The Saints Everlasting Rest, Treatise 3 · Chapter 12

The Saints Everlasting Rest · Treatise 3 · Chapter 12

p. 501CHAP. XII. An advice to some more specially to help others to this Rest, prest largely on Ministers and Parents.

SECT. I.§. 1.

UP then every man that hath a tongue, and is a Servant of Christ, and do something of this your Masters Work: Why hath he given you a tongue, but to speak in his Service? And how can you serve him more eminently, then in the saving of Souls? He that will pronounce you blessed at the last day, and sentence you to the Kingdom prepared for you, because you fed him, and clothed him, and visited him, &c. in his Members, will sure pronounce you p. 500duplicate page p. 501duplicate page p. 502blessed for so great a work as is the bringing over of souls to his Kingdom, and helping to drive the match betwixt them and him. He that saith, The poor you have always with you, hath left the ungodly always with you, that you might still have matter to exercise your Charity upon. O, if you have the hearts of Christians, … or of men in you, let them yearn towards your poor, ignorant, ungodly neighbors; Alas, there is but a step betwixt them and death, and hell; many hundred diseases are waiting ready to seise on them, and if they dye unregenerate, they are lost for ever. Have you hearts of Rock, that cannot pitty men in such a case as this? If you believe not the Word of God, and the danger of Sinners, why are you Christians your selves? If you do believe it, why do you not bestir you to the helping of others? Do you not care who is damned, so you be saved? If so, you have as much cause to pitty your selves; for it is a frame of spirit utterly inconsistent with Grace; should you not rather say as the Leapers of Samaria, 1 Kings 7.9.1 Kgs 7:9Is it not a day of glad tidings, and do we sit still, and hold your peace? Hath God had so much mercy on you, and will you have no mercy on your poor neighbours? You need not go far to finde objects for your pitty: Look but into your streets, or into the next house to you, and you will probably finde some. Have you never an ignorant, unregenerate neighbor that sets his heart below, and neglecteth Eternity? O what blessed place do you live in, where there there is none such? If there be not some of them in thine own Family it is well; and yet art thou silent? Dost thou live close by them, or meet them in the streets, or labor with them, or travel with them, or sit and talk with them, and say nothing to them of their souls, or the life to come? If their houses were on fire, thou wouldest run and help them, and wilt thou not help them, when their souls are almost at the fire of Hell? If thou knewest but a Remedy for their Diseases thou wouldest tell it them, or else thou wouldest judge thy self guilty of their death. Cardan **Non dubito quin iste fit apud inferos quod moriens artem suam mortalibus inviserit. vid. Jo. van. Helmont de Lithiasi cap. 7. p. 123.speaks of one that had a Receipt that would suddenly and certainly dissolve the stone in the Bladder, and he concludes of him, that he makes no doubt but that man is in hell, because he never revealed it to any before he dyed: What shall we say then of them that know of the remedy for curing souls, and do not reveal it, nor perswade men to make use of it? Is it not Hypocrisie to pray daily for their p. 503Conversion and Salvation, and never once endeavor to procure it? And is it not Hypocrisie to pray, That Gods Name may be Hallowed, and never to endeavor to bring men to Hallow it, nor hinder them from prophaning it? And can you pray [Let thy Kingdom come] and yet never labor for the coming, or increase of that Kingdom? Is it no grief to your hearts, to see the Kingdom of Satan so to flourish? and to see him lead captive such a multitude of souls? You take on you that you are Souldiers in Christs Army, and will you do nothing against his prevailing enemies? You pray also daily, That his Will may be done, and should you not daily then perswade men to do it, and disswade them from sinning against it? You pray, That God would forgive them their sins, and that he would not lead them into Temptation, but deliver them from evil, And yet will you not help them against Temptations? nor help to deliver them from the greatest evil? nor help them to Repent and Believe, that they may be forgiven? Alas, that your Prayers and your Practice should so much disagree! Look about you therefore Christians with an eye of compassion on the ignorant ungodly sinners about you; be not like the Priest or Levite that saw the man wounded, and passed by: God did not so pass by you when it was your own case. Are not the souls of your neighbors faln into the hands of Satan? Doth not their misery cry out unto you, Help, help! As you have any compassion towards men in the greatest misery, Help! As you have the hearts of men, and not of Tygers in you, Help! Alas, how forward are Hypocrites in their Sacrifice, and how backward to shew mercy! How much in Praying and duties of worship, and how little in plain Reproof and Exhortation▪ and other duties of compassion! And yet God hath told them, That he will have mercy and not sacrifice (that is mercy before sacrifice) And how forward are these Hypocrites to censure Ministers for neglecting their duties? yea, to expect more duty from one Minister, then ten can perform? and yet they make no conscience of neglecting their own! Nay how forward are they to separate from those about them? and how censorious against those that admit them to the Lords Supper, or that joyn with them? and yet will they not be brought to deale with them in Christs way for their recovery? As if other men were to work, and they only to sit by, and Judge! Because they know it is a work of trouble, and will many times set men against them, therefore no p. 504perswasion will bring them to it. They are like men that see their neighbors sick of the plague, or drowning in the water, or taken captive by the enemy; and they dare not venture to relieve him themselves: but none so forward to put on others. So are these men the greatest expecters of duty, and the lest performers.

§. 2.SECT. II.

BUt as this duty lyeth upon all in general, so upon some more especially, according as God hath called or qualified them thereto. To them therefore more particularly I will address my exhortation: Whether they be such as have more opportunity and advantages for this work, or such as have better abilities to perform it, or such as have both. And these are of severall sorts.

1. All you that God hath given more learning and knowledg to, and endued with better parts for utterance, then your neighbors, God expecteth his duty especially at your hand. The strong are made to help the weak; and those that see must direct the blind. God looketh for this faithfull improvement of your parts and gifts, which if you neglect, it were better for you that you never had received them, for they will but further your condemnation; and be as useless to your own Salvation, as they were to others.

§. 3.SECT. III.

2. ALl those that have special familiarity with some ungodly men, and that have interest in them, God looks for this duty at their hands. Christ himself did eat and drink with Publicans and sinners, but it was only to be their Physitian, and not their companion. Who knows but God gave you interest in them, to this end, that you might be means of their recovery. They that will not regard the words of another, will regard a brother, or sister, or husband, or wife, or neer friend, Besides that the bond of friendship doth engage you to more kindness and compassion then ordinary.

p. 505SECT. IV.§. 4.

3. PHysitians that are much about dying men, should in a special maner make conscience of this duty: They have a treble advantage. First, They are at hand. Secondly, They are with men in sickness and dangers, when the ear is more open, and the heart less stubborn then in time of health. He that made a scorn of godliness before, well then be of another minde, and hear counsel then, if ever he will hear it. Thirdly, Besides, they look upon their Physitian as a man in whose hand is their life: or at least may do much to save them, and therefore they will the more regardfully hear his advice. O therefore you that are of this honourable profession, do not think this a work besides your calling, as if it belonged to none but Ministers; except you think it besides your calling to be compassionate, or to be Christians. O help therefore to fit your patients for heaven: and whether you see they are for Life or for Death, teach them both how to live and to dye, and give them some Physick for their souls, as you do for their bodies. Blessed be God that very many of the chief Physitians of this Age have by their eminent piety vindicated their profession from the common imputation of Atheism and prophaness.

SECT. V.§. 5.

4. ANother sort that have excellent advantages for this duty, is men that have wealth and authority, and are of great place and command in the world, especially that have many that live in dependance on them. O what a world of good might Gentlemen, and Knights, and Lords do, that have a great many of Tenants, and that are the leaders of the Country, if they had but hearts to improve their interest and advantage. Little do you that are such think of the duty that lies upon you in this! Have you not all your honor and riches from God? and is it not evident then that you must employ them for the best advantage of his service? Do you not know who hath said, that to whom men commit much, from them they will expect the more? You have the greatest opportunities p. 506to do good of most men in the world; Your Tenants dare not contradict you, lest you dispossess them or their children, of their habitations; They fear you more then they do God himself; Your frown will do more with them, then the threatnings of the Scripture, They will sooner obey you, then God: If you speak to them for God and their souls, you may be regarded, when even a Minister that they fear not, shall be despised. If they do but see you favor the way of Godliness, they will lightly counterfeit it at least, to please you, especially if they live within the reach of your observation. O therefore, as you value the honor of God, your own comfort, and the Salvation of souls, improve your interest to the utmost for God. Go visit your Tenants and neighbors houses, and see whether they worship God in their families; and take all opportunities to press them to their duties. Do not despise them, because they are poor or simple: Remember, God is no respecter of persons, your flesh is of no better mettal then theirs, nor wil the worms spare your faces or hearts any more then theirs; nor will your bones or dust bear the badge of your Gentility, you must all be equals when you stand in Judgment. And therefore help the soul of a poor man as well as if he were a Gentleman: And let men see that you excell others as much in piety, heavenliness, compassion, and diligence in Gods work, as you do in riches and honor in the world.

1 Cor. 1.26.1 Cor 1:26I confesse you are like to be singular if you take this course: but then remember, you shall be singular in glory, for few great and mighty, and noble are called.

§. 6.SECT. VI.

5. ANother sort that have special opportunity to this work, of helping others to heaven, is, The Ministers of the Gospel: As they have, or should have more ability then others, so it is the very work of their calling; and every one expecteth it at their hands, and will better submit to their teaching, then to other mens. I intend not these instructions so much to teachers, as to others, and therefore I shall say but little to them: and if all, or most Ministers among us were as faithfull and diligent as some, I would say nothing. But because it is otherwise, let me give these two or three words of advice to my Brethren in this office.

p. 5071. Be sure that the recovering and saving of souls, be the main end of your studies & preaching. O do not propound any low and base ends to your selves. This is the end of your calling, let it be also the end of your endeavors.Act. 20. & 26.18.Acts 20 God forbid that you should spend a weeks study to please the people; or to seek the advancing of you own reputations. Dare you appear in the Pulpit on such a business, and speak for your selves, when you are sent, and pretend to speak for Christ? Dare you spend that time, and wit, and parts for your selves? And wast the Lords day in seeking applause, which God hath set apart for himself? O what notorious sacriledge is this! Set out the work of God as skilfully and adornedly as you can: But still let the winning of souls be your end, and let all your studies and labors be serviceable thereto. Let not the window be so painted, as to keep out the light; but alwayes Judg that the best means, that most conduceth to the end. Do not think that God is best served by a neat, starched, laced Oration: But that he is the able, skilful Minister, that is best skilled in the art of instructing, convincing, perswading, and so winning of souls: and that is the best Sermon that is best in these. When you once grow otherwise minded, and seek not God, but your selves, God will make you the basest and most contemptible of men, as you make your selves the most sinfull and wretched. Hath not this brought down the Ministery of England once already? It is true of your reputation, as Christ saith of your lives; They that will save them shall lose them. O let the vigor also of your perswasions shew, that you are sensible on how weighty a business you are sent. O Preach with that seriousness, and fervor, as men that believe their own doctrine; and that know their hearers must either be prevailed with, or be damned. What you would do to save them from Everlasting burning, that do, while you have the opportunity, and price in your hand: that people may discern that you are in good sadness, and mean as you speak: and that you are not stageplayers, but preachers of the doctrine of Salvation. Remember what Cicero saith, that if the matter be never so combustible, yet if you put not fire to it, it will not burn: And what Erasmus saith, that a hot Iron will pierce when a cold one will not; And if the wise men of the world account you mad, say as Paul, **Amlingus was much used to that saying, when he was reproached for his zeal. Si insanimus, Deo insanimus.If we are besides our selves, it is to God: And remember that Christ was so busie in doing good, that his friends themselves begun to p. 508lay hands on him, thinking he had been besides himself, Mark. 3.

SECT. VII.

§. 7.2. THe second and chief word of advice that I would give you, is this, Do not think that all your work is in your studies, and in the Pulpit. I confesse that is great, but alas, it is but a small part of your task. You are Shepheards, and must know every sheep, and what is their disease, and mark their strayings, and help to cure them, and fetch them home. If the paucity of Ministers in great congregations (which is the great unobserved mischief in England, that cryes for reformation) did not make it a thing impossible in many places, I should charge the Ministers of England with most notorious unfaithfulness, for neglecting so much the rest of their work, which calleth for their diligence as much as publike Preaching. O learn of Paul, Act. 20.19, 20, 31. to preach publikly, and from house to house night and day with tears. Let there not be a soul in your charge that shall not be particulary instructed and watched over. Go from house to house daily, and enquire how they grow in knowledg, and holiness, and on what grounds they build their hopes of salvation: and whether they walk uprightly, and perform the duties of their severall relations; and use the means to increase their abilities. See whether they daily worship God in their families, and set them in a way, and teach them how to do it: Confer with them about the doctrines and practice of Religion, and how they receive and profit by publike teaching: and answer all their carnal objections; keep in familiarily with them, that you may maintain your interest in them, and improve all your interest for God. See that no seducers do creep in among them, or if they do, be diligent to countermine them, and preserve your people from infection of Heresies or Schismes: or if they be infected, be diligent to procure their recovery; Not with passion and lordliness, but with patience and condescension: As Musculus did by the Anabaptists, visiting them in Prison where the Magistrate had cast them, and there instructing and relieving them, and though they reviled him when he came, and called him a false prophet, and Antichristian seducer, that thirsted for their blood, yet he would not so leave them, till at last by his meekness p. 509and love he had overcome them, and recovered many to the truth and to unity with the Church.

Have a watchful eye upon each particular sheep in your flock: Do not do as the lazy separatists, that gather a few of the best together, and take then only for their charge, leaving the rest to sink or swim, and giving them over to the Divel and their lusts, and except it be by a Sermon in the Pulpit, scarce ever endeavoring their salvation, nor once looking what becomes of them. O let it not be so with you! If any be weak in the faith, receive him, but not to doubtful disputations. If any be too careless of their duties, and too little savor the things of the Spirit, let them be pittied, and not neglected;Rom. 14.1.Rom 14:1 If any walk scandalously, and disorderly, deal with them for their recovery with all diligence, and patience; and set before them the hainousness and danger of their sin: If they prove obstinate after all, then avoid them and cast them off; But do not so cruelly as to unchurch them by hundreds & by thousands and separate from them as so many Pagans, and that before any such means hath been used for their recovery. If they are ignorant, it may be your fault as much as theirs; and however, they are fitter to be instructed then rejected; except they absolutely refuse to be taught. Christ will give you no thanks for keeping, or putting out such from his School, that are unlearned, when their desire or will is to be taught. I confesse it is easier to shut out the ignorant, then to bestow our pains night and day in teaching them; but wo to such slothful, unfaithful servants! Who then is a faithful and a wise servant,Mat. 24 45.46Matt 24:45Matt 24:46 whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his houshold, to give them their meat in due season, according to every ones age and capacity? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall finde so doing. O, be not asleep while the woolfe is waking! Let your eye be quick in observing the dangers and strayings of your people. If jealousies, heart burnings, or contentions arise among them, quench them before they break out into raging, unresistible flames: As soon as you discern any turn worldly, or proud, or factious, or self-conceited, or disobedient, or cold, and slothful in his duty; delay not, but presently make out for his recovery: Remember how many are loosers in the loss of a soul.

p. 510§. 8.SECT. VIII.

DO not dawb, or deal sleightly with any; some will not tell their people plainly of their sins, because they are great men, and some because they are godly, as if none but the poor and the wicked should be plainly dealt with: Do not you so, but reprove them sharply (though differently, and with wisdom) that they may be sound in the Faith.Poor Zegedine suffered many years captivity in misery and irons by the Turks, for one word in a Sermon, which distasted a woman without the least cause. As Latimer saith, We cannot now say to great sinners Vae vobis, but we shal be called Coram nobis. When the Palsgrave chose Pitiscus for his Houshold Chaplain, he charged him, that without fear he should discharge his duty, and freely admonish him of his faults as the Scriptures do require; Such incouragement from great ones, would embolden Ministers, and free themselves from the unhappiness of sinning unreproved. If Gentlemen would give no more thanks to Doegs and Accusers of the Ministers, then Wigandus his Prince did to that flattering Lawyer, who accused him for speaking to Princes too plainly, they would learn quickly to be silent; when they had been forced as Hamans themselves, to clothe Mordecai, and set him in honor. However, God doth sufficiently encourage us to deal plainly, He hath bid us speak and fear not; He promised to stand by us, and he will be our security; He may suffer us to be Anathema secundum dici (as Bueholtzer said) but not secundum esse; He will keep us, as he did Husse's heart from the power of the fire, though they did beat it, when they found it among the ashes; they may burn our bones, as Bucers and Phagius his, or they may raise lyes of us when we are dead, as of Luther, Calvin, and Oecolampadius; but the soul feeleth not this, that is rejoycing with his Lord: In the mean time let us be as well learned in the Art of Suffering (as Zenophon) as they are in the Art of Reproaching:Numb. 22.11. 1 King. 22.27.Num 22:111 Kgs 22:27 I had rather hear from the mouth of Balack [God hath kept thee from honor,] or from Ahab, [Feed him with the bread and water of affliction] or from Amaziah [Art thou made of the Kings Counsel? 2 Chron. 25.16.2 Chr 25:16forbear, why shouldest thou be smitten,] then to hear Conscience say, [Thou hast betraied souls to damnation by thy cowardize and Silence;Ezek. 3.18.20. & 33.8. Matth. 25.30.Ezek 3:18Ezek 3:20Ezek 33:8Matt 25:30] or to hear God say [Their blood will I require at thy hands,] or to hear from Christ the Judg [Cast the unprofitable Servant into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,] Yea, or to hear these Sinners cry out against me in eternal fire, and with implacable rage to charge me with their undoing.

p. 511And as you must be plain and serious,Lege Knoxi orationem ante obitum ad Symmistas & Presbyteros. so labor to be skilful and discreet, that the maner may somewhat answer the excellency of the matter: How ought have I heard a stammering tongue, with rediculous expressions, vain repetitions, tedious circumlocations, and unseemly pronunciation, to spoil most pretious spiritual Doctrine, and make the Hearers either loath it, or laugh at it? How common are these extreams in the Ministers of England? That while one spoils the food of Life by Affectation, and new-fashioned mincing, and pedantick toys, either setting forth a little and mean matter with a great deal of froth, and gaudy dressing, so that ther's more of the shell or paring, then of the meat: or like childrens Babies, that when you have taken away the dressing, you have taken away all, or else hiding excellent Truths in a heap of vain Rhetorick, and deforming its naked beauty with their paintings, so that no more seriousness can be perceived in their Sermons, then in a School-Boys Declamations; and our people are brought to hear Sermons as they do Stageplays, because Ministers behave themselves but as the Actors; On the other side, how many by their slovenly dressing, and the uncleanness of the dish that it is served up in, do make men loath and nauseate the food of Life, and even despise and cast up that which should nourish them? Such Novices are admitted into the Sacred Function, to the hardning of the wicked, the sadning of the godly, and the disgrace and wrong of the Work of the Lord; and those that are not able to speak Sense or Reason, are made the Ambassadors of the most High God.

I know our stile must not be the same with different Auditories; Our language must not only be suited to our matter, but also to our hearers, or else the best Sermon may be worst; we must not read the highest Books to the lowest Form; Therefore was Luther wont to say, That Quipuerilitèr, popularitèr, trivialitèr, & simplicissimè docent, optimi ad vulgus sunt concionatores; but yet it is a poor Sermon that hath nothing but words and noise. Every Reasonable soul hath both Judgment and Affection, and every Rational Spiritual Sermon must have both: A Discourse that hath Judgment without Affection, is dead, and uneffectual, and that which hath Affection without Judgment, is mad and transporting: Remember the Proverb, Non omnes qui habent citharam, sunt citharaedi, Every man is not a Musitian that hath an Instrument, or that can jangle it and p. 512make an noise on it: And that other Proverb, Multi sunt qui Boves stimulant, pauci aratores, Many can prick the Oxen, but few can Plow; so many Preachers can talk loud and earnestly, but few can guide their Flock aright, or open to them solidly the mysteries of the Gospel, and shew the true mean betwixt the extreams of contrary errors: I know both must be done; Holding the Plow without driving the Oxen, doth nothing and driving without holding, maketh mad work, and is worse then nothing: But yet remember, that every Plow-boy can drive, but to guide is more difficult, and therefore belongeth to the Master Workman; The violence of the Natural motion of the Windes can drive on the Ship; but there is necessary a Rational motion to guide and govern it, or else it will quickly be on the Rocks or Shelves, either broke or sunk, and had better lye still in the Harbor, or at Anchor: The horses that have no Reason can set the Coach or Cart a going, but if there be not some that have reason to guide them, it were better stand still. O therefore let me bespeak you, my brethren, in the Name of the Lord, especially those that are more young and weak, that you tremble at the greatness of this holy Imployment, and run not up into a Pulpit as boldly as into the Market place; Study and Pray, and Pray and Study, till you are become Workmen that need not be ashamed,2 Tim. 2.15.2 Tim 2:15 rightly dividing the Word of Truth, that your people may not be ashamed, or aweary to hear you; But that besides your clear unfolding of the Doctrine of the Gospel, you may also be Masters of your peoples Affections, and may be as potent in your divine Rhetorick, as Cicero in his Humane, who, as it is is said, while he pleaded for Ligarius, Arma de imperatoris quantumvis irati manu excusserit, & misero supplici veniam impetrarit. Or as it said of excellent **Bucholcerus in rostra sua & mediae concionis suggestum nunquam ascendit, quin de cordibus hominum ipsis quos fere vellet affectus excuteret. Templum ingrediebatur quis sensu irae divinae perterritus? Deum immortalem! quantâ fidei voluptate perfusus domum redibat? Calamitatum angore & tentationum fluctibus quassabatur alius: non doloris tantum allevationem, sed propositum etiam sibi ingenerari sentiebat, mala quaeque forti constantique animo perferendi. Erat omni vitiorum caeno contaminatus aliquis: flexanima orationis hujus suada, nisi planè desperatus esset corregibatur. Vivida nimirum in Bucholcero omnia fuerunt, vivida vox, vividi oculi, vividae manus, gesius omnes vividi: Adeo sese in illo divini spiritus virtutes consenuere. Hinc auditorium ejus ita commotum oratione Bucholceri constat, ut, licet non nisi finitâ horâ alterâ peroraret, nullum tamen audiendi taedium, vel è media cuiquam plebe obrepserit. Melch. Adamus in vita Bucholcer.Bucholcer, that he never went up into the Pulpit, but he raised in men almost what affections he pleased; so raising the dejected, and comforting the p. 513afflicted, and strengthening the tempted, that though it were two hours before he had done, yet not any even of the common people were weary of hearing him. Set before your eyes such patterns as these; and labor with unwearied diligence to be like them. To this end take Demosthenes counsel, plus olei quam vini absumere. It is a work that requireth your most serious searching thoughts. Running, hasty, easie studies, bring forth blinde births. VVhen you are the most renowned Doctors in the Church of God, alas, how little is it that you know, in comparison of all that which you are ignorant of! Content not your selves to know what is the Judgment of others, as if that were to know the truth in its evidence: Give not over your studies when you know what the Orthodox hold, and what is the opinion of the most esteemed Divines: Though I think while you are Novices, and learners your selves, you may do well to take much upon trust from the more judicious; yet stop not there; but know, that such faith is more borrowed then your own: An implicit faith in matters not fundamental, and of great difficulty, is o…t times commendable, yea & necessary in your people, who are but Scholars; but in you that are Masters and Teachers it is a reproach.

SECT. IX.

4. BE sure that your conversation be teaching,§. 9. as well as your doctrine. Do not contradict and confute your own doctrine by your practice. Be as forward in a Holy and Heavenly life, as you are in pressing on others to it. Let your discourse be as edifying and spiritual, as you teach them that theirs must be; go not to law with your people, nor quarrel with them, if you can possibly avoid it. If they wrong you, forgive them; For evil language, give them good; and blessing for their cursing; Let go your right, rather then let go your hopes and advantages for the winning of one soul. Suffer any thing rather then the Gospel and mens souls should suffer. Become all things (lawful) to all men, if by any means you may win some. Let men see that you use not the Ministery only for a trade to live by; But that your very hearts are wholly set upon the welfare of their souls. Whatsoever meekness, humility, condescention, or self-deniall you teach them from the Gospel, O teach it them also by your undissembled leading example. This is to be Guides, and Pilots, and Governors of p. 514the Church indeed. Be not like the Orators that Diogenes blamed, that studied benè dicere, non benè facere: Nor like the sign at the Inn door, that hangs out in the rain it self, while it shews others where they may have shelter and refreshing; Nor like a fencer that can offend, but not defend, as Cicero said of Caelius, that he was a good right hand-man, but an ill left-hand man. See that you be as well able to defend your selves, when you are tempted by Satan, or accused by men to be proud, covetous, or negligent, as to tel others what they should be. O how many heavenly doctrines are in some peoples eares, that never were in the preachers heart! Too true is that of Hilary, Sanctiores sunt aures plebis, quam corda sacerdotum. Alas, that ever pride, emulation, hypocrisie, or covetousness should come into a pulpit!Luther was wont to advise Preachers to see that these three Dogs did not follow them into the Pulpit, Pride, Coveteousness, or Envy. They are hateful in the shops and streets, but more hatefull in the Church; but in the Pulpit most of all. What an odious sight is it, to see pride and ambition stand up to preach humility! and hypocrisie to preach up sincerity! and an earthly minded man to preach for a heavenly conversation! Do I need to tell you that are Teachers of others, that we have but a little while longer to preach? and but a few breaths more to breath? and then we must come down, and be accountable for our work? Do I need to tell you, that we must dye and be judged as well as our people? or that justice is most severe about the Sanctuary? and judgment beginneth at the house of God? and revenge is most implacable about the Altar? and jealousie hottest about the Arke? Have you not learned these lessons from Eli, Corah, Nadah and Abihu, Vzzah, and the Bethshemites, &c. though I had said nothing? Can you forget, that even some of our tribe shall say at judgment, Lord, we have taught in thy Name? who yet must depart, with, I know you not? Do you learn nothing by the afflictions that now lye upon you? You see what hath been done against the Ministery of England: how some have been laid hold on by the hand of justice;Mat. 7.Matt 7 and some by the hand of violence and injustice, and how all are lashed and reproached by the wanton tongues of ignorant, insolent Sectaries; neither Prelaticall, Presbyterian nor meer Independent now spared, it being the very calling it self that now they set against: How they rob the Church of her due maintenance, and make no more of it then Dionisius did of robbing Aesculapius of his golden beard, quia barbatus erat filius, at pater Apollo non ita ▪ or then the same Dionisius did of robbing Jupiter Olympius of the p. 515golden Coate that Hieron had given, saying, that a Coate of Gold was too heavy for Summer, and too cold for VVinter, but cloth would be suitable to both; Or then he did of robbing the Images of the vessels of gold which they held in their hands, saying, he did but take what they offered,Valer. Maxim. li. 1. c. 2. and held forth to him: Or then the same Dionisius did of robbing the temple of Proserpina, Just. l. 21.when afterwards his ships had a prosperous winde, Videtis, inquit, quam prospera navigatio a dijs immorta…ibus detur sacrilegis: Ex hoc colligens aut non esse deos, aus illis non esse molesta Sacrilegia. Sirs, doth God lay all this on the Church and Ministery for nothing? Doth not the world know what an ignorant, lazy, superstitious Ministery had lately possessed most Churches in the land? And how many such are yet remaining? and those that are better, alas, how far from what we should be, either in knowledg or practice! And yet how unwilling are they to learn what they know not? Even as unwilling as their people are to learn of them, if not much more. O see your errors by the glass of your Afflictions: And if the words of God will not serve the turn, let the tongues of enemies and Sectaries shew you your transgressions: Of whom I may say to you, as Erasmus of Luther, Deus dedit huic postremae aetati propter morborum multitudinem acrem medi cum: And as the Emperor Charles of the same Luther, Si sacri ficuli frugi essent, nullo indigerent Luthero. Yet let not any Papist catch at this, as if our Ministery were unlearned and vicious in comparison of theirs: the contrary for the common sort is well known: And though the Jesuits of late have been so industrious and learned, yet I could tell them out of Erasmus, of some that proved heriticks must be killed, from Pauls Haereticum hominem devita, i. e. de vita tolle. And of Hen. Stephanus his priest of Artois, that would prove that it belonged to his parishoners to pave the Church, and not to him, from Jeremies Paveant illi, non paveam ego. Or if these seem partial witnesses, I could tell them what Bellarmine saith of the ninth Age: Seculo haec nullum extitit indoctius aut infaelicius, quo qui mathematicae aut Philosophiae operam dabat, magus vulgò putabatur: And as **As Doctor Hackwel reciteth him, with more to the same purpose: As one that would prove, that there were ten worlds, from Christs words, Nonne decem facti sunt mundi? and the other disproved him from the words following, Sed ubi sunt novem?Espencae…s saith, ut Graecè rosse suspectum fuerit, Haebraicè prope haereticum. I could tell them also what a Clergy was found in Germany and in England at the Reformation, what barbarous ignorance, beastly uncleanness, and murders of the children begotten in whoredome was found among them. I p. 516could tell them who have been turned from their Church by a meer journey to Rome, there seeing the wickedness of their chiefest Clergy; And what Petrar…h, Mantuan, with multitudes more say of it. And (if the most horrid murders were not become vertues with them and did they not think they did God service by killing his servants) I should minde them of all the burnings in England, and of all the unparalleled bloody Massacres in France, and the inquisition of Spain, which their Clergy yet manage and promote. If any say that I speak this but upon reports, we have seen no such thing: I answer as Pausanias, when he was blamed for dispraising a Physitian that he had never made tryal of, Si periculum fecissem nequaquam viverem: If we had fallen into their hands it had been too late to complain. Quia me vestigia terrent▪ Omnia in adversum spectantia, nulla retrorsum. And some tast of the fruit of their projects we have lately had in England: by which paw we may sufficiently conjecture of the Lyon. So that as bad as we are, our adversaries have little cause to reproach us.

But yet, brethren, let us impartially judg our selves; for God will shortly Judg us impartially. VVhat is it that hath occasioned so many Novices to invade the Ministery, who being puffed up with pride, are fallen into the snare of the devil, 1 Tim. 3.6. and bring the work of God into contempt, by their ignorance? Hath not the ungodliness & ambition of those that are more learned, by bringing learning it self into contempt; been the cause of all this? Alas, who can be so blinded by his charity, as not to see the truth of this among us? How many of the greatest wits have the most graceless hearts? And relish Cicero, Demosthenes or Aristotle better then David, or Paul, or Christ? And even lothe those holy wayes which customarily they preach for? That have no higher ends in entering upon the Ministery, then gain and preferment? And when the hopes of preferment are taken away, they think it but folly to chuse such a toilsome and ungrateful work. And thus the ball of reproach is tossed between the well meaning ignorants, and the ungodly learned; and between these two, how miserable is the Church▪ The one cryes out of unlearned Schismaticks; The other cryes out of proud, ungodly persecutors, and say, These are your learned men; that study for nothing but a benefice or a Bishoprick, that are as strange to the Mysteries of Regeneration and a holy life, as any others! And O that these reproaches were p. 517not too true of many! God hath lessoned Ministers of late, one would think sufficiently, to beware of ambition, and secular avocations; But it is hard to hear God speak by the tongue of an enemy: or to see and acknowledg his hand where the Instrument doth miscarry. If English Examples have lost their force (as being so neer your eyes that you cannot see them remember the end of Funcius that learned Chronologer, who might have lived longer as a Divine, but died as a Princes Counsellor, and his Distich pronounced at his death, Disce meo exemplo mandato munere fungi, Et fuge ceu pestem foreign: and the like fate of Justus Jonas (I.C. Son of that great Divine of the same name) the next year, whose last Verses were like the former Quid juvat innumeros scire at que evolvere casus, si facienda fugis, fi fugienda facis? Study not therefore the way of rising, but the way of righteousness; Honesty will hold out, when Honors will deceive you. If your hearts be once infected with the fermentation of this swelling humour, it will quickly rise up to your brain, and corrupt your intellectuals; and then you will be of that opinion which your Flesh thinks to be good▪ and not that which your judgment thought to be true; and you will fetch your Religion from the Statute Book, and not from the Bible; as the jest went of Agricola (who turned from a Protestant to an Antinomian, and being convinced of that error, turned Papist into the other extream) and Pebugius and Sidonius Authors of the Interim; Chrysma ab eis & oleum pontificium inter alia defenduntur, ut ipsi discederent unctiores, (because they obtained Bishopricks by it.) O what a doleful case is it, to see so many brave wits, and men of profound Learning, to be made as useless and hurtful to the Church of God by their pride and ungodliness, as others are by their pride and Ignorance; were a clear, understanding conjoyned with an holy heart and heavenly life, and were they as skilful in Spiritual as Humane Learning, what a glory and blessing would they be to the Churches!

SECT. X.§. 10.

5. LAstly, Be sure that you study and strive after Unity and Peace; if ever you would promote the Kingdom of Christ p. 518and your peoples Salvation, do it in a way of Peace and Love; Publike wars, and private quarrels do usually pretend to the Reformation of the Church, to the vindicating of the Truth, and the welfare of souls; but they as usually prove in the issue, the greatest means to the overthrow of all; It is as natural for both wars and private contentions to produce Errors, Schisms contempt of Magistra…y, Ministry, and Ordinances, as it is for a dead carrion to breed Worms and Vermine; Believe it from one that hath too many years experience of it both in Armies and Garrisons▪ It is as hard a thing to maintain even in your godly people, a sound understanding, a tender consciences, a lively, gracious, heavenly, frame of spirit, and an upright life in a way of war and contention, as to keep your candle lighted in the greatest Storms, or under the waters: The like I may say of perverse and fierce Disputings about Baptism, and the Circumstantials of Discipline, or other Questions that are far from the foundation: they oftener lose the Truth then finde it. A Synod is as likely and lawful a means as any for such decisions, and yet Nazianzen saith, Se hactenus non vidisse ullius Synodi utilem … aut in quâ res male se habentes, non magis exacerba… quam … fuerint: With the vulgar he seems to be the Conqueror that hath the last word, or at lest he that hath the most plausible deportment, the most affecting tone, the most earnest and confident expressions, the most probable arguments, rather then he that hath the most naked demonstrations: He takes with them most, that speaks for the Opinion which they like and are inclined to, though he speak Non-sense; and he that is most familiar with them, and hath the best opportunities and advantages to prevail, especially he that hath the greatest interest in their affections; so that a disputation before the vulgar even of the godly, is as likely a means to corrupt them as to cure them; usually the most erroneous seducers will carry out their Cause with as good a face, as fluent a tongue, as great contempt and reproach of their opposers, and as much confidence that the truth is on their side, as if it were so indeed. Paraeus his Master taught him, that Certo certius in qualibet minutissima panis portione, Paraeus in prefat. ad Comment. in Genesin.vere & substantialiter integrum corpus Christi esset, item in, apud, cum, sub minutissima vini guttula adesset integer sanguis dominicus; what confidence was here in a bad cause? And if you depend on the most reverend and best esteemed Teachers, and suffer the weight of their reputation to turn the Scales, you may in p. 519many things be never the neerer to the Truth: How many learned able men, hath the name and authority of Luther mislead, in the point of consubstantiation? Vrsine was caried away with it a while, till he was turned from it by the reading of Luthers own arguments, they were such Paralogismes: Yet was it Luthers charge to his followers, that none should call themselves after his name, because he dyed not for them, nor was his doctrine his own. The only way therefore to the prospering of your labors is, to quench all flames of contentions, to your power! If you would have the waters of verity and piety to be clear, the way is not to stir in them and trouble them, but to let them settle in peace, and run down into practice. Wo to those Ministers that make unnecessary divisions and parties among the people, that so they may get themselves a name, and be cryed up by many followers! And as you should thus study the peace and unity of your congregations, so keep out all the occasions of divisions: especially the doctrine of separation▪ **De Independentibus Orthodoxis & hoereticis, & horum tolerantiâ lege David Blondellum de Jure plebis in Regimine Ecclesiast. pag. 72.73.74.75.and popular Church government, the apparent Semnary of faction and perpetual contentions. If once your people be taught that it belongeth to them to govern themselves, and those that Scripture calleth their Guides and Rulers, you shall have mad work! When every one is a Governor, who are the governed? When the multitude how unable soever, must hear and judge of every cause, both their Teachers and others, they need no other imployment to follow; this will finde them work enough, as it doth to Parliament men to sit and hear and speak and vote. Is it not strange that so learned a man as ††Pet. Ramus volebat non penes paucos, sed penes universam Ecclesiam esse judicium doctrinae, Electionem & rejectionem ministrorum, ex communicationem et absolutionem — A Synodo autem approbata disciplina ufitata, novae autem opiniones explosae sunt. Insunctum etiam illurum pertium ecclesijs, ut omni studio, flect…re illos; & si non ad sententiam mutandam saltem ad pacem fovendam mansuetè invitare conarentur. Sed nova & inaeudita crudeli…as quae Parisijs exorta in ni…ptijs illis fatalibus longè lateque regnum Galliae pérvasit, domesticaes et intestinas contentiones omnes sustulit. In vita Bul…ingeri. Aureliae Synedo praesedit Sadeel, ubi cumprimis eorum opinio discussit confutataque qui disciplinam pariter doctrinamque, Democratico vel potius O…blocratico more quodam ex populi …uffragijs regi administrarique volebant.— Et cum in alijs provincijs recrudescere illud super Ecclesiastica politera dissidium intelligeret Sadeel, censuit de re tota sibi ampliter esse disserendum. Atque habita synodus rursum, cui et praefuit, tanta faelicitate usus dicendi docendique, ut schismutis ejus princeps, vir alioqui eruditionis baud spernendae, in Orthodoxorum partes sese contulerit, ac mutatam sententiam edito libello prof…ssus sit. In vi…a Sad…el. In Nemausensi synodo actum de Discipl…na Ecclesiastica, cujus formam quandam …ovam et insolitam quidam Johan. Parisiensis non animo tantum sedetiam scripto designabat: …ique viri quidam docti verum novarum pruritis plus aequo laborantes adhaerebant, et magna verborum argumentorumque acie opinionem illius muuitam defendebant. Illorum tamen conatui sefe opposuit B…za, doctissime & disertissime rem totam edisserens. Ejus sententiam tota synodus unanimo consensu approbavit, &c. In vita Bezae.Pet. p. 520Ramus should be the advocate for the multitudes authority in Church-Government? But that God must use so sharp a cure for those contentions as that bloody French Massacre, me thinks should make Engalnd to tremble to consider it! Least the same disease here must have the like cure. If an Army had tryed this popular Government but one yeer among themselves in their military affairs; and had attempted and managed all their designes by the Vote of the whole Army, I durst have valued their judgments the better ever after in this point. Wo to the patient that must have a mistaking Physitian till he be grown skilful by making experiments upon his diseases. And wo to the people that are in such hands, as must learn their skill in Government from the common calamities only, and from their experience of the sufferings of the people! This kinde of knowledge, I confesse, is the throughest: but it is pity that so many others should pay so dear for it.

You therefore that are the Guides of this Charet of Christ take heed of losing the reines lest all be overthrown: It is but lately that the Prelates held them so hard, that we might not move on in the way of unquestionable duty, and we might not stir at all, for fear of stirring amiss, and godliness was shut out upon pretence of well-ordering it. Do not **Quibus nunc a vobis vinculis constringendi sunt, qui (cum donis omnibus spiritalibus careant) veterum prophetarum simiae, tribusque Anticyris digna capita, non prophetae vel ex taberna, vel Militari statione in Cathedram Christi indecoro habitu, mente certè parum sobriâ, finentibus vobis prosilijsse dicuntur, ut quicquid in buccam venerat, aut quomodocunque vitrea bilis suggesserat, in Christianae fidei et nominis aeternum ludibrium, frementibus pijs, cachinnan tibus atheis, …vomerent? Audita (utinam falsa) refero: quae vestra immo Christianorum omnium interest, summa apud vos severitate plecti, nequis deinceps falsa zeli religiosi specie per sacrilegum nefas abusus, sacrosanctum Domini, quod super nos omnes invocatum est nomen, gentibus blasp… mandum propinet, terramque quae tanta monstra tulit, diris quantum in se est devoveat. Blondellus de Jure plebis, p. 76.77.you run now into the contrary extream, to think that all restraint is evil. Alas poor England! how are thy bowels torn out! and thy reformation and deliverance grown (as to man) impossible! because thy inhabitants, yea and Guides, run all into extreams! like a drunken man that reeleth from side to side, but cannot keep the middle way: nay they hate a man of peace that runs not out into their extreams. One party would pluck up the hedge of government, as if the vine-yard could not be fruitful, except it lye wast to the pleasure of all the beasts of of the Forest. They are like the pond that should grudge at the bankes and dam, and think it injurious to be thus restrained of its liberty, and therefore combine with the winds to raise a tempest, and so assault and break down the banks in their rage▪ and now p. 521where is that peaceable association of waters? Me thinks the enemies of government are just in the case as I remember when I was a boy our School was in, when we had barred out our Master: We grudged at our yoke, we longed for liberty; because it was not given us we resolved to take it, when we had got out our Master and shut fast the doors, we grew bold, and talkt to him at our pleasure▪ then no one was Master, and every one was Master: we spend our time in playing and in quarrelling: we treat at last with our Master about coming in: but our liberty was so sweet, this we were loath to leave it, and we had run our selves so deep in guilt that we durst not trust him; and therefore we resolve to let him in no more: But in the end when our play-dayes (which we called Holy dayes) were over, we are fain to give account of our boldness, and soundly to be whipt for it, and so to come under the yoke again. Lord, if this be the case of England, let us rather be whipt and whipt again, then turned out of thy School, and from under thy government. We feel now how those are mistaken, that think the way for the Churches unity, is to dig up the banks and let all loose, that every man in Religion may do what his list.

On the other side, some men to escape this Scylla do fall into the Charyb… of former violence and formality: They must have all men to walk in fetters, and they must be the makers of them; and Ministers must be taught to Preach, by such Jives as their horses are taught to pace. No man must be suffered to come into a Pulpit, that thinks not or speaks not as they would have him: Or if they cannot take away his liberty, they will do what they can to blast his reputation; Yet if he cannot have the repute of being Orthodox, it were well if they would leave him the reputation of a Christian. But having also a Christianity of their own making, and proper to themselves, they will presently unchristen him, and make him a Heretick by proclamation; as if they had so far the power of the Keys, as to lock up the doors of Heaven against him, and wipe out his name from the book of Life. It striketh me sometimes into an amazement with admiration, that it should be possible for such mountains of pride, to remain in the hearts of many godly, reverend Ministers! That they should no more be conscious of the weakness of their own understandings, but that even in disputable difficult things, they must be the Rule by which all others must be judged! So that every mans judgment must be p. 522cut meet to the standard of theirs; and whatsoever opinion is either shorter or longer, must be rejected with the scorn of an Heresie or an Error! Wonderful! That men that have ever studyed Divinity, should no more discern the profundities and difficulties! and their own incapacities! More wonderful that any disciple of Christ should be such an enemy to knowledg, as to resolve they will know no more themselves then is commonly known, nor suffer any other to know more! So that when a man hath read once what is the opinion of the Divines that are most in credit,Read but Mr. Gatakers Answer to Mr. Walkers vindication, And Amyraldus preface before his Answ. to Spanhemius, and then judg whether this be true. Omnis secta humana authoritate firmata, ratione caret. Aenaeas Sylvius in Platina. Lege Cameronem accuratè disserentem de potestate Eccles. Praele…t. pag. 460.461.462. &c. and besides Camero, Musculus, with many others deny any Judiciall decisive power in Ministers, in doctrinalls. Vid. Vedelij Rationale Theologic l. 3. c. 6. pag. 511. he dare search no further for fear of being counted a Novellist or Heretick; or lest he bear their curse for adding to, or taking from the common conceits! So that Divinity is become an easier study then heretofore: We are already at a Neplus ultra It seemeth vain when we know the opinions in credit, to search any further: We have then nothing to do, but easily to study for popular Sermons, nor is it safe so much as to make them our own by looking into and examining their grounds, lest in so doing we should be forced to a dissent▪ So that Scholars may easily be drawn to think, that it is better to be at a venture of the common belief, which may be with ease, then to weary and spend themselves in tedious studies, when they are sure beforehand of no better reward from men, then the reputation of Hereticks▪ Which is the lot of all that go out of the common rode. So that who will hereafter look after any more truth then is known and in credit, except it be some one that is so taken with admiration of it, as to cast all his reputation overboard rather then make shipwrack of his self-prized Merchandize! Yet most wonderful is it, that my Christian, especially so many godly Ministers should arrogate to themselves the high prerogatives of God! viz. to be the Rule and Standard of Truth! I know they will say that Scripture is the Rule; but when they must be the peremtory Judges of the sense of that Scripture, so that in the hardest controversies none must swarve from their sense, upon pain of being branded with Heresie or error, what is this but to be the Judges themselves, and Scripture but their servant? The final, ful, decisive interpretation of Lawes, belongeth to none but the Lawmakers themselves. For who can know another mans meaning, beyond his expressions, but himself?

And yet it increaseth my wondering, that these Divines have not forgotten the late arrogancy of the prelates in the same kinde; p. 523under which some few of themselves did suffer! Nor yet how constantly our Divines that write against the Papists, do disclaim any such living, final, decisive Judge of controvesies, but make Scripture the only Judg▪ O what mischief hath the Church of Christ suffered by the enlarging of her Creed! While it contained but twelve Articles, believers were plain and peaceable and honest. But a Christian now is not the sam… thing as then: Our heads shall swell so big (like children that have the rickets) that all the body fares the worse for it. Every new Article that was added to the Creed, was a new engine to stretch the brains of believers, and in the issue to …end out the bowels of the Church. It never went so well with the Church▪ since it begun (as Erasmus saith of the times of the Nicene counsel) re… ing…niosam fore Christianum esse, to be a matter of so much wit and cunning to be a Christian. Not but that all our wit should be here imployed, and controversies of difficulty may be debated; but when the decision of these must be put into our Creed, and a man must be of the faith that the Church is of, it goes hard. Me thinks I could read Aquinas, or Scotus, or Bellarmine with profit, ut Philosophiam, et Theologiam liberam; but when I most make them all parts of my Creed, and subscribe to all they say, or else be no Catholick, this is hard dealing. I know now we have no Spanish inquisition to fire us from the truth: But as Cryn…us was wont to say, Fontifici Romano Erasmum plus, nocuiss… …, quam Lutherum stomachando; so some mens reproaches may do more then other mens persecutions.

And it is not the least aggravation of these mens arrogancie, that they are most violent in the points that they have least studyed, or which they are most ignorant in: Yea and that their cruel reproaches are usually so incessant,Lege vitam Ge. Majoris. that where they once fasten, they scarce …ver loose again; having learned the old lesson, to be sure to accuse boldly,See the foresaid Answer of Mr. Gataker to Mr. Walker. for the scarre will remain when the wound is healed. Yea some will not spare the same of the dead, but when their souls have the happiness of Saints with God, their names must have the stain of Heresie with men. More ingenuity had Charles the Emperor, when the Spanish souldiers would have digged up the bones of Luther: Sinite ipsum, inquit, quiescere ad diem resurrectionis, et judicium omnium, &c. Let him rest, saith he, till the resurrection and the final Judgment: if he were a Heretick he shall have as severe a Judg as you can desire.

p. 524These are the extreams which poor England groaneth under; And is there no remedy? Besides the God of Peace▪ there is no remedy. Peace is fled from mens Principles and Judgments, and therefore it is a stranger to their Affections and practises: no wonder then if it be a stranger in the Land, both in Church and State,

If either of the forementioned extreams be the way to Peace, we may have it: or else where is the man that seeketh after it? But I remember Luthers Oracle, and fear it is now to be verified. H…c perdent Religionem Christianam: 1. Oblivio beneficiorum ab Evangelio acceptorum: 2. Securitas, quae jam passim & ubique regnat: 3. Sapientia mundi, quae vult omnia redigere in ordinem, & impiis mediis Ecclesiae paci consulere. Three things will destroy the Christian Religion. First, Forgetfulness of the benefits we received by the Gospel: Secondly, Security: Thirdly, The wisdom of the world which will needs reduce all into Order, and look to the Churches peace by ungodly means.

The zeal of my spirit after Peace, hath made me digress here further then I intended:O what a thing is Self-love, if men do want peace in their own consciences, or in the humors of their bodies, they can quickly feel it, and think themselves undone till they have peace again; and yet the want of peace in Church and State is no trouble to them, but for their own ends and fancies they can delight in devisions. But the sum and scope of all my speech is this; Let every conscionable Minister study equally for Peace and Truth, as knowing that they dwell both together in the golden mean, and not at such a distance as most Hotspurs do imagine; and let them believe that they are like to see no more success of their labors, then they are so studious of Peace; and that all wounds will let out both blood and spirits, and both Truth and Godliness is ready to run out at every breach that shall be made among the people or themselves; and that the time for the Pastures of Profession to be green, and for the Field of true Godliness to grow ripe for the Harvest, and for the Rose of Devotion and Heavenliness to be fragrant and flourish; it is not in the blustering stormy tempestuous Winter, but in the calm delightful Summer of Peace. O what abundance of excellent hopeful fruits of Godliness have I seen blown down before they were ripe, by the impetuous windes of wars, and other contentions, and so have layen troden under foot by Libertinism, and sensuality, as meat for Swine, who else might have been their Masters deligh! In a word, I never yet saw the Work of the Gospel go on well in Wars, nor the business of mens salvation succeed among dissentions; but if one have in such times proved a gainer▪ multitudes have bin losers: p. 525The same God is the God both of Truth and Peace: the same Christ is the Prince of Peace, and Author of Salvation; the same Word is the Gospel of Peace and Salvation: both have the same causes, both are wrought and carried on by the same Spirit, the same Persons are the Sons of Peace and Salvation: so inseparably do they go hand in hand together. O therefore let us be the Ministers, and helpers of our peoples peace, as ever we desire to be helpers of their Salvation.

And how impossible is it for Ministers to maintain peace among their people, if they maintain not peace among themselves? O what a staggering is it to the faith of the weak, when they see their Teachers and Leaders at such odds? It makes them ready to throw away all Religion, when they see scarce two or three of the most learned and godly Divines of one minde, but like the bitterest enemies, disgracing and vilifying one another, and all because the Articles of our faith must be so unlimited, voluminous, and almost infinite, so that no man well knows when he may call himself an Orthodox Christian. When our Creed is swelled to the bigness of a National Confession, one would think that he that subscribeth to that Confession should be Orthodox, and yet if he jump not just with the Times in expounding every Article of that Confession, and run not with the stream in every other Point that is in question amongst them, though he had subscribed to the whole Harmony of Confessions, he is never the neerer the estimation of Orthodox; Were we all bound together by a Confession or Subscription of the true Fundamentals, and those other Points that are next to Fundamentals onelyonly, and there took up our Christianity and Unity, yielding each other a freedom of differing in smaller or more difficult Points, or in expressing our selves in different tearms, and so did live peaceably and lovingly together, notwithstanding such differences, as men that all knew the mysteriousness of Divinity, and the imperfection of their own understandings, and that here we know but in part, and therefore shall most certainly err and d…ffer in part: what a world of mischiefs might this course prevent? I oft think on the examples of Luther and Melancthon: It was not a few things that they differed in, nor such as would now be accounted small; besides, the imperious harshness of Luthers disposition (as Carolostadius could witness,) and yet how sweetly and p…aceably, and lovingly did they live together p. 526without any breach or disagreement considerable: As Mel. Adamus saith of them, Et si tempora fuerunt ad distractiones proclivia, hominumque levitas dissidiorum cupida, tamen cum alter alterius vitia nosset, nunquam inter eos simultas extitit, ex qua animorum alienatio subsecuta sit; so that their agreement arose not hence, that either was free from faults or errors, but knowing each others faults, they did more easily bear them: Certainly if every difference in Judgment in matters of Religion should seem intolerable, or make a breach in affection, then no two men on earth must live together or tolerate each other, but every man must resolve to live by himself: for no two on earth but differ in one thing or other, except such as take all their faith upon trust, and explicitly believe nothing at all; God hath not made our Judgments all of a complexion no more then our faces, nor our Knowledg all of a size, any more then our bodies; and methinks men that be not resolved to be any thing in Religion, should be afraid of making the Articles of their Faith so numerous, lest they should shortly become Hereticks themselves, by disagreeing from themselves, and they should be afraid of making too strict Laws for those that differ in Judgment in controvertible Points, lest they should shortly change their Judgments, and so make a Rod for their own Backs; for how know they in difficult disputable Cases, but within this twelve months themselves may be of another minde? except they are resolved never to change, for fear of incurring the reproach of Novelty and Mutability, and then they were best resolve to study no more, nor ever to be wiser: I would we knew just as what Age a man must receive this principle against changing his Judgment; I am afraid lest at last they should teach it their children, and lest many Divines did learn it too young, and if any besides besides Christ and his Apostles must be the Standard and Foundation of our faith, I would we could certainly tell who they are, for I have heard yet none but the Pope or his General Councel expresly lay claim to the Prerogative of infallibility, and I think there is few that have appeared more fallible; for my own part I admire the gifts of God in our first Reformers, Luther, Melancthon, Calvin, &c. And I know no man since the Apostles days whom I value and honor more then Calvin, and whose Judgment in all things (one with another) I more esteem and come neerer too; (Though I may speed as Amiraldus, to be thought to defend him p. 527but for a defence to his own errors;) but yet if I thought we must needs be in all things of his minde, and know no more in any one Point then he did, I should heartily wish that he had lived one fifty years longer, that he might have increased and multiplied his knowledg before he died, and then succeeding Ages might have had leave to have grown wiser, till they had attained to know as much as he. Some men can tell what to say in point of Ceremonies, Common Prayer, &c. when they are prest with the Examples and Judgments of our first Reformers,; but in matters of Doctrine they forget their own Answers, as if they had been perfect here, and not in the other, or as if Doctrinals were not much fuller of Mysteries and difficulties, then Worship! So far am I from speaking all this for the security of my self in my differing from others, that if God would dispense with me for my Ministerial Services without any loss to his people, I should leap as lightly as Bishop Ridley when he was stript of his Pontificalia, Brus. l. 1. c. 18. ex Plut. Laert. l. 3. Nemo filens placuit multi brevitate loquendi: Ausonius.and say as Paedaretus the Laconian when he was not chosen. In numerum trecentorum, Gratias habeo tibi, O Deus, quod tot homines meliores me huic Civitati dedisti.

But I must stop, and again apologize for this tediousness; though it be true▪ as Zeno saith, Verbis multis non eget veritas; yet, Respiciendum etiam quibus egent lectores; And as Plato to Antisthenes, Orationis modus est non penes dicentem sed penes audientem. I conclude not with a Laconism, but a Christianism, as hoping my Brethren will at lest hear their Master, Marke 9.50. Have salt in your selves, and have peace one with another: and Calvins Exposition which is the summ of all I have said. q. d. Danda est vobis opera, non tantum ut salsi intus sitis, sed etiam ut saliatis alios: Quia tamen sal acrimoniâ suâ mordet, ideo statim admonet, sic temperandam esse condituram, ut pax interim salva maneat.

SECT. XI.§. 11.

6. THe last whom I would perswade to this great Work of helping others to the Heavenly Rest, is Parents, and Masters of Families: All you that God hath intrusted with Children or Servants, O consider what Duty lyeth on you for the furthering of their Salvation. That this Exhortation may be the more effectual with you, I will lay down these several Considerations for you seriously to think on.

p. 5281. What plain and pressing commands of God are there that require this great Duty at your hands. Deut. 6.6, 7, 8. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou lyest down, and when thou risest up. So Deut. 11. And how well is God pleased with this in Abraham, Gen. 18.19. 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, that they shall keep the way of the Lord, &c. And it is Joshuaes Resolution, That he and his Houshold will serve the Lord. Josh 24.15.Josh 24:15Prov. 22.6. Train up a childe in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Ephes▪ 6.4. Bring up (your children) in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. Many the like Precepts, especially in the Book of Proverbs, you may finde: So that you see it is a Work that the Lord of heaven and earth hath laid upon you; and how then dare you neglect it and cast it off?

2. It is a duty that you ow, your children in point of Justice; from you they received the defilement and misery of their natures; and therefore you ow them all possible help for their recovery▪ If you had but hurt a stranger, yea, though against your will, you would think it duty to help to cure him.

3. Consider how neer your children are to you, and then you will perceive, that from this Natural Relation also, they have interest in your utmost help: your children are, as it were, parts of your selves; If they prosper when you are dead, you take it almost as if you lived and prospered in them. If you labor never so much, you think it not ill bestowed, nor your buildings, or purchases too dear, so that they may enjoy them when you are dead: and should you not be of the same minde for their everlasting Rest?

4. You will else be witnesses against your own souls: your great care▪ and pains, and cost for their bodies, will condemn you for; your neglect of their pretious souls; you can spend your selves in toyling and caring for their bodies, and even neglect your own souls, and venture them sometimes upon unwarrantable courses, and all to provide for your Posterity; and have you not as much reason to provide for their souls? Do you not believe that your children must be everlastingly happy or miserable when p. 529this life is ended? and should not that be fore-thought of in the first place?

5. Yea, All the very bruit creatures may condemn you; Which of them is not tender of their young? How long will the Hen sit to hatch her Chickens? and how busily scrape for them? and how carefully shelter and defend them? and so will even the most vile and venemous Serpent; and will you be more unnatural and hard-hearted then all these? will you suffer your children to be ungodly and profane, and run on in the undoubted way to damnation, and let them alone to destroy themselves without controll?

6. Consider, God hath made your children to be your charge; yea, and your servants too: Every one will confess they are the Ministers charge, and what a dreadful thing it is for them to neglect them, when God hath told them, That if they tell not the wicked of their sin and danger, their blood shall be required at that Ministers hands; and is not your charge as great and as dreadful as theirs? Have not you a greater charge of your own Families then any Minister hath? Yea doubtless▪ and your duty, it is to reach, and admonish, and reprove them, and watch over them, and at your hands else will God require the bloud of their souls: The greatest charge it is that ever you were entrusted with, and we to you if you prove unfaithful and betray your trust, and suffer them to be ignorant for want of your teaching, or wicked for want of your admonition or correction! O …ad account that many parents will make!

7. Look into the dispositions and lives of your children, and see what a work there is for you to do. First, It is not one sin that you must help them against, but thousands; their name is Legion, for they are many; It is not one weed that must be pulled up, but the field is overspread with them. Secondly, And how hard is it to prevail against any one of them? They are Hereditary diseases, bred in their Natures. Naturam expell…s furea, &c. They are a… neer them as the very heart, and how tenacious are all things of that which is natural? how hard to teach a Hare not to be fearful? or a Lyon or Tiger not to be fierce? Besides, the things you must teach them are quite above them, yea, & clean contrary to the interest and desires of their Flesh; how hard is it to teach a man to be willing to be poor, and despised, and destroyed here for Christ! to deny themselves, and displease the flesh, to forgive an Enemy, to love those p. 530that hate us, to watch against temptations, to avoid occasions and appearance of evil, to believe in a crucified Saviour, to rejoyce in tribulation, to trust upon a bare word of Promise, and let go all in hand (if call'd to it) for something in hope that they never saw, nor ever spake with man that did see; to make God their chief delight and love, and to have their hearts in heaven while they live on earth; I think none of this is easie; they think otherwise let them try and Judg; yet all this must be learned, or they are undone for ever. If you help them not to some Trade, they cannot live in the world, but if they be destitute of these things, they shall not live in heaven; If the Marriner be not skilful he may be drowned, and if the Souldier be not skilful he may be slain; but they that cannot do the things above mentioned will perish for ever; For without holiness none shall see God, Heb. 12.14. O that the Lord would make all you that are Parents sensible what a work and charge doth lye upon you! You that neglect this important work, and talk to your Families of nothing but the world, I tell you, the bloud of souls lyes on you, make as light of it as you will, if you repent not and amend, the Lord will shortly call you to an account for your guiltiness of your childrens everlasting undoing; and then you that could finde in your hearts to neglect the souls of your own children, will be judged more barbarous then the Irish or Turks, that kill the children of others.

8. Consider also what a world of sorrows do you prepare for your selves by the neglect of your children: First, You can expect no other but that they should be thorns in your very eyes, and you may thank your selves if they prove so, seeing they are thorns of your own planting. Secondly, If you should repent of this your negligence, and be saved your selves, yet is it nothing to you to think of the damnation of your children? You know, God hath said, That except they be born again they shall not enter into the Kingdom of God. Methinks then it should be a heart-breaking to all you that have unregenerate children; Methinks you should weep over them every time you look them in the face, to remember that they are in the way to eternal fire! Some people would lament the fate of their children, if but a Wizard should foretel them some ill fortune to befall them; and do you not regard it, when the Living God shall tell you, That the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all they that forget God? Psal. 9.17. Thirdly, Yet all this p. 531were not so doleful to you, if it were a thing that you had no hand in, or could do nothing to help; but to think that all this is much long of you! that ever your negligence should bring your childe to these everlasting torments, which the very damned man (Luke 16.) would have had his brethren been warned to escape; if this seem light to thee, thou hast the heart of a hellish Fiend in thee, and not of a man. Fourthly, But yet worse then all this will it prove to you, if you die in this sin; for then you shall be miserable as well as they; and O what a greeting will there be then between ungodly Parents and children! what a hearing will it be to your tormented souls, to hear your children cry out against you, All this that we suffer was long of you, you should have taught us better, and did not; you should have restrained us from sin, and corrected us, but you did not; what an addition will such out-cries be to your misery?

9. On the other side, do but think with your selves; what a world of comfort you may have if you be faithful in this duty: First, If you should not succeed, yet you have freed your own souls, and though it be sad, yet not so sad, for you may have peace in your own consciences, Secondly, But if you do succeed, the comfort is unexpressible. For first, Godly children will be truly loving to your selves that are their Parents; when a little riches or matters of this world, will oft make ungodly children to cast off their very natural affection: secondly, Godly children will be most obedient to you; They dare not disobey and provoke you, because of the command of God, except you should command them that which is unlawful, and then they must obey God rather then men: thirdly, And if you should fall into want, they would be most faithful in relieving you, as knowing they are tied by a double bond, of Nature, and of Grace: fourthly, And they will also be helpers to your souls, and to your spiritual comforts; they will be delighting you with the mention of heaven, and with all holy conference and actions; when wicked children will be grieving you with cursing, and swearing, or drunkenness, or disobedience: fifthly, Yea, when you are in trouble, or sickness, and at death▪ your godly children will be at hand to advise and to support you; they will strive with God in prayers for you; O what a comfort is it to a Parent, to have a childe that hath the Spirit of Prayer, and interest in God? how much good may they do you by their importunity p. 532with God? And what a sadness is it to have children, that when you lye sick, can do no more but ask you how you do, and look on you in your misery? sixthly, Yea, all your Family may fare the better, for one childe or servant that feareth God; (yea perhaps all the Town where he liveth:) As Josephs case proveth, and Jacobs, and many the like; when one wicked childe may bring a Judgment o… your house: seventhly, And if God make you instruments of your childrens conversion, you will have a share in all the good that they do through their lives; all the good they do to their brethren, or to the Church of God, and all the honor they bring to God, will redound to your happiness, as having been instruments of it: eighthly, And what a comfort may it be to you all your lives, to think that you shall live with them for ever with God? ninthly, But the greatest joy will be, when you come to the possession of this, and you shall say, Here am I, and the children thou hast given me; And are not all these comforts enough to perswade you to this duty?

10. Consider further, That the very welfare of Church and State lyeth mainly on this duty, of well educating children; and without this, all other means are like to be far less successful. I seriously profess to you, that I verily think all the sins and miseries of the Land, may acknowledg this sin for their great Nurse and Propagator. O what happy Churches might we have, if Parents did their duties to their children! then we need not exclude so many for ignorance or scandal, nor have our Churches composed of members so rude! then might we spare most of the quarrels about Discipline, Reformation, Toleration, and Separation; any reasonable government would do better with a well-taught people, then the best will do with the ungodly. It is not good Laws and Orders that will reform us, if the men be not good, and Reformation begin not at home; when children go wicked from the hands of their Parents, thence some come such to the Universities, and so we come to have an ungodly Ministry; and in every profession they bring this fruit of their Education with them; when Gentlemen teach their children onelyonly to Hunt, and Hawk, and game, and deride the godly, what Magistrates, and what Parliaments, and so what Government, and what a Commonwealth are we like to have? when all must be guided by such as these? some perverse inconsiderate persons, lay the blame of all this on the Ministers, that p. 533people of all sorts are so ignorant and profane, as if one man can do the work of many hundreds! I beseech you that are Masters and Parents, do your own duties, and free Ministers from these unjust aspersions, and the Church from her reproach and confusion; Have not Ministers work enough of their own to do? O that you knew what it is that lieth on them! And if besides this, you wil cast upon them the work of every Master and Parent in the Parish, it is like indeed to be well done: How many sorts of Workmen must there be to the building of an house? and if all of them should cast it upon one, and themselves do nothing, you may judg how much were like to be done! If there be three or four Schoolmasters in a School, amongst three or four hundred Scholars; & all the lower that should fit them for the higher Schools, should do nothing at all, but send all these Scholars to the highest Schoolmaster as ignorant as they received them, would not his life be a burden to him, and all the work be frustrate and spoiled? Why so it is here: The first work towards the reforming and making happy of Church and Commonwealth lies in the good education of your children; the most of this is your work; and if this be left undone, and then they come to Ministers raw and ignorant, and hardned in their sins; alas what can a Minister do! whereas if they came trained up in the Principles of Religion, and the practice of godliness, and were taught the fear of God in their youth; O what an encouragement would it be to Ministers! and how would the work go on in their hands! I tell you seriously, this is the cause of all our miseries and unreformedness in Church and State; even the want of a holy education of children! Many lay the blame, on this neglect, and that but there is none hath so great a hand in it as this: what a School must there needs be where all are brought raw, as I said, to the highest School? what a house must there needs be built, when Clay is brought to the Masons hands in stead of Bricks? What a Commonwealth may be expected, if all the Constables and Justices should do nothing but cast all upon King and Parliament? And so, what a Church may we expect, when all the Parents and Masters in the Parish shall cast all their duty on their Ministers? Alas, how long may we Catechise them, and preath to them, before we can get them to understand the very Principles of the Faith? This, this is the cause of our Churches deformities, and this is the cause of the present difficulty of Reformation. Its in vain to contend about Orders and Disci…pline, p. 534if the persons that live under it be not prepared. Perhaps you'l say, the Apostles had not their hearers thus prepared to their hands: Is not the word the first means of conversion?

Answ. 1. The Apostles preached to none at first but Infidels and Pagans: And are you no better? Will you do no more for your children then they?

2. All the success of their labors, was to gather here and there a Church from among the world of unbelievers: but now the Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ.

3. And yet the Apostles were extraordinarily qualified for the work, and seconded it by Miracles, for the convincing of their hearers.

4. I do verily believe that if Parents did their duty as they ought▪ the word publikly preached would not be the ordinary means of Regeneration in the Church, but only without the Church, among Infidels. Not that I believe Doctor Burges, and Master Bedfords doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration: But God would pour out his grace so upon the children of his people, and hear prayers for them, and bless such endeavors for their holy education, that we should see the promises made good to our seed; and the unthankful Anabaptists, that will not confesse that the children of the Saints are any neerer God, or more beholden to him then Pagans, so much as for the favor to be visible Church-members, should by sweet experience be convinced of their error, and be taught better how to understand, that our children are holy.

II. I intreat you that are parents also to consider, what excellent advantages you have above all others for the saving of your children.

1. They are under your hands while they are young and tender and flexible; But they come to Ministers when they are grown elder, and stiffer, and settled in their wayes, and think themselves too good to be catechised, and too old to be taught. You have a twigg to bend, and we an oake. You have the young plants of sin to pluck up, and we the deep rooted vices. The consciences of children are not so seared with a custome of sinning and long resisting grace, as others. You have the soft and tender earth to plow in, and we have the hard and stony wayes, that have been p. 535trodden on by many yeers practice of evil. When they are young' their understandings are like a sheet of white paper, that hath nothing written on; and so you have opportunity to write what you will. But when they are grown up in sin, they are like the same paper written over with falshoods; which must all be bloted out again, and truth written in the place: and how hard is that? We have a double task, first to unteach them, and then to teach them better; but you have but one. We must unteach them all that the world, and flesh, and wicked company, and the divel have been diligently teaching them in many yeers time. We have hardened hearts to beat on, like a Smiths Anvile, that will not feel us: We may tell them of death and Judgment, heaven and hell, and they hear us as if they were asleep or dead; you have the soft clay to mold, and we the hardened burned bricks. You have them before they are possessed with prejudice, and false conceits against the truth: but we have them to teach, when they have many yeers lived among those that have scorned at godliness, and taught them to think Gods wayes to be foolish preciseness. Custome hath not en…nared and engaged your little ones to contrary wayes: But of old sinners, the Lord himself hath said, that if the Aethiopian can change his skin, and the Leopard his spots; then may those that are acc…stomed to do evil, learn to do well, Jer. 13.23. Doth not the experience of all the world shew you the power of education? What else makes all the Children of the Jews to be Jews? and all the Children of the Turks to be Mahometans? and of Christians, to be in profession Christians? and of each Sect or party in Religion to follow their parents, and the custom of the place? Why now what an advantage have you, to use all this for the furtherance of their happiness? and possess them as strongly beforehand against sin, as else Satan would do for it; and so Satan should come to them upon some of those disadvantages that now Christ comes on.

2. Consider also, that you have the affections of your Children more then any others: None in the world hath that interest in their hearts as you. You will receive that counsel from an undoubted friend, that you would not do from an enemy, or a stranger. VVhy now, your children cannot choose but know that you are their friends, and advise them in love: and they cannot choose but love you again. Their love is loose and arbitrary to others: but p. 536to you it is determinate and fast; nature hath almost necessitated them to love you. O therefore improve this your interest in them for their good.

3. You have also the greatest authority over them. You may command them, and they dare not disobey you; or else it is your owne fault, for the most part; for you can make them obey you in your business in the world. Yea you may correct them to inforce obedience. Your authority also is the most unquestioned authority in the world. The authority of Kings and Parliaments, hath been disputed, but yours is past dispute. And therefore if you use it not to constrain them to the works of God, you are without excuse,

4. Besides, their whole dependance is on you for their maintenance and livelihood. They know you can either give them, or deny them what you have; and so punish or reward them at your pleasure. But on Ministers or neighbors they have no such dependance.

5. Moreover, you that are parents, know the temper, and inclinations of your children, what vices they are most inclined to, and what instruction or reproof they most need; But Ministers that live more strange to them, cannot know this.

6. Above all you are ever with them, and so have opportunity as to know their faults, so to apply the remedy, You may be still talking to them of the word of God, and minding them of their state and duty; and may follow and set home every word of advice: as they are in the house with you, or in the shop, or in the feild at work; O what an excellent advantage is this, if God do but give you hearts to use it. Especially you mothers, remember this: you are more with your children while they are little ones then their fathers; be you therefore still teaching them as soon as ever they are capable of learning. You cannot do God such eminent service your selves, as men, but you may train up children that may do it, and then you will have part of the comfort and honor. Bathsheba had part of the honor of Solomons wisdom Pro. 31.1. for she taught him. And Timothe's mother and grandmother, of his piety. Plutrach speaks of a Spartan woman, that when her neighbors were shewing their apparel and jewels, she brought out her children vertuous and well taught, and said, These are my ornaments and Jewels. O how much more would this adorn you, then your bravery? p. 537What a deal of pains are you at with the bodies of your children more then the fathers? And what do you suffer to bring them into the world? and will not you be at as much pains for the saving of their souls? You are naturally of more tender affections then men: and will it not move you to think that your children, should perish for ever? O therefore I beseech you for the sake of the children of your bowels, teach them, admonish them, watch over them, and give them no rest till you have brought them over to Christ.

And thus I have shewed you reason enough to make you diligent in teaching your children, if reason will serve, as me thinks among reasonable creatures it should do.

SECT. XII.§. 12.

LEt us next hear what is usually objected against this by negligent men.

Object. 1. We do not see but those children prove as bad as others, that are taught the Scriptures and brought up so holily: And those prove as honest men and good neighbors, that have none of this ado with them.

Answ. 1. O who art thou man that disputest against God? Hath God charged you to teach your children diligently his word, speaking of it as you sit at home, and as you walk abroad, as you lye down and as you rise up, Deut. 6.6, 7, 8. and dare you reply that it is as good let it alone? VVhy this is to set God at defiance; and as it were to spit in his face, and give him the lye. VVill you take it well at your servants, if when you command them to do a thing, they should return you such an answer, that they do not see but it were as good let it alone? VVretched worm! darest thou thus lift up thy head against the Lord that made thee and must judg thee? Is it not he that commandeth thee? If thou dost not believe that this Scripture is his word, thou dost not believe in Jesus Christ: for thou hast nothing else to tell thee that there is a Christ. And if thou do believe that this is the word of God, how darest thou say, It is as good disobey it? This is devillish pride indeed, when such sottish sinful dust shall think themselves wiser then the living God, & take upon them to reprove and cancel his word.

p. 5382. But alas, you know not what honesty is, when you say, that the ignorant are as honest as others: You think those are the honestest men, that best please you: But I know those are the most honest, that best please God. Christ saith in Luk 8.15. that an honest heart is that which keepeth the word of God; and you say, they are as honest that reject it. God made men to please himself, and not to please you: And you may know by his Laws who please him best. The Commandments have two Tables; and the first is, Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart: and the second, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self. First seek the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, Mat. 6.33.

3. And what if some prove naught that are well brought up? It is not the generality of them: will you say that Noahs family was no better then the drowned world, because there was one Chaus in it? Nor Davids, because there was one Absalom? Nor Christs, because there was one Judas?

4. But what if it were so? Have men need of the less teaching, or the more? you have more wit in the matters of this world: you will not say, I see many labor hard, and yet are poor, and therefore it is as good never labor at all; you will not say, Many that go to School learn nothing, and therefore they may learn as much though they never go. Or, many that are great tradesmen break, and therefore it is as good never trade at all. Or many great eaters are as lean as others, and many sick men recover no strength, though they eat; and therefore it is as good for men never to eat more. Or, many plow and sow, and have nothing comes up; and therefore it is as go … to plow more. VVhat a fool were he that should reaso… thus? And is not he a thousand times worse, that shall reason thus for mens souls? Peter reasons the clean contrary way, If the righteous be scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 1 Pet. 4.18. And so doth Christ, Luk. 13.24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many shall seek to enter, and not be able. Other mens miscariages should quicken our diligence; and not make us cast away all. VVhat would you think of that man, that should look over into his neighbors garden, and because he sees here and there a nettle or weed among much better stuffe should say; Why, you may see, these men that bestow so much pains in digging and weeding, have weeds in their garden as well as I that do nothing, and therefore p. 539who would be at so much pains? Just thus doth the mad world talk. You may see now, those that pray, and read, and follow Sermons, have their faults as well as we, and have wicked persons among them as well as we; Yea, but that is not the whole garden, as yours is, it is but here and there a weed, and as soon as they spy it, they pluck it up, and cast it away.

4. But however, if such men be as wicked as you imagine, can you for shame lay the fault upon the Scripture, or Ordinances of God? Do they finde any thing in the Scriptures to encourage them to sin? You may far better say, It is long of the Judg and the Law which hangs them, that there are so many Theeves. Did you ever read a word for sin in the Scripture? Or ever hear a Minister, or godly man perswade people to sin, or from it rather? (I speak not of Sectaries, who usually grow to be enemies to Scripture) Lord, what horrible impudence is in the faces of ungodly men? When a Minister hath spent himself in studying and perswading his people from sin; or when Parents have done all they can to reform their children, yet people will say, it is long of this that they are so bad. What? will reproving and correcting for sin bring them soonest to it? I dare challenge any man breathing, to name any one Ruler that ever was in the world, that was so severe against sin as Jesus Christ, or to shew me any Law that ever was made in the world so severe against sin as the Laws of God! And yet must it be long of Christ and Scripture that men are evil? When he threatneth damnation against impenitent sinners, is it yet long of him? Yea, see how these wicked men contradict themselves? What is it that they hate the Scripture for, but that it is so strict and precise, and forbids them their pleasures and fleshly liberties? that is, their sins. And yet if any fall into sin, they will blame the Scripture, that forbids it. I know in these late yeers of licenciousness and Apostacy, many that talk much of Religion, prove guilty of grievous crimes: But then they turn away so far from Christ and Scripture. As bad as the godly are, I dare yet challenge you to shew me any society under Heaven like them that most study and delight in the Scriptures: or any School like the Scholars of Christ. Because parents cannot by all their diligence get their children to be as good as they should be, shall they therefore leave them to be as bad as they will? Because they cannot get them to be perfect Saints, shall they therefore p. 540leave them to be as incarnate divels? Certainly your children untaught, will be little better.

§. 13.SECT. XIII.

2. SOme will further object, and say, It is the Work of Ministers to teach both us and our children, and therefore we may be excused.

Answ. 1. It is first your duty, and then the Ministers; It will be no excuse for you, because it is their Work, except you could prove it were onelyonly theirs: Magistrates must govern both you and your children, doth it therefore follow that you must not govern them? It belongs to the Schoolmaster to correct them, and doth it not belong also to you? There must go many hands to this great Work, as to the building of a house there must be many Workmen, one to one part, and another to another; and as your corn must go through many hands before it be bread; the Reapers, the Threshers, the Millers, the Bakers, and one must not leave their part, and say it belongs to the other: so it it is here in the instructing of your children: first, you must do your work, and then the Minister must do his; you must be doing it privately night and day; the Minister must do it publikely, and privately as oft as he can.

2. But as the case now stands with the Ministers of England, they are disabled from doing that which belongs to their Office, and therefore you cannot now cast your work on them. I will instance but in two things. First, It belongs to their Office to govern the Church, and to teach with authority, and great and small are commanded to obey them, Heb. 3.7.17. &c. But now this is unknown, and Hearers look on themselves as free men, that may obey or not, at their own pleasure: A Parents teaching which is with authority, wil take more, then ones that is taken to have none; People think we have authority to speak to them when they please to hear, and no more. Nay, few of the godly themselves do understand the authority that their Teachers have over them from Christ: They know how to value a Ministers gifts, but not how they are bound to learn of him and obey him, because of his Office. Not that they should obey him in evil, nor that he should be a final decider of all controversies, nor should exercise his authority in things of no moment: But as a Schoolmaster p. 541may command his Scholars when to come to School, and what Book to read, and what form to be of; and as they ought to obey him, and to learn of him, and not to set their wits against his, but to take his word, and beleeve him as their Teacher, till they understand as well as he, and are ready to leave his School: Just so are people bound to obey and learn of their Teachers, and to take their words, while they are learners, in that which is beyond their present capacity, till they are able to see things in their proper evidence. Now this Ministerial Authoritie is unknown, and so Ministers are the less capable of doing their Work, which comes to pass, first, From the pride of mans nature, especially Novices, which makes men impatient of the Reins of Guidance and Command; secondly, From the Popish error of implicite Faith; to avoid which we are driven as far into the contrary extream: thirdly, From the usurpation of the late Prelates, who took almost all the Government from the Ministers, and thereby overthrew the very essence of the Office, by robbing it of that part which is as essential, at least, as preaching; fourthly▪ And from the modesty of Ministers, that are loth to shew their Commission, and make known their Authoritie, lest they should be thought proud: As if a Schoolmaster should let his Scholars do what their list; or a Pilot let the Seamen run the Ship whither they will, for fear of being thought proud in exercising their authoritie. Secondly, But a far greater clog then this yet, doth lie upon the Ministers, which …ew take notice of; and that is, The fewness of Ministers, and the greatness of Congregations. In the Apostles times every Church had a multitude of Ministers (and so it must be again, or we shall never come neer that Primitive patern;) and then they could preach publikely, and from house to house: But now, when there is but one or two Ministers to many thousand souls, we cannot so much as know them, much less teach them one by one: It is as much as we can do to discharge the publike Work. So that you see, you have little reason to cast your Work on the Ministers, but should the more help them by your diligence, in your several families, because they are already so over burdened.

SECT. XIV.§. 14.

3. BUt some will say, We are poor men, and must labor for our living, and so must our children, and cannot have while to p. 542teach them the Scriptures; we have somewhat else for them to do. Answ. And are not poor men subject to God, as well as rich? and are they not Christians? and must they not give account of their ways? and have not your children souls to save or lose, as well as the rich? cannot you have while to speak to them as they are at their work? have you not time to instruct them on the Lords day? you can finde time to talk idlely, as poor as you are; and you can finde no time to talk of the way to Life! you can finde time on the Lords day for your children to play, or walk or talk in the streets, but no time to minde the life to come. Me thinks you should rather say to your children, I have no Lands or Lordships to leave you; nothing but hard labor and povertie in the world; you have no hope of great matters here; be sure therefore to make the Lord your portion, and to get interest in Christ, that you may be happy hereafter; if you could get riches, they would shortly leave you, but the riches of Grace and Glory will be everlasting. Me thinks, you should say as Peter, Silver and gold I have none, but such as I have, I give you. The Kingdoms of the world cannot be had by beggers, but the Kingdom of Heaven may. O what a terrible reckoning will many poor men have, when Christ shall plead his cause, and judg them! May not he say, I made the way to worldly honors unaccessible to you, that you might not look after it for your selves, or your children; but Heaven I set open, that you might have nothing to discourage you: I confined riches and honors to a few, but my Blood and Salvation I offered to all, that none might say, I was not invited: I tendered Heaven to the poor, as well as the rich; I made no exception against the meanest begger, that did not wilfully shut out themselves: Why then did you not come your selves, and bring your children, and teach them the way to the eternal Inheritance? Do you say you were poor? Why, I did not set Heaven to sale for money, but I called those that had nothing, to take it freely; onelyonly on condition they would take me for their Saviour and Lord, and give up themselves unfeignedly to me, in obedience and love. What can you answer Christ, when he shall thus convince you? Is it not enough, that your children are poor and miserable here, but you would have them be worse for everlasting too? If your children were beggers, yet if they were such beggers as Lazarus, they may be conveyed by Angels into the presence of God. But beleeve it, as God will save no man, because he is a Gentleman, so p. 543will be save no man because he is a begger. God hath so ordered it in his providence, that riches are exceeding occasions of mens damnation, and will you think poverty a sufficient excuse? The hardest point in all our work, is to be weaned from the world, and in love with heaven: and if you will not be weaned from it, that have nothing in it but labor and sorrow, you have no excuse. The poor cannot have while, and the rich will not have while, or they are ashamed to be so forward, the young think it too soon, and the old too late: and thus most men in stead of being saved, have somewhat to say against their salvation: and when Christ sendeth to invite them, they say▪ I pray thee have me excused; O unworthy guests of such a blessed feast! and most worthy to be turned into the everlasting burnings.

SECT. XV.§. 15.

4. BUt some will object: We have been brought up in ignorance our selves, and therefore we are unable to teach your children. Answer. Indeed this is the very sore of the Land. But is it not pitty, that men should so receive their destruction by tradition? would you have this course to go on thus still? … parents did not teach you; and therefore you cannot teach your children; and therefore they cannot teach theirs; By this course the knowledge of God should be banished out of the world, and never be recovered. But if your parents did not teach you, why did not you learn when you came to age? The truth is, you had no hearts to it; for he that hath not knowledge, cannot value it or love it. But yet, though you have greatly sinned, it is not too late, if you will but follow my faithful advice in these 4. points.

1. Get your hearts deeply sensible of your own sin and misery, because of this long time which you have spent in ignorance and neglect. Bethink your selves sometime when you are alone; Did not God make you, and sustain you for his service? should not he have had the youth and strength of your spirits? Did you live all this while at the door of Eternity? What if you had dyed in ignorance? Where had you been then? What a deale of time have you spent to little purpose? Your life is near done, and your work all undone. You are ready to dye, before you have learned to live. Should not God have had a better share of your lives? and your souls been more sadly regarded and provided for? In the p. 544midst of these thoughts, cast down your selves in sorrow, as at the feet of Christ, bewa… your folly, & beg pardon, & recovering grace.

2. Then think as sadly how you have wronged your children: If an unthrift that hath sold all his lands, will lament it for his childrens sake as well as his own; much more should you.

3. Next, set presently to work, and learn your selves. If you can read, do: if you cannot, get some that can: and be much among those that will instruct and help you; be not ashamed to be seen among learners, though it be to be Catechized: but be ashamed that you had not learned soone…. God forbid you should be so mad, as to say, I am now too old to learn: Except you be too old to serve God, and be saved; how can you be too old to learn to be saved? Why not rather; I am too old to serve the Devil and the world? I have tryed them too long to trust them any more? What if your parents had not taught you any trade to live by? or what if they had never taught you to speak? would not you have set your selves to learn when you had come to age? Remember that you have souls to care for, as well as your children: and therefore first begin with your selves.

4. In the mean time while you are learn…ng your selves, teach your children what do you know: and what you cannot teach them your selves, put them on to learn it of others that can: perswade them into the company of the godly, who will be glad to instruct them. If French men, or Welsh men lived in the Town among us, that could not understand our language; would they not converse with those that do understand it? and would they not daily send their children to learn it by being in the company of those that speak it? so do you, that you may learn the heavenly language: Get among those that use it; and encourage your children to do so to: Have you no godly neighbours that will be helpful to you herein? O do not keep your selves strange to them; but go among them and desire their help; and be thankful to them, that they will entertain you into their company. God forbid you should be like those that Christ speakes of Luke 11.52. that would neither enter into the Kingdom of God themselves, nor suffer those that would to enter. God forbid you should be such cruel barbarous wretches, as to hinder your children from being godly, and to teach them to to be wicked! And yet alas, how many such are there swarming every where among us? If God do but touch the hearts of their p. 545children or servants, and cause them to heare and read the Word, and call upon him, and accompany with the godly, who will sooner scorn them and revile them and discourage them, then an ungodly parent? What, say they, you will now be one of the holy brethren! You will be wiser then your parents! &c. Just such as Pharaoh was to the Israelites, such are these wicked wretches to their own children, Exod. 5.3, 8, 9. When Moses said, Let us go sacrif…ce to the Lord, lest …e fall upon us with pestilence or sword, &c, Pharaoh answers▪ They are idle, therefore they say, let us go sacrifice: lay more work upon them &c. Just so do these people say to their children! You know, Pharaoh was the representer of the divel, and yet let me tell you, These ungodly parents are far worse then Pharaoh. For the children of Israel were many thousands, and were to go three dayes journey out of the land: but these men hinder their children from serving God at home: Pharaoh was not their father, but their King; but these men are enemies to the children of their bodies; Nay more; let me te…l you, I know none on earth that play the part of the divel himself more truly then these men. And if any thing that walks in flesh may be called a divel, I think it is a parent that thus hinderech his children from salvation. I solemnly professe I do not speak one jot worse of these men, then I do think and verily believe in my soul: Nay, take it how you will, I will say, thus much more: I verily think that in this they are far worse then the divel. God is a righteous Judg, and will not make the Divel himself worse then he is: I pray you …e patient while you consider it, and then judg your selves, They are the parents of their children, and so is not the divel: Do you think then that it is as great a fault in him to seek their destruction, as in them? Is it as great a fault for the VVoolf to kill the Lambs, as for their own dams to do it? Is it so horrid a fault for an enemy in war to kill a childe? Or for a bear, or a mad dog to kill it, as for the mother to dash i… b…ains against the wall? You know it is not: Do not you think then, that it is so hateful a thing in Satan to entice your children to sin and hell, and to discourage and disswade them from holiness and from heaven, as it is in you. You are bound to love them by nature, more then Satan is. O then what people are those that will teach their children in stead of holiness, to curse and swear, and raile and backbite, to be proud and revengeful, to break the Lords day, and to despise his wayes, to p. 546speak wantonly, and filthily, to scorn at holiness, and glory in sin! O when God shall ask these children, Where learned you this language and practice? and they shall say, I learned it of my father or mother; I would not be in the case of those parents for all the world! Alas, is it a work that's worth the teaching, to undo themselves for ever? Or can they not without teaching learn it too easily of themselves? Do you need to teach a Serpent to sting, or a Lyon to be fierce? Do you need to sow weeds in your garden? will they not grow of themselves? To build a house requires skill and teaching: but a little may serve to set a town on fire. To heal the wounded, or the sick, requireth skill: but to make a man sick, or to kill him, requireth but little. You may sooner teach your children to swear then to pray; and to mock at godliness, then to be true godly. If these parents were sworn enemies to their children, and should study seven yeers how to do them the greatest mischief; they could not possibly finde out a surer way, then by drawing them to sin, and withdrawing them from God.

§. 16.SECT. XVI.

I Shall therefore conclude with this earnest request to all Christian parents that read these lines; that they would have compassion on the souls of their poor children, and be faithful to the great trust that God hath put on them. O Sirs, if you cannot do what you would do for them; yet do what you can. Both Church and State, Cities and Countrey, do groan under the neglect of this weighty duty: your children know not God nor his Laws, but take his name in vain, and slieght his worship, and you do neither instruct them nor correct them: and therefore doth God correct both them and you. You are so tender of them, that God is the le… tender both of them and you. Wonder not if God make you smart for your childrens sins: for you are guilty of all they commit, by your neglect of doing your duty to reform them, even as he that maketh a man drunk, is guilty of all the sin that he committeth in his drunkenness. VVill you resolve therefore to set upon this duty, and neglect it no longer? Remember Eli; your children are like Moses in the basket in the water, ready to perish if they have not help. As ever you would not be charged before God for murderers of their souls, and as ever you would not have them p. 547cry out against you in everlasting fire, see that you teach them how to escape it, and bring them up in holiness and the fear of God. You have heard that the God of heaven doth flatly command it you: I charge every one of you therefore, upon your allegiance to him, and as you will very shortly answer the contrary at your peril, that you neither refuse nor neglect this most necessary work. If you are not willing now you know it to be so plain and so great a duty, you are flat Rebels, and no true subjects of Christ. If you are willing to do it, but know not how, I will adde a few words of direction to help you. 1. Teach them by your own example, as well as by your words. Be your selves such as you would have them be; practice is the most effectual teaching of children, who are addicted to imitation, especially of their parents. Lead them the way to prayer, and reading, and other duties. Be not like base Commanders, that will put on their Soldiers, but not go on themselves. Can you expect your children should be wiser or better then you? Let them not hear those words out of your mouths, nor see those practices in your lives, which you reprove in them. No man shall be saved because his children are godly, if he be ungodly himself: Who should lead the way in holiness, but the father and master of the family? It is a sad time when he must be accounted a good master or father, that will not hinder his family from serving God, but will give them leave to go to heaven without him.

I will but name the rest for your direct dutie for your Family. 1. You must help to inform their understandings. 2. To store their memories. 3. To rectifie their wills. 4. To quicken their affections. 5. To keep tender their consciences. 6. To restrain their tongues, and help them to skill in gracious Speech. 7. And to reform and watch over their outward conversation.

To these ends: First, Be sure to keep them, at least, so long at School, till they can read English. It is a thousand pities that a reasonable Creature should look upon a Bible, as upon a Stone, or a piece of Wood. Secondly, Get them Bibles and good Books, and see that they read them. Thirdly▪ Examine them often what they learn. Fourthly, Especially bestow the Lords day in this work; and see that they spend it not in sports or idleness. Fiftly, Shew them the meaning of what they read and learn, Josh. 4 6, 21, 22. Psal. 78.4, 5, 6▪ & 34.11. Sixthly, Acquaint them with the godly, and keep them in good company, where they may learn p. 548good; and keep them out of that company that would teach them evil. Seventhly, Be sure to cause them to learn some Catechism, containing the chief Heads of Divinity; as those made by the Assembly of Divines, or Master Balls.

§. 17.SECT. XVII.

THe Heads of Divinity which you must teach them first, are these. 1. That there is one onelyonly God, who is a Spirit, invisible, infinite, eternal, Almighty, good, merciful, true, just, holy &c. 2. That this God is one in three, Father, Son, and holy Ghost. 3. That he is the Maker, Maintainer, and Lord of all 4. That mans happiness consisteth in the enjoying of this God, and not in fleshly pleasure, profits, or honors. 5. That God made the first man upright and happy, and gave him a Law to keep, with Conditions, that if he kept it perfectly, he should live happy for ever; but if he broke it, he should die. 6. That man broke this Law, and so forfeited his welfare, and became guilty of death, as to himself, and all his Posterity. 7 That Christ, the Son of God, did here interpose, and prevent the full execution, undertaking to die in stead of man, and so to Redeem him: whereupon all things were delivered into his hands as the Redeemer, and he is under that relation the Lord of all. 8. That Christ hereupon did make with man a better Covenant or Law, which proclaimed pardon of sin to all that did but repent and believe & obey sincerely. 9. That he revealed this Covenant and Mercy to the world by degrees, first, in darker Promises, Prophecies, and Sacrifices; then in many Ceremonious Types, and then by more plain foretellings by the Prophet…. 10. That in the fulness of time Christ came, and took our Nature into Union with his Godhead, being conceived by the holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary. 11. That while he was on earth, he lived a life of sorrows, was crowned with Thorns▪ and bore the pains that our sins deserved; at last being Crucified to death, and buried, and so satisfied the Justice of God. 12. That he also Preached himself to the Jews, and by constant Miracles did prove the truth of his Doctrine and Mediatorship, before thousands of Witnesses: That he revealed more fully his New Law or Covenant, That whosoever will believe in him, and accept him for Saviour, p. 549and Lord, shall be pardoned and saved, and have a far greater glory then they lost, and they that will not, shall lye under the curse and guilt, and be condemned to the everlasting fire of hell. 13. That he rose again from the dead, having conquered death, and took fuller possession of his Dominion over all, and so ascended up into heaven, and there reigneth in glory. 14. That before his Ascention he gave charge to his Apostles, to go Preach the foresaid Gospel to all Nations and persons, and to offer Christ and Mercy, and Life, to every one without exception, and to intreat, and perswade them to receive him; and that he gave them authority to send forth others on the same Message, and to Baptise, and to gather Churches, and confirm and order them, and to settle a course for a succe…on of Ministers and Ordinances to the end of the world. 15. That he also gave them power to work frequent and evident Miracles for the confirmation of their Doctrine, and the convincing of the world; and to annex their writings to the rest of the Scriptures, and so to finish and seal them up, and deliver them to the world as his infallible Word and Laws, which none must dare to alter, and which all must observe. 16. That for all this free Grace is offered to the world, yet the heart is by Nature so desperately wicked, that no man will believe and entertain Christ sincerely, except by an Almighty power he be changed and born again; and therefore doth Christ send forth his Spir…t with his Word, which secretly and effectually worketh holiness in the hearts of the Elect, drawing them to God, and the Redeemer. 17. That the means by which Christ worketh and preserveth this Grace, is the Word Read and Preached, together with frequent …ervent Prayer, Meditation, Sacraments, gracious Conference; and it is much furthered also by special Providences, keeping us from temptations, fitting Occurrences to our advantage, drawing us by Mercies, and driving us by Afflictions; and therefore it must be the great and daily care of every Christian to use faithfully all the said Ordinaces, and improve the said providences. 18. That though the new Law or Covenant be an easie yoak, and there is nothing to be grievous in Christs Commands, yet so bad are our hearts, and so strong our temptations, and so diligent our enemies, that whosoever will be saved, he must strive, and watch, and bestow his utmost care and pains, and deny his flesh, and forsake all that would draw him from Christ, and herein p. 550continue to the end, and overcome. And because this cannot be done without continual supplies of Grace, whereof Christ is the onelyonly Fountain, therefore we must live in continual dependance on him, by Faith, and know, That our life is hid with God in him. 19. That Christ will thus by his Word and Spirit gather him a Church of all the elect out of the world, which is his body and spouse, and he their head and husband, and will be tender of the… as the apple of his eye, and preserve them from dangers; and continue among them his presence and ordinances, And that the members of this Church must live together in most entire Love and Peace, delighting themselves in God and his worship, and the fore-thoughts and mention of their everlasting happiness; forbearing and forgiving one another, and …ieving each other in need, as if that which they have were their brothers. And all men ought to strive to be of this society. Yet will the visible Churches be still mixt of good and bad. 20. That when the fall number of these elect are called home, Christ will come down from heaven again, and raise all the dead, and set them before him to be judged: And all that have loved God above all, and believed in Christ, and been willing that he should reign over them, and have improved their mercies in the day of grace, them he will Justifie, and sentence them to inherit the Everlasting Kingdom of Glory, and those that were not such, he will condemn to Everlasting fire; Both which sentences shall be then executed accordingly.

This is the Creed, or brief sum of the doctrine which you … teach your children.

§. 18.SECT. XVIII.

THen for matter of practice, teach them the meaning of the Commandments, especially of the great Commands of the Gospel, shew them what is commanded and forbidden▪ in the first table and in the second, toward God and men, in regard of the inward and the outward man. And here shew them. 1. The Authority commanding, that is, the Almighty God, by Christ the Redeemer. They are not now to look at command, as coming from God immediatly, meerly as God, or the Creator, but as coming p. 551from God by Christ the Mediator, who is now the Lord of all, and only Lawgiver; seeing the father now Judgeth no man, but hath committed all Judgment to the Son, John 5.22, 23, 24. 2. Shew them the tearms on which duty is required, and the ends of it. 3. And the nature and duties, and the way to perform them aright. 4. And the right order, that they first love God above all, and then their neighbor: first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. 5. Shew them the excellencies and delights of Gods service. 6. And the flat necessity. 7. Especially labor to get all their hearts, and teach them not only to speak the words.

And for sin, shew them its evil and danger, and watch over them against it. Especially 1. The sins that youth is commonly addicted to. 2. And which their nature and constitution most leads them to. 3. And which the time and place do most strongly tempt to, 4. But specially be sure to kill their killing sins: those that all are prone to, and are of all most deadly; as Pride, Worldliness, Ignorance, Profaneness, and Flesh-pleasing.

And for the manner, you must do all this. 1. Betime, before sin get rooting. 2. Frequently. 3. Seasonably. 4. Seriously and diligently. 5. Affectionatly and tenderly. 6. And with authority; compelling, where commanding will not serve, and adding correction where instruction is frustrate,

And thus I have done with this Use of exhortation, to do our …tmost for the Salvation of others. The Lord give men compassionate hearts, that it may be practiced, and then I doubt not but he will succeed it to the increase of his Church.

FINIS.

THE SAINTS Everlasting REST.

The Fourth Part.

Containing a Directory for the getting and keeping of the Heart in Heaven: By the diligent practice of that Excellent unknown Duty of Heavenly Meditation.

Being the main thing intended by the Author, in the writing of this Book; and to which all the rest is but subservient.

And Isaac went out to meditate in the Field, at the Eventide, Gen. 24 63.

In the multitude of my Thoughts within me, thy Comforts delight my soul, Psal. 94.19.

When I wake, I am still with thee, Psal. 139 18.

For our Conversation is in Heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body; according to the working whereby he is able, even to subdue all things to himself, Phil. 3.20, 21.

For where your Treasure is, there will your Heart be also, Matth. 6.21.

Master it is good for us to be here, Mark 9.5.

London Printed by Rob. White, for T. Vnderhill, and F. Tyton, and are to be sold at the sign of the Bible in great Woodstreet, and at the three Daggers in Fleetstreet. 1649.

TO MY Dearly beloved friends in the Lord, The Inhabitants of the Town of SHREWSBVRY, Both Magistrates, Ministers, and People, As also Of the Neighbouring Parts. Rich. Baxter Devoteth this Practicall Part of this Treatise, As a Testimony of his Love to his Native Soyl, And to his many Godly and Faithfull Friends there living.

HEartily praying the Lord and Head of the Church, to keep them in Unity, Peace, Humility, Vigilancy, and Stedfastness in the Truth; and to cause them to contribute their utmost endeavours for the setting up of able faithfull Teachers, and building up the House of God, which hath so long been neglected, and which hath now so many hands imployed to divide and demolish it: And that the Lord would save them in this hour of Temptation, that they may be approved in this tryall, and not be found Light when God shall weigh them. And that he would acquaint them with the daily serious exercise of this most precious, spirituall, soul-exalting work of HEAVENLY MEDITATION, and that when the Lord shall come, he may finde them so doing.