A Manual of Practical Divinity, Treatise · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. Some directions for Believers in their walking with God, and their converſation in the world.
1. LEt all Saints be well acquainted with Gods workings upon their ſouls, the time and manner; and be ſenſible of the backwardneſs and oppoſition of their own hearts to all the grace that God hath wrought in them: that God hath magnified his Grace exceedingly in all the good that he hath done them: Our Iniquities and the ſtubborneſs of our hearts teſtifie againſt us; but God hath made it appear that he hath done all that he hath done for us for his own names ſake.
2. Be ſenſible of the corruption of our hearts; remember all the iniquities of our youth; get ſound Repentance for the ſins of our unregenerate eſtate when we knew not God; obſerve our great backſlidings, ſince our Converſion, and the ſins that do moſt eaſily beſet us, and loath our ſelves for them, and beg ſpecial Grace and ſtrength from Chriſt where we are moſt weak and tempted.
3. Renew our Faith daily upon Chriſt, and meditate upon Gods free Grace in Chriſt, which is notonly to be taken as a cordial in ſome ſwooning fits, but our daily food; for we live by the faith of the Son of God, Gal. 2.20.
4. Getting Intimacy with the ſpirit of God, and wait daily for his comforting, teachings, ſtrengthnings and ſanctifying influences, and ſeaſonable bringing of Scriptures and truths to our remembrance: refuſe not his light when he would teach us any thing, though it be a deſpiſed, perſecuted Truth, and never ſo contrary to our former apprehenſions; quench not his motions when he would put us upon any duty; reſiſt not his motions to ſtop us in any way of ſin: be thankfull for all his viſits: for his viſitations preſerve our Spirits; we will thank a godly man for a viſit, much more the bleſſed Spirit: count all our Prayers and ſervices but as dead carcaſes, if there be not the Spirits breathings and influences in them; grieve him not who is our Comforter, and makes us glad: be not proud of his enlargements, but let him have the praiſe of them.
5. Be conſtant in all duties and Ordinances, private and publique, and be carefull that we neither be dead nor formal, nor reſt in our duties; pray againſt diſtractions in duties, which is a ſin that is very hardly mortified.
6. Watch againſt errors in judgement, be not taken with the outward appearance of thoſe that bring opinions, knowing that Deceivers will come in Chriſts name, Mat. 24. and will tranſform themſelves into Miniſters of righteouſneſs: Nay, follow not men that are really godly without light out of the word; for godly men know but in part: do not reject every thing that ſeemeth to be new; for many Truths, eſpecially about Diſcipline, are revealed in theſe laſt times, which godly men in former times were ignorant of; that though God revealed to them the neceſſary Truths to Salvation, yet in other things they are miſtaken.
7. Expect Temptations every day, and be ſenſible of our own weakneſs to ſtand in an evil day; labor to know that our Temptations are Temptations; don't venture upon Temptations, don't come too near the devils forts, and think we can retreat when we wil: don't think that the devil plays only one game at once: he hath many ſtratagems at once; if he cannot prevail to draw to ſinfull luſts, he will endeavour to draw to Error: if he cannot ſink the ſoul with terrors, he will labor to puff it up with Gifts; be not confident when we have gotten a victory over Satan, and think we have routed him: he will not leave us ſo, but will rally his forces again, and give us open battell or lie in ambuſh for us; Sometimes Satan only feigns himſelf to be overcome, and comes afterward with more ſucceſs; yea a ſoul that hath got the better through the ſtrength of Chriſt in ſome great temptation wherein Satan hath ſeemed to fight with all his forces, yet may be worſted in a leſs temptation, if Chriſt the Captain of our Salvation do not lead us on.
8. Be well skilled in the Promiſes, and meditate in them day and night, and go not to the Promiſe, upon legal terms: cloſe with the Promiſes of free Grace, ſuch as, Ezek. 36.27,28. Jer. 31.32,33. before we cloſe with the Promiſes that are made to Grace already wrought, ſuch as are made, Mat. 5. to ſuch as are poor in Spirit, and hunger & thirſt after righteouſneſs: cloſe with Chriſt before we cloſe with the promiſes: for all the Promiſes are Yea and Amen in him, and through him to them that are in him, 2 Cor. 1. And they are made firſt to Chriſt, Gal. 3.16. as the head of the Elect; let every Promiſe be as a ſtream to lead us to Chriſt, the head and duplicate page duplicate page wel-ſpring of the Promiſes, who hath all that in him, that all the Promiſes put together do contain.
9. Though in our young time we have been carried out in holineſs in ſome comfortable meaſure, yet be careful leaſt in our old age, and when we have been Profeſſors a great while, we do not fall off from our firſt love and zeal, and tenderneſs of Conſcience: we read of Aſa, 2 Chron. 15. what great things he did for God in his young time; yet in the next Chapter we ſee how much he fell; and Solomon in his young time was fearfull of Idolatry, but in his old age he was mightily carried away with it: not only young Chriſtians but old Saints of twenty or thirty years ſtanding, had need walk circumſpecty.
10. Practice that great duty of ſelfexamination daily, and deſire of God to ſearch us, and try us, and make us to know our iniquities, and give us ſound humiliation for them; for godly men may lie a great while in a ſin before they be truly ſenſible of it, as David, before he was truly ſenſible of that ſin of Adultery, as appears by 2 Sam. 12. that it could not be leſs then three quarters of a year: for when the Prophet Nathan came to him, the child that he had by Bathſheba was born; for in the fourteenth v. Nathan told him that the child that was born to him ſhould die: and ſo verſe fifteen, The Lord ſtrake the child: and ſo for his ſin in numbring the people, 2 Sam. 24.8,9,10. it was nine moneths and twenty days that the people were numbring; and all that time David was not ſenſible of the ſin, but in the end of that time: the Text ſaith, His heart ſmote him, and he ſaid I have done very fooliſhly; and what a ſad thing is it, that a ſin ſhould be three quarters of a year unrepented of, and ſuch great ſins! A Saint of all men in the world had need have his eyes about him; and if it be poſſible, have a thouſand things in his eye together: and ſurely if there are ſome ſins that we commit and don't know them, and mourn only in the general for them, we ſhould mourn the more for theſe ſins we are convinced of, and apply Chriſts blood to cleanſe us from ſecret faults.
11. Think daily of the greatneſs and freeneſs of Gods Love to us, who hath taken ſuch a courſe of mercy to us, when he might have taken a courſe of Judgement: well ſaith the Scripture, That as the Heavens are higher then the Earth, ſo is his mercy towards them that fear him: and ſo are his thoughts of Mercy above ours: What is all our mercy and pitty unto His? Peter talks to Chriſt of forgiving ſeven times a day; Chriſt tels him Ay, ſeventy times ſeven; ſuch is Gods forgiveneſs, his Mercy: our mercy to others is commanded, and is our duty; but Gods mercy is free: our mercy to others ariſeth from Gods mercy to us; but Gods mercy ariſeth from him ſelf; our mercy is but to ſome few, his to thouſands and ten thouſands: we oftentimes repent of our Mercy, he repenteth not: O whilſt we live, and when we die, think much, and ſpeak much of free Mercy: O the infinite expreſſions of it in the giving of Chriſt for us, and to us! What a Miracle of Mercy is our perſeverance, notwithſtanding all our backſlidings! the daily meditation of free Grace is an approved receipt againſt hardneſs of heart: this will ſoften the heart and bring it to godly ſorrow for ſin to admiration: we are ſaid to have hearts like an Adamant ſtone, Zech. 7. Now the Adamant ſtone is the hardeſt ſtone in all the world, it will cut glaſs with eaſe; no hammer nor fire will ſtir this ſtone: yet this Adamant ſtone being ſteeped in Goats blood new and warm, that will ſoften it; ſo will our adamant hearts be ſoftened, being ſteeped in the thoughts of Gods free Grace, being ſteeped in the blood of the Lord Jeſus that ſcape-goat that carried away our ſins into the Land of forgetfulneſs.
12. Though we ſhall have daily infirmities whilſt we are here below, yet watch againſt ſin, and eſpecially have a care we make no eminent turns from God: there are ſome ſins that grieve Gods Spirit above others. David had many ſinful failings, he told a lye to Abimelech, 1 Sam. 21.2. feigned himſelf mad, 1 Sam. 21.13: made a raſh oath concerning Nabal, 1 Sam. 25.22. was very cruel to the Ammonites, 2 Sam. 12. numbred the people in ſelf-confidence, 2 Sam. 24. commited Adultety with Bathſheba, 2 Sam. 11. Yet it is ſaid of David, 1 King. 15.5. that he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of his life, but in the matter of Vriah. Some think it is ſpoken of his Government, that that only was amiſs in his Government that he murdered Ʋriah; but I rather think that this is only mentioned becauſe it was the moſt eminent turn from the Lord that ever David made: the ſin that grieved the Spirit of God above all other, in compariſon of which God did not take notice of other failings: that ſin of murdering Ʋriah was a mighty deliberate contrived ſin, 2 Sam. 11.. He wrote letters about it and plotted it, which is a great aggravation of any ſin: and he might have many checks of conſcience that while it was a bloody ſin; it was a very diſingenuous ſin to take away his life that was fighting for him, it was a cloaked ſin, 2 Sam. 11.25. He put it upon the chance of war; it was a very ſcandalous ſin, and his Adultery might be comprehended in it, for that was againſt Vriah as well as the murder: it was the effect of his Adultery: and where one ſin is the effect of another, it is a great aggravation of it: O therefore watch and pray, that though we have many weakneſſes and much deadneſs, yet that we may not ſo wickedly depart from our God.
13. Labor to be heavenly in the night ſeaſon; we are but a little heavenly in the day time: we had need be heavenly in that time of retirement in the night ſeaſon: David meditated of the Lord in the night watches and at the dawnings of the day: commit our thoughts to God in the night ſeaſons to prevent vain and ſinful dreams. God can leave a ſweet ſavour upon our ſpirits in the night.
14. Obſerve when we pray for others what hints of Gods Spirit we have that he will hear us: God hath a ſecret way to bring ſome into our prayers, and to caſt others out of our prayers, as Jer. 7.16. God bad Jeremiah not pray for the people: its a ſad thing when a Miniſter finds no enlargement of Gods Spirit to pray for the people where he liveth: but I ſay, obſerve when we pray for any wicked man or for our relations, what hints of Gods ſpirit are upon our hearts that we ſhall be heard; a praying Father ſometimes praying for his child in the cradle may have ſuch faith in Prayer, ſuch hints of Gods Spirit, that he knows God will anſwer theſe Prayers, though it be twenty years hence, and he be dead and gone: others again when they pray earneſtly for their Children, find no Faith, no Ptomiſe, no impreſſions of Gods Spirit all their days that God will hear them for them.
15. Lay up Prayers for jorneyes and travails that God would make us heavenly and holy abroad as well as at home: beſides the need we have of his protection from the dangers that are in Travail: but the danger of ſin is moſt to be taken heed of: many men will commit thoſe ſins abroad that they will not at home. Iudah, Gen. 38.14. at Timnah, a City of the Philiſtines fell into the ſin of whoredom with his daughter in Law unknown: this ſin he committed abroad in his jorneying which he was zealous againſt at home, and would have his daughter in law burnt for it: Therefore I ſay, Lay up Prayers afore hand for all our travails, not only for outward Protection and ſucceſs in our affairs, but for our Spirits, that God would keep them holy and in communion with himſelf; for abroad we may have theſe temptations that we have not at home, and we may want the company of Saints which hath a ſecret, ſtrange influence upon the Spirit; abroad we may want ſuch opportunities of ſecret duties as we have uſed at home, which may put the heart much out of frame.
16. Its a great matter in Religion for Saints to walk with God in our relations; if our Parents be alive, we are to honor them, and be ſubject to them: ſo was Chriſt to his Parents for our example, Luke 2.51. yea the Apoſtle would have Children requite their Parents for all their care and coſt, and not be ſtuborn and undutifull, if they don't do for them as they would: if God brings into the Relation of a Husband, he is to love his wife, and not be bitter and harſh, and like a Nabal; that the wife may not miſs her other dear relations that ſhe hath left to cleave unto him, but find all made up in his love; yea, if the wife be barren, the husband muſt not think much with her; when Hannah, 1 Sam. 1.6,7,8. was troubled becauſe ſhe bare no Children to her Husband Elkanah, he comforted her and ſaid, Why art thou grieved? Am not I better then ten Sons? If God calls to the relation of a Wife, we know what directions the Scripture gives for the Wife to be ſubject to her Husband: yet many godly women that are cloſe walkers and tender-conſcienced otherways; yet do not ſeriouſly conſider enough, lay that Duty upon their conſciences; but though their Husbands through their Love may cover it, yet they muſt look upon it as a ſin before the Lord. Let Husband and Wife beg of God to give them ſuitable affections one to another, and mingle all their conjugal love with ſpiritual: If God call to be a Father, then the Scripture tells us, that we muſt bring up our Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord: be not an Eli to our Children: he though he was a good man, yet failed much in this, 1 Sam. 2.22,23,24,25. he was too indulgent to them; for he ſhould not only have ſpoken as he did, but he ſhould have reproved them more ſharply, and ſhould have put his ſons out of their office in which they were ſo wicked: bleſs God if he work Grace in our Children, for he is not bound to them; he hath no need of our poſterity, but can take out of the prophaneſt families if he pleaſe; the moſt eminent Saints have had prophane Children: care not only for outward things for them, but that they may be the Lords, that when we are dead and gone, they may know the God of their Fathers, and when we are rotten in our Graves, they may ſtand up in our ſteads to own and love, and walk with that bleſſed God that we in our pilgrimage walked with. If God call us to be maiſters of Families, and have ſervants; then we are as David to walk in our houſes with a faithful heart, inſtruct our ſervants and family in Gods ways, as God knew Abraham would do, and forbear threatning, and give them that which is right for their ſervice: and if they be ſick, not to throw them off to ſhift for themſelves; but as the Centurion went to Chriſt for the cure of his ſervant, ſo ſhould we look out for cure for them. If we be to marry, we are to marry in the Lord, not to marry carnal yoak-fellows for their beauty or riches: ſome have paid dear for that; for while they have married carnal yoak-fellows, they have either been carried too much away with their ſins, or have loſt ſo much of their Liberty in Gods ways, that they have gone with ſorrow to their graves.
Be well acquainted with the Covenant of Grace, get diſtinct knowledge of it: Many Profeſſors are very dark in the blood of Chriſt, inſomuch that they looſe their peace almoſt upon every ſinning, and ſo have legal repentance for ſin, when they ſhould have Goſpelrepentance, which is the Repentance that Believers ſhould have, called, Zach. 12.10. mourning over Chriſt crucified, and mourning as for an only Son, which is not only great mourning but mourning out of Love.
18. Count upon oppoſition from the world, and never think if we walk with God, to eſcape the worlds cenſures: the thoughts of this to frame our actings in Religion, ſo as to keep peace with carnal people, hath made ſome comply ſo far as to loſe their zeal, and be a ſhame to Religion.
19. When we have any orderly opportunities put into our hands in any thing, to lift up the name of God in our generations, let it not ſlip, but put our necks to the work if we are clear in the work and our call to it; for it may be there will never ſuch an opportunity of ſervice to God be put into our hands all our days again: now is our working time, now we have opportunities for Reformation and converting others, which we ſhall not have in the Grave whether we are going.
20. Walk in love with the Saints, break not with them upon every ſmall difference of Judgement, if you ſee ſome truth that they are dark in; it may be they ſee much more in other things then you do: watch againſt the Beginning of differences: Do not every thing you may, when you are in the preſence of weak Saints, 1 Cor. 10.32. conſider the tempers of theſe Saints we converſe with, their natural tempers, their education, temptations, corruptions, and walk tenderly and wiſely towards them, carry our ſelves humbly towards all Saints, eſpecially when we differ in any thing from them: for many times not ſo much the thing wherein we differ from others, breaks love between and us, as our high and proud carriage in that matter. In all our care to walk in love with the Saints, and not to give them offence, look up to God to ſend a Spirit of love between you; for ſomtimes when a godly man hath it in his eye to order a buſineſs ſo as to give no offence to his Brother, yet not looking to God in it, offence is taken; whereas at other times when we have done that which might juſtly give offence to our Brethren, and our heart looks up to God to prevent offences and breaches, God covereth wonderfully theſe things, and holds our Brethrens eyes and thoughts from looking upon them, and ſo graciouſly prevents the folly and raſhneſs of our ſpirits in making a breach with our Brethren; for God can ſend an evil ſpirit of diſcord between men as he did in a way of Judgement between Abimeleck and the men of Sechem, Iudg. 9.23,24. And God can ſend forth a Spirit of Love that brethren may live together in Unity: give always the reſpect that is due to godly men according to their age and condition that God hath placed them in the world: beware of vanity and unprofitable converſe with godly men. God oftentimes puniſhes that with fooliſh and cauſleſs breaches: let all our reproofs to our brethren be with tenderneſs and a Spirit of meekneſs, elſe they will provoke; forgive our brethren freely and from the heart what may be amiſs in their carriage towards us, as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven us: there will be ſomething amiſs in our carriages towards our Brethren; and if we do not forgive, where will our love be? Miniſter to the wants of the Saints according to our abilities, freely without grudging; do not unſaint our Brethren becauſe of ſome ignorance and error. The Patriarcks are ſuppoſed to have been ignorant that Polygamy, the having of more wives then one was a ſin: the diſciples ignorant of Chriſts death and reſurrection at the firſt: viſit the Saints, thoſe that are the poor, eſpecially when they are under afflictions, not only to comfort them, but becauſe then uſually there is much good to our ſelves in converſe with them.
21. If God hath made our days hitherto days of outward proſperity, & compaſſed us about with fulneſs of the creature, watch againſt ſin the more. David committed thoſe three great ſins of murder, adultery, numbring the people, when he was in proſperity and greatneſs. And do good while we have eſtates or oppornity, and look and prepare for afflictions; don't think God will always uſe thee to ſuch fair weather; and if God continue proſperity, learn heavenlyneſs, not to ſtick in the creature; learn moderation not to ſurfer on the creature, and daily make wiſe obſervation of the vanity and emptineſs of the Creature.
22. If Afflictions come, ſee if thou canſt find out the particular cauſe of them, which ſometimes may be known by the time when it comes. As for Nebuchadnezar, Daniel 4. to be ſtruck juſt when he had been ſaying, Is not this great Babel which I have built; it was eaſie to know that his pride and vain glory was the cauſe of that woful affliction that came upon him; and ſo Herod, Act. 12. to be juſt ſmitten with death when the people cryed it was the voice of a God, and he took that to himſelf; it was eaſie to ſee that that was the cauſe of his death: ſo alſo we may ſometimes know the cauſe of our afflctions by that way of affliction that God uſeth to us: it may be ſo like our ſin as Davids affliction in the …eath of the Child that was by Bathſheba Vriah's wife. 1 Sam. 12. it was eaſie to know that that ſin was the cauſe of the childs death; and ſo Adonibezeck, Judg. 1.6,7. when he had his Thumbs and great Toes cut off, he preſently was convinced what was the cauſe of the affliction, becauſe he had ſerved threeſcore and ten Kings ſo himſelf. Sometimes God ſhews us the cauſe of our afflictions by ſetting it up upon the hearts of our Brethren among whom we live; Sometimes he ſets it home upon our own Spirits that ſuch a ſin is the cauſe of it: but if the Lord never let us know all our days, the particular cauſe of many afflictions: yet we are to kiſs the rod, ſubmit to his hand, ſearch and trie our waies, humble our ſelves under his hand, and walk more cloſely with him in the whole courſe of our lives.
23. Take heed that we offend not with our Tongues; let our words be few, take not up moſt of the time in diſcourſe, when better gifts are preſent, but be ſwift to hear; let our diſcourſe be ſeaſonable to time, place, company; if they be wicked, ſuch diſcourſe as may awaken and convince; if they be ſtrong Saints, ſuch diſcourſe as may be ſutable to them; ſometimes it is not fit to ſpeak in the company of weak trembling Saints what horrible temptations other Saints have, unleſs it be to comfort them that they are not alone, but others of Gods children are tempted as well as they; otherways weak Saints many times fall into great torment of ſpirit that they ſhall be tempted as they are, and that they ſhall ſink under the Burthen. Do not uſe to commend your ſelves, neither affect in diſcourſe to give others occaſion to commend you: do not delight in rough and harſh ſpeeches; be wary to whom we open our hearts in ſecret matters, not unleſs they can keep Councell and give Councell; uſe heavenly diſcourſe among godly men: for want of that makes their company to be little better then other mens; in diſcourſe be not ſilent when there is cauſe to ſpeak, out of affected gravity; nor ſpeak out of for wardneſs or indiſcretion, when our ſilence is better.
24. Prize the Scriptures as the word of God; ſo they are called over and over: Bleſſed is he that heareth the Word of God and keepeth it. Now the Lord is revealing light out of the Scripture more and more, Satan tempts many to deny the word of God: all Scripture is given by inſpiration of God, 2 Tim. 3.16. foreign, the breathing of God, 2 Pet. 1.21. Holy men of God wrote the Scriptures, and they wrote them as they were moved by the holy Ghoſt, foreign, forcibly carried out of themſelves, and above themſelves by the holy Ghoſt; By the word of God, when the Scriptures are ſo called, is meant that which God hath ſpoken, that which he hath ſaid; and therefore for men to boggle at the expreſſion, and ſay the Scriptures are not the Word of God, but only Chriſt is the Word of God, it is as much as to ſay, the Scriptures are not what the Lord hath ſpoken, and what holy men wrote as they were moved by the holy Ghoſt, as the holy Ghoſt indited: this is a horrible temptation: it is true, Chriſt is called the word, & ſo is he the Eternal Word of God; but the Scriptures alſo are the Word of God, the written Word of God. Where this temptation prevails upon men that they queſtion the Scriptures being the word of God, by degrees they throw up all Religion, all truths, one after another; and though they do it at firſt under the notion of living in the ſpirit, and of the Light within them; yet at laſt they turn very Atheiſts; and thus after a generation of groſly ignorant and ſuperſtitious perſons there is riſen up a multitude of deluded and erroneous perſons even in the fundamentals of Religion: But O let thoſe that are the Lords people ſtudy the word of God day and night; try all things by the Word; get ſutable hearts to the Word that we may underſtand it the better; look up to the Spirit that indited the Scripture to be our Expoſitor and comment upon them; and often try our ſelves by the word, and take heed to all our ways according to the word; read it ofner then other books, and give up our hearts to all the Truths of it.
25. Lay up experiences which are better then Cabinets of Jewels; lay up experiences of the comfortings of the Spirit, of his gracious influence in prayer and other duties; lay up experiences of the raviſhing conſolation that flows from Chriſts blood; lay up experiences of the vanity and emptineſs of the Creature, and of Gods care over us to keep us from many ſins and errrors when we have had great temptations to them; take ſpecial times to meditate of all the ſpecial experiences we have had, both in inward and outward Mercy.
26. Beware of covetouſneſs and greedineſs after the things of this world; for there is no ſatisfaction in the creature; we think if we had ſo much as ſome others have, we could be ſatisfied; but this is certain, nothing but God can ſet bounds unto the deſires of mens hearts after worldly things; but our hearts, if they be ſet upon the world, will cry Give ſtill; all the world cannot redeem us from death, nor all our Silver or Gold buy off any of the pangs of death; and though men are earneſt upon the world for their Children, that they may leave them great matters to be ſome body in the world; yet we muſt know that the happineſs of our Poſterity doth not lie in our leaving them great eſtates; for if they never have Chriſt, it uſually makes them more ſinfull in this world, and more miſerable in the world to world to come: yea God oftentimes raiſeth poor Children to greater Eſtate in the world then they ever come to, and blaſteth and cruſheth the great Eſtate that men leave without his fear; and though the next Heirs it may be may keep it together, yet their Heirs may ſuddenly conſume; and too often the more money men lay up for their Children, the fewer Prayers they lay up for them; beſides, as Chriſt bids us beware of covetouſneſs upon that account, Luke 12.17. a mans life, that is, the comfort of it doth not conſiſt in the multitude of that we poſſeſs; not only the true comfort of a mans life doth not lie in multitude of riches, but in Communion with God; but the outward comfort of a mans life doth not conſiſt in the multitude of riches: many men of ordinary eſtates do enjoy more outward comfort then men of great Eſtates. How many great men have no comfort in their Eſtates! either God denies them of Heirs, and that is a torment to them, or gives them not Power to eat of that which they poſſeſs, or God ſendeth them ſuch pains and ſickneſs of Body, that they ſpend their days with grief, and their years with ſighing: Some way or other God ſends them ſuch croſſes and troubles that eat out all the comforts of their Eſtates: therefore let our Converſation be without covetouſneſs, and be content with the things which we have, though it be little; for God hath ſaid, He will never leave us nor forſake us.
27. Beware of diſtracting cares, fears & ſorrows about earthly things; for theſe heart-diſtracting cares are mighty contrary to the life of faith; they work not only death of ſoul, but the ſorrow of the world, and grief about theſe things, do haſten death of the body; they drink and ſuck up the juyce of our natural Spirits. All our diſtracting cares cannot add one Cubit unto our ſtatures; they cannot keep any of thoſe croſſes off; yea they provoke God to bring thoſe troubles and croſſes that we in an unbelieving way care and perplex our Spirits about; they make the troubles of our Pilgrimage more then otherwiſe they would be; for they provoke God to continue the rod longer upon our backs, and make the afflictions we have more tedious; as a man in the ſtocks, to take on, and gall his legs to get out, makes his ſuffering a great deal more then it would be if he ſat quiet; there is no way but to ſubmit to God in all that befals us, and not to diſtract our hearts in a carnal way about troubles before they come, and be impatient and murmuring when they do come; yet a Chriſtian will find this a hard leſſon to learn.
28. Beware of the leaven of Hypocriſie as Chriſt calls it; leaven indeed that leaveneth and ſowreth our duties exceedingly: beware not only of groſs Hypocriſie, ſuch as declareth a man to be an Hypocrite; but lay aſide all other Hypocriſie that is more ſecret, as in ſuch particulars as theſe; (1) When we are to pray before others, not to depend upon the aſſiſtance of Gods Spirit as we do at other times, but to fetch in ſome fine expreſſions by the ſtrength of memory which we have uſed or read heretofore; this is an evil to be watched againſt. (2) Its the working of Hypocriſie in our hearts when we are enlarged in ſecret prayer, to have a thought in our hearts to wiſh that ſuch and ſuch might hear us that they might think highly of our gifts. (3) And ſo when we purpoſely give others occaſion to commend us in conference. (4) Or when we undervalew our ſelves not in the humility and truth of our hearts, but purpoſely that others might commend us. (5) Or when we boaſt of things beyond, or live and ſpeak at too high a rate of thoſe things that God hath wrought by us, & too highly commend thoſe that God hath wrought upon by us that we might have more praiſe.
29. Watch againſt ſpiritual pride, ſeeing that we have nothing but what we have freely received. Spiritual pride is of all things moſt contrary to the diſpenſation of Grace in Chriſt, wherein the Lord hath taken a way to ſave us, wherein we are nothing, but his free Grace is all in all: let all Saints look upon themſelves as the greateſt of ſinners; for though we have not commited many great ſins as Murder, and the like that others have committed, yet we have the ſame corrupt nature that the worſt of men have; and our ſins have aggravations that make us greater ſinners, as the light we have of the love of God to us in Chriſt, the Ordinances and means of Grace, all theſe aggravate the ſins of Believers: and though we may be higher in Gifts and in place then many Saints, yet be not high-minded but fear, knowing that you are therefore a City ſet upon a hill which cannot be hid; and God having given you eminent Gifts, and brought you to ſome eminent place, God will be more diſhonoured by your falls and miſcarriages, which is a mighty humbling conſideration that religion may have more diſhonor by you then by twenty other Saints failings.
30. Reprove ſin; for though ſome may turn again and rent you, yet ſometimes you may be an inſtrument of converting a ſoul; and if this fall out but once in all thy life, its a great Mercy; however it is thy duty to leave it to the Lord to give ſucceſs in it.
31. Be not peremptory and too earneſt for the ſuddain removing of any affliction; for if that it laſts long, uſually the more good is done thy ſoul by it.
32. Be not weary of prayer and other duties, becauſe you do not always find ſuch extraordinary joys and communion with God, as ſometimes you have done; as ſometimes the Lord hath been ſo preſent in prayer with a Saint, that he cryed out, Lord I could ſpend eternity thus! Eternity thus! Then hours and days to be in duty is no weariſomneſs to the Spirit, though to the body: but at other times the ſouls is tyred with a ſhort walk, a ſhort duty: but continue in prayer and all duties; whether our Communion with God be more or leſs in them.
FINIS