Words to Give to the Young Man Knowledge and Discretion, Postscript
THE POSTSCRIPT.
MAny more things I had prepar'd for you; but the Book being already bigger than at firſt I thought it would have been, I ſhall only here give you the Heads of ſome of them.
Life is the Crown of all earthly Bleſſings, (as Health is the faireſt and brighteſt Jewel upon that Crown) a Bleſſing that none but God can give, (Pharaoh's Magicians Ex. 8. 18.could not give Life to a Louſe) a Bleſſing that any thing will be given to ſecure, when in danger Job 2. 4.of being loſt, (all that a man has will he give for his Life) and that all, both Good and Bad, Rich and Poor, Young and Old, (ſooner or later) greatly value and unwillingly part with: yet I would not have you (with Herodotus) do nothing elſe but attend the Health of your Body, nor be ſo buſie about the good of a natural Life, as to neglect the Concerns of that which is eternal, nor yet to neglect it, or willingly to do any thing that may deſtroy it; for this would be to ſin againſt your Soul as well as your Body, and to do that (viz. to pleaſe the Devil) at your Death, which all wicked Men do in their Lives. Therefore Phil. 1. 23. Nec propter vitam, vivendi perdere cauſam.neither on the one hand overvalue it, nor on the other hand neglect it, but be thankful for it, and make good uſe of it, and this, by living to the end of living.
Then a temporal Life is well improv'd, when ſpent to ſecure the Life that is eternal.
There is nothing will make you more uſeful while you live, than Learning, (Paul was the moſt learned of all the Apoſtles, and God made moſt uſe of him) and there is nothing I deſire more as to this world than that you may attain to an Eminency in it; and that you may, you muſt diligently ſeek after it; for, it will not be got without much labour.
He that would be a good Scholar, muſt (as Iſocrates ſays) have ſix Properties; He muſt be one of foreign.good Parts, of a ſtrong Memory, a Mover of Doubts, a Liſtner to the Sayings or Speeches of others, a Delighter in his Studies, and laborious in it.
All excellent things are fenced about with difficulty.
Plato is ſaid to have brought Ʋtrumque jungendo perfeciſſe laudatur.Philoſophy to perfection, by joyning contemplative and moral Philoſophy together, (in which Pythagoras and Socrates excell'd) and the Philoſopher makes it the moſt neceſſary Head, and firſt Principle of Philoſophy, to know how to uſe Principles; and it will be your Wiſdom, and therefore ſhould be your Deſign, in all your Studies, to bring them to practice, that you may not be upbraided, as the Athenians were by Anacharſis, for uſing their money only to count, and their Knowledge only to know.
Practice will be blind unleſs Idem eſt non habere & non uti.it ſee with the eyes of Knowledge; and Knowledge will be uſeleſs, unleſs it walk on the feet of Practice, like his Muſick that was underſtood by none but himſelf.
Make the Stock Learning, and you may graff what you will upon it; but if you will take my advice, let it be Divinity.
When God ſent his Son into the Luk. 4. 18.World, he ſent him to Preach; and had I never ſo many, I ſhould eſteem it my greateſt Honour, as well as theirs, if they were qualified for that Office, truly call'd to it, and faithful in it.
Two things made Chriſt a Miniſter, Iſa. 61. 1. Joh. 6. 27.viz. Unction and Commiſſion; and no leſs makes one now: for,
None are truly call'd to it, unleſs qualified for it; nor though qualified for it, are any of Chriſt's Miniſters, unleſs authoriz's to it.
Therefore,
1. Before you enter upon that Office be qualified for it, and called to it.
Gifts qualifie for it;
You cannot teach others unleſs you be firſt taught your ſelf.
A Call commiſſionates to it;
Without a Call, you will (like haſty Ahimaaz) run without your 2 Sam. 18. 19, 20. 29.Errand.
2 When you have entred upon the Office, be faithful in it.
Do not enter upon the Office Sacerdos foreign. Sacerdotium otium.(as of old the Eccho ſounded) as a Trade to get by, nor through Idleneſs neglect it when you have entred upon it; but out of a Zeal Mat. 5. 14. 2 Corin. 12. 15.for God, and the Good of Souls, be willing to ſpend, and be ſpent like a Taper that conſumes it ſelf, by giving Light to others.A good Miniſter is a Light, and his Motto muſt be Lucendo pereo, or that of the Phoenix, Dum pario, pereo. Qui ſibi nequam, cui bonus! Heb. 13 4.
Be a good Miniſter for the good of others, and a good Man for your own.
Marriage is honourable in all, and Parentage, Parts, and Portion, are good Ingredients in a Match, but not the principals to guide your choice; let not therefore your Affections ſo far bribe your Judgment, as to put you upon the choice of a Wife, for Money or Beauty only, but for Religion, the beſt and ſtrongeſt Marriage-knot; ſo ſtrong, that it cannot be cut aſunder; for, they that are thus joyned together, neither Life nor Death can part.
Never pawn your Honeſty to pleaſe your Fancy.
If you marry, and live to have Children, and have any thing to give them, give them what you can ſpare while you are alive, or at laſt they will thank Death for it, and not you: If you have nothing to give them, (or whether you have, or have not) leave them under God's Bleſſing, and you will leave them rich.
A Table, though never ſo richly foreign.adorn'd, and furniſh'd with Food, differs (according to the Greek Proverb) nothing from a Manger: therefore, how meanly ſoever your Table is furniſh'd with Food, let it be furniſh'd with good Diſcourſe, that all that come there, may fare (as of old they did at Plato's Banquets) the better for it afterwards.
The Ear trys Words, as the Job 12. 11.Mouth taſts Meat.
In two things the Philoſopher Pythag.ſays we are like to God; viz. in ſpeaking the Truth, and in beſtowing Benefits.
God is a God of Truth, he cannot lye, and they that are like to Titus 1. 2.him will not.
God is good, and does good; Iſa. 63. 8. Pſ. 25. 8. Exo. 34. 6.he is abundant in it; and the more any exceed in Bounty, (which is Goodneſs enlarged) the more like to him they are.
Therefore,
When God enlarges his hand in Bounty to you, do you enlarge yours in Bounty to others. Charity may begin at home, but it muſt not end there.
Dr. Taylor's Advice to his Son was, that if God did bleſs him with the things of this World, he ſhould count it his chiefeſt Riches, to be rich in Alms; and it will be your Wiſdom to believe ſo: ſome indeed think it is the next way to be undone; for, what is thus given, they conclude is thrown away; but they are miſtaken that think ſo: for it is a way, not only to ſecure what you have, but to encreaſe it, in that, whatever you thus give, you lend, and that not Prov. 28. 27.to a Bankrupt, but to God, who has all the Riches of Heaven and Prov. 19. 17.Earth, and ſtands Principal in that Bond which ſecures the payment back again of what you thus lend in this Life, and of ſomething better in the Life to come.
I had rather you ſhould want an Eſtate, than a heart to be charitable; a Capacity this way to do good, than a Will or an Inclination to it.
The holy Scriptures contain'd in the old and new Teſtament, are the Word of God, the Statutebook 2 Tim. 3. 16.of Heaven, the Will of your heavenly Father, the Advice of Chriſt your heavenly Phyſician, the Counſel of him your Advocate, Phil. 2. 16. Act. 13. 26 Rom 10. 8. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Eph 1. 13.the Word of Life and Salvation, the Word of Faith and Truth: therefore,
Believe it firmly;
Here let the Ark of your Faith reſt.
Read it daily and diligently.
That you may find Chriſt the rich Treaſure in this Field.
Hear it attentively:
The more heed you give to Act 16. 14. Heb. 2. 1.what you hear, the more you will remember.
Love it ſincerely:
There is no Love like that to God and his Word; and ſuch as your Love is to his Word, ſuch is your Love to him.
Meditate on it conſtantly:Pſal. 1. 2.
The Bleſſing is entail'd upon them that meditate on it day and night.
Contend for it earneſtly:
It is the Word of Faith, and Jude 3.you muſt be a Defender of it.
Obey it faithfully:
You neither read, hear, underſtand, nor believe aright, any more than what you practice.
Action is the beſt part of Jam. 1. 22, 23.a Chriſtian, and there is no doing, like to that of the Word.
The Work of Creation being foreign Gen. 2. 2. 3. He ſanctify'd it, or ſet it apart, and appointed it to be a holy reſt for his Worſhip.ended on the ſeventh day, God reſted on that day from all his Work which he had made, and bleſſed the ſeventh day, and ſanctified it.
He ſanctified it by Inſtitution, that the Jews might ſanctifie it by Obſervation; he, by ſetting it apart to a holy uſe, that they might by keeping it ſo.
Now as the firſt day on which the work of Creation was finiſh'd was conſecrated, and ſet apart for a holy Sabbath to God; ſo the firſt day on which the work of Redemption was perfected, was ſet apart as a holy reſt unto him: that was (as Athanaſius ſays) the end of the firſt Creation, and this the beginning of the ſecond Creation: and as that was kept holy to God, ſo this (as appears by the Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 12. Rev. 1. 10.practice of the Apoſtles, and by the univerſal Practice of the Chriſtian Church) has ever ſince for many hundred Years been kept holy to him in the Chriſtian Church, both by converted Jews and gentile Chriſtians.
And I can aſſure you, from my own Obſervation, I never yet knew any, but, the more ſtrict they were in the profeſſion of Religion, the more ſtrict they were in the Obſervation of this day.
Beſides, there are two reaſons to oblige you to the keeping of this day, that the Jews had not to oblige them to the keeping of their Sabbath; viz.
The Reſurrection of Chriſt John 20. Luke 24.from the dead on this day: and, The Deſcenſion of the Holy Ghoſt.
Since then there are ſuch Reaſons to enforce the practice of it, let it be your great care to ſanctifie this day, and that,
1. By ceaſing
From all evil Works, which are Sins on other days, and double Sabbatum Satana.Sins on this.
From all Works of Recreation Sabbatum Aurei Vituli.or Pleaſure; viz. ſuch as are not natural and neceſſary, but voluntary and needleſs.
From all Works of Labour, that Sabbatum Tyri.are not Works of Neceſſity, Piety, or Mercy, nor tending thereunto.
2. By doing all the Works of Piety, both publick and private, which are the proper Works of this day; and not barely doing of them, but by doing of them with Exactneſs, Conſtancy, and Delight.
The Sacrifices of old were double Num. 28. 9on the Sabbath-day, and God requires more Service on this day than on others, and an extraordinary exerciſe of Grace in them.
The whole day is his, and unleſs works of Neceſſity and Mercy Mat. 127.(relating either to Man or Beaſt) intervene, it muſt be wholly denoted to him.
The Duties of the day are not all of a ſort, but various; there are all the means and ways of Communion with God on this day, to take off Tediouſneſs and promote Delight in them.
If you come with rejoycing, Pſ. 122. 1.you will go away ſo.
Chriſt's coming in the Fleſh was the fulfilling of the Law, the coming down of his Spirit on this day was the fulfilling of the Goſpel; then he took our Nature; on this, we were made Partakers of his; when he died, he ſhed his Blood effectually for our Juſtification; on this, he ſhed abroad his Spirit abundantly for our Sanctification; on this day he aroſe, and then his Spirit quicken'd his natural Body; on this day his Spirit deſcended, and quicken'd his myſtical Body; when he aſcended he carried our Nature up to Heaven; and on this day he ſent down his Spirit to us. Now my Prayer for you ſhall be,
That the ſame Spirit that deſcended this day may ſanctifie you, that you may ſanctifie this day, and that you by it may be made holy, that you may keep this day holy to God that made it ſo, that keeping this day of reſt here, you may at laſt be taken up into his Reſt that remains for ever hereafter.Heb. 2. 9.
Live to the Honour of that worthy Name in which you were baptiz'd, and by which you are Jam. 2. 7.called.
Baptiſm is a ſacred Flood, ſent, not to drown, but to ſave the World; but then you muſt be in Chriſt, (the Ark) and walk worthy 1 Theſſ. 2. 12.of him, that, as you are in the Bond of the Covenant, you may be alſo under the Bleſſing of it.
The outward Baptiſm of Water, will avail you nothing, Mat. 3. 11.without the inward Baptiſm of the Spirit.
The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was inſtituted by Chriſt, and appointed as a ſtanding Ordinance Matth.to the end of the World, for the commemoration of Chriſts Death, and his great Love in it, and for the Confirmation of all thoſe Bleſſings obtain'd by him, to them that believe in him.
They only that are in the Covenant, have a right to the Seal of it.
Some ſeldom receive it, ſome never, (living in a wilful breach and contempt both of God's Law and Mans) & ſome are careleſs and negligent when they do receive.
But do you,
(1.) Duely attend upon it.
(2.) Come worthily to it.
1. Duely attend upon it.
While you live in the neglect of it, you reject, not only motives, but inſtituted means, to ſubdue your Corruptions, and ſtrengthen your Graces; queſtion God's Wiſdom, as if he had ordain'd a needleſs and ſuperfluous thing; contemn Chriſt and his Love, as if they were not worth the remembring, and live in diſobedience to a Goſpel Command, and thereby become liable to the Wrath of God.
He that came to the Feaſt Mat. 22. 3. 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13.without a wedding-garment was deſtroy'd, and ſo were they too that did not come.
2. Come worthily to it.
The Sacrament is a Feaſt, the Souls Exceedings; if you come not to it, you will ſtarve your Soul; if you come unworthily you will poiſon it, eating Damnation as ſurely as you eat Bread, and 1 Cor. 11. 29.drinking a Cup of Wrath inſtead of a Cup of Bleſſing; and therefore do what you can to come in a worthy manner; viz.
With hungring and thirſting after Righteouſneſs.
Unleſs you come empty, you Mat. 5. 6. Luk. 15. 3.wil be ſent away ſo.
With Faith, without which, Chriſtus fide digerendus.though you eat, you will never be nouriſh'd.
You may touch the Body, but you will receive no Vertue from it.
With inflamed Love to God for giving Chriſt to you; and to Chriſt, for offering up himſelf for you.
He is the Founder of the Feaſt, and died to make it.
With a Heart deeply humbled for Sin, that you may not crucifie him afreſh, but mourn over him, Heb. 6. 6.who was crucified for you, and by you.
A broken Saviour muſt be received with a broken Heart.
With Humility, and lowlineſs of mind, as unworthy of the Crums that fall from his Table, much more as a Gueſt to ſit there.
The more humble the more welcome.
With Praiſe and Thankſgiving.
The Feaſt is all of free-coſt, and you can do no leſs than take the Cup of Salvation, Pſ. 116. 13and bleſs him for it.
In the Sacrament Chriſt's death is ſhewn forth, and in a holy Converſation his Life; now, when in that you have ſhewn forth his Death, go and ſhew forth his Life in the Holineſs of yours, that it may appear, you have an intereſt in the Power of his Croſs, as well as in the Merit of it.
Sin is an Impoſtor, it comes of a cheating kind, by the Fathers and Mothers ſide (viz. the Devil and your Heart, he is the Incubus and that the Womb.) The firſt Sin (by which you may judge of all the reſt) came into the World by a cheat, and all (whether Angels or Men) that ever had any thing to do with it, have been deceived by it; your great wiſdom Pro. 11. 18therefore will be to underſtand the deceitfulneſs of Sin, and Heb. 3. 13.to watch againſt it.
Our firſt Parents expected Gen. 3. 5, 6, 7.to be as Gods, but they became as Devils.
Unbelief is a Sin:
That gave life to the firſt actual Sin, and ever ſince gives life to Gen. 3.all, and maintains the life of them; in the Judgment, as in a Caſtle; in the Heart, as in a Cloſet; and in the Life, as in a Trade.
All Grace acts in the ſtrength of Faith, and all Sin in the ſtrength of Unbelief.
A Sin that puts God in the Devils place, and the Devil in God's: for,
By diſ-believing God, you believe the Devil.
A Sin that binds the Guilt of all other Sins faſt upon you, they deſerve Puniſhment, but this binds you over to it.
Hell ſeems to be prepar'd on purpoſe for Unbelievers, and Hypocrites as the chief of Sinners.
I hope you have ſo much Faith Heb. 3. 12. Quantò magis à Deo recedimus, tantò minus ſumus.as to believe this, that you may take heed, and beware of an evil Heart of Unbelief, in departing from the living God.
By going from a living God, will go to a killing Devil.
Pambo was thirty years (as he ſays) learning how to rule his Tongue, and yet had not perfectly learn'd that Leſſon: and Saint James tells us, the Tongue is an unruly Member, not eaſily tamed; yet an endeavour to do it is not more difficult than neceſſary, for, without it your Religion is Jam. 3. 8. 1. 26.vain.
The Sins of the Tongue are many; but I ſhall here only adviſe you in an eſpecial manner to beware of three; viz.
Of Swearing.
Of Cenſuring.
Of Lying.
1. Swearing.
The Tongue of Man is call'd Pſ. 57. 8. 108. 1.his Glory, not only as it is one of the Excellencies and Prerogatives of Man over other Creatures, by this to expreſs his mind; but as it is an Inſtrument ordain'd for the ſetting forth of Gods glory. When thus employ'd, it is his Honour; but when in curſing and ſwearing; it is a Shame and Reproach unto him, and a Diſhonour to God, who has by this put ſuch an Honour upon him above all earthly Creatures.
I hope you will never meet with a Temptation to this Sin, nor much need any caution from me againſt it: but ſince you live in an Age in which this Sin is as common as it is notorious and abominable, you will do well to remember the Threatnings denounc'd by God againſt this Sin, and the Judgments inflicted upon them that have been guilty of it; how vile and contemptible it will make you in the Eyes of all that are ſober and vertuous; that it will by this manifeſtly appear, that you are rotten at the heart; (for out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth ſpeaks) that Luk. 6. 45.your Mouth is full of deadly Poyſon (an unlikely place, one would think, to look for Poyſon in) and Jam. 3. 8.that your Tongue is ſet on fire of Hell, that ſends forth a ſtench worſe than that of the Fire and Brimſtone there, and will at laſt for ever torment you there: for, Rev. 14. 10.as rich men by frequent ſwearing, may, by the Laws of Man (if duely executed) ſwear themſelves into Beggery; ſo both Rich and Poor will, by the Law of God, ſwear themſelves into Hell.
Every Swearer loſes his Soul for nothing: other Sins have ſome Pleaſure or Profit attending them, but this has neither.
2. Cenſuring.
Many (as Seneca complain'd in his time ſome did) make more uſe of Spectacles than Looking-glaſſes to behold others Faults more than their own. They read men (as they read Books) only to eſpy out their Faults; they feed (like flies) not on their ſound, but ſore part, and make their Sins either matter of their Triumph or Cenſure: but it is great Folly for you (or any) ſo to do; for, did you but conſider how liable you are to the ſame, or worſe Temptations, and how much by nature you are inclin'd to yield to them, you would not.
God's Judgment begins at his own Houſe, but yours muſt begin at your own Heart; there it muſt begin, and there it muſt end too: be not therefore (as the Lamiae) quick-ſighted abroad to ſee the Faults of others, and blind at home, not to ſee your own; but behold your own more than theirs; or rather, your own, and not theirs; that you may not (with the Phariſee) accuſe them, but (with the Publican) condemn your ſelf.
The better any are, the leſs ſevere they will be to others, and the more to themſelves. Matthew is call'd Levi by all the other Evangeliſts; but he calls himſelf, Matthew the Mat. 10. 3.Publican.
3. Lying.
A Lyer (as one ſays) is one that defies God, and ſhrinks at Man, but hated of both. Therefore,
Do not lye at any time:
For though Truth is not to be ſpoken at all times, yet there is no time for a Lye.
Do not lye upon any account:
No not in jeſt; for, (as Solon ſaid to one lying in jeſt) if you approve and practiſe it in jeſt, you will ſoon find it in earneſt in all your Actions.
Do not lie for any thing, no not for the greateſt Advantage.
Auſtin profeſs'd, he would not tell a Lye to gain Heaven.
Do not lye to any one;
No not to the Devil, to whoſe Nature it is moſt ſutable.
Do not lye for any one:
Not for a Friend; for it is Magis amica veritas.no true Friendſhip, to be falſe to the Truth for a Friends ſake.
Not for Truth it ſelf; for Truth can never be upheld with a Lye.
No not for the God of Job. 13. 7.Truth; for it is a Sin to ſpeak wickedly for God himſelf.
But ever ſpeak the Truth of Veritas entis, mentis.your Mind, though you may not at all times be able to ſpeak to the Truth of Things; that it may appear you are a Child of God (the Deut. 32. 4God of Truth) and not of the Devil, who is the Father both of Joh. 8. 44.Lyes and Lyers.
By Perjury you exceed the Devil, and by lying you imitate him.
Plato wrote over his School, Let none enter in here that is not a foreign.Geometrician; and Chriſt admits none into his, but ſuch as deny themſelves: a bare Profeſſion of Matt. 16. 24.Chriſt is not enough, unleſs you follow him; nor following him, unleſs you deny your ſelf for him. If therefore, you either profeſs, or deſire to be a Diſciple of Chriſt, you muſt live in the daily exerciſe of ſelf-denial, viz. both of righteous and ſinful ſelf; the firſt in reſpect of Dependance, the latter in Philip. 3. 8, 9. Eph. 5. 11.reſpect of Communion; one comparatively, the other abſolutely.
If the Foundation be not good, whatever you build upon it will fall to the ground.
Macrobius honour'd Hippocrates with this Title, That he could neither deceive, nor be deceived; but you live in an Age, wherein you will find many skilful in the art of Deceiving; and your tender Years, and want of Experience, may not be Armour of Proof againſt their Wiles: therefore, try your ſeeming Friends before you truſt them (as ſome do their Veſſels, firſt with Water, and then with Wine) and never expect much from them, and you will never be deceived by them.
Trajan advis'd his Maſter to tell him of his Faults; ſaying, He would not be angry with him for it, but with himſelf for deſerving it. Alexander turn'd away a Philoſopher for not doing of it, as Aut errores non intelligis, & inſipiens, aut ſi intilligis, adulator, quia non reprebendis.one that was either a Knave or a Fool. And if you rightly underſtand your ſelf, you will eſteem them as your beſt Friends, that are Enemies to your Vices.
It is better (according to the Greek Proverb) to fall among Crows than Flatterers; for, they will not eat you until you are dead, but theſe will eat you up while you are alive.
There are but two ways by which you are ever like to hear of your Faults; viz. either by the Reproach of a biter Enemy, or the Reproof of a faithful Friend; confute the firſt by your Life, and make him a Lyer; be thankful to the other, and receive it as a kindneſs.
A Friend loves at all times, Pſ. 141. 5. Pro. 17. 17but never more than when reproving.
When you hear of any Commendation given you, enquire who they were that prais'd you; if Vertuous, make good their Words; if Vicious, ſuſpect your ſelf.
What Evil have I done, ſaid Socrates, that this bad man commends me?
The Rabbins have a Saying, that we muſt fly to Mount Gerizim, but creep up to Mount Ebal; that is, we muſt be ſwift to Mercy, and ſlow to Anger: and it will be your Wiſdom to do ſo.
Paſſion is a ſhort Madneſs; it may paſs through a wiſe man's Heart, but reſts no where but in a Fool's.
What is one man's Duty, may be another man's Sin; and what is lawful at one time, may not be Pr. 26. 4, 5lawful at another; it will be your Wiſdom therefore, to underſtand your Duty, the proper ſeaſon of it, and to do it.
Duty muſt be done, though Safety be hazarded by it.
Make that out of Queſtion that ought to be matter of the greateſt Queſtion; viz. Whether Chriſt 2 Cor. 13. 5.be in you; if Chriſt is not, the Devil is; but if Chriſt is, then 2 Cor. 5. 1you are a new Creature.
Then Chriſt is formed in you, when you are conformed to the Image of Rom. 8. 29him.
There are ſome that pray, but Prov. 28. 9turn away their Ear from God's Law; and ſome that never pray (they turn away both Ear and Mouth from God) the firſt are Hypocrites, the latter Atheiſts: Mat. 23. 14.none are good that do not pray, nor any, that do no more; for, Hypocrites pray, though not always: therefore neither neglect Job 27. 10Prayer, nor truſt in it; be not falſe to your Profeſſion of Religion by living without Prayer, nor falſe to your Prayers, by living contrary to them; but own that Domine fac me in iis conſequendis operam colloeare, pro quibus obtinendis ſoleo ad te orare. Sir Thomas More's Prayer.in your Life that you do in your Prayers; for, Prayer is not only a means to get good, but an Engagement to be ſo.
Daily Prayer is as neceſſary for your Soul, as daily Bread for your Body.
Some live as if there was no Heaven, and ſome, as if they deſir'd no other Heaven but what is here, (no Paradiſe, but an earthly one;) but do you live in the belief of it, and have your Converſation there while you are here, Phil. 3. 20.that you may be there when you ſhall be here no more.
A heavenly Converſation Joh. 14. 23 Heb. 12. 14will at laſt bring you to a heavenly Habitation.
Some believe there is no Hell, ſome think there is none but a guilty Conſcience, (and if it were true, that will be bad enough,) ſome fear no other Hell but Poverty, and ſome will not think of Hell, leſt melancholy Thoughts ſhould drive them to Deſpair; but do you ever fear Hell, that you may never feel it.
Chriſt's own Diſciples Mat. 10. 28.were bid to fear Hell, and did good; and bad think more of it; both might be better.
Do nothing againſt Conſcience truly inlightned.Quicquid ſit contra conſcientiam aedificat ad gebennam.
You cannot have a better Friend (next God) than Conſcience, nor a better Jury to acquit you; therefore keep that your Conſcientia eſt animae paedagogus, ante peccatum froenum, poſt peccatum flagellum.Friend whoever is your Enemy; Peace there, though you have none any where elſe; if you do not, you may want a Friend when you will moſt need him: for,
At the day of Judgment, when the Mouth of Conſcience ſhall be open, yours will be ſhut.Matt. 22. 12.
You live in a World full of Job 5. 7.Troubles; and there is but little (if any thing) elſe, that you can be ſure of; it will be your Wiſdom therefore to expect them, and prepare for them before they come, and patiently to bear them when they do.
If you fly the Croſs, you may loſe the Crown.
The things of this World are requiſite, that none ſhould under-value them; but momentary, that none ſhould over-prize them: 1 Cor. 7. 30, 31.love them therefore as if you did not love them, and live above them while you live in the Enjoyment of them.
It is Folly to love any thing much, that you cannot love long.
Be eſtabliſhed in the Truth, that you may not be blown about with every Wind of Doctrine.Eph. 4. 14.
Diſtraction of Mind is ſad, but Diſtraction of Judgment is worſe.
Engage not in any thing in which you cannot expect God's Bleſſing; nor ever expect any Bleſſing from him in any thing, in which you are not firſt counſelled by him.
In all your ways acknowledge Pro. 3. 6.him, and he will direct your Paths.
Be juſt to all, and deceive none; if you do, you will deceive your ſelf moſt of all.
Honeſty is the beſt Policy.
Patiently bear Reproaches. At the day of Judgment there will Luke 6. 22, 23.be a Reſurrection of Names as well as of Bodies, and then all Jude 15.things ſhall be ſet right.
Heartily forgive Injuries; if Mat. 18. 35.you do not, you will do a greater Injury to your ſelf. It is no Pride to refuſe to act below your ſelf: you ought therefore to be ſenſible of them, and to make them, whoever they are, ſenſible of their Evil, that have injured you; but you muſt not revenge it: not to be ſenſible, is brutiſh; to revenge is deviliſh.
A wiſe Man will make better uſe of his Foes, than a Fool can of his Friends.
Never forget a Kindneſs you receive, nor remember any you have done to another.
The firſt is Ingratitude, Haec beneficis inter duos lex eſt, Alter obtiniſci debet dati ſtatim, alter accepti nunquam.the latter is a foreign.Merchandize rather than a Gift.
Be more afraid to be evil, than to be ſeen to be ſo; and more aſham'd not to do good, than to Bona agere & mala pati, regium eſt.be reproach'd for doing of it.
You may deprecate Shame, and complain of it too, (David did both;) but you muſt not, either Pſ 119. 31 Pſ. 6…. 19 20.ſhun, or fly from Duty, to avoid it.
Live the Life of Faith here, if you would live the Life of Sight hereafter, and evidence your Faith by your Works; for, it is no more, without them, than Jam. 2 ult.Fire is without Heat and Light.
They are none of Abraham's Children, that do Job 8. 29.not Abraham's Works.
Live above the inordinate love of Life, and ſinful fear of Death; and that you may, make all ſure before you die; that when you come to dye, you may have nothing elſe to do, but to dye.
Pulchra res eſt, conſummàſſe vitam ante mortem.
Conſtantine gave it as his chiefeſt Inſtruction to his Children, that they ſhould prefer the Knowledge of God, and his holy Religion, above worldly Wealth, yea above the Empire; and it will be your Wiſdom to value it above all the Riches and Honours of this World: certainly there is great Excellency in Religion, in that, the Enemies of it ſo often put on a form of it, its Friends (notwithſtanding all hazards) ſo much own it, and appear for it, and God (who is glorious in Holineſs) ſo much commends it, and approves of it; let your eſteem therefore be of all Perſons, for the Tantus quiſque eſt, quantus apud Deum.Religion you find in them; if God does ſo, well may you do it too.
It is Religion, more than Blood, that ennobles; for, The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour; viz. Pro. 12. 26indefinitely, whether rich, or poor.
The Fear of the Lord is the beginning Pſ. 111. 10of Wiſdom, the Foundation of all Religion, a good Sollicitor to Devotion, and a great help againſt Formality in it; a Cuſtos Innocentiae.Preſerver of Innocency, and an eſpecial Remedy againſt hardneſs of Heart; (Fear, in a natural Iſa. 60. 5.ſenſe, contracts the Heart; but in a ſpiritual ſenſe, enlarges it) a Grace like the ſenſe of touching, that (as the Philoſopher ſays) is Ortu primus uſu maximus duratione ultimus.firſt in being, of greateſt uſe, and of longeſt continuance.
Servile Fear ariſes from Hatred to God; filial Fear ariſes from Love to him; they that fear God, and do not love him, hate him Nemo melius diligit quam qui maximè veretur offendere. Salvian.becauſe they fear him; but the more any love God, the more they reverence and fear him.
God is to be fear'd, as well as lov'd and prais'd for his Goodneſs; and your Duty is as much Hoſ. 3. 5.to fear him, as to rejoyce and Pſ. 76. 11.truſt in him.
His Mercy is from everlaſting Pſ. 103. 17.to everlaſting upon them that fear him, and his Curſe againſt them that do not; ſo that if you are above his Fear, you are under his Curſe; and if here you do not tremble before him with an obediential Fear, you ſhall hereafter, to all eternity, with a deviliſh one.
Fear God, and you need not fear any thing but him, and for him.
Chuſe God for your Portion, and you can never want.
You are proud, and think too well of your ſelf, if you cannot be content in any condition with him; and of a low and baſe Spirit, if you can be ſatisfied with a whole World without him.
More you need not, and leſs will not do.
Renew your Repentance before him daily, and beg Pardon and Remiſſion of all your Sins, (as to Kind, Degree, and Aggravation) that, as the Morning Cloud, they may ſoon vaniſh & diſappear; beg the powerful Aid and Aſſiſtance of his Grace, which is ſufficient for you, that Bounds may be ſet to the raging Sea of Sin, that it may never overflow your Banks, and a daily encreaſe of Grace from him (who is the God of all Grace) that your way may be as the Morning-light ſhining more and more unto the perfect day.Pro. 4. 18.
You were never good, if you think you are good enough; nor have any Grace, if you think you want none.
Live up to that Profeſſion you make of God, to that Communion you have with him, and thoſe Duties you perform to him, that it may appear you have Truth in the inward parts, and are ſound at the root.Pſ. 51. 6. Deut. 32. 4. Jer. 5. 3.
He is a God of Truth, and his Eyes are upon the Truth.
Let a Zeal for his Glory be writ upon your Heart, that you may honour him in all your ways to him, and acknowledge him in all his ways to you both, of Mercy and Judgment, with Thankfulneſs and Humility.
Do his Will chearfully, and bear it patiently; bleſs him for what you have, and depend upon him for what you want; live upon him as your happineſs, and to him as your end; thus living to him here, you will live for ever with him hereafter.
This is the Advice of your earthly Father, from his, and your heavenly Father, and if diligently obſerv'd by you, though you may loſe me your earthly Father, you will never be without the teaching Guidance, Counſel, Care, and Bleſſing of God, your heavenly Father.
Non eſt orphanus, cui mortuus Pſ. 27. 10.eſt parens, ſed qui ſcientiam Arab. Pro.non habet, nec mores.
FINIS.
ERRATA.
THE three laſt lines in page 38. ſhould have been the three firſt in page 39.
The two laſt lines in page 39. ſhould have been in a Parentheſis two lines above.
Eminenter in the fourth line of page 59. ſhould have been ſet in the Margin.
Page 68. line 12. for connectuntur, read convertitur.
Page 79. line 2. leave out And.
End of the text · Francis Fuller, Words to Give to the Young Man Knowledge and Discretion (1685)