Accomplishments fall short of its Glory and he that hath it offers a more acceptable Sacrifice to God than he that kills the Cattle upon a Thousand Hills and lays them upon his Altar This is the Livery of the Citizens of Heaven and that which makes Saints and Angels so happy is their perfect Charity Our love to God is nothing but froth and smoak without it and he 'll never believe that we prize his favour while we are loath to venture on a duty he is so much in love with This makes a Man a living Man without this Religious Societies are no better than Hells as St. Jerom phrases it and the Inhabitants of Convents no better than Devils Put on Sackcloth tear your Flesh fast your selves to Death lie on the hard Ground walk in black pray whole days together without Charity you are not yet arriv'd to the Perfection of Apostolical Holiness X Exercise Conscientiously and faithfully to discharge the Duties of our several Relations Callings and Conditions an Exercise injoyn'd Ephes. 6. 1 2 3 4 5 9. Col. 3. 18 19 20 21 22. Col. 4. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 17 18. Tit. 2. 2 3 4 6 9. Hebr. 13. 17. 1 Tim. 3. 2 3 9 12. Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Let a Christian work never so hard if he make not this conscientious discharge part of his work he works as those that built the Tower of Babel to no purpose rolls Sisyphus's Stone and like Subterraneous Spirits that are to be seen in Mines with great labour and industry does nothing What I mean by several Relations Callings and Conditions no Man can be ignorant of that hath heard of such Names as Father and Mother Parents and Children Masters and Servants Husbands and Wives Tutors and Scholars Magistrates and Subjects Ministers and People Rich and Poor Old Men and Young Men Bond and Free Noble and Ignoble Tradesmen and Gentlemen If the Exercise commanded in the Text be universal then certainly all these have their Task all these are bound to exercise themselves in Duties belonging to the relation or condition they are in And 1. How do I exercise myself unto Godliness as a Father or Mother of Children except I shew them a good example except I behave my self decently gravely soberly and modestly before them that they may learn nothing that 's ill by my carriage Except I breed them up in the fear of God talk to them of the odiousness of Sin and beauty of Holiness instruct them in the ways of God and pray with them and for them except I provide for them not only for their Bodies but their Souls too except I admonish them in the Lord check them for their sins reprove them for their faults and correct them early for any undecent action or expression except I oblige them to use reverence and respect to their Father that begot them and their Mother that bore them except I instil conscientious Principles into them Principles of Justice Honesty Goodness Meekness Patience and giving every one their due except I enquire into their Devotion whether and how they read and pray and hear except I watch their actions their eating and drinking sleeping working writing studying playing and see whether they keep within bounds or no except I examine them what progress they make in Piety whether they make conscience of secret duties whether they are respectful and obedient to the Ministers of the Word of God whether they be attentive in hearing Sermons whether they delight in keeping the Lord's Day holy and what apprehensions they have of their spiritual and eternal condition how they spend their time and whether they apply themselves to those Virtues they read and hear of whether they do not indulge themselves in pride or lying or envy or hatred or revengeful desires whether they are tractable and live up to the Rules and Precepts I give them 2. Then I exercise my self unto Godliness as a Child as a Son or Daughter when I follow the good Instructions of my Parents when I obey them in every lawful thing when I have an honest desire to please them and a filial fear of their displeasure when I do not lose my respect to them though I am got out of their jurisdiction nor deride them for their infirmities but like the Sons of Noah cover their nakedness with the Cloak of Charity when I speak of them and to them with reverence when I take their admonition and correction kindly when I seek to promote their honour credit and reputation when I attend to their good counsels and am guided by their discretion and wisdom and good example when I imitate them in their seriousness and when I hearken to their Instructions and do not forsake their Law when I neither Marry nor settle my self in the World without their advice and am govern'd by their direction more than by mine own determination when I express my grateful resentment of their kindnesses and study how I may requite their paternal care and love when I interpret all they do or say candidly when I respect them though they are poor and bear the same love to them if they be sunk into a low condition that I would have done if they had been advanced to the highest pitch of prosperity when I relieve them in their distress support them in their want and like Aeneas carry them out upon my shoulders to save them from fire and danger when like that happy Daughter in Pliny I feed them with mine own blood and like the Children of Catania of old rather endanger my self than see them perish when in their unlawful commands I shew passive obedience and where I cannot obey them for Conscience sake suffer their anger and the effects of it patiently without traducing of them or exposing them to the scorn and laughter of Men when like the Rechabites I obey them in things lawful yet difficult and suffer not the uneasiness or hardness of the task to discourage me from acting according to their Prescriptions 3. How can that Man be said to exercise himself unto Godliness as a Master of a Family that is himself a slave to sin and to the Devil that either drinks or swears or cheats or lyes and in stead of discouraging his Servants from any of these sins doth rather tempt and entice them to these transgressions That is regardless of his great Master in Heaven to whom ere long he must give an account of his Stewardship That is indifferent what becomes of his Servants Souls and is not much concern'd whether they are ever like to get to Heaven so they do but do their business well on Earth That makes nothing of God's Commands and lives as if the Precepts of the Lord Jesus did not belong to him That gives himself to laziness and idleness and thereby teaches his Servants to do so too That makes no Conscience of redeeming the
and his Righteousness and nothing ingrosses my desires so much as to be always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as I know my Labour is not in vain in the Lord. 15. Then I exercise my self unto Godliness as a Great Man or a Man of a Gentile and Noble Extract when I mind things Great and Generous and slight those Lusts which other men admire and make pleasing God the chief care of my Life while others make it their principal care and business to please and gratifie themselves When I undervalue that world others doat on and love that God with Zeal and Fervency whom others love only in Words and vain pretences When I pray with Groans which cannot be uttered while others draw nigh to God only with their lips and their Hearts are far from him and dare loose something for Christ while others follow him no farther than is consistent with their Temporal Glory when I mind that which many Kings and Prophets and Righteous Men have desired to see even the Spiritual Riches of Grace and the everlasting Mercies of David When I mind that for which Abraham forsook his own Countrey and Moses left the dazling Glories of Pharoh's Court and for which Saints and Martyrs have spilt their Blood even that everlasting Kingdom of Bliss which Sense cannot Fathom and no Eye can perceive but that of an illuminated Understanding and which the King Immortal who cannot lye hath promised to the Man that shall be faithful unto death When I am ambitious of the company of that vast multitude we read of Rev. 7. 9. which no man can number out of all Nations Kindred Tongues and People that stand before the Throne and before the Lamb with Palmes in their hands and clothed in White Raiment and cry day and night Salvation unto our God and to the Lamb for ever and ever When I can offer free-will-offerings to God and am so far from being frighted at the Gift God requires at my hands that I am ready to do more than I have an express Command for like the Pious Souls at the erecting of the Tabernacle who being bid to bring in their proportion freely offered more than their share and were so free to give that Moses was forced to put a stop to their Generosity and Liberality Exod. 36. 3 5 6. And to add no more then I exercise my self unto Godliness as a common ordinary man as a man in a lower Sphere and private station When I am just in all my dealings and in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the Grace of God have my Conversation in the World When I live in a sense of God's Mercy and am ready to do good Offices to all my Neighbours When I study Truth in my Trade and Calling and as much as in me lies provide things honest in the sight of all Men. When I am not slothful in business but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord rejoycing in hope patient in tribulation continuing instant in prayer c. You see Christians what it is to be universally conscientious In vain doth the Pharisee boast I thank thee O God that I am not as other Men Extortioners Unjust Adulterers nor even as this Publican As much as he valued himself up-his perfection it was nothing but Rags and menstruous Cloaths for in this Catalogue no Duties of his several Relations are mention'd and he knew not what it was to live like a Divine or like a Loyal Subject Let Alexander boast of his Conquering Persia India and other Countries and mourn that there are no more Worlds to conquer He that faithfully discharges the duties of his several Relations is a greater Man Such a Man is sensible that God will not be put off with shews and shadows nor with a righteousness that is as a Morning Cloud and as the early Dew which passeth away Such a Man receives the Kingdom of Heaven as a little Child and doth not stand out for want of pains Such a Man is resolved to know God and what the exceeding greatness of his power is to them who believe O Sirs retire and think of the reasonableness of this Exercise O that we could make you see the necessity of it O that it lay in my power to perswade you to it O that I had Rhetorick enough to charm you O that I had the Tongues of Angels to catch your Inclinations by a holy guile But it is not Eloquence will do it God's Spirit must breathe upon you and O that this blessed Spirit would blow upon you and compel you to come in and make you so sensible of the love of God that you might not be able to withstand its force but become greedy and ambitious of this Imployment You would then see how much these Men are mistaken how much they are out what a wrong way they take that place all Religion in a few heartless Prayers and careless Wishes and will not be perswaded to believe that God ever commanded this faithful discharge of the Duties of their several Relations and Callings and that they may not be obliged to it are resolved to continue in that unbelief to their dying day You would be ready to call after them Awake ye that sleep and Christ shall give you light You would wonder that they take no greater care to dress up their Souls for the Marriage of the Lamb O how you would pity them bemoan them and wish for a Fountain of Tears to bewail their stubbornness O how you would be frighted to see what burthens they lay upon their backs Burthens insupportable burthens which will crush them burthens which will make them cry out one day O that there had been such a heart in me O that I had kept close to the Law and to the Testimony O that I had look'd more to my ways O that I had remembred what a charge God gave me O that I had given ease to my Soul when Christ offered to refresh me O that I had submitted to his Yoak in all things when he promised me rest for my Soul We have innumerable examples of Men who even in this life have felt the burthen of God's anger for their unfaithful discharge of these Duties How many Fathers have groan'd under a sence of neglect of their duty to their Children How many Children have smarted for the neglect of theirs to their Parents How hath God punish'd Princes how hath he visited Subjects for their carelesness of these mutual Offices How many Servants have complain'd that they have been undone because their Masters admonish'd them not How many Masters have been ruin'd because their Servants remembred not what faithfulness and what duties God required at their hands And if God's anger against these neglects be so heavy in this life what will it be in the day of Wrath and in the day of Indignation The Judgments God
to give to them that need Do I respect Gods Ministers Do I love them Do I communicate to them that teach in all Good things Do I forbear with their infirmities Do I obey them in things that tend to my Salvation Do I give them that which is due to them Am I kind as well as just to them especially to those who faithfully labour in Gods Vinyard As to the Fifth Commandment Have I acted this day as a Father as a Mother as a Master as a Mistress as a Magistrate as a Tutor as a Son as a Daughter as a Servant as a Subject as a Pupil as an old Man as a young Man as a Husband as a Wife as a Minister as a Hearer as a Maid as a Widdow as a rich Man as a poor Man ought to act and as they are commanded by the Holy Ghost to act in their several Stations Have I been thankful for Kindnesses shew'd me Have I kept my due distance to my Superiours Have I been officious to my Equals kind to my Inferiours Have I studied gravity in Words Actions Gestures and Postures and Behaviour Have not I spoke Evil of Dignities Have not I been a Respector of Persons Have not I connived at Sins in my Children or Friends which I have reprov'd in a Servant or one in a low Condition Have not I been negligent in providing for my Family Have not I spent that time in idleness which should have been spent in working in my Calling As for the Sixth Commandment Have I been just in all my Dealings this day Have I hurt no body in Word or Deed Have I moderated mine Anger Have I been easily reconciled to persons that did offend me Have not I studied Revenge Have I look'd up to Heaven when I have been reproach'd and minded the Supreme Cause that suffered this reproach to fall on me for my Sins more than the Instrument or Person that abused me Have I been willing to decede from mine own right for peace and quietness sake Have not I been Cruel Harsh Morose Ill-natur'd to Men Have not I begun a Quarrel or encouraged it when it was begun Have I been sorry and troubled for any injury that hath been offer'd to my Neighbour Have I been compassionate tender-hearted Have I discharged the Duty of a Friend to those whom I have made believe that I was their Friend Have not I pretended Friendship when I had no love for them Have not I dissembled with men flatter'd them given them fair words when in my Heart I hated or despised or undervalued them As for the Seventh Commandment Have I maintained Chastity this day Have I watched over my Thoughts Inclinations and Desires Have I abhorr'd all obscene filthy and impure Communications and Actions Have I been very moderate in my Eating Drinking Recreation Cloathing and Desires after these outward Comforts Have I dash'd all evil Concupiscence in my Soul in its Birth and when first I felt it stirring Have I been troubled when I have heard of the Adulteries Fornications and Lasciviousness of other men If I met with any immodest or undecent Sight did I turn away mine Eyes and impregnate my Mind with Arguments and Reasons against any sinful complacency As for the Eighth Commandment Have I come justly by those things I have gain'd this day Do I possess nothing that hath been got by Deceit or Oppression Have I been faithful to my Trust Have not I suffer'd my Neighbour to be wronged when I might have prevented it Have not I been guilty of Covetousness Or have not I been guilty of another Extreme which is Prodigality Have not I thought much of giving something to the Poor while I have spared no cost to adorn my Back and feed my Belly considering the Plenty God hath given me Have I been Hospitable and glad to feed some Stranger or poor House-keeper at my Table Have I not spent Money upon my Sin and Pride or Wantonness Have not I consented to another Mans Injustice If I have wronged or deceived my Neighbour am I willing and ready to make restitution As for the Ninth Commandment Have I spoke nothing but Truth to day Have I kept my word to day Have I perform'd what I promis'd either to God or Man Have not I by Equivocations Palliations of Sins and Mental Reservations sought to put a Cheat upon my Neighbour Have not I been voluntarily ignorant of such Deceptions Have not I reported things for certain which at the best have been but doubtful Have not I been peremptory in accusing my Neighbour of an Error when nothing but a conjecture or surmise rais'd the Accusation Have I been candid and open-hearted in my Dealings Have not I betray'd the Secret of my Friend Have not I been wavering in asserting the Truth Have not I been very forward to censure others Have I been silent when I have had no certain knowledge of things and have I been willing to be better inform'd by others Have I patiently heard what men could say for themselves And have not I given Judgment before I have heard the Cause As for the Tenth Commandment Have I been contented this day with that condition God hath allotted me in this World Have not I grumbled and repined that God hath not provided so well for me as he hath done for others Have not I been wishing that I were in such a rich mans Case or that I had such a Estate as my Neighbour hath or that I had such a House such Means such Accommodations as he is Master of that I had as little to do and had as plentiful a Table and as prosperous a Life as he is blessed withal Have my Desires kept within their bounds and have not I been ready to determine what State and Condition is fittest for me And have not I thought my self wiser than God in fancying I might have done better in another State of Life than that he thought fit to place me in 3. In the same manner Christ's Sermon upon the Mount may be laid before us and our Hearts called to an account by such Queries as these Have I this day exercised any Poverty of Spirit Have I entertained low and humble Conceits of my self Hath my Heart been very indifferent as to these outward Conveniences and unconcern'd whether I have much of this Worlds Goods or no Have my Sins been a grief or trouble to my Soul Have they made me take on and mourn because I have offended a tender Father a gracious God a merciful Redeemer Have I studied Meekness and Gentleness in my Answers and Actions Have I felt a mighty hunger and thirst after Righteousness in my Soul Have I had an opportunity to shew myself Merciful and have I embraced the opportunity Have I look'd to my inward man and indeavour'd to purifie my Thoughts Desires and Inclinations Hath my Heart gone along with my Prayer Have I studied sincerity in Devotion sincerity in my Dealings and sincerity in all my Speeches
These hinder men from going on from virtue to virtue and like a Moth eate away the beauty and splendour of their virtues Indeed while you go on in these little sins you cannot rationally suppose that your Names are written among the Candidates of Heaven for Conversion makes the Soul cautious even of the appearance of sin and he is yet a stranger to the work of Grace that hath not learn'd to avoid the occasions of evil and he certainly begins at the wrong end that begins to subdue his obduracy and hardness in sin by suppressing the outward act for it is the evil thought that causes delight delight consent consent action action habit habit custom custom perseverance and perseverance hardness therefore he that means to crush the corruption must begin at the little sin the evil thought or else he doth but beat the air and like the Boy in the story that thought to pour out the Sea into a Nut-shell attempt impossibilities Christians The Day will come when every thing shall be call'd by its proper name and O how will you be surpriz'd when the sins you look'd upon as inconsiderable and unworthy of your deep repentance and circumspection shall be represented in Magnifying Glasses and appear as they are indeed dreadful and terrible Wo to them that call evil good and good evil saith God Esay 5. 20. a threatning pronounced not only against such as give Virtue the name of Vice and Vice the name of Virtue but such also as make of great sins little ones and of little ones none at all This was the trade of the Pharisees and what serious Man can read the Judgments denounc'd against them by the Son of God and not be afraid of being guilty of their Errour Depart I pray you from the Tents of these wicked Men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed in all their sins cry'd Moses to the Children of Israel in the case of Korah Numb 16. 26. A Watch-Word I may give unto every one of you Do you know what terrour what anguish what plagues our Great Master hath threatned the Pharisees for their disregarding of little sins and will you participate of their ruine Come Christians believe the Word of God before your deceitful hearts That will tell you what is offensive to God and shew you that even the least sin deserves tears more than laughter and sorrow more than mirth and divertisement That will tell you that even these Children of Edom must be dasht against the stones if you would have peace within and that as dead Flies cause the Ointment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour so doth a little Folly him that is in reputation for Wisdom and Honour Eccles. 10. 1. That will tell you that a little Leaven leavens the whole lump and the only way not to be under a temptation of sitting down in the scorners Chair is not to walk in the counsel of the ungodly And to this purpose Barlaam in Damascene advises his Convert Josaphat Before all things in this exercise thy self even in the sedulous destruction of all thy evil thoughts that nobler conceptions may enter into thy mind and thy Soul may become a habitation of the Holy Ghost for from thoughts we come to actions and whatever work we undertake it hath its rise in our minds and as small as its beginning seems to be by degrees it grows bigger and by silent steps swells to a vast magnitude And for this cause let no evil custom exercise dominion over thee but while the shrub of sin is young and tender pull up the little root lest being grown strong and lusty it be past thy skill to eradicate it for from hence it is that greater sins get access to our hearts because we apply no early remedy to the lesser errours such as are roving thoughts immodest speeches and evil conferences and as it is in wounded Bodies if the slighter hurts and bruises be neglected the wound festers and gathers corruption and many times brings on death and excessive torments so he that 's careless of little sins calls for greater to attend him Christians There is not one Soul in Heaven now but what watch'd against such little sins when they sojourned here and if they did not mind them for some time yet they were forced to repent of them and to subdue and leave them before ever they saw the face of God in Glory If this Heaven be worth your care if this Glory be worth your pains if this Everlasting Rest be worth your endeavours O say not of any sin as Lot of Zoar Is it not a little one and my Soul shall live You may as well say I will break my Neck a little and I will cut my Throat a little and I will burn my self in Hell a little as harbour the smallest sin O Tremble at any thing that looks like it Beware of these Foxes these little Foxes that spoil the Vines Trust not these Vermin but destroy them utterly This is the way to keep your Garments white and to fit your selves for the Wedding of the Lamb and for those Mansions at which no unclear thing must enter Learn to die to the World for it 's your fondness to that which blinds you dulls you darkens your Understanding and perverts your Affections raises clouds and mists before your eyes that you cannot see your duty or your sins and eclipses the light of your minds that you can see nothing but grosser offences if you would have that Sun shine out clearly you must not suffer this Moon to interpose between your sight and it This Moon is your love to the World which will put other constructions other interpretations on your sins than your naked Reason would do Set the Goodness of God before you Reflect much on his Favours Ruminate upon his Mercies The Divine Goodness is of a melting constraining nature and the more lively you represent it to your minds the more it will compel you to part even with the least transgression Fancy you hear God pleading with you Sinner What Iniquity hast thou found in me Thou owest thy Life and Being to me and all the Blessings thou hast are mine Canst thou be so unkind so inhumane so ingrateful as not to crucifie so small a sin for my sake If I should withdraw my presence from thee take away all I have given thee wouldst not thou complain and mourn But what mean these Provocations Why dost thou compel me to cast thee off Look back and see whom thou dost offend by these thou callest little sins It is thy greatest Benefactor and is not he worth pleasing that hath greater things in store to bestow upon thee if the favours he hath already showred down upon thee can make thee intirely his Think you hear such a Voice behind you Compare your losses with your gains Your little sins are commonly your gainful sins they are sins wherein your carnal ease and