The Heavenly Conversation and Natural Mans Condition, Title page – Errata
THE HEAVENLY CONVERSATION.
AND THE NATVRALL MANS CONDITION.
In two Treatiſes.
By IOHN STOVGHTON, Doctor in Divinitie, ſometimes Fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge; and late Preacher of Gods Word in Alderman-bury London.
Printed at London by T. G. for John Bellamie, and Ralph Smith, and are to be ſold at the three Golden Lyons
TO THE RIGHT Honorable, HENRY Earle of Holland, and Baron of Kenſington, chiefe Gentleman of his Majeſties Bedchamber, chiefe Juſtice, and Juſtice in Eyre of all his Majeſties Foreſts, Chaſes, Parkes, and Warrens on this ſide Trent; Chancellor of the Vniverſitie of Cambridge; Conſtable of the royall Caſtle of Windſor, one of his Majeſties moſt Honorable privie Conncell, and Knight of the moſt noble order of the Ga…ter.
Right Honorable,
A Debtor I acknowledge my ſelfe unto the Church of God by calling, & a ſpeciall ingagement lieth upon me, both of truſt and promiſe to ſerve the Church in this way, in bringing towards the furtherance of the building of it, that which hath beene ſquared and framed to my hand by a wiſe Master builder, who hath ſhowed himſelfe approved unto God, a workeman that needeth not to be aſhamed. This I doe here humbly preſent unto your Honours protection; I may perhaps from ſome, incurre the cenſure of too much boldneſſe in uſing your Honours name, but your courteſie and ſweet affabilitie ſpringing from your native gentelneſſe of diſpoſition doth ſecure me: and the rather ſince I preſent this unto your Honour, not in my owne name, but in the name and behalfe of the Widdow, who though ſhe may claime the priviledge of her Sex from appearing in Print herſelfe, yet ſhee is deſirous that the living and laſting Monuments of her deare huſband ſhould be brought forth for the good of Gods Church, under the patronage and protection of your Honour, to whom the Author was every way ſo much oblieged; now I have no reaſon to doubt but that as your Honour was pleaſed to take the Reverend and learned Author into the protection of your noble family, for you will bee pleaſed to countenance theſe his owne legitimate children, which are now ſent abroad as Orphans deprived of their father. Their owne worth cannot but gaine them eſteeme, but I know your Honour will prize them the more for their fathers ſake: who whileſt hee was alive did ſecure your Honour by his Prayers which he did daily offer up to God, not pro forma as a legall and dead ceremony, but pro Anima, as a ſpirituall and lively ſacrifice, in the behalfe of your honour and happineſſe, and now that he is dead yet ſpeaketh in theſe and thoſe other Sermons of his which beare your honours name. If you be pleaſed to patronize, countenance and peruſe them, they will reflect much brightneſſe upon your nobleneſſe, as they receive ſplendour from it. Thus under your Honours protection I doe preſent them unto the world, humbly craving the priviledge of your pardon for my boldneſſe, and heartily beſeeching the Lord to mak you ſtill and ſtill to doe worthily in Iſrael and to inrich your Honour more and more with grace here and glory hereafter.
Your Honours humbly devoted in all duty and obſervance, A. B.
To the Chriſtian Reader.
GIve mee leave with thy acceptation to doe the office of a Timothy, in bringing to thee the Parchmonts leſt behind, by that worthy man of God Doctor Iohn Stoughton. Theſe ſhould have attended a larger Volumne, but other of his Sermons having gotten the ſtart of them, and being left alone, they are now preſented to thee in this little Manuell: They were left written with his owne hand, and Preached in one of the Schooles of the Prophets, and ſo fitted for a learned Auditorie. That which did ſway with me in the Publiſhing of theſe, and rhoſe other Sermons of his that are already brought forth into publike view, next to the deſire of the publike good, was the feare of wrong that both the Church and Authour might ſuſtaine by the publiſhing of more imperfect Coppies: Thoſe private and imperfect Coppies which paſſed from hand to hand, did runne the hazzard of a ſurreptitious Edition, I clearely ſaw for ſome of them, and had juſt cauſe to ſuſpect it in the reſt, that if I would not publiſh them others would, they falling into the hands of ſome mercinary perſons, whoſe boldneſſe is ſuch, as that it is not reſtrained, eirher by the good of the Church, or credit of the Author, whilſt they looke no higher than their owne private gaine, which is all their godlineſſe, though many times their immaginary gaine, proves their reall loſſe.
What is here preſented to thee, is intirely the Authors owne, without adding the leaſt tittle to them, leaſt my Addition ſhould detract from them. They are now publiſhed for the ingenious Readers benefit, and not the Critickes cenſure, and are recommended not to a bare reading, but to thy practiſe. The bleſſing of theſe labours I commend to him that alone muſt give the increaſe: and the God of Heaven give a rich bleſſing to them for thy ſoules good.
Thine in the Lord; A. B.
A Methodicall Analyſis of the chiefe heads handled in this Treatiſe, on Phil. 3. 20.
1. TExt:
1 Dependance of the words; they looke backe.
1 As part of a collation to the immediatly precedent verſes.
2. As a ground of illation to the 17. verſe.
2. The ſence of them.
The word foreign, may be rendred.
1 Our city.
2 Our municipall ſtate and degres.
3. Our politique bent and aime.
4 Our politicall and civill adminiſtration.
5. Our carriage and behaviour as citizens.
1 Obſervation. The converſation of a Chriſtian is in heaven.
1 There is explained what it is, and how a Chriſtian hath his converſation in heaven.
1 In affection.
2 In indeavours, expreſſed in much,
1 Alacrety.
2 Diligence.
3 Reſolution.
3 In act: by a double Analogy and conformity with heaven.
1 Conformity of ſanctitie, which appeares in his
1 Heavenly meditations.
2 Divine communications.
3 Conſcionable operations, expreſſed in his obedience.
1 In the great things of the Law, ſuch as are,
1 Delight in Gods Day.
2 Exerciſe of Prayer, and other workes of Piety.
3 Helping forward the ſalvation of others.
2 In the leſſer things expreſſed in
1 Doing all
1 With the ſame care.
2 By the ſame rule.
2 Drawing the practiſe of Divinity to his earthly Domeſticall and dayly affaires.
II Conformitie of felicitie. Two things make a difference betwixt a Chriſtians happineſſe here and hereafter.
Miſ…y:
Sin: yet theſe doe rather deprive us of the
1. Degree, than truth,
2. Perfection, than poſſeſſion.
1. Miſery may
1. Eclipſe, but not
2. Extinguiſh it.
2. Sin, doth not
1. Seperate us from Chriſt but,
2. Drives us cloſer unto him.
II. Here is examined, whether the life of ordinary Chriſtians be according to this Rule: Many beare, the name of Chriſt, and yet doe not anſwer it; as
1. Prophane perſons, whoſe converſation is in Hell.
2. Worldlings, whoſe converſation is in the earth.
3. Hypocrites whoſe converſion is betwixt heaven and earth.
III. Here is ſuggeſted the forceable motives that may perſwade us to this heavenly converſation: taken from
1. The excellency of heaven.
2. The vanity of the world: conſider
1. A great eſtate
1. Hath ſcarſe a ſhadow of happineſſe.
2. Brings no inward joy, cordiall contentment.
3. Hinders our ſpeed in the race of godlineſſe.
2. A means eſtate
1. Puts us upon a neceſſity of ſeeking heavenly things.
2. Is our beſt ſecuritie againſt ſpirituall enemies.
3. Dignitie of man; conſider,
1. What dignitie nature hath conferred upon us in the
1. Frame of the heart,
2. Fabricke of the body,
3. Reliques of nature.
2. What dignitie is confirmed upon us by grace.
4. Brevitie of life which ſhould make us,
1. Not to ſpend our precious time on trifles.
2. To uſe all ſpeed and diligence.
3. At leaſt to doe as much for heaven as for earth.
5. Neceſſitie.
1 Of our times, which ſhould make us to be
1. Zealous for Religion.
2. Zealous in Religion, expreſſed in the practiſe of
1. Serious repentance, and ſincere reformation.
2. Fervent and earneſt Prayer.
2. Of our place and calling.
1. Chriſtians they muſt not be all for the earth, it is againſt their dignitie and advancement.
2. Miniſters they muſt not
1. Bury their Talent but
2. Worke for heaven:
1. Draw others to heaven by diligence in preaching.
2. Goe to heaven themſelves by Holineſſe of life.
FINIS.
Errata.
PAge 28. line. 7. for was, Read and as: Ibid l. 26. for converſation, communication, p. 36. l. 2. for when, then, p. 40. l, 16. for an, in: p. 57. l. 10. blot out did: p. 111. l. 19. for men, that may p. 112. l. 13. for mans is, meanes: p. 113. l. 5. for faults, faculties: p. 120. l. 17. for bitter better: p. 121. l. 22. for more appeare, it appeares more: p. 127. l. 3. for comportures, compartners: p. 134. l. 17, for i, of, we, ibid. l. 18. for abſent, preſent: p. 135. l. 23. for cauſe, caſe: p. 176. l. 14. blot out quoad, p. 184. l. 5. for law, lawgiver: p. 189. l. 26. for breake, be onelyonly, p. 193. l. 23. for once, one: p. 194. l. 8 blot out, by: p. 195. l. 18. read did not actually: p. 146. l. 23, for loathſome in effects, the ſame in effects: p. 197. l. 18. for If, I: p. 198. l. 21. for no, a. p. 202. l. 17 for Diſplicere, Diſpleaſure. p. 208 l. 25. for anſwer, am ſure: p. 213. l. 20. for mouth, moth, p. 235. l. 15. for moſt, not.