Darkness and Temptation 87 If thy Heart fail thee in Distress look to Christ for strength and supply of Comfort 88 The virtue of Christ's Death never dieth but flows down to all Ages for ever 89 God hath appointed that where the Cross is there is the Cordial against it 90 Divine Love is the cause of Divine Beauty and rejoyces in its own worth 91 The Beauty of the Soul is the Holiness of it being God's Image 92 Christ hath the Truth and Essence of Beauty whereas Earthly things have it only in Estimation 93 The unquiet Brains of many being tossed with Opinions ought to rest in the Scripture as a Bed 94 Our Sins are Thorns so are Temptations to Sin and Affliction for Sin 95 Heresies and Schisms are worse than Briars and Thorns to the Church 96 As weary Travellers seek for cool Arbours and delight in them so doth the weary Soul after and in Christ 97 It is neither loss nor dishonour to be vanquished in the Field where Christ is General for at last we shall be Conquerors 98 They are happy beyond expression who are transfixed with the Wounds of Christ 99 It is God's due and our Duty to give God our Morning-Thoughts first and to be in his Fear all the Day 100 All Holy Duties call upon us all for a Holy Preparation CHAP. III. 1 IT no ways befits Christians to lye down and stretch themselves in sinful Pleasures 2 The Elect on Earth have three degrees of Glory before they came to the full fruition in Heaven after Conversion after Death and after Judgment then full 3 A Holy Conversation makes Grace visible to the World and more Comfort to the Believer himself 4 Parents may put Money in their Childrens Pockets but they cannot put Grace in their Hearts yet to train them up in the Fear of the Lord. 5 And their Care to them ought to be as long as their Children and they live together 6 And Children when grown in years must not think they have out-grown Obedience to their Parents 7 And such Parents as think to make their Children great and not good in this World may suspect themselves to be the Devil's Children 8 And the special Care of a holy Father is so the Soul of his Child 9 Moderate Refreshing and Recreation may well become Holy Men. 10 Grace is very active it desires to draw many into fellowship with it self 11 God doth not only please the Creature but pleaseth himself when he sheweth Mercy 12 The industrious Man hath no time to sin the idle Man lyes open to its Snares 13 He is a happy Man that finds a true Friend in the time of extremity but he is a happier Man that hath no extremity to try his Friend 14 Better carry our selves that the World hate and God smile than that God frown and the World smile 15 There is a time coming when Ungodliness shall be as much prosecuted by Justice as in times past Godliness hath been persecuted by Injustice 16 They can but faintly make God known to others who are not acquainted with God themselves and to teach Christ to others who have not learn'd him themselves 17 Whoever brings Mercy in need both the Mercy and the Bringer are of God's sending Good Samaritan 18 God will stain the Pride of all Carnal Glory for indeed all Pride would stain his Glory 19 It is not Man's Free Will but God's Free Grace which makes one Man differ from another in Goodness 20 I am sure there is more of the Dew of Heaven upon a mortified Christian than on the Worldling in all his Pleasures Haman 21 The Faults of Holy Men in Scripture should teach us rather to fear than boldness to sin 22 The Devil doth not nay cannot hate a Saint so much as God loves him 23 It usually falls out that they who seek others Destruction find their own Pharaoh 24 They do not faithfully Love who love not Faithfulness 25 They who are most with God in secret know most of God's Secrets for he is most with them that fear him 26 The Lord's Portion is his People and the Lord is his People's Portion 27 While Saints are on Earth Christ is preparing Heaven for them and them for Heaven 28 We may well wait for the Lord's Grace since the Lord waits to be gracious 29 The Saints have more Comfort from God's Love to them than they have from their Love to God 30 For it is seldom that the Duty sanctifies us unless we labour to be sanctified for the Duty 31 Of old they offered up a Beast in Sacrifices but now God takes Obedience for a better 32 In Trouble we reckon it some Joy to get a faithful Friend to tell our Mind to O then doth not Experience bid the Godly call on him in the day of trouble and he will deliver them 33 God in the Sacrament sees the Death of his Son and that satisfies him and the Godly see the Death of their Saviour and that sanctifies them 34 Acting of Faith and pouring out of Prayers makes Sacraments effectual to Men and acceptable to God 35 Christ was ever and is and shall be the only Remedy for Sin 36 Usually where God gives much Grace he tries Grace much 37 A Man that hath got an Interest in Christ will be thirsting till he come to that bottomless Ocean of God's Love to him where he shall never thirst more to Eternity 38 Adam tho' Lord of the whole Earth was commanded to Work O then let us fly Idleness for it is like a Shop for the Devil to tread in or his Baggage-Horses 39 Dinah went idly to see the Daughters of the Land and lost her Virginity and was occasion of much Blood-shed a whole City being killed and made her old Father Jacob stink among the Inhabitants 40 Carnal Pleasures wither in using but Spiritual becomes fresh and green 41. A holy Soul longs to be uncloathed and lives not in it self but in Christ in whom its Life is hid 42 To be without gross Sin is our Holiness on Earth to be without any Sin is the Holiness of Heaven 43 He that repents of those Sins he fears he has committed shall be sure to repent of those Sins he doth commit 44 For a Man to bless God in his reigning Sins resolving to continue in them is a very spreading Deceit 45 Christ denied himself for us and left Heaven to redeem us and therefore we should deny our selves for him 46 Saints have sometimes in this Life enough to say It is good to be here but never enough to say It is best to be here 47 A Saint should welcom God when he comes to take as well as when he comes to give 48 God loves his People as well when he strikes them as when he stroaks them 49 That Man hath nothing who wants Christ and that Man who hath Christ wants nothing 50 God hath promised to keep his People and he will keep his Promise I will keep
would make all Comfort sure to himself should first make sure that his sins is forgiven him 18 The only way to quiet our Hearts is to hearken what God says 19 Misery to the Righteous is as a Sojourner but it rests on the back of the Wicked 20 The Means Time and Measure of Affliction is of God's own Appointment 21 There is another Life besides natural Life and the Root of it is in Christ our Head 22 He that finds such an Antipathy betwixt his Spirit and Sin as betwixt him and poyson hath true Grace in his Heart 23 We must hate the Conversation of such who hinders us in the growth of spiritual Life 24 As without shedding of Blood no forgiveness of sin so without the Spirit seals the Promises to our Souls we have no Comfort 25 Christ is the Fountain of spiritual Life but Faith is the Pipe conveying it to us 26 Better for us to sleep in a House full of Serpents and Adders than in a state of sin 27 Happy Practices when with the Day we clear the sins of the Day fitting our selves for Life or Death 28 Every falling into sin in a Believer is not a total falling away 29 Samson's strength was in his Locks but our strength against sin and errour is in Christ 30 The sense of God's love is sometimes withdrawn to make us mourn for it the more 31 VVhen Afflictions are doubled it is time to pray hard believe and apply the Promises and Deliverance will come 32 God's time of helping the poor and needy is when all other helps is at a stand 33 After Faith ends on Earth comes the Life of Vision in Heaven 34 All that the Father gives by Election Christ by Redemption saves 35 God rains the showers of his Ordinances upon all but Believers reaps the benefit only 36 Christ is our Husband Faith yields consent and that makes the Match 37 Many are in the state of Grace relying on Mercy and wanting the assurance of Pardon 38 Satan applying himself to the Distemper of a melancholy Spirit keeps it in Darkness 39 As Parents shews their love to the weakest Child so God manifests his love to weak Christians 40 VVhere there is Faith there is Prayer for Faith is the pattern of Prayer and Prayer is the breath of Faith 41 A broken Heart expresses it self more in Sighs and Groans than VVords which the Spirit only understands 42 The sense of Christ's love in pardoning sin constrains us to a holy Violence in performing our Duty 43 Look upon the love of God and it will cut the sinews of sin and distrust in Providence 44 Come in to Christ and stoop in doing thy Duty and thou makes it unquestionable thou art one of God's Elect. 45 Oh the deep Ocean of the everlasting love of God to the Believer in giving him Free Grace that shall bring a full Fraight of Glory to all Eternity 46 Heaven and Earth rejoices at the Conversion of a sinner effectual Calling pursuing Election the lost sheep and penny being found 47 Remission of sins always accompanies Evangelical Repentance it being the gift of God but not legal VVitness Peter and Judas 48 A godly Man tho' poor yet is still happy O happy Mordecai and unhappy Haman O happy Lazarus and unhappy Dives O happy Elijah and unhappy Jezebel O happy John and unhappy Herod 49 O the Magazine of Promises in the Bible to a Believer it is an everlasting Fountain which shall never run dry it 's a Title to Eternal Life where we shall enjoy the Company and Vision of God Angels and Saints to all Eternity 50 Our love to God is the ground of our love to our Neighbour our love to our Neighbour is a Testimony of our love to God 51 The living of a happy Life consists in the assurance of God's love to our Souls 52 They who have no conflict in their Spirit nor interruption in their Estate may greatly fear their condition 53 Complain of thy self and sins to Christ and let sin have no quiet Possession 54 He is a true Christian that lives in no gross sin nor allows himself in any small sin 55 That Man dies comfortably who believes Christ will have a care of his Soul 56 It is dangerous to take By-Paths where the open Road is free and safe 57 They that are most void of Learning and Experiences dabble most in dark places 58 That Heart is worse than Iron whom Christ's Load-stone cannot attack 59 The Graces of Christ are like the Springs of the Earth can never run dry 60 But are and shall be gliding forth on Earth till the whole Elect be gathered up into Heaven to Eternity 61 The love of Christians to Christ is not blind and senseless but guided by Reason and Election 62 Grace destroys not Nature but perfects 〈◊〉 it by supernatural Reliefs 63 There is a special intimacy and loving kindness betwixt Christ and those that love him 64 The more we meditate upon God and his Word the sweeter shall our fellowship be with him here and to Eternity 65 Many Souls are black through the night of Persecution yet comely in the Hope of Patience 66 False Teachers have many Followers as Wasps have Combs but no Honey 67 Some are Eagle ey'd to spy the Infirmities of their Brethren passing over their Graces 68 Afflictions may discolour the Church for a season but her proper colour is Beauty for Ashes 69 Get Protection in Christ by Faith and he will not suffer thee to want any good thing 70 It is truly Christianity for a Man to love those that hate him and to do them no wrong 71 It aggravates a Man's Sinfulness to be unholy while he converses with such as are holy 72 It brings Honour to God and Man to be upright amongst those who are unjust 73 Perfect Holiness is the Aim of the Saints on Earth and it is the Reward in Heaven 74 He who hath a plain Heart hath also square Dealings 75 If God hath given thee Grace thou hast the best and choicest Blessing that can be given 76 There is Fire in all Estates ill gotten which at last will consume them 77 The fear of the Lord sweeps the Heart and keeps the Life clean 78 Holy Enmity against Sin is the Temper of a Godly Man's Heart 79 Emptiness and Poverty presseth those most who were once full and rich 80 Great and Good Rich and Holy are hard things and seldom meet 81 To be extream Rich or Poor is an extream Temptation 82 That Man is rich in Grace who is very poor but very holy 83 God never gives any thing evil in it self to those that are good nor the chief good to those that are evil 84 The Time we spend in Spiritual Duties is the Time gained from Temporals therefore to turn Poor if thou turn Godly fear not 85 Nothing is more unnatural than Rents and Brawling in a Family 86 The faithful Soul takes sure hold of Christ in the time of
THE Pious Soul 's Daily Exercise OR A GUIDE TO Eternal Glory BEING MANNA Gathered out of the Holy Scriptures to Refresh the True Christian in his Passage through this Vale of TEARS to the Heavenly CANAAN By G. L. The Sixth Edition Corrected LONDON Printed for Iohn Marshall at the Bible in Grace-Church-Street 1700. Where you may be supplied with Dr. Owen's Mr. Bunyan's and the Late Reverend Mr. Mead's Works Books Newly Printed and Sold by John Marshall at the Bible in Grace-Church-Street THE Young Man's Remembrancer and Youth's Best Choice being an Exhortation to Conversion in Anniversary Discourses from Eccles 12. 1. By M. M. Price bound 1 s. The Effigies of the Late Reverend and Pious Mr. Matthew Mead newly Engraved to the Life by an Ingenious Hand also several other Ministers Effigies An Elegiack Essay on the Pious Memory of Mr. Matthew Mead Late Minister at Stepney Price Sticht 6 d. The Heavenly Footman or A Description of the Man that gets to Heaven The Second Edition By Mr. Bunyan Author of The Pilgrim's Progress With the Life and Character of Mr. Bunyan Price 1 s. The Flowings of Christ's Blood freely to Sinners c. Price bound 1 s. Temple Songs or Hymns Composed to be Sung at the Celebration of the Lord's Supper every Hymn fitted to two Tunes Spiritual Songs being the Marrow of the Scriptures in Songs of Praise to Almighty God from the Old and New Testament with a Hundred Divine Hymns on several Occasions as now practised in the several Congregations in and about London The Second Edition By Benjamin Keach Author of The War with the Devil Youth's Recreation or A Copy-book of Round hand By William Elder A Reasonable Word to the Doctors of Reason Price bound 1 s. Manna Gathered c. CHAP. I. 1 WHEN I am weary of travelling in the Day the hopes of rest at Night is a Refreshment O then the Thoughts of Heaven are sweet after our short Pilgrimage 2 It is a true Disposition of a Child of God to be tender of his Father's Honour being in his Fear all the Day 3 All Grace flows in upon the humble Soul as Waters from the Hills into the Valleys making he Soul rich in God 4 And since humble Souls are only safe we must either humble our selves or if God love us the will 5 Yet if Humiliation have not Faith and Hope to raise the Soul to some comfort in God it turns to Desparation 6 Fear for Sin proceeding from inward Grief is a Temper becoming any Christian 7 Magistrates that are tenderly Affectionate towards a People shall have a Peoples tender Affections towards them 8 It is great cause of Weeping to a gracious Heart that he cannot Weep 9 Prayers begs Blessings from God and thankfulness continues them with Man 10 Many times there is most Grief where there is fewest Tears 11 Spiritual Sorrow is a great deal better than natural for it comforts the Soul 12 He that prays with Resolution to sin goes to God with a Petition in one hand and a Dagger in the other 13 Whatsoever the Crosses of a Godly Man be his latter end shall be assuredly Blest 14 God takes notice of every good Word and Work the Godly do and will reward it 15 When a Christian looks only on the Ill that is in him he robs God of his Glory and himself of Comfort 16 The Good are scattered amongst the Bad in this Life but at Death they shall be divided 17 He that joins himself in love and affection to Wicked Men on Earth shall also be joined in Torment and Destruction in Hell without Repentance 18 Death is the King of Terrours but that which is at his Back is more terrible Damnation to the Wicked 19 Many times good Parents are taken away that they may not see the ruin of their Children 20 Good Christians are like good Corn will sooner be ground to pouder than yield to the rough Blasts of Persecution or smooth Flatterings of Errour and Heresie 21 The chief care of a good Magistrate is for the good of Church and State 22 A Godly Man is freed from the Law as his Judge but not as his Counsellor 23 If a Godly Man go out of the way he shall smart for it and be whipp'd home again 24 We walk by Faith in this World's sense and Sight is reserv'd for Heaven 25 No good is to be done to the Soul by Prayers and Cries so long as we are careless of purifying the Heart 26 Let not thy Affection rove and the Devil and the World can do thee no hurt 27 He that suppresseth sin at the first motion shall find Comfort 28 If we mean to come to Heaven we must not live in any known Sin for it darkens Grace 29 For a Christian ought to mend his pace every Day that Grace may shine more and more to the perfect Day 30 Every poor Man is not a blest Man except his Bodily Poverty bring him to Spiritual Poverty 31 He that hath Spiritual Comforts hath them cheap tho' they cost them many a Tear 32 The Heart is never so chearful as when it pours it self out in Tears and Sighs to God 33 For Spiritual Mourning secures the Soul from Hell Mourning 34 All Worldly Sorrow is to be sorrow'd against but Sorrow for sin is never to be repented of 35 The Adventure and Return of the Stocks of Prayers is most certain to increase more and more 36 He that never knocks at Heavens Gates till Death deserves to have the Gate knocked on his Teeth 37 He that would speed in Temporal Things must first seek Spiritual 38 Cold Prayers have cold Answers for how should God hear us when we hear not our selves 39 He that would be sure to have his Prayers heard must make a constant Trade in them 40 The forgetfulness of receiv'd Mercies makes God forget us 41 We must put our Hands to the Plow and then pray that our Endeavours may be Blessed 42 For to ask Grace and not to use the Means is to knock at Heavens Gate and pull it close on us 43 He that says Lord forgive me my Sins without a desire to leave them cannot be heard without God forfeit his Word 44 If Heavenly things were soon obtained they would be soon forgotten 45 Nothing more humbles the Child of God than to be buffetted with base Temptations 46 He hath not lost his Prayers but is doubly paid who with the Crosses of the VVorld hath his Heart taken off the VVorld 47 He that hath most Grace hath most VVork to do and most Tryal to buckle withal 48 Some are unfit to Pray as ever David was to March in Saul's Armour 49 For the bringing forth of a right Prayer is like the bringing forth of a Child with many Throws yet when the Child is born there is much Joy 50 He that sees not his own Infirmities is neither patient nor pitiful not knowing himself Brother nor God 51 Our Infirmities should be matter of