The Power of Godliness, Treatise · Part 3 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. The next great help for the attaining of holineſs, is, communion with Saints; and firſt of ſolemn conferences, and how to mannage them.
THere are many rare ſpiritual advantages that are to bee gain'd by our communion with Saints, by conferences and combinations with them, by their example, gifts, graces, &c. of which I ſhall ſpeak in order.
Now conferences are either occaſional, or ſolemn: As for occaſional conferences, I ſhall ſay little, onelyonly I ſhall adviſe, that you ſhould improve your acquaintance with every Saint, according to your intimacy with them, mark what grace they are moſt eminent in; as ſuppoſe it bee humility, obſerve their carriage eſpecially as to that grace, for their example will bee much more eminent in that, than in other graces; ſo that from their carriage, you will underſtand that which I have ſpoke of in the beginning of this Treatiſe, wherein the power of Godlineſs conſiſts, as to humility: If their eminency lies in their ability to confute errours, then enquire of them what are the beſt arguments againſt ſuch and ſuch an errour, if they are moſt able for the reſolving of ſpiritual doubts, or caſes of conſcience, direct your diſcourſe that way; as Scholars uſe to diſcourſe with other Scholars of that wherein they are moſt eminent. But I ſhall eſpecially treat, concerning ſolemn and ſet conferences, and thoſe may bee mannaged ſeveral wayes to much advantage, ſome of them I ſhall mention.
The firſt way is, for a number of underſtanding and experienced Saints to meet 1. at a prefixt hour, for elſe it will occaſion the loſs of much time, if that be not obſerv'd.
2. Let the queſtion they intend to ſpeak to, bee given the week or meeting before, for their diſcourſes will bee much more mature, ſolid, and deliberate.
3. Let every one ſpeak to the queſtion ſuccinctly, pertinently, orderly, and when all the reſt have ſpoken, let the Miniſter (for I judge it convenient hee ſhould bee one) give his judgement and reſolution of the point: This hath been one way that I have known of mannaging Chriſtian conferences; another hath been this, ſome ſelect, experienced, prudent Saints, of a long ſtanding met together, they begin with a ſhort, but fervent prayer, for a bleſſing upon their conference; the ſubject of their conferences was only ſpiritual experiences, viz. every one told the manner and method of their converſion, which took up ſeveral meetings, they communicated their anſwers of prayers, thoſe that have been in deſertions, if they remember how they fell into them, what their doubts were, and how reſolv'd, and how afterwards they were delivered; at other times to communicate their experiences, as to joyes, and as to the manifeſtations, and diſcoveries that God made of himſelf unto them, what promiſe, or other place of Scripture, was the golden pipe, that conveyed theſe cordials to them, for the Spouſe deſires to bee kiſt with the kiſſes of his mouth, for joyes that ſpring not from the Word of God, are to bee ſuſpected. They told alſo, what were the effects of thoſe joyes.
Another ſubject of their diſcourſe was, to tell what they knew of other Saints, and their experiences concerning the former matters. Another was, to tell what their life and converſation was, and the rules they walked by, as to eating, drinking, ſleeping, &c. At another time they have brought forth the chief places of Scripture, which they have written down, wherein they have found moſt reliſh, moſt ſupport, beſt directions in matters concerning their converſation, or thoſe that they accounted moſt eminent upon any ſpiritual account, eſpecially in thoſe caſes for which it is hard to finde out places of Scripture to direct us in: As for example, What example? what place of Scripture have you to prove, that the thoughts that Chriſt had of his own excellencie, makes him more ready to give an example of love and humility to his people, methinks that is a ſingular place, John 13.3, 4. that Jeſus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that hee was come from God, and went to God; hee riſeth from Supper, &c. What place doth ſet forth the ſuperexcellencie of God moſt, Nehemiah 9.5. Bleſſed bee thy glorious Name, that is exalted above all bleſsing, and above all praiſe: And ſo Exod. 15.11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the Gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holineſſe, fearful in praiſes, doing wonders?
And when all was done, one repeated the ſubſtance of what was ſpoke; and this they did, one by one, in their courſe, one, one day, and another the next. Another way was this, divers Chriſtians being met together, and the ſubject being propoſed the meeting before, every one brought their anſwers in writing, confining themſelves to half a quarter of a ſheet of paper, which papers (that no one might know whoſe papers they were that were to bee read) were put into a book by them that writ them that whatſoever was amiſs in any paper, they that own'd it, might not have the ſhame of their errour or ignorance, it not being known whoſe it was, then all the papers being read, what was amiſs, was corrected, and what was wanting, was added, what was doubted of, was reſolved by the Miniſters that were preſent; when all was done, the papers were committed to one, who wrote all of them into a book, where they did not ſpeak the ſame thing, which was read the next meeting, before the queſtion that was then to bee diſcuſt, was ſpoke to. The queſtions were all practical and devotionary, controverſies being forbidden, as being more ſubject to engender ſtrife, ſuch as theſe: what are to bee accounted vain thoughts? how to bee ſuppreſt? what are to bee accounted idle words? and what means wee muſt uſe to avoid them? how far, and in what caſe conſcience is to guide us, and when not? how wee are to conceive of God in our prayers? whether wee are in every particular action, actually to minde and intend the glory of God? what it is to live by Faith? &c.
Another way is this, ſome ſelect Chriſtians agree to read ſuch a Chapter againſt the next meeting, and give an account of what things they take ſpecial notice of in it: At another time they propoſe, that each of them ſhall read ſome ſmall part of a ſeveral devotionary book, and give an account of the moſt remarkable things in it: Another time they were injoyn'd, that every one of them ſhould before the next meeting, chuſe out ſome of their acquaintance that were wicked, and ſhould ſet to the work with all their might, by prayer and conference with him, with all meekneſſe, and long-ſuffering to convert him, and to give an account how far they had proceeded, and to receive inſtructions how to proceed further; but the names of the perſons with whom they thus dealt, were to bee conceal'd.
Thus I have given you ſeveral inſtances, but have omitted many circumſtantials, which are to bee left to, and varied by Chriſtian prudence: I have been willing to particularize that (if it might bee). I may bee helpful to thoſe that ſhall bee willing to uſe this excellent help of Chriſtian ſet conferences, and I doubt not but God will aſſiſt thoſe that ſhall deſire to improve them, with abundance of other ſubjects for their diſcourſe; for if wee will poure out, God will poure in.
One way to furniſh them with profitable queſtions, is, that the queſtion to bee di…cuſſed, ſhould not bee left to one to propoſe, but all ſhould bee deſired, to bring in writing thoſe things that they deſire ſatisfaction in, and if they obſerve their readings, occaſional conferences and meditations they will meet with many practical devotionary ſubjects, which will afford profitable matter for theſe ſolemn conferences; and I ſuppoſe you do eaſily diſcern, that there is a greater or leſſe latitude, as to the prudence and piety of the perſons that meet, according as the conference is mannaged.