Family Religion, Appendix – Publishers note
APPENDIX, CONTAINING Rules of good Advice FOR OUR Chriſtian & Civil Carriage, Moſtly from Biſhop HALL's Epiſtles.
LET us begin with Him, who is the Firſt and the Laſt: Inform your ſelf aright concerning God, without whom, in vain do we know all things. Be acquainted with your Redeemer, who paid the price of your Redemption on Earth, and now intercedes in Heaven; without whom we have nothing to do with God, or he with us. Adore him in your Thoughts, Love him with all your Heart, and Truſt him with your Souls. Renew your ſight of him every day, and his of you. Call your ſelves to often Reckonings; caſt up your Debts, Payments, Graces, Wants, Expences, Employments. Think not your ſet Devotions troubleſome; yield not to ſuch a Thought; take not eaſy Denials of your ſelf, and beware of Self-flattery. Think all God's outward Favours and Proviſions the beſt for you; your own Ability and Actions the meaneſt. Suffer not your Mind to be a Drudge or Wanton; Exerciſe it ever, but overcharge it not. Every Day take a View of your laſt, as what may prove ſo. In all your Buſineſs look through the World to God; whatſoever is your Level, let him be your Scope. Offer not your ſelf either to Honour or Labour, let both ſeek you. So frame your ſelf to the Time and Company, that you may neither ſerve it, nor ſullenly neglect it; and yield ſo far as that you may not betray your Conſcience, or countenance Evil. Let your Words be few and digeſted: It is a ſhame for the Tongue to cry the Heart Mercy, much more to caſt it ſelf on the uncertain pardon of other men's Ears. There are but two things, which a Chriſtian is charged to buy, and not to ſell, Time and Truth, both ſo precious that we muſt purchaſe them at any rate. So uſe your Friends, as thoſe which ſhould be Perpetual, may be Changeable. While you are within your ſelf, there is no danger; but Thoughts once uttered muſt ſtand to Hazard. Do not hear from your ſelf, what you would be loth to hear from others. Give the Eye and Ear full ſcope in what is good, for they let Knowledg into the Mind, but reſtrain the Tongue; few Men have repented them of ſilence. In all ſerious Matters, take Counſel of Days, and Nights, and Friends; and let Leaſure ripen your Purpoſes; never hope to gain ought by ſuddenneſs. The firſt Thoughts may be confident, the ſecond are wiſer. Serve Truth and Honeſty ever, though without apparent Wages; the Recompence is ſure, if ſlow. As in Apparel, ſo in Actions; conſider not ſo much what is good, as what becomes you. Excuſe not your own Evil, agravate not that of others: and if you love Peace, avoid Cenſures, Compariſons, and Contradictions, and Evil Speaking. Out of good Men chooſe Acquaintance, of Acquaintance, Friends, of Friends, Familiars; after Trial, admit them; and after Admittance, change them not. Do not alway your Beſt: it is neither wiſe nor ſafe for a Man ever to ſtand on the top of his Strength. Be ever below your ſelf, if you would be above the Expectation of others. Expend according to your Purſe, not after your Mind, or the Example of Neighbours. Rather ſmother your Griefs and Wants as you may, than be either Querulous, or Importunate: Frequent Suits, or Complaints are weariſom to a Friend. Let not your Face belie your Heart, nor alway tell tales out of it. In all your Reckonings for the World, caſt up ſome Croſſes that appear not; either they will come, or may. Let your Suſpicions be Charitable; your Truſt fearful; your Cenſures ſure. Give way to the Anger of Great Men, againſt whom you have no Fence: patiently bear the Inconveniencies you cannot mend; and make the beſt of what muſt be. If the World ſmile upon you, with double care look to your Soul, for there is more danger in Good than Evil.
FINIS.
BOOKS Printed for John Lawrence, at the Angel in the Poultrey.
SOme Account of the Holy Life and Death of Mr. Henry Gearing: Who died, January the 4th. 1693/4. Aged 61. With the Trial and Character of a Real Chriſtian, collected out of his Papers, for the Examination of himſelf: From which ſeveral other Particulars are added, for the Inſtruction, Encouragement, and Imitation of Chriſtians. By Mr. John Shower, 12o.
A Diſcourſe of Tempting Chriſt: By Mr. John Shower, 12o.
Mr. Slater's Sermon on the Funeral of Mr. John Reynolds Miniſter, 4o.
—His Sermon on the Funeral of Mr. Richard Fincher, 4o.
—On the Thankſgiving Day, Oct. 27. 1692. 4o.
Mr. Giles Firmin's Anſwer to Mr. Rich. Davis. 4o.
A Sermon Preached before the Lord Mayor, and Aldermen of London, January the 30th. 1693/4. By W. Stephens, B.D. Rector of Sutton in Surrey, 4o.
Mr. Hammonds Sermon on Mr. Steels Funeral. 8o.
Miſcellanea Sacra, Containing Scriptural Meditations, Divine Breathings, Occaſional Reflections, and Sacred Poems. 12o
Aickins Engliſh Grammar; or the Engliſh Tongue reduced to Grammatical Rules. 8o
There will be ſhortly Publiſhed,
Mr. Slaters Diſcourſe of Family Religion, in 18 Sermons. 8o
Mr. Hammonds Diſcourſe of Family Religion, Written and Publiſhed at the requeſt of the United Miniſters of London. 10o
A Diſcourſe of the Right of the Children of Believers in the Covenant, againſt Mr. Hercules Collins, By Mr. Mence of Wapping. 12o
End of the text · John Shower, Family Religion (1694)