or rather God and his Christ our shield and buckler In the fourth and last place 4. Arg. Honour and Credit Christian Conference is not onely beneficiall in point of peace and safety but in point of honour also many a carnall man having heard or overheard spiritual discourse among the Saints and Servants of God though this language of Canaan he neither understandeth nor relisheth much yet it leaves an honourable conviction upon his spirit and he is half perswaded that these men have something of God in them more then he hath But surely all who are really good themselves cannot but put an high value and estimation upon the persons and practices of those who are much in holy and heavenly Communication Yet if all men should disregard to be sure the holy and gracious Lord our God will have regard and to have honour of him and with him is the highest honour desireable or imaginable was of a communicative spirit very ready and resolute in the imparting good to others in any way of counsel and Conference and maketh this expresly the ground why he honoureth Abraham in the revealing of Secrets unto him Gen. 10.17 19. And the Lord said shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do for I know him that he will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. It is an high honour to be a Privy Councellor to Kings and Princes O then what an honour is it to be admitted and advanced as it were to be of Councel to the King of Kings whose Supremacy and Soveraignty is over Heaven and Earth Before I go off let me hint this by way of Caution that when we speak or rather Scripture it self speaketh of Councel in reference to God or of Gods acting upon Counsel it is not to be understood properly for to act upon Counsel that implies Consultation and Consultation a defect in knowledg which to fancy concerning God would be high and horrid Blasphemy but to be understood of God after the manner of men the wisest of men act upon Counsel now because all that God doth is infinitely well and wisely done therefore he is said to act by Counsel as men do But I have done with this great Argument to press Christian Conference drawn from its profitableness and usefulness it 's beneficial to the heads of our selves and others in the augmentation of gifts and parts to the hearts of our selves and others in the communication of and receiving of spiritual good several ways beneficial in regard of inward peace at home in our own Consciences and outward peace abroad with men amongst whom we live which crowns all it hath a marke of honour set upon it by the hand of God himself he whom God honours is honourable indeed Hitherto the Arguments exciting to Christian Conference have been deduced from the duty we owe to God and man our selves and others and so from the ten Commandements some other arguments may fairly be drawn from the Creed or the Articles of our Christian Faith As first 1. Arg. The Communion of Saints We profess we believe the Communion of Saints Now Christian Conference rightly managed is a considerable part of that Communion so that to deny or neglect Holy Conference is to deny or neglect one of the Articles of our Faith and so farr to Unchristian our selves Christian Conference is a Gospel duty as it hath been proved by express testimonies out of the word of God and it 's a Gospel priviledge none indeed but such as receive the Gospel are savingly wrought upon by the Gospel Mat. 11.6 can carryon discourse or Conference which for matter and manner is truly Christian and in truth society is scarce desireable without mutual Colloquy and speaking one to another to have a company of people meet together and be as mutes and dumb all in deep silence methinks is a very uncomfortable meeting and irrational Solitariness and being alone fits best for meditation and musing Society and being in Company calls for speech and language What humane Society can be among men as men without Conference or what Christian society among Saints as Saints without Christian Conference to what end hath God and nature given us Tongues speech and language but to glorifie him therewith and to edifie one another and that 's mainly done in the way of Christian Conference Yet farther it 's one of the branches of the Communion of Saints to keep others in the right ways of truth and holiness and a likely means conducing thereunto is to be much in good discourse with others It 's hard to keep the way when one's alone for man by nature is apt to wander Many Travellers together may help to guide one the other to keep from falling or to raise up if fallen Two are betten then one saith the Preacher Eccl. 4.9 10. for if they fall the one will lift up his fellow but wo to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to help him up Great is the benefit of Society from that natural helpfulness which thereby one man affordeth to another When the Lord imployed his servants in high works he usually sent them Two by Two Moses and Aaron Joshua and Zerubbabel in reference to whom we read of Two witnesses and our Lord Jesus Christ when he sent forth his Disciples they went Two and Two and why this Not onely that they might be joynt witnesses of the truth of the Doctrine and messages delivered but withall that they might with more ease and success carry on the Ministery and work wherein they were imployed and help mutually to strengthen to encourage and comfort one the other The instance given is pertinent to our purpose for if they fall the one will lift up his fellow What fall why society is helpful in all kinds of falls as corporal in a journey on foot or horse-back or falls into diseases dangers temptations sins errours the society of friends is useful to pitty to support to restore to convince to comfort and every way to Minister subtable supplies and relief To close up and strengthen this argument in that Christian Conference as it is a part of the Communion of Saints by special promise Psal 133.1 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity Cohabitation or dwelling together is insignificant without Communication and Conversation becoming the Gospel and why so good so pleasant vers 3. For there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore The illustration whereof the Psalmists gives in two lively and emphaticall similitudes vers 2. It is like precious ointment upon the head of Aaron It was not the ointment in the box or vial stopped but poured out that gave the fragrant savour and was so odoriferous it is not grace in the heart though that is saving but grace in the lips and life which makes a Christian indeed so sweet
how shall this be helped he answereth but exhorting one another c. Christian Conference well ordered is an excellent preservative of truth and peace in the Church or Churches of Christ and good talke be it Table-talke or High-way talk hath been is and by the blessing of a gracious God will be as a golden Pipe of Conveyance of much spiritual good from one to another until time run up into Eternity and grace into glory Having somewhat largly discovered the profitableness of Christian Conference in that thereby believers abundantly Communicate spiritual good things one to another let me add 3 Arg. It 's peaceableness 3. It 's peaceableness It 's a teeming Mother bringing forth peace at home and abroad within doores and without 1 Peace at home 1. Peace at home Christian Conference is attended usually with sweet inward peace and an heavenly tranquillity of spirit I appeal to your Consciences herein When you lie down in an evening and reflect upon your selves look inward and make inquiry what have the thoughts of my heart the words of my mouth and the actions of my hands been this day as I presume they who keep their watch do and some Heathens by Natures light have done when you find your language and discourse hath been to this person or that holy and spirituall and that upon this design to edifie and minister grace to the hearers surely the fruit thereof hath been a Calme in thy soule and serenity in thy spirits Peace also not alone at the end of each day but at the end of life It was a chearing a reviving Cordial to that good King Hezekiah when he lay as he thought a dying to be able to say Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I walked before thee in truth Isa 38.1 2 3. And so to be able to say and that from the heart sincerely Remember O Lord how I have talked before thee and for thee in thy despised truths ordinances and Ministers how I have in discourse at least and by example also contended for thy holy Sabboths so profaned by a sinfull generation and in brief I have as all sanctified ones and called of God are exhorted earnestly contended for the faith or doctrine of faith once delivered to the saints Jude v. 3. The word is emphaticall and imports such eagerness in contention as is among wrestlers and racers striving for victory Remember O Lord how I have contended with thee by Faith in Prayer for that faith the true Christian faith by thee delivered and how I have contended with erronious persons and Hereticks by arguments an by practice bearing up those truths and ordinances which they pull down surely the remembrance hereof when we go to bed night after night or when we are going to make our beds in the durst to be no more seen will speak much peace and comfort to us And the reason hereof is strong and weighty because good conference if right in the spring flowing from an heart fired with zeal for God and love to my neighbour and right in the ends it designes Gods glory and the good of the hearers is a cleare evidence of a good and gracious heart and grace makes way for peace as the needle for the thred so that those who much lay out themselves in Christian Conference have or may expect to have yea be sure first or last shall have much inward peace and tranquility of spirit Who would not sow good seed when he knows it will grow who would not be scattering words of grace when he knoweth that every such word hath a seed of peace yea of eternal peace in it 2. 2 Peace abroad Christian Conefrence not onely brings forth inward peace and quiet in our breasts and bosomes but also outward peace with men and safety in all places and companies whatever Set you on foot good discourse or run it on and whoever is present there 's no great danger unless it be of a taunt or flout from a prophane Esau or a scoffing Ishmael and that a good honest soul may weare as a Crown of honour as Job speaks of himself Job 31.35 36. My desire is that my adversary had written a book surely I would take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a Crown to me Vpon my shoulder not as a burden but as an honour as standard-bearers carry their ensignes and colours that all may see them Tongue-persecution such as Ismael's was of Isaac breaks no bones but brings under the blessing of God and the promise of a great reward Gal. 4.29 Gen. 21.9 Mat. 5.11 12. No no the danger in discourse is not whilest we are talking of God or of Christ or of the Spirit or of regeneration and the like but the danger comes when you begin to talk of persons this body or that either highly and hyperbolically praising one and that smells of flattery and is possibly by some who are present so accounted or dispraising another and that 's presently suspected of uncharitableness if not of malice The danger is farther heightned when in your discourse course you 'l needs be medling with Authority and State-affairs how soon then may the Tongue be found tripping and you thereby but trip up your own heels and catch a fall possibly such a fall as may break your bones if not your neck So the wisest of Kings tels us Pro. 13.3 21 23. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction Wherein he seemeth to compare man to a City besieged with enemies round about the safety whereof consisteth much in the well ordering the gates duly and wisely opening and shutting them Man is this City his mouth the gate prudently open'd by speech or shut by silence is his protection and safety negligence and imprudence therein oft proves his ruin and destruction That natural principle of self-love should make this argument from self-preservation and safety to be of force and prevalency with us The better and more spiritual our discourses and conferences are the more 's our safety It concernes us at all times to weigh our words well but especially when the company we are in is bad or somewhat dubious and to be suspected Ps 39.1 Thus holy David I said I will take heed to my ways that I sinne not with my Tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle or a Muzzle while the wicked is before me To conclude this Argument Ainsw I have heard of a Sect called Trapanners unknown I presume to our honest Forefathers both name and thing men skilful and active to intangle and ensnare others in their talke I would hope that they are now dead and gone but if hundreds of them should be yet alive and with you and me in a room and hear us discoursing of nothing but faith repentance love and good works and the like methinks we need not much to fear them innocence would be our protection
born but legions of Devils got possession of them so many beloved lusts as bad or worse than so many Devils and how they were still born dead quite dead in Trespasses and Sins but now through the riches of Grace in Christ the Lepers are cleansed the Devils are cast out and the dead are quickned and raised to the life of grace and glory Eph. 2.1 To hasten shall Souldiers old Souldiers love to be talking of what battels they have been in what sharp Conflicts and hot disputes they have had with such and such enemies what victories obtained what spoils they have divided what joyful triumphs they have solemnized and shall not Old Disciples yea all experienced believers who are the good souldiers of Jesus Christ discourse and love to discourse what spiritual combats they have had with the Devil the world and the flesh the corruption of their own hearts their unbelief pride passions covetousness how they have conflicted with ungodly men their Cruel mockings and persecutions yea how they have gotten the victory have overcome the world by their faith Heb. 11.36 Gal. 4.29 Joh. 5.4 what spoils they are inriched with what answers to prayers what mortifying of such and such Corruptions what eminent growth in grace how faith hath been marvellously strengthen'd love inflamed zeal fired longing after communion with God heightened and the like and all this because they fought under such a Captain who puts spirit and life into all marching under his banners even Jesus Christ the Captain of their Salvation yea the Lord of Hosts himself mighty in battel Heb. 2.10 Jer. 50.34 Again shall wrestlers and racers speak much of their strength and swiftness And why not believers of their wrestling not against flesh and blood only but against principalities and powers Eph. 6.12 and of their running with patience the race set before them He. 12.1 and how they can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth them shall wise men be speaking Phil. 4.13 Je. 9.23 24. yea glorying in their wisdome mighty men glorying in their might and rich men in their riches which is their sin and their shame and shall not the Saints of the most high God each glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me saith the Lord which glorying is their duty and honour also yea Gal. 6.14 glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom or whereby the world is Crucified unto them and they unto the world shall men addicted to recreations who devote themselves to hunting and hawking fishing and fowling speak much of what delight and contentment they find therein one praising his pack of Hounds for being well mouthed hunting close and round as in a ring another commending his hawk for mounting high as an Eagle even to the Skies and when the fowle ariseth for falling and shooting down upon the prey like a thunder bolt out of the Cloudes and so forth Then surely the generation of believers have more cause to speak one to another and that not with a carnal and sensual delight as men in their sports and recreations but with a spiritual and heavenly cheariness of what contentment and satisfaction they have found in God delighting themselves in the Lord their God David speaks to all his fellow Saints Ps 66.16 Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my soul to wit how he hath heard my prayers quickned me when dull and dead raised me up when I was brought very low delivered me from the hands of all mine enemies and from the Hands of Saul Psal 18. the Title He giveth us his judgment plainly A day in thy Courts O God is better then a thousand and backs it with the choice he made I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickedness Ps 84.10 Talk with men called of God according to his purpose who in their youth poured out their soules to vanities to all manner of sports and pastimes and they will ingeniously confess that they find more sweetness and hearts solace in one hours communion with God in secret prayer in one day of humiliation or thanksgiving in hearing a good Sermon or in being partakers of the Lords Supper and so sitting with the King at his Table Can. 1.12 then they did in all their youthfull games and recreations all their dayes To conclude shall the worst of men the cheating gamester the swinish drunkard the beastly adulterer be so bold as to talke and that in a jolly boasting way of their false Dice and coggings of their drinking down such and such laying them under the Table of their defiling Women or Maidens satisfying their lust to the full with them all glorying in their shame Phil. 3.19 and shall not Christians in their Conference speak freely with joy and thanksgivings ascribing all the glory to the Lord their God of their diligence and faithfulness in their lawful callings of their Temperance and Chastity yea farther how their hearts have bin raised up and ravished with holy Meditations and heavenly ejaculations how their spirits are got above the world whilst in the world how their fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ through the Spirit 1 Joh. 1.3 How the Father and the Son love them make their abode with them and manifest themselves unto their soules Joh. 21.23 How Jesus Christ is pleased Can. 1.2 to kiss them with the kisses of his mouth day by day O Friends what I say are not bare words and notions but things and realities and glorying herein is good for it is glorying in the Lord. But I fear my fancy and pen run too fast and too far in this argument possibly to the tiring of some faint and feeble readers Therefore in a word know the Devil drives a great and mighty though an ungodly and accursed Trade in the Tongues of Sinners they speak often one to another corrupting poisoning and debauching each other and how unwearied are they in this drudgery advancing and promoting to their uttermost the Kingdome of darkness and of the Devil as they are going toward Hell together and shall not our God and Father and our dear Redeemer Jesus Christ carry on an holy and blessed Trade if I may so phrase it in the mouths and lips of his Saints and Servants his sons and daughters to the convincing and converting of sinners if possible or at the least to the rendring them more inexcusable in that great and terrible day of the Lord and to the edifying strengthening and comforting one another speaking much of God and for God even with all their might striving and labouring to inlarge the Kingdome of Christ in grace here and so in glory hereafter Whilst we are Travellers here below in our present pilgrimage to be very busie active and toyling as it were in the work of the Lord will doubtless be upon our account to our safety comfort
wisdome in believers which ruleth Tongues as tumultuous and turbulent as winds and waves or as an heady multitude It is an unruly evill saith the Apostle James 3.8 7. 7 Courage And lastly he that will order his Tongue well and his discourse aright had need be one of great courage and resolution for many and great discouragements will arise from within and from without to stop the course of Christian Conference David is a resolved man Psalm 39.1 I will take heed to my wayes that I offend not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle Orig. A bridle or muzzel for my mouth And Job is so resolved a man Job 27.24 as that he binds himself by an oath as God liveth my lips shall not speak wickedness nor my tongue utter deceit The Tongue is as the bow words as the arrows it's Scripture language courage and resolution are as the armes which bend and draw the bow wisdome as the eye which levels and layes the arrow right both together shoot near or hit the mark and white in Christian Conference A second preparative direction for the well managing of Christian Conference 2 Direct A forme of sound words is to get and hold fast a form of sound words in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 1.13 Faith and love that is what is to be believed and done and so takes in the whole systeme and body of Divinity If this would be and was a good help to Timothy for the carrying on of the work of his Ministery then surely it is greatly usefull for private believers in the maintaining of Christian Conference in the places and companies into which providence casts them For knowledge guides the motions of our lips as eyesight doth the motions of our feet A blind man must be lying sitting or standing still if he will be going he soon stumbles and falls An ignorant person must keep silence if he will be talking he soon trips and falters and falls under disgrace and Contempt in an understanding company And these heads of divinity in order to Christian Conference may be either 1 General matter 1. General which concernes all persons in all places and at all times As 1. Concerning God his Titles Names Attributes works of Creation and Providence Or 2. Concerning sin its heinous nature how it and nothing else is abominable to God and destructive to man Or 3. touching death how all must die none knoweth how soon Or 4. concerning Christ the great and glorious work of redemption wrought by him his ability and willingnesse to save every poor lost sinner who cometh to him for life how little we are sensible of our want of Christ or of the worth of Christ how little Christ is prized by us or beloved of us or believed in or longed after by us or of that absolute indispensable necessitie there is of our getting union with him or else of our unavoidable misery and that for ever 5. As also concerning hell the pains and torments of the damned endless easeless and remedyless and touching also the joyes of Heaven and happiness there such as eye hath not seen eare hath not heard nor hath it enter'd into the heart of man to conceive 1 Cor. 14.9 and these too for ever and ever And withall concerning doomsday that dreadful day when that trumpet shall sound that lowd shrill voice be heard all the world over Arise ye dead and come to judgment when the earth and the Seas shall give up their dead and all shall stand naked before that righteous Judg the Lord Jesus Christ out of whose mouth shall proceed those two last words Mat. 25.34 41. Come ye blessed and go ye cursed c. and so Saints and sinners shall part for ever The righteous who are the blessed of the Father inherit the kingdome prepared for them and go into life eternal but sinners shall go into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his Angels These particulars an ancient Minister now with God laid down thus Thy God thy sin thy death thy Christ The eternal pains of Hell The Joyes of Heaven the day of doome These seven remember well Add hereunto the vanitie of all Creature excellencies riches pleasures honors beauties wit strength nimbleness of body c. as also buildings feastings wine women musick or what ever any mistaken soul calls delectable Solomon the wisest of Kings got up if I may so express my self to the top of the mountain of all Created excellencies and seeing multitudes clambering climbing up the hill after him some for riches some for pleasures some for honours c. he beckons to them all and cries aloud down again back again back again I have seen and find all to be Vanitie of Vanities Vanitie of Vanities Eccl. 1.3 Especially let me commend to you two common Theams for the Subjects of your discourse the sinfulness and miserie of man by nature with the beauty and loveliness of Jesus Christ for the bringing others under the due and deep convictions of sin in themselves and of righteousness in Jesus Christ to be found and in him onely that so sin may be imbittered self may be emptied of all it 's own conceited righteousness and Christ may be indeared as the onely rock to build upon and holiness embraced as the way to happiness and glory Heb. 12.14 Deale with the sons and daughters of men as the Spouse of Christ dealt with the daughters of Jerusalem My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand his head is the most fine Gold Can. 5.10 to 16. c. and so goeth on in a larg and lively description of Jesus Christ and concludes yea he is altogether lovely this is my beloved and this is my friend O daughters of Jerusalem Who knows but others thereby may be enamoured with Christ and stir'd up to make enquiry after him as the daughters of Jerusalem did whose question presently it was Whither is thy beloved gone O thou fairest among women whither is he turned aside that we may seek him with thee Can. 6.1 An heart fill'd with sweet Meditations concerning Christ and warm affections to Christ will be breaking out in high commendations and recommendations of Christ to others also witness David who saith Psal 45.1 My heart is inditing of a good matter and presently adds I speak of the things I have made touching the King my tongue is the pen of a ready writer Is inditing in the Original toileth or bubleth up fryeth as in a frying pan to wit my heart studieth and prepareth by warm and fervent meditation alluding to the Mincah or meat-offering under the Law made of fine Flour and dressed in the Frying-panâ— boyled in Oyl and then presented to the Lord by the Priest Lev. 2.5 8 9. So the matter of Divine Meditation is as the Mincah the oblation boiled in the grace of the holy Spirit as in Oile so prepared and presented to
the Lord by Christ our great High-Priest Such should all our Holy Meditations and Communications be the Spirit of God being as firelight in our heads and heat in our hearts would make our Tongues run as the Pens of ready writers talking and discoursing of God and of the great concernments of our soules and of eternity Heads fill'd with the knowledg of God his Christ our Jesus and hearts filled with Faith and affiance in Christ and so with warm affections to Christ would provoke us to speak freely and frequently to others imparting our spiritual experiences to them carrying Christ to the Children of men inviting and drawing others to Christ exerting and putting out to our uttermost that strength of grace which we have by grace received thus laying out our talents for our Masters use 2 Special matter 2. And particularly it is a good preparative for Christian Conference to be well stockt and furnished with special matter of discourse for special occasions as to times and persons and the condition of those with whom we do or may converse If with young people 1 Young wishing them to remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth 2 Tim. 2.22 If with aged persons 2 Old advising them to look to it that their hoary heads be found in a way of righteousness Prov. 16.31 and telling them that a sinner though of an hundred years is accursed Isa 65.20 asking them whithey have found that promise made good to them and in them how that they shall bear fruit in their old age and shall be fat and flourishing Ps 92.14 15. to wit in knowledge grace and holiness If with afflicted ones in any kind 3 Afflicted minding them how the time of being afflicted is a time to be much in prayer Jam. 5.13 Call upon me saith the Lord in a day of trouble Psal 50.15 Though we must pray continually 1 Th. 5.17 yet then in an especial manner and repent also as good King Hezekiah did in his sickness he prayed and wept sore Isa 38.2 3. If with persons full of wisdome and policy 4 Prosperous mighty men for strength and souldiery wealthy thy men full of Monies and Treasures mind them of the Prophets advise and Counsel Jer. 9.23 24. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome neither the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches but let him that gloryeth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exerciseth loving kindness judgment and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. Tell the strongest sturdiest and stoutest men you talk with that as lustie as they are a few fits of an ague may soon weaken them and bring them low enough or that a Consumption or any pining sickness may bring them to be bare skin and bones very Skeletons or Anatomies and to be sure in old age if they live to it The keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves and the hoary head will hang down the grave must be their house and their long home and their faces bound in secret wish them to remember the dayes of darkness for they shall be many Ec. 12.3 5. Job 17.13 Job 40.13 Eccl. 11.8 If you meet with rich men Charge them to be rich in good works 5 Rich. and to honour God with their substance and to make them friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness 1 Tim. 6.17 18. Pro. 3.9 Luk. 16.9 If with poor people first relieve them 6 Poor and then charge them not to steal not to take the name of God in vain to get poverty of spirit and then they are blessed to be rich in faith and so heirs of the Kingdome Prov. 30.9 Mat. 5.31 Jam. 2.5 Here 's a large field before me but I 'le run and hasten If you discourse with Magistrates 7 Magistrates be their humble remembrancer that Gods great ends in his constitution of civil powers are that they should be a terror not to good works but to the evil be able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousness Rom. 13.3 Exo. 18.21 If with Ministers advise them 8 Ministers to take heed to themselves and to their Doctrine continue in them c. to be examples to believers in word and conversation 1 Tim. 4.12 16. Tell them they are in a special manner the salt of the earth Mat. 5.13 to season the places wherein and the persons among whom they live with soundness of Doctrine and integritie of life and conversation your Doctrine giving the people the Rule and your lives the example but if the salt hath lost it's savour it 's good for nothing no not for the dunghill Luk. 14.34 35. It 's true not alone of Scandalous Ministers but of Apostate Christians and backsliding professors If you discourse with married persons husbands and wives 9 Married Luk. 1.6 advise them to be as Zacharie and Elizabeth both righteous before God walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blameless and in particular the husband to love his wife even as himself and the wife to see that she reverence her husband Eph. 5.33 10 Vnmarried If with unmarried ones counsel them to care for the things of the Lord how they may please the Lord 1 Co. 7.32 but if they think good to marry let them marry onely in the Lord vers 34 39. If you meet with parents 11 Parents advise them to bring up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6.4 To bring them up that is naturall birds and beasts bring up their young In the nurture keeping them in awe and order that 's moral men as men being rationall and prudent do it in the admonition of the Lord that 's Christian and spiritual If with Children enjoyn them to obey their Parents in the Lord for this is right Eph. 6.11 12 Children And to prevent their stubborness and disobedience mind them of that terrible commination The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the ravens of the vally shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it And how that under the Law Deut. 21.18 19 20 21. The stubborn and rebellious son which would not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother was to be stoned to death If you discourse with governors of Families Masters or Mistresses mind them 13 Governors of Families how they must give unto their servants that which is just and equall knowing that they also have a Master in Heaven Col. 4.1 And how they must look to it that their men-servants and maid-servants as well as themselves and their Children sanctifie the Sabbath according to the Fourth Commandment not suffering them to idle it or to wander abroad vainly upon the Lords day 14 Servants If you have occasion to
not exclusive of mirth natural and civil for there was feasting The Jewes had joy Est 8.17 Neh. 8.10 and gladness a feast and a good day and in their feasts did eat the fat and drink the sweet And let me adde this that even civil mirth well ordered and regulated is a good natural preparative for rejoycing in a more sublime and holy manner And the reason is because of the Spirits which are in men natural animal and vital spirits ingendred in the Livers heads and hearts of men which being kept up lively and agil by civil mirth are as wings to the Souls even of Saints in their sublimer higher and nobler operations And herein I may appeal to the experience of the choicest servants of God who find when their spirits are down and low an indisposition in them thereby for holy duties The disciples themselves when they should have been watching and praying Jesus Christ found them sleeping for sorrow But when our Spirits are up lively Luk. 22.45 and cheary they dispose for duty and our heads and hearts as wheels oyled move more nimbly 2. As for the usefulness and expediency of mirth and lightsomness I say not levity of spirit 2 Vseful 1. Preservation of the bodies health It 's not only serviceable to the soul in its gracious actings and operations as I said before but to the body also for the preservation of health and strength vigor and activity by the multiplying and refining of spirits in us A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance It doth good indeed to the whole body Prov. 15.13 but the good it doth appears and shewes it self especially in the Countenance as being made thereby more amiable and lovely the eye more lively and sharp-slighted the Cheeks more ruddy the bloud more pure and sparkling Though the countenance onely is mentioned yet the whole body is to be understood as receiving good by the hearts cheeriness for though the soul and body differ in substance as spirit and flesh yet God having joyn'd them together in so close a union as to the making up of one person they mutually sympathize each with other a sickly body makes a sad heart and a wounded spirit makes a crasie bodie and I think the body is less able to bear the souls burdens then the soul is the bodys To return to what is in hand that a merry heart countenance appears by the example of Esau none of the best whose heart being gladded by the present sent by Jacob when they met his countenance was so cheerful that Jacob said Gen. 33.10 I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God And by Daniel and his associates none of the worst who though they did eat pulse onely and had nothing but water to drink yet their countenances were fair and fat Deut. 12.15 Why they had merry hearts quiet consciences in their breasts and bosomes arising from their reconciliation and peace with God It 's not choice meats and drinks much less painting or dawbing with vermilions but a good conscience that makes a merry heart and so a cheerful countenance To the same purpose vers 15. He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast By a merry heart he means not carnal mirth and jollity in eating drinking singing musick dancing this he elsewhere calls madness but the merry heart he commendeth is a good conscience sprinkled with the bloud of Christ his righteousness being imputed to us for our justification and so having peace with God Ecc. 2.2 and peace of Conscience which the Apostle expresseth by a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 Once agâ—â—â—e the wise King tells us That a merry 〈◊〉 doth good like a medicine Prov. 17.22 and that because cheaâ—ness of spirit helps Nature's operations with its food and Physick whereas sadness and heaviness of heart hinders both I 'le close up this with a true story I was once in company at dinner where kindred and friends were met and among the rest one a learned and godly man was very merry in telling Tales breaking jests harmless and inoffensive Yet I was somewhat troubled to see and hear it and in some heat break out and asked him saying Sir I pray what is the meaning of those words of the Apostle Let your communication be that which is good to the use of edifying Eph. 4.29 to which he answered me to this purpose we have bodies to edifie as well as soules and harmless mirth doth good to both and so it doth if it be well and wisely ordered 2 Honour to Religion 2. This cheariness of spirit in Company hath its usefulness in reference to others even those without who are strangers to the work of grace and wâ—â—es of Christianity and are apt to 〈◊〉 up prejudices against the people of God as a morose and sour people and that the life they lead is but an uncomfortable life full of melancholy and they verily think that when any set their faces this way Zion-ward that they never have a merry day after but live mopishly and disconsolately all their dayes Now the harmless mirth and merriment in the communications and conversations of Christians is a practicall and reall confutation of this mistake and so is a removing of that stumbling block in their way and withall a fair invitation and allurement of them to come in and to ingage in a stricter and higher profession of Saintship when they are eye and eare-witnesses of its consistency with all possible civil mirth and merriment which is lawfull and commendable Instance Let me back this from my own experience I knew a Lawyer of good parts and practice who being naturally of a lepid and chearful spirit and possest with hard thoughts touching Religion in the strictness of it and exactness therein as necessitating the professors thereof to lay quite aside that kind of mirth which he was addicted to was thereby kept off from ingaging himself in any forwardness in Christianity but afterwards observing the carriage of some Ministers of note and eminency for piety and Ministerial abilities how pleasant they were how facetious in their discourse yet still keeping within the bounds which God in his Word had set them he changed his opinion embraced the Societie of the Saints walked with them in the wayes of God and died I believe a true servant of God and of his Christ our Jesus and that he is now in glory To strengthen this argument The mirth of a Christian life by Zac. Bogan printed at Oxford 1653. I 'le commend to the reading a little Treatise made by a learned holy man whom I knew both in his life and death 3. This cheariness of spirit hath this commendable vertue in it that it puts a shine and lustre upon duties and offered of love performed to men 3 Alustre upon duties and that in the eyes both of God and man God loveth a
of patience Rom. 15.5 whose name is by himself proclaimed to be the Lord the Lord God gracious and merciful slow to anger Exod. 34.6 Neh. 1.6 so highly as to pour out his fury like fire yea in fire to the laying wast of Englands Metropolis in three or four days and so to putting God yea forcing God as it were upon his strange work which he so unwillingly is ingaged in I would well hope that whilst England is England the Histories and Chronicles relating these signal tokens of Gods fierce indignation will have a benigne influence by the blessing of God upon our posterity to the worlds end that they may hear and fear and do no more such wickedness as we have done Deut. 13.11 4 Strangers meet Again 4ly Strangers meeting upon the high-way or else where might and should discourse it how all even the best of men Gods own Children are and have confessed themselves to be but strangers and pilgrims here and therefore as strangers and pilgrims we ought to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul 1 Pet. 2.11 Or when we ask others or others ask us the way to such or such a place why may not a question be put touching the way to heaven and happiness how Christ is the way purchased for believers and how in thankfulness to God for Christ and the benefits we have by Christ we should walk in yea run the way of his Commandements as holy David resolved to do Ps 119.32 Yet againe 5. When people marry 5 Marriages and matches are made possibly with some of the relations and you are guests also at the wedding feast surely it would not be unbecoming Christians to be thinking and speaking of the happy condition of such as are betrothed to Jesus Christ as all believers are and that for ever in righteousness in judgment in loving kindness and mercies Hos 2.19 20. And as John was commanded to write Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb Rev. 19.9 As also the sad and dolefull estate of all who being invited to the wedding feast as all are who live under the sound of the Gospel Come not but desire to be excused make light of it go their wayes one to his farme another to his merchandize Matt. 22.5 or if they come yet have not on the wedding garment are not clothed with the righteousness of Christ and graces of the spirit The Gentile hypocrite is that man to whom the King when he came to see his guests said Friend how earnest thou in hither not having a wedding garment vers 11 12. Both these fall and lie under an heavie doom and dreadful vengeance The slighters who came not to the feast probably the unbelieving Jews with them the King was wroth and he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers and burnt up their City This execution was done speedily by the Romans destroying Jerusalem firing and demolishing the Temple and the City and there was a dismal slaughter of eleven millions of men De belle Judaico women and Children as Josephus reports And for the man that came to the feast he made some Christian profession but had not the wedding garment which is the false unsound Professour the Gentile hypocrite the King deales or will deal severely with him also the man was speechless or muzzled not having a word to say for himself why he should not be condemned vers 12. but the King hath something to say to him which might make his heart to ake and tremble vers 13. Then said the King to the servants to wit the holy Angels ministring spirits bind him hand and foot that is make him sure as they use to do condemned persons he is disabled to sight for himself or by flight to make escape being bound hand and foot take him away O that 's a cutting word if when an angry Father sayeth concerning a froward child take it away away with it the Child screams and roars it 's worse to it then the rod or whipping If when the Judge upon the Bench having passed his sentence of death against a Malefactor saith Take him Jaylor away with him to Prison and from thence to the place of execution if these words be as swords and daggers piercing the hearts of the condemned O then how terrible and dreadful beyond all expression or imagination must it needs be when Christ the righteous Judge shall turne and cashire sinners for ever out of his gratious presence never to see the face of God never to be with the Lord this punishment of loss privative torment is not the least piecâ— of the misery of the damned and to compleat their woe and horror it follows Cast him into utter or outer darkness Joh. 3.19 They loved darkness rather then light the darkness of gross and wilful ignorance know not nor care to know the things of God but are willingly ignorant saying unto God Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes 2 Pet. 3.5 Job 21.14 Eph. 5.11 And love the deeds of darkness therefore the Lord justly casts them into darkness and they shall be filled with darkness as they who cutting the bloody Tyrants head threw it into a pail of bloud saying satiate thy self with bloud Whereas The inheritance of the Saints is in light Satio te Sanguine Col. 1.2 The portion of sinners shall be in blackness of darkness for ever Jude 13. And more it 's outer darkness as doggs without Rev. 22.15 When believers as the children of God are within doors housed in Heaven a place of light and glory the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof vers 23. And if here be not misery enough for what followes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 22.13 Now the sinner hath as he thinks a merry time of it but there 's a woe coming Wo unto you that laugh now for ye shall mourn and weep Luk. 6.25 Now the wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his teeth Psal 37.12 But let them know their black day is at hand wherein they will have gnashing for gnashing their gnashing upon the righteous in scorne and contempt shall be turned into a gnashing their teeth through extremitie of paine anguish and horrour for ever Having been large in this instance my words may seem to be words of digression or of diversion might they by the blessing of God prove to any words of Conversion or of Edification neither writer nor reader would have any cause to repent them of their labour 6 Conversion of a sinner If we hear of the conversion of a sinner it puts us upon rejoycing and praising God and expressing our thankfulness in words and actions It was meet we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again c. saith the Father of the returning Prodigal to his elder Brother Luk.
farthing for all poor lost Souls that come unto him 3. You must pray hard beg the Spirit of God to help your infirmities to work all your works in you and for you and God hath promised to give his holy Spirit to them which ask him Luke 11.13 Stranger I believe in Jesus Christ and repent with all my heart what would you have me do more Min. Friend concerning faith in Jesus Christ we have spoken somewhat before enough to startle you and awake you out of your carnal security if you did indeed believe the Word of God Now for your repentance what do you do when you repent Stranger Why I cry God mercy for all my faults and desire him to Jorgive me Minister Friend that 's Prayer it 's not Repentance to say Lord have mercy on me and so forth is praying Str. Oh but Sir I am sorry for my sins Min. Friend You speak these words so smilingly and merrily as if your heart were not much orewhelmed with sorrow at the present for your sin Str. Yea but Sir I grieve for my sin though now I am a little merry I confess I hope there 's no harm in that Min. Tell me truly Friend did you ever weep for sin in secret between God and your own soul Str. Sir you put me hard to it I do not remember that ever I shed any tears for my sins but some men are not apt to weep Min. What you say Friend is very true some are naturally more apt to weep than others but cannot you weep and take on bitterly for other things for the death of a wife father child or some special friend of yours Stranger I confess then indeed I have mourned greatly and almost wept my eyes out Minister Friend it seems somewhat strange that you who have tears in abundance at command upon other sad occasions should not have some tears also for your sins against God Str. Well Sir though I weep little or not at all for my sins yet I grieve for my sins and hate my sins as much as another man Min. Friend if your grief for sin were right it would be 1. For sin as it is sin displeasing to God a dishonour to God and a defilement to your own soul 2. Godly sorrow works repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 That is amendment in heart and life Str. I hope I grieve for sin and hate it also though you Sir object something still against what I say Min. Friend be not angry that I object so much and so oft I do it only to find and beat out the truth and for your good Str. It may be so Sir Minister Friend You think and say you hate your sins let me put a few questions to you 1. Do you hate all sins one as well as another he that hates one Toad hates all Toads 2. Do you long to be the death of your sins is your hatred a mortal a deadly hatred do you mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit Rom. 8.13 3. Deal plainly and truly as you will answer it at death and judgment is there not some beloved sin that you are loth to part with loth to be told of by friends or Ministers some sinful way of profit or pleasure which you have no mind to leave but allow your self in it Stranger Sir I have had a great deal of talk with our own Minister who is a very good Churchman and he never said half so much to me Min. It may be so but what say you to my last question is there not some sin that you allow your self in which is as dear as your right eye and right hand unto you Str. Sir I am not bound to confess to you you have no authority to examine me Minister No Friend I speak in love to you desiring if the Lord please to do some good to your soul but let me tell you I fear your conscience cryes guilty you begin to be so touchy Stranger Sir it 's my fault to be angry but you do so pinch me yet I am persuaded you mean me no hurt therefore if you 'll needs have my heart out of me it 's even no better nor no worse I confess I love the company of some that are none of the best and I can't shake them off the world is hard and unless a man have some tricks there is no living in it and I do walk in some wayes not to mince the matter with you which my conscience tells me I ought not to walk in Min. Friend You do well to be open with me by the blessing of God it may be for your good therefore tell me a little farther do you not sometimes take the Name of God in vain Str. I hope not or very little Min. What think you of such words as these As I live As I am an honest man As I am a Christian Let me never stir Let me never be believed more if it be not thus and thus What think you of By my Faith By my Troth and By our Lady and of saying O Lord O God O Jesus and the like in common discourse which kind of words I heard fall from you at least some of them since you and I met Stranger Truly Sir I think they were better forborn Minister I think so too for they look like Oaths and Curses as a light and irreverent using of the Name of God Christ saith Matth. 5.37 Let your conversation be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil Str. Sir People will not believe what I say unless I use such expressions as these Min. It matters not much so long as you speak the truth plainly if men will not believe you the fault is theirs and let me tell you that those who are wise men indeed will believe you the less for the using such words as these and say He that will swear will lye he that sticks not at dishonouring God by taking his Name in vain will not stick at deceiving man by a lye and speaking an untruth Stranger Sir what you say I confess is reason Minister Friend since I find you in so good a vein and willing to discourse it on which I am glad of tell me do you not use to break the Sabbath Str. No Sir I go to Church constantly when I am well and nothing hinders me Min. But Friend do not you accustom your self to lie long a Bed in the morning to sit idling at the doors that day to talk of worldly business to make bargains to hire or pay Labourers to walk in the fields needlesly do you not use some Sports Pastimes and Recreations do you not Travel that day to or prepare for Markets and Fairs and the like Str. I confess I have done so but I 'll do so no more Min. Friend you must desire God to humble you for these as all other your sins to pardon you in the blood of Christ and to strengthen you against them for
the time to come by his grace and holy Spirit working in you Stranger Sir I hope I am truly humbled for my sins I grieve and am sorry for them I have had many afflictions and smarted for my sins Minister If your sorrow for sin be right it is not so much because of afflictions and judgments felt or feared as because you have offended God who hath been so good and merciful unto you You will also loath and leave your sins as the abominable thing which God hates Jerem. 44.4 Rom. 7.15 The evil which I hate Str. Sir I hope also that I hate my sins truly and indeed Min. Friend if the hatred of sin be right then 1. You 'll hate all sin as I told you before Prov. 8.13 The fear of the Lord is to hate every false way 2. And withal know this that whoever hateth sin loveth God and his people Str. Why Sir I make no question of it but I do love God and his people Minister Friend if you do indeed love God you do also keep his Commandments John 14.15 Not allowing your self in any known sin and for the godly if you love them you are then acquainted with them delight in their company as David Psal 119.63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee and of them that keep thy precepts And Paul when he was converted joined himself to the Disciples which were at Jerusalem and at Damascus Acts 9.19 and 26. Now if we be unacquainted with such people if shie of their society c. it 's in vain to think we love the Brethren 1 John 3.4 if we do not love the brotherhood 1 Pet. 2.17 the society of Saints and that when they are most strict and spiritual in their communication and conversation if you be a meer stranger to them where is your love towards them what say you to this Friend Stranger Sir you in your talk with me put me hard to it Lord help me Min. Friend your saying Lord help me puts me in mind to ask you what good prayers do you use to say Stranger Such as my friends taught me the Ten Commandments I believe in God c. and the Lords prayer Minister Friend do you think the Ten Commandments and I believe in God c. be good Prayers Str. Yes Sir Min. No Friend the Ten Commandments are a rule of life shewing us what we must do and I believe in God c. sheweth us what we ought to believe but they are not Prayers and when we say them we ask nothing at Gods hands Sir They are good things and it is good to learn them Min. Friend that is true it is good to learn them and to understand the meaning of them to live according to the Commandments and to believe according to the Articles of our Christian Faith but to think they are Prayers and to say them over instead of Prayers that is your mistake Str. Sir I confess my error therein Min. Friend what think you of the Creed I believe in God c is that form of words Scripture the written Word of God as well as the Ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer Stranger Yes surely Sir Minister No Friend we find the Ten Commandments in Exod. 20. and the Lords Prayer in Matth. 6.9 but I believe in God c. in so many words together is not in all the Bible but that form of words was made up and laid together by men yet it is agreeable to the Word of God and so is of good use for all Believers Str. Sir I thank you if you would explain and open something to me out of the Ten Commandments I believe in God and the Lords Prayer you would do me a great courtesie Min. Friend I am glad to find you willing to learn but that is too long a work for the little time we are like to be together and therefore I would advise you by all means when you come home to learn good Catechisms and to talk with good Ministers and good People putting questions to them and they will help you Str. True Sir but whilst we are together it may be you may say something out of them which may do me good Minister Why then Friend in the first Commandment Thou shalt have c. what do you think God forbids in that Commandment Stranger I think the having more Gods than one Min. Friend what you say is a general truth but what is it to have other Gods Str. Sir to have other Gods is I think to worship the Sun Moon or Stars c. Min. Friend let me tell you the Commandment of God is spiritual and reacheth the hearts of men so that to love desire joy fear trust in any thing more than God is to have other gods thus we may make husbands wives children friends trades customers c. riches honours pleasures c. to be our gods when our hearts run out more after are set more upon them than upon God Str. Sir this is strange Min. Friend as strange as it is it is very true for God saith Prov. 23.26 Give me thine heart and Matth. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and it is certain to have our hearts upon any person or thing more than God is to make that our God and our Idol Stranger Sir then by what you say if any be more careful to please or more fearful to offend a husband a wife a master or mistriss a land-lord or great man that rules over us than we are careful to please or fearful to offend God is to make them our gods Minister Friend it is certainly so however it may seem to be new doctrine to you And for the second Commandment Thou shalt not make c. what think you is forbidden in this Commandment Str. I think we are forbidden to worship Images as the Papists do Min. Friend that you say is true but the Commandment of God hath a farther reach in it and forbids not only the worshipping of Images or God by Images but the worshipping of God any other way not appointed in his Word Deut. 12.32 What thing soever I command you he speaks of worship ver 31. observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it Stranger I confess Sir this is plain Scripture I cannot gainsay it Minister Well Friend for the third Commandment Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain c. What think you is meant by the Name of God Str. To deal plainly with you Sir I cannot well tell on a sudden what is meant by the Name of God though I have said it over many and many a time Min. Friend are not men known by their names you and I and others why then the Name of God is that whereby God makes himself known by his Titles Attributes Ordinances Word and Works Str. Sir I think what you say
is right but I do not well understand you I pray tell me what you mean by Titles Attributes Ordinances Word and Works Min. Friend I like this inquiring of yours well and I will tell you 1. By the title of God is meant Lord Jehovah Jah c. 2. An Attribute of God is that which is spoken of God as that he is a Spirit infinite eternal and unchangeable that God is Almighty most wise most holy most merciful just faithful c. 3. By Ordinances I understand every part of that worship which God hath appointed as Prayer Preaching Reading Hearing Singing Psalms the Sacraments c. 4. By the Word I mean the Scriptures wherein God revealeth his Will and maketh himself known to the children of men 5. By Works I understand the works of Creation and Providence whereby God revealeth much of himself to men who eye God in them Stranger What is it then to break this Commandment Minister It is to prophane or abuse any thing whereby God makes himself known Str. I hope Sir you will tell me something also out of the fourth Commandment Min. Friend why is that day we keep holy call'd the Lords day and the Sabbath for these are names which the Scriptures give that day Rev. 1.10 Gen. 2.23 Stranger Sir I never heard that question put before Minister Friend it is called the Lords day because the Lord appointed it to be kept holy and that in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ and the great work of Redemption wrought by him And it is called the Sabbath which signifieth rest because it is to be kept by us as an holy rest unto the Lord. Str. What must we do on the Sabbath day Min. Friend we must spend the whole day in worshipping God publickly and privately Str. Sir may not works of mercy and necessity be done that day Min. Yes Friend if they be indeed works of necessity and mercy and not so in pretence only Str. Sir you said the whole day must be kept holy what mean you by the whole day Min. Friend by the whole day I mean full Four and twenty hours for the Sabbath must be as long as any other day of the week besides Stranger I pray Sir what must we not do on the Sabbath Minister Friend we must not make that day 1. A day of idleness barely resting from labour as our Beasts do 2. Nor a day of worldly business in buying selling or the like 3. Nor a day of sports and recreations much less 4. Nor a day of sinning especially as in drunkenness stealing and the like 5. Nor a day only of outside devotions but we must labour to worship God in spirit also and to enjoy some spiritual communion with God in his holy Ordinances Str. Sir but am I not at liberty as to my thoughts and words that day Min. No Friend for God is a Spirit his day and worship spiritual so that we ought to lay aside all unnecessary thoughts and words that day as well as works about worldly employments and recreations Isa 58.13 Not speaking thine own words on the Sabbath Str. Sir I hope you will say something to me also concerning the other Commandments Minister Yes Friend but more briefly lest our time should fail us what think you is meant by Father and Mother in the fifth Commandment Stranger Sir I think my Father that begot me and my Mother that bore me Min. Friend that is true you say but there is more in it by Father and Mother we must understand Magistrates and Ministers and all our Superiours in any kind whatsoever Str. Sir and what is it to honour my Superiours Min. Friend it is to give them that inward and outward respect which is due to them and to obey the lawful commands of those who are over us Str. Sir doth this command require only our duty to Superiours Min. Yes it injoined also the duties of Superiours to Inferiours Str. Sir I pray tell me what the sixth seventh eighth and nine Commandments require of us Min. Briefly thus the sixth Commandment enjoineth all lawful endeavours for good of the life the seventh of the chastity the eighth of the wealth and outward estate the ninth of the good name of our selves and others each Commandment forbidding whatsoever is contrary or opposite thereunto Stranger The tenth Commandment also I pray Sir speak to Minister The tenth Commandment Thou shalt not covet c. requireth not only a full contentment with our own condition but a right and charitable frame of heart toward our Neighbour and all that is his Str. Sir I thank you for all this good discourse of yours I have rid many a mile with some Ministers and never had half so much from them Min. Friend it may be so but was not you your self much in fault did you put questions to them such as I have now put to you and you to me Str. No Sir to speak the truth and I am afraid I am much to blame for it Min. One word more before we part I presume Friend you have been at the Sacrament and received the Communion Stranger Yes many a time at Easter methinks I have a mind to it Minister Friend and why not at other times also Is your foul an hungry and doth the spiritual appetite come to you but once a year Str. Sir that is the time we use to go and then the rest of my Neighbours receive Min. Friend then it seems you go much for custom and company but tell me did you ever get any good by the Sacraments Str. Sir I hope no hurt Min. Friend they who live ignorantly or scandalously eat and drink unworthily are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and so eat and drink judgment or damnation to themselves 1 Cor. 11.27 29. Str. I hope I go better prepared than so Min. How do you prepare your self Str. Sir I give my name to the Minister aforehand I put on my best apparel I fast that morning lay the blessed bread and wine next my heart yea I am in love and charity with all men and forgive give those that have wronged me with all my heart Minister Friend that which in your answer fell last from you is quickly said not so soon done how can you say you are in love and charity with all men c. when your own heart tells you and all your Neighbours can testifie that for such and such a man you cannot give him a good word or a good look you express much joy when any evil befalls him or his where is your love then Stranger Sir you can't imagine what a deal of wrong he hath done me for many years together my heart cannot but rise against him whenever I see him but I hope to be eaven with him and to pay him all I owe him before I dye Min. Look you now Friend what is become of your charity and of forgiving with all your heart those words were but wind your
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man c. The Psalmist giveth the ungodly man a black brand saying God is not in all his thoughts Ps 10.4 and let it be for an humiliation and lamentation that God is no more in the hearts and Months of the best amongst us Secondly Having laid down a little and but a little of the Tongues Unruliness in reference to God it is sinful silence neither speaking much to Gods nor of God which is its greivous miscarriage by way of omission Let some enquiry be made after the Tongues positive guilt by way of Commission 2. Commission it 's speaking irreverently lightly or prophanely and that in reference to God and so speaking too much of God For instance First 1 Titles abused There is a frequent abuse of the Titles and Attributes of God in our common discourse saying O Lord O God O Christ O Jesu O dear God O sweet Saviour and the like and this upon very trifling occasion as when one meets an acquaintance unexpectedly out flye these words or the like and usher in no more but an how dost thou who thought to see thee here to day or a whence comest thou or whither art thou going Is not this to play with Sacred things and to take the name of the Lord our God in vain A question also may be whether when we hear onesneeze to cry God bless you or Christ help you be a bounden duty which upon this occasion God requires at our hands It s the judgment of a worthy Writer of this Nation who was no dishonour to the Nation that there is more cause with us to pray for a man Coughing than Sneezing for Coughing argueth the Cold taken to be too strong for Nature to eject it but sneezing sheweth Natures strength in mastering the Cold taken and casting of it out When I was young as I remember I read it in the French Academy that Sneezing was a good sign of a bad cause of natures strength though cold were taken Adde also this question Whether to apply the incommunicable Attributes of God as Allmighty Infinite and the like to persons or things here below as to say I love or hate such a person or thing infinitely might not such language well be spared Secondly 2 Scriptures abused The Tongue trips and falls foully when it makes bold with Scriptures using or abusing rather the phrase and language of it in jesting to provoke mirth in Company 1 In jesting or in wresting it to maintain erronious opinions as seducers do I grant that there is a facetiousness a witty cheariness in discourse which being well ordered may not onely be lawful but a duty yet to jest it in the words of Scripture as when asked why did not you come at such a time to such a place as you promised To answer merrily saying I have a Farm c. I pray you have me excused or I have a Wife and could not come and an hundred the like expressions which the Devil and prophane wits of men can forge and fancy surely this way of tossing the word of God to and fro falls within the Compass of that jesting which the Apostle saith Eph. 5.4 is not Convenient The Original word used which the Philosophers ranked among one of their vertues the Holy Apostle puts in the Catalogue of vices as fornication covetousness foolish talking Vers 3. and jesting Talking scurrilously and lasciviously is alwayes bad enough especially when cloathed with Scripture Language that is a breach of many commands together Jesting in Scripture phrases is inbeseeming the gravity and fanctity of Christianity Remember it is ill jesting with edged Tooles such surely is the word of God yea Heb. 4.12 it 's sharper than any two edged sword Againe the holy Word of God is miserably abused and prophaned 2 In wresting the Scripture in the wresting and misapplying it to the countenancing and patronizing of errors and heresies or of vicious words and practices 2 Pet. 3.16 This the Apostle Complains of saying That in Pauls Epistles are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction Unlearned and unstable Ignorance is the Root of instability Againe ignorance and instability are the Mother and Nurse of most or all the corrupt opinions and wayes which are taken up and walked in by the mistaken children of men and one great Engine which Satan useth in his seductions is the wresting misconstruing and the misapplying the Holy Scriptures making men believe that the Spirit of God speaketh that in the word which indeed never was at all the meaning of the Holy Ghost The word in the Original significantly points at this alluding to tormentors who lay men on the Rack and make them to speak that which they never meant or thought so that this wresting is to torment and rack the Scriptures and which is dreadfull to think all this is to their own destruction As if a man sadly distempered walking in a pleasant Spring or Grove should cut up a young Twig and be twisting and twining of it till he had made a with of it and then go and hang himself therein Thus the Sabbath breakâ—… who profane the day by idleness The Sabbath breaker 〈◊〉 speaking their own words by finding their own pleasure upon Gods holy day if rebuked will plead saying Mar. 2.27 The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Thus the greedy worldlings The worldling Amos. 2 7. Hab. 2.6 who pant after the dust of the Earth and all the day long are lading themselves with thick Clay mind nothing but Earth Earth Earth if questioned why do ye thus why spend ye your strength for that which is not Bread and labour for that which will not satisfie they have a ready answer 1 Tim. 5.8 If any provide not for his own and specially for those of his own house he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel The Glutton Phil. 3.19 Luk. 16.19 Thus the gluttons and voluptuous Epicures of our Age who make their bellies their gods faring deliciously every day who care for nothing but to eat the fat and drink the sweet if a reason of this their brutish sensuality be demanded They 'l presently tell you Eccl. 2.24 There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink and that he should make his soulenjoy goâ—… his labour The worst of sinners Yea the worst of sinners 〈◊〉 on swearers drunkards adulterers lyers cheaters and such like will wrest and pervert Scriptures to their own delusion obduration and destruction 3 By swearing 3. The Tongues of men grow black and bloody with Oathes of several sorts and sizes 1. Blasphemous Oathes by the parts and
30 31. He went in to tarrie with them sat at meat with them took bread and blessed it and brake and gave to them and their eyes were opened and they knew him and he vanished out of their sight How they came to know him and how he vanished I 'le not curiously enquire It is enough to my purpose that Christ gave so ample testimony of his approbation of the two disciples ingaged in their holy talke and conference 3 The Holy Ghost 3. That the Holy Ghost also is well pleased with Christian Conference among believers as occasionally they meet together there 's no question Are not good thoughts the motions good words the language of the Spirit in believers and can it be imagined that the blessed Spirit is not delighted in and well pleased with his own work with the thoughts he himself puts into the hearts and words he puts into the mouthes of his Saints and Servants Again the Spirit of God all along in Scripture setting a Crown of honour and highest commendations upon the head of Holy Conference is sufficient demonstration of that delight and contentment which he takes therein take a few expressions among many Pro. 10.20 21. The Tongue of the just is as choice Silver Gartwright in locum The lips of the righteous feed many These metaphorical expressions are significant and emphatical as Choice Silver Silver refined again and again seven times refined Silver in it self is precious but the more purified the more precious Feed many alluding to famous house-keepers men of renowned hospitality who keep open house feed many so the lips of the righteous by words of sound doctrine of correction of instruction feed the souls of others which is the best hospitality There is Gold saith Solomon Prov. 20.15 and a multitude of rubies but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel And our dear Lord Jesus Christ setting forth the graces of the Church saith Thy lips are like a thred of scarlet and thy speech is comely Song of Solomon 4.3 11. Once more in that glorious eminent and promised effusion of the Spirit upon the Apostles Act. 2.3 Why was the apparition in Cloven Tongues like as of fire which sat upon each of them so that they were filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance The main and principal design no doubt was the publication and propagation of the Gospel among the Nations for every man heard the Apostles speak in his own language vers 5.8 9 10 11. Yet a subordinate design might be to provoke all believers who though they have not the miraculous gift of Tongues as the Apostles had yet they all have their measure of the Spirit and should speak with other Tongues new Tongues be a people of a pure language or lip Zeph. 3.9 and their Tongues should be Cloven Tongues dividing in their talk between truth and error good and evill administring comfort to whom comfort and terrour to whom terrour belongeth Severing between the precious and the vile Jer. 15.19 Not sadding the hearts of the Righteous whom God would not have sadded nor yet strengthning the hands of the wicked by promising them life Ezek. 13.22 Yea fiery Tongues also inflamed with love to God zeal for his glory indignation against sin in our selves or others as that because unto God it is so highly displeasing Surely this heavenly fire of love and zeale in our communication and conference is kindled from above by the Spirit and therefore must of nenessity be very grateful unto and acceptable with that blessed Spirit And so much for the second argument enforcing Christian Conference upon this ground because it is so delightful to the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost 3 Argument Remuner ation of it 3. This duty of Christian Conference finds great remuneration from God and that both here and hereafter First in general as it is the keeping of a command of God for in keeping them is great reward not onely upon and after but in keeping them 1 Inward peace Obedience to the commands is an evidence of grace and for glory carries with it in the very act oftentimes an holy and heavenly tranquillity and serenity of spirit a cheariness of heart as it were wages in the work Hannah prayeth 1 Sam. 1.15 18. that 's her duty and her countenance was no more sad that 's her reward in hand presently I knew a young Minister who being at a wedding feast Instance where was much mirth and Musick also the Fidlers singing Songs lascivious scurrilous and profane enough the young man being sensible that God was thereby highly dishonoured had great trouble in his spirit wonder'd that none would stand up and appeare to rebuke and give check to that disorder still the jolly Fidler plays and sing on and the young mans perploxity and indignation goes on still and was as a fire in his bones whereupon he whispered in the care a Minister by him of more gravity then himself and one that had more relation to and authority with the company then he himself had intreating him to stop that prophaness but in vaine the Aged Minister held his peace the young mans troubles within increased as fire kindling and then he break out to this purpose You Musicians I am not against your Musick by instruments or by voices but the matter of your songs is such as dishonours God may probably corrupt and debauch some of the hearers and doth sad others he said moreover still with some heat and fervour probably zeal for God I do not see any body giving you any thing for your Musick but if you will be still and gone I 'le give you something for your silence whereupon the Musicians withdrew and the young man had tides and flouds of peace and comfort flowing in upon his spirit the impressions whereof were as I have heard him say more then once a refreshing to him many yeares after and possibly are if he be yet alive to this very day Yea the same Minister oft professed and is to be believed so far as humane Faith and Charity which believeth all things will carrie us 1 Cor. 13.7 that he found such delight and contentment in Christian Conference that when upon the Road he fell into company which was willing to discourse and though ignorant yet were willing to learn it was as pleasing to him as theives or high-way-men please themselves when they meet with a prey or booty and seldome mentioned he this but he gave God alone all the glory This is a great and a good reward which the Lord oft gives into the breasts and bosomes of such as speak oft one to another concerning the things of God even joy and peace That peace which the world cannot give nor take away a kind of touch or tast of that peace which passeth all understanding Phi. 4.7 And thus this good man is satisfied from himself
the wheat the barley and rie in their places saith his God doth instruct him to discretion Againe how the fitches are beaten out with a staff and the Cummin with a rod. How bread Corne is bruised He Concludes This also cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts which is wonderfull in Counsel and excellent in working And to make way for this ioyfull harvest husbandmen speak often of plowing and that soon enough and deep enough though in the cold winter season much very much if not too much of the Countrye mans discourse is harping upon these strings and shall not the generation of believers who themselves are Gods husbandry 1 Cor. 3.9 Mat. 13.4 5 7 8 19 20 21 22 23. be much in talking they cannot be well too much about those several grounds the highway the stony and thorny ground the good ground also mentioned by Christ in the parable with the interpretation thereof And how the Word of God in the plainness and power of it is the good the best seed faithful Ministers such and such are good seeds men this life and therein youth especially when Consciences are stirred by the good motions of the holy Spirit is the time the onely seed time with us and withall shall not believers speak often one to another about cutting down and plucking up by the roots the Cockel and the darnel the weeds and the twich errors in judgement unbeliefe spiritual pride earthly minededness and all disorderly passions and affections consuming and destroying them by that spirit of judgment and of burning And though the Christians harvest their full harvest come not till that last and great day when all the elect their souls and bodies being reunited as shocks of Corne fully ripe shall be gathered into those everlasting barnes and be housed in glory yet shall the husbandman all the year long rejoyce and solace himself in the hopes of a rich Crop when the harvest comes and shall not believers all their life time rejoyce in the hopes of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 Isa 9.3 and their joy be as the joy of harvest yea their joy be unspeakable and full of glory and in order to all this shall not believers in their Christian Conference together much and seriously mind each other to look to it that the plough of legal Convictions Compunctions and Humiliations hath gone deep enough in their hearts breaking up their fallow ground that they sowe not among thornes Jer. 4.3 Certainly all the reason imaginable excites the people of God to such kind of discourses as these are Again we see how all men who are dealers in the world will be talking how the market goeth what good commodities in one kind or in another they can buy and upon what easie rates and shall not believers speak freely and frequently among themselves rejoycing therein and giving glory to God onely what good penny worths they make if I may so express it how they have the choicest and the rarest commodities to be had and that upon the lowest terms Isa 55.12 Rev. 3.18 Waters to cool and cleanse them Wine to glad and chear up their spirits milk to nourish them bread to strengthen their hearts yea and Eye-salve that they may see Gold that they may be rich and white raiment that they may be clothed to wit Christ and his Spirit grace and glory and all this more than which is not to be had without price and without monies It is but ask and have but take by believing and its all yours surely such bargains as these are worth the having the thinking of and speaking of with the highest exultations and with all possible triumphing of spirits whatsoever Yet farther shall Scholars when they meet discourse it concerning the famous Schools they were bred in shall their Tongues run nimbly whiles speaking of Arts and Sciences of Logick or Philosophy or of Divinity dogmatical or polemical yea in all manner of humane learning whether Grammatical or Academical And shall not Christians when they meet tell one another how they were all trained up in one School it 's the best Ma. 4.38 a none-such the School of Christ how they were and still are his disciples his Scholars how Christ is their Master hath taught them to fear God Eccl. 12. Ro. 10.3 Eph. 1.2 and keep his Commandments to denie their own righteousness and to establish the righteousness of God in Christ hath taught them those hard lessons of Faith and repentance of loving their enemies so that they know how to want and how to abound how to be emptie and how to be full Mat. 5 44. Act. 5.31 yea how to live and how to die In a word That they can do all things through Christ strengthening the Phil. 4.11 12 13. Once more shall Lawyers talk much of their Cases and trials and why not Christians be putting of Cases of Consciences and of the trials of their faith in times of temptations persecutions and defertions when the very trial of their faith is more precious than of Gold that perisheth 1 Pet. 1. Shall Physitians and Chyrurgions with their Patients be continually talking of what wonderful Cures have been wrought by them or upon them I saith one was even wasted and worne even to nothing but skin and bone by pining sickness and a long lingering Consumption but such a Doctor cured cured me and I am now full and fleshy strong and hearty And I saith another was troubled with sore Eyes had almost quite lost my sight but such an Oculist healest me and I saith a third was grievously vexed and tormented with the stone for so many years together Oh the grinding pains of the stone how have they held me as upon the rack for weeks or months together but such a Chirurgion cut me fetched it away so bigge so ragged and now I am at ease and as well as ever and what shall not the generation of believers speak much and often of Christ their great Phesicion what strang yea miraculous Cures he hath wrought in them for and upon them how they were in their unregenerations pining away for and in their iniquities Eze. 24.23 a spiritual Consumption upon their soules being hereditarie from their fore-Fathers even as far as Adam yet Christ recovered them Hos 14.4 healed their backslidings How they were as to spiritual Eye-sâ—â—ht not onely dim-sighted but quite blind yea born blind Eph. 1.1 5. but now they see he annointed their Eyes so that they see yea are quick-sighted through grace in the things of God how they were born with a stone in their hearts Rev. 3.18 worse than those in the back or bladder but Christ hath graciously taken away that stony heart Ezek. 36. and given a heart of flesh to them Yea more than all this Christians can and do tell one another how they were born Lepers over-run with a noisome leprosie of sin from head to foot how that no sooner were they
and honour in that happy day of our Lords appearance Awake awake O my glory Psal 57.8 Let each real Saint say Let us therefore arise and be doing and the Lord will be with us and prosper us 1 Chr. 22.16 Having proposed several arguments enforcing the necessity and usefulness of Christian Conference I proceed to lay down somâ— directions for the better performance of that great and weighty duty which may fall under two heads either habitual preparation for or actual execution in the discharge of that duty Habitual preparation Touching our habitual preparation for this spiritual service let me commend to all 1. 1 Heart puritie Heart puritie full of God and good which will fill the mouth with discourse of God and good For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 35. As the fountain is to the stream such is the heart to language both good or both bad And our present state being mixed and imperfect the purer the fountain is the more Christal are the streams flowing from it But for the making up this heart purity there is requisite 1. 1 By Blood Our being washed white in the blood of Jesus Christ Rev. 1.5 Nothing washeth white indeed but bloud and no bloud but the bloud of the Lamb Rev. 7.14 not Tears though penitential Tears and rivers of these Tears for all our Tears when all is done even themselves need washing The justification of our persons by the gracious imputation of the righteousness of Christ and by faith received is the prime and grand requisit pride and vain glory may squeeze good words out of the mouths of persons unjustified unsanctified strangers meer strangers to regeneration they lisping and stammering shuffling and bungling at it but holy language never floweth freely and sweetly indeed till Christ dwelleth in the heart by faith That Tree of life whose fruit is for meat and leaves for the healing of the Nations makes and alone makes fountains and streams hearts and language sweet and wholsome which else would be bitter and brackish yea noisome and poisonous Heb. 9.13 14. The Apostle argues from the less to the greater from the Law to the Gospel if the bloud of bulls c. How much more c. 2. 2 By the Spirit Washed also in the waters of the Sanctuary by the holy spirit of Sanctification infusing and implanting gracious qualities and habits into the Soul fitting it to utter speech gracious and such as may minister grace to the hearers and that from such principles as these 1. 1 Faith An habit and principle of faith eying God eying duty I believed saith holy David Psal 116.10 therefore have I spoken Prayer is faith speaking to God and holy Language is saith speaking to men faith herein eyeing the command of God is obedient and doth dutie and eyeing promises of blessings thereunto annexed is heartened and takes incouragement 2. 2 Love Love to God to our neighbours and to our selves that Gods glory may be advanced our neighbours spiritual good promoted and our own inward peace preserved by a Conscientious discharge of this dutie The truth is to speak plain English that even forward professors themselves being too miserably Tongue-tied as to Christian Conference argueth that there is but little true love to God to our neighbours or our selves to be found in us Paul had another frame of spirit more lively more communicative Rom. 1.11 12. He longeth to see the Romans that he might impart to them some spiritual gift to the end that they might be established that he might be comforted together with them by a mutual faith And this is certain his way of imparting to them was not in preaching to them onely but in conferring and discoursing with them also for their establishment his comfort and theirs and the glory of God in all Knowledg puffeth up but charity edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 Puffeth up as a bladder with wind Charitie edifieth or buildeth up others as an house or Temple for God 3. 3 Fear There is required an holy fear and awe of God upon our spirits They that feared the Lord saith the Prophet Mal. 3.16 spake often one to another c. and therefore they spake often one to another because they feared the Lord. And the reason is cleare and plain all who fear God know that he is offended by sinful silence as well as by sinful language Omissions are destructive as well as Commissions and negatives as positives The servant that hid his Talent is punished with a vengeance Mat. 25.30 Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Not only that evil servant which smote his fellow servants did eat and drink with the drunken when the Lord came was cut in sunder and had his portion appointed with hypocrites where is weeping gnashof teeth Mat. 24.48 49 50 51. The same dreadful doom and dismal vengeance falls on both the idle servant and the wicked Silence or speech if sinful are both accursed 4. 4 Musing A musing meditabundous spirit much fits and disposeth us for holy Conference They who are much in the thoughts of God are like to be much also in speaking of God and for God Mal. 3.16 They that thought on his name spake often one to another David tells us Psal 39.3 My heart was hot within me while I was musing the fire burned then spake I with my Tongue Be it he spake in Prayer to God as his next words import verse 3. Lord make me to know my end c. It holds also in holy Conference words for God though to men A full vessel must have vent and an heart full of holy meditations will vent it self in holy communications with men and in holy ejaculations prayers and praises to God 5. 5 Delighting in God A delighting our selves in God his word works and wayes would dispose us to a more warme and frequent speaking of God his word works and wayes Naturally men love and take occasion to be speaking of such things as they are much delighted in Holy David who said Ps 119.24 Thy Testimonies are my delight said also vers 72. My Tongue shall speak of thy words And again when he had said I will speak of thy Testimonies before Kings and will not be ashamed ver 46. he adds his incitement thereto I will delight in thy Commandments which I have loved 6. 6 Wisdom Wisdome is a great requisite for the well ordering of the Tongue to know the time to speak and the time to keep silence Eccl. 3.71 The vertuous woman openeth her mouth with wisdome And the man that refraineth his lips is wise also Prov. 31.26 Prov. 10.19 Wisdome keepeth the door of the lips openeth and shuts them in due season It 's the Wisdome of the Magistrate which guides a tumultuous people the wisdome of the Pilot which steers the ship tost with winds and billows and it is
up their wits and busying their minds to find out the meaning of his riddle that mirth which carries this design the profit of our selves or others is lawful and laudable 3. 3 To make way for what is serious To facilitate the passage for rebukes or advice serious and weighty which with some go down smoother in a merry word then in plain and downright language so that cheariness of speech helps to gild over and sweeten the bitter Pills of reproof and counsel which are therein swallowed down no stob made but taken better in a jest than in earnest This way of dealing with others in ironical language is frequent in the Scriptures of the old and new Testament Solomon Rejoyce O young man c. and since you are so wilful and heady heed no advice that is given to you go on take your course see what will come on it But know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment Eccl. 11.9 Take one of many in the new Testament Paul saw the Corinthians were a proud conceited people though Christians and good for the main see how he taunts them 1 Cor. 4.8 Now ye are full now ye are rich ye have reigned as Kings without us and all in an holy loving ironie 3. 3 Attended with affections Our civil mirth as it must be well seasoned well designed so also must it be well attended with suitable affections and such Christian graces as the present occasion calls for To instance in a few particulars 1. 1 Fear There should be in our greatest and highest mirth an holy fear and awfull dread of God upon our spirits merriment is a kind of boiling liquor will soon run over if not well watched and looked unto we should rejoyce in the Lord yet with fear and trembling Psal 2.11 and when we express our inward joy by outward mirth be it in feasting and dayes of thanksgiving yet still with fear and trembling It is laid by the Apostle and charged as a crime upon those seducing teachers that they did feed themselves without fear Jude 12. To feed without any fear of God or reverence to the Church the Saints with whom they did eat all their Love Feasts is Bezas note upon the place 2. 2 Sympathy With Christian Sympathy being duely sensible of and deeply laying to heart the miseries of others especially the distresses of Zion at home or abroad Amos 6.5 6 7. To chant it to the sound of the viol and drink wine in bowles but not to be grieved for the afflictions of Joseph is a provocation threatned and plagued with desolation Therefore shall they go captive with the first that go Captive c. 3. 3 Sorrow With godly sorrow mourning for the sin whilst we rebuke the sinner Love to God and our neighbours and our selves will ingage us in both mourning and rebuking also and without this all our Civil mirth will end in heaviness Prov. 14.13 Having laid down directions for the well managing of Christian Conference in the actual exercise of it and that both negatively and positively let me adde 3 Direction in Transition A third Direction which is by witty yet wise transitions to pass and slip off from common discourse into discourses more serious and spiritual As 1. From the words of others of others Our Lord Jesus Christ hath pattern'd and fairly copied this out to us by his own example Joh. 4.6.15 He being weary sat down on Jacobs well and presently a woman of Samaria coming out to draw water Christ glides into a gracious discourse with her about living water the water of life which he himself was Again having rebuked his Carnal hearers who followed him for the loaves sake he passeth into a holy and large discourse touching the bread of life which he himself was so preaching the Gospel from place to place So when Simon Peter was astonished at the draught of Fishes Christ said to him From henceforth thou shalt catch men Luk. 5.9 10. I might be very large herein But why all this surely for our imitation that we might go and do likewise When others are speaking of buying and selling what good penny-worths they had mind them of buying the truth and not selling it and of buying wine and milk Christ his Spirit grace and glory and that without price and without mony Isa 55.1 the best bargain that can possibly be made and the best penniworth that Earth or Heaven it self affordeth If the talk be what good news is stirring put in saying the Gospel the glad-tidings of Salvation by Jesus Christ is the best newes which ever was told to or heard by mankind since the world was If the stream of discourses run concerning great feasts that any have made or been at what fat Venison they had what plenty of the best wines they drank of turn the stream and speak of that royal Princely feast made by the King of Kings and that for all his subjects by Christ for believers A feast of fat things full 〈◊〉 marrow of wine upon the lees well refined Isa 25.6 Math. 22.2 10. When we hear others talking of fair houses and stately buildings let it draw out our discourse concerning that building of God that house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2. Cor. 5.1 If of the Citie rebuilding which work the Lord prosper then speak of Abraham how he and all believers the spiritual seed of Abraham looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11.10 If the discourse be touching the vast estate and revenues that such or such an one is possessed of or heir apparent to so many hundred or thousand pounds per annum then declare how the poorest Saint outvies and outweighs the greatest Prince King or Emperour yea all of them laid together for he is born to an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for tihm 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. All worldly inheritances are corruptible as the world it self is but the inheritance of the Saints incorruptible and abideth for ever worldly â—â—heritances are usually much defiled both in the getting and keeping of them in ways sinful when restitution is not made of what was ill gotten when God is not honoured with their substance c. either for the maintenance of an able Ministery or for the relief of the poor but rather spending their estate upon their lusts pride gluttony drunkenness gaming whoring c. but still the inheritance of the Saints is undefiled both in the getting and keeping of it by the purchase and mediation of Jesus Christ and the Saints using of it which will be in the glorifying of God with it and for it for ever and ever yet again all worldly inheritances fade away but the inheritance of the Saints fades not away as flowers do or as the Laurels did with which the Victors in the Olympick games were crowned which though green when
put upon their heads yet soon withered but Heaven and glory will be fresh and flourishing as at the first so to Eternity But I forget my self am as in a wood or wilderness wherein I may loose or tire my self and the Reader the hints and intimations given for transitions and passings from common discourse to spiritual and Christian conference being well nigh in as great variety as the turnes and occurrences of providence are so that a gracious heart somewhat fitted by natural ingenuity but especially strengthened edged and sharpen'd by the Holy Spirit abiding in it makes well nigh every story or tale told every turne of Providence or word spoken to be as a bridge or boat to carry or waft over from discourse natural or moral to what 's supernatural spiritual and Heavenly And why should we imagine that the Devil and carnal hearts should be more dextrous and active in the advancing of vain and sinful talk then the Spirit of God and believers hearts are in the promoting and advancing of holy and Christian Conference especially considering that greater and stronger is the spirit which is in us and so for us Saints then the spirit which is in the world and so against us Saints 1 John 4.4 God is stronger then the Devil 2. 2 From Providence Having touched upon Christian ingenuity in turning common talke though lawful into spiritual which might be more for the use of edifying let me direct also to raise up good conference from the voice of God in providences smiling or frowning providences be they personal national or oecomenical and Universal such as concerne all mankind as the wayes of God working in a tendency towards the fall of Babilon or towards the rise of Zion in the conversion of the Jewes or the residue of the Gentiles yet in darkness worse then that of Egypt Take a few instances which may serve for those many hundreds which might be given 1. Are great deliverances vouchsafed to and bestowed upon us or others from sore fits of sickness from the Plague of pestilence from dangerous falls from perils by fire or water from bonds of imprisonments or from unreasonable and absurd men or from enemies in any kind full of malice and cruelty then let us provoke our selves and others to gratitude with that holy man What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me Psal 116.12 who made also a Psalm of praises when he was delivered from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul Ps 18. and excite our selves to answer those gracious ends which the Lord aimed at in delivering of us which was not to do abominations Jer. 7.10 but that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear to wit a slavish fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life Luk. 1.74 75. This is the use God expects we should make not alone of that grand deliverance from the wrath to come but of those lower and lesser deliverances we enjoy here 2. 2 Death of others Again when the newes comes such or such an one is dead or dying the bell toles or rings out for him one it may be young and strong as likely to live possibly as any one you know doth not now pale death as it were take us by the hand and lead us into a deep and due consideration of our latterends which is our wisdome Deut. 32.29 and withal into a serious minding and reminding of our selves and others of our mortality how it is appointed unto men once to dye and after that the Judgment Heb. 9.27 as also of those two Eternities a black eternity of woe and misery which is the portion of sinners and that white eternity of joy and glory which is the gift of God through Christ to all the righteous who are by the bloud of Christ justified and by the Spirit of Christ sanctified and say each of us within our selves when I die as die I must and that I know not how soon whither will my soul go to Heaven or Hell and whereas I am now well O where shall I be an hundred years hence or a thousand years hence where for ever and ever and when Christ comes to judge the world in righteousness shall I be found among the goates on the left hand or among the sheep on the right hand of Jesus Christ Shall I be under that sweet and joyful sentence Come ye blessed c. or under that dolefull doome Depart from me ye cursed c. Matth. 25.34 41. It must be the one or the other therefore let us all look to it 3. 3 Any smart afflictions If Providence frown upon us or others in smart and sore afflictions near and dear relations as husband wife father mother child or friend being taken away by death sore diseases as the Stone Gout Dropsie Consumptions or the like or suppose molestations in estates by oppression and injustice from the men of the world or defamations by lies slanders and cruel mockings blotting and blasting our names and reputations â—ea what if it comes to imprisonment banishment or any cutting evil whatsoever such Providences cry aloud to us and bid us cry and call upon others Let patience have her perfect work Jam. 1.4 Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the Heavens Lam. 3.40 41. Let us get and keep that middle golden frame of spirit despise not or as the word imports do not little the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him Heb. 12.5 Let us not so much desire the rod may be laid aside as that it may bud and blossome that so God may have his ends his gracious ends upon us which are for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness vers 10. Better the rod should lie on still in mercy then be laid aside in wrath and displeasure let not the bitter cup go out of thy hand 'till thou hast found the Sugar in the bottome to be sure it lies there because it 's a Cup in a Fathers hand 'T was an holy mans saying Sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions It were easie to be very large and copious upon this subject not a woman delivered of a Child but it prompts to a discourse of regeneration and being born again and of Christ That Child which to us is born that Son which to us is given Isa 9.6 1665 1666 whose name is called wonderful Counseller c. We cannot call to mind that dreadful Plague of Pestilence one year and the dismal burning of the City the next our Childrens Children and after Ages cannot rehearse those black and horrid stories but that they must needs suggest to us and to generations to come how heinous and how abominable a thing sin is which incenseth the wrath of God who is the God