free gift of God which he seldom bestoweth on those in their old age who have neglected it all the former part of their lives And he that refuseth to turn when God calleth him provoketh God to give him over to the hardness of his own heart so that he cannot turn 11. Another incouragement is taken from the Mercy of God God say they is merciful and gracious yea rich in mercy whose arms are ever open to receive all poor sinners who come unto him and therefore we hope to find mercy at last though we never sought it before A. 1. True it is God is merciful yea abundant in mercy but to whom will he extend his mercy surely to poor penitent sinners who in truth turn from their sins and devote themselves to him and his service but thou who delayest and puttest off thy repentance from time to time must not expect to partake one drop thereof Though the Lord be ready to imbrace all poor penitent sinners in the Arms of his Mercy yet will he wound the head of his Enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses putting off his amendment from day to day Psal. 68. 21. 2. Know that as God is rich in Mercy so likewise abundant in truth and will shew no mercy to sinners in a way derogating from his truth Now as God hath promised in his Word to receive such into his favour who without delay will turn from their sins unto him and keep his Statutes Ezek. 18. 21. so in his Word hath he threatned destruction to such as put off their repentance when he calleth upon them to turn as Pro. 1. 24. Every Word of God will certainly have its accomplishment When therefore thou presumest on the Mercy of God remember withal that he is a God of Truth and as sure as God is true if thou continuest in thine ungodly course of life thou wilt perish for ever notwithstanding God is merciful For all the ways of the Lord are Mercy and Truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Psal. 25. 10. 3. Know that God is Iust as well as Merciful and will by no means clear the Guilty As he hath prepared Heaven for some so Hell for others and it is very just that such should be cast into Hell who will not accept of Heaven upon Gods terms by a speedy turning from their sins and giving up themselves unto him Thou therefore who blessest thy self with a false perswasion of Gods Mercy and thereupon runnest on in a course of sin know that thereby thou dost deceive thine own Soul for thou wilt at last find that the Lord is just as well as merciful just in executing his wrath upon obdurate and wilful sinners as well as merciful in receiving your penitent sinners into favour As God to shew the riches of his mercy converteth some in their elder years so to shew the glory of his Justice he leaveth others and those the greatest part to die in their sins 4. It is a mercy that sinners can never enough admire that upon repentance they may be received into favour but it is a wicked perverting this mercy of God if instead of leading us to repentance it should incourage us to defer the same from day to day Because God is merciful shall we be so ungrateful as thereupon to run on in a course of sinning against him presuming on his mercy to the last Because God is gracious shall we thereupon prove the more ungracious and rebellious against him and his Commandments That be far from us Yea rather seeing the Lord is merciful and gracious let us be the more ashamed to sin against so good and gracious a God Let not the mercy of God occasion us to take any incouragement to sin against him but rather let the consideration thereof be an effectual argument to prevail with us speedily to turn from our sins unto him and to walk in the ways of holiness Surely if there were any ingenuity in us his love to us would constrain us to love him again His mercy to us would work in us both a care to please him and a fear to offend him III. Another incouragement is taken by many from the patience and long-suffering of God because he long bears with them in their wicked and ungodly courses not executing his wrath upon them Eccl. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do evil Because the Lord is slow in executing vengeance on wicked men therefore are their hearts exceedingly hardened in their sinful ways so that they go on impenitently therein abusing the long-suffering of God unto presumption which should have led them to repentance But know that though the Lord doth bear long with some sinners yet not with all How many have we known in our own experience have been suddenly surprized and cut off in the very act of sin not having so much time and strength as to say Lord have mercy upon me And assuredly the slower God is in striking the heavier will be his stroak tthe Curse and Wrath of God for thy going on still in thy trespasses will be more grievous on thee at the last IV. Another incouragement is taken by many from the example of the converted Thief on the Cross who had spent all the former part of his life in wickedness and profaneness A. 1. It is a single example of extraordinary mercy there being not one more in all the Bible It is the saying of S. Austin Unus misericordiam invenit hora ultima ne quis desperet unicus ne quis praesumat That one man was received to mercy at the last hour that none should despair and but one that none should presume For this one man that repented at the last many thousand instances might be brought of such who putting off their amendment from day to day have at last perished in their sins What folly then must it needs be in any to put himself in a way wherein so many have miscarried 2. Christ wrought this rare Miracle of Mercy upon an extraordinary occasion namely to honour the ignominy of his Cross. When his Humane Nature was lowest then would he manifest the power of his Divine Nature whereby Christ shewed what he could do not what ordinarily he would do And being an extraordinary act of Christs Mercy and Power it can make no general rule What ground of hope then can this afford to thee who wilfully spendest thy Youth and younger years in the service of sin and Satan in hope to find mercy at the last 3. Though the Thiefs repentance was late even at the close of his life yet it was so soon as he heard of Christ. For it doth not appear that he either saw or heard of him before whereas thou hast often heard of Christ in the Ministry of the Word yea been called and invited
that true mercy hath in it two things 1. A compassion or laying to heart the miseries of others 2. An inclination and readiness to succour and relieve them according to their misery It comprehends affection and action the former being the Fountain and Foundation of the latter and the latter the Stream and Demonstration of the former So that in the compassion of the heart and in the act of relief consists the true nature of Mercy 1. The former we find often pressed in Scripture as Job 6. 14. To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed to his friend Put on therefore saith the Apostle Col. 3. 12. as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy Which is a Metonymical form of speech often used in holy Scripture whereby is meant pity and compassion towards them that are in any misery or affliction yea such a measure of pity and compassion as affecteth the heart and bowels and that with as true a touch and feeling as if we our selves were in the same case with them If we consider the nearness of conjunction and communion that one Christian hath with another we may well be convinced of the equity of this duty For we are all Sons of one Father all Members of one Body In respect thereof there should nay there ought to be such a sympathy and compassion in the Members of the Mystical body I mean among Christians as there is in the Members of the Natural Body Now we know that in the Natural Body if one member suffer all the members suffer with it as the Apostle expresseth 1 Cor. 12. 26. which place S. Austin in his tenth Tractate on Iohn explaining excellently sheweth the mutual compassion between the Members of a Natural Body Behold saith he the foot treadeth on a thorn and see how all the members condole it The back bends it self the head stoopeth the tongue complaineth as if it self were pricked the eye searcheth it out the hands do their best to pluck it out yea every member of the body is compassionately affected with it And surely such a sympathy and compassion there ought to be amongst Christians who are all Members of one Body whereof Christ Jesus is the Head II. Thy compassionate heart must have a helping hand For the nature of true mercy consisteth as well in the act of relief as in the compassion of the heart Thou hast not done thy duty in pitying the distressed unless thou likewise relieve them As that Faith which is alone without works doth not justifie us so that pity which is alone without works doth not justifie our Faith In vain therefore dost thou boast of thine inward compassion unless thou likewise afford thine outward contribution which we find joyned together Deut. 15. 7. Thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand against thy Brother but thou shalt open thine hand wide to him that is thou shalt give unto him freely and bountifully contrary to the forenamed shutting the hand For thine incouragement unto this kind of Mercy 1. Know that outward works of mercy are sweet smelling Sacrifices wherewith the Lord is well pleased These are the Oblations which he now requireth The Sacrifices of the Old Law are abolished and done away ever since our blessed Saviour gave himself an Offering and a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God The Evangelical Sacrifices which the Lord requireth of us under the Gospel are the Sacrifices of Prayer Praise and Charity So that if we will be offering up Sacrifices acceptable and pleasing unto God they must be either the Calves of our Lips even the Sacrifice of Prayer and Praise or else the Sacrifice of Charity which the Apostle in Phil. 4. 18. termeth An odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable and pleasing unto God The Altar on which this Sacrifice is to be offered is the Back of the Poor What greater argument can there be to inforce this Duty of Charity than to consider it is acceptable and pleasing unto God For what ingenuous Christian would not do that which is acceptable unto God 2. We are not so much Lords of our Estates as Stewards and therefore ought not to appropriate all unto our selves but to communicate some part thereof to the Poor unto whom something out of our Estate doth belong 3. All profession of Religion without works of Charity is but hypocritical For this is pure Religion and undefiled before God to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their afflictions 1 Jam. 1. 27. that is the comforting and supporting such as are in want and misery doth evidence the truth of our Religion 4. Consider the benefits which follow and accompany our works of Charity For thereby we bring glory to God adorn our Christian Religion and Profession and not only make glad the hearts of the poor whom we relieve but likewise refresh our own Souls in that our works of Charity will evidence as the truth of our Religion so likewise of our Faith for Faith without works is dead it 's not a living but a dead Faith which manifests not its life by working Therefore O Young Man be perswaded for the time to come to be more charitable knowing it is not so much a mercy to have wherewithal to do good as to do good with what we have And let thy giving out be proportionable to what the Lord hath given unto thee 1 Pet. 4. 11. If any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth They who are rich in this worlds goods ought to be rich in good works the greater thy receits are the greater ought to be their returns CHAP. XXIX Sheweth the necessity of restoring ill-gotten Goods VI. CArefully restore what thou hast stoln or unjustly got It is very sinful to get things wrongfully and no less to keep what is wrongfully gotten therefore the Law requireth restitution of stoln and ill-gotten goods as Exod. 22. 1. Lev. 6. 2 3. c. Restitution is not an arbitrary thing left to our will to do or not to do but an act of Justice to the performance whereof we are bound by the express letter of the Law Whosoever he be that hath wronged another either by detaining what he hath borrowed or by getting by fraud or oppression ought to make satisfaction by restoring either the thing it self or the value and worth of it yea not only the bare value but likewise the damage done to the person wronged by detaining his goods Q. What if the party be not able to make full satisfaction for the wrong he hath done A. If he be not in truth able to make full satisfaction yet he must restore so far as he is able and his Estate will reach and God will accept the will for the deed according to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 2. He must humbly
THE YOUNG MAN'S GUIDE THROUGH THE VVilderness of this VVorld TO THE HEAVENLY CANAAN Shewing him how to carry himself Christian-like in the whole course of his Life By Tho. Gouge Minister of the Gospel Wherewithal shall a Young Man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy Word Psalm 119. 9. LONDON Printed by S. and B. G. for Nevil Simmons at the Princes Arms in S. Paul's Church yard 1676. The Epistle Dedicatory to the Youth of England especially to those who are in or about the City of LONDON SIRS THough I fear you are not all of you in so good a condition for your Souls as that I may apply those words to you without exception which are in 1 Ioh. 2. 14. I have written unto you Young Men because you are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one yet the Searcher of all hearts knoweth that I have written this Preface and the ensuing Treatise to you out of an earnest desire that it might be so with you My self and others that stand upon the Brink of Eternity by reason of Age can see better than your selves because we have had experience of it that your Youthful time is a dangerous time wherein however you may now rejoyce yet if you take not heed you may contract such guilt to your Souls as may make you to mourn hereafter yea for ever Prov. 5. 11 12 13. You are apt to put by Convictions and the Calls of Grace in hope of longer life and so to be unwilling yet to repent because you are too confident that yeâ—… you shall not die as if Holiness were not a thing in season for such as you are But doth God put off doing good to you till you are Old Is he not Now preserving of you and providing for you while you are Young Why then will you put off the doing service to him till you are Old What horrible unthankfulness is this to God What ground have you to think that you shall live so long or that you shall without fail die Gods Servants if you live Slaves to Sin and Satan But because I intend to be brief in the way of an Epistle for the Porch must not be too great where the House it self is but little therefore I will say somewhat briefly to you as you may be considered under a twofold distinction then to you all in general 1. Some of you are the Children of godly Parents others are not 2. Some of you are yet in your Apprenticeships and Service and with others of you that time is expired You that are the Children of godly Parents Oh if you should not be good what can you have to plead for your selves I take it for granted that you have had the advantages of your Parents gracious instructions holy examples and fervent prayers Have you forgotten what charge they laid upon you to fear the Lord much like to that of David to Solomon 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever Why will you let the Pains the Prayers the Tears the Desires the Hopes of your Fathers that begot you and your Mothers that bare you to be lost and frustrated If your Parents be yet alive would it not be the Joy of their hearts to see that God had Circumcised yours And if they be dead will you not be afraid to meet them at the Tribunal of Jesus Christ in an Unregenerate condition It was no small mercy to you that God should make you to be the Seed of the Righteous and it will be no small aggravation of your sin if you should not be a Righteous Seed Perhaps besides your immediate Parents your Forefathers and Ancestors were such as walked with God in their several Generations and so godliness hath through Free Grace been as it were intailed upon your House from one Age to another Now what a dreadful thing would it be if any of you should cut off the intail of Godliness or that you should go to Hell whose Parents are going or gone to Heaven As for you whose Parents are not godly that must not keep you from labouring to be so because if they are not such yet they should be such And as I said before to those whose Parents were gracious that it would be a dreadful thing for them to cut off the intail of Godliness so now I say to you whose Parents are wicked that it would be a blessed thing for you to cut off the intail of sin which if you shall do will also cut off the intail of those Judgments which otherwise might come upon you for your Fathers iniquities Read to this purpose Ezek. 18. 14 15 16 17. And oh what an honour will this be to you if you shall do that which is right in the sight of the Lord when those out of whose bowels you came did that which was evil Mark what notice is taken by way of commendation of Young Abijah the Son of wicked Ieroboam because in him was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam 1 King 14. 13. It is matter of great thankfulness and rejoycing to any beholder that good Children should come even out of a good Family but that the Branches should be holy where the Root was not is matter of greater admiration and praise And yet such wonderful mercy doth the Lord sometimes shew to some Children who neither by the Fathers nor Mothers side can plead any right to the Covenant of Grace Be not discouraged therefore from looking after the Promise because you are not according to the Natural Birth the Seed of true Believers but repent and believe the Gospel and then instead of that and which is more than that you will according to the Spiritual Birth be the Sons of Abraham yea the Sons of God Now in order to the second distinction Some of you are yet in your Apprenticeship and Service in which you ought to behave your selves with that obedience to your Governours with that diligence and faithfulness in the duties of your Places that you may be blessings to the Families into which God by his Providence hath called you Take heed of pride stubbornness idleness evil company and of wronging your Masters in the least kind Be much in the consideration and imitation of Iacob and Ioseph The first of which served Laban with all his power Gen. 31. 6. And the other was so careful and conscientious in his Masters business that he made him Overseer of his House and put all that he had into his hands Gen. 39. 4. I would advise you to get such Scriptures by heart which instruct Servants in
their duties especially these Ephes. 6. 5 6 7 8. Col. 3. 22 23 24 25. 1 Tim. 6. 12. Tit. 2. 9 10. 1 Pet. 2. 18 19. c. Take your Bibles and turn to these places read remember and practise them And because there is a sort of wicked Young Ones who not being contented with being vile themselves do desire to draw others into the Fellowship of their works of darkness therefore let not that word depart from you in Prov. 1. 10 My Son if sinners intice thee consent thou not And verse 15. My Son walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their path See also Prov. 4. 14 15. c. And now for you Young Men whose years of Apprenticeship are expired and who are no longer Servants because you are free from your Masters You have a wide World before you take heed that you be not lost in it by wandring from the Paths of Gods Commandments either 1. In the abusing of your Liberty or 2. In the using of your Trades As for your Liberty Remember that though the Yoke of your Masters be off yet you must keep the Yoke of Christ on or you must take it upon you if yet you have not As you had a Master on earth whose Servants you were to be for a certain time so you have a Master in Heaven whose servants you must bâ—… for ever And this will be no unwelcom news to you if you do but understand what a good Master the Lord is to all that serve him in sincerity and with all their heart Though therefore you have obtained freedom from man yet you must not take any freedom to sin against God and though you are in that respect at your own dispose yet you must not live as if you were your own I think that Young Men at the coming out of their time had need count it one of the special times of their life wherein they should be most watchful For it may be easily observed in too many that there is such prophaneness then manifested as if Hell were broken loose In the using of your Trades and Callings you must manage all things as those that do not make mens practises but Gods Precepts the Rule of your Buying and Selling. Beware of the love of Money which is the root of all evil and be sure you go not out of Gods way to get an Estate That will be sad gain at last which brings the loss of the Soul It is mens horrible unbelief and ignorance and distrustfulness of Gods All-sufficiency that makes them think they shall not get enough for themselves and theirs to live comfortable upon unless they should stretch their Consciences beyond the due bounds And know that what is unjustly gotten will be followed with a Blasting when that which is honestly come by will be followed with a Blessing And now for a Conclusion to all of you What hath hitherto been spoken is but as it were to prepare you a little for that great Duty of Remembring NOW your Creatour in the days of your YOUTH Be sure you never well remember your selves if you forget the Lord. When the Prodigal Son came to himself he presently thought of returning to his Father Luk. 15. 17 18 19. Notwithstanding all your sins against God his Bowels of Love will receive you if you do not refuse the mercy that is offered to you He knows as well how to pardon the Penitent as to punish the Impenitent It is his infinite goodness to your Souls that you should have some to warn you before it be too late In the number of which I have desired to be one out of an hearty well-wishing to your Eternal good Read and consider what follows and the Lord give you understanding and add his own blessing teaching you faithfully to improve all the helps and furtherances he is pleased to vouchsafe unto you for your Souls advantage T. G. THE CONTENTS OF THIS TREATISE THe Text opened and explained Page 1 The Doctrine That it is a Duty incumbent upon all Young Men to consecrate the prime and strength of their days to the service of God 4 The Reasons of the Point 5 1 Use. Reproof of those who devote the Flower of their Age to the service of Satan and their sinful Lusts and reserve their decayed strength for God and his service 13 2 Use. Exhortation unto all Young Men to offer unto God the First-fruits of their lives 15 Several Objections of many Young Men against their early seeking and serving of God answered 17 Several Directions suitable to Young Men. 36 1. That they labour to be well rooted and grounded in the Principles of Religion 36 2. That they return to the Lord. The Nature of Conversion opened with some Arguments thereunto 37 3. That at their first setting up they content not themselves with a competent Stock of Money to begin the World withal but that they likewise get a good Stock of Grace 46 Helps thereunto 48 4. That they live godly and gracious lives with Directions thereunto 53 I. At thy first awaking in the Morning lift up thine heart to God in a thankful acknowledgment of his mercy to thee in the night past 53 II. So soon as thou art ready before thou goest about the works of thy Calling withdraw thy self into some private place and there pour out thy Soul unto God by Fervent Prayer 54 III. Having begun the day with Prayer then betake thy self to the duties of thy particular Calling 57 In following whereof special regard ought to be had to the ENDS and MANNER of performing them 57 For the Manner of following thy Calling these Rules are to be observed 58 I. Be diligent therein but with these two Cautions 58 1. Beware of laying out the strength of thy heart and spirit upon thy worldly businesses which ought to be reserved for Communion with God 58 2. Beware that thy worldly businesses and imployments do not ingross thy whole time but allow thy Religious Duties their proper and sufficient season 59 II. Follow thy worldly businesses with an heavenly mind 60 1. By raising matter of Heavenly Meditations from the same 60 2. By oft lifting up thine heart to God in short Ejaculatory Prayers for his direction assistance and blessing on thy pains and endeavours 61 III. Be Iust and Honest in thy dealing with men avoiding all guile and deceit 62 The Heads of several frauds and deceits to frequently acted in matters of Commerce and Trading 63 For the preventing of which several Rules are given 66 Motives and Arguments to Iust and Honest dealing 67 The hâ—…inousness of sundry Vices whereunto Young Men are addicted is set forth with several preservatives against them The Vices mentioned are 1. Rash and hasty Anger 70 2. Drunkenness 75 3. Wantonness and Uncleanness 83 4. Prophane and rash Swearing 91 5. Lying 95 6. Back-biting and Tale-bearing 100 IV. Another Direction for the leading a godly and gracious life is
to pass if thou shalt 〈◊〉 diligently unto the 〈◊〉 of the Lord thy God to observe and to do all his Commandments blessed shalt thou be in the City and blessed shalt thou be in the Field Blessed shall be thy Basket and thy Store The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy Storehouse and in all that thou puttest thine â—…and unto c. And saâ—…th our Saviour Matth. 6. 36. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you that is food and rayment yea wealth and all temporal blessings so far as they shall be good for you shall be freely cast upon you as an over-plus into the bargain 2. We find the Lord hath made good these promises to his people so far as hath been good for them whereof we have many instances in Scripture as in Abraham who was both a good man and a great man abounding with much wealth and riches The like we read of Isaac of Iacob and of Ioseph in Aegypt of Iob and others In all which grace and greatness sweetly met together As the Ark brought a blessing to the house of Obed-Edom so I may truly say Godliness brings a blessing to the house and person in whom it is Having the promise of all needful temporal good things here as of eternal happyness hereafter 1 Tim. 4 8. So that there can be no likelier way to thrive and prosper in the World than betimes to give up thy self to God and to consecrate thy youth and younger years to his service III. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked Psal. 37. 16. 1. For first Godly men have an heart given them from God to use and enjoy their estate whatever it is for their own good and the relief of others They have mercies and taste of them they have goods and do good with them whereas wicked men for the most part either have no heart at all to use their estates or else they spend them upon their â—…usts for which they shall full dearly answer at the great and dreadful day 2. What the godly have they enjoy with much comfort and contentment with much peace and quietness of mind and they find more sufficiency and fulness in their little than many rich wordlings do in their plenty and abundance For these though they have much yet they find no contentment nor satisfaction no quietness therein but much vexation of Spirit Whereas the righteous though they have but little yet they have a good and quiet conscience with it which is a continual feast yea they find a fulness therein so that they sit down abundantly satisfied and contented therewith For God puts a fulness into their little and makes it more satisfactory to his Children than greater abundance is to carnal worldly men Obj. 4. Should I hearken to your counsel I should thereby deprive my self of all joy and delight which is the very life of my life and lead a sad melancholly life For what doth more abridge men of pleasure and delight than walking in the ways of godliness Ans. 1. A godly life will not deprive thee of all joy and delight but only change thy rejoycing in evil for rejoycing in that which is good Whereas before thou rejoycedst in the pleasures of sin in rioting and revelling in chambering and wantonness now thou wilt rejoyce in the assurance of Gods Love and of thine own Salvation in the undoubted Testimony of his Grace and Favour towards thee which is indeed a blessed change of joy from carnal to spiritual from that which is vain and frothy unto that which is sound and solid 2. The godly sometimes by reason of their present affliction under which they lie may seem sorrowful yet are they always rejoycing as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowful yet always rejoycing And our blessed Saviour promised unto his Disciples and in them to all the faithful that he would give them such a permanent joy as no man should be able to take from them Joh. 16. 22. whereupon said David The Voice of rejoycing is in the Tabernacle of the Righteous Psal. 118. 15. 3. Though wicked men think and say that the godly lead sad melancholy lives yet certain it is that the ungodly when they are alone are generally melancholy Indeed when they are in Taverns and Alehouses with their vain Companions then they can laugh and sing but in their secret retirements none so dull and dampish as they yea through the checks and clamours of their guilty Consciences they are oft-times sorrowful in the very midst of laughter For wickedness is so far from producing peace and comfort that it is properly the cause of sorrow and discomfort Therefore saith the Prophet Isa. 5. 7. The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt and then no wonder that it follows There is no peace to the wicked it being the property of wickedness to be troublesome and vexatious so that little joy or comfort can be found in a vicious course of life whereas godliness brings great pleasure and contentment to the mind of a man which the Apostle implieth 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world The satisfaction which ariseth from the testimony of a mans own Conscience in the faithful discharge of his duty is very pleasant and delightful In which respect saith David Psal. 19. 11. In keeping thy Commandments there is great reward There is not only a reward hereafter to all such as sincerely indeavour to â—…eep the Commandments of the Lord but likewise a reward here in keeping them men finding a complaâ—… and delight therein being satisfied that they have in some measure performed their duty 4. There is no joy comparable to their joy who set themselves to serve God in truth and sincerity Such the Apostle Peter saith Rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. Therefore the Wise Man speaking in the commendation of godliness saith Her ways are ways of pleasantness Prov. 3 17. As if he had said Though worldly men do judge the ways of godliness to be sad and uncomfortable yet they do indeed yield great joy and pleasure to those who walk in them and therefore may well be termed ways of pleasantness For 1. In ways of godliness God doth communicate himself to the Soul and the Soul doth injoy sweet communion with God The Soul doth injoy as the influences of Gods Grace so the light of his Countenance which is as it were an Heaven upon Earth yea the greatest happiness poor Creatures can possibly attain unto 2. The ways of godliness are ways of pleasantness because the walking in them is pleasing and delightful unto God And a gracious heart must needs take great complacency and contentment in that which
is pleasing unto God 3. There is that delight in the ways of godliness as upholds the heart of a Christian under all the losses crosses and 〈◊〉 he meets withal in this world and which will yield him abundance of comfort upon his Death-bed What was that which comforted King Hezekiah when he lay under the apprehension of death but the testimony of his Conscience that he had walked with much sincerity in the ways of godliness Isa. 38. 3. By all which it appeareth that godliness doth not deprive men of all joy and delight but rather the more godly any are the more joyful at least the better right and title they have thereunto whereupon saith one Wouldst thou live chearfully then live godly The which should be an incouragement unto all Young Men who are yet unresolved speedily without any further delay to consecrate their Youth and younger years unto God and his service betimes to walk in the ways of godliness that so their lives may be the more comfortable and joyful If the Lord shall be pleased to incline any of your hearts thereunto you will have cause to bless God for it not only so long as you live here but even to all Eternity in the highest Heavens For by devoting your selves to God and his service betimes even from your Youth many sins will be prevented which otherwise will be committed by you much more good will be done by you and much greater will be your glory hereafter 5. Obj. I have time enough before me and therefore may for a while longer allow my self my liberty Hereafter may be time enough to turn from my sins unto God and to mind the eternal welfare of my Soul A. 1. Consider as the shortness so the uncertainty of thy life How many have we known in our own experience who when they have promised themselves life for many years have then been suddenly taken away Thou who sayest thou hast time enough before thee canst thou upon good ground assure thy self of another day If not what folly yea what madness must it needs be to live one day longer in such a condition in which if thou shouldst die thou art miserably undone to all Eternity True it is God hath promised pardon and forgiveness to such as in truth and sincerity turn from their sins unto him but he hath not promised the morrow to him that deferreth If thou sayest though I am not sure to live another day yet I am likely being in good health and strength I answer Peradventure thou mayest live another day But what man in his right senses would put his Everlasting Salvation upon a Peradventure Peradvenâ—… thou mayest die the next day even whilst thou art 〈◊〉 in sensual pleasures and delights and then 〈◊〉 sad is thy case like to be to all Eternity The possiâ—… of a sudden and unexpected death should meâ—… be an effectual argument to perswade every man speedily without farther delay to reform and amend his life The Merchant having a fair Wind will not defer to hoise up sail saying we have time enough because it is possible the Wind may turn and he lose his opportunity The Husbandman having a fair day will not defer the carrying home his Corn when it is fit to take it in because it is possible the next day may prove 〈◊〉 In all cases about our worldly affairs a possibility of danger hath the force of an argument for present care And why should it not as well awaken our Souls to a speedy amendment of our ways 2. Thou who still delayest to hearken unto the Call of God in the Ministery of the Word woing and beseeching thee speedily to abandon thy sins and to walk in the ways of holiness know assuredly that he will not always wait on thee his patience will not ever attend thee As there is a time of Grace in which the Gate of Mercy stands open so there is a time of Judgment in which this Gate will be shut and aâ—…l possibility of entry taken away Psal. 32. 6. David speaketh of a time in which God may be found which implieth that there is a time in which God will not be found Though thou cryest out against thy sins and cryest unto God for mercy yet will he not hear thee but turn a deaf ear to all thy prayers So the Lord threatneth Prov. 1. 24 25. Because I have called you to amendment and reformation and ye refused to hearken unto me But have set at nought all my counsels and would none of my reproofs I will also laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me but they shall not find me For the Lord usually punisheth the slighting of his Grace in our younger years with the denying of it in our elder Hence it is that the Apostle S. Paul so much presseth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very now Behold saith he NOW is the accepted time NOW is the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. The time present is the only time the time to come is no time but a matter of meer uncertainty And therefore saith he Heb. 3. 7. To day if ye will hear his Voice harden not your hearts Where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to day signifieth the time present and implieth that the present opportunity of Gods offering Grace ought to be imbraced thou must hearken unto him now that he calleth upon thee in the Ministery of his Word and motions of his Spirit to give over thy sinning Trade and give up thy self unto him and his service Now that God hangs forth the White Flag of Mercy and is willing to be gracious to thee Now that Christ is woing and beseeching thee to cast away thy sins and to cast thy self upon him to own him for thy Lord and Saviour Now that the Spirit of God is striving with thee surely it will be thy wisdom speedily to turn from thy sins unto him If thou put him off till hereafter and thereby quench the motions of his Spirit how justly may he for ever reject thee 3. Thou who upon a pretence of having time enough before thee dost procrastinate and delay to look after God and Heaven consider as the weightiness so the multitude of works to be done by thee in order to thy Salvation Hast thou not a dead Soul to be quickned a dark understanding to be enlightned with the knowledge of God and of his Son Jesus Christ an hard heart to be softned a proud heart to be humbled an unclean heart to be purified and cleansed a multitude of head-strong lusts to be mortified and subdued manifold temptations to be resisted and conquered Hast thou all these and many more things to do in reference to thy future happiness and yet wilt thou trifle away thy precious time in vanity and pleasure yea in sin and wickedness saying thou hast time enough before thee Know that the forementioned
works are enough to take up thy whole life How then canst thou imagine that the short remaining part thereof should be sufficient for them Ah sinner be convinced that these things must be done by thee or else thou wilt be undone for ever And then judge whether it be not high time for thee to bid adieu to all sinful pleasures and delights and seriously to mind the Concernments of thy precious and Immortal Soul Surely thou canst not be so simple as to flatter thy self with a conceit that all those things may be done either in time of sickness or in old age First For the time of Sickness that must needs be very unfit in regard of the many lets and impediments which then usually fall out to hinder the performance of them as pains of body faintness of spirit dulness and deadness of heart perplexity of mind partly through fear of Gods Judgments and partly with care of disposing thy outward estate for the future maintenance of Wife and Children which will not suffer thee so to collect thy spirits as is requisite for such weighty works Secondly As for Old Age which is scarce able to bear the infirmities of Nature how unfit must that needs be for such hard and difficult services How can it be expected that such who are in a manner past working should go thorow the greatest works that in this world are to be performed Eccl. 12. 1 Solomon calls the days of Old Age evil days not because they are so in themselves but because of the manifold weaknesses and diseases pains and aches which do accompany them whereby they are very much disinabled unto any good work And therefore to put off the main business of our lives the things which concern the Salvation of our Souls to our Old Age must needs be the greatest folly in the world because in so doing we put it to the hazard whether ever it will be done Besides that God who requireth the First-fruits of all we have will not be put off with the Devils leavings If a Souldier should spend the strength of his days in service against his Prince and in his Old Age offer his service to him would he think you accept thereof and not rather reject him and his service Canst thou then imagine that God will accept the service of thine old Age when thou hast spent the strength of thy years in the service of sin and Satan 4. Thou who sayest thou hast time enough before thee and thereupon resolvest hereafter to be for God and Holiness know that thereby thou deceivest thine own Soule For no resolution can be hearty and sincere but what is present He who is willing to indulge his sinful flesh but a Day longer would as willingly do it a Year longer yea to Eternity if he might He who is not willing to cast away his sins and to close with Christ to day would never do it by his good will Thy purposes and resolutions for the time to come are but deceitful and hypocritical O trust not to deceitful purposes 5. Thou who delayest to serve God out of a pretence thou hast time enough before thee I would ask thee what shew of reason thou hast for it Happily thou wilt say Oh the contentment I find in my present course is so sweet and delightful to me that I cannot as yet deny my self therein But is thy Lust sweeter than Christ than pardon of sin than peace and reconciliation with God yea than the joys of Heaven Sure thou art a Bruit if thou say so And if not why dost thou not presently reform and return to the Lord Is it too soon for thee yet to be happy Thou art worthy to die for ever who chusest to lie longer in the estate of the dead when thou mightest presently turn and live 6. Thou who sayest thou hast time enough before thee hast thou not served the Devil and Sin long enough Hast thou not done enough to the damning thine own Soul but thou must go on further in thy wicked and ungodly courses Certainly if thou hadst any of the ingenuity of a Christian within thee thou wouldst rather say I have long enough wallowed in the filth of sin and mire of sinful filthiness I have long enough slighted the free grace of God and rejected the invitations of Jesus Christ 't is a shame I have stood out so long Well I have now done with iniquity from henceforth I will be for Christ and Holiness farewel my former sinful courses and Companions farewel my carnal peace ease and pleasure 't is high time to mind the eternal welfare of my Soul and to give up my self to God 7. Consider Though sound repentance is never too late yet late repentance is seldom sound like untimely fruit it rarely cometh to any perfection as may evidently appear from the usual practise of such as recover of their sickness who in the time of affliction seemed mightily troubled for their wicked lives and outwardly bewailed their sins crying out against them yea made many vows and promises of newness of life and better obedience professing for the time to come utterly to renounce their former lewd courses and to serve God in true holiness and righteousness all the remaining part of their days yet being recovered to their former health again forgetting the vows and promises they made in the time of their sickness with the Dog they have returned to their former Vomit and with the Sow wallowed again in the filth of sin and mire of sinful filthiness imbracing the same sins which they had formerly lamented and so become worse than before It was the observation of that worthy Divine Mr. Robert Bolton that he never knew or heard of any man unwrought upon under conscionable means who after recovery performed the vows and promises of a new life which he made in his sickness and time of extremity which methinks should be a strong Motive to perswade every one of us to turn from our sin and to givup our selves intirely unto God in our health and strength that so we may have some comfortable Evidence of the truth and soundness of our Repentance 8. Consider the desperate hazard thou runnest by delaying to close with Iesus Christ. For what if thy great change should come before the change of thy heart how sad would thy condition be What if Christ who hath long been knocking at the door of thine heart should withdraw himself and never knock again Surely as it was one of the greatest mercies that ever was vouchsafed to thee that Jesus Christ should condescend to stand and knock at the door of thine heart so it will prove in the event the heaviest Judgment that ever befel thee if thou wilt not now open unto him but put him off with delays It will be just with Christ finally to withdraw himself from those who will not hearken unto him in this his merciful day of Visitation Beware that this be not thy case
end consider the excellency thereof Consider I say the excellency of grace it is the beam of the Divine Nature a spark and ray of glory which puts such an excellency upon a person that all others are vile persons in comparison of him A gracious soul is the rarest piece of all Gods workmanship of more worth than all the wealth and riches in the world Nothing so graceth a man as grace doth being the image of God in man whereby he becomes like unto his Creator which is the greatest excellency that can be conferred on a Creature It was this that made all Gods servants so famous in their generation It was not their wealth their parts or the like but their graces their faith their patience their zeal for God and the like These kept their names fresh when the names of wicked graceless wretches do rots and are perished Grace is aromatical it embalmes the living names of dead Saints whereupon a gracious person when he dies is said to carry a good conscience with him and to leave a good name behind him I grant that carnal men through their ignorance of the true worth of Saints being blind in spiritual matters have a low and mean esteem of them But could they look into their inward parts and discern their true worth they would acknowledge them all-glorious within more precious than fine gold I shall close this Direction with a word to those who have some comfortable evidence of the truth of grace in their hearts exhorting them that they content not themselves with any measure or degree of grace but labour and strive after perfection adding Grace to Grace and growing from one degree of Grace unto another till they be perfect men and women in Christ Jesus Though you ought to be contented with a competency of worldly wealth yet never talk of a competency of grace nor take up with any degree of it already obtained as if you had enough and needed no more St. Paul though he was content with a little of the world yet not with a little of grace he reached forward and pressed towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Phil. 3. 13 14. It was the Motto of Charles the fifth Plus ultra that is more yet or further yet And it ought to be every Christians Motto Go on to perfection To perswade you thereuno take these Arguments 1. Hereby you will gain a comfortable evidence of the truth of Grace in you For true grace hath this property that though it be weak yet it will grow and increase mightily as he that loveth silver is never satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase saith the Wise man Eccl. 5. 10. So he that hath true grace in him will never think he hath enough of it but will be ever desiring and endeavouring after more They who have once tasted of the sweetness of grace are not satisfied with a little the more they drink the more they thirst till they have drank their full draught in the Kingdome of God It may justly be doubted whether there be any truth of grace where there is not a desire and endeavor after an encrease therein It is an ill sign to sit down satisfied and rest contented with a little Sure thou hast none at all who art satisfied with that little grace thou thinkest thou hast 2. To stir you up to labour after a greater measure and higher degree of grace consider that after the work of grace hath been wrought in you there is a great deal more work to be wrought by you many lusts to be conquered much corruption to be subdued many temptations to be resisted many graces to be exercised several duties to be performed many of them hard and difficult to flesh many great things to be done and bitter things to be indured for Christ you may be called to the fiery trial and to suffer the loss of all that is dear unto you How can you imagine to go through all all these works with a small degree of grace and measure of strength 3. The stronger Christians you are the more helpful will you be unto others who are weak and infirm and consequently the more honourable for it is more honourable to give than to receive Therefore how doth it concern you to strive to increase your store that you may have by you to help the needy and be useful in your generations by instructing the ignorant resolving the doubtful comforting such as mourn reproving such as are scandalous converting such as are unconverted strengthning such as are weak in grace Oh what a Blessing might you be to all your relations yea to all with whom you do converse How should the ears that heard you bless you yea and bless God for you Iob. 9. 11. CHAP. IX Containeth Directions how to live a godly and gracious Life BEtake thy self to live a godly and gracious Life For thy help therein take these Directions I. Direction At thy first awaking in the morning lift up thine heart to God in a thankful acknowledgement of his mercy to thee the night pass in giving thee such quiet rest and sleep whereby thy body is refreshed and thou inabled for the duties of the day And beg of God that he would so assist thee with his Grace and Holy Spirit that all the thoughts of thy heart and words of thy mouth and works of thy hands the day following may be acceptable in his sight And in regard the Devil at thy first awaking is very watchful to take possession of thine heart by casting in some wicked worldly wanton thoughts it will be thy wisdom to prevent him by fixing thy heart on some spiritual subject as on God his Word or Works his Providence or Properties Good thoughts in the Morning will so season thine heart that thou shalt retain the favour of such a gracious beginning all the day after II. Direction to a godly life So soon as thou art ready before thou goest about the works of thy Calling withdraw thy self into some private place and there pour out thy Soul unto God by fervent and effectual prayer Be sure to open thine heart to God before thou open thy Shop to men This secret prayer we find commended by Christ himself Matth. 6. 6 When thou prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father that is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly And we find that what he commanded himself practised for Mark 1. 35. it is said In the Morning Christ went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed How careful the servants of God have been therein none will question who are acquainted with the Scriptures Besides all the Benefits of prayer in general secret prayer hath these 1. It will be some testimony of the sincerity of thine heart A man may joyn in Publick and Family-prayer meerly in
freely publish our own naughtiness the pride the follies the frowardness of our own hearts as we do our Brethrens what a name should we get us in the world Let us rather in this shew our selves the Children of our heavenly Father As he doth unwillingly see the faults of his Children and passeth by many of their transgressions Micah 7. 18. so let us be loth to see or hear of the infirmities of Gods Children but rather pass them by and with the Garment of Charity cover their nakedness I deny not but we may judge the Tree by the Fruit If we see a man apparently guilty of lewd scandalous sins and impenitently continuing in them we may leaving his final damnation to the Searcher of all hearts judge and censure him for the present to be in a most wretched estate But we ought not to be too Critical in observing the slips and infirmities of our Neighbours and then without sufficient reason and with joy and delight to speak of them unto others For the preventing whereof I would commend unto you that Lesson which the Heathen Philosopher taught his Schollars namely In the seeing or hearing other mens faults to inquire Numquid ego tale whether I have done the like or whether I may not do the same or worse For there is in every one of us that Original corruption which containeth in it the seeds of all sins which would spring forth in us as notoriously as in others did not God keep them down either by his renewing or restraining Grace By reason of this Original corruption the best of us have a disposition to the vilest sins Therefore saith the Apostle Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if any man be overtaken with a fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self least thou also be tempted That is considering thine own frailty how thou mayst easily be overtaken with the same the like or a greater sin therefore deal as mildly and mercifully with him as thou wouldst others should deal with thee or thou art like to find the same measure from others to find others as ready to censure and judge thee as thou hast done thy Brother who will have as little care of thy Credit as thou hast had of his For it oft falls out by the just Judgment of God that they who are lavish in publishing their Brothers failings do find others as forward to speak of and spread their faults Do as thou wouldst be done by Wouldst thou not be evil spoken of speak not evil of others Wouldst thou not be made a by-word and a reproach and a Table-talk thy self let not others be made so by thee CHAP. XVIII Of the well ordering our Thoughts HAving shewed sundry Vices whereunto Young Men are much addicted that so they may carefully avoid the same I come now to another direction for the leading a godly and gracious life which is this Keep a strict watch over thy self in those things which concern thine own person For thy help therein observe these Rules 1. Be careful of thy thoughts Care of and about thoughts is a special discovery of a godly man Other men do seldom any more than wash the out-side let what will lodge within them Or if Conscience sometimes put them upon a restraint of inward passions and lusts yet when do we find any of them make Conscience of a thought For the better keeping thy thoughts in order put these things in practice 1. Give God thy first thoughts by prepossessing thine heart at thy first awaking with thoughts of his infinite Purity Wisdom Power Mercy Truth or the like Excellencies in him Thus did David Psal. 139. 18. When I awake I am still with thee that is so soon as I awake my thoughts are upon thee meditating on thy Word and works whereby his heart was exceedingly fenced and guarded both against the suggestions of Satan and the wicked risings of his own heart Holy and spiritual thoughts in the Morning will so season thine heart that thou mayst retain the savour of so good a beginning all the day after 2. Do thine utmost to keep bad thoughts out of thine heart but if they have entered in and got possession suffer them not to lodge and continue there but thrust them out of doors by head and shoulders so soon as they appear We cannot hinder Birds from flying over our heads yet may we easily prevent their Nestling there So the best of men cannot always hinder the hovering of worldly wanton thoughts in their hearts yet must they deny them Harbour there by a speedy rejecting of them 3. Make it thy business frequently to raise and extract holy and useful thoughts as from all Gods dealings with thee so from what thou seest or hearest yea from all accidents and occurrences As the Philosophers Stone is said to turn all Metals into gold so by this Heavenly Chymistry mayst thou turn all earthly things into some spiritual advantage and extract the pure gold of spiritual thoughts from common objects and occurrences 4. In regard the spirits and thoughts of men are very active always busied if they be not set upon good objects they will be working upon bad it will be thy wisdom to get such a Treasure of Divine Truths and Gospel Mysteries as may furnish thy heart with abundance of matter for holy and spiritual thoughts and to be much in exercising thy self upon them Matth. 12. 35. A good man saith our Saviour out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things that is sendeth out suitable Emanations for the good and comfort of his own Soul as well as others Mens layings out are according to their layings up Such as have a Stock of Spiritual Provision I mean have treasured up many precious Promises many Gospel-mysteries and Scripture-truths in their hearts will be able to bring forth as favoury discourses in company for the benefit of others so many spiritual thoughts when they are alone for the good and comfort of their own Souls 5. Oft consider Gods Omnisciency whereby he knoweth not only all our secret works whether good or evil but also the thoughts of our hearts Thou knowest saith David my down-sitting and my up-rising thou understandest my thoughts afar off Psal. 139. 2. There are two things which God is said to know afar off the Pride of man and the Thoughts of man He hath it seems a severe eye up on each of these He minds our thoughts before they come into our minds while they are in the Chaos in the confused Womb of the Soul before they are expresly conceived and formed God knoweth them and therefore must needs know what we think when we think Surely O Young Man didst thou seriously consider this thou wouldst be more fearful of sinning in secret and more watchful over thy thoughts not suffering any worldly wanton or exorbitant thoughts to lodge and harbour in thy breast much more to rule and domineer there 6.
to Christ be the main Spring that sets all thy Wheels a going this will both give vigour and a sweet relish to all thou dost and according to this according to what love there is in thy duties so will thy acceptance be with God 2. Let the Word and Will of God be the Rule of thy life Psal. 119. 9. Wherewithal shall a Young Man cleanse his way The question may be inlarged wherewâ—…thal shall a Young or Old Man cleanse and order his way And the Answer will be the same By taking heed thereto according to thy Word This Word is a Light to the feet and a Lanthorn to the steps it sheweth thee what is good and that good must be done it sheweth thee what is evil and what evil is to be avoided it sheweth thee what good is to be done and how what evils are to be eschewed and how thou mayst avoid them Young Man do not as the most of thine Age use to do be unruly live not according to thy unruly head or heart according to thy unruly lusts and passions but live by rule live not by the rule of Custom or by the rule of example after the course of this World but let God be thy Ruler and his Law be thy Rule As many as walk according to this rule peace shall be on them and mercy Gal. 6. 16. Enquire diligently what would God have me do How would God have me live Would God have me live an idle life Would God have me to swear or to lye or to covet Is not this it that the Lord would have me do to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously and soberly and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 12. And if this be it that the Lord would have go and live accordingly 3. Let the glorifying and enjoying of God be the end of thy life and of all the duties and actions of it Let this be the scope of thy life the mark at which thou aimest that thou mayst honour God and be happy in him And that thou mayst eye and pursue both these in one let this be the aim and intent of thine heart in thy whole course To work out thine own Salvation Phil. 2. 12. In this one work is included all that thou hast to do or mind In this thou wilt best glorifie God and secure his everlasting love to thine own Soul Therefore upon this set thine eye and thine heart in all thy ways So that if the question be put wherefore livest thou wherefore livest thou thus thus holily thus humbly thus watchfully thus self-denyingly that thou mayst be able to answer Why I live thus that herein I may work out my Salvation Resolve to set thy self about nothing nor to allow thy self in any thing concerning which thou art not able to say I am herein working out my Salvation I am herein serving the Lord and endeavouring the saving mine own Soul Young Man dost thou live to this end what goest thou so often to the Alehouse or the Tavern for Is that to serve God and save thy Soul what is the intent of thy greediness upon the world of thy sensual licentious life of thy scoffing at the strictness of Religion dost thou all this also for the pleasing of God and working out thine own Salvation Canst thou say when thou art Drinking and Revelling when thou art swearing and Lying or when thou art loytering and playing away thy time canst thou then say Now I am serving of God herein I am working out my Salvation Or when thou art playing the Hypocrite and Formalist professing and praying and hearing and talking of God and the matters of Religion deceitfully out of pride or for ostentation or so coldly and negligently as thou ordinarily dost canst thou then say I am now praying for my life bearing for my life Will thy pride and thy hypocrisie bring thee to Heaven Are these false Duties that have nothing but a Lye at the bottom that are the Covert of a rotten heart are these they on which thou meanest to adventure thy Salvation Young Man if thou wouldst in earnest make this thine aim indeed the serving of God and saving thy Soul and have thine eye and thine heart much upon it this would both discover to thee whether thy way were right or wrong and also fetch thee off from all thy vain and wicked ways and quicken thee on in and hold thee close to that righteousness sobriety and godliness of life which is indeed the way to blessedness Thus much for General Directions CHAP. XXI Containeth particular Directions for the ordering our lives and actions according to Godliness IN the next place I shall give thee some particular Directions I. Beware of living in the wilful omission of any known duty The omission of good maketh us as liable to eternal vengeance as the committing of evil The unprofitable servant we read was â—…ast into outer darkness where was nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth not for mispending his Talent but for not improving it to his Masters advantage Matth. 25. 24 30. And Luk. 16. 20 25. We read how Dives was tormented in Hell not for taking away from Lazarus but for not relieving him in his wants And at the day of Judgment the Reprobate are condemned not for oppressing the Poor but for not feeding them not for stripping them of their Apparel but for not cloathing the naked Mat. 25. 42 43. And no marvel considering the omitting of a known Duty ariseth from a wicked heart and from a mind averse from God and unwilling to his service Besides sins of Omission are always accompanied with sins of Commission when we cease to do good immediately we begin to do evil Bless not then thy self O Young Man in thine harmless condition thinking thou art as good a Christian as the best because thou art not as bad as the worst but canst thank God with the Pharisee thou art neither Adulterer nor Drunkard nor Extortioner it were to be wished that some could say so much but know that this is not sufficient A man may truly say this I am not as bad as others and yet suffer with them in the same Lake of fire Thy Omissions may be thy undoing Yea not only a total omission of all that 's good but an ordinary and wilful and allowed omission of any one thing thou knowest to be thy Duty This cannot stand with sincerity which however it may be at some time will in ordinary certainly have respect to all the Commandments of God Psal. 116. 9. O how sadly doth this speak to thee thou halting and trifling Soul Many things thou dost and therein thou comfortest thy self but are there not many things also which thou knowest thou shouldst do but wilt not Thou knowest it is thy duty to pray to pray in thy Family in secret in thy Closet to be constant to be instant in prayer Dost thou so Thou knowest it to be thy duty to
company welcom and acceptable unto all Yea it will win the hearts of all with whom you have to do and even knit them unto you Davids courteous carriage made all the servants of Saul to respect him Yea it is said All Israel and Judah loved him 1 Sam. 18. 16. On the other side Churlishness Bitterness Testiness and such other Vices which are contrary to this Vertue alienate mens minds from them yea and exasperate them against them But withal take notice that this courtesie and gentleness must neither make thee an Hypocrite and Dissembler nor over-familiar with thy Inferiours especially such as are in subjection under thee For Gods Image which all Superiours carry must be respected of them and accordingly must they carry themselves Nor yet must this make any over-remiss in reproving Offenders for so would this comely Vertue be turned into an hurtful and dangerous Vice indeed it serveth to sweeten reproofs that they may be better accepted Be courteous to all but beware of connivence much more of compliance with evil men in their sins Let not pretence of being courteous draw thee aside to be vicious III. Carry thy self humbly towards all men thinking better of others than of thy self The truth is that man who well knoweth himself knoweth more of himself of his own weakness and vileness than he can know of most others and therefore he may well have a meaner esteem of himself than of others especially such as are of his Rank and betwixt whom there is not too too palpable a difference If he have apparently better gifts than others yet his humble mind will make him think that others may have more true inward grace and sincerity because he knows more of the deceit of his own heart than he can of others This Vertue of Humility though it be primarily seated in the heart yet from thence it extendeth it self to a mans outward conversation and proves a most lovely and adorning Grace which doth adorn our Christian Profession and obtaineth favour both with God and Man whereas a proud haughty spirit is hated both of God and Man Solomon ranketh haughty eyes in the first place among such things as the Lord hateth and his Soul abhorreth Prov. 6. 17. As for man he naturally hateth pride in another though he love and like it in himself which is a great condemnation of the sin of pride But as for the humble and lowly-minded man he doth exceedingly gain the hearts and affections of others unto him Humility is so comely and graceful a Grace that it makes him who is decked therewith amiable and gracious in every mans eye Whereas none are more disdained than the proud none are better respected both by God and Man than the humble for it is abundance of Grace that makes men humble as it is abundance of Fruit that maketh Trees most bow God highly prizeth them and accordingly bestoweth his choicest graces on them Men usually lay up their richest Wines in the lowest Cellars and God lays up his choicest mercies in the lowest hearts Yea God himself delights to dwell in the humble Soul Isa. 57. 15. God hath but two Thrones the highest Heavens and the lowest hearts He overlooks the frame of Heaven and Earth to look on a poor humble heart Isa. 66. 1 2. not with a bare look of intuition but with a look of favour complacency and delight Though the Lord be the most high yet hath he respect to the lowly Psal. 38. 6. They are Gods Iewels in high esteem with him yea they are Gods Glory Isa. 4. 5. They give all glory to God and therefore God loves to exalt them to honour So that Humility is the readiest way to Honour Many make it the chief design and the main business of their lives to contrive how they may be great and honourable in the World and often it is that Honour flies from them as the shadow from him that pursues it But if they would study to be humble and so carry themselves towards all they would find that the speediest way to exaltation For saith Christ himself Mat. 23. 12. Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted even to honour here if God sees it good for him but howsoever to glory hereafter which is the highest and best preferment for Mat. 5. 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven True Humility stands in being low in our own eyes and being content to be low in the eyes of others Get this Heart humility and that will prevent those thoughts which would puff thee up in thy self and those lofty carriages which tend to set thee up in the World Let it be thy care to approve thy self in all good Conscience towards God and let him alone to take care of thy good name among men IV. Be as serviceable to others as thou canst As it was the meat and drink of our blessed Saviour to be doing good unto others So let it be thy meat and drink even thy chief delight to be doing all the good thou canst Let not any opportunity of doing good slip out of thy hands but as the Wise Man adviseth Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might that is whatsoever ability or opportunity of service God affordeth unto thee either in thy general or particular Calling improve it with all care and diligence endeavour with thy might to do all the good that possibly thou canst in thy Generation This we find was the mind of our Saviour for saith he Joh. 9. 4. I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day Now what was the work of Christ but to do all manner of good as any opportunity was offered whether by word or deed The phrase used by the Evangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to work the work is an Hebraism and implieth a thorow acting or doing of a thing a doing it heartily and that with all care and diligence Thus should we make it our chief care and endeavour yea the main and principal work of our lives to do all the good we can in the world accounting that the happiest time in which we can do the most good And surely it is the greatest honour we are capable of here to be any way serviceable to God and his people and that which will bring much peace and comfort to our Souls and Consciences Be not a man for thy self be a common good be willing to serve thy Generation Let it not be said of thee It had been as well for the World if this man had never been born CHAP. XXVIII Of Mercy towards such as are in misery which implieth both a compassionate heart and an helping hand V. BE merciful towards such as are in misery Luk. 6. 36. This mercifulness or mercy is such a compassion of the heart whereby a man is moved to help and succour others in their misery So