15.32 7 Apurchase made 7. The making a purchase of house or land leads us into a discourse of purchasing the field wherein lay hid the treasure and of selling all to buy the pearl of great price Matth. 13.44 45 46. In brief where I have given one instance I might with ease give an hundred the voice of Providence uttering fresh newes every day Providence is the best and truest interpreter of the Decrees of God and what lay in the womb of Decree before time even from eternity that Providence brings forth day by day and so administreth fresh matter continually for Christian Conference to all that delight and take pleasure therein 3 From the word of God 3. If the voice and speech of men one to another and the voice of God in Providence suggest occasion for holy discourse and conference then surely the voice of God in his word read preached or heard doth it much more Christians do you not read and search the Scriptures day by day I take it for granted that you do and take delight in so doing and what understandest thou all thou hearest or readest is there nothing too hard for thee if so then put questions to persons of understanstanding Ministers or people among whom thou comest saying what is the meaning of this or that portion of Scripture And they will be opening and expounding hard places to thee Ministers especially their lips should keep knowledg that 's their duty and for the people to seek the law at their mouths Mat. 27. is their dutie also And studie not out questions tending to strife and vain jangling or abstruse inquiries to puzzle others as some do and go away scoffing and boasting saying I think I have posed one parson to day or gravelled such or such an one non-plust him so that he had nothing to answer but let the questions be such as tend to the edification of your selves and others by inlarging the understanding in a way of knowledge but principally to the warming of your hearts and affections to the purging of your consciences to the regulation and better ordering of your lives and conversations For when you have heard the word preached know it is spiritual seed labour to harrow it into your hearts by holy meditation Mat. 13.3 4. and 18 19. 1 Pe. 2.2 Isa 55.2 and by Christian communication that so it may spring up and grow in heart and life and thou maist have a rich and goodly crop of it in grace and glory It is also our spiritual food and in order to nourishment must have its due digestion Now they tell us of three concoctions as to natural food the first they call Chylification in the Stomack the second Sanguification with the Liver and the last Assimilation in every part the nutriment being conveyed to every part is made like to that part it is conveyed to suitable hereunto the Word in order to our spiritual nourishment and growth in grace must have various digestions First by Meditation and Conference A second in our will and affections being subdued by it to will what God wills to love or hate what God loves or hates and lastly in our lives and practice when we exercise our selves herein to have consciences void of offence toward God and toward men as Paul did Acts 24.16 Yet there is this vast difference in the resemblance for wheras our meats and drinks are assimilated and made like to the parts of man fed by them the word our spiritual food changeth the man into its own likeness makes the inward and outward man spiritual and holy like it self so far as it turns to nourishment And remember this that an errour in the first concoction is seldome mended in the second or third but vitiates the whole and the gross neglect of meditation and conference is one great cause why we are no better in our hearts and in our lives and many too many professors who hear much but thrive little they have or seem to have good appetites but to be sure they have very bad digestions by reason of their failings in holy Meditation and Christian Conference FINIS Books to be Sold by Tho Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside A Commentary on the Hebrews By John Owen D. D. fol. Sermons upon the whole Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians By Mr. John Daille Translated into English by F. S. Tho Taylor 's Works the first Volume fol. 2. An Exposition of Temptation on Matth. 4. verse 1. to the end of the 11th Divine Characters in two parts distinguishing the Hypocrite in his best dress By Samuel Crook B.D. A Learned Commentary or Exposition on the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians By Richard Sibbs D.D. fol. A Commentary on the whole Epistle of S. Paul to the Ephesians By Mr. Paul Bain Fol. A practical Exposition on the third Chapter of the first Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly Mans Choice on Psal 4. ver 6 7 8. By Anthony Burgess fol. The dead Saint speaking to Saints and sinners living in several Treatises The first on 2 Sam. 24.10 The second on Gant 4.9 The third on John 1.50 The fourth on Isa 58.2 The fifth on Exod. 15.11 By Samuel Bolton D.D. folio Christianographia or a Description of the multitude and sundry sorts of Christians in the world not subject to the Pope By Eph. Pagit fol. These seven Treatises next following are written by Mr. George Swinnock 1. The Christian Man's Calling or a Treatise of making Religion ones business in Religious Duties Natural Actions his Particular Vocation his Family Directions and his own Recreation to be read in Families for their Instruction and Edification The first Part. 2. Likewise a second Part wherein Christians are directed to perform their Duties as Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants in the conditions of Prosperity and Adversity 3. The third and last part of the Christian Mans Calling wherein the Christian is directed how to make Religion his business in his dealings with all Men in the choice of his Companions in his carriage in good Company in bad Company in solitariness or when he is alone on a weekday from morning to night in visiting the sick on a Dying bed as also the means how a Christian may do this and some motives to it 4. The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration 5. Heaven and Hell Epitomised and the True Christian characterized 6. The fading of the Flesh and the flourishing of Faith Or One cast for Eternity with the only way to throw it well 7. The Incomparableness of God in his Being Attributes Works and Word opened and applyed All these by Geo. Swinnock M.A. An Antidote against Quakerism By Steven Scanderet A learned Commentary on the fourth Chapter of the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians to which is added First A conference between Christ and Mary Second The Spiritual
Davids Psalms along with him the first thing he did in a morning was to read a portion of Scripture which was matter of meditation and communication also all the day after When he was to seek for matter of good discourse which was not often or when no apt occasion was offer'd otherwise then you should hear him speak of some Scripture that he had read that morning from which he would raise some usefull observations or propose some practical questions to the instruction of the Company And at night when he went to bed he would search out some Scripture or other which suited his present thoughts and that was the subject or matter of his meditation in his waking houres He seldome wrote any letter but he added three or four or more Scriptures for a Postscript and those very pertinent either to the occasion of his writing or the condition of the person to whom he wrote or it may be they should respect the times and the providences of God therein How many letters have I received from him subscribed in that manner He selsome visited or met any friend but he would at parting leave some Scripture or other with him Pray he would say let me leave one Text of Scripture with you and thinke of it when I am gone 5. His giving himself to Prayer He was the most praying Christian that ever I was acquainted with Ps 109.4 Ego oratio ve Tig. vir orationis eram Pagn Vitus Theodor. Once it fell out sayes he I over-heard him but good God with what a spirit what a confidence was in his expressions with such a reverence he sued as one begging of God and yet with such hope and assurance as if he spake to a loving father or friend What David said of himself may be affirmed of him that he gave himself to prayer One sayes of Luther that no day past wherein he did not spend three houres at least in this duty I can't assert so much of this reverend person but this I dare averr that no day past wherein he restrained it or slightly past it over His manner was when ever he came to lodge at any friends house after he had saluted those that were in his way immediately to betake himself to his Chamber where he would spend an houre more or less by himself before any friend could speak with him At night again he would be shut up in his Chamber a considerable time before any servant could be admitted He would often say to his Godly friends that came to visit him Joach pa. Virg. Mar. Mihi cibus et pitus est oratio Come must not we pray together before we part indeed it may be said of him what was said of another that prayer was his repast Nor did he slubber over this duty as many doe but he did it with all his might he prayed in prayer he wrestled with God as our Father Jacob did and he wept for the most part when he made his supplication to him He was not onely affectionate in prayer with others but when he was alone by himself This passage I find under his own hand The Glory be Gods where I have shed one tear in prayer with others I have I think I speak within compass shed two in secret betwixt God and mine own soul One thing I had almost let slip that in prayer alone or with others if he could have room he would perform the duty kneeling on the ground yea though sometimes he was almost lost in the croud by so doing he would say the humblest gesture as well as spirit became the duty of prayer and that he knew no way of wrestling with the Almighty like that of lying at his feet and prostrating our selves before him Of old when the question was propounded Servasti Dominicum the answer was Christianus sum intermittere non possum 6. His Sanctification on the Lords Day the Christian Sabbath He was a strict observer of the Lords day and indeed he is no true Christian that is careless therein Some have observed that the Sanctification of the Sabbath is one of the first things a converted person makes conscience of this good man was every day watchful over his thoughts words and actions but on this day more especially It was rare to hear him speak one idle word or see him do one unnecessary action on the Sabbath day The Jewish Talmud proposeth this question why God made man on the Sabbath Eve and gives this answer that he might presently enter upon the sanctification of the Sabbath and begin his life with that work which was the main end of it His strictness was such herein that some have wondred at it and some too hastily have censur'd him for it I can remember I have kept some Sabbaths with him but alas I could by no means keep pace with him he went from duty to duty as Bees doe from Flower to Flower from publique duty to family duties from family duties to closet duties finding sweetness in them all he would say we must alwayes be good husbands of time especially of holy time we must not spend that time which is not our own about our own things 7. His keâ—…g dayes of prayer and fasting alone and with his Family Ne. 1.4 Dan. 9.3.2 Sa. 12.16 Est 4.16 Mat. 18.19.20 v. Clarks Marrow of Eccl. History p. 932. He accustomed himself to keep private fasts a practise out of use amongst Christians though much commended in the Scriptures This good man sometimes by himself alone and sometimes with his little family kept many whole dayes of prayer and humiliation This he did ordinarily before the Lords Supper and often as he found any corruption to grow or get head in his heart There are some devils and devillish lusts that will be cast out or kept under no other way This particular experience he himself records That when he was a young Preacher he found himself very prone to be puffed up and exalted and indeed it was a common saying with him that Spiritual pride is the special sin of young Ministers whereupon he set apart a day to seek God for strength against that sin and from that day forward he felt 't is his own expression the neck and heart of it was broken And to speak truth which might have been another head he was a most lowly minded Christianâ— He was clothed all over with humility 1 Pet. 5.5 Fuit in honore sine tumore in elatione sine praelationâ— Bernard Clem. de correct Eccl. Stat. c. 22. Aug. de civit Deil. 14. c. 13. that Treasury of grace that ornament of Religion neither his Parentage nor his parts nor his applause nor any thing else did to appearance any way elate or puff him up though he was lifted up in the eyes and hearts of others yet he was lowly in his own how often have I known him to esteem others that were abundantly worse to be better then
2.34 He is set for the fall and for the rising again of many in Israel Rom. 9.2 Though the children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet a remnant onely shall be saved Str. I shall never be beaten off from it but that Christ dyed for me as well as others Min. Friend but what if Christ did not dye for you Your conceit that he did dye for you will not serve your turn can you be saved by believing that which is not true that 's but the presumption and vain confidence which you have no ground for for ought I can perceive by you Stranger Sir you are the strangest man that ever I met with in my life you tell me that to believe that Christ dyed for sinners will not save me and that to believe that Christ dyed for me in particular will not save me I pray for God's sake tell me what 's that faith which will save me Minister Friend it 's true I am a stranger to you but what I have spoken to you is nothing but the truth and the way the onely way to be saved is by faith true faith in Jesus Christ Str. Sir what 's that you call true faith whereby we are joined to Christ justified and saved Min. Friend I 'll tell you it 's not a believing that Christ dyed for sinners for that the Devils do it 's not a believing that Christ dyed for me in particular for that 1. Multitudes of ungodly men and reprobates do and may do in a way of presumption and 2. Many a doubting Believer wanting assurance dare not say I believe that Christ dyed for me in particular now that conceit or presumption which an ungodly man may have and a godly man may want can't possibly be that faith which is justifying and saving Stranger Pray what is it then Minister Faith is Friend a receiving of Christ as God the Father offers him in the Gospel as our King to rule us our Prophet to teach us as well as our Priest who made satisfaction and now makes intercession for us it is also out of a sense of our lost estate in our selves a resting on him alone for salvation John 1.12 As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Str. Why Sir do not I do all this Min. Friend I fear not for had you taken Christ as your King you would not dare to allow your self in sinful courses as Swearing and the like which you cannot deny but you are deeply guilty of had you taken Christ as a Prophet you would have been taught by Him by his Word and Spirit and have gotten some knowledge at least in these principles and fundamentals of Christianity Had you rested upon Christ alone for salvation you would not have told me as you did even now that you hoped to be saved by your serving God your good prayers and the like not mentioning a word of Jesus Christ which makes me fear that as yet you are a meer stranger to Christ and faith in Christ Stranger Sir you say enough to make me despair and drive me out of my wits Min. Friend Despairing Yea that 's it I would have I 'd have you to despair in your self that so you might come to believe and hope aright in Jesus Christ And whereas you speak of driving you out of your wits no Friend I would onely drive you out of your sins your vain presumptions and carnal confidences a man is never indeed in his right wits never comes to himself as the Prodigal did Luk. 15.7 till he repents and believeth aright in Jesus Christ Stranger Sir what would you have me to do Minister This is a good question indeed were you pricked in the heart as those Acts. 2.37 were you truly and throughly sensible of sin and misery were you troubled in mind but then you must unsay what you said before that you never in your life questioned your spiritual estate and that you have been alwayes of a strong faith towards God c. Str. Sir what if it should be so with me what if I should be troubled Min. I 'll tell you Friend what you should do and what you will certainly do if through the rich grace of God to you your troubles be in order to conversion and salvation Str. What I pray Sir Min. Friend were you troubled indeed to some good purpose you would put two questions to your self What have I done And what shall I do to be saved What have I done look backward upon the former part of your life with shame and sorrow for what you have done with an unfeigned purpose of heart of turning unto God as David saith Psal 119.59 I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies And Jer. 8.6 No man repented him of his wickedness saying What have I done Stranger Sir for that other question What shall I do what will that put me upon Minister Friend this question What shall I do looks forward and if it be in earnest will put you upon sollicitous and careful thoughts how you may get out of that state of sin and misery which you find your self intangled and involved in will put you upon going to good Ministers and experienced Christians inquiring of them the way to be saved will put you upon searching the Scriptures and the reading good Books upon casting off your old company and acquainting your self with the people of God whom before you hated and cared not for upon secret and earnest prayer to God according to your spiritual wants and necessities will indeed make you to be a new creature Stranger Well Sir I see then when all is done I must mend my life and become a new man Minister Friend you have said well hold there but do you think by your mending your life and becoming a new man to satisfie God for what 's past and that your good deeds shall make amends for your bad Str. I hope so Sir Min. See how you have forgot what even now I told you no Friend satisfaction for what is past or what is to come is made to God the Father onely by Jesus Christ by what he hath done and suffer'd not by any thing we can do or suffer When we have done all we must say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Luke 17.10 Str. But Sir how shall I come to have all this you speak of any part and share in the satisfaction made by Christ and how shall I become a new creature Minister Friend this is a good question I like it very well and will tell you how 1. You must know and acknowledge that you can do nothing of your self by your own strength neither believe nor repent or the like 2. You must by faith relie upon Christ and Christ alone who hath fulfilled the Law satisfied his Fathers justice and and paid the uttermost
evil in the sight of God Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his maker and he that is glad at Calamities shall not be unpunished Prov. 17.5 Reprocheth his Maker to wit his own Maker or the poor mans Maker not owning his soveraignty and wisdome in his various allotments of some to wealth of others to poverty and in not answering God's Holy and gracious ends in his different distributions of things below Thou art rich thy neighbour's poor why not that he should be despised but releaved by thee God made him not to be the object of thy scorne but of thy love pitty and bounty This sin of rejoycing in the hurt or harmes of others hath much of inhumanity in it makes men like that sycophantizing Doeg who betrayed David as he thought into the hands of Saul glorying in it Psal 52.1 Why boastest thou thy self in mischief O mighty man or like to the accursed Children of Edom who in the day of Jerusalem to wit Jerusalem's distress said raze it raze it even to the foundation thereof Psal 137.7 Obad. 10.9 Or like to the bloudy Jewes who Crucifying the Lord of Glory did it with most horrid revilings and barbarous insultations Matth. 27.40 Or last of all which is worst of all this sin makes men as like the Devil as ever they can look who if he could rejoyce would rejoyce in nothing more than in making men like himself sinful and miserable 4 Double Tongued 4. And lastly the double-Tongue speaking one thing to this body another to that must needs be a false and faultering tongue on the one side or on the other To be double tongued is blame-worthy in all as well as Deacons as speaking hot and cold 1 Tim. 3.8 with the same breath The reason why it is so bad is because it argues a double heart in the breasts and bosomes of men The heart doubles first and then the Tongue A double minded man is unstable in all his wayes Jam. 1.8 and in his words also and Cogitations This double minded man is either the dissembler in discourse who speaks one thing but thinks another or rather a sceptick in judgment as a learned Expositor carries it Beza in locum a man unsetled of a doubtful mind now inclining to this opinion or way and then to that not being established in the true Religion many such were in the primitive times and are in our dayes also Yet dissembling in discourse and talke is the evil which I am here striking at an evil so prevailing and reigning in Davids dayes as it made him cry out Help Lord why They speak vanity every man with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak or an heart and an heart As of old to have an Ephah and an Ephah unjust weights and measures was a great Crime and is so still so to have a Tongue and a Tongue an heart and an heart is highly displeasing to God and man and to both very injurious It was the commendation of the Children of Zebulun 1 Chr. 12.33 That they were not of a double heart or a heart and a heart Let it be our temper and our commendation also I might adde that brawlers and liers are as bad as any But no more of this 3 In reference to ourselves 3. Having spoken hitherto touching the Tongues unruliness in reference to God and to our neighbours I shall say a little of its miscarriage in reference to our selves and that very briefly 1. In self-praising 1. Self-praising magnifying our selves what we are as to our birth or breeding our parts and abilities what we have said or done or will do Prov. 20.6 And all the while the Tongue is wandring from that excellent way of Charity which vaunteth not it self 1 Cor. 13.4 is not puffed up to wit as a bladder with wind is blown up So the proud hearts of men swell with a windy conceit of their excellencies bragging and exalting themselves upon all occasions and in all companies whereas alas if they were weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary they would be found but light and empty yea possibly wretched and miserable Creatures 2. In self-Cursings 1. Self-Cursings wishing this or that evill may befall them yea that all the Plagues of God light upon them and theirs if things be not so and so But having already harped upon this string when I spake concerning the Tongues unruliness in Cursing I touch no more upon this or any other of the Tongues Unruliness and irregularities but hast forward to what is most in my design and wherein I must crave leave somewhat to enlarge shewing the Lord assisting the necessity and usefulness of Christian Conference with several directions for the right management and improvement thereof so as that God thereby may be glorified our selves and others edified and all be upon account with Comfort in that great day of the glorious appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ The necessity and usefulness of Christian Conference is evincible and demonstrable by arguments 1. In reference to God 1. There 's a necessity of precepts upon this commanded duty command upon command from God himself enforcing it by Moses to Israel in Deâ—â—â—nomy which is a repetition of the Lâ—â—â— particularly and expresly of the Ten Commandments which being dâ—â—â—vered he stirs up and excites attention Hear O Israel Deu. 6.3 4 5 6. and again Hear O Israel what must Israel hear Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and what else These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and where else why in thy mouth Deut. 4.10 And thou shalt teach or whet them and sharpen them as Mowers and Barbers do their Instruments diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lieft down and when thou risest up Deut. 11.18 19. Yea there is the inculcation of this duty again and again intimating man's natural aversness and backwardness thereunto and withall the infinite wisdome and goodness of God to man in his thus reinforcing it for their good here and for ever This God commands by Solomon the wisest of Kings or men Train up or Catechize a Child in the way 〈◊〉 should go Pr. 22.6 or in his way Now thâ—â—raining up or Catechising work is carried on principally if not only by â—â—â—ferring with Children and talking to them about the things of God and matters of Religion Yet farther the Lord our God presseth this duty of Christian Conference more then once in the New Testament by the Apostle as upon the Ephesians and that both negatively and positively Eph. 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it minister grace to the hearers No Corrupt or rotten putred communication alluding to meats rotten and putrified stinking and unsavoury
that of the Apostle drawn from a body natural in which each member hath its proper gift not for it self onely but for the whole and every other member in particular thus the Eye sees the ear heares the Tongue speaks the hands work the feet walk not each for it self onely but for each other member and the whole body so in the Church of Christ which is one body mystical Can. 6.9 My dove my undefiled is but one one body Can. 6.9 Eph. 4.4 Yet in that one body there are variety of members and God by his Spirit distributeth gifts and graces variously dividing to every one severaily as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 But to what end He answers it vers 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall So in a body politick Perkins Reformed Catholick Of Tradit a Kingdome or Commonwealth all are not Peeres but some Peasants all are not rich but some poore the Peer and the Rich have as much need of the poore Peasant in some cases as they of them in other cases So in the world several Countries have their several commodities and all to maintain mutual Trade Commerce and converse among men but all for the good of the whole What another Apostle speaks in another case in regard of hospitality is here by way of illustration fairely applicable 1 Pet. 4.9 10. As every man hath received the gift so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God There 's much very much of the wisdome and goodness of God in laying up rich treasures of knowledge and gracious experiences in the heads and hearts of some not onely for their own use but for the guiding and leading of others also No member in the body natural or mystical but is designed to be and ought to be usefull and serviceable to the whole The way to compasse our end with God which is to be everlastingly glorified by him and with him in the full enjoyment of him is to give him his ends here on us 1 Cor. 10.31 which is that we should glorify him and that in laying out all our talents to the best advantage of our Master and the use of his family which is his Church and people here below and this end is abundantly advanced by the wise and frequent exercise of Christian Conference The 5th Argument in reference to God 5 Argument propagation of the Gospel which pleads hard for Christian Conference is that it is powerfully efficacious by the blessing of God for the propagation of the Gospel and for the bearing up of the Name Worship and glory of God in the World from generation to generation How was the worship of God transmitted from Adam to Moses but by Oral Tradition and that in Conference Fathers declaring to their Children and so from Children to Children age after age God at first revealed his will to Adam by word of mouth and renewed the the same to the Patriarks not by writings but by speech by dreams and other inspirations and thus the word of God went from man to man for the space of two thousand and four hundred years unto the time of Moses who was the first penman of the Holy Scriptures and all this while men worshipped God and held the Articles of their Faith by tradition not from men but immediately from God himself And the History of the new Testament probably for the space of twenty years at least went from hand to hand by tradition 'till penned by the Apostles or being penned by others it was approved by them And now the Canon of Scriptures being compleated and by the infinite wisdome power and goodness of God kept pure and entire we must to the law and to the Testimony Isa 8.20 Eph. 2.20 2 Tim. 3.16 to the Scripture the written word of God for our guidance and direction in matters of Faith and practice But as for the way and manner of Conveyance and propagation of the heavenly and blessed truths contained in the Scriptures that is authoratively by Ministers and by Preaching hearing reading and holy Conference which is common to all who having Tongues to speak should delight to be speaking of God and for God that so religion the knowledge and fear of God might run down all along through the whole race of mankind even from Adam to the end of the world The Psalmist is warme in this argument Psal 78.3 4 5 6 7. That saith he which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us we will not hide it from their Children shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done For he established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children That the generation to come might know them even the Children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their Children That they might set their hope in God and not forget the work of God but keep his Commandments We pray Thy kingdome come and that 's our duty but we must work also and labour to our uttermost by good Conference by doing or suffering that the kingdome of grace may be advanced more and more in the world that God in Christ may be more known believed in and be loved obeyed owned and honoured by our selves and all others from the rising of the Sun to the setting of the same and this in a perpetual succession from time to time 'till time runs up into Eternity It s reported to be one of the Olympick games that they have a set company of Racers if I mistake not the story each whereof had his stage or Race-post as it were the first takes a great burning torch or blazing link in his hand and away he runs with it with all possible speed to the end of the race then another takes it of him and away way he posts with it might and maine and so a third and a fourth and so one Racer after another 'till the link or light went out I allude onely to it So one generation runneth with the light of the Gospel to another generation and so from generation to generation I cannot say till the light goeth out for it 's an everlasting Gospel and never goeth out but 'till the light of grace be heightned unto or swallowed up in the light of glory The necessity and usefulness of Christian Conference in order to the preservation of the Gospel amongst us and the propagation of it to posterity may sufficiently be evinced if we go a little to School to Priests and Jesuites to all Arch hereticks and seducers do not they spread their opinions and practices even among ignorant ones and illiterate meerly or mainly by discourse and conference do not common swearers adulterers scoffers and the like rabble òf men by their evil