of Oppression Extortion Cheating Lying Theft False-witness-bearing breach of Promise c. It occasions a great deal of trouble to the World by Quarrelling Contention Law-Sutes and the like He whose affections are inordinately set on money will not stick at the breach of any of Gods commandments There is scarce any sin so base and vile but he that is under the power of Covetousness will venture to commit it for gain and advantage * Avaritia Christum vendidit Therefore Davids prayer was Psal 119.36 Incline mine heart to thy testimonies and not to covetousness He might have said and not to lust or not to pride but it seems he looked on Covetousness as a Mother-sin which was like to produce many other sins wherever it prevailed 2. 'T is a very close sin 'T is a sin hardly discerned and so more hardly cured 'T is a secret subtil sin that hides it self under the cloak of frugality and good husbandry A man may be free from unlawful getting from deceit and injustice and yet be earthly-minded for all that If God should suffer a Professor to fall into drunkenness or uncleanness his conscience would be sure to flye in his face and severely talk with him But people that are Covetous and Earthly-minded hardly discern themselves to be so or think it no crime to be so though the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.10 reckons the Covetous among those that shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 3. 'T is a very insnaring sin They that will be rich sayes the Apostle that is that are resolved so to be either by hook or by crook fall into temptation and a snare 1 Tim. 6.9 Such persons will not stick at any thing that may promote their gain They will not care to make shipwrack of their consciences to gain the world And therefore Covetousness is many times the root of Apostacy Demâ—s hath forsaken me sayes the Apostle 2 Tim. 4.10 having embraced the present world Luke follows a suffering Paul but Demas through the love of the world forsakes him 4. 'T is a great dishonour to the Christian Profession What shall they that have Heaven set before them for a reward dote upon the earth Shall they that pretend to understand the surpassing excellency of the things above have their hearts and affections set on things below The Psalmist sayes Psal 135.15 The Idols of the Heathen are silver and gold 'T is a shame that silver and gold should be the Idols of Christians Therefore the Apostle writing to the converted Colossians Chap. 3. v. 1 2. tells them that if they be risen with Christ they must set their affections on things above and not on things on the earth 5. It much hinders profiting by the Woâ—d The Cares of this life choak the Word Matth. 13.23 There are many come to hear the word and sit before the Lord as his people whose hearts go after their Covetousness Ezek. 33.31 and so the word profits them not 6. It unfits a man to be a good Magistrate or a good Minister A Magistrate should be a man fearing God and hating Covetousness Exod. 18.21 A Gospel Minister should not be greedy of filthy lucre 1 Pet. 5.2 If either of them be under the power of Covetousness they are never like to discharge their duties faithfully 7. 'T is a very disquieting sin It disquiets the hearts of men and deprives them of inward peace They that covet after money pierce themselves through with many sorrows sayes the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.10 It creates also a great deal of trouble and disquiet to particular Families He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house sayes Solomon Prov. 15.27 A covetous Master of a Family will make his Children and Servants very slaves and drudges and will hardly allow them things necessary and Convenient 8. It exceedingly hinders a due preparation for death They that have their hearts over-charged with Covetousness and the cares of this life seldom take their latter end into due consideration How hardly sayes our Saviour shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God Math. 10.23 that is that have their hearts set on their riches and trust in them Corpulent birds seldom flye high Neither do they whose great care is to load themselves with thick Clay Heb. 2.5 6. mind Heaven or the things of the other life And so much of the evil of Covetousness 6. I come now to give some directions and to prescribe some remedies against it 1. Labour to understand wherein the true happiness of man consists Riches and wealth are not the distinguishing marks of the favour and love of God Men may have them and yet be of the number of them who have all their portion in this life Psal 17.14 God indeed does sometimes give riches to his own children that they may appear to be his blssiengs And to many of his own children he denies them that they may appear not to be his chief blessings The true happiness of man consists in reconciliation with God in conformity of his nature to him in having his Spirit dwelling in him and in being serviceable to him in his generation He that hath these is truly rich though he be poor in this World And he that wants these though he flow in riches and wealth yet I am not affraid to tell him he is for the present but a miserable man and in an unsafe condition 2. Consider the people of God ought to have a great confidence in Gods Fatherly care over them We are much pressed in Scripture to cast our care on God Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden on the Lord and he shall sustain thee 1 Pet. 5.7 Cast all your care on him for he careth for you Matth. 6.31 Take no thought for your life whaâ— you shall eat or what you shall drink or for your body what you shall put on but seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you What makes children and servants less solicitous and anxious less careful and covetous in their Parents and Masters house than when they are for themselves Why they depend on their Parents and Masters to provide for them and that sets them at ease as to that particular And should not we then depend on the care and providence of our heavenly Father Why should we not trust God for our bodies as well as for our souls considering the many gracious promises he has made to take care of us The Apostle uses this as a great argument against Covetousness and that we should be content with such things as we have because God hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 3. We should labour to moderate our affections to the things of this World Holy Agurs prayer was Prov. 30.8 Give me neither Poverty nor Riches but feed me with food convenient for me Our Saviour tells Martha Luke 10.42 that one thing is necessary 'T is not necessary we
though many of his Ways and Providences are obscure and intricate God knows what is fittest for us and what is the fittest time to help us First We should labour to be wise that we may be like unto God To desire as Adam did any of that knowledge which God hath reserved to himself and is unnecessary for us is indeed not to be wise in our desires We ought to labour to know the Lord and his revealed will and the way to Eternal life and to endeavour to walk in it and this is true wisdom True Piety is the greatest wisdom and sin is the greatest folly There is not any Soul in Hell but was brought thither by its own sinful folly Therefore the Apostle exhorts us Eph. 5.15 That we walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Certainly to save a mans Soul is a work of the greatest wisdom and requires our best care and industry Secondly we should humbly beg wisdom of God We should seek to him as our principal Counsellor and Director in all our undertakings Jam. 1.5 If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Thirdly We should take heed of trusting in our own wisdom The way of man is not in himself Jer. 10.23 We should read the Scriptures much for they are able to make us wise unto salvation We should often consider what the wise man sayes Prov. 3.5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Fourthly The Infinite wisdom of God should teach us to rest in all his Determinations and Dispensations Shall dust and ashes judge the Lord who is only wise We should learn to submit to his infinite wisdom as well as to his Holy will Fifthly The consideration of the infinite wisdom of God should encourage the People of God in their greatest straits and against all the cunning subtilty of their enemies They should labour faithfully to do their duties and then humbly rest in the infinite wisdom of God who knows better what is good for them than they know themselves II. God is infinitely Holy Holy He is many times stiled the Holy One of Israel and glorious in Holiness Exod. 15.11 Fearfull in praises that is who is to be praised with great fear and reverence Rev. 4.8 He is stiled Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come The consideration of Gods transcendent Purity and Holiness should teach us First To endeavour to imitate God in this perfection 1 Pet. 1.15 Be ye Holy says God for I am Holy Holiness should have an universal influence upon our whole man There should be Holiness in our thoughts Purity in our hearts Sincerity in our intentions Truth in our words Justice in our actions Sobriety Chastity Temperance Humility Modesty in all our outward manners and conversations Heb. 12.14 The Apostle advises us to follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 'T is not said without peace for a man may follow after that and may not be able to obtain it But the Greek Article relates to holiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without which no man shall see the Lord. Into the new Jerusalem nothing enters that defiles Rev. 21.27 Secondly We should look to it that we do not meerly act a part of holiness but do really endeavor to be so Nothing in the World is better than reall holiness nothing more detestable than the counterfeit of it As there is no face in Nature more comely and majestical than that of a man so none more ugly and ridiculous than that of an Ape which has some shew of it but falls so far short of it Simulata pietas duplex iniquitas Counterfeit Piety is double Iniquity Thirdly we should be very far from being ashamed of holiness which we see is the Image of God The Devil and his Instruments labour all they can to disparage holiness and by several nick-names and such artifices to keep People off from esteeming of it or endeavouring after it Sir Simon D' Ewes Primitive practice for preserving Truth 'T is an Observation of a Learned Author of our own that among the Turks Jews Indians Persians and the Papists themselves at this day the most Zealous and Holy in their several Religions are most esteemed and honoured But in the greatest part of the Protestant World the most knowing and tenacious of the Evangelical truth and the most strict and godly in their lives are hated nick-named disgraced and vilified Thus does the Devils malice and the corruption of man concur to bring dishonour and disesteem upon that which is a participation of the Divine Nature and makes a man most like unto God III. God is just Just Justice in God is that perfection of his Nature whereby he is just in himself and exerciseth justice towards all his Creatures Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right Cen. 18.25 and Ezek. 18.29 Are not my ways equal saith the Lords Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways 2 Tim 4.8 Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day Gods Juâ—â—ice and Righteousness is Essential and Natural unto him and to likewise is his Mercy And these Two properties as they are Essential in God are not opposite one to another Indeed the effects of Justice and Mercy are sometimes oppâ—site but the Attributes themselves are not so When therefore we pray that God would not dâ—â—l with us according to his Juâ—tice but his Mercy we pray not against the Attribute of his Justice but the effects of it which are subject to the liberty of his will God is always just alike but the effects of his Justice may be more manifested at one time than at another When therefore 't is said James 2.13 Gods Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment and that he is slow to anger ready to forgive c. It must be so understood that He is more ready to manifest the effects of his Mercy than of his Justice Object But against Gods Justice some may be apt to Object this that it often goes ill with the Righteous in this World and the wicked proâ—per and how can that consist with Divine Justice To this many Answers may be given Answ First No man is perfectly Righteous here therefore no wonder if Gods own Children have the Rod sometimes upon their backs for their sins Secondly God may tenderly love his Children though he do afflict them Heb. 12.6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Psal 119.57 I know O Lord that thy Judgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me God sanctifies the afflictions of his People to their good Their afflictions are profitable unto them for
not their first Station they sinned against God and by sin fell from their happiness 3. Let us inquire how they came to sin Being created pure they had no lust within to incline them to it and being in Heaven they had no Object without to draw or allure them to it neither had they any â—empâ—â—r before one or more of their own number fell to intice them to it Some late Divines conceive that the great Angel â—ow called Belzebub first fell and then drew others by his tâ—mptaâ—ion and seducement into the same rebellion and disobedience with himself For Matth. 25.44 we read of the Devil and his Angels and Matth. 12.24 of Belzebub the Prince of Devils From whence we may probably conjecture there was some Prince or Chief of the Apostate Angels who was the Ring-leader in this faction and rebellion against God And if any shall further inquire how sin came into the Angels at first all that we can say is this They were created good yet mutable and they voluntarily chose not to abide in their first estate 'T is Gods Prerogative only to be immutable All Creatures though never so pure if not assiâ—ted by grace are mutable and may sin Job 4.18 Behold he put no trust in his Servants and his Angels he charged with folly The Angels being mutable Creatures might fall from their righteousness if left to themselves and some of them did fall and God charged them judicially with folly for it They were created in a blessed state and from that they might and some of them did fall But however it was we may assure our selves God was not the cause of their fall by infusing any evil into them Neither is he to be looked upon as consenting to their sin in that he did not hinder them from it or in that he did not support them by his Grace For he oweth his Grace to none and giveth it when and to whom he pleaseth And in the Angelical Nature as well as the humane he would discover his Justice and his Mercy and the freedâ—m of his dispensations 4. Let us consider the time when they fell How soon they fell we cannot certainly determine 'T is probable they fell very soon For Joh. 8.44 Satan is called a Murderer from the beginning and 1 Joh. 3.9 'T is said the Devil sinneth from the beginning that is soon after the Creation That these Angels were created plainly appears from Col. 1.16 And probably they were created on the second day when the Heavens the proper place of their residence were created 'T is certain they sinned before Man fell For the Devil in and by the Serpent seduced Eve Gen. 3.1.2 Cor. 11.3 5. Let us consider their number 'T is certain that the number of these Apostate Angels is very great and that there are very many of them going up and down in the World as may appear by this that an whole Legion of them was in one man Luke 8.30 * Legio apud Romanos continebat 12500 miâ—ites numâ—rus certus pro incerto ut ipse Daemon explicat But how great their number is cannot by us be certainly determined 6. Let us consider their Nature Properties and Employment 1. They are Spirits of great knowledge cunning and subtilty They are subtil by Nature and by long experience in tempting since the beginning of the World their subtilty is much increased They can transform themselves into Angels of light 2 Cor. 11.14 But this is observable they never move to good as 't is good but as it may have some evil consequent upon it And further they know how to suit their temptations to the several tempers of men They have much Natural and Experimental knowledge so as they can discern hidden causes and virtues which mans reason cannot reach unto They know how to apply actives to passives they can guess notably at future events but as for a certain knowledge of them unless of such things as depend upon necessary causes or have been some way or other made known unto them by God that they have not That knowledge is proper to God and accordingly he challengeth it unto himself Isai 41.23 Shew things that are to come hereafter that we may know ye are gods says he of the vanities and Idols of the Heathen They are of wonderful sagacity to judge of mens hearts by their outward gestures and carriage In a word they are wise enough to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge 2. Their malice is very great This is set forth to the life 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil like a roaring Lyon goes about seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in the Faith His malice is so great that he goes about doing mischief though he knowes that he gets no good by it nay though his punishment will be so much the greater for the mischief he does His malice is great against all mankind but principally against the Saints and Servants of God First Because they bear the Image of God Secondly Because they through grace resist his temptations here and shall as approvers of Christs righteous sentence judge him hereafter 1 Cor. 6.3 3. They are Spirits of great Power though it be limited by God so that it cannot be exercised but when and where and how it pleaseth him The Devil doth exercise his power as far as he is able to the hurt of the Children of men but especially to the hurt of the Saints obstinately endeavouring to hinder them from enjoying that happiness which he lost 4. They are Spirits of great industry to do mischief as we may see Job 1.6.7 The Devil not only does all the outward mischief he can but he tempts also by inward suggestions For being a Spirit he hath communion with our Souls and Spirits and can dart evil thoughts into us thus he filled the heart of Judas to betray his Lord and Master Thus he provoked David to number the People 1 Chron. 21.1 His temptatioâ—s are many times suddain impetuous importunate And his suggestions may oftentimes be known from those that arise from our own corrupt hearts by the suddenness violence and unnaturalness of them Those that arise from our own corrupt Natures are usually pleasing unto us But if the teâ—ptation be against the light of Nature as for one to kill a friend whom he dearly loves and do fill the Soul with horror as blasphemous thoughts do those may be reckoned as Satans fiery Darts For they torment the mind as poisoned Arrows do the body And by an humble recourse to Christ for help we should labour to quench these fiery Darts Our Saviour himself was tempted by the Devil to most hideous things Matth. 4. And having been tempted himself he knows how to succour those that are tempted Heb. 2.18 The Saints of God therefore should encourage themselves from these considerations 1. A restraint is put on Satan in all his temptations 1 Cor. 10.13 He
practice of these things 1. Betake thy self to some retired privacy and sequestring thy self from worldly cares and business labour to bring thy mind into a good calm sedate frame and fitness for this great work 2. Earnestly beg of God to give thee the assistance of his holy spirit to inable thee to fit thy self for this solemn Ordinance 3. Seriously consider the danger of receiving this Sacrament unworthily that is without such a disposition of mind and such a preparation of heart and such reverence and devotion as is agreeable unto so holy an Ordinance Such persons as are not so fitted and yet approach to this holy Table are guilty of profaning this Sacrament which is the commemoration of Christs death and of vilifying the signs and pledges of his body and blood and so incur the danger of temporal Judgment and chastisement here and without repentance of eternal hereafter 4. Seriously consider what is required to a worthy receiving And here a twofold caution is to be observed 1. That the pitch of worthiness is not to be set too high so as none shall be thought sit to partake of this Table but such as have a high and eminent degree of grace For this â—â—dinance was appointed for the benâ—fit of the lowest Believers and sâ— such as are weak in the Faith 2. That it be not set too low so â—hat aâ—â— person though very ignorant of the true nature and end of this ordinance if he be free from gross open and scandalous sins may be thought fit to come and be admitted to it That we may therefore avoid both these I shall set down 1. What qualifications are requisite to a worthy Receiver 2. What are insufficient The qualifications requisite are these 1. Knowledge The fundamental principles and grounds of Christianity and the nature signification end and use of this Sacrament must be known by every one that would be a worthy receiver Ignorant persons therefore are totally unfit for the present and must first be instructed before they be admitted to this holy Ordinance But by the knowledge required we do not mean the profound knowledge of a Scholar who knows how to dispute upon any of these points and knows all the distinctions about them but the savoury knowledge of a Christian which hath these properties 1. 'T is not a meer speculative floating or swimming in the brain but a knowledge that affects the heart and works upon the affections 'T is such a knowledge of God as causes the heart to fear him such a knowledge of sin as works in the heart a hatred and loathing of it 2. 'T is an humbling knowledge Knowledge not sanctified puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 But the more any Soul is savingly inlightned the more it sees and is sensible of its own folly and corruption and great depravedness 3. 'T is a knowledge that is operative for the drawing the Soul to Christ and for the mending of the heart and reforming of the life Never let any man tell me that he has knowledge enough he knows as much as the Minister can teach him he knows the way to Heaven and Salvation as well as any body can shew him when I see him going on in paths leading down to Hell Shall any man perswade me that he has a sufficient skill in Physick and yet when he is dangerously sick he is neither sensible of it nor applies any fit remedy for himself Certainly that knowledge of the things of God is not right which does not affect the heart nor reform the life 2. Repentance They that are truly penitent have wrought in them by the Spirit of God 1. A Conviction of the evil and danger of their sins 2. True contrition and godly sorrow for them 3. A hatred and loathing of them 4. They are brought humbly to confess them with sorrow and shame unto God And 5. To turn from them unto God by sincere amendment of their lives 3. Faith in Christ This is a main qualification requisite to a worthy Communicant The main acts of Faith are these two 1. A serious owning and acknowledging Christ for the only Saviour of the World 2. A sincere giving up of the soul to him to be pardoned in his blood and sanctified by his Spirit and a solemn trusting and depending on him for all the benefits purchased by his death and passion And such a faith as this is operative for the purifying of the heart and reforming the life 4. Love Of this grace there are several acts required 1. We ought to excite a great love in our Souls to God our Creator and constant benefactor who sent his Son to redeem us 2. We ought to excite and stir up in our souls a great love to Christ Jesus who humbled himself to the death for us In contemplation of which transcendent love of Christ the Apostle cries out If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 Q. But you will say how may we know whether there be in us a sincere love to Christ or no 1. Have we been deeply wounded with a sence of our sins and have we betaken our selves to him as our only Physician to be cured and have we found him curing our accusing condemning consciences Hath our love to Christ any such foundation as this 2. Do we own Christ and love him as considered in all his Offices Do we love Christ not only as a Priest that has made atonement for us but as a Prophet and a King Do we love the guidance of his holy Spirit and the guidance of his word Do we love his Soveraignty as well as his Saviour-ship 3. Do we love him for his deep humiliation and bitter sufferings which he so readily underwent for us and for the great redemption and salvation he hath wrought for us 4. Are we willing to obey Christ If you love me sayes our Saviour keep my commandments 5. Is the interest of Christ dear to us Are we concerned in his honour and dishonour Are we suitably affected when his interest prospers or is trampled upon when it goes well or ill with his Church 6. Do we love him for those eminent graces which were so conspicuous in his life 7. Are we willing to be serviceable to him and to suffer for him when he calls us to it 8. Do we love him for his constant intercession for us at Gods right hand Let us try our love to Christ by these marks 3. We ought to have in our hearts a true love and charity to all Christians We should excite in our Souls a true love to all those that are real members of Christ We should love their persons graces and fellowship These we should love with a complacential love But besides these we should love our very enemies with a love of benevolence wishing well unfeignedly to them and praying for them The proper offices and effects of this Charity are 1. Forgiving injuries 2. Doing good against evil 3. Speaking
good of others if we can honestly or else abstaining from speaking evil Let us consider what the Apostle sayes 1 John 2.9 He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness even until now He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him He that hateth his brother is a Murderer So that it seems there is a kind of heart-murder and tongue-murder which we ought to take heed of as well as the murder of the hand 5. The fifth thing requisite to a worthy Receiver is an hungring and thirsting after a greater sence of Gods pardoning mercy in Christ and of more communications of Grace from him by which we may be inabled to live more unto God Having thus shewed what are the due qualifications requisite to a worthy Receiver I come now to shew what qualifications are insufficient 1. He that is meerly civil is not sufficiently qualified to partake of this Ordinance By meerly civil I mean a person whose life as as to men is outwardly fair and civil yet he hath never had any effectual conviction of the evil of sâ—n nor of the danger of his original and actual transgressions made upon his conscience nor of the absolute necâ—ssity that lies upon him to go out of himself to Christ for pardon but usually rests in his own righteousness and in the performance of the duties of the second Table and is either very negligent about or slight and perfunctory in the performance of the duties of the first namely the duties that relate to God immediately He would be righteous towards men but his heart is very far from being truly religious toward God His chief care is usually about the outward fairness of his conversation but takes little or no care of purging of his heart of secret sins or mortifying his inward lusts And neither is the glory of God his aim nor the word of God his rule but his own credit and estimation in the world is chiefly regarded by him And many times there is some sin or other though not gross and notorious continued in with allowance And not seldom there is a professed hatred against the practical power of Godliness thinking it more ado than needs He that has only such a civility as this is not sufficiently qualified for this holy Table 2. He that is meerly restrained and withholden either by the sence of his credit or fear of shame or punishment from the commission of sin but in his heart hankers after it and inclines to it is not fitly qualified There are many persons that have some restraints upon them as the respect they bear to their Parents or Governors or the like that keep them for the present from the commission of those sins which in their hearts they love and would give themselves over unto if they durst And commonly when those restraints are removed their corruptions break out with more violence I press this no farther I leave every one herein to deal faithfully and impartially with his own Soul 3. He that has only an outward formal religiousness is not fitly qualified for this holy Table I mean such as rest in the bare performance of outward religious duties and trust to them for their acceptance with God not minding nor aiming that their Souls should be bettered towards God by their duties 'T is a good and useful distinction which we have before had occasion to mention that of Religion the end and Religion the means They that rest in the means and in outward religious performances such as praying hearing receiving the Lords Supper or the like without aiming at or designing that their hearts may be really mended and their lives reformed thereby which is the end these means are appointed for are far from being truly Religious Yet many times such persons are highly conceited of their own righteousness as the Pharisee was Luke 18.9 Who trusted in himself that he was righteous and despised others 4. Such as have only a slight sorrow for their sins past and no serious resolution to amend their lives nor to forsake what they know to be sinful and amiss in themselves are by no means fitly qualified for this holy Table Let every one therefore seriously examine himself whether he be fitly qualified for this holy ordinance And there being but only two estates of soul toward God that man can be in viz. either that of nature or that of grace so that every man must of necessity be in the one or the other It concerns us to be well acquainted with the distinguishing Characters or marks both of the one and of the other and to examine our selves seriously that we may know in which of them we are and to stick so long upon this work till we bring it to some issue and be able to make a judgment upon our selves to which of them we do indeed belong In order to the helping us in this great work of self examination I shall give the characters 1. Of such as for the present are apparently unconverted and 2. Of such as are converted The unconverted are such as these 1. Such as are grosly ignorant of the main principles of Christianity 2. Such as are insensible of the evil and danger of their sins nor have ever had any considerable remorse wrought in their souls for them 3. Such in whose hearts sin rules and reigns so that they delight in it 4. Such whose lives and conversations are wicked and prophane 5. Such as were never brought to see their need of Christ in good earnest nor solemnly to accept him for their Lord and Saviour 6. Such as disrelish holiness and hate the life and power of godliness and malign such as are truly and seriously religious 7. Such as delight in wicked company and chuse such for their companions rather than others 8. Such as are gross neglecters of the means of grace which God hath appointed for the bettering of our souls 9. Such as have long enjoyed the powerful means of grace but are nothing changed bettered or reformed thereby 10. Such as have the main bent of their hearts set upon the pleasures profits and delights of the world And these are the things they chiefly mind though with the ruining neglect of their Souls Such persons for the present are apparently unconconverted 2. Let us consider the marks and characters of such as are converted The converted are such as these 1. They are such who by the grace of God have been spiritually enlightned to see the depravation of their natures and the sinfulness of their hearts and lives 2. They are such as have had their hearts touched and affected with Godly sorrow and true remorse for their sins 3. They are such as have been brought to see their absolute need of Christ and deliberately and solemnly to give up themselves to him to be pardoned through the merit of his active and passive obedience and to be sanctified by
doth Gods stamp deface I shall conclude all with this earnest prayer to God that he would please of his infinite mercy timely to awaken the hearts of all those who are addicted to sin that by a speedy and serious repentance and forsaking of it they may escape that dreadful wrath which will be the portion of impenitent and unreformed Drunkards CHAP. VI. Of Uncleanness THE Nature of man is so vile and corrupt and so prone to this sin of Uncleanness that we had need use all care and caution lest while we are writing against it and endeavouring to beat it down we should any way stir it up and excite it In treating therefore of this Subject I shall proceed in this method 1. I shall shew the odiousness and heinousness of this sin and what great reasons we have to abhor it 2. Shall answer the vain excuses that men who are addicted to this sin do usually make for themselves 3. Shall give some directions and prescribe some remedies against it For the Fitst The Odiousness and heinousness of this sin may appear to us if we consider how strictly God hath forbidden it in his holy word and how severely he hath declared his displeasure against it And that man that is not awed by the declared will of his Creator I know not what will awe him 'T is in vain to think to convince a man of the evil and danger of any sin by other arguments whom the express word and declared will of God cannot convince I shall therefore set before you what God both in the old and new Testament declares concerning this sin and then leave every one to judge whether it be not our duty to abhor it and with all care and conscience to keep our selves from it Read therefore and well consider these following Scriptures Gen. 20.3 And God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him behold thou art but a dead man for the woman which thou hast taken for she is a mans wife Gen. 26.10 And Abimelech said what is this thou hast done unto us one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us Gen. 38.24 And it came to pass about three moneths after that it was told Judah saying Tamar thy daughter in law hath plaid the Harlot and also behold she is with child by whoredom and Judah said bring her forth and let her be burnt * Observe these things hapned before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai Exod. 20.14 Thou shalt not commit adultery Lev. 18.20 Thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbours wife to defile thy self with her V. 23. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thy self therewith neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto it is confusion V. 24. Defile not your selves in any of these things for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you V. 25. And the Land is defiled therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it and the Land it self vomiteth out her inhabitants Therefore commit not any of these abominations V. 28. That the Land spue not you out also when ye defile it as it spued out the Nations that were before you Lev. 20.10 And the man that committeth adultery with another mans wife the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death Deut. 22.22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband then they shall both of them die both the man that lay with the woman and the woman So shalt thou put away evil from Israel Verse 23. If a damsel that is a Virgin be betrothed to an husband and a man find her in the City and lie with her V. 24. Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of the City and ye shall stone them with stones that they die the damsel because she cried not out being in the City and the man because he hath humbled his neighbours wife So shalt thou put away evil from among you Job 24.15 The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twi-light saying no eye shall see me and disguises his face Prov. 2.16 When wisdom entreth into thine heart it shall preserve thee from the strange woman even from the stranger which flattereth with her words V. 17. Which forsaketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the Covenant of her God V. 18. For her house inclineth to death and her paths to the dead V. 19. None that go unto her return again neither take they hold of the paths of life Prov. 5.3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honey comb and her mouth is smoother than oyl Ver. 4. But her end is bitter as worm-wood sharp as a two edged sword V. 5. Her feet go down to death her steps take hold on hell V. 8. â—emove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her house V. 9. Lâ—st thou give thine honour unto others and thy years unto the cruel V. 11. And thou mourn at last when thy flesh and thy â—â—â—y are consumed V. 12. And say how have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof V. 20. And why wilt thou my Son be ravished with a strange woman and embrace the bosome of a stranger Prov. 6.23 For the commandment is a Lamp and the Law is light V. 24. To keep thee from the evil woman from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman V. 25. Lust not after her beauty inthine heart neither let her take thee with her eye-lids V. 26. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life V. 27. Can a man take fire in his bosome and his cloaths not be burnt V. 28. Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burnt V. 29. So he that goeth in to his neighbours wife whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent V. 32. But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding he that doth it destroyeth his own soul V. 33. A wound and dishonour shall he get and his reproach shall not be wiped away Prov. 7 5. My Son keep my words that they may keep thee from the strange woman from the stranger which flattereth with her words V. 6. Fâ—â— at the window of my house I looked through my casement V. 7. And beheld among the simple ones a young man void of understanding V. 8. Passing through the streets neer her corner and he went the way to her house V. 9. In the twi-light in the evening in the black and dark night V. 10. And behold there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot and subtil of heart V. 11. She is loud and stubborn her feet abide not in her house V. 12. Now is she without now in the streets and lieth in wait at every corner V. 13. So she caught him and kissed him and
mouth of a strange woman is a deep pit and he that is abhorred of God shall fall therein that is he whom God is highly offended with for some former wickedness shall in a just way of punishment be delivered up to this ruining sin 3. God declares that he himself will judge those that commit this sin Heb. 13.4 Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge God will judge all other sinners but the Apostle seems to intimate that God will judge these in an especial manner 1. Because this sin being usually committed in secret man cannot so easily come to the knowledge of it nor can he prove it by sufficient witnesses 2. Many great and potent men are oftentimes guilty of this sin whom ordinary Magistrates either cannot or dare not or through remisness will not meddle with Therefore God will take the matter into his own hands and he himself will judge it And 't is a dreadful thing to fall into the hand of the living God Crimes among men are oftentimes extenuated by reason of the greatness of the Person that commits them But God will judge every man according to his works 4. 'T is a sin that is usually attended with hardness of heart and very often with final impenitence When once men have so far debauched their consciences that Adultery and Fornication seem small matters to them they are seldom recovered By frequent committing this sin they give their consciences such a dose of Opium that the lowdest threatnings of Gods word cannot awaken them The Prophet tells us Hos 4.11 that whoredom wine and new wine takes away the heart that is besot the understanding Terrible are those words Prov. 2.18.19 The house of the strange woman inclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead None that go unto her return again neither take they hold of the paths of life O the extreme hazard and danger that all Adulterers and Fornicators expose their precious souls unto for a short pleasure Travellers * Doctor Browns travels into Germany p. 111. tell us that at Presburg Metz and some other places in Germany they have a strange way of executing capital offenders which is this They have an Engine made in the form of and finely dressed up like a young maid or Lady with her hands before her The malefactor being brought to the place of execution salutes her first and then retires But at his second salute she opens her hands and cuts his heart asunder Methinks this is a notable emblem and representation of the horrible danger that adulterers expose themselves unto by their lascivious embraces * Cito praeterit quod delectat permanet sine fine quod cruciat Aug. Which if they did but duly consider before-hand they would as much tremble to venture on them as the poor condemned Malefactor does to make his second salute to the fatal Engine 5. Adultery * Adulterium quasi ad alterius thorum accessus is one of the greatest plagues imaginable to private families For thereby a spurious bastardly brood is brought in to inherit and share the estate instead of a legitimate issue Like as the Cuckow layes her filthy eggs in another birds nest making it to hatch and nourish them as if it were its own off-spring So that this sin usually breeds dismal confusion and fatal jars and strifes in those miserable Families where it is found 6. 'T is a great mischief to the Church For by Lawful Wedlock among Christians a seed foederally holy is brought forth but by this sin a spurious and unclean brood 7. 'T is a sin that defiles a Land and provokes God to send down most heavy judgments upon it We read that the Land of Canaan where Israel dwelt spewed out the Nations that were before them for their uncleanness Lev. 18.27 28. And therefore every honest person should have a great zeal for chastity and an utter abhorrence and indignation against uncleanness as that which is a ruiner of a Nation and a mischief to the community by drawing down Gods Judgments upon it 8. 'T is a sin that exceedingly blots the name * A Learned man writing of a great Prince who was also a great Captain sayes of him that he was egregius bellator sed non adversus carnem suam So that great men one would think should be afraid of this sin lest they should be recorded to Posterity under the Characters of fiâ—thy persons There are few fornicators or adulterers who do not by great and solemn repentance and amendment of life break off that sin but leave an infamous name and memory to posterity Prov. 10.7 The memory of the just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot Prov. 6.32 33. He that committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding He that doth it destroyeth his own soul A wound and dishonour shall he get and his reproach shall not be wiped away 9. It usually blasts the estate Prov. 6.26 By reason of a whorish woman a man is brought to a morsel of bread Job 13.10 'T is a fire that consumeth to destruction and will root out all their increase I appeal to every wise mans observation whether this be not usually the fruit of uncleanness 10. 'T is a sin that very frequently wasts and destroyes the body The Apostle 1 Cor. 6.28 Exhorts to flee fornication because among other reasons 't is a sin that so much hurts the body In other sins that men commit commonly they abuse something without the the body as the drunkard doth wine but this sin hurteth and abuseth the body it self in a more remarkable manner by an intemperate and excessive exhausting the vital spirits and consuming the natural heat and moisture which are the preservers of health strength and life And besides this sin is frequently attended with that loathsom disease which makes the committers of it to rot and stink above ground So that if there be any men so sottish as not to fear Hell or punishment in another life yet methinks they should resolve to live chastly for fear of rotting their bodies by uncleanness and so shortning this life wherein they expect all their happiness The Apostle indeed in that Chapter before-mentioned uses another argument of another nature to true believers why they should keep themselves from uncleanness Verse 15. Know you not sayes he that your bodies are the members of Christ and will you take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot God forbid For as wedlock makes man and wife one body lawfully so fornication makes the fornicator and the harlot one body unlawfully Further he shews that the bodies of true believers are Temples of the Holy Ghost who is freely given of God to dwell in them and therefore their bodies ought to be kept pure and undefiled The Apostle therefore in this place uses these arguments to true believers and not impure Fornicators For their bodies are not members of Christ nor Temples of the
Souls How ready was he to comply with his Fathers will The Cup that my Father hath given me to drink shall I not drink it sayes he John 18.11 and Luke 22.42 Father if thou be willing remove this Cup from me yet not my will but thy will be done 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously 4. He teacheth this lesson by his Spirit Now the spirit teacheth contentment these wayes 1. By convincing the Soul of the reasonablnest of it He shews that it is most fit and reasonable that God being our Creator and having absolute soveraignty and dominion over us and being infinitely wise holy just and gracious we should submit to him and lie at his feet 2. By strengthning our faith in the promises of God 3. By strengthning our hearts to bear the burden of afflictions Eph. 3.16 We are strengthned sayes the Apostle with might by his spirit in the inner man And Col. 1.11 Strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness And 2 Tim. 1.7 God hath not given us the Spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind 4. By shedding abroad a sense of Gods love into our hearts Rom. 8.16 The spirit beareth witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God and if Children then heirs heirs of God and j ynt heirs with Christ And so we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 And this hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Hâ—ly-Ghost which is given unto us And thus we see how Christ teacheth this lesson by his word by his example and by hâ—s Spirit Would yoâ— learn this lesson put your selves under Christs institution Particularly labour to practice these things 1. Break off your sins by true repentance and secure the pardon and forgiveness of all your transgressions by Faith in Christs blood A condemned man hath no contentment in any thing he enjoys But a man pardoned is content and well pleased with a Morsel The Apostle tells us Rom 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus There may be much tribulation to such but thanks be to God no condemnation 2. Labour to be holy in all manner of conversation For Godliness is profitable unto all things having the promises of this life and tâ—at which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Keep and cherish a good consciâ—â—ce and a good conscience will cherish and comfort you 3. Prepare for afflictions and think it no strange thing when they happen to you And when they come meet them as discreet Abigal met David Let not my Lord be angry Beg of God that though he do chastise thee yet he would not be angry w th thee Earnestly implore him that though there be much bitterness yet there may be no wrath in thy Cup. And pray also that all your afflictions may be sanctified to you and may do you that good which God sent them for And be more careful of your carriage under afflictions than troubled at them 4. Moderate your desires after worldly things Though God cut you short as to the things of the world yet think often of your portion and inheritance in the other life Take Mr. Herberts pious counsel Pag. 131. Content thee greedy heart Modest and moderate Joyes to those that have Title to more hereafter when they part Are passing brave Let the upper Springs into the low Descend and fall and thou dost flow What though some have a fraught Of Cloves and Nutmegs and in Cinnamon sail If thou hast wherewithal to spice a draught When griefs prevail And for the future time art heir To the Isle of Spices is' t not fair 5. Be humble under a sense of your own weakness and earnestly beg strength from Christ to inable you to be content in every condition A Believers strength both for doing and suffering the will of God is from Christ Psal 131.3 When I cried unto thee saies the Psalmist thou strengthnedst me with strength in my Soul 6. When thou art strengthned to bear afflictions with a quiet placid and sedate mind give all the glory unto Christ and say as Paul did 1 Tim. 1.12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me 7. Be not secure but watch and pray lest you enter into temptation Moses though the meekest man upon the earth in his time yet once fell into such a fit of discontent and passion and spake so unadvisedly with his lips that God was angry with him and would not let him go into Canaan Now if a person of so eminent grace so failed what eruption of discontent may we be subject to if left to our selves CHAP. VIII Of Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness IN handling of this Subject I shall proceed in this Method 1. I shall shew what Covetousness it 2. In what particulars it discovers it self 3. The causes of it 4. The marks and characters of such as are covetous 5. The great evil of it 6. I shall give some directions and prescribe some remedies against it For the First Covetousness is an inordinate and excessive love of riches and an immoderate desire and hankering after them The simple desire so riches is not Covetousness but an inordinate and over-greedy desire of them And therefore this sin is especially in the heart One may have little and yet be Covetous One may be rich and yet free from Covetousness 2. Covetousness discovers it self in these Particulars 1. In getting wealth unconscionably without regard either to Piety Equity Justice Charity or Humanity When men have their hearts so bent and set upon the World that they use indirect means to get it such as are Oppression Over-reaching Cheating Lying Stealing And so in treasuring up Wealth they treasure up wrath to themselves 2. In an unduede taining and with-holding from the Poor through hard-heartedness and penuriousness what is fit to be given to them When a man is so strait-hearted and strait-handed in works of Charity so cruel so hard and miserable that he gives not at all to the poor or very little and only what is extorted from him with great difficulty and importunity When men are continually hoarding up for themselves but have no bowels or pity for the poor or their indigent relations and though they have enough and abound yet are inordinately carking and caring for more still being perplexed with an Infidel fear lest they should want when they are old Like Symonides who being asked why he was Covetous in his old age Answered I had rather leave riches to my enemies when I die than stand in need of my friends while I live 3. In spending too sparingly and niggardly when men that have plentiful estates have not hearts to allow themselves
and willing to pay in case the person for whom he is bound cannot For so the person to whom the bond is made looks upon him and if he be not so he deceives him in being bound This being premised I shall now tell you what Solomon sayes of surety-ship Prov. 17.18 A man void of understanding striketh hands and becometh surety in the presence of his friend Chap. 22.28 Be not thou one of them that strike hands or of them that are surety for debts Chap. 11.15 He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it and he that hateth surety-ship is sure Chap. 6. v. 1. My Son if thou be surety for thy friend if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger thou art snared with the words of thy mouth Do this now my Son go humble thy self and make sure thy friend give not sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids deliver thy self as a Roe from the hand of the Hunter and as a Bird from the hand of the Fowler c. you may see by this what Solomons opinion was of surety-ship The truth is many an easie and good natured man hath been utterly undone by being drawn into bonds for his friend or relation And therefore I think it is not a sign so much of a covetous mind as of a prudent mind to be shy of surety-ship 2. He lives very neerly and sparingly and much under his estate Answ Thou maist surmise his estate to be greater than it is Thou dost not know his losses nor his manifold charges Or it may be having seen the difficulties and dangerous temptations that others have been put upon through want he spares that he may not be exposed to the like temptations Or it may be he spares and in many things denies himself that he may have to give to the poor His frugality is the purse-bearer to his Charity Or possibly he will tell thee who vainly and foolishly spendest thy money that thou dost not know the value of a penny One single penny will buy a yard square of good Land worth twenty pound an acre as may appear by the demonstration in the margin * In every Acre there are a hundred and sixty square Poles or Rods. In every Pole coâ—sisting of five yards and an half there are thirty yards square and one quarter of a yard as may appear by the Diagram hereunto annexed So there are four thousand eight hundred and forty yards square in an Acre which if sold at one penny a yard comes to twenty pound three shillings and four pence and therefore he is not willing to spend his money so idly and prodigally as thou dost And in the last place possibly he will tell thee that he is sparing because as the Proverb goes a penny saved is better than two pence got yet for all that his heart is not set on his riches but he can freely part with his money when God calls for it 3 It does not appear that he is Charitable and liberal to the Poor Answ He may be prudent in well ordering his Charity and Conscientious in observing that rule of Christ Mat. 6.3 When thou givest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth He may possibly give much more to the poor than thou knowest of 4. He layeth up much Answ Thou canst not tell what part of his estate he layeth up yearly nor to what ends The Apostle prescribeth it as a duty belonging to Parents to lay up for their Children 2 Cor. 12.14 and 1 Tim. 5.8 He sayes that if any man provide not for his own house he is worse than an Infidel To conclude all seeing Covetousness is so secret and close a sin and consists chiefly in the inward desires of the heart let us all carefully observe the frame of our own hearts let us be severe and rigid in examining our selves but let us be charitable and candid towards others CHAP. IX Of Anger IN treating of this Subject I shall proceed in this Method 1. I shall speak of the nature of Anger 2. Of the kinds of it 3. Give some directions for the right regulating of it that we may not offend therein 4. Answer the vain excuses that angry persons are apt to make for themselves For the first Anger is an affection by which the blood and spirits are heated upon the apprehension of some injury or wrong offered to us or those for whom we are concerned Or Anger is the rising up of the heart in a passionate displeasure against an evil which we apprehend will cross or hinder us of some desired good 2. Anger is either good or evil according to the circumstances with which it is attended It is good 1. When the cause for which we are angry is good and warrantable and such as we can give a good account of to God Mark 3.5 Jesus looked round about on them with anger being grieved at the hardness of their hearts When we are angry and our anger is accompanied with grief because God is dishonoured or because we see people offend against Piety Justice Humanity or because we see them neglect their duties and hurt their own souls or the Souls of others or do that which is wicked and sinful or prejudicial and hurtful to us or others This is a just cause of Anger 2. When the object is right The object of our anger must not be the Person offending but his offence his vice his sin his immorality his folly his fault These we may be angry at yea hate but not the offenders person 3. When the End is right When the end of our anger and displeasure is that the fault we are angry with may be amended and the Person offending for the future may be warned not to offend in the like kind again 4. When there is no excess in the measure of our anger or the time when our anger is only a rational and temperate displeasure when reason commands it thus far it shall go and no farther when it neither is too hot nor too long Now Anger is good when it is thus qualified and circumstantiated namely when it arises upon a good and justifiable ground when it is directed upon the right object the sin and fault of the offender when it aims at the right end the reformation of the Person offending and when it is neither too hot nor too long but when it fails in these circumstances it is evil 3. I am come now in the third place to give some directions for the right regulating of our anger that we may not offend therein 1. Make account every day that you may meet with many occasions that will be apt to provoke you to anger * Praesume animo multa tibi esse patienda Sen. de ira if you be not very watchful over your self Every morning think with your self that you may that day meet with some cross and finister accidents some unexpected injuries troubles or inconveniencies which
without great care and taking heed to your self may disorder and discompose you 2. Consider that you your self are subject to manifold errors and failings and you must not expect to meet with or converse with any that are totally free from failings and infirmities Who is there also who hath not a blind side on which he doth not see In many things we offend * Tangat memoriam communis fragilitas all sayes the Apostle Jam. 3.2 Keep alive therefore a sense of your own weakness and what need you have of forgiveness both from God and Man and that will more dispose you to patience towards others 3. Take heed of being soon angry * Multos absolvemus si prius coeperimus judicare quam irasci Sen. de Ira. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly Prov. 14.17 Give leave to your judgement to consider before you be angry The discretion of a man deferreth his anger Prov. 19.11 Augustus was advised not to be angry at any time till he had first said over the Greek Alphabet 'T is a shame that we that are Christians should not prescribe as good Rules to our selves to keep us from falling too suddenly into Passion as the Heathens did Shall their Morality do so much towards the curing the irregularities of practice and shall not our Christianity do much more Solomon tells us Prov. 16.37 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a City And the Apostle Jam. 1.19 adviseth us to be slow to anger 4. Be not angry upon every trivial occasion He that is angry without cause sayes our Saviour is in danger of the judgment Matth. 5.22 We should not be angry for any thing that is not material in it self or in its consequents We should not be angry for meer involuntary and casual offences such as without great care could not have been prevented To be angry for every toy debases the value of our anger A man must not as one sayes fire the Beacon of his Soul for the landing of every Cock-boat 5. Take heed you be not angry too often For when a man is frequently and often angry his anger grows into contempt and works no good effect Anger must be used as a medicine only now and then and that only upon just occasion 6. Take heed your anger be not too hot nor too vehement and excessive It must be serious indeed and have some life and warmth in it that it may be effectual for the reformation and amendment of the offending Person and may be a warning to him to avoid the like faults for the future But yet we must take heed of all excesses and transports of this Passion * Ira sic dicta quia hominem facit ex se ire non esse apudse 7. In your anger make no rash vows or resolutions Make no irrevocable decrees like the Laws of the Medes and Persians Say not you will never trust or never have to do with such or such a man again c. Sudden rash and desperate resolutions are very dangerous and usually men have cause to repent of them very quickly after 8. In your anger be sure to reveal no secrets formerly committed to your trust For that makes a man a Bankrupt for society ever after No man will care to have any thing to do with him who hath so little wit or honesty in his anger as to reveal what was before committed to him under the seal of secresie 9. Take heed of bitter provoking speeches when you are angry When you find your heart to begin to be hot within you then watch over your self especially and either be silent which is a good way to preserve your innocence or else give a soft answer For as Solomon sayes Prov. 15.1 A soft answer putteth away wrath but grievous words stir up anger Prov. 17.27 He that hath understanding spareth his words and is of a cool spirit I know people are apt to say words are but wind But wind you know many times kindles a fire and increases it being once kindled Prov. 21.23 The wise man tells us as coals be to burning coals and wood to fire so is a contentious man to kindle strife Fire cannot long continue if the wood and fewel be taken from it so neither will anger long endure if words and cross answers be not multiplied For such kind of speeches and perverse and provoking replies usually make a Cholerick man to proceed from anger to rage Prov. 25.15 A soft tongue breaketh the bones or as the original will bear it a man of bone that is such an one as is stiff and hard * Virum durissimum riâ—idissimum Jun. an eminent example hereof we have in Abigail who by her discreet and soft speeches quickly appeased Davids furious anger 1 Sam. 25.24 And therefore well might the same wise man say Prov. 21.23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his Soul from troubles The Counsel of the Son of Syrac is here also worthy to be considered Chap. 8. Verse 4. Contend not with a man full of words neither heap up wood on his fire For as the heaping up of wood increaseth the fire so multiplying of words increaseth anger 10. Do not peremptorily break off any business in a fit of anger Consider that nothing can be done in passion but may be done better without it For Passion is no good counsellor It usually blinds the mind and hinders due consideration and so exposes a man to do things very unreasonable 11. Ponder beforehand with your self what are the usual causes of anger that so you may take heed of them And they are such as these 1. Pride This is a great cause of anger Proud and high minded men are usually apt to be very angry and to conceive a great indignation if their judgements and understandings be not vailed unto and their wills and pleasures complied with Prov. 13.10 Only by Pride cometh contention Prov. 21.24 Proud and haughty Scorner is his name who deals in fierce wrath 2. An opinion of being contemned either in word or deed A sense of contempt or that the injury received had much of contempt in it doth usually more stir up anger than the injury it self and so the manner aggravates the matter Therefore when men study to find out circumstances of contempt in an injury received they kindle their anger to a great height If you would therefore prevent anger sever the injuries you receive as much as you can from contempt or malice and impute them to rashness weakness inconsiderateness to any thing rather than contempt which the nature of man can so hardly bear 3. Covetousness They that are eager upon the world and have their hearts set upon earthly things are apt to be very angry and cholerick when things fall out cross to their minds They are usually very angry abroad when they meet with losses and disappointments but almost