plainly holds forth the duty of Christians in their whole life is uncontravertedâ— clear from the Scriptures and all Debates 〈◊〉 religious matters that have not the alone prospect of bettering and advancing of Knowledge are certainly not allowable And as your heartâ— all times ought to be over-filled with true love 〈◊〉 God and such as bears his Image so especially be respective to the Ministers of the Gospel being Ambassadors for Christ and Administrator of the Ordinances appointed by him in the Neâ—â— Testament as the Apostle enjoyns 1 Thes 5 1â—â— I beseech you brethren mark them which labour amongst you and are over you in the Lord and adminish you and esteem them very highly in Love for the works sake And let not the infirmities of any 〈◊〉 them procure in your heart any disrespect to thâ—â— holy Calling But mind what the same Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.7 That we have this Treasure in earth en Vessels that the exeellency of the power may be 〈◊〉 God and not of us 13. As you are to have a Pity and Love eveâ— towards such as altogether wants Religion 〈◊〉 worships God not truly as he hath appointed 〈◊〉 his Word so ye would altogether avoid the least of Animosity with such as with Charity 〈◊〉 may judge differs only anent Church-government or any thing else not inconsistent with the salvation of their Souls not doubting but ye will sinâ— at the day of Judgment that the many Niceitieâ— which a great part do but too much concern themselves in are the effects of want of Charit and a gospel Frame and disposition of heart 14. The wickedness of our hearts is such as doth altogether unfit for the doing of Duty Have we any prosperity in the enjoyment of health or any thing desireable in the world we are seldom or never in a frame for rightly acknowledging God for his Mercies and improving them to the end of our having thereof And if Providence tryst our being crossed in what is delightful to us how ready are we to dejection of mind and what does unfit for Duty let every Dispensation of God to you-ward lead you to the consideration of failings in your bypast life and stir you up to a suitable walk under what you are trysted with Endeavour an equality of Temper in all your ways if Dispensations any ways prosperous be your Lot consider you have them from God and humbly acknowledge his Mercy in what ever you meet with and if what is more cross befal you repine not thereat but mind that the worst of Conditions is above your desert Seek of him with earnestness that you may truly learn his holy Will in all his Dispensations and in Prosperity or Adversity let all your care be to know what ye are called to as Duty and to endeavour with diligence the doing thereof even in things relating to this life then with chearful Submission leave the event of all your concerns to God who is wonderful in goodness to such as fear and trust in him 15. When the Lords day is come remember to keep it holy as God has expresly appointed in his 4th Command And in order thereto prepare your Heart for the Duties thereof before it approach for however a great many in this Age may contravert the Morality of that Precept for the due observation of the Sabbath yet may you be satisfied with what is fully held forth by I may say all the most serious and godly of Divines that it is from the Practise noâ— only of the Primitive Church being the mospure of Christians but even of the Appostles whâ— were immediately inspired of God and whose Example we are bound to follow And as the due Observance of the Sabbath under the Law was enjoyned under the certification of greâ—â— wrath from God as in Nehemiah 13. cap. v. 17. and 18. What evil is this that ye do and prophaâ—â— the Sabbath did not your Fathers thus and did 〈◊〉 our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this Câ—ty yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profanity the Sabbath So the Promises to the doing there of were great as in Isa 56.2 Blessed is the mâ—â— that doth this and the son of man that layeth holdâ—â— it that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it Aâ—â— 58.13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath and from doing thy pleasure on my holy day aâ—â— call the Sabbath of the Lord a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not finding thiâ—â— own pleasure nor speaking thine own words then shaâ—â— thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thâ—â— to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed the with the heretage of Jacob thy father for the mouâ—â— of the Lord hath spoken it Yea not only from History the judgments of God upon Sabbath-breakers are manifest but such as are of small Experience may evidently perceive the dreadful consequences thereof in the confession of almost all Malefactors that comes to publick Execution It is trâ—â— such as are pleased to have no respect to the dâ— Observation of the Sabbath and to object againâ— the obligation upon Christians for keeping it holy doth answer to that of its being so generally confessed by dying Penitents that the same flows but from their Education and its being inculcat in them to be so sinful but what answer will such I may say prophane Wretches give to this so palpable Evidence of God's displeasure with the profanation of that Day that He in his over-ruling Providence often permits notorious Breakers of the Sabbath to fall in such sins as even brings them to open and shameful Punishment in this World And albeit the ways of God's Providence are not to be fathomed and gross Sinners of every kind do's in things relating to this life Die without any appearing Marks of God's displeasure which may fully satisfie all rational Persons that there is a Judgment to come so the temporal Calamities sometimes trysting Sinners in this World are an Earnest of what shall be Dispensed at that dreadful Day to such and it may plainly appear to you that the Cavilling against the Obligations for keeping Holy the Sabbath of our Lord is of the Devil being that only such as want tenderness of Conscience and Love not to live in any thing according to the Rules of the Gospel do thus declare themselves whereas Persons whose hearts are God-ward however their Frailty may hinder the due performance of their Duty are ever ready to acknowledge their Obligation to the observation of that Day to be kept a Sabbath Holy to the Lord. Yea Sir Matthew Hale late L. Chief Justice of England whose Memory is Savoury to all good men that knew or heard of him in his Directions to his Children for keeping the Lords Day doth press it upon them for several Reasons and in one whereof he saith because I have found by long and sound Experience that the due observance of that
shall be 〈◊〉 thine heart And thou shalt teach them unto thâ— Children c. And in cap. 32.46 He says Sâ—â— your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day which you shall command your Children to observe to do Let your Deportment toward them be such as may procure them to fear respect and love you and so soon as they comâ— to the Years of any Understanding mind you Engagements at their being Baptised and in discharge thereof hold forth to them the Obligation you did then come under and take theâ— solemnly and expresly bound to the performance of their Part and as their Capacities wâ—â— admit instruct them so far as you can in every part of their Duty God-ward curb in them every tendency to evil such as Lying Swearing Sabbath-breaking and what else their Corruption derived from you makes them prone to commit and as you are whilst they do well to be familiarly affection at towards them so far as is consistent with the reverential Aw they ought to have of you even so as you respect their Well-being here or to Eternity forbear not Reproof and Chastisement when their Carriage calls for it A Parent would justly be contemned that should suffer his Child to die for Hunger whilst he were able by any thing within his power to prevent it and unexpressibly more is that Parent to be abominate who does not by suitable and fatherly Correction and all Instruction within his power prevent his Child 's not only dying but suffering the extremity of Torments to all Eternity Forbear Chastising whilst you are in Passion and much more ought you to beware of doing it only to satisfie Passion but have ye the glory of God in your Child 's wel-doing as your Aim 66. If it shall please God you live with your Children whilst they be marriageable and Occasions offer for their entering into that state of Life I intreat you let it be done with a prospect to their eternal wel-being I have my self observed what I consider much to be lamented that persons whom I judge truly serious in the ways of God are too usually but little tender of their matching their Children suitable and with respect to their eternal Salvation how seldom doth it happen that a Youth albeit prophane if he have Riches and what the World foolishly considers Credit and Honour is refused any Young-woman in marriage surely there can be no Action less consistent with Reason then Parents so disposing of their Children and they will at that Great Day of God's judging Sinners then perceive it had been their Interest rather to have matched them with the meanest Mechanick of honest Qualifications and a Christian Walk Endeavour in your Childrens being setled in Marriage that it be with such as may be Helps and Inducements to their Duty God-ward and above all things and in the first place be satisfied in that so far as is within your power 67. As your Children are not of themselves to enter into that State against or without your consent so as a Parent you are to be reasonable in your Grounds for refusing it and in their Marriage it is your Duty to advise direct and hinder if you see it necessar but altogether forbear pressing them to marry where their own Inclinations do's not freely go along 68. When they are to go out of your Family and enter themselves into any other condition of Life endeavour by good Advice to fit and direct them for what is to be their Duty and above all things press their depending upon God for strength without which it is impossible for them to do well If they shall go from you to their own or any other Family by Marriage instruct them in the Duties suitable to their Station If Sons exhort them to what I have hinted in this my Advice to you and enlarge therein as you will find sufficient Ground so to do And if Daughters be assisting to them in your Directions for their Carriage in what is required of them under that Relation 69. Their end and manner of entering to it would be with an entire respect to the Glory of God and when in it their Charge is indeed great whatever is the Husbands duty she at least in his absence is to supply his place and her fidelity care and sincere love and affection to her Husband is to appear in all her Actions she would by her not gading abroad and a modest quiet and discreet Carriage whilst at home evidence her firm Resolution to the discharge of her Duty Solomon in Prov. 7.11 12. Tells you the Carriage of a Naughty Woman She is loud and stubborn her feet abide not in her house Now is she without now in the streets c. And in Tit. 2.4 5. The Apostle presses Women may be sober love their Husbands love their Children And that they be Discreet keepers at home Good obedient to their own Husbands c. And as there is Business that do's more properly belong to a Husband so there is that the Wife is almost only concerned 〈◊〉 such as the Care and Oversight of almost all within Doors and particularly of the Education and Up-bringing of Children whilst young when they come to the World It is apparent that Nature by giving to Mothers Breasts and Milk fitted for their Nourishment has intended their discharging that Duty I am indeed sensible that sometimes the want of ability or necessary Diversion in other Affairs and other Accidents occurring may hinder in which Cases it is Duty to forbear but it is much to be feared that too many without just Ground puts off the nursing of their Children to their great Inconvenience It might be Argued that the nature of that Nourishment may influence the Humour and Temper of the Child and it is uncontravertedly true that it is a real Cause for a more firm Bond of Affection betwixt Children and Parents and surely it is very pleasant to see Mothers of whatever Quality when there is fitness and ability for that Duty discharging it And when Children comes to any Years of Discretion the Wife is Joyntly concern'd with the Husband in their Instruction 70. What servants you need and are fitting for you in your Station make choice of them having in the first place a respect to God's being served by them in your Family and what ever be the qualifications and fitness of any servant for any worldly Concern if they be notoriously wicked or you be satisfied that they will not concur to worship God in your Family let no worldly Consideration procure your entertaining them I shall not say that you admit of none but such as are Gracious but be sure they be such as are not known to be wicked and when they come into your Society let it be your care that they know their Duty God-ward and practise it As their Master you are not only to provide for their suitable Maintenance and to give them what is
Souls eternal Interest and Well-being accustome your self to Truth in every circumstance of your Speech and Actions for as Lying is so obviously hateful to every person but pretending to Honour and Honesty so it is abominable to God Prov. 12.22 Lying lips are abomination to the Lord and a Lye being in the mouth of any Person does prognosticate the Devils being in the heart for lying may properly be said to be his Language he being the father of Lyes And ye find in the 22. Rev 15. such to be debarred from the new Jerusalem as loveth and maketh a lye 32. As you are to abominat that dishonourable Vice of Lying so ye would forbear what has any likelyhood to or appearance thereof Beware of reporting Stories having any thing of incredulity in them since you may thereby soon procure to your self such a Stain of dishonour as even your after-life albeit of great prudence and veracity will with difficulty delet I hope my confidence in your being nothing inclined to this Vice shall not deceive me and I give you this Caution lest by unnecessar reporting of Truths which has any appearance of impossibility you begin to weaken your Credit for I think any at least whilst they are entering upon the World and whil'st their Solidity and Veracity be nottour should be cautious they do not in Discourse or otherwise what may have a tendency to weaken their Reputation 33. Being talkative and a love to Discourse much has many inconveniencies attending it and however some persons truly of Worth may be inclined thereto yet has it ever to me most usually proclaimed their folly Whil'st ye are in company of any Superior it will be Wisdom to speak but when required unless it be with modesty in few and apposite Words to evidence some desire or seek to be resolved of some Question and in all Companies whatsoever shun the taking upon you of much Discourse as what is not only Nauseating but often in the abundance thereof is something said which the Speaker or such as is concerned in him would heartily wish were not said And Solomon in the 10. Prov. 19. Holdeth forth to you that in the multitude of Words there wanteth not sin but he that refraineth his Lips is wise And the 17.28 Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a a man of understanding 34. I have told you ye are to evite Idleness and so live as to be useful in your Station and that you may continue the more fitted for so doing Recreation both to Body and Mind is necessary but your Care must be that it be allowable both in Quality and Quantity Let it be what is suitable to persons in your Station and by not exceeding in the use thereof free your self from that too epidemick Fault of making Recreation as if it were your Calling Surely it is most irrational that men should so little value precious time as the most of their Thoughts should be how they shall cheat themselves of what they would find to be Irrecoverable and for which to have it redeemed from the Wickedness and Folly of our vain way of living would willingly be given all within the power of wretched Man Forbear such Recreations as may be sinful or offensive I shall not determine anent the lawfulness of Games wherein there is Lottorie knowing that some good Men have allowed thereof but many are of the Opinion of their being unlawful and since you may have suitable Diversions without using such it is surely safest to forbear And it is evident that the playing at Cards and Dice from which I absolutely disswade you is obviously accompanied with such sinful Inconveniencies as the advantage of the Recreation of your whole life will be dearly bought by any part thereof I shall not say but it is possible to use that Diversion with moderation yet seldom are Youth enabled so to do and to me it is not the least Argument against that and some other Games there being not much allowable that there is not only upon the most of persons using them a kind of bewitching Inclination to the frequent doing thereof but often are these given up to their immoderate use so far deserted of God as they are otherways in their conversation Offensive Yea I may say there are not many that uses them without what is very sinful for if they be not as the most are tempted to Swear and Curse do they not at the best in the practice of that Exercise evidence such an intent and serious diversion of mind as is inconsistent with Recreation and disables from Duty 35. As you would not do what is offensive to all good Men and above all sinful in the sight of God frequent not wicked and sinful Company let not their complacency or any other inducement from their Converse overcome you for the Frailty of man is most likely to prevail under the temptation of evil Company I intreat your ordinar converse be with such as may rather further than hinder you in the ways of Godliness and endeavour to frequent such Company as you would desire to be found with at the day of Death or your appearance before God's Tribunal You find by Psal 119.63 That David was a Companion of all them that did fear God and did keep His Precepts And Solomon in Prov. 28.7 Telleth that who so keepeth the Law is a wise Son but he that is a Companion of riotous Men shameth his Father I acknowledge whilst men are in the World it may be said to be impossible to be altogether out of the Company of the Prophane but let it be evident from your whole Conversation that your delight is not in any such Fellowship for undoubtedly a young man's frequenting evil Company is an Evident and undenyable Demonstration of his beginning to be such as the Company he keeps if he be not already come their height 36. Having in what I have written minted at directing you in some things that hath relation to your self in the discharge of your Duty God-ward and in the beginning thereof urged your making conscience of Prayer Yet such is the unvaluable Gift of God in allowing Sinners to come to Him as I shall before I say any thing to you that concerns your Duty to your Neighbour again intreat your Diligence in drawing near to him which you must do in Faith under a sense of your very many Wants your great Unworthiness and apprehending and taking up God as able to help dreadful in his Justice yet wonderful in Mercy and accessible to lost Sinners in Jesus Christ and as we are called in whatever we do to consider aright the motive to and the manner of our doing Duty so I desire it may be your care to prevent your Guilt in either of these Your motives to Duty would be allowable in His sight who not only allows of but requires our concernment in our selves and others which may
to her after his Death at which time the Law allows her only what she has thereby a right to to be as if with his one hand he should give it to the other for Man and Wife whilst they live ought to have no distinct propriety in Goods and your care of her ought in every thing to be as it should be in relation to your self As I have said to you one great end of your entering into that state of Life ought to be your being encouraged in your Duty God-ward in order thereto watch over one another and with Meekness and Affection hold forth to others your Failings whatever they be Accustom your self to the patient bearing of one anothers Infirmities Be often in Prayer together and at such times and a-part let it be your earnest request to God that He for Christ's sake would enable you to the mutual Duties required 59. If ye be blessed with Children receive them from God as Blessings and solemnly return and devote them again to his Service When they are to be Baptized as you are to engage to their Education in God's fear so let these times be Opportunities of your renewing your own baptismal Engagements and with a willing Heart give up to God your self your Children and what ever is yours As a Parent you are expresly bound to provide for your Children in this World but especially to all Eternity your care is to commence from the time of their being in the Womb and what is suitable for them in your Station is to be provided for them in all tenderness and affection yet let not your indulgent Care destroy Soul â—or Bodie Be careful of the means of their convenient Subsistance but beware of what is hurtful to the Child or tending to Vanity and being sinful in the sight of God Often does Parents indulgence in pampering Children as directly destroy their Bodies as if they did out their Throats Wherefore I advise their Dyet to be of such common Food as is suitable to persons in your Station and never press their eating but give moderatly when their Appetite requires for sure I am the death of Thousands of Children is hastened and procured by Unseasonable Intemperate and Unwholsome Feeding where one for the Thousand suffers death by Want and Hunger 60. Endeavour their Knowledge in Learning as what will more fit them for any Condition of Life they may be called to Be sure they be acquaint with doing what may keep them from Idleness and make them useful Members of the Society they live in 61. The usual Imployments for Male-children besides what is Mechanicks are the profession of Law Physick and Merchandise You would in some measure from their own Inclination let them make choice of their manner of Living and endeavour to hold forth to them the many Snares that attends them whilst in the World and particularly most incident to persons in the Imployment they are to follow For that of Law I believe since the world was it has been much abused and I think never more against knowledge and light than in thir late Ages I shall be far from thinking but there are persons of great Honour and integrity of that Profession but uncontravertedly the generality of these in it are very corrupt I shall say nothing of Judges but what is too apparent that they do at least many of them beyond what Law allows take upon them the disposal of peoples Proprietie and by the event makes it appear they do it to the hight of Injustice and for Advocats and persons of an Inferior Rank depending upon Judicatories The generality of them are not only corrupt but truly to the hight of Excess therein for the most tender and consciencious of that Imployment some few excepted does little scruple to endeavour the promoting of an injust Action I must confess there are to my knowledge persons of great Honour in that station and it may be said that severals are of that Ingenuity as to signifie to their Client that they ought not â—o insist and that they should in Justice lose their pretences But too seldom does it happen that these in that Profession does absolutely refuse to concur with their Client in the Injustice and if they do not for their own gain with the greatest part stir up and further their Client to what is unjust yet if they be desired and liberally rewarded do they not endeavour at the Bar and otherways so to inveagle the Judge in comprehending any Intricacies in that Action as to oblige him to pronounce a Sentence which they are fully satisfied is as unjust as they are satisfied that the Sun is in the Firmament And as it is surely to be cordially wished that Judges and other in a Capacity would by suitable Rules and other Methods provide against the continuance of that Iniquitie so the only desireable way of reaching that end is the Liedges having such a Sense of the Inconveniences from contending at Law and that both to Soul and Body as may make them by having a Christian and desireable Concord in all their dealing withhold what enables that Society to acquire a great part of the Substance of the Kingdom 62. For that of Physick you would be very cautious in determining your Children to that Profession for next to the Ministry there is no other to which a suitable knowledge is so necessar for in other Imployments a man by his want of Knowledge and Care does for the most part only prejudge himself but an unqualified Professor of Physick or Pharmacy does irrecoverably prejudge his Patient and it is to be feared that Ignorance and Insobriety which is most inconsistent with that Imployment does but too much abound 63. Merchandise has many Snares attending it the Devil and our corrupt Hearts combining together where there is mulciplicity of Business thereby to destroy our Souls and I do truly apprehend there is no little guilt in the common and uncondemned way of dealing in that Imployment and that both by Vender and Buyer in their disingenious Asking and offering what they are conscious to themselves is not the worth of that they deal for And I know no Argument for it but its being as it is but too truly customary But so are many things very grosly sinful And whereas it may be objected the impossibility of dealing in any Trade without following these customary Methods the objecting is a direct saying they believe not in God and his Providence And that he has said Prov. 10.9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely I can for my self truly say I have been ashamed to offer persons who I was otherways bound to value as ingenuous less than what they asked being satisfied that the asking more than the worth is direct Lying and that my offering less than was asked was indirectly saying you Ly. It is true the Buyer and Vender may differ in point of Judgment and after communing may come to alter their Opinions but it is certain
the Condition of their serving you but you have a Charge of their Souls which if neglected and not repented of you will answer at the day of your appearing before God's Tribunal Your first and great care must be that they serve God and if they so do they will be faithful in their service to you It is very desiderable that the generality of Masters are so little concerned in the Souls of their servants and that they should be so ready to reprehend their omission of Duty in their worldly Concerns and so neglective of putting them to their Duty toward God and rebaking their slighting of what is required of them in their service Endeavour what in you lies by Admonition and otherways that your servants live as suitable Members in a Christian Family and if you cannot procure them so to do disiniss them so soon as you can out of yours David in Psal 101. Promises to God what shall be his Carriage I will walk within my house with a perfect heart I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the work of them that turn aside it shall not cleave unto me c. And in vers 7. He saith He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight Endeavour that every one in your Family may with quietness go about what they are called to in their Station and prevent Contention and all Clamor and Noise for every ones acting in their several Concerns without Noise and with Discretion is most desirable Noise and too many words having always Confusion attending thereupon and where there is much of the Tongue in Husband or Wife or any within the Family it is easie to conjecture that there is in such persons no great fitness for Action Let your Carriage towards your servants be such as may oblige them to a due Respect to you and to the keeping of that distance which becomes them in their Station yet forbear all churlish and passionat behaviour towards them as the Apostle enjoins Eph. 6.9 forbearing threatning knowing that your Master also is in Heaven neither is there respect of persons with him When they do amiss in any thing reprove them not to satisfie Passion but so reprove and exhort as it may reach the end their amendment be not your self an evil Example to them let your own Actions rebuke them and be assured that no reproof will have weight where the Reprover is guilty of the Fault reproved And when you find a faithful servant respect him as a Friend for it is but just to allow it to him And Solomon Prov. 17.2 Telleth you that such shall have Rule over a Son that causeth shame and shall have part of the Inheritance among the Brethren 71. Your care must be that God may be served by all within your Family apart and joyntly at convenient Seasons be as careful that your Servants do by themselves discharge their duty God-ward Evening and Morning as you are that they do what ye require in your Affairs and if this ye do with a sincere and only design of God's glory you may with confidence expect the greater Success in your own concerns Forget not the worshiping of God in Prayer and Praise joyntly with all your Family and do it at such times as your Family may be most conveniently got together at least pray with them twice a day and at the most convenient time read some part of the Scripture and sing to his Praise I know many does use it at Evening before Supper because after that time Drousiness and unfitness after Meat disables from the performance of the Duty but I advise the time ye pitch upon may be when every one within the Family has liberty of being present and so may joyn in the Worship for I have often considered it unsuitable for some few in a Family to begin or proceed in Worship when others in that Family were acting in their Business and has thought it more decent when the meanest within the Family could attend albeit it should be after their Affairs for that day were ended And as your times for Family-worship ought to be such as all may give Attendance so let your continuance in it be as all may get their hearts brought up with you in the Duty and make not the length of your Prayers or any other part of Family-worship a Snare to these that should joyn with you Be often exhorting all within your Family to their Duty and let them not consider that the having of the Assemblies Catechism in their memory as only Childrens work that little Piece contains the Sum and Principles of Religion and I think is to be prized equally to any thing else written not dictated by the Spirit of God When ye conveen your Family to Worship at some times at least in some short and suitable Exhortation press that their hearts may go out after God in the Duty it being to be feared that all of us are too ready to draw near with our Bodies when we would be ashamed the frame of our hearts were laid open to our Neighbours then which there can be no Action more stupid Brutish and Atheistical for if we foolishly apprehend that God who is surely the Hearer of Prayer does not hear us and know our Heart why do we offer to draw near to Him And if we do consider Him as the Hearer of Prayer and Searcher of Hearts how daring is our Boldness and Wickedness to do it so unsuitably I intreat ye may duely discharge that Duty of worshiping God with your Family for ye find the Prophet Jeremiah 10.25 Ranking Families that call not upon God with the Heathen that are ignorant of him and he prays saying Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not upon thy Name And it has always been the practice of the Godly as you find Joshua 24.15 peremptorlie saying But as for me and my House we will serve the Lord And you have Almighty God in the 18 Gen. 19. giving it as the Reason of his singular respect to Abraham For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord c. 72. As at times your Family may be encreased by the repair of Friends and others let that be no ground for your neglecting the publick worshiping of God therein and let your Modest Humble Discreet and serious way of performing it incite to their joyning with you so far as is convenient for you be Hospital and let Strangers of whatsoever quality that may need the accomodation of your house and what you can afford have it with freedom so as may be consistent with your duty to these within your family and with cheerfulness entertain your Relations and Friends for Religion does truly allow of a free and hospitable Converse and such a competent use of every
herein mentioned Consider what I have said to you upon it I do not intend ye should think it any ways full or Perfect my Capacitie not allowing me to pretend to any fitness for doing thereof and having but in some things given you my Opinion but if from your heart ye seek after God and depend upon him for Direction He will for Jesus sake give Knowledge and what else will be necessar for you And I intreat ye may consider this as the Advice of an affectionate Father that with his Heart and Soul wishes your eternal Wel-fare You are now at a distance from me and in a Society that makes me the more solicitous anent you for often do's Youth at Colledges instead of acquiring Learning and any thing desirable procure to themselves an habite of vitious Living and this sometimes happens to such as may be judged in probability would without the temptation be free thereof I intreat you beware of keeping such Company as may be a Snare to you and seriously ply your Book which is the end of your being in the place Be careful not only in giving a dutiful obedience to your Regent and the other Masters of the University but also of paying that due Reverence and Respect that is owing to their several Places be observant of their Orders not from fear but for Conscience sake and attend duely to the Diets appointed for your Class let your Converse where you lodge evidence your Discretion and Respect not only to the Head of the Family but to your Comrads and all within it and be sure you be not absent from Family-exercise nor from your Chamber at late or unseasonable hours Mind my Directions to you anent the Sabbath and beware of spending any part thereof in idle Converse forbear in that day your being in the Streets except when you go and come from the Church and attend the Diets of your Class before and after Sermon but above all make Conscience of seeking with earnestness of heart that our God for Jesuâ—â— sake may keep you from all evil let it be you great Work to grow in greater nearness to God for surely the World is Vanity and every thin we so much pursue after will appear to us wheâ—â— Death is at our door as the height of Vanity and most contemptible Think often of thâ—â— certainty of Death and that to the healthiest 〈◊〉 Youth it may come in a Moment mind thâ—â— also certainly after Death will come Judgment where even the most secret of our sinful thought shall be laid open before the Tribunal of a Juâ—â—â— God and a most dreadful and horrible Sentence pronounced against all such as shall 〈◊〉 be found in Christ our Blessed Lord who 〈◊〉 only able to stand betwixt Sinners and the Stroke due to them in Justice It is most lamentable that the Generality even of such as profess to be Christians are either truly Atheistical and among the number of such Fools as in Psal 14.1 Says in their heart there is not a God Or they vainly pretend an Interest where they have no Title the Apostle in Heb. 12.14 Having expresly said that without Holiness it is impossible to see the face of God It is true all that possibly wretched man can perform do's little deserve to be call'd Holiness but our hearty endeavour after Duties a serious continued sense of our Failings our hearts mourning because thereof and our humble coming to and relying upon Christ our Saviour in Faith for Mercy is graciously accepted of by our infinitely Good and Merciful God Ye would consider how our corrupt hearts agreeing with the general Practice and Belief of almost all owning themselves to be Christians seeks to perswade us to an Indifferency and Unconcern'dness in our Souls well-being and would make us believe that the punctual performing of Duty as Christians is but an over-doing if not Hypocrisy and every Person is ready to befool themselves with a groundless Confidence that they will be saved where they are little concerned in the Salvation of their Souls or the means of attaining to it wherefore think ye often with seriousness upon what is said Mat. 7.13 Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it This â—aying ought to be much in your mind for stirring you up to Duty lest you be found to be amongst the great number that goes in the Broad-way to everlasting and dreadful Damnation for in any worldly Concern if to a Society of Persons were offered that a few number of them upon doing of some Duty required should undoubtedly have Riches and worldly Honour every one without Arguments inducing them to it would be earnest in doing what might include them in that Number and what unspeakable Degrees are poor â—inners more concerned to endeavour with all their Power the giving Obedience to the Gracious Commands of our God that we may enter in at the Strait Gate leading into that everlasting Blessed Life I have already something signified to you the excellency of Humility it is truly most desirable and without which a Sinner hath not any Ground to expect access to God for as Pride in ordinar Converse and in worldly Affairs is hateful so in what relates to our Duty as Christians any tincture of Conceit and Pride is utterly to be abominat as being a principal Engine of the Devil for the destruction of the Souls of Mankind and that Excelling Grace of true Humility is the great Ornament of a Christian as Pride is the undoubted Marâ— of corrupt Natures prevailing yea so great 〈◊〉 the excellency of Humility as it may be saiâ— without Hyperbole that our infinitely Merciful God will not yea such is His free Mercy cannot refuse the Acceptance of a sincerely humbled Sinner it is indeed much to be prized and most advantagious and it necessarly must be where there is a true sense of our miserable Condition I do again intreat your being frequent and serious in your Prayers to God from whom every thing must come to you and let every one of your Thoughts and Actions speak forth your being truly humble in the sight of God and Man The Apostle Peter in Cap. 5. vers 15. of his First Epistle desires ye may be cleathed with Humility for God resisteth the Proud and giveth Grace to the Humble Let all your Actions flow from a true Principal of love to God and sincerely designing His Glory Often is Duty gone about when the motive to the doing thereof is sinful Self which is our very great Enemy for it wickedly leads and forces us to every evil Thought and Action therefore strive with all your might that no selfish sinful Inclination prevail over you and that the Principle moving you may be truly love to God and the end
of whatever you do or think His Glory It is true we may have subordinat Ends consisting with our Duty but let what tends directly and immediatly to the Glory of God have the first and great Room in your heart and when you repeat the Lords Prayer let your heart go out more earnestly in desiring that His Name may be Hallowed His will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven and His Kingdom come then you desire He may give you your daily Bread and forgive you your sins c. This may seem hard to be required that we desire any thing more earnestly than the Salvation of our Souls but if our Love be in any degree as it ought we will surly see it to be our Duty which being performed our Salvation is secured to us in and for Christ's sake and there can be no surer Mark of our Hearts being right with God than our truly finding that really above all things whatsoever we longingly desire that God's Name may be hallowed his Kingdom come and his Will be done The saying of that holy Man Quench Hell and burn Heaven yet will I love and fear my God did hold forth the most desireable frame of his heart and that it did flow from a right and excellent Principle Herein he acted meerly from a principle of Love to God without the immediat prospect of his eternal or temporal Advantage there is indeed nothing more certain than that either Salvation or utter Destruction will in end be the irretrivable Doom of all Mankind and that we are called with our power to endeavour the avoiding of that Sentence and the goodness of God is unexpressibly great in promising his Spirit enabling us to Duty in living up to his Precepts which even in relation to our temporal Beeing are so advantageous as it is obvious that if there were neither Heaven nor Hell the ways of true Wisdom have in themselves an excellencie and desireableness a thousand degrees beyond what is possible to find in giving way to our wicked Inclinations and living as may be pleasing to corrupt and depraved Nature Be you intreated by me not to make the Practice of such as only own themselves to be Christians your Rule Minde what is said Prov. 23.17 18. Let not thy heart envy Sinners but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long For surely there is an end and thine Expectation shall not be â—ut off Let all your thoughts and Actions be aâ— minding you are in the presence of a dreadfully just albeit merciful God and endeavour with all your Strength that your heart may be filled with knowledge of Christ faith in and love to him and be diligent in using the means of Grace which in providence you are trysted with I have hinted at some things of your Duty and you have the benefite of the Word preached publick Prayer and Praise and the administration of the Sacraments which I pray God in his mercy may continue to this Land you have also the benefite of many Pieces of practicall Divinity written by serious and Godly Men such as Flavel's Writings the two Allens Joseph and Richard and many others the serious reading of which with Prayer for a Blessing upon your doing thereof will be Strength to your Soul and at the hour of Death unexpressibly more savourie than the Consideration of having done what is generally the Practice of the world I desire ye may write over a Double of this and keep the Principal carefully by you for I have no exact Copy thereof And that you at sometimes read what I have written to you and whilst you are at the Colledge stint your self to the reading thereof excepting what is Advice relating to a married state once in the Week Let me know with your first Conveniencie if Joseph Allen's Allarum to unconverted Sinners be to be had in any Stationers Shop where you are and if it be not I will endeavour the sending it to you within a short time Make conscience of reading it seriously and diligently and when fitness of Frame in your heart enables you engage your self to God in the terms set down by that seriously holy Man But see to it that your whole heart go out after God in the Duty The Sin of an unfitted Frame of heart in what ever we do is great in Gods sight but in so solemn Approaching to him the doing of it unsuitably is a great Aggravation thereof I think it not amiss that sometime ye put in write to be kept by you what may evidence your Frame at such occasions if you have a suitable sense of Sin or your heart go out after God in Faith for Mercy or if in the expectation of particular Mercies or the Receit thereof you engage your self to any particular Duty or in the general more solemnly to serve God I think ye would put down in Writ your Engagements to God and what may evidence your Frame of Heart at these occasions I have my self considered with satisfaction even some few Petitions which may heart has gone out after God in the desire of and which at the time I have set down in Write not so much with a design more fully to imprint on my Memorie the Expressions of my Desires albeit my Memorie be very frail as to have the satisfaction of knowing by my reading them that at such times my heart did in some measure go out with earnestness in these desires and that my Remembrance of the Endeavours albeit frail and faint I have had to bring my Heart to that Frame might afterward shame me from any Sluggishness of Temper or any proness to gratisle my many Corruptions so as may be inconsistent with what God at the time enabled me to attain to Make Conscience always your Friend it is Gods witness within you beware of doing what may harden or kill it depend upon God that it may be in you according to knowledge and so walk in every thing as it may witness for you in the day of your greatest need I do intreat your whole Life and Conversation may be humble and serious in the sight of God have always upon your Heart a Sense of your unexpressibly great misery which will stir you up to the performance of Duty in which you must ever be most intent and serious And besides your daily Performance set at times some Hours and at some times one day a-part for your wrestling with God that He for Christs sake may subdue Corruption in you and give knowledge in every Duty and Grace to perform it and I hope our good God in his mercy will so far discover to you the filthiness of Sin and how Desireable Lovely and Advantageous it is to serve him That times so set a-part will be your delight for your direction in such Duties you have many means as Scudders daily walk and the Works of many other serious and godly Divines both of this and the English Nation and that
God you may with all your strength endeavour I have reason to fear that my corrupt wretched heart may not in my Directions to you have had the sole prospect of His Glory in your eternal Well-being and the vain Imaginations thereof in what I do may justly provoke to His keeping back His Blessing upon my Endeavours to your doing of Duty which I pray my good God in His Mercy may avert and I earnestly intreat you may so walk as you be not an Offence to the professing the Name of Christ for my Endeavours in relation to you howbeit faint and frail will tend to your advantage if you seriously mind them and seek of God strength enabling you to live up to Duty in your Station and if this you do not my heart is afraid you will thereby provoke God to leave you to your self and they will witness against you to your eternal undoing I did in the end of the last Sheets I wrot to you send you the Double of some Apothegms and short Sayings but want of time and the Paper I wrot upon having failed I have herein sent you some that I have found written by several Persons and albeit you may consider that your having them to read being printed might have spared my Labour yet being what of Sayings of that kind I judged fittest to be under your consideration I have been at the pains of writing them and of contracting some of them and of altering others thereof which makes me expect you will so peruse them as to imprint the same upon your Memory 12. It is a never failing Rule of decerning a man to be in the state of Grace when he finds every thing that befalls him draws him nearer to God 13. We may safely expect God in His ways of Mercy when we are in His ways of Obedience 14. We do truly honour God when we see nothing for us but rather all things contrary to what we look for than to shut our eyes to all inferior things and to look altogether to His All-sufficiency 15. In what we are called to we ought to do our own Work and depend upon God for Success Diligence in what is required of us and trust in Him is only our Duty Let us then with cheerfulness perform our part and our Merciful God will beyond all doubting in His own due time make the Event our advantage and comfort 16. It is folly to think that we should have Physick and Health both at once God's time is the best time resolve therefore your waiting upon it after a weary Week comes a Sabbath and after Fight comes Victory 17. It is an evidence of true trust when we can wait God's time and not make haste 18. A man can be in no Condition wherein God cannot Supply if Comforts be wanting He can Creat them not only out of nothing but even make Afflictions the cause of Comfort 19. The only way to have our Will is to bring it to God's Will No Sin but is easier kept out then cast out 20. What we are afraid to do before Men we should be afraid to think before God 21. The humble and thankful acknowledgement of the Goodness of God in His several Dispensations is advantagious for such as retain the memory of Mercies seldom loses the sight of them 22. He that cannot abound without Pride is unable to suffer Want without too much dejection 23. The frequent meditating upon the certainty of Death will stir up so to live as the horrour thereof will be found swallowed up in the Death and Sufferings of our Blessed Saviour 24. If you would have God hear your Prayers do you hear the Requests of the Needy 25. He that carelesly regards the misfortunes of other Men ought not to think it strange if others look upon his Misfortunes without Compassion 26. Prosperity makes others know what we are and Adversity makes us know who are our true Friends 27. If you do not easily bear with the failings of others ye will render your own failings unsufferable 28. He that will not know his Friends in his Prosperity deserves to meet with none in his Misery 29. He that boasts of his good Qualities loses the merit of them by his Pride and he that hides them adds to their Esteem by his Modesty 30. Temperance and Exercise are the best means of Health 31. An able Cook is as much to be feared in time of Health as an ignorant Physician in time of Sickness 32. Flatter not thy self in thy Faith to God if thou wantest Charity for thy Neighbour and think not thou hast Charity for thy Neighbour if thou wantest Faith to God where they are not both together they are both wanting and both are dead if once divided 33. If thou hope to please all thy Hopes are vain if thou fears to displease some thy fears are idle the way to please thy self is not to displease the best and the way to displease the best is to please the most if thou canst fashion thy self to please all thou shalt displease Him that is all in all 34. If thou hast any Business of Consequence in agitation let thy care be reasonable and seasonable continual standing Bent weakens the Bow too hastie drawing breaks it put off thy Cares with thy Cloaths so shall thy Rest strengthen thy Labour and so shall thy Labour sweeten thy Rest 35. If thou desire not to be too poor desire not to be too Rich he is Rich not that possesses much but he that covets no more and he is not poor that enjoys little but he that wants too much the contented Mind wants nothing which it hath not the covetous mind wants not only not what it hath not but likewise what it hath 36. If thou desire that unestimable grace of saving Faith detest that insatiable Vice of damnable Covetousness It is impossible a heart though never so double should lodge both Faith possesses thee of what thou hast not Covetousness disposesses thee of what thou hast thou canst not serve God unless Mammon serve thee 37. If any hard Affliction hath surprized thee cast one Eye upon the hand that sent it and the other upon the Sin that brought it if thou thankfully receive the Message he that sent it will discharge the Messenger 38. Trust not the Promise of a common Swearer for he that dars sin against his God for neither Profite nor Pleasure will trespass against thee for his own Advantage 39. So use Prosperity as Adversity may not abuse thee if in the one Security admits no fears in the other Dispair will afford no hopes he that in Prosperity can foretell a Danger can in Adversity foresee Deliverance 40. If thy Faith hath no doubts thou hast just cause to doubt thy Faith and if thy doubts have no hope thou hast just reason to fear Dispair when therefore thy Doubts shall exercise thy Faith keep thy Hopes firm to qualifie thy Doubts so shall thy Faith be secured from Doubts so
in the World and I am not of the Opinion of such as maintains that all enmity betwixt Creatures is the Effect of Sin for I think our infinitely Wise God hath Created these Creatures used in the Recreation of man that they might be made use of to that End yet is it evident His Displeasure with Excess therein by suffering in His Wife Providence their so doing to become their great Snare obvious to the most unconcerned Considerers for how lamentable is it to hear the unallowable Passions yea the dreadful prophaning the Name of the most Blessed God that is almost the constant practice of such as gives up their Minds with too great intentness to Recreation and is it not astonishing to hear one otherways sober in his Conversation upon the least disappointment of the Flight of a Hawk or Hounding of a Dog so to carry as if there were not a God in Heaven surely if it were the practice of such persons before their sleeping seriously to Examine what they have done throughout the day the bitter remembrance of their unchristian Behaviour would cool their Inclinations to such Recreation D. Theophil let it be our work to endeavour the bettering our selves from the consideration of what do's hourly occur to us and I wish our Prayers to God in behalf of one another may be that in His Strength we so live as we may with Confidence Own the Name of Christians and Christ our Lord may be our Portion Heir and to all Eternity I am March 21. 1692. Your affectionat Neighbour and Servant Theocritus D. THEOPHIL IN a Line some Weeks since I promised you some part of my Thoughts anent the Actionâ— of Persons of several Stations and since that time I have albeit to small purpose written something relating to what is and ought to bâ— the practice of Great Men it is indeed but superficially done for there is so much reprehendible in the Actions of all Men and manâ— Corruption calls for so many Arguments 〈◊〉 perswade to Duty as the Bounds of a Letter are too small to Treat thereof but the narrow Bounds of my Capacity do's more hinder mâ— doing it any thing effectually yet as I then saiâ— to you that it may be subject for your Meditation I shall this Morning signifie my thought of persons of an inferior Rank Mechanicks anâ— Lobourers of Land albeit they are wanting iâ— what may Qualifie them to put in practice Macheâ—ilian-Policy yet do they dayly in their ordinar Converse and Dealing practise what 〈◊〉 very little suitable to the Rules of Christianity And so great and many are the subtilties of persons in these Stations as plainly says the Generality thereof are running with violence 〈◊〉 Way that leads to eternal Destruction for 〈◊〉 you consider their way in Dealing doth it 〈◊〉 manifestly speak forth their unbelief of a Dâ—â—ty and that the only and Almighty God doâ—â— in His providential Dispensations order and dispose of wretched Mankind in all His Concernâ—â— and how evident is it that the most part of persons in that Station do's live not at all bounded by Conscience or what even the World calls Honour and that it is only shame and the fear of Worldly punishment hinders their being altogether unsociable it being a Truth not to be contraverted that were it not fear of temporal punishment there would be no peaceable Correspondence amongst Mankind which is an Evil greatly to be regrated and it is against all Reason For how brutishly foolish is it to dare the doing of any thing unallowable for fear of Man and temporal Punishment yet without controle to sin against our great God to whom there is no access for sinners but in and through Christ and before whose Tribunal all men must undoubtedly stand and there receive either the sentence of eternal Salvation or of eternal Damnation It were much to be wished that Men and Women of all Ranks would so live as the thoughts of approaching Death and Judgment might not be their terrour And surely the Station of men in low degree does not hinder but contribute to their so doing I have often thought that a Countrey Man's way oâ— living where he has for his convenient Subsistance and is Master of what is necessar for his being in that Station is desireable beyond the most pompous and splendid Living of the great est of Men. And it is beyond all Controversie that thousands of Land-labourers leads lives preferable in true and solid Contentment to their Land-lords who lives but too often idly upon a great part of the Fruits of their Labours And if they could be perswaded to the practice of Godliness in the discharge of Duties required of them in their Stations they would see much reason to magnifie the Mercy of God who in his providence has so disposed of them And it were the Interest of every one to rest contentedly satisfied with their worldly Station and that without Anxiety they acted in what ever they are called to Yea I think it may be warrantably said that none ought to aim at a higher Station in this world than they are in for many have at their dying hour wished never to have had Riches and worldly Honour which have Snares almost unresistable in frail Man And I think never any wise Man at least when dying and at the brink of Eternity but they did absolutly see the Vanity in such Enjoyments where the Possessors has not rightly used then as Stewards for our great Lord and Master 〈◊〉 I am unfit to handle what may be held forth as the Duty of any I pray God may bless thiâ— Land with the means of Grace to every Ranâ— and Degree of persons and continue them there in for the good of Souls to His Glory yet 〈◊〉 may say that albeit persons in that Station havâ— neither much time nor fitness for reading 〈◊〉 Books that every Family besides Bibles to every one would be furnished with some Bookâ— most suited to their Capacities The Assemblies Catechisms are truly to my apprehension beyond expression desireable and some of thâ— plainest Explanations thereof are useful As surely the meanest of Families that would froâ— Conscience resolve to imploy some part of theâ— little Money for acquiring some Books Exhorting and Directing to the practice of Duty would not be the poorer thereof nor any whiâ—â— thereby disabled for expending in their temporal concerns There are many Peices of practical Divinity some whereof may be had at easie Rates and I do seriously wish that each Family besides some few of other necessar Books would purchase to themselves Baxters poor Man's Family-Book and Flavel's Husbandrie Spiritualized And I am fully assured if they would a-part and in their Families together imploy the time at Evenings and other convenient Seasons which their worldly business may dispense with in serious perusal thereof And if they did in Humility and with hearts desire seek the blessing of God upon their Endeavours their Advantage and true Comfort in
but in so far as it proceeds from his Displeasure because of Sin yea sometimes is want more behoveful to sinful man then a full enjoyment and surely God will make good that Promise of turning all his Dispensations for the best to them that love and fear him It is to be wished that if some little Peece were published some short Directions to every state of Mankind Nobility Gentry and Commons for none living upon Earth but are to do what may be said to be their Calling and the Greatest of Mortals will at the Great Day of Account see their Misery in not living up to it neither are they nor these of the most mean and low Condition exempted from Duty towards God themselves their Neighbour their Relations and their Servants I tell you it is beyond my Capacity to hold forth the same as may be convincing it is true to willing Learners they depending humbly upon God for Direction their Duty will be very obvious and their Adventage of doing thereof is not only great to all Eternity but even whilest in the World the serene Peace of Conscience and entire depending upon God and expectation of being blessed eternally by Him is incomparably valuable beyond all that wretched men can propose to themselves by following the Dictats of their corrupt and wicked Inclinations indeed almost all Mankind may be said to live without the sense of God's Being and that they are undoubtedly to receive from Him either the Sentence of their being forgiven and accepted of in and for Christ's sake or that of being rendered miserable with the Devils to all Eternity for generally doth Ignorance abound and we are not aware that without Knowledg at least iâ— some competent Measure we are not able to serve God and where there is some measure of Knowledge Corruption doth so far prevail 〈◊〉 there are â—ew that lives up to it and all precessing themselves to be Christians may be considered as these that are either openly prophane and however with their mouth they profess yet in their practise they deny their belief of God or such as says they do and seems to believe and rely upon God for Mercy or such as from a true sense and feeling of their sin flies with all their heart to God in Jesus Christ as the only Sanctuary for Sinners of the last of which there is surely the least number the difficulty of truly coming to Christ being greater then the most do conceive for in doing thereof a Sinner must first have a heart-real sense and feeling of its lost Condition and being fully satisfied and convinced of its own unworthiness and inability to any good in all humility and entirely to throw it self in the Arms of the merciful Saviour of Sinners whose Blood is only able to purge from Guilt and this every Sinner may be fully convinced of that it can never seek or come to Christ acceptably but as it sees it self lost and undone beyond all possibility of help without Him and albeit our utmost endeavour to perform religious and moral Duties must not be omitted yet must there be a full Conviction that as it is possible for us to perform them they avail nothing in our Access to God I remember to have read one saying when thou comest to Christ in Faith thou must leave behind thee thy own Righteousness and bring nothing but thy Sin O! that is hard leave behind all thy Holiness Sanctification Duties Humblings c. And bring nothing but thy Wants and Miseries else Christ is not fit for thee nor thou for Christ Christ must be a pure Redeemer and Mediator or Christ and thou will never agree and the same Person when pressing to a true and cordial Believing in Christ says to Believing there must go a clear conviction of Sin and of the Merits of the Blood of Christ and of Christ's willingness to Save upon this consideration only that thou art a Sinner I seem herein to express to you my sense of the need of something directing Mankind by some short Rules to their Duty towards God their Neighbour and themselves and has said that the novelty and succinctness of it might induce to a perusal thereof in which you may justly tax me of Imprudence for as the word Novelty is improper to such a Subject so you may alledge there is already much written that directs to Duties of which I am sensible but they being either enlarged upon or done in other Writings whereby the brevity that is taking to the most of Readers is wanting and for what I have seen in little Rooks containing Matters of this kind there is either apparent indifference in directing to religious Duties or at least the want of life and zeal in principally endeavouring God's glory as if living so as might gain worldly Repute were most to be desired But I hear of other Pieces which are not come to my hand particularly one done by an English Marquess and another said to be Argyls and if in these or in some others already printed which I have not seen that Want be not made up I think there Wants not Reason to induce Persons qualified yet to give some brief Directions therement for surely the most of Mankind do's generally by their Converse declare that the Laws of God are not the Rule of their Walk which is much to be lamented for if frail man could guard against Corruption and live according to the Rules in the Gospel an Society so constitute would be to all Degrees of Persons desireable almost beyond humane Comprehension But having exceeded Bounds in this Letter to you I shall only add that I do sincerely wish there may be pressed in some short Directions what may be useful and that God by his Holy Spirit accompany the same and the Endeavours of Godly men in books already written that in this Age and in these Lands may be fulfilled that Prophesy Is 11.8 9. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice-den And They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea I am Sir Your c. A Fathers Advice to his Son Son However unfit I am for the Discharge of the Duties incumbent to a Parent yet have I upon my Heart a sense of the Obligation I ly under to endeavour with all my Strength your wellfare in this World but especially to all Eternity which has made me resolve in these following Lines to send you some Advice and Directions in order to it BEing now past your Childish years you are to know that your end of living is undoubtedly the Glory of God your Maker and Redeemer and you are called to missimploy no part of your time but to live in every thing as minding you are ever in God's sight and presence Your Duty holden forth in his blessed Word
especially in the New Testament by our Lord and his Apostles is beyond exception the most rational and convenient even for the well-being of Society and good of Mankind in the World and far preferable to the best of Rules and Laws that ever were given by any man or Societie of men I shall forbear writing of many things which might occur to me and does intreat your whole Conversation may evidence the belief of your Being to appear before the Tribunal of God in Judgment and shall recommend your being careful of some few things in your Walk First towards God Secondly Towards your self and Thirdly Towards our Neighbours You are in all you do to respect the Glory of God there being no action of your life but it truly ought to be done to that end We are with all carefulness to avoid every thing sinful and to go about even the most indifferent of our Concerns in obedience to his Command Love to him being the Motive and his Glory the Aim of all we do wherefore make Conscience of seeking of God strength enabling you to every Duty I shall not nor am I fitted to enlarge upon what might be said to what is Duty and shall recomend your reading practical Pieces of Divinity but above all be in a constant and humble dependence upon God for his Grace enabling you to serve him and seek for Christ's sake a broken heart and strength against every Corruption Cry with earnestness that you never be left to the power of your wicked self and beware of seeing any Merit in what ever is possible for you to do for only in Christ is your acceptance with God Son whilst I am writing what occurs to me of your duty God-ward I am sensible it may be truly said to be duty towards your self the Salvation of your Soul not of Merit but Free-grace being what is annexed thereto 1. Have your heart filled with faith in God and his Son Christ Jesus and love to him and the fear of his holy Name seek not to satisfie your shallow Reason in divine things but as the Apostle requires 2 Cor 10.5 Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought unto the obedience of Christ For to give your Assent meerly upon a sensible or rational Demonstration is no divine faith and truly to believe in a divine sense is to assent to a preposition upon the credit of the Revelation though we cannot make it out by our Reason And this is to have our thoughts brought into Captivity unto the Obedience of Christ for mans reason being corrupted by Adam's fall it objects against several divine Propositions Saying how can one be three and three one How could the divine and humane Nature unite in one Person How can the Dead rise These and what else are above â—â—r Reason and contained in the blessed Word of God are to be believed because asserted therein and at all times our hearts ought to be fill'd with Love to God and his Son our Saviour and Redeemer whom we are to love with all our Soul with all our Mind and with all our strength for whatever in Creatures may be a Motive to love as Goodness Power Kindness Veracity c. Are in our blessed God in an unspeakable superlative degree He is of infinite goodness and excellencie and there is nothing good in the world but what hath received all its Goodness from him and he is wonderfully Kind and Merciful to Souls and Bodies of poor Sinners Having when miserable Man had lost himself by sinning against his Command offered that wonderful way of satisfying Divine Justice by sending his Son to the world who took upon him the nature of frail Man and suffered that shamefull death of the Cross and all to stand betwixt Sinners and Justice And are not our Bodies supplyed with all good things we enjoy through his care and providence 2. Make Conscience of living as in the sight of Him the only living and true God before whose Tribunal you must appear to give an Account of your Actions Be diligent having Faith with Knowledge and attention of Mind in reading the Scriptures and seek of God and depend upon him for his Holy Spirit enabling you to that and every Duty I have from my experience observed that being up late at night and lying a Bed in the morning are a hinderance of the Duties required of us for not only has God appointed the Night for rest and sleep and the Day for Exercise but you will find the advantage of making use of the Morning for your private Devotion and that so early as you may have convenient and uninterrupted time for the performance thereof before either Business or Companie may have the occasion of tempting you to a Diversion You will find David's practise in the 5th Psalm and 3 v. In the morning O Lord will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up 3. The end of your living being Gods Glory your last thought at night and first in the morning ought to be of God Think with seriousness of your own misery through your Original and Actual Sin and of the unexpressible Goodness and Mercy of God in Jesus Christ to you and every lost Sinner that shall have grace to lay hold on him in and by Christ And when you arise endeavour by meditation to bring your heart to such a Frame as may fit you for drawing near to God who albeit he be merciful yet is the great and only God altogether unaccessible to sinners not coming to him in and through Christ And surely an Ignorant Wandering Unbelieving and hardned Heart has no ground to expect Access to God in Christ our Lord. You would stirr up your self not only to Prayer in the morning but to reading some part of the Scriptures and I do advise you when first you do retire your self after you have endeavoured by some suitable Mediation to bring up your heart to an awfull Sense of the presence of God to whom you are about to dare to speak that you fall down upon your Knees and lifting up your heart to God in some few and suitable words seek to him with earnestness for Grace enabling you to read his Word aright and suitably to put up your desires in prayer and whenever you do pray always express your thankfulness and magnifie the Name of God for his Mercy to lost Sinners in Jesus Christ then read a portion of Scripture as you find convenient to stint your self to I think it would not be amiss you did every morning read a Psalm or two and an Chapter of the new or old Testaments as you have read through the Psalms you would begin again and think it not too much if you should read them a thousand times and for the old and new Testament there is no part of either ought to be omitted but especially you would read the new Testament
good thing as is convenient for every person in their Station And from the goodness of God every thing being made for the use of man man's using it moderatly is not only allowable but required Yet I intreat you beware that as an Expression of your kindness ye do not in any measure perswade your Friend to insobrietie for there is indeed no grain of real Kindness or Affection in tempting your friend to be as a Beast if not worse than such 73. You may after this apprehend I should have imparted to you my Opinion anent the Government of the Church and the Nature of your Alledgeance to the Civil Magistrat but these Heads being not to be handled but where there is suitable ability and discretion for doing thereof is Argument enough for my not doing of it I have already written more than I intended and my attempting any thing of this kind would engage me far beyond my design Nor do I consider my self fitted becomingly upon evident Grounds to hold forth wherein Presbytery is the Government most warranted from the Word of God and nearest to that in the first ages of the Church albeit I be satisfied of its being so and sees no ground from Scripture allowing what is assumed by Bishops that Title being therein given to such as were Overseers of their Flock and not of their Brethren in the Ministrie for their pretending to so great preferment and power in Jurisdiction to a negative Voice and the power of sole Ordination with other of their pretences are without all Warrand from the same and from which Office to the reproach of Religion and being an in-let to Errour and Wickedness has plainly proceeded the Pretentions and Corruptions of the Church of Rome for albeit the maintaining of the Popes Infallibility Purgatory Transubstantiation Invocation of Saints and the almost innumerable other Fopperies of that Perswasion be but the Consequents of the Corruptions of that Church yet hath the Papacie first and naturally had its Rise from Episcopacie nor can I see why there is not as much Reason for there being a Supreme Bishop over the whole Catholick Church as there is for there being an Arch-Bishop over a National I remember where before I was requiring of your love to your Brethren even differing in the Essentials of Religion but especially such as differs only anent Church-Government I have said it to be too much the practice of many to trouble themselves with Niceties which Word may seem to infer in me great indifference in the contraverted Points betwixt Presbytery and Episcopacy but I did only therein mean the later Practices and Principles of such as but too eagerly pretend to be the more refined part of Professors yet shall I say I do believe there are of the Episcopal Perswasion such as are among the best of Men and that since Episcopacy was brought into the Church there has been some Bishops in all Ages and in some Ages many who were truly Pious and Worthy but to my Apprehension what in this Kingdom may satisfie such as are not able duely to weigh the Controversies betwixt these Perswasions is the palpable decay and almost utter-failing of Christian-walk and Conversation under Episcopacy I do not consider my self able to defend Presbytery in all its Principles and much less can I say that all Presbyterian Ministers or Professors are in their Profession and Practice what is desirable yet is the advantage palpable upon that side for Prophanity has been I may say at least in this Kingdom the Concomitant of the other yea to such a Degree that Swearing and doing of almost every kind of Wickedness were the infallible Marks of Respect to that Government This may seem to you a severe and uncharitable Censure but it was too palpable for in their rigorous and unchristian Persecution of their Brethren of the other Perswasion it was undeniably evident that the doing of what evidenced Prophanity was the ready way for their deliverance As I am satisfied there may be good Men of both Perswasions so I can say I do from my heart wish that their only Strife may be who shall love one another most and live nearest to the 〈◊〉 of the Gospel of our Blessed Lord. And for Alledgiance to the Civil Magistrat the nature of it hath been at least in thir late times so much canvassed and the differing Notions thereof so much defended as puts it beyond my reach to say any thing satisfyingly to you thereanent Whatever my own Inclination hath been to Loyalty yet could I never come up to that height as to think that the Supreme Government in any person or Family was intended only as an honour or advantage to them but that its principal end was the good of the Society they were to Govern and that it is possible the Case may exist wherein it may be the duty of Subjects so to act as the end may not be inverted and destroyed It is above my reach to set bounds to and limite how far the Alledgeance of Subjects tyes them to Obedience but I am fully satisfied it were the interest of Subjects to consider their Tyes therein very great There are in many places of Scripture plain and positive Precepts requiring it And surely a Subjects giving Passive Obedience even when he thinks himself or may be truly wronged is what he will have most Peace in upon serious Reflection and when the great day of accompting for our Actions comes it is more than probable Challenges will be for refusing and not giving at least Passive Obedience to the Civil Magistrate And it may with some confidence be affirmed that many for Rebellion and Disobedience may be rejected but few or none for being Passive will be refused Mercy Son I have hinted to you some Directions in this I have written and after this when years brings you to greater knowledge it may with some reason appear to you that I have omitted many things necessar and has not suitablie urged and enlarged upon what I have hinted at and that I have written some things which are not necessar under your present Circumstances and which may fall out never to be useful to you to which I shall say that albeit my Capacitie did allow or yet is it not my design either to write upon every thing that might have occurred or to enlarge upon what I have hinted at But having from experience observed in some things what is obviously apparent in the Actions of Men I have given you brierly my Opinion thereanent and for what I have said in relation to a State of Life from which you are yet at a distance If it shall so fall out that my Advice to you therein be not necessar you have but little lost Labour in reading of it and as by the course of Nature I ought to die before you So I intreat you whilst you live as any thing occurrs in your being in the World that has any relation to what I have