Satans Sophistry Answered, Part 3
Sundry necessarie obseruations meete for a Christian, published long since by some religious man.
I. THat you keep narrow watch ouer your heart, words and deeds continually. Psal. 93. 1. Mat. 24. 42. Luke 12. 36. 1. Cor. 10. 13. 15. 34. 16. 13. Col. 3. 17.
II. That with all care the time be redeemed that hath bene idly, carelesly and vnprofitably spent. Eph. 5. 16. Col. 4. 5.
III. That once in the day at least, priuate prayer and meditation be made. Psal. 119. 164. Dan. 6. 10. Luke 18. 1. Ephes. 6. 18. Col. 4. 2.
IV. That care be had to do and receiue good in companie. 1. Thess. 5. 11.
V. That your familie be with all diligence and regard instructed, watched ouer, and Christianly gouerned. Gen. 18. 19. Deut. 4. … & 5, 6, 7. Pro. 31. 27. Eph. 6. 4.
VI. That no more care be spent in matters of this world, then must needs. Mat. 6. 31. Col. 3. …. 1. Iohn. 2. 15.
VII. That you stirre vp your selues to liberality to Gods Saints. Gal. 6. 10. Heb. 13. 16.
VIII. That you prepare your selues to beare the crosse, by what meanes soeuer it shall please God to exercise you. Mat. 16. 24. Luke 9. 13. & 24. 27.
IX. That you giuegive not the least bridle to wandring thoughts. Iob 31. 1. Eph. 5. 3.
X. That you bestow some time in mourning, not onelyonly for your owne sinnes, but for the time and age wherein you liue. Ezech. 9. 4. Psal. 119. 136.
XI. That you looke dayly for the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ, for your full deliuerance out of this world. Mat. 24. 44.
XII. That you acquaint your selfe with some godly person, with whom you may conferre of your Christian estate, and open your doubts to the quickning of Gods graces … you. Iames 5. 16.
XIII. That you obserue the departure of men out of this life, their mortalitie, the vanitie and alteration of things below, the more to contemne the world, and to continue your longing after the life to come. Esay 57. 1. Phil. 3. 3. 1. Pet. 1. 24. Reu. 22. 20.
XIIII. That you meditate often vponupon your death and going out of this life, how you must lie in the graue, go to dust, leaue all glorie and wealth: and this will serue to beate downe that pride of life which naturally is in you. Eccles. 7. 4. & 12. 1.
XV. That you reade something daily of the holy Scriptures, for the further increase of your knowledge. Math. 22. 29. Iohn 5. 39. Act. 17. 11.
XVI. That you make a couenant with the Lord to striue against all sinnes, especially against the specialsins and corruptions of your heart and life, wherein you hauehave most dishonored God: and that you carefully see that your …ouenant be kept and continued. Neh. 9. 38. …. Chron. 34. 31.
XVII. That you marke how sinne dieth and is weakened in you, and that you turne not to your old sinnes againe. Matt. 18. 8. 1. Thess. 5. 22. 2. Pet. 2. 22.
XVIII. That you fall not from your first louelove, but continue still your affection to the liking of Gods word, and to all the holy exercises of religion, diligently hearing it, and faithfully practising it: that you may prepare your selfe before you come, and meditate of that you hauehave heard, either by your self or with other, and so mark your daily profiting in religion. Heb. 3. 12. & 12. 15. Reu. 2. 4.
XIX. That you be often occupied in meditating vponupon Gods benefits and workes, and sound forth his praise for the same.
XX. That you exercise your faith, by taking delight in the great benefit of your redemption by Christ, and the fruition of Gods presence in his glorious and blessed kingdome. Psal. 116. 12. 13. & 118. 15. Eph. 5. 20.
XXI. Lastly, that you make not these holy practises of repentance common for the time, nor vse them for fashion sake. Luke 8. 13.
In Adamo potuimus non mori, in Christo non possumus mori.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Perkins, Satans Sophistry Answered (1604)