Christian Geography and Arithmetic, Title page – To young men
CHRISTIAN Geography and Arithmetick Or a True Survey of the WORLD: Together with the right Art of numbring our dayes therein. Being the Subſtance of ſome SERMONS Preached in Briſtol:
By THOMAS HARD CASTLE Miniſter to a particular Congregation there.
1 Cor. 7.29.
foreign, opportunity is furled up as a ſail.
Pſa. 39.4, 5.
Lord make me to know mine, end and the meaſure of my dayes what it is, that I may know how frail I am
Behold, thou haſt made my dayes as an hand breadth, and mine age is as nothing before thee; every Man at his beſt Eſtate is altogether vanity.
London, Printed for Richard Chiſwel at the Roſe and Crown in Pauls Church Yard. 1674.
To my Honoured and worthy Friends, Mr. John Smith, and his beloved conſort, Mrs. Anne Smith at Batterſee.
BY prefixing your names, the World will eaſily ſuppoſe me under great obligations to you, though it is as far from my deſign, to give, as I know it is from your deſire, to receive flattering expreſſions. A few Weeks ago I thought my ſelf far enough from making uſe of your Names, or any ones elſe in this kind. The ſence of that Providence *A dangerous fall at a Trap-doorwhich you met with, when you were laſt at Briſtol (which did ſo ſuddenly bring you even to the Gates of Death, and almoſt as ſpeedily reſtored you again) did give conception to the moſt of theſe *Pſa. 90.12.meditations: and becauſe your urgent affairs prevented you of the opportunity of hearing them Preached, I was willing you ſhould have a ſight of them, that they might be your monitor and keep you company; the beſt ſtand in need of their Memento Mori's: for whichpurpoſe I began to tranſcribe them, intending nothing more than your, private view; but continually & *Bramham Toulſton Oglethorp Ceeds Shadwel Wakefieldſternuouſly followed with theſe conſiderations which daily increaſed upon me, and would not be avoided, viz. That I had many Friends in Yorkſhire, Pontefract Hull Beverly Langlon Thoraby York Barwick in Elmet &c.where I drew my firſt Natural and Spiritual Breath, for whom I have endeared affections, and whom I have daily in my remembrance; that the firſt fruits of my Miniſtry was ſown among them; that I had ſpent ſome years there in ſeveral Places, Preaching the Goſpel of the Kingdom, the Lord having made my poor Endeavours uſeful to ſome: and eſpecially that I ought not to forget, how Satan envying the Converſion of Souls, and that the Lord Jeſus ſhould have any Publick Worſhip, did ſtir up ſome of his Inſtruments (Perſecutors and Apoſtates) ſeveral times for ſome Years together to Moleſt us, Fine us, Impriſon us, and Impoveriſh us; alſo how Graciouſly the Lord was pleaſed to manifeſt himſelf in our Aſſemblies, and ſo by his Spirit wonderfully to ſupport, ſtrengthen and incourage us under loſſes & long confinements, that through Divine aſſiſtance we were enabled to hold on in the Lord's way to the laſt; thoſe that gave us trouble being in the iſſue, either weary of their own Work, or convinced of the honeſty of our's, and the integrity of our Hearts therein: that theſe my Fellow-ſufferers together with all the reſt that did ſympathize with us, and remember us in our bonds, as bound with us, ſhould be under ſome viſible Character of my cordial Love, and ſeeing the Providence of God had for the preſent ſet me at ſo great a diſtance from them, that I was utterly diſabled from doing or receiving good among them, I ſhould put ſomething into their hands, which might ſtir up their pure minds by way of remembrance. I knew no more Uſeful Leſſon to recommend to them, 2 Pet. 3.1.than this of Right Numbring their Dayes, which may put them upon a ſerious conſideration of their dayes paſt, a due improvement of the preſent, and an Holy preparation for thoſe few and evil ones that are remaining.
I am alſo made in this ſmall undertaking, to have a ſincere reſpect to the Members of that Antient and Honourable ſociety (whereof you are now a member) formerly walking with Mr. Henry Jeſſy where for ſome time;Now under the care of Mr. Jam. Fitten my old Friend & Fellow ſufferer and and Mr. Hen. Forte I did enjoy Comfortable Communion, till the Providence of God removed me thence.
And now I know that you will not be troubled, that you have been the occaſion, and made way for me, that I might diſcover ſome of that true Love I have for my old Friend (and Native Countrey) whoſe Souls I hope I could ſerve with laying down my own Life. But that I may not grow tedious to you, I ſhal only further tel you what I latly heard of you, from the mouth of a Judicious Chriſtian, who hath many years been intimately acquainted with you, both before and ſince your (ſignal) Converſion:*Mr. Smith is an honeſt Man with all his faults. more need not be ſaid of the, beſt Saint in the World, and leſs cannot be ſaid of the weakeſt; I confeſs I was much taken with the expreſſion, and therefore mention it not only, becauſe it is inoffenſive (having neither flattery nor reflexion in it, both which I loath) but becauſe it may be of uſe to ſome; if he had ſaid you had been an honeſt Manwithout faults, or but with a few; or if he had ſaid, that he is a Man bleſſed with rare accompliſhments, admirable endowments, he can ſpeak with the tongue of Angels, he hath the gift of Prophecy, and underſtands all Myſteries, and all Knowledge, he is willing to beſtow all his goods to feed the Poor, and is ready (if need be) to give his Body to be burned &c. 1 Cor. 13.1, 2, 3. But he hath one Fault, I ſhould have liked it leaft of al, for, it would have looked like that in 2 Kin. 5.1. Now Naaman Captain of the Hoſt of the King of Syria, was a great Man with his Maſter, and honourable, becauſe by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria; he was alſo a mighty Man in valour, but be was a Lepert: Or like the young Man in the Goſpel, whom Jeſus kiſſed, and his Neighbours applauded, but he lacked one thing, Mark 10.21. It ſeems the Righteous Man with his ſeven falls a day remains an upnight Man; for, he doth not fall willingly, he rifeth again ſpeedily by Repentance, and he mourns daily over his many humane frailties and infirmities: David, and Job, and peter, Were honeſt men with all their faults, though if the leaſt iniquity be allowed and indulged, no Man can be an honeſt man with all his good Works, and Religicus performances. But Sincerity is a Grace of that excellent Nature, and univerſal inflaence, that it gives Life, reality and a beautiful complexion to all other Graces; it unſtings infirmities in the ſight of men; and (through the merits of Chriſt) gives boldneſs to tranſgreſſing Sinners, to draw near to the King of Heaven, not only with expectation of acceptance,Pro. 11.20. Heb. 10.22 but of complacency and great delight.
Laſtly, For you (Mrs. Smith my dear Friend) I have only this to ſay to you, that I am perſwaded your Soul's in a good ſtate for all your fears and complaints of a treacherous and unbelieving Heart, which are incident to the beſt of Saints, and which the Lord ſomtimes for reaſons ſuffers them to be attended with more than ſome weaker Chriſtians. That you both may grow in Grace, and eſpecially in the Life of Believing, and be found ſtill in the exerciſe of thoſe good Works, (as the Lord ſhall enable you) of Goſpel Hoſpitality, of entertaining Prophers and Saints (though ſtrangers and exiles) with your liberality and bounty to the poor Saints and People of God, and that under that very conſideration and denomination without more private and narrow reſpects: that you with all your faults, and you with all your fears may be preſented blameleſs at the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and When your little time is expired in this troubleſome, reſtleſs Earth (whereas a Man uncannot find a place to ſet his foot eaſily) be ſafely landed in unconceivable and immenſe Eternity, ſhal be the conſtant Prayer, vvhilſt time laſts, of
Your Faithful true Friend in Him that is true. T. H.
To my loving Friends the Members and Hearers of that Congregation, which I ſtand related to as Minister:
Dearly beloved Friends,
IT would ſeem ſtrange if I ſhould leave you out in this affair, ſince what is here publiſhed was Preached among you, and they were your Sermons in the Preaching. I have not much to Communicate to you in this manner, having ſo many ſfeaſons of ſpeaking to you, (bleſſed be God or the continuance of them) only meeting with this fair opportunity, I cannot but make mention of that Univerſal and continued Affection, I have met with from you, ſince the Lord by his Providence brought me among you, I cannot likewiſe but take notice,(to the praiſe of our Lord and your incouragement) of that union Love and moderation there is among you: notwithſtanding ſome difference in apprehenſion, your ſoundneſs and ſtedfaſtneſs in the Faith of the Goſpel,Mat. 28.20 * foreign 1 Cor. 11.26.foreign your zeal and Love to the Name, Honour, Offices and ſtanding Ordinances of the Lord Jeſus in this Age, wherein he hath ſo many ſorts of Enemies appearing againſt him; your peaceable diſpoſitions, together with your readineſs to ſuffer for, rather than run from the diſcharge of your Duties and Conſciences towards God, when Perſecution and trouble threatned you, &c.
Let me exhort you to Bleſs the Lord for, and improve your preſent liberty; pray that thoſe whom the Lord hath made to ſee it their intereſt not to fall out with Religion, may come to ſee it their chief concern to fall in with it prepare for worſe times, and endeavour to ſee your own ſins to be the procuring cauſe of them; make trial what influence the right meaſuring and ſpending of time will have upon the power of Godlineſs which is ſo much decayed. Be careful to grow in Grace, and go on as it is your true deſire, to ſtrengthen Chriſtianity yet more in its more principal and vital parts, keeping up Communion with God in ſerious meditation and ſervant Prayer giving Religion an honourable and chief reſpect in your Families; daily renewing Acts of Faith and Repentance, watching carefully over the Tongue: looking well to the Hand's that they over-reach not, nor withhold more than is meet; to the feet and converſations that they be preſerved without grieving and offending ſlips and falls, &c. Finally, pray for me earneſtly that I may approve my ſelf a Work-man that need not be aſhamed; If you would feel my Sermons, let me feel your Prayers, and be helpt by them. I ſhall conclude with that needful admonition, Revel. 16.15. From which I have lately Diſcourſed largely to you, Behold I come as a thief, bleſſed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments, leſt he walk naked and men ſee his ſhame. That you may ſtand compleat in all the will of God and be kept by his Power through Faith unto Salvation, is the conſtant prayer; and through Divine aſſiſtance, ſhall be the Hearty Endeavour of
Your faithful (though unworthy) Servant in the Work of the Goſpel. T. H.
To Young Men.
THis little piece may be of uſe to you to carry in your pockets, and read a few lines in it every day; you that think your time is before you, may yet have out-lived, and left your ſeaſon behind you. You have had many powerful Sermons Preached to you, many excellent Treatiſes dedicated to you, many ſervent Prayers put up to the Lord on your behalf, many loud calls and grave admonitions from God, your Parents, Maſters and Relations; and if you could but ſee your time to be pretious, it would make all effectual for the welfare of your Souls and Bodies, your true Honour here and Glory hereafter. Are not you found ſometimes in the practice of ſome things, for which the Lord of time never created any time ſave a reckoning time? can you rationally conceive that God ever made any time for Idleneſs, for Drinking, for Gaming, for vain ſporting and pleaſure, for dancing, for frothy, (or filthy) communication, for unruly paſſions, or any uncomely behaviour? I ſhall only recommend thoſe two known words of Solomon, Rejoice (at your utmoſt peril) and Eccl. 11.9. Eccl. 12.9.Remember (for your unſpeakable benefit.) The Lord help you to give to him your early and morning time and ſtrength, he will take it kindly, and reward you Honourably.
Farewel.