave the success to God 5. Hee must manage his Reproof with due conditions and qualification And beloved there are seven properties of that Reproof that will in all likelihood both benefit and better our Brother and also secure our selves from participation of his sins 1. Wee must reprove seriously and in good earnest so as to knock the nail up to the head in the conscience of the sinner Psal 50.21 So should wee in our Reproofs of our Brother charge him home these things hast thou done there is no denying thou art the man saies Nathan to David before hee was in his parable but now hee speaks plain English as wee say This Jesus whom yee have crucified saies Peter to the â—ews and thus wee should set things in order before him Sir is not this and that highly to dishonour God and to crack your credit and to shame your profession and to impair your body and to waste your estate and to wound your conscience and to dâ—mn your precious and immortal soul and therefore for the Lords sake think on it and amend it A loose and squibbing kinde of Reproof is like an ignis Lambens as soon off as on and does the man more hurt than good As Elies careless and loose reproving of his lewd Sons did rather harden them in their villany than any way reform them As it is with weak Physick administâ—ed to a sick man if it doth onely stir the humours but not purge them away it leaves the body in a greater and worse distemper than it was before So 't is here therefore saies the Apostle Titus 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly A finger that is but just prickt and no more it is apt to wranckle and fester and bee worse but let it bleed and there is no danger it will then soon bee healed 2. Wee must Reprove impartially and without respect of Persons Good men if they miscarry must bee reproved as well as bad men If Peter temporize Paul will not spare him nor Barnabas neither they shall hear on 't Gal. 2. Again great men bee they never so great they should bee admonished as well as others so long as they are under the great God and subject to great failings and miscarriages Kings and Nobles and Magistrates as well as meaner and inferiour persons Nathan reproved David though a King and so did Elijah Ahab and Nehemiah reproved the Nobles and Rulers for Usury and Sabbath-prophanation Certainly if any bee fit to teach great men they are as fit to reprove them for both must go together 2 Tim. 4.2 That 's but a drone-like Preaching that hath lost the sting of Reproving It is the great unhappiness of Princes and Nobles that they have so many flatterers about them and so few Reprovers Carneades in Plutarch was wont to say that great mens Sons learned nothing well but to ride horses for men would be sure to flatter them If they run they would lag behinde that they might out-run them if they wrestled tâ—ey would fall on purpose that they might seem to cast them c. But a Horse not knowing a Prince from a Peasant would down with him if hee could not rule him Just so 't is now let great men do what they will both against Scripture and Reason and Law and Conscience they will not want their Parasites both to encourage them and applaud them If there bee not a Law for Cambyses to marry his Sister tush what of that there is a Law for Cambyses to do what hee pleases and thus men out of cowardize and fear of frowns and wrath dare not reprove guilty Greatness Oh but if a man be a faithful Monitour hee must bee impartial in his reproofs Agag
together with his person hee offers Heaven and Earth for a Dowry Rom. 8.17 All things are his by purchase and thou shalt bee a Copartner or Coheir with him when thou art espoused to him 4ly 1 Cor. 3.22 23. He will manifest the highest Indulgence and Tenderness towards thee Not all thy cross walkings if through temptations it shall so fall out shall put him upon any more then a moment any departure from thee Isa 54.7 8. for hee hath resolved that his faithfulness towards thee shall never fail Isa 89.33 and therefore when thou seemest almost lost and ready to despond hee will return to thee again and the more time he hath lost by absence the more full will his heart bee of ravishing love and affections to thee 5ly Hee will Turn all to thy good neither thy sins Cant. 6.3 though many and great nor thy miseries though overwhelming and discouraging no nor lastly shall death it self Rom. 8.28 38. bee ever able to make a divorce between thee and him but serve as a passage to thee when thy work is done into the Bridechamber of thy Lord and now tell mee Phil. 1.21 hast not thou Reason to love him 4. Consider but thy case while this Virgin affection to thy Saviour is wanting 1. Thou multipliest thy whoredomes and thy abominations continually for what are thy Intensive willings of other things but so many acts of spiritual adultery and base prostitutions of thy soul to thy dishonour and disadvantage while other things usurp the room of Christ 2. Thou art a treacherous Hypocrite and deceiver forasmuch as thou pretendest to the eye of the world to bee Christs and yet art nothing less than his 3. You lay a barr in against your selves and the acceptance of all your duties when faith works by love then is obedience illustrious and meet for a gracious acceptaotin that obedience which owes no part of it self to love is worth little and brings in no more Gal. 5.6 then it is worth 4. You make bonds for your selves in death Iob 27.6 and lay up terrible reprâ—oches in the Consciences against the day of Judgement 5. You make your damnation necessary there being no Congruity to any of the Divine Attributes much less to the offices of Christ that that man should ever bee saved who never had any sincere affection to him These are some of the Considerations which may bee of use to them that have no spark of love yet kindled in their hearts There are a few of the other kinde which may provoke to get this love Inflamed where it is such are these Consider 1. The love of Christ to thee was a growing Increasing love I do not mean in respect of the habit but in the outward demonstration thereof The neerer hee was to his death the more exuberant in love and when hee rose again his heart did overflow with tender indulgence as appears by the meltings of his bowels towards Mary and over Peter and much more may wee beleeve him now to be full of them now that hee is at the Right hand of God 2. There is more lovelyness in Christ than ever thou canst finde out or fathome when wee have let out our affections to the utmost there will still bee more than wee can finde affection for our love to eternity will have something of admiration mixed with it 3. It 's all you can return to him it 's all hee looks for at our hands that which lies in love and which flowes from it is the whole that is required to compleat Christianity 4. The more you love him the more lovely you are unto him Then hath Christ the highest complacency in us when our hearts are under the greatest Raptures of love to him Beatus est qui intelligit quid sit amare Jesum contemnere scipsum propter Jesum A Kempis de imitatione Christi l. 2. c. 7. 5. It is the honour of a man to love Christ superlatively It is the sweetest part of our lives and that which Christ values us more by than by any thing else It 's Heaven on Earth 6. According to the measure of your love so will all the rest of your services and graces be i. e. either more or less better or worse Love is like the Master wheel in an Engine making the whole soul to move faster or slower These are the considerations of the last kind will some say oh but what shall wee do to get this blessed affection into our souls which was the third thing proposed And in order thereto I offer these Directions 1. Direction Bee well acquainted with the nature of this great duty The great mistake of the world lies in this That is thought to be love which is not and thence men and women grow bold and confident and value themselves more than they ought I have given in my best assistance so far as the nature of the first case would permit to prevent mistakes in this matter before and therefore I will not do it over again Only remember if you would not miscarry that it is not a Naked Christ but a Christ advanced by incomparable Personal Excellencies and cloathed with his offices of King and Priest and Prophet that is the Christ to bee loved and you cannot well miscarry This is that damning mistake of the world they love Christ but not as dignified by God with any of his offices 2. Direction Bee much in the study of your selves what you were originally and what you are since become through your own miscarriage wilfulness and folly Take your souls to the glass of the Law and go from one precept to another and when you have done there go to the Gospel And be sure you do not deal sleightly but understand throughly how much you have offended And when you have well studied the number and quality of your sins then consider the justice and holiness of the Eternal God which you shall understand by the same Law and Gospel where they speak the Divine Terrour against offending-sinners but more specially shall yee know is by going to the Cross of Christ and wisely and seriously considering the horrour of that punishment which Christ there indured for wee never know as wee ought the evil of sin and our misery thereby until wee know what hee indured to make an Expiation for it Do this and do it faithfully They that never knew themselves they are most certainly without love to Christ And it is enough to prove it because unless this foundation be first laid they can see no sufficient reason for it 3. Direction Get a true Conviction concerning thy own ultimate end and happiness Where it lies viz. not in the objects of sense but in the Beatifical vision of God possesse thy soul by Scripture light Mat. 16.26 of the grand importance of securing thy Interest therein while you think your happiness lyes any where else than in God it will be
Opppressors publike Defamers and the like wrongers of thy Estate Reputation and other thy temporal good things in charity and according to Equity equally seeking thy own right and good not thy neighbours wrong much less ruin and destruction And thus for moderation towards others in Civil matters In Religious matters Although I have spoken in the opening the nature of moderation and the general Object that which might serve to direct us herein Yet lest I be mistaken and thence any of you mistake your duty I shall further open this particular Object by speaking to it negatively about what moderation is not to be practised and positively wherein it must Negatively 1 Not in matters of faith For the believing these being not only absolutely required of every Christian and in that measure that we cannot fully come up to in regard of the great truth and reality of spiritual objects and their revelation the best being alas miserably short and deficient herein but also internal the profession of these being matter of practice Moderation cannot possibly here have any place much less that which respects others 2. Nor in matters of moral practice such as the Moral Law requires and grace and vertue should perform For in these can be no excess either in degree or duration We cannot love God too much nor with grace our neighbour nor too constantly Consider Father Mother Wife Children as moral Objects so we exceed not as natural goods and so in the exercise of natural affection we frequently as is said before do exceed which is discernable especially by the end with grace we love them for God with the moral vertue of love for the relation they stand in to us with the affection of love when we sinfully over-love them for our selves for though the natural affection co-operates with the former yet it solely exceeds But it being difficult for us to discern these formalities in objects and the operations of principles about them it is our only way to have recourse to Gods Laws which though founded upon the nature of things yet shews us plainly our duty where we cannot discern them which in all things wherein we may exceed as in the Externals of the First Table and the duties of the Second not only prescribe us what and also particularly how to act by positive Precepts but lest we should miscarry by Negative also which respect the end manner measure c. of such duties restraining and bounding us that we exceed not Both which are Moral and comprehended in this particular it being equally moral not to over-love as to love thy Neighbour the former being forbidden as well by the Negative as the latter enjoyned by positive Precepts In Negatives which forbid the action absolutely as Blasphemy Adultery c. no need of any such Precepts to regulate us for the actions being not to be done no need of direction for their manner and consequently no place for Moderation such being to be subdued and supprest not ordered or regulated as I have formerly spoken and in things only indefinitely forbidden as Swearing Travelling on the Lords day c. when we are to practice them we have the rules for Positive actions Affirmative and Negative to direct us sufficiently 3. Nor especially in the weightier matters of the Law or Religion I must speak a little to this because that may be commanded absolutely in it self which comparatively when it comes in competition with other duties of greater moment becomes only conditional For Affirmative Precepts are so many it is impossible they should bind ad semper so that when two or more duties come together man in regard of his finite capacity being not able to perform them at once must duly consider the weightiest and that do it being requisite in terms of inconsistency that the lesser alwaies give place to the greater and cease pro hic nunc or for that present to oblige us Thus Davids eating the shew-bread and the Disciples plucking the ears of corn on the Sabbath day when hungry is defended by our Saviour Mat. 12. Yea even frequently the externals of the First Table give way to the weighty exigent duties of the Second as the sanctification of the Sabbath to the defending the City in the Macchabees case according to that I will have mercy and not sacrifice Hos 6.6 Not only rather than sacrifice but in such cases not sacrifice God dispensing with the lesser so that its omission becomes no sin as is clear in our Saviours practice in his healing the man with the withered hand c. as well as in his defence of his Disciples Luk. 6. For that may be our duty and necessary at one time which at another when a weightier comes that should take place ceaseth to be so by vertue of the reason and constiâ—ution of the Laws themselves that the Superiour Law take place Therefore under the notion of moderation to omit Moral and especially the great and necessary duties required and practice only the less is Pharisaical hypocrisie not Christianity If to do the great duties of Religion God requires of us be accounted immoderateness let us say with David If this be to be vile we will be more vile still Gods Laws admit of no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dispensation from us but what he hath admitted himself we must neither add or detract Deut. 4.2 Thou canst neither mitigate their execution nor any other besides himself on thee for thy transgressing them Digest de legib senatus cons If the wise Romans were so careful to preserve their Laws from others than the supream dispensing wiâ—h them lest they should prove a Lesbian rule much more the Great and Wise God hath reason to keep up the authority of his Laws and expect our punctual observance of them Moderation in Religion and religious Duties is the devillish Precept of Machiavel not the Doctrine of the Gospel or St. Paul To engage or wade no further in Religion than temporal interests will permit uâ— to come safely again to shore was the resolution and speech of a great Courtier of France than of heaven and of such as resolve more to save their skins than their souls How doth Christ every where arm those that will be his Disciples against their desisting from their necessary duty for the offence of the world Is so far from concealing this that it is the first thing he tels them of invites them upon no other terms than the Cross tels them they must trust him in this world for compensating them in the future c. Mat. 16. from 24. to ult And how eminent was he in the practice of this How did the Zeal of Gods House eat him up and he persist in doing the work he was sent about notwithstanding all the offence the Jews took And yet in his own private concerns how meek gentle patient which none can be ignorant of that read the Gospel and which he commands us to learn
withdraws his grace we lose our life and seriousness as meteors hang in the air as long as the heat of the Sun is great but when the Sun is gone down they fall as long as the love of God and the work of his Grace is powerful in us we are kept in a lively heavenly frame but as that abateth the Soul swerveth and returneth to vanity and sin We read Acts 16.14 15. that the Lord opened the heart of Lydia so that she attended to the things that were spoken of Paul attention there beareth somewhat a larger sense then we now consider it in namely a deep regard to the doctrine of life yet this Sense of fixedness of spirit cannot be excluded go to God then pray him to keep thy heart together he that hath set bounds to the Sea and can bind up the waves in a heap and stop the Sun in its flight certainly he can fasten and establish thy heart and keep it from running out 2. Meditate on the greatness of him before whom we are 't is of great consequence in duties to consider whom we take to be our party with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 in the Word God is the party that speaketh to us thou shalt be as my mouth Jer. 15.16 as if God spake by us 2 Cor. 5.20 't is God speaketh and the Heathen King of Moab shewed such reverence that when Ehud said I have a message to thee from God he arose out of his seat Judg. 3.20 so in prayer you have to do with God you do as really minister before him as the Angels that abide in his presence Oh if you could see him that is invisible you would have more reverence * Omnino nos oportet orationis tempore curiam intrare caelestem illam utique curiam in quâ rex regum sedet in stellato solio circumdante eum innumerabili ineffabili beatorum spirituum exercitu ubi ipse qui viderit quia majorem numerum non invenit millia ait millium ministrabant ei decies centena millium assistebant ei quanta ergo cum reverentiâ quanto timore quanta illuc humilitate accedere debet è palude sua procedeus repens ranuncula vilis quam tremebundus quam supplex quam denique humilis sollicitus toto intentus animo majesti gloria in praesentia Angelorum in consilio justorum congregatione assistere poterit vilis homuncio Bernard de quatuor modis orandi A man that is praying or worshipping should behave himself as if he were in Heaven immediatly before God in the middest of all the blessed Angels those ten thousand times ten thousand that stand before God Oh with what reverence with what fear should a poor worm creep into his presence think then of that glorious all-seeing God with whom thou canst converse in thoughts as freely as with men in words he knoweth all that is in thy heart and seeth thee thorough and thorough if you had spoken al those things you have thought upon you would be odious to men if all your blasphemy uncleanness worldly projects were known to those that joyn with us should we be able to hold up our heads for blushing and doth not the Lord see all this could we believe his inspection of the heart there would be a greater awe upon us 3. Mortifie those lusts that are apt to withdraw our minds he that indulgeth any one vile affection will never be able to pray aright every duty will give you experience what corruption to resist what thoughts are we haunted and pestered with when we come to God God requireth Prayer that we may be weary of our lusts and that the trouble that we find from them in holy Exercises may exasperate our Souls against them we are angry with an Importunate beggar that will not be satisfied with any reasonable terms but is alwaies obtruding upon us every experience in this kind should give us an advantage to free our hearts from this disturbance the whole work of Grace tendeth to Prayer and the great Exercise and Imployment of the Spiritual life is watching unto Prayer Ephes 6.18 and that Prayer be not interrupted 1 Pet. 3.2 4. Before the duty there must be an actual preparation or a solemn discharge of all Impediments that we may not bring the World along with us put off thy shoos off thy feet saith God to Moses for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground surely we should put off our carnal distractions when we go about holy duties Gird up the loines of your minds saith the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1.13 an allusion to long garments worn in that Country 't is dangerous to come to Prayer with a loose heart My heart is fixed saith David O God my heart is fixed Psal 57.7 that is fitted prepared bended to Gods Worship the Soul must be set put into a dexterous ready posture Claudatur contra adversarium pectus soli Deo pateat ne ad se hostem Dei accedere tempore orationis patiatur Cyp. lib. De Oratione Domini There must be a resolved shutting of the heart against Gods enemy lest he insinuate with us and withdraw our minds 5. Be severe to your purpose and see that you regard nothing but what the duty leadeth you unto 't is the Devils policy to cheâ—t us of the present duty by an unseasonable interposition Sathan beginneth with us in good things that he may draw us to worse what is unseasonable is naught watch against the first diversion how plausible soever 't is an intruding thought that breaketh a rank in this case say as the Spouse Cant. 3. I charge you that you awake not my Beloved till he please such a rigid severity should you use against the starting of the heart if Sathan should at first cast in a thought of blasphemy that would make thee quake and shake therefore he beginneth with plausible thoughts but be careful to observe the first straglings * Est praeterea optimum ad attendendum remedium si imagines rerum irruentes non solum non advertas non excutias non examines sed ita te habeas quasi eas non aspicere digneris nam ipsum ad vertere examinare istas cogitationes evagari est jam adversarius aliquid à nobis extorsit c. Jacobus Alvarez yea be not diverted by thy very strivings against diversions and therefore do not dispute with suggestions but despise them nor stand examining temptations but reject them as blind Bartimeus regarded not the rebukes of the People but cryed the more after Christ or as Travellers do not stand beating back the Dogs that bark at them but hold on their course this is to be religiously obstinate and severe to our purpose Sathan contemned hath the less advantage against you when he is writing images upon the fancy do not vouchsafe to look upon them A Cryer in the Court that is often commanding silence
rife and frequent 2. By use a man gets a greater command over himself When we constantly leave the thoughts at random and never lay restraints upon them it is in vain to think we shall keep them in order when we please fierce Creatures are tame to those that use to command them Every Art is difficult at first as Writing Singing Playing upon an Instrument but we get a facility by use and exercise Yea not only a facility but a delight in them and those things that at first we thought impossible by a little practice grow easie Certainly * Pro. 11.29 the way of the Lord is strength to the upright and the more we set our selves to any good thing the more readily and prepared are we for it How must we in all things give Thanks 1 Thess 5.18 In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you THE more comprehensive any mercy or duty is the greater they are There are three duties here together which the Apostle exhorts to all which have a kind of universality annexed to them of which my Text contains one Psal 126.6 Psal 97.21 1. Rejoycing We must rejoyce evermore for even holy mourning hath the seed of joy in it which the soul finds by that time it s over if not in it Though not in the heretical sense of Euchiâ—eâ— and Messaliens Chrys Orat. 2. de orand Deum 2. Prayer Pray without ceasing We must be ever at least in a holy disposition to this duty when we do it not actually Praier is the wall that compasses the City there must be no gap in it It is as the Sun in the Firmament it must alwaies keep its round 3. Thanksgiving In every thing give thanks c. Observe in the words these two parts 1. A Duty enjoyned 2. A Reason annexed I. In the Duty note four things 1. The matter of it thanksgiving 2. The object of it implied God 3. The performers of it Believers for to them he writes 1 Thes 1.1 2 3. 4. The extent of it in every thing It is pleasing and acceptable unto God Bez. in locum Vel ista per anthypophoram dicta sunt Id. ibidem Illud autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referendum non ad gratiarum tantum actionem sed ad preces Grot. Annot in locum Comment in 1 Ep. ad Thess Doctr. II. In the Reason we have three things 1. The ground of the duty it is the will of God the revealed will of God the rule of all obedience 2. The manner of declaring Gods will to us in this behalf it is the will of God in Christ Jesus it is a Gospel duty Christ Jesus was the Prophet and Messenger of it it 's sutable to the minde of Christ it 's accepted of God in Christ and for Christ Lastly Christ himself was a pattern of it This is the will of God in Christ Jesus 3. The specially Application This is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Mr. Calvin doth excellently shew the sweet harmony between these three duties how one helps the other but I cannot insist on that The lesson then which the holy Ghost would have us learn in the Text is thus sum'd up It is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning Christians that in every thing they give thanks that they be thankefull as our word is more proper to our purpose For though we have nothing of our own that good is to give God but thanks yet neither do we properly give him that 1 Cor. 4.7 1 Chro. 29.14 Philip. 2 13. seeing both our giving and the right manner of doing it even in thanksgiving is of the Lord. Our continual praying shews that we are alwaies beggars and our continual thanksgiving shews us alwaies debtors Our thanks then indeed is the rebound of mercy heavenward whence it came and a holy reflexion of the warm sun-beams of Gods benefits shining on us That which I principally aim at in the pursuance and pressing of this Truth is not only to speak somewhat to it in the nature necessity and excellency of it but to the extent of it as a special Case How Christians may be said to give thanks in every thing and why 1. Who are properly concerned in this duty Quere 2. Why and upon what grounds are Christians bound to give thanks in every thing 3. How and in what manner are Christians to give thanks in every thing 4. How in afflictions and why 5. How shall we bring our hearts to give thanks to God in every thing Who are or ought to be thankfull Quere 1 The Lord hath a return and tribute of praise due to him from all Ans creatures Psal 148. David names animate and inanimate creatures and bids them sing Hallelujah as if all the world were but one consort of musical Instruments tuned to Gods glory But he looks for it principally from men and Angels From all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.20 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is charged as an inexcusable sin uncapable of any Apology upon natural men that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull Upon which place Beza brings in Galen a heathen man praising and blessing God not with sacrifices and sweet incense but acknowledging and proclaiming the Wisdom Power and goodnesse of God c. I write this saith he as a Hymn and account it the true worship of that God The law of Thankfulnesse is written upon the hearts of very heathens as may be proved at large not only from Heathen instances but Scripture also as the Philistims when they had taken Sampson and killed Saul Judg. 16.24 1 Sam. 31.9 Dan. 5 23. and Belshazzar who praised the gods of silver and gold brasse iron wood and stone c. which although it be enough to shame unthankfull Christians yet it signified little for all wicked men though they have cause yet they have no heart to this work at least not often nor at all as it should be Some are so curious as to enquire whether reprobates in hell have not cause to give thanks that their torments are lesse then the merit of their sins and for that the justice of God is glorified in the inflicting of them but this is forrain to our case The persons engaged and most bound to this duty are the Thessalonians that believed and all the faithfull upon the same account Now howbeit all the service we perform to God both mediate and immediate worship Polanus the duties of both Tables yea and the whole work of our Christian obedience in a holy conversation be but a return of thankefulnesse unto God yet Thanksgiving in the Text and Doctrine Thankfulnesse described is taken more strictly for a particular part of Gods worship distinct from Prayer of which he spake immediatly before which sometimes includes praise and thanks too By which we render due
praise to God for all or any of his benefits promised or bestowed and that with our hearts Filliucius out of Aquin We praise God for all his perfections we thank God for his benefits lips and lives Some affirm that much of Religion is seen in piety to parents observance to our betters and thankfulnesse to our benefactors God is indeed all these to us Yet the proper notion of our thankfulnesse refers to God as our benefactor every benefit from God makes the receiver a debtor thankfulnesse is rather the confessing of our debt then the paiment of it and for as much as we are bound alwaies to be thankfull it doth acknowledge we are alwaies beholden to God and allwaies insolvent Now a child of God is bound to be thankfull to God above all men because 1. He is more competent then any other 2. He is more concerned then any other I. More competent by acts of reason and grace too All that the Scripture speaks as to the duty of thankfulnesse may be referred to these Heads 1. To know and acknowledge the Lords mercies 2. To remember them i. e. to record and commemorate them 3. To value and admire them 4. To blaze and proclaim them In all which a gracious soul is much more competent then a meer natural man though indued with quick understanding strong memory and great eloquence For the Spirit of God hath inlightened his soul and taught him this lesson he is principled for it he is a well tuned instrument his heart boyleth with good matter and his tongue is as the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 as David speaks on this occasion when he spake of the praises of the King in his Song of Loves This Spirit of God in a thankfull soul is as the breath of the Organ without which the pipes make no sound yea as the breath of the Trumpetter by which the Trumpet gives a certain and melodious sound This is it that makes that noble Evangelical spirit yea that heavenly Angelical spirit in Christians See a place for it Eph. 5.18 19 20. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns c. giving thanks alwaies for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ shewing that what wine doth in Poets and good fellows it makes them sing and roar out Catches by which they make musick to the devil so the Spirit of God in Saints is the principle of all true thankfulnesse and holy joy towards God and indeed there was a very gracious frame of spirit this way in Primitive Christians II. More concerned as hâ—â—ing received more then others to whomsoever much is given of them much is required Luke 12.48 a proportion of duty according to the degree of every portion of mercy whether you consider what is given or what is forgiven you There are two things which every gracious soul will acknowledge No man saith he in the world hath deserved less of God than I and none hath received more of God than I how much then am I concerned to be thankful I have read of a holy man that was seen once standing still with tears in his eyes and looking up to heaven and being asked by one that passed by why he did so said I admire the Lords mercy to me that did not make me a Toade that Vermine being then casually at his feet The least common mercy affects a gracious soul that knows his desert nothing but misery 2 Sam. 9 8. Mephibosheth bowed himself and said What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am When David had told him he should have his Lands and eat bread at his Table When the Lord spares our lives and gives us common mercies we must admire and adore his goodness And this leads me to the second general Question Quere 2 Why and upon what grounds Christians are bound to give thanks in every thing Answ 1 It is the will of God in Christ Jesus The will of God in Christ Jesus is the clearest Rule and the highest Obligation to any soul for the performance of any duty O that men would now adaies study more act by and hold fast to this rule And ask conscience in the performance of every duty is this the will of God in Christ Jesus It was meet that this duty of thankfulness should be prest and practised under the Gospel because it argue a spiritual and noble frame of Soul the highest pitch of grace which is a true Gospel frame David under the Old Testament had a New Testament heart in this particular his Psalms which were all penn'd upon emergent occasions are all Tehillah and Tephillah Prayer and Praise his Heart and Harp were so tuned to the Praises of God to Psalms of Degrees to Hallelujahs that some have thought the Lord is praised with those Psalms in Heaven Zach. 12.8 Greg. Hom. 20. in Ezek. Yet is it promised under the Gospel that he that is feeble shall be as David which some understand as to Praise and Thanksgivings upon the account of Gospel grace More punctually this is the will of God in Christ Jesus i. e. Jesus Christ shews us the duty of thankfulness both by Pattern and by Precept for he was not only usherd into the World with Songs of Thanksgiving by Angels Luk. 1.46 68. Luk. 2.13 14 20 29. by Zachary by Mary by Simeon by the Shepherds c. but the Lord Jesus himself was a great Pattern and President of Thankfulness all his life long and in this also was a true Son of David He thanked God frequently and fervently I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent Matth. 11.25 and hast revealed them unto babes when his Disciples preached and cast out devils Thus also when he raised Lazarus Father Joh. 11.41 I thank thee that thou hast heard me When he was to eat common bread Mark 8.6 Luk. 22.19 he blessed it with giving of thanks Much more consecrated bread Thus was he a Pattern of thankfulness he did in every thing give thanks In like manner we find him reproving the nine Lepers for their unthankfulness which shews that he held out thankfulness as a duty Luk. 17.16 17. personally he gave a Pattern and Precept for it Now though this were enough to shew it the will of God in Christ Jesus yet these words reach further namely to shew that is the strain of the Gospel in the Apostles Doctrine and Practice for they through their Commission and the great measure of Gods Spirit in them declared the will of God in Christ Jesus They worshipped Luke 24. ult and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the Temple praising and blessing God Amen What the Apostle Pauls spirit was in this by whom so
bind us to duty and they will never ensnare us in their binding us which thing will be more plainly seen upon discovery of the next Generall viz. 3. Generall It must be 1. In extraordinary cases When Vowes are well composed and so consequently for the advantage of Religion First then If you would duely and well compose your Vowes you must wait a fit season not vow on every occasion Who is ready to vow on every occasion will break his Vow on every occasion It is a necessary Rule That we be as sparing in making our Vowes as may be there being many great inconveniencies attending frequent and multiplyed Vowes It is very observable that the Scripture mentioneth very few examples of Vowes compared with the many Instances of very great and wonderfull providences as if it would give us some Instances that we might know what we have to do and yet would give us but few that we might know we are not to do it often You read Jacob lived sevenscore and seven years Gen. 47.28 but you reaâ— I think but of one Vow that he made Our extraordinary exigences are not many and I say our Vowes should not be more Let this then be the first necessary ingredient of a well-ordered vow Let it be no oftener made than the pressing greatnesse of an evil to be removed or the alluring excellency of a blessing exâ—raordinary to be obtained will well warrant Jophâ—hah's Vow was so far right he had just occasion there was a great and pressing danger to be removed therâ— was an excellent blâ—ssiâ—g to be obtained the danger was lest Israel should be enslâ—ved the blessing was victory over their enemies This warranted his Vow though his rashnesse marred it It was in David's troubles that David sware and vowed a Vow to the most High Psal 132.1 2. And Jacob forbare to vow untill his more than ordinary case bade him vow and warranted him in so doing Gen. 28 20. Let us do as he did spare to vow untill such case puts us on it Secondly 2. It must be deliberate When the extraordinary case warrants thee to this exâ—raordinary obliging thy self then be sure to proceed deliberately and with advice Consider what thou dost every one condemns rash Vowâ—s and I am sure inconsiderate Vowes are rash ones Ad votum tria de necessitate requtruntur sc deliberatio c. 2 a. 2. q. 83. art 1. Scriptura hoc ejus factum narrat tantum sed non laudat Pet. Mart. loc com cl 3. c. 6. Vt matuâ—è deliberemas loc com de votiâ— Here Jephihah falled he did not consider and ponder wâ—th himself what he was about to do when he vowed Aquinas reckons this among the three things necessary to a Vow And since this was wanting in Jephthah the Scripture makes a narration of his fact but no where giveth commendation to it This is one of the condition Bucan prescribes That we throughly weigh But we have a greater than Aquinas or the other two here Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God Eccl 5.2 Which rule he doth in the Context extend to this case of Vowes Vers 4 5 6. Be not hasty but dâ—liberate these four things in thy Vow 1. Whether lawfull 1. First Whether that thou vowâ—st to do be lawfull sin can never be the matter of a justifiable and well composed Vow If that thou vowest be not lawfull it is not so much a Vow as a contriving and designing of wickednesse It was a murthâ—rous conspiracy of those more than forty Act 23.21 not a Vow to take away Paul's life Whatever God hath forbidden us in our ordinary course of life as he hath forbidden every sin that cannot be the matter of an extraordinary promise unto God The S hoolmen tell us it is to be de meliore bono Aquin. 2 a. 2ae q. 88. ar 1. c. in an excelling good now what is not lawfull is not good They tell us Debet fieri Deo de iis quae Dei suâ—t It must be made to God in the things that are of God and we are sure no unlawfull thing is of God 2. Whether acceptable to God 2. As it must be considered whether the thing be lawfull so next we are to consider whether it will be acceptable unto the Lord. The Vow is made to him and the performance of it is to him It is a Debt and payment is to be made to him If it be a matter which thou findest upon after-search to be indeed lawfull yet in reason to be thought not acceptable for so great a mercy as thou hast received thou wilt be enforced to confesse thy mistake and errour in vowing And this is to provoke God Eccl. 5 6. Sit Deo acceptum is the second circumstance under deliberation which will be seen 3. Whether proportioned 3. By a third particular i. e. Whether that thing thou vowest bear a proportion to that thou didst expect and pray for when thou vowedst or to that thou hadst received for which thou dost now make thy Vow Bâ—ing it with the providence which occasioned it set them together and hear what thy own reason what other mens judgement what the very things themselves what thy receipts and returns say of thy Vowes in the maâ—ter of them as in ordinary so in all extraordinary mercies God requires and accepteth only suitable and well proportioned returns If it be over proportioned it will hazard thee if it be under-proportioned it will shame thee and neither will be so well accepted Though one meales meat when thou art hungry is more and a greater mercy than thou canst equall by thy obedience yet to vow thy self and all that is thine for that one mercy is more than is expected and may be called a disproportioned Vow So on the contrary to pray for a prosperous voyage and an ample return of thousands and to vow thereupon a few pence or shillings is dâ—sproportioned will not be accepted Thou must render to the Lord according to thy receipts from the Lord. Fourthly In a well-composed Vow 4. Whether in thy power thy deliberation must be imployed in considering thy power and ability Whether it be in thy power to do what thou vowest No impâ—ssible thing can be the matter of a Vow God hath not made an impossibility the matter and primitive object of our duty nor doth he expect we should or would he accept such a Vow For a Vow of an impossible thing is in effect to bind our selves to falsifie our Vow Who engageth to do what he cannot do engageth himself to be worse than his word You must consider then whether the thing be possible in it self and then next whether it be in your power that you can say you will do it that you may truly affirm you can absolutely do it which thing being very uncertain for what is to day in our power to morrow
so you speak all good of the man and of his Religion Indeed David doth often comprise all Religion in this Be thankefull unto him So Religion shineth forth in the lustre and brightnesse of a good name when they who professe it dare neither be rash in making nor remisse or false in keeping their Vowes Next Vowes well composed and faithfully performed do much promote Religion and that frequently Spreading Religion 2. By setting forward the growth of Religion in the midst of those who professe it for I will onely speak of this now albeit I might speak of the spreading of Religion amongst such who before were strangers to it by the faithfullnesse of some zealous prudent and industrious votaries When Christians of great exigencies are brought on their knees to pray and plead and confesse and promise if they may be heard and when they come to praise acknowledg and pay their Vowes to God in the presence of those are called his people it is very powerfull to By confirming 1. Confirme them in the profession and to establish them For who would not hold fast where he can observe such goodnesse tendernesse and power in God he worshipeth Psal 107. Men religious men some at least will praise the Lord for such wonderfull works to the children of men Psal 36.7 when they see such excellent loving kindnesse shewed to the distrssed the children of men will put their trust in God None will leave the shadow of that wing which so saveth Reforming 2. It is very like to make them enquire into the wayes and doings which have been theirs but have not been good and to look forward to the wayes which must be theirs and must be amended when a stander by shall observe the distresse a good man is in and how he resents neglect of duty prevalency of corruption necessity of reforming and binds himself to more diligent discharge of duty to more vigorous oppsition of sinne to constant care of reforming He is ready to reflect on himself and if he be what he professeth will judge himself one who is as deep in the faults as much needing to reform and as near to the like or greater distresse He may ere long be put to it and therefore it will be best to be on the amending hand 3. Vowes promote Religion in the Votaries heart and life But however thirdly Vowes well made and kept well very much improve and promote Religion in the heart and life of him who so Voweth and keepeth his Vow If none of those who are acquainted with thy religious making and keeping thy Vowes should either honour it more or set to the exercise of it more yet certainly it will produce such effects in thy life as will very much conduce to the encrease of godlinesse and righteousnesse which will appear by some few particulars which are undeniably the effects of a well composed Vow and do as undeniably promote and set forward Religion As 1. Vowes encrease circumspection First A well composed Vow will make thee more circumspect and wary in the generall course of thy life Such an influence it hath as doth more directly work on one particular part yet is not terminated to that particular onely It is here as with a Debtor who doubles his bond and security for his debt upon some extraordinary favour which his Creditor shewed him This double bond directly looks to that particular debt but it works on the debtor's ingenuity and gratitude to be more carefull in the discharge of all his debts so thy Vow looks on a particular but engageth thee to better discharge of all thy debts to God Thus it was with David Psal 56.12 13. Thy Vowes are upon me O God Now these Vowes were made when he was in danger of his life as it seemeth from the 13th Verse For when God heard him he delivered his soul from death for this he Vowed Praises in particular and he will render them but withall he takes himself to be hereby engaged to a more exact and circumspect walk before God in all duties so he expresseth himself Vers 13. latter part Vowes are too broad and generall which are not fixed more especially to some one thing And They are too narrow which are so fixed to one that they exclude all other things which might conveniently be taken in Jacob mentions Tithes as the particular object of his Vow but Jacob withall intended a more exact and circumspect care over himself and Family in matters of Religion as appeareth by those passages Gen. 35.2.3 Jacob said unto his houshold and to all that were with him put away the strange Gods that are among you Here is the reforming of his houshold And observe this was in consideration of Gods answering his prayers when he Vowed unto God who answered him in his distresse and was with him in the way which he went So then like a stream it riseth from one spring-head and runs in one main current but it disperseth it self through many other smaller branches and waters every part But Secondly 2. Vowes discover former defects Well composed Vowes do very much promote Grace and Holinesse in the heart of the vower in that it doth bring the man to a serious view and survey of his former defects and neglects when he comes to look over his streits what likely brought them on him and so put him on this extraordinary way of seeking God and suing for mercy when he reads over the bond he hath voluntarily entred into and observes what put him thus in debt to God when he views these and such like particulars he comes to knowledge of his former aberrations and defects Now as a good and carefull tradesman accounts he is in a good forwardnesse to a thriving way when he hath found out what did hinder and endammage his trade for removall of which he hath set himself in a hopefull and likely way so when a Christian comes to cast up accounts to make even he finds an unconstant and starting heart hath in this or that particular endammaged him and if there be any way of dealing with it to keep it constant and stable it is by doubling its bonds and this must be done by vow this course is like to repair former defects and reparation I am sure is good and effectuall means to keep up the house Some Interpreters tell us that when Jacob came to reform his house it was occasioned by his defective observance of his Vow and that God in Gen. 35.1 puts him in mind of it in such words Go up to Beth-el and dwell there and there build an Altar if their conjecture fail not it is a pertinent instance to our case Jacob had made a good Vow and well ordered and doubtlesse had performed much of it yet thirty years after he is minded of it by God and then he comes to consider and performe what was yet wanting to make up his defects Thus when care
to perform Vowes well made discovers things ill carried to the prejudice of Religion it makes way for future furtherance of Religion Dub. But it is like you will enquire May a Christian vow the repairing of such defects are they not more than can be discerned more than can be prevented should he vow this would he not ensnare himself and break his vowes Sol. To this I answer briefly That no man in the world may engage himself by vow to live for future without any defects such perfection is onely in Heaven here it is not attainable But a Christian may engage by vow to be carefull and to do his best diligence to prevent as many as he can He may vow that so farre as Grace shall enable him he will endeavour to live with fewer faults But a vow of full perfection can never be a well composed vow nor ever be performed 3. Vowes engage against a particular sin Thirdly Well composed vowes do promote Religion in the heart and life of a Christian in that it strongly and unalterably engageth the Christian against some one or other particular sinne which would more easily prevail if the reverence or care of so sacred an engagement did not set the Christian against that sinne Sometime we should sin by taking too little notice of great providences or by setting them at too low rate or by soon forgetting them or by waxing proud and insolent under them Now such sins provoke God weaken Religions interesse in the heart and diminish its fruit in the life Now when vowes prevent such sinnes they do as much promote Religion as preventing Physick promotes the health of the body of such a nature was Job's covenant with his eyes which shut the windowes of his soul and kept out sinne by preventing its entrance at the out doors I have made a covenant with my eyes Job 31.1 Away then with all alluring beauties I cannot gaze on them for I cannot be false to my vow and covenant Every Vow is for more strict and exact approbation of our selves in either universall or particular either in a perpetuall or temporarary observance and serving the Lord Now that promotes Religion which thus exactly and strictly binds the soul to approve it self to God Sinne and Religion have two concernmenâ—s as contrary to each other as the Rebell and the Law of his Soveraigne and as he promotes the interesse of his Soveraigne who doth strictly bind himself to oppose any Rebell so he promotes Religion who by vow binds himself strictly to oppose any one sinne whatever If Noah vowed after his miscarrigge against drinking any considerable quantity of w ne that he might prevent that sinne this vow strengthened the interesse of his hoâ—y sobriety and the inâ—erâ—sse of Religion too so farre as sobriety promotes our fitnesse and greater aptnesse to Religious works But I shall be here asked Dub. May a man vow against any one particular sinne and bind himself by so great a bond against the committing of it The ground of the doubt is because none so stands but he may fall and it is not in our power to keep our selves from any sinne To this then I answer Sol. That it would be rash and inconsiderate to vow absolutely and peremptorily that thou wilt never act such or such a sinne But thus thou mayest justifiably vow 1. That than wilt endeavour and with thy best diligence labour to prevent this or that sinne thou mayest vow to set a guard upon thy soul but thou mayest not vow the successe of this guard the endeavour is thy duty and that thou mayest vow the successe is Gods gift and that thou must pray for And let weak Christians take notice oâ— this lest they ensnare themselvâ—s by vowing what is not in their power 2. If thou wilt vow so thou must do it still with dependence on the Lord for power to performe through grace thou wilt not sinne thus or thus may be thy vow 3. If thou wilt so vow then take my advice with thee 1. Let it be onely against great sins and such as are committed with deliberation these are seen before committed and so are more easily resisted 2. Let it reach no farther then sincere endeavour agâ—inst them And 3. Be sure to do your utmost and then though the sinne may be too strong for you yet are you not false to your vow But next 4. Vowes encrease our care of particular duty Fourthly Well composed vowes do much promote Religion in the heart and life of a Christian insomuch as they engage the Christian to a more intent care of some particular duty and Grace to be more than ordinarily attended and exercised A vow binds the votary to a more than ordinary care of duty and to a more than ordinary diligence in the exercise of grace now where such a vow is so well composed that the duty may be more than ordinarily well performed and the grace may be more than usually hath been exercised there such a vow doth as much promote Religion as its care doth exceed our ordinary care Who bestows most on a duty or on the constant exercise of a grace doth do most to the promoting of Religion and I am sure who so doth advisedly and duely vow and doth punctually and duely perform his vow is the man whose care is greatest in that duty and grace which his vow and the particular occasion of it did commend to his thoughts Dub. But may we vow to perform a duty or exercise a grace Can we say 't is in our power Sol. To this in one word Vow so farre as it is and shall be in your power and you may warrantably and acceptably do it before God the performance of duty and exercise of grace are debts we owe to God and we may bind our selves doubly to pay them so farre as our stock will reach and without this limitation every vow is rash and ill composed 5. Vowes c. by observing and improving providences Fifthly Well composed Vowes do much promote Religion in that they engage us to a more diligent observing of Providences and to a due improving them to the best advantage of grace When thou hast vowed thou hast sâ—aled on thy part if God doe answer thy hope by his providence he performs the condition on his part and now it must be thy care to observe Gods providence and to improve it so Jacob vowed then observeth how God will perform with him and afterwards makes the improvement Now providence answering the expectation of one who voweth hath in it 1. Remarkable power and faithfullnesse to be the ground of faith this was seen in that Providence which gave Jephthah that victory which was his hope and expectation when he vowed 2. Eminent goodnesse and tendernesse to be the loadstone and attractive of love so in that Providence which brought David to the possession of his hopes and David thought so when he
Falls of Godly and Wicked 79. Family sins 177. Family Instructions 195. Family Duties 202. Faults How to bear with others Faults 401. How to correct them 204. Fight Against sin how to bee managed 331. Flesh What meant by Flesh and Spirit 84. G God Alwaies justified by Good men 455. Why hee doth not hinder sin 167. How hee is manifested to us 417. 418 Wee must not limit him 452. Hee can do no wrong 455. His Goodness 21. 340. 421. 435. His justice in punishing 174. His power 434. Good Moral Good and evil eternally distinguished 89. Grace all from Christ 679. Growth in it 318. Truth of it not dâ—â—rees to bee examined p. 319. Gentleness To be observed in Reproofs 208. H. Hand What meant by right Hand 40 41. Excellency of it 43. Heart Must be narrowly watched 58 93. 165. And much laboured withall 684. Health the proper time for working out Salvation 119. Holiness is communicative 214. Christ the pattern of it 24. Hope Nature of that Christian Grace 430. From Creatures vain 565. Hospitality 287. Humility the souls ballast 454. Makes us thrive 21. Makes good men have the worst thoughts of themselves 663. Hypocrisie what it is 657. Why compared to leaven ibid. Danger of it 659. Six signs of it 666 c. How to cure it 671 672 c. Motives to use those means 675. I. Impatience 452. Inconstancy in all things 255. Indeavours not vain before Conversion 28 29. Inequality between men inconsiderable 254. Intercession of Christ its power 311. Justice An exact and easie Rule of it 249. Rules for it in Trade 260 c Advantage must not be taken of mens ignorance 263. It must be mixt with Charity 275. Gods Justice in punishing 174. Injury How it must be prosecuted 4â—4 L. Law It is six fold 324. When Lawful things undo us 562. How wee may know that wee abuse them 564 c. Do not all that is Lawful 264. Liberty What Liberty Gods Spirit gives 518 c. How to deal with others in matters of Liberty 258. Love It will put Life into us 506. The best preservative against the least sin 88. In the Will and in the Appetite 221. To God and Christ how distinguished 222. What is it to Love Christ 222. Twelve Characters of it 224. Do all out of Love to God 22. False Love 237. Want of Love to him the greatest sin 238 c. Brings the greatest punishment 240. Motives to Love him 241 c. How to inflame our Love to him 244 c. How to increase the flame 247. M. Marriage 579. Misery Of a sinner 360 c. Of those that love not Christ 240 368 Ministry Difficulty of that Imployment 118. Meditation Two benefits of it 477 Makes the Efficacy of Ordinances continue 682. Morning Morning thoughts to be observed 54. Mortification A continued Act. 63. Mourn For the sins of others 179. Moderation What it is 382. The Rule of it 384. In what things to be used 388. How towards good things of this life 389. How towards the evil 394. Towards persons 397. In Civil matters Actively 397. Passively 401. In Religious Negatively 405 Positively 408. Reasons to inforce this duty 412 c. N. Neighbour Duties toward him much to bee regarded 266. O. Obedience It must be compleat 59 62 63. Occasions Of sin to be avoided 56 95. Omniscience Of God to be beleeved in prayer 338 c. His Omnipotence also 340 434. Opinions Moderately to be contended for 408 409. Original sin 84. 104. Ordinances To be frequented 203 686. Their vertue from Christ 621. What wee must do to make their Efficacy abide 679. What we must avoid for that end 688. P. Parents Must instruct their children 195. They must command them to obey it 197. Persons Must not be respected 184. Pleasure Pleasant things dangerous 57. Power of God 434. No Power to convert our selves 27. Threefold Power 26. Men can do more than they do 28. Poor A stock to be made for them 298. Prayer Necessity of it 102. For our Relations 213 214 For Charity 296. Why God hears wicked men sometimes 336. Wicked men are bound to pray 336. Why God will not give without prayer 341. To pray in Faith what 335 337 c. How for temporal things 345 c. How for spiritual 346 c. To be made with an eye to Christ 435 343. Distraction in Prayer 468. Danger of careless thoughts in Prayer 463 c. Answer of Prayer makes a mercy sweeter 493. Do nothing but what you can pray God to bless 24. Praise Incourages to do well 205. Prosperity A time for Trust in God 439. How it must be done 440 c. Propriety In Goods and Lands lawful 289. Promises To be beleeved in Prayer 342. A ground of our trust 435. They quicken the soul 507. Providence of God 339 437. Prudence in avoiding sufferings 640. Q. Quickening What it is to Quicken 500. Means of spiritual Quickning 504. Ten Quickning Considerations 509 c. R. Rashness In making vows to be avoided 591. Reason It must alwaies govern 98. Rational Arguments to be used 212. Recreation to be moderate 579. Regenerate Not without conflicts 325. Relation Study to save our Relations 190. Gods Relation to us a ground of trust 435. Religion A Christians business 573. Wherein it doth consist ib. seq When it is our business 577. How to make it so 583 c. Sweetness of it 584. When promoted by vows 592 c. And how 596. To be secured above all things 638 How to preserve it among enemies to it 640. It bindes the duties of the second Table upon us 267. How to converse with men of a different Religion 646 647 c. Repentance when it is true 81. Madness to defer it 19. Reproof Sin to be Reproved 179. Discovers beloved sins 52. How to manage it 2â—0 201 208. 398. Qualifications of a Reprover 180. Of a Reproof 182 183 c. 649. What must be Reproved 181. Win the affections of those you Reprove 212. Season of Reproof is to be marked 182 c. 280. Resolution against beloved sins 55. Revenge not to be taken 265. Rewards great incouragements 206. Riches not to be confided in 272. S. Scruples not to be cherished 17. Self-Knowledge How excellent 91 244. To be got in Solitude 54. And in Sufferings 55. Self-denial of great advantage 628. Salvation Of our friends should be laboured 190. Strife al ouâ— it 37 38 504 505. Sensual ty 569. Security 571. Sick Instruction to Sick persons of great advantage 112. How to be dealt withall 113. The same method improper for all 115 Errours which they are subject to 116 117. Sin to be killed 42. Never to live again ibid. It is from ouâ— selves 44. Ugliness of it 91. Why expressed by the parts of our body 45. Of Belâ—v d Sins 46. Whence they proceed 47. 12 Marks to discover them 50 c. Nine Helps to subdue them 55. Smallest Sins to be avoided 73 328. 331. Means against its first rising 88 c Take heed of beginning of Sin 107. In our children as well as selves 198. Eight waies of becomming guilty of other mens Sins 163. Five devilish sins 164. Sin how to be cured by Revulsion 101 Sloth three-fold 500. Ten Remedies against Spiritual Sloth 504 c. Eight Questions to Slothful Christians 314. Spirit the witness of it 318 521. We may know that we have Gods Spirit 313. What to walk in it 85. When activity is from Gods Spirit 416 c. Superiours must uphold their authority 193. How to be reproved 210. Superfluities to be cut off 297. Sufferings how prudently to be avoided 646 c. Or couragiously to be indured 631. c. T. Temper of body may incline to sin 46 47. Temptations how to be resisted 94 96. Thanksgiving due to God continually 480. Specially from his children 481 c. The grounds of it 482 c. For every thing 484 c. For afflictions 486. The reasons of that 487 c. How to obtain this frame of Spirit 491 492 c. Thoughts a conscience to be made of them 463. Time care to be had of it 575. Trouble inward and outward meet sometimes together 364. Whence it arises 365 c. To live among the ungodly a great Trouble 633 c. Truth not all equal 408. Trust what it is to Trust in God 428 Effects of it 431. Obâ—ect of Trust 432. Grounds of Trust in God 439 450. V. Verbs Active Verbs how sometimes used 26. Unthankfulness several sorts of Unthankful men 495 496. The evil of this sin 497. Vows the nature of them 588. Whether lawful to make them 589. When they are useful in Religion 592 c. How they promote it 596 c. Danger of breaking them 604. They must bear some proportion to mercies 605. W. Way A four-fold Way 503. Weakness very great in us unto good 27. Word of God the best weapon 85 99. Worldly-mindedness hinders its operation 689. Moderation in our words 397. Watchfulness necessary in doing our duty 504. Against our enemies 33 580. Worship how to conceive of God in it 416 c. He is tender of it 462. We must worship him in Christ. 423. Zeal Consistant with Moderation 407. FINIS