Memorials of Godliness and Christianity, Treatise 5 – To the reader 5
A Remedy againſt Carefulneſs.
Phil. 4.6.
Be careful for nothing.
1. CArefulneſs forbidden is taking over-much thought, diſquieting the mind, rending the heart in pieces with doubts and fears. for worldly things
good, to be
miſſed,
loſt.
ill, to
befall,
continue.
2. The cauſes are
Doting too much upon the thing or comfort in danger,
Diſtruſt of
Men.
Means.
Gods bleſſing.
3. The Effects are divers, and not the ſame in all: But it appears,—
1. When it provokes to uſe indirect means.
2. When the means which are uſed, though commonly ſufficient, are not counted ſufficient.
3. When the thoughts are chiefly upon it firſt and laſt, contrary to the expreſs charge, Mat. 6.33.
4. When it breeds interruption in holy duties,
Neglected.
Untowardly done.
5. When it hinders from enjoying natural comforts.
6. When it makes unfit for ones calling.
7. When it hinders freedome of ſpirit, and makes unfit for civil ſociety.
4. Hence the Reaſons againſt it are many, ſhewing the ſinfullneſs of it, and directing to Remedies againſt it.
1. It is an idolatrous ſin; if we doted not too much on ſuch a creature or comfort, we could not be overcareful about it, See Pſ. 73.25. compared with the former part.
The Remedy is, to apply Gods All ſufficiency, who can certainly make us happy without that creature or comfort.
2. It is a Paganiſh ſin, an Infidels ſin, if we did believe Gods Providence, Attributes and Promiſes, we could not be ſo out of quiet, Mat. 6.
The Remedy is, to lay to heart theſe Doctrines, as becomes a Chriſtian.
3. It is an unthankful ſin, we deſerved Hell and ſcape that, and are promiſed Heaven inſtead of it, are we not bound to referre other things to God?
The remedy is, to ponder well our ſins, and Gods great mercy in Chriſt.
4. It is a fruitleſs ſin, no man gets any thing by vexing himſelf, Gods will ſhall ſtand.
The Remedy is, to weigh how great a piece of wiſdom it is to make a virtue of neceſſity.
5. It is a multiplying ſin, it endangers to make one do any thing, to ſecure themſelves from what they fear.
The Remedy is, to conſider the leaſt ſin worſe than any evil, to a Chriſtians heart.
6. It is a pernicious ſin, it provokes God often to croſs us in the very thing, even for our over-carefulneſs about it, diſappointing hopes, or bringing fears, according to our perplexed apprehenſions, beſides worſe miſchief, if one obtain their deſire.
The Remedy is, to conſider the promiſes made to meekneſs, and the comforts of a good Conſcience.
7. It is a prophane ſin, hindring religious duties.
The Remedy is, to remember Gods ſervice, the end of our life, and nothing ſhould hinder us in it.
8. It is an inhumane ſin, it hurts 1. The Soul, in the forenamed neglect of duties to God. 2. The Body, by hindring the enjoying of comforts.
The Remedy is, to love our ſelves wiſely, and our whole ſelves rather than our fancy in any thing, or than any one particular thing for our ſelves, how ſeeming unneceſſary ſoever.
9. It is an unſociable ſin, and inhumane in reſpect of others, it makes unfit for all converſe, and ſo neglectful of friends, and even be diſcomforts to them.
The remedy is, to conſider our ſelves not born for our ſelves only: others afford us comfort, and we owe the like to them.
10. It is an unneceſſary ſin; we have vexation enough for each day, we need not vex our ſelves with thought for to morrow.
The remedy is, to conſider that we may die, before that we miſdoubt comes: and then (as we ſay) the thought is taken.
11. It is a ſelf condemned ſinne: There are none but truſt men in ſomething or other, as great as that they are now over-carefull about, or muſt do God with a greater matter, the eternal eſtate of their ſouls.
The remedy is, to reaſon the like in one thing we do in another, and not diſparage God while we truſt men.
12. It is a ſin againſt experience, 1. Of the bruit and even ſenſeleſs creatures, God feeds the fowls, and clothes the graſs. 2. Our own, is not the life more than meat? and the body than rayment? ſpecially the ſoul than either.
The Remedy is, to conſider God our Father, who will not be kind or to a kite than to a child, or prefer a flower before a ſon, nor withhold the leſs (being good: and who is ſo mad as to ſay, I would have what God ſees not good?) having given the greater, Rom. 8.32.
The Lord of Earth and Heaven, of Grace and Glory, teach us ever to love him with Faith and thankfulneſs, that we may enjoy all good from him through Jeſus Chriſt, Amen.
The Soul of Faſting.
Nehem. 6.5, &c.
1. AN awfull Regard and Reverence of the Glorious Majeſty of the Great God; with whom we have to do, by a through Apprehenſion of his infinite and incomprehenſible perfection, in all his Attributes, and of his abſolute Soveraignty, as Creator, Preſerver, and Ruler of us and all things in the world, v. 6.
2. Thankfulneſs for all the goodneſs of God vouchſafed to us, by a large apprehenſion of all his manifold Favour, Generall to His Church, to our Nation, Particular to Us and our Friends, Temporal, Spiritual; illuſtrated marvelouſly by our deſervings, not only of no good, but of extream ill, ver. 7, &c.
3. Sorrow for our ſins, and our Nations and fore-fathers ſins, by a deep apprehenſion of the curſed Nature of ſin in general, and vileneſs of ſuch ſins in particular: aggravated by all circumſtances that may be▪ Specially by Gods Mercies and Chaſtiſements, verſ. 16. &c.
4. Sence of our miſery, Felt and Feared, all proceeding from GODS hand, from his diſpleaſure, provoked by our ſins, and impoſſible to be avoided, but by his Favour, which is not to be preſumed upon, if we continue in our ſins, ver. 32, &c.
5. Faith is the Covenant, Truth, Goodneſs, and power of God, for all times and purpoſes, ver 32.
6 A Covenant renewed with GOD of all obſervance and Fidelity, ſpecially to amend what we have acknowledged amiſs in our ſelves, and profeſſed ſorrow for, and fear of, before God or men, or both, ver. 39. and Chap. 10. throughout.
Directions about theſe.
1. IN the Word read or preached, thoſe things are to be moſt carefully obſerved, which may quicken and confirm any of theſe.
2. All theſe are to be preſented in prayer, ſummarily in every ſolemn ſupplication ſuch a day, private or publick: but the enlargements may be varied, and one while more of one, and another while of another.
3. Before-hand it would be greatly helpful to have written by us: 1. Amplifications upon Gods Attributes. 2. Catalogues of choicer mercies. 3. Catalogues of ſins. 4. Aggravations of ſins.
4. The day is to be begun with thoſe thoughts ſpecially which relate to our ſelves, though taking in others alſo.
5. And it is not to be ended without ſome ſecret, yet ſolemn review of the ſouls behaviour, from firſt to laſt: and an earneſt labouring to faſten all the good thoughts it hath had upon it, and to re-inforce the ſuit to God, to ſettle them upon it firmly and laſtingly.
The God of all Wiſdom and Grace, teach us to practiſe and improve theſe Remembrances to his Glory and our Eternal Good by Jeſus Christ.
FINIS.
MEMORIALS OF Godlineſs & Chriſtianity.
PART. III. A DAILY DIRECTION, OR BRIEF RULES for daily Converſation. AS Alſo a Particular Direction for the LORDS-DAY.
Written by Herbert Palmer a little before his Death.
LONDON, Printed for Henry Million at the Bible near White-Fryers in Fleetſtreet, 1670.
TO THE Chriſtian READER.
Chriſtian Reader,
HEre is another parcel of thoughts for thee, [Some brief Rules for thy daily converſation] Thou wilt perhaps ſay [They are ſtrict, at leaſt ſome of them.] Rules ſhould be ſo: Mens lives will be looſe enough for all that But [ſome of them (it may be thou thinkeſt) are not of neceſſity] Think again ſadly and conſcientiouſly, between God and thine own ſelf: and thou maist poſſibly be of another mind. Looking God in the face, makes ſome things appear to be ſins, and ſome things to be duties, after a confident out-facing men, that it was otherwiſe. But ſuppoſe they are not all of neceſſity: yet think once more, whether there is not ſome wiſdom in them, and an Advantage, if a man can bring himſef to ſuch a temper? And if they be but ſo much (as ſome of them are offered thee, under no further notion) wilt thou deliberate, whether thou wilt ſtrive to be ſo wiſe, or not? and whether thou wilt endeavour to have thy mind in the perfecteſt temper or not? I will pray for thee, through Gods grace, that thou mayst profit by this, and all other Helps, who am ſtill
Thine and the Churches Servant in Chriſt altogather Herbert Palmer.